What a great show!

LOL, not me, Happy Stampers North West festival at Port Sunny ;)

OK, we have had lots of laughs about this photo that the lovely Jennie Boxall took of me early today and iNSTaNTLY put on Facebook, and I mean instantly!!  Mind you, I don't think I could have resisted if roles had been reversed ;)  So yes, I am still speaking to her lol

My phone battery died fairly early on so my plan to take photos of the event didn't go ahead.  I just managed to get Tracey to take a photo of me with the gorgeous Paul B, who was on pain of death not to come and say hi

I had an absolute ball demonstrating this morning for Paddy at Paddy's Stamping Place, then catching up with friends and doing a touch of shopping this afternoon.  I'll share my goodies with you tomorrow, and some pics from the the art exhibition last night :)

Elements Day Two

Bless her, Neet mentioned in a comment to me about my cheerful disposition but it wasn't until I saw this photo by Becca that I realised how smiley I was this weekend lol!  I do love teaching though, and all attendees were fab to work with, so I had a lot of fun :)

Becca took this fabulous picture of Rita and Neet too.  There were some great pieces of claywork created in Neet's classes.  Just take a look at these

Chris echoed the shape of the Cow Parsley in the clay and it just looks fab!

Lou worked her clay as one piece and added these beautifully coloured clay keyholes.

Now Lynn says this is the only time you'll ever find her ironing! ie when it's involved in creating a craft project.  The fabric element of the weekend, taught by Becca, was very popular, and many people went home last night and added more little extras to their flowers, dragonflies and other shapes.  It was such a relaxing element to do that despite being tired from a busy day, it was easy to pick up in the evening.  I added my dragonfly to the side of my box, decorating the textured book that Kay taught.

Our name badges for the weekend were just as creative as the box itself, very inventive!

Everyone worked hard, and went home with a stunning finished product.  Thanks so much everyone for making it such a wonderful weekend, and to Paddy for inviting me to be a part of it :)

I really did have fun :)

Elements cont.

Well the secret's out, and the full glory of what is being worked on on our Elements weekend is revealed!

Each tutor worked on a different theme and colourway for their sample piece, and the results were gorgeous . I focused on flowers and text, and Helen took a teenage girl theme for her daughter (both above).  Becca, Paddy's niece who runs a quilt shop in Dorset, worked with the house images from Tanda stamps. 

Neet created a gorgeous time themed piece using images by Paper Artsy, and Kay's box features Paper Artsy's Hot Picks.

Classes started on the dot of 9am with Paddy instructing everyone on how to colour their wooden boxes.  It was so lovely to see some very different colour combinations coming through.

We then broke up into smaller groups and during this time, I taught my perspex element...

[This is Lou's piece.  It's just drying here which is why the text is in reverse!  I love her shading from green to yellow, which is echoed on her box]

... Neet her clay pieces...

[These are so fab to make, and appeal to my love of collage and 'shinies' :)]

... and Becca the fabric element.  I love the fabric pieces on my box :)

More classes meant people created a tree from wire with Paddy, and created a box of hidden treasure (creating a box within a box) with Helen.  Tomorrow brings the metal element with Paddy, and Kay's wooden element.

Elements

Wow!  The day is finally here and Paddy is hosting her 'Elements' weekend.  I'm teaching today so will post you some pics later on :)  My element is 'perspex' and i'm really pleased with how it came out.

horses, toads and ... hang on, toads?

Armed with my lovely, new, internet-connected smartphone, I set off last Friday on a birthday weekend away (a 40th and a 50th) with 10 girlfriends.  We stayed in the very centre of England pretty much, and had NO MoBiLe ReCePTioN!!  So I am very behind on visiting blogs, especially saying hi to playdate entrants!  We had a fabulous time though.  Just look at the cottage we stayed in

It was beautiful inside, had ponies in the back field

and a stunning view from the front

The village was called Newborough and was in Staffordshire.  It had a pub (which served excellent food), a church, a telephone box and postbox, a school, but no shop.

Some gorgeous houses too!

As a treat for my 40year old friend, I took a craft activity to do.  We made 'pants' books, which those who've been on my workshop at Wendy's will remember!  

We got home late Monday night, and got up to some sad news on Tuesday - my guinea pig Winston had died in the night.  It's been heartbreaking seeing and hearing Scout look for him (he's Tom's guinea pig).  That same morning I found a baby toad in my cellar room (which houses my craft stuff)

I can't cope with frogs in the house but toads don't jump like frogs do so I could cope with catching this little man in a large jar!  Let him loose in the garden, didn't fancy him as a new pet lol

I really don't feel like my feet have stopped running since I got home.  I'm just putting the final touches to my piece for Elements this weekend.  Paddy asked me to let you all know that we had three cancellations due to really ill health (which is so sad when people are that poorly).  We've found a replacement for one of them, but if anyone would like to join us at the last minute, please phone Paddy on 0161 798 5115.

