News from my travels

I'm a little behind in blogging as I have a very hectic schedule, but today I had some down town so here's the latest news.

This weekend I will be teaching at The Occasional Artist, Glendale, Arizona. You can find out more HERE.

Then I have a few days hanging out in Texas with my boys, Jim and Cesar. Fun and shenanigans are on the agenda.

The weekend of the 9/10th of May I will be at Scrapbooks n More, New Braunfels, Texas. You can find out more HERE

And I will be ending my latest tour at the lovely Ame's place in Lititz, PA. Pages in Time.
Just a little note to say there are places available here, so those in Maryland who were disappointed to miss out, get calling now lol. Find out more HERE

Then its back across the pond for a few days before I set off for my land trip of Munich. The hills will certainly be alive with the sound of Dylusions!!!

Joining me on the trip are the lovely Jim and Cesar, and I am then dragging them back with me to Art from the Heart

We are extremely honoured that Jim will be making his debut, teaching in Europe at our store. Whoop whoop and whoop again.
Yes this is the first time you will have had the opportunity to take a class from The Gentleman Crafter. He is well known for his fabulous and innovative use of chipboard and Graphic 45 products. Yesterday he was announced, once again, as an Ambassador designer for them. 

Heres what he will be teaching for us.

Sat 6th June

The Eclectic Ink spray holder

This functional Spray ink holder will hold (24) bottles of spray in up to 1-

3/4-inches in diameter. The Eclectic Spray Holder has places for (12)

sprays on one side and another (12) on the other. Easily turns with a

hidden lazy susan using the knob on the top.

Kit Contents:

(1) Pad of 12 x 12 Idea-ology Paper Stash –Correspondence

(5) Black 12 x 12 Heavy Weight Chipboard

(4) Laser Cut Panels

(1) Lazy Susan Spinner

(1) Idea-ology Knob

(1) Set Graphic 45 Lion Door Knockers

(1) Scalloped Chipboard Piece

(12) Structure Strips

(1) Mini Glossy Accents

(1) Printed Tutorial

The Archivist Expedition Album

This functional Spray ink holder will hold (24) bottles of spray in up to 1-

3/4-inches in diameter. The Eclectic Spray Holder has places for (12)

sprays on one side and another (12) on the other. Easily turns with a

hidden lazy susan using the knob on the top.

Kit Contents:

(1) Pad of 12 x 12 Idea-ology Paper Stash –Correspondence

(5) Black 12 x 12 Heavy Weight Chipboard

(4) Laser Cut Panels

(1) Lazy Susan Spinner

(1) Idea-ology Knob

(1) Set Graphic 45 Lion Door Knockers

(1) Scalloped Chipboard Piece

(12) Structure Strips

(1) Mini Glossy Accents

(1) Printed Tutorial

Sunday 7th June

The seed collectors box and journal

 The Seed Collector’s Box and Journal is a great way to collect or organize

your heirloom seeds for storage this spring. The journal is great to record

the planting time, how the seeds grew and the seeds success. The Seed

Collectors Box is also an awesome place to stash trinkets or small beads

and findings to be added to your craft projects.
 

Kit Contents:

(4) 12 x 12 Sheets of Graphic 45 Home Sweet Home Paper Collection

(5) Key Tags

(1) Natural Stick

(5) Alpha Letters

(6) Tins

(1) Mini Bottle Glossy Accents

(1) Magnet Set

Black Heavy Weight Chipboard pre-cut to project dimensions

(4) Metal Box Corners

(2) Metal Rings

(3) 12 x 12 Cream Cardstock for pages

(8) Structure Strips

Butterfly Automata and Tag Book…My personal favourite!!

Automata [aw-tom-uh-tuh] A mechanical figure or contrivance

constructed to act as if by its own motive power. Which basically means,

turn the handle and the project moves. With the Butterfly Automata you

will turn the handle and the flowers and butterflies spin and go up and

down. Looks hard? NO, not with this kitted project…Laser cut pieces

ensure success. Each one will be different and that’s the joy of automata.

The Butterfly Automata has a side opening tag book for all those technique

ideas that spin around in your head.
 

Kit Contents:

(1) 12 x 12 Tim Holtz Idea-Ology Wall Flower Paper Stash Pad

(2) 12 x 12 Cardstock

(2) Laser Cut Chipboard Panels

(3) Pieces of Black Heavy Weight Chipboard

(1) Idea-ology Foundation Feet

(1) Wire

(3) Precut Dowels

(1) Acorn Knob

(22) Chipboard Circles

(1) Hitch Fastener

(10) #8 Manila Tags

(8) Structure Strips

(1) Mini Bottle of Glossy Accents

(3) Foam Squares

(1) Printed Tutorial

For details of any of the classes please go HERE

Enjoy xx

Guest artist on the Documented Life Project

I love the girls at art to the 5th and was really stoked when they chose my Dylusions journal as their chosen book to work in this year. And I was only too happy to do a spot as guest artist.

Of course me being me, forgot it would be right in the middle of a tour, so here I am last minute trying to upload and blog the project.

I imagine the poor girlies are having kittens as to wether I will make the deadline or not. at this time they will all be tucked up in their beds so this will be a nice surprise for them when they wake lol.

The theme for April is exploring inks and paints!!! What better subject could there be for me ?

The prompt for this challenge is "before the ink is dry"

Perfect

Heres a quick run-through of what I came up with

Start by spritzing your journal page with water

Unscrew the lid of the Dylusion inks and using the straw as a pen, draw circles onto the wet page.

Spritz water directly onto the ink causing it to wick out.

Add more circles in different colours, each time spritzing from above. I used three, Tangerine Dream, Bubblegum Pink and Cherry Pie.

When you have finished adding colours blot up the excess with another journal page.

Place a large stencil onto the page and spritz over with water. This reactivates the ink.

Remove the stencil and blot with kitchen roll to remove the reactivated ink.

Take the coordinating colours of Dylusions paint and apply through stencils with a mini blending tool.

Take a Dylusions silhouette stencil and place the mask part onto the page. Apply black paint over and around the mask.

Take the large heart mask and repeat the process, continue until the page is covered.

Outline all the shapes with a black and then a white pen.

Add a frame around the edges using the Dylusions journal block.

Place a large stencil over the page and outline with the white pen

Doodle in some of the shapes

Use the journal block to create lines in the heart shapes and write in a quote.

Voila !!

To see what the girls did with this challenge go to their blog HERE.

All products used are available HERE

News from the Tower

First the bad news, my poor Bubu is in the wars again. He has something going on in the eye he nearly lost. They are thinking it may be a tumour, so any positive thoughts please send our way.

Top secret wedding dress expedition, with added bonus of Elvis…

Trying out a new style !!

Wedding venue booked, celebrating with the biggest meringue in the world 

Airport selfie at the beginning of a new 5 week tour.

Little cheeky vimto on the plan

Here's some of the bits I finished on the flight

 I am in Westborough, Boston, for the Collins rep group show. I am not teaching till tomorrow, but I'm going to pop along and say hello. Suitably attired of course !!

Enjoy xx

Dylusions week on Ranger Day 2 and 3...

Two more videos are on the Ranger blog.

The first is another of me packing orders.

And you can find it HERE

The second is filmed at Reaveley Towers and I explain all about my new Dylusions paints.

You can find it HERE

There is also a give away on their blog where two lucky winners get the chance to win a signed copy of my book and a selection of my paints.

Here's a few more samples from my tag marathon.

Enjoy xx