What the heck?!?!?

I've been getting some strange comments recently posted to this blog and another, and so I've changed the comment access - hopefully this will deter any further strangeness!  :o) 
I don't like/want to stop anyone posting here but sometimes steps have to be taken - sad but true.

:o)

...and breeeeaaathe...

its all over for another year... the turkey's been eaten, crackers pulled, presents unwrapped ...... all done and dusted  - hope yours was good.

roll on 2010!

more christmas cards...

These are using the Magenta stamps again - I really like these stamps sets - I think they're really easy for people to use and are versatile..... lots of co-ordinating images in the one pack.

ooh Baby its cold outside.....

look how pretty our garden is with the new snow!  I like how snow makes everything so quiet - everything is muffled. (I particularly like the tree on the right where the snow has settled on the tops of the branches.....)

Craft Stamper Sharpie Blog Candy Giveaway

Over on the Craft Stamper blog there's a giveaway of Sharpie pens - love these: great colours for using on acetate and peel-offs... take a look (and enter, obviously) here:

http://craftstamper.blogspot.com/2009/12/massive-sharpie-blog-candy-giveaway.html

got to be in it to win it - good luck

This is definitely on my to-do list over christmas:

click here to see the trailer:   http://sherlock-holmes-movie.warnerbros.com/

Banana Frog day!

christmas cards Banana Frog style over on the blog.....

cuttlebug quick'n'easy

Mornin'

I was asked to make a batch of cards some of which to be clean, simple, no message - so here's what I created - gotta love those Nestabilities snowflake dies!  Also, I really like creating the card base using the big nestabilities scallop squares - and the rectangles.... and the Labels -  love Nestabilities full stop! lol  Not particularly cheap - but worth every penny!

Magenta christmas

Mornin'

Today's cards have been created using a pack of stamps by Magenta (CI may have some in stock if you're quick - last few available(?)).

I really like these stamps because they appeal to my neat'n'tidy/ just-so side (yes, M I do have one of those!) - this is the stamp pack and each of the squares is seperate stamp - cut by the company and so all line up perfectly (makes me happy - when something is meant to tile it has to be straight - and these give really nice straight lines - I'm all for things be placed a bit wonky as long as its meant to be wonky but when it's meant to be straight it has to be straight if you get my drift (nothing worse than something being a bit off...) any hoo back to the stamps and cards..

loads of possibilities with these stamps - and here are a couple - I'll show more tomorrow (I'd show you another but I left it pinned to the classroom board at the shop! oops)

stuck in traffic

Sometimes being stuck in traffic has its advantages.  This is a sunset over land on the A13 going into Hadleigh - the photo doesn't look very nice:

but once I'd cropped it (got rid of the bus shelter, the car's sunviser and a bit of the dashboard!) - not too bad (even if I do say so myself)

here's another a bit further down the queue of traffic... (well you've got to keep yourself occupied somehow.... and why waste a photo opportunity!)

Ooooh Christmas tree......

This year I decided that I wouldn't put the christmas tree up (shush now with the 'bah humbugs', and the 'oooh you've got to put the christmas tree up!')(or is that just the voice in my head saying this...) reasons being:

1. BIG christmas tree & decorations stored towards the back of a VERY full loft and M isn't here to assist.

2. over christmas we will be clearing the flat in preparation for getting it on the market to sell. so less decorations =  less to clear and sort....

3. We'll be out and about, backwards and forwards, visiting relatives over christmas

4. Small cat who thinks christmas trees are chew toys! (that'll be Bertie.  Lola learned the hard way last year that she probably shouldn't have chewed the lights wires! - lights flickered and she shot out from behind the sofa where they're plugged in!)

any hoo I gave in (mainly because the decorations at B&Q were too cute to resist, and 1/2 price last week!!) and so here is our tree:

 

I may have over estimated how big a 3ft tree actually is! lol I have some other decorations but they were too big, and poor little tree doesn't have lights - couldn't get a length short enough with clear wires (bought a 40 bulb length but I don't think you would've been able to see the tree for the lights if I'd put that on! rofl).  Its small - but i like it! (but it doesn't look as pretty without lights....)

I don't think the pressies are going under it though, do you?

More class cards - this time a PaperMania set - Joyeaux Noel.

Oops - almost fell off the posting wagon again...

.... I was distracted by Strictly Come Dancing and XFactor! lol  sad but true!

These are more cards designed for classes at Card Inspirations - they may still have a few packs of these Inkadinkado (clear) stamps for sale in the shop  - the images are so interesting and detailed.

