fancy a 'cuppa'....

.... with me over on the Craft Barn blog

The theme this week is 'cups' and I chose to create an embellished fabric 'journal'...

I created a step-by-step blog post but here are some snapshots of the spreads (a fabric book with all its spreads fanned out is a tricky item to photograph! lol)

If you'd like a quick look at any of the items I used in the creation of this book the links are below:

Fabric Book
Spellbinders Nested cupsFabric packsFresco Finish paints ‘Mermaid’ with a touch of ‘South Pacific’Crafters Workshop  Stencils: Circle explosion or Circle grid

Getting all romantic with IndigoBlu....

... over on the Craft Barn blog.
I created a card for my project this week, this text stamp is my favourite of all the IndigoBlu stamps - it would make a great Wedding, Anniversary or Valentine card...

If you'd like more information on any of the projects I've used please click on the links below:

Brown Card Blank 14.5x14.5cm (created from Bazill card)

Kraft card panel 12.5x12.5cm

IndigoBlu stamp 'Truly Madly Deeply'

Clear embossing ink

White embossing powder

Frantage Embossing Powders: Shabby White & Aged Silver

Bakers Twine

Vintaj over at The Craft Barn

I'm all out of sinc!  Saturday was my day over on the Craft Barn blog (www.thecraftbarnblog.blogspot.co.uk).  I chose to alter a big-ish wooden peg:

Using the Patinas I painted it to look like verdigris - for more photos and for other projects from the design team head on over to the blog.

This week its all about IndigoBu.....

Shake your tail feathers...

... with me over at The Craft Barn on Sunday 20th February for a class where we'll make these little feathered lovelies into a decorative piece:

If you'd like to come along there are still some places available - phone the shop for details or to book a place (01342 836398).

Look forward to seeing you.

Arriving in 2013 with a 'spring' in my step....

Late last year (sounds funny saying that doesn't it!) I started designing my new stamp sets.. they have a lovely spring feel to them... so excited for you to see them all but at the moment I can only show you the advance set:

(such a tease!)



and couple of some sneek peeks of projects:

The set is available now over on the PaperArtsy site - click the 'JOFY' button over on the right of the screen to be taken straight there.

Over on the PaperArtsy blog Leandra has information about an article Creative Stamping magazine, available in shops now, featuring the stamps:

More samples to follow soon....

Christmas is coming ...

..oh no, oops.... christmas has been and gone hasn't it!  I hope you all had a lovely time and that you were rewarded by Father Christmas for your good behaviour all year.  :o)
Christmas was special for us this year because it's the first time we have hosted christmas!!  I left home 17 years ago, been married for 7 years and so its a long time coming! And it was definitely our turn ... when we bought our house in July last year several family members said 'congratulations, all round to you for christmas then!' lol

So, in brief - here are the xmas photos I mentioned a few posts back and things I learned this christmas:

It was fantastic to have everyone in our home (cats may feel a little differently, but DH and I enjoyed it!) - but we forgot to take photos!

Everyone was asked to wear christmas sweaters (again we forgot to take a group shot.. shame we missed Ethans flashing nose lol).. but I did take these on the days before:
This is my sweater - candy canes made into a heart (such a romantic! lol) subtle apart from the back which is bold black and white stripes...:

Hubby's sweater makes me smile:  not bad for £12!! They had 2 red sweaters and about 50 blue ones...Matt bought the last but one red sweater and when we went back 90mins later to buy a blue one for my Dad they had all been sold! in an hour and a half!!

So my Dad made his own.....

..... based on one of my stamp designs - I love that he did that! So brilliant! He got the [imaginary] prize for best sweater!  :o)

I learned that if you are going play Pictionary make sure you have a small child on your team! They draw simple pictures that are instantly recognisable.... oh and make sure the person drawing knows what the word is - we had a misunderstanding with coral and corral that led to all kinds of confusion! lol so nice to sit around and play games - Jenga is always a winner!

My hubby did a great job feeding everybody - v proud of him!  I decorated our triangular conservatory for dinner - a bit of a challenge seating wise! lol 

.. and the prize for best packing goes to Gift Cards from B&Q - Genius packaging!

So there is there is the brief round up of my christmas... it also involved lots of card making, party games, fun times, a well earned brief rest oh and something that I haven't done for years... no.. decades!!
I sat on Father Christmas' lap!

I'll be back v soon with some exciting news about some JOFY stamps!

Happy New Year!!

Phew, time just flies by between Christmas & New Year doesn't it!! (a very strange time I always think - a friend of ours called in Crimbo Limbo - I thought that was great and very appropriate! lol)

Just a quick post (before the post with pics of my christmas) to tell you that I'm really excited and pleased to be a Guest Designer over on The Craft Barn blog (here) for the month of January.  Each week in January (as always on the blog) there will be a new theme and new projects from myself and other members of the Design Team. 

 

Full details of my project can be found over on the Craft Barn blog (click the link above), & below are the  links to the materials used in the project and links direct to them on the site:

Materials:
Chipboard

Claudine Hellmuth sticky back canvas sticky back canvas (to cover the chipboard)
Inks:  Archival Black Distress Inks Gathered Twigs
Dies: Sizzix/Tim Holtz 'sewing room', Sizzix Sizzlits 'sewing & writing set'
Stamps: PaperArtsy HotPicks: 1211, 1213, 1214, 1216
Fabric
Buttons

 

Back soon, and again- Happy New Year!