Poor little neglected blog!

It is isn't it - I feel like I haven't blogged for ages.... and thats 'cos I haven't! lol
Sorry about that - to the blog and to you lovely peeps out there who stop by.
There seems to have been so much going on - since the 16th September when I last posted (10 days! I should be ashamed! and even that was a quicky post) I have:

• Demo'd the Letterpress at The Craft Barn which I enjoyed hugely - so many nice people came to the event over the two days.
• Spent an evening at PaperArtsy HQ watching the Tim Holtz ticket sales - very exciting! Sold out in around 40 minutes! If you tried to get a ticket I hope you were successful and I look forward to seeing you there!
• Spent 2 days teaching at Imagine That - both were Christmas classes - oh yes - Christmas!! (in case you're keeping track - its around 90 days away! eek!)
• Made stuff and sold it a craft fair - which was yesterday - a bit chilly but a great day. Several of the Critters were sold and have gone to keep other people company.  Its good to get your stuff out there and to see people's reactions to it - its all part of the process, part of the learning.
• been working on the ongoing preparations for this weekends Artisan show at Leamington - I'm going to be working on the make'n'takes at the PaperArtsy stand - make sure you stop by please, make'n'take and check out their great new products!
• getting ready for the start of the College year when I start teaching a new course twice a week!

I think thats quite enough don't you!  Loved doing all of the above!

I like to include a photo on all my posts so here is a piccy from our trip to New York...
I try to photograph anything/everything that catches my eye (dh calls me 'two step' because he thinks I take a photograph every two steps lol) and shop windows are a constant source - these little mannequins were in shoe shop window - they only measure about 12 inches in height and I love that the clothes are made from folded paper!

Aren't they clever!  I really like shop displays like this.

Christmas!!!!!!

...is only 100 days away!! How is that possible?!?

Aaaanyhoo no time for contemplations about the passing of time - its my day over at Banana Frog and as its only 100 days to the big C (not to be confused with my big 40 which is ever looming (36 days and not really counting lol)) I've created an ATC advent thingymajigy over on the blog - click on the pretty picture underneath to visit

Just when you thought ArtsyCraft Events couldn't get any better...

I love working at the ArtsyCrafts events with the uber talented Leandra (PaperArtsy) & Lin(LBCrafts) and their FABULOUS creative weekends... but now they've managed to outdo themselves... if you are drinking while reading this I suggest you put the drink down before you read on....(or spluttering or spillage may occur)

brace yourselves...

In February next year ....

wait for it...... drum roll please...

Tim Holtz will be coming to the UK and teaching classes at ArtsyCrafts! Oh YES!!

You heard correctly - Tim Holtz, the one and only is coming to town!

See - just when you thought AC weekends couldn't get better! There are obviously no ends to Leandra and Lin's talents!
I can't put these things better than Leandra so head on over to the PaperArtsy blog where you'll get all the fabulous details - DON'T miss out - its going to be sooooo good! 
I must be jetlagged because at the moment I can't explain in words how excited I am about this weekend - its going to be so good! SOOOOOOO EXCITING! (there, caps 'll do it everytime!) You'll just have to imagine me doing my happy dance in front of my computer with intervals of happy clapping!!! to a soundtrack of overexcited squealing!



Pace yourselves - go read all the details and get your payment details ready: tickets go on sale 8pm on Monday.

Good luck.  Hope to see you there.

Phew!! Trains, Planes and Automobiles

Its been a busier week than normal.  Last week I (and dh) took:
taxis
2 planes
subway rides
1 ferry
1 boat
and 1 helicopter (oh yes! a helicopter!)
all as part of our trip to NEW YORK - yes the city that really is SO GOOD they named it twice! It was one of those holidays that you have to have another holiday to get over and rest! lol

I'll show you some (not all) (not enough time!) of the best bits of the trip, and some of the photos of things that made me laugh or inspired.

