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

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....

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....

... 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!

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!!!

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!!!!

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!!!)

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...

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!!!

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!!!!

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"....

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....

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

xx

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

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

xx

Boring post today!!!

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!!!!!

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!!!