Self care.....

Self care is so important to your wellbeing, and is something that I often talk about with clients. 

For many people, it can look like going for a walk.... having a coffee with friends.... or simply just sitting down and being a little bit creative in your own way. 

I was always creative, making cards and paper projects. My hobby turned into a full time job, but spending times doing some crafting was always the thing that would calm me down, chill me out and feel that even though I had spent time for myself, I had something to show at the end of it. 

The pleasure of giving the gift of a handmade 'something' to someone made me happy, and is something that I really need to get back to doing. 

Through my life, I have sketched, drawn, painted, crafted, sewed and knitted - did allsorts of creative things and I can definately say being part of the Creative Counselling Community is something I adore! 

What is your favourite thing to do when you think of self care?

What small thing can you change to incorporate some self care into your day?

I look forward to hearing what you are thinking.. but for now, here is a little link to some of my favourite bits and pieces I had made in the past to share with a lovely community of crafters. 

Enjoy!

Here is the link to my You Tube page - it's not been updated recently but I hope it inspires!

Jo Austin - YouTube

Some more links to spark a little creativity..... 

Make a Refillable Advent Calendar | docrafts Creativity TV

Cardmaking Masking Technique | docrafts Creativity TV

Making a Card with docrafts Digital Designer | docrafts Creativity TV

Steampunk Clock Project | docrafts Creativity TV

Paper Flower Gift Box Tutorial | docrafts Creativity TV

How To Use Crackle Glaze | docrafts Creativity TV

How To Make A Card Organiser | docrafts Creativity TV

How To Make A Recessed Window Card | docrafts Creativity TV

Making a Card with Fabric Paper | docrafts Creativity TV

Create a Pop-up Birthday Card | docrafts Creativity TV

Colouring Techniques and Different Ink Pads | docrafts Creativity TV

How To Make A Whirly Card | docrafts Creativity TV

Paper Piecing | docrafts Creativity TV

Making a Floral Embellishment Card | docrafts Creativity TV

Quilling Tutorial | docrafts Creativity TV

Paper Weaving on a Handmade Card | docrafts Creativity TV

Handmade Birthday Card For A Boy Tutorial | docrafts Creativity TV

How To Make a Mini Album | docrafts Creativity TV

How To Make A Triangle Gift Box | docrafts Creativity TV

Keepsake Tin Altered Art | docrafts Creativity TV

Making A Felt Flower For a Card | docrafts Creativity TV

How To Make a Triple Easel Card | docrafts Creativity TV

How To Make A Paper Christmas Cracker | docrafts Creativity TV

Jo Austin - YouTube

Little ponderings....

 Aren't flowers just beautiful?

Walking around my garden today, I noticed how even though I have many roses, no two of them are the same. They all have different petals, different shapes, and it struck me how this is very much like people. 

No two people are the same - often, not even twins. Even if we look the same, have a double (blimey, I wouldn't want one of me!!!) we will all be very different in our thoughts, memories and other things. 

Our experiences shape who we are, how we are, and everyone's experiences are unique to them. As I often tell my clients, everyone is unique. You can have exactly the same upbringing, childhood, school etc, and everyone will think something different about their past. 

Sometimes, we just need someone to share whatever is going on in our minds, our thinking.. and that is why I'm here. To listen and to validate how you are feeling. Without judgement. Without knowing exactly what you are going through. For you to tell me what you need me to know, so we can explore it together. 

Pretty much like exploring my garden with another. Everyone notices something different - so let's explore it together and see if we can make sense of things and create change. 

Working Creatively....

 Working creatively with Children and Adolescents, as well as some adults, can help to improve their communication skills.

In this article I found by Astral Academy, it explains why. I hope you find it as helpful as I did.

We will look at:

·        Why communication skills matter

·        What creative therapy means

·        Benefits of creative therapy

·        Creative therapy techniques that improve communication skills.  

Effective communication skills are important in almost every aspect of life and can lead to better relationships, stronger careers, and increased productivity. Good communication skills allow someone to get their message across clearly and effectively, whilst poor communication skills can lead to misunderstandings, frustration and conflict.

In a work setting, good communication skills can help your child build strong relationships with their colleagues and clients, which can lead to better collaboration and increased productivity. In personal relationships, these skills can help them better understand and connect with others, leading to stronger and more fulfilling relationships. Overall, effective communication skills are essential for success in one's personal and professional life. A major contributing factor to strong communication skills is the use of creative therapy.

Creative therapy is a form of psychotherapy that uses various forms of self-expression, such as art, music, writing, and movement, to help individuals explore their thoughts and emotions. The goal of creative therapy is to help individuals understand and work through difficult emotions and experiences, as well as to promote personal growth and self-awareness.

Creative therapies can be used to help people of all ages with a wide range of psychological and emotional issues. For example, art therapy may be used to help children who have experienced trauma express their feelings in a safe and nonverbal way. Similarly, music therapy may be used to help individuals with depression improve their mood. Creative therapies can also be used to help individuals with developmental disorders, such as autism, improve their communication and social skills.

It is important to note that creative therapies are usually provided by therapists who have specialized training in a particular modality (art, music, writing, or movement) and have a strong understanding of the underlying psychological principles and techniques.

