Sunday 31 January 2010

What a tease I am! Create and Craft noon on Monday


Really really quick post today as we are running around like headless chickens before we set off for Peterborough.  Not sure if i will be allowed to demo what I hope to but just to tease you a little more, here's a bit more of the frame! 

Thanks for yesterday's comments, the finished frame may not be to everyone's taste but it really is my thing too!!

I hope they let me do this!!

I'll also be on at 3pm for Craft Creations Ltd on Ideal World, so a double bubble tomorrow:)

Jill

Saturday 30 January 2010

Sneak Peek at an embossed photo frame for Monday's show


Here's a sneak peek at a frame I've been decorating with embossing powders.  I will try to get more photos of it on later.  I'm hoping you will get to see it on Monday's Create and Craft show as we will be having embossing powders in this one.

Hope to be back later!!

Jill


Wednesday 27 January 2010

More cards from Wednesday's Craft Creations show



The first 2 cards are from the Spring die cur decoupage kits.  There are actually 3 floral images on this sheet and all have a tag with the flowers names in coordinating colours. 



The papers above are from the Spring 12" x 12" paper pack, and those below are from the Life Smiles paper pack.



I made a tag for the box and found some black mesh type ribbon for the net.  The cards above and below with the printed Happy Birthday are specially made for the Life Smiles decoupage.



All materials are available from http://www.craftcreations.com/



Please note that our shop will now be closed on Thursdays.  We are open on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays (10am - 4pm) and Saturdays.(11am - 4pm).


Monday 25 January 2010

A few more cards from Wednesday's Create and Craft show














A quick post today showing a few more cards from last Wednesday's Craft Creations show.





Sunday 24 January 2010

Some cards from Wednesday's live show



I thought I'd show some of the cards from Wednesday show today.  I they are from the Craft Creations Spring and Life Smiles die cut decoupage kits, along with the paper packs, card boxes and peel offs that featured in the show. 



I know most people reading my blog are stampers, but there are also people who like making decoupage cards too, so this is more for them, although I have used a background I made with Starburst stains on the card above.



I think most stampers also use background papers at some point and I really like the papers I picked to go with the the decoupage sheets.  They also worked well with the boxes.









The following card is from the Spring die cut decoupage kit. 

I will be on Ideal World next Monday afternoon at 3pm with the same kits.  They have proved very popular so far.  I will also be on at noon on Create and Craft with more of our messy stuff so there will be something for everyone I am sure.






I hope you are having a lovely weekend!

Jill

Thursday 21 January 2010

More repeat times for yesterday's show and new show dates

Well, yesterday's show sold out and as it was so successful, Create and Craft have arranged for more stock as they will be repeating it 4 more times in the next few days!

Update on the Craft Creations show
Sold out again... So no repeat on Saturday now

Our pre-record show Japanese Gardens will be on
 Create and Craft Sky 671 at 5pm on Saturday

I will be back for 2 shows on Monday 1st February.  I am on Create and Craft at noon with our messy stuff and then Ideal World at 3pm for Craft Creations.

Thank you for visiting and for the comments you have left.

Jill

Edited to change repeat show times

Scrunch paper card and box with Funky Flowers



Here's another card from Saturday's show, this time with the Funky Flowers and Fancy Flourishes stamp sheet designed by Kay Carley.

Sorry this photo is not great, it has a really rich look in real life!  The flower image is stamped onto sticky backed canvas.  I detail painted with the Mardi Gras stains and also flicked the stains onto the canvas to give a speckled look.

The background was made from mopping up the stains from my craft mat when I had been misting, shame to waste it and it gives a lovely distressed look.  I over stamped with one of the flourish stamps.



I used a piece of 12" x 12" paper scrunch to cover the lid and sprayed the base of the box.  I also added a square of scrunched paper inside the lid on this one.

Jill

Wednesday 20 January 2010

Repeat times for today's Create and Craft Show

A late additional post today with repeat times of the TV show filmed today.  It's been a very eventful day, culminating with me having to arrange for more stock to be made available for the repeats as all but 2 kits had sold out. 

