Molly Moo's Crafty Corner

Twit Twoo...

2009-07-22T08:22:00.000-07:00

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!!!

Today is a blue day....

2009-07-21T06:01:00.000-07:00

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.

Thank you's and a little butterfly magic

2009-05-03T05:06:00.000-07:00

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

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

2009-04-23T11:39:00.000-07:00

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

A little project to share before my holiday!!

2009-04-06T07:50:00.000-07:00

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

Crafty Hubby.....

2009-04-05T03:01:00.000-07:00

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

The nippiest of nippy posts!!!

2009-04-03T08:42:00.000-07:00

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)

You gotta go see this!!!

2009-04-02T10:37:00.000-07:00

Hi all!!!

Today is one of those posts not about me but some other incredibly talented individual and today you gotta go see (and then go buy) Kirsty Wiseman's new Patti Picklicious CD. You may know Kirsty from a number of places - she holds workshops for the incredibly popular Craftwork Cards, has worked with the Uber talented Dyan Reavely from "Art from the Heart", presented on QVC for Papermania and is seen in a number of mags on a regular basis - most especially her lighthearted column in Crafts Beautiful. Her must haves on the afore mentioned do sometimes make me really giggle. not only that she is so damned talented she's one of those people that makes me come out in a most unsightly green spotted rash!!! Envy can be an ugly disease :o)

Late last year she designed papers for Craft Beautiful Magazine and now she has just released her own Cd of scrummy-yummy papers and embellishments. To go see click here. First click on the link on her blog to see just what lovely yummelicious goodies you will get then click on the link to go buy it!!!! Also take a peak at the gorgeous cards her design team have created - they are truly inspiring!!!! If you can resist you're a better woman (or man) than me.... think I'm just hopping over there to go and get my copy before I head of out and before they sell out... by all accounts they are going down a storm!!!

See yaz all tomorrow!!!!
Loads of love
Becky
xxx

PS forgot to add - to go follow Kirsty's life (a real good read!) visit her other "blah blah" blog by clicking here.

It came and it went... and it was oh so brilliant in between!!!

2009-03-31T08:06:00.001-07:00

Hi there!!!

How are you today????

I am still recovering from the most fabulous weekend with Leandra French of Paperartsy and Linda of LB Crafts. I had been waiting for six months for this weekend to arrive and it was so very much worth the wait! I spent time playing with luscious goodies like glimmer mist, alcohol inks, distress inks, new stamps, metal work, beeswax, perfect pearls and oh too many things to remember.... the only bad thing about it was that it went far too quickly and now I am back to normal life!!! But I learnt so much that I hope I can bring to my projects and design work in the future. If you got the chance to go on one of these weekends take it - I promise that you will not be disappointed!!! I also spent far too much aswell but you know I just had to have all that yumminess in my own craft room... I'm sure you know what I mean :o)

I can't show you any pictures just yet because I do have to complete my projects - the bits need putting together and I do also have to tinker and add the Becky touch to a couple of things. as I have a friend over from Germany next week it will probably be the week after when I can get some photos together but I do promise to share with you the fruits of my labour!!

However today I am sharing with you my Project of the Week card on the docrafts website. The main piccie is the one from the website because they have photographed it far better than I ever could but the others are some close ups I took before I passed it to Louise at Docrafts to work her magic on!!!! I hope that you like todays offering and if you want to create your own click here for the instructions!

I am in ameeting most of tomorrow but I do hope to get on here - I have somewhere super dooper I want to send you too.

With lots of love and hugs until next time

Becky

xxx

My wrist is well and truly slapped....

2009-03-27T04:51:00.000-07:00

I have well and truly told myself off and am now posting asking for your forgiveness and also to ask you to bear with me until Monday.

I promised myself I would attempt to post every weekday but this week has just been so mad - work, meeting friends, my anniversary and now this tiny little post to tell you I can't post again until Monday. It has been a somewhat "headless chicken" time this week and everytime I have sat down to pop a post on here no matter how small something has happened - phone rung, hubby needed me to help him put furniture together, work plopped into my email box that I needed to sort yesterday.... But I promise hand on heart I will be back on here on Monday to show you what I have been up to. I've got loads of piccies to post and I am hoping that I will be able to tell you about the Paperarsty crafting weekend me and my friend Becky are leaving for in no time at all... which reminds me I must go and get my directions!!! I'll take loads of piccies and plop them on here for you to see the fruits of my labours and I am hoping to learn lots and lots of new techniques and tips to use in my future projects and also to pass on to you too!!!

So HUGE HUGE apologies but I promise I will be back in full flow again next week!
Love and hugs until Monday
Becky
xxx

There's a splodge on my camera....

2009-03-23T08:17:00.001-07:00

... dear Liza, dear Liza..... ok ok I'm having a bit of a mad day today...

Anyway, I love my little DSLR - a bargain secondhand Nikon D70 - but I'm not the best photographer in the world as you can tell. Still I am learning and I do love having more versatility in the pictures I can take. I especially love my Macro lens. However I'm a little worried though that a splodge seems to have developed in my pictures. This has been see before and last time the whole camera had to be taken apart and cleaned. It cost a hefty packet and my hubby was not overly impressed - though some of it we think was as a result of the previous owner some was also glitter.... hmmmmm I wonder where that could possibly have come from...

Anyway, I'm going to give the lens's a good clean, see if I can find anything and hope beyond hope it doesn't have to go back to Nikon again....

Now today's card is one I made using a co-ordinated kit but I never ever use them as they are meant to be - I do my own thing with them. As you can see this is another mother's day card - this one was for my mother in law who is now in a home. Its not a good situation but as she was an avid card maker I always make an interesting card for her and it is one thing she does seem to have recollection of.

Well I do have a crafty afternoon ahead planned. I have to complete a CJ page for a lovely friend of mine I haven't seen for ages but will be seeing tomorrow and also a birthday card for my fabulous friend Sue who is one of the ladies I craft with every month!!!

I won't be around tomorrow as I have a busy day out so I will be in touch again on Wednesday.

I will probably be getting very excited by then as I am off on a Paperartsy weekend away and can't wait as I am sure it will be a fabulous weekend full of lots of new skills and playing with luscious products!!! :o)

See you again on Wednesday!

Becky

xxx

A Purrfect Day!

2009-03-22T11:02:00.000-07:00

Hello Hello Hello!!!

Mother's Day happiness to you all - hope you've had a lovely day with lots of super pressies and some real pampering treats!!! :o)

Firstly thank you to everyone who came along and said hello at The Range in Swindon yesterday, especially given the fact it was a beautiful sunny day outside - i appreciate you taking some time out given the opportunity to enjoy the weather. I had a lovely day with you all and really enjoyed sharing favourite designs, tips and techniques with you!!! Didn't we love Daisy and Dandelion - those cutsie little dogs really are superstars!!! I loved spending some time with you and hope you can make it along in May (see the list of demo's a bit further down for the exact date!)

