Winter Wonderland

Well the snow has caught up with me and landed here in Manchester.  Here's the view at lunch time from my office window.

So whilst we're looking at the snow, here's another Christmas card for you from my recent magazine work for Cardmaking and Papercraft. I'm entering this one into challenges at:

Ooh la la challenges - Christmas Song - Let there be Peace

One stitch at a time - bling it up

Papertake weekly - sketch 51 - I flipped it 90 degrees

Supplies used:

Bo Bunny - Winter Joy, papers, stickers and rub-ons

I hope the snow and ice aren't causing too much chaos for you.

xxx

Who do you think you are?

No I'm not getting stroppy, it's much more exciting than that, well I think it is.  I'm always excited to get my cards published in a crafting magazine but this month I've got a piece on "Scrapbook a family gift" in the Who Do You Think You Are Magazine.  Yes a real magazine!  Starting on page 54 I have 3 pages, including a full step by step.  I'm entering it into the following challenges:
Crazy 4 challenges - script paper
CRAFT - Christmas present
Creative Inspirations - Christmas Gifts
Dutch Dare - sketch
Fab 'n' funky - anything goes

Supplies used:

Box frame from IKEA

K&Co classic K Margo Mat Pad

 K&Co classic K Margo Tag pad

K&Co classic K Margo Fabric stitched brads

Bazzill basics - half the edge (borders)

Brown ink

Thanks for letting me share my excitement.

xxx

It's homework time

You'd think that because I'm home I'd be putting my feet up but instead I have some last minute homework to do for Sara.  Do I mind?  Not a jot.  I'm getting to work with a fabulous kit, so have a look on Create and Craft on Friday, to see what I've been playing with.  Now I can't shar4e that with you just yet but I can share some other homework.  Here's some cards that were made for Cardmaking and Papercraft.

This one I'm entering into the challenges at:

Totally Gorjuss -  tree

CPS - sketch #195

  

Supplies used:

Echo park - walk in the park

This second card I'm entering into the challenge at:

The crafty pad - snowflakes

Right I'm off to watch the results of Strictly and X-factor and finish my homework.  If I was having a bath and washing my hair it would feel like I was going to school tomorrow!

I hope you've had a great weekend.

xxx

Craftaganza Day 3

I can't believe it's already day 3 and our last day of Craftaganza today.  First things first, breakfast and I had been told that if I asked I could have a dippy egg and woo hoo, that's just what I had for breakfast.  I love the egg cup but I was good and left it behind!

Today I got to go to class and did some jewellery making.  Oops I think I may have a new addiction!

Then it was time to eat again!  Today I went for the roulade, maybe I'm lemon meringued out!

In the afternoon I got to be Leonie's little helper and here's the cinnamon tag they got to make and I've made one too.  Not only did it look great but it smelt delicious too.

I'm entering mine into the challenge at:

Stampin' for the weekend - winter

My time to craft - tag along

Tuesday taggers - decoration

 Here's the second project that the class got to make - cute.

  

At one point during the class Miss LEonie decided to cover me with glitter, very funny!  But don't you just love karma - 5 minutes later she picked up a pot of glitter and didn't realise that the lid was open - giggle!! 

  

But how can you keep a girl down when she has such fabulous shoes on.   I tried to steal them but she was having none of it!

As fast a Craftaganza had come round, it had finished and we had to say goodbye to everyone.  A big thank you has to go out to the staff at The Aston Hotel, they are all fabulous and help make the event run so efficiently.  They're also the friendliest hotel staff I've ever met.

So just time for a quick latter - hold the brandy, before setting off home.

 

It took a while to clear my car but then I was on my way home.  There was no snow south of Wetherby!  Although I brought some home on my car - yes there was still that much snow on my car after 120 miles!

I guess we'd better start planning Craftaganza 2011.

xxx

Craftaganza - Day 1

This has to be one of my favourite times of the year.  Yes it really is up there with Christmas and going on holiday.  It's our annual craft event - Craftaganza.  This year we've had 80+ of our customers join us for 3 days craft classes and lots and lots of fun.  They really are the nicest people who come to the event and it's great to see so many of them come back each year.

My class was crafting boot-camp and we had 4 cards to make in an hour and three quarters and all of workshop attendees today flew through the class.  The first card we tackled was a circle slider card which looks really tricky but with a little bit of know how it's a doddle.  I'm entering this card into the following challenge:
Cute card Thursday - blast from the past - challenge #114 no designer papers

Supplies used:
Circle slider - Popcorn Platinum Cd - kids and florals
Die cut - grande scallop square nestabilities

This next one is a little dome card.  These are super easy and I'm going to pop a how to over on the Crafter's Companion News & Inspiration Blog very soon. 
I'm entering it into the challenge at:
ABC challenge - ice and snow

 Supplies used:

Design printed onto pearlised card - Popcorn CD - frosty & bright
Die cuts - circle and scalloped circle nestabilities
Decoupage - Popcorn die cut decoupage


It's a wonder we even got the event started with the snow that had fallen overnight.  It took me a while to get there but I did arrive as did all the workshop leaders (Sara, Leanne, Jayne, Sheena, Carolyn, Margaret & Sarah) and our lovely delegates.

