Happy and Healthy New Year

Good afternoon everyone, 

Hope today finds you well. 

We have had lots of snow over the past few days 

Our village looks so beautiful 

Like a Christmas card 

We have even managed to go or sledging with the boys (in our bubble ) 

Even Eric had a little play 

And look, 

This photo is so cute 

They were having a cuddle to keep warm. 

I must thank all the lovely crafters who send me Christmas cards, I will be taking photos and putting them on here next week. 

I just want to wish you all , 

A very Happy and Healthy New Year. 

I know this year hasn’t been easy, 

but together we have got through it. 

Thanks for your friendship, support and love this year, 

Take care 

Enjoy this evening 

and see you tomorrow.

Much love and hugs 

Jo xxxx

Happy Christmas

Good morning everyone, 

and welcome to another new follower. 

Please pull up a chair and make yourself at home. 

It is Christmas Eve and I just wanted to pop in and wish you 

the very best, 

I hope you have a lovely day tomorrow, 

It won’t be the usual Christmas Day, 

but let’s hope we can all make the most of it. 

I am going to tidy my craft desk this morning and then close the door for a few days 

I am really looking forwards to having coffee, catching up with Christmas movies and spending some time with Karl.

Oh and finding  out what my craft gift is this year....

I must thank everyone who send me a Christmas card, 

and I will take photos of them all and post them on here between Christmas and New Year.

I have recorded a little you tube for today 

https://youtu.be/LIwrWz_7uCg

Keep safe everyone. 

Much love and hugs 

God bless 

Jo xxx

Just for fun

Good afternoon all, 

Hope you are feeling well 

How are your preparations going ? 

It is slow going here, but the beauty of it just being Karl and myself for Christmas Day, we don’t need much. 

We will just eat what we have, 

No panic buying here. 

To be honest we are both looking forwards to having a couple of days off work, 

Karl has worked all through lockdown , and many off his days involve leaving before 6am 

We just need some time together, and to recharge our batteries. 

I must try and find some time to tidy my craft room too,

Maybe Boxing Day when the footie is on. 

Today I have a couple of makes to share with you. 

These are using a lovely little die cut, for the first one I used watercolour card and painted it 

This one is simply cut out in black card. 

An inky background and some water splats. 

The sentiment is from HobbyArt .

I had such a lovely time creating these, 

and just making them because I wanted too.

I hope you have a lovely evening, 

We have just put our bin out, bin day tomorrow. 

Oh we know how to live !!!

Take care 

Much love and hugs 

Jo xxx

Creating little gifts

Good morning all, 

I hope you had a lovely weekend and that today is going well.

I know we have had bad news about lockdowns etc, but let’s just all stay safe , 

keep well, and hug each other at a distance. 

A big group hug 

Let us stay positive, it will soon be spring, 

We can do this...xxxx

Today I thought I would share some pyrography with you. 

As you all know I do love doing this, I just haven’t felt well enough to do any for the last 6 months. 

So it was so lovely to be able to do some the other week. 

These were a bit of a challenge as Tracy has drawn so much background detail 

But I was so happy with them in the end. 

These little mice always make me smile. 

It was so lovely to have a day off on Saturday, and just catch up with some housework..

I know,

Housework...lol

I did so much washing, but now I have so much ironing,,.not so good. 

Please take care everyone. 

Have a lovely Monday 

Much love and hugs 

Jo xxx

SprinkleIt

Good afternoon everyone, 

Hope you are keeping well. 

Another very wet day here. 

We have another new follower,

Please welcome Tracey to our happy little family.

You know how excited I get when we have another new follower. 

 I hope your week has gone well, 

I managed to get my magazine commissions finished and posted so that is good. 

All my cards are posted , have you finished yours?

I still have a few gifts to get, 

and then all done. 

So today I have made a little YouTube video on the 

Brusho SorinkleIt Powders

I have had a few ladies messaging me asking about the powders. 

Once you start playing with them, there are so many things that you can do. 

The video is here 

https://youtu.be/sfCz2Bw7TYA

And if you paint with them the water that you use becomes  a Sparkelicious pot of water too 

A win, win, 

I got another lovely surprise yesterday 

Look 

I really am such a lucky bunny 

And a very grateful one too.

Oh and a special Christmas card from Gibraltar...