Now today's post is a little late and sadly I couldn't get on here on Friday as the day was a little manic. I want to share with you my mom's mother's day card which I really enjoyed making.

A few post ago I mentioned that one of my aims this year was to look at old stash and get it out and use it. Well this card really is a case in point!!! And also shows how you can have something floating around for ages (in this case it must be about four years!!!) before the perfect opportunity to use it arises. My mom is a huge cat lover and I was sorting out some old embellishments when I found this little Express Yourself "pusscat fairy" floating around. I knew I had to use this for my mom's card and not wanting to detract from the little munchkin I have added it simply to a background made from Clare Curd's Signature Range Papers with a sentiment from scrap cardstock and Doodlebug All Mixed Up Lily White rub ons.

I'm delighted that after a rendition of "Happy Mothers Day to you" down the phone (this is an experience that really does require ear plugs!!) mom told me she loved it which I am delighted about. She seems so far away and our little calls seem to help bridge the "distance" between where I live and my ma and pa are.

Anyway I hope you like my little creation for today - I know its a bit late for you to use it to inspire your mother's day cards but maybe you could use it for a base of a card for special friend and also it will encourage you to look through your old embellishments - you never know that perfect little addition to your design maybe waiting there for you to pick it out from its hidey-hole and give it life!!!

With lots of love and hugs until next time!

Becky

xxx

This little piggy!!!

2009-03-19T10:55:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!!!

This little piggy is based on my svelter proportions :o) and has been a firm favourite at recent demo's so if you can't remember how she was made then her she is for you to follow!!!

This is such a quicky post as I am about to be picked up to go out... but really all she is is circles cut with the brilliant brilliant Xcut shape cutter and a circular punch. All the rest is just inks and gorgeous embellishments. She really is so easy to make so I hope you enjoy making her yourself!!!

Tatty bye for now! My ride is just about to arrive

Lots of love and see you soon!

Becky

xxx

Two special bears from two special people!!!!

2009-03-18T09:06:00.000-07:00

Hello there!!! Hope you are well today!!!

(A little message before I start - when writing this post it has all the paragraphs in the right place but for some reason when it publishes it does so without them - so sorry if it looks like a bit of a badly written post but from the posting side it looks perfect.)

I'm kind of continuing the animal theme which has been running through the posts on here recently!!!

But today its a little different as I am not featuring anything I have made but two bears that are a little bit extra special to me!!!

At Docrafts we have some smashing designers - really friendly and supportive and talented to boot - what a potent mix!!!. As I have said a few times on here last year was particularly difficult for my family.... I don't go into details on here because its not the right place for it but I have received so much support from so many of them and I am eternally grateful for their patience, kind thoughts, kind wishes and for allowing me to rant and rave whenever I need to. Friends are a truly amazing thing... and I hope over coming weeks to introduce you to them all - i want to give each one their own little bit of the spotlight on my blog and I hope you will take the opportunity to visit their blogs and grab lots of ideas from them.

Well, today I'm featuring another of my Docrafts colleagues with the card that photographed below. I hope Nikki that you don't mind that your gorgeous little bear shares today's spotlight with another little bear that is very dear to me.

Before I turn to Nikki let me tell you a bit about "Linny" bear (the one not on the card!) He was my present from my dear hubby last year for our wedding anniversary. He is a bear all the way from Ireland's Linen Hall Library. You may wonder why!!! (and I don't blame you :o) )

On a previous post I mentioned that for our anniversaries we give each other gifts that relate to the traditional theme of the anniversary. It was our fourth anniversary last year - which is Linen. Often we try to find something obscure and this can be very good fun. This was hubby's offering and he now has pride of place in my craft room. He is very special because my bestest boy had wanted to surprise me with a trip there but circumstances have not allowed and he was so upset because he wished he could have taken me there... so this little bear is a promise that one day when things get better we will go there on a holiday.....

So before I get all tear-y myself at memories lets move on to the cute fellow on the card. Nikki is a lovely lady - often she has given me kind words of support over the past year and was very understanding when Christmas passed me by without our intended card swap being possible she agreed to do a New Year card swap with me as I thought it would be a lovely way to bring in the New Year. Sadly mine never reached its destination ( Royal Mail aaaaagggghhhh!) - and I will rectify that situation soon - but this beautiful card popped through my letterbox and really made me smile.

I love the embossed card stock background and the sparkly bottle (you can never have too much bling I say!) and the doodled year. Its a card I will treasure and now has pride of place in my craft studio!

So before I go let me tell you where to go and find out more about Nikki and also see more of her designs - I particularly like the St Patrick's Day card she created for the Forever Friends Challenge Design Team of which she is a member. So let me encourage you to click here and go and take a peak at her lovely blog. You may notice she has something of a "passion for purple"!!!

With love until next time - do come back soon!

Love

Becky xxx

Another New Look!!!! (And this one I LUUURRRVVVEEE!!!)

2009-03-17T08:34:00.000-07:00

Helloooooooooooooooooo!!!!

I have just spent another hour looking at my blog background. I spotted this design which was luuurrrrvvvveeelllyyyy with the matching banner.... it so springy (not just in a seasonal way but in a bouncy way too!!! - Love bright bouncy colours!!!! :o) )

So I have to potter off back to my little life and actually do some of the boring book keeping work. But tomorrow I'm going to post a new card - it isn't one by me but from a lovely fellow designer Nikki from all the way up north of the border - we did a card swap for a happy new year and she sent me a gorgeous little Forever Friends card. I've been wanting to show it off for ages so I'm hoping to do that tomorrow!

Anyway until then take care
Lots and lots of love
Becky
xxx

A new look...

2009-03-16T13:02:00.000-07:00

Hi there!!!

Well I'm back today with a new look as you can see.... I like it but not certain if I'll stick with it. I do love the papercrafty, scrapping and cardmaking feel to it but I'll live with it for a few days before I decide whether to stay with it or not. I'd love to know what you think.

As you can see there are still changes to make - I need to sort out my blog banner and I did try that earlier but getting my title on it wasn't as simple as I had thought so I will maybe try that tomorrow or the day after.

Anyway, time to close for today as I've spent goodness knows how long trying to decide on which one to stick with!!!

Take care until tomorrow
Love
Becky
xxx

Dino-saurus!!!

2009-03-15T05:36:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone!

Hope you are well and have been enjoying a lovely sunny weekend as we have down on the south coast!

