Recipe

Good morning everyone , thank you for popping in today.

I am very pleased to tell you that I am hosting the new Challenge over at the Fussy and Fancy Friday Challenge blog...and I have chosen a recipe for my theme,,,

Here goes..

Recipe

Create a design and have some fun,

Use this recipe and your work will be done,

Just use black and white to make a start,

But then add some red , a flowers and a little love heart......X

 

We are sponsored this time by Sweet Lilac Flowers...do check out their website...

Here is what I created...hope you like it...

I started by using a piece of Stencil card and masking off a strip.

One thing that I have learnt is to add extra protection, as it is so easy to get ink where you don't want it.

I brushed some Slate, Adirondach ink into the area,

Followed by some hickory smoke , to give depth.

Next some water spritzing , just to add some interest.

On to the stamps, these are the new poppy and meadow grasses stamps from Clarity...they haven't left my desk since I got them ..I just love them...

I used black Archival ink and then added some white paint spots.

It is amazing how lovely just black and white can look.

Then onto the border , I am having so much fun at the moment , creating lots of new borders.

A lovely white wooden heart, and some Sweet Lilac flowers.

Oh and a touch of red , remember the recipe.

A word stamp from the word chains, some matting and layering and the design was completed.

I do hope you join in with the fun and see what you come up with....also do hop over to the blog and see the wonderful creations from the rest of the DT....ladies you really have gone the extra mile for this one...thanks... http://fussyandfancychallenge.blogspot.co.uk

Perfect for this Valentine's Day....

I hope you have a lovely weekend, it is my nieces hen weekend....I can't tell you what we are planning ,,,as it is a surprise for Rachel...but all I can say is that after going out tonight, all day tomorrow and tomorrow night,,,we may all need a good rest on Sunday.

Wish me luck!!!!

Love and hugs

Jo. xxx

 

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Signature wreath.

Good afternoon all and welcome to our new follower. Thanks for popping in, do make yourself at home.

I have had a really busy day getting everything ready for workshops tomorrow , we are having a masterclass on ReInkers, and I am really looking forward to it.

I have been contacted by a couple of crafters asking how I made the wreath card that was on HOCHANDA on Sunday...so here is a blog tutorial ....

Those of you who are regulars know that I love to make wreath cards and they are one of my signature creations....and as soon as I saw the new poppy and meadow grass stamps I just had to make one.

I always start with stamping the first component at the 12 o clock position of the card....I chose this ink pad for the colour , it is Cottage Ivy a lovely green .

A tip that I learnt from Barbara is to always turn the card, and yes it makes the stamping so much easier

So carry on turning and stamping until all four images are done

Next I chose another stamp and a different coloured ink. I stamped the image in the gaps, always turning the card.

It is lovely how quickly it builds up.

At this point I thought it needed some depth so I used the wheat head stamp and a brown ink pad

As I just wanted the head of the stamp I found the easiest way was to use the corner of the ink pad

I then added some colour using my Spectrum Noir pencils

Oh I do like the way that is looking

On separate card I stamped out the poppies , coloured them in and cut them out

I also had an idea and did the same with some other elements.

Can you guess what these are for???

Some matting and layering and then I glued the poppies into place...

I needed something in the middle , and this word just seemed to fit the bill.....

Next for the other elements....

Did you get it right??? I wanted to see if I could make some butterflies , but only using these two stamp sets.

Some glossy accents just added the finishing touch to the centre of the flowers

And there we have it,

I do hope that I have inspired you to have a go, you see I get so excited when I see other crafters using this technique...after all that is what we do....and those of you who come to my classes know how much I love these designs and there are so many Clarity stamps that lend themselves to wreath cards.......so no excuses....just have a play...

Oh and before I go , I just want to say Congratulations to Donna , one of our regular followers who had a beautiful card shown on Sunday....Well Done Mrs...I loved it...

Right , I must get on....see if we can actually get to the field and back without getting wet....it will be so good to have a dry dog walk....

Take care all,

Much love

Jo. xxx

 

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Sunday catch up

Good afternoon all, do hope you are having a lovely weekend. Today has been a catching up on washing and ironing sort of day for me...plus a couple of dog walks...it is so muddy down on the fields , but Tess and Eric love it like that ...( thank goodness that we can hose them down in the garden )

Yesterday it was workshop day at CJ.Cardcrafts in Edgeley, Stockport, Cheshire, and we had a play with the Bokeh technique. We had a couple of new ladies joining us , it is always great to meet new crafters...

We did some blending with Distress inks...as you know I do love to use these. I also couldn't resist using these fabulous new stamps from Clarity....I just haven't been able to put them down since I got them,,,

Did you manage to catch Barbara with them on HOCHANDA at 2pm today..?.she is back at 5pm and 8pm too...

