going on a roadtrip!

I'm up bright and early this morning, as I wanted to post this before I went on my travels.

I am on my way to Southport in around half an hour for a demo. It's a grand total of over 250 miles there and back, so it's going to be a looooooooong day. I love to see everyone there though, it's the usual faces that come back - and indeed some new ones that come along too - that make the day just perfect. Let's just keep our fingers and toes crossed that they have SOME stock!!

Anyway, just wanted to pop on a couple of cards that I made this week after doing the toppers, which I showed in a previous post.

Here's the first -

Now this is not my usual choice of colours, but when I stamped her I thought she looked a bit Goth-y.

She's coloured with promarkers and funnily enough, didn't colour to match the paper.. they just sort of fell together! But I think they work quite well.

I decided to use some fabric heather on the card instead of flowers, which I think works really well.

Oh isn't she sweet??
For this one, and in fact the last, I used the Mandala board to create the topper, as these are cards that are going to a show tomorrow in Lincoln. Colouring is promarkers.

I finished the card with a ribbon and a charm. I also used two lovely little hat pin type things that my friend Sheila gave me the other day - I just lopped off the sharp end to make them safer for me!

Now, I'll leave you with a sneaky peak of another card I made.. but I'll show you this tomorrow!

Right.. I really must fly - hair to try and fluff up a bit (don't want to turn up with Bed Head!) and the wooflets to sort out before I go. They hate early mornings.. so they're really not going to be happy. lol.

See ya later!

as sweet as sugar

This little girl is so cute! I must admit, I'm turning into more of a Gorjuss fan than my Maggies! Anyone want any stamps??

I've stamped her as I said the other day, and coloured her with promarkers. The background of her is airbrushed. I love how the colours blend together when you airbrush, and you can increase or decrease the depth of colour you put down onto your card.

The papers just lent themselves to this card, as I wanted to keep it quite pinky.  I also used punches to create part of the flowers and the leaves.

The topper is made from the mandala board. Fantastic board it is too! I stamp my image, colour it, then I can choose exactly which frame it will fit - and believe me, there are lots of different ones to choose from!! As I said yesterday, it's much quicker than pulling out my sizzix and nesties.

I finished off the card with a little bit of glitter on the roses, the frame and on her headband.

Have a good day whatever you're doing.

xx

Done one!

Well, I've actually done two! I've made a couple of cards over the last day or so, all ready for Sunday. I'm demoing at the Lincoln show for Phyllis, and needed desperately to get these cards finished.

What do you think so far? lol

This is a close up of the lovely embossed frame I've made for the little girl to sit in.

The frame was made using the Mandala board and are alot quicker than using nesties!

Here's the card in full.

You can very faintly see the airbrushing with the promarkers on the background. It's only light, but it gives a lovely effect.

I've sanded down the coredinations card I used for the background to give a more distressed look, and tore the edges of the papers.

I hope you like it.. it's not too blingy until Sunday.

Girls... girls... girls....

Over the last few days, I've been busy making some little toppers using a range of stamps that I have. 

I'm doing a show in Lincoln on Sunday with the lovely Phyllis, and I needed to get making some cards. This is the start of them.. lol.Slow but sure eh?

As we go down, I'll show you some of the images in more detail.

This one below features the lovely Gorjuss girls. Aren't they sweet?

This one shows two of my favouritest stamps I own. I just love the WOJ one on the right.

.... this again is just Gorjuss...

Now, I'm not so much a 'greeny' person, but I love the colour of these promarkers together, and actually noticed, looking back on this collection, that I've used green quite alot.

I haven't airbrushed the backgrounds yet, that is a job for today, but I'll show the finished cards when they are made so you can see what it looks like. I love the airbrush effect. It looks so soft and is so soft for backgrounds.

Right.. must fly - lots of appointments today. First one is 8.45am! Last one at 2pm.

I also need to fit in time to ring Nikki.. it's one year on since David passed away. Gawd, doesn't time fly. I still remember that day as if it was yesterday! If you're reading this Nikki, I'm thinking about you and Kris and wish I was closer to give you a hug. Lots of love. xx

A busy week so far....

Where does the time go when you're having fun?

So far this week, I've recieved, sorted and packed up a large Stampin' Up order that needs to be delivered. I've started some project commissions for magasines. Made samples up for this coming weekends demo's. And last but not least, got stuck into these -



When we do our Stampin' Up Events in Carcroft, we generally get quite a few orders, so Sheila makes up the Thank You cards to go in the bags. This month, I thought I would have a dabble with my new Rich Razzleberry inks and my favouritest background Medallion stamp to make these simple little cards.



I also got my new Thank You stamp with my order last month, and it's been sat on the unit... uninked... unloved... until yesterday.

This is the finished set of cards you can see above - over 30 of them I made altogether. Pretty much like when I do wedding stationery, it's better off making them in batches. All in all, I think they took around a couple of hours to make.

Here's a close up of the Thank You stamp - isn't it lovely?!



I am loving the new colours that have been released. Rich Razzleberry must be my favourite though. Melon Mambo is a close second.

If you want to see which colours are retiring this October, check out the side bar.

Sunny side of town

Blimey! How hot is it?

It's a well known fact that I hate the hot weather - no sun worshipper in me I'm afraid! White and pasty rules the day everytime. lol.