Firstly, many many thanks to all you lovely ladies who came to say hello at my demo yesterday at the Range in Southampton. I hope you've got some good ideas from the day - aren't those Quickcutz rockers fabulous and such superb value too!!! Added to that didn't we all love those new Daisy and Dandelion stamps - I can't get over the immense detail everytime you stamp the image - they are a real favourite already!!! I hope you will come along and say hello again soon!! Wny not becaom a follower of my blog? That way you can keep up to date with when and where I will be having fun sharing all my ideas with you in person and also you can keep up to date with my on line posts and piccies!!! I'd love to welcome you to the gang!!! :o) sharing is just one of the fabulous pleasures of crafting!

So what do I have in store for you today... well I have to be quick as I'm off to help hubby make the new bedside tables afore mentioned but I have pulled one of my favourite projects out of my samples and ideas box. Its a boy's (of all ages :o) ) gift bag. I love to add my own personalisation to plain gift bags - that way it means something to the recipient and they always enjoy the individuality of the wrapping!!!

Would you believe this bag started life as one out of a pack of 5 for £1 Asda gift bags - all shapes and sizes!!! I've decorated it using the gorgeous "archaic" Basic Grey range - well you know how much I love BG!!! :o)

The cutie little Dino is one of their very detailed chipboard stickers - I've added my own touch though - adhesive pearls for eyes and eyelets for some of the dots on his body (get your Big Bite or Crop-a-dile out - these are the sorts of effects you can acheive with them!!) the Background is made up of co-ordinating paper layers and I've added some of the matching trims and fibres!!!

Then we visit one of my other favourite brands - the yummy-yummy Doodlebug range. The letters of the doublesided Stick With It! alphabets covered with ultra fine and ultra sparkly Doodlebug Sugar Coating colours! If you've never tried them get the 12 mini bottle selection which gives you a little of all the colours to play with. Then upgrade to the larger bottles of your favourites (I would also advise this with the velvety smooth flocking that Doodlebug produce!)

So I hope you like this little gift bag - and maybe it will inspire you to create your own because it really is so simple and so satisfying!

With love until next time!!!

Becky

xxx

Another week bites the dust!!!!

2009-03-13T04:22:00.000-07:00

Hi there!!! How are you all???

I can't believe another week has passed... Tomorrow I have a demo at The Range in Southampton which I am so looking forward to!!! If you can get along to see me then please do - I'd love you to come along and see what I am up to with the latest docrafts products which just seem to be flying off the shelves at the moment... My little treat to myself tonight is to come up with some lovely designs which I hope you will enjoy... and if you can't come along I will be posting my samples on to here for you to enjoy so please do come back.

The next few weeks are so busy but where ever possible I will be posting daily... next week I'm going to try to jazz this blog up a bit with a funky background and over the next few weeks I hope to put more info about what I do, where I design etc etc. Also I'm going to introduce you to some lovely people who are my inspirations (one of whom I'll be telling you about today!) and if you want to see it I may get some pictures of my new work studio on here aswell... its by no means finished but it is getting there - its just so cluttered with things I've bought but not used but I have made a pact with myself to challenge myself not only to use lovely new items but also not to waste old things that some how seem to have passed me by in the mists of time!!! I so enjoyed myself looking back at old products for my clearance demo a couple of weeks ago I thought this would be a really good approach to looking at my stash!!! When I use them now they don't look like old products - they look wonderfully fresh and new. So the phrase for the coming months is to "waste not want not!" - not just in crafting but other areas of my life... i'm going to get jazzing up some tops, cross stitch some pictures to decorate our house as we whirl through it decorating our home, revamp things for the garden.... you get the jist!!!

And I'd also like to know what you think of this idea - its not for now, but for in a few months time... I know there are many out there in terms of challenge sites for crafting but I was looking to set up something different that challenges us to look beyond just cards and scrapbooking but to challenge our other crafting skills and toolbox - be it papercraft, jewellery, home decor, sewing, etc etc.... And if so I may be looking for design team members... so I'll keep you posted on that one.

As you know I've been away a few days. It was my wonderful mom's birthday and so hubby and I ventured to "wastelands of the north" - his phrase not mine - and as we live on the south coast I guess anything here on the mainland is North - but it is the West Midlands in truth. We had a wonderful meal with my fabulous parents and my amazing aunt and uncle who after many wasted years of not being in touch I am so delighted and thrilled that we are. We also had an amazing couple of days with my parents just pottering about and relaxing too. Dad was able to take a couple of days off work and that was great too as he is self employed and in these uncertain times it isn't always possible. So we were grateful for the time we had with them...

One of the highlights of our trip was the search for our anniversary present. We follow the tradition of buying something that matches the anniversary that we are celebrating... goodness only knows where its gone but we celebrate our 5th anniversary in the next few weeks. So ma and pa wanted to get us something "wood" - we are so lucky because shortly we will be decorating our own bedroom and so they have very generously given us two new bedside tables from Ikea which match our wardrobes. We bought those after we got married (as this was a man's house before I moved in there was no where near enough storage :o) - and it has been the bain of my hubby's life ever since!) I know bedside tables don't seem very exciting but we had so much fun together deciding on a gift - with plenty of tea and coffee and cake (yum yum in our tums!) for sustenance!! - that it made it very special!!! In truth any time with them is extra special!

Anyway I'm about to sign off as I must get some design work done but I would like to direct you to the blog of one person who really does - and has for a while - inspired my designs and style. I love the articles she has written both for Creativity! and other magazines. Her designs are often fun and she has a wonderful was of using and creating characters - but I also love it when she does "shabby chic" and when she distresses her designs. She just really is amazingly talented!!! Her name is Jo Kill and you may have seen her regularly in our UK magazines. If you haven't been to her blog then click here and go and get even more up to date inspiration!!! Enjoy!!!

Until next time - probably Sunday now!!!
Have loads of fun crafting!
Love
Becky xxx

Going Animal "Quackers"....

2009-03-08T05:40:00.000-07:00

Hello, Hello, Helloooooo!!!

Apologies for my absence of a couple of days but I have been hard at work locked in my "mad" studio creating for an up and coming issue of Creativity! and thought I would just pop a quick post on here before I finish the wordy bit to accompany the projects involved...

Do excuse the pun in the title... my brain may have been candy floss earlier this week but today it is mush, pure and simple.... to match the theme of animal templates I've been working on I thought I would share this card with you - its so simple and would make and ideal kids project as well as a great one to make for kids of all ages!!!

This card also came into being as a response to the clearance demo challenge I had last weekend! In this one I revisited old Papermania Designer papers and fell back in love with the daisy background - it had to be daisy covered grass now didn't it!?!?! I can see this one cropping up in several of my new designs!!!

As you can see my artistic talents in drawing stretch to those of a six year old so the sheep is oh so simple to do - basically a cloud, an easy face and some sticky out bits for legs!!! Come on you can do it too - you know you can!!! I'm also big into the googly eyes for these little critters - they just add such character!

