No-Line Colouring with Lia Griffiths & Hero Arts!

Hi! How are you all? I’m over at Make The Day Special Stamp Store today.
I thought I’d have a bash at No-Line colouring using alcohol markers. I’d tried it a while back with little success so I’d thought I’d have another using some of the new Lia Griffiths stamps sets from Hero Arts.

It’s a set that might be small in stature, but it’s a set that packs a mighty punch!I’m creating a much larger image by using the tiny foliage pieces.
First, the wreath.. trace around a circle (I used a circle die) in one colour.

Next, go around the shape with a slightly darker colour.

Then I added a third colour and then added further detailing using alcohol markers. I then cut the whole shape out.
Stamp out some hearts and buttons. I stamped the buttons in Sahara Sand and added colour using markers and then detailing using a black fineliner.
I stamped the hearts in Pale Tomato (which may have been renamed by Hero Arts but it’s in Make The Day Special Stamp Store as Pale Tomato)

For the little elf, again stamp in a light shade of ink. The challenge with no-line colouring is being really careful with where the colour changes. With normal lines, you’ve a little bit of play, but the colours are merging straight together and you don’t want mixed colours. That means you need to stop the colour slightly before you would normally, allowing for bleeding on the card (some card bleeds more than others).
Once coloured and with shading added, I added highlights with a white gel pen.
I also made a card before this one (yes, I know it’s Christmas themed..sorry!) but I didn’t love the clouds so relegated it and created the wreath.

The wreath can be used wintertime and can be detached from the card for a home decor piece.

Hope you’ve been tempted to go and have a peek at the new Hero Arts releases- there are some amazing designs just in.
Enjoy your day and do have a go at no-line, it’s a lot of fun. Any ‘no-line’ tips? I’d love to hear!

See you soon- tomorrow in fact,I’ve a busy week ahead on the blog!

Keren xx

Holiday Coffee Lovers Blog Hop!

Hi! Today I’m joining in with lots of other girls to provide a little Christmas cheer by way of some coffee related inspiration! The crafting machine that is Amy Tsuruta (who’s extremely lovely too has organised the whole shebang and it looks like it will be totally inspiring!)

Here’s what I made!
It started out as a pretty bad gift

I removed everything- washed out the containers and saw that the left over packaging inside had potential!

So I copied the shape out- knowing I could use it to hold the newly decorated tubes in.

The problem was that without creating a design in my Silhouette, I couldn’t get my punch to line up in the cardstock (doesn’t reach that far) and my Crop-a-dile wouldn’t give big enough circles. So, I carefully trimmed off the sections that needed holes in, punched the holes and added the packaging back together with layers of washi tape (love that stuff!!)

Now I had a great little design that held the tubes but wouldn’t stay upright.

Rather than designing a new little box- I decided to adapt the original packaging. The issue was that this had a few scratches already. So, I cut it down to just the level of the black support and then got decorating; the fun bit!

For the design- I used a Hero Arts set called ‘Need Caffeine’ which, under the circumstances seemed perfect!

The papers are the ‘Blush Collection’ from Project Life with some lovely glitter paper & cardstock plus some coordinating seam binding.

Hero Arts along with a ton of ‘Super Sponsors’ are sponsoring the hop and offering a ton of prizes. To join in.. you just need to link up at Amy Tsuruta’s blog here and if you do so by Friday, you can be in with a chance to win some of the prizes.

Here’s a list of all the lovely sponsors
17 Turtles 
Add A Little Dazzle 
a●muse studio/Chris Franco 
Butterfly Reflections Ink 
Color Cast Designs 
Create a Smile 
Hero Arts 
Kraftin’ Kimmie 
Kreative Kymona 
Latina Crafter 
Neat & Tangled 
Newton’s Nook 
Paper Smooches 
Pickled Potpourri 
Poppystamps 
Reverse Confetti 
Stamp Academy 
Stampin’ Up/Veronica Zalis
STAMPlorations
SugarPea Designs 
Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps
The Alley Way Stamps
The Stamp Simply Ribbon Store
Two Paper Divas
Verve Stamps
Whole Wild World
Your Next Stamp
Thanks for sticking with me to the end! Do join in – you can post as many times as you like! I loved creating this little gift- now just to pick who to give it too!
I’m also offering some blog candy- it’s a die from Xcut- a set of feathers!

