Oh the Weather Outside is Frightful

Sleet, gales, cold wind in Glasgow - yeegh. However, the Glitter Pot quickly sent my Tsukineko Brilliance pearlescent ink pads so no excuse not to do ink-dusting! They very kindly added-in a chocolate bar - yummy, shhh.

Brilliant amid the winter sleet

Ink-dusting on pearlised card (as recommended by Ruth)

Evan liked his Santa card from Gan and Papa, project shown by Ann at the craft group:

When Santa got stuck up the chimney...achoo, achoo, achoo!

His parents got the easel cut-out, which was Ruth's project at the group:

Slider Front

Side View

Candy Cane Snowglobe

I love my new snowglobe - it's supposed to sit on top of a candle jar, but I just made a card to sit beside it, explaining the Legend of the Candy Cane. Of course, it's just that - a legend - but it fits a truth.

If I don't get round to another post - Happy Christmas to all and to all a good year!

Craft Fair SECC March 2013

Craft & Chat back to videoing

We made our visit to the Craft Fair again to stock up on our supplies, and as well as our usual breaks to rest our legs, we spent a long time sitting whilst trying out Decopatch for the first time. Demonstrator Ann, whom we have met before at the Craft fairs, guided our sticky hands, without damaging Ruth's craftyglittery nails. Using mdf hearts and gluing torn pieces of fabulous French-designed greaseproof-like decorated papers, that don't fall apart when glued, gave us a chance to snatch a quick video for YouTube which you can now watch.

Decopatch Ann

Our decopatch hearts completed

Other side

I bought the beginners decopatch kit as it looks like something that will work well in the future with Grandsons; they definitely have to be introduced to crafting! Evan's Mummy is very creative herself so I gave her a wee rubber-stamped and Copic-coloured picture to mark her 1st Mother's Day this weekend.

1st Mother's Day

Here's a couple of photos of our loot, and Ruth has even gone so far as to film hers to give you a good look!

Alice's supplies

Ruth's purchases

We're still very keen on ink dusting and bought some more Inkylicious rubber-stamp verses and images, to make our pictures when we get a chance to have a play.

Ruth at the stall

Next in our video pipeline is Tatty Teddy; we're going to make some simple Easter cards to use with the patients in the Day Centre at the Glasgow Hospice at the end of the month. We have various Carte Blanche From Me to You cardmaking paper and rubber stamp products which we are looking forward to using.

Evan 11 months

Evan's Granny

Ooh, Messy!

ArtyCrafty has been tidying, but I think, Debra, that you ought to see the mess on CraftyWhippet's table when the group met to craft this week. She was appalled...

But it was cleared up surprisingly fast

Ruth thought it would be an idea for the group to try ink-dusting/ brayering again, using landscape DL-size pieces of card instead of our usual A6. Well, if I was good at rubber-stamping and heat-embossing, I'm sure it would have looked lovely. Obviously not one of my more proficient evenings, since I kept missing parts of the Clarity LOve/ JOy/ PeaCe/ NOel/ JOy to the World/ ScOtland image! Never mind, with a little help I achieved a finished card.

Finished with Spray & Sparkle

Various embossing powders including the successful, sparkly silver or gold WOW! powder were tried out. Splodge mats were tested and did indeed help to give a smooth result to brayering and ink-dusting. Assorted little rubber stamps including an angel were placed inside the large O or C; constellation, Scottish Piper and Scottish castle were used at the side, a bit of tartan could be added. So it was fun experimenting. With St Andrew's Day coming up on 30 November it felt quite patriotic!

St Andrew's Flag

Christmas Begins

I know some of you have been making Christmas cards all year, but the craft group has only started. We used square cards covered with a square of Designer paper, then a Spellbinder square with an image from Lili of the Valley on top, ribbon along the base and a simple card was made!

Actually it took us an hour to get started, because we were poring over purchases from the Craft Fair that some of the group had bought.

Next day the rest of us went, with instructions to purchase missed items. Ruth and I were equipped with wheeled trolleys. But guess what I forgot to take? - My camera. I took exactly one photo on my mobile (cell phone) because it slipped my memory!

We got new plates for our Big Shots, Spellbinders dies, card, Inkylicious and Chloe rubber stamps, Splodge mats, Tatty Teddy and LOTV toppers, Bazoo papers, a large bauble punch, jewellery cords and magnetic clasps and bling to name a few.

Alice's Loot

I weakened and got another bag like my main craft bag, only it holds A4 items, though unfortunately no lid against the rain.

Alice's Bag and more Loot

Ruth's Loot

Ruth, too, weakened and bought a new wheeled trolley at a bargain price, which opens out and has velcro-attached containers. You can never have too many storage items!

Ruth's Bag opened and more Loot

Ruth's Wheeled Tote

Back again!

We had another ink dusting evening at our craft group. Ruth had previously shown us how to make little ink-dusted pictures on Spellbinders shapes so I thought 'Christmas'! and devised Romantic Rectangle shapes with ink dusting right across both pieces and the card to give a one piece pinky-toned night sky. Sheena Douglass Christmas tree stamp fitted one shape and Inkylicious Night Before Christmas on the other. Both were glitter-stickled and lo! one card completed.

Twas the Night Before Christmas...

Some of my recent cards:

To mark my Son's 1st Father's Day

My Son and Daughter-in-law's 3rd Anniversary

My Special Daughter-in-law's Birthday

Ruby Wedding

Next up is Hobbycrafts and Crafts for Christmas at the SECC down by the Clyde! This weekend! We're off, and hope our energy holds out...

Ruby Baby Summertime

Well, where has the time gone since I last blogged? I can't say it's been because I've been out sunning myself, because there has been tremendous rain throughout the "summer" (and I use the word loosely!) here in the UK.

First of all on 13 July, the Great Normano and I celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary. We went out for a meal with our family, including Evan on his first big outing since his birth event!

The girls from the craft group produced lovely ruby cards for us, which were greatly appreciated.

Then we went on holiday to our old haunt of Scarborough, North Yorkshire on England's east coast. Amazingly we had a lovely sunny, dry week!

While we were away Ruth had her big event of becoming a Grandmother to baby Leo!

 I didn't do any crafting while on holiday but just look at this sculpture on Marine Drive...

I did however visit a craft shop in Scarborough: Craft Inspiration and bought some nice Marianne dies.

Home to the Olympics, which mostly took place in London, though there was some football in Scotland's National Stadium, Hampden, which is right by where Ruth lives.

Wenlock Mascot in Glasgow Central Station

Hopefully, that brings us up to date with Craft & Chat. The Craft group hasn't got going yet after the summer break, but I'll keep you posted. We finished last time by doing Inkylicious pictures.