Creative therapy works by allowing the individual to explore and process difficult feelings, thoughts, and experiences. It can help individuals connect with their emotions and inner selves, gain insight and clarity into their problems, and develop new ways of thinking and behaving. It is often provided in addition to traditional talk therapy, which allows one to explore and understand different aspects of themselves in a unique and holistic way. This can help reduce resistance to therapy and increase the chances of making lasting changes. It can be beneficial for children in a variety of ways. Some of the main benefits include:

1. Emotional expression: 

Children may have difficulty expressing their emotions verbally, but creative activities such as drawing, painting, and sculpting can help them communicate their thoughts and feelings in a nonverbal way. These activities provide many avenues of self-expression for them.

2. Stress relief: 

Creative activities can provide an outlet for children to release pent-up emotions and tension, which can help to reduce stress and anxiety.

3. Self-esteem and confidence: 

When children create something that they are proud of, it can boost their self-esteem and confidence. This can be particularly beneficial for children who may struggle with self-doubt or insecurity.

4. Problem-solving: 

Many creative activities require children to think creatively and come up with solutions to problems. This can help develop problem-solving skills and critical thinking abilities. These activities also enable a child to step out of their comfort zone and think of things from different perspectives. 

5. Socialization: 

Creative therapy can also be a great way for children to socialise and interact with others. Group art or music therapy sessions can be a fun and safe way for children to bond with their peers and build relationships. Creative therapy can also provide a child with a safe environment where they can meet other kids who think or behave like them.

6. Learning and Understanding: 

Being involved in creative activities allows kids to understand and learn the process of creative thinking and experience the sense of accomplishment that comes with it. They develop fine motor skills, their spatial awareness improves, and they learn to be patient and persistent.

It's important to remember that creative therapy can be tailored to meet the specific needs and interests of each child and can be a fun and engaging way for children to work through any challenges they may be facing. Some creative therapy techniques that help kids come out of their shells and improve their communication skills are: 

Art Therapy.

Children can use art materials to express themselves and communicate their thoughts and feelings through drawings, paintings, and other forms of art.  One creative art therapy technique for developing children's communication skills is the use of storytelling through art. This can involve having the child create illustrations to accompany a story they have written or verbally shared, or creating a collaborative story through a series of drawings created by the child and therapist together. This can help the child express themselves more effectively through visual means, as well as provide a non-threatening way to explore and communicate their thoughts and feelings.

Play therapy

Play therapy is a form of psychotherapy that uses play as a medium for children to express their thoughts and feelings. It allows children to communicate in a non-verbal and non-threatening way and can be especially helpful for children who have difficulty communicating verbally. During play therapy, a child is typically given access to a variety of play materials, such as dolls, action figures, art supplies, and games, and is encouraged to play in any way that they wish. The therapist observes and interacts with the child as they play, using the child's play to gain insight into their thoughts and feelings.

Through play therapy, children can learn to express themselves, communicate their needs and wants, develop social skills, and learn problem-solving strategies. It can also help them process and cope with difficult experiences or emotions, such as grief, trauma, or anxiety.

It is often used to help children who have experienced trauma, have behavioral problems, have difficulty with communication and social interaction, or have experienced some mental health diagnosis as well. Overall, play therapy is beneficial for children for a wide range of issues and can help them develop their communication and other life skills.

Drama Therapy

Drama therapy is a creative therapy technique that uses the medium of role-playing and storytelling to help children and adolescents develop their communication skills. Drama therapy can also help children develop social skills, such as cooperation and empathy, as well as improve their self-esteem and self-awareness. Techniques used in drama therapy for kids include role-playing, improvisation, and storytelling, as well as the use of puppets, masks, and other props. It is usually led by a licenced drama therapist who is trained to facilitate these activities to reach specific therapeutic goals.

Music Therapy

Children can use music to communicate their emotions and experiences and to improve their listening and verbal skills. Creative music therapy can help children develop their communication skills in a number of ways. One key way is by using music as a nonverbal means of expression. Children who have difficulty expressing themselves verbally can use music to communicate their emotions and thoughts. Additionally, music therapy can help children develop their social skills by encouraging them to interact with others through musical activities. This can help children learn to take turns, share, and work together. 

Music therapy can also help children develop their language skills by incorporating verbalization and vocabulary building into therapy sessions. Overall, the use of music therapy can provide children with an enjoyable and non-threatening way to develop their communication skills in a way that traditional speech therapy cannot.

Dance Therapy

Dance therapy can help children develop their communication skills in a number of ways. Some of the keyways that dance therapy can help children improve their communication skills include helping them become more aware of their own emotions and communicate them more effectively through body language and facial expressions. Through mirroring and partner work, children learn to understand the emotions and behaviours of others and express them through movement. This can help them to develop empathy and to communicate more effectively with others.

Dance therapy often involves group work and partner work, which can help children learn how to work effectively with others and to communicate effectively with their peers, thus inculcating in them the spirit of teamwork and cooperation.

How not to say the wrong thing

 I found this article when I was researching, and I thought how wonderful it is! So, I thought I would share. I hope that you find it as useful as I do. 

