I Love....

...Primark!!!

I`m sorry but it is true...Ella even has socks to prove it!!!

The girls and I hit the streets of Liverpool yesterday, my second favorite place in the world after Manchester, and we DID Primark...All five floors of it...well four floors, because we didn't want to do boy stuff!!!

We DID it that well we had to buy a suitcase to transport our purchases home...I love that ;-)!!!

We came home with lots of new clothes, very happy but very, very tired!!! So tired I nodded off on the train home, you know that moment when you are part way between being awake and being asleep and you feel your head fall and you wake up slightly only to nod again...that was me...you got to love big sunglasses to hide that look!!!

Luckily I had the girls with me to chunner and jabber away keeping me partially awake so we got off at the right stop!!!

Funny though got home and still managed to complete this page in my art journal...very apt for yesterday...

Titled "Home Sweet Home"...

And these are a couple I completed Monday but it was too dark to photograph...and quite possibly too late...this Art journaling has me staying up late and getting up early...bit like a new baby but with less commitment, I wouldn't say less mess because that would be an outright lie!!!

This one is titled "Time"

and this one "Rock Chick"...

I have been busy tonight prepping for my last Demo for a couple of weeks, I am over in Lancaster on Saturday at Cardcraft UK so come and say hi if you are nearby.

Off now to maybe get messy with Mod Podge or Grungy with Gesso!!!

Distressed!!!

...Not literally, I have been shopping...again!!!

This Art malarkey is proving to be a little on the expensive side, I know its because its a new hobby and I have to go out and buy all the materials...so its good when I can snatch these babies up....

With a lip smacking 25% off!!!

I know I couldn't leave them in the shop at that price...plus it would have been rude to because the shop in question, my local craft shop is closing down...Nooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!

But until they do they have 25% off most of their stock.

And had a little chuckle to myself when I took that picture because my new distress inks look so neat and tidy lined up like that...until you look at the bigger picture...

Can you spot them!!!

I have been like a crazy art woman possessed the last couple of days, I am filling the mini Faber Castell Art journal I bought yesterday, and so far have created these pages...

This is my "Beside the Sea" page...

This one is about my Kids....

And this is about Mia and how girly she is...

All the backgrounds are created with my gorgeous water colour crayons...I am seriously in LOVE with them...where have they been all my life, and I have stamped, stenciled, journaled and doodled my layers...I am really happy with these and love the size too (about 10x15cm)...I am planning a WHOLE day tomorrow creating...have I mentioned how much I love my job, six weeks off for summer...not a bad life huh.

Bargain Hunter.....

...Not in the David Dickinson orange kind of way but in the "nipped into The Works before I had to face the aisles of Asda" kind of way...

And look what I got...

Can you see that...£2.99 for a mini Art Journal two Faber Castell Brush tip Pitt pens in gold and silver and a black fine liner, along with some stickers and stuff...BARGAIN!!!

Not opened it yet though I have been like a woman possessed today after I did the weekly shop I decided to have a clear up in the garden...big mistake because no amount of Radox bath soak is going to ease the muscle ache I have already...that coupled with cleaning the rooms the children comically refer to as their bedrooms...I was convinced they were restyling them for an episode of how clean is your house!!!

However both Aggie and Kim would be super proud of me now and I swear if they make a mess when they come home there will be serious issues!!!

I had a wonderful day yesterday in Kendal at The Paper Warehouse, caught up with some familiar faces; Clare Rowlands designer of the fabulous Molly Blooms stamps, not seen her for a couple of years so was lovely to catch up and go check out her blog because her stamps and her cards are absolutely stunning, also managed a good old catch up with Melanie Heaton, we`ve not worked together for a couple of months and always manage to have a giggle and a good old chat when we do, and I met the very talented Jane Gill too. It was an incredibly busy day, I didn`t get out for crafty smoke until about 2pm I had people watching my Demo continually until then, and I even ate my lunch whilst demonstrating...not a good look I can tell you. I was demonstrating the Christmas Marianne Creatables which sold out in a couple of hours!!!

Did manage to create this double page layout in my Art Journal last night before I crashed rather inelegantly on the couch...

Its the first double page I have done and I like it so much that I am only doing double pages from now on...so there ;-).

I am off now to pour myself a very large glass of Pinot and sit in my perfectly manicured garden!!!

And now for something completely different...

...I made Jewellery!!!

I know bit of a shock huh?

But I bought the most gorgeous hand painted Indian glass beads yesterday and just had to create with them, I was running some taster sessions today so the tools were out so to say...

Lush aren't they?

