woop de frizzin woop....!!!!

Are we..??

You sure..??

You're not kidding me..??

Please tell me its true..!!

And the nightmare is over..!!

Finally..!!!

Oh thank frikk for that...!!!!

And breeeeeeeeeaaaaaaathe.........!!!!!!!!!!

Yes its true, the move is officially over. We are finally out of the old studio. Everything is out, and I mean everything.. I would like to tell you that it is all sorted and beautifully organised, but I would just be lying, ha ha .  We seem to have been moving for EVER..!!!! In fact it has only been a month, but it seems to have been the longest month in history. You just imagine how long it would take you to sort out your craft room and then think how long 3000 sq ft would take.  We have filled 3 mahoooosive skips, donated tons and tons to really worthy causes, filled goodness knows how many bags for charity and we are still drowning in it all. We have found some fabby hidden and forgotten about gems, and unearthed some real humdingers that we are all trying to deny all knowledge of. Anything that we feel is a bit dodgy or crap we just blame on Mark. I know he is no longer with us and therefore is unable to defend himself and that is precisely why we do it, lmao. But sonmetimes his taste, when he was running the second shop, left a lot to bve desired. To give him his due,we had to cater for the more "everyday" crafter, but that is no excuse for the amount of peel offs and pricking templates that were brought to the surface. I have however put them to their best possible use, oops sorry ,, I was lying,  couldn,t think of one...!!!!!  I know I would get a little bit of hate mail if I just binned them, so I became a shop dropper..!!! Its a bit like shop lifting, except you take product in and leave it...!!!  I am sure that the rash will fade eventually, lmao...!!! Mebbes that's the cause of my mystery illness..????

You seem to be liking my b & w journal , so heres a few more pages.

Think its about time you started sending me some scans of your b & w journals, don't you..???

Ok I,ll leave you with this video from the gorgeously kooky Claudine Hellmuth. She is making a real cool necklace with paper transfers and sticky back canvas. Watch and learn lol.

Oooops, video has disappeared, lol... Not sure what happened there.  Will investigate and get it for you tomorrow. So what can I leave you with now, maybe a clip of me River dancing at Emmi's desk..!!!! Or maybe the video of Emmi falling..." I just fell backwards and my legs followed...."    !!!!

No.???? Ok how about this, from Sade's new album Soldier of Love.

Enjoy xx

What a btill kids class today. The kids were fabulous and did a brilliant job of the project.

Heres the lovely Katie and RHM Pam trying to avoid the camera....

Here are some more pages from my black and white journal

Enjoy xx

One plus one equals fabby journal..!!

Well you would think I would now be all bright eyed and bushy tailed, wouldn't you..????Well the answer is a simple no..!!! I know, I know, whats going on..???Whatever it is I wish it would go away as it appears to be draining me of all my life force and my ability to write my usual long blog posts...I,m teaching 20 kids all day tomorrow, so that just might finish me off completely, lol...!!!

One of the biggesr comments I get about my art journaling is

"well it must be easy for you to create good journal pages, having all these fab products to use...!!"

Admittedly I do have access to some fabulous products, but it isn't about how many products you use rather the quality of the product. So I decided to create a journal which needed only 2 pieces of equipment, yup you heard me 2 items.I chose the white pen from Ranger ( love this little beauty) and a black paged journal...and then I just played, and doodled, and played and doodled...I absolutely love this journal. You should give it a go. It is sooo freeing not having to have tons of equipment with you.

whilst

Now don,t forget this is one of my personal journals so I never worry if I draw something wrong or crooked.. Its the journey , not the destination that counts..!!!!  I also get a lot of comments saying that it,s fine for me to talk because I can draw..!!!!  That couldnt be further from the truth....I have never been able to draw, and was banished from art at school. But I always wanted to draw and so in the last 6 - 9 months I have been practising loads,,,and lo and behold, its quite passable. Its like I say, the more you do it the more able you become.

Ok need to sleep now

Enjoy xx

Where in the world is he now...????

I thought he was supposed to be resting at the Holz household...??????

Is he really in Vegas or is it a bluff..? Hmmmm...

Right I,m off again will leave you with this beauty. I know I,ve posted it before But I just frikkin love it.....

Enjoy and HAPPY EASTER  XX

Pieces of Eight

Now you all know that I have the most girly girl granddaughter - NOT...!!!

Hows about this for Fancy Dress. Yes shes Captain Jack.  She is so like Emmi its unbelievable.Unlike Jay, our resident bit of glamour, Emmi wouldnt wear anything girly, play with anything girly, do ANYTHING girly.. but shes turned out all feminine and gorgeous, so I,m not worrying.

She stayed over last night and we made loads of jib jab videos, played with water pistols, did sticking and cutting, Easter egg hunting, had sausage and egg, watched Scooby Doo, did a bit of Northern Soul dancing and other Friday night activities. Her Mum came round for coffee this morning and so we had to go through it all again, lol.

After they had departed I got a sudden urge to springclean, not sure where that came from, lmao. It was clean some, rest some, polish some, rest some, sweep some, rest some. All the while listening to my Northern and fitting in a bit of dancing and twirling.!!! Its all done now, so I thought I would surprise you all and blog early.

Some more glimpses of workshops.

I keep forgetting to upload the Wendy Vecchi samples ( she will throttle me when she finds out.) but they are yummy. I,ve used all the new Distress and some old and made tags and cards finished off with a touch of Idea-ology. We still have places left HERE. will try to find the pics for you.

