Project Bird!

Hello friends

As promised here is one of the projects I made at

the weekend class with Eileen Godwin.

The focus was backgrounds and layering them with

distress inks, distress oxides, stamps, stencils, paints,

pens and pencils - yes this card has all that! 

The stamp is from Visible Image - Hummingbird Stamp,

their stamps have a distinct look 'splashed' so already lend themselves

to a mixed media look.

How is it made: to start we applied an area of yellow tone distress oxide to 

the centre of the card and then blended in the blue around the outside.

Stamped the script (always in 3 areas, Eileen's very sound advice).

The paint circles are just that - white paint and using a shot glass for the 

largest and pot lids for the smaller sizes.

Switching to another tone of distress ink for the dotty stencil and then

stamped the Hummingbird.  The stencil that looks like sun rays 

went on afterwards and I really liked how that drew your eye -

on the lookout for a similar stencil now.

I came home and matted it onto 6 x 6 card mats and didn't feel the urge

for little flowers at all! That's a breakthrough! 

I'm looking forward to attending regular classes with Eileen,

she's very talented and I'm learning lots.

Take care friends, hope you are keeping warm.

9 years ago today it was heavy snow, my boys built a snowman

in the garden and it didn't melt for ages.

Back soon.

Returning to the High Street!

Hello friends

I'm getting sorted with classes for 2019.

Firstly very excited to be returning to the High Street in Gravesend.

The Hope and Chances' shop was in the High Street so it is familiar 

stomping ground.  If you haven't already seen my news splashed

across social media, you will see that I've teamed with 

Marie's Emporium and Tea Room and my first workshop

takes place on Saturday 26 January, 1.30pm.

The price is £20 or you have the option of including afternoon tea which

is an additional £10.  I've seen their afternoon tea and it is lovely! 

The workshop takes place in the Emporium which is right next

door to the tea room so all very handy.

It is an Introduction to Die Cutting but it isn't going to be

a problem if you are already a pro, I'll be incorporating 

tips, techniques and you'll be going home with lots of makes.

I would suggest you bring along a very basic crafting kit but

no panic on that as I will be supplying pretty much 

everything you need.

I'm going to be using some of the newest Spellbinders dies

along with beautiful papers.

If you would like to join me (please do!)

then you can book online here or if you happen to go into

Gravesend call into the Emporium and book in store.

This is going to be a monthly event an I've planned lots

of projects.

Also if you happen to live in Essex, the ferry from

Tilbury drops you at the bottom of the High Street, perfect.

I know many of you are not local to Kent so I am endeavouring

to book classes further afield.  

I will be at Crafts Plus in Basildon on Saturday 2nd February,

booking is here.

I'm just setting up dates in March with Keep on Crafting in Bury St Edmunds,

more news to follow.

Thanks to those who have already booked and for supporting me,

I truly appreciate it.

Take care friends.

A Golden Message

Hello friends

How was your weekend?

I had a fantastic time at Eileen's class on Saturday,

taking pics of my projects to share with you later this week.

Today I'm sharing a card I created for Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L,

it's a sort of New Year message and a life reminder.

So that striped background...that's made with Crafty Power Tape!

Surprised myself at how easy it is to do.

Just ran strips of it across the burgundy card, took off the backing,

sprinkled with embossing powder, heat set and done!

Signature little flowers - looks like that isn't changing this year! 

The sentiment is one of the Expressions dies here,

we have sold out of 'Enjoy' but there's other fab designs available.

Really like how you've got the stamps included with these.

All the details for this project including step by step pics are on the

Scrapbook Adhesives blog here.

And you know what I'm going to say now...yes please,

if you have got time to leave a comment over there I'm very grateful.

So start of a new week and right now I'm in the midst

of organising classes.  More news on dates and venues coming soon.

Have a wonderful Monday friends and take care.

Friday Die Day

Hello friends

So this stamp set has been sitting on my desk and I like it so
much I thought I would use it again for this week's Friday Die Day!
It is Spellbinders - Thanks a Bunch.

There's a total of 31 stamps in this set, I especially like the delicate leaves.
A very simple card because I'm a real amateur stamper!
Applied two strips of washi tape horizontally.

Using a variety of inks I started with the leaves.

Then began to add flowers, occasionally using second and third 

generation stamping (picking up the jargon!)

