Winds Of Change...

How is your Saturday Going? I am sat here on the sofa with Tess on one side of me and Eric on the other , Karl has gone to watch football so I am trying to catch up on some craft jobs...I have posted my latest samples this morning...( Barbara is on tv next Sunday. )

Next I thought I would have a cup of tea and a chat with you...

Eric went for his puppy check on Friday and he is fine, and so chilled out that he fell asleep on the scales..

Then last night Karl and I went out with friends for our Christmas dinner and catch up...it was a brilliant evening with good food, great company and lots of laughter....( always good for the soul )

Today I am going to share one of my recent tv samples with you....it used the stamps from the Winds of Change stamp set and the Umbrella Stencil...

I started with a piece of Gelli card and added some Distress ink using a mini blending tool.

I used several different colours to build up some depth of colour.

Next I placed the stencil over the top and spritzed with water....patted dry with kitchen towel and then removed the stencil.

This is what you get....

I added some butterscotch Adirondack ink and then stamped using Black and Brown Archival ink...

The land was added by using torn paper and black soot Distress ink...

Detail was added using a white gel pen....a simple card design really...I do hope that you like it...

What have you asked Santa to bring you for Christmas? Have you a long list....?

I always buy myself a basket of shopping from the supermarket and give it to our local homeless charity...this was made easier this year as they were actually collecting at the supermarket when I went last week.

You see I really feel that none of us know what is round the corner....and there but for the Grace of god go I....

So please if you too can help ...please do...

And with that thought I will leave you...

Have a lovely evening....

Call back soon...

Hugs.

Jo. xxx

 

 

Wonder Woman for Wednesday...

Good evening all, I do hope you have had a good day...

A quick post from me tonight, as it has been a busy but very enjoyable day...it was workshops in Hazel Grove .

We had two new ladies join us in our afternoon class and they did fit in a treat....( even if they were a bit late....naughty Sat Nav!!!!!)

Chrissie managed to completely finish both projects.....yah.....and what a gorgeous smile....

But top of the class this week went to.....

Eileen....

I do hope you are reading this Rhona and Wendy......lol...

Enough from me....enjoy your evening...

Much love,

Jo. xxxx

 

Thanks ladies....

Good afternoon all, I do hope your Sunday is going well...

I am having a lunch break and thought I would share it with you.

Yesterday was Clarity Cumbria and it was so good to see so many crafters, including new ladies....it was our busiest workshop yet....and even Eric came for a while...he is so relaxed he just sat under the table and watched whilst we got set up...

We used the new Style set of stamps and Stencil from Clarity...and this was our first project...

Please excuse the poor photo but it is hard trying to get all the ladies lovely work in one photograph..

We had coffee and chocolates...thanks Sheila...and then moved on to our next project...

Look at the lovely Blue and black card in the middle, that was made by Tasha....how cool is that and she is only in year seven at school...

After lunch we created gift bags and tags...

It is good to make cards but I do like to make something a bit different too...

After tea break and cake.....now we have apple cake from Tasha's Mum. Biscuits made by Sheila and special cake for me from Lisa...( I know it sounds a lot...but they were all calorie free..!!!!)

We had a play with shaving foam...I never get tired of this technique...we used the distress re inkers, and made backgrounds...then we stamped the dress directly onto it using Black Archival ink, here are some of them...

These stamps are so versatile ....I do love them...

In fact we will be using them on Wednesday ladies.....

Karl took Eric to visit the breeder...so he got to see his Mum and sister...then he went to play with his Uncle, Aunty and Grandma...so by the time he came back to us he was shattered.....once again he just slept under the table...

Good job I keep my eye on the ladies ....and don't let them have a cheeky sleep after lunch....!!!

Right I had better go and get the roast in the oven..hungry boys to feed....

Thanks for looking in today...and as always I do love to read your comments...

Have a good week, and see you soon...

Hugs,

Jo. xxx

 

 

A close shave.

Good evening all, hope you have had a good day...I have been busy playing with my new Clarity stamps and Stencils...oh they get better and better and every month I get a new favourite...