You can buy the turquoise one here and the pink one here from my favorite shop in the whole world....The Bead shop in Manchester...if you are a bead addict and you have never been you must go its an Aladdin`s cave for beaders, remember looking at sweets in a jar when you were small and trying to decide which ones to have, its the same feeling...just a little bit more expensive!!!

I will be back on the Art journal tomorrow honest, I had to pack all my materials up to take to my Information sessions last night for the BTEC course, which went amazingly, my students are excited, I am excited...easily pleased aren't I?

Okay I am off to a body shop party...woo hoo, I love body shop products soft sweet smelling skin here I come!!!

Behind the scenes...

...I have been beavering away behind the scenes today, preparing for two 30 week BTEC courses I am teaching for the College in September, I am very excited about these, one is in Jewellery making and the other is Mixed Media, it is not only a fantastic opportunity for me to be teaching these but also for many of my students who need a progression route...I love my job, even though I was sat at the computer for six hours today...yep six, planning course outlines, creating supplies lists and translating the BTEC course aims and objectives into my own subject areas...did I say I love my job, honestly I really do, this is a fresh new challenge for me and I can`t wait.

I am running an advice session tomorrow night for these courses...Me!!!...

...sometimes this all feels like a dream; that I have a job that I love so much, that I put so much into (ask any member of my family for confirmation of this) and that I am actually pretty good at, I had a teaching observation a couple of months ago...I know I have been a bad blogger and should have shared this earlier but I was awarded a Grade 1 Outstanding Tutor and over the moon about that was a little bit of an understatement...I am truly blessed to be able to love work as much as I do.

As I said last night Picasa was playing silly beggars whilst I was trying to edit photos, so this is the first Art Journaling page I attempted with my brand spanking new, lush, stroke-able water colour crayons...did I mention I love them!!!

This page is all about how I have fell in love with Art and the journaling reads:

"I never considered myself an artist before until I began Art Journaling and I`ve fell in love, I`m excited and I can`t stop talking about it..."

I know I am probably boring you all with this now but it is just like a new love and that is how I wanted the page to "feel"!

Just a reminder that I am demonstrating for Kars at My Paper Warehouse on Saturday, they are hosting their annual craft event, I demonstrated there last year and had such a lovely day meeting lots of other demonstrators so this year should be just as good...if you are nearby come and say Hello, even if you are not it is definitely worth a trip just to check out the amount of ideas and inspiration each demonstrator has to offer and the amazing scenery in a beautiful part of the country...did I mention I love my job!!!

Off to proof read my supplies list...just kidding, going to catch the end of Twilight with Ella, apparently there's some serious eye candy in that ;-)!!!

Wax Crayons....

My new ones arrived today wrapped very carefully in Amazon packaging, these are not just any old wax crayon in fact if Marks and Spencer did wax crayons these would be them...these are water soluble wax crayons...think scribbling some colour, spritzing some water and then dragging a brush across.....Yummmmeeeee!!!

Look at the lushness of these babies...

And yes the kids are banned from these at 15 quid a pack they are the most expensive crayons in the world, I even chuckled to myself when I ordered them but I have been creating with them tonight and I loves them, in an "oh my god where have you been all my life" kind of love...sad but oh so true!!!

So I`ve created three art journal backgrounds using them but then Picasa decides it`s had enough so will only let me edit one page...

My Blue/Green living the dream page...

Thinking of adding some white acrylic texture stamping around the edging of this one but I am loving the watercolour background, the crayons blend so easily on gesso.

However.....

...I also bought some oil pastels today and I am in love with them in an "Oh my god you nearly made my heart stop beating" kind of way....I LOVE THE EFFECT!!!

And out of all my pages this is my favorite one so far, just because its my favorite colour combination and I doodled...

I`m off to stroke my new crayons!!!

Art Journaling and Canvases...

...Are my new favorite past time, it`s official...you know why?

Because I was up until 1am last night making this....

It was for my Best friends Birthday (Happy Birthday Sarah) and I have just safely delivered it so its safe to post on here now...I doodled, I journaled, I stamped, I gessoed, I mod Podged and although I get covered in it (and still am) she loved it so that made it worth all the gunk under my nails and up my arm, I really loved it though and am planning on making a similar one for myself...and check out my new little "Gorjuss" girl I managed to get in there too!!!

I also completed this page in my journal about my love of music...

And created this canvas to match....its 8x15 inches so an unusual shape to work with but I am trying to create a whole series of these to co-ordinate, I currently have the three I have finished above my desk on the wall...helps to inspire and motivate to have your own art on display I think...

