Thoughts for a Thursday

Hi everyone, 

thanks so much for popping in today. 

I have had a busy morning, with Grandma duties, 

shopping , walking Eric and then some gardening in the rain. 

You see near our house is a beautiful patch of grass at the side of the road. It has the most beautiful daffodils , but then there 

is a planter that looks neglected..

It has looked like this for the past few years since we moved in. 

So yesterday I bought a few plants and today I gave it some love and attention. 

Just some simple weeding, a little cutting back and a few new plants..

I am hoping nobody will mind…

I think it looks so much better…and I am going to try and weed it and look after it .

Even if I just have a spare 30minutes…

I think I can make a difference…

I do love to just give something back…

Don’t you. ?

On the crafty front , 

I have a design to share with you. 

Quite a Clean And Simple design. 

This started off as a background when I made last weeks YouTube video on 

Double stencilling. 

I do like a phd

Project Half Done.

I just need to remember to complete them.

Are you the same? 

Anyway, 

Some simple stamping, a sentiment sticker and some posca splats..

Job done 

Here is a closer look.

I hope you enjoy the rest of your day..

I have a chicken and ham pie to make for the boys tea…

So I had better get on…

Lots of love and hugs 

Jo xxx

Technique Tuesday with some Light and Shade

Hi everyone, 

thanks so much for popping in again.

I must admit that it is a very wet and cold day here in Holmes Chapel.

Not at all spring like.

Thanks so much for your 

lovely comments on yesterdays video and special thanks to the lovely ladies who messaged me,,,

Honestly that means so much…

Today I have my Technique Tuesday video to share with you. 

Now this one, has been specially made to try and answer some questions that I have been asked recently. 

It is all about creating Light and Shade for the beginner….

You can find the video here 

https://youtu.be/sWzXhXZ3QTE

and I really hope it will be useful. 

Take care my lovely friends.

Love and hugs 

Jo xxx

Mindful Monday, strolling through the Meadow In May

Hi again crafty friends. 

Thanks so much for popping back. 

It is time for our Monday catch up

Our Mindful Monday video 

Today we are going to be strolling through 

The Meadow in May. 

You can find the video here 

https://youtu.be/91hEFRTMmj8

I do hope you enjoy it 

Here is a closer look 

Have a lovely evening 

Love and hugs 

Jo xxx

Wonderful Weekend

Good morning all, 

I do hope you are keeping well 

and that you had a wonderful weekend. 

I had another 

Sharing The Love Of Lavinia Workshop on Saturday.

These are fabulous classes held at the magical Lavinia shop in Ruthin. 

This was our room before we began, 

soon everyone had arrived, we had a brew and cheeky biscuit and we 

started playing with the gel press. 

We created a number of backgrounds using various products. 

After lunch we looked at how we could then use our prints and create finished designs

Honestly I am so proud of all the ladies 

Such amazing creations.

Our lovely Emma Jo popped in for a hug too.

So what a real added bonus. 

Thanks to all of you for spending the day with me, 

and thanks to Rachael too for being on hand and being such a star in the shop.

As always I did have things on my list that I needed.

I got some new goodies ready for online classes this Summer

So watch this space.

Saturday was Mikeys Birthday he was 32, 

So I whizzed home and we had a family celebration 

So good to have all the family here together 

Oh and yes I did remember to alter the clocks 

Hope you did too 

I will be back later with our 

Mindful Monday catch up video

Have a lovely day 

and see you later 

Love and hugs 

Jo xxx 

 

Tick Tock Friday

Hi everyone, 

I hope your day is going well. 

Another busy one here with Grandma duties, shopping and catching up 

with my craft list. 

I just don’t know where the time goes at the moment. 

I have a date for all our lovely Lavinia fans in Scotland.

I will be teaching a Lavinia workshop on 

Sunday 25th June in Melrose , 

If you fancy joining in just send me an email, 

Jrcrafts28@gmail.com

I’m so excited, and places are booking up quickly..

( Eric will be visiting too ) 

Today I have a lovely project to share with you, using some of the new stamps plus the stamping foam. 

