After a few weeks of winter cleaning... and getting ready for Christmas I'm now ready to start a fresh.What to play with first,I've been so used to being given a limited collection of products to work with. I may have to do the same to myself.
On the run up to Christmas I managed to make quite a few cards,here's a photo of one of my favourites,


For this card I used the Heirloom ornaments 2011 die from Spellbinders. Once cut, the shape was left in the die then embossed it using the polka dot mask,then inked using one of the new winter seasonal distress inks.Doing it in this way leaves a plain white edge to the shape.
The poinsettia was stamped using another of the winter seasonal inks, then the whole shape was embossed using Aurora Crystal embossing powder.To create the background I tore a piece of paper to use as a mask,inked around it and overstamped in the same colour using a wording stamp.Removed the mask then stamped the sprig with jet black archival ink.Both the sprig and poinsettia came from the A5 unmounted stamp set Snowflakes and sprigs from Creative Expressions.
I've used this die in so many different ways, hopefully I'll show some other cards in the very near future.,

New opportunities

Well my announcement is that I have left Creative Expressions to go back to being a freelance designer and demonstrator.
Recently I have been working at alot of the craft shows with both Kay Rutter (Hougie) and J & C Creations, and have really enjoyed meeting fellow crafters.This meant I did not have a lot of free time and was missing a lot of crafting time.
I'm hoping to now have time to play with lots of different and new products.
First things first, Christmas cards and Christmas shopping.Spending spree tomorrow at Lincoln Christmas market really looking forward to this as it was cancelled last year due to SNOW!!!Weekend means time to tidy the studio and then to make my Christmas cards, have at least 100 to make.What design to do,that might take some thinking time......
I know I've shocked some people with this announcement but I hope to now keep up with my blog and let you see what I've been making.
Who knows what I'll be doing in the future but it will be fun experimenting on the way.


Did you see this in last months Craft Stamper?I used some of the foundations papers and the button tree stamp from Creative Expressions.

I know,long time no blog,sorry about that.Needed to sort out a few things in my life as well as my daughter borrowing my netbook for college work.lol.
Last weekend I was demonstrating at Jo Channon's shop Lets Create in Lincolnshire and one of her ladies really loved this card.
The background was made using three shades of blue Cosmic Shimmer sprays,then die-cut using a spellbinder die.The tree and wording was stamped and embossed with cosmic shimmer true white.

Short and sweet blog today but tomorrow there will be a longer one with an announcement, so please check my blog tomorrow.

Christmas Tatty Launch

Christmas Tatty had her first appearance today on Create and Craft and this stamp was very popular.It's one of mine and Jo's favourites, there are so many different techniques you could use with this stamp.For this card I used one of my favourite distress inks Chipped Sapphire,I always say,this doesn't look like the colour on the lid.Once stamped I used a damp brush to pull out the colour from the lines.I stamped again to cut out the individual buttons to 3D over the first image.The ribbon, American seam binding, was even coloured with the distress ink.
This was the first day of shows,there's another 3 tomorrow,Jo's going to be very busy again plus she's on her own this time,no Nigel.

There was no real break between the first shows Jo and I were busy deciding on products for two more shows that are just before the POW.It's all go,right I off to think about card designs for flowers and girly stuff.

Here's another Tatty sample from today's show.

Murray & Ethel

Tomorrow is the launch of some brand new Murray & Ethel.We promised a while ago we would bring some new designs, so I hope you will love these as much as the previous designs.
Some of the sayings definitely made me laugh out loud,hope they have the same effect on you.
There will be some new products and some old favourites but all work well with these designs.
Here are a couple of cards





There are 5 plates all together, so plenty of choice to be had.Hope you enjoy the 3 shows 11am,1pm & 4pm.
After dropping the cards of in Peterborough with Jo I'm back to working with our new Tatty stamps.These will be first aired on the 11th August.

To answer the question I left in my last post I stayed in a house boat,at a place called Wayfordbridge Bridge near Stalham.If you want peace and quiet this is a great holiday, very relaxing.

Back to work,need to finish off these samples for Jo.

Christmas !!!!

My latest cards were made using our new Christmas stamp plates, designed by Sam Poole.It was hard to get in the Christmas spirit as I'm in summer holiday mode.I started these cards straight after finishing the steam punk ones,so I used the same colour distress inks Frayed Burlap (liking this colour) and Weathered Wood.A bit different for Christmas but they seem to work,love experimenting.





