Tuesday 29 April 2008

Oooops day

Thought I'd share my recent ooopsus with you, yesterday another lot of shelves in my craft room gave way (think I'm on the third lot now - it's not overloading, its weak walls!). What a sickner, so much stuff on the floor I couldn't get into my room. Oh hum.

Anyway, that was yesterday, today at QVC Dawn and JJ came in and I sent them to the wrong studio (the one we were in was nice and convenient for the enterance, the one I sent them too was the one down the corridor up the lift.......you get the drift!!), then managed to trip over and break not one but two light boxes!!! Can anyone out there beat that?

Now on a completely "uncrafty and unrelated to anything subject", who watches that program where they go into haunted places every week? Sorry, the name has escaped me. Now I've only watched one or two episodes, but they all went in this spooky castle, had a camera with night vision on, did a lot of screaming, felt abit cold, did some more screaming, made the camera go wobbly then came out.......all present and correct with no ghost in sight. From what I can gather they do this every week. I could do that!!!! Whoever thought of that idea's cracked it - you don't even need to go in a different location cos it's all dark. I would even get Nicky to run round in a white sheet to get more ratings. haha, only teasing. But the concept of it does make me giggle. Sorry if your a massive fan of the program, I'm not having a go at you at all, but has anyone ever seen a ghost or spirit yet - or do they just need to stick the heating and the lights on? I know our Jane and Jen used to love it, but it just makes me laugh. What do you think - is it fully of strange castles and creepy ghosts, or weird people and creepy hosts?

Well, that's my thought of the day!! Anyone think I've been working with adhesive for to long?

Well, better get on with some ATC trades hadn't I, Dawn brought down another carrier bag full (definately not grumbling about that though, had a peek and there are some lovely cards).

Loving the Fab Friday enteries so far, keep up the great work.
xxxx
Leonie

Friday 25 April 2008

Fab Friday note...

To see my glitter you will need to click on the photo to enlarge the image (I did use glitter - honest).
xxx

Fab Friday 6 ?? (ish)

Phew, running abit late today (later than anticipated - had alot of trouble loading the photo's)!! I've been working, waiting for a parcel (which I missed - had to nip to the bank and that's when he came. I'd been in all day waiting, until 3 in the afternoon, grrrrrr. They wait round the corner for you to leave don't they.......grumble grumble). I've managed to print more Welcome pack leaflets (my chap who was doing my printing isn't, so it's back to my trusty printer - so I apologise now if they arn't quite as professional as I would like). Erm, even hung out some washing. Starving, so I'll stop the waffle and get this posted.

This week the challenge is

A little bit of Glitter

The two cards I have done this week are using glitter where I generally wouldn't. I'm working on a QVC kit, so have lots of big bottles of glitter glue, so had a play. The first card was made using paper ribbon, which I layered on using the glitter glue. I used two different colours, and made sure some of the fibres were left unglittered. Using light paper allows you to see the glitter underneath, so adds depth to the card. I then stamped on two pieces of the ribbon, and attached these to the card again using the glitter glue. I managed to find a clear sticker, with the definition of sparkle, then added two floral paper embellishments using silicone. I used ink to edge the card and create a frame. Oops, also twisted some of the ribbon and added this to the card which again adds dimension.

The second card was made using scraps from a newspaper. I picked out words to form a sentence, and used Gesso to cover the rest. Using acrylic paints I added colour and shade, and a few doodles. A paper wave was added to the bottom of the card, then of course a touch of glitter.

As usual I really look forward to seeing your creations, you can use loose glitter, or glitter glue. You can plum for a little, or a lot. This gives you the option to do something pretty, or something a little different.

Get glittery!!
xxxx
Leonie



Wednesday 23 April 2008

QVC and the Ladies

Well this week was another double whammey (spelling looks abit dodgy there!), for our visit to QVC, plus we were joined by the lovely Beryl, Carol, Brenda and Lucy (competition winners and their friends). If any of the ladies are having a read then "hello", I hoped you had a lovely time, we enjoyed meeting you and I loved being in charge of the "proper" mike again (power!!). It makes me feel like I'm doing real interviews, really good fun. Everyone seemed really confident on screen, I hope your mates got to see you Lucy (haha). All the cards were brilliant as well.

