Here are some of my mini books and little box of bliss projects. So this page doesn't get too cluttered I have added links to pages where you can see the complete book or project. some of them are also available in the shop as DIY projects, just look for the links!

Putting on the Glitz

I went on a birthday cruise with my husband in 2008 and we had a 'posh' night otherwise known as the formal night and photos were taken. We ended up with a set of 6 photos that weren't all that formal but hold great memories. I wanted to make a mini book and the idea of the 'glamorous' handbag jumped to my mind! The papers and embellishments are from the Glitz Plum crazy collection. More pictures can be seen here to see the full story and you can get the DIY project in the shop to create your own Gltzy story be it a wedding,  little girls dress up story or a special new years eve party!

Little Box of Bliss

I made this little treasure box as my own little 'sanctuary' to fill with memories of my time in my beloved Mexico! That's how the title came about! Inside there is a mini book with my favourite idyllic pictures of mexico, these I have 'melded' onto chipboard pages so it is like a coaster book and it has a tray in the bottom that I have filled with my 'treasure'. Shells, tickets, bottle tops and even incense so that it smells like mexico when I open it up. It's a special place I can go and drift off for a time! To see more pictures and the mini book pages click here. I've had such a huge reaction from friends about my little box of bliss that I have written a DIY project for it so you too can have your own little box of bliss go and check out the shop here.

Little Box of 25

As I said I have had such a huge reaction to my Little Box of Bliss I have started making them as presents Making the box and mini book but leaving the tray to be filled by the recipient with their treasures and only putting the melded photos on the right hand page of the mini book inside leaving plenty of room on the left hand page to add their own photos, treasures and journalling. For this I have developed envelope and tag pages as an option and these are included in the DIY project available here. I made this  Little Box of 25 for my sister-in-laws 25th wedding anniversary click here for the complete set of pictures.

Little Box of Sophie

This is another take on my little box of bliss made for my step son and his partner as treasure box of their little girl Sophie. I have left the tray empty for them to fill with all her childhood memories and added plenty of interactive pages for them to add photos and their own journalling. For the complete set of photos click here and to make your own little box of .... the DIY project is available here.

Little Box of Dylan

Not to be left out this is the little box of Dylan that I made for Sophies' brother. The rest of the project pictures can be seen here and the DIY project to make your own Little box of.... is here

A story of Spirit

This was a mini book to celebrate the spirit of our Mexican friends following hurricane Wilma which had a devastating effect on the Yucatan peninsula. I tore pieces of brown card and inked them with distress ink and water to make it look like the bark paper the Mayans use for their calenders. I found some Mayan patterns and drew these in as backgrounds, colouring them with dark paper pens in the colours of Mayan art and stamped inca animal images. I stitched the whole book together with matching yarns in a cross stitch down the spine. I think we could all learn a lot from the mexican spirit in adversity! Click here for the complete set of pictures of the book.

A Mothers Day Collage box

This started off as a mothers day card that grew!! I found a box that had had smellies in it for Christmas and altered it! I papier mached the lid with loo roll (classy me!) Then painted it with acrylics, mica powder and of course inked it! The little house is cut from chipboard and treated with a poor mans crackle glaze a technique I learned from Claudine Hellmuths book 'beyond the unexpected'. I also used this technique on the sides of the box. Inside I went collage crazy! on the left is my mum and behind her her mum, her gran and her great gran and set into the box is a 3D collage of me, my sister and her 2 girls as well as hanging butterflies and a little sentiment.

Lilly Book

Another card that turned into something more! My niece was turning 11 and I wanted to make her a little inspirational book and also give her something that had photos of her recent visit with me, when we had so much fun! I decided to have a go at a word book and so cut my own from chipboard. The papers are HOTP from a floral pad and stamps are HOTP swirls. Most of the sentiments came from DCWV quote books. The big L is triple embossed with blonde moments powders and a Tim Holtz paisley stamp. Click here for the full set of piccies.

Recipe envelope book

I made this little book for a friend, a collection of my favourite weight watchers recipes. These envelope books are so simple and so effective! The inside is like a concertina file and all you do is turn the flap of the envelope back and stick it to the front of the one behind! Don't know who came up with the original idea but it's so clever, give it a go! Here's my take on it click here to see inside.