Some GREAT news...

I'm going to play!!

In February, Stampin' Up! announced that they were exhibiting at the ICHF Hobbycrafts show at Liverpool, and if any demo's wanted to go and help them out, we could apply and six demo's would be picked by random.

Well, guess what???? I was picked! Me! One of six demo's who are going to be helping out over the weekend of the show. Two of us will do each day and at the moment, I'm not sure which day I will have.  The day sounds like it's going to be fantastic, so I'm getting dead excited!

But isn't it exciting??

So.. if you fancy coming along to see Stampin' Up! in action, then here are the details =


ICHF Creative Stitches and Hobbycrafts
Aintree Racecourse, Liverpool 
23rd to 25th April 2010

Now then....

Something completely different for you today.

I was out and about the other day with my hubby, when we came across this!

Can you tell where she is?? This beautiful little thrush has made her nest on a traffic light! Well, I just had to go home and get my camera to get a picture, and she sat there without a care in the world.

Now I'm just worried how she's going to start teaching her little ones to fly, being so close to the road.. but I'm sure she'll manage it. lol.

Just so cute, I had to share.

My favouritest card..

Hi again.

I just neeeeeeeded to write you a seperate post for this card here..

It was one of my samples from my demo's, but everyone asked how to do it.

So... it's a slight variation of a technique called Spotlighting, which is where you stamp a black and white image, then add a coloured section.. only I decided to take it one step further so I could create two identical styles of cards by using the other strips - less waste me thought!!

This is a close up of the card detail.

As you can see, you stamp two identical images - one in black or a base colour of your choice, and then one in colour. I used brush pens to colour my stamp for this one then blended with a blender pen to pull the colours out a little.

Then cut various sections and when you stick them together, you just line up the picture. I usually lay them in a 'one on' 'one off' type of thing. I'll try to do you a step by step this week if I get chance. It's been a while since I did a video, but I could do one of those I guess.. but it really is simple!

So. There you have it. A Spotstrip sort of card I guess you could call it. lol.

For those who asked...

.... here are the sample cards from my recent demo's.

This is a little card gift set that I made. I used the scallop border punches, then embossed the little dots with a cropodile.

This was a little notepad holder. We did this at one of our Stampin Up events too, so thought I would show this at my demo. The papers are just lovely! So pink and girly! The topper / wrap was made using a border punch to create the little square.

This one used punches to create the border, and just dressed up with a few gems and a topper.

Using the border punch again - so pretty. Just a simple card this time.

This is such a cute little guy. I fancy folded the front of the card and layered papers up to add a little interest.

Isn't it amazing what you can do with lovely papers, brass stencils, a bit of distressing and some lush brads??

These new butterflies are soooo cute. They add a little bit of interest to this card and the colours match perfectly!

This card was inspired by the waste from paper products! The borders on the edges were from packaging. The images on the lilac sections were stamped in black, and the blue was stamped with versamark to give a watermark style image.

I hope you like this little selection. Check back over the next couple of days for a few more piccies.

Sorry it took me a while to upload these onto my blog - I haven't felt much like bloggin' with one thing or another, just getting over a really bad cold and chesty cough (and with the size of me chest, it must've been a heck of a cough.. lol) and also work. It's been more or less none stop for the last two weeks, but I won't complain!

Did you know we had our second Stampin Up Event last Wednesday over at Bullcroft Memorial Hall? It went down brilliantly. The projects were fab, everyone loved them and went away happy. We had a total of around 25 ladies come to play, and it was great to see some familiar faces!

Our next date is scheduled in for Wednesday 22nd April, 7pm to 9pm if you'd like to come along to play? Just let me or Sheila know - details at the top of the blog.

Right.. off to schedule posts for the next couple of days as I'm busy again until Friday.. then I AM going to have some time off - well, four days in fact! I'm on holiday from 9th April for a few days so lots of things to get sorted before then.

see you all again soon xxx

Hellooooo

I promise, promise, promise that I will be back here later on with a few projects from my recent Docrafts demo's..

I just haven't quite got the time right at this second to sit and play with a Blogger that's got the hump! lol.