No rest for the wicked though! - This weekend I'll be demo'ing the Letterpress kit at the Craft Barn's Extravaganza - Saturday and Sunday - if you're planning on coming please stop by and say hello! If you buy Craft Stamper (and why wouldn't you?!) the Letterpress is what my article in this month's issue is all about.  There are also a few other CS design team on the list of demonstrators so come and say hello, but please - no heckling or throwing of tomatoes! lol

And finally, and by no means least - Leandra at PaperArtsy has a secret (and its a big one!) and I don't think she can keep it to herself much longer. If you pop over to her blog this evening she might just share the secret with you .. or maybe she won't... she likes to keep everyone guessing.....

Eye Candy!!!

Its been ages since I've been to Bluewater and I'd forgotten how great it is for inspiration or just to see things that make you go 'ooooh!' and 'aahhh'!

Hubby had to DRAG me away from the window of All Saints - (apparently its not the done thing to stroke shop windows...) not because of the clothes but because the window was FULL of antique sewing machines!!!!

I like antique sewing machines almost as much as I like buttons!  I was in one of our local charity shops a week or so ago (it was a tuesday,  12.30ish - I'm only telling you 'cos its important later) and there was a lovely machine - a treadle machine.  I've always wanted one, and this one was really cute - had a little cabinet but what made it even nicer was that it had all the bits and pieces still with it that the owner had used ... it was really obvious that it had been looked after - the treadle had a piece of carpet on it so feet didn't get cold, there was a sewing kit and threads etc it was lovely... and for £20!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I thought about it and almost bought it but then my practical sensible voice inside said "really?! why do you want it, where will you put it?". 

I left and went to see a friend and her V cute puppy but in the end it got the better of me and I went back to buy the machine (£20.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! bargain!!)..... at 4.45pm  ... can you see where this is going?  NOOOOO! in that 4-hour-ish gap ON A TUESDAY AFTERNOON!!! somebody else had gone in and thought "hmm thats what I need today! a vintage sewing machine" NOOOOOOOO!!!! what are the chances of that! (and did I mention it was raining?!) (seriously what were the chances!!)

(I blame the puppy - if he hadn't been so damn cute I wouldn't have been cooing over him for so long would I! and I'd probably have a nice vintage sewing machine!) (and breeeeaaathe....)

So the moral of the story is - buy it when you see it!!

aaanyhoo on a less ranting note Marks&Spencer have a lovely colour range of home furnishings at the moment - dark teals, greys and burgundy plums.... mmm v nice! and how nice is the felt flower cushion on the chair...

Oops and sorted!

Doh! on Wednesday my desk was all about the Critters (who are multiplying as we speak) and suggested that if people liked them then maybe they'd like to 'follow' them.... which would've been made much easier if I'd put a follow button on the site - which I hadn't! DOH!  (PS Doone - you weren't being 'blind' there wasn't a button invisible, hidden or other!)
Sorry about that, but its now sorted and the Critters have a button over on their site (to go see click on Critters photo on right).....
Please follow if you'd like too, ... but not too closely as they may scare easily and please don't feed them especially after midnight - if you've seen Gremlins then you know why! lol

Here's another addition - I'm not sure about its face - bit small for the body? Not quite right? but then thats part of the Critters' charm isn't it?! 

WOYWW

Greetings from sunny Westcliff!!  I had to point out the 'sunny' part of that because its been a while since the sun put in appearance  - I don't mean to be picky but its August and so I EXPECT sun!!

Anyhoo back to the subject in hand.... before I post a piccy of my desk this week (and don't get over excited but its a completely different desk! ta da) :
I'd like to thank those of you who gave me some information about New York - much appreciated.. and to those of you who wanted to sneak into my suitcase sorry, and much as I'd have loved your company I'm sure, but the case is quite full already (I'm a 'keep packing until you have to sit on it to close it' type of suitcase packer!  lol only joking...ish). 
So thanks, and sorry in equal measures!

Here's the desk:  Its all about the Critters today - making them to sell next month (it'll be hard to see them go...).  Its all going to get very exciting in CritterVille - new additions in many forms arriving left right and centre (go here to meet the gang...)

