The Changing Seasons!

'Morning Everyone,

It's almost weekend and according to our local forecast it looks like being a pleasant one weather wise which is good for me because we are having a family weekend and hope to have a trip out somewhere on Sunday.

Over on the Chocolate Baroque blog you will find Glenda has just launched a lovely new set of stamps called Home Sweet Home.  These are really lovely (as are all the CB stamps, lol) and are very much in the quite distinctive style of Clarice Cliff.  There are some really useful stamps on this A5 set too and my favourite is one of grasses silhoutted against a sun/moon.  Glenda is doing a giveaway of one set of stamps and the winner will be taken at random from the commentors on the Chocolate Baroque DT blog, Glenda's own blog and any DT member's blog posts using this set of stamps which will be published over the next few days.  All the details are on the DT blog here. I've already done a post over there with an acetate card I made for the DT and now I'm going to share a different project on here.

In my cross stitching days, a friend of mine did a set of round cross stitched wall hangings all done in the Clarice Cliff style using blocks of bold colour and when I saw these stamps that's what sprang into my mind immediately.  I remembered I had bought a set of coasters which were meant to have cross stitched pieces of work inserted into them.  They had been stuck in the cupboard for at least 12 years, ahem! so I got them out and made inserts using the lovely house stamps.  I decided to create one for each of the seasons and drew in some extra hills in the rather childlike fashion that mimmicked my friend's cross stitched pieces.

Don't forget to visit the DT blog and all my teamies (the link is in my sidebar) and leave a little comment.  Wish I could invite you all for coffee to christen the coasters but I've passed them on to Glenda, lol!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone.

Hugs
Lesley  Xx

I HAVE EXCITING NEWS !!!!!!!

Good Morning Everyone,

Wow, do I have some fab news today.  I'm really excited and happy to give you some news I've been keeping under wraps (with great difficulty) for several weeks now.  I have been invited to join a brand new Design Team for Snazzy Stamping and Scrapbooking Ltd.!  I first discovered this lovely company and the fabulous stuff they sell two years ago at the Artisan show and saw them there again last year.  I 'spent' quite a long time watching and enjoying Val's demos and then did a different kind of spending using my plastic friend, lol!  Since then I have kept an eye on their website waiting and hoping for an online shop and it was on one of my 'web checks' that I saw the DT call.  I decided to apply and was completely taken by surprise and very thrilled when I was offered a place on the team.

Unfortunately Val and Don, the owners of Snazzy's are experiencing some technical difficulties with the online shop so have had to delay that launch for a short time but have decided to go ahead with the launch of the brand new Design Team Blog.  The blog is opening with an introductory post from each of the four DT members starting today with our illustrious and very talented DT Co-ordinator, Gillian, with my post tomorrow, Paula, whose work I have long known and admired, on Saturday and last but most definitely not least, Astrid on Sunday.  On Monday, Gillian will kickstart the posts of the projects we have been making and we do hope that you will pay us a visit, be inspired by our creations and leave us a comment.

I'll leave you with a little taster of something that will be revealed in my post tomorrow and hope to see you on the new blog.

Hugs
Lesley  Xx

Watch Out .................................

..................... for a blog fest on the Chocolate Baroque Design Team blog.  Myself and my DT buddies will be posting some of our recent makes over the coming days and there are some lovely ideas and lot of inspiration to be seen.  Keep your eye on the blog to see the gorgeous Chocolate Baroque stamps in action.

Have a wonderful weekend doing what you love best.

Hugs
Lesley  Xx

On The Cover ................. CSQ post

Hi Everybody,

Just to let you know I've posted my project for this month over on my shared blog, Craft Stamping Quartet.  Here's a little taster and more pics and details are on the CSQ blog if you'd like to pay us a visit.

Hugs
Lesley  Xx

CHOCOLATE BAROQUE HAVE AWESOME BLOG CANDY .............!!!!!!!!!

