Phew!

Hello friends

Phew!  It seems the new website is ticking over and big thanks

to those of you who have already ordered. 

Loving the positive feedback!

Also very grateful to those who pointed out some gremlin-ly bits,

with tags etc - Elliott has sorted those.

More stock will be arriving soon, we did reduce our stock down

to make the move a little easier but even then it took days to 

upload every item (there was no clever button to move items across 

automatically as our old website was...well, old!) 

A new collection by Becca Feeken is arriving soon,

Vintage Treasures and I'm thrilled to be doing the shows 

on Hochanda later this month.

Talking of Becca's dies - a workshop kit for Ornamental Arch

is on the website along with other kits available here.

At my demo last weekend I realised that the arch insert of 

this die works with the Grand Arch die set.

All this time I didn't realise - I guess the name might have been a clue - doh! 

Take care friends, wishing you a happy middle of the week

and I will be back for Friday Die Day.

It's here! The New Website and a Giveaway!

Hello friends We are back and up and running with our new website! We managed to do it in one week, well I say 'we' but truthfully Elliott has been the star. If you nip across you'll see navigation is a little different. On the Home page we have Collections, you can click on those or  you can also shop by the Shop drop down menu.  Another nifty thing - the top bar with the Search button, this scrolls down with you as you browse the website. Makes it so much easier to find 'Search' and tap in what you are looking for.

Find Out More

HAVE TO HAVE A GIVEAWAY! In celebration we have a very special giveaway. A full set of Spellbinders Clear Stamps - that's 12 stamp sets, all the new release designs going to one lucky winner! How can you win? If you place an order on our new website over the next two weeks your name will automatically be entered into the draw, easy! Winner will be announced on Monday 25th March 2019. So fingers crossed we are gremlin-free but if you notice something odd please let us know. And now back to crafting and I'm thrilled to say I have Hochanda shows coming up later this month so I'm speed crafting now. Take care friends, have a super Monday and happy browsing.

Work in progress...

Hello friends

No Friday Die Day this week as it has been heads down working 

on the new website.

(Also took a trip to the hospital to let someone stare into my eyes!)

Delighted to say we should be on schedule to launch on Monday.

Final checks are happening and lots of tweaking.

We will be sending out messages to announce the launch,

please keep your fingers and toes crossed for us.

We will be having a special giveaway to celebrate the launch

so please look out for that.

Before then, you can find me at Keep on Crafting in 

Bury St Edmunds tomorrow. 

I am going to be demonstrating Becca Feeken's dies 

including the Shadowbox Collection and 3D Vignettes.

If you live that way hope you can join me.

Apologies for the radio silence this week, it really has been

quite an achievement to get this website organised.

Take care friends, have a lovely weekend.

Step away from computer and...quilt!

Hello friends

On Sunday I chose to not panic about the new website and the zillion

of things required to set it up and instead got out my quilting panels.

It was so relaxing to do.

These are the Cut and Quilt Panels designed by Hayley West

and available on Hochanda here.

This time the panel is Cross Block and Hayley West brought this 

one out in her second collection of designs.  

I've got one more to do in this collection, happy for quilting to

be my Sunday pastime.

I always cut the pieces as soon as the panels arrive, normally in front of the TV.

Bag them up separately so I know they are ready to go when I feel like sewing.

I confess that each time after I've cut out all the pieces I do think

'how is that going to work?' 

But the instructions are brilliant, clearly written and 

with clever images to guide you along.

To start you sew the small squares to create rectangles.

These are then stitched to the rectangles ensuring lighter squares

are in opposing corners.

Then the remaining rectangles are sewed together to create squares.

I did think about making sure my birds were all facing the same way etc

but decided I really didn't need to - random is good!

You then have various designs of stitched squares and three 

make up a row, I lay them out, pin and stitch.

To finish you stitch the plain beige border. Mine doesn't always quite align

but each time I'm getting better! 

The finished panel.  I'm happy with this even thought there is

very slight misalignment (wonky bits) but I find wonky quite endearing! 

Last week Hayley revealed three more panels, 

Simple Weave, Disappearing 9 Patch and Jewel Box.

You can purchase all three here or individually.

With this last collection it makes a total of nine panels to complete the quilt.

I have never attempted quilting before, I shied away fearing it would be

far too complicated and scarily would involve maths (I don't do maths!)

This has been easy and really enjoyable so I definitely 

recommend that Cut and Quilt Panels are the way to start.

Take care friends, hope your week is starting well.

Clean!

Hello friends

It's Sunday and first off I am sharing with you a clean and simple

card that I have created for Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L.

The tutorial is on their blog here and if you have a moment

to pop across and leave a comment I will be very happy

(and it keeps me in a job!)

Also, we have all the Scrapbook Adhesive items on the website here.

More stock has arrived which will be appearing on the new website soon!

Ahh yes the new website...

existing website closes tomorrow and new one launching as soon as possible.

I have some trepidation about it going smoothly

but my boys haven't let me down so far so fingers crossed.

That means today is the last day to take advantage of the 25% off 

Becca's Shadow Box Collection.

Just enter the code SHADOWBOX25 at checkout.

I love how Becca has used the frames to make a mini chest of drawers!

And so my blog title...clean??

It refers to my clean and simple card at the top of the post but

also for my new found cleaning obsession!

I'm sure many of you have heard of Mrs Hinch,

the lady from Essex who has taken social media by storm with her

cleaning tips, well I discovered her and I have to say she is addictive.

Yesterday I deep cleaned my fridge and washing machine,

totally organised my cleaning cupboard and popped tumble dryer

sheets inside my cushion covers!  

I suspect my enthusiasm will wane so I'm embracing it full on now!

The house is truly benefiting although the boys are walking around

and looking at me as if I'm slightly mad and commenting about

the zillion different fragrances going on! 

Take care friends and have a super Sunday!

Friday Die Day

Hello friends

Firstly, thank you for your comments this week on my eye problems.

I quite like the idea of Bella becoming a guide dog except she is not

street wise at all, she would drag me under a lorry instantly! 

I'm glad to say I have an appointment next week to see a consultant,

(extremely fortunate to have private health insurance through my city job)

so I'll know a little more soon.

On the crafty front it is Friday and that means Friday Die Day.

This week it is Peaceful Garden, one of Sharyn Sowell's dies from her

Great Big Wonderful World Collection.

The approximate measurement of this die is 

4.15 x 3.85 in. 10.50 x 9.80 cm

To start, I picked a good weight white cardstock and die cut the die three times.

I then glued each one on top of each other to create a thick element

to go onto my card front.

I then started my card front. Cutting a mat first with my 6 x 6 Matting Basics

I selected Distress Oxides and blending tools.

First colour.

Next two colours.

Spritzed very lightly with water for a subtle dotty look.

Went in with a sun ray stencil, love this stencil!

Stamped a sentiment (Altnew) 

and affixed the die cut onto the front of the card - easy! 

The finished card.

Got a bit carried away taking photos, it was such a sunny day! 

Really like this idea of layering the die cuts.

Peaceful Garden is available here and the full 

Great Big Wonderful World Collection is here.

This weekend we will be preparing all things website.

As mentioned, our existing site will be taken down Monday 

and fingers crossed the new one pops up very quickly.

I'll be sure to keep you posted.

Take care friends, have a lovely weekend - fingers crossed it is sunny

and you are doing what you love.