A rose is a rose....

Morning all.... 

Sorry it's taken a few days to get a few samples on here for you, but I've been out working this weekend... I was out at Sophies in Oldham doing a demo for Docrafts on Saturday, and then at the Range in Bolton on Sunday. It's been quite a busy weekend, and thank you to all the lovely ladies and gents who popped by to keep me company and share ideas. It was lovely seeing some new faces. 

Here's one of the cards that I had with me in my samples boxes. And it is mainly to show the different ways you can use embossing folders. 

The embossing folder I used on here is the 6 inch square rose embossing folder, Rose Frame. And it is so pretty... But for this card, I embossed the corner of the folder onto the top of the oval die cut.

As the Artiste inks are on 3 for 2 at the moment in store, I have inked up with a few colours to make the rose stand out a little.

The papers are from the Gorjuss pack, and they are so beautiful and pretty. Love them lots!

The lettering on the card above, and the one below, are from the Xcut alphabet dies, two different sets.

This card below has the roses embossed onto a tan coloured card and also cream. I tried to keep the card quite simple, and I think it works well.

Again, the roses and embossing details were shaded over with a few colours of ink and the strips of paper on this card were crumpled before inking over with brown ink. This just added to the distressed look.

The hearts were pricked around with a pricking tool, and a few gems added for that bit of sparkle!

I hope you like today's card... I have got the next post sorted and I know what I'm posting... so check back in a couple of days and it'll be updated. Yes... I know... promises, promises, but I have a busy week and need to schedule! lol.

Until next time... happy crafting!

A little Forever Friends love...

Awwwwww... dont you just love these little cuties? Well... you know I love all things cute, and these stamps were hard to resist.

Here, I have coloured with the Artiste brush markers and paper pieced the antlers and scarf. The artiste markers you can get in a range of colour collections and I used vintage pens to colour this little fella.

I couldn't resist using some of the lovely glitteration snowflakes and a bit of acetate too. I think it just finishes the card off.

I hope you like it. Xxx

Playing with punches...

Morning all... 

Well, my promise to myself for keeping up with this bloggin' malarky isn't working very well now is it?!

However, I will try my best to fix my lack of posting and get some cards up on here to show you a few more of what I've been upto.. 

So, what have I been upto? Well, I've been out at some fab shops doing demo's instore, although things have been a bit quieter of late, they've always been quite well attended. I'm sure it's just because of the lovely weather that we've been blessed with this last couple of weeks, people are making the best of it and getting out and about rather than coming instore to sit and watch. 

Still, it's been nice to get out and about and show off some of the fantastic Docrafts products that are out this past two months... and wait until you see what's coming out in July - just when you think things can't get any better, Docrafts always come out and top the previous two months!!!!

Here's a little card that I've been taking to my demo's with me this past month or so. I like to redo my cards for my second month demo's, and playing with my stash as I do, this one came about because of the new palm punches. 

I love making vellum flowers, so to have a range of punches that layer and stack together in all sizes is just perfect to get punching and playing!

I punched out of vellum and embossed to give shape and whiteness and then just pieced them together on the card to give a bouquet feel to it. The birdcage is just an additional extra really, but gives something to blend the shapes of the flowers around.

I hope you like today's card. Sorry it's just a very quick post this morning, but I have a class to get ready for this morning. I'm off upto Ackworth Garden Centre to teach our weekly Thursday class.

Whatever you're upto today, have fun!!!

Ten things...

Yes, I know I promised to get back on track with the blogging, but things just seem to get in the way, and to be honest, it's been nice not worrying if I have anything to upload. I have treated myself to a well deserved break, and I feel better for it. So, trying to keep up with the Blog post a day challenge, and as you can see from the title, I'm not doing very well!!

So. What's new? Well, nothing really to be honest.. although the weekend saw us collecting the new addition to our little fold. I say addition. It should really read additionS... lol. as we have two little furkitties come to live with us.

We have a ginger and white boy called Humphrey and his mackerel tabby sister Lola. The other sister we collected has gone onto her forever home and been called Fleur. They are just 8 weeks old and are little  bundles of loveliness. After two days here they have settled in well with their big brother Senna, who has turned into a little mother hen.  They even come to you when they haven't seen you for a little while, and are eating absolutely perfectly. We've had a couple of little accidents but nothing too major.

