Let it Snow.....

Hello one and all and.... December!!!!!    Own up...who let December out to play this early in the year???  At least it hasn't been too cold yet...well...that was until the Challenge at IndigoBlu launched in November!
The theme of 'Let it Snow' cooled us all down and has given us an excuse to play in our craft rooms, with all those yummy IndigoBlu Christmas stamps, frosty looking metallic paints and snowy looking gesso!
I decided to use the gorgeous Rockin' Robin stamp this time...with vellum and embossing powder. I then brayered a layer of IndigoBlu Snow White metallic paint over the top...and coloured the robin in with Distress Ink... and the occasional swirl too. I put the ribbon through my printer to get the Let It Snow wording in a snowflake font  

Have a great weekend everyone...happy crafting x

Lydia xx

IndigoBlu Challenge - Masking...

Hi all x
I've just noticed that for some reason this didn't post when it should have! But, the good news is...it'll give you another reminder that you have 10 more days to join in our IndigoBlu Challenge for this month! :) 

Hello!! 
Here we are in November!! Where is 2014 dashing off to?????? O.o 
Well, this month at the IndigoBlu challenge we are 'Masking'. There are a few ways of masking in craft land. The IndigoBlu Demo girls have used a couple of different ways, so well worth a look on 

  the Challenge blog. 

I have used the beautiful Ickle Poppy image for my card, the Script Background  stamp for my background and the sentiment from the Butterfly Collector set.

The Script was stamped across my base card in London Fog - Memento ink - and the edges distressed with Tim Holtz Fired Brick -Distress Ink. The first (full) Poppy was stamped with Versamark onto IndigoBlu's Black card-stock...I embossed it in white and covered it with a mask of the same stamp, cut from a Post-It note. I then stamped and embossed the 2nd white poppy head, then covered with another mask. The 3rd poppy head was stamped with Flitterglu and then covered in red glitter. I added a few bits of green the the stems and finished my card with a red ribbon. 

It would be lovely to see your interpretation ....so have fun...take care....and
Happy Crafting ...

Lydia x

IndigoBlu's October Challenge....

Hello!!! :)

Where is October running off to? One week gone already! Eeek!!  But there's good news too....there are still 12 days to enter the IndigoBlu Challenge!!! Yayyyy!! :)

This month is a sketch. Now I love, love, love sketches...they are a great  'Get out of Jail FREE' card...really handy for those brain blocked moments when you have a 'just don't know where to start' day!! And this one is a fab design! ....

 I decided to do a bit of stamping, colouring, flaking and die cutting...and used a real mixture of IndigoBlu stamps. This is why I love IndigoBlu so much...you can make an entire card from background to focal image...and everything in between!! 

I have used 

Nottingham Lace - Tulip & Lace band

Butterfly Collection - Small Tulip & Sentiment 

Crackleglaze Background - Background 

Mega Flake - Copper Kettle 

Memento ink

Don't forget...

The fabulous Winner’s prize this month is your choice of IndigoBlu stamps.  As always, you have 3 options to choose from:

1:   2 Large stamp plates

or
2:   4 Small stamp plates

or

3:   1 Large and 2 small plates

Hope to see you there!!

Happy Crafting...

Lydia xx

An IndigoBlu Indian Summer....

Morning :)
It's another beautiful sunny day down here in the South of England...and such a good time to share with you my Indian Summer card.  The lovely Clare invited all us 'out and about'  IndigoBlu Demonstrator girls to join in with the  'mid-challenge' reminder post for the IndigoBlu Challenge Blog :)
So here is mine, using one of my favourite IndigoBlu stamps...BIG Butterfly x

You still have plenty of time to join in and this is what is up for grabs!!!

The fabulous Winner’s prize this month is your choice of IndigoBlu stamps.  As always, you have 3 options to choose from:

1:   2 Large stamp plates

or
2:   4 Small stamp plates

or

3:   1 Large and 2 small plates

There’s also the Winner’s Badge, and one for the Top 3, to display proudly on your Blog,  and the WINNER of the challenge will also be invited to do a GUEST SPOT on a future Challenge Launch post.  That’s right you’re work will be on the blog along with the Design Team.

