At Last ....... a post from me on Craft Stamping Quartet

Hello Everyone,

I hope you are all having a lovely weekend.  We're off to meet my new great nephew later on today and little Connor makes nine great grandchildren for my Mum who's going with us.  My SIL says we should take our ear plugs because when he cries he has the loudest cry she's ever heard!  Hopefully he'll be in a good mood for us.

I thought I'd just let you know that I have finally managed to make a project for the blog I share with my three lovely buddies.  We have all had rather a lot of interuptions to our blog crafting due to various family occurances and this is the first project I have managed so far this year.  I'm really hoping I can get to some serious crafting for myself once Jenna's wedding is over in four weeks time.  Yesterday I spent several hours making bunting from pretty chintzy wallpaper.  I managed about 20 yards, which is about halfway, before a thunderstorm stopped play and I had wanted to take a photo of my whirlygig (spinning washline) in the garden as I was pegging it all on there to dry and to stop it getting tangled (which is a job and a half I have discovered).  It's looking okay and will supplement the proper hired bunting beautifully I think.  If I get chance I'll take a photo when I do the other half.

Anyway, here's a little taster of my project and if you want to see more hop over to Craft Stamping Quartet to see the whole thing.  My buddies aren't too far behind me with their projects so they will be revealed very shortly too.

Have a happy day.

Lots of love
Lesley  Xx

Let Your Heart Sing

Hi Everyone,

Oooh,  I hope you have the same weather we have today.  It's absolutely perfect for me - lovely sunshine but slightly hazy so it's not too blindingly bright or too hot.  I love it and so I thought I'd post a card I made for Elusive Images (now the gorgeous Chocolate Baroque) last year.  One of the stamp sets I used is called Let Your Heart Sing which is what a day like today makes me feel like.

I also used Artylicious paper in the background and another set of EI stamps called Earth Spirit .  Check out the Chocolate Baroque website to see if these stamps are still available.  I really enjoyed making those flowers after a quick tutorial from my CSQ buddy,  Judith.

The colours for the Let Your Heart Sing image are blended Distress Inks and the colours on the smaller image are done with a brayer using a Big and Juicy inkpad.

Well, you are all being spared my usual waffle today as I have loads to do before another trip up the A1 this evening.  I'm staying overnight so that I can sort out a few of The Wedding makes with my daughter ................ no not THAT WEDDING, lol!!!!   The Wedding that is far more important to me and my lovely 'Baby' which is only five weeks away now!  I am now convinced that unless I miss lots of sleep before the day, I will definitely not get everything done.

Have a wonderful Sunday everyone.

Lots of love and hugs
Lesley  Xx

Chocolate Baroque blog candy giveaway!

Hello Everyone!

I hope you've all had the most glorious weekend.  Mine has been a lovely one from the fabulous sunshine which we have had all weekend to a wonderful day at Alexandra Palace with my three lovely crafting buddies followed by another special day today shared with my son and his family.  What could be better?

Well, I don't know about better but something special is also going on over on the Chocolate Baroque Design Team Blog.  Glenda is giving away a set of each of the newly released stamps.

Doodle Butterflies

Doodle Birds

Butterfly Dreams

All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning one of these beauties is leave a comment on the DT blog and if you want to increase your chances leave me a comment here and also visit the other DT members to leave comments on their wonderful creations made with these gorgeous new stamps.  Throughout the following week we will all be posting some of our projects made with the new stamp sets both on our own blogs and on the DT blog.  I have to say I love these new stamps and they are already amongst my favourites.  Winners will be chosen at random and the more blog posts you leave a comment on the greater your chances and the draw will take place on Friday, 15th April 2011.

This is the second of my makes.

I used the Joseph's coat technique for the squares on this card and these stamps are perfect for it.  In fact, they lend themselves equally well for many popular techniques as you will see if you visit my lovely team mates' blogs.  Links to the DT blog, the Chocolate Baroque website and the busy and very friendly CB social site are all in my sidebar.

I did say last week that I would let you know how my search for The Wedding Outfit progressed.  Well, I am extremely happy and relieved to tell you that I found just what I was looking for last Monday.  I am still quite shocked by how much I spent, especially on the shoes and bag but they are fabulous and I'll only be Mother of the Bride once so what the heck, lol!  I'll let you know where I found my outfit, etc., including a web site when I do The Wedding Post  at the end of May but if anyone is struggling as I was to find just what they want drop me a line or mention it in a comment and I'll let you have it before then so you can go take a look.