How not to say the wrong thing.

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When Susan had breast cancer, we heard a lot of lame remarks, but our favorite came from one of Susan’s colleagues. She wanted, she needed, to visit Susan after the surgery, but Susan didn’t feel like having visitors, and she said so. Her colleague’s response? “This isn’t just about you.”

“It’s not?” Susan wondered. “My breast cancer is not about me? It’s about you?”

The same theme came up again when our friend Katie had a brain aneurysm. She was in intensive care for a long time and finally got out and into a step-down unit. She was no longer covered with tubes and lines and monitors, but she was still in rough shape. A friend came and saw her and then stepped into the hall with Katie’s husband, Pat. “I wasn’t prepared for this,” she told him. “I don’t know if I can handle it.”

This woman loves Katie, and she said what she did because the sight of Katie in this condition moved her so deeply. But it was the wrong thing to say. And it was wrong in the same way Susan’s colleague’s remark was wrong.

Susan has since developed a simple technique to help people avoid this mistake. It works for all kinds of crises: medical, legal, financial, romantic, even existential. 

She calls it the Ring Theory.

Draw a circle. This is the center ring. In it, put the name of the person at the center of the current trauma. For Katie’s aneurysm, that’s Katie. Now draw a larger circle around the first one. In that ring put the name of the person next closest to the trauma. In the case of Katie’s aneurysm, that was Katie’s husband, Pat. Repeat the process as many times as you need to.

In each larger ring put the next closest people. Parents and children before more distant relatives. Intimate friends in smaller rings, less intimate friends in larger ones. When you are done you have a Kvetching Order. One of Susan’s patients found it useful to tape it to her refrigerator.

Here are the rules. The person in the center ring can say anything she wants to anyone, anywhere. She can kvetch and complain and whine and moan and curse the heavens and say, “Life is unfair” and “Why me?” That’s the one payoff for being in the center ring.

Everyone else can say those things too, but only to people in larger rings.

When you are talking to a person in a ring smaller than yours, someone closer to the center of the crisis, the goal is to help. Listening is often more helpful than talking. But if you’re going to open your mouth, ask yourself if what you are about to say is likely to provide comfort and support. If it isn’t, don’t say it. 

Don’t, for example, give advice. People who are suffering from trauma don’t need advice. They need comfort and support. So say, “I’m sorry” or “This must really be hard for you” or “Can I bring you a pot roast?” Don’t say, “You should hear what happened to me” or “Here’s what I would do if I were you.” And don’t say, “This is really bringing me down.”

If you want to scream or cry or complain, if you want to tell someone how shocked you are or how icky you feel, or whine about how it reminds you of all the terrible things that have happened to you lately, that’s fine. It’s a perfectly normal response. Just do it to someone in a bigger ring.

Comfort IN, dump OUT.

There was nothing wrong with Katie’s friend saying she was not prepared for how horrible Katie looked, or even that she didn’t think she could handle it. The mistake was that she said those things to Pat. She dumped IN.

Complaining to someone in a smaller ring than yours doesn’t do either of you any good. On the other hand, being supportive to her principal caregiver may be the best thing you can do for the patient.

Most of us know this. Almost nobody would complain to the patient about how rotten she looks. Almost no one would say that looking at her makes them think of the fragility of life and their own closeness to death. In other words, we know enough not to dump into the centre ring. Ring Theory merely expands that intuition and makes it more concrete: Don’t just avoid dumping into the centre ring, avoid dumping into any ring smaller than your own.

Remember, you can say whatever you want if you just wait until you’re talking to someone in a larger ring than yours.

And don’t worry. You’ll get your turn in the centre ring. You can count on that.

The original article is here.... Please click this link to www.latimes.com

Have you lost a beloved pet?

Losing a beloved pet can throw your life into turmoil. It can feel like nobody really understands what you are going through. 

I have experienced the pain that is caused through losing a loyal companion, a friend, a furbaby, and even though they have (mostly) lived a good, long life, losing them has still been one of the most painful experiences I have had in my life. And losing a pet can cause more intense grief than losing a family member, or friend. 

Your world has been turned upside down, and there is an empty void where there was once unconditional love and loyalty. The deeper bond we have felt with our pets has come to an end, and we can feel 'in limbo'. We can't move forward, and the memories we have of the happy times we have shared seem such a distant memory. 

When talking to others, they may say that getting rid of all their belongings will help, but trust me - it doesn't. I will be honest..... I still have things that belonged to my beloved Asti, who died in 2007! Just like I still have things that belonged to our spaniels - Scooby, Holly and Truly - who we lost in close succession a few years ago now. 

 

Keeping their personal belongings has helped me over the years. Just being able to look at their collars... their favourite toys... and remembering the fun times (and sometimes not so fun!) can help keep their memory alive. 

We now have two more little furbabies - Benson and Bella - both spaniels, who are driving me to insanity helping to ease the pain by making their own memories with us as a family.

We take photographs, we walk, and I'm pretty sure I give them earache by how much I talk to them throughout the day.... and I know they understand every word I say! 

So here's the thing....... 

