Friday Smile No 6

It's Friday Smile time courtesy of Annie Wipso

I'm brave enough to confess that these two oggle eyed nutters are Neet and I whilst we were let loose in a toy shop! 

Will we ever grow up?  

 Well why should we?

A few special words of wisdom from children.... no wonder teachers turn to drink!

If you need a few more smiles head over to Annie's blog and there may be some more nutters  lovely people out there just like me!

WOYWW 194

It's Wednesday! Time again for a snoop courtesy of WOYWW. 

 The detailed instruction book will be on display at Head Office, 

over at the Snoop HQ,  Stamping Ground, alias Julia's Blog.

So here's some of the action in my crafty place ...

First a good recycling tip...If you buy wrapping paper from IKEA, save the inner roll of brown card as it can be really useful for crafting.  I stuck together two layers to make a heavier weight card which, when dry, was perfect to make manilla style tags of any size. I managed to cut 12 out of one inner roll of card.

They are still supple enough to be crumpled and take various inks well.

After our trip to Stitches at the NEC (see previous post) I was inspired to make this tag, using one of my recycled tags, and spend some time experimenting. 

The face is stamped onto Mica so it was hard to photograph, due to the sheen, but I think the finished effect can still be seen reasonably well.

Below is a make and take I did at the show and I really like the effect on the bird. 

We stuck double sided sticky sheet onto mount board (leaving the other side of the non stick backing on) then die cut the bird. The non stick backing was removed and copper foil was rubbed very roughly and somewhat  streakily onto the sticky surface. Embossing  powder was sprinkled onto the remaining sticky areas then heat set giving a lovely texture.

Not too messy on my desk after my crafty session 

I'm off down to the South Coast, all on my lonesome, next week to see the Brighton Belles and as I'm taking the cheap option and travelling by coach I won't be around to post for WOYWW. Have fun and be good but be warned I'll still be spying on you all!

Stitches NEC

We drove down to Birmingham yesterday to attend the Stitches Trade show, at the NEC, with Carol and Fred of Stampattack and had a really good, but tiring day there. Not as many demos on the stands as usual but we did think that the event was quite sophisticated in it's staging, which I really enjoyed. 

Carol braved through it cheerfully, despite having had an operation only 10 days ago, but she wizzed around happily in her motorised "turbo charged" mobility vehicle.

I loved the Sissix displays in so many different themes.

Everyone adored this paper peacock dress, which I think was also at CHA

 We had a chat and a laugh with Dyan Reaveley and watched her demo

 Love her giant polymer masks and stamps for journalling

Carol found the biggest owl ever

Amazing pieces of art from Andy Skinner

Last but not least we met up with lovely Leandra of PaperArtsy and snapped this pic especially for my dear friend Dolores. We're all colour co-ordinated!

 Leandra had finished demming and apologised that she didn't have any  samples for me to send to Dolores, as they'd all be given away.

I didn't see another WOYWW badge all day although mine was proudly pinned on. It was also good to see Jennie Artistic Stamper a couple of times. 

Friday Smile 5

On Fridays we share a smile to set the weekend off right all because our lovely Annie Wipso had the idea that we should join her regular slot. we'eee'll.... let me tell you....

A couple of years ago we enjoyed the most fabulous trip to Ireland and besides all the wonderful places we saw it was the character and humour of the place that was so special. 

I have a series of really ODD photos as a result and this below might be one, to be sure, don't yer know!!? Well it is, it is!!

 I spotted this road sign near Sneem in Kerry......

What's so funny do I hear you say?

Well, I swear that we checked all around and then for miles but there wasn't a drop of water even as small as a puddle anywhere to be found. Not even a tap. No explanation and nobody living in the area (in the pubs) could explain it, and weren't we daft for asking? 

Maybe it was just for the leprechauns in case it rained.

Last week somehow I didn't link my Friday Smile correctly and Annie suggests you should go back and take a peek at Annette's Dammit Doll and accompanying poem which you should have seen.

Annette Voodoo Vixen is off on her travels, this time to Oz and I wish her the best of luck.

Here's hoping you'll settle quickly, Annette, and be very happy there in all the lovely sunshine!!!

That's good enough for an extra smile

and for even more pop over to Annie's place!

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day

I spotted this balloon in Liverpool One, my city centre shopping centre. Couldn't miss it as it's about 20 feet across but I do love the sentiment and I hope you've all found the ONE!

WOYWW 193

To spy on the action in crafty spaces around the globe,  Julia, our lovely lady leader, will give you the links to so many over at the stamping ground... it's a great snoop!

 so here's my weekly bout of confession for WOYWW 193

It's a Twofer, (Two for one) or a BOGOF, (Buy One Get One Free) today as I'm spreading my mess around the house and showing two workspaces. 

No 1 work station....

I'm working on a tiny coffee table in the living room making fancy dress head dresses for the Curly Girlies princess outfits. Lots of luscious trims are being stitched and glued onto grungeboard then a coat of Glossy Accents to make everything secure.

Here's one I made earlier. I made the fronts to tie on and off a stretch sequinned headband which stays on the Curly Girly's heads better than the plastic headbands.

I put a heater in my craft room so I could face the scary morass which met me as I opened the door. Once it was warm, ........(brace yourself before looking) ....................

this is what I had to tackle.......

wait for it... some of you may need to lie down after the shock.....

the shock of the accumulated mess but I'm blaming the cold weather.... 

