Smash Book

I was planning on joining in with WOYWW (What's on your Workdesk Wednesday, you can find out about it here.) but I forgot to take a photo of my desk! I can show you however what is on my desk (among other things) that I am hoping to start filling shortly.

This is my handmade, hand bound album that I am planning on using as a smash book. 

I am really pleased with it. This isn't the first time I have made a chipboard album but this is the first time I have bound it in this way. And I just love all the fabric and ribbon scraps on the spine, makes it really touchy feely!

I got the idea for making this book from an amazingly talented lady called Jennibellie. You can find her blog here and the 2 videos I used for inspiration on her YouTube channel here and here. Only major difference was that I used chipboard instead of a box and scrapbook papers for the covers.

Don't know what a smash book is? In this video from Jennibellie she explains what the difference is between an art journl, junk journal and smash book. In my eyes, and what I am planning for my smash book, it's a book where you can stick memorabilia, photos, tickets, notes and odds and ends that you have collected that don't necessarily 'fit' a Scrapbook page. I have loads of cinema tickets that I have kept over the years that I plan on sticking in, I have photos from penpals, stamps from other countries, little notes I have written, receipts, maps etc etc. With my scrapbook pages I tend to plan them and have a specific theme on each layout, with my smash book I am literally just going to stick things in randomly as I find them! I already have a box full of things to get going!

Do you have a smash book, either a bought one or a handmade one? How do you use yours, I would love to see!

Thanks for reading and do make sure you check out Jennibellie's You Tube channel, sooooo much inspiration!

Happy Crafting,

Maxine xx

Lean Something New Every Day

Can't believe it is September already! Where oh where did August go?!


I'm taking part in LSNED again this year. Hoping I can complete it again as well.


Made my mini book yesterday and am really pleased with how it turned out.


I created it with the left over yummy fabric from the Cherries & Strawberries Embellish Kit I made for Which Crafts? I just think it is soooo pretty! Was only my second time using my sewing machine though so took me quite a while to get it right and my seams are not perfectly straight as you can guess from my stitching through my title! I sandwiched some chipboard between 2 pieces of the fabric for the front and back.
It's only a very small book, it measures just 5 1/2" x 3" and I'm using tags as my pages.
I also stitched some fabric to the ends of some of those too, but I am not doing that to all of them! Will take me too long lol!

Have decided my first lesson is - 'I need A LOT more practice using my sewing machine... but I did manage to create this!'

Will share the page when it's complete hopefully by tomorrow :)

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs and periwinkles xxx

Soooooo long!

Has been sooo long since I've posted anything, oh dear! To be honest I haven't really done any crafting for ages, well since my last posts really. I have been working on my shop (Which Crafts?) and have recently started a second (or third if you include the shop!) part time job as well! Thought I would share some old layouts and a mini book I made using some beautiful papers I brought in for the shop!

The kits containing these papers are available here if u like!! I will be filling this as soon as I get time with pics of me and my boyfriend on our trip away last month.

Oh and this layout was created using the January Kit from Which Crafts? 1 still availble on sale here!

This Paper Bag mini book was made quite a while ago now! But have never shared it on here. I have been thinking of making another one with the Celebration page kit from the shop... but doubt I will ever get time lol!

These papers are Junkitz Salsa Celebration and are my absolute fave papers ever! The pics are of me and my birthday cakes made by my wonderful mum and nan over the years lol!

Hope I will get some more crafting done soon, thanks for looking! x

More mini albums!

Managed to have a play today with some of the mini books that have been on the UKS homepage this week. Ordered the brill beer mat book from Indigo Mill and soooo can't wait to receive that and have also made a start on a mini album for my boyfriend using the instructions from Crafty Templates, pics when I have finished a bit more!

My fave however was def the album with the pen holder from Craft Island and I knew it would be perfect for my holiday album this year.

Papers are Bo Bunny and I have also used some thickers, foam papermania letters, my dymo and some paper scraps for the flower.