On my card I've used supercalifragalistic (if i've spelt that wrong I stand corrected - I used to be able to say it backwards when I was young but no hopes now - the grey cells aren't what they used to be!) sparkling Sugar Coated doodlebug cardstock - go get some if you don't have it - you won't regret it!!!! If you want a more natural fluffy effect go for the flocked version by the same company - its seriously touch feely and if you are a paperstroker like me it will satisfy any urges!!! :o)

I'm sorry for the completely naff and corny sentiment but sometimes it just has to be done! These are the tiny little simply sweet rub ons by Doodlebug - they fit in anywhere, and can be used on all sorts of medium - ribbon, buttons, metal, brads (see Becky's 21st birthday card below), wood, glass etc etc etc... go on you know you want some!!!

Now I have to disappear for a few days as I am travelling back to the homeland (well, the west midlands actually but it will always be home to me!) to visit my ma and pa for my mom's birthday but I will be back towards the end of next week.

Take care, have a good few days and come back soon!

Lots of love

Becky

xxx

A little birdie told me....

2009-03-04T07:46:00.001-08:00

Whilst I was on the ferry to the Isle of Wight at *£$%^ time in the morning (ie the sort of time no one should know exists on a Saturday morning!) I took a little time to relax and catch up on some trend watching and magazine reading. Bestest boy had treated me to "Papercraft" magazine from the US - full of brilliant inspiration and the sassiest looks and designs from across the pond.

I was absolutely delighted to see that one of the hottest colour combinations this season is grey with A.N.-other colour!!! It reminded me that I had still to share my "You're so Tweet" card with you.

Personally I love to experiment with colour and style whatever we are being told is the next best thing and this was one of those occasions. I wanted to show in my demo's that you really don't have to go with the flow but by being a little adventurous you can create something that stands out from the crowd and is unique. I know this colour combination isn't to everyone's taste but believe me it works in any mix of shades so play around with the same design to appeal to the recipient.

I've also been having fun with making my own templates and paper piecing designs - I have to tell you they HAVE to be simple designs - I'm no artist!!! Anyone who has been to my demo's knows the story of me being kicked out of art classes when I was 11 - I'm sure my art teacher would turn in her grave to know what I get up to these days!!! :o) Bless her....

Recently I've been messing about with animals and birds so this card shows one of my ultra simple little characters. I have a couple more to show you in coming days.

Scallops continue to be popular in designs and I love to cut my own. I rarely use a cutter or punch, preferring to get out my scissors and "Just go for it!" giving a different pattern every time!! Punch holes with a cropadile and your done - don't be afraid to have a go at this. Its oh so simple!!!

The cute little flower embellishment is one of the new Anita's flower dimension stickers. I had a fabulous opportunity to mess about with these for a commission in the current Creativity! magazine for Docrafts. If you've got permanent markers then give these little beauties a makeover and colour them like you would your peel offs - here I've used black to give a gun metal grey appearance rather than a sparkling silver tone. Just add pearl brad to finish! (but why not some fairy dust or a button to match)

Well I must dash I have a couple of commissions to get out by tomorrow evening so its time to go and turn all the mass of designs cluttering my head into something real!

Have fun and see you soon

Love

Becky

My mind's gone kapput and if you can think of a good title for this card please let me know

2009-03-03T06:46:00.000-08:00

Today my brain has gone into meltdown and I just cannot think of a hip and happening title to this card!!! If you can think of something I can re title this post with please let me know!!! My brain really does feel like candyfloss today!!!!

A couple of posts ago I mentioned I had a clearance demo last Saturday and I had been challenged to look back at old products and come up with some new designs.

A few years back Papermania had a Vibrant colossal paper pack and when I revisited itthis weekend I really enjoyed working with the simple designs. The joy of it was that whichever colour you used in the pack, all the designs in that colour co-ordinated so really all you needed to do was to choose your favourites. Here I have taken two of the blue papers and made a collage style background. I've added holographic glitter glue to the white dots on the dotty background and then fashioned a flower with a felt flower head and some papermania ribbon. Some inking with fluid chalk inks, simple doodling and a metal butterfly prised off a Papermania hand made topper (fold wings back for dimension) finished it off. The simplest of designs to accomplish but hopefully one you'll like!

Until tomorrow have fun!!!

Love

Becky

Boring post today!!!

2009-03-02T02:53:00.001-08:00

I'm sorry to say that today's post is very very boring - just to quickly let you know that today I have updated my profile on the blog. Unfortunately just like housework - the boring bits have to be done aswell!!! :o)

I haven't put a piccie on there yet because I'm not very photogenic and i don't have a nice picture of me to put on here. when I do you can see what I look like - if you don't already know that is!!!

Lots of love until tomorrow when I'll get the old camera out and take some more piccies of my cards!
Love
Becky
xx

Just in under the wire!!!!!

2009-03-01T12:02:00.000-08:00

Cooorrrrr Lordy what a day!!!! Only just got a few mins to get on here - but I'm determined to keep on top of it this time so here you are - my five minutes worth for today!!!! :o)

Firstly I have to thank all you lovely ladies on the Isle of Wight who came to see me at Crafting Around yesterday for our Clearance demo. What bargains you all took home - thanks for making it such a successful day!!! It was, as always, lovely to see you all and to share lots of tips and techniques with you!!!! For me it was a challenge to revisit old products but as time goes on we all develop our styles and techniques and it was wonderful to look on these fabulous products with a fresh eye and see what i could do with them now!!! I hope you were all pleased with the results!!! I will post the pictures of the projects you all enjoyed the most on here over the coming week so don't forget if there was something you liked you can always come back on here to jog your memory!!! And for those of you who couldn't make it I hope that the designs to come will inspire you to drag products out, dust them off and look at them afresh. Its amazing what you can do with all those goodies you have packed away.

Now today's offering goes back a week or two - my goodness how time flies - to my bestest boy's Valentine's card. We don't do big things on Valentine's day - we have our own little ritual of KFC and a bottle of pink Cava (given to us by my mom and dad every Christmas) infront of a video. I know its daft but its our little tradition and we look forward to it!!!

So this year, after a very tough year personally, I wanted to tell him just what a special person he is to me. In this card I stamped and paper pieced my favourite Forever Friends stamp and used Basic Grey (LUUUUURRRRRVVVVEEEE Basic Grey) luscious cupcake papers. Its bright and bold but I was so pleased with the outcome. I hope you like it too and that it inspires you to grab those bold and sassy papers and not to be afraid to go mad in your own designs!!! Grab those sunglasses now!!!!

Lots of Love until tomorrow !!!

Becky

xxx

PS off to heat the oven and make some tea so I'll check for any typos tomorrow - sometimes my fingers work quicker than my brain!!!

An early(-ish) morning post!!

