Classic Christmas Cherubs!!!!

Try saying that quickly - a wee bit of a tongue twister I can tell you (and yes I have sat here whilst deciding on the title of this post doing just that! Those of you who know me off the page will probably not be at all surprised by this) ;0)

Well I realise it really has been a bit of a while since we last spoke but I have to confess to being a tad bit busy.... Somewhere at the beginning of August I had a holiday (seems a long way off now), my craft room has now been turned over, cleared out, revamped and re-organised (have to admit to getting a little bit caught up in and excited about all the gorgeous inks, stamps, dies and various other crafting clutter that I had forgotten I had so this took maybe a little longer than expected oops) and last week I was all caught up in one of my favourite parts of my job (designing and filming "in the studio" for docrafts tv with Katy & Rob - such a gigglesome day!)  Add In a few demos in my spare time and I hope that you will forgive me in not being in touch sooner.  

I  do promise though that in amongst this I have been gathering lots of ideas for future posts - projects, techniques, behind the scenes, favourite stash - I have a little note book at home in which I been jotting down all the ideas... I've even got Mr J heading up into the loft to hunt down the proper tripod so I can set up better pictures for steps using my camera and remote control... It's all new to me but will certainly be great fun learning how to acheive better results....

Anyway before I go off on a tangent I have been demonstrating the past weekend with all the new gorgeous Docrafts Papermania ranges.  It's no secret that I am a lover of all things vintage and I love the bygone feel and collage style of the Victorian Christmas collection.  The images remind me of Victorian "scraps" when I was a little girl.  I used to cut them out to stick inside my scrapbook (you know the big ones - bigger than me if I remember rightly- that were made from sugar paper and filled with drawings and paper and magazine cuttings) or to adorn the front of exercise books and boxes as gifts for my mom and nans. 

As not just a cardmaker but also an altered artist, home decor designer and mixed media lover I love how I can chop into the gorgeous ephemera and pull out beautiful artwork, icons and decorations to decorate all my festive projects... Every time you inspect the papers and die cut packs I can promise you you will find something new to delight in and you will find a purpose for every inch of this collection. Not a scrap will go to waste.

Today I'm sharing this cheeky cherub festive card I made at my demonstration on Sunday.  It isn't evident on the main picture but a tiny spritz and flick of Artiste Gold Spritz ink really adds a touch of magic to the collage style background paper - it only needs a hint of the pearlescent pigment and don't forget to let the paper dry thoroughly before attaching it to your projects.  

If you love this stunning collection too hop over and watch the video we have for you in the Docrafts TV archive where we make a detailed decorative Christmas gift planner. Apparently my West Midlands accent comes to the fore a little when I get excited and I do tend to get excited when I'm crafting so do try to ignore that ;0) 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4vOsZi0mJc&list=PLV8HQP-elCNgVmoOBYYdOdSuR8E930rYl

I would love to know what you think of these projects and I hope they inspire you to have a go at similar projects yourself.

I'll be back soon with more gossip from my little world soon

Until then look after yourself and tatty bye for now

Becky

xxx

Don't you love some crafting freebies????

So tell me how a whole week has gone by without a blog post then.... I really don't know but it has been a very busy week in between.  I've been working hard on new projects for the September issue of Creativity magazine, preparing for an important new project coming up in a few months and wondering where all that warm weather came from.  Phew it's been rather balmy - but I'm not going to complain. The flowers in my garden are loving it and the first few tomatoes which haven't been ravaged by some disease are starting to ripen.  I have a thing about tomatoes - forget fruit I can eat punnet after punnet of juicy, sweet vine ripened tomatoes. I've always loved them - for some people it's strawberries but for me it's tomatoes... Though I do admit that they don't go so well with a Victoria sponge or clotted cream... ;0)

Anyway, enough of my witterings, all I say is it has been a busy week and there I go getting completely side tracked with thoughts of summer fruits.... Mr J would tell you I am easily distracted...

So let's get back to the topic of crafting freebies.... I think most people are like me when they are choosing their magazines and they have a good nosey to see if there is something enticing they would like to have a play with lurking on the front cover... Which was why I was so over the moon when the July issue of Creativity came out.  What gorgeous goodness there was for me waiting inside the packaging - papers, glitter glue and stamps... Oh my how happy this little bunny was!!!

Firstly, the papers are from the wonderfully vintage botanicals range - in my eyes perfection itself!!! 

The craft planet glitter glue is the bees knees. With chips just a little bit chunkier than normal glitter glues it has a lovely vintage feel too it (I've used it so many times this month to add a hint of sparkle to the flowers on those papers) and the tubes have an ultra fine tip perfect for precision application... To be perfectly honest I had never used it before these arrived and I am very impressed - it will have a permanent place in my demonstration kit from now on!

Then finally there are the stamps. 

Hmmmmmm it's no secret that stamps and inks are a true passion of mine.  I have more than I care to admit too - of all types... Of both... You know those things in life that us hard core crafters have "little problems" with??? These are two of mine.  