Also the top three each month (chosen by the DT) will all be invited to do an inspiration piece to be included on the new reminder post, that now goes live mid challenge. 

So .....  if you’d like a chance to be featured on the IndigoBlu Challenge Blog get those stamps out and get creating!

Have a great day...and Happy Crafting 

Lydia xx

IndigoBlu - Gothic Mannequin & Demo Day

Morning one and all!!
I have a new project to share today...and a shout out! :)
If you are around the Fareham area on Saturday the 27th of September...or fancy a fab day out.., I will be at Jendenink Craftworks from 10am - 4pm demoing fabulous IndigoBlu products!!
I will be demonstrating the Flitterglu Starter Kit...Mega Flake...English Cottage Garden Paint ~ Including the 6 ever-so gorgeous, brand new metallic colours ... Slap It On Starter Kit with Mannequin ...AND the scrummy NEW Christmas stamps!!!

The mannequins are an awesome project to lose yourself in!! Hundreds of different ways to decorate them and no two will ever be the same! From Girly to Goth...the choice is yours!! :)

I have used the fabulous Hocus Pocus stamp set on this one...and hand sewn the ribbon and organza layers. To finish it off I've used both the Crackleglaze Background stamp...and spider & web from Hocus Pocus with Mega Flake on the stand.

If you want to know how to make your own...come and join me...it'll be a great day! :)

Jendenink Craftworks  - 167 West Street - Fareham - Hants - PO16 0EF  ~  10am - 4pm


Happy crafting

Lydia xx

Baker Ross - Christmas Coasters...

Hi all :)
Here is another Baker Ross project. Included in the box of goodies that they sent to me was a box of ceramic coasters...a bottle of crackle paint primer...and a pack of porcelain pens.

I used 4 different techniques with the gorgeous IndigoBlu Baroque Bauble stamp.

I put a thin coat of primer onto all 4 tiles and left them to dry. 

Tile 1) Stamped the bauble with Stazon and coloured random leaves with the blue porcelain pen.

Tile 2) Stamped the image with IndigoBlu FlitterGlu...carefully brushed over mica powder and then edged with Mega Flake.

Tile 3) This one was stamped with FlitterGlu and covered with Mega Flake. 

Tile 4) This was again stamped with FlitterGlu and then finished with Iridescent embossing powder tinted with Lilac. 

They were all finished off with a coat of Spray and Shine to seal them. 

Fab gift idea...in fact...I gave mine to my daughter and her b/f   for their new home x

Happy crafting

Lydia xx

I am entering these into ;

Craftyhazelnut's Christmas - Anything Christmas 

Ladybug Crafts - Anything goes 

One Crazy Stamper - Halloween/Christmas

x~x~x~x

Summer Holiday/Vacation - Tattered Lace September Challenge

Wow!!! Here we are in September already!!! Two more days until the girls go back to school, then it'll be Christmas all the way in Craftland!!! :O
Before that though, the new Challenge from Tattered Lace is Summer Holidays/Vacation! A great excuse to have one more sunshiny blast before we switch the sun off and the lights on!!

I have made up a beach scene from all sorts of different Tattered Lace dies...none of them really made for the purpose I've used them for.
Ok...so with my background cardstock inked with Tim Holtz Distress Inks, I have used;
Sun - Lacy Daisy 
Seagulls - Waste from the Curved Parasol
Boat - Planter from His DIY and Gardening set
Mast - Baby's Breath
Flag - Carriage window from Lace Carriage
Waves - Chantilly Rose
Beach Umbrella - Curved Parasol and Baby's Breath
Sand Castles - Watering Can from His DIY and Gardening set
Bucket - Watering Can from His DIY and Gardening set
Bucket handle - Rim of a wheel from Lace Carriage
Spade - His DIY and Gardening set

So there we have it...a Tatty Beach!! :)

Your Tattered Lace dies are never ever just the image they are meant to be...they are that and sooooo much more!! x

The prize for our winner of this challenge will be a Tattered Lace Embossing Folder Surprise Bundle!!!

