The Craft Room...

I've started a new job which explains my lack of blogging, I'm running a project working with vulnerable, unemployed adults helping them back into employment or further education, I'm on week three and although it's challenging and hard work I'm loving it, such a change from what I usually do, it's still with the college I teach for which is handy, and as I'm on summer break from the other departments I work for it means constant teaching hours. I'm back teaching both leisure and qualification craft courses in September alongside this project so will have probably be pretty busy then so will have to make the most of my days off through summer!!!

I'm back demonstrating tomorrow...it's been a while since I've been up at silly o clock on a Saturday to catch a train to spend the day getting inky and messy and meeting up with crafty friends old and new so I'm especially looking forward to tomorrow, I'm demonstrating at The Craft Room in Newcastle under Lyme

I have a lovely set of "groupies" here and can't wait to catch up. I'm demonstrating die cutting and embossing with the Cuttlebug, distress inks and stamping techniques...so if you see me on the return journey tomorrow I'll be the one with disgusting stained fingers ;-)

I've created lots of new samples but have everything packed in my little trolley dolly case ready for the 5.30am alarm so will post some pictures over the weekend.

I'm off now for a few glasses of the relaxing juice and a catch up with some crappy telly!!!


Take care
Love
Est xx
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Okay yes I know it's been a while...again...but I promised my crafty ladies in Kendal today that I would blog pictures of our afternoon project from today's class at My Paper Warehouse, and despite the face that it was the only place in the country it seemed had rain today there was certainly a lot of sunshine in our workshop today...I really do love teaching workshops as much as my crafty ladies love attending and for me today was a fabulous day, even though the alarm cruelly went off at 5.45am and I left the sunny skies of Warrington!!!

So here is our afternoon "stunning" (word of the day) project...a huge 20x20cm card...

Which was inspired by this very similar canvas I created earlier this month...


It's just like a crafty spot the difference!!!

I'm back in Kendal for their craft event on the 18th august, I've demonstrated at this event for two years on the run and it's always very busy and very inspiring, with a whole host of talented demonstrators, so if you can pay them a visit do, it's certainly worth it, they are also hosting a card making competition...oooh and I may know one of the judges for one of the categories ;-)...I'm told I'm not open to bribes though ;-)...all the details can be found Here

I'm off to play with some new stamps and to create a whole heap of distressed mess :-)

Take care
Love
Est xx
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Pretty in Pink

I know it's been a while since I blogged...sorry...no excuse really, I have been creating I just haven't had a chance to blog what I have been up to.

So I'm back on the challenges...which I've also neglected for the last couple of weeks and it's Sunday which can only mean one thing...Hel's Sunday Stamping Challenge which this week is PINK...bang goes my plan of linking challenges with Fathers day cards this week...oh well back to the inks and stamps!!!

I have however created this little timepiece...

The fob watch is a blank I picked up at Port Sunlight and I've used Victorian Velvet distress ink to distress and stamp and then, not like me at all, added stickles to highlight, made lots of 3d flowers and stamped and hand cut all the leaves.

Off now to concentrate on the football...yes really there are 22 men in shorts some wearing green some wearing blue...good colour combination!!!

Take care
Love
Est xx
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Weekend stamping

Day two of my three day weekend and I'm supposed to be relaxed and rested...ha...awake at 2am and again at 4am when I decided sleep was not going to come back to me so I browsed the Internet...I love my iPad...and bought this...

Which I browsed through in Waterstones in Manchester yesterday, but couldn't bring myself to pay the £18 for....got to love Internet shopping...£13 delivered!!!

Have been creating, last night Mia had a friend sleepover so I was banished to my desk with my headphones on whilst they were in charge of the television...
Created a card...


Oooh another card...male themed this time...


And this little wooden hinged display arch that I bought from port sunlight last week...


I've used around three thousand stamps because they are heaped on my desk and all need cleaning and tidying away...I'm a messy crafter but I think most of us are!!!

Off to clean my stamps...yeah right I'm off for a glass of wine :-)!!!

Take care
Love
Est xx
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What's on your work desk Wednesday (erm Friday!!!)

