All shopped out!

Especially for Steph at Stamping & Sharing by Stephanie, here's a pic of the goodies I bought at the Hobbycraft show at the NEC yesterday.

Doesn't look much there considering how much I spent but I did get most things off 'my list'..... and some!  I seem to have gone a bit OTT on the stamp sets but I just had to have them all! Every other store seemed to be selling Memory Box dies, obviously the 'in' thing at the moment, but as far as dies are concerned all I bought was an Xcut nesting heart die and a Spellbinders Nestabilities (Labels Twenty) to go with a gorgeous Justrite stamp set; looking forward to playing with those. There were a few things I didn't get; Inkyliscious do some lovely, excellent value for money stamp sets, but the ones I wanted all sold out on the Thursday :( Will have to wait until pay day before I think about ordering them and another Spellbinders Nestabilities die I couldn't find.

Less Is More - Week 59 Masking

This time tomorrow I will be back home stroking all the lovely crafty things I'm planning on purchasing at the Hobbycraft show at the NEC! Fortunately, living in Birminhgam, the NEC is just a short hop away on the motorway for me - less than half an hour. I've chatted to ladies at shows before who have travelled miles and spent a small fortune just to get there.  I don't think I could ever be a country bumpkin, I'd miss the convenience of surburbia far too much! Last Friday I took my 8 year old daughter to see JLS at the LG Arena, then Daddy took our 4 year old to the NIA on the Saturday to see Disney on Ice, then back to the NEC for me tomorrow for a full day of craft shopping!
Anyway, the challenge over at Less is More this week is masking. I must confess, after watching the very talented Barbara Gray making brayering look sooooo easy, I more or less demanded a brayer for Christmas from my other half! Unfortunately, I've had very little success with it and it's only been out the box twice - ooops.  So the sunset (or sunrise?!) on this card was done with distress inks and a blending tool. The masking technique I used was the old favourite "circle punched post-it note for the sun" technique. I also tore some copier paper to mask the sky whilst inking in the landscape. I'm pretty pleased with the way it turned out, what do you think?

Papers: First Edition 'Desert Blooms'

Stamps: Inkyliscious 'The Coppice' and  'Take Flight - Birds'

Inks: Spiced Marmalade, Fired Brick, Brushed Courdroy and Mustard Seed Distress Inks,

Memento Rich Cocoa

Sentiment: Paula Pascual Double Sayings by Personal Impressions

Sarah Kay Vintage card and catch-up

It's been a while....again, but have found time to post a blog at last.  Still getting over a busy but fab weekend.  Went out Friday night to see a friend's brother in a Madness tribute band as they were playing at the OWMC just round the corner. Despite promising to one another that we wouldn't drink too much we were both hammered!  (£1.50 for a Bacardi and coke is practically giving it away don't you think???!)  Worst thing was, had to get up on Saturday morning for a day's craft shopping at the ICHF show at the NEC!  Shouldn't really have driven the way I felt but started to feel better about lunch time when the serious spending started.  Had a really good day with my crafting buddy L and bought lots of  lovely goodies.

Spent last night making this card for one of the nursey staff at YD's nursery who left today :(

She's been there for both of my girls and is a very special person.  Am so sad she's leaving and won't be there' til YD goes to school, but on the positive side we'll now be able to be 'friends' rather than parent/employee.

The image is a Sarah Kay design which I just looooove; the detail is amazing!  Coloured it with distress ink and a watercolour brush and love the effect.  Also used a new Magnolia stamp for the background - it's called Valentine letter- and a new Tim Holtz texture fades embossing folder, you like?!