I'm all misty eyed

Just a fast post while I'm having my lunch break! Today I'm working on projects for my demonstration at Coleman's Warehouse on Saturday. It's their 100th Big Craft Day so there will be lots going on and lots of demos to watch.

As well as my Christmas stamps, Distress inks, stencils etc I'll also be showcasing the new Media Misters from Deco Art which create some fantastic effects. Here are just a few of the backgrounds I made earlier...

Various colours, including the Shimmer effect ones, sprayed over 300gsm card that I had primed with gesso. I spritzed a little water over the colours to create some extra marbling effects. Love it! 

The Media Misters are not the usual ink type misters as they are permanent - they have a good "playing around" time when sprayed onto non porous surfaces!

These two were both done onto Ranger speciality stamping card (coated matte finish) which I put through embossing folders before spraying. Once dry, I gently went over the surfaces with gold Metallic Lustre.

This next one was spayed over plain old, unprimed 300 gsm card that I had already embossed with the snowflakes folder. This time I used the Silver Sparkle Metallic Lustre over the surface.

 And here's that same piece trimmed and used as a backing for my Stringy Snowman stamp!

I'm loving the new Misters and, if you're coming to Coleman's on Saturday, I'll have them on my table...though I think they may go pretty quickly.
I had a lovely day at Daisy's Jewels and Crafts in Coventry last Saturday and a big hello to everyone who cam along...your enthusiasm was infectious! As promised, here are a couple of photos of the secret book box which I hope we will be doing on the workshop on January 17th.!

 Please double check with Wendy regarding details and cost of the workshop but, as of this moment I think we'll be creating a card, maybe a small plaque and the book box...depending on how much we can get through of course! Here's another view of the book.

Well, I am off to carry on with my Media Misting now, and then I'll have to get cleaned up as there is a meeting at the Vicarage tonight and I daren't turn up with hands looking like they do at the moment!

Little breather!

Hello folks, I'm just taking a coffee break from working so I thought I'd do a catch up before getting back into my Doo Lally room. I've been painting, gluing, cutting, buffing and waxing for all I'm worth....my hands are a sight to behold I can tell you!

This is such a frenetic time of year of course and I feel as if I'm playing catch up the whole time, prepping for demonstrations, workshops and shows - as well, of course, as the stall that I'm having in December on our village Christmas Market!

Tomorrow I'll be off to Daisy's Jewels and Crafts in Coventry so I've been trying to cram everything I need into my tote bag...not always an easy task! I've been doing quite a bit of die cutting too, bagging up alphabets, flowers, birds etc. My bags are just about sorted ready for tomorrow now but I had to make sure that I left out the things that I need for what that I'm making for the rest of the afternoon. Here's one of the pieces that I will be going back to once I've finished my coffee.....

....that's all I'm giving away at the moment! There was a bit of sanding going on too which is not my most favourite task.

The piece in the next photo is now finished and packed into my bag for tomorrow's demo day....

....as you can see, my workspace was also cat free. Thomas has taken to lounging on my table whether there is room for him on there or not! He drinks my paint water, scratches up my craft sheet, knocks things on the floor and sits on whatever I'm trying to work on. I guess he just wants to be near his mum but there's a limit! Thankfully it's been a dry and mainly sunny day today so he's been happy to be outside.

Next week is the start of the real craziness in my diary - on Friday I travel down to Wellingborough ready for the demo event at Coleman's Craft Warehouse in Rushden,where I'll be working with my Christmas stamps and the new Deco Art Media Misters which are just gorgeous. On the Sunday I will be teaching a workshop (places still available) using these same products.

I've a long journey home and get back late on Sunday night when a good night's sleep will be just what the doctor ordered.On Monday afternoon I'll be heading into Blackpool to meet up with my sister ahead of our evening at the Grand Theatre where we are going to be seeing a production of Madam Butterfly - I can't wait! The tickets were a birthday treat for me from Heather and she has never been to an opera before...I know she's dubious but I'm sure she will love it. I know that I will!

Tuesday evening will see me heading into Blackpool for a second time - this time to the famous Tower Ballroom....not to see Strictly Come Dancing, but to hear John Sentamu, the Archbishop of York, talking about his life in Uganda and his life now - I'm really looking forward to that.

