Wednesday 22 July 2009

Twit Twoo...

I wanted to pop a new card on here - it was oh so simple made with Daisy and Dandelion Xmas papers and was for my hubby's birthday last week.

I love these Xmas papers because really in essence apart from the ones with snowflakes on they can be used pretty much all year round and are FABULOUS for men's cards.

But true to style for our ancient and decrepid PC its refusing to load my photies onto the pc so I'll have to try that one again probably Friday now as I have to be at the hospital tomorrow.

As a result I wanted to share with you a lovely card I have just found on my great friend Amanda's blog - I haven't done much blog hopping recently but have been catching up with some friends this afternoon. There is a gorgeous owl card on there that I love and now I'm having difficulty getting the piccie on here for you to look at so I'll just have to add her blog here!!! So please click here. Scroll down and you'll find it - Am LURVING owls and birds at the mo as a theme on cards.

Amanda is one of those other lovely Docraft designers out there - and I really must get the links on here. If you get the opportunity to get to a demo she is doing then do hop along and say hi! And I have to say Amanda is one of those people that having a bit of a natter too always makes me smile and cheers me up!!!

I've also found the cure to my blues from yesterday and have thrown myself into a huge pile of ironing and about to start housework with Lord of the Rings on in th background. I really am not the worlds greatest housewife but there is somthing soothing sometime about throwing yourself into the mundane where you can switch your brain off and forget about stuff. Of course there are other things more pressing to do but I didn't want to do those so I'm off again soon to climb back into my house-wifley world. I'll face reality again tomorrow :o)

Take care and I'll try to sort out my camera/ pc problem to bring some more projects if I can.
Love
Becky
xxxx

PS If anyone can tell me how to add a "watermark" to my pictures before I publish them (you know the sort of thing "designed by XXX 2009") then I would be really grateful!!!

Tuesday 21 July 2009

Today is a blue day....

Hiya...


I know its been a long time no speak but well things have been a little mad.


The title of this post comes from a lovely lady I saw at my demo on Saturday in Swindon. I think I said I was having a green day on an earlier post with my butterfly card... well today its a blue day... but not because of the colour blue but rather the emotions associated with the colour.


Firstly though I want to say a big thank you to anyone who came along to my demos since my last post. I should have been on here to say how lovely as always it was to see you but well time has flown by - but never mind it is ALWAYS lovely to see you all and share tips, ideas, sometimes a little gossip.... and I love seeing new friendships developing out there... crafting is such a fabulous catalyst for friendships and bringing like minded people together...you only have to go along to the craft club I go to each month to see all the fun, laughter and sharing that goes on.... for me it has to be one of life's great pleasures :o)

This was never meant to be a blog for personal stuff but only for crafting related things but today that colour I was talking about has over taken my feelings a little bit... I can't believe it but I've been married to my lovely hubby coming up for nearly five and a half years and ever since a few weeks after we got married when I fell down the stairs we never seem to have had any peace - for three years I was in so much pain I could barely do anything so bang went all the little luxuries in life I had hoped we would have from my high flying career, we had to make the decision not to have children because of the accident, we've spent nearly three years looking after my mother in law who has myeloma and now suffers from dementia, supporting my father in law and now for all intents and purposes doing most things for him because his life now consists of the home where my mother in law is being looked after and Sainsburys, there is to be another conference with the doctors about her care next week, having got to a point where I could do some part time work the lady I have done some book keeping work for on a subcontracted basis has withdrawn any work I was doing for her because she doesn't have enough and owes me hundreds of pounds, I have very little work left at all that I can do and after three years of my husband's job being messed around with he is now being made redundant (you may say he should have moved before but there are reasons why it is difficult for him to move job that I won't go into here) and so we are worrying about keeping a roof over our heads... my family live miles away and I barely ever see them and I am tired of trying to keep on top of it.....

