Paper Rose Card & Pottery painting

 Sometimes I try and incorporate something I can’t do into my given way of doing things and sometimes its not entirely successful. This rose is a case in point. Having never made one and feeling a little like my life was not quite complete without the knowledge (only joking!)- I had a go and came up with a cute rose. However- trying to make a card that was ‘me’ using the oversized green flower was more of a challenge. I’m glad it was green because its not quite so girly but even so- I can just about recognise its my card under the weight of all that floralness! They are pretty easy,(Google Paper roses) albeit time consuming and with a bit of sponging and a few drops of crystal effects to create ‘dew drops’, it does look fairly rose-like. The paper was great being double-sided and the only difficulty was because the quality is so good- trying to cut through several layers at once was tough going. I have scissor shaped dents in my thumb to prove it!

This paper is around for less than a week now- to be fair it has seen some crafty action and now needs to make way for the new kids on the block. I am not one for favouring the young and shiny over the old, but in this instance I’ll let it pass! If you look at the background there is one of the said new (and veeerrryy beautiful)  sheets of designer paper already trying to muscle in before the old papers have even gone; ….typical !

I’m very glad its Friday. Well ready for a few days at a slower pace. I should be used the slower pace after stiffly hobbling around but I’m delighted to say after some stirling advice from my Dad and a friend and a night sleeping on the floor- my back is pretty much completely better! Yay!

I’ve just returned from a bit of a treat. Steve was off today and took us to a place in Stockton Heath called Coffee au Clay near Warrington. Its a paint your own pottery thing and Steve helped Will whilst I seriously enjoyed myself! I had to stop myself once I’d painted the inside of the bowl or Will and Steve’s patience would have run out. It’s an image that was taken from one of the papers and stamp sets I’ve been using a lot and I can’t wait to show you them. I’m looking forward to picking up my cereal bowl next week, although with the amount of crockery that ‘falls’ on our tiled kitchen floor, the chances of it surviving more than a couple of weeks are looking doubtful! All I can say is its a good job they don’t have a painting pot place in Liverpool- I’d never be out of it! !

Need to go and reduce the school uniform mountain which is presently so large that it would make a great slide!

xx

Retiring Supplies & Little Notices!

 Hello there! I’ve finally got some time to start blogging again after a nasty sick bug decided to make the rounds amongst my kids. Amazingly, I didn’t get sick but lets just say that me and my bottle of Febreze have become pretty good friends recently!

This card was from my retiring party two weeks ago; the products that are retiring , not me!! The project  was supposed to demoed by me but anyone who was there will tell you that I put my prepped card  in the wrong way onto the die and it all went south pretty quickly! Thankfully, in true Blue Peter style, I had an already prepared one. Still, it gave the girls a good laugh at my expense and just proves that no matter how much you do it, you will still make bags of mistakes!!

The retiring products are in fact only the stamp- or to be more precise- the wheel. It’s a lovely image and just brilliant when combined with Versamark and rollered all over different coloured card. The stacked colours that have been die cut with the Top note die were all offcuts and give a much needed injection of colour into a very dreary day.

You can see that it opens from the top and lifts and the bottom part opens out. Nice to do something different! -and speaking of different I have actually been busy in my wordpress absence preparing lots of lovely new samples using a couple of our brand new stamp sets. Starting on the 1st October, I’ll be posting a week long mini series using just one stamp set and in fact, just one image from that set. You won’t believe just how many completely different looks you can get from one lovely stamp.

 

I’m glad to be sitting down- mostly because I’ve hurt my back and am trying to avoid making it worse.  Weirdly enough, it had been a little sore and I went to bed fine. I awoke just before 2am in agony. The pain was too much and I fainted and fell out of bed. Steve fortunately had woken and I came round with a pillow under my head and a somewhat worried hubby. What is amazing is that I literally couldn’t move for pain that night and I’m thankful I managed to crawl to the bathroom although it took a long time. This morning about 5:30am I awoke and whilst still being sore, the intense pain had receded and I could get around. Phew- so glad for prayer and paracetemol!!!!