And here is a better picture of my "wings" jornaling page....

I have lots of ideas buzzing through my mind and have not been this enthusiastic about being creative for such a long time, I love Art.

Off now to create some more mess but I have it on good authority that mod podge does wonders for your skin ;-)!!!

Christmas is coming...

To Saint Helens (Sintellins is the correct pronunciation I am assured!)....tomorrow at Crafts4u2do.

I will be there demonstrating the Cuttlebug machine with the new Christmas Creatables dies...which are gorgeous even if I do say so myself, Check me out I've even been into the loft to hunt down a miniature Christmas tree and baubles!!!

Lindsay Mason will also be demonstrating and it's always nice to watch other demonstrators and pick up new techniques and ideas.

So if you are around come along and say hi, they have a lovely little cafe in the shop too ;-).

I'm pleased to say that I headed into Manchester today for the first time since the trouble they experienced Tuesday evening...there are shops that have been damaged however the mood was that of the city will go on, shoppers shopped and life just seemed as it should be...moving on, was a little surreal walking along areas I had seen on the news where situations got out of hand but although there was physical damage evident, shops are open and Manchester seemed it's normal buzzy self :-).

Having said that I'm skint now, I've spent yet more money on materials and items for my canvases and art journal and I'm off now to get myself covered in a rather stunning shade of metallic purple acrylic paint.

Painting and Decorating....

...Is what my Dad used to do when I was a little girl, he hung wallpaper, glossed woodwork and emulsioned ceilings....me I paint papers, mod podge anything in sight and gesso surfaces...must be in the Genes!!!

I want you to meet my two new best friends...

....they go hand in hand, a match made in heaven for my new love...making a mess...I am not sure what it is called because I have created Canvases and am currently working on an Art journal.

Here is my double page journal spread...the light is pants in my house tonight :-( it looks orange but its a pearly fuchsia pink...and its all about me finally finding my "wings" and being able to "fly"...

I am not sure if it is art, I am not sure what the category is, but I am definitely enjoying it and that's the beauty of it.

Oh and I have a little secret

...I am a geek...

It`s not such a secret really but I love gadgets and I traded in my old Ipod today....for a new one, complete with camera...oh yay...I have told you I am easily pleased!!!

Off to play with my new toy!

Im all sparkly....

...me and my Chinos and my desk and even my kitchen floor!!!

Spent the rest of the afternoon playing with my paints and creating more Art, I am loving it, doing something completely different, playing around with new ideas and watching the changes that take place in something. I found another canvas, this time a smaller one, at just 8x8inches not much bigger than a card and the same size of scrapbook layout that I favor...I think Art canvases are my new "thing", its all about what I want to achieve and the words I want to write and the colours I want to use, rather than being ruled by a photograph or an occasion. I think in the words of many crafters I not only found my mojo I actually discovered a new one, can you tell I like it...even though I am covered in glitter and I hate glitter!!!

So using the scraps from the canvas I created earlier I made this little matching tag...

And I have finally started to create an art journal too and its not stuck down yet or finished but is going to live very happily in here...

And this is my Fly like a Bird canvas, all about spreading your wings and living for the moment...

Will seriously have to go and clean up glitter now, and definitely will be buying more canvases tomorrow...i am hooked!!!

Art....

...Until today I never really considered myself an artist but Wikipedia defines art as:

"The product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences or affects one or more of the senses, emotions or intellect"

I sat down today and created something for myself...not a demo sample not a class project I just wanted to play about with paint and glitter and paper and i loved every minute of it, even though I am covered in paint and glitter and my desk looks like its been tipped, even the girls joined in and painted a couple of spare canvases that I had. Crafty Wednesday is what we named it and it certainly beat watching the horror unfolding on the news at the moment.

So here is my piece of Art...

It is a 30x40cm Canvas so quite large and I have used Acrylic paints, mod podge, masks, glitter, stamps, patterned paper and even bubble wrap...I stamped with it, fab effect. It really made me think about what I do and that true art should come from the heart, which this did...oh and my paper and paint stash too.

I have the bug now and I want to do another one, will have to hunt down a canvas as I think I gave the girls my last two :-(

I am off to clean the paint out from under my nails, and plan my next piece of Art!!!

I Love Promarkers...

You Know why?

Because they do this...

Yep colour my pearls!!!

I knew really, its one of those facts that is stored away in my head behind a locked door and down a dark alley, was just planning a trip to Hobbycraft when I caught sight of a Promarker winking at me from my pencil case as if to tease and taunt me until I remembered...and then bang!!! I unlocked that memory and sat and coloured in my pearls...simple things amuse me can you tell!!! And can you spot that little rogue double sided foam pad...they get everywhere don`t they.