Jo xx

sooooo tired...

Yawn...

I am absolutely shattered today. Long drive to Southport for a demo on Saturday, houseworky type stuff and running round like a headless chicken yesterday, and today.. well, up bright and early to go down to Peterborough for going on air live at 3pm!

I still have a few things to sort out before I go, which is why I've been up since 5 this morning.

My list making continues.. "Jobs to do before I go!"

Wish me luck.. lol.

Baaaaaa..

Don't you just love lickle lambkins? I do.. so thought I'd share a few piccies from today.

Ahhhhh... see.... cute!

Projects by Post

Very shortly, Sheila and myself will be starting a new venture - Projects by Post. This is an extra service in addition to our very succesful crafty workshops that are held once a month over in Carcroft.

Sometimes things and life get in the way of coming and enjoying an evening out with friends, but we don't want you to miss out... so why not think about our Projects by Post.

You will recieve your instruction sheet by email (or printed if you don't have access to a computer) and all the necessary items from the kit to complete your projects. This does not include stamps or inks.

More details coming soon!

Workshop Leaflet and Dates

I love my Moo..

Every so often, something pops into my Inbox. Every so often, it is a treat for the eyes!

And today was no exception. I got my Newsletter from Moo. I love Moo!

Nope. She's not a moo-cow, she's a little card company and I love 'em! I have a few packs of them now, and I must say, they're mighty addictive!

Here's them - (not mine though!)

They're soooo cute........and they come in a little box for safe keeping.... and you can buy a little keyfob to store them.. and they're made from a protective plasticky coating. Wonderful!

Today however, was an extra special day for me, as they have just bought out their Moo book. I've looked and eyed it up and can't believe the projects, ideas and inspiration that is in there.

Now .. where can I buy one?!

Woof Woof

Morning campers!

I'm up bright and early today as I have got lots on my planner, but I've just finished tittivating my blog header and as you can see, me wooflets are back!

I think I'm so used to seeing them there up at the top of my blog that they're always going to have to be included! It just looks so bare without them.

Hope you like it.

Lots a love,
Jo (and.. of course... Scooby, Holly and Truly)

Craft shops ... cards ...

I had a run out the other week to a little Infant School over in Scunthorpe, who are  collecting this year for the Parcel Appeal for the Soldiers.

Whilst over in that general direction my car just happened to steer into the craft shop just before I got back on the motorway - how does my car just do that?? I really need to mend the steering! lol.

In the craft shop, I came across these little cards so (with permission) I thought I'd share. Does the product look familiar? I would think so too! For those who wonder when I'm back on TV, I'll be down there a week on Monday, the 22nd..

Anyway, enjoy..

Three days in a row?!

That's not bad is it? I've blogged for three days consecutively.. lol. Honestly, I've got lots of things to show you, but need to spread them out over a few posts, so there'll be more coming soon.. lol.

This photo below was taken on Friday after we'd taken the dogs for a walk. It was throwing it down with rain whilst we were walking, but very quickly after, this beauty appeared!

I love rainbows, they're sort of a little magical aren't they? But no quicker do they appear, than they disappear again. It was a quick snap on my mobile - but wouldn't you like to live in the house where the rainbow ends?? lol.

Now, this is part of a collection of cards  I made for my Docrafts Demo last Saturday. These papers are just lovely, and the little mount was made with the new border punches. No need to tell you we sold out completely in this design. Hey ho!

Right, that's all for today.. just a quick post today, as I'm busy prepping stuff in between doing everything else including standing on my head - well, it feels like it anyway. Why oh why do I spend my life just running round in circles.. ? lol.

Great doggy words..

Just browsing around a few sites this evening and came across these.. so recording them on here for 'just in case' I need them.. lol.

So... did you guess?

Yesterday's post I asked if you knew where I was.. did you guess?

Well, as usual, I'm running behind with my posts, so on this one, I'm talking about my WONDERFUL day out on Thursday.

It was the Stampin' Up! Regional Training Event down in Sheffield, so we (me and Sheila) set off around half past eight to arrive there for around 10am. I had been looking forward to going for the last few weeks, and I knew there were going to be around 27 SU demo's there, who were going to be prepared for a swap.. so I had to do one too.. but with work, deadlines and all the rest, I had one evening spare to get mine sorted!