Happy Sunday Morning Everyone,

Well, it's definitely going to be a very Happy Sunday for one lucky commentor over on the Chocolate Baroque DT Blog.  Glenda is giving away one full set of two A4 and two A5 stamplates!  These new sets are all being released tomorrow and they are absolutely stunning.   Pop over there now and check them out.  You definitely won't be disappointed and keep an eye out over the following week for some stunning makes by the DT members.

Good Luck everyone.  I'd be so chuffed if one of my visitors won them!

Hugs
Lesley  Xx

Oooh! New Goodies ........

Hello Everyone,

I really ought not to be playing on here as I have loads to do before I go to get my hair cut in an hour's time ............. and Boy! does is need it!!!!  However, on Sunday I went to the Stampmagic show at Doncaster Dome and had a fab time with my Craft Stamping Quartet buddies Judith and Jo.  We do always miss Elaine though but the distance for her makes these shows impossible.  We were sorry that a few old favourite exhibitors weren't there this time but ....................... the advantage was that it made room for one fabulous new company called IndigoBlu who are only just a few miles from me.  My friends had introduced me to their website a couple of weeks ago so I was really pleased when I found they were going to be  showing their gorgeous range of stamps and other goodies.  I have to confess that the visit to their stand (I went back 3 times, lol) was not good for my debit card and couldn't wait to have a play with some of my purchases.  This is my first make with IndigoBlu stamps and alterables and I know there'll be many more.

I have only used part of the image of this lovely lady from the Music Hall plate and the beautiful little flourish  plus the music background and the quote are all lovely stamps and very useful.  I also used a separate crackle stamp of theirs which is really nice and fine and a good big stamp so handy for backgrounds too.  The stamps all gave lovely clear images on card when I tried them out and have done the same for the effect I wanted on my little altered box.

I used Eco Green acrylic paints, stamped with Archival Sepia ink, added a bit of clear Crackle Paint here and there before rubbing in a little Distress Ink.  The little roses were from a very cheap headband bought from a wellknown High Street store and the wired paper string came from a package I received and the metal rose I bought on my Ally Pally visit.  I love that string stuff and have used it all now so must do a search to see if I can buy it anywhere.  If anyone has seen it for sale I'd appreciate a tip off, lol!

 Right, I must get my skates on now or I'll be late for my hair appointment.

Have a lovely day everyone and I hope the sun is shining on you.  It's glorious here!

Hugs
Lesley  Xx

It's Only Words ................

Oooh, Bee Gees!  I love that song.  I think I might have to get the LPs out tomorrow and give them a whirl on the old turntable, lol!

However, what I'm really referring to in my title is the card I have to share with you.  Debbie, one of my fellow DT members for Chocolate Baroque suggested a friendly little challenge a couple of weeks ago which was to make a card using only word stamps and this is what I came up with.

I used a variety of script and word stamps from Chocolate Baroque (formerly Elusive Images) and even the border down each side was made with a lovely script stamp from CB.  I made the flowers from layers of Tim Holtz Ideology Kraft Glassine and some lovely burgundy tissue paper in which my lovely Daughter's wedding flowers were nestled.  Needless to say I couldn't let it be thrown away, lol!  After scrunching the layers and assembling the flowers I spritzed them with Chocolat Glimmer Mist.

I really enhjoyed myself making this card so thankyou Debbie for the challenge.

As I'm doing a post I'm going to  do a bit of proud Mum boasting and point you in the direction of my Son's blog.  He's not posted anything for a while now (real life got in the way a bit, lol) but he's recently posted some pics of his latest paintings and I think they are well worth a look if you have a few minutes.  Like all of us I know he would appreciate a few words of encouragement if you think they are merited.

Well, I'd better get myself off to the Land of Nod as I can't have any lie-ins at the moment.  I have my Mum staying with me following a cataract operation last Friday and she has to have eyedrops 10 times a day.  I am the lucky (?) person charged with the responsibility of making sure she get them administered correctly.  I'm fed up with the job already and we have another five and a half weeks to go yet!

Nite, nite All,

Hugs
Lesley  Xx