Then we have a Tim class. again using the gorgeous new Distress colours and his latest stamp releases. Heres just a few, I have made tons more since then. book HERE
,

This next workshop was extemely popular, so much so I have had to put The art of Doodling 2 in this brochure as well..!! I will start you off with simple doodles on painted backgrounds, and as your confidence increases I will drag you by the hand through all the basics. Its sooooo simple once you are shown, promise. We will be making pages for your inspiration. Book HERE

Oooh look, vines are in the next one, amongst many other techniques I will sneak peek another day. If you cant wait you can book HERE

And after a lot of asking, pleading, bribing and brute force..!!!  I have given in and added 2 character painting weekends. You will be learning all the techniques needed to paint your own collage canvas character - drawing, faces, painting, shading, collaging, doodling...

You can alter the colour scheme and design to suit you so that you end up with your own truly unique canvas. Your canvas will be slightly smaller than my sample, due to "can't blooming get that size anymore," lol

There are 2 weekends available, book HERE and HERE

Ooh Bezzie Sue has finally turned up, shes only 1 and 3/4 of an hour late.!!!! Shes making tea and then we are gonna play in our journals, yayy...,

And then I am out tonight at a Northern Do at Keighley, think I,ll be doing more sitting than dancing tho, like a little old woman, lmao.... I,ll keep you informed... I,ll leave you with a little taster...

Enjoy xx

Last class, future classes and even First class...!!!

Yayy I am still here. Ooooh you don't want to know whats been going on in my poorly sickness, it wasn't nice and me no likey..!!!! But I think I am finally getting there. I,d better buddy had be, I,ve got 2 Northern Soul do's to go to this weekend, and I,m buggered if I,m going to miss them, lol.

Anyways, I need to take you waaaaaay back to last weekend and the Fabby Dabby. Heres some of the pics.

The lovely Chris and the lovely Linda

The lovelies Sara, Anne and Sulie (who travelled all the way from Vienna..!!!!)

The lovelies Paula and Emma

And the lovelies Elaine the Baker and Chris.

Getty all inky and painty..

 Just look at this....my fave...it was as big as a house. Of course, it was made by Elaine the Baker along with, coconut slice, chocolate thingymawatchit, Banana bread and Cornish tray bake.... Not a lot then, lol.. Elaine you are a little star- thankyou. xx

Although it was the start of my poorly sickness, we had a brilliant time and laughed the whole way through. All too soon it was time to go. Sara had actually restrained herself here..!!!

Big special thanks to the lovely Emma who metamorphed into my assistant whenever I was flagging...

And of course big thanks to the gorgeous Pam for her culinary creations...

Because I,ve been missing I havent been giving you peeks at the up coming projects. So I will do a few everyday. Heres 2 that you can't afford to miss,both designed with the male of the species in mind.

The first is a gorgeous album/minibook for Fathers Day. It is decorated in the extemely Gentlemanlike papers from Graphic 45. It is full of pockets, tags and envelopes and finished off with my trademark doodling. I am going to write letters to my Dad, all the things I would say if he was here, and I am going to put them in the envelopes and seal them.  It doesn't have to be for Fathers Day, as its suitable for any of the males in your life.  You can book HERE

The second is a house shaped 7gypsy book which will be making into pockets and covering with paint effects. We will then be taking the gorgeous eclectic Bisous papers, disecting them and decorating the pages. As usual lots of flaps, pockets, hidden surprises are in store. And not just for the boys, this is Maisies fave of them all. Book HERE

Last night I ironed for what seemed like hours... I iron everything, and I mean everything..!!! I just havent had time lately and its been piling up. Irs soooo satisfying when its all done isnt it...? I ironed whilst wa\tching back to back Jeremy Kyle...see told you I was feeling better. So then I came to side it away...Wtf..???? who filled my wardrobes up when I wasn't looking...????? So today I had a massive sort out into piles.

1. To chuck
2. To recycle
3. To Charity
4. things that are a bit small for me
5. things that are a lot small for me...they really ought to do something about clothes shrinking so bad...!!
6. Winter woolies

So that should leave me loads of space for the ironing, right.  Err no ... How come I emptied 48 coat hangers and I still have no room..?? Obviously one of lifes little mysteries....

Well just have a gander at the next photo.....

                                               

Oh yes bet you can't guess where I am off to..???

Don,t know why the blooming writing has suddenly started centring itself lol.

But yes ( aye up, its back to normal...wierd..!!!) I am off on my jollies across the seas to a far off distant land. you've guessed it, I'm on voyage to Egypt again in 3 weeks time. I will be reading painting and journaling on the beach for a whole 7 days... Hallelujiah, I just can't wait..!!! Now I know you will all miss my daily witterings so I,m giving you as much notice as I can. You wouldn't believe the number of emails I get if I don't blog.... So maybe I could persuade Our Ben or Our Ems to stand in....worth a try.

Talking of flights to far off lands, just take a gander at this..!!!

Yup its dragon on the move again...not sure where hes headed, but can you believe it hes flying first class...!!!!!

Is that Tim snoring at the top of the picture..???? Bet he kept dragon awake all the way, lmao.

So I will love you and leave you as I am in the middle of designing some new stamp sets.  Ooh yes, you heard correctly..! I was going to give you some sneaks but thought it much better to keep you in suspense, ha ha. If you have any opinions on what stamps you fancy leave me a comment, you never know, I might just take you up on it... Prize for the best suggestion, so get your thinking caps on, lol

Enjoy xx