2009-02-27T00:46:00.000-08:00

Helloooooooo!!!!!

Its a beautiful morning here down South and as you can see I am up and about early posting on to here. I'm about to rush out the door to work before returning to make some samples for tomorrow. If I don't get on here now it will all be lost in the melee of creativity which will be taking over our household later on today!!!!

I'm incredibly surprised at the speed the pc is letting me type into my blog today (hoorah!!!)- Friday is PC scan day - my hubby set it up that way (I think - or did it just set itself that way and am I falsely accusing him of setting it up on a weekday when I am often really busy and could do without the whole system being dragged down to snail pace....) Probably the latter - he is usually so good with these things!!! :o) Bless him where would I be without him.... LURRVEEE him to bits!!!

Anyway, today's post moves away from cards and papercrafting for the day! I tinker with beads and jewellery - its that sort of sat in front of the TV and really can't sit there still (despite hubby's best efforts) and so I have to create something. The little offering below is what I made for Becky (see post further) down for her 21st Birthday. As you can see I tied the colours of the card and the bracelet in together. I just love these bracelets - they are elasticated and make a perfect base to add charns and beads to your own design. You can add a large focal bead to make a simple, stylish design or really go all out for it as I have done here and add lots of charms and beads.

Well, thats me done for today! As I'm off on the early ferry very bleary eyed tomorrow morning for my demo and not back until the evening I won't be on tomorrow but I'll try my best to get back on here on Sunday.

Take care and Have a fab weekend!

Love

Becky

Third Day in a Row!!!

2009-02-26T10:16:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone!!!!

This must be a world record for me blogging!!! Three days in a row!!!

Just to let you know that today I've reloaded my demo dates so that they are now all up to date for 2009 - as you can see the old diary is getting busy so I do hope you can come along and say hello!!! It would be lovely to see you!! :o)

Sadly I have to go as I have ironing to do (how exciting life can be) and to work on some lovely new projects for Saturday (that's more like it!) so tatty bye for now!

See you soon!
Love
Becky
xxx

Were you at The Range in Swindon on Saturday?

2009-02-25T02:44:00.000-08:00

If so I just wanted to say a HUGE "Thank you" for coming along and joining me at my demo. Over the next couple of weeks I'll try to get piccies of the cards on here and my docrafts gallery. I'm trying to allocate myself ten minutes a day to post a little message or some piccies on here - Can't say how long it will last but I will try my best!!

Anyway thanks for coming along and keeping me company - I love to see you all, have a good chat and pass on loads of tips with the Docrafts products!!!! Weren't all those new products they were putting up throughout the day just scrummy!!! Can't wait to bring those to you all next month and show you my favourite little tips and techniques for getting the most from your stash!!!

You may have noticed I did a little bit of housekeeping yesterday and removed all my demo's from last year - I'll get the new dates for this year on here shortly!!! Its starting to look like a busy year again - yippeeeeee!!!! I am so lucky to have this job!!!! :o)

Well take care everyone- see you soon
Love
Becky
xxx

Where has all the time gone??? Happy 21st Becky

2009-02-24T07:23:00.000-08:00

Where have the past twenty years gone?????

Well there is a questions in itself but last week it was my best friend's niece's 21st birthday. Sarah and I met in 1989 and as you can tell if you do the math her niece was a babe in arms. I've been so lucky that Sarah has been my best friend all this time and I've been privileged to see Becky grow up into a lovely young woman. Life hasn't always been the easiest for her but, you know, she has battled through everything, she always has a smile on her face and I'm delighted she is part of my extended "family"!!!

Becky isn't a girly girl so when I was designing her birthday card and present I didn't want to go with pinks but to make something that was feminine but using more unusual colours. I dragged some colour co-ordinated elements out of a kit I had and then as usual proceeded to take apart, ink, doodle, flitter and re-assemble with numerous other items out of my stash.

I'm loving metal charms, ribbons and Doodlebug mini rub ons on brads, buttons etc so I incorporated these to give the card below.

I also designed a bracelet for her using the same colours and I'll get round to posting the piccies of this over the next couple of days. I hope this design give you some ideas to try yourself though.

Well, I must dash as I am out to craft club with my friends tonight and I have a demo on Saturday so I need to pick out some things to work on for that.

Loads of love - be back soon

Becky

xxx

Back in the swing....

2009-02-24T07:15:00.000-08:00

Well, its almost the end of February and so much has happened but really the biggest thing is that all the issues of last year have to be put to one side otherwise I feel like I'm not going to make any progress in the things I want to do and the direction I want to take. I don't want to be selfish but so much of last year was caught up with dealing with other people's problems and letting them take priority but now I feel I have to grab back some control and take the paths I want to take.

I'm going to be posting on here much more I hope with projects and ideas, other websites to visit etc etc. You will probably over coming weeks, months etc start seeing some changes on here to layout and design... but that won't happen over night - I need to teach myself how to do some of those super dooper whizzz-bang flashy bits but I do have limited time so I will do that as and when time allows!!! :o)

Well I'll leave this post to go and find some piccies to load and will be posting again shortly!

Loads of love to you all
Becky
xx

Not been around for sometime....

2008-09-09T00:01:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone out there!

I'm really sorry to say I haven't been able to get on here for sometime and for those of you visiting I am very very sorry. I had hope to make this my little window into my crafting world but I have been battling with family issues which have left me little or no time to do the things I want to do.

My hope is that soon I will be able to get back to posting here as I have been working on some lovely projects to show you and have some other fabulous crafters to introduce you to!

Take care everyone and just as soon as I can get back on here I will
Love
Becky
xx

There's nothing Basic about Basic Grey...

2008-06-14T08:58:00.000-07:00

For a looooonnngggg loonnnnngggggg time Basic Grey has been one of those must have company's whose products I just had to have.... I love their designs, their quality and their colour palettes.

A self confessed "paper stroker", this is the kind of stuff that I just had buy two sheets of "one to use and one to "oooooooh" and "aaaaah" at" - and just gently run my fingers over.... sounds like something I should be locked up for doesn't it.... (though I know from my demos I'm not the only one - come on you can own up to it... just admit you have the problem and I promise it becomes easier from there on in!!)

Of course the only problem was that I bought two but every time I went to cut one up I started to have heart palpatations, hot flushes, pangs of guilt.... I just never could cut into it, I felt like someone condemning a living thing to meet its maker and many sheets of this truly yummy (but not in my tummy) gorgeousness still sits in boxes waiting to be used....

I'm sure you can imagine my excitement when Docrafts announced they were going to be distributing the products. But thats not the best (or is it worst) of it - for several days after I was asked if I would do some of the demos for these products people thought I was dabbling in things I shouldn't be (happy hormones can have such a weird affect on you) and then when I got my kit my hubby had to find the Epsom Salts as the excitement was just too much....

