Some bits & pieces...

...that we made during our weekend away.

Rene had a cute Woodware stamp of a little patchwork elephant...

 ...she was on a bit of a roll with paper piecing the image as you can see.
I had picked up some clear stamps from the Range just the week before...

 ...and for just £2 the set contained a scene, a figure...

...and a small scene along with some sentiments. The large scene stamp was stamped directly onto the card blank...

...and jus a faint wash of colour was added to the sky.
The figure was coloured and then fussy cut...

...and the small scene was coloured with a bit more detail.
 I'm not too sure about the end result...

 ...but I think the stamps are wonderful and such a bargain for just £2.
This was a little decoupage topper that I had prepared but hadn't used...

...a bit of gold mirri to matt the topper and some PP along with some toning ribbon and a quick & easy Christmas card was added to my stash.

The lovely thing about the craft weekend is that you can do what you like, when you like.

Everyone had a good selection of crafting goodies with them and there was card making, scrapbooking, knitting and crochet going on throughout the weekend......................................

I thought I'd have...

...a bit of a play.

Before Christmas I bought a set of Card-io stamps from Pinnacle Crafts and did a bit of "batch" making on the Christmas card front. I've since managed to get some more sets but haven't had the time to sit down and have a 'play'.

As our "Knit & Natter" is also a "Craft & Chatter" group, I took along some of my stamps...

...some card blanks and an ink pad.
I started off by drawing a light pencil circle on the card blank...

 ...this is to act as a guide for placement of the design.
This is the selection of stamps that I used for my Christmas card scene...

 ...and as you can see, there is nothing really that 'screams' Christmas. I continued to add the circular frame using the Tapestry leaf stamps...

 ...and that is where I left it. I didn't have any colouring mediums with me but I think I will try this as a non-snowy scene which will mean that it can be used for other occasions.
I had a bit of a play with some of my new stamps...

...including a set of Majestic mini festive leaves. This will probably be a Christmas card but I will have a play around with some gems and liquid pearls in the 'wreath' surround to give the effect of berries.

When I've decided how to finish these off, I'll show you the result. I just need to find a bit more 'playtime'...........................................................

Meet Verity Rose...

...the cute "1920s" style collection from Crafters Companion.

I remember seeing this character in card & gift shops quite some time ago - pens, notebooks, mugs, bags etc. - but hadn't realised that Crafters Companion had done a craft range of this line.

Here are 3 of the 6 characters available...

...there is also "Flutterby", "Sunbeam" and "Starlet".

I came across this range in The Works this week when I went in to see what craft stuff they had in their current promotion.

There is a clear stamp set for each of the characters and also a small accessory stamp set. Embossing folders, ribbons and sticky labels (that's what I've found in my local branch). I will be keeping an eye out to see if they have anything else as they currently have a "Triple Points" promotion for their loyalty card holders and there is also a 20% off part to the promotion when you meet the minimum spend of £10.

So if you fancy any of these "1920s" cuties; pop along to your local branch of The Works to see what they have.........................................................

Last crop at...

...the Toby carvery.

Saturday was the last "Toby" crop for 2016 and it is unlikely there will be crops held there in 2017 (mounting problems with arrangements that I wont go into here).

Apart from trying out the Chalkola pens on some different surfaces I also had some Christmas cards to finish off.

However, before the 'finishing off' I had a play with the Cardio stamps that I bought at the Pinnacle Crafts November Member's weekend...

 ...the set is called "Vintage Christmas". I had also packed my Tapestry stamps...

 ...which if I remember rightly, I bought many moons ago at a trip to Ally Pally (they haven't seen ink for ages).
Having lightly drawn a circle on the card blank I then placed the Cardio stamps that I wanted to use in the place that they needed to be on the circle. I then pressed an acrylic block onto them so that they were ready for use in the exact place that I wanted - this also meant that I was able to reproduce the same layout on a batch of cards...

 ...the Tapestry stamps were used to create a wreath around the design. A fine-liner was used to add in the landscape and some Cosmic Shimmer Twinkles was used to give the 'snow' a bit of bling. A sentiment was then added to finish off.
I finally finished off my 'Brussel Sprout' card...

 ...I decided to use my snowman juggling penguins as the image to finish the card.
On a roll with the batch making...

...all laid out to allow the twinkles to dry. Here is a closer view...

 ...of the stamped design.
I have a variety of Hunkydory "Little Books" and thought this design would make the perfect topper for a card I wanted to make...

...a few layers, some ribbon and some flat-back gems and it was good to go.

I have been very late in actually writing my Chrimbo cards this year as suddenly there has been loads to do. Work has been hectic and everything has become a bit manic so before I forget...

Have a very Merry Christmas - one and all.........

Plenty of colouring...

...was completed at Saturday's crop.

I wanted to 'play with my newest snowman stamp...

 ...isn't he fabulous. Such a great image and such fun having the penguins too.
The stamp is a good size as you can see from this photo...

 ...I placed one of my Copics over the image so you can see the size.
With the addition of some Stickles to the fur on the hats...

 ...this was another image completed and ready for use on a card.
The next stamp that I had a 'play' with was this one...

 ...I fell in love with this image as soon as I saw it at Pinnacle Crafts but this was the first time that I had actually inked it up. Isn't it just adorable.
I had some more of the snowman stamped so I coloured some more...

 ...two different colourways from what I did to begin with...

