Friday 29 July 2011

Strawberries... raspberries... chili's....

What can you do when you have them in abundance?? Well.. make jam! We took a ride upto the local strawberry farm, and ended up coming home with a wide range of soft fruits, and as I had a bit of a quiet day I decided to get the stove on and get out my preserving pan!

image courtesy of google.com
 
So, that's what I've been upto this past week, no crafting I have to say, but I've really enjoyed making pots and pots of lovely jam - strawberry jam, raspberry jam, peach conserve, chili jam. Yes. Chili Jam.. although noone really likes it as it has a bit of a kick (so I'm hoping that the taste cools slightly!)

Now, when I say Chili Jam... I don't mean Jam in the normal sense of the word - it's really not the sort of jam you could spread on your toast - it's more akin to steaks and cheese boards.. but still very tasty!

 image courtesy of google.com

I did use more red chilis than the red peppers, so I think I may just try to make it again with more pepper.. how do you make yours??

I didn't strain the jelly, I left the floaty bits from the chilis and peppers as I thought it made it look prettier.... even if it was a bit spicier than normal! lol..

Normal crafting will resume shortly - my attention span at the moment is probably no more than a gnats.. and I just can't sit to colour in as I'd like.. but I do promise a card soon!

Tuesday 26 July 2011

I didn't share this.... so I am now!

A few weeks ago, you'll remember I went on a jolly jaunt across the country to Bath?  Well.. this is where I stayed.


It's the Old Parsonage, in Farrington Gurney. Oh what a place!!

The hospitality was great, and the lady who owns the house came out to the Courtyard to greet me upon arrival.. something you don't get at Travelodge!

This was the room that I had for the night... it was soooo pretty I can feel a need for my own bedroom to be redecorated! Looking at the picture above, I was in the upper right of the building.


It is the French Renaissance room, and it was tastefully decorated with beautiful pale blues and creams.


I just loved how the whole room looked, and the price was very appealing too - what a great service LateRooms.com gives.


My most favourite part of the room was the shutters.. She had asked if I minded road noise as there was a small road to the front of the house. I shut the shutters shown here - very heavy wooden ones! and the whole room was as black as anything - now I like a bit of light, so I opened them up again a little bit.. but it was fun having them there.. it is the old fashioned things that I loved.. shutters and sash windows.. just perfick!


And what was the purpose of the visit?? To come here -


yes, it's the Creativity TV studio where all the videos that are on the Docrafts website are made. It's a little surreal when I'm there.. it's just like stepping into Clare's footsteps.. and it was quite sad that she wasn't there with me this time.. I was there on my own. All by myself. Just me. On my own! Well, apart from Wendy the videographer and her lovely assistant.

And do you want to know what I made? Well.. that remains a very closely guarded secret for the next few weeks at least.. but I'll let you know when they're on the site, so if you're a Creativity Club member, you can go and take a peek..

Right.. must fly - being in hospital and recovering has left alot of things that need to be done, and I am slowly but surely getting around to doing them..

Delightful Dogs

They most certainly are - most of the time anyway... !

I love me doggies, and this week's theme over at the My Time To Craft Challenge is just perfect as it is exactly what it says... 'Delightful Dogs'.. Now, funnily enough, I don't have alot of doggy stamps which I thought was quite odd really, and I can only find this one which I've used a handful of times.



I thought this one was a bit cute, and fitted the theme perfectly.. I hope you like it too..


I hope you can play along this week - it would be great if you could pop by and say HI... and I'll come visit your little Cubby Hole of the Web too!

Until next time! xx

Monday 25 July 2011

Docrafts magasine project

I've had quite a few emails from fellow Docrafters, asking how I did the clouds that is on this card that was in the July Creativity magasine.


Well, I simply used baby wipes and a bit of card... and I did a tutorial a while ago, HERE, that you can watch.

If you want to see any other tutorials, just click on the 'How did I do it' link at the top of the page.

Thanks for looking!

Tuesday 19 July 2011

My Time To Craft challenge...

Have you checked out this blog? I am very lucky to be one of the DT on there, and am enjoying all the themes and everyones take on them.. me thinks I'm just a nosy blogger! lol.

Anyway.. onto this weeks Challenge, and we have the theme of Citrus Colours. It'd be great if you could play along with us..

Onto the card, and this was my entry.

 I decided to go with Lime and Lemon... one of my favourite things to drink at the moment. I find it so refreshing. So I coloured my beautiful roses in a yellow shade and coloured the leaves to match my matting and layering.

I'd love to see what you create, so if you enter the challenge, let me know and I'll pop along and visit your bloglets..

Until next time!

Catching up...