It's important when you are grieving the loss of a pet to do whatever it is that makes it easier for you. Do whatever gives you comfort. 

For some people, this is getting rid of all the things that belonged to them, for others it is keeping them. 

For some it is planting a little memorial in the garden - for others it is having a special area in the house. 

For some, it is journalling, for others poetry... or art... but whatever it is that is important for you, to help you heal, it is a personal journey. 

Sometimes, you may find that as you are coming to terms with your beloved pet no longer being with you, you may briefly imagine seeing your pet, or hearing them around the house. Believe me - this is normal! It can be quite scary when it happens but after a while, it will start to ease and things will return to some sort of normality. A new normal without our loved ones by our side. 

But what if you have another pet that is grieving?

The best way of working around this is to keep a routine. Although it is very tempting to change the way we behave, it is more important to keep the routine you have always had. We find comfort in routine, and so do our beloved pets that are also missing their friend. 

Some people may tell you to 'get another pet'... and often this can help. But it is only right to do this when it is right FOR YOU to do this. It can help to fill the void of the one that has died, but it can also trigger so many different emotions. 

The most important thing to remember is that you know you. You will know when you are ready to introduce another pet into your life. Do whatever you feel is right FOR YOU. The right time to do it is when you decide it is the right time. 

Having spent a fair few years supporting those who have been in the unfortunate position of losing a beloved pet, I know how important it is to be able to talk to someone when you are struggling with coming to terms with your loss. 

I am here to listen, and to give you a safe, confidential space to talk about your loss and work through your grief, so please feel free to get in touch. You can find details of how to contact me at the top of the page. 

Make mine a butterfly....

I think it's so funny really, that when I ask the family what they would like baking, I usually get asked for butterfly buns... and when I've made them, they disappear quicker than you can say 'bobs your uncle!'. 

This was a little batch I made a while ago... and actually, I'm ashamed to say that I haven't been on my old blog as often as I would like to be honest. 

Not any reason really, other than work, time, college, dogs, and nowhere to craft, and nothing to show. My craft room has been taken over by a guinea pig, and the little shells have moved into there too. 

Quick catch up too, the shells - Edie, Jasper and Gypsey - have all been growing well, slow and sure, and greedy little Gypsey is the biggest, Jasper is the smallest. Still cute and starting to have a little more confidence now. At the moment, they are enjoying life with an abundance of different lovely tasting weeds and flowers galore. 

The guinea pig... well, he came from a college friend, and had got a few issues with his brother. They ended up fighting and needed to be seperated. He's a little cutie. Fat Freddie we call him... but it's not a definate name, as he's also been Albert....Piggy.... Spartan (he came with that!) but he is a greedy little thing. 

In addition to these little changes, we still have Truly, Holly and of course, our little Benson - who is not so little anymore! It's hard to believe that he is nearly a year old... he's so full of mischief, but he is adorable and so loving. A proper little cheeky chap, who definately sticks to the 7 second clumber rule!!!

anyway... that's my little catch up for tonight... I have a few things to share so will be back soon I'm sure. xxxx

Sugar Free Lemon Meringue

Lemon Meringue.

Yum.

One of my favourite deserts, and I managed to change up the recipe so that it was sugar free, and although the meringue isn't as 'sugary' as it would normally be, it is still delicious and light.

Here is the finished tart.. as you can see, the meringue is just scrumptious and crumbly (exactly as it should be!)

 

Pie Crust
200g plain flour
50g margarine
50g lard
2 tablespoons granulated sweeteer (I used hermesetas)

Filling
65g cornflour
500ml water
120ml fresh lemon juice
2 large eggs
2 egg whites
1 1/2 tsp lemon zest
65g granulated sweetener
2 tablespoons margarine
2 teaspoons yellow food gel (optional)

Meringue
1 tablespoon cornflour
50ml water
3 large egg whites
4 - 5 tablespoons granulated sweetener
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 175c. / Gas 4

Pie Crust -  

1. To make the pie crust, add all ingredients into a food processor and blend until it looks like breadcrumbs. Slowly add water until it forms a dough. 
2. Roll the dough out and press into a 6 inch loose based flan tin. Prick the base with a fork, and line with foil and baking beans. Bake for 15 mins, then remove the beans and cook for 10 mins more until browned. 
3. Leave to cool whilst making the filling.

Lemon Filling -

1. Stir together the cornflour, water and lemon juice in a saucepan. Heat to boiling stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly. 
2. Whisk the eggs and egg whites together with lemon zest and granulated sweetener in a bowl. 
3. Add a third of the hot filling into the egg mixture and stir to combine. 
4. Pour the egg mixture into the hot filling and return to the heat for another minute, stirring constantly. 
5. Remove from the heat and stir in the margarine and food colouring (if using). Stir to blend. 
6. Pour the filling into the cooled pie crust and allow to cool whilst making the meringue. 

