Give a Girl a Blog

The Paper Curator | Kit Review

Around September this year, Cecily from The Paper Curator shared an image on her instagram of a kit Cecily designed and produced herself, [the one above], and I knew right away, I had to have it.  You all know I love instagram and it's not a bad platform to share new product lines.  The postage from US to Australia is really reasonable.  The kit arrived rather quickly and when I opened it I couldn't wait to share.  It was amazing and the quality is even better, thick cards.  You get enough supplies for at least 2-3 weeks of pocket page spreads.

After receiving my first kit order, I've ordered every kit since then.  It doesn't matter that the above is based on fall, with pumpkins and the mention of scarves.   I've been using the kits for my, project 'my' life, here.  PLUS for the fact that regardless of the season, I love it.  The kit pictured below is Cecily's most recent kit for November and I've already almost used it all, [finished pages to come].  I love a kit that is that good, that you get the need to use it right away.  I used to hoard kits like this. But this year I gave myself a good talking to, haha, with doing a clean out of my craft room / office.  Not once but I had to do it twice.  Cecily has a share of the December kit on the 14th of this month and release on the 16th.  I can NOT wait!

You can check out Cecily's blog and shop, here.

*** I was not sponsored or paid to share my honest review and thoughts on the paper kits from The Paper Curator.***

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JORD watch | voucher giveaway closing soon!

Don't forget to enter into the JORD watch voucher giveaway that's ending on 10th June 2016.  So not long now.  Here is how : There is a chance for you to win $75 USD off any product at JORD, and if you don't win you could still score a $20 savings just for signing up to the JORD newsletter. You have till the 10th of June and it's open WORLDWIDE my Australian friends!  Just follow the link, here, sign up to JORD newsletter and they'll know I sent you!

Father's Day for my US friends is coming close, any dad would love one of these cool watches.  At the same time we could all use a little gift for ourselves right?  These unique watches are it!  You can check out the watch in the images in my blog post from the Frankie Series, here.  In three different colour choices.  I promise you, you can't go wrong with one of these on your wrist, or be late, haha!

This is a sponsored blog post for JORD wood watches. I would not share anything not relevant or that I didn't truly like and I absolutely love my watch.

 

JORD watch review | unique gift idea

On the blog here today I'm sharing with you all about the stunning watches from JORD.  Now if you haven't heard about JORD then you are about to and if you have, then your about to hear a little more.  With Father's Day coming up for my readers and friends across the ocean it's time to start thinking of Fathers day gifts and these cool watches make the perfect unique gifts for men.  Best of all JORD ships WORLDWIDE and free shipping within the US.   So if you are from Australia and looking to be organised for your dad, grandparent or husband, a JORD watch is perfect. Wood Watches For Men

The details in the watch pictured is stunning, honestly I can't stop looking at it.  I now know the time more than I should, and giving myself a workout in the arm lifting department, WIN/WIN.  But you have to admit, even the packaging, yes that wooden box in the photo above is the packaging, really is a gift in itself.

If you are already prepared in the Father's Day shopping department and have your gifts for him, then why not pick one up for yourself?  Trust me, these wrist watches are even more amazing in real life.  We could all use a little gift for ourselves right?  These unique watches are it!  You can check out the watch in the images in my blog post from the Frankie Series, here.  In three different colour choices.  I promise you, you can't go wrong with one of these on your arm, or be late, haha!

WANT TO WIN?  There is a chance to win $75 USD off any product at JORD, and if you don't win you could still score a $20 savings just for signing up! You have till the 10th of June and it's open WORLDWIDE my Australian friends!  Just follow the link, here, sign up to JORD newsletter and they'll know I sent you!

planner re-review for 2016

Late-ish last year I wrote this blog post, here, about the planners I had and what I did and didn't like about each of them.  With the intent of using them in 2016. A lot can change between then and now.

What I've found to work for me in 2016 is just the one planner.  Honestly being that I'm not much of a planner girl to begin with, I don't know why I thought I would need 3.  Last year I used the Day Designer only and it would often go like this : Have it and use for a month, have it go missing for a few weeks, use it for three months straight, pat myself on the back. Three months is really good, then not use it for a week and the cycle would continue.  Often the main times I didn't use it was when my girls were on school holidays.