Here they are..

This is little Humph. Such a tiny sweetheart he is. He loves his cuddles, and talks to you quite often. He is quite a contented little puss, and I'm sure he's going to grow up to be a beautiful large boy.

This is Lola. She is slightly more mischievous, and not quite as big as Humph, but she eats like a trooper and always has her head in the food bowl! She has her little routine at mealtimes.. wake up, toilet, eat, toilet, sleep! She is soooo contented.

And here is the Mother Hen..

Well, I say Mother Hen, but really it should be Father Cockerel I suppose. Doesn't sound quite the same though does it.. lol. But here is my old boy, Senna.

He's just had his birthday, so is of a grand old age.. and I think the two little tearaways have tired him out... He is suffering a little hayfever at the moment where he keeps going up the garden. Vets time again me thinks as his eyes are getting a little runny... but love this photo of him fast asleep.

Apart from loving the little furbabies, and spoiling my woofers, I have indeed done a little bit of crafting.. and here's a couple of what I've created for my demo's. These are all from the Ahoy There selection of stamps. I just love these, and I like the way that just going around the edges with chocolate ink, you can make it look quite vintage. I hope you like them.

So... onto my Blog Post a Day, and it was (lol) 10 things that make me happy.. and here's my list.

1. My family - by family, I mean my husband, children and sister in law Tilly. Without them, there is no me. They put up with me  support me with my work and things I do and rarely complain. I don't have any other family to care about, so to me they are everything and I treasure them dearly. (even if I do whine about things, but hey... that's allowed isn't it?!
2. My furbabies. Such a wonderful little furry family I have, we have the three woofers, Scooby Holly and Truly, and my kitties, Senna, Humphrey and Lola. They live perfectly together and I just love my cuddle time with them. 
3. Work - I love my job. I work with Docrafts, one of the leading craft suppliers in the UK and working alongside some of the most awesome designers there is fantastic. I also get to go out and meet some great crafters and share ideas and techniques. What's not to like about that?
4. Peppermint Tea. Oh yes. A perfect start to the day me thinks.. it's great as a pick me up through the day too. I also like my Chai tea... any tea really. It used to be coffee, but don't drink that so often these days. 
5. Reading. By reading, I mean it depends on what I'm reading. At the moment its the organising and time management books by Julia Morgenstern, and they make perfect sense to me. They've helped me alot this past few weeks. I also love looking through cookery books, which brings me to number 6.. 
6. Baking - yes, baking, not cooking! I can't cook... although I try, but it's not always successful. Baking is not always successful either, but at least it's tasty! lol. I have a great collection of books which are now on my new bookcase so I can peruse at leisure. Favourites at the minute are the Hairy Bikers Curry book, (yes I can now successfully make a curry from scratch!) and my cake decorating books. I don't make posh cakes, but one day....!
7. My Sat Nav. Without it I doubt I would be able to do my job. It still takes me the wrong way, lol, but at least I can get there more or less in one piece. 
8. Mablethorpe. I know, it's a silly number 8. But I love Mablethorpe. It brings back many happy memories of days gone by with the children on our family holidays. We have a lovely beach down there that I love to visit too which is nice and quiet. 
9. Britains Got Talent - hell, this has to make an appearance. There is so much talent out there in the UK it's so lovely to see people giving it a go.. and good luck to them! It's also quite funny at times, and makes me think that one day I will be there singing my heart out and not getting any buzzers! lol.
10. Last one, so what will this be? it has to be my craft room. It makes me happy. I - and other members of the family - like to sit in there and chill out. It looks out on the garden, so I can watch the birds come and go and look at the changing seasons. Perfect. 

So.. there's my top 10. Now what's yours? Leave a link and I'll come a visiting!

What a week....

How are we all??

Sorry it's been a while again. I have very good intentions to get started again regularly with the blog, but it always seems to be one thing or another these days. I don't often get chance to get onto the laptop to check and do things, and most things are done on my lovely new mobile. I will start to put posts up on my mobile if I get chance - promise!

Anyways... this week has seen the start of the new loop of crafting products from Docrafts. Ooooooh's and Aaaaaahhhh's were the sounds heard yesterday whilst I was doing my first demo of the loop - I'm wondering if it's going to be the same today!