I also managed to get some of my Welcome Packs sent out (phew). I know there has been a bit of a wait, I'm going to set stuck into making some more ATC's for more packs this evening. Thought I'd pop on a photo so you can see my work in progress (this is when I'm working in the evening in front of the telly!).

There are some fantastic enteries into the Fab Friday this week, love doing it and seeing all your work. Make sure you have a look at the comments and follow the links (or click on the person's name if there is no link to see their blog). Still time to take part in this weeks, whilst I put my thinking cap on for the next one.
xxxx
Leonie

Saturday 19 April 2008

Update on Flickr

Hi folks, just a quick message to let you know I've popped a few club member ATC's on the Flickr page. I've managed to download a "thing" which allows me to crop and play with my photo's. Okay, everything else on the computer now seems to have slowed down, but the download programme thing was free!! Thought I'd get some photo's on here quickly before I break my computer again.

Whilst on the subject of computers whats the general opinion on Digital Scrapbooking? I just don't really get it. Where's the paper? Where's the embellishments and fibres to play with? I suppose it's not as messy, and the pages look good, but I just feel its cheating in a way. Maybe I need to have a go, and see how easy/difficult it really is. I mean, we can all cut and paste, but where's the creativity in that!! I'm here to be told otherwise, so if anyone more knowlegdeable than me in this subject would like to put me right then I'd love your comments. Might even run a pole (I like the poles).

Don't forget the Fab Friday challenge. I love Carolyn's, the mint with the hole!! Great idea.

xxxx
Leonie

Friday 18 April 2008

Fab Friday Challenge 6

Hello again, it's Friday!!! That came round quickly didn't it. I hope everyone has had a good week. I was in QVC twice this week with Dawn and JJ. It was JJ's birthday on Wednesday, (Happy Birthday J, just in case your having a read). We went out for a lovely meal with Jayne on Tuesday evening, as Jayne has left Personal Impressions so it was a "congratulations on your new job, but sorry your leaving do". It was lovely to see her again and a really nice evening.

On the Wednesday Nicky and I had a day off. Went into Greenwich and had a brilliant Indian meal (lots of eating this week so far eh!). I treated myself (really shouldn't have, but needed a bit of cheering), I bought a batch of books for altering. Always worried that I wouldn't actually be able to cut a book up, so I choose one's that were very cheap and obviously needed some care and attention. Really got inspired, so hopefully I'll be able to have fun working on a new project. Also bought Banksy's book (Wall and Piece). It's fab. I love his work, the humour and the rebellion of it adds to the wonderful art-work. I'd definately love to see more Graffiti if it took the Banksy form, as opposed to just scribbly names everywhere. The graffiti that seems to odorn so many walls is just boring really isn't it, and just looks messy. Anyhow, I'm not going to hit the street with my paint cans, it's much to cold and I'd spend half a day looking at the wall wondering what to do, get bored and probably just end up buying a bag of chips and going home........

Anyhow, that's a quick update, and now for this weeks challenge.

Holey Moley

No adea what that expression means, or comes from, but I was thinking holes. So the challenge is to create something with holes. You can rip and tear your holes, punch them, use them as frames for something fantastic underneath.

I used my QuicKutz to punch the larger holes, then plier punches to make the smaller holes. I inked the edges of the cream card, and also inked the larger holes, then attached a ribbon round one section of the card, which I tied in a knot. I attached the holey card to a piece of green bazzil with 3D foam (and some silicone glue on the parts where the small holes were quite frequent. Attached a little piece of ribbon at the top with a large green brad, and then finished with some flowers which I also cut using the QuicKutz. I attached the flowers with silicone and finished with a little Stickles glitter glue.

Looking forward to seeing some of your creations.

xxxx




Saturday 12 April 2008

Duh!!!

haha, now no-one's pointed out we're not on Fab Friday 4 it's supposed to be 5!!! And I can count that on my fingers so I've no excuses. Spent to long trying to make ATC's for my new club members (sorry to all those people waiting for their welcome pack). I'll pop a photo of my creations when finished. No ATC or crafty work this weekend, Nicky's sisters are visiting so we'll be out and about. Might even see a little bit of the Marathon, give them a cheer.

