Thinking of you times two

It has been a crazy busy week, the new classes going really well and fully subscribed. 

Bonnies cuttlebug class was thursday and the ladies all left with four fabulous cards and big smiles. Thankyou Bonnie for an amazing day. 

Apologies to Jan - sorry I didn't have time to take photos of the cards this time round. 

 The new altered art classes on saturdays are also fully booked at the moment, the altered book we are creating will be repeated later in the year or possibly early next year, I didn't advertise it this time round as it was full within a week of it being on the class list, but I will try and give some warning next time for those who missed out. 

 Personally I have been busy with my circle journal, photos to follow soon and some new classes, again photos to follow in due course, also a few cards for friends , above are two I made for special people who could possibly do with a hug right now. 

 And thats is it for tonight, I have several projects sat on my table all requiring finishing touches and I have some new Tim Holtz goodies for the shop which happened to fall into my bag as I was leaving tonight, they are calling to me to come play as I type, so obey I will ( not one to argue with Mr Holtz)

Picture Perfect

It has been a pretty sleepy sunday, a day at home with the family, catching up, chilling and a little crafting squeezed in whilst they all had their heads in school books.

This layout is the result of my playing with my paper stash

It is a little while since I completed a monochrome project and I thoroughly enjoyed the process of limiting myself to a black and white palette.

Black music paper for the hearts, wrinkled and distressed, little wooden butterflies and lush black roses

The chippies are Thickers and the black papers are by Crate.

This Tim Holtz ribbon is a new fave of mine, the little soft spirally roses are so delicate and pretty.

The film strip was a gift from my lovely friend Nicki a while ago and I have been reluctant to use it as I keep thinking none of my projects have been special enough, but what could be more special than my beautiful daughter.

The gorgeous crocheted flowers again were a gift from Anita, I am running a little low now as I appear to have a little obsession with them at the moment (wink wink)

Vintage shabby chic book

As promised here are some sneak peeks of the book I will be teaching on saturday afternoons

Lots of lovely texture and embellishment

Flowers and lace and ribbon, bookplates and lots of handmade embellishments

Gesso, paint, glimmer mists,wax rubs, multi medium, sanding, embossing and stamping

Pockets, folds, hidden pages

A book within a book

  

Unique details on each and every page

  

I will also be teaching the basic bookbinding stitch to hold all your gorgeous work together

I am showing you the feminine version here but I also have a masculine sample for those of my class members wishing to complete their books for the special men in their lives.

This class marks the start of the new classes in the shop, saturdays will now be workshop days with loads of yummy new techniques and projects

Don't worry if you are already booked on scrapbooking, those are still running in the morning.

Class cards

This weeks class cards

Just a quickie from me tonight, I am busy putting the finishing touches to my new Saturday afternoon workshop.

I will be back tomorrow with sneak peeks of the new workshop and the Stampin' Up cards we all made with YeeTing today.

Fringe benefits

I have a plan - a cunning plan.

It is near impossible to take photos of Amy now, she hates me snapping away and finds all manner of excuses to avoid being papped, she is nothing if not inventive in her evasiveness.

But she did say I was 'allowed' to 'steal' the photos she uploads to her facebook profile, so now, every time she uploads a new pic I purloin away mwahahahahahaha

I always used to struggle with the concept of white space. Everyone who knows me also knows I am a 'more is more' kind of girl when it comes to scrapbooking, but, I have embraced the challenge and actually started to rather enjoy the practice of leaving a little of the page naked.

All the yummy crocheted flowers have been kindly given to me by my bessie mates Anita and Nicki who are both brilliant at making them, I am pants ! I tried, I honestly did, I failed, miserably I did !

If this photo and page looks a little familiar in style to the two previous layouts I have completed with Amy on them -  that is by design. I am not becoming lazy in my old age and repeating my pages. I am intending to complete a full album of layouts, all in a similar vein. I even have a name for the album - Face Book -  see what I did there.

I have also finished my ATC's for  The Stampman for October, get me -  so organised, it surely can't last !

The gorgeous lady adorning my ATC is Anna May Wong

Anna May Wong (January 3, 1905 – February 3, 1961) was an American actress, the first Chinese American movie star, and the first Asian American to become an international star. Her long and varied career spanned both silent and sound film, television, stage, and radio.

The little coins were a gift from Anita, thankyou xxx

The oriental letters are a stamp I received free on the cover of a Craft Stamper.

The background was created with a blend of distress inks,  overstamped and embossed in gold

The image was googled and printed on photo paper.

I am just putting the finishing touches to my new workshop which will be taking place after the scrapbooking classes on saturdays for the next four weeks, I should have some photos to share tomorrow.

Sunday scrapbooking

It may be dull and rain-sodden outside my windows, but I feel sunny after my day of crafting. 

I have been keeping up with the laundry and housework throughout the week, so I rewarded myself with a day of play.

