Week - My Favourite Things

Good Morning Everyone!

Well I have woken up to glorious sunshine I hope that you have too! A fabulous weekend ahead the weather man just said!  

I hope that you have all been enjoying Wimbledon - come on Murray lets have a win this year!

I will be at Inspirations in Preston tomorrow when the final is going on so if you pop in to see the Christmas Event make sure you know what the score is and let me know!!

It has been a good week for the family too as Dad came out of hospital and is finally home and Mum is chief Nurse and he is doing well.  He has a long journey to get back on track but I am sure that he will make sure that happens.  Thank you to everyone for all your good wishes whilst Dad has been in hospital.

On to todays task of the morning.  It is Saturday again and that means a fabulous Challenge from Allsorts and this week we have a great one from our lovely Brenda and it is ........

Our Favourite Things

Brenda would like to see a project showing us what your favourite crafting goodies are I think it is going to be a popular week!

This is an example of several of my favourite crafting goodies ~

As you will see this is a mini canvas using lots of crafting goodies that I love to use - vintage ink, guilding flakes, moulds, stamps and paint.  A collective mix of everything that gets down and dirty!

This is a canvas that I recently took on a Crafty Notions show when I had all of these gorgeous goodies to use and show you all.

The moulds are a brilliant product to use with Crafty Notions Jewelled enamels and topped with gleams to really bring out the patterns on the flowers.  The stamped sentiment that I have used is from a Studion 490 set.

Please pop over to the Allsorts Challenge blog and have a look at all of the Teams favourite things that they love to use when they are making all of their stunning projects.

Thank you also to our sponsors this week who are DigiStamp Boutique.

I hope that you enjoy a weekend of glorious sunshine and tennis!! 

Have a go at this weeks challenge we love to see what you all create and we are really interested to see what your favourite crafty things are.

Thankyou for popping in and please leave a comment if your like my project this week.

Take care and bye for now

Jo xx

Week - In the Garden

Hello Blogger Friends!

How are you all? I hope that you have all had a fabulous week.

A busy one as usual for me.  I attended the Age Uk Summer Festival at the Petwood Hotel in Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire.  What an excellent event and I gave a 45 minute talk and demonstration which was really well received.  

Yesterday I had an excellent show on C and C representing Crafty Notions with the fabulous Nigel May.

We also travelled across to Wales where I am demonstrating today at Dandie Crafts, Caerphilly.  If you live in the area please pop in it should be a great day and they have promised some very tasty cup cakes!!

This week at the Allsorts Challenge has been set by Catherine and is .....
In The Garden

This is one of the projects that I have made to demonstrate today at Dandie Crafts.  The Poppy stamp is from Fun Stamps and stamps out really well.  I have coloured it using pro-markers.  The image was stamped onto board that was crackled using acrylic paints and pva glue.  Crafty Notions flake (Pirates Treasure) was added to the edges using Crafty Notions pva glue to adhere it down.
The background was created using Chloe stamps Lattice and Sepia Adirondack ink.  Creative Expressions Gold pearl glue has been dotted in between each line.  Again, I have edged the background with flake.
The tag has been made and stamped using an Inkilicious stamp .  A few gems and ribbon finish off the design.
I hope that you like it.  Please leave a comment - I would really appreciate to hear what you think about this weeks challenge and my take on it.
Also please pop over to the Allsorts Challenge Blog to check out all the other Team's work.
Thankyou also to our sponsors this week.
I must dash as we have planned to meet with Deb and Mandy for a cooked breakfast before the demo day begins.  What a way to start a fabulous day!
I hope that you have a great weekend, the weather man says it is going to be great weather (we will see!)
Thankyou so much for popping by,
Bye for now
Jo xxx

Week 209 - Here Comes the Girls!

Hello Everyone,

I hope this finds you all really well and happy to see that fabulous sunshine at last (or until it lasts anyway!)

May I first of all say a HUGE welcome to all of my new blog followers I have tipped over 500 followers and  I am so grateful that you all spend your time to pop in and leave all of your lovely comments each week.

This week, of course, has been very exciting as it has been the Allsorts 4th Birthday and the Blog Hop has been really great.  As you all know individually all of the design team have been giving away individual prizes and I have chosen a winner from all of you that kindly left a message and the winner of a set of Let's Create stamps of their choice is ............................................

***MAY***

and you can find May's fabulous blog here

Congratulations May and thankyou for taking part.  Please e mail me at lets.create@btinternet.com

Now onto this weeks challenge from Tracey

Here Comes the Girls

and I immediately thought about showing you a little project that I completed for my Crafty Notions show on Tuesday on Create and Craft 

This is a Twiddlybitz floating frame and was fabulous to work with.  The Twiddlybitz are so solid and very durable when assembling and painting.  I have decorated it with the main focus being a beautiful topper from The Secret Garden collection from Graphic 45.  I am loving these papers at the moment and have to stop myself using them!!! The corner pieces on the frame are also Twiddlybitz and the flowers are from The Hobby House collection along with the pearls. Lace around the topper really sets it off.

This is a closer shot of the topper ...................

isn't she adorable!

