All White!

Hello friends

Getting there with the painting....what a difference a ceiling makes and many many litres of white paint!

This is the hallway leading from the kitchen to the shop front, it isn't until you are painting

that you realise just how much wall and ceiling there is!

I'm pleased I've gone for white, it has made everything so much lighter and it means

I can adorn the walls with anything!

Getting back to my 2012 craft/life recap.

September 2012

For Spellbinders™, I created one of my most favourite cards to date using Les Papillions,

Enchanted M-Bossabilities™ , Vintage Lace Accents, Spiral Blossoms Four, Labels Eighteen 

and Foliage.

My niece went off to Uni so I packed up a chocolate gift for her.

And for Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L I created a little home decor frame.

 Totally LOVE Bitty Blossoms!

Monday tomorrow and I've got an appointment with the Bank Manager and a 

trip to the dentist...most definitely a grim day! 

On a positive note, I hope to bring you more shop/studio progress photos - itching to put some

wallpaper up on a couple of walls and start to move stuff in.

Thank you all for your comments, words of advice and encouragement -

I'm trying to slow down a little bit but my brain has other ideas!

Take care friends - enjoy your Sunday - I'm cooking roast lamb today - 

Elliott's favourite.

Cherish, Love, Adore

Hello friends

It's the weekend and what are you up to??

I will be painting and...painting and, oh yes...a bit more painting!

I should have some more progress pictures for you tomorrow and also

a little bit more of craft/life recap 2012.

Today a scrapbook page.

This is featured in this month's edition of Scrapbook Magazine. 

The pretty paper is Kaisercraft - Forget Me Not and I chose to team it with 

burgundy and dark teal cardstock, some teal ribbon and Spiral Blossoms Three 

(for once not cut from felt!)

The theme for the page - 'Three Wishes'.  I chose -

1. Cherish

2. Love

3. Adore

....moments.

I am actually thinking I perhaps should have gone for...
1. Keep painting.
2. Make lists.
3. Eat chocolate!

I hope you are all keeping up with the sneak peeks from Spellbinders - didn't I tell you they
would be amazing...how about the new Imperial Gold die templates??
Cut, emboss, stencil and....deboss too!
It is going to be such a wonderful creative year!
Have a good weekend....sssshhh - I don't want to say it too loud but it
hasn't rained for two whole days here...!!
Take care friends.

Friday Die Day

Hello friends

Definitely back in the swing of things!

For this week's FDD I am featuring Grommet Tags.

You receive three die templates with this set and this is how they 

look cut/embossed.

If I need to stamp a sentiment I often leave the die cut inside the die to align the stamp.

Here is the tag!  I covered a tag with some of the Kitschy Kitchen papers by Melissa Frances.

These were the papers I featured a month or so ago on Create and Craft and also 

I received a request from Diane to use them. 

I've rounded the bottom edges, applied some distress ink and then

added one of the Grommet Tags as a decorative edge.

I then went sticker crazy with the various retro image stickers in this paper set.

Applied some with foam pads.

Using the remaining two Grommet Tag shapes, I placed one on top of the other and 

secured with brads, this raised the narrow tag upwards for a nice effect.

Attached this on the main tag and added a little bit of cream lace.

Finished and a close up - quick and simple!

Have a wonderful weekend dear friends.

I'm back tomorrow.

It's Another Long One!

Hello friends

Oh yes...another long blog post!

First... this project has popped up on Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L Blog.

This is one of my altered notepads and using Kitschy Kitchen papers by Melissa Frances.

All the step shots are on their blog today.  I always seem to be sending you off
on links to visit places... hope you don't mind!

 

A close up using the lovely Jewel Flowers and Flourishes and Foliage - 

these dies never stray very far from my craft desk.

Decorating progress.....

At one point I had hoped to salvage this wall, such pretty Laura Ashley wallpaper but...

 it wasn't to be!  Realised it had so many plaster splatters and trying to paint around it was
getting tricky so here is my mum with the task of stripping!
I've selected a different paper for this wall -
(do you know there is a severe lack of butterflies featured on wallpaper!!)

 And it appears when it comes to hardcore decorating...teenagers are not quite up to it!

I'm now working in London today and tomorrow so decorating has halted until the weekend.
I will continue to update you with photos.

Next month in 2012 life/craft recap....

August
Elliott turned 16 - we spent a very wet day in London and had a trip to the theatre.

Friday Die Days continued - one of my absolute favourites Les Papillions

I made a pretty preserve jar using Homespun.

