Buttoned up and Happy Mail

Hi everybody, it's weekend! It's still bad weather here, cold, windy and not a bit like summer, but it's good weather to stay home and craft and read.
Over at the *Out of a Hat* Blog Challenge, the ladies want to see something with buttons this week. I have made two little mini books. The first is a maze-book, made with some double sided 7 Gypsies paper. The covers are scraps of gold card. I have filled the pockets with little tags, and decorated some with lace.  The front has been decorated with a scrap of hessian, lace, a skeleton leaf, and of course - buttons.

The second book has been made using distressed, corrugated cardboard glued onto chipboard. The chipboard is from the back of an old water-colour pad. I inked and embossed the cardboard, and used images from Graphics45 mounted onto some scraps of a 7 Gypsies paper. The pages have been cut from drawing paper, and I have bound it with string, adding a little key charm (thanks Diane!). Buttons have once again been used as decoration, and a flower made of old book paper. The insides of the covers have been inked and stamped with various LaBlanche stamps.

Front

Back

Inside

 And I got a surprise from Tracey in Australia, who sent me a little packet of Australian tea to try out, and one of her lovely postcards. I got a letter from the post saying that I had to collect a 'shipment' from customs and excise. I had no idea who had sent me something. I had to open the envelope there, and show what was in it. The lady there was furious - not with me, but with the idiots  employees from the post, who evidently thought that it was a shipment for which I should pay customs duties! This seems to be bureaucracy gone mad! Of course, they didn't charge me. Thanks a lot, Tracey, for the nice surprise, and I have already tried the Afternoon Tea, which is delicious!

Here's wishing you all a great weekend. Have fun, take care and thanks for visiting!