But up reared the ugly "Just Can't Cut It" monster and for ages and ages I looked it, I stroked it and then I put it back into its box wondering how on earth I was going to get any samples made for my demos....

A short while ago I had had a conversation with Katy Godbeer to ask if she had ever had this problem and it turns out she hasn't. She just gets stuck in and cuts right into it... her thoughts are that well yes it looks lovely in that 12 x 12 or 6 x 6 sheet but it looks just SSSSOOOOOOO much better when its on your project, be it card, scrapbook page or altered art.... and something she said rang so true when I look at some of my stash... it looked beautiful when I bought it but now some of it looks dated and I've never used it when it could have been looked glorious on some project and I would have had the adrenalin rush and excitement of using it when it was new, where as when its old and a little dated you just use it because you feel you need to because it's a waste if you don't.... but it feels as dull as doing the ironing or the washing up.... This struck a cord with me because to me crafting should be exciting, it should make me feel exhilerated to be creating with beautiful products, my heart should skip beats when it looks stunning on the finished article....

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO with a deep breath in I got out my guillotine and I cut..... and I cut and I cut and I cut.... and I created and I crafted and I enjoyed the thrill and I hope that as a result you enjoy these couple of projects that I made using my most favouritist of favourite brands of pure gorgeousness... I have more "in development" as it were and I will post them up when they are finished but just in the meantime I hope you enjoy this card and scrapbook page (and believe me when I tell you the paper just looks so much nicer used, embellished and enhanced.... so in future if you too suffer from an inability to cut into such scrumptious pieces of paper or card in your own stash, just take that deep breath, get out your scissors or your craft knife or your guillotine and realise that you are doing it a favour by using it.... you are making it better than it could ever be on its own by showing it off to its true potential, you are giving it the chance to be what it was created for, that you are not destroying a lovely piece of paper but giving it a life of its own in your own unique style....) and now that I have waxed lyrical I'll show you what I came up with! Hope you like it and it will inspire you to try these yummy designs yourself and to revisit to see more projects later on!!!

This card uses the Basic Grey "Sugared" papers and shows how the co-ordinated and patterned designs can be layered to produce beautiful effects.The two sheets 12x12 sheets I attacked for this design are called "darling" (the stripes) and "attractive"(The flowery design behind it). The other items are Sugared chipboard stickers... these are chipboard embellishments of absolutely stunning quality already with sticky stuff on the back (its the flower bit to the right) and Archaic alphabet stickers. The stamp I have used is from the Basic Grey "Flourish Edges" clear stamp set - these are stamps to get seriously excited about - the clarity of the image and the intricacy of the details are beyond compare... they are the kind of stamp I need more of and there are tonnes to choose from - from journalling blocks to images to words and sentiments!!! I think it adds just a nice background to the chabby chic style of this card, as does the inking round the edge of the papers - I've used mini ink it up pigment stamps for this because the effect is so lovely and soft (as a peach that is!)

Now the monogram on the card I want to show you in more detail if you don't mind:

Here I have layered a Sugared Monogram sticker on to brown cardstock, cut round it and embossed several layers of clear embossing powder over the top. The finishing touch has to be a bit of bling (I'm a girl so I do love my sparkle and glitter!) Here its Papermania Adhesive Gems in Irridescent.... just gorgeous don't you know? Even better if the embossing crackles a little bit it adds to the vintage look of the design!!!

Now the next project just shows you that paper look so much better when its used than when it is still in a full sheet.... The pictures below show a scrapbook page of my godson's 3rd birthday party (OMG is that really 8 years ago - where has time gone!) This page uses the Cupcake papers and you'll see how effective it is to cut into the swirly design and just use part of it on the background. I've also used the co-ordinating buttons, Elements stickers and Rub On's ("Make a wish" on the main picture to capture the whole tradition of blowing out the candles!!) - And before I leave you with these pictures and let you get back to normality I have to tell you that the Basic Grey Rub On's are no ordinary Rub On... they work like a dream (Infact I thought I was dreaming the first time I used them) and the delicacy and detail of the designs is second to none - my advice: GET SOME!!!! You won't regret it!!!!

And here are a couple of close ups so you can see some of the page in more detail.

And now the time has come the Walrus said.... for Crafty Becky's to return to normality...

Hope I see you all again soon!

Enjoy your crafting!

Love

Becky

Just WHOOOOO Is MOLLY MOOOOOO????

2008-06-14T08:14:00.000-07:00

I thought it was probably time to introduce the one, the only, the Molly Moo... So here she is....

Hope that didn't scare you too much!!!! She certainly was a scary sight first thing in the morning.... and at any time that KFC entered the house!!!

Molly was the most feisty, fun loving, playful, beautiful, fiery, stunning, rotund, inquisitive, precious, brave, funny, clever, unique fur baby that ever there was.

If you thought Garfield had cat-itude, he had nothing on Molly. She was a survivor, rescued from an estate where the children threw stones at her. She was determined she wouldn't love me when she was in isolation at the vets whilst she had all her injections after she was rescued, so much so the vets told me to let her go wild again.... but I was never going to give up on her and the minute I brought her back to my flat it was like she sighed a huge sigh of relief, found the end of my bed and fell asleep. There started our beautiful and special relationship.

It was Molly who told me my hubby was the man for me. In general she hated men and she never went on anyone's lap but the first time he came to visit she jumped straight up on to his legs, curled up and went to sleep... so you see I had to marry him for the sake of Molly... She was a S.E.R.I.O.U.S daddy's girl and if he was at home she was always with him!!!!

Molly had poor health off and on when she was with us - after all she had been living wild for some time (long story but her owners never really wanted her) and we had no idea of her medical history. She developed pancreatitis but she loved life and was quite happy taking her medication - just so long as you gave her two biscuits before, then her tablet and two biscuits afterwards. You couldn't fool her - that tablet would not go down until she had two biscuits (never one!!!) and she didn't leave you alone until she had had two biscuits after.

A couple of years ago Molly suffered from kidney failure and despite the vets trying to kick start her kidneys again (I think they were secretly in love with our gorgeous little girl too!!!) and despite her not wanting to give up we had to make that most hard of decisions and let her go. We only had her in our lives for a few years, I never knew her as a baby as she was grown when she came to me but I am so honoured and proud that she chose to love us and that for that short time she was happy to have us as her humans.

My dad (I've told you before he's incredibly clever with a camera and with photoshop - and that I am very jealous) pulled this image off a digital snap I had of her slung over her daddy's shoulder. Her face makes up about a twelfth of the picture, yet he pulled this bit off, applied watercolour effect and made this stunning image of her for us.... Not only that, he printed it off about A2 size in photoquality and it is now framed on our wall so we remember her every day... as if we could forget...

