Beautiful You returns!

Another one from my holidays. This one really shows you how bright, how you can get a good depth of colour, then fade it out. The sentiments in the set are also rather lovely. Bit of repetitive stamping here. Finished with a little daubing! 

The pencils really do give you a water coloured look. Plus sometimes when you stamp the image in momento you can get a controlled smudgy look.

Watercolour Pencils

I wasn't sure about this stamp set when it was first in the catalogue but it comes into its own with the pencils. I made one in blue which I sent to a friend before I managed to photo it. It was stunning.

I have used the 'Melon Mambo' pencil for the petals and the range of colour you can get from one crayon is brilliant. Tomorrow I will show you how I started with the pencils before I even started to colour a stamped image. It will give you an idea of how to get started. 

Did you know  there were certain colours you could mix, sometimes the order that you lay down the pencil makes a difference too.

The paper layer, lantern die cut, fancy corners and ribbon are all retired or no SU products.  I just wanted a pretty card.

Shopping

Stamps:-

Birthday Blooms    140658

Other:-

Watercolour pencils, 141709

Please use this hostess code if you order online. I will send you a small gift in March as a thank you.

Krafting Happiness

The regular readers of my blog will know that last June with a friend I set up a craft studio. It is based in an old mill and our studio is in the old weaving shed. We have classes/workshops almost every Saturday, a regular Tuesday afternoon, the second Wednesday afternoon, recently we have added the first Monday morning for '2cards and a cuppa'. We have in the past run class in the evenings and these will be starting again next month.
Our workshops range form stamping, basic, new techniques and Stampin'Up product classes to sewing, knitting and crochet to mixed media. We occasionally bring guest artisans in to run a workshop.
Today the lovely Clare Rowlands was running a workshop, she is a whizz with copic marker pens. We had four customers, 2 returning friends and 2 new ladies. We had a lovely day. Being full of cold my project remains unfinished, but I will complete over the next week. But I wanted to share with you the review one of the new ladies left. It made my heart sing.

"What a wonderfully relaxing crafting sanctuary. Went today for a class, it was easy to find, had lots of parking spaces, was beautifully decorated and Karen and Elaine were so welcoming. I loved the Clare Rowlands workshop, the owl notebook is gorgeous and it was the most crafting fun I have had for ages. I will definitely be back again soon. Thanks ladies. "

Pictures of the Den and the last one is crafternoon tea. Mmmmmm.

Sometime later in the week I will show you my project from today. If you want details of up coming classes visit our website here

Stitched Framelits again

Here are a couple of cards, again featuring the stitched framlits and the watercolour pencils this time using the 'Beautiful You' stamp set

Whilst away on holiday at the beginning of the year I took a variety of paper/card pieces that I stamped with staz-on and momento to see how they would react with the watercolour pencils. Some absorbed a lot of water, some not so much. Getting a very bright pencil colour when painted also varied card to card.

I love both of these cards. I don't think I need to say anything else. They speak for themselves.

Shopping

Stamps:-

Beautiful you           143637

Other:-

Stitched Framelits   145372

Watercolour Pencils 141709

Ink/Card/Paper:-

Floral Boutique       141663

Pearls                      119247

Please use this hostess code when you order online. There will be a small gift from me in March as a thank you.

Stitched Framelits

Bit late posting today but I have been busy in the Den. Plus I have my other half poorly at home, that does tend to affect my concentration.
The stitched framelits have been very popular with Stampin'Up demonstrators, so popular that we couldn't order them for a while whilst new stock was bought in. Ours arrived a few weeks ago and I must say they do enhance a project. For the next couple of days I have stitched framelits meets watercolour pencils.

First up I have used the 'Love you Lots' hostess stamp set. You could use the blender pen and ink pad to colour these but I think the pencils and an aqua painter do the job better. Oval stitched frame looks great in mint macaron. All topped onto the 'Woodland' embossed, 'Smokey Slate' layer.

I just know you went 'Ahhh...' when you saw this.

Shopping

Stamps: Love you lots - this is only available if you are hostess for a qualifying party or have an order over  £150.

Guy Greetings                         137178

Other:-

Stitched framelits                    145372

Woodland embossing folder   139673

Ink and card:-
Smokey Slate A4                    131291
Basic Grey A4                        121689
Mint Macaron A4                   138344

The numbers will take you directly to that item in my online shop. If you do order online please remember to use this hostess code. Then I will send you a small gift in March as a thank you.

Basket Case

I am so looking forward to summer days. I really have had enough of this gloomy grey weather. With yesterdays cards being spring like today I have  picnic style basket for you.

Or you could call it a cupcake holder.