Giving me a hand with getting ready for class the lovely Carolyn and Margaret, who were there to teach jewellery making.

We got Sarah helping too

Here's my first class with their dome cards.  The first class is always the toughest but they were a fabulous group, so no problems.

We even get a break for lunch.  The food at the Aston hotel is fabulous, it might be even better this year as they have a new chef!  Lemon meringue wasn't on the dessert menu for lunch but with a quiet word in the right ear I managed to acquire a rather large slice!

So back to it after lunch and it was the class with some of the design team in and also a few of our forum members.  I thought they might give me a bit of banter but they were surprisingly well behaved. especially Carol, who was  exceptionally good. 

The last class of the day were mostly made up of the class that I had in the first session last year, so I know quite a bit about this bunch and they finished off my teaching day with a smile.  It was also great to meet some new crafters.

 That evening after dinner I held a drop in session for those people who wanted to know more about the different die cutting machines we stock.  So yet more handle turning - hopefully it's toning up my bingo wings!
With the snow still lingering a decision was made for us to stay over.  Luckily we're a team that don't mind sharing hair brushes.  The good part of that is that I could have a glass or two of wine, but we were quite restrained as we know we were up for another busy day tomorrow.

Die Cutting Madness

Well I made it to the office today, in fact I was there before 9, which means a very early start!  I felt like I was packing forever, as I'm not home until Sunday.  As well as my clothes I had to pack lots of craft bits and pieces, ready for Craftaganza :)

Talking of Craftaganza, Kamala and I sat last night and became die cutting queens.  Prepping for 80 delegates takes some arm power but we're getting there.  Why did I think it was a good idea to use so many die cuts!!

I also have to tell you about my fabulous dinner tonight, pancakes made from rice and lentils filled with potato curry - I love you Kamala.

Here's a couple of little cards I've made.  How great is this for a teenager.  It was inspired by challenges at:

A Spoonful of Sugar - Anything Goes

Fab 'n' Funky - go with the flow

Supplies used:

Stamps - clearly hand stamped

Inks - versamark, distress inks black soot and barn door.

Spray and sparkle - iridescent

This card was inspired by the challenge at:

Papertake Weekly - cut it out

Supplies used:

Stamps - clearly hand stamped

Paper-  SWALK CD2

Punch - Martha Stewart doily lace

Colouring medium - Copic Ciaos

Right I'm off to bed to rest my winding arm as there's more die cutting to be done tomorrow.

Good night.

xxx

A very Manic Monday

The plan for today was finish off my class for Craftaganza , then pack and go up to the office for around lunchtime.  The realisation is that packing for a week, planning a class, normal day job and an emergency trip to Hobbycraft, takes most of the day, so I'm going up to the office in the morning!

Seeing as I'm up in the office for the rest of the week, this may be the last you here from me for a couple of days - I'm sure I heard one of you shout "hurrah"!!

The good news is that the 135 sheets of card that needing printing are done, now it's just all the die cutting that needs prepping but that's a job for tomorrow night and the night after that!

So before I disappear into the ether here's a quick card.  This one was inspired by the challenges at:

2 sketches 4 you - Laura's sketch #66

Quirky crafts - recipe, black, white and one more colour plus punches

Supplies used:

Stamps - clearly hand stamped

Card - watercolour card

Ink - distress ink, soot black and barn door

Right I'd better get to bed as I have an early start.

xxx

Enjoy the ride

As you know if you've popped over to my blog before I love living life to the full and today was no exception.  So I took Miss Jean off to her dance class and as it was in Manchester I hit the shops for an hour or two.  Whilst in Boots I was drawn to their Origins section and a lovely girl called Claire told me all about their products and even did a mini facial on me.  I'll definitely be back to buy a few bits, I left feeling very looked after.

I then managed to pick up a couple of scrapbooking bits and pieces in TK Maxx, I love a bargain :)  Then I went to meet my dancing friends after their class.  They were in the earth cafe.  It's a great find and definitely worth knowing about if ever you're in Manchester.  The staff are so friendly and helpful and the food leaves you feeling all wholesome, as well as being incredibly tasty.

I got to meet some new friends and hopefully I'll get to class soon.  The weekends go so fast though and it was soon time to say goodbye to friends returning to Reading, London and Scotland, but I'll see of you in Toulouse very soon.