They also look wonderful on wood ....

I just couldn't resist...I have literally been stamping them all over.....

The sentiment and dragonfly stamps are also from Clarity and available on the website.

Our second design used a faux Bokeh background...and a die cut poppy...

This is such a quick and effective background to create...

After lunch we had a Groovi taster session...wow so many crafters came ...we even had to ask a couple of ladies to go and have a coffee and come back later...when we had more room...

Thanks ladies, for being accommodating you are so good...

And yes....many starter kits were bought...and so we are planning Groovi workshops...yah...more play time...no wonder I love my job....

Would you believe we had a power cut too...and we carried on In the Groove...just goes to show you really can do it just about anywhere and under any circumstances...although I did suggest that a head torch might help....and yes I do have one at home,,,from my cub leader days...honest....

Right I must dash....boss lady back on the box soon...

Thanks for joining me today...enjoy the rest of your day and see you soon...

Much love and hugs...

Jo. xxx

 

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Groovi Friday

Good morning lovely friends and followers, hope you are well this morning.

Today I have scheduled a post as I am going out for a day with some of my best friends,,,we will be having a crafty day full of laughter and yes we may spend a penny or two...

I have got all my bags packed ready for the workshops on Saturday, I always look forward to going to CJ Cardcrafts in Edgeley, Stockport, Cheshire.

Now today I am sharing something with you that is a bit out of my comfort zone...

You see I love the white work of parchment and I always admire the wonderful work of the very talented Emma Burns....do check out her blog........http://emmburns.blogspot.co.uk.

.And that is what I have been doing .

But time to move over to the dark side and try something a bit different,,,,

I used my Distress markers and added colour on the reverse...here is a closer look.

I do love the way that the boards are all interchangeable and you can mix and match your designs.

This border is one of my favourites..

All the Groovi products can be found on the Clarity website...here

And remember that Barbara is on HOCHANDA tv this Sunday and Monday...do check out the shows...and see what my boss lady is getting up too...

Must go ...yet another dog walk in the rain...

Take care all and have a lovely weekend

Love and hugs

Jo. Xxx

 

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Mum's Box...

Good afternoon all and thanks for joining me for a tea break today. I do hope that your day is going well.

I am just having a quick break from tackling my list of orders.

I thought we would look at some Pyrography today...as you know one of my passions,.

This is a lovely little box for Mum's treasures...you know all those little things that we keep.

I started by stamping the letters from the Letterbox set of Clarity stamps...as always I used the VersaFine , Vintage Sepia ink.

Next came the rest of the stamping...and here I used the Haberdashery set and the Art Nouveau corner stamp...

I stamped all the way around the box

Then it was time to start burning ...and you can see which elements have been burnt into the wooden box.

Oh yes a cup of tea in my favourite mug helps at this stage.

Once I have finished , then it is decision time...

To leave it and varnish or to add some colour.

This time , I went for some colour . Once again I used some translucent Fresco paint with a little water.

You really need the Pyrography to show through ..

I do love this little ribbon border stamp..

All the stamps and paint can be found on the clarity website...

I do love to use my stamps in this way ...and when I decorate a box as a gift it is so easy to make a matching card...and let's face it , I have so many fabulous stamps to choose from...

Must get on as I still have the dogs to walk and then later this evening I have to go and pick Karl up from the airport...he has been working in Poland...oh I have missed him...

Take care all and thanks for looking in

See you again soon

Love and hugs

Jo. xxx

 

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Forever.

Good afternoon all and thanks for popping in today, hope your day is going well. I must admit it was another cold , wet and windy dog walk earlier. Oh ...roll on Spring.....the poor daffodils need some sun....

I had a walk to the post office today to get my latest samples in the post as Barbara is on HOCHANDA tv this Sunday...oh you really are going to love these stamps....

I was very sad to read today that Joanna Sheen has lost both her parents , and within a few days of each other...such sad news..her family have been in my thoughts all day..

So today I thought I would share a card with you that is all about, friendship, and love lasting forever.

I started by stamping the word kisses...using black Archival ink.

Then I looked for some Wee Folk that might represent that falling in love age.....boy meets girl .

The first thing to develop is friendship

And then onto romance

And finally the Wee couple on the bench..that's the forever moment.

Just a dash of colour , not too much as the images and words say it all. Plus a lovely little border.

 

Just needs some of those magic white dots...( those finishing touches)

There...all done...

Sometimes you just don't need a lot to say just what you mean...

I must get on, lots of jobs still to do today...thanks for sharing a few moments with me...

Call back soon

Much love and hugs

Jo.Xxx

 

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