To be in with a chance of winning it- do leave a comment telling me your favourite kind of coffee and I’ll be drawing a winner on Saturday!

See you later, with a post for Add A Little Dazzle

xx

Mag Roundup & Packing!

Morning! I’m just posting some of the projects I’ve been squirrelled away creating. These ones are in the current issue of Crafts Beautiful. They’ve loaded in a strange order but I’m out and about whilst posting so you’ll have to bear with me!

Despite having only just broken up from school (& my US friends are about to send their kids back!), here’s a trio of ‘Back To School’ ideas guaranteed to help smooth the re-entry back into lunch boxes and new teachers ( or at least make you feel a little better about it 😉) I’ve used a Lawn Fawn stamp set called ‘A Good Apple’

This set of 5 projects continues my series on ‘5 ways with..’ I chose to do some ombré style stamping with stamps from Hero Arts combined with some bright and cool papers from Basic Grey

This last pic gives you a good idea of the colour and shows you how I slip up sometimes. In order to write the copy for the mag, I need to take the measurements and details. On this occasion I was running late and had written down all the details but not how to create them. Without a photo of each project ( which I tend to use for the blog too), I can’t remember exactly what each project looks like, so I had to rip open the package, photograph them whilst sitting in the car and package them up quick before racing to the Post Office!

I’ve been doing another sort of packing.
Helping my older boy get ready to go on camp.
It’s easy to forget he’s not very old- he acts reasonably maturely ( ahem…) most of the time. But at the grand old age of 10, going away for the first time is a big deal.
We’d chatted through and made a list. I was amazed how he turned up telling me that he was all packed.
I had visions of a tangle of screwed up clothes.
‘Oh no, Harriet helped me pack and showed me exactly how to do it’.
I quizzed him a little more.
‘I have rolled up each item so it doesn’t crease’ and promptly gave me a demonstration.
Big sister done good!
There was little that needed adding and apart from a quick check, that was the easiest packing I’ve ever done.
Or not done 😉!
So now we’re packing him off to camp and hoping that returns in roughly the same condition.
I’m expecting a few additions like extra mud, wet clothes and a few minuses like not all his clothes returning.

See you soon, after I’ve done lots of hugging and ‘goodbye-ing’! x

Stamped Scrapbook Frame & A Day Off.

Hi. How are you all?
Flying in to post a quick scrapbook page. This was one from a while back that was in Scrapbook magazine. The focus was on creating inexpensive frames and these were really easy- if not quite so quick. The hexagon image is from a Hero Arts/Studio Calico set called ‘Oh Snap’. I’ve just coloured them in with promarkers.
Granted it’s quite a CAS page, but then, it was all about the frame

Today I’m having a DAY OFF! Can’t you tell I’m excited. No work for me today.
I’m seeing two friends in one day. I will not even go into my craft room today!! Yay!
I love my job and hobby- it’s now a combination. Maybe it’s a ‘jobby’! We all need to down tools and take in. I’m going to town later and I will be totally inspired by the shop windows and packaging and advertising. Strange as it might seem, my brain seems to be wired to appreciate all of that. So, I’ll be buzzing later. I’m visiting a little place called ‘Leaf’ which, unsurprisingly serves tea. So I’m doing the typical British pastime and going for tea. Maybe cake too.
Cake.
Mmmm.

See you soon xx

<a

Space Birthday Card & Exclusivity

 

Hey!
Forgive me for not posting – it’s a little full on over here and much of what I’m doing I can’t post – sufficient to say that I’m not sitting with my feet up 😉!
This card was a last minute one for Will who is 6 today. It’s using some Clearly Besotted, Hero Arts and some stamps I produced recently just for a stamping workshop. I should really tell you about those- but time is of the essence so I won’t for now.
Let’s just say it was fun creating this- I rarely do that at the mo and he seemed happy enough with it.

Less happy is he with the concept of ‘party’.
Far be it for me to inflict unnecessary socialising onto someone, but the party was his idea.
I asked him who he’d like to invite.
He gave me one name.
I looked quizzically at him, waiting for the next ones.
No more names came.
I asked who else he’d like to have to the party.
Now he looked confused
‘Cant I just have one’ he queried?
‘Not really, Will, your other friends would like to come’.
Choosing just one from the little group was tantamount to social suicide.
‘Ok’ he sighed and reluctantly gave me two more names.
‘What about x and y’ I suggested.
Indignantly he looked at me and with an exasperated tone he said
“Do I have to have them”.
We settled on 5 friends. That’s just about perfect.
We wrote the list and he begrudgingly added each friend.
His sister asked ‘can I come?’
He looked cheekily at her and retorted
“NO- you’re noton the list”.

