Water, water, and more water.

Good evening all, 

I do hope you have had a good day and not been stuck in these flood waters. 

My journey to Hazel Grove this morning was not too bad, but oh 

the journey home. 

Well, it all started as I was locking the gate to the church car park, I heard a crunch...

the sort of sound like metal on metal. 

Oh yes, a lady had reversed into my car.

She had even been parked on double yellow lines, 

So we exchanged details, and yes I was kind and didn’t get cross with her. 

So this made me a bit late.

Then the A555 that I normally use is closed with flooding. 

So I had to drive through Bramhall, 

Well I did try but at the roundabout it was under water with a coach stuck in the middle 

Of the road. 

Luckily I remembered a short cut, so off I went. 

Only to then find out that the Allderley bypass was closed too. 

So another route had to be found. 

All this on a day when I needed to be home as it was the first time Eric had been 

left all day after the death of Tess. 

It took me over 2 hours to get home, and I have to say the small country roads 

had lots of flood water too.

So I do hope that all the Crafters from today’s workshops got home ok.

Hugs to all.

It is very scary driving through such large amounts of water.

I will certainly sleep tonight. 

The workshops themselves were lovely 

and it was so good to see everyone. 

We had a play with Acrylic shapes, yes , my new obsession.

We used a variety of stamps  from Aall & Create. 

The first card used stamped tissue behind the shape. 

The second card was a nice quick and easy , clean and simple design, 

An alternative that would suite many occasions. 

Thank you for your company today ladies, 

Take care all.

Stay safe. 

Much love and hugs 

Jo xxx

Friends.

Good afternoon all 

 I do hope that your weekend is going well. 

I have had the great pleasure of spending some time with some of my 

Aall & Create team members, plus our fabulous boss man. 

(Thanks Tracy and Ian for the lift ) 

What a laugh we have had. 

We did get creative too. 

Thanks Olga for your brilliant tuition 

My piece isn’t quite finished but here she is. 

I love her. 

Today I just going to share a quick photo tutorial with you as we have Elliot and Jenson coming for the afternoon. 

It is my homage to the designs of Tracy Evans. 

Using her stamp  set #143 Time Flies 

Here is a closer look. 

I started off with a background created with shaving foam and reinker. 

I stamped the A4 stamp twice and coloured thebutterfly using distress oxide inks and water. 

Next some extra background stamping, and the decoupaged butterfly. 

This card really came together very quickly. 

Recently when We were on holiday, Karl found a fabulous antique shop and it had a box of old nails in the window. 

So I just had to buy some. 

This design was the perfect opportunity to use one. 

I added some white splats with my Posca pen and then the  sentiment. 

Then finally some dew drops and Glossy Accents. 

I do hope you like it. 

Now time really does fly, 

So I had better go and get ready for our little visitors. 

Take care all, 

Much love and hugs 

Jo xxx

Dragon pods

Good afternoon all, 

hope you are having a lovely Tuesday.

I am just back from the post office, samples safely on their way. 

Today I am going to share a Lavinia make with you. 

I have just finished it and made it just for fun. 

You see I bought some plastic coloured hoops from Aldi a while ago and 

I just needed an excuse to use them. 

They were so reasonable, I just wasn’t sure where or when I was going to play with them. 

My original idea was to Gesso them, but then I changed my mind. 

The background is one of my workshop demos, using colour box inks, 

Gelli plate, and then Brusho powders. 

Followed with some  stamping , a moon mask and some distress ink blending. 

Next I stamped onto some white tissue paper, and added some colour. 

It was fun getting the tissue into the ring,,,I am definitely not an embroidery expert! 

I attached the ring into place with 3d glue gel, and added some splats of Posca pen. 

Finally a few little butterflies finish off the design. 

As part of the dt it is my job to bring lots of different designs and techniques to you, 

Some you may love, some you may dislike, 

and some may even bore you...

Now I wonder where this fits in, 

Take care all, 

Adam and Danielle have taken Elliot and Jenson to visit my parents today, 

so that is lovely, 

Hope they can keep cool in the car whilst travelling. 

Enjoy your afternoon whatever you get up too. 

Much love and hugs 

Jo xxx

Mirror, mirror, on the wall.

Good evening all 

Thanks for popping in, wow it has been warm in my craft room today. 

I have been busy  making samples for Hochanda all day and only just finished. 

So I have had a quick shower and now I can relax and have a catch up.

I just wanted to show you what we got up to in Cumbria on Saturday. 

We had a play with Mirror Mist from Pentart. 

It is fabulous stuff and makes Acrylic tags into mirrors..

Like magic. 

There are so many possibilities with this product.

This one has tissue paper behind..

The thing is these projects are so very hard to photograph 

I mean, look at the reflection on that.

You see see my picture of highland cattle that is on my hall wall. 

This tag has Acrylic paint through a stencil then Mirror mist. 

Look what the ladies made 

A messy but fabulous day 

We also made little key rings , using Alcohol inks on the Acrylic shapes. 

My attempt at making petunias...

This one has been stamped on and then had a backing paper glued to the back. 

Sometimes it is so good to do something just a bit different. 

