A stunning combination!

Good Afternoon Everyone,

I hope that you enjoyed your weekend and you all remembered to alter the clocks!  It was lovely to have an extra hour in bed! Unfortunately we have to put up with the dark evenings now but that does have its advantages - it gives us more time for crafting girls!  Todays card features quite a few Spellbinders (does that really surprise you!)  Firstly I used a cream card and covered the background with some gorgeous paper from Melissa Francis - I am really loving her papers at the moment. Then using a combination of several Classic Postage Stamp edgabilities I cut a border in cream cardstock and threaded vintage ribbon through it.  I also used the Classic Postage Stamp squares to add an eyecatching mat and layer for the greeting.  Walnut Stain distress ink was used to highlight the layered pieces and all edges on the design.  I then cut several of the Peonies in blues, pinks and ivory which blended so well with the background paper.  I shaped and layered these to give dimension. To finish the design off I popped in a few wooded buttons, vintage ribbon and Bakers twine.  I was very pleased with the outcome that all started with one piece of paper that I needed to use!  I hope you like it too, please leave a comment if you have a few minutes.  Don't forget to join the blog as a follower to qualify for the Blog Candy in the post below!  The numbers are ticking along!    Bye for now Jo x

A Christmas Easel

Good Saturday afternoon to you all,

I hope that everyone is enjoying the weekend so far.  I have just finished a fabulous Parchment workshop at the shop with my regular parching ladies (we seem to eat more cake and drink coffee than producing quality work!) 

 Anyway a quick blog to show the card that I sent to the Allsorts Challenge blog today.

This is my last week as Guest Designer as I start as a permanent member of the DT from next week.  This weeks Allsorts Challenge is titled Christmas Easel.  I have used one of my favourite Spellbinder dies - the Heirloom Bauble.  I cut the biggest die and then embossed it with the Holly Special Touch mask and added a few red gems.  I have used Grand labels No 23 which I also love using and the Poinsettia set which always finishes off a Christmas design so well.  I have also used gold embossing powder around the edges in a distressed way to just add the final touches.  A greeting was added to act as the stopper.  I hope that you like the design.  Pop over to the Allsorts Challenge Blog to view the other superb designs from the design team members.

Don't forget to check out the previous post to enter into the Blog Candy Draw!

Thank you all so much for dropping in, if you like the design please leave a comment.

Bye for now

Jo x

Blog Candy Time!!

Hello Blogger Friends,

I hope everyone is having a good week.  I thought it was time to put a few bits and pieces together and offer as Blog Candy!  What do you think?  As this is my first offering I thought I would make it a good one with lots of my favourite bits included.  How can I get a chance to get this lovely lot you ask?  Im not going to ask you to make comments or post a card I am just asking you to join the blog and follow, obviously I would love you to post a comment, I love reading everyones thoughts about projects that I blog.  When my followers get to 250 I will take all my followers and ramdomly pick a number. This means that everyone that has been following me will be included and all new followers.  Do you think that's fair? 

I must leave it there for now - Mark has cooked tea tonight and it is ready (anyone that knows me well will know this is a rare occurence as Mark doesn't normally do kitchen stuff!!! ) better not let it get cold!

I will pop back later to post a card - hopefully you can too,
Bye for now
Jo x
 

Allsorts Challenge DT !

Hello Blog Friends

Well this month just gets better and better!!  I have some more news to share with you.  As you know I have been October's Guest Designer on the Allsorts Challenge Blog, and have enjoyed every minute, I have now been asked to become a permanent DT member!   I am thrilled to bits to be asked and very much look forward to getting started.  I hope that you all enjoy this challenge and take part when time allows you.  Thank you so much to all the design team for inviting me and for all your lovely welcome e mails. 

Bye for now
Jo x

Halloween is fast approaching!

