Catching Up.... Again!

Life seems to be a bit of a blur at the moment, there's so much going on with the kids in the last few weeks of school before the summer holidays.
And I have a lot of things going on that I can't share with you yet, but here's what I can tell you...
Firstly - there are still a couple of places left on my class at Simply Create this Saturday (18th June) and I'll be showing off a few things you can do with promarkers besides colouring in, plus I'll be doing some monochromatic colouring - so if you fancy it, give Jacqui a call on 019755 64010 or email her to book your place.
I apologise for the crappy picture, I forgot to photograph this card before I dropped it off at Simply Create on Friday and had to take a quick pic with my phone instead.

Image: Bella Bunting from Sugar Nellie, coloured with promarkers
kraft and corrugated kraft from Simply Create
lace from stash, brad is American crafts and the flower was cut using TH Tattered Florals die and embossed with a Crafts Too EF.
I'd like to enter her into...
Craft Your Days Away - Monochrome
Just Some Lines - Monochromatic
Art Impressions Stamps - Monochromatic


I took a couple of pics of the cocoons before the butterflies hatch out...

 One of them has hatched out so far...

 Sadly 2 have had to be disposed of since I took those pics - one mysteriously drowned in a shallow dish of sugar water and the other just happened to rip its own head from its body!!


Anyway, moving swiftly on... I decided to have a play this afternoon. I've been so jealous of all the lucky ladies who came to our crafty day last month and made the gorgeously decorated canvas bag with Anne, so Anne finally gave in and gave me a bag with all the gubbins for me to make my own one, so here's my effort...

Not really a patch on Anne's original but I'm over the moon with it anyway - especially as I was kinda winging it and just working out how to do everything myself .
Hmmmm, looking at the photo the chain on the crown looks a bit lopsided, but it is symmetrical in real life, must just be the way the bag is hanging
Right, am off for a quick scoot around Bloggieland to catch up with everyone and then back to the Sunday routine, feeding time at the zoo, baths and bed :)

Paper Artsy meets Promarkers

If you've been paying attention (and even if you haven't I doubt you missed the fact) you'll know that my super crafty chum Kath had the class of a lifetime with Tim Holtz - her idol. And the naughty lady brought Anne and myself some goodies home with her, including this gorgeous stamp set from Paper Artsy. Now this arty, grungy stuff isn't normally my style at all - but I'm definitely enjoying doing something new. Now these aren't the colouring-in type of stamps, but my trusty promarkers were not going to be made redundant in a hurry, so this is what I came up with...

I used Arctic Blue, Sky Blue, Azure and French Navy promarkers to colour a panel of card, then stamped the butterfly image from the Petals Plate 6 from PaperArtsy with versamark on top of my coloured background and heat embossed in black.
The smooth kraft and black card is all SU, the corrugated card is from Simply Create, the letters are kaisercraft from Merly Impressions and I used the letrajet with an Azure promarker, and a That Special Touch mask from Angel Crafts to make the polka dots on the corrugated kraft. And I nearly forgot the very bold MS Scroll Heart deep edge punch.


I'd like to enter this card into...
Flutterby Wednesday - open
Papertake Weekly - anything goes

Promarker Blending Sets Competition

Well, as promised I'm back with something very special - Letraset are releasing three new blending sets and they are based on the idea of blending pairs. Although Letraset have selected the colours in the three sets, there are many combinations – the key is to experiment, and so Letraset are running a competition to win all 3 blending sets by sending in your own blending pairs!
This is something I've been asking for, for a while and I'm sure others have too. And Letraset have listened and come up with these fabulous new sets......

Aren't they fantastic? I think they are a wonderful idea and have been telling the ladies at my classes all about them
So would you like to win all 3 sets? would you?
well it's easy peasy to enter and you'll find all the details on the Letraset blog.


To show you what they mean by choosing your own favourite blending pairs, Letraset asked me to pick my favourites....

yes that is my dreadful handwriting lol


So I made a card to show you 2 of my favourites, Soft Peach & Peach and Pastel green & Mint Green along with a pair from the Muted set, Buttercup & Tulip Yellow...

Stamps: Hero Arts - Friendly Flags CL475 and Sugar Nellie - Gorjuss Girls, Sitting
coloured with promarkers:
flags: Pastel Green & Mint Green, Soft Peach & Peach, Buttercup & Tulip Yellow
GG dress: Pastel Green & Mint Green
GG socks: Pastel Green & Mint Green and Soft Peach & Peach
Plain white card blank from Craftwork Cards and corrugated kraft card and waxed cord from Simply Create
Thought I'd keep it tres simple to show off the promarker colours.