This is the layout I mentioned yesterday that I had started after work, the finishing touches were added before I went to bed ( in between a secret project, blogging, planning a card class and beating dad on mindjolt games  - insert evil laugh here)

It is very unusual for me to use yellow  - far too close to the colour orange to be comfortable for me, but Rob was wearing a bright yellow t-shirt ( gone are the days when I could choose their attire to match my favourite scrapbook products !)

This morning, in between creating a sample for my upcoming workshop ( lots of paint, inks and altered yumminess - therefore little gaps of drying time and opportunities to multi-task ) I created a layout with a photo of Amy, alas the looming rainclouds scuppered all attempts at a decent photo so I will share that with you all tomorrow ( sunshine permitting )

But as promised I do have my little critters to share with you, they are all made mainly from the Stampin'Up owl punch and were a hoot to make - geddit !!!

Sorry, the act of creating these little monsters was far too much fun for an adult.

Neil is seriously concerned for my sanity, he hasn't yet managed to wrap his head around the whole ATC concept. Then when he rings me from work and inquires as to what I am doing, my reply of "I am making a nurse out of an owl" left him speechless, which anyone who knows Neil will tell you is quite an achievement  !

Anyhow, here are the ones I have made so far ( lots more in the pipeline)

My little aliens

Giraffe, pig, sheep, cow, lion

Rudolph and a robin

Kermit

Pirate, nurse Carole, chef Ramsey (notice the mad eyes lol) and Jenny the graduate.

I also decided that I would start mounting them, here is the teacher

Bat and ghost

Wicked witch and Frankenstein

What am I going to do with all my little owlie creatures you may be pondering, well I am halfway through altering an old book, so they will all be mounted and added to the book.

No they are not terribly clever, or chic, they won't be a class or mean anything much to anyone else, in fact, even I recognise they are plain old silly, but you know what ? they are really fun and sometimes even grown ups need to do something............. just because !!!

Happy crafting - silly or otherwise

xxx

Quick class catch up

This weeks class cards

And a simple stamped winter scene for the christmas card, the card is a gatefold with the stamped image spanning both frontal folds

The leaves are punched from a new vellum we have in the shop, it has a lovely subtle lustre

Tuesday morning, wednesday morning and afternoon card classes are now quite full so I have opened up a tuesday afternoon.

Please ring the shop if you are interested in a place, we will be creating two cards each week, one christmas card and a generic card from now up until november, the card class is £6.50, all tools and equipment are provided and you will receive 10% on all your class day purchases. 

YeeTing has her next Stampin' Up class this thursday, places are available morning and afternoon, the class is £6.50 These are the cards YeeTing will be demonstrating, a gorgeous masculine style.

Once again please telephone the shop on 01472 359158 if you are interested in a place.

I am halfway through a little project involving owls, thanks to my friend Linda, who inspired me to create all manner of critters from the Stampin' Up owl punch, I will post a couple of them tomorrow and I also have a half-finished scrapbook layout staring at me, so hopefully should have that for you tomorrow also.

Night night xxx

This and that tuesday

Last weeks class cards. 

We have started Christmas now, therefore we will be creating one festive card and a generic card each class in the run up to December. 

Time to dust off those Santa stamps and all things sparkly.

Quick and easy for the first week.

Augusts ATC swap for our shop was Dream, and the requisite colours were black and white.

Here is the little artists card I entered into the swap. 

If you are interested in playing along, the swap is up and running on the RWS site HERE, the theme is HEARTS and the requisite colour this month is RED.

You may remember me mentioning a few posts back a Stampin' Up demo my good friend Linda hosted.

I also mentioned her daughter Leanne made the yummiest cupcakes for all the attendees. Well I was treated to a box of extras this weekend and as I was very lax in taking photos last time I snapped a shot before they disappeared.

How delicious do they look !!! 

So, thankyou once again Leanne xxx 

Whilst on the subject of the demo, I must make a very important apology. 

We had such a lovely day, I thanked all the contributors to the event here but I completely omitted a very special person. 

And such an important role to be completely missed, how very dare I !!! 

So, to the very charming guy who dubbed me 'Tracey from the shop' ( not quite so glamorous as Jenny from the block !) Paul you were fab! Although I am sure it wasn't too much hard work being surrounded by all those women and cupcakes too. 

Thankyou - big kiss mwahhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Forever friends

Happy birthday Anita xxx 

I altered this frame for my lovely friend Anita who's birthday it is today, I had to try and create something really special as she is really special to me.

This is what the Ikea frame looked like before I set to work with paints etc -  a simple wood surround

And some close-ups of the detailing

Quick note to my ATC swappers, Augusts 'Dream' ATC's are all posted and winging their way to you now, thankyou everyone who took part, we had some stunning swaps again this month.

Septembers theme is Hearts, if you want to join in the fun, the current theme  is HERE on the Running With Scissors website

and the rules and guidelines for the swap are HERE