And after another phone call I had earlier which I really don't want to go into here just for today it all seems a bit much.... and should I have written about it here... well maybe not but sometimes I just don't know where to turn, I just want some good news for once....

BUT then, I remember I spoke to a lovely lady on Saturday who was really poorly recently and has found out she has a life changing condition she'll have to deal with and I read the posts I'd missed from the blogs I follow and I see the one from Nikki in Scotland who recently lost her very young husband and I realise that things could be so much worse. I realise well maybe today things do feel a bit bad but I do have so much to be grateful for and I'm sure we can sort our way through this. It seems hard at the mo but could be so much worse and tomorrow is a new day....

So I was blue but having got it all out my system maybe I feel a little bit more pink!! :o)

I'll be back in the not too distant future with more designs and crafty stuff because that is so much more interesting!!! But thanks for bearing with me whilst I have a hard day.

Becky
xxx

PS. And if anyone can think of any ways I can find more craft related work I would be so grateful - because I have designed my work room to allow me to stand up it is the one thing that I can do without too much impact on the level of pain I have.

Sunday 3 May 2009

Thank you's and a little butterfly magic

Hi there everyone!
Really hope you are enjoying this lovely bank holiday! I don't have much time for crafting this weekend as I'm sorting our cupboards and drawers today but I do have a card I want to share with you!

It's one of the samples I've made over the past few days for my demonstrations this month and next and I hope you really like it!

Before I continue firstly a big "thank you" to all of you who joined me at the Market Gallery in Poole yesterday. I know I haven't seen you for a while and it was lovely to catch up with you all. I hope its not too long before I see you all again!!! For those of you who were lucky enough to grab one of the butterfly punches (or have got your name down for one) this is just a little piccie of the card I made for you all to remind you of the lovely effect you can get with it. Don't forget aswell Jenny's fabulous designs in the latest Creativity Magazine!!

For those of you who weren't there - this card was made using the new Xcut butterfly punch and if yesterday was anything to go by I really do urge you to grab them whilst you can. I have seriously never seen a product disappear so quickly when I've been out sharing our fabulous products with you all!!! Its an ingenous little design which cuts the fluttering butterfly so that it is still attached to your piece of card stock or vellum for matting and layering. But you can easily snip them out to use them as individual embellishments.

And don't forget the sexy little Smooch inks by Clearsnap - its their pearlescent quality which on this card gives the green irridescence on the butterfly (perfect to mimic that lovely shimmer that nature has gifted butterfly wings) and I've used the luscious red to give a little dotted frame round the main image. They are a Clearsnap ink so you'll know the quality is what you expect from this superior ink company. They come in eight eye catching shades and a little goes a long way!! Perfect for highlights and adding a touch of luxury to papers, decoupage etc etc. I'm sure you can think of tonnes of ways to use them.


At this time of year I love shades of green so here I've matched luxurious flocked Papermania cotton papers (try applying glitter chalks to the flock - the glitter seems to stay in place really well) with a beautifully delicate design from the new Papermania Jesse Edwards Boutique papers which are a must have in my crafting stash - the gorgeous patterns are suitable for men's cards as well as lady's and create some stunning scrapbook pages!
Anyway, hope you like today's little offering and I'll be back here with more to share very very soon!
Relax and enjoy the holiday!
Lots of love
Becky
xxx






















Thursday 23 April 2009

Dawn I'm borrowing your title - come on someone own up - they're not just nicking all your time they're nicking mine too!!!

Ok Ok Ok I know - look the last two weeks have grown wings and emmigrated somewhere far away...

In truth I've been a little bit floaty the past fortnight - so much has happened and I have so much to fit in!!! I've been working on a rather interesting and new project which is far too much fun to let things like accountancy get in the way - sorry can't divulge but what I will say is I'm loving it and I'm also learning alot. New skills - I mean of the life kind not the craft kind - though a few of those have materialised en route aswell (the craft kind not the life kind) - new people, a new perspective on this fabulous hobby (that I am lucky enough to call part of my work!) and a chance to prove something to myself and hopefully to others. Lets just say its something I never even thought I'd get involved in, its pushing the problems I have with my nerve damage right to its limits but its turning out to be great fun and in some ways just like my demos I can say my job is my medicine - long story as to why but you wouldn't be that interested believe me ...