Off to meet a friend for coffee...I am on holiday woo hoo!!!

Wii did it....

.....we fixed the Wii!!!

I say we, but it was thanks to a very good friend who knows all about this technology stuff the girls and I are back Wii-ing!!!

I'm not too sure about this Wii Zumba though, Ella and I did a 20 minute session and even though the trainer kept saying "you're doing great" I didn't feel great...in fact I felt like my heart was going to explode and that I really needed to be lying down...possibly in a dark room, With a glass of wine and a cigarette, we did it though and bloody hell it's hard work but I feel kind of energised, I'm not one for exercise unless it's running through Primark on a Saturday but I managed and I'm even on track with my five a day today...and that doesn't even include the Pinot!!!

I have spent most of the day preparing for my demo on Saturday over in St Helens A Christmas demo in August...got to hunt for a Christmas tree to display some projects...going to mean a trip into the loft tomorrow.

Will post some pictures tomorrow, I'm blogging in bed from my iPad...oh yeah baby I saved up for one and treated myself the day Jack turned 18, kind of a well done on surviving being a mum for 18 years gift to myself!!!

Off to listen to the wind rattling around my house on this beautiful summer night!!!

Zumba...

...In my bid to keep a little bit fitter...running up the stairs has me reaching for an oxygen mask at the moment, and my idea of five a day has a lot more to do with a certain little grape than a selection of fruit, I purchased this today...well I sent Ella to Asda with my Dad and the money because I was working...so far so good yes?

So the intention is there which is half the battle , the motivation arrived when I decided at 7.30pm that yeah I would have a little go...not at all concerned about making a fool of myself in front of the girls...nope they have seen me on Just Dance and had to endure me singing on Lips...not pretty I can tell you!!!

I am all geared up and ready to go....and...my Wii won`t work...go on say that out loud I dare you ;-).

I have spent the best part of an hour on Nintendo`s troubleshooting site, we have tried resetting, resyncing, I have maybe said a few bad words under my breath...and I have given up...been for a smoke and poured a glass of wine...see that's one of my five a day!!!

Any help gratefully received!

Chorley bound and a sticky situation

I'm up early and off to Chorley to teach a jewellery making class at the Crafty patch with a very lovely group of ladies today, just wish it wasn't so early!!!

These two day weeks are really stretching me I kid you not, hoping that I don't get attacked with a can of stick and spray today as Wendy tried to yesterday, as she tried cutting on her Accucut she managed to completely cut through a full can...glue flew everywhere literally and I think we spent the rest of the day high from fumes, this crafting is a dangerous business I can tell you and I'm considering asking for danger money...no harm done really just jaw ache from giggling.

Forgot to post this last night but for anyone wanting to know the plate combination for embossing, either with a creatable or a brass stencil using the cuttlebug it is as follows:

Plate A
Two shims of thick card (I use two pieces cut to the size of my plates that I got in a fill a box for a fiver)
Creatable die (with die already cut) or brass stencil with card you want to emboss over the top (core-donations works well)
Tan embossing mat
B plate
Cutting B plate

Roll it through and hey presto embossed images in a jiffy!!!

On some of the older creatable dies it tells you to use a C plate...please do not I managed to break a cuttlebug with this combination.

Have a great day whatever you are doing.

Embossing with a Cuttlebug and leaving an un-embossed section

Over at Card-io today I was asked the question How do you emboss with an embossing folder but leave a blank space...I wasn`t sure of the answer but have been playing around since I got home and finally cracked it...

Cut Some chipboard to measure 11x15cm approximately the same size as a small embossing folder, and secure a die with a piece of tape, I have used a circle...

Run this through your Cuttlebug using plate A, C and B, you want to keep the Aperture section...

Place the card that you want to emboss into an embossing folder, I have used Swiss Dots, and place the chipboard aperture over the top of the closed folder...

Run this through your Cuttlebug using the following plate combination: Plate A, two shims of thick card, Embossing folder with Chipboard aperture attached, C plate...

and here is what you get...

Depending on what aperture you cut will determine the shape of the un-embossed area.

I got there in the end!!!

Free Cuttlebug Giveaway!!!

For one lucky Crafter.

Come along to my Demo today at Card-io in Wigan, spend over £20.00 to claim your free raffle ticket to be in with the chance of taking home a gleaming Cuttlebug die cutting and embossing machine, the draw will take place at around 3pm....Good luck!!