Next up is a card I made using another of the blending pairs from the Muted set - of course it had to be my favourite purples... Orchid & Purple...

Stamps: Hero Arts - Delicate Blossoms CL449 coloured with promarkers: Orchid & Purple, Olive and Holly for the stems and outlined with Pastel Blue
cardstock is all core'dinations, paper is Bo Bunny Winter Joy. I chopped up one of the butterfly Marianne D Creatable diecuts and attached a  Craftwork Cards greeting ( the card blank is craftwork cards too) I decoupaged the poppies, here's a close-up so you can see it better...

So have a wee think about what your favourite blending pairs are and pop over and enter the competition here.
Good luck - would love to see one of you winning.

Sunday Sunday

Had a super time teaching at Simply Create yesterday and I hope my class enjoyed themselves too and learned some tips, and the time flew in - before we realised, we were an hour over time lol.
Anyway, here are my super keen pupils...

It was so nice to finally meet Tina and thankyou so much for the fab jamalade and the chutney that Graham has half finished already, and lovely to meet Janice too. And of course it's always nice to meet the lovely ladies I've never met before and to catch up with the lovely Lorraine.

These are the cards that we made...

I'm having a quiet day today - have a few things to do and then hopefully get along to the craft desk, seeing as Graham has taken the girls off to Dizzy Rascals soft play centre.
I'm also dying to see more pics of the surprise party last night for my chum Marion's 40th birthday. Unfortunately we couldn't get down for it and I'm gutted because it was actually a huge surprise for her she had no clue at all.

The Hero Arts Tart

Morning folks,
hope you're all well.. I'm having a lazy jammie day today I think. Got to make a card for the Sundays with Santa FB group.


Had a fabulous day yesterday, as you know Kath - The Hero Arts Tart (will explain about that later) was demonstrating the new 2011 Hero Arts stamps at the grand re-opening of Simply Create. The new shop is amazing, loads of space, loads of gorgeous stash, what more could you want. I'd like to thank Jacqui for being so tolerant with my kids, they tend to spread out and it's really hard to keep control of them. And if you're reading this Jacqui - Faith tells me that you cut your own finger cos you're daft lol
The only time I could get anywhere near Kath for the crowds was when she stopped to eat her lunch. She had an avid audience, and whe you see the fabulous samples she made, its no wonder. If you want to see her fab samples then keep your eyes peeled this week on her blog as she'll be showcasing them.
I bet you're wondering what I bought, well I could tell you that I was very good and didn't spend anything...... but I'd be lying lol

I've decided that this is my birthday present, Graham is offshore and comes home on the afternoon of my birthday - so there's a pretty good chance that I won't get anything, so I thought I'd just buy my present myself.
Willow has become much more interested in crafting recently and decided she wanted the Braveheart stamp and the dress stamp, and she picked out the silhouette heads for me.
And my hot tip for 2011 - that corrugated kraft card in the background is going to be big news this year !
So are you still waiting for me to explain about the Hero Arts Tart? well, remember I was over visiting Kath and Anne on Friday, well we have some plans - which I can't divulge yet - but as Kath's "thing" is Her Arts stamps, she is now the Hero Arts Tart, Anne who is the whizz at all things sewing is the Stitch Bitch, and apparently I'm the Promarker Pro! - what can I say.


Have you entered my fabby birthday candy yet? if not, click here

Bargains Galore

Had a fabulous day yesterday - dropped Scott and Willow at school then Faith and I headed over to Kath's to meet up for a coffee and a chat with her and Anne. There was much exchanging of pressies, as this was the first time we'd all got together since we were all at the SECC at the end of October. 
So here are my gorgeous pressies, firstly this fabby wee Macy's bag - how posh is that!! The bag would've been enough for me, I was tickled pink with it, but there were goodies inside it too, look....

And Anne gave me a bag too - the twist was it's in kit form and I have to make it myself :D The fabric she has picked out is SO me! and if that wasn't enough she also gave me my first SU inkpad and a gorgeous punch

Thankyou once again ladies, I love my pressies :)
While we were at Kath's, the Hobbycraft sale came into the conversation and Kath mentioned how she got a fantastic bargain of American Crafts pearl brads reduced from £3.99 to 49p. Well I'm sure you can guess where my next stop was, can't you!! I bought quite a few packs for myself and Anne, and the original price would have been £113.89, but only actually cost me £12.19, that's an amazing saving of £101.70!!!! So, Anne and I now have plenty of AC pearl brads, buttons, glitter buttons, and jewel brads. Think I might go back and get more soon.