And I still couldn't not stop making felt flowers from Spiral Blossoms Three!

A break from craft/life recap tomorrow as it is....Friday Die Day.
Take care friends.

More craft/life recap and decorating!

Hello friends
Thank you for all your kind words following my announcement of joining the
PMJ Design Team.  I met with Julianna last time I was in Arizona and she is such an
inspirational lady.  She radiates warmth, creativity and positivity - you cannot help but feel inspired in her presence.  I feel very blessed that I am now a member of her team.

Now we are into the New Year things sort of go back to normal ..I'm not sure I like 'normal'!

I hate the thought of taking down the Christmas decorations - especially fairy lights,

I'm tempted to keep some up as they always make me smile.

Still, I haven't got time to dwell on things ... here are some photos of 

yesterday's studio/shop progress, yes, even on New Year's Day we worked!
Elliott (my youngest) and my lovely Dad working hard with paint rollers.

And, just in case you thought all I did was take photos...!
My look is saying 'not sure I want to be captured wearing this!'  But just in case...my unique fashion ensemble was brought to you by old walking socks, trackie bottoms, Mitchell's old jumper and
a pair of Marigolds!  Oh so glamorous!

Back there today...more painting.

Next instalment of craft/life 2012.

July 2012

You got a peek at my 'other life' - my office in London.

I began to move into my existing studio (Mitchell isn't that tall - he is standing on a chair!)
I'm going to miss this studio with its lovely views but I realised very quickly I needed a bigger
place on ground floor level.

I was on Create and Craft demonstrating boxes including 

Square Petal Top Box - I married this up with vellum and Rose Creations.

I fell in love with felt and Spiral Blossoms Three

And created a tag card for my Mum using Jewel Flowers and Flourishes.
(The photo is of my mum as a little girl).

I think it may take some time to work through my 2012 recap ...!

**Important Reminder**
Today is the beginning of the Spellbinders Explore Beyond Sneak Peek and Giveaway,
you will begin to see some of the new dies being released at CHA...
I am so excited about this release...you are going to love it!  Remember to pop over and have a look.

Finally...yes my blog posts are getting longer and longer (so much to say!)
Thank you Lydia for my e-card - brilliant, I can't help but keep watching these cards!
And...Laraine asked about the 'Happy Birthday' stamp featured yesterday and in the card above -
It is from Penny Black  and called Flourish Birthday - it is from the US and I have found it here.
Phew ..finished - I'm back tomorrow - take care friends.

New Year and Special News!

Hello friends
New Year's Day!

Anyone with a dull head this morning from seeing in the New Year?

Yesterday a little more progress in the studio/shop - this is my eldest son, Mitchell
and my Dad stripping wallpaper.  This is going to be my craft room and I'm planning to put
wallpaper on one wall and paint the other three.  Still waiting for that ceiling to dry!

In the evening we visited my existed studio because it has a great view of the River Thames and
the boats let off flares and fireworks.   We packed up champagne, nibbles and.....Bella!
I obviously couldn't leave her at home.

This was taken in my studio at 1am this morning and she looks a little partied out!
That champagne bottle is empty...not sure how that happened so fast.

Back to today and continuing with craft/life recap here is another couple of months...

May 2012

I managed to go away..twice!

First, a weekend - Henley on Thames and Highclere Castle (Downton Abbey)

It rained...a lot!

And then off to sunshine in Turkey.

Friday Die Days continued....using old book pages for Aster Flower Topper

A Carnation Creation

and this card proved very popular when I created it for Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L.

June 2012

I participated in the Spellbinders Sneak Peek of the Summer CHA release

and created this card using Asian Accents and Motifs.

I got to play with the Christmas release dies and created a tree ornament using Frosty Forms

and etching cream.

And it was Bella's first birthday!

So another couple of months done and dusted - quite a few more to go!

I've left it right to the last to announce my special news!  

Today is the day I can officially tell you that I have joined the 

Positively Me by Julianna Hudgins Design Team!  

Julianna has designed various dies for Spellbinders which I love and I am honoured

that she has asked me to join her very talented team.  

I will be creating not just papercrafting projects but beads and jewellery too.

There is a blog post all about it here and, as always, 

I so appreciate it if you are able to leave a comment.

Enjoy your New Year's Day - we are all having dinner at my parents today -

salmon en croute - another yummy!

Take care friends and thank you for all your kind New Year wishes - 

you are all so supportive and brilliant!

Jenny L - your e-card was really lovely!