After a very odd week, I thought I'd come along and post my card that I made for the My Time To Craft Challenge blog. This is last weeks card, and should have been posted last Tuesday when the challenge went live, but things ended up going a bit haywire... and I am really delayed in posting it.

Here's my Challenge card. The theme was to make a card with birds on, and these ones from Docrafts Birdsong collection are just perfect for the card I wanted to make.


I wanted to keep the card nice, clean and simple, so I decided on an embossed background and decorated it up with the frame that I cut from the new XCut nesting dies (fantastic value too from just £9.95!!) I embossed the frame after cutting, and then stamped my image where I wanted it to be.

I restamped it and cut it out again to layer up and add some dimension.

Here's the close up.


Hope you like it... I'll be back tomorrow with this week's Challenge card..

Monday 18 July 2011

Sorry for lack of posting..

Just popping on to say normal service will resume shortly, I hope..

I am just out of hospital, having been in for a week, and I am feeling a bit more than delicate!

I'll upload as soon as I can. xx

Wednesday 13 July 2011

With Love...

I thought I'd have another play along with the Simply Less is More Challenge theme again, and I've combined it with my favourite little folksies from Country Companions.. the hedgies.

We used to have a little hedgehog called Hyacinth. She was a rescue that we took in. (I think I mentioned her before... ?!)

Anyway, without further ado, here's my card.

Photobucket


I stamped the hedgies, and then masked them off to stamp the bench. Aren't they just so cute.

Here's the close up.

Photobucket


Sorry it's just a quick post today... I'll be back shortly with another project or three.

Tuesday 12 July 2011

Getting in the Christmas Spirit.

Yes, it's not long to go now, and I'm getting all ready for Christmas. My daughter even spoke about starting her christmas shopping this month... ! Mind you, it's a good idea really. Although with my children, they probably wouldn't even know what they want. I'd buy what they say, then they'd change their minds.. haha.

But keeping with the Christmas mood, here's a little something that has been travelling around my demo's with me.

Photobucket


It was made from matchboxes and the Ultimate kit from the Christmas Forever Friends collection. It came together really easily once I'd made my mind up how big to make it, what to add to the top etc.. and I think it looks really lovely. So pleased with it - and everyone wants to keep it.. so it stays next to me at my demo's, and is chained to the desk!!

Photobucket


The little Forever Friend characters are so cute. I love cute. Did you guess?!

There are so many in the Ultimate pack too - it seems to go on forever!

Well.. I'll love you and leave you for now. Check back soon... and happy crafting!

Monday 11 July 2011

A bit of a challenge...

This whole week has been a bit of a challenge... lol.. finding time to update my blog, do samples for my demo this past weekend over at Lambton Park and get my house nice and clean! I'm afraid the housework had been a bit neglected for a few days - mainly because I had other things to do.. and as you know, crafting always must take priority!

Anyway, my demo over in Durham went fantastic - what a lovely bunch of folks we have there. Always so friendly and interested, and we share our thoughts and ideas too, which is fab! My next demo is in Doncaster next week, no demo this Saturday.. but no rest for the wicked eh?!

But to get my old blog updated for you, I thought I'd share a project with you that I've made for the Simply Less is More Challenge blog. I love their themes on that blog and I always like to play along.

The theme this week was a One Layer card (which again, I love!) and also to include something with legs.. so here's my take on the idea.

Photobucket


I decided to use the not-so-often inked up reindeer stamps from the Joyeux Noel range that Docrafts bought out last year. They are really lovely stamps and as you can see, the images are so detailed.

Photobucket


To finish off my little reindeer, as it was on the one layer, I used some 3D gloss over the top and added a little pearl that I coloured in red, to his nose.

Hope you like it!

Thursday 7 July 2011

Ooooooooh.....

Did anyone else get a shock tonight when they signed into their blog??

Mine just sorta looks like this - totally took me by surprise.. not sure if I like it.

**edited to add** Friday morning - decided to edit this so I could go back to my basic style dashboard.. easier said than done, but after a bit of googling, I managed to find out how.. This one below, was just too confusing!

Suprised!!

I can't quite believe it!!

Just checking my blog challenge list and I've come in the Top Five for the Passion for Promarkers challenge I did with my baby card entry.. so chuffed with myself. Thank you also to Emma for choosing my card..

A quick update on my Stampin' sale..