So this is a little bit late but I always say better late than never, I've had dreadful insomnia this week and probably should have blogged during the many early hours I have seen but caught up with paperwork and lesson planning instead...sad I know but now I have a whole three day weekend off...woo hoo!!!

So although it's Friday I did take this picture Wednesday...honest...

So you can see my registers...now all sorted along with learning evaluations too, there's a pile of fabric I used in my cupcake canvas class, the White boxes at the top left are glass paints and pride of place my giant cup and saucer filled with Alta Rica...only the best coffee in the world!!!

It's all tidy now...ready for a weekend of playing with all my port sunlight goodies that have been teasing me all week!!!

Have a great weekend everyone

Take care
Love
Est xx
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Cupcakes and Stamping

Not stamping on cupcakes obviously...that would be rude...and a waste of cupcakes!!!

It's a late post from me tonight, I've been lesson prepping and catching up on paperwork all night, and listening to Mia chatting and giggling with her friends, she invited a couple over tonight to chat about....dum dum dum dum....the SATS...not sure much SATS talk was going on, probably more to do with The Wanted but hey she's got to chill out, I hate that's she's having to go through the pressure of these exams but they have to be done so any way she can take her mind off it is a bonus!!!

So created this tonight for one of my classes this week...cute little cupcake canvas and all nice clean crafting...not a distress ink in sight...needles and thread alert...

And created this on Saturday night when I got home from Port Sunlight, I'm entering this into this weeks Simon says stamp and show challenge which is anything goes...



Was originally a blank MDF heart that I painted with cream acrylic paint, distressed and stamped, die cut flowers from card that were "swooshed" into some ink dried then stamped, shaped and highlighted with gold acrylic, added some punched butterflies and some ribbon and lace.

Off now to huff on my nails and polish them because all my lesson prep for the week is done...yay me!!!

Take care
Love
Est xx
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Hobby versus Addiction

...Stamping...is it a hobby or an addiction?

I could argue both sides and say it's definitely a hobby but then after visiting Port Sunlight yesterday I realise it could be more of an addiction...I mean really I have thousands of stamps, wooden and unmounted and really did I need any more...

Well obviously...yes i did...doesn't that little stash there make me look good though...oh hold on...That was just the stamps...

Here's my wooden alterables...


Here are my "other" alterables and Tim Holtz crackle paints, picket fence stain...which I've been after for ages, stickles and stamp cleaner...


That's not all...
Here's my masks, some more stamps, new scissors and chipboard fob watch...


And that's the stash for the day...ooh apart from the pan pastels I finally treated myself to, have wanted some for ever but they have only recently been available in the UK...maybe I need some more of them though!!!

So today after the obligatory washing, ironing and cleaning I had a little play with some of my new stash, I saw lots of inspiration yesterday and had ideas buzzing in my head from about 6.30am this morning...bloody insomnia...anyway came up with this wall hanging which I'm entering into Hel's Sunday Stamper challenge, which this week is Queens and Crowns...look closely and you'll spot the crown!!!


The circles were all hand cut from greyboard, painted with a couple of coats of cream acrylic paint then inked with distress ink, stamped and embellished with fabric flowers, die cuts, stamped images, buttons and lace...clue the crown is a stamped image on the middle circle!!!

Loved creating this, although my fingers are rotten!!!

Also managed to create this card for some classes this week...


I love that little "Gorjuss" girl and completed with lots more distressing, stamping, embossing and die cutting.

So the hobby versus addiction...It's my hobby but I'm definitely addicted!!!

Standing up...I say..."my name is Est and I'm a stampaholic"!!!

Take care
Love
Est xx
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I'm so excited....really...

I'm so excited!!!

I feel like a kid on Christmas eve waiting for Father Christmas to deliver all those presents...you remember when you couldn't get to sleep and woke every hour until you thought it was time to open presents only to have your parents tell you it was 3am and definitely not time to get up!!!

I'm off to Port Sunlight tomorrow, heading there with students, meeting up with groupies and shopping for lovely new crafty stash...I can't wait, it's a little sad how excited I am really but hey being creative isn't a hobby it's a way of life...!!!