To keep this blog post short, the one planner I've been using daily for the past 5 months, is :

It's funny I went from not knowing what to use the planner for and not thinking the columns where wide enough to not being able to go without it.  I did pull out a few months to make it a little smaller and my back cover did keep coming off and even with all that, it still was working for me.  Elise made some changes to the 2016 version, I can feel the back cover is stronger and while I thought for two days about which colour to go with, as Elise now offers a black design and you all know my love for black and white?  I still went with Kraft.  2015 meet 2016.

What planner do you use?

diy 'no sew' velcro banner with a giveaway

When I was contacted and asked if I would be interested in teaming up with VELCRO ® to use their new line of products VELCRO ® Sticky Back for Fabrics it was an absolute no-brainer, given that I love DIY projects and no sewing?  Yes please.  When the kit arrived I loved it all.  Best of all you get a little velcro left over and already I'm thinking of what Christmas creation I can come up with.  For now let me share the banner that comes with everything you need and instructions that are so simple to follow.  Someone else that is sharing her banner and having a giveaway is Sam from Dunne with Style, here.  I love her blog name and that it ties in so well with her last name.

While the instructions show you how to not have the threads on the outside, those that follow me know I love things like this, and so I life it as is.

The result = This awesome banner that is going to look awesome displayed in my craftroom.  Something to brighten my day.  It could also make a perfect gift either made or not made.

HOW TO WIN YOUR OWN DIY NO SEW KIT :

VELCRO ® gave me an extra kit in pink, grey and white to giveaway to one lucky reader.  To enter simply :

- Leave a comment and tell me where you would hang your banner if you were to win.

BAM done, simple right?  The giveaway will close midnight Monday 30th November.  So get your comments in to win!

instant instax camera vs instax printer

Round 1, kidding.  I always think of a boxing match when I see the word 'vs'.

I've been asked what I think of the instax printer compared to the instax camera.  Today I'm going to share my personal 'quick' views of what I do and don't like, and the average costs within Australia.

I started with the instax camera 7.  I can't really remember if I got the wide or the mini 25 next, but I do know they weren't all that far apart.  Lastly I got the instax printer just this year, in fact just a few months ago.

-WHAT I THINK OF EACH CAMERA AND THE PRINTER-

INSTAX 7S :  I've had this camera for at least 4-5 years and it still works.  I've since bought Kira one for her birthday last year, and  she still uses hers, just yesterday in fact.  The printing quality is fine.  BUT the settings are hard to figure out what will work in what setting and it's not necessarily always right. I've wasted a lot of film which isn't cheap.  If I had to rate this camera I would give it a 5.5 out of 10 cost is around $ 99 within Australia.

INSTAX MINI 25 : The features were improved since the 7S.  With an in-built selfie mirror and being more compact was a plus.  With less settings it seems to work a heck of a lot better.  The printing quality doesn't seem to be much different from the 7S, but then printing quality was never the issue when a photo actually worked out.  If I had to pick between the 7S and the mini 25, it would be mini 25 hands down.  Rating is 7.5 out of 10 and cost within Australia is around $120

INSTAX 210 : Now this guy is BIG, I mean imagine a brick and it's of similar size, but not of weight, although close enough, haha.  I bought this in a pack that came with film and a attachment to take selfies.  It also has a zoom feature.  I've just looked into this camera more and in that found that there has been a new more compact wide fuji camera released.  I do really love this camera, but the size is just far too big.  Rating 6 out of 10 cost within Australia is around $150

INSTAX PRINTER : I've wanted one of these for some time, but the cost always put me off, would I use it enough for the cost?  Turns out my answer is YES!  Something I absolutely love about this printer is that it's compact and I can take it with me anywhere.  The main thing I love is that it prints photos taken from my phone.  I do find that photos already edited don't print as well as the unedited photos, just to keep that in mind.  Rating 9.5 out of 10 and cost within Australia is around $220 

FILM : Where do I buy my film?  Another thing I get asked, I buy off ebay actually.  You can usually find a pack of 50 for around $45 to $50 with free postage.  It used to be cheaper to buy on ebay from china, but it seems a few Aussie sellers are matching their prices which works out better.