Stamps for Sale

Big Bold Birthday - wood mounted - as new, but used - £10
Dot Dot Dot - brand new unmounted - wood mount - £7
Fox and Friends - wood mount - £10
 On a pedestal - wood mount - £9 sold subject to payment

Love you Much (mounted, but very clean/unused) - £14 sold subject to payment
Growing Green - clear mount - £8 sold subject to payment
Bundle of love - clear mount - £11 sold subject to payment
Cheers and wishes, sold subject to payment
Because I care, sold subject to payment


Wheels for sale

Small heart wheel with wheel - £2
Soft Holly small wheel - £2
Small wheel.. time for a tree - £2
Jumbo wheel Neighbourhood wheel - £4
Very Vintage wheel - £4 sold subject to payment

Punches - for sale

Heart Punch - BL - £10 sold subject to payment
Five petal flower - BL - £10 sold subject to payment
Word Window punch - BL - £10 sold subject to payment
Bird Punch - FL - £10 sold subject to payment
Eyelet border punch - BL - £7 sold subject to payment

Other -
Stampin' Glitter - Fine Cosmo - unused in packaging - £8 sold subject to payment


A few more items I've found too..


Tree for all seasons - wood mount - £5
Earth Elements stampin spots - 2009 - 2010 - £5 sold subject to payment
Contempo Christmas - clear mount £7 sold subject to payment


Postage will be charged at cost. Items can be paid for cash, cheque, direct payment (ask for details). Cheque payments will be cleared before posting.

Time is passing by...

I've had a very busy week... and have loved every minute of it.

On Monday, I travelled down to Bath to film four episodes for Docrafts, for their online Creativity TV, and I returned home on Tuesday. The place I stayed at, in Farrington Gurney, was absolutely beautiful. I'll post some pictures soon.

I was shattered by the time I got back! lol.

On Tuesday, it was our Challenge day over at the My Time To Craft Challenge blog.. and the theme this week was A La Carte.. it's all about food this week!

This was my DT entry for the Challenge.


I decided to use my Tatty Teddy image - isn't it cute? I've not stamped it up since I had it, so it was nice to pull it off the shelf and ink it up.

The papers are from the Cupcake collection that Docrafts bought out a few months ago, and I thought it complemented the theme really well.

I also added a little bit of glitter here and there.. .and I was really pleased with the finished result.

Other than this, I haven't really done alot of crafting this week - I've just been so busy and time is running away with me.. but I'm not complaining because I love being busy. So.. I hope you have time to play along with our little challenge this week. I'd love to see your entries. Why not pop on over to the Challenge blog and check out the other DT work... it's fab!

Friday 1 July 2011

Updated list of sale items. Plus a few more new ones

Stamps -

Just Believe clear mount set - £8
Occasional Greetings wood mount set (mostly unmounted) £20
Circle of Friendship wood mount £8
Best Yet Wood mount - £5
Whimsical words wood mount - £5
Bella Toile large woodmount stamp - £10
Big Bold Birthday - wood mounted - as new, but used - £16
Lovely as a Tree - wood mount - £14
On a pedestal - wood mount - £9
Love you Much (mounted, but very clean/unused) - £14
Dot Dot Dot - brand new unmounted - wood mount - £7
Fox and Friends - wood mount - £10
Baby Blossoms clearmount stamp set - £14 sold subject to payment
A rose is a rose (retired) - £15 sold subject to payment
Cheers and wishes woodmounted stamps - £8 sold subject to payment
Growing Green - clear mount - £8 sold subject to payment
Bundle of love - clear mount - £11 sold subject to payment
Hostess set - Because I care - light use - clear mount - £8 sold subject to payment
Hostess set - Occasional quotes - brand new - clear mount - £12 sold subject to payment

Wheels

Small heart wheel with wheel - £2
Soft Holly small wheel - £2
Small wheel.. time for a tree - £2
Jumbo wheel Neighbourhood wheel - £4
Very Vintage wheel - £4 sold subject to payment

Punches -

Heart Punch - BL - £10
Five petal flower - BL - £10
Word Window punch - BL - £10
Bird Punch - FL - £10
Tiny tags punch (FL) - £5 each. One left sold subject to payment
Oval All punches (BL) plain and scallop. (will only sell together) £18 sold subject to payment
Eyelet border punch - BL - £7 sold subject to payment


Other -

Colour Spritzer tool, comes with brown SU marker - £8
Stampin' Glitter - Fine Cosmo - unused in packaging - £8 sold subject to payment




A few more items I've found too..


Tree for all seasons - wood mount - £5
Earth Elements stampin spots - 2009 - 2010 - £5 sold subject to payment
Sparkly and Bright - wood mount - £9 sold subject to payment
Contempo Christmas - clear mount £7 sold subject to payment


Postage will be charged at cost, with recorded delivery. Items can be paid for cash, cheque, direct payment (ask for details).. sorry Paypal is playing me up, so not currently available. Cheque payments will be cleared before posting.
Animated Social Gadget - Blogger And Wordpress Tips