What do you think ?

Well the packing is done,just need to decide what to take in the crafty line.I need something to do while my husband's fishing. I have knitting,cross-stitching,a good book what else .......
I shall not be crafting all holiday even though I'd like too, we plan to visit some new and old places to us.Shopping maybe, eating and drinking definitely.

I'll try and post through the week from our holiday destination,Oh by the way guess what we are stopping in, it's not a caravan, a cottage,or a boat....

Steampunk Thursday

Just a quick post to show a couple of samples I've made for the show on C&C tomorrow.





These stamps are great for men's cards,but look out for a couple of cards for the ladies on the show.
I like to have a go at the artsy style but also like to show stamps like these can make "normal" cards.
Just a few more layers to do on the last card then I can hand them over to Sam Poole for the show.
Don't know what's next but I'm on holiday next week,which I'm really looking forward too.Let you know where I'm going in a later post.

Spellbinding Weekend

To begin with I'd like to thank the staff and customers of the Inkspot shop in Hamilton for a lovely day on Saturday.A long way to go but my husband and I made a long weekend of it.Thanks to Lynn for all the cups of teas and to Trisha for lunch and to both for making me feel so welcome. Just wish I had more time to look round the shop it was like an Aladins Cave of goodies.

My demos included using the Calibur with dies and embossing folders.I had already been busy with these as I had samples to make for the Pick of the Week.Did not get much chance to watch any of the shows as I was travelling so I don't know which samples were seen. So here are a few of my favourites;





The 3D birdcage was inspired by one of the Spellbinders design team,I added some of the flourishes to the top as greenery.
I didn't think I'd like using the birdcage but it turned out to be one of my favourites.It combined well with Sam Poole's stamps Meadow Flora and British Wildflowers.The cage was die-cut using the metal sheets from Walnut Hallow.
Using the waste left from cutting out the large butterfly, I stenciled through using Dusty Concord distress ink,then overstamped with archival ink.The smaller butterfly has been cut from vellum and edge with the same ink.
Hope you like these samples,now for more Tatty Button.

Enchanted Fairies

Long time no blog,sorry.Hopefully I can get back in the swing of posting again.
I been very busy organising product lists for quite a few C & C shows as well helping to make card samples for them.
The latest samples I have made, are for this Sunday, which will be the launch of our Zodiac Fairies.Drawn by Linda Ravenscroft,these are the same fairies as seen on the Enchanted CD by Card Creations.
Photography isn't mine,need new batteries in my camera, so I asked our Ryan to take a couple of photos for me.Thanks Ryan.




The fairies were painted with Cosmic Shimmer drawing inks, which are great for painting these detailed stamps, as the inks have a really fine brush.The colours blend easily with a damp paint brush,but still leave some cosmic shimmer behind.
When layering the cards up, I found the fairies work really well with Spellbinders
nestabilities. There are plenty of choices there........
Another busy messy day tomorrow,with inks and sprays,so time to go.

I'll Try Again

That was my shortest post I've ever done (Computers arhhhhhhhh....).
Oh well I'll try again.
Tomorrow will be Tatty's first ever retail show,I hope people will love her.I know her designer is very excited,in fact she is busy designing more stamps etc.This will be your chance to buy Tatty first before she visits C&C.
I also have our new Cosmic Shimmer drawing inks,they have a very fine brush,which will give you some fun techniques to try.Just give me a chance to perfect a few.



Here is Tatty with one of her animal friends,there are already a few in stamp form,with more to follow.
I used Cosmic watercolors to paint with and the pink background was embossed with a Creative Expressions embossing folder called floral.




Pip the mouse one of my favourite characters,I made Pip female here using the flowers from one of the accessory plates,that was before I found out Pip is in fact male and has a girlfriend Whoops...........

Looking forward to tomorrow, Oh I forgot to say a certain TV personality is on the stand with me,clue...... look at the photo in a previous post.
Can't work it out, I'll post another photo tomorrow.
Goodnight.

Tatty's First Retail Show

More Tatty Cards

I've been asked to show more of my Tatty Button cards on my blog and I'm always willing to help where I can.



This card was fun to make,I used one of the new nesties to make the toadstool pyramage and then decided to find my sewing equipment to add an extra effect.The holes were first made using pricking tool, then using black cotton thread carefully stitched through.Then of course I had to add buttons,at last I have a use for all those buttons I brought in my early crafting years.