For weeks, I kept opening the door to grab what I needed or to plop it back in there onto the table  whilst I crafted in the living room, the dining room, the bedroom..... anywhere warm!!

Ta dah!! No 2 workstation in all it's glory!

Ah, ha! but if you look below and you can heave a sigh of relief to see that it's all getting back to the realms of sanity with space to craft at last... and stay that way for a while.....if only I remember to put a heater in the room before I need to venture in there.

Now if I had shown this without the previous pic you would have thought it was just a mess, but having seen the real mess this now looks simply amazing!!! Good psychology!! Yep? Nah!!

There on my desk is my new heavy duty teflon mat ... a baking sheet from Aldi for £3.50. I can fully recommend them. They will roll up to take to workshops and they last so much longer than the pricey brown craft mats. 

You can also spy my new vice for my jewellery making which was also from Aldi for only £6.99 and comes in the suction version (above) or the clamp version. I bought one of each so they will fit anywhere I wish to work and I will have two for when Donna comes round to make treasures with me!

To spy on more action in crafty spaces Julia our lady leader will give you the links to so many more over at the stamping ground... it's a great snoop!

Last week I did a last minute trip to the craft show in Manchester at Event City and it was great to meet so many WOYWWers in person. 

L to R, here's me (JoZarty), Chris (pearshapedcrafter) at the back AnnB (Anniestamper, then Pat Crafter in front and Annie (Liverpool Lou) 

I also met up with Lynn Doodly Bird and Anne (Redanne) and Mo but they escaped a pic as I couldn't stay long enough to meet up again later.

I must say that I was the only one wearing a WOYWW badge!

Why not also  pop over to LillyBo Quilts to see Janet Fairythoughts Noddy Quilt.. It's a treat! 

Friday Smile

It's Friday and Friday is fast becoming a tradition, thanks to Annie,(Wipso) to post something that will make everyone smile. 

This week, thanks to Annette, Voodoo Vixen, I may even make you all, not just smile but laugh, and I'm sure Annette won't mind me sharing this funny poem which she included with the toy and her LilliBo Quilt. 

I didn't, at first read the poem, which I missed on the reverse of Annette's tag, but I really laughed when I did, so hope you do too and start the weekend off with a good chuckle. 

I may just make myself one of these Dammit Dolls as it will come in very useful now and then, I'm sure.

Pop over to LillyBo to see the other reason I am smiling as you will see the super quilts, toys and bag that arrived from Jo Twiglet, just in time to be part of the very first handover to CHICS on Wednesday,and there's a picture of that too! 

WOYWW 192 & Still Sewing!

Ooops! I forgot it was Wednesday... that fateful day for showing my desk to the world thanks to the idea of Miss Julia, our prestigious Keeper of the Desks. You can criticise  all the flaws and praise all the goodies via Stamping-Ground, so get over there asap.

Here's a very quick glimpse into my own personal craft world today... quick will please Miss D but I almost forgot it was Wednesday as I've been so busy.

I've organised a cosy corner of my guest room as a haven for sewing. It's too cold out in my craftroom, unless I remember to add extra heating in there, so I can't just drift into it with, great abandon to create, without forethought and I don't have much of that spare!

On my desk I'm working on a LillyBo Quilt with an outer space theme which will be quite exciting for a young boy in hospital. Just finished it last night and it's there waiting for a final press before I take the first batch of treasures, made and donated by so many kind WOYWWers, up to the hospital today. Lots more gems to see over on LillyBo too.

Off to vist Miss D and as many of WOYWWers as I can, might see you there!

Zig Zag cards at Vicky Stampers

We enjoyed a great fun day at Victoria Stampers, yesterday, where we did a couple of inky, painty techniques and then a couple of folded cards, thanks to Carol who was our tutor for the day. I didn't take many pics as I was too busy catching up with all my friends and I think I gabbed more than I crafted. I did, however, manage to finish this Zig Zag card. I am certainly going to experiment with all the ideas and make some more.

Here's AnnB's lovely butterfly version. 

 Pop over to LillyBo Quilts blog and see the update as some the lovely quilts are starting to roll in for this worthwhile project.

There are more to come through the week too.

Annie's Friday Smile No 3

Some of you know that I've been making fancy dresses this week for my little grandees. Just after  Christmas, when the family was all together for the very first time EVER, it was wonderful (and the best reason for me to SMILE). While the little fraulein was here I had to make some other costumes.....matching Minny Mouse ears, all with red bows for all of the precious toys she brought on the plane with her. 

Now, in order of size, there was .....

Baxter Bear, Little Ted, Horsey, and Mouse (just peeping over her left elbow) all lined up for fitting.

I had to hide anything smaller eg., her Playmobil figures! 

Here they are, and I bet you are smiling, both at the pic and at the thought of my face as each toy was brought to me to stitch, stick and make those pesky little, teeny weeny, fiddly, minute, little ears. 

What we do for love!

Two smiles from me this week as I am smiling so much every time I see the wondrous results that have come in this week from lovely blogging friends for LillyBo Quilts and there are lots more to come. 

Take a look here to see all about this worthwhile project. 

  

 If you look back a page on Annie's blog you can see the beautiful quilt which she has made and her lovely Big Sister Jo has so kindly made one too.

 Once I've added the labels over the weekend, this batch will all be donated to the children in the hospital next week along with one of the special cards which I received this morning from SueH.

Pop over to Annie's blog at a stitch in time to set you up for the weekend with lots more SMILES!!

 Remember... if you're too busy to smile.... you're TOO BUSY!!

So keep smiling!