My first page is a pocket with a little journalling book inside. For each day that I am away I have created one of these so I can jot down what we do each day. They are just a bit of card and some lined paper held together with a brad in the corner and the dates on the front!

Again the papers are Bo Bunny stuck on some white cardstock. I have just stitched the pocket closed with some red thread.

In this pic you can see the pen! I think it is soooo cool. Will def be doing this again. Although will have to scrounge for more hair bobbles!

My next 2 pages are just some card with some more of the Bo Bunny papers. I love the look of rounded corners so had to do that!

I Plan on just sticking photos and maybe more journalling on these pages. The book is not totally finished yet and I haven't decided if I should have just the 2 or more pages in between each day!

Also because of the book rings I will prob put postcards and leaflets directly into the album.

Then over the page it's on to the next day. Same kind of pocket and journalling book.

I will probably leave any kind of embellishments until I have been away and have my photos and know exactly what I want to do with the spare pages!

Think I am going to have to buy more of the papers tho, apart from being lush I am running very low. Only brought 3 sheets, not knowing what I was going to do with them!

Anyways thanks so much for looking. Have a good night! xx

Quite a productive day...

Feels like I have managed to get quite a lot done today. Firstly here are some ATCs that I made so I can swap them on the ATC Trail on UKS:

Haven't made proper ATC's for ages. Used to swap them quite a lot on another forum I was part of but that was over a year ago.

These ones are all made with paper scraps, flowers, rub ons, some ribbon and Crafty Individuals Printed Acetate.

The words are just what the acatate pictures made me think of!

I have also managed a 6x12 layout with a pic that I have had for over a year and been meaning to scrap. Didn't turn out how I had it in my head but am very pleased with it!

I used random black and white papers, ribbon, ric rac, flowers and embellishments.

The butterful boarder is bazzill just the edge and I used a papermania template for the stitched butterfly.

The orange butterful in the top corner is from a pack of AC thicker accents.

The journalling reads: Weymouth beach. We were stood watching the sea and this little butterful came and landed right by our feet to sun itself on the sand!

And finally I also managed to start my You Think You Know me album for Shimelle's Class. Signed up a while ago and have just never got around to starting!!

So here it is!

I just used random bits of paper scraps, acetate, thickers, ribbon, flowers and the inside pages are mostly made from Crafty Templates Note To Self Quirky Kit.

I have only done the front and first 2 pages but it is a start!

Will hopefully be able to do a bit each week.

Anyways thanks for looking!

Mini Books...

I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE them! Have only just realised today while going through some of my boxes of stash just how many I actully have. And how many of them are only half finished lol!

I soooo can't wait for the mini book special that is going to be on UKS this week. And luckily I even have 2 days off this week where hopefully I will get a chance to have a play :)

Most of my mini books I have made. I just don't get the same feeling from ready made ones. And yes I do have a Bind It All :) Had it for my birthday last year, probably don't use it as much as I should but am getting better with it!!

The mini books in the piccy above include my First CJ - Love Hate which was completed this year with the Lovely Kirsty's Kolourful and Kreative Newbies on UKS.

All these ones are unfinished! They include my Christmas album 08, 2 of my last years holidays, one of nights out with my friends, and 2 yearly ones for 2008/09 and some of the others I don't even have a clue what I am going to put in them yet!

I must admit I do have a bit of a thing about making mini books and not actually putting anything in them. Although I do have plently of photos so will get around to it eventually!!

Had a play today with the Triangle Squash Book on the UKS Home page and this is what I have come up with:

I haven't had a chance to do the front covers yet but am pleased with how it has come out. The papers are Cherry Arte His and Her Basics. I just LOVE anything black, red and white so when I saw them I just HAD to have them!

Anyways am off out with the boyfriend in a bit, we have some lovely weather today so are going to go out and enjoy it. You never know when it's going to happen again!! Thanks for reading!