I really like this reindeer card, the stepped shape is really easy to create yet really effective.

Thanks for popping by - more tomorrow.....

Cuttlebug christmas....

I'm on a bit of a roll so here are some more cards.....
I love my cuttlebug (nice new one after a slight mishap with my first one) and these are a couple of the cards I designed for Cuttlebug classes at Card Inspirations.  The machine can give you such great results - how can you not love it! lol - I'm teaching more Cuttlebug classes at CI in the new year - check the site for details or to request a copy of the brochure.

The card below is a bit of a favourite of mine - and deceptively simple to make, and really versatile.  I really like this card - its so cute! lol (even if I say so myself!)

The best laid plans....

It seemed like such a simple idea: post up a card a day until last the last Royal Mail posting day... well I fell right off that wagon didn't I! roflmao...*
(*in my defense (such as it is) - some unexpected things came up that I had to do but that aren't really postable/ postworthy)

So, I've got a bit of catching up to do - let start now, I worked out I need to post about 13 cards to catch up..... so here goes - first batch - more tomorrow.......
 
Here are cards that I designed for a class at Card Inspirations (new brochure out v soon (if not already) and enrolment day for 2010 classes is on the 8th Jan).  Class was using stencils - love the different effects you can get with 1 stencil.  l to r: with Perfect Pearls, with chalks and plain embossing, with sprayed inks on a cuttlebug'd card base.
 

Where is it?

I want to know where the time has gone.   Someone/something has taken vital hours out of my day and I want them back - they are important and I need them.  Seriously - where are they?  There used to be enough time in the day but now there doesn't seem to be - not at all.

If you find those hours please send to me - I'll give them a good home, treat them nicely and make good use out of them!

Thanks.

edit 09.12.09 - while you are looking for the time please could you also keep an eye out for the remote control for the tv in my bedroom?! ta muchly

edit again 09.12.09 - OK, call off the search for the remote control (it was under the bed!) but the time is still missing/ in short supply ....

Inkadinkado

I LOVE these stamps from Inkadinkado! I like that there are little images hidden within the silhouette (eg the tree has little birds).

This image has been stamped in black onto white card, which has been mounted onto some more PaperArtsy Rum & Raisin paper (sewn down), all on a Kraft stock card (LOVE using that - it can be both modern and vintage)
(apologies for the dodgy quality of the photo - I can't rephotograph it - 'cos I sold it! lol.  it wasn't great lighting when I took the photo and I'm still getting used to my new camera)

Little Critters

Have you seen my critters? Click on the happy little face on the right hand side and meet the ever growing family... (the fabric one..not mine lol)

more cards...

I decided that the last card, nice as it is, wasn't interesting enough! So here are 3 more - same image 3 different effects. These are still quite simple cards - but somehow are more interesting - I think its the layers, the decorative papers, the sewing (love using the sewing machine to stitch onto cards...)

The image has been stamped in gold - which was great - but then when gold Perfect Pearls are brushed onto the wet ink it is fab! - (photo on right has been tilted to catch the light) it looks as though its been gilded. Lush!


Background papers are the great new PaperArtsy christmas papers - lovely, double-sided, and really versatile. Stamping in black archival.

This hasn't really photographed well (looks lovely in real-life)- its a resisted image (dye based ink brayed over the image that has been stamped with) versamark ink. The front page of the card has been trimmed short to add a gold edge and reveal gold stamping down inside edge.

Christmas Cards....

Another really simple one - I think this one has a Scandinavian feel to it - probably due to its colours and the pattern on the paper (craftwork cards). And I'm loving the snowflake dies (nestabilities

Cards: days 2,3,4 & 5!

This isn't quite cheating on my 'card-a-day-'til-last-posting-for-christmas' plan (might have to think up a slightly snappier title for it than that!) lol, its just that this weekend is going to be busy so I'm posting up the next four days worth of cards together: I've grouped several of the acetate cards together to show as a group...
Lots of die cutting again... next week's cards will include stamping....

Christmas is sneaking up....