For those who are attending - really looking forward to seeing you there!   The workshops are fabulous and I'm really looking forward to teaching my 'element' :)

the world of steampunk

According to Wikipedia, "Steampunk is

a sub-genre of science fiction and speculative fiction, that came into prominence during the 1980s and early 1990s. The term denotes works set in an era or world where steam power is still widely used — usually the 19th century, and often Victorian era Britain — but with prominent elements of either science fiction or fantasy, such as fictional technological inventions like those found in the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne, or real technological developments like the computer occurring at an earlier date. "

I love the feel of books in my hand, and would love the look of notebooks containing spidery handwriting.  I love butterflies, and ferns, cogs and gears and shiny things.  

So the story behind my steampunk journal is based on the idea that I'm on an expedition on an unknown island, deep in the heart of the Victorian era. [of course I'm also stunning looking, fearless, and don't need to wear contacts lol, but that's by the by]

I come across some butterflies that appear to have been modified to contain steam engine like workings.   But how can that be?  This is an island untouched by humans.

Of course, this story reflects my love of butterflies, but your steampunk journal might delve under the sea, or focus on a journey in a hot air balloon.  If you'd like to join me in creating this journal from paper and an old book, in colouring pages and adding tabs, pockets, and tags in addition to the other main images, I'll be teaching at 

Paddy's Stamping Place

Prestwich, Manchester

Friday 30th and Saturday 31st July 2010

0161 798 5115

Oh WOW!  The postman interrupted this post by bringing me all this yumminess!

How perfect is this parcel, which I've yet to confirm is from the wonderful Wendy at The Stamp Attic, but I spied OX12 on the parcel, and it looks like her handwriting.  Methinks she knows me too well.  But how about this for perfect timing - I didn't want modern paperclips in my steampunk journal but hair pins - they're perfect!!

And look at all this steampunk yumminess :)  Won on ebay on Sunday, arrived this morning :) 

EDIT: just remembered my blog giveaway, and using random generator picked out
 

Elaine, of 'Waves of Creativity', is the winner of the little house, a mica tile, and some little bits n bobs.  Contact me with your address Elaine and I'll get your prize out to you :)

Elements

I'm so excited to be teaching at Elements in September.  It's being organised by Paddy Cosgriff of Paddy's Stamping Place in Prestwich, Manchester.  Paddy owns a quirky little shop on Butterstile Lane, Prestwich which sells the most amazing items for the mixed media artist.  I have learnt a lot from Paddy over the years and am so thrilled to be involved with  her first mixed-media crafting weekend. We've got such a diverse mix of ingredients within our project that the techniques being taught are very varied and up to the minute.

There are 6 tutors in total, and each tutor is focusing on a different 'element' of the piece.  Becca Balazs is working with fabric.  She owns  'Becca's Quilt Emporium' in Dorset and hosted our corset display last year (see my post here).  

 

Then there's Neet Hickson who will be teaching techniques with makin's clay.  Neet does a lot of  wonderful work with clay of all types, and teaches regularly at Paddy's Stamping Place.  

 

Kay Halliwell-Sutton is another regular tutor at the shop who does brilliant workshops with mdf pieces.   And last, but not least, I will be working with perspex, Paddy with metal, and my great friend Helen Jackson with mixed media.

I LoVe teaching workshops and have just come home from teaching for two days at Wendy's Stamp Attic.  I'll get those pics posted for you seeon as it was a fabulous weekend, and I found my cable - YAY!  It had been appropriated by my 15 year old son!!!

port sunny samples in order

I've put together some of my sample pieces from the Port Sunny show - finally some order to that gorgeous pile of yumminess ;)  Unfortunately, it's cost me money - I've definitely fallen in love with the dragonfly die, as well as the bird cage and the ticket.

I just love how that bird cage makes an instant tag!

And that dragonfly cut out of metal, or sheer fabric, is just so, so yummy!

 

I have to say though, that moth is rather tempting too, it makes such a great foam stamp - great for stamping then adding the detailed stamp on top!  Gonna have to have a go at that with the dragonfly!!

The ticket die sounds a strange one I know, but I think it's just one of those things, a bit like needing a square punch.  Got an idea for it which I'll share at the weekend (Sunday most likely).

Here's a treat for those of you who know me, and my friend Helen.  This is Helen's sample piece using the dies

I love her contrast of the hard metal and the soft fabric.  And how cool does the moth look with those cogs!!!

And finally, Paddy's yummy sample board - she's been playing with tomato puree tubes again, and fabric, along with the cuttlebug of course (and a heat gun to zap those flowers, and I mean zap!!)