and this is one of my received matchbox shrines....

I received this gorgeous matchbox shrine from Lexi (Chupachup2009) and I love it. Its in my chosen theme which was 'Vintage'. Lexi also sent some stash too which was totally unexpected but always welcome!!!

and here it is!!! My matchbox swap......

I so enjoyed making this little coffin, with its purple velvet interior and little handmade library and bottle of Elixir! It started off as a standard matchbox but look at it now. If I am honest, I was a little sad to see it go and now looking back on these photos a year later I really do wish I had kept it and made something else to send in its place!!

Matchbox Shrine No.2

I cant wait to show photos on here of my second matchbox shrine that I posted this afternoon. I dont want it to be a spoiler so I am not going to put any photos on here until I know its been received. (I know the recipient will peek and I want it to be a surprise!)
I was gutted to have to let it go!!!! So silly I know, but I am really proud of my achievements with how it turned out. Alot of stripping it back down to a matchbox shape and starting again, and in one instance it all went in the bin and off to the shops I trekked for another matchbox!!!
I hope the recipient likes it as much I do.

I have finally done my last LO for the current circle journal I am involved in and its theme was 'Pink and Black' so I chose a very understated choice of cardstock but brightened them up with individual poems on the theme.
I must say that on embarking on my very first journal swap, I dont think I realised the concept 'less is more' and I think other members of this swap were horrified at my initial LO for my own journal. Suffice to say, that in these months of varying themes, I like to think that I have learnt soooooo much and that my crafting is changing (for the better). I guess everyone has to start somewhere and we all learn by our mistakes.

Here's to many more Circle Journals!!!!

LO for Circle Journal with the topic 'Places I should go'

I was quite sure when I knew the topic for this circle journal that I would do Sun Island in the Maldives but I decided a place much closer to home and with links to my childhood. Dont get me wrong, Maldives is just heaven in my eyes but Cornwall has such a special place in my heart that it won in the end!!

My choice was Fowey and it truly is beautiful, such a shame my photos cant capture its beauty!!

Matchbox shrine...what was I thinking!!?

Well, I thought it would be a doddle to create a matchbox shrine but how wrong you can be!! Working on something so small and fiddly has been a challenge but an enjoyable one!
This swap was on UK Scrappers and I put myself forward to swap not just one but two matchboxes!! My themes were 'Oriental' and 'Grungey,gothicy, stampotique' (anybody dropping by from this swap will now know the recipients!!...sorry if i've spoilt it!!)

I posted my 'Oriental' themed matchbox today and I am rather pleased with the outcome. I made a picture book on the life of a Geisha. Not sure if my recipient will find it remotely interesting but I did!!!
Photos not the best but if was difficult to photograph to get it all in!!