TFT - New Years Resolutions

I know yesterdays post was gonna be my last, but I just had to squeeze this cutie in.. on New Years Eve too! :) Now I really have fulfilled a post a day. I am pretty proud of myself. 

Onwards. This is an image from the November release over at Time for Tea Designs. All of Jo's amazing images can be purchased over at her Etsy Shop. 

This girlie is aptly named New Years Resolutions. I totally took my inspiration from Jo when colouring up her dress. Jo is an absolute magician when it comes to ProMarker work! She holds regular Demo Days at Hobbycraft in Sheffield - oh how I wish I lived closer!!

I decided to create another easel card so I had room for a 2014 calendar on the base. This card would be good to keep out on a desk or side table to remind yourself of all the promises you made at the beginning of the year, hehe. I kept the colour scheme in blues, yellows and kraft. I used one of my faaavourite My Minds Eye paper packs which I've been holding on to for a ridiculous length of time.

I was watching.. something on Create and Craft the other night and it spurred me into thinking about my Fimo and the few molds I bought waaay back earlier in the year. I only used them a couple times, and then they got thrown in the drawer and forgotten about. Naughty me!! So, off I went to dig the stuff out.

I knew I'd be using a lot of turquoise, with it coming up to Valentines, and taking a look at the papers in my drawer I knew that it'd be a common theme, so I decided to make up a bunch of turquoise bits and pieces. Afterwards I hit eBay and bought a few more molds, mainly buttons. Can't wait to have a play with those. I also treated myself to a pack of Martha Stewart paper clay. Fun times ahead! 

So I used one clay doodad in the little sentiment/ flower cluster on the card, and another underneath the calendar. I dusted my molds with talc, and some of it stuck to the little flower design, so instead of brushing it off I put them in the oven with the hope that it'd bake into it - result! It looks so pretty.

I added a few Whimsy Stamps Tickets to the design as well as some die cut swirls (both in Kraft cardstock from Papermania) some organza ribbon (anyone know the width of that? 23mm? 25mm? - I need some more in my life. See what happens when I promise myself I'll use stuff up?! Hah!!), some Wild Orchid Craft goodness and a little clock charm. 

I was going to go crazy with buttons too, but I thought with the busy patterned paper I used in the background and the larger image panel, I thought I'd let the things I'd choose speak for themselves without adding more for the eye to take it. 

I think I've learned a lot over the last year about embellishments, their placement and having 'empty' spaces on cards for your eyes to rest. Thanks to a lot of YT and blog hopping. 

So with all this in mind I thought I'd set myself 5 Crafty New Years Resolutions

1. Experiment with my colouring.

Don't worry my little ProMarker buddies, I will continue flying the flag for us, and I hope you will too (yes, I'm talking to you Coops and Donna!!) I want to push myself to create backgrounds, groundings, more intricate clothing, more detailed hair, more shading. The whole whack!! 

Pussssssh myself.

2. Leave more love.

I don't think I've done too badly this year. I have burst of blog commenting every few weeks or so. If I haven't stopped by your blog lately and left you love, I can only apologise.. but I will be there! Soon!!

3. Be more organised in my own personal card making.

So, almost everyone who knows me knows I make my own cards now.. and if they don't receive one for their birthday or anniversary.. or Christmas.. I always feel like I've let them down. So from now on I will have a calendar up above my desk a month a head so I can see all of the cards I need to make in the next month to get sent out. 

Fingers crossed all goes well! ;)

4. Keep a better record of inspiration.

Whatever it may be that I find when browsing the web, or checking FB, or blog hopping - I always seem to.. lose. I might be under the impression that it's tucked away somewhere in the depths of my brain, but when I get sat at the craft desk.. *poof* it vanishes, and I might as well not have bothered spending 4.5 hours searching for said inspiration.

Long story short - make better use of my sticky notes and note pad. 

5. Use. It. Up.

I say this every year, but every year I get even better at it.

I've already mention in previous posts that I think I've found my *hotspots* in my craft area, so every couple months or so I plan on rotating some of my stash, like the stuff that I haven't been using very much will get moved into the areas I dip into all the time. That's the plan anyway.

Who's with me?! LOL! Thanks for stopping by today. 

Best wishes for next year, everyone. Let's hope it's the best yet! :)