Ally Pally Playtime Part 2

Evening Everyone,
I had better get this post done quickly before my computer starts acting up, as well as my phone.
Why is it that anything involving technology just does not seem to work for me. It should be so easy to download all the photos off my phone onto my computer, or so all of my children and Grandchildren tell me. At this point I am ready to get Emma, who is three, to give it a go cause it just ain't happening for me. GRRRRRRRRRR
Anyway. Rant over. Here is part 2 of the class on Saturday where we all played with our purchases from Ally Pally the previous week.

Part of my contribution to playtime were some Tonic Nuvo Shimmer Powders which I used to create this fabulous watercolour background.

I also used one of my new Woodware stamps designed by Francoise,

and a 'With Love' die also from Tonic.

This piece of mopup background was enough to make two cards.

I stamped and embossed another of Francoise stamps onto it,

and then painted it with bleach for the flower petals

and Shimmer powders mixed with water for the flower centers and leaves.

The background to this card was created using Green Parade Shimmer Powder and glycerin.

 It was something that I saw my friend Paula Pascal do on one of her TV appearances for Tonic,

and was the reason why I just had to try out the Tonic Shimmer Powders even though I own all sorts of other types of powder including Brushos, Colour Bursts and Pixie Powders lol.

This card uses another of Francoise stamps which has been coloured with the Shimmer powders mixed with a little water to create a paint.

The background paper is from a Clarity paper pad which was also amongst my many purchases.

 I even managed a Christmas card.

One of the Girls brought along some Embossing powders and a lovely Christmas Tree stamp, so I just had to play with that just like everyone else.
I am going to admit defeat with trying to transfer my photos from my phone to my laptop and get my lovely friend Joe to do it for me. I can see him shaking his head now, but at least my laptop and phone should remain intact, as well as the nearest window :O)
Have a great evening.
Hugs Kimx

Ally Pally Playtime Part 1

Good Evening Everyone
We paid our biannual trip to Ally Pally a couple of weeks ago. It is a lovely show, my favourite, and reasonably local to us, although it does seem to be getting smaller and smaller.
I remember demoing there for many years with heaving crowds around you all the time.
Now as a customer I much prefer the fact that you can get to everything you want without pushing through the hoards, but it must be quite worrying for all the companies that attend, given how jolly expensive it is to have a stand.
With the show in mind, and given that the classes on a Saturday are generally driven by what the Girls want to play with, I decided this last Saturday that we would have a session where we all bring along something that we had bought at Ally Pally the previous week.

Now I am a very lucky Girl and get to make samples for Jane Gill. Her stamps are designed for Woodware, which is now part of Creative Expressions and several of my samples were on display at Ally Pally.

Although I am lucky enough to get to play with Jane's designs before anyone else, the show was the perfect opportunity for me to buy some of the other wonderful Woodware stamps which I don't have access to which are designed by Francoise Read.

So this is part of my contribution to playtime on Saturday, just a few of my purchases.

I simply adore this fabulous 'Birthday' die from Sheena, I can see it featuring quite a bit on future projects, and I have already started a list of things that I NEED to purchase next time lol.

'Happy' is from one of Francoise stamps sets that I bought at the show. It works perfectly with this fantastic die by Sheena.

One of the Girls brought along some Embossing powders to play with, so this card incorporates several of my purchases, along with her fabulous embossing powders from Be Creative.

The background paper is from Clarity, one of several amazing paper pads that I now own.

This card uses the same fabulous die from Sheena, this time layered over a piece of embossed card stock. No not another purchase, this time I used an embossing folder from my not inconsiderable stash :O)

I can definitely see me using this die a lot more, although isn't that always the way with new toys. You play them to death, until something else new takes over in your affections lol.
We had a fabulous time on Saturday playing with every ones purchases. So much so that I will have to come back with a part two tomorrow - Internet willing of course lol.
Happy Crafting and Hugs
Kimx

Virtual Anniversary Wishes

Hello Everyone,
There I was thinking I had got back into some sort of routine, and then the bloody Internet conspires against me again.
Of course it did do me a favour in a way. It saved me from spending a small fortune on beautiful co-ordinating stamps and dies  from Stamps by Me.
I do love Toni Darroch's designs. Fortunately for my bank balance the Four day deal had finished by the time the Internet would let me back on line :O)
A friend recently asked me to make her a Diamond Wedding Anniversary card. I love making special cards for people, especially when it allows me to just play.

I have some fabulous Tonic Heart dies which I have been itching to play with so this was the perfect opportunity.

Of course there had to be some sparkle for a Diamond Wedding Anniversary so I die cut the heart from white card stock, and then from card that had been brayered with Imagination Diamond Sparkle Medium.

I added die cut sentiments and then stamped and embossed Anniversary in black because I felt that it needed a little bit of colour.