Happy Crafting! 

                                                                        Lydia xx

Baker Ross...Just Add Adults!! :)

Hi all :)
This is the first of a few projects that I have done for the craft company Baker Ross. Now, most of us probably connect Baker Ross with children's crafting, but the lovely Katy approached me and asked if I'd be interested in using some of their products in 'Adult Craft Land' ...well...you know me!!!.........
Sooo....with a box full of goodies...I set to work ......

For this project I have used some papers from the 'Mittsommerland' Paper Pad to make the roses and leaves...and a Paper Lantern.
The paper pad is FAB!! It measures 24 x 34 cm and has 26 sheets. 13 designs and two sheets of each...BUT...the wonderful thing about it is....one sheet is 270gsm and the other 80gsm!! How brilliant is that?!!! I used the 270gsm red polka dot paper for the roses and the 80gsm green paper for the leaves.
The paper lanterns are in a pack of 4 and measure 12cm in diameter. They come flat packed with a metal center piece to keep their shape and a piece of gold trim to hang them up with.

 I have used a BATTERY OPERATED tea light in mine. Pleeeeeeeeeease do NOT use normal tea lights for risk of fire...well...certainty of fire!!

Therefore, mine makes a lovely little side light for those 'chill' moments.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


I have other projects to come so watch this space!!!
Have a fab weekend and Happy Crafting
Lydia xx

Tattered Lace ~ August Challenge...

Helloooo!!! :)
August has arrived and summer is well and truly here!! Yayyy!! :)  I can't remember the last time we managed to string so many lovely summery days together! I look out of my craft room window and I'm seeing beautiful blue skies, and watching all the little sparrows in the hedge and on the feeders...I'm not exaggerating when I say there are more than 20 at a time out there sometimes!
Anyway...here is my DT project for this months challenge at Tattered Lace...our theme is 'Decadence' ...

A tough challenge this one as it entailed me having to go into the very yummy cake shop in the next village!! I had will power...however I also had three other passengers in my car!!! O.o

I used a 6 x 6 card base...

Matted a pearlised pink layer, then a TL Rose Garden embossed pearlised Cream layer... 

Cut 4 Chantilly Hearts - shaped and glued 

Cut 1 plain and 2 lacy roses per flower (5 needed altogether)
Cut out Chantilly Rose to go around the wedding cake pillar

Cut 2 of the largest rosette pieces and made 1 rosette

Finished off with a beautiful cupcake from Debbie @ Delicious Cakes...

IndigoBlu !!!

Good afternoon from a VERY sunny South of England!!! :)
Exciting stuff because it's soooo nice to have more than one day of sunshine....BUT....even more exciting  than that is my news that.....
I am now a fully fledged IndigoBlu Demonstrator!!! 
I applied at the beginning of June to their demonstrator call...and a couple of weeks later had an email saying I'd been selected for the training days!!!! Whoop!!
Well...I traveled up last Tuesday to the Hotel... armed with a few projects (samples sounds sooo wrong!! lol).  On Wednesday I headed across to IndigoBlu HQ  and met up with a few other girls on the same mission! I think I probably speak for us all when I say that we had THE most AMAZING two days of solid, hard work (well...I mean, how can I write TOTAL FUN?? ;) ) ...getting messy...drinking lots of coffee...learning heaps...spending time with wonderful crafty friends...eating gorgeous food...being totally looked after...... and then being told........ WE MADE IT!!!! Wooohooooooo!!!!!! :)

Kay is such a wonderful, bubbly, yet down to earth person (even though she locked us in the car park!!! Lol)  ...and along with her lovely hubby Alfie, I will be very proud to wear my badge and work my little socks off for them! x

This is one of the 'projects' I took with me..I just love the Alice range of stamps x

And...........
................. for Kay and all the girls....a track that will forever remind me of a fantabulous time, shared with awesome company xx


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A Touch of Elegance.........