Ok for those of you wondering, really I can't tell and if I did you probably wouldn't think it was exciting but I do!!!! :o)

So what else though I hear you say - surely that can't have taken up all your time... well, sadly I've also had to fit in the book keeping because I have to keep up with my other work as its only a short term project I'm involved with so I'm generally pooped.

And next week it all starts again - but with the added bonus (and I do mean bonus cos I LURVE doing 'em hee hee) - I've got a couple of magazine bits to do and my other joy in life - a demo to prepare for for a new promo! (And if I'm lucky maybe I'll get to see the other love of my life - my hubby.... but that may be pushing it!)

It would appear my antiquated eight year old pc decided to join me in the "tired and worn out stakes" and gave up the ghost on internet access. It took me three days to get back on the world wide ether to communicate again so here I am!

Just a couple of things as I have so much to do before my little head hits the pillow and zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz land takes over!

(1) to all you ladies on the Island last Saturday night at Crafting Around it was lovely to see you!!!! I hope you got lots of inspiration to go and try new things. I'll start posting the pictures next week. I'm so looking forward to checking out Brenda's new shop in Newport when I see you all next month so put the date in your diary - its on my list of demo's on here so go do it now!!!

(2) If you want to know whats hip and happening in crafting you need to follow this website - click here to visit Becks Faggs blog - she's our woman in the know at Docrafts and head of Product. If Becks doesn't know it its not worth knowing! So why not keep up to date with all the latest news by clicking into her blog (PS you may have seen her on QVC recently launching one of our TSVs)

(3) I have to find the date but if you are in the vaccinity of the Glitter Pot in the next couple of weeks Clare Curd is demonstrating Forever Friends, her own Signature Range and also a rather super exclusive set of Daisy and Dandelion stamps made just for the GP. I've never got there myself but many tell me its an amazing craft store!!! So how do I know how super this set of stamps are - now that would be telling :o) Oh go on then, cos I got sneeky ickle peek of them hot of the proverbial press a couple of weeks ago..... ooooooo I do love my job!!!

Anyway have to dash - hubby has been visiting his mother in the home tonight and I think I may be soothing a sore brow tonight.

Lots of love to you all - please bear with me in this stunningly busy time and I'll get more projects on asap (when I can I will tell more) and also please stay in touch - I love to hear from you

Becky
xxx

Monday 6 April 2009

A little project to share before my holiday!!

Hi Everyone!!!


Well I am taking a teency weency little break from running around with the hoover and duster getting the house ready for our imminent visitor!!!


I thought I would leave you for the rest of the week with a project along similar lines to one I demonstrated on Saturday with the old marketing CD. Here I have used Basic Grey Wassail papers so this was designed to be a little hanging Christmas decoration. I love these warm, rich shades - perfect for Christmas!! But I know its a little bit early for that (though at the rate this year seems to be disappearing I'm sure it will be round again in five minutes flat!) I guess I wanted to show you that the idea can be adapted to suit so many different occasions and colours. Why not make a similar project but as a special card that can be displayed all year round - instead of attaching ribbon to hang give a plate holder as a stand - a gift and a card all in one!

This was a project I made for a special demo on the Isle of WIght last year so it has been hanging around for a while - but I also submitted it to "Papercraft Essentials" for last years Papercrafter of the Year for which I was a runner up so (with out bragging!) I'm quite proud of this little design.




So now its time to say goodbye for the rest of this week and I will return next Tuesday. In the meantime, have a fabulous time... eat too many Easter eggs (like I will).... and take care!!!