Wednesday will see me loaded up like a donky, taking the train to Birmingham ready for the Hobbycrafts show at the NEC on the Thursday-Sunday. I really enjoy this show...it's very hard work, constantly talking to people, showing techniques and projects as well doing the occasional coffee or sandwich run or manning the till - but it's also great fun and the excitement of so many people all wanting to be creative is infectious. Hope to see lots of you there...I'll be on the Card-io stand, number A17.

I think I'll be ready for a long sleep when I get back! I'll certainly be happy to see my two furry friends who will, no doubt, be sulking. I do hate leaving them for more than a day, but my neighbour pops in to feed and let them out as well as generally keeping an eye on things for me, so I know they will be fine. Even though they don't get on (well, more accurately, Tara dislikes Thomas!) I have the feeling that they enjoy having each other as company when I'm not there.

So, that's what's in store for me for the next week or two! I've also just confirmed a new demonstration date which is the 27th November, when I'll be at the Craft Range in Burnley for the evening along with several other designers and demonstrators. I'm not sure exactly what I'll be doing but it will definitely be themed around Christmas gifts and decorations.

Well, the coffee is supped and there's no excuse not to carry on with work now so I shall say cheerio and leave with one of my "this time last year" photos - although this one was this time two years ago!

Probably best not to ask! Have a great weekend everyone.

A little holiday...and a loooong post!

Well that's an overstatement! I've not actually been on a proper holiday for over twenty years (seriously!). It's one drawback of being freelance because if I don't work, I don't get paid! Still, the freedom of being my own boss makes up for it.

So, my little holiday is really just a having a few days off, at home, without feeling guilty about doing whatever takes my fancy. Yesterday, being Sunday, began with Church in the morning. There was a baptism during the service so that was jolly - always fun to see whether the babies will cry or just look surprised when they have all that water poured onto them...yesterday's baby cried!

After Church there is coffee which is always a good chance for a catch up and then I was invited to join a couple of the ladies for a spot of lunch which made a change. As it was a beautiful day I then had a lovey stroll home through the park. After a very long day on Saturday (more later!) I was feeling really tired and could hardly keep my eyes open in the afternoon. I decided to go outside into the fresh air. Lots of lovely things to look at in the garden just now too....

....lovely peachy roses right beside my bench....

 ....and David's beautiful memorial rose is flowering profusely and looking stunning......

.....and this amazing rose greeted me yesterday. It's one that I planted a few months ago and the flower is huge. It smells as gorgeous as it looks.

Sitting on the garden bench was lovely but I decided to lie down on the lawn and I soon nodded off and spent an hour or two dozing in the sunshine which I think did me the world of good. Thomas thought it was great fun so he lay down too! 

After a phone call to Heather, my sister, I decided to make the effort, get ready and walk back to Church for a Songs of Praise service in the early evening. On the way there a group of teenagers ahead of me were dropping all their sweet and crisp packets on the road as they walked along so I pulled them up about it. Of course, I just got the usual jeering and I picked up the litter and put it in the bin myself after telling them that they didn't deserve to live in such a lovely place (not a very original remark I know!). 

This came up in conversation after the service....we were all treated to some sparkling wine at the back of Church.....and I was told "you were brave, tackling teenagers", which is something I hear a lot. It never seems that way to me, it just seems better to say or do something than to let things go. I was pondering on this as I made my way home, back through the park, and recalled how I've often walked that way on dark evenings in the Winter months. I rarely feel nervous though, and, when I do, I have a quick word with "Him upstairs" and ask him to look out for me! 

I was having all these scatterlogical thoughts yesterday as I entered the park and then spotted the teenagers that I'd had a go at earlier. I had no thought that they would do me any harm, but I was expecting to have to "run the gauntlet" as I went past them. Just as I thought that, I saw a male figure coming in my direction and then realised he was wearing a dog collar. He said "Good Evening" to me and the teens focussed all their attention on him, asking if he was the new Vicar, the old Vicar, or who was he. I heard him say that he was a Priest from the Catholic Church. I haven't seen him before and it made me smile that I'd just been thinking about how I always feel that I'm being looked after and protected and I encountered the Priest just as I was anticipating some heckling. 

This reminds me to say that I've decided not to continue with my second blog (My Rambling Spirit) which I'd set up in order to have somewhere to talk about more spiritual things. I never seem to get the time to post in two blogs and I also decided that, as my faith and spirituality have always been a huge part of my life, I shouldn't feel the need to keep them separate as if I'm somehow embarrassed  or worried that I'll alienate anyone. So, please feel free to skip over any part of my posts that don't appeal to you! I do try to make my blog quite encompassing rather than just being about art, craft and things creative.