At lunch time Mr Postie called...now you all know how that puts a smile on my face....!!!!

He brought me the latest Creative Cardmaking magazine...have you got yours yet??

It is a great read and has brilliant step by step projects in....and oh yes little old me had some fun with shaving foam...so I thought I would share one of those projects with you...

It uses Clarity stamps and those of you that know me will recognise my favourite Bubble stamp...

I am so pleased that so many of you are now finding and using this stamp.....my job is done...yah...

If you would like the materials list and how to make this , it is all in the magazine...

As always all the stamps and Stencils that I use are available from http://www.claritystamp.co.uk/Clarity-Stencils

Must dash, I am cooking lamb for Karl and the boys tonight , and Eric does like the smell that is coming from the oven....

Enjoy your evening, thanks for looking in and see you soon.

Hugs,

Jo. xxx

 

Butterfly Tree.

Good afternoon all, I do hope that you had a good weekend. Saturdays workshops went really well and laughter really is good medicine. So add that to crafting with friends the day was like a tonic...

Then Sunday Karl and me took Tess and Eric for a walk down the fields near where we live. They had such a great time and at one point we had two chocolate Labradors with us ....I said to Karl...hey ...we have the full set of Labradors now....Black, yellow and chocolate....to which he replied..." You don't collect dogs like you do stamps dear....you are not going for a full set!!!"

On to today, I have spent the morning sorting out dates for next year, ....my diary is booking up fast and I have a new Clarity venture planned...more of that later...

Today I am sharing with you a card that I made for the last Clarity show on C&C,

I loved these stamps and stencil as soon as I saw them.

I started by using a piece of Gelli card, some Distress inks, Barn Door, Spiced Marmalade and Mustard Seed, and my mini blending tool. Some blending and then some spritzing with water.

Next came the stencil, a make up sponge and Black Soot D.I.

This is what I had.

To add some hills I used the edge of my Clarity Blending mat....

And just kept moving it ....what a difference it made...

On separate card I stamped the butterflies, added some colour with my Spectrum Noir pencils , cut them out and then added them to the design.

And hey presto.

I do hope that you like my design , all the products that I have used are available from Claritystamp....

http://www.claritystamp.co.uk

Also have you checked out our recent blog challenge.....remember you can win £50 to spend at Clarity.

Thank you for popping over today,

Enjoy your evening

Hugs,

Jo. xxx

 

Eric...

Good evening , I do hope that you have had a good day...

This post is for one of my lovely crafty friends Denise....

Here is Eric....

He has been loving going into the garden today...

And I don't want to leave Tess out...so here she is,..

They do love to be together...

Have a good weekend...and see you soon.

Love and hugs...

Jo. X

 

Two of a Kind.

Good morning all , here we are...we made it to Friday...

Today it is a new challenge day over at the Fussy and Fancy Friday Challenge Blog...our new theme is...

Two of a kind...or Pairs..

Our current challenge is hosted by the lovely Millazin and sponsored by Crafty Sentiments.

Here is my offering, I do hope that you like it.

I have gone for a pair of butterflies...

I started with a piece of Gelli card, the butterfly tree stencil and some Grunge Paste....

When the GP was dry I added some blue Adirondack ink with my stencil brush

Next using some torn paper and Butterscotch ink I made some land...

Then I placed the stencil back into place and added some colour to the butterflies and the tree.

 

I wanted to add some extra interest into the background, so back out came my Sail Boat Blue ink and that fabby stencil.....Jo's Bubbles....well it would be rude not to use it....

 

Next some matting and layering...

And then stamping the butterflies onto separate card and cut out.

The stamps , stencils, inks , stencil brushes and GP can all be found over at the Claritystamp website...

( and remember ...you need ....Jo's Bubbles...)

Some lovely flowers from Sweet Lilac Paper Flowers,....http://www.sweetlilac.co.uk

And job done....

If you would like to enter our challenge or just look at the amazing inspiration on offer...just pop over ....

http://fussyandfancychallenge.blogspot.co.uk

Have a great weekend, I am off to Stockport tomorrow for workshops at C.J.Cardcraft, Where I always have a brilliant time.