So, I thought I would just share a couple of little cards with you that I've made to take with me...

This one uses the packaging of the new Capsule collection - Brights! Aren't the colours amazing!!!! I just totally love them. I finished the card using the mini spotty buttons. These are double sided too, plain on one side, spotty on the other. Just fab!

This card here was a little idea I saw on Pinterest... I thought it was fab and a great idea to use up some of the lovely buttons that are in my very large bag of Capsule brights buttons... Just stick them on a card, layer them up, create a dotty border and doodled leaves and stems and voila! Done!

I promise I will be back tomorrow to share a few more photos with you... I have a couple of days where I am not doing alot of anything. Having a day at home with the hubby tomorrow after another demo today.

So, see you soon. Don't forget to let me know what you think of these new products!

Well.... hello there!!!

I have had a blogging break. Did you notice? I'm sure you probably didn't, but I just felt today that I wanted to do a post as I have sooooo many things on my mobile that I've worked on over the past month or so, but not gotten around to posting!

Life has been a bit of a bind over the last month or so with one thing or another, and I really haven't been bothered about posting. I've had no inclination to do much, other than what I needed to. I'm sure you know how that feels. However, I am back in the land of the living again, and trying my best to regain my mojo and get it back to full working order!

I also really need to suss out how to post off my new mobile, so I can update whilst I am on the go. In all honesty, I'm not really managing to get onto the laptop to do anything other than check my mail and print out things from Digital Designer for an upcoming demo!

So... what have I to show you today? Well, just a little Gorjuss or two me thinks... these were some samples that I left at Ackworth Garden Centre after my demo the other week..

This card combines both the Gorjuss stamp, which has been coloured with watercolour pencils, and the Kraft Notes Forever Friends papers... I love these papers. The colours are beautiful!

Again, the same stamp coloured slightly darker and popped onto an 8 x 8 inch card which has been decorated with the Gorjuss papers from the 12 x 12 inch pack. The colours in the 12 inch pack and the 8 inch pack are two different colours and both are lovely!!!

I was asked to combine the heartwarmer sentiments, so dutifully did as I was told and used them as a feature on the card. They are perfect to go with everything really, but this matched in with the kraft notes papers perfectly.

Now.. this little beauty. She is actually on a puffy box made with my Xcut score board, and she was coloured in with the Artiste brush markers. It gives a totally different look to the usual pencils that I love to use, and if you're wondering how to get the skin tones, then I've done a step by step guide in the last Creativity magasine (March issue).

As well as the Gorjuss, there are many many things that I am totally loving out of this past two months demos, and I will be sure to come back and show them to you!

I will leave you with a little photo of my boy.. Senna...

He is such a sad little fella at the minute after losing his companions.. we lost his brother Biela quite a few years ago, and his sister Kiarra passed away at the end of January. He loves his cuddles and kisses, and even though he is loved very much, he still seems to miss his buddies. Bless him. 

On this photo he's looking quite old. Well, in fact, he actually is. He's nearly 15 now. A good age for our boy. I hope to have a few more years with him yet.. love him lots. 

Peek - a - boo ... and a cutie or two...

Yep. It's me. Sorry it has been a while since I last posted on here, but things have been a little 'odd' this past few weeks... not going into too many details, as it's personal, but let's just say, I am hoping for no reoccurance of what happened, and keeping my fingers crossed that normal service has resumed (well, as much as it can do!)

Anyway... enough about that... I have spent a few days recently just sitting and not creating anything. You know what it's like when you have worries that take your mind elsewhere, and thinking and worrying just takes over the creating. But I have made samples for my demo's - and I have been to some fantastic little shops this past month (Derby Garden Centre, Gadsby's and Ackworth Garden Centre to name a few!) so I do have plenty of samples to take photographs of and upload to show.

But for today, I wanted to share this little beauty..

As I say, I have spent some time getting back into crafting, and colouring is definately the best way to start for me. This image is a Sherri image, just love the cuteness... 

I have also been colouring the Gorjuss images from Docrafts. Have you seen them? I must admit I am loving them... I do have my favourites, and here is one of them... 

Isn't she a cutie? I decided to colour this one in with pencils, and kept it to a one layer card just using clouds to finish the background.

