To Craft or Dream. ....?

Good afternoon, thanks for looking in on the cold, wet and windy Sunday. Hope you are having a good day and that you are ready for the new week....and the new month......

So much to do and so little time to do it in.....

Yesterday it was Clarity Cumbria and we had a bit of a party....lots of yummy food, Christmas crackers and party hats....a wonderful rice salad which soon became everyone's favourite and so Rachel has promised to share her secret recipe with us...

We crafted and chatted.....ate, drank and chatted....and some of us ate more cake and yes chatted some more....

We decorated MDF letters with various techniques including paint, crackle glaze, gesso, grunge paste, some stencilling, stamping, using gilding wax, gilding flakes, glitter , well just about everything we could...

And here are some of the finished words...

 

 

 

I think you will agree that they are all fabulous....

Well done ladies and gentleman...

It is always such a pleasure and privilege to spent time with such lovely, kind and genuine crafters....

And yes I do count my blessing...so thanks you all...

Today has been a day of catching up with, ironing, paperwork....a few more pyrography pieces and a couple of dog walks..

Just having a brew whilst I chat to you...oh yes and some special cake ....from a special lady...

Then time to feed the family...

Another busy week ahead so early to bed tonight ....

Enjoy your evening....

Love and hugs

Jo. xxx

 

Posted with Blogsy

Words.

Good morning all, and how are you this Friday morning?

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

Our new theme is Words.....

It's all about the sentiment....

Today our host is a very lovely lady and friend....Annie...do check out her blog.... http://anniescraftyattic.blogspot.co.uk

We are sponsored by Live and Love Crafts. http://www.liveandlovecrafts.com

A wonderful online store for all your vintage and shabby chic craft supplies.

Here is my take on the theme...

And here is how I created it...

I started with a piece of card and made the music wreath, using the little music stamp from the Clarity joy and birdsong set .

As always first stamp at 12 o clock...

The keep turning the card and repeat stamping...

Then simply fill in the spaces....remember always turn the card...it is much easier...

Next this wonderful Clarity sentiment...the Today Verse...

The background was made by using the Matrix feather stamp , once again repeat stamping ...

Some matting and layering and some red ribbon

I do love black , white and a touch of an accent colour...red is just perfect...

Next it was play time with embellishments, I do love this bit....out with some Sweet Lilac Flowers

And a gorgeous little cuckoo clock from Live and Love crafts...

Here is a close up of the flowers

A few drops of glossy accents just adds the final touch....

Thanks for popping in , and do go over to the Fussy and Fancy Challeng blog...

http://fussyandfancychallenge.blogspot.co.uk

The design team have made some wonderful samples...

That is all from me today...I am off up to the Lake District to make wedding invitations today and then Clarity Cumbria tomorrow...

Have a lovely weekend

Stay safe and keep smiling...

Love and hugs

Jo. xxxx

 

Posted with Blogsy

Catching up...

Good afternoon all, I do hope you are keeping well...

As ever it is a very busy time here, lots of classes and orders ...so today I thought we could have a catch up...

Did you see our Paul on TV last Sunday? He looked such a natural in front of the cameras...and did such a great job...He had some lovely clever corner stamps , plus the log cabin in the forest stamp set..

So I put them together and used them on a little Callander block..

I started by stamping using a VersaFine ink and some masking, just as I would on a card...

Then it was out with the pyrography tool ...

And time to do some wood burning.....keeping a steady hand at all times...

The wire brush is essential to keep the wire point clean.., some more stamping...

And burning..

I do love these calendar blocks....and they are a great idea for a male...

Here are a selection of designs that I have made..

I have also just finished a rather large order of chopping boards..

25 to be exact...and all personalised....

Great gift ideas for Christmas....just got another 19 orders today ....so better get on...

Thanks for spending a few moments with me...

And to my special friend Wendy ...a big hug....I know you need one today...

Love and hugs

Jo. xxx

 

Posted with Blogsy

Hanging out the washing

Good evening all, hope you have had a nice day, and not been too cold...did you have snow last night...? Luckily we didn't...

Today was our first Manchester Craft class using stamps and stencils from Claritystamps

And what a lovely day it was too....great company, and as always lots of laughter and cake....

Here is what we made...

The landscape was created using Adirondack inks, stencil brushes and Clarity stamps.

 

For the washing we used a lovely die from Impression Obsession dies....

Love all the little details...

We even had the obligatory ' odd sock'

Here are some of the ladies lovely work

And

And

What wonderful pieces, I am so proud of you all....

Thanks for your company and looking forward to our next class...

It was a great way to spend the day ' hanging out the washing '

That is it from me for today....

See you soon,

Love and hugs...

Jo. Xxx

 

Posted with Blogsy

Joy.....

Good evening , thanks for joining me this evening....hope your week is going well....

Mine has been filled with making samples for tv on Sunday....don't miss our Paul Church on Hochanda TV...

Also getting organised for workshops....today it was our usual Wednesday classes in Hazel Grove....and we used the Joy Framer set of Clarity stamps...

I did love using these for last months samples....

We started by doing some Distress Ink blending.....and yes....I do love these colours...and you just can't go wrong with some water spritzing....

Then it just had to be a wreath card....as you all know this is one of my all time favourite cards to make....

And this little branch from the set is just perfect

Now. Change the dewdrops for red flowers or berries, change the ribbon from black to red and this would make a lovely Christmas card.....

The music stamp makes a fab wreath too

It always amazes me how many possibilities these little stamps have...

Chrissie , hope you feel better soon....

Take care all

Hugs

Jo. xxx

 

Posted with Blogsy