SHOWS COMING UP, HOCHANDA, AND A STEP BY STEP IN PHOTOS.....

Yes we do indeed have some retail shows coming up on the calendar in the next few months - the first is a brand new show at Gateshead International Stadium on the 8th of September, where we are sharing a large stand with Chocolate Baroque, and where you can also meet the Hochanda team.  The second one is the Autumn show from Happy Stampers, which is on the 6th of October, and the same stand sharing applies, in the same position as last time.  Your support is always very much appreciated of course and particularly at the first one as it is brand new, and if it goes down well, hopefully it will set a new northern plan for the future.  You will find links to the organisers top right, for ticket information.

Also as mentioned in my last post we are appearing on Hochanda on the 3rd and 4th of August, where they are running a few days in their tv schedule dedicated to small and family run craft materials businesses.  There will be great prizes, great demos, new products and much excitement, and again your support is invaluable for us folk running small businesses.  Can't wait for August, September and October!!

I now have a fabulous step by step in photographs by teamie Sylvie from France.  This is the beautiful finished sample...

...created with love using CI-495, and CI-493.

Here are the steps..

Such lovely colours Sylvie!

That's just about all for this evening although I have another beautifully colourful make by Sherry Hickey to share using those stripey deckchairs again - wow!..

Hope you are all surviving the heat?!  I'm just about melting right now, but really shouldn't complain I know!!

Night all,

Jean x

MAKES BY SANDRA, SYLVIE AND SHERRY.....

We are madly busy preparing for our next Hochanda shows on 3rd and 4th August, and our wonderful, hardworking teamies, are also madly busy making samples for the shows as well.  So tonight I have just a few glorious existing makes to post, the first three by Sandra, and the second two by Sylvie.  After that I have an inviting seaside inspired make by Sherry Hickey, one of our lovely customers from the USA.  All stamps used below can be found at www.craftyindividuals.co.uk

Short and sweet, but full of the love of stamping!

Back soon,

Jean x

p.s. We have uploaded some fabulous new pendant charms (with glass inserts) recently to the website, and some gorgeous new flowers too.  Check them all out HERE x

CONTINUING WITH THE JOURNAL....

Is it a journal, or is it a diary, or a sketchbook, or a notebook.? I guess, like with all crafting really, it is whatever you want it to be!  I decided to use mine at the moment to try out some layouts combining some sketching, with stamping and collage, and colour, and different mediums.  I might move on from that, who knows?! But I am happy just to play with that right now, and the sketching I'm concentrating on is that where you use a pen of some sort (no pencils or rubbers allowed), and you start to draw something that is in front of you, and you don't lift your pen off the paper, until you've finished your sketch.  I like that sort of drawing as it is quick, instant and might have lots of 'mistakes', but it helps teach you to really study the object you are drawing.  The object might be a flower, or a leaf, or a grass, or a teacup, or an ornament, or a shoe.  Anything that takes your fancy.  Colour can be added later if you like or you might create texture and colour with collage. The result might be accurate, or it might be quirky and fun.  Give it a go and see what you come up with! 

Here are my latest pages - a floral double page spread...

Stamps involved in the above include CI-495, CI-415, CI-017, and CI-437.  Try adding some collage elements such as postage stamps, vintage stuff, lace, music sheets, washi tape, book pages, tissue, and use a nice firm glue to keep it all in place, such as the excellent Cosmic Shimmer glue which holds most things in place once it dries.

Thanks for looking,
Back soon,
Jean x 

p.s. I'm back on Hochanda on 3rd and 4th August, with some new goodies, and lots of demos.  More info to follow...