I promise to post crafty stash pictures...off to try and sleep!!!


Take care
Love
Est xx
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Just about made it...

...what's on your work desk Wednesday...just an hour to spare...it's been one of those days...want to check it out? Then head over to Julia's to check out the details and to have a good old nosy around everyone's desks.

I love looking around everyone's space and seeing what people are up to, I pay particular attention to storage ideas because I'm quite limited on space, and have a huge amount of supplies to store...Sunday I decided to spend a couple of hours sorting out under my desk...limited leg room and an ever increasing pile of stash meant it was long overdue and I even remembered to take some pictures whilst I was in ruthless mode...

I managed two bin bags of rubbish and a bag of stash soon to be listed on eBay...no after shots just yet because I got interrupted...had to go for a pub lunch...and haven't quite finished!!!

Off to start my wander round the work desks, have a great week to all my new (and old) readers and my new woyww friends :-)

Take care
Love
Est xx
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Monday blues....

...not today I swear all day it's felt like Sunday...from the public transport into town centre this morning, to the roast I cooked tonight...my plan has worked...which makes next weekend even closer...and I can't wait for that because I'm off to Port Sunlight...woo hoo...excited because I've not been to a craft fair for so long and it's so nice to be on the other side of the table...watching the demonstrators rather than being the demonstrator!!!

Been lesson prepping today and have created this little gift box for one of my classes this week...very British but all distressed and brown...and check out my new "keep calm" stamp, cute or what...

Entering this for a new challenge blog I've found...very Fashionable it's all about the London Baby!!!

Talking of baby's...my little baby boy is 19 tomorrow...not so much my baby anymore because he's been taller than me since he was 15 and because he uses more hairspray than me, is always using my hair straighteners and steals my jeans and chinos...seriously he does...but he's still my baby boy and will always be...Happy Birthday little guy!!!

Take care
Love
Est xx
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Red and yellow and pink and green...

...purple and orange and blue...
...I can sing a rainbow...
...well honestly I can't sing unless I've had plenty of Pinot and the girls persuade me to play on Lips on the Xbox...and even then I'm not sure I can sing even though the said xbox tells me I'm a "superstar"

However I've been playing with colour all evening...distress inks again...you really should see my fingers...red and yellow and...you know how it goes!!!

The reason being...Hel's Sheriden Sunday stamper challenge is all about the blue and brown...Oooohhh that means broken china and frayed burlap....look...

Theres a whole lot of distressing, stamping and die cutting there, along with some little clay flowers on a sweet little canvas that I bought from Garners Craft Room yesterday...got to love my job duck...that's what they say in Stoke!!!

Speaking of Stoke...


Look at all that space on my demo table...and quite tidy too...I had a great day in Stoke yesterday, met up with some of my "crafty groupies" who brought some cards to "show and tell"....I love that...and i want to give a shout out to the very lovely Linda who collected me from Stoke train station at silly o clock and then came back to Garners to take me back to the train station..you are lovely Linda thank you!!!

So back to the rainbow...my poor little finger is currently red and yellow...burnt it on my glue gun earlier and it hurts so much...won't go into gory details....but ouch....

Over on Simon says stamp and show the challenge, last week...I'm catching up but get there eventually..was a kaleidoscope of colour...


So I went with red and orange and created a...wait for it...card!!!
Lots of distressing again, stamping, die cutting and some embossing too!!!

Speaking of red and orange...did you see that in the sky earlier today...i think it's called "the sun" normally unheard of on a bank holiday weekend but I can assure you it was there in all it's blazing glory...how long it will last is certainly questionable but we made the most of it today and headed to the pub for lunch...a beautiful sunny walk home meant I could capture this...


Off to catch the results of Britain's got Talent....yep I'm that sad!!!

Take care
Love
Est xx
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Chocolate

It's late but I'm still awake...because it's the weekend for me woo hoo...I'm off work tomorrow and much as I love my job I need a day off, it's been a long week and tomorrow I may just hit the streets of Manchester and shop.