You really need to check out the Gorjuss papers and packaging too... it is all just so lovely! I have to stop myself from using them just for me - although I did treat myself to an extra packet or two... lol. The packaging is recyclable and the papers are beautiful. Especially the darker tones, which I didn't think I would end up liking too much.

This week, I am cracking on with some extra samples for an upcoming Create and Craft show, and my demo in Derby Garden Centre on Saturday.

AND... I totally need to share - I am also going to be teaching a class over at Ackworth Garden Centre after the Easter holidays. Exciting times eh? Let's just hope things stay on the straight and narrow for a little while.. lol.

I promise to share more projects soon... take care y'all... Happy Crafting!

Chitty chat

Evening all...

I do have a very quick project to share with you all at the end of the post, but before that, I thought I'd just spend a bit of time catching up with you all..

Have you all had a nice day? I have had a lovely day today, finishing off a few bits and bobs in the craft room, starting other bits and bobs ready for the weekend, and all that with my thinking cap on about another project I need to come up with in the next day or so....!

It's been quite a strange sort of day today really.. the mist was in this morning, really dull and foggy and to be honest, it hasn't really lifted all that much tonight. In fact, I'd say it's a real pea-souper! We've also had some of the roofing work finished on the house.. only a few more bits to go, then the house will be all ready for next Winter. Bless Reece, from HDT Roofing.. he's an absolute star. Up on the roof in this weather - it's freezing cold, but he doesn't complain.. Rather him than me sat on my roof tiles, that is for sure. He's done our roofing work for the last 25 years we've been here, if ever we've needed any.

My friend and craft-class helper Tracey has been round tonight. She's picked up a few little special packages that were waiting for her, and also had a dollop of my Earl Grey and Chocolate cake. It had been waiting in anticipation for Tracey for a couple of days and was thoroughly enjoyed too me thinks.. It's always lovely to see her too, as we exchange ideas and thoughts on crafting. Great fun.

So... onto my card for tonight, and this one is  a very quick one I did at my demo last weekend to show some of the All Aboard range of products..

It is in fact a money voucher card, one that would take a credit card size voucher and is held in place with a little pocket.

The outside of the holder is a layer of paper from the 12 inch pack, and then the spine fastened together with some of the wonderful craft tape. The topper was a tag which I did some resist stamping, and embossing onto before colouring it up to match the background.

The bunting is one of my favourite things at the moment... made simply from the craft tapes again. The pink bow is a customer request, as she thought it needed making a little more 'girly'. lol..

Well, I am going to get off and get to sleep.. it's a little late and I have lots of work to catch up with tomorrow.. this week is going soooo quickly!

Whatever you're upto tomorrow, have fun. Until next time.... happy crafting! xxx

Busy days = no posts!

Hi everyone..

So sorry for the delay in posting for the past few days. I've been a little bit busy with making sure I had some great samples for my demo last Saturday at the wonderful Craft Central in Derby. Now it was a very special day there too, as we all celebrated (and a few of us were very lucky to cuddle...) the birth of baby Leo. He has been a much awaited grandson of a lovely lady who comes in to watch my demonstrations. And there were cakes too. All made by the lady herself as a celebration treat. Wasn't that lovely?

I also had some magazine commissions to finish off and post, some Create and Craft samples to complete and lastly, some projects for the upcoming filming of Creativity TV! No rest for the wicked is there... although I don't think I'm that wicked really. I love my job, and wouldn't have it any other way than busy. Its the best way to be I think.

Anyway.. tonight, I thought I'd bring the laptop upto bed (for a change!) and lay here to post my little bloglet for you.

I have really wanted to share this little card with you for the past few days, but only just gotten around to taking the photo off my phone. (new phone = no idea how to extract photos without a wire!) Oh the joys!!

I can tell you, I'm soooo in love with this fantastic new range from Docrafts. This is the new Forever Friends range and it is stunning! It's called Kraft Notes and honestly, the papers are just divine. They look quite vintage and as you can see, I thought a perfect combination to go with the kraft card.

I coloured the little bear with pencils to give him a really soft, fluffy look. Isn't he just the cutest?! This is one of the larger stamps from the set of four that have been released, and I definately think the others will have to make it to my collection!

Obviously there are more than just stamps and papers in this range... there are fabric papers, toppers, ribbons, bows and decoupage.. and lots more! So, if you're not really into stamping, then you can create the card below using the same image as above, but in decoupage form.