...and just awaiting a bit of sparkle (it was too late to use Stickles at this point - it wouldn't have dried by the time I was going home).

Debbie & Suzie were busily working on the albums for part of their Kathy Orta "Trunk" project - they are looking amazing (but soooooooooooo much work).

So there you have the photos I promised of part of my weekend crafting activity. Tomorrow I will share the rest.......................................................

A day for...

...colouring.

As Autumn approaches, the Saturdays workshops at Pinnacles have started again. Andy (Pearson) has a number of workshops lined up that encourage you to get ready for Christmas. This weekend was "Seasonal colouring".

It was only a small 'class' but that was great because there was no waiting around because everyone wanted to use the same stamps.

This cheery Snowman is one of the new Sweet Dixie clear stamps...

 ..."Cute Snowman" SDCDA6079. I have this stamp myself but hadn't yet inked it up.
This was stamped using the new Creative Expressions stamp set...

 ..."Mr and Mrs Claus". There are lots of elements to this set and plenty to play with.
Another new set from Creative Expressions includes this fun chap...

...he is from "Make Gnome Mistake" - isn't he just perfect for a bit of Christmas fun.
This chap was from the same set but I rather rushed him...

...and I'm not so happy with the way he turned out. However, the set of stamps has plenty of other bits & pieces to play around with...

 ...and I will certainly be having a 'play' with those mushrooms. I also think those boots sticking out of the chimney on the other set...

...are just crying out to be used.

All my colouring was completed using Copics.

It was a lovely day sitting colouring in - very restful. Thank you Andy for letting us have a 'play' and get to know more "3 pen shade combos".

My friend Hilary & I made a day of it at usual. We started with coffee & toast before class. Went back to the café at lunchtime for homemade Chicken & Mushroom pie. Then finished off the day with a Tiptree fruit juice - the new English Apple is fabulous.

I don't think you can beat a lovely day of crafting with friends......................................................

Having a...

...bit of a play.

I found some stamped sheets that I'd done last year when I bought some of the "Betty Boots" stamps at Pinnacle Crafts. So I grabbed my ZIG 'Clean Color' pens and headed out to Barleylands on Sunday morning to make the most of the sunshine.

The pens are water-based and I haven't had much of a chance to play with them.

Here are the two colour versions that I completed...

...I think the "hair" on the second one needed more highlights but I picked a slightly darker base colour than I had intended.

I do love the very fine brush nib on these pens as you can really get into the detail of an image but I still struggle with skin-tones using water-based pens. Give me my alcohol-based Copics and I'm away but with the water-based pens I never feel that it is quite right.

Oh well, they say practice makes perfect so that is the perfect excuse to spend more time colouring LOL..........................................................

On Saturday I couldn't resist...

...some new stamps from Pinnacle Crafts.

Here is the first one that I have played with...

 ..."Winter Wonderland" from Woodware (JGS180). I loved the 'framed' look of the stamp.

So I had a play using the same sort of layout that I've been using with my "Cosy Cottage" stamp...

...and have tried two colourways...

 ...using flesh colours within the frame gives a slightly vintage look.
The other colourway is more traditional...

 ...with blues & greys used to give a more winter frost look...

...and a good amount of Cosmic Shimmer Sparkle on both cards gives a lovely shimmer.

The stamped image on each card was coloured using ZIG "Clean Color" pens - the very fine brush tip on these pens makes them so easy to use when colouring small fiddly areas.

I've made 3 of each colourway to help boost my stock of Christmas cards a bit more...........................

Change the colour...

...change the look.

The same design can look quite different when made using different colours.

Here are some more examples of my "Cosy Cottage" Christmas cards...

...using bright pink...

...dark teal...

 ...violet...

...and coffee & cream.
 The cards are all basically the same but with a change of colour...

...and a different combo of ribbons, a subtle change can be created.

So if you have a lot of cards to make, especially for Christmas, find a design you are happy with and just alter the colours and embellishments a little. You will have a different look without having to start from scratch............................................................................

Batch card making...

...for Christmas 2016.

Last year I used my Clarity large fir tree stamp to make my batch cards and was very pleased with the results. So this year I was looking for something that I could use that would be quick & easy.

Pinnacle crafts at Barleylands has just received its delivery of the Sue Wilson Christmas dies & stamps (these are the first release for 2016) and in amongst them was the darling little framed stamp called "Cosy Cottage" - product number;UMS734. It is not a huge stamp (just under 3x4 inches) but it looked as if it would be just the thing and at £4.99 it wasn't going to break the bank.

So at the crop on Saturday, I got stamping...

 ...and added some ribbon, self-adhesive gems, Spectrum Sparkle (Biscuit) and some diamond ICE Stickles...

 ...I went with two colour choices and as you can see...

 ...it was a bit of a mass production effort.

However, there was something not quite right to the 'look' in my mind.

Sunday morning I had a thought and added a bit of colour to the frame design...

 ...I think it was what was needed...

 ...and didn't take too much additional time...

...but I do think it is enough to draw the eye towards the scene in the middle of the frame.

For these cards, as they are a batch I have added the sentiment as part of the design.

I have dug out a couple of other coloured ribbons and will be making some more of this design in the two other colourways - that will give me a total of 20 quick & easy cards to add to my stock.

I love making individual cards but it is so handy having a batch like this ready for use.

I am so glad I noticed this little gem of a stamp...............................................