Right my lovely visitors,  it's veeeerrrrryyyyyy late and I am fairly shattered (er, that's the polite term, lol) so until next time, take care and I hope this week treats you all kindly.

Love and Hugs
Lesley  Xx

Fabulous New Stamps from Chocolate Baroque.

Wow, another post from me in 24 hours.  That doesn't happen often, lol!

Now that the new Chocolate Baroque website has been launched myself and my lovely DT buddies can start to show you some of the cards and other projects we've had the pleasure of making with the lovely new stamps which have been released with the launch.

This is the first one from me

 The background of the tag was made in a workshop I did with Glenda last year and I decided to use it with these lovely stamps. The bottom half of the tag has a slight texture from painting it with light texture paste. All the images used on this tag are from the newly released sets Doodle Birds - UA5SP0346 and Doodle Butterfly - UA5SP0347 except the word 'Dreams' which is from the Artisic Affirmations plate - UA4GW0343.  The colour of the sparkle EP on the acetate butterfly and acrylic tag is a bit misleading because irl it is very nearly the same colour as the ribbon.

I've now got to grips with the new social site and have uploaded lots of pics to the gallery.  It's becoming a very busy and interesting place to be so click on the button in my sidebar to go take a look and my DT buddies will be showing some of their projects over on the CB DT blog which you can also get to by clicking the relevant sidebar button.

Hope you all have something nice to look forward to for Sunday.  I'll be back again soon to show more CB projects and to let you know how I get on shopping for THE OUTFIT!!!!

Hugs
Lesley  Xx

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!

Hello Everyone,

First of all may I apologise for my neglect of my blog in recent weeks.  Many of you will know that I am in the thick of helping my daughter prepare for her wedding (only 7 weeks away now) and we are making lots of the  table and venue decorations ourselves, not to mention me making all the stationery!  All this plus associated trips up and down the A1 on an almost weekly basis seem to have robbed me of all my spare time not to mention quite a bit of sleep, lol!

I actually have quite a panic on at the moment because I have stupidly left it far too late to start looking for an outfit and after a whole week of tramping retailers and shopping malls and the internet I am no closer to finding anything than I was last week.  The main problem is that I have allowed myself to put on a lot of weight in the last couple of years and am now into the plus sizes.  Now I can find lots of gorgeous fashionable casual clothes that I would feel comfy and attractive in but formal occasion wear .................. forget it!   If I can get them on I look a right old frump so  if anyone can point me in the direction of a lovely soft loose-ish flowing top/jacket and wide leg trousers or anything similar that is dressy and suitable for but doesn't scream Mother of the Bride I will be eternally grateful.  I have found one place on the internet (or rather my Daughter and a friend have) called Florentynadawn and I think I'm pinning my hopes on them having something ................ anything that I will feel halfway comfy in when I tramp up to Stockport on Monday.  If they haven't I think I will say goodbye all now, lol!  Anyway enought of that I have some long awaited and wonderful news ........................................

The brand new CHOCOLATE BAROQUE webshop is now open!!!!

The gorgeous stamps which previously went under the banner of Elusive Images and other associated Artylicious products can now be bought from here AND there are lots of fabulous new goodies to be had too.  There are some beautiful new stamps some of which I and my fellow Design Team buddies started to showcase on the CB blog (link via the logo in my sidebar) a few weeks ago with lots more stunning stamps soon to be released.  There is also a new section of printable and digi items which are both beautiful and useful.  The store actually opened yesterday but I wasn't able to get online then to let you know but if I were you I'd hop on over there for a look around.  You definitely won't be sorry!  


There's also a fab new forum (that I can't find my way around yet, Ha! Ha!) which does have private group areas for the DT and for the CB Guild members but anyone can visit and have a look and join in general discussion and more importantly have a look at the fabulous artwork that is being uploaded there at a fantastic rate.  None of it mine yet unfortunately as I haven't had time to find out how to do it!  I'm sure you'd enjoy dropping in for a look around even if you don't join in.


Another reason I haven't posted recently is that my old computer is on it's last legs and keeps doing silly things so I've had my first laptop (which I'm typing on now) and I haven't learned to love it yet!  I am quite technically challenged (ahem!) especially when it comes to the piccy side of things and I can't get on with the programme for all my photos.  My lovely son put Picassa on for me but when I try to get at them for inserting a pic or attaching I just can't do it.   Expert help and advise is required from my lovely IT lady I think but for now FINDING THAT DARNED ELUSIVE OUTFIT is my priority!
 
Have a wonderful weekend everyone and hopefully it won't be too long before normal service is resumed.

Love and Hugs
Lesley  Xx