A Reject ???

Good Morning all

I thought I would show this Clarity card today, this is the one I decided was not good enough for my Northwest workshop ladies- so I kicked it to the kerb in favour of better designs!

The stamps used are

Corset Montage

Feminine

A Thing of Beauty...

Also used

Papermania 8x8 paper

Expresso Adirondack ink

Clear Powder/Versamark

Donna Salazar Spellbinders

Grand Spellbinders

EK Punch

Vintage Ribbon (dyed with inkpad)

Come back tomorrow to help judge this months Claritystampers Northwest homework....

Sending you a warm smile!

Good Morning, hope everybody is ok, safe and warm, I know some places in the UK are suffering a bit!

Well get your Spellbinders out and cheer yourselves up...

This one of the samples I made for last weeks Creative Expressions shows on Create & Craft.

Its an 8x8 using the new Moroccan dies, Picoh Circle, Anemones, Fluer de Lis Rectangle, Fancy Tags, Foliage (surprise surprise)

I embossed Sentiments with Cosmic Shimmer Metallics/Darks powders-they are so lush!

I inked edges with Stormy Skies Distress ink.

The paper is an old Papermania pad.

White background was embossed with A4 Mica Mask.

Also used, Decorative pins, Crinkle edge ribbon, Organza roses, Cosmic Shimmer Pearly dots, White Inksentials pen.

Go on then, go look for a Creative Expressions retailer-you know you want to!

See you soon.



Grungy edges are JustRite

As promised earlier, Im back with a card.

This one of my samples for the JustRite shows I did for Creative Expressions.

Spellbinders labels 20. I grunged/metalised the edges of the designer paper by using Perfect Medium re-inker and Cosmic Shimmer Ultra Thick Arctic Black powder.  I also used Adagio embossing folder, Smoke Glass glintz, Vintage Ribbon, Zipper Rose.

All goodies including the Tan cardstock are available from

Creative Expressions

See you tomorrow for a Spellbinder card.



Mask winner.

Afternoon!

We have a winner for the A4 Mica Mask

.....

....

Maggie!

Well done, give me a shout with your Address Maggie.

See you later today with a card- I have a backlog!

White & Spellbinding!

I actually remembered to get pics of this, with my new camera of course!

Its the White card I demo'd this morning.  I thought I would get the pics up for you now while im sat in the garden centre round the corner from the studio, stuffing a baked spud down me!

When I get chance I will add some measurements for you!

Right, Baked spud is finished so Im heading back before they realise I escaped lol.  Hope you will join me at 4pm- will ask again about showing you how to get the trickier Moroccan Accent out of the die- you should be fine once you see where to press.

Welcome to my new followers-Im glad to have you, put your names down for this weeks giveaway a couple of posts below.

Over & out!

oops, giveaway is late this week!

Good morning!

Quick post again today because I have to pack the car for an all-day Clarity workshop.

I then have to unpack the car and re-pack the car to drive down to Peterborough tonight ready for tomorrow's Creative Expressions shows on C&C.

So, a little later than hoped, this weeks giveaway is a

Special Touch of Mica A4 mask.

I love the A4's for embossing my 8x8 backgrounds!

As usual, just leave a comment to be in with a chance of winning.

Re-draw for the Clarity stamp!

Yep, the winner didnt come forward so I have to pick another!

Drumroll.

.........

......

New winner is....

Jacqui B

Get in touch Jacqui!

I will let you know about this weeks giveaway in the morning (Wednesday).

I still have goodies to post out, I havent forgotten you I promise.

A Heartfelt Cardinal

Happy Tuesday! - well its one day closer to the weekend than Monday...

More prep for me today, I have 2 all-day Clarity workshops this week and a couple of Creative Expressions shows on Create & Craft on Friday.  Things are not as crazy this week so Im a bit more on the ball!

Im trying to mix up what I show you at the moment, there are tons of cards yet to be seen.

This one is using the Cardinal Family stamp set & Cutting dies from Heartfelt Creations-part of the Spellbinder possie no less!

The mottled background was created using distress ink and Cosmic Shimmer paints-not just for painting you know..

I also used the Ornate Window die also from HC.  I turned the autumn leaves around back to front for a different embossing look.

Roses are made from Vintage ribbon and then edged with Cosmic Shimmer paint.

The Cardinal is embossed with Black Cosmic Shimmer powder & coloured with Bleach, in a ventilated room.

Some tuille, pins, twine, a dotty mask & plenty of pearly dots!

Hope you like him!

 

Its JustRite in Paris!

Hello folks!

Todays card is an 8x8 using the Greetings from Paris & Shabby Chic labels Justrite Stamp sets & Spellbinders Labels 4. I had to sneak in the Moroccan Spellbinder set too...
All goodies are available through Creative Expressions.

