Sunday Giveaway and my friend Carole!

Hello friends

Thank you for all the lovely comments yesterday and a warm welcome
to new followers, special good wishes to Ann Morris for such kind words.

I'm heading off to Birmingham today for the trade show 'Stitches'.
Very excited to be meeting up with Spellbinders and demoing.
I'm not back until Tuesday evening so special measures have been put in place to
ensure Bella and the cats are fine...oh yes, the boys too!

This was Bella's response to my telling her that I was going away...

In my absence, I thought it was probably time for another giveaway,

how about something ... grand!

Grand Labels One

I have a set of these brilliantly useful dies to give away to a lucky winner.

They make fantastic card bases.

Really easy - just leave a comment on today's post and a winner will be

picked out and announced next week.

Other news:

I've mentioned before that I am very fortunate to be friends with
best selling author Carole Matthews.

We met many years ago just after Carole had her first book published -

(she is now celebrating 20+ novels!)  I have every single one in my bookcase.

Recently I attended one of Carole's book launch parties and I presented her with

an Artisan X-Plorer, some Spellbinders dies and a craft kit.

I knew that Carole enjoyed making things, she's been fantastic at knitting squares!

It appears I've opened up a whole new world to Carole and she has begun

cardmaking!  I am absolutely thrilled. 
I'm now waiting for Carole to show her 'makes' on Facebook...

Carole got me thinking...do you remember when you first started your craft journey?

The excitement of what to buy...
(we usually make mistakes there - that very first expensive trip to Hobbycraft!)

Did you scour magazines, blogs and websites for inspiration?

Also, I do not know many crafters who have given up, it seems to be a long-term hobby. 
What do you think?  Something to ponder on a Sunday.

Take care friends and don't forget to leave a comment if you would like
to win Grand Labels One.



Valentine's International Ambassadors Blog Hop

Hello friends

The International Ambassadors are blog hopping again!

We had so much fun with our last hop featuring the Victorian dies we thought we

would like to inspire you all again!

These informal hops are a fun and great way for you to get to know us and see our different styles.

We have chosen to use dies from the Laced with Love collection -

we thought these would beautifully coincide with Valentine's weekend.
It is so much fun to create with them, as you will see as to stop by each Designer's blog.

Here are some photos of my card using Interlocking Love,

I've chosen white on white and used this beautiful die to create a stunning background.

The flowers are Blooms Four and the wording is Sentiment 3.

Here are all the International Ambassadors with links to their blogs:

Christina Griffiths

Linda Lucas

Yvonne van de Grijp

Ursula Langhammer (not partaking but please take a look at her blog)

Christine Emberson (you are here!)

Thanks so much for stopping by - we hope you enjoy your time with us,

we will be back with more!

Also I should mention this post happily coincides with my Week of Hearts -
today is the final day, Happy Valentine's Day!

Take care friends.

Friday Die Day Part Two with a Week of Hearts - Day 6!

Hello friends

Again a rather long blog title today!
It's Friday and it's Friday Die Day ... Part Two and Day 6 of a Week of Hearts.
This week I'm using the heart from Heart and Flutter die set.

A reminder of the die sizes:

Butterfly: 1⅛ x 1¼“
Heart: 2⅞ x 2⅜“

And this is what it looks like cut/embossed.

I've chosen to make a predominantly white card using a patterned piece of paper
from Lawn Fawn - Sweater Weather.
I've cut a strip narrower than my card front.

I've opened out the card and positioned the strip of patterned paper and the die.
I've held both temporarily in place with removable tape.

I ran it through the Grand Calibur to cut the aperture.

I then removed the patterned paper, attached 3D Foam Squares to the reverse.

I die cut a tag (Back to Basics Tags), stamped a sentiment and tied twine. 

I placed the patterned paper with the tag and twine back in position and affixed down. 

The red die cut heart is inserted through the aperture and glued into place.

The finished card.

And a close up of the very pretty heart.

Heart and Flutter is available on the website here.
A useful die set and not just for Valentine's.

Other news:
pleased to report doggy choccy buttons worked!
Bella conceded to walk with me!  Here we are in the woods, have to admit the woods
are a little spooky in the cloudy weather and when the trees are so bare of leaves.

Bella and I had a little chat and I told her that doggy choccy buttons are not
a regular thing - she understands every word! ;)

I'm totally ignoring the fact it is Friday 13th today...!
Have a wonderful weekend.
Take care friends.

A Week of Hearts - Day 5

Hello friends

Day 5 and it's flowery!

I'm featuring Classic Hearts and Scalloped Hearts along with 

Foliage and Spiral Blossoms - a little butterfly sneaked in too!

I don't normally mix a lot of patterned papers but it seemed to work this time!

Quite a lot of heart products are on sale on the website here - I hope this 

Week of Hearts is inspiring you.  

When I started to look through my projects I realised I use hearts a lot!

Other news:

I'm not the only one who is busy at the moment, Elliott is in the process of building

a new computer, the case arrived...it is huge!

Until all the other parts arrive, it is currently a feature in my lounge!

Elliott has had a bit of a tough week with his testosterone injection (it's not nice and painful)

so this arrived at just the right time. 

I'm at my City job today - I always say it...Thursdays and Fridays come around way

too quickly, I crave being back in my cabin and crafting.

While I'm crafting I've been watching a stack of Agatha Christie Poirot dvds - love them!

And finally - Bella news.

She's being a pickle at the moment...she only wants my Dad to take her for walks!

I take her on our usual walk, through the woods and down the field but she's been 

rooted to the spot half way and then decides to trot back home! 

Plan of action - treats in my pocket!  

I find that works for the boys too!

Take care friends, stop by tomorrow for Friday Die Day.

A Week of Hearts - Day 4

Hello friends

Day 4 already!  After a few days of cards that would work for gentlemen,
today's card is very feminine.  The main feature is Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L's
3D Foam Hearts, I covered two of these in patterned paper and trimmed around.
Effective speedy embellishments.

Creative Photo Corners are added to the dotty paper.

Silk flowers with pink ink brushed over the tips of the petals and a length

of twine for the bow.  The sentiment is printed and the font is Edwardian Script.

Perhaps not a Valentine's card but a pretty Birthday card.

Good progress on getting ready for Birmingham, kits are complete and
demo projects nearly sorted.  Trip to hairdressers desperately needed - I am due to be told off,
I must not trim my own fringe!

Take care friends, I'm back tomorrow.

Tuesday Tip/Technique with a Week of Hearts - Day 3

Hello friends

Today I'm going for the longest blog title award!

I'm featuring another heart card and I'm sneakily incorporating a little

Tuesday Tip/Technique :)

The die set used for this card is an oldie and a favourite of mine -

Potpourri but it can be easily adapted with many other Spellbinders dies.

Prepare your card base just slightly larger than your label shape.

Cut/emboss a selection of hearts, all white apart from one red heart.

Here's the tip: use a score board (or ruler) and score down the centre of each heart and fold.

Try this with lots of die cuts - it really makes them dimensional and pop!

Apply a thin layer of adhesive to the reverse fold line of each heart.

I positioned my hearts onto the card base and added a gemstone to the

single red heart.

Simple but effective.

 A close up picture.

 Stop by tomorrow it's another project featuring...yes you've guessed it...hearts!

Also if you've finished your Heart Banner Charity Kit please send along a photo.

Take care friends.