The A1 was closed so after I'd trailed through many villages around the Newark area I ended up hitting the rush hour on the M62.  My phone kept ringing but I couldn't do anything about it until I pulled off the motorway, long story short, they had sold out so I made a number of calls and all is now set up for the repeats to go ahead with more stock.  Luckily Craft Creations make their own products so I think they will be very busy for the rest of the week as if all goes to plan, it will be repeated at the weekend as well!!  Anyway, the repeat times...

21 Jan 2010 12:00 AM - 01:00 AM

21 Jan 2010 07:00 AM - 08:00 AM


Sorry there's not much notice for the repeats.

I had to work with the lovely Howard, not easy!  Bless him!!  As with Saturday's show, I didn't get to do all my demos and you also didn't see many of the cards I made.  I have been asked to go back so you may see them on the next show, but just in case, I will post them here too.  I did manage to sneak in a Starburst Stain background, I just had to do that, for me:)

It was a strange experience for me as I'm normally a stamper and normally haul a couple of crates of stuff with me, today I only had 2 large bags and hardly any equipment on the counter.  All I needed was silicone, scissors, a couple of cocktail sticks and my tweezers and can you believe I left my tweezers at home!  I borrowed some but they didn't feel the same, you like to use your own equipment that you are used to I suppose.

I had a fraught start to the day, my Tom Tom couldn't get a signal and I was stuck at the hotel in the middle of Peterborough, a very kind employee told me it wasn't an easy route to explain and hopped into his car so I could follow him, how kind!!  I shall be telephoning is boss tomorrow:)

Anyway, enough for tonight, will post another card from Saturday's show tomorrow.

Jill

Dragonfly Music card and box



You may recognise this as the demo I almost finished!  The images are embossed with Moonglow Midnight Gold Obsidian two-tone embossing powder which is a gold/black combination.  The gold is an antique shade, I like using this powder as you get a good impression with it being black but have the soft gold too.  Best of both worlds!



The card is plain at the moment, I may add some embellishment or may just simply add the right wording when it is needed!



The shrink ribbon... ie organza ribbon heated with a heat gun to make it curl, it takes on a different texture and appears wired.  It wasn't until afterwards that I wondered if they thought I was trying to set fire to it.  So, I'd better say, be very careful if you try this at home and if you have a heat gun that throws out a lot of heat, then keep it well above ribbon.  Health and safety lecture over:)  Just be careful!!!

I have scheduled this post and hope it works OK as I am down at Create and Craft filming a live show.

I am filming this show on behalf of Craft Creations, if you enjoy making decoupage cards and would like any of the products they will also be available from them at http://www.craftcreations.com/

Although it is something completely different for me, I've actually really enjoyed making all the sample cards for the show.  I am on at noon on Sky 671 or Freeview 36 if you are able to watch the show.  It should be repeated a couple of times and I will post details of the repeats as soon as I know them, so I'll probably post again later when I get home.

Jill

Tuesday 19 January 2010

Violin card and box with Mardi Gras Starburst Stains



Another card from Saturday's Create and Craft show.

I love the red and gold sprays in the Mardi Gras set.  I used the gold to add colour to the violin, it is such as rich gold!  The darker background has the dry paper stipple on hammered card, giving it a lovely texture.



I made the box to match, again using the dry paper stipple technique.



I stained the base to match.



I fixed the gold mesh ribbon under the first tabs of the box, adding a little DST at the sides to help keep it in place.



Confession time!  I had a few splodges on the card at back of the base, to hide them I added a square panel that I'd sprayed.



I'll be setting off down to Peterborough shortly, the show will be live at noon tomorrow, on Sky 671 and Freeview 36.  I'll be doing something very different for me!

Jill

Monday 18 January 2010

Nautical easel card that didn't quite make an appearance on Saturday's show



If we'd just had a little more time in Saturday's show I may have been able to show this simple little easel card.  I did get it set up to demo and it was in front of me at the end of the show but, we just ran out of time. 

I'm loving making these easel cards at the moment.  I used the Nautical stamp sheet, again embossing with Moonglow Midnight Teal Obsidian embossing powder.

I used a combination of the green and gold sprays from the Mardi Gras Starburst Stains.  First for the scrunch technique on the bottom panel of the card....



...and also on another piece that I made using the dry paper stipple technique.



