Lovely Day Out

Today I have spent a very enjoyable time at The Great Northern Papercraft show in Harrogate. Sue & Richard of Craftwork cards arrange two shows a year - March & September well worth a visit it is a great day out with lots of demos to watch and crafting goodies to buy. There are a couple of coffee stands with home made cakes, biscuits, muffins and a cafeteria if you want to have a meal.

We arrived bright and early this morning about 8:15am for a workshop with the lovely Dyan from Art from the Heart before the show opened. We made a colourful tag with Claudine Hellmuith paints and grungeboard and then it was time to shop. We managed to get a quick look round before the crowds arrived.

During the day I met up with lots of crafting buddies some of which I had not seen in a while, and some I recognised from blogland!!

On Thursday I managed to bang my head on a shelf in the studio!! I know silly thing to do. At the time it hurt and I said a few words under my breath and carried on... On Friday I had head ache and on Saturday I was feeling really sorry for myself, as my forehead and nose hurt as well as my head!! In fact I started thinking I wouldn't be going to the show, Yes! that's how rubbish I felt, so this morning when I got up head ache free and feeling a lot better I was happy. As the day went on my face started aching again and my nose hurt and felt very bruised... this evening when I removed my makeup I have bruising round my eye and some swelling!! so it's off to the docs for me tomorrow, but I am so pleased I did not miss today. No pictures tonight but I will try and take some tomorrow to show you what else I have been up to this week. What ever you have been doing this weekend I hope you have enjoyed yourselves.

Another busy week!!

Phew what a week!! It started off with our usual card making class on Tuesday morning. This week we made Christmas cards, Yes! Christmas cards again!! we did cutie cards with Crafters Companion Popcorn bear stamps and shrink plastic. We used the Popcorn stamp with the Xmas wreath, it is good idea to use a large stamp when using shrink plastic then you still have a decent sized usable topper to work with. Don't forget when the plastic shrinks the colour intensifies. I like to use chalks to colour the image and then after shrinking the colour is not too dark.

On Wednesday we spent the day making memory frames. We painted the frames with the fabulous Viva Decor Croco paints which gives a lovely crackled finish. The thicker it is applied the better the cracks. We then applied precious metal paint over the top to finish off. Jo and Norma's can be viewed here and Sue's here, pop over and have look they really are beautiful. We had a great day lots of crafting, laughing, munching and drinking of coffee, what more could anyone want?

Wednesday evening we made mixed up books using Paper Artsy papers and stamps . The front page was acetate stamped with Staz On followed by a jigsaw shaped page, tag page and a oblong back page to finish off.

Last night was our Thursday evening crop. This week we used Bo Bunny papers.
Can't wait until we get the new ranges in stock later this month...


We cut frames from Bazzill card stamped borders with Timber Brown Staz On and highlighted with white pen. Inked chipboard flourishes with Espresso, punched and inked a few flowers and edges and added some liquid pearl pen in pearl white and dark brown.


The pens are Viva Decor and an absolute must have to any ones craft box. I love them!! The pen shape makes them easy to hold and draw with, the small nozzle allows you to add dots and spots easily to any project and they dry quickly which makes them great for workshops and classes.



Well the battery in the camera has just died so I will take and post the rest of the photos later. But what is worse, the TV has died this morning and I was just thinking thank goodness that it is still under guarantee when BH said "the guarantee has just run out" end of last month!!!!!!!!! So I am off to find the yellow pages, unless any of you are handy at fixing TVs??

Craft Time!!

Having a great day off crafting, well what else would you do on a day off? This morning I have been finishing off a something I started weeks ago.

We have got a lot of Ikea mirrors left over from a workshop last year, planned to run it twice and only did it once! I have used the fabulous Viva Decor Crackling colour Croco in silver, gold and turquoise, this paint is absolutely great. If you haven't tried it I recommend you give it a go, great results every time. I have then put glossy accents here and there and added some seed beads and to finish added a few metal buttons, key, key hole, face and wings.

