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

Gothic Arches Diptych.

Hi Everyone,

I hope today finds you all well and maybe feeling a little more cheerful now we have slightly more daylight each day.  I must say it does me a power of good not having to switch lights on before 5 pm because I hate the short days.  I'd certainly be no good for anything if I lived where they have 24 hour darkness in winter and the reverse in summer, Lol!

Anyway, today I want to share a piece I made last year using at least four sets of lovely Crafty Individuals stamps.  One set in particular struck a chord with me because they are of a place called Fountains Abbey which is just about my favourite place to spend the day.  If you go here and here you will find a couple of posts I did after visits there and lots of lovely photos of the place.  It's a good job I didn't blog all the ones I took because I have at least 200, Ha! Ha!  For my diptych I thought the Gothic Arch shape was very apt and I used lots of Distress Inks with masks, punches and dies and mixed some of my photographs with the stamped images.

This is the front cover.
                                                

and the inside pages

and finally the back cover

For the front and back covers I also used some background papers from an Artylicious pack with lots of overstamping.  These will probably be available in a different format from Glenda's new company, Chocolate Baroque, which will be opening it's virtual doors very soon (watch this space or the Chocolate Baroque blog).

In case you hadn't already noticed Crafty Individuals have just started a new blog and it's already full of fabulous inspiration for using their products.  I think nobody does 'small but beautiful' like the lovely Jean Hardy and have you seen April's issue of the Craft Stamper mag?  Mine dropped through the letterbox this morning and Jean has the most adorable little birdhouse on the front cover.  There are also lots of projects throughout the mag using CI products and (close to my own crafty heart) the free stamp is a beautiful butterfly design by Chocolate Baroque and there is a lovely two page spread showing projects using this stamp and others which I and my fellow DT teamies are working with at the moment.

Well, that's it from me tonight.  As always I love to read any comments you have time to leave and really appreciate them all.  Have a warm and cosy evening.

Love and hugs
Lesley  Xx

Two Lovely Awards and a lot of blurb.

Good Morning Everyone,

I managed to get an extra hour in bed this morning now I don't have a little nose pressed to mine, little arms round my neck and a plaintive voice saying "I'm hungry Mamma.  You need to get my breakfast." only for it to go untouched while Izzy gets Mamma to play with the jigsaw puzzles, lol!  I just read through my last post and from the number of uncorrected typos I can tell just how tired I was.  I wouldn't have missed the weekend for anything though, the cuddles alone were worth it but there was other lovely stuff happening as well.

On Saturday I went up to Harrogate to spend the afternoon having a tasting session with my daughter and Kelly (the Wedding Planner who's worth her weight in gold) with the chosen caterers.  My lovely SIL to be very kindly gave up his place so I could go and we were treated to the Wedding Breakfast more or less as it will be served on the day.  What a fab idea this is because although in the main everything was fine and the food was lovely, there were just a couple of points that we decided needed 'tweaking' a bit, like having extra gravy available and either cream or creme fraiche available with the deserts.  It also gave Jenna and Kelly the chance to double check with the caterers what they would be providing in the way of table linen, glassware, etc., etc.  The lady we discussed everything with was very professional, helpful and obliging and at a later date (probably after the wedding) I will do a post which folk can read if they are interested (or avoid if weddings bore them silly, lol) and list all the various providers with links and whether I am impressed or otherwise.  So far it's looking like they will all get gold stars!  One link you already have is to the Wedding Stationery Designer extraordinaire, lol, 'cos that's me, together with table decorations, bunting and other bits and bobs.

When I returned home Saturday evening, Jenna and her little family followed me down the A1 and as it's half term (Jenna works as a teaching assistant) they stayed until last night.  One important errand they had to do while they were here was visit a local jewellery designer (another link I will provide later) and they came back totally impressed and very excited about the designs they had seen but what is very special is that Jenna has her late paternal grandmother's very worn and fragile wedding ring and this is going to be melted down and used to make Jenna's wedding ring.  I think this is such a special idea and she could go and watch the process if she wanted but as it's not going to be possible the jeweller is going to take photos of the process for her, although I might go and watch myself.  Well, I think that's enough wedding blurb for now so I'll get onto the crafty stuff which I have sorely neglected of late.  Either I am getting old and very slow (Hmmmm!!!) or my days are going twice as fast as they used to because I am definitely not cramming as much into a 24 hour period as I used to.

Over the past few weeks I have very kindly been given two awards from two very talented blog buddies which I am only just managing to blog about.  I am really chuffed to receive awards like these from people I admire and whose blogs I love to visit.  The first award is from Suzi B whose blog I discovered a while ago through our mutual membership of the Graphicus Guild (soon to be given a new name).  Thank you very much Sue,  I'm really honoured that you thought of me.  This award is to bring attention to worthy blogs with smaller numbers of followers i.e. less than 3,000.  Well, most if not all the blogs I follow have less than that and they are all extremely worthy so as usual I find it impossible to pick the necessary five.