I hope you like my take on the theme this week and don't forget to pop over to the Allsorts Challenge Blog to check out the other Design team members ideas.

Today I am popping over to Sir Stampalot in Peterborough with my friend Caroline and I am taking part in a workshop designing a canvas.  If it turns out ok I will show you what I have been up to!  It is such a pleasure to go to a workshop myself instead of teaching in one.  I am quite excited about being a student!

I hope that you all have a great weekend and that you have a chance to enjoy some of the sunshine.

Pop a comment in if you like my project let me know what you think.

Thankyou, as ever, for popping in.

Bye for now

Jo xxxx

Week 200 - Vintage

Good Morning Crafters

Happy Easter!

I hope that everyone has started their Easter well - weather is a bit grim isn't it! but hope that you are going to be chilling out and enjoying your chocolate.

This week's Challenge has been set by our lovely Catherine and she has chosen 

VINTAGE

For everyone that knows me well this is right up my street and could have put several projects in for this one but have decided to choice this one 

We made this card in a workshop last week which was also entitled Vintage projects.  The perfume bottles are decoupage sheets from the House of Zandra collection - I love Sandra's work especially the recent projects on Katy Sue's Shoe CD Rom. 

The paper is from a paper pad from Crafts Too and the script paper is from my stash.

I cut the bottles out and coloured them with Walnut Stain Distress ink and raised them onto the card layer which already had the punched detail on it.

The flourish dies are from Crafts Too and I cut these in a plain brown cardstock.

Some cream lace and masking tape finished the project off.

I hope that you approve! and this appeals to your vintage streak!

Pop over to the Allsorts Blog to have a peep at the other Design Teamies projects - they are fabulous as always.  

Thankyou too to our sponsor ~



Thankyou for popping by.  Much dash now I have (I think - waiting to hear from the studio to check if we have any stock left from yesterday!)  another Easter Giveaway Spellbinder show at 4pm.

I also have 2 shows tomorrow demonstrating product from Kanban.  I have been asked to guest this show for this Easter Giveaway event - if you are Kanban fans there is going to be some fabulous bargains to be had and as you know, I am sure, these are some of the last products that you will see available on C and C.

Tuesday I have a Crafty Notions show and this is at 2pm.
I hope that you can join me at some point.

Enjoy the rest of the Easter Weekend, take care if you still have snow and please make sure that you eat tons of chocolate tomorrow morning!!!

Thankyou as always for popping by and your comments are so appreciated.
Bye for now
Jo xx

Week 194 - Things with wings

Good Morning Everyone

Thankyou for popping by again and I know I say it every Saturday but gosh it has been a busy week again!

I have had a great week at Create and Craft towers launching the new Imperial Gold Dies - all I can say is WOW! what amazing results you get with them and it has been a pleasure to demonstrate them to everyone. The blockbuster has been flying out of the studio and I am back next week (Thursday) for a few more shows to give you a few more ideas.  We have also had Valentine's Day this week but unfortunately for the first time in 30 years of being together Mark and I couldn't celebrate with a meal out as we were at the studio.  I am sure that we will be able to treat ourselves another day at least we were there together even though we were working.  I hope that you all enjoyed your romantic day and made time for yourselves.

This weeks challenge has been set by our fabulous Brenda and she has chosen .......

THINGS WITH WINGS

I have gone with the most obvious and that is Butterflies but I have chosen to show you a different project other than a card

This is a shadow box frame that I had the pleasure of decorating for a recent Crafty Notions show on C and C - as you know I really love to play around with paints and dimensional projects so this was right up my street.  The frame and the vine are Twiddlybitz and I have used Crafty Notions Acrylic paints to cover them. I would highly recommend these paints as the colour is so strong and it only takes one coat to cover projects like this.

A have used the frame with a 12 x 12 scrapbook page which (as usual) doesn't show up too well but it is glittered and embossed beautifully.  I have also embellished the frame work with stella flash which is tiny snips of Angelica film.  The butterfly is a Cheery Lynn and the tiny roses are a Marianne design.

I hope that you like my offering.  I am heading up to Sheffield as you are reading this to visit Jean and the gang at Busy Bee Crafts at Beighton Nr Sheffield.  We are having a dabble day and it is always a fabulous day.  From Sheffield I am heading for Birmingham to attend the Trade Fair at the NEC.  This is held annually and it is where retailers get to buy all of their goodies for the following year.  It is always a great show with lots to see and demos and workshops to enjoy too.  I will take the camera and pop some photographs on the blog of some of the exciting new products and the great demonstrators that I bump into.

I will also pop some more samples on of the new Spellbinders over the next week so keep popping by and let me know what you think to them.

Thankyou again for popping in, enjoy a lovely weekend whatever you are doing and please leave a comment if you have a few minutes to spare.

Also pop over to the Allsorts Challenge blog to have a look at the gorgeous work from the Design Team.

Bye for now

Jo xxxx

Week 183 - Advent - Take 2!!

Hello Again Everyone!

Well here we go with take 2 of the Allsorts Challenge which has been my week to think of a title.
I thought with it falling on the 1st of December it had to be

ADVENT

I would like to show you my Advent Calendar that I made for our Daughter Kate (who, as you know is 19 years old but just loves to have an advent calendar still!!)

