I've joined the Crafty Individuals Design Team

I am truly honoured to have been invited onto the Crafty Individuals' design team, along with my good friend Chris of Pearshaped Crafting blog.  As a full-time special needs teacher the time I have available to 'make' is limited, and I am thankful for Jean and Malcolm's understanding of this.  It is wonderful though to be back blogging; and I am hoping that this will keep me on my blog a bit more regularly rather than just on Instagram!

I recently made some cards using the new designs and snapped some step by step photos along the way.

I am taking part in a challenge over on Instagram, set by the amazing Birgit Koopsen, to use a different product every day in October.  This day's product was my poor neglected distress markers.   After creating a Distress Oxide background with Picked Raspberry and Salted Ocean, I stamped text in the background, part of the 'Noel Border' then used the distress marker to stamp the snowflakes from the main stamp image.

I use parts of the stamp by inking up the required area then removing the ink with a baby wipe from the areas I don't want to stamp with.  Here I selected one of those tiny stars...

...which I then stamped on the inked background, along with some of the larger text stars.

I stamped the image onto white copier paper a few times and cut out the areas shown.

I love those stitchy marks and emphasised them using my sewing machine.

A gold confetti star on top of the tree..

...and some snowy effects added using Stickles completed my card.

I really love the collage stamps that Crafty Individuals design.  They have sooo many little elements that you can use in so many different ways.  The stamps used in this project were:

And then, because I was having so much fun,  I made a little tag too!

Thanks so much for reading, and I hope nobody collapsed in shock when they spotted I'd blogged lol

a dream come true! ;)

It's a good job I consider Paddy a good friend!!!  Look at that mug she gave me today ;)  The really worrying thing is it's true :)

I was on Sue Roddis' 'Trees and Angels' workshop and had a fabulous time.  I won't say too much as I know some people who read my blog are booked on the workshop on Weds.  You're in for a great day.  The techniques are very relaxing, just what I needed today; and Sue's samples are stunning as always so you'll really be inspired .  And I realised a long held dream!!!

Since taking a journal with me to Julie's Art Stamp Cafe eight years ago, I have wanted to work on a journal page whilst taking a workshop.  Normally I make notes and splatter paint etc in my ideas journal but today I took my play journal and painted a few pages with the colours I used on my trees and angel.  YAY!  And it only took eight years, how embarrassing!!

Not a great photo I'm afraid, and it's not finished, but here is the most complete of one of my trees.  It is possible to finish pieces in the workshop, as long as you don't work as slowly as me and keep stopping to talk :)  Thanks for a great workshop Sue, and I'll definitely be playing more with these tomorrow :)

just like Christmas!

Look at all these parcels that were waiting for me when I got home!  The big ones are bits of exhaust, I think, for our new campervan and there's a little packet of hemp for my eldest son Tom.  He's making a neck protector and shoulder pads that soldiers would have worn.  He's always loved weaponry and can make amazingly lifelike guns from A4 paper (he rolls it into cylinders) and sellotape.  If they weren't guns I'm sure he could take them on Blue Peter!!!  A couple of years ago he made a gauntlet all by himself and he's decided to go back to his 'leatherworking'.  Bless him!

But the rest of the packets were all for me :)

There are some advantages to living in Manchester, England....the weather's too naff to be outside so I can curl up with my yummy magazines and cuddle my guinea pigs.  I knew Sue Roddis had a piece in this month's Somerset Studio, but Sue, you didn't tell me they were owls!  What a wonderful surprise!  I love them :)  I've decided to put ten second studio metal tools etc on my Christmas list.  I've wanted them for a few years now :)  Julie, you may notice your owl ef is tucked in there so I'll get your parcel off to you asap.