I have a die cut machine and dies and I am not afraid to use them! Actually, I have 3 Cuttlebug machines at the moment! lol 2 that work and one that doesn't (I may have broken it.. no, let me rephrase that: it broke while I was using it! there is a slight but important difference in the emphasis of that sentence! lol)
The christmas cards I'm making (with a view to sell/send) at the moment are all different - normally I create one design I really like and make loads of them to send out - but I haven't got to that stage yet - still creating. So I thought I'd aim to post up a card a day until the last Royal Mail 2nd class posting day - which is the 18th December... which means 31 cards... better get busy - here's the first:

the cards are also going to be quite simple (to look at, but will involve a bit of die cutting etc which all takes time). The dots on the top of this card are created using the Cuttlebug 'Kars snow' embossing folder which I was a bit undecided about when I first saw it but now I like a lot.
I'm also loving acetate at the moment - so expect to see quite a lot of that!
there's a retro colour scheme running through a lot of the cards this year - the lovely 1950's candy-but-muted pinks, blues & greens - Love them! My Mind's Eye christmas collections this year were lovely - as is 'eskimo kisses' from Basic Grey (love the little reindeers!).

speaking of cute little reindeer:
This was for sale in the Selfridges christmas department... too cute!*
If this was on the christmas tree (along with the pink version) I would feel compelled to drink Babycham throughout the christmas festivities! lol
*and at £24 too expensive! lol

Bunting!

Its the 16th so yep, Banana Frog day!

Bunting makes me happy! lol....

Which is good because I'm up to my ears in work and so something has to put a smile on my face!! lol

Craft Stamper

Craft Stamper magazine is out today and my masterboard article is inside (and gets a piccy on the front cover - bottom right :0) )
lots of nice christmas article inside this issue.

this n that...

NEWSFLASH!!
(added 04.11.09)

Yay! The record was acheived! Southend-on-Sea now holds the Guiness World record for the longest continuous line of bunting!!!!! Well done to everyone who took part - local schools, WI groups (one WI group brought in ONE THOUSAND flags!), the list goes on! and especially to Nastassja who headed up the team of people who have sewn on the 9000 flags.

So, on Sunday I braved the rain and went to the park to search the 9000 bunting flags to find my five - needle in a haystack is the phrase that comes to mind!
...and I did find them - slightly sheltered up amongst the trees - it was great to see them up there... Mine are the 5 denim ones in the centre - from left to right: one with my felt flowers, one using PaperArtsy stamps, floral heart fabric for me, one using Banana Frog stamps, and one with a blue check fabric heart for M ('cos he does love a blue check shirt! lol)

Yesterday I popped to the shops for a quick hunt for a jacket of somekind - I didn't find a jacket but I did find these mugs, don't you think a drink would taste nicer in one of these?

I was asked to make a 21st birthday card and here's what I created - inspired by a card on the Hero Arts site - using lots of my favourite bits and pieces - gems, flowers, nestabilities etc etc etc and I was really pleased with the colour scheme - the turquoise against the silver and charcoal base.. mmmm nice (even if I do say so myself! lol)

BOO!

yay - I'm back in the land of the www! I'm sending this from our home computer in our own home!! PC is all fixed and raring to go and after almost 10 days without it I'm appreciating it more than before! lol

I'm off to create stuff, and also considering braving the rain to go to look at the bunting hanging in the park....

PC still broken...

.. and is at the PC World hospital where they will hopefully be able to bring it back to life along with all the information stored inside! fingers crossed.
so this is me posting from my bro & S-i-l's pc, while half watching J playing Wii tennis and half listening to E chuckle his way through his dinner!

At least there is an upside (small one) to the PC being broken - I have time to do more constructive and creative things than wandering around the www! lol I just can't show you what it is ...'cos I don't have a computer!!!! aaaaargh!

btw - I've just spent 2 great weekends working at the ArtsyCrafts 'retreats' - more planned for next year - check out the PaperArtsy & LB Crafts blogs for more details later in the year.... (and check their sites and blogs to see what was done at this one!)

keeping this brief...

1. I am now officially another year older.

2. I went and saw Spandau Ballet in concert - 20 years on - and they still ROCK!!! So pleased / relieved to be able to say that! lol they ROCKED!!!

3. But, more seriously: Our PC has 'died!!!!!!!!!!!!! So I am seriously restricted in the IT department!

Boohoo humph sniff aaaaaaaarrgh!

I didn't realise how much I used the computer until I couldn't! and how much important 'stuff' is stored on it that I can't get to! (but i did back it up last month so 'yay' for me! and phew! thank goodness for that)

So consider this notification that I will be awol until other lines of communication can be found!

Now, where did I put those carrier pigeons......

Over at Banana Frog....

...its my day - so hop on over to see what this is.... (and don't forget to take a look at the great new stamps they've just issued..)