This makes a great cog background, 

Just heat the foam and press it into your cog stamps 

Add some distress oxide ink, 

A spritz of water , 

and look,,

Fabulous background 

I added some stamping and created some embellishments 

Some matting and layering, a sentiment and some splats. 

All my favourite things 

I stamped the angel wings onto vellum and added some clear embossing powder,,,

These really look fab, 

I wish you could see them in the flesh 

A metal ring and some glossy accents, just to finish off the whole design.

Here is a closer look. 

A great Masculine card…and it would fit so many different occasions. 

I had better get on. 

I need to pack my bags as I am off to Ruthin again in the morning, 

Another Sharing The Love Of Lavinia Class…

I do love my workshops…

Take care all 

Much love and hugs 

Jo xxxx

Wednesday catch up

Hi everyone, 

Thanks for popping in again. 

So sorry that my last 2 posts have been short ones but poor Jenson and Danielle have had 

tonsillitis again, so extra grandma duties for me 

So today, I have just made myself a brew, 

treated myself to a yummy M&S gluten free cake, 

and I am going to have a catch up with you. 

I do hope you are keeping well, 

If not, please have a big hug from us all. 

On Saturday it was the first of this years 

Sharing The Love Of Lavinia Classes 

I am teaching these at Lavinia HQ in Ruthin 

It is such a wonderful day, spending quality crafty time with friends, not to mention being able to wander around the shop.

Would you believe everything I go, 

There is always something that I Need 

Beth is so helpful in the shop, what a wonderful young lady she is. 

I love creating little tags for my guests. 

Workshop 2 is all about making friends with the gel press 

We spend the morning creating lots of different backgrounds. 

Then after lunch we look at ways of making these into finished designs. 

I do love these finishing touches. 

These classes are small numbers so that everyone can work at their own pace, 

Ask questions, and have individual attention. 

Karl came with me on Saturday and after the class we went to an air b&b in Ruthin. 

It was an apartment in a beautiful building , right in the centre of Ruthin. 

We had a table booked at Small Plates

A wonderful place for a meal. 

You do need to book though…that is how good it is. 

Adam was on Eric duty , so we didn’t have to worry about him. 

We had a lovely walk around the square in Ruthin, Karls ankle is improving everyday but he still can’t walk too far. 

We were soon back at our apartment, 

Prosecco in the fridge..

Such a wonderful evening 

After breakfast we drove  home and we were  back in time for coffee.

I used my new mug

How wonderful is this 

Thanks so much Janet and Susan 

As it was Mothering  Sunday , we had friends and family round…

Look at a couple of my gifs from the children..

We have a theme 

They know me so well. 

I have another Class in Ruthin this Saturday..

I will certainly get to know my way, won’t I ?

I am so looking forward to another wonderful, creative day 

So I think that is me caught up with you for today 

Much love and hugs 

Jo xxx

Technique Tuesday with some Double Stencilling.

Hi everyone, 

Thanks so much for popping in again. 

It is a short catch up from me today I’m afraid as I have had extra grandma duties today and last night. 

You see Adam is away in Aberdeen with work and both Danielle and Jenson have tonsillitis.

So I am off soon to collect Elliot from school, talk about getting the steps in. 

I will try and have a proper catch up with you tomorrow.

As for today I have my Technique Tuesday video to share with you..

It is all about 

Double Stencilling. 

This is something that I have been using for a long time now..

It is such a fun way of creating backgrounds. 

You can find the video here 

https://youtu.be/PQNIG9ePDoc

I hope you enjoy it, 

Have fun. 

Much love and hugs 

Jo xxx

Mindful Monday, springing in to April

Hi everyone, 

I hope you had a lovely weekend. 

It has been mad busy here today , so I am just popping in now with our

Mindful Monday video 

Today we are going to add a Spring design to the month  of 

April on our Calendar 

You can find the video here 

https://youtu.be/uIacWbGLnEE

I hope you enjoy it. 

This design would make a beautiful Easter card too…

Take care everyone 

Much love and hugs 

Jo xxx

Bursting With Brusho Colour

Hi everyone, 

I do hope you are keeping well.

