The power of positive thinking.....

Evening Everyone
I've had a lovely first day at the Farnborough Show working for Lavender Lane. It's always a little hectic getting set up for a workshop and a demo - have I remembered everything!!!!!  And then there is that hour before the class starts where you can't really settle into doing anything. I just wandered around the stalls contemplating my next purchases, very dangerous lol.

This is a card that I made for the 'Acetate and Inks' class at Lavender Lane last Saturday. It uses my favourite Hobby Art - Anna's collection Just for You which I am also using on my workshops at Farnborough.
The workshop is actually 'Black and White with a hint of colour' but as the samples didn't get finished till 11.30pm yesterday evening you will forgive me if I don't have any piccies as yet.

 

The images have been stamped onto acetate and then the textured background has been made with Glossy Accents, dye based ink and crumpled copy paper. Once it is completely dry I have cut a shape using one of my Nesties. The green background paper has been stamped in each corner with brown versafine ink, as have the cream circles. The finishing touches are gold card stock and a border drawn with a fine black pen.

I am once again staying at 'Chez Till' where Chef Mike cooked lamb for dinner, my favourite :)

I am always made to feel so welcome, even though I'm sure I must put them out - prepping classes into the wee small hours doesn't exactly endear you to people although they never make me feel that it is a problem. Let's hope they don't talk about me too much when I leave!!!

Gill will be visiting the show tomorrow with a friend. We got her a ticket last year for the Sunday as a way of saying Thank You. Of course that day was cancelled due to the high winds so she is taking no chances this time lol.

So I have to say that my week has definitely finished in a better manner than it began.

Last Wednesday has got to count as one of the longest of my life as I waited for news on a close relative undergoing major surgery. I have never known a morning to drag so. 6 hours seemed like an eternity.

Everything has gone well so I am certainly feeling a little more relaxed now than I was a few days ago.

I'm afraid that I'm not at all religious but I do believe in the power of positive thinking and it seems to have worked it's magic on this occasion, thank goodness.

I'd better get some shut eye now as I have to do this all over again tomorrow - it's never as bad the second day.

Pop over and say Hi if you are at the show I would love to see you.

Have a great weekend.

Love and hugs to All

Kimx

To see the world in a grain of sand...................

Evening, I hope you have all had a good weekend. The weather here has been awful, wet, windy and cold, a really good excuse to stay inside and craft as if I needed one lol.

 I told you I liked this stamp, I made several cards with it for Barbara's last TV show.

This one makes use of a card template and glimmer mists to create the squared background which I have then stamped and embossed over. Background papers and peel-off dots add the finishing touches.
I have been working hard on a couple of new samples for Jenny's TV Show on Wednesday (Create and Craft 671 11am - 12pm and 3pm - 4pm). She will be showing off the new DVD and stamps with a seaside theme, check it out if you get the chance.
I think I had better get an early night, I have a busy and stressful week in front of me before I make it to the show in Farnborough at the weekend.
Love and hugs to you all
Kimx

Oh what a day.....

Evening Everyone,
Is it Friday the 13th by any chance, it certainly could have been today. Or at the very least one of those old fashioned comedies starring Norman Wisdom !!
I have done wonders for International relations as I spent most of the morning trying to help a couple get their car back to France after they put the wrong fuel in it. Then we had an accident at the entrance to the forecourt, fortunately nothing serious, and then to round it all off I ended up dog watching while a lady went in to the store and did some shopping!!!!! She wanted some wine so I was much better off with the dog as I have absolutely no idea when it comes to anything alcoholic.
So my day has been nothing if not eventful. Still at least it makes the time pass quickly when you are at work.

Anyway that's enough of that, on to something creative.
This has to be one of my favourite cards of all time. I made it for Barbara's TV show last weekend.

The main panel has been made using the embossed resist technique. This has been cut into several pieces which have then been put back together onto a silver panel.

The 'moon' has been achieved by placing a mask over the embossed image before the colour has been sponged over it.
A few pearls and some peel-off lines finish the whole thing off.
I will be demoing this technique using Hobby Art stamps at the show in Farnborough next weekend, so pop by and say hello.
I must get to bed now as I have another lovely day teaching at Lavender Lane tomorrow.
Hope you have a good weekend.
Love and hugs
Kimx

Just dropping in...............

Evening,
Here's another cute kids card.

This time it has been made using one of my many clear stamp sets from Penny Black.
It was ordered by my friend Kevin for his Grandson who will be having a very noisy birthday party on Sunday.

I expect that there will be plenty of balloons, but I'm not sure about low flying hedgehogs lol.
I do like the clear sets, they are such good value for money and so much better now the images are that much bigger.