So can you guess what I would recommend?  Yup the printer.  At the end of the day my phone is what I take photos on, more so than my big camera, that I rarely take out anymore.  So even if I took the printer with me, I know I wont be wasting film trying to find the right lighting, etc.  The printer wins in my eyes HANDS DOWN!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE INSTAX?

the becky higgins project life app

I feel like I am about to cheat on my love for post it notes, that I've recently blogged on the topic.  I'm sorry post it notes, but I found a new love.

The Becky Higgins project life app.  I held of purchasing, because well, I'm a tight ass and also because I couldn't figure out the use of it.  I mean could you print them?  Was that the main purpose of the app?  That wasn't for me.  Then I caved and bought it. The main reason for this is thatI am going away next weekend to a craft camp, where you get there Friday afternoon stay till Sunday lunch and craft your heart out.  Being as behind as I am, I knew it was just going to be a huge process in itself to organise my post it notes and photos.  I thought this may help this.

Bought it and I spent a good few hours on it.  Even showing Luke my pages then the app to explain why I was in love with the idea of it.  His love wasn't as strong as mine, fair to say non-existant, haha.

Here are 5 reasons why I love it :

1.  I know what photos suit and what don't.  I have wasted so much photo paper in the past.  I print the photos I have marked out with post it notes and sometimes I just don't use them, or they don't suit the page or for another 100 reasons.  This way I can get a glance at what my pages will look like, minus the journalling and stamping.  I am a VERY visual person.  To the point someone will ask me if I know So and So and I say, if you could show me a photo of them, I could tell you know, but right now I have no idea who your talking about.

2.  It's quick, this is a HUGE plus.  I cranked out 7 weeks worth. Basically done the week we are in as well.

3.  This app got me excited to get into my project life again.  I'm behind, so far.  I know some people are further, but being that I was only 2-3 weeks behind at one time last year, this is a little daunting to me.  Now I have an idea on where to go with it, I can't wait to print my photos.

4.  I can take a photo and load it to a page straight away and have it as a work in progress and come back to it again later.

5.  It has the option to add jounraling should I need it.  This will also help with the fact I am so far behind I can jot down what happened with who and when.

 

The one thing that would make it an absolutely winner winner chicken dinner, in my eyes, is if I could use project life cards, not from the BH range.  Such as the set I bought recently from WRMK - It Factor and the freebies from Elise Blaha, I use almost every week.  To see where I could put where when I print my photos.

Would I go digital and print them as 12 x 12?  This was something a friend asked me, at this stage no.  But that's not to say I maybe wont, at some stage, to save time.  With every chance I will cut the page to still fit into a A page protector.  But at this stage, this app is purely for me to get a visual and stay up to date.

Still even without all those, this is an amazing app, that is perfect for me to get back up to date and SOON.

[these are all my own views, I was NOT asked to blog about this, I have on my own free will].

macramake review with giveaway

For those of you that have been reading a while, will know I have a thing for plants.  There was a stage a few months back that I would make trips to Bunnings, 45-55 min away, just to pick up a plant or two.  Since it's gotten colder, my plant obsession has moved to knitting.  BUT let me tell you, once that suns back out, you can beat I'll be back on that hwy and back to getting more plants, succulents and cacti's mainly, harder to kill.

Another thing I am doing is slowly making our house a home and doing bits up at a time, hanging plants in my favourite rooms is going to be a MUST.  Cue the intro for Macramake.

Macramake is run by Yvette and Miranda from Bryon Bay, Australia.  You may have spotted them mentioned in the recent Frankie Magazine?  Two friends that got together to make something for their home and decided to make a business of it, which I think is rad.

Not only do they sell pre-made AMAZING macrame plant hangings in both large and normal and not only can you buy the coloured beads if you want to add extra.  But you can buy a DIY kit.  Make one yourself and show it off with pride, in many rooms, finding the perfect home for it, right here :

The kit comes with everything you could need and crystal clear instructions.  Also the DIY kit and pre-made macrame, would make the perfect gift, house warming, birthday, engagement and more.  Even people that aren't crafty could make one from the kit.

GIVEAWAY 

Macramke are offering one of my lucky readers a DIY kit, YAY.  Here is what you have to do to try win.

• Go and LIKE the Macramake FB page, here.

DON'T HAVE FACEBOOK?  That's ok.  To enter leave a comment and tell me your favourite colour combo from the DIY Macramake Kits, here.

Giveaway will close Midnight MONDAY.