My Apprentice

I really liked the look of the March layout sketch from Sassy Lil Sketchers http://sassylilsketches.blogspot.com/
so thought I would have a go

and here is the result ...................

This photograph was taken when my great neice came to stay for the night and wanted to do some 'sticking' like Auntie Janet !

The rosettes were made using the new Tim Holtz sizzix die - so much easier than scoring yourself

The title was done using Tim Holtz foam stamps and then blinged up with stickles.

Hope you like it.

Blissful Weekend

After an extremely busy week at work it was lovely to have a whole weekend spent crafting.

I went to my Scrapaholix crop on Saturday, although cold it was lovely to relax doing one of my favourite things.  It was also nice to catch up with people I've not seen for a while and meet some newcomers.

The papers were from the Sugar & Spice range by Dovecraft and the kit included a blurb template from Crafters Workshop

Layouts done at the crop :-

 

and I've still got plenty of papers left to use on other projects.

As I was still in the mood when I got home I carried on and made a card which I am entering in the Friday Sketchers challenge  http://fridaysketchersblog.blogspot.com/

The stamp is one of my new ones from Lilly of the Valley which only arrived on Thursday.  I've coloured her using copics. Paper is from the Once Upon A Springtime collection by Graphic 45. I'm quite pleased with the result.

Yesterday I had a whole days patchworking at Quorn Country Crafts in Loughborough, the theme was a "Mystery Quilt" which was great fun as we didn't know what it would look like until we started to put it together.  This is still a work in progress so will post pictures once finished.  It was great to have a day where tea / coffee was made for you and all you had to concentrate on was your work!

Birthday Cards

Unfortunately not published anything recently as I don't seem to have had much time for crafting due to an extremely busy workload.

However, I've got lots of birthdays in March and April so thought I had better make a start.

First card made today :-

Papers used are from the My Minds Eye Bloom & Grow range, Magnolia Tilda stamp coloured using Copic's.  Petaloo and Magnolia flowers for the embellishments.

I just love Tilda and now have a few in my collection.

I've entered this is the following challenges
Spoonful of Sugar challenge which is "Birthday Wishes"
Crafty Anns Challenge Blog which is birthday
Magnolia Down Under Challenges which is flower power

http://aspoonfullofsugarchallenge.blogspot.com/
http://craftyannschallengeblog.blogspot.com/
http://magnoliadownunderchallenges.blogspot.com/

This is the first time I've ever entered a challenge or uploaded on to another Blog so hope I've done it right.

Second Card made today :-

Again patterned paper is from the Bloom & Grow range but this time I've used a Sarah Kay stamp, again coloured using Copic's. Ribbon and flowers from my stash.

Two down a few more to go so hopefully will have more work to show you shortly.

Where Does the Time Go??

Well here we are now into February, where does the time go to?  it only seems like yesterday when I was doing my last post but in fact it was nearly two weeks ago. 

What have I been doing? well nothing much apart from work, we have been exceptionally busy so by the time I get home and fed its almost time for bed so haven't been doing any crafting, things will have to change.

I went on a corporate day last week, courtesy of a well known Insurer which involved participating in some new experiences, clay pigeon / laser helicopter shooting, archery, buggy driving and quadbiking, all things which I had never done before, great day and the sun was shining.

Went to my Scrapaholix Crop on Saturday, lovely kit this month with optional sketches by Anam Stubbington, here are the two layouts that I completed (both from the sketches), papers were from Graphic 45, Once Upon A Springtime Collection.

 

 

Spring Clean

Well I know its not spring yet but as I had a fairly free weekend I thought it was time my conservatory (workroom) had a good clean.  It took me all day saturday and I was absolutely bushed when I had finished but I was really pleased with the result and its inspired me to start crafting again.  So on Sunday I did some sewing to complete a couple of orders that I had and then I decided to have a play with my distress inks and have a go at making something that I had seen when I visited the Craft Den back in November.   With a few alterations I am very pleased with the finished result and have decided to use it for my scrapbooking class this week at Vanilla Crafts (our first one back since the Christmas break) 

I cut the shield shape from grungepaper and then used my white paint dabber on the swirl stamp, when the paint was dry I used 3 colours of distress ink to colour the grungepaper.  I then stamped the flowers in black archival ink, mounted the shield onto black card and cut out leaving a small border, mounted the photo (Bradgate Park in the snow) onto black card and placed in the centre.  The large flower was made by glueing a page of a magazine onto the scraps of grungepaper then cut out using the tim holtz flower sizzix die. I then tinted them with the same distress inks, curled the edges and placed a brad in the centre.  The numbers are cut using my large sizzix letter / number dies in black card and then glazed with glossy accents.  Calendar tag attached to the bottom of the shield and ribbon inserted for the hanger.  It measures approx 8" square.

I really enjoy getting messy with Tim Holtz products and I hope you like it the finished result as much as I enjoyed making it.

New Year

Happy New Year

Yes I know we are half way through January but this is my first post of the new year.  Things were so hectic in the run up to Christmas and then just when I had time to relax down I went with the dreaded lergy and spent most of Christmas and New Year in bed with flu.

Now fully recovered (well almost) and feel up to crafting again.

I've took the bull by the horns and started my own Scrapbooking Crop after being badgered by a few ladies at Church who wanted to have a go.  We held the first one last Saturday 15th January and took over my sister's conservatory as our crop room (because it is a lot bigger than my craft room).  There were 6 of us and I made up a kit using papers from Kaisercraft's Spirograph collection, Bazzill Cardstock and Pearls.  I did 2 layouts to give them an idea.

We had a good time and they've all booked up for next month so I need to get my thinking cap on.

Here's the two layouts that I did as samples







The Photographs were from this years holiday in Bude, North Devon



Winner

Wow can't believe it, I've just found out that I'm the lucky winner of day 3 of the Magnolia advent calender

Cant wait to receive my prize.