So I'm sat in bed munching on cadburys fruit and nut which the Co Op very kindly put on offer for me...£1 for a big bar...and as I walked past it on my way to the wine aisle after work tonight...Very needed tonight...it actually whispered my name...how else would I have seen it :-).

I'm in the middle of several crafty projects at the moment and have not one finished, it's a good job you can't see my desk tonight because I have some issues there...mainly messy ones, you know how it is you start one project and get sidetracked and before you know it your scissors are hiding behind your cuttlebug your distress inks have ran away and your stamps are cowering in a corner!!!

Just had to share this...Harry will not let me take his picture much so have to cherish each one he allows me too...he's off out tonight at his end of season football "do"...just look how well he scrubbed up...

Thats all thanks to Gillette fusion...finally... even Mia was calling him a tramp, lynx...none of us could breathe after he'd finished spraying, MY hairdryer and MY hairspray...kids!!!

Take care
Love
Est xx
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What's on your workdesk wednesday

Okay posting this from my iPhone so hope it works.
Julie has her weekly workspace up and here's what's on my work space today...

It's a new notebook, for my new online course that starts at the end of this month, hosted by Christy Tomlinson, we have our own secret...yep secret, Facebook page and there are weekly journalling exercises that we have to complete before the course starts. So far I've bought my notebook and printed out the exercises, not bad for me!!!

Off to work now will have a nosy round some desks when I get back :-)
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Red, Stamps and Tramps!!!

I finally got round to completing Hel's Sunday stamping challenge only two days late so not bad for me really, her theme this week is the colour RED...

Which tied in very nicely with my class sample for Thursday as we are doing dry embossing (with the Cuttlebug and embossing folders) and heat embossing. I've created a canvas board and used the free stamp that came with this months Craft Stamper, my most favourite magazine, and embossed with an off gold colour, lots of fired brick and frayed burlap distressing, a fair bit of background stamping and some embossed and distressed card, I've also die cut some swirls and "coloured" them with an embossing pen, added embossing powder and voila gold swirly bits!!!

It's a similar piece to one I created last month Here, but with the addition of the embossed flowers.

Ooh and I bought knobs today look...


Whilst I was inking this morning with my distress tool it annoyed me that I had to keep changing my foam to change colours...then i had one of those lightbulb moments...



And created these...just stuck some self adhesive Velcro on the bottom and stuck my foams on...they aren't as brilliant as Mr Holtz's tool but they do work and at a fiver for four they are considerably cheaper!!!

And finally...it's official...I am a tramp!!!

I have a pair of boots I bought in the January sales that I absolutely lurve they are funky and very comfortable especially when I am on my feet all day, however last night the sole finally flapped and started chatting with me every time I took a step...the only glue in the house that I deemed suitable for the purpose was contact adhesive...so carefully following the instructions applied it and wrapped an elastic band around the said boot to hold it in place whilst the glue dried...nipped out for a crafty smoke...in said boots, my hands covered in distress ink and my hair a pretty wild mane after washing it and letting it dry without the use of heat or product...imagine the look...not good...needless to say I didn't photograph myself...I did however buy new boots today, used my hair straighteners and my fingers...well after completing the RED challenge I've definitely been caught red handed!!!

I'm off to give my old boots the send off they deserve!!!

Take care
Love
Est xx
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Smurfs!!!

Those little blue creatures from my childhood that have been wonderfully recreated...yep I've been distressing with blue ink again and I'm turning into Smurfette...that's my fingers blue for at least twenty four hours...it's a good look...honest!!!

I've been busy all night working on my demo boards for my demonstration at Garners Craft Room on Saturday, a demo I'm really looking forward to, I have a lovely group of ladies that I meet up with here and I'm demonstrating independently too so if you are close by please come and say hello and you will be able to take a closer look at this...

Which is a sample board showing all the materials the Createables will cut.

And also this...


Which is my new sample board of some of the new Createables...and the reason for my Smurf like appearance...Tumbled Glass distress ink!!!