Meringue - 

1. Stir the cornflour and water together in a bowl and heat in a saucepan until thickened. Leave to cool. 
2. Beat the egg whites until foamy, then add the granulated sweetener whilst beating until it forms stiff peaks. 
3. Add the cornflour mixture a little at a time, stirring after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and stir well. 
4. Spread the meringue over the cooled base ensuring it touches the crust all the way around. 
5. Bake in the oven for around 10 minutes until it is lightly browned. 
6. Allow to cool before serving as this will allow the filling to set, making it easier to cut. 

Eat and Enjoy!

Sugar Free Fruit Scones

So sorry for the delay in writing up the recipe for the Sugar Free Scones. I know I promised you the write up for it a few days ago, but things got a bit busy again, and it completely slipped my mind!

Anyway... here they are - and I can honestly say they were really tasty... look at the bottom for the recipe. 

If you try them, can you leave me a comment to let me know what you think? Thanks muchly!

500g plain flour

5 teaspoons baking powder

50g butter

50g trex / lard

2 handfuls of raisins or sultanas

300ml skimmed milk

1 large egg, beaten, for the top of the scone

1. Preheat the oven to 220c / gas mark 7
2. Put the flour, baking powder, butter and trex in a food processor and blitz until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. (If you prefer, you can add the ingredients above into a bowl and rub together with your hands.) 
3. Pour the crumbs into a mixing bowl and add in the raisins. Stir to combine evenly. 
4. Add the milk to the dry ingredients and stir with a knife until it forms a rough dough. 
5. Tip out onto your work surface and knead lightly to bring together. 
6. Roll out to around 3cm together. 
7. Dip your scone cutter into some flour, then cut out your scones. Bring the mixture back together and knead slightly, re-roll and cut out as before. The mix should make around 12 scones. 
8. Place the scones onto a baking tray lined with baking paper. 
9. Brush the tops with beaten egg and bake for around 10 minutes, or until risen and golden. 
10. Eat and Enjoy!!

lemon bars cake bake...

As promised, here is the recipe for the Lemon Bars that I shared on Facebook the other day. 

It is a really easy peasy recipe, and I have to admit that these little beauties didn't last long. Be warned, they are very MORE-ISH!!!

Just scroll down after the picture for the recipe. And don't forget to leave me a comment if you make them to let me know what you think. 

For the Crust

225g butter, at room temperature

100g caster sugar

255g plain flour

Filling

4 eggs

300g caster sugar

32g plain flour

160ml fresh lemon juice

How to make it.... 

1. Preheat the oven to 175c. 
2. For the crust, blend the butter, flour and sugar - I did mine in the food processor, but by hand in a medium bowl will work too.  Press the mixture into the bottom of a 10 inch square cake tin which has been lined with foil. 
3. Bake in the oven for around 20 minutes until firm and golden. 
4. For the filling, whisk the sugar, flour, eggs and lemon juice. Pour over the baked crust. 
5. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. 
6. Allow the bars to cool in the tin, then chill in the fridge for around 2 hours until set. 
7. Dust over the top of the lemon bars with icing sugar. Cut into squares and serve. 

I hope you enjoy the recipe.... 

Introducing the new member of the family...

Hello all...
I really need to get blogging again as it's something that I really miss. Somewhere to write down what's happening, things I'm doing and the pet life in the household... lol.
So, today, I'd like to introduce you to our new little friend. He is a little Oscar fish. {Otherwise known as Astronotus ocellatus}

At the minute, he's been part of the family for a couple of weeks and has settled in really well. The photo doesn't do him justice really as he has some beautiful grey and black mottling and some bright orangey-red spots. He is such a cheeky thing though... spoilt as he won't eat his staple food, but likes his treats. 

He is also a bit stroppy. He loves nothing more than throwing his plants around the tank and doing a bit of redecorating. This is the reason why his name has changed... he's been Percy (the original name). He's also Sergeant Oddball.... Stroppy Sydney.... but generally just 'Gorgeous'. 

He has quite a cute character about him... and I can't wait for him to grow up a little to see that character come out more. 

I've had a break.... again.

April... seriously... is that the last time that I blogged??

Well, I would like to say that I've missed it, but I haven't really had chance to! There's been so many things going on for me that I just haven't had the time. I've been caring for two little additions to our home - a couple of little leopard tortoises. I've also been doing a course at college, which has now come to an end until September. I've been working, and I've been out in the garden growing flowers and weeds.

So.... normal service will resume properly now, and I will be posting a few cards and things I've been making over the last few months.

I hope you've had a little patience with me, and glad you're still here!!!

Dainty dies and roses

Good evening folks... 

I am so glad that you enjoyed the shows on Hochanda yesterday - it's always a pleasure to work with the lovely folks down there. And it's also a joy knowing that you love the selections that are bought to you by ourselves and JoyCrafts. 

The stamps from the shows today were no exception, so I thought I would share a little card or two with some of the products from the show. 

The first card I want to share with you is this little frame that was die cut from red and white cardstock. It's quite a simple card to build up. Basic matting and layering onto the card base which was a 7 inch x 7 inch card, coming down in quarter inch sections. 

The first layer was cut from white - this was the outside edge of the die, followed by a layer of red which had the inside detail for the diecut. 

The very centre die cut was a square from the Card Model we had on the show - these are the ones that make the three dimensional cards, and this section is the lacy middle. It fits, as you can see, perfectly into the middle of the other die. I finished it off with a little rose stamp image that was coloured with copic markers. 

