rubber fetish

Well after a long long time of resisting the temptation, I have fallen truly, madly, deeply in love with rubber. I tried stamping when I first started making cards and was never happy with the results but now rubber stamps seem to be easier to use, the inks less messy and the results are fabulous! I ordered the Stampendous Bee Trio stamp at the weekend, it arrived on Tuesday but I have been having a new kitchen fitted, so this evening was the first time I got to play with it. I bought a heart stamp by Stampendous as well and I have to say, their stamps are so well defined and detailed. The rubber is deep etched and well mounted, it inks and stamps like a dream. I think this was part of my initial stamp phobia - the stamps I had were not great and I had fuzzy ink pads that put ink everywhere!
I've stamped and coloured loads of little bee pictures but only have one card to show for it so far but more will follow I'm sure and I think I need more of this set too! I used my watercolour pencils again but this time left them dry as I stamped the image with black staz - on onto white linen card because I love the cross hatch look the paper gives to the pencils.
I was also looking for a stamp by Duo Designs, it was on the Joanna Sheene site at one time and is of a little girl looking up but a google search and E bay trawl have proved fruitless - I can't even find the company. Has anyone heard of them?
Online I have been hanging out at www.savvynsassy.com - based in Canada, these girls have the most fabulous ribbon kits and lace and everything ribbon like. There are also the most cute ribbon irons you could imagine, although I'd want to start ironing clothes first! There's also a Guest Design spot up for grabs each month, some really friendly people and great inspiration in the gallery.... We are going to Canada on hols next year (have not managed this year's yet but already planning next years!) - He wants fishing and I want a hotel with a toddler club and a crop nearby, oh and a Dollarama store, my sister went on a fly drive for her honeymoon and came home with a case full of embossed wrapping paper for her cardmaking....
I was in Ennis last week and picked up some too cute pink gingham card out of the pay per box - I was very restrained and only had a €5 wallet but guess what? I'm trying to see if I can get back there tomorrow for some more! I made the little double paged card with tags from it. I haven't finished it because it is too cute to give away just yet. lol.

water colour pencils.

Inspired by Linda's wonderful cards on her blog, I decided to have a go at using water colour pencils but hadn't any stamps suitable for layering and colouring. Instead I drew a freehand petal shape, coloured it in with the pencils then added the water over the top with a brush. When it was dry I added black veining and then outlined all the pieces with a black pen.(I don't think I added enough water but I didn't want the colours to lose too much of their vibrancy - I guess it will be trial and error). I layered the petals into a flower shape and added a centre. Once mounted on the card I just doodled some stylised leaves and some faux stamens.
I really enjoyed making this - made me feel almost like a proper artist playing with brushes ( I must get some of the water filled brushes) and I think I'll be buying some stamps soon to try some more watercoluring with.

bless me

darn hay fever season....

believe

these cards have come about after a thread on www.craftsupplies.ie, where someone posted about using a ribbon as a letter. I'll have some for sale at the craft fair on Sunday and more to buy via snail mail - they cost €4.80 each including envelope for sending and cost of posting and packaging. I'll be donating a euro from each one to a local cancer charity. Or if you want something different or male orientated, I'd be happy to make one.
Then just for fun I made myself this little notebook - covered in crackle effect paper and stamped with a small square medallion stamp using some clear embossing powder and mounted up in the centre - then some Tim Holtz peeled paint distressed embossing powder, stamped directly onto the paper. Some fibres and ribbon around the spine and the spiral binding, with a mountboard clasp, covered with paper and secured with hook and loop tape. Since I took the photo, I added the words "DO" along the top right hand edge, so now I need never hunt for a scrap of paper with something "VIP" on it..... hmmmm we'll see. By next week, I 'll be reporting on massive hunt for missing book and how nothing can be done without it!

Arty Farty

the Arty Farty templates have been taking the UK and Irish craft market by storm, thanks to the shopping channels. I finally got around to making the cot, although by the time I had finished the cot, I hadn't the time or enthusiasm to add the mobile and box - which needs A3 card anyway but only have black card that big.
I used my Making Memories papers, which I think are just so cute - I'm altering a dressing table for the little pickle and want to incorporate them on the somehow. There just aren't enough hours in the day at the minute.
I'm also doing a craft fair on Sunday at the Ballyline Bar and Restaurant - on the road outside Crusheen, between Gort and Ennis. I'll have some demo pieces for personalised pieces that can be ordered - framed pieces, scrapbook pages, mini books, clocks, boxed cards etc. Some wedding invitation samples, personalised photo keyrings and bracelets and picture candles. a bit of anything and everything really, along with some fabby scrapbooking papers from Cherry Arte, Center City Designs, Sassafrass Lass and Imagination Projects, rub offs and chipboards. For cardmakers I'll also be selling sets of 6 ultra fine glitters, peel offs, charms, prima daisies and more bits n bobs.
I'll also be taking details of anyone interested in taking cardmaking classes - starting in September - sp if anyone is passing pop and say "Hi"... I'll be the one with inky fingers and glue spots on my trousers!

life in the old dog....

My dog is starting to look like an old man. Not only has he got grey jowls and grey head, now he has started going bald again. Every summer he gets really itchy and hot, sore patches on his skin and face with itchy eyes. Have tried countless pills, potions, lotions, injections, blood tests etc but to no avail - every summer for the past 3 years has led to vet bills galore, until the vet finally put it down to general "atrophy". He has been suffering more since people have started cutting their grass, so have decided to try a course of homeopathy tablets on him.... fingers crossed it will help.
Anyway, I realised that although I've been taking the odd photo of him, I haven't done any scrapbook layouts or pictures of him for ages. So I snapped this as he was trying to get me to give him an extra biscuit and now it's up on my hall wall. I love my old mutt.

life without you....

I've been offline for nearly a month. My broadband went a bit wonky and with having things done to the house, i neglected to fix it and then when I tried, I failed and then had to wait for some techy type support.
Anyway, up and running again now. Although I've been neglecting my crafting as well, although I have done some invitations but they are for a suprise party - so I'd better keep them under my hat!
The little pickle is growing so fast and her poor gums are seriously sore - there are quite a few teeth on the verge of "popping" through and making her very grizzly at times. But she is still the cutest baby ever (biased? Nah....)
The local post office has also taken 10 Father's Day cards to try and sell them. All of my profit from them will go towards sponsoring a little girl "Nourka" from Mauritania, through Worldvision and 20% of any other profit I make from any other craft and cardmaking projects in future. I can;t change the whole world, as much as I'd like to but I can change the future of one little girl and that's her whole world. If we all could change things for the better for just one person in life, we can do huge things in the world.