Good Sunday Evening to you all! 
I hope that you have enjoyed a lovely weekend whatever you have been doing.  This evenings post features my first ever Halloween card that I submitted for my 4th week as guest designer in the Allsorts challenge. Having never made one before I thought I would go for the obvious which was the black and orange colours and the skeleton and cobwebs.  I used a Tim Holtz stamp for the main image which I added gold lustre embossing power and cosmic shimmer spray.  I sat this image on torn pieces of orange bazzill which I distressed with black soot distress ink and then added faux stitching to make it look as if it was put back together roughly and die cut leaves to add the autumnal feel. I distressed the edges of the other card with Tim Holtz distress tool. I added the wool to give it further dimension.  The trick or treat text was a Woodware alpha stamp set which was perfect for the design.  I thorougly enjoyed making this and look forward to next year so I can have another go! 

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank everyone that has posted and emailed me following my last post.  Wow what a response I have had - I am SO appreciative of all the fabulous comments and good wishes that I received.  I am very much looking forward to getting stuck into my new role with Joanna and getting back to C&C and I am so pleased that you are all pleased too. 

That's all for now, let me know if you have made any Halloween cards, leave a comment and let me know!

Bye for now
Jo x

PASTURES NEW - NEXT INSTALMENT!

Hello my blog friends,

Following my previous post regarding my future shows with Create and Craft I have some VERY exciting news which I would love to share with you all. 

I have been approached by Joanna Sheen to join her and work alongside her to present all the wonderful products that her company brings to you all on Create and Craft.  My schedule will not be so demanding and this will work amazingly well for me both personally and with other business commitments that I have.

Having admired Joanna's work for many years this position could not be better and I am very much looking forward to my first show which will be on Wednesday 9th November at 10am and 5pm. This will follow with a joint show on Saturday 12th November. I hope that you will be able to find time to have a quick look.  Let me know what you think to my fabulous news!

Bye for now
from a very excited Jo! xx

Lavender and Lace

Hello Everyone

The card that I decided to post this evening is the one that I sent in for week 3 of the Allsorts Challenge.  As the title says the subject needed to be Lavender and Lace.  As you will see I was drawn towards a more romantic side.  I envisaged the design to be more on a Victorian theme with a romantic touch.  I started with a square card blank and matted and layered several pieces of K & Co paper. I used the Tim Holtz distress tool and vintage photo distress ink to make the papers look aged.  I also used a lines and dots stencil from the Nelly Snellen range - I really enjoy using these as they are so versatile. I inked up the stencil with dye based inks in a random fashion and then passed the stencil through my Calibur and it transferred the ink onto the cardstock and also embossed the pattern. This gave a great backdrop to my Lavender which was fresh.  When Mark and I were in Spain in August we went in a cable car up to a very high mountain (not my idea I might add!! but being the only one with him I felt obliged to go!!!)  the view was amazing at the top and there were also lots of  Lavender bushes so i picked a few stems to bring home thinking they would make a great scrapbook embellishment for the photographs that we took at the top.  I couldn't resist using some on this project.  I did have to spray it with a little shimmer mist to liven it up as it had faded in the sun. The cotton lace really finished the design off.   I hope that you like the design and feel that I hit the point that I was trying to get across. I would love for you to leave a comment.
Bye for now
Jo x

What a fabulous day we had!

Good Evening Everyone

Firstly I would like to thank you all for your lovely emails and comments left on my blog following my last post.  I am so touched by your remarks and compliments, crafters are such lovely people.

Anyway onwards and upwards as they say!  as promised the following pictures are from a workshop that we had at the shop yesterday.  The idea for the workshop came following our visit to Holland. Mark and I attended a workshop whilst we were there (Yes! I did say Mark and I!!) this is the non-crafter in the family. There was another man in the workshop so he agreed to do it and he surprised himself with the result. The first picture is with Mark and Myself and all the lovely bird houses that were completed by the ladies in the workshop.