The 'metal' Postage Stamp was made by stamping into melted Cosmic Shimmer Ultra Thick Embossing Powder in Arctic Black.

I added just a little colour to the images with Tea Dye stain and a paintbrush.

I also used some Black Vintage ribbon, Screw top brads, and a Zipper rose.

The Tan cardstock is Creative Expressions Foundation card-Im liking that a lot!

Have a good one!



Giveaway winner.

Its that time of the week again...

when I tease you..

with a long drumroll...

to see if you have won the giveaway....

The winner of this weeks giveaway is

Papercraft by Carole

Well done!

Email me your snail mail.

I will announce next weeks giveaway on or around Tuesday.



More Pink Clarity girlyness!

Good Morning gang, its Sunday so you have my permission to take it easy today!

As promised yesterday, here is another of the Pink Girly Clarity cards I made for the Beginners guide to Resist technique.

I had to be very restrained about embellishing this batch of cards!

I used the Corset Montage stamp and the Feminine sentiment, we are using these stamps in next weeks Clarity workshops but different colours/designs.

 I love doing resist pieces with graduated colour so its really pale in the centre.

If you would like full instructions for this and the other cards you need to get your hands on Creative Cardmaking issue 37.

Last chance today to put your name on the Clarity Leafy Swirl stamp before I pick a winner tonight, scroll down a couple of posts to find it.

Have a good one!



Playing with the new toy & a camera shy bunny wabbit!

I thought I would share the first practise pics with the new camera, I still need to play and get it just right but there is a definite improvement already!

This is an 8x8 card using the Morrocan Spellbinders- have I mentioned that I love these??

I inked Faded Jeans Distress ink through the Fretwork mask, dark in the corner and lighter toward the centre.

Do you recognise the Foliage, of course you do- I banged on about it enough on telly, I love love love the Foliage, oops said it again!

The sentiment is from the Thoughtful Sentiments set, it actually says "you make life a beautiful thing" so I masked the rest of it so only inked the beautiful thing.

Teal & Black Vintage ribbon, Spiral blossom and some black Pearly dots to finish. oh and i put some Cosmic Shimmer Iced Crystal in the centre of the blossom for a little twinkle.

All goodies available through Creative Expressions.

I was trying to get a nice pic of Milly posh paws to practice (the kids are out) but she is a bit camera shy unless she has just had her mane brushed.

Incase you dont recognise the breed, she is a Dwarf  Lion Head bunny- but dont tell her that, she thinks she is a cat!

See you tomorrow for a Clarity card.



Could this be the last bad picture from me!!!!

Maybe, maybe not!

The super cool new camera arrived, so all I need now is an SD card and to work out 

A, where the SD card goes

B, how to switch it on

C, how to take photos

D, how to load them onto my laptop

and if you think thats easy, please remember its ME we are talking about, Queen of technology never to be!!

Today though I have another impressive example of how not to photograph a card.

This is one of the cards I made for the JustRite shows I did yesterday

Its an 8x8 card, the background is done using an A4 Mica Mask at the bottom and some lilac patterned paper at the top.

Centre piece is using the same mask to emboss a Lilac Grand blossom circle cut to size and edged with a Grand edgy die (my fave biggy). Next layer is a Label 20 embossed with Basket Weave mask, couple of screw top brads in Silver. Then top layer is one of the Ribbon tags stamped with the Forever Friends JustRite set. Some lovely Violet Vintage ribbon, a zipper rose, a couple of accents and some pearly dots to finish.

All goodies are available from Creative Expressions of course.

Why not come back tomorrow and see if that new camera is in action yet....

A Clarity Giveaway

Good Morning!

Its manic in Casa Maria again today, I am just finishing demo's for Tomorrows Create & Craft shows at 11am & 4pm (something nice to show you thanks to Creative Expressions), then got to pack the car, see to Milly & the garden bunnies, clean up the aftermath of Amber's Fudge making session last night, Check the oil & water and fuel up, drop Amber to her Dad, and drive down to Peterborough....

So, very quickly here is this weeks giveaway..

Its a lovely Leafy Swirl stamp from Claritystamp

As always no silly rules, just leave a comment on this post and I will pick a winner at the weekend.

If you dont have a google account/profile, it only takes a minute to set one up, then you can comment on any blog.

A Girly Clarity card

Good morning!

ooh dont I sound chirpy, Im not really, when this goes live I will be running around the house with one leg in my pants, a slice of toast hanging out of my mouth while screeching at Amber to get a move on and feeding the fish with my spare hand as I stagger past-not to mention breakfast for Milly posh paws and the garden bunnies and the regular morning ritual of the 'elusive hair bobbles'....

Anyway, today might be a good day, Im hoping Postman Pat will bring my new super fantastic Camera from Amazon-yeah, decent photos & tutorials are imminent!!

Right I have waffled on for long enough, time for a card!