Thanks Sylvia, it is stunning 

Tonight I am planning on walking Eric early, 

having a shower and getting my pj’s on. 

Then watching tv all evening.

I hope you have a lovely evening, 

whatever you are doing,

Please take care 

Look after yourself 

Much love and hugs 

Jo xxxx

Christmas workshop

Good morning everyone, 

I hope you had a lovely weekend and that your week has started well. 

We had our Christmas online workshop on Saturday. 

I had my Christmas jumper on, and my Christmas cracker ready to pull.

We had such a wonderful time and created such a lovely project. 

Something that can be a gift or just a keep sake. 

This is the front 

And this is the inside 

With this as the back cover 

Plus some lovely little gifts to go inside the pocket 

I was just about to finish the class when there was a knock on my door, 

Sally arrived with the most amazing flowers, a potted bay tree, a bottle of Prosecco, 

An amazing cheque and a bag full of Christmas cards. 

She read out a poem and honestly there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. 

Thanks to all the wonderful crafters who joined in , 

Honestly, you made my day...my week, actually my year .

It took me all weekend to recover.

Honestly, I feel so blessed. 

Back into the craft room today and another magazine commission to get under way.

Take care all

Much love and hugs 

Jo xxxx

Beautiful candles

Good afternoon everyone, 

I hope your Friday is going well. 

It is another grey day here in Cheshire, 

I just feel at the minute that the days never really get light. 

So what we all need are some lovely candles, 

I really love stamping on tissue and decorating these 

I have made a little YouTube video of you fancy giving this a go 

https://youtu.be/v7KIXhDUKLA

They make lovely presents too. 

Speaking of presents, 

I have been spoilt this week (thanks Fi ) 

Look at these beautiful flowers 

Then today , this arrived 

I have definitely bagged the box, when it is empty. 

The boys have written their letter to Father Christmas 

Elliot could only just reach to post it , bless him 

We have our online Christmas workshop tomorrow, 

So I am really looking forwards to that .

Time for a brew now. 

Take care all 

Much love and hugs 

Jo xxxx

Beautiful artwork

Good afternoon all, 

Wow it has been very wet here today. 

I believe we are in for at least a week of wet weather. 

I had such a wonderful surprise at the weekend , 

When our neighbours knocked on our door and gave us this fabulous creation. 

Such beautiful artwork from a 3yr old. 

Do you think I can sign her up for classes after Covid. 

Then the postman delivered these 

Thanks ladies they are beautiful. 

Honestly I feel so blessed. 

I have been trying to catch up with making some Christmas cards today 

Plus I had a special gift to make, 

Also I have a Fb live for the workshop crew at 7pm.

So better get on 

Take care everyone 

Keep dry and warm 

Love and hugs 

Jo xxx

Freezing Friday

Good morning all, 

Hope you are keeping well and warm. 

Have you got snow ? 

Bet you have Mum 

It is certainly very cold here.

Today I have a lovely little design to share with you. 

I have used 2 of the new Lavinia stencils, 

Flora and white orbs.

Obviously I love any stencils with circles in it, 

And here is a close up 

I have made a little you tube video too.

https://youtu.be/DeQTMLe5MC8

So if you fancy crafting along with me,,,let’s do it. 

I have a Thank you workshop tomorrow. 

Just a little free workshop for those crafters who have supported me over the past 6 months with my paid for classes. 

I just feel I need to give them something back. As without them , 

I wouldn’t still be running my classes and groups. 

I hope you have a lovely weekend...

More Christmas cards need to be made here, 

Take care all 

Love and hugs 

Jo xxx

In - depth make.

Good afternoon all, 

I hope you are well. 

It seems so cold, wet and dark outside today...

I don’t think it has got light yet 

Good job there are lots of Christmas lights around to cheer us all up. 

Today I just wanted to share a recent magazine commission with you. 

I was so honoured to be asked to feature in this edition. 

Especially as it was to create an in- depth make, 

I do love creating these. 

Lots of play, and such 

great products to use 

This is the 2 page spread 

I hope you enjoy reading it and maybe creating a tag of your own. 

You know how much I love tags, 

We had a Fb live last night creating xmas tags.

It was such fun. 