Things have been a little (!) hectic lately but finding this on YouTube made me stop for a minute! :

...At this time in two weeks I will probably be climbing the walls with excitement 'cos I'll be getting ready to go & see Spandau live again (** years on!) who'd have thought! lol (i'll take the video down soon as I realise not everyone is a fan.... lol)(but come on - how could you not be! lol)

Right must go and do something more constructive... I'm going to be at Card Inspirations on Friday to teach a class and Saturday to demo the Cuttlebug..... 'I love my Cuttlebug'! I say that a lot -its such a great little machine! maybe I should get a t-shirt with that printed on! lol

Taking the time...

... spent yesterday at PaperArtsy HQ getting ready for the ArtsyCrafts weekends coming up in October - can't believe its October tomorrow btw!!

While Mr PaperArtsy -Mark -was busy pressing rubber and Milo the cat was busy playing with a mouse (!), Leandra, Lynne and I were busy creating with the great new stamps they've just released and others coming up v soon.

I picked up some of the new stamps while I was there and this is what I've created so far - just playing around (when I probably should've been doing something else!) but couldn't resist a quick play - this is a sketchbook page .... thinking it through .... so the ideas are still 'in progress'...
I think these new 'clocks' stamps are going to be really good for mens cards.... or for pretty much everything me thinks! lol

stamped the same image several times on to a panel (repeated with different images), cut them up and then tiled them..... really like this one - I like the random that becomes 'neat' 'structured' ... will look really nice mounted onto black with some silver accents...

great weekend...

such a nice weekend!!

Village Green in Chalkwell Park was great - really nice atmosphere, loads of different thing going on - artists and craftspeople selling all manner of work, musicians playing (including Billy Bragg - great!), big inflatable screen in the lower field ready for a film in the evening - it was really great - can't wait to go again next year (when, according to the dh I should have a stall.. . he'll even man it for me apparently!)(bless).

I bought the above panel - gorgeous! The detail on it (screen print, machine embroidery, applique) is beautiful.

And the organisers even decorated the park... creating chandeliers from recycled plastic bottles and of course there was the bunting - the team are still sewing but they are well on track to beat the record. The park looked soooooo pretty with the bunting hanging across the main walk way.

(I couldn't find my 5 in amongst the hanging ones but I've been assured that they are sewn on! probably in that big reel above! yay! I'll have to wait until its hung down the Pier to see them.....)

Saturday night was a fantastic meal with friends - haven't laughed so hard, for so long and got home so late in a long time.

Sunday was spent at AllyPally for the Stamping and Scrapbooking show. Great to see all the creative goodies in one place - so much to look and buy! I didn't take any photos - too busy shopping and talking! lol
Leandra and Lin were demo'ing like mad - with some great new products - head over to their blogs for more info and photos...

It was kn*ckering but I'm really glad I went. Nice to get to see people and catch up, good to see what's out there, and to visit shops that I might not have found by just wandering around on the internet.

While R & I were in the show the dh's took the kiddies to the park, and E is officially the cutest 2 year old around - and yesterday after eating a big pink ice lolly possibly the stickiest one too! lol

aaaanyhoo: here's what I came home with, and I've got some lovely Lavinia stamps coming in the post:

I reeeeeaaaaally want to stay at home and play with all that loveliness but I have to go to work! ho hum Can't wait to play - especially with those little 6x6 templates (stencils) - Oh who am I kidding I can't single just those out - I want to play with it ALL! NOW! roflmao!

storage solution and my new favourite punch...

Punches - I had quite a few years ago then stopped using them (sold them) - tastes change don't they - and now I'm revisiting them and there are some great new ones around.. sometimes its not practical to get out the trusty die cut machine for just a few shapes... aaaanyhoo I've been making bits and pieces to go on cards/ scrapbook pages and to use in classes and I've just bought this one and this is what I made:

Really simple and I made them with just what was in the house - will def' make more with patterned/ textured papers and a touch of shading around the edges - loads of possibilities - also the shape would look good as part of a snowflake don't you think?
(The punch is called Blink-Blink, available from Card Inspirations)

Gotta love the nestabilities! (my collection is growing...) and I've been storing them in magnet sheet (xyron refill) lined cd cases... and this worked fine for a while but once I'd got more than ten sets the pile of cd cases in my cuttlebug box was becoming a bit of a pain and so I bought a cd case and have stored them all in there instead - on bits of card with a magent strip across the centre to stop them sliding out... I was going to make a holder but buying this was so much easier! lol and now all my sets are in there and I can flip through much more easily to get to the ones I want - and they're much easier/safer to transport this way too (and take up less space!)