Saturday 27 June 2015

Happy Christmas

Good evening.....I have another early Christmas card this evening to show the new Christmas dies from Tonic Studios. I love kraft and tartan together so I have used a tartan background with an aperture which I made with the Winter Snowflake die mounted on 3d foam pads on top and a Regal Reindeer offset to the side.


If you fancy getting a head start on your Christmas cards these dies are well worth looking out for :)

Friday 26 June 2015

Thank You card

 Good morning.This is a "Thank You" card which I made last week using a couple of sets of recent die releases from Tonic Studios.
The newest Sentiment dies are so useful (especially this one!)
I used two diecuts from the Thank You sentiment in white and teal on a pattern cut with the Topnote Trellis die. The top is decorated with the Dotty Border punch and I added a double butterfly from te Intrica Butterfly punch and some berries using Buttermilk Crystal Drops.

The card is made with white hammered and teal smooth card from Papermilldirect

I actually made this card to go with a gift for the hospital staff who looked after David's mum so well during her recent time in Antrim Hospital. ..some pretty amazing people who took time, even though they were so busy, to tend to all her needs and put her at ease as well as helping the family deal with the situation.

Thursday 25 June 2015

Snowflake card

Hi, today's card is another Christmas one using two more of the gorgeous new Christmas dies from Tonic Studios. This time I've used the Winter Snowflake Rococo die in an aperture made with the Tis the Season die set. 
I love the open "lacy" effect this combination gives to the card.
The card base is ivory linen card and the snowflake is white linen card - both from Papermilldirect.

Wednesday 24 June 2015

Christmas in June

 Hi - this is a Christmas card which I made with the lovely new Tonic Studios dies which were released last week. I've had the dies for a while but didn't get a chance to make any cards until now...but I reckon I'm still s little early for Christmas!
I used the Yuletide Greetings set to make the diecut pattern in the card and added the Rococo Holly Wreath and parts of the Christmas Candles on top.
The card is made from white hammered cardstock from Papermilldirect.


Wedding anniversary

It's our 28th wedding anniversary today..hard to believe it's so long since I married my best friend :)

Monday 22 June 2015

Demo this Saturday - 27th June at Inspiring Ideas, Blanchardstown


I'm very happy to be able to tell you that the lovely Jenny Boyd will be doing the demo this Saturday at Inspiring Ideas. I'm very relieved and couldn't wish for a lovelier lady to be doing it. She'll be demoing the beautiful new Willow collection from Trimcraft, Travel Notes, Bohemian and Plaid Chalk paint (which I have to say is something of a speciality of hers!) I'll also be sending lots of my premade samples and you'll get some project sheets as well. So please join Jenny and enjoy your day! 

About the blog giveaway


Good morning, just to save me answering all the queries individually - 
To enter the blog giveaway which is HERE you DO NOT need to have a blog of your own. However you do need to add yourself as a follower of this blog and add your name in the INLINKZ section at the bottom of the post. You will be entered if you have done this and added your name in the Inlinkz part  - not just left a comment at the end of the post. I need your name in Inlinkz - which gives you a number - so I can pick a winner through Random Org when the offer is over :)

Saturday 20 June 2015

Blog giveaway - Tonic Studios die set (edited)

Ok, it's time I got on with some of the giveaways/blog prizes which I mentioned a while ago. These giveaways are only open to existing or new FOLLOWERS of my blog so you can add yourself as a follower now and enter if you like.
If you have a blog I'd love you to mention this on your own blog as well.
All you have to do to enter is add your name in the Inlinkz below and leave a comment and I will choose a winner by Random org on July 4th.
First up is the Just for You die set from Tonic Studios which I've used to make this card and matching bookmark.
The die set contains all the dies you need to make this card and more.You can see the contents of the packet in a picture below.

To enter the blog giveaway which is HERE you DO NOT need to have a blog of your own. However you do need to add yourself as a follower of this blog and add your name in the INLINKZ section at the bottom of the post. You will be entered if you have done this and added your name in the Inlinkz part  - not just left a comment at the end of the post. I need your name in Inlinkz - which gives you a number - so I can pick a winner through Random Org when the offer is over :)



Just for You Essentials die set
I have got more prizes lined up for other giveaways after this one so I hope you like what's coming up!



Friday 19 June 2015

Santoro Willow cards

 I made a set of two easel cards with the new Santoro Willow collection from Trimcraft last week and wanted to show them to you  today. I've cut away 5cm at each side of the card front and used the beautiful character toppers as a centrepiece.
I've used the 12 x 12 papers on the card base as there was one with a lovely printed border which was ideal for this style of card. The diecuts are made with the Willow dies and I have used Willow Jute and Metal Charms on the "stopper" part.


Wednesday 17 June 2015

Next two demos


Good morning. I'm really sorry but I have to cancel my next two demos - so I will NOT be able to go to Art and Hobby in Swords this weekend or to Inspiring Ideas next weekend. I was really looking forward to these and to meeting up with lots of you who had been in touch and I'm extremely sorry to have let the shopkeepers down at such short notice.
As some of you already know David's mother is not well and we have been spending a lot of time visiting hospital but now I'm not feeling very well myself so I have had to stop briefly (hopefully). I had already scheduled July to be free from demos and Mandels in Castlebar had already had to cancel the demo there at the beginning of August for other reasons so my next scheduled demo is on Aug 8th. I hope to be able to carry on as usual after this short break and I'll keep you posted.
Thanks for understanding, for the messages and especially for the prayers. 
In the meantime, you know me well enough to understand that I'll still be posting new stuff here as often as I can. I just am not free to be away from home for a short time but want to try to carry on doing "what I do" from home for the time being.

