Christmas lights

Thank you to everyone who sent me get well messages. I did indeed return to full health - it was only a cold but the sore throat was a pain! To celebrate:



Yep, I can eat again. Great.

With my return to health came a obsession to get a Christmas tree - NOW!!

So we did, and it's beautiful. We had a lovely Christmas dinner on Monday, courtesy of Adam, and we all helped decorate the tree.




Real tree! Love it.

Then the oranges began to dry on the radiators and fire:



And look at the fir cone stash I've managed to find, and they're big. They are sticky with sap that smells lovely, but is incredibly sticky - definite contender to beat pinflair!!




Crafting is great at Christmas isn't it. I'm going to make wreaths with the holly and fir tree. Add cinnamon to everything - especially the oranges whilst they're drying, smells divine. I even want to do some sewing. We'll see how all that goes.

Okay, back to slicing oranges before Anne Marie calls and we can go and feed.
Cx

Movember.....

.......owww, almost too late!! Okay, what is Movember. Well, work has been over run with blokes and tashes. Loads of, well, hair! This is all in aid of charity to raise awareness and money for prostate and testicular cancer. The blokes at work have been doing a great job of fundraising, and of course, the girls have to help when we can - so we tashed up, and did our bit for the boys!



Please, if you haven't already donated to this important cause, then visit Dan's page, here's the link:

Movember Dan's Tash!!

Thank you so much, and here's the man himself sporting a damn fine tash (and Mr Frisby, mmmm, that's not real now is it Mr Fris!! Tut tut).

The lurgy got me

So, a couple of weeks ago this was me "manuka honey is amazing. Everyone's had a cold and I'm fine. I never catch colds, look at me, miss vitamin c...yadda yadda", so I suppose I deserve it. The nose of rudolf, and a throat that feels like I've eaten a course of cheese graters. I thought, cool, good for the diet. Nope, all I've been able to drink and eat are milkshakes, eggs or pasta.

No more manuka honey, but would I have got a cold sooner! Would it have been worse!! Dont you just hate it when you buy into the hype and can't get out of it.

Anyhow, the snuffles are retreating but my throat is awful. Joanne said the only answer is to gargle with tcp. Tomorrow that may be my last resort.....urgh.

It's a sickner as not only have I not been able to go to work, but I'm missing going to Jo Channons shop tomorrow. I was really looking forward to demonstrating. I'll get there, eventually. Anyone going have a brilliant time, if you don't know about it yet then go down, the wonderful Sheena Douglas is there tomorrow (sob, would have been such a good day). Here's Jo's address:

http://www.letcreateuk.com

Hopefully it'll be business as usual next week and I'll be chatting everyone's ears off.

Keep away from germy folk xxx


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Hunkydoray

Had a fast old show today with the hunkydoray blockbuster. The first one was with Ruth, but she hit the road so the second was just little me and the team. Had a craft of course:



This is my fav colour selection, backing those shaped cards with holographic paper makes it shine even more!




And the flower is a touch of luxury!




Love working with acetate, so this mixed with papers and toppers made a quick card that looks anything but...can you spot magic hands?:



Haha, here they are, our Howard and Andrea



Good day today, off to celebrate my Pete passing his driving test first time. Hooray!!!xx

Spellbinders..and now to play!!

Well I wanted to use our new stamps, and had a magazine article to write, so thought I would dig out the brand new (to my web site anyhow) Spellbinders. I love these, and they allow you to really play.

First I stamped and coloured our new stamp. The detail on these is really incredible. I really like them (I can say that as Sandy drew them!). I coloured the image using Spectrum Noirs.



For the background I used one of the embossing folders, I think this one was the Walrus and the Carpenter, and then set to cutting. I used the Parisian Accents, the border I cut twice from coredinations card, and interlocked the borders together. This is easy to do, but gives the border a completely different look.






I then cut two of the smaller accents, these are incredibly versatile. Again I interlocked them, and tucked one piece behind my main image to again transform the look of the die cut.



Dont throw away your scraps!! For those who like to fiddle and mess, I used the waste to add an embellishment to the left and right hand side of the card, finishing with a little drop of the white enamel accents.




No card is complete without a touch of ribbon, and I love the crinkle edge ribbon. A bow looked to much for my delicate image, so I opted to use just a knot, which I think is the perfect finishing touch.

Altogether a fun card to make, especially combining the wonderful Spellbinders with our new stamps.

You can purchase the new and exclusive stamps, embossing folders, spellbinders and ribbon from our website, by just clicking
HERE

New stamps....sneaky peak!!

We have them in our sticky mitts (very sticky, but that's down to the grapefruit and honey!). Sticky phone as well now....anyway, the first set has arrived. I'm working on them today, but wanted to show you the atc's that have gone out with the last orders...hope you like (will be appearing on the web site today www.leoniepujol.co.uk




- used the new distress inks as well, of course! New toy!! :)
Xxx

Sue Wilson and her magical spellbinders

What a glorious POW we have this week. Spellbinders are amazing arnt they. And Sue creates such fabulous designs with them. As usual I wanted the lot. Id love to have one of those mega deals arriving just for me! How cool would that be.

I took a few photos of some of my favourite cards that Sue had brought in, difficult, there's not a dodgy one amongst them!




















Then of course, had to have one of me and Sue



Sue will be on our screens this week, don't miss out. And of course, make sure you visit Sue's blog if you haven't already:
Www.particraft.blogspot.com
Xx

Test....phone playing up!!