This picture of Molly is our memorial to her - it shows her defiant character and her beauty all in one and it is part of my brand for my cards and jewellery that I make and sell, along with any other odd gifts and products I design. And that is why this blog is named as it is and when I can figure out how to do it It will form part of my blog logo - as I say I'm not that clever with photo editors though.

They say that

Cats Leave Pawprints On your Heart....

This little girl not only left paw prints on our hearts but also all over us... and we have the scars to prove it!!!!

Take care and I hope you enjoyed meeting our precious girl, Molly

Lots of Love

Becky

xxx

This one's for you...

2008-05-19T07:29:00.000-07:00

... Dawn Inksip!!!! After pointing out to me how long it had been since I posted on here I thought it was time I did something about it... you were absolutely right of course... sorry Katy, honestly I wasn't blog stalking just rushing from one thing to another feeling like I have been chasing my tail... How can it be that I haven't posted anything on here for over a month.... has someone stolen April and May and not told me about it???? Still atleast if you have been visiting Katy's blog you'll have seen something new every time as she religiously posts to it regularly... I really need to get my act together :o)

Anyway, I've just a few minutes now to catch you up with life, the universe and everything.... 20 minutes on a whole month??? Its going to have to be short and sharp!!!!

Its been a very busy month - I've done loads and loads of demo's - three for Hobbycraft around the Solent and Bournemouth area. These have been special Docraft demonstrations for Hobbycraft as they expand the range of Docrafts products they stock.. It was really lovely to meet people I haven't had the opportunity to meet before. I find that crafty people really are so very very friendly. In addition I have visited The Market Gallery in Poole, Busy Bee on the Isle of Wight (yes ladies i love coming over to see you on the Island - its like a mini holiday!) and The Range in Southampton just on the Saturday just gone. Thank you to all of you who came to see me - it was lovely to see new faces and also to see old friends again... it really is like meeting up with friends and having the pleasure of sharing my hooby with you... after all what more could I ask for in a job - I get to do my two favourite things - craft and chat.... I just feel sorry for my poor old hubby because after a quiet day on his own he often gets me returning not having run out of all my words for a day and he finds it takes time to adjust to having a bouncing "Tigger" back home :o). Anyway - what can I say after these demo's except you ladies just LUUURRRRVVVEEEE your multishapers... I don't think in all my time demonstrating has one product captured your interest so much... I know you always love our new Docrafts products but this one really seems to have rocked you boats!!!!

I should add aswell that as always it was fabulous to see the stockists - as always thank you for keeping me supplied with coffee and tea, chocolate cake (Busy Bee do a scrummie chocolate cake in their coffee shop and I am easily bribed... and my waistline is easily expanded...hmmmm) and the all important comfy chairs!!!!

There has been a lot going on in the background of our lives which I'm not going to go on about here but though this has taken up alot of time and has impacted on my blogging time I have also had a few days away to see my parents (can't believe my dad is 65 - he seems no different to me than he was when I was a youngster... the only thing is we get on so much better now) and i had a weekend off demonstrating a few weeks ago so had the wonderful opportunity to catch up with a couple of fellow Docrafts designers - Amanda Curtin and Liz Trimby. Amanda and her hubby were attending an event down here in Southampton so we gently "gatecrashed" a demo Liz was doing to say "Hi" as we hadn't had the opportunity for some time to do so... Liz produced some really fabulous cards which I may have to "borrow" myself - hope you don't mind Liz!!! Then Amanda and I shared a coffee and a gossip before she headed off to party away the afternoon and evening.

Well my alloted twenty minutes for this blog has swiftly passed by and I wanted today to introduce you to someone else so who's turn is it to be blog-spotted???? In my blogI'd really like to introduce you all to some of the other talented designers who I have the pleasure of calling colleagues and friends....

So yes

DAWN INKSIP

today we go "through the keyhole" to take a little peak at your blog. Just to fill you Dawn is a really funny lady (that is funny haha by the way).... I recently had the opportunity to spend some time having a good old chat to her (do you notice a trend in what seems to make up alot of my waking hours??? I do do other things honest!) during which time she mentioned that nothing had moved on my blog.... And I thought out their you would all love to see what she gets up to and also catch up with some of her crafting work.... after all isn't great to get inspiration from people - I know I can't get enough of enjoying other people's work... I've just taken a peak at Dawn's website which is filled with loads of real life chat as well as crafty inspiration. I tried to link one of Dawn's piccies but for some reason I can't get it too work but I really think the pink card with the heart on the front is very very yummy on her latest post....

So why not click here to go and find out more about another of our great designers!!!

Well, there we go, that was a good day's posting... it was about time for things to move on a bit... though what happened to the short and sharp 20 minutes I really have no idea. I will, however, endeavour to make sure I find more time to spend on here... Next time I'll have to put a project on for you all.

Until next time take care of yourself and enjoy yourselves!

Love
Becky
xx

Meet...

2008-04-16T05:59:00.000-07:00

One of the other reasons for setting up my blog was to allow me to introduce all you lovely crafters out there who I meet to the individuals in the crafting world that inspire me and to be able to share with you their inspirations and talent....

When I'm out there demonstrating I often say that the thing I find about crafting people is we love to share and that makes it an incredibly social activity... Well it certainly seems like it to me when you are all chatting away, sharing your experiences and showing each other your designs!!!! My job is to provide you with inspiration and ideas but one you all pass so much back to me which I am able to learn from and share with others I have the pleasure of meeting.

So this time I would love you to meet a fabulously talented scrapbooker...

KATY GODBEER

Katy is a lovely young lady and at Docrafts she provides many of the "Scrapbook Projects of the Week", inspiring people to dig out their photographs and turn them into beautiful and artistic treasured memories. She has also had her layouts published in national craft magazines.

Recently she has been using the gorgeous NEW Basic Grey papers to produce some stunning layouts such as the one below:

I love the simplicity of this layout and the muted tones provide a calm and tranquil scene... and being a cat person I think Bruce is rather beautiful too - though I think looking at these pictures he knows that himself!!!! Take a peak at Katy's gallery to see even more of her projects.

Katy's own inspirations often comes in the shape of her two newfoundland dogs (which are frequently the subjects of her own layouts!) and she frequently publishes stunning pictures of them aswell as other gorgeous creatures on her own blog... I really wish I could take pictures like this...

So please meet Katy Godbeer and click here visit her own blog at for loads of inspiration, lovely photography and to find out what makes her tick...

With love until next time

Becky xxxx

Its taken a little time....

2008-04-14T08:53:00.000-07:00

but atlast I have a few minutes just to say to everyone I met at Clarke's Stationers in Crawley - how lovely it was to meet you all!!! I hope you went away with lots of inspiration to go and try out all those fabulous products you kept disappearing off to purchase!!!

