besottment by paper relics

Free Download: Happy Halloween

I hope you have a fun and safe halloween! 

 * as usual, just click the image to see the larger version and right click on it and save as...
To see more free images available for download - click the FREE DOWNLOADS button in the sidebar.

Free Download: Twirl

* Don't forget about the fun giveaway currently being offered: click here for your chance to win the besotted brand diy stationery kit *

I have had this old photo for ages - I always have loved it, I feel like as soon as the photograph was snapped, she started to twirl, still holding her dress, in her favourite party shoes, spinning in several circles before stopping, doubling over with laughter...

 * as usual, just click the image to see the larger version and right click on it and save as...
To see more free images available for download - click the FREE DOWNLOADS button in the sidebar.

 

Giveaway: Besotted Brand D.I.Y STATIONERY KIT

It has been quite some time since we did a giveaway hasn't it?

Well, I had been lucky enough to win a wonderful prize recently and when it came, I was in love, (one could even say 'besotted').

Miss B, the wonder behind the newly launched shop, Besotted Brand, has the most amazing goodies for sale (take a peek) and is giving away a D.I.Y STATIONERY KIT to one lucky besottment reader!

For a chance to win this beautiful kit (photographs above by Miss B. herself)...

• Leave a comment below telling me who your favourite fictional character is, and why.

You can have additional chances to win by doing one or both of the following:

• Tweeting this contest (be sure to include @paperrelics in the tweet so I know to enter you again)
• Leaving a second comment telling me your favourite product in the Besotted Brand shop (click here to see everything).

Thank you for entering the contest - look for more giveaways soon! Contest is open until November 1, 2011 at 12 PM EST with the randomly selected winner announced the following day.

Good luck everyone!!

My 2011 Sketchbook Project Journal

I am participating in the 2011 Sketchbook project*. I have to have my completed journal posted by January 21, 2012 and although I have had it for quite some time now, I have only done a little in it.

This project is a bit out of my norm, instead of working on spreads as they come to me, I had to pick a topic and complete the entire book. This is causing me to work in completely different way. I work on spreads here and there, not always completing one before working on the next. I also have been jumping around in the book, which some journalers do often but is a first for me.

My chosen topic is "Encyclopedia of..." which was fun to do since I had just finished reading The Philosopher's Kiss which is a novel about the life and loves of one of the creators of the encyclopedia back in eighteenth century France. I decided this journal would be a sort of encyclopedia of my thoughts, my life, my world, with the occasional creative twist tossed in...

Here is what I have so far, no spread is complete yet so keep that in mind!

Here is the journal they sent, along with the information I needed I keep it together for safe keeping:

Here is my cover - rather plain... I hope to make it a bit more attractive:

Page one - I was playing with my new camera here and wanted to try some close ups with the background blurred out:

Here is the full spread... my favourite thing lately, with the old antique images of ladies and making them interactive (I will show you the inside on my next update post):

Here is an envelope I wanted to add to the journal - not sure what else I am going to do here yet:

I plan on putting a vintage tag with some twine on it in here, with a little message, maybe a quote or phrase:

Here I used a security envelope, with a crest die cut from anther security envelope to create a sub-page:

The envelope is empty now... and on the other side I found a fun ad with a photobooth in it and used it to document how Kari and I always hunt them down to have our photos taken when we are together:

Here is a page about friendship... with various photos punched in my favourite swirly frame shape (oh and friends, hope you are okay with the page since it will be going on tour across the country!)

and one on family-ship with a photo of my parents on their wedding day along with text about the rest of my family:

Had to use a cute striped bag, used it to make a fold out page on this spread...

(Here it is open:)

... and the other bit of the stripped bag on this spread. I found this fun fortune teller card recently, it is an old cigarette card from the 1800's and I thought it would be fun to add even though it has no bearing on my thoughts, life or world:

I am going to add some words of wisdom inside the fold out:

And here is the back cover (there are a few empty spreads before it), I added a photo of me, and used some of my favourite elements on the back inside cover:

So, I will keep you posted and let you see it again when I have made more progress!

*If you are interested in participating in the 2012 Sketchbook project - you can sign up through the end of the month so hurry over and see details by clicking HERE.

Once Upon a Dream: Asheville, North Carolina

Jenn Hayslip's event, Once Upon a Dream was wonderful. Here are a few photos that do a poor job of summing up the weekend... (I have a journal too that I will share in a few days- I lucked out and from a great book to use my first day there)

Clockwise from top: 1. Andrea Framed! 2. Me, Lori and Danielle (photo from Lori), 3. Andrea, Karla and Me Wine Tasting (photo from Lori). 4. Me and Danielle at brunch (photo from Danielle)

Below: photos I took from my phone, gumballs, the ceiling in the library in the Biltmore, and a cherub on the Biltmore grounds.

My favourite photo was taken by Danielle of the Biltmore Estate: