Quickstep

Good afternoon all , thanks for all your lovely messages , emails and text that you have sent,..you really are such lovely friends.

Adam is still in a lot of pain, but has been given stronger painkillers, and signed off work ...he has to wait a couple of weeks for the swelling to go down before he starts physio. We are just very grateful that it wasn't any worse...

I have got a hire car so at least I can still get up to Kendal for the workshop on Thursday.

Today I wanted to share a card with you that I made for Barbara's last tv show...it uses the shoe stamp and one of the backing papers from the New England Fall, paper pack...Another fabulous collection of papers...brilliantly designed by our Dee.

It also uses a great little technique,,,bubbles...

I started with a piece of stencil card...and some artistry ink pads

I blended the three colours

Then instead of spritzing with water .....

I made some bubbles with washing up liquid

And dipped my card into the bubbles ( not into the water though )

Now the next bit is a bit of a trial and error...or guess work...you need to leave the bubbles to give them time to faux bleach ...but not too long to soak into the card..

Then out with the heat gun....and the bubbles disappear...

But look what is left

The bubbly patten

Then some stamping using black Archival ink ,some matting and layering

And some paper piecing , then finally a little colour with Spectrum Noir pencils

How fab is that background...?

My new favourite technique ....

I made some more backgrounds today

I just love finding new ways of playing with ink...don't you...

It's that time gain....another dog walk...oh yes and more muddy fields..

Enjoy your evening all.

Much love and hugs

Jo. xxx

 

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Gratitude

Good afternoon, I am sat here with a cup of coffee and thought I would take five minutes out to have a chat...

It was Clarity Cumbria yesterday and I have to say a big thank you to the wonderful ladies and gentleman for their company....you see I neatly didn't get to the class and only had a couple of hours sleep the night before .

Adam had a car accident and ended up in hospital, plus my car has been written off. A driver approaching the crossroads didn't see give way signs and crashed into the drivers side of my car , sending it straight into a lamppost , so that crunched the passengers side, then it spun and ended up on a pavement...thank goodness that my car had side airbags, when I spoke to the paramedic on the phone he said that they had saved Adam. My clever little car also phoned the emergency service....I am also very grateful to the other driver who didn't drive off as often is the case, he ran over to try and get Adam out of the car and waited with him...The police and paramedics were so good and bless Danielle who got to him and stayed with him...

Adam is home but has hurt his neck and stomach, you know I remember when I was little and we didn't even wear seat belts...oh my....so glad that we all do now...

So yesterday I had to drive Karls car up to Cumbria, now those of you who know me well, know that I'm not keen on driving....

I don't normally drive Karls car, so it was all strange...and yes, the weather was horrible...I set off at 6-45am , it was cold, dark and very wet....

I didn't know how to change the radio and obviously I was concentrating on driving so I had to listen to ' talk sport ' all the way to Lindale.... oh you have to laugh....don't you...

And yes...I know now....fingers crossed I will get the courtesy car in a couple of days.

I am just so grateful that Adam is ok, it could have been so much worse, and you know when you get a phone call saying that your son has been involved in a RTA , your heart really does stop for a second..

Puts things into perspective .....

So I had lots of coffee and cake yesterday...and a rather large glass of Prosecco when I got home ...

Our workshop was based around the Northern Lights paper pack....

First of all we did some die cutting , stamping and paper piecing

Look at these beauties....then we did some distressing and stamping

Followed by some stencil fun

 

We used one of the corner punches to make a decorative border

 

 

Recognise Jo's bubbles stencil in the background...still one of my favourites

 

I have another busy week ahead, so I had better get on, coffee break over...

Thanks for sharing some time with me....because time spent with friends is very important...

Much love and hugs

Jo. xxxx

 

 

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Northern Lights.

Good afternoon all and thanks for popping in. Wow this week is whizzing....it seems to be going really quickly...

You know how you get favourite, stamps, techniques, colours etc....well at the moment I seem to have a favourite paper pad...and it is Northern lights...I just seem to be reaching for it all the time...

I had a lovely little play this afternoon and this is what I came up with.

It all started with a piece of the paper...

Then I took a piece of stencil card and a die cut....this is a lovely one called Distressed Benson corner.

Next I used another matching piece of paper ( I am so glad that there are four of each design ) and die cut some flowers, Sun Kissed Fleur die from Heartfelf Creations, plus stamped the butterflies and cut them out.

( speaking of favourite stamps, I reach for this butterfly lots too)

I added some wee foliage to one corner

And then added some Artistry ink around the edge...

Next , some ink splatters....oh love these

And this is how they look together, then I added some hessian , the flowers , the butterflies, and a Clarity word...the word chains are such useful stamps...

A few gems and a little stickles glitter and yes, job done...

These paper are just so useful and versatile...

I really enjoyed just having a play...just because I could....

 

I had a lovely day yesterday with the Hazel Grove ladies, and we chatted about various gilding waxes, the ones that are water based and those that are solvent based...

 

Here we used the Pebeo Gilding wax on black card....the die is from Marianne dies, and the Fuchsia stamps fits on it perfectly...

We also talked about using stencils and embossing folders.

This is a great way to make quick effective backgrounds...

Notice the butterfly stamp again....

Oh it has gone so cold outside... I think I may need extra layers before I go and walk the dogs...

And I fear it may be very cold in the Lake District on Saturday for our Clarity Cumbria...wrap up warm ladies....we may need extra cake,,,,,

Take care all...

Much love and hugs

Jo. xxxx

 

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So special.

Good afternoon everyone, how has your week started? It has been a very grey day here in Cheshire,,,in fact I don't think it has got light at all....we had thick fog this morning when we took the dogs out...so much so ...we nearly lost Eric....

Oh this cough, bug thing is a real keeper...but I did manage to keep my voice enough to get through both workshops on Saturday...

Sunday I was a little quiet....

It was great to be back at CJ Cards, and catch up with Glynis and the ladies. Always good to meet new ladies too...

It was a very sad day for many of us yesterday when we read the news that the lovely Jayne Nestorenko had passed away on Saturday evening.

I am sure many of you reading this will have your own memories, from meeting her, seeing her demos, watching her on C&C , and using her stamps...

In the early days she got me into Medallion stamps, and fine glitter....oh the stamps were big wood mounted beauties..

Then the cute companion stamps and cd's.

Oh I loved these...and spent many a happy hour cutting out and making the gorgeous characters and scenes..

You know in this industry there are some lovely people, and some not so nice sort...( they really do stab you in the back at the first opportunity) but then there are rare people like Jayne...who really was the most, loving, kind, gentle, generous lady that you could wish to meet...and she was fun to be with and had a smile that could light up a room...and oh my she was so talented...

I adore using her images...

And I am so proud to be able to still use them and keep her dreams alive

You know , I am sure she has got a table sorted out and heaven is a craftier place...

My thoughts are with her husband , daughter, family and friends....

Take care everyone...

Much love and hugs

Jo. Xxx

 

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It's raining cats and dogs,

Good afternoon all, and thanks for joining me...Still coughing here I'm afraid , but on the plus side my voice is starting to return...oh my this is a stubborn little bug....and those of you who have had it , will know exactly what I mean...

I have been busy today getting ready for tomorrow's workshops at CJ CardCrafts in Edgeley, Stockport, Cheshire...we are having a morning of inky, messy play and then an afternoon of Grooviness...

It will be interesting at lunch time when I try and get my hands clean for the afternoon...

So today it is just a short post from me, I thought I would share a samples that I made using the new baby Groovi plates....oh yes ...just up my street ...even one for Labradors....

I even remembered to take photos..

I started with the heart outline

Then added some bubbles...( aka,,,raindrops )

Next came the dogs and cats

Followed by the frame

And some accessories

Then a little pattern in the border.

I attached the lettering using staples....I do love to use these...you know me...just like to do things a bit differently...and parchment isn't the easiest material to attach to card...

A little bit of colour, some backing paper and job done....

Oh bless...Tess and Eric...

Now we really don't want rain drops that size....

Anyway, I had better love you and leave you...

Enjoy your Friday evening and have a lovely weekend...

Much love and hugs.

Jo. xxx

 

 

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Still suffering.

Good evening all and thanks for popping in, please join with me and welcome our new follower Christine...

It is always great when we get new followers. I really do get so excited...

I am afraid I am not a happy bunny today which is not like me at all. My throats has get even worse and now I have a cough, pains in my chest and the left hand side of my face....great....and just to make matters even worse Karl is in Poland...so no sympathy from him .....

At least Tess and Eric are here to look after me. Well actually they are both fast asleep , I took them down the fields earlier and they had a really good run, a muddy run at that.

Speaking of Tess, she took a liking to my parchment piece that I made at Susan's workshop on Saturday...

And I found here on Sunday morning with it in her bed and she was licking it...oh Parchment really don't like water!!!!

This was it before...( just for you Chrissie )

You really don't want to see it after...no amount of book will straighten it...

So I had a go at making another one , but me being me, put my own twist on it...

This is what I came up with

So I have made it into a finished piece....before Tess gets it....

I do love the Agapanthus plate designed by Jayne Nestorenko, and I had to use more of the fab new papers...

This one is from the New England Fall Pack , thanks Dee....more fabulous designs..

Now don't look too close , I know it's not brilliant...but we all have to start somewhere...I will keep practicing....and practicing....I do love the idea of making up designs though...it has really got my craft juices flowing...

Maria is on Hochanda tomorrow with some new plates....just up my street ....when you see them you will know why...

Unfortunately I only got to make a couple of samples....wish I had more time,,,but I will certainly be using them again...

Here are some sneaky little peeks...

Right I am off for a shower and a date with a night nurse .....don't worry not a hunk in uniform but a bottle of medication.....oh I must be unwell.....lol...

Take care all,

Much love and hugs

Jo. Xxx

 

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