Again, I've used kraft card as my base, and cut the star from the self adhesive fabric paper.. I have great plans for this paper, but firstly I need to purchase another couple of sheets!! I'm hoping it doesn't fly off the shelves too quickly before I can buy some.

Here's a close up of the details for you.

Well... I'm going to get off and sort out my next project to share with you. It's something a little different, but I know you're going to love it! Until next time.... happy crafting!

Evening all....

Hi everyone.. 

How are we all today? It's another late one here as I've just been having a little browse around the net before I go to sleep, but thought I'd show you all a card I made the other day with a Besties image.

I've been struggling a little with tiredness and general worn-out-ness this past couple of weeks, so haven't had much energy (or inclination!) to do alot of anything really. I've been for my B12 jab today, so hopefully that will make things a bit better in the next week or so. It's a couple of weeks early, but I know that's what's wrong. I was the same a few months ago when it was due. 

The weekend went by in a bit of a rush really... I had a fantastic demo on Saturday up in Ackworth, near Pontefract. The shop was lovely, staff were so helpful, and everyone loved the projects I'd made and the ideas we shared. I'm back there again this weekend to do a Childrens demo, so pop by if you're passing.. there'll be allsorts going on - not just for the children, but us grown up big kids too! 

Anyway onto today's card. These images are so cute. And this little beauty was just sitting on my desk waiting patiently to be coloured in. lol. I usually start by importing them into my Digital Designer because I find it easy to scale the image to the size I want. I then print out onto my paper ready to colour in.

I have used the fab downloads from the Creativity Club for the backgrounds, and decided to add in some flowers, some die cuts, a bit of ribbon and some of our fab Docrafts twine...  and a punched border.. oh, and this little addition to her headband....

I like how she turned out, and as a finishing touch added some gloss over her glasses to give them a more realistic look. Do you likey?

Isn't she sophisticated? I love the little snail that she's holding too... it's cute face just finishes the card off I think. I'm all for cuteness me...

Anyway.. nighty night for now.. see you again tomorrow!

Pretty grunge...

Evening all.. 

A very quick post from me today as I'm a little late getting on the computer. I'm also really tired tonight - the day catching up with me I guess, well, that or the fact it's coming upto my B12 injection time again... 

Anyway, I thought I'd show you this little card. I've played around with some more feminine type of Chronology creations, and this is what I came up with at one of my demo's. 

I have showed how to create the little felt flowers and leaves on a Creativity Club video, so hopefully you are a member of the Creativity Club to see that - it's a fab place to be part of... ! Loads and loads of inspirational videos and some of the most awesome downloads you can dream of!

Anyway.. here's a couple of close ups of the card elements.

And here's the textured, distressed flower. I love making these.

I hope you liked todays post.

Have you used the Chronology range? Do you love felt and fabric? Show me your links and I'll pop around...

Cameo... cameo... where for art thou cameo....

Yes, I've been having a play this evening. So much so (in between talking with my sister in law and making pancakes!) that I lost all track of time and it was about 10pm before I knew it. So here I am again, laptop on my knee and laid in bed with the woofers, tappy typing you a little blog post. 

It's been a funny old day of all sorts really. A little emotional for one reason or another, but really, a day that's been the 'busy but got nothing done' type of day! A day of snow. A day of cleaning. And a day of trying to tidy up the hovel of a craft room! Most of which got done... I think.. 

I did, however, manage to run up a couple of quick cards this evening... Not sure what's wrong with me recently, but I seem to be in black and white mode!! So what sparked this episode tonight? Well, there's a challenge over at the Shabby Tea Rooms where they were wanting cards based on 'Sweet Silhouettes'. 

So, I thought about it for a while, then the memory of these beautiful Xcut dies came to the forefront of my mind. These are the cameo dies, and I'm ashamed to say, they've never been out of the packet! Until today... 

I decided to go nice, clean and simple on these two cards. By simply embossing the background, you don't really need to add anything else onto the card.

The frame was cut from another Xcut die, and the two side sections came from my box of dies, so not sure who's that one is... I seem to think it's Joy.

As you can see, the little cameos cut out perfectly. The set of dies is a set of 6, so great value for money too! The frame on the card below was made using the cameo's and the frame.