Good morning all :)
Wow!! It's July!!! Which means that we're half way through 2014!  What happened to the first 6 months?? They've whizzed by!  In another 6 months Christmas will be over and we'll be starting a New Year!!! Eeeek!!!
Moving swiftly on Lol .............................. ;)

Thank you to everyone who took part in the June challenge at Tattered Lace...it was great to see so many fab creations for the Guys.

Our theme for July is....Elegance.... an easy one as far as Tattered Lace dies are concerned! The hardest part is choosing which dies to use!! :)
Soooo...after a few cups of coffee and several stages of whittling down...I chose ....

Dies used:
Over the Edge Baroque....
Corset...
Doily Corner dies...
The 'belly band' was made with
Beloved Borders
Chantilly Bow (small)
AND
One of the brand new Tattered Lace embossing Folders - Rose Garden

The background was embossed with one of the gorgeous BRAND NEW Tattered Lace embossing folders... I used vellum to make it more delicate looking...then edged with Pan Pastels for that elegant pink touch...as have the Doily corners.
Inside this criss cross card I have cut two of the Corsets, gathered Tulle and sandwiched it between the layers. To finish it off I've added two of the beautiful diamante flowers from Tattered Lace and also a few single Diamante.

I hope you'll come and join us for the Tattered Lace challenge this month...you'll find it hard to make something other than elegant with these stunning dies!!  :)

Happy Crafting
Lydia xx

Stampin' Up! Annual Catalogue 2014-2015 Launch Blog Hop

It's almost time for the BRAND NEW 2014/15 Stampin' Up! catalogue!!!!  The 1st of July is the UK launch date and boy are you going to LOVE it!!!!  <3
I am part of Amanda Fowler's lovely Inspiring Inkin' team...and about 20 of us are giving you a sneaky peek of some of the fab new products coming in the new catalogue with a Blog Hop!!

If you just popped in for a casual visit...'Welcome!!...it's really lovely to have you here. If you'd like to join our Blog Hop, the links are at the bottom of this post...just hop on board :)

For my sneaky peek I have made a nursery mobile with the very new...very cute and adorable Something for Baby bundle. This is a stamp and die set bundled together to save 15% on buying separately :)
I have used Calypso Coral card stock & ink (from the Subtles colour family) ...brand new Lullaby Designer Papers for the prams and the rolled roses...which have been made with the Stampin' Up! 1 3/4" 2 1/2" circle punches...all finished off with some of the gorgeous Stampin' Up! Pearl Basic Jewels.

I hope you've enjoyed your visit and my project. Top up that tea cup and enjoy the rest of your hopping :)

Thank you for stopping by
Lydia xxx

 Your Hop links are below :) x

One for the Guys!

Morning one and all...from a lovely sunny (at the moment!!) South of England :)
Here we are..a new month...and a brand new challenge at Tattered Lace! Something a bit different this time...it's One for the Guys ...and it's surprising just how many of those elegant, delicate dies can turn macho!!! ;)

I have made a wall hanging for Rob's shed from a scrap of MDF, which Rob kindly cut and routered for me. It's been painted and crackled and then I've added Tattered Lace elements.

Can't wait to see what everyone comes up with this month...so have fun with it and ...
Happy Crafting :)

Lydia xx

My Stampin' Up! Online shop is...LIVE!!

Hi all :)
Just thought I'd let you know that at long last I have a Stampin' Up! online shop ...and it is now ....OPEN!!! :)
So for those of you who have a love for all things Stampin' Up!....you can now make that cup of coffee and .............SHOP...from the comfort of your home! x

The link is HERE....and also at the top of my blog on the right hand side. If you have any questions, my email address is at the top of my shop page x

Happy crafting
Lydia xx