Catch Up Time.....

Well it's been one busy week.....

All set up and ready to rock at The Paper Warehouse

The calm before the storm of happy crafters who came to the craft day on Saturday.

This was the only chance to take a photo that I had as the rest of the day was non stop but we did have a great day. I was demoing with the latest Christmas stamps from IndigoBlu and there will be photos of some of the samples to follow very soon.

It had taken me FIVE hours to get to Kendal on Friday, the traffic was horrendous. The journey home was one of the best I've had, thankfully. 

Just had to show you all this..... made especially for me by my friend Jayne as a surprise for me. Isn't it                                                                 fab. I'll be too scared to get it dirty!!!!

                                                     And finally the best news of the week......
                                                                     An early arrival

He decided to make an appearance three weeks early

Meet Charlie Wheeler

My latest Grandbaby

Born 28-8-14

11.49pm

6lbs 2ozs

 I was so privileged to be there to watch him be born. Now it's been eight years since the last Grandbaby was born so I think I need to brush up on my Grandma duties!!!

Home Is......

Where the heart is....http://www.thecraftbarn.co.uk/blog/

My home Sweet Home is from Tando and I've made it look like a chalk board sign. This is this weeks DT project for The Craft Barn.
The pack comes

with the little houses, the words and some little hearts so everything is there ready for you to use.
I've used black and white gesso to cover everything and just a bit of paint for the hearts on the houses. Then I've given the hearts a coat of glossy accents.
Jump rings attach them together and some cord threaded through the holes for hanging. I'm loving the big chalkboard thing that's going on at the moment.
So once again have a pop over to the blog and take a peep at all the other inspiration
http://www.thecraftbarn.co.uk/blog/

Mistletoe.........

A new collection from Kaisercraft.
 I've made a Christmas star and a Christmas tree for my Jones Craft DT projects for August - yes I know it's only August but it has to be done!!!
I've been making both of these for some years now but I recently came across an easy way to make the star and it's taken hours off.
So hope you like them
Xx

Peaceful......

Another Q and L challenge starts today at The Craft Barn
http://www.thecraftbarn.co.uk/blog/q-l-challenge-peaceful-grace/ so hop on over and take a look at

The other DT Designs they're all so very different. As the words for this one were Peaceful and Grace I thought this quote with  a bird in the sky fitted well and  I've used some Kaisercraft Wooden embellishments. The bird was painted with white and then dipped in ultra thick embossing enamel - UTEE  I used A little bit of Distress ink on the leaves and a few dots of liquid pearls.

I've had another busy week, which included another monthly visit to The Paper Warehouse in Kendal and I'll be back there on Saturday for their annual demo day. It's always a fabulous day with lots of demos going on. So if you're around Kendal come and join the fun. I'll have all the new IndigoBlu Christmas stamps to showcase too.

Indian Summer......

This is the latest IndigoBlu Challenge theme.

http://indigoblublogchallenge.blogspot.com/2014/08/challenge-19-indian-summer.html

So hot spicy colours and thoughts of late visits to the seaside are filling my head for this one.
I've used the fabulous stamp set from IndigoBlu for this one. Yes I know Skegness may not be the hot tropical holiday location we would all be thinking of but for a helter skelter, a carousel and a fish and chip sign it's just perfect. All I need now is a "Kiss Me Quick" hat!!
I started the colours with Distress Inks, added a quick spray of water then did a shake of Brusho's over the top. I do lurves them Brusho's.

So yes, I do like to be beside the seaside but it won't be happening this year in Skegness or anywhere else unfortunately!

Pop over to the IndigoBlu Challenge Blog a take a look at the other DT designs

Oh and before I go, we are up to 98 on the followers so only two to go before the next giveaway.

Thanks guys, it means a lot

P xx  

Flutter by.........

Butterfly...

For this latest Craft Barn DT project were asked to use a Memory Box Stencil, I chose the one called Flutter. Who can resist butterflies??
I decided I wanted some dimension so I used the stencil with Grunge Paste. When it had dried I replaced the stencil over the butterflies and I brushed over them with Treasure Gold. I used both Onyxite and White Fire.
The Paper is from the Kaisercraft Something Blue Collection and the butterfly and wording stamps are also Kaisercraft.
 The added colour comes from my latest love..... Gelatos!! How fab are they to use, there's definitely more of these on my wish list.

The photograph is of my beautiful daughter, she has been quite poorly recently but I'm glad to say is now all good again.


Full details of how this layout was designed is on the Craft Barn Blog with a full PDF download
http://www.thecraftbarn.co.uk/blog/

THING........

And Family are the two new Craft Barn Q and L Challenge words this time and I chose to use the word Thing (obviously) in a quote

http://www.thecraftbarn.co.uk/blog/q-l-challenge-family-thing/

I'm loving the Tim Holtz  sun ray

Check out the other DT designs over on the Q and L at the Craft Barn you'll find such amazing inspiration

Outdoor Trail.....

A new collection from Kaisercraft and this  DT project of mine is on the Jones Craft FB page.
My daughter and her family are going on their first camping trip shortly so this range was ideal to make them a little book to record the pics and their adventures in. Have to say rather them than me, I like a little more luxury in my old age.
Anyway this is what I made, it's a book in a box
This is the book.

If your into outdoor pursuits then this range is definitely for you

Hope you all like it, let me know

Scruffy Little Cat.....

