A Reminder....

Good afternoon all,  hope you are well and that your new year is going well.

Just a quick reminder that the wonderful Barbara Gray is on Create and Craft tomorrow 9 to 11am and 2 to 3pm

With some fantastic new stamps and stencils.....

Here is a sneak peek......

These stamps are definitely going to feature in some workshops this year...

Before I go ....welcome to Hayley our 120th follower....glad to have you join us....enjoy your Saturday evening and pop back soon...

Jo. X 

Happy New Year.....

Well, here we are a New Year and a New Challenge....

I do hope that you all had a lovely evening last night...it was just Karl, Tess and me as both Adam and Mikey were working...(we did have a fabulous time though).

Back to business...first of all Thank you to everyone who entered last months Clarity Challenge ...oh there were some fantastic pieces of work....you really are a very clever lot...and Congratulations to the winner....£50 to spend on Clarity products.....yah....

This month the theme is.....New Beginnings.......

Here is my take on the theme......

I started by using the smaller pieces of card that come in the 6x6 Gelli plate card pack...I stamped the quirky cottage stamp using black Archival ink.

I stamped it once again and cut  it out to make a mask,  I also made a sun mask...and placed these onto the card...

I loaded my Brayer with two Adirondack inks....Sail Boat Blue and Pesto,

I then brayered these across my 6x6 Gelli plate..with the blue at the top..

Next, I placed the brick wall stencil onto the Gelli plate, covered it with copier paper and gave it a rub....took the paper away....and then the stencil...

I then took my stamped and masked card, placed it image side down onto the Gelli plate...and gave it a rub....

This is what I got when I took the masks away..

I then coloured the sun using Butterscotch Adirondack ink and a stencil brush.

I added colour to the house using my Distress Markers.

I used the brilliant Letter Box set of stamps and black Archival ink to make the banners...

Bakers twine is great to thread them together ...although I have to say if I didn't have a needle threader this would be impossible for me...

I used my VersaMark pen and Clear Embossing powder to glaze the house...I really like this look....

Some matting and layering and the card was finished.

I couldn't decide which card I liked the best, so I just used both...

These toppers are really quick to make and I was thinking that they would make brilliant new Address cards....

I do hope that you like them....and that you will enter our challenge....

http://claritystampchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/

Also have a look at the work of my fellow DT members...some fabulous samples....

Thanks for starting the year with me and I look forward to many more crafty chats with you...

Hugs...Jo. X 

Last Sunday of 2013

Hi all, and how was your Christmas? I do hope that you had a lovely time, although I'm well aware that not everyone has a happy time and I do think we all need to spare a thought for those less fortunate as ourselves and all those who have been caught by the flood waters.

We had a lovely day in the Rice household made even more special as Adam was at home (he's had to work for the last two Christmas Days).

I was totally spoilt with gifts and I must thank some crafty ladies for a gorgeous scarf, some toiletries, chocolate, craft goodies, bracelet and a plant....see, I told you I'd been spoilt...

I had a really great phone call too from my Niece to say that she had got engaged ....oh, how exciting...(I see Wedding Invitations on the horizon !!!) 

The last few days though I have been nurse Mummy as Mikey has been unwell again, but a visit from my Sister and Brother in law did help....

So this year has nearly come to an end and it has been a busy crafty year....but that's the way I like it...

So here is my finale card for the year. It's one that was featured in the recent Creative Cardmaking  magazine....using Claritystamps and Inka-Gold paints....

I do hope you like it .....I have just finished my next batch of samples and need to get them in the post tomorrow....as Barbara is on TV on Sunday 5th January ....oh there are some 'must have' new stamps...

Have a very Happy New Year all and I shall see you early on New Years Day as there will be a new Challenge over at the Clarity Challenge Blog...

Much love to you all.....Jo. X 

Happy Christmas all

Well...are you ready  for the big man tonight ? I'm almost there, just need to walk Tess then it's a shower, glad rags on and out for a meal....

I just wanted to take this opportunity to Thank all the lovely crafters who have come to my workshops this year...and made them so special. Also to all those Facebook and blog friends that I have met and who are sharing my crafty journey with me...I've had a brilliant year and believe me the plans for next year far out weigh my expectations already....so stay tuned ....even better times ahead...

I wish you all a very Happy Christmas...with lots of love and joy....

Just before I go .....here is a photo of me yesterday when a tree blew down in our garden ....just what I needed an hour in the garden when I had lots to do ......

