The Call of the keyboard.....

As I write this from the top secret location of my craft desk, I hastily glance over my shoulder and check that my cover has not been blown...... yep! At this time of night the kids are in bed, and asleep, and use of the netbook should go undetected by them, I am back to blogging just trying to ensure stealth like note book usage..... my brother, the man I turn to with all technological dilemmas would probably tell me that even if the children don't know what I am doing the 'Big Brothers' of the schools technology people, will do..... Hmmmm should I delete this post and wipe my prints from the keyboard???

No the call of the keyboard has struck me and I will endeavour to keep you updated with my crafty happenings, until normal service can resume!! ;-)

This last weekend was not only birthday time, but my Mum and Dad celebrated their 35 year wedding anniversary on the Saturday, as we were going for party tea on the Sunday I took a card I created for them, I gave a sneaky peek via Facebook, as I created it then realised I had no envelopes to fit an A5 card, luckily i had some tissue in which to wrap it.

 The style is nothing new from me, a sort of shabby chic college going on!

 Complete with Crumbcake Seam Binding & Crochet Trim bows....

 A hint of a swirl with 'colour on colour' stamping' for the base card, and the use of the Oval frame from the 'Textured Impressions Designer Frames' Embossing Folder, to create a centre piece for the stamping of 'Mum' '&' 'Dad' from the 'For my Family' stamp set, I had to use my 'Stamp-A-Ma-Jig' for this and I managed it first time, so I think this set may be making an appearance on cards more often, I had got it with Scrapbooking in mind,

 A banner, as a simple way to add a greeting with a different font,

 Some pops of colour, with the lovely flower heads from 'Everything Eleanor' stamped on 'Very Vanilia' in 'Richrazzleberry' Ink with the colour dragged in with a water brush, cut out and then popped to add dimension around the frame. Even the label/ journalling circle from 'Everything Eleanor' was stamped on the base card too!!

 Looking at this side view I took, it's probably a good thing I didn't have an envelope, as I think it would have been to chunky to fit!!

 I followed the style of the front of the card and decorated a 'Very Vanillia' piece of cardstock, to give me a panel on which to write the greeting, to my mum and dad.

 A couple more of the flowers stamped & cut out and I didn't stick them down completely so that the edges had a hint of freedom!!

 And a little bit more stamping and a bit of ink sponging too and my special anniversary card was finished!

I am really pleased with how it came together, and how i managed to make stamps that don't necessarily scream card making such as the journalling label and the family titles work on a card.

Right as my cover has not be blown by a child awaking, I had better not push my luck and log off for now. Don't forget that this is the last month of the Fantastic 'SALE-A-BRATION' were you can get an exclusive free set of stamps or paper for every £45 you spend in either the main IBC, the Spring mini or a bit of both!

If you would like further information please give me a call

Tel: 077891605129,

I look forward to hearing from you xx

Take two!!!

Don't panic, I am not bringing you a new video clip just yet!! I will have to go for some' Received Pronunciation' lessons to iron out the 'Oakie Dokies' before then, what I am sharing though is  how one sketch, layout or 'whatever' you call the design of your card, can look different just by swapping colour ways........

One card is in the lovely '2011-2013 In Colour- Pool Party' with a touch of 'Soft Suede' & 'Crumb Cake' and the other is in the warm. spring colours of the 'Spice Cake' product suite, from were the main stamp set used- 'Spiced Paisley', is featured- in the 2012 Spring Mini Catalogue, the colours of which are 'Pear Pizazz', 'More Mustard', 'River Rock', 'Soft Suede' & 'Pool Party'!

Both cards had the same stamped, lovely shaped label/ panel from 'Everything Eleanor'....

Curled flowers made with the lovely SU card stock & delicate 'Soft Suede' leafy foliage.....

A crank of the 'Big Shot' handle and some embossing with the 'Polka Dots Folder',.......

 A soft bow & twirl of 'Seam binding' down the side........

 And a little 'Spiced Paisley' stamped background going on!

 Even the insides of the card got a

bit of the 'Spiced Paisley' stamping.

I love the fact that even by using the same techniques and very similar items to make each card, that just by swapping the colours, you get a different look! 

And it's made even easier to do, because 'Stampin' Up!' manufacture everything to co-ordinate and work together, not only the inks and the card stock but stamp sets and tools too! I lurvveeee 'Stampin' Up!' and hope that you do too!! xxxx

I took some Islands with me!!

Well I am back, in blighty.....I survived flying, what was the most daunting aspect of air travel was the checking in and the weighing of luggage, and it was only me, out of our group that set off the airport alarms...any surprises there though!!

