Distressing a little Christmas fun

On Saturday I taught a half day class with lots of lovely ladies. It was a fun filled morning with lots of inky stamps , and distressed tags. One of my favourite workshops to do :)

 Have a look at some of the wonderful creations the girls managed in three hours, and it was only techniques. How Fabulous are these?!, and this was just half of them ....

I have a very busy week this week, but hope to get time to blog too.
Have yourselves a very creative day
Hugs

Stars of my world!

 It isn't often that I get to appreciate how much work my Creative Team do, but when life gets in the way, it makes it important that we don't forget those who help us along the way. With this in mind, my post over on the Creative team blog is for my appreciation of my girls, who colour your world with my stamps every week, and all through the year! They are stars indeed!

Have a very creative weekend,
Hugs

Winner of the Distress Stain giveaway!

Thank you to everyone who joined in my little giveaway this weekend. I got Mr. Random.org to pick my winner, and 

Weasel

 

popped out of the hat (so to speak!). Please email me with your address, so I can send you your goodies :)
I am off to spend the day doing other things, that don't include being creative....but have a very creative day yourself.
Hugs

Stars of the day!

Yesterday was a brilliant day! I held a class in our new classroom creating tags for Christmas presents. I had a lovely bunch of girls who all got into the spirit of it, and spent the day creating and following my very haphazard method of working yesterday!!! Because lots of the tags needed to dry we jumped around doing techniques, and inking and stamping! Even I got lost, but we made it in the end! I really must stop trying to do so much in one class! We did get to play with almost all of Tim's new dies, and the new distress stains, which are just lush! I had a ball yesterday, and thank you to Liz, Lesley, Barbara, Tracey, Naomi, and Rosemary who came along,( see I remembered all the names!! lol).  It was a pleasure, as always, to teach you, and to see the most gorgeous creations, of which I took no pictures at all except this one of the class ( note the very full table! lol) and this one of my star tag.

Have a very creative day, I am putting my feet up today (mmmm!?) and sitting in front of the box to watch Christmas movies...lol
Hugs

Christmas is a'coming!

I have been on a roll this week, creating tags for my Christmas tag workshop later today, and having a ball at the same time! I am definitely not a winter girl, but I am beginning to wonder if the fact that I am forced inside, and cannot get any sun makes me create a little harder?! Or is it because I have to? But I am loving it, and I am loving Tim's Christmas dies: the best set ever! Poinsettias, snowflake rosettes, wreaths, cardinals...seem to be making me quite merry! LOL

I combined my love of faux porcelain flowers dipped in the meltpot with the poinsettia die, , and dipped it into clear UTEE, and added some faux porcelain holly leaves too. Add a Christmas Greeting, and a tad of the new Distress Stains, and Christmas is a'coming!

Have a very creative day.
Hugs

A blueprint for the coming Season, my 800th post and a giveaway!

Yesterday I got my inky mitts on a full set of the new Seasonal Distress Stains,
and of course I just had to have a play! Take a set of Tim's new Blueprint mini stamps, and all the colours of the rainbow, an Artistic Stamper notebook stamp for the background,  a large Manila tag size #10, and some foam tape, and voila a colourful rendition of a Christmassy/Autumn tag!

I have also noticed that this is my 800th post....who would have thought it? So I do believe a giveaway is in order and what better to giveaway away that 3 of these new Distress Stains! Hands up who would like them? Leave me a comment, and I will pick a winner early next week :)
Hope you have a very creative day
Hugs

Oh Bright Star!

I am quite amazed as yesterday I created something!! As you know I always try to stock most of Tim Holtz products, and of course, most of the Sizzix Alterations too. One of my friends used the Bright Star to great effect on a card, and I kind of pilfered one(don't tell Mal!)  from the shop, and wondered if I could use one of the mini Movers and Shapers to create a focus on the star. WOW! loved what it did, and although I did make a tiny mistake I loved the idea and will be back with more. To make it cut out two stars and if you are using patterned paper, make sure you cut them on opposite sides. i.e. make sure the tags that are there to glue them together, are on opposite sides. It is quite hard to explain, but if you have this die, you can match up two of them to make a hanging star.

I then cut out the holly by placing the die on the mini holly, and running it through my machine. Do this as many times as you like.  I then glued green paper to the inside, and because I was in a hurry folded them the wrong way and got two sides the same, so I glued them together and added mini tinsel to hide the join! Makes sense? No it doesn't to me either... but the end result is gorgeous. There are actually two sides to this star, but I forgot to photograph the other side! I was just so excited to have created something!!!

 

 

The die also has a mini star too, so here I made it out of Co-ordinations, inked it up with a little distress ink on the folds to give it a bit of depth, and added Multi Medium matte , and covered it in Ranger's Distress Stickles Dry Glitter. Oh I am in lurve..it is the best glitter I have ever used, and if you know me, I am definitely NOT a glitter girl!!

If you fancy trying this technique, and making a mini star, we will be making this in Saturday's Christmassy tags at The Artistic Stamper. We will be using dies, and Tim's stamps and glitter , of course!
Have a very creative day
Hugs

It's a Melting Pot

It seems like several days since my meltpot workshop on Saturday! I guess it is !! It certainly was a great mini class, and definitely a melting pot of great girls!

 We did several techniques, and one of them is this great image transfer taught  by Suze Weinberg when I did my Ranger certification. Just love this technique :)

I have discovered that it is quite difficult running two "workshops" . In effect I keep leaving stuff at the shop, and then spend most of the night trying to work out where everything is! I made this fab porcelain rose from paper, and although I photographed it, can I find it? No! I guess it must be at the shop....lol

I hope to be back tomorrow with a sample of next Saturday's class - making Christmassy tags... but knowing me it will be Sunday before I venture here again... too much to do, and not enough hours in the day!
Hoping you have a creative day
Hugs

A lovely day was had by all....

