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.

Yellow Thursday and Rubber Stamp Tapestry

Here we are at The Glitter Pot again using fabulous Magenta bird stamps to make sunny, cheery cards (shucks - we missed Easter!). There were six of us on the class which was really nice for a change! I had a turn at sitting down and actually making a card with the girls! On these cards we used Bazzil Basics, Doodlebug paper and coloured the stamped image with Inktense pencils. Die cut scallop squares, distressed edges with Tim's ink pads and embossed card with Cuttlebug embossing folders.

We also made some of my fun sprinkles by using up the scraps from the card making session. Just cut strips of very thin card in three of four

 colours. Using a sharp pair of scissors, snip the strips into little squares (don't forget to put these into a little pot as you go!!). Apply some silicone gel to the area you want to 'sprinkle' and just pour over the pot of little squares. Shake off the excess and leave to dry for about 10 minutes. You might just be able to see this in the centre of the flowers and along the bottom of the large sunflower card. 

In the afternoon we played with Rubber Stamp Tapestry and made two cards, one of which is pictured here. In a rare moment of madness I chose lilac for my colour theme. I always though purple was for the sole use of Julie Hickey! Hope she doesn't mind me pinching her colour for a while.

Making your own buttons is easy with an inch and a quarter inch punch, some white shrink plastic, powdered chalks and one of the little stamps from your RST set. All the cards are on view at The Glitter Pot. So see you next time on a class! Bye for now.

Demo days at The Glitter Pot

If you missed it, you really missed out! We had a wonderful two days last weekend with lots of fabulous demonstrators plus me! I was in the studio with...wait for it...Francoise Read and Julie Hickey. Looks like I've really come up in the world! The weather was nice, customers cheery and of course Bryan and Carolyn on hand in the shop helping everybody feel at home. Thanks to everybody who came and made it a great success.

On the Saturday I was making my paper flowers and here are a couple of cards showing you some nice new ideas. On the Sunday I made scrapbooks in a tin which you can see in the shop. The scrapbooks are from Woodware and make great presents for special occasions. View them on The Glitter Pot web site.

The wonderful hydrangea has been made using styrofoam balls, Bazzill card stock and lots of glue! The photo shows you the products I used and if you are very clever like Joanne, you will be able to create your own with out me. But it would be much nicer to see you and come to a class at The Glitter Pot. In fact why am I showing you this card at all!

The orange flower is created using an insect selection punch by Leone Emm which has a wonderful little ant on it, great for picnic cards and scrapbook pages. Most people though they were spiders! The products as always are in the shop. I've one more sample up my sleeve but I might save that till next time!

At The Glitter Pot again on Saturday (can't get enough of the place!) repeating my chocolate themed class. We eat cake and chocolate Minstrels all day and just have a chaotic time with die cutting and folding techniques! The studio is a busy place. Will show you my cards next week.

Supper is ready and I'm starving. See you all soon.