What is it with...

...naked flames, all of a sudden.

Rhonna's flower (link is a couple of posts ago) required melting the edges of satin ribbon to create flowers - now the Cuttlebug challenge site are using the same technique to create Grunge flowers



They are so very pretty and I would love to have a play but knowing how I nearly melted the table making UTEE coated paper beads (even though there was a heat proof mat) I think it would be safer to leave this technique to others.

Shame, as they really do look very pretty.....................

Kristy & Dan set sail...

...for pastures new.

Today Kristy, Dan & the dogs set off for what will be their new home for almost the next 3 years. Dan has been posted to Germany (near the Dutch border) so their household has 'upped-sticks' to move to the new home that the army has allocated to them - they are off on the ferry today and will be making their way to their new location in order to collect the keys to their new home, next week.

Can't wait for Kristy to send some pics of their new home as all we have seen so far is the sat view on Google maps...it appears to have a nice roof LOL

Kristy says she will be signing-up for German lessons as soon as they get settled - seems like the family has finally returned to its roots...my paternal grandfather came from Germany and not a million-miles from where Dan will be based so Kristy will have a chance to do some tracing of the ancesters.

I know Kristy is hoping to find some craft places within easy reach of their new home otherwise it looks like her grandma & I will be sending out emergency rations - Haribos for Dan and stash for Kristy.

Hope it isn't too long before they can get internet access as it would appear that phone services to the base are rather expensive.

Wishing them all the very best in their new home...and I will share any pics with you all - when I get some..........................

From bargain...

...to treasure.

This is what Emma & Margaret came across during a recent trip to Ikea. What made it even more interesting was that it was reduced to £2.99 because of it being an end of line.
It must have sparked some crafty ideas becasue they bought a load and then came up with a project for today's crop - with some help from Caroline who made up a sample as a demo piece.
From boring tea-light holder to pretty frame with the help of some Webster's Pages PPs, some dotted swiss CS, a few die cuts, assorted brads & blooms and some alcohol inks.
I added some grunge paper roses coloured with toning alcohol inks and blinged up a bit with some stickles, along with a couple of pretty hair clips and some embossed ivy-leaf punched shapes. Oh, and I nearly forgot the resin butterflies that I found recently and had to buy as I was sure they would come in handy for something LOL.
I just love the way the 'Tim Holtz' style roses really add something to a project.
I think I need to convert some photos to B/W or Sepia for this project so at the moment there are no pics on it but I really love the way this all came together......

Happy Anniversary Kristy & Dan...

...a whole year that has just flown.

The weather today is so much better than it was a year ago so I hope the happy couple have been able to celebrate without worrying if it is about to rain or not.

I took these photos a couple of weeks ago but obviously couldn't share them as Kristy does visit here from time to time.
A box gives the game away a bit - obviously too bulky for an envelope LOL
Oh, I'm sure you would never have guessed - Tim Holtz style roses.
Whilst their wedding colour scheme was Ivory, burgandy & silver I wanted to be a bit different for their anniversary so I went for Ivory, burgandy, some antiqued mottled paper and gold.
Having received a text this morning thanking me for the card, I think they liked it LOL, I can now share it with you all - hope you like it.........................

Heeeeeeeeelp!!!...

...this is not me.

I have a problem......

The Thursday night crop/class that I attend every other week includes a stash kit to cover the four weeks of the session (fee is paid in advance for a 4-week session). The contents of the kit are always generous and good quality. We receive a selection of co-ordinating PPs, CS, embellies, ribbons and other bits and pieces - some of it is "up-front" at the start of the session and some is "added" as the weeks arrive.
Helen always comes up with a good selection and sometimes the stash is from styles/ranges that I would not normally chose for myself but this can be good because it helps you to think outside of your normal comfort zone. So..."What's the problem"...I can hear you say. Well here is the pick of the PPs & CS that we have been given (I have already used 3 PPs & 1 CS). In addition to this we have received a lot of bling/buttons etc. and there is more stash promised for next time.
These PPs are beautiful but not a style I would ever chose and I certainly don't have pictures that will fit easily.
I have come up with three LOs so far that I am sort-of pleased with but they really are not me.........
I really don't like starting with a PP that has such a clear dominant image. I would probably be more comfortable trimming the waste strip off and just framing them and sticking them on the wall. Unfortunately, that is not what should happen so I need some ideas, suggestions as to what can be done with them.
You can see that I've tried to theme the photos to the PP chosen but this has been a struggle.

