Monthly Free Printable: Calendar Bookmark 2012 – March

March 2012

I had these up for sale on etsy, but decided to rather share them for free. I’ve given them as Christmas gifts and they seem to be a hit!

I wanted to make bookmarks with  real African flair; drawing inspiration from townships, villages, metropole, landscapes, places I’ve lived at, people I’ve met. And not a leopard pattern or safari theme in sight. So each month is different, some designs might reflect that month’s international or local theme: like Valentine’s Day or Women’s month.

March’s design was the first one I made for the printable set. It uses the chrysanthemum from my Tracy’s Homemade logo (etsy link). Background is a shweshwe pattern.

Every end of the month I’ll upload the following month’s bookmark calendar.

Click on the image for the full version, save and print.

Click here for previous months.

Link Parties!

Lookie!! I’m Stamping!

The last time I stamped it was with a rubber stamp, probably a rose or a fairy or a tag frame, and I was trying to get the perfect angle on my rainbow ink pad.

But stamping sure has changed. I had to look up some YouTube tuts on how these clear stamps work. Then I sat my pregnant butt down in the isle of clear stamps in a PNA store in some Cape Town mall and went through every single one of their stamp sets looking for the perfect chrysanthemum… which I never found. Although a few customers took me for an employee and were quite aloof and almost cold when they asked me about a particular product. And quickly showed all smiles and understanding when I explained that I’m excersizing my right to self-service in a store clearing lacking.

Eventually I found a nice floral symetric type stamp and some orange ink. Course had to get a block too. I’m trying to make cheap no frills, nice cards to hang my earings from. I used some paper upcycled from what was leftover from Princess Lili’s 3rd birthday party. This looks like the start of a beautiful new hobby ;)

Turning kids art into a key holder

Base coat is dry

It’s all about pink

Is that a strawberry?

Gilding board corners

Added some definition

When it doubt: staple gun!

Panel pin nails become hooks

Link Parties!

It’s about time.

I’m nervous. Really nervous. I haven’t touched flat nose pliers, jump rings or faceted beads in over a year. I was stuck in a non-creative rut. At first not wanting to come out. Thinking that it doesn’t matter, me enjoying this hobby doesn’t make a difference. I didn’t even want to try to get out of that slump. Then after a while I was too afraid to try. Making excuses about my tools being packed away and just having no time to unpack them… Not making time. I avoided all the craft shops, blogs, magazines, shows. Didn’t want to be reminded that I could be creating something special for a friend – no matter how flawed – something custom for my daughter, something pretty just for me.

It’s taken a while for this apathy to thaw out, and it’s going slow. But today, right now, after posting this, I’ll be making a few earring sets.

It’s about time.