Monday 15 June 2015

Last Saturday's demo at Craftworld, Belfast

Thanks to all who came to my demo at Craftworld in Belfast on Saturday!
I was demoing the brand new Willow collection by Trimcraft for the first time along with lots of beautiful dies from Tonic Studios and they got a great reception:) It was lovely being so close to home this time and meeting up with "old" friends and great too to be able to spend some time with ladies whom I usually only see at the Kings Hall etc but not at shop demos. Thanks very much to Gail and Lauren for all your hard work.
 Beautiful new Willow decomache papers with a matching card using Trimcraft's Willow 6x6 paper pad and Tonic Studios Just for You die set.

 A gift bag made with 2 sheets of Trimcraft Willow 12 x 12 papers and ribbon with a matching card using the 6x6 paper pad, Character Toppers and the Tonic Studios With Love die set.

 Dovecraft Bohemian 8x8 papers and Tonic Studios Radiant Roselily die set.

 Trimcraft Travel Notes 12 x 12 papers and Santoro Metal Key with Willow Jute.

 Tent card made with Dovecraft Bohemian 6x6 papers, Tonic Studios Just for You die set, Charlotte Cameo die, Delicate Dragonfly die and Acorn Swirl die.

 Trimcraft Travel Notes 12 x 12 paper, 6x6 paper pad and Tonic Studios Dotty Lace Circle die set.

 Trimcraft Travel Notes 12 x 12 paper pad wallet style card

Trimcraft Willow 12 x 12 paper, Bohemian Metal Key and Tonic Studios "If Friends were Flowers" die set.

The "naughty corner" with Lily, Hazel, Cathy,Annie, Eileen and Elizabeth (and I think I can see Charlene's head too!)




Wednesday 10 June 2015

How to make an "exploding inside" card with Santoro Willow papers by Trimcraft

These are the instructions for making a 6x6 card with folded paper inside which "explodes" open when you open the card. I hope you enjoy making it :)

You will need;
Dovecraft white 6x6 Embossed Polka Dot card
Trimcraft Santoro Willow 6x6 paper pad
Trimcraft Santoro Willow A4 paper pad
Trimcraft Santoro Willow A4 Glitter Stickers
Trimcraft Santoro Willow Jute
Trimcraft Santoro Willow Engraved Sentiments
Trimcraft Santoro Willow dies
Trimcraft Santoro Willow Plastic Buttons

white card
double sided tape
tacky glue
glue gun


How to make the card.
1. Take 2 pages from the 6x6 paper pad and trim the outer one to 14.5cm x 14.5cm. Trim the heart patterned paper to 14cm x 14cm and attach to the other piece with double sided tape. Attach both of these to the card front with double sided tape.

2. Trim the border sticker from the A4 Glitter sheet to fit across the bottom of the card, then attach the central sticker shown to a piece of burgundy patterned paper measuring 7.5cm x 10.25cm and attach to the centre of the card.

3. Thread a length of the Jute through an Engraved Sentiment and tie in a bow. Attach to the top left of the image with a hot glue gun. Add dots of glue to the jute and create a wavy design with the ends.

4. Use some of the patterned paper from the 6x6 pad to die cut a flower from the Willow die set and shape lightly with a bone folder/embossing tool to give a little dimension. Glue a plastic button into the centre.

 5. Trim one of the pages from the A4 pad to 20cm x 20cm and fold into quarters as shown  (with the pattern facing inwards)

6. Fold across one diagonal with the plain side facing inwards.

 7. Hold both points where the paper has been folded across the diagonal and bring these into the centre, then fold down to give a dimensional square as shown.


 8. Put double sided tape around the edges of each square - TOPSIDE and UNDERNEATH.


9. Remove the backing from the tape on the underneath side, place the square diagonally into the card  - making sure that the folded part ie the centre of the patterned paper is in the fold of the card - and stick down.

 10. Then remove the backing from the top square and close the front of the card over so that it is attached in place. Press firmly down onto the tape.

11. Attach a piece of white card measuring 8cm x 8cm to the right side of the folded part to add your message and add some more stickers from the Glitter Sticker sheet.



Monday 8 June 2015

Demo at Craftworld, Belfast on Saturday 13th June

I'll be a bit closer to home this weekend - Craftworld, Belfast.
This time I'll be demoing beautiful Tonic Studios dies including the beautiful With Love Essentials set (and many more) along with gorgeous Trimcraft ranges including the brand new Willow (above) and more.
I'll also be demoing Promarkers with the stamps, Trimcraft Decomache and Plaid Chalk Paint.
I'm hoping to see some of you there!

Some photos of the Co. Tipperary countryside - Fethard and Killusty area

 Edmund's Castle, Fethard





Edmund's Castle, Fethard





 On the way to Killusty


Killusty roadsides