When I got home last night Thomas was waiting for me by the gate and he decided he wanted me to go for a stroll up the lane with him so we had a nice wander and watched the Swallows racing each other round and round the big tree in the field - they are racing each other I'm convinced of it! The bats were also out and about, even though it was still quite light, and it made for a lovely way to end the evening, watching them swooping and dipping over the garden. Just lovely.

I had a great night's sleep and woke to another gorgeous day here. This was a day to do very little! I mowed the lawn, did some washing, cut back some Foxgloves and Snapdragons that had gone over and did a bit of weeding and feeding of plants. Then it was time to sit outside and read for a few hours. I've been reading Life of Pi since early 2013 and still not finished it! Terrible I know! I just haven't been able to focus long enough to really spend time in a good book, even though I had been enjoying it. As I'd suggested the film for one that some friends could come over and watch, I decided I really must finish the book first. So, I've got through quite a lot today and really enjoyed myself. This photo pretty much sums up the kind of day it's been.....

....Tom likes the bench as much as I do!

Later it was watching the tennis and egg and bacon sandwiches for dinner - yum! A refreshing shower and freshly laundered PJ's and I'd call it a pretty relaxing and enjoyable day.

Tomorrow I'm meeting Heather in Blackpool for some window shopping and to return the shoes that I bought a couple of weeks ago which disintegrated the first time I wore them! 

To go back a bit, on Saturday I went to Daisy Jewels and Crafts near Coventry to teach an all day workshop. This involved me getting up at 5.15am in time to get ready and then walk round to the station and catch the early train to Preston for the first leg of my journey. Imagine my horror to be told that the train was cancelled (due to staff shortages...I ask you!) and that, instead of arriving at 9.20am it would now be 10.53 am when I got to Bedworth! Thankfully, the ladies were all very patient and spent time looking round the shop until I arrived. We tagged the time onto the end of the day but it was a rotten start I can tell you!

A great time was had by all (so they told me!). We made several projects.....

...including a wall plaque featuring a Doo lally Pip character and roses made from rolling up spirals of ink sprayed dictionary paper. 

I used my "Frayed Around the Edges" character, but the ladies all had a choice of which stamp to use....

....here's one in progress using my "Keep Dancing" set, before any flowers were added. I liked the way the burlap was cut out as a heart shape.
Here's one of the cards made on the day...

...lovely and cheerful!

Everyone was kept hard at work to get through everything....

.....including Zendoodle Owl cards....

....complete with stripey branches of course!

The shop has two amazing dresses on display which were made by DCWV for one of the trade shows. Just look at this fantastical creation....

....wow! Thanks to Wendy and all the ladies who came to the workshop for making it such a fun day and being so patient when British Rail let me down...again! Gggrrrr! I'll be going back there in October and will post more details nearer the time.

Well, I told you this was going to be a long post and I was telling the truth! It's almost 11.30pm now, so I should make a move, get the two terrors in and lock up the house before getting to bed. A nice day with Heather to look forward to tomorrow and then, on Wednesday I am assisting with a funeral at Church in the afternoon before our second Les Mis study group meeting in the evening. So, busy even when I'm having a few days off!

I'm waiting for my new Christmas stamps to be sent to me so that I can start getting samples made up with them, so will share those as and when of course. I won't post any more of my new designs tonight though!

You may like a couple of cute Tara pics to finish with instead! On Friday she was sitting on the chair facing into the corner and looking for all the world as if she'd been a naughty girl and was in trouble with the teacher. I couldn't resist making a little something so I could take a photo...

.....she didn't move at all and hardly seemed to notice her new attire! She even posed for a lovely close up for me....

.....cutey pie!

Right, I will now sign off before anyone still reading this missive drops off! Enjoy the sunshine everyone.

More coffee break previews!

You must think I am always taking coffee breaks! It's just a good time to post on here whilst I'm having ten minutes or so away from my work table....er....for table, read  floor! I just spread stuff out so far and wide when I work that it's simpler to work down there...keeps me flexible too!

Anyway, here are some more previews of my new Christmas stamp sets. Thank you for all the lovely comments and emails that I've had about the ones I posted yesterday and, to answer some of the queries, they will be out sometime in July and will be available from any Personal Impressions stockist. If your nearest store doesn't have them, just make a note of the code number/s and ask them to order them for you.

