Fab Day!!!

Had a fab day up at Monks Den Crafts on Saturday where I demo'ed at the open day for Deb.
It was quite a busy day and great to catch up with old friends and make some new ones.
I've been asked to go back and teach a class sometime soon and also I will be demo'ing again in November for the Monks Den ten year anniversary.
It was just the kind of day I needed and it has spurred me on to set up my work area for more stamping. I have missed it so much.
........and yes I spent some money and came home with a bag full of bargains to play with.....bliss!!!
For now though I need to get myself off to bed as the Doodle Bird will be here in the morning and as the Terrible Two's Syndrome is still very much in evidence I shall need all my strenghth to get get through the day.........bless her........lol!!!
Bye for now and thanks for your visit.
Oh....as promised I have updated the last post with instructions for the Vintage Garden card......for the ladies who asked.
Sheila-x-

Heaven......I'm In Heaven!!!

Today I have started on the demos for Monks Den Crafts and that had to involve stamping and inking and generally getting messy so I was in seventh heaven.
I'll add details of materials and techniques once I have done the demo next Saturday.
If you are in or around Ashby-de-la-Zouch from 10am onwards I hope you will pop in and say hi.

I'm just waiting now to feed Mr Manic and then I am back upstairs to cut things up and make bags ready for the demo while I can still remember what I used. I always promise myself that I will write it all down but do I heck as like......lol!!!
Then I need to design a couple more cards.

Thanks for your visit today.
Sheila-x- 

Edited to add instructions for everyone who asked.

Background-:
Green card-stamp image repeatedly with Versamark ink to create a watermark effect.
Ink edges with Vintage Photo DI.
A 2.75in strip of cherry print paper from the Papermania Happy Days stack inked all over with Antique Linen DI and edged with Vintage Photo DI.

Seed Packet-:
To get the size of packet to suit the stamped image I measured the stamp first to create the image layer and worked up.
A 4.25in x 3.00in piece of check print paper from the Happy Days stack. 
Ink all over with Antique Linen and edge with Vintage Photo.
Roughen edges with scissors or a distressing tool and re-ink with Vintage Photo.
Flick with water and dab with a tissue to remove excess.
Stamp image with black Versafine and colour using Berry and Pear Promarkers.
Adhere this to a 4.50in x 3.25in piece of green cardstock which has been roughed around the edges and inked with Vintage Photo.

For the packet I have used a distress patterned paper (something like the reverse side of Basic Grey) but brown Kraft paper would work well too.
Cut your paper to 7.50in x 6.75in.
With the 7.50in edge across the top of your scoring board-score at 2.00in and 5.50in.
Turn and score at 1.00in and 5.75in.
Cut out the four oblongs in the corners and fold all the score lines.
Fold the two larger side pieces over and glue.
Round the corners of the small flaps and then glue the bottom flap.
Fold the top flap over and edge with Vintage Photo ink.
Open the top flap and ink around that then crumple slightly, roughen the edges and re-ink with Vintage Photo.
Adhere the image to the packet.

Plant sticks are four inch by five eighths cut to a point and edged with Vintage Photo.
I used sticky notes to mask off the plant name on the stamp while I inked it, removed the notes and stamped the name onto one label.

I made a small hank of garden string which I secured with sellotape and then stamped part of the image onto a 1.00in strip of paper and wrapped around as a label.

Seeds are made by taking a piece of brown card, adding double sided tape to it then using a quarter inch circle plier punch to cut them out. After arranging them on the card I added Crackle Accents.

Letters are from a sheet of stickers and have been coloured with an Umber Promarker.
The letters were shiny so I found it best to dab the colour on with the broad nib and dry with a heat gun.

The Candi has also been coloured with the Umber pen.

The stamp used is Stampendous Botanical Asperula.

Enjoy..........and please show me how it turns out if you have a go.

A Couple More!!!

 Papers-MME. Diecuts-Quickutz and Spellbinders. Stamp-free with Craft Stamper.

Paper-First Edition. Diecuts Sizzix, Quickutz and Marianne.

Leaf punch-Martha Stewart.

A couple more of the cards I made for DDIL's office.

They were delivered to the lady who has organised them today. She was thrilled with all of them and will be ordering again so I am very chuffed about that.

Had a bit of a challenging day with the Doodle Bird yesterday. My word she had a temper on her. Today has been completely different and we have had a lovely day. In fact she was so good I took her up to my craft room to make cards for mummy and daddy. She loves my room and was so excited to spend an hour up there.....I on the other hand was nearly hairless by the time we came down. I had tried to Rubyproof last night but there is always something that slips under the radar.....a craft knife and a pokey tool. Eeeeeh me blood ran cold when I saw her holding them.