Thanks for looking in today,

God bless and see you soon...

Jo. X

 

Mrs. grunge....

Good afternoon friends, followers and lovely people....

Do hope this blog post finds you well, I had a brilliant day yesterday in Hazel Grove where it was workshop day.

I have to say my lovely crafty friends really make me feel loved.

A couple of the ladies had asked about Grunge Paste.....so we had a play...

I shared my take on using and colouring the GP, and then the ladies had time to play....they all ( and yes, Chrissie ....I mean all...) made fantastic cards...

Notice the background stencil...well it just had to be Jo's Bubbles....lol...

The GP, spreader, stencils, stamps and inks are all available from Claritystamp. http://www.claritystamp.co.uk

It was Wendy's Birthday.....and yes we did have cake...

Eileen was on holiday.....so when you get home and read this....

Look Eileen .....Rhona was top of the class with this gorgeous creation...( no camels!!!!)

I must just send get well wishes to Florence and Margaret who are in hospital at the moment....we missed you both and hope to see you back with us soon...xx

I am signing off now as I have a pyrography commission to get finished....pop back tomorrow as I have a lovely GP card design to share with you...

Until then take care, be kind, and to the special people in my life thank you...you know who you are...

Much love.

Jo. xxx

 

 

 

 

 

Morning all.

Good Morning all, and firstly I would like to say hi to our new followers....welcome to the blog, and my little craft space...do make yourselves at home...

I have had two fantastic days at the NEC and it has been so good catching up with friends....and ladies from my workshops...I have met lovely new crafters and been inspired by the most amazing demonstrations...

The Claritystamp stand looked brilliant as always, so many must have products.....knowledgable and helpful staff, and off course top class demonstrations by Barbara and Maria.

If you are going today or tomorrow do go and say hello...

I am travelling back home today and so looking forward to a snuggle with little Eric....he can go out for walks now...so I think Tomorrow is going to be interesting.....Karl was telling me that yesterday he just sat on the path and wouldn't venture any more.

I have a card to share today that I made last month for my brothers Birthday..one of his hobbies is fishing...

It uses a Clarity stencil, shaving foam, distress re inkers, Clarity stamps, Archival ink and Glossy Accents.

I love using shaving foam through a stencil, it gives such a unique effect...

I have to say it is interesting how people do vary....and how some people behave in the strangest of ways....and leave you thinking that you don't believe what you have just seen....

A good friend of mine pointed this out to me recently.....and I think it is very apt....

On that note I will say have a good weekend , what ever you are doing....

Keep safe, be kind to each other and enjoy today ....because we really don't know what tomorrow has In store for us...

Much love,

Jo. xxxx

 

 

Adjust the Sails.

Good evening everyone, I do hope that you have had a good day....

I have been kept on my toes by our little man.....but he has settled in well....sleeps until 6-30 and is getting the hang of going outside to do his business...

Tess is really good with him....and she is teaching him so much....especially where the dog food is kept.

I am off to the NEC tomorrow to catch up with friends and do some research.....oh and shopping...

So tonight I thought I would share a card with you....it is one of the ones that I managed to make for Barbara for the tv on Sunday....

( oh I had one day to make the samples between Glasgow and workshops...I am so glad that the stamps and stencils are so fantastic to use.)

 

 

I stamped the boat using VersaFine ink - Onyx black and then added some colour using Spectrum Noir pencils. I do love the way these pencils blend so well ....I did use my little paper stump too...

Next came the stencil, ..now you know that I love my stencils.....

First I added some Butterscotch ink using a stencil brush....

Next came some shade using Latte and a make up sponge....

This was the result....quite good but I felt that it still needed more depth....

So out with the Espresso...

Now that's better....

Next some aptly named Sale Boat Blue....and the scissors.....

Some matting and layering onto black card.....plus adding the topper...

And the sentiment...

I really enjoyed making this card...even though it did change direction twice....but then that is what life is all about.....

The stamps and stencil are available from Claritystamp.... http://www.claritystamp.co.uk

Enjoy your evening.....

See you when I get back....or at the NEC...

Much love,

Jo. X