 
Sue's lovely blog is called The Making Room, please give her a visit and see the wonderful things she has been making recently.

My second award comes from another blogger who is a member of the Graphicus Guild but I think I found Lynne's gorgeous blog (Creative Lynks) whilst blog hopping before I realised we were fellow GG'ers.  I have a beautiful card which Lynne sent to me quite a while ago now which is carefully looked after in my box of treasured creations from other crafters.  Isn't this gorgeous!  This card was responsible for me buying the Cuttlebug folder and die set for the lovely embossed butterfly.
                     
                                             

This is the award from Lynne.

Thank you very much Lynne I am really thrilled you included me on your list.  As always I cannot comply with the rules properly because I see so many fabulous blogs and so much talent out there in blogland I find it impossible to choose and always feel bad about any I leave out. However, this award originated from the Digi's with Attitude Challenge Blog so do give them a visit.

I don't know about everyone else but I get so much pleasure and inspiration from visiting other blogs.  Every page seems to contain something that makes me go 'Ooooh, that's lovely!' or 'How did they do that?', 'I must have a go at that',  so thank you again Lynne and Sue for including me in your award lists.  Love to you both.

And now,  I must get back to the wonderful world of housework (sorry for the bad language, lol).  After 3+ days of a houseful and not even a hoovering the place is disgusting!  I'm almost glad it's a miserable day 'cos I'm sure it would look a lot worse in the sunshine, Ha! Ha!

Have a lovely day and I'll catch you again soon.

Lots of love and hugs
Lesley  Xx

Much Awaited News!

Good Morning All, (it's just past midnight, lol!)

I'm sorry I've not been around much recently.  Many reasons for this but I won't bore you with the details but suffice to say at the moment I have one of those 'stop the world I want to get off for a rest' feelings, lol!  Helping our daughter plan her wedding and making the invites and table decorations, etc., is taking up a lot of my time but I wouldn't miss it for anything really.

Anyway,  the main reason for this particular post of to announce Glenda Waterworth's new company name.  It is ............... tada da da dada ........................... CHOCOLATE BAROQUE!!!!!  There is a little while to go before the website is up and running  (mainly due to technical delays) but it is only a matter of days now.  However,  if you click on the name or click on the gorgeous new button in my sidebar you will be gently transported to the new Design Team blog when I and my teamies have been posting examples of our work for this month.  They feature the first sets of stamps which will be released under the CHOCOLATE BAROQUE banner and they are really lovely not to mention very useful.  They are four set of mini stamps, some of which are completely new but others are miniatures of previously issued stamps and they work perfectly to create backgrounds for the main size images.  If you visit the new DT blog (that's if you haven't already) and scroll down through the new artwork until you get to Glenda's post, you will find out how you may be able to win a set of these lovely stamps.  Glenda has also very kindly added a freebie download to the blog and if we reach 200 followers she will add another one, so hop over and see what we have been up to.  There's also a tiny peek at a few more new sets that will be issued over the coming weeks.

Here's a little sneak peek of the card I posted on the DT blog last Friday when the new name was officially launched.

                                      

I hope to be back tomorrow with a couple of awards that I have been thrilled to receive over the past couple of weeks.  Till then ...........................................

Night, night and love to all.
Lesley  Xx

Portrait of a Lady

Well, I hope you are all keeping warm just now.  I've been perished nearly all day and taking the dog for a walk was not pleasant.  There wasn't much of a wind but the windchill was awful.  I really could have done with a ski mask, Lol!  I can't imagine how daft I would have looked though.

Anyway, as I've not been making anything I can show you this past week or so I thought I'd share a card I made for the Elusive Images DT last year.  I used stamps from an A5 set called Portrait of a Lady together with a bird and branch and the Let Your Heart Sing set and the words from Sing Your Song set.

I also used some Artylicious papers for the punched border, flower and the lady's dress which I stamped, embossed and cut out.  For the bird and branch and words I inked up the stamps with Cats Eye chalk inks choosing specific colours for specific parts of the images.

I'll probably share a few more of last year's DT makes till I can  get Jenna's wedding stuff done but I'm having fun with it all now.  I'm also working on new DT designs so I'm pretty busy in the wings at the moment.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that tomorrow is a tad warmer although my OH said that wet, windy but milder weather is on the way.  I can do without the wet and windy bit, Lol!  Stay warm and well everyone and thanks for visiting.

Warm hugs
Lesley  Xx