Big Big Thanks!

Hello friends and a warm welcome to my new followers too.

Firstly apologies - if you are viewing my blog and it has lots of image messages! 

Looking into that now - technology is wonderful...until it goes wrong!

Not a great photo of this card - my fault for attempting to take it at around midnight last night, not much natural light at that time I'm afraid! 

But it seemed such an appropriate card to share with you today when I truly want to express my thanks for all your support.  So good to see emails from familiar names.

The shows, as usual, seem to rush by and I didn't get to show you all my ideas or indeed, 

all of the products.  There is a great deal of repetition, I am asked to explain certain things 

time and time again, so if you did catch all three shows I'm sorry if you had to hear me keep 

talking about the same techniques and tips!

So, today's card - as featured on the first show uses Fancy Postage Stamps and those gorgeous little flowers and leaves from Homespun - you probably gathered how much I like them!  Adore those keys.

I did capture a photo of Mitchell outside Ideal House yesterday, I'm afraid teenagers and early mornings do not mix very well - he is looking extremely tired!  He perked up when allowed inside the studio to see how the cameras, floor managers, screens etc work! 

Classes:

Thank you so much for the enquiries regarding classes - I hope I have replied to all of those that commented/emailed, if not please let me know and I will be very happy to explain details/send information.

Shortly, a tab will appear at the top of my blog with a list of the classes that are due to run from September and beyond.  The Grand Caliburs™ arrived yesterday, they are lined up in my hallway ready to transport to the Crafty Studio today - so exciting!  

Thanks again my wonderful friends - I'm back tomorrow with....

Friday Die Day!

Take care,

TV and Pie Day!

Hello friends,

It is TV Day!!!

I'm leaving the house as this post goes live, a two hour drive ahead of me.  This time my eldest son, Mitchell is coming along.  He is keen to see how things work in a TV studio and I will be grateful of his company and his muscles - he can carry all my crafty supplies!  

You are probably quite familiar with photos of my boys by now (I tend to use their pictures in commissions and magazines and actually they don't mind!) Mitchell is on the right - somewhat taller at the moment than my Elliott who turns 16 next week! 

So...the shows are still scheduled for 10am, 2pm and 6pm on Create and Craft.

Channel details are in the right sidebar of my blog.

This will be one of the sample cards on display today - 

again, using the lovely Homespun die set and also A-2 Fancy Weave.  

I've got some interesting stuff to explain about all these new Card Creator dies -

they are beyond useful - I'm afraid you will wonder how you lived without them! 

I selected summer bright papers, lace, ribbon for a fresh look and a rather full pie in a spotty dish.

I do hope you can tune in - got lots to share with you.

Take care friends.

Pretty Preserve

Hello friends,

So glad you liked the enamel-like flower created from Rose Creations yesterday, it is such a versatile die.

Today I'm sharing with you a project that I've put together for TV tomorrow. 

A tag to dress up a jam jar.  Well, you all know how much I love a tag!

It features a few of the dies I'm going to be showcasing and includes the very wonderful Homespun.  

I'm hoping to demo how this is made -
it is such a simple design but I really like how it turned out.

The shows should be at 10am, 2pm and 6pm - but I have to say...'subject to change' -

the world of TV seems to like surprises!

I do hope you can join me - another TV project tomorrow!

Take care friends.

Rose Creations - another technique!

Hello friends,

It's the start of a new week and a busy busy one for me!

I'm still talking about Rose Creations! I want to show you a little tag created from Floral Ovals 

and the technique with the flower. 

This shiny enamel-like effect has been created by spritzing the petals with Cosmic Shimmer Mist, while it is still very wet apply embossing powder.  It absorbs a lot of it but shake off excess then blast with a heat gun. 

It dries quite firm but once cool it still pliable enough to bend the petals.  

I seem to have failed over the last few days with my Photo A Day!  

It slipped my mind as we celebrated my Dad's birthday at the weekend (his card will be featured soon).

Hope you all had a great weekend?

Take care and I'm back tomorrow.

Bookends and a Winner!

Hello friends,

It's Sunday and the sun is shining!

I'm crafting ready for TV on Wednesday...got some really interesting things to show you...

At the moment I have three shows, 10am, 2pm and 6pm.

Today I can share with you some bookends that I created for Spellbinders™. 

I asked my Dad to make a pair of very plain bookends and then I went to town decorating them.

All the details can be found here, of course it features a few butterflies!

This was one of those projects that I was a little sad to pack up and send - 

at some point I will make another pair for me!

Now the important news...a winner of the felt.

 Here is Bella doing her job!