I have used a Twiddlybitz Advent House which has been painted with white acrylic paint.  I have also sprayed it with silver Spray and Sparkle from Crafters Companion this gave it a little bling.

Because the House is so gorgeous and intricate you don't need to put much decoration on it but I have added some die cuts - snowflake from Spellbinders and the Sleigh and Reindeer is a Marianne design and I have cut these in silver mirri card.

The numbers have been cut from Tim Holtz Vintage Market Alphabet set which is one of my favourites.
The chocolates, of course, are essential just add your favourites and start to count down the days!
This is a project that will come out year after year and was lovely to do.  I hope that you like it too.  I would love for you to leave a comment and also pop over to the Allsorts Blog to have a look and the teams lovely ideas.

As mentioned yesterday in Part 1 of the post I was at Create and Craft demonstrating the Cuttlebug with a  huge amount of folders and the All-in-One system that has been so popular.  It was fun going back to demo the Cuttlebug.  I am back again Monday for a 10am show and if you are interested in a Cuttle Bug this is such an amazing offer.

I have quite a week at the studio and I am also there on the following days and times:

Tuesday 9pm and 11pm - Spellbinders Pick of the Day Launch!

Wednesday 8am, 10am, 12pm, 1pm, 3pm, 4pm, 5pm, and 7pm!!!  PHEW!!

I will be demonstrating the Spellbinders Pick of the Day throughout these hours.

Sunday 9th  10am for Scrapbook Sunday

1pm Demonstrating Teresa Collins gorgeous papers and stamps.

I hope that you can catch a few of these hours and please send an email to let me know someone is out there!!!

Thankyou for your patients this week and thankyou again for Brenda bailing me out yesterday.

Must dash as I have soooooo many demos to prep for next week

Bye for now

Jo xxx

P.s  Pictures of our Birthday weekend will be put on the blog, just waiting for Mum to pop them on a disc.

Week 165 - A Recipe

Good Morning Crafters

I hope that this finds you all well and enjoying the fabulous Olympics.  The Brits seem to be making their mark and for a small Island in comparison with the other huge nations I think we are doing a great job.

Watching the Olympics has been in snatches for me as it has been another hectic week.  I have had 3 excellent shows on C and C including my first show representing Crafty Notions. This is the first show since the terrible loss of Sarah Lawrence.  These were big shoes to fill and I must say I was nervous about making sure I did the best job that I could have done.  Having Nigel presenting was the best start to the show and it all went so well with 4 sell outs in the hour! phew!!!!

May I say a huge welcome to our lovely new members on our design team - Tracey and Sarah.  check out their blogs they are very talented girls.  I hope that you both enjoy your time at Allsorts.

This mornings Allsorts Challenge has been set by our lovely Emma and the title is A recipe.  What a great idea and a recipe with no calories - even better!!! We have been asked for a design using a certain recipe of elements and this is what I have come up with

   I have chosen to make a decorative hanging using every possible Tim Holtz product!  A bit of a Ranger Fest I think on reflection!!!! As always it isn't the best photograph but have taken a couple of close ups to see more detail.

Are you ready for the list of products! First of all I took a piece of Grunge Board and cut a Labels 1 Spellbinder out. I used Distress stains - Dusty Concorde for the background - great for quick coverage -  and spritzed it with perfect pearls to add some glimmer.  I added to the background by using some paper from my stash which has a generic text on it so perfect for what I wanted.  I used Tim Holtx Flourish from Sizzix as a stencil and used Snow Cap alcohol ink to create some depth.

  I then tackled the next layer with a group of tattered florals (again Sizzix) which were cut from Grunge paper and Glassine paper I also coloured the grunge paper flourish with a cocktail of alcohol ink colours (I couldn't make my mind up at this stage!)I also spritzed these with the perfect pearls too.

the butterflies were stamped onto Grunge using the lovely floral set from Hunkydory (check these out if you haven't already - fabulous designs and great value for money)

The Ideaology buttons finished off the flowers, Creative Expressions pink pearl PVA added the girly touch and Cosmic Shimmer ribbon was used for hanging.

Great fun doing this as I am sure you can see - get your newspaper ready for the inking frenzy though!! (that reminds me must get on now as I didn't tidy up after finishing quite late and I have a parchment class this morning - I don't think alcohol inks, distress stains and parchment are a match in heaven!!!

If you are around the Preston area on Sunday I have the pleasure of demonstrating at the fabulous |Inspirations shop (Hunkydory home).  The gorgeous Phil Martin will be there also trying to upstage me!!!

Very much looking forward to this always a great day and the staff are some of the best.

I have been asked to demo Tim Holtz and Ideaology products so will take my project to display,

It would be great to see you if you have a chance to pop in.

Anyway must dash.  Please pop over to the Allsorts blog to check out the other recipe ideas from our lovely team and it would be great if you left a comment about my Tim Holtz Fest!!  Get all your Ranger stash out and have a blast.

Bye for now and enjoy a lovely weekend.

Lots of crafty love

Jo xx

  

                                                            

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