Sorry, the photos aren't brilliant but I'm sure you get the idea.

I managed to record and watch the show and at first cringed when I saw my grumpy looking face and all that giggling I did!!  And, why oh why didn't I take up the offer of a stool to sit on?  Thank goodness for the counter, I was leaning on it for support by the end of the show!   I've seen the funny side of it and I'm glad I didn't cancel the show now as I nearly did.  You have to laugh about these things don't you!!!  We certainly had a fun time during the show even if my face didn't look it:)  I'm hoping I can do another show with Leonie when I'm on better form!

Thank you very much for all your comments, my back is a little better now, I'm hoping, if I'm sensible, it will be much better by Wednesday.  Things were looking hopeful for all being back to normal for the next show then someone mentioned snow on Wednesday... Please... No more snow...

Well, another busy day today, still more prep to do for Wednesday's show amongst other things, so I'd better get on...

I will be back with more tomorrow.

Thanks again.

Jill

Sunday 17 January 2010

Nautical boxed card from Saturday's show



The light is not brilliant for taking photos today, but here is one of the cards/boxes that featured in the show.



I used the Gator Gumbo Olive from the Mardi Gras set with the cling film technique on the top of the box and sprayed the bottom half of the box.


You can see how the box folds inside, I initially thought all they all folded under into themselves but this is a much better way of making them.  It really is worth following the instructions for the first box, then they are easy peasy every time.  You don't need to use glue or cut anything, just fold them.

The next couple of pictures show the pattern of the cling film technique. 



I used Moonglow Midnight Teal Obsidian embossing powder to emboss all the designs.




I wanted to put a gold embellishment, such as a ship or anchor charm on the bottom LHS of the card, but could I find one?  No... I will have to find one before I can finish the card properly.  I like to use buttons and have some somewhere with an anchor, they will turn up eventually I'm sure.



I used the dry paper stipple on the background before stamping the script randomly with brown Stazon.  I folded the edges around a paintbrush to make a scroll for the wording.
 

 
One of the demos I was going to show was a finishing touch to the box lid.  I opened up the box lid and fixed the ribbon ends inside so they were hidden to give a neat finish on the inside of the box lid.
 
I used a plastic button for the centre of the bow, I used wire cutters to remove the shank and fixed it into place with silicone glue.

Saturday 16 January 2010

So many stamps, so little time...

We're back home after the show today.  It was great fun doing the show with Leonie, she is such fun!  Talk about a kid in a toy shop, she wanted all the products in the show and got really excited when we went through the cards before the show started.  She was also game for wearing a Stamp Man apron, I said she didn't have to but by then she'd already grabbed it and was half way through putting it on!

We were chatting about this, that and the other before and after the show, we reminised about our shop years ago when she first visited, Moonglow and all sorts of other things.  Her enthusiasm for crafting is brilliant, I could have carried on chatting to her all day, but, we all had to get on our way home. 

There were a lot of stamps in the show to get through as well as all the accessories and the hour just flew by, we agreed that it should have been a longer show. 

Unfortunately I haven't seen the show yet as we had a signal loss again on our Sky and it is all pixilated, so I will have to record a repeat and hope it works.  Here are the repeat times in case you missed it too

16 Jan 2010 11:00 PM - 12:00 AM

17 Jan 2010 05:00 AM - 06:00 AM

I didn't get all my demos done, but I will show you on here once I get some photo's taken,  hopefully tomorrow if there is enough light.  It's been a gloomy day outside today hasn't it?  It was nice to get home and see that a lot of the snow has now gone though.

All in all a lovely day, which I was especially glad about as I hadn't been feeling too great and hadn't slept well, I started with a sore throat on Thursday and have had a bad back all week, although as I was flopped out on the hotel bed last night it was a bit better today, hence the other reason why Ian drove me down.  I had initially been worried about the snow but the forecast looked much better, so I would have been OK on that front.  I'm just hoping that my back is better before I travel down for Wednesday's show.  I'll tell you all about that another time, it is something very different for me!!

Leonie went off clutching some of the scrunched papers I'd given her, she was stroking them so it would have been cruel not to let her take them home:)  I wonder what she will make with them!!

Well I'd better get on and make some dinner...

I hope you are all having a great weekend!