I thought I’d post this picture to give you an idea of the stuff that goes on in our house! This is chocolate fudge (or was!) after I decided it wasn’t ok that I didn’t know how to make fudge. Alas, the temptation of fudge left in the kitchen had been too much for somebody, so I was compelled to add this little notice! Strangely, no more fudge disappeared. My next notice will definately consist of a series of arrows going from the toilet roll holder to the bin. Why will nobody put the empty loo roll in the bin rather than leaving it rolling around on the floor? Must be one of lifes unanswered questions!!! On the subject of notices, I am still taking bookings for my FREE Catalogue Launch Party on Sat Oct 1st @ 8pm at my house. Please email for details and address  kerenjb@hotmail.co.uk

I’ll be putting in one last order for all the retiring products- some have completely gone- check out the list here . Get in touch- goodies can be sent directly to you.

Better go- need to get tea ready for one of the kids play dates! xx 

Stampin’Up! Retiring List & Making Lemonade

I’m back- I’ve been away on holiday so although there were posts scheduled- I wasn’t actually around! So apologies for not visiting your blogs or leaving any messages.

This card is made using a whole plethora of Stampin’Up! goodies that are retiring.

Click on the picture and it will take you to the link. Some items are completely sold out already and several items are reduced. Once these are gone- they’re not coming back- so place an order with me while you can!

On this card- the retiring products are;

The Planter Box rub-ons

The Cosmo set of glitters. Schoolbook Serif Alphabet Stamp set.

All of the designer papers in the catalogue

The flower die-cuts- from the Celebrations quick accents set.        All the grosgrain ribbon in the 1.6cmwidth (boohoo- I love that ribbon!)

The Retirement Sale Night is at my house this Friday- its always a favourite event- don’t miss it. It’s on at 8pm. Email me to let me know you’re coming! I’ve got a simple Make and Take too!

This card was a case of making lemonade with lemons. I was really happy with the card and was just flicking glitter off but the brush I used was in fact dirty and smeared several stains onto the cards. I was gutted and thats why there’s an odd flower on the left- combined with a pearly stem that was twisted to hide the stains!! A crowded card but a usable one!! Don’t you think its great if you can turn rubbish days into productive ones? Take yesterday for example; we have a sick bug doing the rounds in our family at the moment. Lovely. Poor kids- 2 down..probably 3 to go! The first one sick was really poorly and insisted on laying on the bathroom floor. I didn’t really want to spend the entire morning sat in the bathroom but I couldn’t leave her there by herself so I set about clearing it out.

2 hours later with some helpful suggestions from my daughter about changing things round, i had an ordered and lovely shinily clean bathroom. The last thing needed was to turn my shower curtain upside down. Thanks to my Cropadile, I now have modesty-enhancing shower curtain and happier teenagers! Craft supplies get used all around my house for lots of different things!

I’m busy creating lots of samples for my Catalogue Launch Party on Saturday October 1st. I’m selling the new Catalogue for £4.50 sent out to you and £4 if you collect or come on the night. You can of course get one FREE! by hosting a workshop- and you are SO going to want to see the new Hostess system with some gorgeous exclusive goodies! There will be some demos of the new products and a lovely project ot make so come and bring a friend!

Better go- need to attend to the sick one!

xx

Bad Card Day!

Want to see one of my failures? I so was not going to post it, but then, its good to confess your failings. It should have been ok, but somehow it is not. Too busy, too unstructured, too random (sounding more and more like me!!). I guess this is what comes of cutting up a tea towel, ironing on some interfacing and thinking you’re going to end up with something lovely. Please be kind in your inner thoughts. I wouldn’t mind but I sewed all over it. What a complete waste of thread. I’d have been better flossing my teeth with it (joke- I don’t floss with embroidery thread!).

The butterflies are trying to fly away from the card in disgust. Granted, I’m not sure I’d want to drink a cup of tea after several butterflies had landed on it. Makes me shudder as it reminds me of tonight when I walked into the room, felt something cold under my toes, lifted my foot and out ran a spider. I went all shuddery (sadly not at the thought of actually squishing the arachnoid but simply being in that close contact with one; eugghh.. I’m not good with spiders!!).

Aah well, a bad card and a spider.. still, there’s a nice blue ruffle. Maybe I just need to start again and go for the less is more..it usually works for me!!

See you when I’ve created something a little more acceptable! better hurry up- I’ve got my Sale party on the 9th September- are you still coming?!! xx