I have stamped and embossed the images and then coloured them with my distress inks. The name plaque has been made from cream shrink plastic - just perfect to finish it off.
I will try and post some more of the cards that I made for Barbara tomorrow, but for now I must get back to my class prep for Saturday. Two full classes at Lavender Lane - Spring Florals and Acetate and Inks so there will be plenty more things to share.
Love and hugs to All
Kimx

Ribbit, Ribbit

Evening,
It really does seem to have been a busy month for birthdays, especially ones for little people.

The two cards tonight were actually made using some Penny Black stickers. They are brilliant when you need a card in a hurry as they are already coloured in. It's a bit of a cheat I know, but sometimes it just has to be done. Of course you can make them look every bit as special as one that you have stamped and coloured in yourself, it just cuts down on the time.

Because they are clear stickers it can be best to back them onto white card since anything you stick them to does have a tendency to show through a little.

I'm afraid the photography is not quite as sharp as it might be but I hope that it gives you a couple of ideas.
I've added cuttlebugged background and punched panels, and of course a greeting or two.
Off to bed now before I fall asleep as I write this.
Sleep tight.
Love and hugs
Kimx

Wishful thinking

Evening

 Another cute easel card tonight for a very special lady - my eldest daughter Jenni. With four children of her own and a career as a childminder I think the sentiment was very appropriate lol.

 I think there are probably days we would all rather have spent soaking in the tub. The girly in the bath was actually stamped, coloured and decoupaged by my other daughter Becki, so it was very much a joint effort.

I added some Glossy Accents to the bubbles and a few crystals. This is another lovely Whipper Snapper stamp that has finally been inked. One day I might get to use all my stamps.......if I live to be 103 that is. Will I still buy more, you bet I will :)

Of course no good easel card is complete without a nice border punch, some ribbon and flowers. Unfortunately Jenni had a parents evening to attend tonight so I guess she will have to be like the Queen and celebrate again at the weekend. I wonder what she will choose for her dinner. I hear it on the grapevine that she has her eye on a huge stuffed crust pizza, blow the diet for one night I say, she deserves it, and then maybe a couple of hours soaking in the tub. I don't think our hot water is up to much more than that.

Nite nite.

Love and hugs

Kimx

Happy Valentine's Day

Evening,
I don't usually make Valentine's cards, but this year several of the boys at work asked me to make cards for them. This card had to be sent out to Canada, so they really are getting around a bit lol.

This has been made using a wonderful Whipper Snapper stamp called 'Love Bear' (LY855). I got it quite some time ago and haven't used it very much but thought that it was particularly suitable for Valentines Day.

I stamped the image onto several scraps of paper from my stash to add colour to the letters and then mounted the whole thing onto a piece of red card that I embossed using one of my many Cuttlebug folders - another good one to suit the occasion.

The greeting is from a Paula Pascual set All Year Round which I got from Sir Stampalot. Of course there had to be some flowers and gems and a nice heart border punch to finish it all off.
I haven't entered a challenge for ages so its about time all that changed. I hope that there are enough hearts on it for the challenge over at the The Stampman.
Hope you have all had a wonderful day with your special someone.
Love and hugs
Kimx

Wired Heart

Evening,
Sorry another late post but I really have been a busy girl, and I don't seem to get a look in on the computer either till everyone has gone to bed lol.

I've had some lovely comments from people who have seen my cards on the TV so it seems appropriate to share one of them with you this evening.

This was made with the Clarity Wired Heart and has been stamped into several layers of UTEE. I have also used it in the background, stamped and embossed gold on gold.
Better stop now, another early start in the morning.
Hope you had a good weekend.
Love and hugs
Kimx

A little bird told me

Hi All

Another quick post I'm afraid just to remind you that Barbara will be on the TV tomorrow with THREE HOURS of wonderful card making ideas.

These cards were all made a while ago using Clarity stamps, but I never got to share them.

I have been busy again trying to keep on top of everything so I will try and blog again tomorrow.
Don't forget the shows Create and Craft channel 761 at 10am - 12pm and then again at 3pm - 4pm. Barbara thinks she might even be on the Tool shed show in between, so tomorrow could well be wall to wall Barbara Grey. Enjoy!!
Goodnight All
Love and hugs
Kimx

For a special person

Evening
Talk about leave it till the last minute.
Yesterday my boss asked me if I could make him a card for his daughter's 7th birthday. No problem, when's it for I ask?  Friday came the reply!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 So this is what I did with yesterday evening after my class at Davina's was cancelled, which was probably quite fortuitous.

Cards always look that little bit more special when they are made as an easel don't you think. And this Magnolia Princess was just perfect. I love her.

Of course a card for a small person is never complete unless it has their name on so my shrink plastic got an airing again.
Sorry this is a little rushed, I will try a little better tomorrow.
Have a good evening.
With love and hugs to you all
Kimx

Grasses I prepared earlier.

