Saturday 23 June 2012

Week 161 - Dies to Die for!

Morning Everyone!
Well it is my turn to host the Allsorts Challenge this week and I have chosen Die's to Die for as a theme. All of you know that it seems impossible for me to design a card without using a die of some description and this is what I have come up with using some of the new Cheery Lynn dies



You know when sometimes you make a card and it goes together really well and everything seems to fit into place, well, this is one of them.  The dies that I have used are some of the new releases from Cheery Lynn, the frame work that circles the flowers is the Manon's Wedding Garland and the flowers are from the Build a Flower #1.
So easy to use, all I have done is cut the various flowers in different coloured cardstock (the blue paper is a Bo Bunny, the others are from scraps.
The flourish is one of the excisting dies - one of my favourites.
I have also used Chipped Sapphire Distress Ink for the edges of the daisy flowers and the garland.
The cardstock in the background is one from Kanban.

I hope that this gives you some inspiration - I certainly enjoyed making mine.

I did promise some photographs of the demo day with Leonie that we had at the shop a couple of weeks ago, here they are and you will see we all had a great day, lots of laughs and creating (of course!)





A great day had by all!
Many thanks to Leonie for a great laugh and some fabulous techniques and hints and tips.

We also had the lovely Josie Davidson - Parchment designer and Tutor
at the shop on the 17th June and these are some of the pictures that Mum took (in House photographer if you haven't realised yet!!)


Josie and Chris - who kindly came along to help.


Some of Josie's amazing work - a very talented lady.


Concentrating!

Well I must dash - as ever I have a busy weekend I am on my way to Bristol in the next hour.  I have the pleasure of demonstrating at the Bristol Parchment Exhibition with the very talented Maria Maidment - this really isn't hard work!!!

Have a fabulous weekend whatever you decide to do.
Thankyou for popping by and I hope you have enjoyed the photographs.
Bye for now
Jo xx





 

Saturday 16 June 2012

Week 159 - Paper Piecing

Good Morning My Fellow Crafters,

I hope that this finds you all well and happy.  We have had another birthday in the Channon house this week - our Kate is now 19! and I have reminded her that this is the last year of being a teen the answer was "thanks for that Mum"!  Mum and Daughter had a lovely girly day with lunch out and then a very relaxing manicure.  We are having a family meal tonight so that will be lovely.

Today's Challenge from our lovely Nicola is
Paper Piecing / Paper piercing

our generous sponsors for the Challenge this week are

My take on this challenge is this design ~

We did this project in a class recently using the gorgeous Cutie-Patooties from Little Claire.
This little chap is the Catapault Boy.

As you can see I have paper pieced the hat and the trousers with the same backing paper  (sorry can't tell you what it is as we used it all in the class! sorry)
The patches were pieced from a separate paper to really give the image depth.
If you haven't had a bash at paper piecing do have a go as it is very straight forward and gives a great deal of interest to your designs and it gives the recipient a few minutes to try to figure out how to did it!!

Pop over to the Allsorts Challenge Blog to peep at the other gorgeous projects the design team have come up with.

We have another busy day at the shop today - we have the final demonstration day in a run of 3 weeks - the lovely Clare Rowlands - Creator of the Molly Bloom stamp range is popping in to share her fabulous work and inspiration.
We have also got a few surprises up our sleeves - all on a circus theme - I am sure lots of pictures will be taken and we will be able to share them with you!
As always it is an open invitation so do pop in if you are in the area.
For now I must close and finish preparing for another busy day,
Do have a go at the Challenge and please leave a comment - it would be great to hear from you if you have had a go at this technique and let me know if you like what I have done.
Take care and enjoy a lovely weekend whatever you are doing,
Bye for now
and thankyou for popping by,
Jo xx

P.S  Apologies for not blogging the pics from Leonie's demo day - I do now have them and will be putting them on tomorrow without fail!  Please pop by again to have a look at these.
Jo x










Saturday 9 June 2012

Week 158 - Ice Cream colours inspiration

Good Morning Bloggers!

I hope that you all enjoyed your extended weekend last week and that your Jubilee celebrations were fun (and that you escaped the dreadful weather on Sunday!)  As you know we had the fabulous Leonie at Let's Create on Sunday and we all had the best time!  We have lots of photographs to share with you but I am waiting for Mum to send them, will chase her up today!