Can you believe this....

...Not only have I done almost a week of blogging every day I am also giving away a Cuttlebug tomorrow...I am demonstrating over at Card-io in Wigan and if you spend over £20.00 you will receive a raffle ticket to win a Cuttlebug machine and guess who is drawing the ticket...yep little old me!!!

Had a day to myself today and headed into Manchester to traipse the aisles of Primark in peace without the usual "Mum can I have a drink", "Mum i need the toilet" and "Mum will you get me this" you know what, I ended up buying more for the kids than I did for me...whats that all about!!! Although I do have new shoes and a new handbag...oh and new Chinos and two new tops...okay I did pretty well too!

And made these yesterday for my upcoming Demos...Felt can be cut on the cuttlebug with the Creatables dies and the English rose is perfect for twisting into felt beads....

Glued to a ring blank...

And threaded on elastic with Pearls to create a bracelet...

I met a fellow blogger at my Demo last week and just going to give her a shout out now, saw this idea on her blog, with the link to the tutorial, which I kind of watched then made up my own, easel card with a drawer...perfect for gifts...thank you Barbara for providing the inspiration

Right I am off to chill out its really hard having five days off work then having to work for two you know!!!

Stargazing....

So mingling with the stars yesterday in Blackpool...wax ones but hey they looked pretty damn good to me.

Mia was a little uneasy to begin with thinking the statues were actually going to come to life but soon relaxed enough to have her picture taken with various different celebrities, I remember going to Madam Tussuad's in London when I was younger, My Nan used to take me all over the place, the London Dungeons were a particular favorite and they are opening one in Blackpool in September, not sure I will be able to convince Mia to go there though.

So here I am with Mr Russell Brand....he is very very tall!!!

And Mr Alan Shearer....

Could get used to the celebrity lifestyle!!!

I also had a bit of a play with one of the Doily Marianne Creatables yesterday and came up with this easel card...again the white cuts are all in glitter card but my camera does not like that stuff, can`t say I blame it I hate glitter too....

Having a relaxing day today no day trip planned...yet!!!

Backpacks at the ready....

...Yesterday we went on a daytrip and at one point I think we were totally lost in the middle of North Wales on a bus but we had a wonderful day and the weather, just as BBC weather had said, was very kind to us...apart from when the train went through Prestatyn where it was bucketing it down!!!

We headed over to Conwy and walked round, and up and down the castle...its bloody huge and there was obviously no health and safety in place when it was built because the steps were lethal, but its a very beautiful and powerful building, very easy to imagine looking out over the water waiting for attack!!!

Did forget my camera...kicking myself about that so had to make do with my little "BlueBerry" and took this one of the girls outside the Smallest house in Great Britain...no way I would even fit my craft stuff in there and I dont think even Ikea could maximise that space, its so dinky and quaint and at one point there were two people living in there!!!

And on the way home we stopped here...

I have been on the train so many times and heard Deganwy is a request stop only please inform the conductor if you wish to alight here...someone did woo hoo...Easily pleased aren't I!!!

For those ladies who came to my Demo on Saturday at Garners here are the Christmas cards I made using the new creatables...the white cuts are all cut from white glitter card but the camera didn't pick that up very well...

Tree and doily card...

Reindeer and Sleigh easel card...

And Winter Scene landscape card...

Be Christmas in 143 days you know...says so here!!!

Right I am off to get ready for yet another day out...I am exhausted I must have walked at least 100 miles this week, slightly exaggerated but that's what my feet tell me, Its Blackpool today and the waxworks...camera battery is charging so I wont forget that...we are off to mingle with the stars.

Potter, Pearls and Pants!!!

I finally watched Harry Potter yesterday...The last one...EVER...or is it?

Two words sum up this film, never mind Jonathan Ross or Barry Norman`s opinion...mine...BLOODY AWESOME!!!

I loved it, have always loved it, the books and the films and now it is no more so as I wipe a little tear from my eye I am happy in the knowledge that I can get away with wearing Chino`s...I know slight subject change there but obviously a trip into Manchester (to the pics) isn`t complete without a trip to Primani and I picked up a pair of said chinos yesterday and according to Ella I look good in Teens clothes!!!

And finally Pearls...made these on Sunday evening after the trip to the bead fair and finally took pictures yesterday when the light was a little better...

Bracelet on beading wire...

And matching necklace on beading wire and chain...

I love those big chunky flowers and wish I had bought more now :-(, I will have to search Ebay for some more!

Okay supposed to be off to Conwy for the day today and the BBC weather site have promised no rain...wish me luck!!!