Not been around for sometime....

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...

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

xx

Just WHOOOOO Is MOLLY MOOOOOO????

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...

... 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...

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....

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

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!!!

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!!!!

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