Make a Stationery Gift Set from 3 Sheets of Paper

Hello! A few weeks ago I went to the art shop and bought some single sheets of patterned paper. I Love being able to make up my own combinations.

Firstly I chose a sheet of scrapbook paper by Bo Bunny called Peacock Lane Tweet. It combines my two favourite colours of Turquoise and Purple and although not strictly Seaside Style I could not resist! 

I used this to make a cover for a pamphlet style notebook as it is quite sturdy. I did the stitching inside out so I could add some matching beads. 

Bo Bunny Peacock Lane Tweet Scrapbook paper used to make a notebook cover

Next I chose a sheet of Turquoise paper whose pattern reminded me of water, definitely Seaside shades! This had no name but matched perfectly with the Bo Bunny. It was a lot thinner and quite flimsy so not suitable for using on its own. 

So, I looked out a small notebook that I had made earlier and decided to make a wraparound cover for it. I measured the height and cut the paper accordingly. I then folded it in half and folded the ends and tucked them inside the cover. Next I added some lilac gingham ribbon which I tied loosely like a belt. I just love these lilac stamps and so I tucked them in the ribbon for the photo. I had great fun choosing the rest of the props for the photo. I am loving making up these compositions which I do for Instagram.

Turquoise wraparound cover for a handmade notebook. Fastened with lilac gingham ribbon.

My third choice was some lilac paper with white swirls. It fitted into the trio perfectly. In case you are wondering, 3 is my favourite number! It also works well on IG where the photos sit in 3s. I am trying to plan ahead so that I can have three matching photos side by side. Again this was fairly flimsy paper, so I decided to make another wraparound cover, this time for a small moleskine notebook which has a plain cover. The good thing is, this type of cover can be easily removed and exchanged for another. 

I used the same method but had to make two folds to accommodate the wider spine. I added Purple Chiffon and White Velvet Ribbon. Perfect for a Winter Makeover. These I attached inside the loose cover with washi tape so that it can be removed if necessary. I just Love how they all look together.

I still had some paper left, so I decided to make some envelopes, using my We 'r' Memory Keepers Envelope Punch board, and a matching mini card. I made two envelopes and then put one inside the other to make a lining. I made the card to fit and rounded the edges using my punch board. My Favourite tool!

An envelope and mini card all co-ordinating!

This has been such a fun project. I hope I have Inspired you and that you have enjoyed my photos.

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Thanks so much for taking the time to read this, it makes it all worthwhile having you here.

Best Wishes,

Jacqueline

Surf Girl Bracelets

About 25 years ago I decided to make some earrings. I had great fun and they were very popular with friends and family. Five years ago I sold all my remaining beads to a couple of friends who wanted to try making jewellery themselves. I kept all my tools as I thought they may come in handy again one day.  I am so pleased I did because I came across some bead bracelets on Pinterest  which inspired me. 

I bought some sea blue and green beads and memory wire. I already had the cotton and hemp cord and the elastic came with the beads. The theme for these bracelets was Summer Fun. Something to wear on the beach, out shopping or in the evening, when on your Summer Holiday. The lil hemp wish bracelets are perfect for festivals. I shall give them to my daughter and she can share them with her friends. 

This is the first one I made. I could not believe how simple and effective it was. Thanks to my skills in bending wire in the past I had no problems. 

I then made the sliding cord type which I had done before.

Finally came the elasticated one with the little charm. 

I then came across these little mini bead 'wish bracelets' it was so nice to have a challenge and learn new skills. I was surprised how eady they were to do! They certainly looked tricky. Of course watching videos on youtube is always helpful.

I was very pleased to sell 3 different types of bracelets and at the end of last month I donated over £20 to RNLI, my chosen charity on ebay for giving ⚓️ ⛵️ 🏄🏼  A huge thanks to everyone who bought something.

Best Wishes, 

Jacqueline

https://facebook.com/BlueAnchorBay

Blue - The Water Element

As many of you know, Blue is my Favourite Colour! My page, Blue Anchor Bay, is named after the place in Somerset where we took the children when they were small. In this case Blue refers to the Sea. However, Blue is also the colour of the Sky, so it is a Truly Natural Colour. Indeed, it is one of the Primary Colours, along with Red and Yellow. In Feng Shui it is known as The Water Element. ( I will discuss the other 4 elements ie Metal, Earth, Wood and Fire, in future blogs.)

In Feng Shui the Water Element is thought to bring Freshness, Purity, Flow, Ease, Abundance and Renewal. In other words, the Colour Blue is Pure & Fresh. 

According to Colour Theory, Blue means Calmness, Responsibility, Peace & Strength and causes a Relaxed & Refreshed Feeling.

If you look at the colour wheel below, you will see that Blue is classed as a Cool Colour, along with Purple & Green. They sit together on one side. Purple and Green are both secondary colours being made from Blue with the addition of Red for Purple and Yellow for Green.

Traditional Hindu beliefs suggest that the body is divided into seven Chakras. These are focal points, where energy from the aura are received into the body and then distributed. The Throat Chakra is situated between the collarbones this is where they believe the Colour Blue is Distributed. It affects our throat, neck, ears and shoulders and is associated with the sense of hearing and with our thyroud gland.  (This is very interesting as I have an underactive thyroid gland!) 

In Colour Therapy, Blue is the colour of Inspiration, Peace & Tranquility. However, Blue is also associated with Depression & Sadness hence the saying 'Feeling Blue' This refers to very dark shades of Blue.

Tints & Shades...There are, of course, many shades of Blue, my Favourite is Turquoise. Tints are made by adding white to the primary colour, often referred to as pastels. Shades are made by adding other colours in varying degrees.

Shades of Blue

Colour Combinations - there are many ways of combining colours. Often a 12 segment colour wheel is used as a tool

Here you can see the combination of Blue, Green & Purple which were described above as the cool colours. They are also known as Harmonious or Analagous Colours as they sit side by side.

Another popular combination is known as Complementary Colours, this is where two colours, opposite each other on the wheel, are used together eg Blue & Orange

Another very simple way of combining colours is to use neutral tones such as Grey, I think this works well with the Turquoise

I hope you have enjoyed reading this blog. I have introduced lots of theories, some of which you may have heard of. There is too much information to include it all here but you may wish to find out more! I shall be continuing this series and discussing other Colours, Elements and Types of Colour Combinations.

If you have any questions then please do ask. You can find me here 

https://www.facebook.com/BlueAnchorBay

Sets of Buttons and other craft packs now  for sale on ebay 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/blueanchorbay2012

Many thanks for reading!

Best of Wishes from,

Jacqueline ⚓️💙⚓️ xxx