Just love those Distress Inks and this card proves you can use them with the Tatty stamps.Colour used was walnut stain and the raindrops were made with Crystal Lacquer.

More samples to follow in the next few days,at the moment I'm busy getting ready for the Glasgow show and yes Tatty will be travelling up north with me.

Just a quick post before I leave for Stitches.Another good day yesterday,had fun meeting more of our customers and catching up with many of my crafting friends. The very creative Ange Lee,designer of our Tatty Button took this photo of Jo and I,Thanks Ange.



Time to get ready,last day,but I looking forward to getting back to my workroom and playing with all our new products.

Tatty Button Launch

Day 1 of the trade show is now over,chance to relax but need to go bed soon as I will have to get up early for another day there.
Today we launched our Tatty Button range of stamps and CD,it's great to show what I've been working on for the past few weeks.She is character with a story behind her,which gives a plenty of scope for more stamps and CDs.But first here are some cards made using the stamps;



Tatty on the swing was the first one I ever made with this range,she was stamped and embossed then painted with Cosmic Shimmer watercolours.The shape I stamped on was cut out using one of the new Spellbinder dies.Just love their new range of dies launched at the Winter CHA.I was very lucky to get to play with these before they were launched here.Look out for more designs on here as I show you other Tatty samples.
Hopefully there will be another post tomorrow as I think I better go bed now.

Today's Show

Hope everyone enjoyed today's shows,Jo did a great job of showing different techniques with the stamps,film and fibre.I loved using the embossing folders and it seems everyone else will from how popular they were.We will hopefully show more designs very soon.
Here are some samples I made for the show.





I didn't have a lot of time to play with these images as I'm working on something top secret,which will be released at the trade show in February.Can't wait to show everyone what I have been working with.Maybe there will be some sneak peeks next month,a little closer to the show.

Purple Dream

Can't believe I'm posting for the third day running,it's probably because I have some cards to show that I've actually taken photos of. It's usually a rush to get the cards to the demonstrator before the television shows.I will have to make a mental note to take photos before I post them.
This card is definitely for those who love purple!!!



Yet another card with the bicycle,I think this is my favourite image off the plate,the wording background coming in second.

I wonder if I can keep this run of posting going,will have to make some more cards tomorrow and take its photo.Here's hoping!

Two Types of Transport

Just a quick post before I go to bed,late I know but I was busy having fun with Eco inks and Sam Poole's new stamp sets.
You'll see why I titled this post as I have from the following cards;




The bicycle card was inked with the Cherry Blossom Paris Trunk,and I don't know if it shows in the photo but I embossed with the masks before I inked.The masks work really well through most of the different die-cutting machines on the market.Sorry I forgot to say a set of masks will be on the show on Friday.
The green card was inked with another Eco Paris Trunk,this time the colour was Blotter.These inks react in a similar way to the Distress inks,giving a soft edge to cards and also lifting when sprinkled with water.This effect was used on this card,it is one of my favourite techniques.

Try lightly spraying a stamp with water then stamping onto an inked surface( either Distress or Paris Trunk ).Leave for a couple of seconds then blot with kitchen towel.See what happens!

Right I really must go to bed,lots of cards need making tomorrow.If I remember to take a photo,I'll post some more very soon.

Paris

Well I know it's a long time since I blogged,but been even longer since I went to Paris.I was still at school,so guess how many years that is? lol.
These new stamp plates from Sam Poole brought back many memories,the sights and sounds from my very first trip abroad.
Although they can be used to give the vintage look,I think they will be great for holiday journals and scrapbook pages.
I've used different products to those which will be shown on Create & Craft but this just shows how versatile these stamps can be.

For this card I used Weathered Wood,vintage photo and stormy sky distress inks,the papers are from Fancy Pants.
The view belows shows the effect of using the Elegance mask over the background paper and sponge Perfect Medium through it,then apply clear embossing powder and heat.



This next card is my favourite of the two,I love the colours and how the design worked out

.

I used Vintage photo distress ink for the background and jet black archival to stamp the image.The ornate frame just adds that special touch.



Hope you like these cards and stamps as I do,well I am off to play and make some more.
I forgot to say the shows are on Create & Craft 21st January at 9am and 1pm.