Anyone got any bright ideas, all suggestions greatfully received..............

Cards from...

...Dawn's last workshop.

As usual it was a fab day - and lunch LOL - although there were only 3 of us.

Dawn had come up with some lovely ideas and we got to play...
As you can see, we made boxes for some of the cards we made because there was no way they were going to fit into an envelope.
Dawn always makes sure that we have plenty of different types of stuff to play with along with different techniques. We had some decoupage in the framed card, stamping & embossing on a couple of them, vellum crafting on the butterfly card, glittering on the diamonds card and colouring with promarkers on the swivel card.
It is always great fun playing around with the ideas and techniques that Dawn comes up with...the problem is that I never want to actually give the cards away as they are too pretty.

Wonder what we'll be making in June as Dawn will have been to the USA and she normally comes back with some lovely goodies for us to play with..............

More...

...flowers.

I'm sure one or two of you have noticed that I've had a bit of a 'thing' about flowers recently.

I've always loved adding blooms to LOs/cards/minibooks etc but recently I've been making more of my own (blame Sir Tim for this LOL). So, ever on the look out for something new I spotted this tutorial over on Rhonna Farrer's blog here

The step-by-step guide shows you how to get from this...


...to this.


I haven't had a play yet but they certainly look interesting.

Off to check the fire extinguisher is still in date LOL......................

Super Blog Candy...

...right here

I think everyone loves something to do with Tim Holtz so get on over to the blog candy for a chance to win some super stash...............

Rain, Rain, Rain...

...and more Rain!!!

However, why should we expect anything else - it is Bank Holiday Weekend afterall.

I have taken the opportunity to catch up with photos and postings.

Here is a pic of my completed Pall Mall Wreath - a class from the recent UKS Monopoly CC. Due to the scheduling of this class I wasn't able to complete this as part of the CC but did it after and was very glad that I had treated myself to the kit.

The reason I couldn't do the Pall Mall class at the correct time was because I was at Artbase for their monthly crop. I'm glad I didn't decide to cancel going to the crop because the PPs that we used were the new BoBunny Mamma Razz - a fab range that adapts to so many occasions. I used the opportunity to scrap a few more pics from Kristy & Dan's Wedding (GOSH...is it nearly a year ago).

Dan and his best man were able to wear their 'Number Ones'...dress uniforms...and they looked so smart but I also managed to get them to muck-about a bit too for the photos.

The problem with most weddings is that you end up with loads of pics but they aren't all good enough to take centre-stage on a scrapbook page - however, you don't want to leave them out either as they all contribute to the event. Emma adapted an idea from the BoBunny blog gallery and came up with this LO.

Not only does the basic LO provide for the use of smaller photos but there are lots of hidden places to add even more.

Even the embellies for this range were perfect. Afterall, a wedding is a big occasion so.........Lights, Camera, Action.................................

Oops...

...forgot to post this one.


Of all the classes in the recent CC over on UKS only one had a kit available so I had treated myself only to then find that I would miss the class and the deadlines for posting as I would be at Artbase all day at a crop.

When I got home I had a look at the instructions and I knew that I would never complete the main item but thought I could create a LO. As you can see above, I managed the LO and uploaded the pic with about 10 mins to spare. I am very happy with this LO but now have a problem...the embellies are too bulky to allow it to be stored in an album. Looks like I will have to treat myself to a 12 x 12 box frame.

Oh, and as for the main item of the class...I completed that later on the Sunday evening but just haven't had time to take any pics. Perhaps over this bank hol weekend I'll get a chance to take some piccies...................