Maybe one day he’ll enjoy parties.
For now, he’s more concerned with the Lego cake he wants me to create. I’m not sure he’s even bothered about the party.
He’s a ‘partyforone’ guy.
Happy with his own company.

Sensible boy!
See you soon- hopefully to show you a few things I’ve been up to!
Better dash and make a party tea !

Boys Thankyou Card & Disappearing!

Hullo!! Saturday- and I’m not working .
Ya-massive-wahoo!
I was promised a lie-in but my children were obviously uninformed about that decision and I’ve been hiding in the bathroom since about 8:30!
The card is somewhat random- but is an example of a simple card that I needed to make from one of my boys to say thankyou.
It’s using a Hero Arts alphabet and I love the modern font. Added to the black ( obviously supposed to be space themed- which was the idea behind the club) it was a quick and easy card. I used up oddments of cardstock lying around because stripes are a sure fire winner on blokey cards and I had bought some badges a while back which I used as the embellishment. Embarrassingly simple.
But aren’t the simple ones such a relief!
Don’t you find yourself sometimes poring over one card. You spend forever and it still isn’t quite right? Or is that just me!

This week I’ve been disappearing under clothes. Not because I’ve lost weight ( chance would be a fine thing), nor have I been wearing my husbands jumper. Instead I have been boldly going into my teen and Tweens bedroom.
I rarely make that mistake often. Life is far too short to fight about messy bedrooms. We occasionally request a tidy up but deep cleans are reserved for spaces I have more control of.
However- one of mine was away and as I was changing the bed clothes, I could stand the mess no longer.
I took a picture ( to be fair, I’d just taken off all the bedding and toys).

Despite having others things to do- I dug deep ( quite literally too) and cracked on with it.
Unfortunately as soon as I improved one space, the next shone forth in its squalor.
From this eventually to this

Thankfully by the time I had removed nearly an entire wardrobe of dirty clothes from various orifices of the room it ended up like this

It’s way away from perfect- but I’m a momma who knows she has to stop and draw a line under tasks.
Bless them- they were both so delighted, I was thankful to have done it. Bets may be placed on just how long it lasts although I feel a storm coming… One of them looked at me in dead earnest and said forcefully “I love it so much that I will MAKE sure she doesn’t mess it up”. The ‘make’ was uttered so menacingly that even I was scared.
I suspect that their room may not be the scene of a totally harmonious coexistence over the next few days.

Do you ever feel like you’re disappearing under all the jobs! We often have discussions amongst my friends about how as mothers we feel that the ‘us’ disappears but, me? Well I’d be happy just to emerge from the mess- with my ‘inner self’ hidden or otherwise!

See you soon, when I’ve finished sneezing from all the dust 😉!! x

Be Yourself & Smile Week!

Apologies for the less than fine photo. It’s a very simple project just repeating a stamp and using the rather delicious Hero Arts inks (& stamps!). I’ve been playing with them & they’re just lovely and stamp beautifully.
Now this card is special- not the card- but it marks what I’m denoting ‘Smile Week’.

Smiles are often necessary. Sometimes they’re because others are having a tough time, perhaps because everyone needs a little lift sometimes and maybe -just because.
This post is dedicated to someone who I’ve not known for long but often makes me smile and is our truly fearless leader over at Make The Day Special.
She could do with a little smile ( or quite possibly a rip roaring guffaw ). My post won’t make her laugh unless I insert some Messenger stickers- but as WordPress can’t oblige on that front I simply have to say that we think she’s awesome, kind and generous.
Oh, and a fab, unique crafter (in the very best sense of the word!)
Lou, this post is for you.
Long may you continue to keep us in order and bring sunshine too by just being you.
Hope you’re smiling by now.

There will be smiles for others- but they can discover that in their own time. It takes nothing to smile and despite getting the occasional odd look from a stranger ( particularly when smiling randomly at people in London), people love smiling eyes and smiley faces.
Go smile.
Make it smile week for you too.
None of us know how much that other person might appreciate you noticing them.
See, you’re smiling too.