The desk is across the room from the one I generally show you.. its the 'sewing' desk - I try to keep it clean(ish)
So, from left right - bind it all (haven't put it away yet, ahem), sewing machine, behind the machines are some of my buttons (you can never have too many can you? (well, yes according to a friend of my who has a phobia of them)), fabric for turning into Critters, cuttlebug for cutting out some shapes for faces etc (oooh I have a new wing die - and I'm not afraid to use it!) and in the backgound are a few of my houses ready for sale.... thats a lot of stuff on one desk isn't it!  When I actually start creating I will clear it off a bit (where I'm going to put it I don't know - might need another table rofl)

Off you all go to snoop about - when I've made my Critter quota for the day that's exactly what I'll be doing!
Happy snooping!

PS - The Critters would love some new followers - so if you like them please follow them!  :o)  You wouldn't want to hurt their feelings would you??

Banana Frog day!

Hop on over to the blog to see what I made this month......

WOYWW - its been a while!

Here it is - my desk - do you notice anything about it? go on, look carefully.... yep thats right - its clearer! I was going to say tidier but then that might be pushing the believability a bit too far - but it is clearer - less 'stuff' around the edges... oh come on course there is look at the white bits- that desk top!  So other things on there are my little sketchbook (in centre with pink spots on page), essential cup of coffee, coloured rubons (recently dug those out of the stash (buried deep!) I'd forgotton how nice they are!), PaperArtsy stamps, Hero Arts stamps and samples for a class, oh and not forgetting the very important general 'stuff'

Right you lovely snoopers - I need your help please (no not another plant identification - got my sambucus!) - I'm planning a trip to New York (oh yeah! New York baby - so good they named it twice!) and I'd like your recommendations for what I should do while I'm there - not the obvious stuff - I've already got a list as long as my arm of that (Statue of Liberty etc) but unusual stuff.... answers on a postcard, sorry, in the comments section please!

Thanks muchly in advance for any info!

And if you want to know what all this desk snooping is about head on over to Julia's blog and she'll explain everything, and you'll find a list of all the other desks that are open for viewing...

Right, other peeps' worktops here I come!

Another addition to CritterVille..

..please go and check it out - make it welcome over on the Critter Blog

WOYWW

What's on my Worktop Wednesday...

MESS mainly - thats what is on my desk - OK its creative mess but MESS all the same! lol ... and the necessary cup of coffee, and some in progress class samples for Imagine That
(and bits of work that are on a looooong to do list - do you all have those - a to do lis that never ends!  Love it, but for once I'd love to clear it too! lol)

Thats it for this week - I'm off to work through the list.  I'll pop round later for a visit/nose about...

less painting... more sewing

I love to sew & thats what I spent yesterday doing - I made this out of 2 new tea-towels

I couldn't find a peg bag for sale in any shops - let alone one that I liked so I made my own! *patting myself on back*
I had some fabric left over, and I need to make some Critters to sell at Village Green in September so I made a couple  go check them out on the Critter's blog

Onwards and upwards.... back to paper and paint.....

Getting all 'painty'...

...and loving it!   I signed up for Claudine Hellmuth's online class and yesterday I started working through the 'lessons'.  The classes are about paint and mixed media and I'm really enjoying it - revisiting techniques that I'd forgotten about or hadn't used before... and getting myself and the surrounding areas covered in paint.. even Bertie(cat) is sporting a smudge of blue paint but I'm really not sure how that happened....

Aaaanyhoo for the class we're building up a samples book and I'm making mine out of the Papermania chipboard book I showed a few posts ago (go here).. It was v cheap and I didn't know how it would take paint etc and how much it might warp..
I said I'd let you know how the albums fared and so ... drum roll please ... here are the findings of my 'not-very-scientific-paint/chipboard' experiment...

exhibit a: acrylic paint applied to ONE side:

Look how lovely and flat they still are.. normally with chipboard I'd expect to need to paint both sides to balance it up and keep it 'flat' (I think the not warping is helped by the kraft paper cover-layer that the boards have- maybe stops the moisture from soaking into the boards??)

exhibit b: paint, gesso, embossing powders, more paint (in several layers when it didn't go right the first time..):

Not too bad! I think they'll be even flatter once I've put them under something heavy for a few hours...

So I am happy to report (straightening out white lab coat and consulting clipboard) that the Papermania chipboard albums are well worth their £3.00 price tag!

There ends todays crafting lesson.