Jill

Friday 15 January 2010

Tomorrow's live show on Create and Craft

Just a quick post before I set off down to Peterborough.  Ian is now coming with me and is doing the driving, the weather forecast is looking better so hopefully the roads will be OK.  So as Ian is with me, please don't visit the tomorrow as unfortunately it will be shut.

Leonie is my presenter which I'm looking forward to, so it should be a fun show!

If you miss the show which is at 11am tomorrow, subject to stock, it will be repeated, I will let you know the times as soon as I know them.

I hope you all have a great weekend!

Jill

Monday 11 January 2010

New Create and Craft show, Sat, 16th January at 11am

I've not posted recently as I've been busy preparing for our next Create and Craft TV show on Saturday.  They asked me to do a technique show, to include my Moonglow DVD.  So I'm heading back down south on Friday in readiness for Saturdays show at 11am.

My fingers and toes are crossed that the weather will be OK by then as I'm a real wimp in this weather.  We live in a village that is very high up over the town and the roads and hill up to and in the village have been awful.  Woke up this morning to more snow that had fallen overnight, I was surprised at how much we have had again.  At least it is getting warmer though.

Ian despairs of me even as a passenger, I am dreading the thought of driving such a long distance and may even opt out and take the train, which won't work with other planned things while I'm down there. 

I used to be OK about driving in snowy icy conditions but since I had an accident years ago, I find it very scary.  Luckily I wasn't badly hurt in the actual accident, but I will never forget that lamp post or the drive home after hitting it!!!  So, please do take care if you have to go out in this weather.

ANYWAY... Saturday's show will feature my lovely jubbly favourite Moonglow products, a jamboree bag of lovely stuff which is the sampler kit.  Plus, it will include a set I haven't shown before on Create and Craft, although some people will have seen me using it at shows, and getting very messy with it, if I recall correctly!  Sid, this is the last one I demo'd at Port Sunlight, yes that was me with the mucky hands:) 

We have LOTS of stamps sheets in the show too, after I planned it I realised it is going to be a mega pile of cards on the counter to show you, they are all made with certain products on the show or those shown in the DVD.  There's also some Joanna Sheen CD images combined with Moonglow background papers on the DVD as well as stamping. 

I'm really getting into combining Moonglow with decoupage again... I've been decoupaging a lot over the christmas hols.

I'm also getting ready for a live show on Wednesday 20th January, so sorry for being quiet at the moment.  Once the shows are over I'm sure I'll be back waffling on again!!

I hope you are all keeping safe, warm and well during this cold spell, I'll be very glad when it all thaws and gets back to easier temperatures

Jill

Wednesday 6 January 2010

THE STAMP MAN BLOG HOP WINNERS!!!

Well, we finally have the winner's list!!

I just know that by now you are skipping past this waffle and scrolling down to see if you've won a prize:) 

So there is no point in having any drumrolls...the suspense is over!  Uncross those fingers and toes and let loose with your mouse:)

For anyone still up here reading the top end of this post, tormenting yourself with a have I won or, haven't I, go have a quick peek, do your shriek or groan,  then come back up here for a read.

The lucky winners are listed as they were randomly picked by a number generator, from the order of correct email answers.  We have then all checked that you left comments on ALL the blogs in the hop, not an easy task I can tell you, as your email addresses didn't tally with your comment names!  It's been a long job, I should have thought of that, duh, it won't happen again:)

After all that, I then placed the winners in order for prizes with the original blog hop.

Also revealed are the letters and the prize they have won from that blog.

I will be emailing all the winners shortly to ask for your postal addresses so that I can send out your prizes.

The winners with a link next to their names will need to choose which prize they would like. Clicking on the links will take them straight to our website to the pages they need to choose from.

The other lucky winners will receive the assortments that are listed as their prize.