Take care all 

Much love and hugs 

Jo xxx

Snowfalls

Good morning everyone, 

Welcome to December

and welcome to icy pavements this morning , 

So please do take care if you need to go out. 

As it is the first of December it is a new Challenge over at the Lavinia Challenge site. 

Our theme is 

Snowfalls 

Here is some inspiration for you, 

And not the usual snowy scene, 

I thought I would just do something a bit different. 

We do have snowflakes, and snow, 

Oh and some Hope.

I think we all need some of that at the moment 

I have made a little YouTube video incase you fancy joining me and creating this 

https://youtu.be/grMuLLYXDn8

Have fun everyone. 

Take care 

Much love and hugs...

Jo xxxx

Winged bugs

Good evening all, 

I hope your Monday has gone well and that you had a lovely weekend. 

Our workshop on Saturday went really well and the 

crafters made the most fabulous  projects. 

I am so proud of them all. 

It was so lovely to have a new lady join our workshop family too.

Today I am sharing a recent Aall & Create sample with you.

This uses a image from stamp set #388 

Winged bugs by Tracy Evans

I stamped the image in black VersaFine Clair ink and added clear embossing powder. 

I love to do this when adding colour using luscious powders and water .

These give such a wonderful shine. 

I do think this beetle needs a shine, don’t you ? 

I decoupaged the wings and added some washi tape detail. 

Plus a few little rusty embellishments. 

I had great fun creating this. 

I have just spent an hour creating a Garland to go over our front door, 

I have collected pine cones, painted them white, added some berries and Christmas bells. 

Just the light to go and then karl can put it up.

Fingers crossed my wire glue holds it all in place. 

Well, I have promised Elliot and Jenson that we will put our tree and lights up tomorrow 

Wish me luck 

Enjoy your evening all 

and thanks for popping in 

Much love and hugs 

Jo xxx

That Friday feeling

Good afternoon everyone, 

I do hope that your Friday has gone well.

We had a power cut here this morning 

So it was a late coffee for me. 

This week I have made 2 more YouTube videos .

Both these have been answering questions for some of our crafty friends 

The first was for Doreen 

And can be found here 

https://youtu.be/R37MYktdA8A

The second is for Celia, 

And is some background play 

It can be found here 

https://youtu.be/IiEWJYIsgbY

I really hope these help you ladies. 

Tomorrow it is our tag workshop 

I am really looking forwards spending a creative morning with friends...

Virtually off course 

I’m off now for a shower and to get my pj’s on...

I am feeling so much better but I still get very tired...

So Friday evening will be snuggling in front of the tv 

Take care all 

Love and hugs 

Jo xxxx

Thank you ladies

Good afternoon all 

Hope your Wednesday has gone well, 

I have a piece of gammon in the oven and it smells yummy. 

Today I have more thank you’s 

This time to Lisa and Sharon.

Thanks so much for the fabulous flowers 

Honestly I feel so lucky and so loved. 

You fabulous friends really have kept me going. 

On the crafty front I have a 

Snowy wreath to share with you .

To be honest, 

I feel there is too much snow,..

More like a blizzard...

But I did enjoy making it, 

So I thought that I would share it. 

I hope you have a lovely evening .

Catch up soon 

Much love and hugs 

Jo xxxx

The sun has got his hat on....

Good afternoon all, 

I do hope you had a lovely weekend. 

I had such a wonderful surprise yesterday when I had such a lovely gift left at my door. 

Lesley thank you so much, so kind of you. 

It really made my day. 

Today I have one of my Aall & Create samples to share with you. 

I hope you managed to watched the shows this weekend. 

When I saw these stamps, I just knew what I wanted to create. 

I can hear you all singing 

The sun has hit his hat on 

Hip, hip, hip hooray 

You know the strange way that my mind works. 

I started by creating some background using a stencil, 

And then added some stamping 

I do love these background stamps, they are so versatile. 

Next I added some more stencilling, 

This time a sort of cloud effect. 

I stamped the figures, added some colour and then cut them out. 

As usual the finishing touches were added using a black fine liner pen and a white Posca pen, 

Such a fun card to make. 

The hat is fabulous, as the lady can wear it, the dog can catch it...

Oh, so many possibilities.

Thanks for popping in, 

As always pleases take care all 

I hope you have a good week ahead 

Much love and hugs 

Jo xxxxx