The bird houses are wooden and they will make a fabulous present.  We started off by taking a template of the roof sections and covered these in paper, this can be quite plain as we then went on to spray them with Ranger Perfect Pearls mists.  A little tip to help the paper flatten onto the wood - use a brayer, this will also remove any air bubbles at the same time.We also sprayed the bottom section of the house with a variety of colours. We used stamps to embellish the whole house. On the joins on the roof we used cotton lace that we coloured with Ranger Distress Stains.  To further embellish the roof we made some flowers from punches and again sprayed them with the mists.  As you can imagine everyone had a gorgeous array of colours all over their hands!

Finally I would like to share a picture of the ladies and the very crafty table - there wasnt a space to be seen amongst the crafting goodies, coffee cups and cake plates.  A great day had by everyone.

Anyway, I hope that you have enjoyed the post - let me know what dimentional projects that you have made it would be great to hear from you.
Bye for now
Jo x

Pastures New!

Hi Everyone

This is just a quick post to let you all know that due to personal reasons I have decided to concentrate on other areas of my business and have therefore withdrawn from demonstrating for Creative Expressions.

As you are aware this year has not been the best of times for me with health problems and over stretching myself in the position I was in has not helped matters.  Mark and I have a fabulous shop which is going from strength to strength and all my energies need to be concentrated in this area at the moment. 

HOWEVER I hope to be back on our favourite craft channel in the very near future. 

With a little more time on my hands this does mean that I will be able to blog more frequently with lots of inspiration and I hope that you will all continue to support me now and in the future.

Keep an eye on the blog for a posting tomorrow - we had a ball at a workshop today pop in to have a look at pictures that will follow.

Bye for now
Jo x

Good Luck Kate!

Hello everyone and thank you for popping in again to have a peep at what I have posted.  This card was one that I made for our Daughter Kate to wish her good luck for her new job which she started on Monday. This is her first 'proper' job, as she is only 18 this a whole new world but she is very enthusiastic about everything so we are sure she will be brilliant.  We are so proud of her.  I also submitted it into this weeks Allsorts challenge where I am still the month's guest designer (and enjoying every minute - thankyou Brenda!).  The stamp is an LOTV, all their stamps are so gorgeous to use and seem to fit into every occasion.  I have complimented the design using the bracket edgeabilities and a mixture of gorgeous card. There is, of course, Spun Sugar distress ink around the edges (well do you really expect me to complete anything without it!)
 I hope that you like it and I would love you to leave a comment.
May I also take this opportunity to thank everyone who has joined the site so far - I am SO pleased that you enjoy my posts - I ask myself why didn't I start this blogging business earlier!!! I am sorting out some blog candy for next week so keep an eye open for that.
Bye for now
Jo x

Wonderful Wings

             Good Morning everyone!  I really don't know where this week is going, Thursday already and it doesn't seem like 5 minutes since we started the week - does anyone else feel like this?!  I would like to say a big hello to all the lovely ladies (and gentleman!) that I met at Inspirations in Preston on Sunday.  What a lovely day demonstrating all the fabulous Spellbinders and, of course, the Grand Calibur.  It is great to see so many of you that are enjoying using the Calibur.
             The card that I want to share with you today is one that I have sent in to the Allsorts Challenge last week.  I am over the moon to be asked to be the guest designer for the month.  It is a fabulous Challenge site and it is certainly one you need to look at if you love your challenges. You will also find lots of beautiful samples and loads of inspiration.  I used Donna Salazar's Wonderful Wings as the main focal point of the card and the Grand Peony set for the gorgeous flowers.  These sets are some of my favourites( at the moment!) the detail on the butterfly dies are exceptional.  If you like your butterflies this is certainly one to look out for. As you will see I have also used the classic scallop edgeabilities and as you already know I am loving these too.  I hope that you like the card today - I am on my way to the shop now to open up - we have a fabulous House Mouse Christmas workshop today and tomorrow so I am sure lots of fun and laughter will be had all round! (Oh and don't forget the tea and cake!)   Bye for now and thank you for dropping in!  Jo x