Tootled over to Haydock Race Course yesterday with a friend, luckily we weren't there for the horse racing because I think we'd have got slightly wet due to the torrential rain...BEAD FAIR...the only reason to travel anywhere in weather like that...here is my stash from the day...


I've recently bought some new grey tops so that seemed to be the colour of the day, also picked up some matt black chain and some 20gauge black wire to make findings with, the orange is some cord...Ella wants a shamballa bracelet making and her favourite colour is orange so I also picked up some black crystals to make that...shhh it's a secret!!!

Other bits are selected beads that made me go "oooh", charms, spacers and some trays...just the essentials!!! That lot will probably sit in a bag until summer though, it's not often I sit and make jewellery just for fun!!!

Right I'm off to check out some challenge blogs, so far I've missed Hel's Sheridans's Sunday Stamping challenge and Simon Says Stamp And Show, I've been combing these challenges very nicely with my class samples making one very organised Est!!!


Take care
Love
Est xx
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Chorley....

A Lancashire market town made famous by Peter Kay and cakes apparently...

However today Chorley was all about the bling, Swarovski, fire polished, pearls, glass...yep all about the beads!!!

I love teaching jewellery classes here, I love my ladies, I love that not only did we discuss autism, politics, the NHS and of course beads, but we also shared secrets, history and bra colours...yep we did...!!!

Celia looking eclectic...red top, red scarf, red earrings and blue lariat necklace...complete with big beads, love your style girl...

And lovely Linda...Modelling her beautiful chunky necklace...


I had a fabulous day and am back in June for the next class, email me if you want any details.

Off for the usual crap Saturday night television.

Take care
Love
Est xx
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Late night blogging

Late post tonight just to say I'm teaching a jewellery class all day tomorrow in Chorley, looking forward to catching up with my ladies, if you are anywhere near the Crafty Patch in Chorley come and say hi, the shop is definitely worth a visit.

Off to try on my new clothes...Primark is still in business thanks to me today :-)


Take care
Love
Est xx
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I love to learn...

...yep I'm a very inquiring person who wants to know why, when and how...some would call me just plain nosy but I call it thorough ;-), however because my work timetable changes every five weeks I can't usually commit to classes, and I couldnt ever put aside time to complete coursework or assignments and adhere to deadlines like my students have to which is why I love online classes!

I discovered them last year, I'm kicking myself that I didn't discover them sooner because from the ones I have already taken I have learnt so much, and developed creatively in a way I probably never would have if I had been timetabled into a classroom at a set time.

If you've never taken part in an online workshop the "classroom" is available at any time, day or night, great for insomniac sufferers like myself and project/techniques/samples are posted daily or weekly depending on the course provider and you can complete in your own time and chose to upload pictures or not!

I'm excited because Christy Tomlinson has a new online course starting very soon and guess who signed up for it....yep I did!!!

I've completed ALL of Christys online courses and I love her and her style, and can't wait to start this Creative Canvas

Watch this space for my progress.

Take care
Love
Est xx
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What's on your work desk Wednesday

...a whole load of stuff today...
Just look at that....

This is what my desk looks like when I am prepping for a class, there are usually piles of stuff, all organised of course ;-), for each class or workshop I have coming up...so today most of the craft paraphernalia is for my BTEC mixed media class tonight, there is a little pile of things next to my turquoise jewellery tools ready for my BTEC jewellery class tomorrow night and a pile of bits under my jewellery tools ready for my workshop in Chorley on Saturday...I'm creative I can't be expected to be tidy too, although one day...maybe...yep I'm dreaming again!!!

Love
Est xx
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It's just a word...

...just a word to one person may mean the whole world to another person and the latest challenge over at Simon says stamp and show really made me think about this...the challenge is titled favourite word...and after discarding the obvious ones, Pinot, sales, free, I came up with not one but three, I do hope that's not cheating ;-)...And created these three tags...

"Create"
Because I'm at my happiest when I'm getting messy with inks or trying out a new technique, whatever worry is on my mind, whatever stress is trying me I am so lucky to be able to "lose" myself in creating.



"True"
Because being true to yourself is the only way to be truly happy.



