AWOL - Sorry!

Is it really 13 days since I last posted! The time does fly when you are having fun!

Had a lovely workshop at The Glitter Pot on Friday, lovely group of ladies as ever, used the Sorbet Souffle in the morning and they we created our own range of cupcakes in the afternoon. Sorry but I forgot to take pictures!

Here is a card I made using Craftwork Cards gorgeous new 8x8 embossed cardstock cut into squares to create a background accented with stamped flowers from Kay Carley's stamps that I bought recently.



Kay taught me some tricks with the Copics and I have stamped onto Craftwork Cards Silver Ice pearlised card and I have to say I love the results. The embossed papers come in 5 different designs, 2 sheets of each design in a pack for just £3.75 - a bargain! The designs are: little dots, daisies (of course), paisley, large dots and swirls. They look stunning left white and highlighted with glitter glue or colour them with chalks, ink pads, specialist paints and mists.

At the weekend we went up to London to Carla and Brendon's engagement party. Carla is our niece and they are getting married in May next year and Im helping Carla to make her wedding invitations - only helping not making them all!



Anyway they had a picnic in a local park up in London and it was really lovely except for a bit of rain. There were family and some of their close friends there. Had a lovely time, played some silly games which was a great ice breaker and got everything mixing together.

Owen had a brilliant time, Brendon is a music producer and a friend has just signed a deal with a record company and been recording his first album. Owen has been writing songs recently and he took them along for Brendon to see. I love this picture - I forget how grown up he is now and it was so lovely to watch him talking to Brendon and friends about his songs and the music he likes.





Brendon's Dad was taking pictures which I didnt realise at the time, but he took one of me and I can actually say I like the picture, now this does not happen often if ever at all actually!



Off to Leeds for a workshop at the weekend, still a few spaces available call 0113 276 5713 if you would like to book a seat and then staying over and at The Craft Box at Elsecar Heritage Centre, Elsecar, South Yorkshire S74 8HJ on Sunday 19th July for a demo from 10.30am - 3:30pm. Looking forward to seeing everyone again, if you havent been before pop along its a lovely shop and I will be demonstrating with Craftwork Cards gorgeous products.

It's so hot!!!

It is so so hot today, even hotter than yesterday and Surrey was the warmest place in the UK yesterday.

Its been ages since I last posted Im been busy with projects that I cant share just yet, soon but not today.

I will be demonstrating lots of gorgeous new goodies from Craftwork Cards at the weekend at Art Stamp show at Newbury racecourse. Its sure to be a beautiful weekend - it always is at this show.

Our stand is in a different position this year, so if you are coming to the show come and say hello and let me show you what I have made with all the lovely bits. When you come into the show turn left all the way to the end of the first isle, turn right and we are on the second isle on the right hand side.

I had a lovely workshop at the weekend, smaller than normal but it was really nice to get a chance to speak to people a bit more. The ladies loved the cards, this is one of them.



I was lucky enough to have been given a present from Anne, a big bag of home grown courgette's. So last night Merv cooked a Courgette and Blue Cheese Tortilla, using my all time favourite blue cheese, Cashel, which was delicious.



We ate it down the garden in the evening sun straight out of the frying pan - really lovely and only a pan to wash up! Forgot to take a picture before we started eating it! Anyway thanks ever so Anne and Ken the courgettes were scrummy!

3 hours and 15 minutes !!

Sue and I completed our 10 mile Ribbon Walk for Breast Cancer Care on Saturday in just 3 hours and 15 minutes which we both think is brilliant!





The weather held out for us, it started to rain just before we were due to set off but the wind blew the clouds away and it turned out to be a perfect day to walk around the grounds of Harewood House.



The scenery was stunning and the atmosphere was great, with lots of people dressing up for the occassion!



Even some of the men that took part had dressed up - I love this guy with black umbrella!



I have to admit that towards the end I did struggle and I was so pleased that Sue pushed me on to the end. I would not have not finished but I would have stopped for a rest and it would have been so much harder to get going again.

As we approached the finishing line there was a 3 piece band playing, which was really nice.



We crossed the line, which was made up of all the ribbons that everyone taking part had written on, to lots of people cheering and we were given our medal, which is really nice! We then had a pimms and a bbq to finish off a lovely afternoon.



Thank you to everyone who sponsored us we will let you know the final figure very soon.

How clever is Dawn?!

This stunning card arrived in the post for me today, wishing me good luck for Saturday from my friend's Dawn and David.



Dawn has made this amazing card and its just brilliant. How does she even know my number for the walk? Then the penny dropped and she must have got it from my blog entry when my t-shirt arrived.



Dawn thank you so much for the beautiful card and for sponsoring me too.

I shall be thinking of you, along with everyone else close to my heart, on Saturday.

Only 4 sleeps to go!

There is only 4 sleeps to go until the big day for Sue and I on our 10 mile ribbon walk!

I went to Reigate Priory today for a short walk, about 2 miles probably. I took my Mum with me and she sat and watched the world go by as I did my lap. We always went to Reigate Priory with Mum and Dad as children, my big brother Pete and I and then Mum and Dad loved to take Matt and Owen there too. They have made lots of changes to the park recently which Mum hadnt seen and they have added a very nice coffee shop, so we sat in the sun and had a coffee and talked about happy memories that the park holds for us both.

I must go out again on Wednesday then thats it until the big day this Saturday 20th June.

I will be thinking of everyone I know who has been affected by cancer in one way or another, particulary my Dad, my father-in-law Laurie and my cousin Sue as well as lots of friends.

I want to thank everyone so much for sponsoring us it has helped to keep us motivated and feels fantastic to have raised so much money for Breast Cancer Care.

I will let you know the final total soon, I have until August to collect all the money so there is plenty of time to still sponsor Sue or me, if you would like to. Just go to www.justgiving.com/sue-taylor
or www.justgiving.com/juliehickey

A couple more of the cards that I made recently.



This card I have made for Kay, but cant find her home address, Im hoping to see her at Newbury to give it to her then.

Gorgeous blooms

I bought some stamps at The Craft Barn's June Weekend designed by Kay Carley, some gorgeous blooms.



Kay was very kind giving me some tips on how to use the Copic Markers as I have not been pleased with my results. Up till now that is!


I used them on Craftwork Cards Silver Ice cardstock which is a pearlised cardstock with a silver shimmer to it. They look fabulous on there and I am so pleased with the results. I can highly recommend Silver Ice to colour onto with the Copic Markers. I dont think you will see the true beauty in the photo's - my pictures are not good enough. Here is a link to card blanks in Silver Ice or A4 and 12x12 if you prefer to buy it in sheets, if you want to invest in some.



I have coloured lots of flower heads in different colours that I have yet to put together on a card but will do very soon and post it.

Background dotty papers are Craftwork Cards, Sorbet Souffle papers - just gorgeous!
Here are a few cards made using Kay's lovely stamps. Enjoy!

Gone Dotty!

I have a new Workshop, Gone Dotty, taking place in Horley at St Wilfrid's Church Hall on Saturday 27th June, 2009.

You will be using all things Dotty from Craftwork Cards along with lots of other gorgeous goodies to create some stunning cards. We supply everything you need to complete the projects and a full colour project sheet with instructions, endless cups of tea, coffee and biscuits and the company of like minded card makers. There will be bits to buy after the workshop if you want to.

The workshop runs from 10am through to 1pm and if you would like to book a seat for you and friend then go here, you pay just a deposit today and the rest on the day of the workshop.

Hope you can make it for a fun and enjoyable Saturday morning of card making.