Okay, on with the next sets. This first one is my "Zendoodle Reindeer Ready to Go" CICSA6311.

As I explained yesterday, the Zendoodle stamps all have two versions of the exact same image - one plain and one ready doodled. To answer a question that I was asked last night, you don't get both versions in one set - there is a choice of either the plain image OR the ready done one. Just to illustrate, here is the plain version of the same reindeer....

...this one is "Zendoodle Reindeer" CICSA6309 and, as you can see, this gives you the outlined areas for infilling with your own doodle designs.

Okay, next up is a set called "Branching Out" CICSA6338....

....this set was in response to many requests for my stripey branch to be made as a stamp so I have added three other, more festive, variations as well. Of course the stripey one can be use all year round. Turn it through 45degrees and it works as a tree, seaweed etc.

This set was my sister's favourite from the Zendoodle range........

....maybe it's because Heather is an expert sock knitter! Anyway, this one is "Zendoodle Christmas Stockings" CICSA6321. Lots of scope for bright colouring, fine glitters and general fun with this set!

I love snowmen and I love using silhouette stamps so there are a couple of the icy fellows included here....

This set is called "Peaceful Christmas" CICSA6325 and I know that I'll be using this a lot in demonstrations and for my own cards this year. Dylusions ink spray backgrounds, Distress ink backgrounds and some white gel pen highlights....I can see them now! 

Back to Zendoodles and this is "Zendoodle Snowman Ready to Go" CICSA6320....

....well, I had to, didn't I?! What a jazzy outfit!

Next up are "Little Festive Houses" CICSA6329. Ideal if you're sending cards to anyone having Christmas in a new home or the "our house to yours" cards of course. I'll be matching these with little snowmen and other characters.

 A big word now! This is "Zendoodle Joy RTG" CICSA6317. Lots of festive doodles within the letters on this one.

Finally, for now, another Doo Lally Pip set....

....this is "DLP  Night Before Christmas" CICSA6334. Not sure about health and safety with her candle carrying technique! The candle can be cut away and replaced with anything else or she can even hold the stocking of course. She also has a pair of optional script wings that can, of course, be used with other figures.

Well, that was an interrupted coffee break and posting session as my neighbour popped round for a chat so I will have to scarper now and catch up with myself....and make a fresh coffee too I think!

I'll be off to Coventry first thing in the morning for my day at Daisy Jewels and Crafts teaching a workshop. So, I'll post some pictures of that when I get back.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Late night post

Hello all, it's almost 11.30 pm and I should be getting to bed really, but I'm just winding down after friends have left so it seemed a good time to touch blog base. This evening I hosted another viewing of the film Les Miserables (my fourth time now!) ahead of the course that starts tomorrow night. I can really recommend the film if you haven't seen it but you need the tissues handy!

Tomorrow morning I'm off to my dentist again when he's going to get my new crowns started - hoorah! I may have my smile back in a couple of weeks! My numb jaw is beginning to get feeling back so I may not have to see the neurologist after all with a bit of luck. Another hoorah!

Meanwhile I've been busy getting things ready for my all day workshop at Daisy Jewels and Crafts in Coventry on Saturday. We'll be making several projects including cards, a tag and a wall plaque and we'll be working with all sorts of lovely things like Dylusions ink sprays, Distress Paints and inks, Inca Gold waxes, Zendoodle and Doo Lally Pip stamps amongst other things! The class runs from 10.30am - 4.00pm and costs £35.00. I know there is still room on the workshop so, if you fancy joining us, please contact the shop directly. You can find contact details on the above link or phone them on 07779 110813.

Here's a sneaky peek at some of the elements that will feature in our projects...

....shiny and colourful! There again......

.....frayed and distressed! But also....

.....some funky stripiness!
(stripyness....stripeyness...stri....?!?!) Just a little peek as I said and there will be more besides.

Well, it's now almost midnight...why does posting take so long? Or is that just me?

Here's another of my "this day last year" photos, this time of a card that I made for a workshop project....

....I notice some Graphic 45 papers in there as well as stamps from one of my 2013 Doo Lally Pip releases "Steamed Up".

Well, I really should make a move to get ready for bed now. It's been another lovely day here and I still have the front door wide open to let the fresh air in. Time to round up the two terrors which should be fun....when it's warm outside they do like to run me ragged at bed time and they'll speed off just as I think they are coming in - Tara, especially, thinks it's a really jolly game!