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Air Dry Clay and Gleams

I thought I had better try and finish one small project from my air dry clay, and I wanted to use the lovely Gleams. These are a new gilding wax which look fantastic on a range of different surfaces. Apply with either a soft cloth or fingertip onto raised surfaces such as dimensional paste, embossed images, polymer clay etc. for that extra added wow! Buff to provide a delicate lustre.

Wait until your clay has dried (I left over night, due to the fact I worked until late!!). Then just take a little wax on your finger and gently rub into the clay. Don't rub to hard, you only need a slight application. I then embossed a piece of card and repeated with the same set of Gleams. They look fantastic, and don't need any sealant.










You can see the before and after on both the black clay and the plain card, it makes such a difference. Check them out on my website by clicking HERE

Air dry clay - play!

Okay, thought I'd better post this as I know it's gonna be a long one!

Air dry paper clay. Lightweight. Versatile. Cool.

First I rolled it flat:



Folded it over and rolled again, to sandwich together and get a thicker piece. Cut down to neaten it up, if you wish:



Colour tinting is great. You can do this whilst its wet or dry. You can use a variety if different mediums. Play. I used my new winter distress inks and a stippling sponge to give texture and an uneven look:






Ink up your stamp, and gently push into the clay. Because the clay is fine it will grab the detail of your stamp, so you can go for something quite delicate:



It's a thick piece of clay to remember to colour the edges with matching ink:



Make a smaller embellishment, using the same process:



Remove dog hair!!!



Haha. Okay, you can pick up your ink from your craft mat and paint your clay as you would with paper:



And now assemble. I've added an extra white piece of clay, to break up the pattern so I can effectively mat and layer my pieces. Before gently squishing your pieces together play around with composition:









Toppers! Lightweight for cards or jewellery. Ready to be varnished and glazed!



Use your clay with stamps, moulds, masks and stencils.






Brilliant for beads. I've rolled it with bits of metal leaf, a plastic bag - even burnt it!!



I'm good at burning things, something I manage most evenings when cooking. With this however, much more fun!
You can also sculpt some fabulous flowers, again it dries incredibly lightweight, so large embellishments don't have to weight a tonn (this looked better before I attacked it with the lighter):



I was going to make some finished pieces, but that may have to be tomorrow - bedtime. Have fun with your clay.

Clay, inks and metal flake available on my web site:
Www.leoniepujol.co.uk

Handmade bears

For my last birthday (you know, the one we don't mention!) I had a wonderful gift sent by Nick, which I didn't share! Rude, I know. Here's Arthur:




Isn't he fab. He's even got a coin with my birthday year on! Wonderful, thank you so much Nick. However, you've started something! A can of worms has been opened. Poor Arthur can't be on his own. At the NEC this year I saw the most wonderful collection of handmade bears, they are fantastic, check em out:



They are on my must have list! Need to save up for these though!!
Xxx

Christmas cake recipe

Christmas Cake Recipe

Ingredients:

* 2 cups flour
* 115 grams of butter
* 1 cup of water
* 1 tsp baking soda
* 1 cup of sugar
* 1 tsp salt
* 1 cup of brown sugar
* Lemon juice
* 4 large eggs
* Nuts
* 2 bottles wine
* 2 cups of dried fruit

Sample the wine to check quality. Take a large bowl, check the wine again. To be sure it is of the highest quality, pour one level cup and drink. Repeat. Turn on the electric mixer. Beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl. Add one teaspoon of sugar. Beat again. At this point it's best to make sure the wine is still OK. Try another cup... Just in case. Turn off the mixerer thingy. Break 2 eggs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit.

Pick the frigging fruit up off floor. Mix on the turner.. If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaterers just pry it loose with a drewscriver. Sample the wine to check for tonsisticity. Next, sift two cups of salt. Or something. Check the wine. Now shift the lemon juice and strain your nuts. Add one table. Add a spoon of sugar, or somefink. Whatever you can find. Greash the oven. Turn the cake tin 360 degrees and try not to fall over. Check the wine. Don't forget to beat off the turner. Finally, throw the bowl through the window. Finish the wine. Wipe worktop with cat.

Go to Tecsos for cake!


- Leonie

A day of cleaning - great!

that's it, the Hoover silenced
The bissell tucked away
The steamer signs to sleep
Another thankless cleaning day
I feel I ought to weep

tomorrow, let's be frank
It'll all look much the same
For even though we feel we're winning
Cleaning, it's a losers game


- Leonie

Phew!

It's been such a good few days. Thank you to everyone who visited the stand, brilliant to meet so many lovely people. Our job is fantastic, but knowing you lot actually enjoy watching us makes it even better. Also thank you to everyone who brought us chocolate, cake, cards and of course my lovely little soft toy!! So cute. I'm now chilling out in my hotel room before tea with my slendertone belt on!! It's hilarious. Don't really care if it works or not, just feels funny!!!

I'm going to pop on some random photos, just because!!:

Me and Andrea, pulking a couple of the winners for our prize draw. Andrea literally folded over 900 raffle tickets so we could do it properly!!


The tickets were prepared



We attempted to enlist the dogs help. They were rubbish at picking winners



So we had to do it!






Winners have been notified, and we'll pop pics of the goodies! Another prize draw or maybe a competition this time - will be announced on the web site shortly :) xxx

Keep an eye on it
www.leoniepujol.co.uk