So once home it was time to make a couple of cards.  This one was inspired by challenges at:

Crazy 4 challenges - circles

Card Patterns - sketch #91

Supplies used:

Stamps - Clearly hand stamped (3 birds)

Paper - CD SWALK 2

Die cuts - circle and circle lattice - Nestabilities

Colouring medium - Copic Ciao

I can't share the other cards with you just yet as they're for my class at Craftaganza, but I'll share them as soon as I can.

I hope you had even half as much fun as I did this weekend, because if you did, you had a blast!

xxx

Swinging Saturday

What a whirlwind of a weekend.  It's crop today and we've had a lovely day.  Myy sweet mincemeat muffins went down a treat and I'm under orders to make them again next month, not only for the girls but Jude's husband likes my muffins too!!

This months mini class was making little gift bags to fill with chocolates to send to a Christmas Fayre.  Here's the ones I made inspired by challenges at:

Sir Stampalot - Christmas Traditions

Saturday challenge - handmade gifts

Totally Gorjuss - not so tradtional Christmas

Supplies used:

Die - favour box 2 PTI

Ink - aqua mist, dark chocolate and ocean tides

Stamps - polka dot basics, fancy flourishes and just for you

So you probably thought it was a nice relaxing day, well it was but we had some excitement as Miss Jean came to crop before she went dancing, Judy brought her friend Nick along and Judith joined us.  Not only that we had a lovely visit from Sue and baby Chloe.  See what happens when you leave me on my own Gwyneth!!

It's lovely having my dancing friends in town and I met them after crop.  We went for dinner and found a great Italian that I didn't even know existed in Denton which is only a couple of minutes from home.  I had a baked pasta and aubergine dish - delicious.

Mel & Jo

Jacqui & Jean

After that it was a quick change before going dancing.  It was great to meet some of the people who go dancing in Manchester and it reminded me that I should try to go to some more local events.

xxx

Fabulous Friday

After a busy week at work it's great to have somefriends in the area this weekend.  So tonight I picked Miss Jean up from the train station and we've been out for dinner with my alter ego Scottish Jacqui.  We went up to the Red Lion at High Lane and as usual weren't disappointed.  I had breast of lamb with daupinoise potatoes, spiced chick peas and a roasted shallot - fabulous.

.We went up to the Red Lion at High Lane and as usual weren't disappointed. I had breast of lamb with daupinoise potatoes, spiced chick peas and a roasted shallot - fabulous.

 

For dessert, pavlova - yum!



Here's a card that was inspired by challenges at:

Chicken soup - recipe #21 - the pink got me going and the paint inspired the stamp sentiment with a glossy finish

Stamp Something - Thanks

Supplies used:

Stamps - Clearly hand stamped (3 birds)

Embossing powder - wow - sheena douglass

Flowers - pretty petals (3 birds)

Nestabilities

This second card was inspired by the challenge at:

Daring cardmakers - we three - I went for three panels

Supplies used:

Stamps - Clearly hand stamped (3 birds)
Embossing powder - wow - sheena douglass
Colouring medium - Copic Ciaos
What a fabulous start to the weekend.  I hope you have a great weekend too.
xxx

Muffin Tops

No not my muffin top, although it's creeping back!  But real muffins.  Tonight I've been baking and I've made mincemeat muffins.  Thank you so much to my lovely friend Debbie for the recipe and her advice whilst I was out shopping.  Yes she's on speed dial for when I'm making big decisions on sugar in Sainsburys!

I'm hoping the girls at crop on Saturday are going to like these:

I didn't add the frosting as I thought they might go soggy before Saturday, but they still passed my taste test.

Just one card to share with you today.  This one was inspired by the challenge at:

CRAFT - vellum - yes that really is vellum that I've printed on under the stamped flowers.

Suplies used:

Stamps - Clearly Hand stamped

Vellum

CD - SWALK - volume 2

Punch - Martha Stewart

xxx

Delivery Day

The postie has been 3 times today, OK one was only normal post, nothing exciting there, but number 2 was my Scrap-a-gogo greeting kit and number 3 was a delivery of gorgeous Papertrey Ink goodies.  A great start to the day, now all I need is some time to play with my new treasures!

More good news, I won the draw at Meljen Designs last week, so have 3 new digi stamps on their way - thanks girls.

I have a couple of cards to share with you today, this one was inspired by the challenge at:

Cupcake Craft Challenges - House Warming

  

Supplies used:

Clearly Hand Stamped Kit - 3 Birds/Crafter's Companion

Distress ink - broken china and black soot

Embossing folder - cuttlebug textile texture 

Ribbon and buttons - Papertrey Ink

Just one more for today.  This one was inspired by the challenge at:

Tuesday Taggers - Peace, love, joy

Supplies used:

Clearly Hand Stamped Kit - 3 Birds/Crafter's Companion

Distress ink - black soot

Patterned paper and ribbon slider - SWALK CD2

Can someone please sell me a couple of hours a day for the next week or so?

Thanks

xxx