Don't forget to get your magical thoughts flowing for the challenge.
xxx
Leonie

Friday 11 April 2008

Fab Friday ##4

This weeks challenge is

Could it be Magic

You can use anything magical - fairies, dragons, witches. I choose magical things for this week because of one of the kits I worked with for QVC. I loved it, so borrowed it and had a play. I'm not keen on my door, I would have liked to have played around abit more if I had a little more time, but had to grumble to myself and make do for now! (Otherwise all my other jobs will go out the window). Also, my computer crashed last week, and one of the programs I used for cropping my photo's has disappeared so my photo's are abit scruffy this week. Sorry. Hope you like the stamps I've used as much as I did - especially the Dragon, and hope you get inspired and send lots of magical cards.

Have fun




I used Wizzard stamps from Woodware, designed by Francoise Read (available from Topaz crafts (quote FRCL038) or QVC number 586809). One card was used as the door, with the dragon protecting it - the dragon was stamped using staz-on, coloured using Le Plumes, white gel pen and Perfect Pearls to give a bit of sparkle. I made the hinges using little pieces of card attached with strong double sided tape. Inside is the Wizzards room, with the caldron, broom, Potion, frog and spider images. The background has been hand drawn and coloured in using water pencils and Le Plumes. The other images have been stamped and coloured in. A little Perfect Pearls was added, again to add that magical sparkle.
xxxx
Leonie

Monday 7 April 2008

Snow and QVC


Well how cool (literally) was yesterday. We had snow. It looked beautiful, and the dogs loved it. Took them out in the morning when it was lovely and fresh. There was people making snowmen, sledging and generally having fun. Obviously forgot my camera until the afternoon walk, when it was already melting away. We still managed to have a good time - I've captured the dogs in mid-flight trying to catch the snow I was kicking up for them.

Hope some of you will tune in this evening, I am on QVC at 9pm. It's a sale hour so there should be plenty of bargins - love a bargin.

Remember to join in on the Friday challenge, plenty of time to recycle those choccy bar wrappers.
xxx
Leonie

Friday 4 April 2008

Fab Friday #3

Gosh, is it only the third week.....seems like I've been doing this for ages.

Well, this week I'm cheating a little, I'm pinching a challenge I did as part of the Club, but I liked it so much thought I would do it here as well.

The theme is: Recycle
You can use anything, as long as it is recylced - from bean can labels to shells. Some of the cards that passed through my grubby fingers when I ran this in the club were fantastic, and so creative.

I have used old newpapers and a magazine cutting. I love this technique, and it was the first time I'd had a play (I got the idea from Bernie Berlin's fantastic book Artist Trading Card Workshop - see her brilliant blog for order details). I stuck old newspaper print to a pre-cut ATC, then cut out a picture from the Sky magazine (knew it would come in handy). I covered the full card with a layer of white gesso, allowing some places to be lighter than others. When dry I painted over the image of my lady, changing the image almost completely (she didn't start out quite as goofy!). I then colour tinted the rest of the card with red and brown inks and stamped randomly using Staz on. The words "Little Dreams" where then cut from the paper and added using a good clear drying glue. Really enjoyed doing this card, such good fun.


Pico Award


I'd like to say a big thank you to the lovely Fabrizio for this lovely award, I was really pleased you picked me out of all the fabulous blogs that are out there.

I'll follow the rules of the Pico award, the first one being I need to list the rules!:

1) You have to pick 5 blogs that you consider deserve
this award for their creativity, design, interesting
material, and also contributes to the blogging
community, no matter what language.

2) Each award has to have the name of the author and
also a link to his or her blog to be visited by everyone.

3) Each award winner has to show the award and put
the name and link to the blog that has given her or him
the award itself.

4) Award-winner and the one who has given the prize
have to show the link of "Arte y Pico" blog , so
everyone will know the origin of this award.

http://arteypico.blogspot.com/


5) To show these rules.

Fabrizio's blog, which you should visit is:
http://craftingmad.blogspot.com

I would like to award the Pico Award to the following people for their wonderful creativity and inspiration:

Liz
http://rarelizzie.wordpress.com

Paula
http://www.paulapascual.com

Sarah
http://whimsy-dreams.typepad.com/my_weblog

Bernie Berlin
http://aplacetobark.blogspot.com
http://bernieberlin.blogspot.com

Donna
http://inklover.wordpress.com

I found it sooo difficult choosing just 5 people, there are so many brilliant blogs out there with fabulous work - how can you scale it down to 5!!!

Anyway, thank you again Fabrizio xxx