So today we are off to the grand relaunch of Simply Create, that's not the royal we - I mean me and my entourage (the kids). (Oh that's terrible grammar - should be my entourage and I). The multi-talented and incredibly good fun, Hero Arts Tart - Kath will be showing off the most fantastic techniques with the all new 2011 Hero Arts stamps, and oh dear I feel a huge spend coming on eek!

Back to Normal - class news

Thank crunchie it's all over. All the decorations are down and put away for next year, just need to get the kids to bed early tonight to get them back into a routine for going back to school on Wednesday. And am even managing to get some crafting done. Because the kids missed their last week of school before the holidays due to the snow, they also missed out on giving the teachers their xmas gifts. So to make up for that I have a wee assembly line going at the moment, making desk calendars for 11. 


I'll also have to make a start on some samples for my next class at Simply Create. As my class in November was cancelled due to the adverse weather, the people who were booked on it are given first refusal for this new class at 1.30pm on Saturday 5th February. BUT if there is enough demand, I will be doing another class that day at 10.30am. So if you want to join me and get some tips on how to use your promarkers then don't delay, email Jacqui at Simply Create now. Jacqui has moved to larger premises, there's more space for more goodies and a dedicated workshop/class space too - she's open from this Wednesday, so go have a nosey.

Ruby Wedding

I don't think I ever shared the mini album thingy I made for my mum and dad's ruby wedding anniversary. They celebrated 40 years of marriage at the end of November so I thought I'd make them a keepsake. 

ribbons are all from Angel Crafts or from my stash
the brown and red core'dinations card is Jenni Bowlin from Simply Create
the stamps are all Hero Arts
patterned paper is MME Lost & Found, Union Square and glitter paper from Simply Create
I just want to thank Anne at Simply Create very much for helping me select supplies for this album - Anne you were a fantastic help and the MME paper was just the perfect choice!
As you can see, I'm not much of a scrapbooker - but mum was chuffed to bits with it and dad thought the group photo was highly amusing


I'd like to enter it into the following challenges...
Allsorts Challenge - anything goes
Crafty Catz - anything but a card #41
Paper Play Challenges - anything bit a card


have you entered my xmas candy yet? only 5 days left to enter.

Xmas cards

Thankyou for all the lovely comments you left on my Sugar Nellie Sassy competition entries, unfortunately I haven't made it through to round 3, obviously I'm gutted, but I did my best and the 4 ladies who did get through are fantastically talented. So pop on over to the Sugar Nellie blog and cast your vote to help decide who wins. I don't know any of the 4 ladies who have gone through to round 4 - so I don't feel at all guilty about voting for the person who I think is the most talented and not who I'm friends with or who has begged most for votes :)


Thought I'd share a couple of xmas cards that I made with my MME I Believe kit from Simply Create and the gorgeous Hero Arts Hanging Trees and Hanging Christmas Ornaments stamps...

Hero Arts - Hanging Christmas Ornaments, paper pieced with MME I Believe papers

Hero Arts - Hanging Trees, paper pieced with MME I Believe papers. I embossed some core'dinations chocolate box card and sanded. 

Hero Arts - Hanging Trees, coloured with promarkers, papers are all MME I Believe


All supplies apart from core'dinations chocolate box used were from Simply Create

Simply Create DT - Glitz Scarlett

and now for something completely different :)
Jacqui at Simply Create sent out our new DT kits last week and they are completely different to anything I've ever used before. I love a challenge which is a good job as the papers and stamps are way different to what I would usually use. So, when in doubt - I go simple...


Before I show you what I've made I want to share some Simply Create news with you.. firstly Simply Create has moved to a bigger shop in Alford, you'll find all the info on the blog. And secondly there is a fabulous challenge on the Simply Create blog right now - you still have time to enter before the deadline this Wednesday 15th December, you'll find all the details here - you could be the lucky winner of a set of prismacolor pens PLUS some of the new pre-release Hero Arts 2011 stamps.


The papers are all Glitz Designs - Scarlett, as is the stamp

The blue paper is the reverse side of the Scarlett Wallpaper paper. 
I used my Tim Holtz design ruler to pierce holes in the black textured card every 1/4 inch then used an inkssentials white pen to do the faux stitching. I inked the tag with Faded Jeans distress ink after I had crumpled it up a little and flattened it out again. The stamp was inked with Versamark then heat embossed with white detail powder. Added black Prima e line pearls and blue organza ribbon

 this is a wee pillow box (using a Bigz XL die) made with Scarlett Map paper.  I heat embossed the stamp onto the reverse of the patterned paper and cut out with an oval nestie. I added a black brad and black gingham ribbon.

and I have a cunning plan involving the rest of the kit, so hopefully I'll be back with that soon - if not then it's gone haywire lol
Hope everyone is safe and well