There is quite a love for bling and mummy's card ended up with a whole packet of gemstone hearts on it plus a few stars and flowers. I wish had taken a picture of it. Daddy's card was covered in small coloured dome stickers which finished off my stash of those. I just hope I remember where they went and don't drive myself mad looking for them. I think we need to put together a Ruby craft box and keep it downstairs.

Well Mr Manic is watching something disgustingly medical on tv so I am going to settle down and do some printing in here to avoid seeing anything revolting.

Bye for now.

Sheila-x-  

Back Again!!!

Papers, diecuts and flowers from Happy Days by Papermania

 Papers from First Edition. Flower Tim Holtz diecuts.

I'm gobsmacked to say the least........not only have I done everything I wanted to do today but more besides. It was quite a relaxing day too so that was a bonus......although my feet were killing me by the time I had done.
Still I am back with cards from the selection I have done for DDIL's office. They are all for people graduating from a course and they all have personal messages printed inside.
Ten cards and in those ten there were two Brenda's and three Julie's.

I've started on a project too for the lounge. The mirror I had in there was a huge square brown leather one which I loved but found to be a bit overpowering with the new colour scheme. Needless to say it is no longer brown leather. I'll post a pic as soon as it's finished.
Well I'm going to have an hour or so chilling out now that everyone is at work or in bed.
Bye for now
Sheila-x-

Shaping Up!!!

I am loving how my new look lounge is shaping up. Red has always been one of my favourite colours but lately it was feeling a bit oppressive on the walls and also it was looking a bit shabby. As you know my original plan for just a coat of cream everywhere went a little awry when I spotted the Electric Teal so it has ended up as a rather larger job than it was. It is so worth it though as it is now looking very bright and smart. It may take another week or so to finish it completely as Miss Doodle will be here for three days from tomorrow and I am not sure that decorating and Ruby are a very good mix.
Today I have to cook and then get tidied up ready for the start of the new week by removing all the paint pots etc well out of Ruby's reach and I may snatch an hour or so upstairs to take some pics of cards so that I can post something crafty for a change.
It looks like the sun is out this morning so I might manage to get some washing dried on the line.
Hope you get some sunshine too.
Thanks for dropping by.
Sheila-x-

I Would Love.......!!!

.......a day with nothing urgent to do. No conflict of conscience where I am doing one thing but think I should really be doing one of the other thousand and one things on my to do list.
I took a day off from the decorating yesterday (and I am not even going to start on that saga) as I have orders in for sixty handmade cards at the moment. Luckily fifty of them are wedding thank you cards and so are all the same but the other ten are for DDIL's office they all have to be completely different and personalised along with a printed insert. I managed nine so one to go later today when I have done some more painting.
I'm really missing my little Doodle Bird and can't wait for a cuddle on Monday morning. The house is so quiet without her chattering and singing although I have to say that it is a lot tidier....lol!!!
Hopefully I should get on quite well today as Mr Manic is back at work and out from under my feet.
Right....best go and shift the sofa so I can get at this wall and get rid of the last of the red.
Thanks for dropping by.
Sheila-x-

Up With The Lark!!!

Well I am certainly up and raring to go this morning.
I decided that while Miss Doodle was away on her holidays that I would give our lounge a lick of paint to cover up all the fingermarks and wall art. At first this was literally just going to be a going over with the same colours already there which are cream with accents of deep red........and then I fell in love with Electric Teal from the Wilko paint range. Oh I am so glad I did but it has caused me a tad more work than anticipated. The pine fire surround is now painted off white and the wall inside it is now hammered silver. It looks fabulous.
Today I have to turn a dark red wall into a cream wall, give the fireplace another coat of paint and repaint the existing cream walls all while supervising DD who has offered to cook Sunday lunch...something she has never done in all her 32 years. It will be interesting......lol!!!
Tomorrow I am off to spend the day with Deb at Monks Den Crafts. She has very kindly asked me to demonstrate for her at the end of this month so I will be going to suss out what stuff she would like me to use. I am so looking forward to it.
Right......to the paint roller I go.
Thanks for your visit.
Sheila-x-

We All Scream For Ice Cream!!!

As promised......a pic of Ruby with her monster ice cream sundae.
To use this Daisy Trail kit I have had to download the Craft Artist trial version as it doesn't work in my Scrapbook Artist. As this doesn't have all the features of the full version I have been unable to add shadows etc so when I print this off I will do a few copies and add some dimension by cutting and layering.
It's been a busy weekend here at Manic Towers. Lots of housework and cooking for the Doodle Clan yesterday. Now I have Ruby for three days and then Saturday they are all of to London for a week. I have a huge list of jobs to get through while I am not taking care of her but I am determined to have some 'me time' upstairs during that week as I need to get some cards made for the shop.
We were going out today but it's raining so I think we will have a day in playing games and maybe baking later on.
Thanks for your visit.
Sheila-x-