It is all about Rue

Good morning everyone, 

How are you today ? Ok I hope. 

We have another new follower, 

You know how excited I get when I see another lovely member joining our family here. 

So pull up a chair , grab a brew and help yourself to a cheeky biscuit. 

I have just got back after taking Jenson to nursery and Elliot to school. 

I feel so much better but I must admit that I do get tired quicker and need a sit down after the school run. 

Mind you, I am just so pleased to be feeling better 

Today I though I would share another Lavinia sample with you. 

I loved creating this elegant and classy design. 

I started with some stamping 

And then I added some ink, 

Blending 2 colours around the edge. I find this builds up the depth. 

I wanted more detail in the background so I added some stamping with some Mica minerals, 

I then painted in some colour. 

I do find this such a relaxing thing to do. 

To create more highlights and depth I added some gel pen plus some more mica minerals. This time I painted with the minerals. 

Here is a closer look 

This would make a beautiful Christmas card. 

Speaking of Christmas cards , I have another little catch up video to share with you. 

You can find it here 

https://youtu.be/K35KyfH6C5g

I hope you enjoy it. 

Another one for my box. 

I am off now for that warm coffee

Take care everyone

And thanks for all your support, 

It has made such a difference recently

I wouldn’t be here without you all.

Much love and hugs 

Jo xxx

I’m not Crazy

Good morning all, 

I do hope today finds you well. 

It is a wet start here in Cheshire, so it is nice to be back home 

after walking Eric and having  a lovely warm brew. 

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

With having Covid I wasn’t able to make as many samples as normal but I really wanted 

to use these fabulous new Janet Klein stamps. 

I had such fun creating this sample. 

I started by creating a background using inks and a stencil. 

Next I stamped my images and added some colour.

I love the vibrant effect that I get using these watercolour paints. 

I always use scraps of card for this, after all there is no point using a new sheet of card…

We are thrifty crafters after all.

Next I added some washi tape to add as grounding for my flamingos.

I also stamped the sentiment on a wooden craft stick, 

This sentiment really makes me smile. 

I think I was in one of those ‘funny ‘ moods because I just had the idea to put the witches leg on 

one of the flamingos. (I blame the Covid !!!! ) 

I added some white posca splats to finish off the whole design 

Oh and a wobbly eye too. I told you I was in a funny mood. 

Here is a closer look. 

Hope it made you smile too. 

Have a lovely day .

Much love and hugs 

Jo xxx

Fip and the Fairy Lanterns

Good afternoon everyone, 

I hope you are having a lovely day. 

All good here, improving everyday…

Today I have a little catch up video to share with you. 

Just some simple blending, and then some stamping. 

Here is a closer look 

If you fancy grabbing a brew and a cheeky biscuit you can join me here 

https://youtu.be/Doz9ds3PTAM

Take care all 

Much love and hugs 

Jo xxx

Monday catch up

Good afternoon everyone, 

I hope you had a lovely weekend.

I am feeling much better each day, 

Thank you for all the beautiful cards, messages and emails. 

You are such a wonderful bunch of friends. 

Today I have a sample to share with you that I have made for the Lavinia shows that will be on this Friday, 

Our Mandy will be on The Craft Store at 10am and 2pm. 

As usual I started  by stamping my main characters. 

Oh what characters these are too 

Next I added some colour , I adore this ink pad - Bermuda 

I used the landscape masks 

Followed by the circle mask 

Followed by some ink splats, well, you just have too.

I added some more stamping around the edge to give extra detail.

Then I blended some ink around the edges to help frame the design. 

Then it was onto those finishing touches, some highlights and some shadows. 

You know what a difference these make . 

Here is a closer look. 

I added the sentiment to finish off the whole piece. 

I wonder what they are saying to each other ? 

Thanks so much for joining me, 

Much love and hugs 

Jo xxxx

Happy Birthday with Fip

Good morning everyone, 

How are things today? 

I am slightly better which is great, as it is day 11 today I can start to walk Eric again. 

I took him for a short walk this morning and oh I was exhausted and had such pains in my chest. 

It was good to actually walk out of the garden though. 

It is amazing what we all take for granted.

So if any of you are struggling too.

Here is a 

Special Hug 

Just For You.

Xxxx

Today I have another prerecorded video to share with you 

Happy Birthday with Fip 

You can find the video here 

https://youtu.be/Ce3oFWesMEg

I do hope you enjoy it.

Time for a coffee here, although I still can’t taste it 

Have a lovely day 

Much love and hugs 

Jo xxxx

Meet Pan

Good morning everyone, 

I do hope you are keeping well

I am still struggling unfortunately, but at lease I am not feeling worse. 

So I will settle for that. 

If any of you are struggling too

I am sending you a big hug.

It really has made me realise just how lonely you can feel when confined to home

Luckily I recorded a couple of videos before I was unwell.

So I have a catch up video to share with you. 

Meet Pan, 

Here is such a cheeky chapy 

You can find the video here 

https://youtu.be/sTa33w-sbPg

Take care everyone 

Much love and hugs from me 

Xxxxxx

Woodland Whispers

Good morning everyone, 

Wow, 

Welcome to November.

I do hope you had a lovely weekend and that you enjoyed the Hallowganza.

I tried to tune in as much as I could and support my teamies, but I found 

it very difficult.

You see after having Covid a year ago and then the long Covid which took so much of my confidence, I very rarely 

go anywhere. 

I have said no to so many activities, and spend most of my time at home .

It has been hard watching whilst friends go abroad and travel around .

Have meals out and socialising.

My weekly highlight is a trip to the supermarket and the post office. Both of which I wear my mask.

So when I got the opportunity to join in with the Open Day it was a chance for me to feel part of life again 

I could not believe it when I started coughing again on the Sunday , and then got a positive lateral flow test.

Both Karl and myself had positive PCR tests so we have been self isolating since, 

We can’t even walk Eric. 

So we have been putting him on the lead, leaving him in the garden. 

Then Adam comes round , sanitizer in hand and walks him for us. 

We couldn’t join in with the local Halloween festivities, and so last night was another hard time. 

I just try and think that I would be feeling even worse if I haven’t had both my jabs, 

Mind you the red, itchy eyes, and a face full of cold sores are just the icing on the cake. 

Luckily for me I have projects already planned , videos recorded etc for this week 

So I shall keep you all busy 

I know some of you are suffering too, 

So I am going to send you a big hug, and let you know 

That you are not on your own. 

Our new Challenge theme is 

Woodland Whispers

I couldn’t resist using our 2 new lovely fairies, Fip and Pan. 

I think they are whispering to each other…

I wonder what they are saying 

I started with stamping my main images , and then adding the trees. 

Next I added some scenery, and grounded my fairies. 

I added some colour using my watercolour paints, plus some 

Flicks of colour. 

Followed by some highlights using my Zig , Clean Color water based pens. 

I then added some shadows using my chalk pastel pencils, 

It is these details that really do finish off the design and pull it all together. 

 

To add more balance to the whole design , I stamped some extra foliage at the base of my card.

. 

If you would like to join in with the challenge , you can find all the information on the Lavinia website 

The winner is chosen at random and wins £40 to spend at Lavinia. 

As I have been writing this,,,and today it has  taken  me over an hour…

I have had the most beautiful flowers left at my front door. 

Thanks so much Barbara, 

You have made my day 

Much love and hugs 

Jo xxxx