This is what I came up with..

Sorry about the quality of the photo, it was taken late evening on my mobile for quickness.

The stamp is a Level 2 Hostess set from the current SU catalogue, and I just think this little boidy is sooooo cute! I love his patterned wing, and I love the flower stems he's sat on.. and well, I just love it!

What I made was a little business card wallet, so something practical. You can see them all stood up behind this card. Lots of them! LOL.

When we arrived at the Beauchief Hotel, Sheffield, we sat and had our drink and took a look at some inspiration boards, which had some fab projects on. Then we went into our Training Room and the swapping frenzy began.



Manic or what.. ?

There are some very talented ladies in this bunch, and the swaps were fantastic. I will photograph them all when I get a chance, just so I can share them with you.

After the swaps, we had a chat about SU, and Monica did a presentation on holding workshops.
Here she is, poor thing was shaking like a leaf. She soon settled down though and got into the swing of things.


A little later on in the day, Julie and Monica did a role play which was quite funny, and a later still, Julie did a demo on the big screen on how to make punched animals.. Here she is doing her beautiful lion. Awww... I so love lions!! Isn't this just the cutest lion??

And she also showed us a little collection of animals that she has created using the range of Stampin Up punches. Isn't it fab what you can do with a little thought? I just love em.

Two more little ones to show.. Julie created this little card with the Monkey. I adore how cross eyed and cute she looks. I'm sure it's a girl.. !

And here is the lion, finished and proudly sitting up on the card. Talking about lions, did you know that ours have now arrived in Doncaster from Romania? More news on that when I get chance.
And last but not least, some mug shots from the convicts.. I mean crafters.. hehe.

Here's Karen from Barnsley -


And the lovely Helen -


And the ever so lovely Jo -


The lady on the right, below, is Paula, who ran the SU event for us... and put up with all our laughs and 'oohs' and 'aaahhhs' over the products and things. Surely she must have thought we were bonkers!


Here is Monica and Julie -


A new face or two for me too.. the lady in the red glasses on the left, is Deb, and this giggly-bum was Jane Egan-Cresswell.. not, I must say, ever to be pronounced 'Eggan'.. it gets her a little grumpty!! lol.. Poor Paula.. lol

And that was it.. that's all I'm sharing for now about our day in Sheffield - mainly because I don't want to spoil it for everyone else who has these events coming up this next week or so.

So. I'm leaving it there.

A great day was had by me, by Sheila, and no doubt by everyone who attended. I made a few friends who I hope to keep in touch with too.. and now I'm counting down until our next get together!

I hope you enjoyed looking through the pictures.

come back again soon xx

Chipboard is great!

Now, there's a thing I never thought I'd see myself saying!! It's that Sheila woman! She has a very bad effect on me sometimes you know.. (sshhh.. don't tell her though! she may just bop me one! lol) 


So, what am I waffling on about? Well, chipboard of course! In particular, the On Board batch of Blooms, which is in the Stampin' Up catalogue, priced at just £11.75 for over 200 images!!! We have bought these (one pack each) for a little project we're making for the Craft Workshop we're holding at Bullcroft Memorial Hall in Carcroft. (That's all I'm saying about the projects .. ) 

Anyway, we had a few shapes to play with, so when Sheila's matey, Chris, wanted a hand to make a Mother's Day card, we decided to use some of the chipboards. 

Here's the card that we made - 

 I have blanked out the photos of the children, but there was a piccie of each one underneath the flowers. 

The larger shapes of the chipboard were used as templates to create the large flower head on the easel card, and also the base. It doesn't show it too brilliantly, but most of the cardstock that we used was glitter card. The papers were printed from a CD of Sheila's, and the butterflies are punched from the fantastic SU punch with has a coordinating stamp set! Aren't they so sweet?

Some of the design was given more dimension by layering up some of the images.. and personally, I think the card looks great! 

It was made to fit in a large envelope, and the card is around 7 inches round.