I went to visits my Mum yesterday, but bless her someone had kindly broken her kitchen window at about 4am,,,

Obviously it had really upset her. 

Luckily Karl and me where there to help support her,  but in all honestly if I could get hold of the person who had done it,,,well 

All I will say is that I wouldn’t offer anything nice!!!!

It is always hard leaving her on her own but yesterday it was even harder…

Needles to say I didn’t sleep well last night…

I have messaged her today and she did manage to get some sleep.

I find some comfort in the fact that she has a dog and my brother is only 10mins away.

The policeman, Callum was so lovely with her…

and really reassured us all.

I know you will all join in sending her a big group hug

You are such wonderful people on here.

Today I have a bold tag to share with you.

It is my mid month Challenge reminder for you 

The Lavinia Challenge for March is 

Bursting With Colour 

The winner is chosen at random and wins £40 Lavinia voucher 

I must admit I really enjoy teaching Brusho powders.

I have come up with my own way of teaching them, dare I say 

A clean and easy way 

I have used a lavinia watercolour tag,,.the large one 

Stamping first, plus some clear embossing powder 

Some additional stamping 

Next the brusho powders.

I can see exactly where I need each colour 

Next I spritzed some water, using my air puffer to move the colour 

I left it to dry naturally 

Any excuse for a brew and cheeky biscuit 

Look at the movement in the brushos 

Some yellow posca splats…

Some craft yarn and a couple of dew drops 

And I just love this 

Hope you do too

Enjoy the rest of your day…

It is quite windy and grey here today, but I think I 

might just go in my garden for an hour.

It always clears my head and makes me smile,

I am on the hunt to see if all my fritillaries are coming through.

Much love and hugs to all 

Jo xxxx 

Technique Tuesday with some Masking

Hi everyone, 

Thanks so much for popping in again. 

It is always so lovely to spend time with you. 

I am sat here trying to persuade Eric that it isn’t time for his  walk. 

You see it is white outside with hailstones,,,,

I’m hoping it will pass over…

Fingers crossed

Today I have a little video to share with you , using the 

Lavinia Masking sheets 

You can find it here..

https://youtu.be/2kUN9YBd-t0

I must admit that I really loved playing with this design. 

Here is a closer look 

Take care 

Much love and hugs 

Jo xxx

 

Monday catch up

Hi everyone, 

thanks so much for popping in today. 

I do hope you had a lovely weekend. 

It was so wonderful to have a day off yesterday…I caught up on so many jobs.

I may have even sneaked in an extra coffee 

Today I was up early, I had walked Eric , been to the post office, done the food shop and had a haircut all by 11am..

Oh yes, 

another busy week here…

As it is Monday 

I have another Mindful Monday video to share with you. 

Today we are going to create another page in our Lavinia Calendar 

Hats off to March…

You can find the video here 

https://youtu.be/NoPHW3Pvx5w

I really hope you enjoy it.

Take care 

Much love and hugs 

Jo xxx

Friday Catch-up

Good morning everyone, 

I do hope you are feeling well today. 

It was a snowy and cold start here today in Holmes Chapel. 

I am now sat here with a lovely hot coffee, and warming up after walking Eric and then the nursery and school run…

Must admit though, it is great to have 8,529 steps under my belt 

Result.

I have been busy this week getting sorted for my next set of 

Sharing The Love Of Lavinia Classes.

Billy Brayer and Mr Gel Press will be my companions for these classes.

I had fun yesterday creating backgrounds with some of our new stencils..

and I loved this one so much I just had to keep playing with it. 

I stamped out the large heart, some roses and added some colour

The small stencil brushes are perfect for this. 

Next I worked out where I wanted the heart and then added some shading 

and some background stamping 

Next , my favourite part. 

The playing and assembling bit.

Some craft yarn, 

and then some stickles and posca pen for the finishing touches 

Here is a closer look 

I just had so much fun creating this.

I have an online class in my workshop group tomorrow.

So see you ladies soon.

No dressing up this weekend. 

Have a lovely weekend all.

Much love and hugs 

Jo xxx