 

There are so many uses for these shapes, and I am sure 

I will be blogging about them again. 

Take care all

Much love and hugs 

Jo xxx

Bugs

Good morning all, 

and happy Friday to you.

I am up early, walked Eric, changed the bed, washer on and even done some cleaning. 

Must be Spring....but not outside .

It was a very wet dog walk this morning. 

Today I am going to share one of my recent Aall & Create makes with you. 

Here I used some of the smaller ‘bonus ‘ stamps that come with the main portrait images. 

Stamps #217 and #218 

It started out with one of those backgrounds from my ‘spare ‘ pile, 

This one was made using shaving foam and distress re-inkers. 

I started by stamping my frame. 

I then added some colour using my Inktense pencils and water. 

Next I took an ATC coin, one made from  grey board. 

I do love using these on cards, another obsession of mine. 

I added some distress Oxide ink and water splats. 

Then I stamped these gorgeous scissors twice, added colour cut out and 

decoupaged them. 

Look at the dimension. 

This makes a fabulous centre pieces, to which I added the sentiment.

I am 99%

Angel

But oh....

That 1%

So me,,,,wouldn’t you agree Mum...!!!!!!

Some matting and layering and splats of white Posca pen.

I hope you have a lovely weekend.

It is our Cumbria workshop tomorrow and then hopefully a day off on Sunday. 

Something different tomorrow, 

Hope the Crafters  like it...

Take care 

Much love and hugs 

Jo xxx

Jenny wren

Good afternoon all, 

thanks for popping in. 

Yesterday at our Hazel Grove workshops we had a play with a really versatile 

little stamp set from Hobby Art..

http://www.hobbyartstamps.com/Jenny-Wren.html

This was our first card, 

We had great fun creating the background and everyones creations looked  so different.

Depending on the colours of ink that they had used. 

I must admit that I had forgotten about this fab technique until Tracy Evans reminded me...

So good to get inspiration from fellow Crafters and friends. 

Now the little wren If coloured slightly differently could make a beautiful Robin. 

Just for those of you who are  ahead and making a start on your Christmas cards.

By the way...I am not one of those ...not yet...

Our second card used the floral element from the  stamp set 

Once again it was so good to see how different colours can change the whole look of the card. 

When left white this could easily be used for a sympathy card. 

It was so good to see everyone and the time just flew. 

I have been in my craft room all day, but I must get some 

ironing done now,,,

I have put it off for long enough.

Wish me luck...

Take care all 

Much love and hugs 

Jo xxx

Midway reminder.

Good afternoon all, 

Hope your day is going well. 

I have just walked to the doctors for some blood test results, 

and all clear, thank goodness. 

Even my blood pressure and liver are ok. 

Plus the best result, even after putting a stone on I am still ok with my height/ weight ratio.

So I celebrated with coffee and cake in the garden.

Today I am going to share some Lavinia Challenge inspiration with you, 

The theme is 

Midnight blue with an Orange Hue. 

I started by looking for a midnight blue inkpad and the only one I could find was my Archival Cobalt blue. 

So , I just used that one., 

and on my Gelli plate too. 

Poor Billy, he is a little blue now...lol.

The ink beads on the Gelli plate and gives a great background effect. 

Next came the sun and some landscape, as I needed to introduce some orange to my design, 

I stamped the tree plus the lovely horse and foal in black VersaFine Claire ink. 

Then used the edges of the dandelion stamps. 

Some blending around the edges to frame my design 

Then finally 

Some SorinkleIt and water to create some blossom .

A really quick and easy card to achieve. 

I must get on now, as it is our Hazel Grove classes tomorrow and I have card to cut and bags to pack. 

Take care all 

Much love and hugs 

Jo xxx

Time Flies.

Good afternoon all, 

I do hope your Sunday is going well. 

We arrived back home on Thursday , thank 

goodness that the roads were kind to us. 

So Friday we had a catching up day, work, washing, shopping, 

you know the sort of thing. 

Whilst we were travelling the lovely Jo Channon 

wax demonstrating some wonderful projects on Hochanda using products from 

AALL & Create. 

Here is one of my samples from the show. 

And here is a closer look 

I do hope that you like it. 

This started off as a demo piece from a workshop

I used ink and Brusho on the gel press plate.

It was in my pile of stash.

A very useful pile.

So I stamped part of the A4 stamp Time Flies by my friend Tracy Evans. Such a talented, generous lady.

Next I added some ink to give more colour. 

Followed by more stamping, just to add a little bit more detail. 

I stamped the lady bug, plus the wings , added some colour and then Fussy cut them. 

The wings are on the Curiosities stamp set a new release from Tracy.

A little more colour , this time with my Inktense pencils and water. 

Some splats of white gesso, the sentiment, the ladybug and finally some liquid glass 

and my design was complete. 

I did find it hard going into my craft room without Tess, 

But Eric has stepped up and is sat here with me now. 

So hopefully next week it should be a little easier. 

I have a very special card to make today .

You see Elliot will be two tomorrow. 

I just can’t believe it.

Time really does Fly. 

Take care all

Much love and hugs 

Jo xxx