This is one I did for Creative Cardmaking, Beginners guide to 'Resist'

I used the Corset Montage stamp from Claritystamp and Pink Sherbert & Pitch Black Adirondack ink, Versamark, clear embossing powder.

I decoupaged the Corset.

I like to graduate the colour when doing a resist, it adds more drama I think.

I did have to keep this quite simple for a beginner but I like it just the same.

If you would like to see the instructions for this & the other projects, issue 37 of Creative Cardmaking is still available.

Have a good one.

See you tomorrow for this weeks giveaway!

Blog not been deleted, just acting silly i hope!

Just a very quick post, There seems to be an issue with blogger at the moment, lots of you contacted me to say my blog had been deleted, this is very strange because I have not deleted it-im posting on it now! But when i first checked it there was no apparent problem but then 5 mins later i was getting the same message as everybody else, another 5 mins later and im logged in and writing this,  I am hoping this is a temporary glitch but if there is a more permanent problem i will have to start a new blog and let everybody know on Facebook and Twitter.... really hope its not neccesary as i dont have the time to mess about!!!!

Moroccan paper folding & an investigation!

Hello all, and welcome to my new followers!

I arrived home safely last night to lots of hugs from Amber, as predicted, & chocolates!

 Teenage indifference from Steve, as predicted.

And a full and indepth investigation from Milly posh paws! She has not stopped sniffing me and rubbing herself all over me to re-scent her 'property', she clearly doesnt like being away from mummy for such a long time, and she has watched my every move so far today.

Thank you to all the people who watched the shows, ordered, emailed and generally helped make it a great Blockbuster, I hope the guys at Creative Expressions are pleased with the job I did and hopefully let me do another 'big gig' at some piont!

In the meantime, I am back on screen on Thursday with a couple of shows with the excellent JustRite range.

Time for a card, this one of my faves from the Blockbuster shows.

This is using the stunning Moroccan Motif Spellbinders, Large labels, Foliage, Spiral Blossom. I cut 8 of the smaller 5 sided motif and scored on my Hougie 1cm apart then glued them at one end with Cosmic Shimmer dries clear, then glued them all together behind the stamped label. The Stamps are from the Rambling Rose & Thoughtful Sentiments set.

I do have a couple of close ups but computer isnt playing nice at the moment and Milly keeps walking over the keypad trying to get my attention, so I will add them later with a little more detail.

Over & out!

Rambling Rose winner!

Im in the garden centre again in between shows and I thought I better sort out a winner, otherwise it wont happen until tomorrow because Im off home straight after the 2pm show (after I clean up of course)

 Cant wait to see my babies-all 6 of them,

 Milly posh paws will either be sulking and ignore me or she will do cartwheels around my feet with excitement! 

Amber will hug me like crazy,

 and Stevie wont have noticed me gone-unless the power to his xbox has been interupted!

So, winner, actually I thought id have 2- coz I can!

The Creative Expressions Rambling Rose stamp set goes to

Carol

Not sure what prize im giving to.........

Bernie

Will find you something Bernie.

I need addresses please ladies, can you message me please.

If you didnt win then there will be another giveaway in a couple of days.

Gotta go!

x

Show times for Creative Expressions next week.

Please Scroll down for regular blog posts!

My Creative Expressions shows for next weeks Blockbuster are as follows

(subject to change)

Hope you can join me!

Tuesday 17 Jan 

10pm Ideal World

Midnight Ideal World

Wednesday 18 Jan

11am Ideal World
1pm

4pm Create & Craft

6pm Ideal World

8pm Ideal World

Thursday 19 Jan

9am Ideal World

1pm
4pm

8pm Ideal World

Saturday 21 Jan

12 noon  Create & Craft

6pm Create & Craft

Sunday 22 Jan

9am  Create & Craft

2pm Create & Craft

I will try to update any changes as quickly as possible.



Dusky Pink/Brown Moroccan

I thought I would blog while sat in the Garden Centre, Im back in the studio in an hour to prep for the 6pm show but I thought a bit of fresh air would be nice!

This is another of my Moroccan samples

I wanted to show how I gave the corners some height but its the usual excuse-Maria's legendary 'camera phone' photography!!!

I have good news though...

My Sister showed me her new camera yesterday, it was awesome!!!! so I ordered the same one and it will transform my photography, no really it will, I cant wait for it to arrive so I can do proper close ups and actually be able to do decent tutorials!!!!!!  Im getting excited again now, calm down woman! 

Anyway, todays card shows how you can change the shape of the Moroccan pieces simply by playing with them a little!  You will be seeing more of this for sure-especially when my new camera arrives.

While im at it, last chance to put your name down for a chance to win the Creative Expressions Rambling Rose Stamp plate, just scroll down for details.

Hope you can join me at 6pm on Create & Craft.

x