This is Lola, she is a Crafter's Companion Stamp from the Scruffy Little Cat Collection

I started my design by stamping the image twice onto white cardstock. You will only need the image and not the background of the second stamping.

Colour in the image, I've used used Distress Markers, then cut out the image.

I wonder what shade of hair colour we could call this???

and I wonder where she gets her mascara from???

Colour the edges of the hair on the full image, so the white won't show under the layered image, and tint the bubbles then add glossy accents

Colour the rest of the image and layer the cut out image on the top with 3d gel

When the bubbles are dry die cut the image.

Don't look too close at my colouring techniques as I fail miserably   

Die cut a larger circle and add two tulle bows

Stamp the wording on an 8 x 8 inch card 

So there you have it.......

This was designed for my DT Project for the Craft Barn so why not pop and have a look at the blog this week where more designs will be shown by the rest of the team

http://www.thecraftbarn.co.uk/blog/

Christmas In July ......

There's a reminder post on the IndigoBlu Challenge Blog today and this is my DT piece

http://indigoblublogchallenge.blogspot.co.uk

I've used two of the new Christmas stamps to make these.  Snowflake Lace on the bauble and the Dinkie Noël on the candle. The  candle was done using the stamping onto tissue technique and the bauble was stamped with Flitter Glue and gilded with Chariots of Fire Mega Flakes. The inside of the bauble was done with Primary Elements. Kay Halliwell-Sutton has produced some amazing Christmas stamps for this year. I'm sure you will love them all, I know I do

Why not pop across to the Blog and take a look at the other designs from the DT

A Little Interference.....

With paint that is!!
It's actually DecoArt Interference Paint and I've painted it onto some thin textured black card.

I love the way the paint makes the cardstock look metallic. I've made some roses and have used my favourite die, the Tattered Floral from Tim Holtz, to die cut the flowers. This is my latest DT design for The Craft Barn.
So Tah Dah....
Et Voila......

                           There is a full tutorial on the Craft Barn Blog if you would like to visit                                                             http://www.thecraftbarn.co.uk/blog/

Were on 95 followers now - I'm so amazed - anyway like I said before when we get to the next magic number of 100 there will be another give away
Woo Hoo !! I can hear you saying but it's just
My little way of thanking you all for taking time out to come and visit here
Xxxxxx

Brusho Barmy.......

Well I just can't stop playing with these amazing crystals

The effects you can get are truly amazing and never two the same. They've got me hooked!!

For this card I've coloured up a piece of white cardstock then cut it into three panels and mounted them onto white panels. The poppy die cut is from Memory Box.

For this card I cut a square of lime green pearlescent card and used a Tim Holtz die to cut out the pattern. I then taped it back in the aperture. I cut another in black card and stuck it on the top. Stamp the image, it's a Kaisercraft stamp, and add some black gems. Add 3d pads to the back - make sure the ink is dry before you do as I've had many mishaps when stamping onto pearl card.

Cut a square of card just a little smaller than the green one and colour one edge of it, I've used Ultramarine, Turquoise and Purple for this one. Stick the main panel on the top and attach to a black card. The 3d pads give you a little depth through the aperture to see the colours underneath.

I think there are soooo many options with this one.

Hope you like them and are enjoying my little trip into Brusho Land!!

Playtime With.........

New Crafty Stash!!

Why is it when your waiting for  a crafty stash parcel to arrive it will always be delivered when you're not at home? And then it's a journey to the PO Sorting Office to retrieve it.
Well I now have the said parcel and couldn't wait to open it and get started on a little bit of me playtime.
Not a DT project, not a commission just plain old me time.
So what was in this much coveted parcel, I can hear you asking. It was my brand spanking new set of........ TAH DAH.......

                        BRUSHO CRYSTALS and I was sooooo pleased with my very first sample that I chose to make a little project with it.

It's a notebook, I love making notebooks, or should I say covering and decorating notebooks, and I've used Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous Stamps to decorate it. I started with a sheet of watercolour paper and sprayed it lightly with quite warm water. I've pierced three tiny holes in the centre of my pots with a pokey tool so when I shake out the crystals they come out very finely. In fact so fine you can hardly see them but believe me they are there.
I shook a few colours out and then sprayed with water again.  I added more  crystals and water till I was happy with the effect and drying with a heat gun every time.

When the paper was dry I coated it with a layer of multi medium to seal the colour in and dried it off. I then covered the notebook with the paper.
The stamping came next, I didn't do it first as I wanted to be sure where the designs would be.
A little metal work finished it off.
This is the back view.....

If you've not tried Brusho Crystals yet you need to put them on your wish list, trust me!! Oh and they're not paint they're inks

I'm off to catch up on all the housework I've neglected this week so I can then play with me Brusho's guilt free.

Oh and finally is anyone doing the workshops at the Great British Craft Festival at Stoneleigh next weekend?? If so come and say hi to me. I'll be there assisting in the workshops.
have a good week guys xx

Cockadoodledoo......

I have to thank the Lovely Hels Sheridan for the wording on this card and I think it's great!

This is my Craft Barn DT design for the "One Stamp Five Ways" project.

There is a step by step tutorial on their blog if you want to see how I designed it.

It's been done using the masking technique which is, as you probably already know, is a favourite of mine. I just love how you can build up a picture. 

The stamp set is from Hobby Art and it's called Cockadoodledoo and available from the Craft Barn. There's lots of images on the set, great  for scene building.