The little card below was an A5 card, and it is one of my favourite ones from the shows. 

You know sometimes when you have an idea in your head for what you want to achieve with a card? Well, this wasn't it when I started.....!!!

I didn't really know what I wanted it to finish like, I was just playing along with the various dies I had out in front of me, and came up with this as a layout, so just stuck it all together and it seemed to work. 

The centre is the circle die we had on the show, and I laced around the centre with a piece of 1/4" satin ribbon. The white middle is the layer that comes with this die set, and you can see you can use it for a layer, or indeed for an aperture if you wish. 

The flowers were from the little sets we had - the embroidery dies - but I just loved the detail that was in there so left them plain, and used a little bit of distress ink to add some colour to those and the swirly bits. 

The outside stitchy edge was another popular set of stamps. These were borders and there were OODLES of them on one sheet....!

I will try to bring you a little bit more inspiration tomorrow... I hope you can join me. 

Until then, Happy Crafting xxx

Beautiful Sherri stamps.....

Good morning all...

I know I regularly promise to keep this old blog upto date, but things just seem to get in the way (as they do!!)

So... what's happened this last few weeks.. well, to start with it's been Easter, so spent a little time doing not alot combined with some bits for work on and off... I made some wreaths and treats that I will share on another post, had a bit of time with family, went away... had a poorly wooflet that needed a couple of ops, but is now all sorted and running fit as a fiddle. 

And finally I'm back here... to share these. 

The stamps and dies are part of a bundle that I have bought to Hochanda as part of the Joycrafts shows today, and I think they work together absolutely perfectly. They are so sweet. 

The images are by Sherri Baldy, one of my favourite stamp designers I must say, and if you look through my blog, I'm sure you will come by a few of the things I have made with her stamps in the past. She is a lovely lady too - such a sweetheart. Anyway... back to the subject in hand... and as you can see, we had a choice of two stamps available today. The one above I think is my favourite as it has woolly hair that is just adorable. 

I used the no lines colouring technique, by stamping with a Desert Sand Momento ink and colouring in with copic markers. I still love to spend the time adding freckles to the cheeks with gel pens, so this just finishes it off nicely. 

The card below is a larger card, 8x8" and has Graphic 45 papers that I found, and decided to use for the background. The colours were really nice and bright - just perfect for a summery card. Well, I say summer in the broadest sense of the word as we had snow yesterday!!!!

On this card, I used the other lovely Sherri image, and stamped it and coloured with copics again. I chose to use one of the corners from the show to create the rectangular frame that goes around the outside edge of the image. Just by placing them together and overlapping you will be able to cover a larger area with a more squarer format. We did the circular die in this too - and it had some beautiful daisy type flowers in it.. just nip off to Hochanda to check out the shows - they were on today at 7am, 1pm and 3pm. 

Something a little bit different on this one for you... a pencil toned image. Stamped in Tuxedo black and shaded with HB and 6B pencils. I also added a little bit of sepia coloured pencil too for a dash of tone to the image. 

The dies around the image - the bubbles - are coming up at 3pm - and make a lovely background to your designs if you aren't really into flowers and flourishes. 

Well... that's it for today, but I hope that you can check back to see my other posts... I have them lined up and ready, they just need to have the PUBLISH button pressed.. 

Until then... Happy Crafting!

Missing again!!!!

Good evening my lovelies... how are you all tonight? You may want to grab a cuppa and a few biscuits as it could be a long one lol.

Well.... I started off tonight with good intentions of doing a blog post, but with one or four other things to catch up on I didn't really get the time. So. I thought I would sit and have a little natter before I retire to the boudoir! 

I would like to say the past few weeks have been quite relaxing.. but it would be a far stretch of the imagination if I actually said that lol. Apart from last week - where we enjoyed a lovely few days away, just me and he hubs. We really needed a break so decided between my work schedule and halfway towards our main holiday, we would treat ourselves. 

By 'eck.... we had a lovely time too. We went down to Kent - Hawkinge in particular - and stopped in a beautiful property we found on Air B and B. First time we have ever used it for holidays, but we absolutely weren't disappointed. Guy and AnnaLouise who owned the property had a fantastic little chalet bungalow on their grounds, very private, very quiet - apart from the roosters which was lovely to wake up to every morning. And they weren't half as noisy as I expected them to be. They had a couple of horses, donkey, dogs... it was just wonderful. And such lovely people too - I highly recommend their place, and will certainly be going back. 

So... what else have I been up to? Well... we've been back and forth to the vets with various little fur balls - the daughters puppy had a vegetable seed attached to his eye, which caused a few problems - he ended up at the specialists in Derby to have it dealt with.... all well now. The sister in law's cats have been to and fro, vaccinations, denials, extractions and the like... all healed up now. Son had his puppy to the vet as the breeder let him go with conjunctivitis and it was a bit of a sod to clear up. All better now. And our boy Scoobs... had a couple of odd lumps on his lip and gum. He's been in for an operation to take the one off his lip and do a biopsy 'bit' on his gum one... results should be back anytime. 