If you look closely you'll no doubt have noticed that they are Christmas stamps.... I know some of you out there would be happy for me to talk Santa and elves 365 days a a year but for those who aren't my apologies for the "c" word but I hope you will excuse me when you see the project I have to share with you.

I've made this project many times this month and it really is so easy.  All it needs is white 300gsm card,  a little water colour (in marker or paint form), spritz inks, dye inks, your free stamps and the few added embellishments you see on the project itself.  It's so easy to create with the minimum of fuss and the maximum effect. You see this is the joy of stamps... You can start with very little and create your own masterpieces.

So go and pick up your own copy of the July Creativity Magazine whilst stocks last!

Take care and happy crafting - I  would love to know what you make with your free gifts :0) 

Becky

xxx

Have I found a missing Coca Cola Santa... Aka Christmas Cardmaking in July!

One of the joys of an iPad and the blogger app is that I can blog just about anywhere I want to... It just so happens that today that is Marks & Spencers, Hedge End with Mr J.... Post demo coffee this time!

So yes, today it has been a mixed bag of crafting from my demo - everyday projects and some Chrissy-mouse designs too.

Whilst I was putting the card I'm featuring today together it kind of struck me that this jolly chap has a distinctly Coca Cola Santa look about him. See what you think... I have a feeling it's the ruddy cheeks that do it!

This card is really simple - I've no doubt you'll gather that when you see it... I trimmed the spine of a Papermania 13.5cm square card blank down to 8cm and went from there.

The papers, ribbon bow and decoupage are all in the Christmas goody bag...

Take that as your basic recipe and add a few red gems, some "Letter to Santa" ribbon and chocolate ink and basically bob's your uncle, there is your card. I didn't add a sentiment due to the festive phrase filled (now there's a mouthful) backing paper but you can if you wish.....

I just love that big grosgrain style ribbon bow!

Well I have to apologise for using the "C" word so early for those who aren't thinking of Christmas... Tracie I know you think of Christmas all year so let me dedicate this one to you!!!!

Happy crafting one and all whether or not you are Christmas crafting in July

Hope to chat to you all soon

Lots of love

Becky

xxx

Product reveal #2... Oh and a project :0)!!!!

And Hi there everyone - I do hope you  are all well and this week has treated you well...

It's been a somewhat busy week here at James towers... So many things to sort out. we are having a mass clear out, the craft room clear out is well under way with lots and lots being gathered together to pass on to others who can make good use of them and magazine work that needed completing...

I have to say it's been an altogether busy week which has resulted in me flaking out a little in the evenings.... But I've also missed getting on here to chat to you.... There is something so utterly compelling about blogging and not just that I love to talk to you all wherever you are... Don't you just think that is one of the amazing things about the internet... You make friends so far and wide, people who you may never have met any other way... I know just how important it has been to me and it really is lovely to have you here with me :0)

Well I have a few pictures and a project here to share with you today 

I just know from all my lovely Facebook followers just how much they enjoy seeing me opening all my demo boxes as they arrive - my "demo kit reveals" are my way of sharing with you all those crafting goodies you can get your little creative mitts on over the next couple of months...

This time round I have some lovely new goodies including the two new goody bags - in July we have some fabulous everyday products in one (sooooooo pretty this year - I do love beautiful vintage things) and the other is a taster pack for those of you already thinking of those all important Christmas cards!!! 

So here are my reveal pictures - get a load of this yumminess!!!! (Apologies for the photo quality - I don't know why I'm struggling with my iPad this week - normally it's fab :0) )

And now for a little bit of goody bag goodness!!!!

 The Christmas goody bag

 The every day goody bag

Now because a lot of my time is spent at the moment working through clearing our house as it is a rather large refurbishment project - Oh yes and getting my work studio ready for seeing me a little more frequently than it does at the moment - I'm not creating as much as I would like at present so thank goodness for my lovely demo days.... I do enjoy catching up with all you lovely lovely people out there on those days and it gives me an opportunity to flex my artistic grey cells.

So last week I was demonstrating at This is it! in Poole and had so much fun giving an impromptu basic stamping and ink blending tutorial!!!! Two of my absolute favourite things!

If you look in the Christmas goody bag picture you may spot a Christmas stamp, papers and ribbon bows... Add a little ink and this is what the result was...

I think almost everyone who knows me is aware that my crafting style is pretty cluttered - a little like my life I guess (they do say art mimics life) -  but I kept this design really simple so that the central panel was not overpowered by anything else.

Here are a couple of close ups:

It's a perfect mass production card really so if you have lots to make you could go with this kind of design... Make all the centre panels, cover all the cards with paper, plonk all the centre panels on the card, address your envelops, write your cards, post away....

Wow what a lot of piccies on here today!

Well, I'm now heading back in my craft room but I will be back out chatting to you all soon... Mind you if you do start to think I may have become lost in there a rescue party would be appreciated.

Take care all of you, thank you for reading and do say hello!!!

Love

Becky

Xxx