Think we might have a whole load of these using different papers and colour combinations. Inspiration for this came from a make by Clare Rowlands. This lovely lady is in the Den next Saturday leading a class making a beautiful decorated jounal. Book online at Our Creative Den

One sheet wonder

Haven't done one of these for ages. Tomorrow -  Tuesday - 1.30pm in the afternoon is our regular class, so this week we are going back to the basics of stamping and creating a one sheet wonder. I have used this years 'In colours' and stamp sets 'Touches of Texture' and 'Special Reasons'.

As there is so much stamping to create the one sheet I have kept the sentiments and embellishments simple. We may add some die cut flowers if time.

This one has a 'Peekaboo Peach base, the sentiment is from 'Badges and Banners'. then punched out. 

The second card has a 'Flirty Flamingo base, this sentiment is also from the 'Badges and Banners' set, and is also punched out. 

The third card is on a 'cucumber crush' base. The sentiment is from the 'Big on Birthdays' set.

For the final card I have cut the stamped piece into three panels. These are matted onto Peekaboo Peach then the panels onto Sweet Sugarplum.

Aren't they bright and cheerful. These are needed at this gloomy time of the year. Hope you like them. This class would be great as a taster session, come and join us tomorrow afternoon at half past one.

High Tide

Its been a while since my last blog as I have had a trip to Manchester to watch Manchester United play football at the theatre of dreams - Old Trafford. It was wonderful, my eldest son joined us with his partner and a good time was had by all as they won 3:0

So a day in the Den creating today. Finalised the makes for the High Tide workshop on March 11th. A beautiful box which I posted here on Feb 12th and to add to that a z fold card with another scene on. The choice will be yours in the workshop, stormy sea or sunrise.

I really enjoyed doing this you can't beat a bit of daubing in my book. The stamp set has so much potential and I still haven't used any of the sentiments which are just lovely.

Please check out the workshop details on Our Creative Den

Shopping:-

Stamps, High Tide143006

If you do shop please remember to use the hostess code if your order is between £25 and £149.

I will send you a small gift in March as a thank you. Happy shopping.

A quick look at us in Manchester, unfortunately I have lots of strange shadows across my face!

Cased again but different

A few weeks ago I went to all day training for the Jems, this is the Stampin'Up team I belong to. If you would like to join get in touch for a chat. We are a very creative lot and support each other in so many ways.
One of the ladies , at the last minute, couldn't make it to training but she had made her swaps so ours were collected up for her and delivered and then she sent us hers out in the post. What a lovely surprise. It immediately inspired me, I could see so many things I could do in the same format. Whilst sat in the Den Elaine and I discussed it at length we also planned how we could enlarge it and what stamp sets we would use.... you'll have to watch out for those makes.

So whilst I ran a class for 2 of our regular ladies, we were making star boxes, infact we made 2 boxes and no card! Elaine got to work on the first creation in the same format as Anne's swap.

So many pretty elements, the little cream fancy circle on the bottom piece is one of the new doilies cut out centres. And those little punched flowers, we use those lots, so much easier than the thin lets as you make lots in a short time.

You can find Anne's blog here and this is her make.

A pretty frame

I confess, this frame I have case'd (copy and share everything) from this wonderful lady Anna. It is totally her idea but I loved it.
The picture within the frame is part of the pack of 12 sheets of 12 x 12 paper called inside the lines that is in the Sale-a-bration catalogue. I have used the watercolour pencils and an aqua pen to colour it, then die cut flowers and leaves using the botanical builders dies to decorate the frame. I have another one ready to do and think I might go for something a bit more vibrant. Not sure if it will work! The flowers on the frame are cut in whisper white and vanilla card just to add that little something else. Its not often we put them together. What do you think......?

SHOPPING

Watercolor pencils 141709   (Remember if you don't use this link they are spelt the American way)

'Within the Lines' paper is only available with a £45 order. Check out the shop here

Check back tomorrow I have an exciting announcement to make.......

Touches of Texture and Dragonflies.

Touches of Texture is a stamp set in the annual catalogue that I have had my eye of since last June. I love stamps that do background and the lacy one in this set really caught my eye, anyway last month I just had to order it.

I felt the need to do a DL card, thats a long and thin one! I don't do many but they usually look good. Once I had picked my colours the idea of a dragonfly popped into my head. That gives you an idea of how things work sometimes. Its not all meticulously planned it just happens.

Stamps: -

Touches of Texture  143251

Dies:-

Detailed Dragonfly thinlets 142749

Other:-

Gold thread 138401

White perfect accents  138416

The little 'Thank You' is from one of the Sale-a-bration sets which are free with a qualifying order.

If you order more than £25 worth of product from my online shop please don't forget to use the hostess code below then in March you will get a small gift from me.