Alys Inky Fingers

Hi Guys and girls

well you know me always on the look out!
So I subscribe to Alys Inky Fingers stamp club every month, which means that every month, a new set of stamps, and a suggested layout arrives, not only that I also get a discount at shows, and stuff like that. I bumped into Aly at the Leigh papercraft show recently, and bought one of her dies, or maybe 2 I cant remember, and eventually got round to cutting it , It was one of her Molly Moo Dies, a corner, which when I had seen it I thought Hmmn.....I wonder...........
So I put it through the machine, as you do, new die, dont know how it will cut, and Oh My Goodness!
I leapt onto the website, here, and ordered the rest of the dies she had! Then, as I do actually have Alys phone number, that was it, on the phone "Have you got any more Dies?When are they coming in, and oh I just placed an order.....blah blah blah"
Up shot of it was that she was filming the next day over at British Craft Network HQ, you know that new crafty fix I keep blathering on about? So why didn't I meet her there and grab the rest of my order, quicker than posting it out, etc.
So Next morning shot off to the BCN HQ, got lost on the way, had to be directed by phone, oh what a day that was!
Well I couldn't go empty handed could I? So the night before I quickly made this card, which I forgot to photograph, so this has been taken at Aly's for me, and emailed back, we did try to send it via phones, but I have trouble with photo's on a Blackberry, so that didn't work, and its taken sometime for us to manage to get the picture back to me!

I had seen the delicacy of the corner die, and immediately thought Snowflake! Which luckily Aly hadn't seen, though she did see flowers!
So the Corner die was cut 6 times, then scored from the 2nd 3rd and fourth points towards the centre, then lay one on top of the other, and offset them slightly, add a silver Pearl and hey presto, Half a snowflake!
The main image is one of Aly's stamps, from the aforementioned club, and came in a set. But I only used one, stamped in black soot, then stamped without re-inking. The main image was stamped with versamark, and silver embossed.
The whole point of the card was really to show off the snowflake, so I kept the card quite simple, a shaped card blank in Black, an layer of silver mirri embossed with Crafters Companion Snowflake folder, some black ribbon in the background, to break the shine of the silver, and the black white and silver topper matted onto black and silver mirri. The sentiment, came in the same set as the trees, and some clear glitter was added to the base of the trees, and the edges of the snowflake, though I think in future I will nick the white gel pen idea, so effective!
Now when you look at Aly's shows at the places where you can see her Face, you might spot this card in the region of her head, lol
But I have "stolen" loads of tips and ideas from the shows on BCN, some from Aly, some from Sharon at Glitter perfect, Rob Adams, Tricia, Sue, Mike and Ian, Kay Rutter, Kay Halliwell-Sutton, and am enjoying the slower more relaxed pace of shows on BCN. Such a nice change to sit and watch rather than stress out, and be hurried into making choices.
Now I am buying what I want to, not what I am being forced into, and I am a lot happier!

Right got some stuff to do, this has been a long labour of love with my dictation program, so I am off, to finally get some crafting done today.
I do have more from Aly, but those will have to wait until she has the items in her hand, and I will remember to photgraph them first!

Hugs

Lou

Last Sneak Peek

This is the last sneak peek!
Today at 9am sees the launch of the British Craft Network, from 9 am to 9pm, on the internet!
To buy stuff from shows seen on the BCn you simply click on the links which will take you direct to the suppliers website. That means you buy direct from the suppliers, not through a third party!
Which also means that a savvy shopper can also avoid postal charges!!!
Spend the minimum each company sets, and you pay NO POSTAGE at ALL! Whoop, whoop, whoop! Spend under the companies minimum, and guess what, bet you'll pay less postage than from other sources!
So Back to today!
Kraftyhands will be on today with their New CD Butterfly Botanicals, which you can order direct from Kraftyhands, and this is my favourite card I made from the CD so I saved it until last!

 All the postcard toppers printed on photo paper, one backing paper re-printed, some of the bunting flags, some twine, a cut file I designed myself, and is available via the MTC gallery for free, and some real pressed flowers from Joanna Sheen, and thats what I ended up with!

Hope you can tune in at 9am for the launch of the BCN!

Lou

Sneak Peek 3

okay last sneaky for a few days, I am holding something special in reserve!

Todays offering is a simple Box

Last time I sent goodies into the Boys at Kraftyhands, everyone but Mike ate them, then left Mike an empty wrapper as the wrappers were pretty! Cheek!

So this time I sent some Amaretti in Mikes own chest, so he got them and others could not have any! Yes you lot you know who you are!!

The design was a silhouette studio online design, which I bought a while ago, its a pirates chest, but I cut it on the Zing, as it deals with heavier cardstocks than the Cameo.

then I simply printed off butterflies and backing papers, adding a bit of vintage photo distress ink, by Ranger, and some pearls for decoration.

So keep your eyes open next week, as the British Craft network internet channel starts on Wednesday at 9am!

In the meantime you can pre-order the Butterfly Botanicals CD here before it goes live on the BCN!

enjoy,

Lou

sneak Peak 2

Okay this ones a bit hard to see, so I'll try to make it a large picture, you'll understand why!

A lovely door hanger made from the Tags on the Butterfly Botanicals CD, It does say Welcome, and is more obvious in real Life, as its a good 4 feet in length. All I added were some Fairy silhouettes, cut on the Zing, and varied the finish on each panel, so some have glossy Accents, some are glazed all over with Embossing powder, some are glittered, and this is something I had to search DD for as she left the house, sure enough she had tried to sneak off with it! My response was "Make your own!"

So watch out for it on the British Craft Network which launches wednesday 1st October at 9am, an new way for us crafters to get our crafty fix via the internet. This is demo and technique heavy, not sales heavy like other programs!
You can buy the CD Butterfly Botanicals, on pre-order from the Boys at Kraftyhands, here

Hugs

Lou

Sneak Peek 1

Okay time for some sneak peeks! these are all from the upcoming release of the Butterfly Botanicals CD from the Boys at Kraftyhands.

 main central butterfly decoupaged, and glossy accents

I love butterflies, and my Dad used to collect them years ago, cruel, so he stopped!
But I grew up with Framed butterflies, and actually I have a pair of stuffed squirrels, incredibly ancient, and a stuffed Owl, all died of natural causes, dont worry!
But Back to butterflies, this type of artwork just reminds me of childhood, so heres a set piece using one of the 6x6 card making sets.
I added my own spin, by making the butterfly the insert, by cutting 4 slits top am bottom of the wings, then angling it so it sat in the cut out of the insert.
You can see this and more on the British Craft Network, which kicks off on 1st October, only on the internet at the moment, and see the other fab offers my Teamies have made.
You can also get a head on the web, and order a copy of the CD from the Boys at Kraftyhands direct, heres the link to pre-order it before it goes live!
enjoy

Lou