It was Mothers Day the other day as you know, and it was lovely having all the family together for a meal. It was a tad bonkers with all the dogs in the house... but it was good fun to see both puppies playing together, even if it does stress out the oldies a little. Lol. They are really tolerant of the babies to be honest, but Scoobs is the most unsure when they run round his legs. He is such a softie and won't tell them off. Truly tells them off but wags her little waggler in a playful way, and Holly just reverts to baby after a while. It's cute to watch them all together. 

I've been down to Hochanda too for a few shows whilst I've been missing in action here. It's been a bit busy with JoyCrafts, and we have tried to bring you a good range of variety of products over the past couple of months. This last week we have had farm animals and butterflies - I think two lots of your favourite things as they were selling like hot cakes. I had a migraine on the day of the show and the first hour was a bit of a nightmare as towards the end, my mind went completely blank and i couldn't remember a thing... not good when you are trying to show how to use an envelope maker... !!! 

A few of my migraine tablets, a walk in the fresh air and a couple of cups of dandelion coffee and lots of water sorted me out, and I was back up and firing on all cylinders (as many as usually work!!!) in time for the second show of the day. 

I will come back on tomorrow and share a few things that I've been making.. but really just wanted to say hello to those who still come and read the ol' boglet. It's nearly 10 years old since I've been doing this.... I can't believe how time flies. 

Anyway.. until next time.. Happy Crafting.... xxxx

I really need to get back into it......

I have missed my blogging.... seriously.... but I just don't seem to have had the inclination or time to do it. Don't ask me what I have been doing - I really couldn't tell you to be honest!

I have been doing my demo's on Hochanda for JoyCrafts, which I am thoroughly enjoying doing. They are fantastic products, fantastic prices and something different in little collections that work together. They're fab.

I've also been baking bits and bobs, keeping all the family well pudded up. Haha. A variety of different makes came from the kitchen - French Apple Tarts, buns, scones, fruit cakes, apple cakes... you name it and it's probably been done.

I will really try to get on top of the blogging again... and will share my makes and bakes like I used to do, but I wanted to let you know that I haven't disappeared all together. I will be back blogging very soon!

Hope you have beared with me during my absence.... and thanks if you have xxx

A Christmas Angel for you....

Evening all... blimey... is it really nearly a month since I got on and posted to my blog?? Wowsers.. I won't let that happen again in the near future. 

Tonight, I'm sharing with you all a little card I have made for Sue Dix using her amazing Sweet Dixie range of dies. 

They are really lovely dies and cut so well too. I have used a few different sets to put this card together. The main focus though of course had to be the angel, as she is just so pretty!

The Angel herself I cut out of white cardstock and then inked lightly around the edges with London Fog Momento ink as I didn't want anything too harsh. I layered her onto the same cardstock I was planning to use for the layers on my card, the red, and cut around the sleeves and skirt. The wings I decided to use gold mirror card to add some shine. 

I also used the mirror card to cut the lovely holly corners and stars. 

The card itself was an 8 inch card, and the first red layer was cut to a 1/4 inch smaller. The white layer was 1/2 inch smaller. 

I then cut a 6 inch square of red and again, a smaller piece of white. The white layer on this section I decided to use a gorgeous Sweet Dixie stencil, and inked through it with distress inks of different colours. 

I then cut two smaller layers of red and white to put my topper onto. I cut two trees, layered them onto the same colour and inked the edges for a bit of shading. These were placed to the bottom. The angel was positioned at the top of the card and I placed her stars around her. 

I cut out the beautiful flowers and leaves, inked and gelled them up, layered and stuck them into the corner of the card to add a little flourish. 

Once everything was on the card, I used some glitter glue to the centre of the flower, around the trees and on the branches. 

I loved making this card, I hope you like it to. 

Here's a list of what I have used.

Sweet Dixie 6x6" Christmas Kaleidoscope stencil SDST0030

Sweet Dixie Church and Snowy Trees SDD195

Sweet Dixie Holly and Star Corners SDD183

Sweet Dixie Christmas Rose SDD202

Sweet Dixie Christmas Angel SDD194

Sweet Dixie Snowflake Edge SDD190

Tim Holtz Distress Ink - Forest Green, Bundled Sage, Tea Dye

White gel pen

Glitter glue - irridescent

Gold mirror card

Red and white cardstock

Offcut of ribbon

Sweet little doves

Morning all... how are you?

Well, I thought I would sit here and share a little quick make from my JoyCrafts shows last week. I got a few messages saying that folks liked this card - and it's VERY easy to make. Probably one of the simplest little cards I've made for a while. 

The card blank was scored and cut to around 15cm square. Then I cut a piece of the JoyCrafts papers to around 14cm square. I sanded down the edges with a file - just a simple old nail file will do this, but you can also use a fine sandpaper if you need to. (Husband's tool boxes come in really useful!)

I took some of the beautiful swirl stamps and inked them up with some brown ink. Brown is better than black as I don't find it quite so harsh. I inked around the left side of the card, I also used versamark to make a lighter pattern on the right hand side. 

