1st xmas card design made at last!

Okay I know a lot of crafters start making next years xmas cards in the New Year. I find my tastes change and I learn so many new things in a year that if I did I would end up not wanting to send them by December. So I finally got round to finishing the first design last night. Im going to make cards in batches this year so there will be 4 more identical cards before I start the next design.

This has most of my current favourite things on it... the tag and red background are embossed with a cuttlebug folder then the tag is coloured with weathered wood distress stain (definetly my favourite colour) and silver 'spray and sparkle'. I think the tattered pine cone die from Tim Holtz looks really effective and was really easy to use. The robin is my favourite stamp on the retro christmas plate from Indigo Blu coloured with distress inks. *** I promise that on the other 4 cards the robin will be coloured properly, just realised my deliberate mistake - oops, sorry Mr Robin! ***

Once I knew I was happy with it I started making all the pieces ready for the other cards in this batch.

Altered Alice autumn challenge

I had fun creating this autumn themed card to enter in this months The Altered Alice challenge. The card was inspired by an article by Jo Capper-Sandon in November's Craft Stamper magazine ('Crinkled Ink' article on page 16).

All the stamps used are by Indigo Blu - 'Alice I', 'Alice II' and 'Lollipop tree'.

LB Crafts mini books class

I had such a fab time yesterday at LB Crafts with the lovely Sharon, Felicity and Heather. It took a while for us to get there but was certainly worth it. It was the first time any of us had been to Lin's shop but a return visit was definetly planned so I couldn't believe it when I read on Lin's blog a few weeks ago that she had decided to close the shop. Noooooo! Having been to 2 ArtsyCrafts events, (including the one with Sir Tim), I already knew how fab Lin's teaching was and yesterday didn't disappoint. Big sigh of relief to know that she is intending to continue teaching at a new venue after a bit of a break as well as doing one ArtsyCrafts event a year. I'll be looking out for details about that on her blog. Hope she manages to have a well deserved rest first!

A photo of us all with Lin, the workshop space was covered with loads of gorgeous  samples.

We practised with loads of techniques and used lovely products like distress stains, Kraft resist paper and Claudine Hellmuth sticky back canvas. Its the simple things that please me though, the techniques that someone experienced with a product doesn't even think twice about - how do you stamp on your canvas which has been coloured with distress stains and is curled up? - stick it to your craft mat of course!

The class took us through the process of making and decorating 3 simple mini books. I have a few bits to finish off but am really pleased with what I have so far...

Indigo Blu 'Retro christmas' stamps

I just love the style of these beautiful and highly detailed stamps from Indigo Blu.

I was lucky enough to get to know Kay the designer, through her amazing scrapbook classes in Louth, and have been helping her out producing some samples.  You can see their online shop here http://www.indigoblu.com/ They describe their style as 'Quintessentially English'.

These are some of the samples I made using the 'retro christmas' plate.

I used Ranger distress crackle paint in 'peeled paint' for the frame.

A mini suitcase with gift tags inside perfect for christmas presents. 

 tissue tape works well to cover the bottom of the box which I have left unpainted 

New beginnings

Well this is my first ever blog post. I'm a newbie so hope this all works like I want it to.
This first post is a celebration of new beginnings and exciting opportunities.

This is my new craft room in various stages of unpacking...We have just moved house and as soon as I saw the room at the front - you know the one that should actually be the living room (oops!) - I claimed it as my own. Not quite as bad as it sounds as there is a large sitting / dining room at the back of the house. So I was allowed it... all to myself... just for craft stash... Yippee!!

Lots of unpacking to do...

Getting there now... 

Now its all about choosing storage. Having the space is amazing and it finally gives me the opportunity to become organized. There are quite a few things on my wish list though, number 1 being upright 12 x 12 paper storage. Just need to win the lottery.

The other news I am really excited about is that I have been selected for the WOW embossing powders design team - check out the website at http://www.wowembossingpowder.co.uk/. I am so excited and honoured to have been picked. Here are a couple of photos of the main project I submitted with my application. Its a wedding album with photos from my brother and sister-in laws wedding.  

Phew, didnt mean that to be such a long post but if you got to the end please do call again.