"Art"
Because there is an artist inside all of us with the ability to Create True Art...you see what i did there ;-)...I have loved this challenge, not only did i get to create but i really got to think about it too...
Here they are altogether...



The backgrounds were all created with broken china and frayed burlap distress inks applied with the blending tool then I've stamped backgrounds using a Tim Holtz script and floral stamp (i know again...maybe i need new ones but i do lurve them) also added the pen nib stamp to one but that ended up getting covered up, and the clock stamp to another. Flowers are the tattered flowers die, inked, flicked with water, distressed, crumpled and shaped, I've dyed ribbon and lace with the distress inks and added some punched butterflies and my stamped words from card "I'd cleaned up the ink with on my craft sheet"...is that the official technique name? Sound good to me!!!

I like these so much I'm going to use them to create some canvases, not sure if I will use the actual tags or just take the idea...watch this space!!!

Off for a crafty smoke and then hitting the quilt...I have had serious sleep interruption this week...I hate insomnia!!!

Love
Est xx
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Bling bling!!!

...I've been crafting tonight and my hands are clean...that can only mean one thing...I've been jewellery making!!!

I'm running two jewellery making workshops on Saturday in Chorley and we have a couple of spaces left, either in the morning or the afternoon, or you can stay for the whole day, if you want any more information please email me or to book a place please phone Louise at The Crafty Patch on 01257 277324.

This is what we will be creating in the morning...Lariat necklace...

And we will be making this in the afternoon...the light tonight is shocking the red beads on there are Swarovski crystals...wire bangle...


Okay I'm off to bed I'm weary and it's only Monday!!!

Take care
Love
Est xx
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Sunday Stamping and Smiles

What is it about days off work, we look forward to them so much, count down the days, hours...minutes even and then bam blink and they are over, only to have realised that the day has been spent catching up on dull housework...!!!

I have spent the last couple of hours "working" luckily that means making lesson samples so I'm inky...again!!!

Have created this which I'm entering in Hel Sheriden's summer stamping challenge...

I've created a little calico heart, which has been dyed using fired brick distress ink, painted with gold acrylic paint and then sewn together and stuffed, added some black felt wings which I added some sparkly stitching to, added a gold crown which was heat embossed, then mounted the heart onto a tag which was distressed and stamped, I added some black dyed ribbon and lace and a die cut treble clef and voila...

...Red hot for summer...well we can dream can't we...the addition of the crown for the Queens Jubilee and the treble clef for all the music festivals that take place during the summer...I love summer...working for a college means I get six weeks off!!!

Then I created this little wall hanging...


Stamped Gorjuss girl, water coloured with distress inks, die cut flowers and butterflies...again coloured with distress inks, stamped leaf, I think this was a freebie from Craft Stamper, triangle background coloured with peeled paint distress ink and stamped and scalloped triangle coloured with spiced marmalade...I love this colour combination and I think I'm doing particularly well in my "ban on brown crafting"!!!

Oooh and check these out...I got two blog mentions today...

...one from Pandy who attended my workshop in Kendal last Monday.

The other from Sue who not only attended my demo in Wigan yesterday but also took this picture of me looking all professional...


So thank you very much ladies you made me smile today :-)

I'm off to heat up my melting pot...I've seen an idea...you know how it goes...!!!

Take care
Love
Est xx
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Distressing in Wigan

Today I've been demonstrating at Card-io in Wigan, I've had a lovely day, met up with many familiar faces and met some new crafty ladies too which is always a pleasure, and only ten minutes down the road meant I didn't have to be up at stupid o clock this morning.

I was demonstrating distress inks along with embossing folders and the Marianne Creatables, which are gorgeous however my fingers are currently sporting a mixture of spiced marmalade, fired brick, dusty Concorde and broken china...two hours after my demo started and I finally had a minute to have a crafty smoke and to take this...

That's my demo desk which doesn't look half as messy as it usually does because I was throwing everything on the floor behind it...sorry Wendy ;-)

So Wendy and I had a quick chat about me running some workshops for her and as soon as we've sorted something I will post the details on here.

Returned home before 5pm :-) to these...