I chose some of the brilliant organza JoyCrafts ribbon and created a little double bow and a small strip going down the side of the card. 

To finish the card, I cut out a little frame and inked it over with a brown ink, then filed it back. The doves were cut from the dies that were on the show. These were attached with foam pads to add a little depth. 

I also went around the swirls with a pearl drop to highlight them a little and add some brightness to the card. 

I hope you like the quick card today, or even try to do something similar. I'd love to see it if you do. 

xxx

There are no little dreams

Good evening all.... 

Sorry it's been a while, but I hadn't gotten around to taking pictures of my projects this last few weeks so had nothing to upload. But that's rectified now, and there are a few things to share. 

Anyway... before all of that, how are you? Have you started your Christmas cards? I admit, this year is a first as I've actually made a few. I know.... go me!!

But this last couple of weeks I've been picking and sorting product from JoyCrafts, which will hopefully be coming to a screen near you soon. 

But before that... I just want to share a little demo that I did on my last shows with JoyCrafts on Hochanda at the end of October. We had some really lovely borders and corner, and I couldn't resist having a little play to put this one together. 

You can see that I used the corners to make a sort-of frame around the outside edge of the card. Once I had cut all the corners, I rubbed over them lightly with some pebeo gilding wax in silver to highlight the details a little more. 

The centre of the frame was cut from a beautiful frame that we had on the show - I will check the stock number for you for that. I cut it out, embossed it and again, gave it the Pebeo treatment. The top of it was then wafted over with an antistatic bag and stamped with a sentiment. 

I heat embossed it with silver powder to give it some shine. 

The little swirly bits and flowers were some other items from the show too - all Joy Crafts. All beautiful too. The little fern type die cuts beautifully. 

I really hope you like the card for today. I will be back very soon to show you another card or two that was on the show. 

until next time..... xxx

Little Angel...

Yes, I'm afraid I'm in full Christmas card swing now... and it's been really lovely to get time to sit and make some, and also share my makes on here with you all. 

So, what have I got to share with you all today? Well, it's this sweetheart here. The cutest little Angel there ever was. You can paper piece her, stamp and colour her, doodle in her, the choice is entirely upto you. 

But on this card below, I chose to colour her in very simply using my new Colourista pens and pencils - and as you can see, they work amazingly well. 

There are a few different things I've used on this card, and I will be sure to list them at the end of the post. 

These fab little sentiment tiles would have been so easy to make had I thought about it, but I didn't, so a random purchase a while ago from Hobbycraft bought them home with me, ready for that perfect card.

So here she is - my little Angel, in all her finery. I will list all details at the end. But as you can see, the base colouring was done by stamping in Momento, as I was using permanent colours to colour in.  

I coloured in using the Spectrum Noir Colourista pencils and pens. I found the pens to be lovely with the brush nib - very precise. And then topped it up with the pencils too to deepen the shades. 

On this pic, you can see where I opted to use the foils that I recieved from Stix 2. These are nice and so easy to use too.... and lovely to enable you to add a bit of luxury. 

So - here's your step by steps etc. 

1. Take your 8" x 8" card and cut some gold mirror card and patterned paper slightly smaller in layers using your Layer Perfect tool. Stick these together and attach to the card blank. 
2. Take a contrast paper and cut out with a circle using your Layer Perfect tool too. Really easy to do this!
3. Cut a strip of gold mirror card to around 2" wide x 7.25" long. Cut a piece of patterned paper to 1.75" wide x 7.25" long and stick together. Wrap a length of ribbon around the whole piece and then attach to the card. 
4. Stamp your image using Momento Tuxedo Black and colour in with your chosen pens or pencils. Add some sparkle with your Sakura pens. 
5. If you take your Stix 2 2 in 1 glue pen, draw around the pieces you want to foil and leave to go clear. (It goes on blue - permanent adhesive, dries clear - temporary adhesive) Then pop your foil sheet over the top and rub over to adhere the foil to the glue. 
6. Cut out leaving a small border, then layer onto a piece of mirror card. Trim to leave a small border. You can measure this very easily using the Layer Perfect. 
7. Attach the angel topper to your card using Stix 2 silicone adhesive. *I opted to use silicone because you have different depths underneath the topper, so the silicone will adjust the height accordingly*
8. Finish your card by adding a bow to match your ribbon, a central flower and a board sentiment. I also added a wooden heart and some pearl drops around the design. 

I hope the steps make sense... really, you can just have a play with the topper once you have coloured her in, or paper pieced her. She will look beautiful whichever way you play with the stamp. 

Here are the bits I've used in my card. I would love to see what you have made... please share! xxx

SHOPPING LIST

Stix2 S57321 Layer Perfect Tool

Stix2 S572269 Tape Runner

Stix2 S57109 Transfer Foil

Stix2 2 in 1 glue pen

Stix2 S57100 Silicone Adhesive

Woodware FRS223 Patch Angel stamp

Sakura Stardust pens

Colourista pens and pencils

Momento ink - Tuxedo Black (if using alcohol pens. Stazon if watercolouring)

Dovecraft Winter Blooms paper pack

Hobbycraft Mini Christmas Signs

Hobbycraft Wooden Heart Topper