Evening Everyone,
I've delivered my cards, had my cup of coffee, and because I can't share them at the moment I guess it is the perfect opportunity for one of those 'And here's one I prepared earlier' moments lol.

This was actually made way back last year when the grasses stamp first appeared on the TV. Some how I never got around to sharing the cards with you, so here goes.

This is another one in the same style. I hope my latest photos are better than these - maybe that's why I didn't share before.
By the way I'm not a millionaire, maybe I'll have better luck next time. No wonder I don't buy a ticket very often, I never seem to win anything.
Off to bed, it's got late again.
Love and hugs
Kimx

Say it in Sepia

Evening Everyone,
The homework is finished, both mine and my Granddaughter's, so I thought that I would pop back briefly and share another card with you. Two posts in one day, I haven't managed that in a long time lol.

This card was actually made for Jenny at Hobby Art for one of her TV shows, but the girls at Davina's liked it so much that they asked to do it in a class, so that is what we will be doing on Wednesday.

I might have to change the background paper as I'm not sure whether I have any more of this, (it was from my stash. That's the beauty of making cards for the TV I can pretty much use what ever I want when it comes to papers) Still I'm sure that I can find something to use. And of course I will have to make another couple of cards, so I guess that's tomorrow evening sorted.
I have finished all the cards for Barbara so my friend Suu and I will be off on our road trip tomorrow afternoon to deliver them. I expect they will be busy unloading after the show in Stevenage so we won't stop for long, still I'm good at making the tea.
Must close now, I didn't realize how late it was.
Nite nite.
Love and hugs
Kimx

Just for you Mum

Hi All
No I haven't been missing because I won the lottery, although to be honest I haven't even checked my number yet, I have been swamped under a mountain of cards I've been making  for Barbara's TV show next weekend and my Granddaughter had the laptop to do her homework.
So I thought that I would steal it back briefly to share the card that I sent my Mum. I always send her a card for things like my Dad's birthday just to show that he and of course she are always in our thoughts. Not that she needs reminding but I hope it helps.

This card was made using my favourite Hobby Art clear stamp set Just for You stamped and embossed onto background papers.

The central images are cut from paper which has also been spritzed with glimmer mist. For once I think you can actually see it in the photograph.
I think you can probably see a circular theme running through the last couple of posts lol.
Better get back to the samples now, I need to deliver them to Barbara tomorrow.
Perhaps I'll get the chance to pop back later, if the homework is finished of course.
Have a great day.
Happy Crafting
Kimx

For my Dad

Hi All
Today would have been my Dad's 88th birthday.

Isn't it funny how you have particular associations with people, I suppose that a lot of it has to do with the time of year their birthday falls.
With my Dad I always think of the clump of snowdrops at the end of the drive.
They nestled in, sheltered by shrubbery and are always a welcome sign that spring is here. They are also, to this day known as 'Dad's Snowdrops', even though he passed away 9 years ago.

It seems strangely appropriate then that one of the cards that I made for Jenny at Hobby Art has 'Dad's Snowdrops' as the central theme.
I know it says Happy Mothers Day, but I think Dad would have had a bit of a laugh about that lol.
The snowdrops have been stamped and embossed onto a piece of handmade background paper made from spritzed glimmer mists and then cut out with nestabilities.
My Mum text me this morning to say that Dad's snowdrops are coming up again. As she put it ' A gentle reminder that he's still around, as if we needed one!'
I bought a lottery ticket for tonight, lets hope he's looking out for me with that :)
Hope you have a good evening. Raise a glass to Dad for me.
Love and hugs
Kimx

As seen on TV

Evening Everyone,
I thought that you might like a little more of a close up of one of the cards that I made for Hobby Art Jenny's last TV show.

This is actually made using just one of the stamps from the Woodland Scenes clear stamps set.
I have to be honest and say that the Scene-it style sets are always the ones that I find most difficult to work with, not because I don't like them, but because I need to see what can be done with them first. But there is always something there that sparks an idea, and in this case it was a nice little floral corner.

Of course my Cuttlebug and Nestabilities found there way in there, as did some dye based inks to colour with. The greeting is from another of the stamps sets on the show Sentiments.
Better get to bed, another Friday is looming. I can't believe how quickly they keep coming round.
Sleep well
Love and hugs
Kimx

Thank you........

Evening Everyone
Just a quick post tonight.
This card was made to display at the last show at Sandown, where I was demoing for Lavender Lane.

It has been made using the embossed resist technique, dye based inks and of course the Hobby Art Floral Sketch set, my second favourite clear stamp set.
Hope you like it.
Off to bed now, although this is really quite early for me.
Have a good night.
Love and hugs
Kimx