Love and hugs

Becky xxx






Sunday 5 April 2009

Crafty Hubby.....

Hi all

How are you today???

Here on the South Coast it is bright and sunny and everything seems alright in the world!!!! Well for the next few minutes whilst I post on here anyway - after that all hell lets loose :o)

Tomorrow evening my oldest friend arrives from Germany to visit until Easter Sunday and currently she would have to sleep in the sofa - not very hospitable really... So I have my pinny, my duster, my hoover and also I've had three weetabix this morning because to make any sense of that room I am going to need them... it has been one of a couple of general junk rooms since we have started work on the house and there is currently a four foot high pile of goodness only knows what spread all over the room. I have to work tomorrow morning and I will be a whirl wind round the rest of the house after I get back so now is my only opportunity to sort this room out!!!

Why haven't I done it before I can hear you asking? Well a combination of two things really - firstly little time due to other things happening but more importantly I am a "Last Minute Becky" - everything seems to end up being done last minute as usual - yes, this is the woman who decided to scrap her dissertation six hours before it had to be handed in and start again (a good move as I got a first), rushing over to the post depot to get my mag commissions in in time, clearing out rooms before friend's from Germany arrive - you get the picture. According to my yummy mummy I have never been any different in all my @*&^ years!!!

So I am going to finish this lil' ole post and then don my "Mrs Mop" outfit and blitz this place!!!

Anyway, why crafty hubby???? Well you may be thinking he has been raiding my cupboards and creating something spectacular to stun me when I returned from my demo yesterday but not so. I mean crafty in an entirely different sense of the word.

Firstly I must thank all you lovely ladies (and yesterday it was fabulous to welcome a few gentlemen too!!!) who came to see me in the Marlands Centre for my demo for the new Market Gallery store in Southampton. It was lovely to see you all - and lovely to have so much space too - even more for me to clutter up until I have a 3inch by 3inch square to work on.... Well you know I'm a cluttersome crafter by now so I know you would expect nothing less!!! I hope you enjoyed your day - it was lovely to see friendly faces and also to meet new people!! And also to see you all making new friends amongst yourselves - crafting is just the most sharing and giving hobby you can have - I LOVE IT!!!! (and I love you all for coming to say hi!!!)

Thanks Kim for showing us the stamps stored in your Papermania ATC wallet - an ingenious use of it - but personally I think that I should have been able to keep the Hero Arts bird stamp!!!! And for sheer dedication to the crafting cause the award has to go to Kathleen for coming all the way from Thatcham... especially on such a sunny day!!! And as for everyone else who made the effort to come - it is always always lovely to see you!!! :o)

Now why was hubby crafty? Well the little tinker was upstairs in the Mall taking pictures of us chatting whilst I was demonstrating to you before he arrived to pick me up. Oh yes - he has managed to capture some real unpleasant shots of me but also there are some that you may be able to spot yourself on. The camera has decided to not play ball this morning BUT I will try and post a few of the not too bad ones (if there are any when I inspect them on a larger screen) at a later date. Hmmmmmmm....... :oI

Anyway, I do need to just let you know I will try to post a project tomorrow but from tomorrow I won't be on the computer much so I will be back probably on the Tuesday after Easter.

Until tomorrow I hope the sun shines where you are and that all is well with you and yours!
Lots of hugs
Becky
xxx

Friday 3 April 2009

The nippiest of nippy posts!!!

I'm late i'm late for a very important date!!!! But before I dash I've been trying to share these piccies of a page I did for a friend's CJ!!! It use the utterly and truly scrumptious Cupcake range from Basic Grey!!!

Hope you like it!!!!!

Must dash before I'm dragged kicking and screaming away from the PC!!! I'm demoing tomorrow so I'll be back on Sunday!!!

Tatty bye until then!!!
love
Becky
xxx

PS please excuse any typos - my fingers go quicker than my brain sometimes :o)