On to the more important stuff..... Spending the day site seeing, in Paris, on the Thursday prior to convention, was fantastic, although I do have to say that the 'Tour De Eiffel' was not at all as romantic, as we expected it to be.....until the light faded and night was upon us....then Paris really came alive, and so did my French....words I had never used since my GCSE days sprang from my lips.....During the day I managed to ask for directions, gel shoe inserts and a cork screw....get me and my metropolitan lifestyle!!

Anyway all to soon we were catching the last train back to the Hotel, and getting ready for 2 action packed days of 'Stampin' Up!' Convention (And wow-sers....they were action packed, full of info on new product lines and top tips...there is so much to cover over the next couple of months!!)As I was attending as part of the 'Julies Jems' team, we all made each other little team swaps, I am still pouring over all the lovely makes I received, but here is my make for the team swap.

And yes, it is a play on words, but I took 19 of these little boxes, made from our delightful 'Island Indigo' card stock with me...get it?? Islands with me!!

The boxes are based, on a cheese wedge style I was taught years ago, but I loved bringing an old idea to life again with modern products. The fab sentiment came from the lovely 'Petite Pairs' Stamp set and was then punched with the modern label punch, with the little flourish from 'Tiny Tags' added for some decoration, and to finish the tag, a bit of SU bling!!

The boxes were given a simple bit of stamping, with the swirl from 'Everything Eleanor'.....and a light misting of the champagne.....well we were in Paris.....shimmer paint, that I had watered down.To hold the box closed and fasten the tag in place, I used a 12cm length of the new crochet trim, and as knotting it, slipped in a short piece of the 'Basic Black- Striped Grosgrain'........I have used 3 rolls of this for my convention makes......Its a good job I get a demo discount!! But I couldn't just give my teamies, an empty box, well the make inside, was something to wear......

A beautiful ring!

I am extremely grateful, that my good friend Deborah, is an avid 'Kirsty Allsop' fan, she saw a gorgeous make similar to this on her craft TV show, well the next day whilst I was out and about Deborah phoned me, to ask had I seen it, well I hadn't, but all she said was...' She just stuck the paper roses, you have been making on to ring backs and Voila....she had made a ring'. It was sort of a serendipity moment, as she rung, I happen to be stood outside a Haberdashery shop, which stocked the ring backs!!

And as soon as I got home, I used all my little scraps of 'Timeless Portrait' Designer Papers to create the roses.....to make them more sturdy, I gave them a couple of coats of 'Crystal Effects' and just before the centre set, popped in a large, sparkly bling......well I couldn't afford real diamonds....sorry girls!!

I hope the girls loved my make, as much as I have loved theirs, swapping was such a special part of convention, only 'Stampin' Up! demonstrators, can attend the convention, so if you don't want to miss out on all the HOT SU news, learn new some new craft skills, and even make new friends, then join my team.......OOOoo and the location for convention next year.......

Mainz, Germany

on November 2 and 3, 2012!

Make plans now to attend this wonderful event!

I can't wait for you- to become a

'Stampin' Up! ' Demonstrator with me!!! XXX

Roomies!!!

This time last week, I was discovering the sights and sounds of Paris, with my two convention roomies- Yvonne Hunt & Jeanette Eames. They were fantastic girls to go to Paris with and we laughed and had so much fun!!

Here are some pictures of the roomie gift I made for them, I also made one for my SU mum- Julie Kettlewell.......oo and no prizes for guessing what stamps sets I used!!!

The books were out of my stash, and were calling out for an SU make over!!

The lovely journal tag was created with the label from 'Everything Eleanor' and the gorgeous 'Antique Brads. Grosgrain ribbon & 'Crochet Trim' made lovely embellishments.'

The Heart over the girl, is a technique I have pinched off the ACE Australian demo- Teneale Williams, the Friend sentiment, is from 'Tiny Tags'.

The 'Parlour Prints' background stamp & some 'Baja Breeze' card created a most lovely, antique style backing too!

Striped Grosgrain, more crochet trim and also 'Baja Breeze- Seam Binding' were tied to the spirals, to finish the journal.

I even gave a pencil, an SU make over too, then they had a pretty object to write with too!

I had some brown paper gift bags, in my stash too, and these were perfect for holding my gifts, for my roomies, and of course they got an SU makeover, this time with the lovely friends wheel, and ribbons too!

Right got to dash, off up into the 'Trough Of Bowland' to demonstrate at a workshop, and I have the car to pack yet!! xxx