H - Jill's blog winner of a

Selection of Moonglow products

JulyeB

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N - Janet's blog winner of a

Choice of one of the new 3 Kay Carley DVDs

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Y - Debbie's blog winner of

A choice of a Aspects of Design Stamp Sheet


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T – Michelle's blog winner of


400 assorted round brads

Helen


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O – Vix's blog winner of a


Selection of Moonglow products

Cheryl

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Y – Tracey's blog winner of


A choice of a Aspects of Design Stamp Sheet


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O – Avril's blog winner of

400 assorted round brads

Wilma

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U – Kay's blog winner of a


Choice of one of the new 3 Kay Carley DVDs


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A –Teri's blog winner of


A choice of a Aspects of Design Stamp Sheet


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N – Emma's blog winner of a


Selection of Moonglow products

Ginger

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D – Lisa's blog winner of


400 assorted round brads

Zoechaos

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Y – Sarah's blog winner of


A choice of a Aspects of Design Stamp Sheet

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O – Christine's blog winner of a


Choice of one of the new 3 Kay Carley DVDs

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U – Lynne's blog winner of


400 assorted round brads

Julie Riley

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R – PatR's blog winner of a


Selection of Moonglow products

Lynne in NI

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S - Lyn's blog winner of


A choice of a Aspects of Design Stamp Sheet


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Sorry to those that didn’t win, I really wish you all could have won. I can assure you that your time spent joining in with it was much appreciated, it was great fun!

I hope that all the following and commenting will continue. I know that I didn’t get time to visit everyone but now I can take a leisurely stroll throughout the year.

As you’ve seen the winning answer was HNY to you and yours.

So all that’s left to say is thank you again for taking part and

Happy New Year To You And Yours!

Blog Hop Anagram Answers

Honestly I'm really not meaning to tease you, we are nearly there with announcing the winners but in the meantime I thought some of you that attempted the anagrams would like to know the answers, they are….

Butterfly Beauties = Tasteful Buyer Bite

Starburst Stain Selection = Scatterbrain Sent Its Soul

Moonglow Sampler Kit = Know Immortal Gospel

Yes, I know, they were hard weren’t they!!!

Will be back asap with the list of blog hop winners!  I hope you are still keeping those fingers and toes crossed!
 
Jill

Tuesday 5 January 2010

Blog Hop list of winners - coming soon!

I just wanted to let you know that we haven't forgotten to announce the winners of the blog hop prizes, it is just taking some time to check that comments were left on all of the blogs. 

I will of course let you know as soon as possible.

Keep those fingers crossed!

Jill

Sunday 3 January 2010

Last chance to enter our blog hop today, there are 16 prizes to win, so get a move on!



Have you entered yet?  Please click HERE to find the blog hop details

You have until midnight tonight to hop along and get your answers in by email.  There are 16 prizes, so the odds are very good to win a prize!

The winners will be announced this week, so do call back to see if you have won, what you have won and to find out how to claim your prize!!!!

There is still time to enter the awards too, we'd love to see your best/favourite work of 2009, so click HERE for the award details.

Jill

Saturday 2 January 2010

Handmade Christmas Gifts

Please scroll down for the blog hop and awards instructions




We had lovely Christmas presents again this year, and as you may have noticed recently, my photos on here have been a lot better, I got a new camera from Ian! xxx I did get it early, so it wasn't a surprise, I think Ian wanted to put me out of my misery asap!

There were a couple of extra Christmas presents that Ian and I received. Both handmade by his son Richard. He'd phoned me before Christmas asking if I knew how much water to put in plaster of paris, ummm, I googled it for him and phoned him back.  When I asked why he wanted to know he just said that he and Craig had found some moulds to make some pots.

Well, he got the mix right but the mould he used didn't hold its round shape while drying, result... this lovely little misshaped peter rabbit pot!



We did laugh about his little pot as he'd written Beswick on the bottom and signed it!


With a little chistling away he managed to make the lid fit, he painted it, very well I have to say... and it's all varnished too!

Well, this is one very special little pot that I will treasure!!! His brother made one too, but we didn't even get to see his. I gather they both enjoyed their time making them though!



Ian's handmade present from Richard was a canvas painted with Japanese Garden Starburst Stains, that was part of his Christmas present from us (along with some wax and other stuff). Richard is into dabbling with art and craft but as he isn't at home at the moment he didn't have any other art materials to use on it so, I will take on the challenge to add more to it to finish it off for Ian. We were really impressed at how his first piece worked out and the theme he developed for the basis, he even used the cling film technique!! I'll show you when it's finished.

I hope you are all having a good start to the New Year!

Jill