These are some of the stamp designs of my good demo pal Lindsay Mason and I've been "needing" them for a good while now, well thanks to the very lovely Sandra at Cardcraft UK they are now sat on my desk ready to be played with :-)

Okay I'm off...it's Saturday night and Mia has much crap telly lined up for me!!!

Take care
Love
Est xx
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Demo Day tomorrow

Just a quick blog post to say I will be demonstrating in Wigan tomorrow at Card-io, should be a great day, I get to demo the Creatables with the Big Shot, alongside embossing folders and Tim Holtz's scrumptious distress inks, if you are at a loose end or are in the area come and say hi.

Off to watch Dexter...yep I love it!!!


Take care
Love
Est xx
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Craft room envy

I have it so bad that I swear in the right light my eyes have turned green!!!

Just take a look at this I found whilst browsing on the web...

I want my space to look like that, it's so pretty.

I've bought storage baskets today to give me the kick up the backside I need to begin to sort through my stash...wish me luck this could take some time, I'm talking months not hours!!!

Will be listing unwanted items on eBay for sale and will post links here as and when I do.

Off to stroke my new baskets and fill them with something.

Take care
Love
Est xx
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What's on your work desk Wednesday

Okay so it's Wednesday, in case you didn't know lol and it's time for another sneak at my desk which since last week has been tidied, trashed, inked and tidied again...

This is my desk at the moment...

Looking quite tidy because I am teaching a class tonight and most of my inks and thinks are packed away for that!!!

My Compendium of Curiosities arrived today....yay....and I will be flicking through that with a glass of wine when I've finished teaching tonight.

The new Simply Homemade magazine, which I subscribe to, unopened which also arrived today, that will also get a look later.

The photo frame and tag I created last night, thankfully all the purple Ink has now worn off my fingers!!!

Making memories carousel containing lots of tools and pens and other stuff that basically needs a really good sort out.

Trug from Marks and Spencers which contains some of my unmounted stamps, my craft sheets and anything else that needs a quick home.

My Bind it All which I dug out this morning after seeing a fabulous idea...watch this space ;-).

That's about all I think, no projects on the go at the moment, although I still have half an hour before I leave for work...hmmm spiced marmalade fingertips would at least match my nail varnish!!!

Take care
Love
Est xx
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Deep Purple...

...Not the Rock Band...oh no...that would be the colour of my fingers right now thanks to dusty concord distress ink and me challenging myself to craft with an alternative to brown...so instead of looking like I smoke 60 a day I look like I have some sort of fingertip disease, and that coupled with the blister I have inflicted on myself using the glue gun...I'm a professional crafter honest...and my nails which are painted orange is a colourful sight I kid you not!!!

The reason I look like I'm turning into a Ribena Berry is due to the latest challenge over on Simon Says Stamp and Show which is anything goes...hmmm...no guidelines and I promised my crafty ladies in Kendal I would try and craft in purple...so came up with this little tag...

I've applied dusty concord distress ink to the tag and then flicked with water to "bleach" out the colour, then stamped using Tim Holtz script and floral unmounted stamps, die cut some flowers, leaves and butterflies and inked again with the dusty concord...there is more on the tag then there is on my fingers...honest...I've then dyed the ribbon, lace and string and added some purple wire...

...and then...

Because I thought hey this purple malarky isn't all that bad I created this...


I buy these little square photo frames from a local pound shop, usually for classes but I had one left over.

I've painted a base coat with buff titanium acrylic paint and then distressed with dusty concord around the edge and the inside, then stamped again with the Tim Holtz script and floral stamps...did I mention I love them...I've added some distressed die cuts, some purple wire and some pearly paint applied with an embossing tool to create "dots", I've then distressed some dictionary paper and framed this.

And that was roughly when I burnt my finger...ouch, usually I have asbestos hands but I managed to touch the end of the glue gun with the side of one of my fingers :-(

So I've finally sat down, after being on the go all day and I've been hit by that wall of tiredness...you know the one...where you think you can't get up again...but I have to go and try and scrub my fingers...where did I put that sandpaper!!!

Take care
Love
Est xx
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