The pictures don't really do it justice. Going to leave it for now but not sure if it needs a bit of something else adding. I will go back to it later and see if I still feel the same! lol

OK well I am off to finish something else off now. What ever you are doing make sure enjoy your day.

Lovely Sunday

On a roll now!! Some more scrapbook pages I have been busy finishing off!!

Daisy Bucket In the meadow papers, dew drops, brads and wooden letters

Bo Bunny papers, punched flowers and leaves with some doodling around the edges dew drop centres and a Prima swirl to finish off.




Sandylion papers, cut out flowers with liquid pearl centres

We have had a lovely day out today at Art in the Park, in the Botanical gardens Sheffield. The weather was good and the rain held off until this evening. So many people there we knew and lots we hadn't seen for ages so it was great catching up with everyone.

Some pictures of Ava from yesterday




mmmm what am I missing over there??

Fudge, Toffee & Humbugs

The holiday makers arrived home safely last night with lots of goodies! Vanilla fudge, toffee, humbugs, teddy key ring and a beautiful bangle and they were all for me!! BH got a stack of goodies too. The best is still to come tonight when Ava comes round today and I catch up on some cuddles!!


I have tried to take a close up, the picture does not do it justice it really is gorgeous.


Off to Tesco now!! so see you all later with another layout I finished last night! I had a fab night spent the whole evening crafting!!

Pearl Pen Moment!!

Today I have redone my page from last night. I have replaced the rain spoilt photograph with two different pictures. I have used these pictures before in Kayla's birthday book. It is Ava and her dad Ben on fathers day, sharing an ice lolly. It was a lovely hot day and we all sat in the garden.

Scrunched paper flowers made from punched and sanded circles, with buttons, brads and liquid pearls for centres. Butterfly made from folded paper with wire antenna.


I have added some black detail using a Viva Decor pearl pen, absolutely fabulous. I have used them before to do spots and dots but never to do line detail. The tube shape makes its easy to write with so as you can see I got a bit carried away!! LOL
The gold dots are liquid pearls. To finish off I used part of a Prima black swirl and made a journal tag in the shape of a lollipop. Ava's 1st taste of Ice lolly June 17th 2009.





Jo's layout from last nights scrapbooking class can been seen here

Rainy Thursday evening in Sheffield

Has it every stopped raining today??

I announced yesterday that the theme for the September ATC swap was Travel, I have just been over on Sue's blog and she has already made one!! Quick off the mark there Sue. It is Sue's very first ATC! I think it is great that all of you are having a go who have never made one before. It's great to try out new things, isn't it?. Why not hop over and have a look? Can't wait to see it in the flesh!!
Sorry Sue, I could not leave you a comment I will try again tomorrow! Oh the joys of technology, or not as the case my be!! Me and technology just don't seem to be getting on very well any more.

It was late this evening before the website was back up and running, server error!!

I had forgotten to take a picture of tonight's layout to blog, so I brought it home with me, bad idea! It was drizzling lightly nothing much, well that's what I thought but it was enough to get some rain drops on my page! The page has dried OK, but unfortunately my photograph has spoilt, the rain has left little white spots every where, all over little Ava's face :-(
I will replace the picture tomorrow and take a photograph of the layout.

Well it is Friday tomorrow so it won't be long now before the holiday makers are back. Can't wait for a cuddle!! Hope they have taken lots of pictures. I have the papers waiting!! LOL

New Shop Opening Times

We are having web site problems this morning!!! if it's not one thing it's another. We are trying to sort it as quickly as possible and hope to have it back up and running as soon as possible. I will keep you posted on the progress.

We have had lots of requests for Sunday classes and workshops so we have decided that we will change our day off to Monday. So from now on we will close on a Monday to fit in some all day Sunday workshops for the autumn. These will include all day sewing workshops, beading, Fimo, sewing and lots lots more.

We now have a date for the tote bag sewing workshop Wednesday 16th September.
Please email if you would like more inofrmation on this workshop.