Here is the first card I made this evening. I just sort of sloshed it all together in a hurry, and now don't know whether the red and black AND cream entirely go... but its growing on me!

I opted for just a quick flash of red to bring out the black, and also to stop it from looking too set. And after all, black and red are the most difficult colours to use..

Here's the little frame for the cameo.. isn't it delicate and lovely? And talking about red, black and white, and being delicate, take a quick squizzles at this card too.

This card is one we made at Craft Class last night.. nice, quick and simple. Just using dies and embossing cutting dies and a litle splash of colour again on the poppy.

Well, I hope you enjoy these two quick and easy projects.. I will be back tomorrow with a few more items for you to look at.

Fancy a brew?

Hi everyone.. 

It's been a very busy day today in the Craft Room. I needed to sort and empty all my items from my shows yesterday, to make room for other items needed for projects for class! It may just need an eensy-teensy tidy up tomorrow when I venture in there, or I fear I may never uncover my desk again!!

Yes, today, it was Craft Class day. The evening I enjoy with my lovely group of wonderful ladies who come along to play create a few projects I've designed. Today we did a little heat embossing with a twist, and quite alot of die cutting using some of my favourites of the moment. 

And talking of favourites... take a look-see at this... 

It's the new Tea Party dies from Xcut and Docrafts. They. Are. Fab!!!

I have been inspired by the lovely Becky and used the postcard from the chronology range, and teamed it up with a few die cut cogs and some papers. I wasn't too sure about it to start off with, but I think it looks rather good. The Chronology range is definately growing on me - I think it's one of the ranges you need to use more and more to see it coming alive.

Here is a little close up of the cog. This is a die cut, and I've used a little technique to create the stippling effect on it. Makes it look a little more aged, dont'cha think?

Still can't convince you about the beauty of die cutting? Well, what about this one?

I have used the same dies as above to create this little wonderment, but as you can see, I've been quite selective on what bits I wanted to use. I thought I'd keep it nice, clean and simple. My favourite style.

The cupcakes were cut from the long strip and the tea cups were two seperate dies in the package. There are loads of different elements within the Build a Scene dies, I'm sure you're not going to be disappointed with any of the sets.

 A little close up of the cup. I've added a button and a gem to the front of the cup to give it a little blingy doo-dah.

The embossing folder is used as is, no inking, no nothing. The only thing I inked was the obligatory edges. I really think you need to ink the edges of these dies to get the best out of them. It just takes them to another dimension!

The colours I kept quite neutral.. soft aquas and silver greys. I combined it with kraft. {now who can go wrong with a little of the brown beauty?!}

I hope you all enjoyed the projects today. I will be sure to try and get back on again tomorrow.. after all, I will have the craft class samples to show you by then!

Take care everyone - snow if forcast for later, so stay safe!!

Happy Crafting!

Have you felted?

You know, I'm absolutely jiggered tonight... a nearly 200 mile round trip to Create and Craft in Peterborough, to bring you lots of lovely goodiness that you all bought!!!! And tonight, I've chilled out a little and had a good nosey at my Pinterest - something I don't get to do too often! 

I've even uploaded a few photos on there... **reminder to self... I need to upload more often!**

Anyway, tonight, I want to share a project I did at my demo over at the wonderful Sophies Crafts on Saturday. It was towards the end of the day, and I had a few minutes spare to run up a quick project and combine a few items they had left. 

They had a few of our nesting dies, so I used a few of them to create this project. Now, I love working with felt, and this little flower was created using a technique I shared on the Creativity Club part of the Docrafts forum a while ago. Doesn't it look wonderful?

The paper in the background is from the Chronology range of papers, and I thought it went perfectly with the  pastel colour felts. These come in packs with quite a wide array of wonderful colours in there.. I just love it. It feels so perfectly soft and fluffy. Well, it started feeling like that until I got my mitts on it!!!

Here you can see the flower in more detail. I love the mottling and distressed look of the felt when it's been treated to my butchery!!! But all in all, I love the soft distressing on this card. Now this is my sort of steampunk...

I hope you're inspired to get out your die cuts and do a little bit of crafting... I'd love to see what you've been making. So drop me a comment in my li'l old comment box and I'll pop over and share some love!