A Christmas Art Impression

The weather was awful but some of you brave soles ventured out to The Glitter Pot yesterday. I love it when the weather is bad, because that means I don't feel guilty by spending the whole day stamping inside my cosy craft room and not working outside in the garden!

The Glitter Pot is always a great place to visit and I was having fun demonstrating with Art Impressions stamps and creating Christmas cards. I had taught a busy (and noisy) class on the Friday and as you can see from the photos, we made some splendid cards.

During the morning everybody created six festive toppers using the Art Impressions stamps and in the afternoon we made two cards, one of which is pictured here with a winter scene and stag in the snow!!

The picture was stamped, and placed inside a box frame (which we made too) and then mounted onto an A6 cream card finished off with a greeting from my Christmas messages set of clear stamps (little plug there!).

All the toppers are now made into cards and can be seen at The Glitter Pot. Check out the web site for all the Art Impressions stamps.

For all you great photographers out there, my flash was on so its all a bit bleached! Sorry, but hope you enjoy my ideas. I love making cards with Art Impressions.

Flowers with a twist

I'm so excited to be taking another Floral Punch Craft class at The Glitter Pot on the 12th November. It is a Christmas theme but we are making Carnations then using the same punch to make a Christmas tree (I like to add little bonus ideas in my classes`! Now that project is in the morning, in the afternoon we are heading for spring and making Rhododendrons. I like to be organised and I'm looking forward to spring already so these flowers really fit the bill! But you can also make a Christmas tree from the punch used to make Rhododendrons too. Its different from the morning idea.

So come along and book your place or even better than that, come and see me at The Glitter Pot this Saturday (31st October) where I will be demonstrating Rubber Stamp Tapestry for Christmas.

A little bird told me....

A taster of the new, but few, stamps I'm bringing out very soon with Woodware. Its been a very busy few months and I'm working on the spring releases for 2010 already.

This little birdy is fun, a little bit hippy and can be used all year round. The set includes some Easter images too. So look out for them at your local craft store. I'll be using them pretty soon at The Glitter Pot so don't forget to pick up your class list for November and December very soon.

Grafton Crafts

It's 9.00pm on Saturday 22nd August and I've just finished a perfect gin and tonic, a big plate full of fish and chips washed down with a glass of wine, I'm tired!

I've been up to Grafton Crafts all day. They are in Kimbolton near Huntingdon, yes, a long way north and way up the A1 girls!!! I've been demonstating my new Christmas stamps for the very first time and have had a lovely day with Jenny and Yvonne and all the girls who work there.

There I met the lovely Emily who is a real treasure and a very talented girl too. She was demonstrating Kanban products and we exchanged ideas and techniques. Here is a photo of her making me a much needed coffee on my arrival! As you can see I've also taken a picture of the shop interior and a couple of the reindeer cards I made for them.

The green reindeer card has glossy accents on it and then I used my very big embossing tool on the back once it was dry and guess what, it made that superb cracking effect! Just love it. Will have do it again at The Glitter Pot at their birthday weekend bash. If you want to see my new stamp sets see their web site, I'm sure Bryan and Carolyn have got them all!!! 

Thanks again to all at Grafton Crafts, hope to see you all again soon.

A cosy, traditional Christmas

No sooner have I finished my Christmas stamp designs, I'm told to get creative for the next lot due out in February next year!! So now I'm busy thinking of ideas, hence the absence from my blog!

Thought you might like to see another set due out very soon, catch them at The Glitter Pot where I will be demonstrating them on the 5th and 6th September at their third birthday weekend bash.

I've been pretty busy too teaching and demonstrating and last Saturday I went to The Eternal Maker in Chichester for their second birthday open day. They have just moved to new premisses on Terminus Road and boy, what a fantastic place they have now, its BIG and beautiful. You just have to go and see them. The shop does a lot of sewing (quilting mainly), knitting and felt making but they do have a nice area for rubber stamping too (which I hope will grow and grow). I really recommend them. If you go say 'hello' to Anna and Mum Sarah who own and run the shop. I'm sure they live there are so many creative ideas displayed around the shop they must spend all their time there!

Dinner beckons - I must eat and keep my strength up to keep up with you all!

Its June, so it must be nearly Christmas!!! Well it is in our house... at least it is in my 'creative' room. I've been hard at it for weeks but now I have my ten new stamps sets in my hand so its head down and start creating some great cards for Christmas. I've even designed some for later on in the year that might inspire you to make Easter cards, wedding or valentine cards and a little something for the boys too.

I am planning classes from August/September onwards so do keep a look out at the craft shops where I teach.

I thought you might like a little taster... so here is my stylish reindeer on an A5 card using Woodware products. 

Having lost my dear cat Sylvester at the end of May all this work has kept my mind very busy, I don't feel so sad. Thanks to all of you for your kind messages and cards.

It is with great sadness I have to tell you that we had to put our dear 16 year old grey cat Sylvester to sleep last Friday the 29th May. He had kidney problems and went down hill very fast. I miss him being around but we have Elliot, our ginger tom to help keep us on our toes.

Sylvester, who belonged to my brother, came to live with us six years ago. He was such a treasure, never a hiss or a growl! I'm taking his ashes back to Winchcombe near Cheltenham where my brother lives, to be buried in the pet cemetery in the grounds of his house. Sylvester loved the garden there and would take summer evening strolls with the family so I think he will be happy back in that peaceful place.