Gel press and embossing folders.

Good morning everyone, 

I hope you are well this Monday morning. 

Welcome to our new followers, 

It is great to have you join us on this crafty journey. 

Please feel free to comment, ask questions, and join in. 

Today I just wanted to share a little technique with you. 

Gel press, ink and embossing folders to make backgrounds 

This is a great way to create backgrounds, 

But do take care .

It can be quite addictive.

I found myself looking for all my old embossing folders. 

I have made a short YouTube video to show you 

https://youtu.be/jgkTKwdFYgg

I do hope you like it 

Have a great day all.

Lots to do in my craft room today 

Much love and hugs

Jo xxx

If you go down to the woods.

Good afternoon all, 

Wow, I can’t believe it is September already. 

So that means we have a new Lavinia Challenge. 

Our new theme is 

If you go down to the woods 

Here is my inspiration.

I had great fun making this card.

I had no idea how it was going to end up, 

I just began stamping and playing. 

I began by stamping some images, 

I do love this fairy door stamp, 

Next , I blended some distress Oxide Inks around an oval mask. 

Followed by some black ink, and more stamping. 

Little leaves this time. 

Wow, what a difference they make. 

I added some colour by using some ink and water on my mat and painting it on. 

Then I moved on to creating the backing card. 

Some stamping and some splats of ink. 

After mounting the design, I added some extra little fairies, 

Plus another door. 

Look,

I wonder 

Who lives behind a door like this ???

You can enter the challenge here 

https://laviniastamps.com/lavinia-stamps-monthly-creative-challenge/

It would be great if you could join in. 

I always look forwards to seeing all your wonderful designs. 

Have a lovely afternoon all,

and hope September is kind to us all.

Much love and hugs 

Jo xxx

More Christmas cards

Good afternoon all, 

Wow, this week is really flying. 

I have been working on commissions all day, 

So I have decided to take a few minutes away from my pyrography machine 

to have a catch up. 

Yesterday it was our regular workshops in Hazel Grove, 

and we had a bit of a ‘sprout ‘ day. 

We made some Christmas cards using the  fabulous stamp set from Hobby Art. 

I do love these stamps, it is great to have some humour in our crafty stash. 

The sprouts really lend themselves to decoupage. 

They make fabulous baubles. 

Plus there are plenty of accessories for the little sprouts. 

This Christmas hat for example. 

They remind me of an episode of ‘the victor of Dibbly ‘ 

If you watched it, 

You will know the one that I mean.

We did come up with all sort of daft sprout jokes....!!!!

But you know me..

Thanks for popping in, 

Oh and I nearly forgot, 

Welcome to our new blog followers.

I am so pleased to have you join our lovely little group.

Love and hugs 

Jo. xxx

Saturday crafting in Cumbria

Good afternoon all, 

I hope you had a wonderful weekend.

We certainly made use of having the extra day off yesterday 

and we had a family bbq.

I must admit after Hochanda last week and then our  Cumbria workshop on Saturday, I really appreciated 

two days of catching up on some rest.

Considering a couple of our regular ladies were on holiday we still had a full class.

We started with a quick warm up card. 

It was a Christmas card.

Look at these beauties. 

Then we got out our Gel Press Plate and good old Billy Brayer.

Again, just look at the ladies fabulous creations 

We put our Billy clean up card to one side.

                                                                       Then after  tea and cake (Thanks Sheila ) 

we used it to create this. 

Ladies I am so proud of you all.

It is such a pleasure to spend time with you. 

It was a lovely drive home in the sun too, and nice light traffic. 

This morning I have framed my first demo from Thursday too and put it on my craft room wall..

I am so chuffed with it 

Look 

And just before I go, 

I want to share this photo with you..

I just adore my little guys.

Take care all. 

It is our Hazel Grove workshops tomorrow. 

See you there ladies 

Much love and hugs 

Jo xxx

What a day

Good afternoon all 

Wow, what a day it was yesterday, 

Thank you all for such wonderful support.

I really couldn’t have done it without you.

The messages, emails, cards and presents, it was just so humbling. 

I really am lucky to have such lovely people in my life. 

Tracey you had faith in me.

Mandy you encouraged me so much, 

Lisa my good luck Hare is amazing 

Claire and Debbie thanks for such wonderful gifts. 

Jane, Claire, Janet and Susan your cards are up in my craft room. 

Just the fact that so many of you were watching or recording means so much.

Fi, Anne and Tracy, your support always means so much.

Thing is I have so many lovely friends to thank so I think I will 

just say one big 

Thank You 

As I would hate to miss anyone off.

I was so nervous, 

Abs was in the studio too...

So that was both my Boss lady and Boss man..

No pressure then!!!

Stamping live on tv

Using Billy Brayer!!!!

No wonder my knees were shacking.

Demo 1 

And this was the Billy clean up background card.

Demo 2 

Demo 3 

Demo 4

And this was a just in case demo (but the gel press had sold out ) 

I was shattered after the second show, but luckily the traffic was kind to me and I made it home safely at 7-30

Karl and Eric were waiting with a bottle of bubbles for me. 

I have made another YouTube video , 

This one is the demo 3 card.

I will try and load it tonight for those of you who are following my channel.

https://youtu.be/B_Kh3T9J870

My bags are packed and ready for Cumbria tomorrow, 

Another long and busy day,

but I am looking forwards to seeing everyone.

Then having two days off.

Take care and enjoy this Bank Holiday weekend

Much love and hugs 

Jo xxx

Only two more sleeps.

Good morning , 

thanks for popping in again. 

Well I woke up at 3am this morning and I just couldn’t get back to sleep.

My mind was going through all the things on my 

To do list today.

So I thought I would walk Eric, have a brew and then do a blog post .

That way , I have ticked a couple of jobs off already.

I really can’t believe how quickly this week is going..

Not long now. 

On Thursday I will be bringing some of the new stamps to Hochanda. (11am and 3pm ) 

And the rest of the collection will be available from the Lavinia website. 

Here is one of my samples. 

I have throughly enjoyed using all the new stamps, ink pads and even Billy Brayer is coming out to play 

every day at the moment.

These stamps are perfect for creating a little story.

Look Rory needs help reaching an apple from the tree. 

That is like me in the supermarket...

Everything I need , tends to be on the top shelf!!!

On that note , 

I will love you and leave you. 

Take care everyone 

Jo xxx

Believe in yourself

Good afternoon all and thanks for popping in. 

I am so overwhelmed with your lovely comments on my dabble at 

YouTube videos. 

Thank you so much, 

also for the supportive emails. 

You really are the best.

Today I am going to share a recent sample from the 

Aall & Create one day special event. 

I created the background using paint on my gel press plate. 

I had a great time and made so many backgrounds. 

Look 

The hardest bit was choosing which background to use, 

I went for this one, and added some scribbles around the edges to create a frame. 

Then I stamped one of Tracy’s beautiful flowers, 

From here stamp set # 199 Eclectic stems 

I added some colour using pencils, then Fussy cut the flower. 

I assembled it on the card front and added some more splats of blue ink.

Followed by the sentiment plus some moss, which I happened to have in my craft stash.

It is amazing what we collect 

Isn’t it ? 

I have to say my craft space is a right old mess at the moment.

Poor Eric is finding it hard looking for a space to lie down. 

Take care all 

Love and hugs 

Jo xxx