This morning  Allsorts Challenge is a fabulous idea from our Emma - wish it was a little warmer so that we can enjoy a little ice-cream tasting too!  As the title suggests we had to make a card using the ice cream colours (Pop over to the Allsorts Challenge Blog to check out the colours and have a look at the fabulous work from the Design Team.  We also have 2 sponsors this week so check these out too, we are spoiling you!


As usual the photograph doesn't pick up all the detail (note to self ........... learn how to take pictures properly!!!!)

I have used the very pretty stamps from Hunkydory called Flutterbye Gardens, what fabulous value for money too, 21 polymer stamps on this set and they all mix and match perfectly.  So pleased Hunkydory are bringing stamps out now.
I stamped the flowers and the butterfly onto Foundation papers and layered them up after adding a little sparkle with Diamond Sparkles very fine glitter, again, from Hunkydory.
In the background I have used several dies the oval being the Japanese Oval from Cheery Lynn and the Flourish is also Cheery Lynn. 
To add a little interest to the background I used a floral Special Touch mask and added a little Spun Sugar DI.
I know you are all thinking. wow! how girly for Jo - I know!! lol but sometimes I just have to!

Well, another demo day today at the shop - today we have Josie Davidson, Parchment Guild tutor and demonstrator.  I am sat in the shop at the moment surrounded by amazing parchment work and very much looking forward to her spending the day with us.
Next week (to end a run of demo days!) we have the very talented Clare Rowlands - creator of the gorgeous Molly Bloom stamps (check out her blog http://mollybloomdesigns.blogspot.co.uk/  The whole day will be a circus theme and this one is not to be missed I can guarantee.  If you are in my area you are most welcome.  The demo starts at 10 am and Clare will be here until 4 pm. E mail me for more details.

I will pop back as soon as Mum sends the pictures through of last weeks demo with Leonie!
Have a go at the challenge this week it is a really fun one!
Bye for now and thank you as always for your super comments,
Jo xxx

Saturday 2 June 2012

Week 157 ...Oh we do like to be beside the Seaside!

Good Morning!

I hope that everyone is looking forward to the extended Jubilee Weekend, who has plans?  I'm not sure that the weather is going to be very graceful which is such a shame considering the weather that we have been having.  I hope that it doesn't spoil anyone's plans.  Let me know what you are all doing it's great to hear all about everyone.

This mornings Allsorts Challenge is all about the seaside. Our lovely Fleur has set this fabulous challenge for us and the winner will receive 6 digi stamps! from the lovely Digi Stamp Boutique.
Thank you to them. 

My take on this Challenge is this card using a gorgeous stamp from Faye Whittaker from the All Our Yesterday's series of stamps.  It doesn't matter whichever design I use from this series I always love the results and the images are so cute.
I coloured the image with pro-markers and pencils, the mix really worked on this image.  It doesnt show very clearly but I have softly penciled in the sea and the horizon with the sun just setting.  Don't you wish you could be there right now!
The papers used are from the Melissa Francis range and I have also used the Tim Holtz rosette die and a Marianne swirl to finish everything off. Mustn't forget the bunting especially this weekend! Have you got yours up?!!
I hope that you like the design - I really enjoyed working on it and it gives you a really warm feeling
 looking at it.

We have got another busy weekend at the shop - tomorrow we have got
LEONIE!
coming to demonstrate Crafty Notions products - I am sure that we are in for a fun filled day.
If you are in the area the demo is on 10 til 4 with an English Tea Party for refreshments and a free raffle.  There is plenty of free parking. 
Drop me an email on lets.create@btinternet.com if you would like further information on where we are. 

We also have a parchment demonstration from Josie Davidson, Parchment Guild Tutor, on Saturday 9th June and Clare Rowlands, Molly Bloom, is coming along to demonstrate on 16th June.  A busy and exciting month at Let's Create. 



AND .......................................................
Finally ...................................................................

The Winner of the Allsorts Birthday present is ...............................................................................

# 64  ...........................  KASSA

Congratulations - please e mail me on the above address with your details!

A HUGE THANKYOU
to everyone that commented and also a HUGE welcome to my new followers - I hope that you enjoy my blog! 

Must dash now need to get sorted for tomorrow!
Enjoy a lovely weekend whatever you are doing,
Bye for now
Jo xx