First day in France

Bonjour, and welcome to France. We had a long day yesterday but boy oh boy was it worth it....this place is totally breathtaking and inspirational.

The cottages are stunning and even the weather is lovely today....some of us went into the pool....now those of you that know me well...won't be surprised that I wasn't one of them...

Just look at the view.

We have been crafting too, and I have had a play with the new Spectrum Noir pencils and made another page for my little craft tag book. The pencils are lovely to blend and give great results....and even better you can get them on the Clarity web site...

That is all from me for now, off for a walk around the lake before our meal. Have a good evening and see you soon.

Hugs...

Jo. X

 

 

Saturday with Butterflies.

Good morning all, and welcome to the weekend, Bank Holiday weekend....I do hope you have something nice planned.

I am off to C.J. CardCrafts in Edgeley today where we will be decorating M.D.F. butterflies. I do love this technique and the MDF products from Rob are always fantastic quality.....do have a look at his web site.

http://www.mdfblanks.com

We will also be using some lovely Stamps from Clarity.

Which reminds me Barbara will be on our screens on Sunday....9-11am.

Here is a Sneak Peek

TV.......Sky 671, FreeView 36, FreeSat 813 and Virgin 743

As I am off to France ( oh I am so excited) on Monday I may not blog for a while....I will do my best to stay in touch...so please behave whilst I am away!!!!

Take care all, and see you soon,

Much love Jo. X

 

 

Fussy and Fancy Blog Hop.

Good morning all, and Happy Friday.

As you may have read on the

Fussy and Fancy Challenge Blog

our Spring Colours Challenge

is being hosted by our lovely

Katharina

and sponsored by the

FUSSY AND FANCY GIRLS!

That would include me!

If you are arriving here from the talented Nathalie's blog

then you are hopping in the correct order.

If not, please go back to the

Fussy and Fancy Blog Challenge

to hop in the correct order.

Here is the card that I created for this fun Spring Challenge.

I started with two pieces of Centura Pearl card, using the reverse side...

 

Next I added some Distress Inks, Spiced Marmalade, Dried Marigold, Broken China, Squeezed Lemonade and Mustard Seed.

 

 

Some spritzing with water,

 

Then on the topper I stamped the BeachBabes Clarity stamp using Archival ink.

This is what I got.

 

 

Some matting and layering...

 

Next I added some of my favourite flowers.

 

Stamped the Clarity bucket and spade...

 

Added some colour with Distress Markers.

Then it was time to add the finishing touches, some dewdrops and metal embellishments.

And highlights with a white gel pen,

Here is a closer look, I do hope that you like it.

I really enjoyed making this card and I do hope that it gives you some inspiration to enter the challenge.

As a special bonus for my followers old and new

I am offering the following candy!

A hampers full of Sweet Lilac Paper Flowers.

 

To qualify, you must be a follower and leave

a comment.

The winner will be chosen at random.

Thank you for visiting!,

And as always I really appreciate your comments and friendship,

Jo. X

Now if you can please continue hopping over

to our very talented, Yvonnes blog you will

continue to keep hopping in order.

I have listed the correct blog hop order below

for your hopping convenience.

Katharina

Judy

Laila

Annie

Vannessa

Norma

Celine

Ivonne

Nathalie

Jo Rice ( that's me)

Yvonne

Mary Lou

Millazin

Diana

Beth

Sam

Sheryl

***********

 

 

It's All About The Words.

Good morning and here we are the first of May ....so we have a new Challenge over at the Clarity blog...

(Where oh where is this year going ????)

Thank you to everyone who entered last month, wow there were some fantastic designs...what a hard job the D,T, had to choose a top 5. Congratulations also to the winner who gets a £50 voucher to spend at Claritystamps....

The new theme is......It's All About The Words.....

Here is my Project, I hope you like it....

It is a tag book all about inks and their uses.....we have made some in my workshops and the crafters find them very useful.

It started off as a £1 purchase....remember Denise....our quick shopping trip at the end of the S.E.C.C.

I then began to add colour with Clarity Stencils, the brushes and Adirondack ink..

Next some Distressing with Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink....

And some splats with Distress Stains...

Oh and some crackle with the fabby Clarity Crackle stamp.

As you can see I decorated the front and the back.

Some Inka Gold paint around the edges...

And then for the all important words...stamped in Potting Soil Archival Ink. The words are from the Clarity word chains...oh how I love these...

A few embellishments and the covers were finished...now for the pages...

The idea of these little tag books is to write details and information of a type of ink on the reverse of the page and then stamp on the front using the particular ink in question. .....it forms a good guide and visual reference.

Page one....now this page is all about VersaMark ink and it's uses...

Page two, this is the Distress Ink page.....can you tell?

Page three, is Dye Based Inks, Adirondack and Memento inks...

Page four, Oil Based Inks....and so on and so forth, ...you can even add notes as to where to buy the ink pads etc....

Also the colours that you have ready for your list of purchases at the next show.....isn't that right Jane and Linda????

I really enjoyed making this, here is a close up from the front cover....

And did you spot the Tassel???? Thanks for the pressie Maria...

You can enter the Challenge here....

http://claritystampchallenge.blogspot.co.uk

Also check out the brilliant projects made by my fellow team members.

I must get on....thanks for looking in today...and as always I really appreciate your comments and your friendship.

Hugs, Jo. X

 

Workshop Wednesday...

Good evening all, and how has you day been? We had great workshops in Hazel Grove today and played with Clarity Stencils, Stamps, Stencil brushes , the Gelli Plate and yes even Billy Brayer came out to play.

We used Adirondack inks on the Gelli plate, here is a close up...

This Poppy card was created by first inking the Gelli plate with Stonewashed ink, dabbing with scrunched paper and taking a background print. Then placing the poppy stencil onto the Gelli Plate and dabbing ink through the stencil with sponges. When the stencil is removed this is what is left.

Then you just take another print.

How cool is that ? ....and even better, take another print to make an insert....

Oh I do love to play....

Again,

And again. ( thanks to Barbara Gray for the inspiration for this one.)

Right I need to get on now....it is a new Challenge tomorrow on the Clarity blog....so jobs to get done from my list....

Thanks for coming today ladies and Angela thanks for the yummy biscuits.

I need to write and schedule my blog post for 8am tomorrow.....

So see you then, enjoy your evening...

Much love and hugs...

Jo. X

 

Shrink that bike...

Good evening, I am still trying to get through my list of jobs for today...Karl is due home at 10-30 so I just have time to post this before he gets in....oh it has been a busy old day....and tomorrow looks like it will be the same again...

I am going to share one of my last show samples with you....

I used one of the small pieces of card that comes in the Gelli card pack....this is such a great card pack ....

I stamped the sentiment all around the edge and added some colour with my stencil brush and Raspberry Adirondack ink.

Next I made my backing card by repeatedly stamping the flower stamp using Memento ink.

I then added some colour using my Graph'It markers.

Next it was the fun bit, stamping the bike onto shrink plastic...I used Stazon ink. Added some colour and carefully cut it out.

Added some heat ...

Oh I do love this technique...I then glued it into place in the middle of the topper....

Have you tried Shrink Plastic? Have you any tips? I have....I cross my fingers....!!!

Talc can help , on the plastic before you stamp...

Right better get on..oh I forgot to say...Clarity Cumbria was brilliant on Saturday and thanks to the ladies that came...

Night all.....see you soon.

Love and hugs.

Jo.