 I've decided she can read because she started to lick her lips....

 The winner (on a rather soggy piece of paper as opposed to chewed this time!) is....

BACONBITS (aka Amanda)

Congratulations!

Please drop me an email: christine.emberson@blueyonder.co.uk 

with your address details and I will pop the felt in the post to you.

Have a super Sunday dear friends.

Take care,

August Inspiration Gallery

Hello friends

WOW - an amazing response this month to the August Inspiration pictures.

First up is Michelle and she says, "August to me means the Southport Flower Show so I usually take a weeks holiday and do a few other things."

Michelle's card uses a wonderful array of dies - including 

Grand Scalloped Squares, Grand Labels One, Classic Hearts.

This card folds to a square to be tied with ribbon - what a lovely pretty idea.

Thank you Michelle.

Next up we have Christine (brilliant name!)

Christine has created ribbon butterflies and cleverly used beads and safety pins, I love this idea.

Great colours too.

Thank you Christine.

Next up we have Carole who has created a wonderful scrapbook page featuring her hens.

Carole says "when I saw the summerhouse and flowers, I was inspired to go out and take photos in our garden; our summerhouse, which doubles as a summer craft space, flowers and our hens, Cara and Bella."

What a lovely page and I spy Wonderful Wings!

Thank you Carole.

Next is Oksana and she says, "I was instantly drawn to the red polka dots and butterflies."

Labels Three are layered and fantastic use Edgeabilities Classis Scallop.

A really striking lovely card.

Thank you Oksana.

We now have Anne who says, "I was inspired by the gorgeous butterfly in your photo collage."

Anne has used Labels Eight for the actual shape of her card, doesn't it look effective and the 

butterfly and flowers are simply gorgeous.

Thank you Anne.

Next up is Elaine.

Elaine's card is so bright, jolly and full of Summer and she says, "my version of August is the seaside."

Beaded Squares feature under the tag and Elaine has cut pieces from Ironwork Accents to create the sun-rays.  I'm so pleased butterflies feature too!

Thank you Elaine.

We now turn to Liz who has created a very pretty butterfly frame and added Cherry Blossoms.

The pastel colours were so well and it is so great to see dies used in other projects too.

Thank you Liz.

Next up we have Kathy who has been very busy creating two cards and a tag.

All coordinating in lovely deep pink and black and using Spellbinders galore!

This card features M-Bossabilities Garden Delight, Picot Edge Circles, 

Wonderful Wings and Bitty Blossoms.

 This card is cut form Grand Scalloped Squares and includes Persian Motifs, Floral Ovals,

Fancy Tags Three and Wonderful Wings

 The Tag features Classic Scallop Edgeabilities, Antique Frames & Accents, 

Wonderful Wings and Bitty Blossoms.

A truly beautiful trio - thank you Kathy.

Next we have Elaine who has been inspired by the Olympics this month and sailing.

Very appropriate as we did so well!  I love how Elaine has created the clever aperture and created the Grand Scallop shape of the card.

Thank you Elaine.

Next up we have Elise who has created her own stamps from the dies, used Versamark and then embossed with mica powders.   Cherry Blossom and Les Papillions feature too. A truly pretty card.

Thank you Elise.

We now have Darcie aged 12 (who is Lydia's Granddaughter).

Darcie was inspired by the butterfly and made this wonderful card using Labels Twenty and Rose Creations.

A superb card - I don't think I could have produced something this brilliant at the age of 12! 

Thank you Darcie - you are going to be a winning crafter!

Next up we have Christine (oh yes, such a good name!)

Inspired by the butterfly, Christine has created a card that is a true tribute to butterflies!

Using Curved Rectangles, Classic Scallop Circles and Standard Circles Small. 

So very pretty and looks lovely placed over the lace doily too.

Thank you Christine.

Next is Theresa who has created a brilliant project - a chalkboard.

Using various dies including Moroccan Accents, Moroccan Motifs, Bitty Blossoms and Spiral Blossom Three.  Theresa used felt, suede, gesso and flowers cut from dictionary pages.

Even the reverse is beautifully decorated.  Amazing, beautiful piece.

Thank you Theresa.

Next is Liz.

A pink floral card featuring Romantic Rectangles, such a pretty touch with the bow and tag,

very effective matting of cardstock too.

Thank you Liz.

Our final Gallery picture is from Sharon who was inspired by the flowers and butterflies.

A very vintage card with distressing, the gold edging looks very effective and who can resist a fairy!

Thank you Sharon.

Well, what an abundance of creativity - such talented followers I have - thank you so much.

Back tomorrow. 

Take care friends.