I'm off to try and sort the website...

Travel

Thank you to everyone who took part in the 'Star sign' ATC swap for August. The theme for the September ATC swap has been drawn today. All of your suggestions were put into a draw to make it fair. Sorry Jill we didn't pick yours out!! LOL :-)
The theme for the ATC swap at Craft Den for September is 'Travel' Can't wait to see what you all come up with, as the ATCs for the August swap were fantastic!!

Jo has had one of her scrapbook pages published in this months Craft Stamper. Well done Jo!! Fame at last!!



Tonight we were making background papers for cards with distress inks and stamping with water.


This technique produces some great effects, which can then be added to with stickles, liquid pearls white pen...

Lovely new papers

A quick update of the exciting new stock we now have in, two new Bo Bunny Christmas ranges including papers, stamps, brads, cut outs and stickers.
St Nick range of 12 x 12 double sided papers
StNick

Noel

Holly berry

Sleigh

Mistletoe

Stocking


Toyland


Sugar plum


St Nick cut outs


Dear Santa acrylic stamp


Tis the Season range of 12 x 12 double sided papers

Tis the season


Treasure


Deck the halls

Chorus die cut

Tis the season cut outs

Still trying!!! arghhhh

Just thought I would have another go at uploading some pictures before going to bed. I have given up on trying to leave comments, for tonight anyway!! :-(

This months Creative Cardmaking - Issue 7 is now in stock and inside are lots of free Kanban papers.


The papers contain adorable Christmas characters in a selection of colour ranges, pink and green designs snowflake backing papers and tree toppers, more traditions red and green stripes and spots... I have already started cutting my copy and making some cards.


I took this funny picture of Ava and her Dad Ben a few weeks ago, she kept putting her face up against the glass in the back door and pulling faces at me!! cheeky monkey!!


Ava and the rest of my family have gone to Ingoldmells, Skegness in a caravan for a week and it seems so quiet around here!

Didn't last long!!

I was beginning to get in to the swing of blogging again but it has all gone down hill again again today!! So I have not been able to leave as many comments as I would have liked while hoping around so I will try again tomorrow.

Today was the last day to send in your ATC's if they are already in the post and arrive tomorrow that's fine as we have been closed for bank holiday and no post anyway. Hopefully I will be able to upload pictures of the rest soon. The theme for the Septembers ATC swap will be announced on Wednesday.

Just spoke with the holiday makers and Ava has been on her first Winne the Pooh ride today and loved it!! apparently it has been hot there today and they are having a barbeque tonight!! obviously not got the rain we have got here in Sheffield tonight.

I have asked them to take lots of pictures for me!!

All packed and ready to go!!

Thought I would share this picture with you that my son emailed me earlier this evening. He his going on holiday tomorrow, this will be Ava's first holiday.

Here is Ava all packed and ready to go on her jollies!! lol



This one is definitely going in my family scrapbook!! :-)

Long weekend!!

Just been doing a bit of blog hopping Pat has got some pictures of her finished mini tin from Tuesday evenings class and the oriental book we made on Wednesday evening at Craft Den Thanks for posting those Pat, I love to see every ones projects after they have received the finishing touches.

For last night scrapbooking class we used a sketch from 52 Sketches 52 weeks you can view Jo's here and she did another layout for last night as she could not make the class. Thanks for all your help Jo it was much appreciated and everyone followed your second layout and used Bo Bunny papers from the Unforgettable range. I will post a photo later.

We have received some more ATC's so I will post the pictures of those later along with some other things we have been busy with this week.

What ever you are doing for the Bank Holiday weekend enjoy yourselves. I am going to relax and catch up on some much needed sleep!! I am so looking forward to some time off and hopefully I will get to spend some of it with the family before they go away.

Wet Wednesday :-(

Just been over at Jo's blog and seen the fabulous tote bag Jo made using the pattern from Moda Bake Shop think I might just have to make one myself!! I have stacks of fabric in the loft, I love sewing, but haven't done any for ages. In fact I think we should have a Saturday sewing workshop making tote bags, what do you think girls??