As you can see I have (atlast) figured out how to put my piccies onto the blog - it really was very easy in the end - though taking the piccies themselves was another matter - I am most certainly not a photographer and I wish I was. I have pledged to myself to learn more about photography this summer!!! My dad is a superb photographer but I don't seem to have inherited his talent - mind you he has been doing it for thirty years more than me so he does have a bit of a head start!!!!.... Anyway now I have mastered that I will be able to put even more of my projects up on line so you can come back and refresh your memories of what we were doing on the day!

Big thanks also go out to the staff at Clarke's for keeping me stocked up on cups of tea and the offers of collecting me a little lunch... It was an absolute pleasure to meet you all and to share with you all my ideas and to chat to you about your enthusiasm and passion for crafting. I'm always easily bribed with cake and chocolate and it took real will power not to take up the offer of cake... but my hubby is so organised in the mornings when I am demonstrating (which I most certainly am not!!! I'm not a morning person... now that I DID inherit from my dad...) that he has my flask and lunch ready for me to take.

Finally it was lovely to meet Kay from Sakura pens - what a bright and bubbly lady who really knows her stuff!!! And I find it wonderful to gain inspiration from other people - be they other demonstrators or crafters.

Well, today is a little busy so I will close now with the promise that I am going to be loading up a couple more projects this week and I also want to introduce you to someone who I think is very talented... so do return over the next few days to find out what is in store for you...

Until then love to you all
Becky
xxx

Butterfly Love

2008-04-08T08:18:00.000-07:00

I just can't help it!!! I'm in love with the new Papermania Special Vellum 12x12 Butterfly sheets!!!!

Visit http://www.docrafts.co.uk/asp/products/product.asp?id=70860 to see the sheets in more detail!!! When I saw these beautiful and delicate flutterbies i just knew they had to be cut out and decorated in vivid jewel like colours and used to adorn those extra special projects...

I really enjoyed playing around with my Whispers Strokes pens on these vellums because they will accept the inks as they are quite matt in finish... but those intricate butterflies are printed on so that they resist the inks when they are applied. There is nothing at all technical involved in getting this effect - as so many of you know already I am certainly no artist- all you need to do is scribble the pens over the vellum - I have done this on the front of the vellum and wiped back the ink that resists the printed pattern.

You can add layers of co-ordinating or contrasting colours on top of the base colour - the choice is yours and of course you will just choose the colours to work with your own project.... just scribble away and then blend the colours together using a brush and a little water. If you need your embellishment to dry off quickly just give it a quick blast with your heat gun - it will only need a couple of seconds.

Those of you who know me will know how much I love my sparkle and glitter and i just wanted to add a little to finish off my butterflies...

I love the whispers strokes embossing pen for a number of reasons but one of these is that it allows you to emboss freehand onto your projects - so you can add your own doodles, swirls and sentiments... here I have just drawn a few freehand lines and swirls on the vellum and embossed with the Heat It Up! silver or gold "tinsel" embossing powders. The powders are just that little bit extra special because they incorporate glitter which sparkles when it catches the light!!!!

Finally complete your gorgeous butterfly by adhering Papermania adhesive gems or pearls to the centre of his body, graduating the size down the length of the body.

I hope you have enjoyed all the pictures I have put into this post - I've tried to show how you can vary the colours and designs so you can see the different effects you can achieve with the same techniques!!! It would be great to hear how you get on with it yourself and what this has inspired you to try.

Well here it is my first post with pictures!!!! I am starting to learn this blogging lark quite quickly so I will be adding more over the next week or so!!!

Until the next time, happy crafting and do drop in again soon!

With Love

Becky xxx

Lots of Thank You's!!!

2008-04-01T06:03:00.000-07:00

Well I can't believe I haven't found any time to get on here since I first set up the blog a couple of weeks ago and now it is the first day of April.... where is time going this year????

Easter has come and gone - I ate far too much chocolate (hubby and I were given an Easter egg each by my parents and they left this mortal coil in a very disciplined fashion - one for breakfast on Easter Sunday and the next for breakfast the following day!!) but we also made progress on the house - our kitchen still comprises an old worksurface between two workbenches, but my lovely new work room and studio is starting to take shape.

My studio is the place I intend to pursue my design and crafting career in papercrafting and jewellery and whatever craft comes along and takes my fancy. There is the work surface set up for me so I can stand whilst I work (which is very important to me as I find sitting can be uncomfortable) and so many cupboards that I hope I don't fill. However, I suspect I will have to be ruthless and throw out that stuff that as crafters we hoard just in case ... because you never know just what you might need when do you???? That should be fun... perhaps I'll have to have some sort of crafting sale.... anyway one of my next tasks is to figure out how I add piccies to this blog so as soon as I've done it I'll upload some pictures so you can track progress too...

Now before I went off on a tangent as is my want -if you've been to one of my demo's you'll know what I mean :o) - the purpose of this post was to say thank you's to all you lovely people I met at my last two demonstrations at Emerald Crafts in Lyndhurst (22nd March) and Crafting Around in Wootton Bridge on IoW (29th March). It was wonderful to meet new people and newbie crafters as well as all you familiar faces and to share my inspirations, tips and designs with you. I hope you enjoyed yourselves as much as I did, went away with loads of inspiration and I promise those piccies of designs will be going up on here just as soon as I figure out how to do it!!! This blogging thing is still so new to me but I know I will have lots of fun!!! And of course I have to thank Oliver, Louise and Sarah in Lyndhurst and Brenda and her mom in Wootton Bridge for looking after me so well. I really do love coming along to you all at your shops.. and I just can't help spending some of my hard earned money with you aswell... I love seeing all the different things that you have for sale which inspire me to try new products and techniques....

Well, I must close now with the promise that I will develop this site as time allows and get plenty of those piccies, tips and techniques up for you to see as I master this blogging lark!!!

Take care and thanks for dropping in - I'll be in touch again soon
Becky
xx

My very first post!!!!

2008-03-20T14:34:00.000-07:00

Well, here it is! My very own crafty blog for me to keep in touch with everyone that I meet whilst I am out and about crafting - I meet so many wonderful people when I am demonstrating for Docrafts and with blogs being the new must have accessory for crafters I thought it was about time I dragged myself into the 21st Century!!!

At present I only have small pockets of time to spend on my blog but over time I hope to develop this site to show you all my crafting inspirations, with lots of pictures to show you what I have been working on and hopefully inspire you to go out and try some of these ideas yourself.... I'll be introducing you to some of my favourite products and designers as well as keeping you up to date with how my plans for a crafting career are developing!!! I also hope I will be able to meet other papercrafters along the way... This is my little crafting corner of heaven... I hope you enjoy visiting it!!!

Until next time - happy crafting!

Love
Becky
x