🙂

See you when the muscles in my face are sore from smiling too much. But then you burn more calories by smiling so its a good thing all round!! xx

Birthday Greetings and Books!

Hello- to all you lovely blog readers. I don’t always get chance to say THANKYOU! for visiting and leaving comments- I really appreciate you popping by.
This card was in last months Crafts Beautiful- and is a great example of a hybrid sentiment. Sometimes you want to say something particular on a card and can’t quite find the right sentiment- well, combine a couple. These are sentiments from CAS-ual Fridays stamps ( & the circle lines too) with a partial sentiment from Hero Arts.
I love the mixed fonts. So easy to do.

Another project I was working on this week was this

The cushion was a congratulations pressie for my eldest on her exam results. That cushion was fun to make and mostly done in an evening. Ably helped by the wonder that is fusible interfacing. I roughly followed a pattern from Tula Pink I just used up fabric I had in. A really economical present and made me happy to be using up some of my fabric.

This week we’ve been lost in books and I’ve lost a book. We reconnected with the local library. The one nearest our home had been shut and only recently what we had thought was a school library was, in fact, a public library. They were rather pleased to see us. I guess as the library system is under threat, any new users help the stats. Well we temporarily removed 28 books from the library which the librarian seemed extraordinarily delighted by. I re-signed up 5 kids which she smiled a lot about too.
They’ve been reading.
And reading.
Even Will has tried to get in on the action.
Except instead of getting lost in a book, I’ve lost one of the books.
I’m hoping their new found pleasure in the family won’t dissipate as soon as I own up to the fact and offer to pay. I wouldn’t mind if I’d actually gotten round to reading it. Alas, it was next in the queue.
It was lovely to read a whole book in one week. That’s been a long time in coming.
I was surprised by the reviews though, talk about over egging a book. What I thought was an ok story had rave reviews from another.
Ah well. Onto the next book.
Any book recommendations for me? I always like a really good book!

See you once I’ve stopped trying to find the missing pages!
Xx

Love You More & Wrestling!

Hey! Hope your week is going well. Here’s a ‘one I’d forgotten to post’ . Love the feathers- makes me think of a flamingo and standing on one leg and falling over… My mind goes funny places sometimes. Enjoyed stamping on craft foam- I’m increasingly using funky foam for all sorts-

Wax Crayon Resist & Dog Tired!

Wow. Friday again!
This card was one I did for the demonstration at Happy Stampers. So incredibly simple. Not even one teeny embellishment. Letting the stamp sing for a change.
This involves the easiest brayering you’ll ever do and you can’t go wrong with it.
The stamp is a fab set from Hero Arts. You can add sentiments in the ‘page’ that’s sticking out the typewriter.

Well I’m’fraid it’s a short one again. This week I’ve been burning the candle at both ends. See, I forgot.
Forgot that half term was coming.
I’d nicely organised my work schedule not taking into account the fact there’d be 5 littlish people there too.
So umm.. Some deadlines just sneaked up on me. I was tempted not to bother going to bed at all.
Thought better of it.
Do I look radiant and have just brushed off the lack of sleep?
Are you kidding?
I couldn’t do it when I was 24 and looking after a newborn. I definitely couldn’t breeze through when I had 5 kiddos aged 7 and under (3 who were 19 months and under! Ha!).
So I certainly can’t do it now.
I must have looked so deathly that I was utterly memorable when visiting my lovely local post office.
I’d chatted briefly with the assistant explaining that I’d only just finished the projects at 3am ( gulp!).
She happened to see me again 2 days later ( which happened to be this morning).
‘You got more commissions?’
“Oh yes” I laughed.
“I managed to finish these at 2am’
“Well you’re getting faster then”.
Gulp.
She actually remembered our conversation.
Think I must start making an effort not to look so badly memorable.
Think more makeup may be required.
Makeover? Any colour me beautiful ladies in the house?

Well, have more work to prepare. I’m at Abakhan, Liverpool tomorrow doing a Big Shot demonstration from 9:30-11:30 and then some 3D projects from 12-3. Do and come and say hi. I just might need keeping awake!

See you when I’ve had a good night’s sleep!! xx