Yesterday, I travelled over to Brigg to do a demo, and it was a really good day. I had a fan at the back of me, which blew all day and was really refreshing, and at the front of me were loads of lovely crafters! It was really nice being at the Garden Centre too, as the staff there are always so lovely, and Michelle kept me watered all day - lemon and lime water.. Lovely and cold.

As promised, I will upload some step by steps to do some of the projects that were covered in my demo  - I just didn't want you to think I'd forgotten.

Thank you to everyone who braved the hot, sunny weather to come and sit with me for a while.... it was lovely to see some familiar faces.

When I got home we had family visiting from Australia. It was fantastic to catch up last night when we went out for a big family meal, and today, when they came over for most of the day.

They are back travelling down south tomorrow... it's quite sad to see them go again and know that Aunt and Uncle may not be coming back to the UK again.

Well, must fly... it's still hot so I'm just sat chilling this evening. Back to working tomorrow.

Happy crafting everyone!

Demonstration cards

Gosh, it seems so funny posting onto this blog. I want to write lots on it, but for now, it's being kept simple.

I've been out demoing for the last few weekends, and here are some of the cards from this last weekend down in Derby..... and if you're over in Brigg or Southport over the next couple of weekends, hopefully I'll see you then!

I hope you like these.

Mmmmmmm.......

.... that's a confudlicated sort of mmmm... not a tasty mmmm...

So. Government. All change. Not that I like to talk politics on my blog, but ... Conservatives? I really didn't vote for Clegg to get a Conservative Government. Did you?

Oh. Dear. Me! I really think that the only way is down!

Now... what can we sell off first to get a few reddies?? (or do you think he'll wait a few years before he can find something??) Thank heavens I have still another 8 years on my fixed rate!

Anyway. I'm feeling a bit tired today, so I think a lovely early night is very much in order - cuddled up with my luvverly hubby and three spaniels - what could be more like bliss if I tried?

The show yesterday went well. I was with Joanne, so it turned into the Jo Show.. which was quite funny really. She's really lovely, and her eyes are so enchanting. The demo's left me a little confused, as we had gone through them in the morning when I arrived and everything was fine, but then I found myself being asked to do demo's that I hadn't prepped for, mixing this with that, and using promarkers? Well. I hadn't taken my promarkers! Never the mind though, the lovely floor guy (magic hands!) was there to assist and I did what was asked. Phew! I think it worked! lol. Then Monday evening we had our monthly Stampin' Up meeting over in Bullcroft Memorial Hall. Perfect end to a perfect day.

By the way, talking of promarkers, I am one happy lickle bunny today. I recieved my replacement Letrajet, so there should be more cards coming soon. I may even do you a little tutorial on how to use one as there isn't one out in the web I don't think - they all tend to be copics.

Ahhhhh.. copics!! **Sigh** I went out on Friday with the girls. Did I tell you?? We went over to Pontefract to see a lovely lady called Rachel, who was doing a copic class. I'd seen it advertised when I was looking for something else, so rang Rachel and she booked us a class to ourselves. There was Sheila, Sandra, Chris and a lady called Alison who came to join us. We had a fab day, full of fun, laughter, handmade pizza and the most tasty coleslaw you've ever tasted! Mind you, with the gluten I was suffering for a while after!

Saturday I was out demoing at the Range in Doncaster where alot of my regular ladies came along to say Hi. It was lovely to see each and every one of you, and I promise I'll upload my photos from the demo as soon as possible.

Sunday was a relatively quiet day, just sat making samples (again, I'll upload when I can) and watching the F1 with hubby. What an interesting race. Poor Lewis, what a bummer that was.

Monday, I've covered, and today. Well, today I've been searching the net for insurance. My house insurance and car insurances for me and Paul are due for renewal, so I did a bit of research as the increases were bloody ridiculous. House (up £11 per month!), Cars (mine up £7 per month, Paul's up £4 per month). And then we got to the Electric and Gas. Our bills increased to a daft amount in February, so I did my comparison (first time ever!) and I've now saved ourselves nearly £20 per month on the house, £9 combined on the car and a total of around £50 a month on the gas and electric.

Go on, price compare.. I dare ya!

Right. That's me off for now, I'll be back as soon as I can be with a few carsd for you. I've got some more samples to make for my demo in Derby this weekend, so I'll have plenty to upload.

Toodles for now. xx

Henbury meets Tilda

Two of my favourite things.

1. I love the new Henbury Lane papers - they are just so me!!
2. I love the new maggies.

Firstly, I'm having a lazy day today, so I scheduled this post for you for today. I'm up at silly o'clock again tomorrow morning to go to Peterborough for a show at 10am, and after one thing or another this past week, I've been up at a very ungodly hour every morning!! Still.....

So, onto my card, and I've teamed up my two favourite things as I said at the top.

The papers are the new Henbury Lane ones, and oh my, aren't they lovely. I decided to make an Easel card again, but turned it on it's side this time. Something a little different I guess.

The image is a little Tilda and she arrived early this week, she was coloured with copics and the background was done with my new toy which arrived last week - the letrajet. Love it!

The sentiment that I used came from the Vintage Vogue set from Stampin Up. Don't you just love it? And then, finishing off, I punched out a few leaves, added some paper flowers and a gem brad. The topper was created using the Mandala board.