I just had to show you photos from the workshop that we held last Sunday in our new classroom which was taught by the delectable Leonie Pujol from Create and Craft TV.
She created 3 gorgeous projects which everyone thoroughly enjoyed making! I just wish I could have taken part :(, but next time definitely! I got a lesson in cutting out more than several Spellbinders snowflakes!! LOL

We have lots of great workshops happening through November and into December and have a few already getting full in January too!
If you fancy cardmaking or learning to watercolour, or learning how to use Spellbinders then these are a definite must! i am teaching classes in Distress ink, Christmas out of the box!, an altered book (very christmassy!) and this Saturday one learning how to use your meltpot. There are few spaces left on it.
If you feel like having a play or just would like to use our workshop, then do call Mal at the shop on 01795 597757, or book online.
Have a very creative day
Hugs

You are a winner!

Thank you to everyone who joined in my giveaway over the weekend. I have picked a winner by Mr. Random.org and

My Name is Cindy

came out of the hat!
Congratulations! Please email me your address, so I can send you your stamp .
I have a busy day today, but will be back later with pictures from Leonie's workshop in our new classroom :)
Have a happy and creative day
Hugs

It's Friday and that means a giveaway!

I like Fridays! It means the weekend is almost upon us, and in my case this weekend, I get to see lots of lovely people, and host a workshop taught by Leonie Pujol! We do still have a couple of places left for the morning one, if you fancy a great time getting inky and messy with Leonie :) You can call the shop on 01795 597757 and speak to Mal who will very happy to help you :)))
Here is a sneaky peek of one of her projects ( which she never reveals.. so I feel very honoured, thank you Leonie)

On another note, Fridays often means in our case new stamps, and this time Donna has created some very eclectic stamps, one being this Mail Art Me stamp which is perfect for embossing and colouring , and adding to your journal pages.To see the other ones check them out here.

I thought because it is almost the weekend, you might like to win this stamp too? So just add your comment, and I will pick a winner on Monday,  and if you share , I will add you again.. 2 chances...maybe it is your lucky weekend?
Have a very creative day
Hugs

Beware all those who enter!

I know that we don't really do Halloween over here, but it does seem to have got a little bigger over the years, and I quite enjoy the spooky goings on, and what better place than our late night shopping night at The Artistic Stamper Craft Store & Art Bar to celebrate the ghostly going-ons! You can come and make a Halloween ATC with me, and eat cake too! There is even a special offer on!
We will be open until 9pm, so would love to see you...

Happy spookiness!

Halloween Trick & Treating!

It is my turn over on The Creative Team blog, and I have created a very quick and easy ATC for you, that could easily be adapted for any occasion :) To see what I have made pop over and let me know what you think .

Have a creatively spooky day
Hugs

Winner of the Rainy Day giveaway

Thank you everyone for joining in yesterday's giveaway. I have picked a winner, and if

505whimsygirl

could email, I can send you your stamp!
It is a little foggy here today, so take care when stepping out, and have a creative day
Hugs

It's a Rainy Day Giveaway!

Down here in the South East of England it is raining! No surprise there then?! What could be better than a one day giveaway! All you have to do is put comment on this post, and you are in with a chance! As always I am happy to post around the world :)
Perfect giveaway: this cute red rubber stamps from ©Mabel Lucie Attwell all of which are available from The Artistic Stamper.

Like another chance, then add your comment to our facebook page here.
I will post the winner tomorrow.
Have a drier day than me, and keep warm.. winter is on its way:(
Hugs

WOYWW 176... AWOL in the name of stamping

I have suddenly realised that I have been AWOL from my blog, which I have left to fend for itself, and is sadly very neglected, but never fear I am determined to get creating again in the very near future! In the meantime, Mrs Dunnit has decreed that we should show our workdesks every Wednesday. Mine is a bit like my blog, sad, and neglected, so instead I am going to show our new classroom at the shop, which is absolutely fabulous, new, clean and pristine, and definitely in need of some stamps!!  See: I have been busy, sort of, sorting this out ( ok Mal did most of it!!LOL)

We opened it on Saturday and some of my stamping girls came by, and decorated these... which will be given pride of place on the wall, when Mal has figured out how to put them up!! LOL

Last week, Shaz Silverwolf came into the shop, not once but twice!! It was lovely to meet someone from WOYWW, who loves to stamp.. did I get time to stamp too? NO, we were busy and so my time was spent behind the till! Next time definitely.

So,  if you fancy a look at some of the brilliantly creative desks out there, pop over to Julia's for a nosey!
Have a creative day...
Hugs

 

WOYWW 174…Deja Vu

Once again, Wednesday has arrived with a vengeance, and in my case a horrible sniffly cold, which is making me feel quite horrid I am never one to complain, but I don’t often get colds, so all I want to do is wrap up warm, and make it go away! Now, of course Wednesday is the day of What’s On Your Workdesk Wednesday hosted by the glorious Julia, who has deemed it necessary to show our workspace for a moment or two in the world of hyperspace. So, here is mine taken at Port Sunlight, ( very similar to last weeks) where we did our last show there after 14 years of driving up the motorway twice a year. Love the show, love my customers up there.. shall miss it, but time to concentrate on other things, including the shop, and our new workshop which will be almost fully functional next weekend ( 13th October) ! yea!!

                               
I hope to get round to yours this week…and if I don’t, a big thank you to everyone who comments…
Have a creative woyww day
Hugs