Believe me there was no method with this, if I saw a gap

I stamped in it!

Removed the tape and added a little sentiment.

Super quick, super effective and super easy! 

And I sort of like the wishy washy effect too!

 Thanks a Bunch is available on the website here,

still on offer along with the full collection of the 

new Spellbinders stamps here.

So what is happening over the weekend,

do you have nice things planned?

I'm off to a craft workshop tomorrow hosted by the 

talented Eileen Godwin, she doesn't live too far from me and 

my plan this year is to learn lots more crafty stuff.

I'm looking forward to trying out backgrounds and 

becoming a better stamper. I'll be sharing my projects with you.

Take care friends, have a lovely weekend.

It's a whole New Year!

Hello friends

I hope you are having a good start to the New Year.

We had a very quiet New Year's Eve at home,

well apart from the fireworks which were super loud.

 Thankfully all our pets were indoors and not phased.

So what is happening in 2019?

Well I'm pleased to say there will be workshops.

I'm firming up dates with various shops.

These will be posted on the Spellbinders on Tour page,

here on the blog so please check back soon

plus on social media.

The new website - yes it is coming.

We are uploading the products right now and hope to 

launch soon, very proud of Elliott who has built it.

The original website will go down for a short time 

but I will give you plenty of notice.

Here's a sneak peek of the homepage banner which is cleaner

look and a super search button!
It is also mobile and tablet friendly which we definitely need.

We are continuing with our Hope and Charm-ing,

focusing on our smaller packs of charms, cabochons and more.

 

 

Friday Die Day is a permanent fixture here on the blog

and thank you for always popping in to take a look.

Here's one of my favourites from 2018 featuring 

Grand Arch 3D Card made back in the 

Summer to celebrate the Royal Wedding.

We will still be carrying Tina Ashton Art,

her beautiful stencils plus more designs to come.

Very exciting Spellbinders collections on their way,

right now the new stamps are popular and I think we are 

the only stockist.  They are also for a limited time reduced!

I know many of you are still waiting to hear about the 

Becca Feeken die of the month kits,

I hope to hear more from Spellbinders regarding this

during January so fingers crossed everyone.

I will be blogging but daily is proving a little tricky right now,

as usual just not enough hours in the day.

If you stop by and there isn't a post I'm not abandoning you,

I'm just in the midst of something, hopefully crafting or you never know,

practising my brush lettering! 

On the home front...

 lots of thanks for the kind enquiries regarding my Mum,

she is feeling a little better.

She had a hospital appointment yesterday and a whole

list of appointments for 2019, she copes magnificently,

I take my hat off to her.

And in other news...

I hear we are being threatened with a second 

'Beast from the East' so please have your mittens at the ready. 

Bella will be sporting thicker jumpers! 

Take care friends.

New Year's Eve and it's Michelle's Card!

Hello friends 

New Year's Eve - wow didn't that come around quickly!

Are you celebrating?

We don't tend to celebrate New Year's Eve but we do all 

get together New Year's Day, this year a takeaway 

as I think we all deserve a rest from festive cooking. 

Today's project is a card I made for my lovely friend Michelle,

it was her birthday yesterday so just before Christmas I locked 

myself away in my cabin to create this card.

It features Grand Cabinet and Layered Friends Forever.

I may have gone a little OTT with the photos!

The flowers are from another one of Becca's die sets 

Petite Double Bow and Flowers.

Cut from watercolour card and coloured with distress inks.

The leaves are from my trusty Homespun die set,

goodness that set is old!

Michelle likes purple so purple it had to be!

What I like most about these 3D die sets is the choices,

you can opt for where you insert the cut outs and mix and match.

There is a real sense of achievement when making a project like this,

and hearing those little 'clicks' when you insert each panel into place!

If you haven't seen how these 3D cards are assembled here is

Becca's video.

Items used today with clickable links:

Elegant 3D Grand Cabinet Card

Layered Friends Forever (Pre-Loved)

Be sure to check out all the 3D card options here and also

the Shadow Box collection inserts work too.

Before I go I want to say a big thank you to those who stop by my blog

and shop on our website. 

I and my family appreciate it more than you know.

Wishing you a fantastic New Year and a happy,

healthy, creative perfect 2019! 

Much love.