Stay safe and enjoy....

Much Love....Jo. xxxxx

Christmas Party...

Well today was our party day at the Hazel  Grove workshops...

So instead of crafting....we ate, chatted, ate some more, drank coffee, oh and then chatted and chatted...(I even lost one of my tassels!!!!!!) 

And we had a give away with some brilliant Clarity prizes.......Christmas or what....

As we didn't make any cards, I thought I would share one of the recent magazine cards with you....

This was was inspired by a very talented designer ...Emma Williams....(check out her blog here...  http://stickydots.blogspot.co.uk/ ) her design was for the New Design Clarity Club.....

The magazine article for this card was on how to use Inka Gold Paints....so, as my latest toy is my Melt Pot ...it seemed a good way to use it....plus the wonderful stamp from Clarity......

If you want to see how you make it, you need to pop along to your local craft shop and buy the latest Creative Cardmaking magazine....

Well that is it from me, all that is left for me to say is a Big Thank you to all the ladies and gents who have come and crafted with me over the last twelve months..and special thanks to Alex my sidekick.....

We start back at Hazel Grove on the 8th January.....I'm planning it already....enjoy your evening.....

Hugs...Jo. X 

New day...New Challenge....

Good morning ...I do hope that you had a good weekend...

Today, is a new Challenge over at the Sweet Lilac Blog....firstly I would like to say a big thank you to all the crafters who entered last months Challenge ...wow, there were some stunning cards ...and well done to the winner...

The new theme is.......Lace and / or Buttons......oh and off course there must be some Sweet Lilac flowers or lace involved too.....

Here is my DT inspiration ...I do hope that you like it...

I have used one of my favourite Clarity Stamp sets...the Corset Montage set..

I stamped the images in VersaFine ink....Vintage Sepia and used Paper Piecing for the corset..

This gorgeous lace is from Sweet Lilac and I used a vintage button from my stash ....

I do love the crisp image that Clarity Stamps give....I added a little colour with watercolour pencils...

To complete the design, I twisted six stems of contrasting flowers so that it gave me a lovely compact border...which I then shaped and glued into place.

If you would like to see the other great projects from my fellow team members just go to..... 

http://sweetlilacflowers.blogspot.co.uk/

Or even better, why not enter the Challenge...there is a brilliant prize to be won each month...

Right I am off to make Karl a Birthday card...last minute or what...

His Birthday is tomorrow!!!!!!!!!

Have a good day and see you soon....Jo. X 

It is a Fussy and Fancy Friday....

Hi all, and welcome to another Fussy and Fancy Friday...

It is a new Challenge on the blog ....and the new theme is......

...............Chocolate.......(mmmmm) 

Now this time the Challenge is staying open for four weeks, so plenty of time for you to join in....and we have a sponsor....Fresh Brewed Designs......

and one lucky winner will get a special Candy Prize......3 digi images of their choice and a fun candy prize....

Here is my DT inspiration ...I do hope that you like it...

I used my Gelli plate to create the design ...I used two Adirondack inks on my Brayer side by side ....Latte and Espresso...and rolled them onto the Gelli plate...

I then placed the Clarity snowflake stencil and then on top of that the circle Aperture stencil...I used a piece of scrap paper and pressed them down...

I then took the paper and stencils away...and used a piece of white card to take a print ....

The beauty of using inks is that there is no rush...you have plenty of time to take a print...you can even use another piece of card and get a second print...slightly paler ..but still really cool...

The sentiment is a Clarity Stamp and I used a VersaFine ink...Vintage Sepia...

Some brown ribbon, card Candi, gems, Stickles glitter glue and metal embellishments and the card was complete...

If you haven't had a play with a Gelli plate....you really are missing out ...they are great fun and produce gorgeous prints...

The other DT members have produced some stunning examples...you can find the here at..... http://fussyandfancychallenge.blogspot.co.uk/

I will leave you now ....I have a good shop to look forward too.....just before I go....yesterday, I thought it was a good idea to defrost the chest freezer...well it was all going to plan until I reached in to dry the bottom of the freezer and yes....you've guessed it ...little old me fell in.....it was like a scene from the Mrs Pepperpot books if anyone else remembers them....there I was, legs waving up in the air....oh I do get in some predicaments......Such Fun!!!

Have a good day....and call back soon...

Hugs....Jo. X