Kathryn handed in a beautiful ATC last night which can be viewed on her blog here Thanks for entering Kathryn and sorry I have not taken a pic yet:-( In fact I have no photos this morning, but you did get picture overload yesterday didn't you!! lol

Thanks Ann for showing us how to make a great altered tin last night the colours were sooo gorgeous, mmmm real yummy inks and embossing powders the results were stunning. Hope Ann got some pics, fingers crossed. Can't wait to see what the next workshop is.

Well it is a very wet morning here in Sheffield, so it is defiantly a crafting day. We have our last Fimo workshop today before the children go back to school :-( Fimo Bev has booked some Saturday afternoon children's workshops starting in September, more information and dates to follow. If you would like a copy of our autumn timetable please email info@craftden.co.uk. If you had already done this and not received the timetable for a while please email again, when we had PC problems we lost some email addresses :-( sorry!! and I don't want you to miss out.

The new Creative card making mag arrived yesterday we also took delivery off Joanna Sheen's ATC CD, Messy rabbit rubber stamps, Crafters Companion Popcorn bear stamps and Christmas Cd's .......

Make a cuppa!!

Congratulations to Norma on the birth of your new Grand-daughter Katie and thank you so much for the pictures.

For several weeks now I have not been able to blog as I would have liked to. I have either been unable to load pictures, edit posts or even leave anyone any comments. Today all seems well, up to now anyway, so fingers crossed and here goes!! So I am going to load as many pics as possible that I have been taking while experiencing these problems so I will apologies in advance for the length of this post! LOL So make a cuppa first!!

My layout from 2 weeks ago, papers from Basic Grey Wisteria range. Lots of punched and shaped flowers with gold liquid pearl centres, some doodling around the letters and tag. I am in the middle of an album for my sister-in-law, Doreen and this is one of the pages. Doreen's daughter Joanne gave birth to premature twins last year. The photograph is Joanne and Dave in hospital with their two bundles of Joy, Maya and Jasper.




In last weeks card making class we made background papers and toppers using distress ink pads and water. To prepare the background take some white card add some broken china using cut and dry foam add a small amount of blue jeans here and there. Spray rubber stamp lightly with water and stamp onto prepared background. Leave for a few seconds until you can see the water lifting the colour and then lightly press a piece of kitchen roll to take off excess water. Dry rubber stamp and stamp over the top with blue Stazon. Creates a great effect, don't you think? a rather frosty snowy look.
same technique again this time I have used a couple of snowflake stamps and added stickles and a few die cut snowflakes using the new Spellbinder snowflake dies and add some silver card candy for centres.

For a more vintage look I have still started off with white card added some old paper distress ink using cut and dry foam, a small amount of tea dye and finished off with frayed burlap around the sides and edges stamped using the water technique and over stamped with Timber Brown Stazon. This one is my favourite

For this one I have used old paper and a small amount of tea dye and stamped with black Stazon a lot lighter as I have not added frayed burlap

As promised pictures of the ATC's received so far:


Whoops sorry, this one wants to lie down!! lol

Whoops!! so does this one! LOL

The swap is open until 4pm on 31st August, so there is still time for you to join in.

A few pictures of some wedding cards I have been busy making for orders. The cards are A4 in size and have matching boxes, I have used 12x12 papers. The first one is Sandylion cream roses I have used some cream ribbon, gold trim and highlighted the edges of the roses with stickles

the second is also made with Sandylion paper this one is white with a silver foil design I have also added silver trims and white ribbon with a silver edge.


We had a little helper in the studio last Saturday, my beautiful Grand-daughter Ava. Ava has not got the hang of stamping yet so she sat knocking two wood mounted rubber stamps together, and enjoyed every minute of it!! lol

Look at that fabulous hair style!

I did warn you it was gong to be a long post, so fingers crossed that blogger keeps working!! :-)So now I am off to make a cuppa. Isn't technology great when it works!! lol