The background panel has been dry embossed and then I added a little more of the sparkle medium around the edges.
Unfortunately with a white on white creation, it is very difficult to photograph. It really does look so much better in the flesh.

One of the things that I have been trying very hard to do is use up all the bits that I end up with when I am making a specific card. 

It seems that I can never just make a card without creating lots of extra bits and pieces lol. So here are a couple of Anniversary cards that I made out of the leftovers.

One of the side effects of the extremely hot weather that we had over the summer was that I found it very hard to function. Eight hours air conditioning at work got me through the day, but then I struggled as soon as I got home.
As a consequence of this I have failed miserably in my card sending. I may have made some, but when it came to finishing them off inside, and actually getting them in the post it just didn't happen.
I have managed to miss several Wedding Anniversaries, including both of my Sisters so they will just have to look on these as virtual Anniversary greetings from me instead.
Better get on with some CCM commenting before the ruddy Internet locks me out again.
Happy Crafting and Hugs
Kimx

Autumn Colours at CCM

Afternoon Everyone,
I'm back again, and nearly on time too, with my card for the latest challenge over at CCM.
Maike is our host this time, and she is asking for your creations using Autumn Colours.

I think that this time of year is probably my favourite. I don't know how much of it is due to the fact that my birthday is in October, or that I just love the colours of Autumn, or that it is usually a little cooler, but whatever the reason it is definitely my time of year.

This fabulous toadstool stamp set is one of the brand new designs from Jane Gill for Woodware which is now part of Creative Expressions.

I love this set. I stamped and embossed it onto a piece of handmade background from my stash and then coloured it in using Distress inks.

When I get the new stamp sets from Jane to make the catalogue samples, I never know what I am going to do until I start to play

One thing I try very hard to do now is to use up all of those playtime bits and pieces instead of leaving them till later. Tomorrow never seems to come in my crafting universe, and I still have bits in my box from years ago.

It also means that I am a little ahead of the game if I am needed to make samples for the TV.

The first card is the one I sent to Creative Expressions for the catalogue, and the rest are created using my left over playtime bits and pieces.
I hope that you will find the time to join us for our Autumnal Colours challenge at CCM and please don't forget to pop by and show the rest of the DT some love.
Happy Crafting and Hugs
Kimx

Have a great time at Nursery

Evening Everyone,
I hope that you have all had a good weekend.
Mine has not been as creatively productive as I had intended, but I got to help with Chloe while Emma was swimming so I had a great time regardless.

Emma is due to start at her new nursery school tomorrow.

I'm sure that she will have a wonderful time, she certainly seemed to enjoy her taster session on Friday while Mum filled in all the paperwork.

This is actually the card that I made for her when she first started at nursery. Was that really in February, where on earth did that time go to. She has grown up so much in that time.
I will miss being able to pick her up and then going on 'an adventure'. She liked to walk past the field of horses to say hello and then get the bus home. Just a little thing but she enjoyed it.
Perhaps I will get some crafting done tomorrow. Emma is certainly looking forward to playing in the messy corner that they have at nursery. I'm not sure my messy corner (aka my desk) is quite up to paper mache, but a bit of inky messy play is much more in my line.
Happy crafting and hugs
Kimx

Ooops I did it again!!

OK, own up, who stole August?
One minute we were at the beginning of it, and then suddenly we are in September, and that seems to be disappearing every bit as quickly. What with one thing and another crafty things have taken a bit of a back seat just lately especially in the blogging department.
We had a nice long summer break at CraftyCardmakers, and I really did hope that I would be able to get back to blogging, and commenting, but I appear to have failed at the first hurdle.
I suppose there is no point in beating myself up about it, but I do feel that I have let a whole host of people down, Lin (The Boss over at CCM), my wonderful Teamies, and of course all you guys who pop in to see me and naturally expect me to have posted something.
I am hoping that have having spent a very pleasant, if rather expensive day at Ally Pally, my creative juices will start to flow again.
I love the show at Ally Pally, but loosing a wheel on the way home is getting to be a bit of a recurring feature. It will teach me to buy too much card stock I suppose, but this time I managed to completely demolish a wheelie bag - no wheels left on it at all lol.

It is really far too late for me to post this for CCM given that the new challenge starts again on Monday, but I feel that I have to start somewhere, so here is the card that I made for a friend, and which I was supposed to have posted a fortnight ago.
I have used a Whipper Snapper Doggie stamp, an embossing folder, and a rather old but fun Woodware stamp set.
I have found homes for all of my purchases, and cleared the decks ready to play tomorrow, so I think I had better get some shut eye in preparation for a marathon crafting session. To that end I have taken a couple of days off  work for said playtime.
If only I could get the tune of 'One wheel on my Wagon' out of my head.
I don't think they will trust me with a trolley next year :O)
Night night.
Hugs Kimx