Here's another close up for you.. I reckon you can just see the glitter sparkling on this one.

I hope you like the card just as much as I enjoyed helping to make it.

Right then... tomorrow's post is a little different - can you guess where I was??

In fact, if you look closely, you may see some faces that you recognise. (well, if you go onto the In Love with Stamping forum anyway.. lol).

So.. where was I? What was I doing with lots of people and some cardstock?? Tune in tomorrow to find out..

See you soon xx

Something for the fella's..

Today I'm off on a jolly with the lovely Sheila, so I've written this post and scheduled it for you all. I am off to a Stampin Up training day down in Sheffield and I'll be sure to come back tomorrow to share all the gossip!!

So.... Golf - how's about that?!

The last card for the special orders was another 40th card with the theme of Golf, and did you guess that from the sneaky peek from yesterday?

Here's the actual card that I made... well, more like a booklet actually. lol.

I say it was more like a booklet because there are around 6 pages in it. Kay wanted to have somewhere to write in, and somewhere to put money in , so I made a special little hideaway for the pennies and a double page for the writing, and of course I needed an acetate front for the golfer!

I had borrowed some stamps from Sheila, but thought this looked more apt for the occasion.

Kay had also wanted the words 'Uncle' and 'Brother' on it, so those were cut on the sizzix and finished off with a white gel pen to brighten it a little.

On the back of the acetate panel was this - another couple of layers of the golfer.
Now isn't this cute?

The designs are from La Pashe, and these decoupage sheets are so different to anything else you can get. Jak Heath is a great crafter too, and uses quite a bit of SU stuff, so I always nip on over to take a peek at what she's upto.. some great ideas!

This card was another success when I dropped them all off on Friday last week.. she loved them all. More card orders due in April. Hehe.

Right..

Tomorrow's card is a great suprise! I had a crafty morning over at Sheila's house on Monday with a very nice lady called Chris. We had a right laugh, and I got to drool over Sheila's craft room - honestly!

Organised chaos apparantly - but here's me thinking I need to clear my stash!!

There was more in that room than I own in my entire shed! lol. I did happen to borrow a couple of great stamps, and gave Chris a hand to make a card. I'll show you that tomorrow. lol.

So.. until then, happy crafting - and don't forget our Workshop event over in Carcroft on the 24th March. Just let us know if you'd like to be added to our list.

I just love this colour combo..

Isn't it just great? I love this colour combo..

Almost Amethyst and Apricot Appeal from Stampin Up.

You know I told you I had a few special card orders to make, well, this one is for Elizabeth's 18th. The inside needed to have a special place to put some money in, which I did.

Don't the colours look great together?

I used a stamp that I've had for a while, but because it was an 18th, I thought it was great because it had a bottle of bubbly on it.

I layered up the little girl and finished the design on with rub on names and numbers, and some perfect little crochet flourettes from Stampin Up - Item number 117378, and getting 12 of these lovely little embellishments for £8.95, they're just fantastic! I coloured them up a little with some Cameo Coral ink to add a little 'blush'.

Did you notice the background? It's my all time favourite background stamp from SU - Bella Toile - I just love it!!! Perfect for everything and a great addition to my crafty stash. 
 

Here's the last little pic of the card - the little girl in more detail. She was coloured with promarkers.

And you know I told you I had made three cards? Well, here's the sneak peek of tomorrow's card -

Can you guess what it is? lol

John Deere .. my dear..

See -  I told you if you nipped back I would have a few different things to show you!

Last week or so, I was asked to create a few cards for some special birthdays and this one is the first....  the request was 'a 40th birthday card with a tractor'..

This was the finished card and I must really thank the wonderful Sheila for creating me my pyramage tractor and the background papers - isn't she a clever bunny?

Here's a closer shot

I finished this easel card with a few buttons in colours to match the papers, and the letters were die cut from sizzix and decorated with white gel pen and 3D gloss.

The card was delivered on Friday to the lady who ordered it and she absolutely loved it, so thank you so much Sheila.. and Happy 40th Birthday to Andy!

I had two orders to do with this one, and here's a sneak peek of the one I'm showing tomorrow.

See ya tomorrow!