OMG how long is it since I was here last!!!! The Extravaganza went well, we were all kept very busy, particularly the girls in the shop. It was a fantastic weekend and I thoroughly enjoyed it even though I was sooo tired after!! Next one is in September so I have a little time to recover. Sandy is already booking demonstrators and it is looking good!!
I was demoing the lovely Papersoft Color. It is so nice to use and I have now had to buy all the colours and all the stamps. I'm working on collecting all the matching Paper Pens and Gloss Gels now too, lol is there ever going to be any money in my bank account????
I've also been working hard on the Artymiss Website adding products which has kept me very busy for the last few weeks.
At the same time we are having a koi pond built in the garden so there is teas and coffees to be made constantly or cold drinks as the weather has been so hot. The builders are doing a fantastic job and have worked solidly through all this heat. I was worn out just making the drinks!! I'll show you some pics when it is done, the neighbours think we are mad and say it should be a swimming pool not a pond. If the summer was always like this I might agree.
I am going to put some of the cards from the extravaganza on here to show you the lovely colours of the Papersoft Color. Remember all you need is white card.
The first is using a Crafty Individuals stamp for the main image and a little border stamp from the Papersoft Color range. The colours were violet and lilac, probably a little rose in there too. The second card is using cobalt blue and magenta, stamps again from the Papersoft Color range and a peel off. So quick and easy. The little dots are Glossy Gel in Graphite.
See you soon,

Jane x

Hi Everyone,
It's getting nearer to the Extravaganza, only a few more days to go!!! I popped into The Craft Barn today and the girls were unpacking boxes Then the delivery man came with another ten boxes. Don't know where they were going to put those!!!
I've been playing with the lovely Papersoft and there is so much you can do with it. I'm giving you a few little pictures to see tonight. Can't give away too much.
Hope you are all coming it's going to be good, just hope it's not too hot. I'm having so many hot flushes at the moments from the Tamoxifen that I get hot very quickly.
Good news for me today, just to let you all know, my scan showed my neck nodes were all clear. Three weeks of worrying now over. Phew!! I can concentrate on making cards, cards, and more cards!!! Oh and other things as well!!

See you soon, hopefully at the weekend,

Jane x

Hello everyone,
Been playing with my new toys to get samples made up for the extravaganza at The Craft Barn soon.
I'm demoing Paper Soft which is sooooooo nice, I've got nearly all the colours now as I just had to keep going back and get more!!
It's a water based paint in a jar which you apply with foam applicators and use as much or as little to colour your card. Its used a bit like distress inks. There is a range of very inexpensive clear stamps and stencils which can be used with it and these give a variety of different finishes. It is already selling like hotcakes and is going to be big for the summer I think. I'm alright cos I've got mine!!!!
I've posted a the first card I made with it.
Take a piece of white card and colour it whatever colour you want. On the card I used Apricot and then used Walnut Brown around the edge. The image is a Crafty Individuals and so is the script stamp which was stamped using the paint. No ink used at all!!! The flower was also coloured with the paints and Tim Holtz scrolls cut and coloured too. I didn't colour the button, thought was brown to start with!!
I've used one of the border stamps down the side and again stamped it using the paint. I've used Paper Pen in Walnut Brown to create dots in the border.
Sorry about the picture, it wasn't the best photo in the world, I took it rather hurriedly in the shop before they closed!!

See you soon,

Jane xx

Hi everyone, just popped by to tell you about The Craft Barn's free postage on all UK orders until midnight Monday 31st and also that they have a fun Bank Holiday quiz with two £30 vouchers up for grabs. One for a shop entry and one for an email entry. So local ladies if you feel like a trip out over the weekend you can pop in or otherwise take part from the comfort of your armchair!!
I shall be there tomorrow demoing decopatch which is nice and easy to do. Using a paper which is a bit like tissue paper, you glue it on to whatever your project is and then add some more glue over the top. This gives a nice varnished look to the finished piece. You can use it on most surfaces and doesn't take long to do. Looks especially good on papier mache shapes that are so popular at the moment. I will take some pictures and show you next time.
Anyway, head on over to The Craft Barn Blog using the link at the side and have a go at the quiz. Good Luck to you all.

See you soon,

Jane xx

Sorry, haven't put anything on here for a while. I've been pretty busy but haven't actually got much to show for it!!!
I am starting to get back to work again which is good. It's my one year anniversary this week of my diagnosis, can't believe a year has gone already. Just waiting on some test results and then I hope that will be it for a while. I think I have visited just about every department of my local hospital!!! It will be nice not to have to go back there for a while. I really apreciate everything they have done for me and the NHS have been absolutely superb.
Well, I am playing with a new product that I saw being demoed at the NEC earlier this year. It's called Papersoft and it is a paint that is used to colour paper and card but it gives very soft colouring. I will get some pics of the pots and applicators which will be easier than trying to describe it to you. I need to do some work with it for the extravaganza in June which is coming up fast now. Don't forget to come on June 12th and 13th there is a fantastic line up of demonstrators from all over coming.
The card I am showing you today is the 21st card I made for my niece. A very pinky girl!!! Sorry it's an easel again but they are just my favourite and she hadn't seen one before.
Enjoy the sunshine,

Jane xx

What a busy weekend, don't know where the time goes. Can't say I've got anything to show for it either!!
We were going to get on with digging the pond ready for the brickwork to be started.
I use the term 'we' loosely as, of course I am not able to get stuck into the digging or soil shifting. I'm pretty good at supervising though!! Unfortunately the weather was against us and it is no good digging clay when it is wet and gooey. The hole is nearly finished so hopefully with a few more dry days it will be done. Really hope to get the pond sorted for the summer - if we have one this year.
Well I grabbed an hour in my craft room this afternoon and had a little play with flower making. I had a quick go at these last week. They are so easy to do and look so pretty. This one was made from copy paper coloured with distress inks and punched with a flower punch. Quick scrunch and voila!!!

See you soon,
Jane xx

Hi everyone,
What lovely weather we are having at the moment, don't suppose it will last for the bank holiday weekeend.
I have another Stamping Bella card for you, using the lovely new Basic Grey papers.
Definitely my favourite paper. They are all so lovely and inspiring to work with.
Sorry it's another easel card again, they are my favourite at the moment.
I've used a Martha Stewart punch for the corners, it cuts through Bazzill so easily.
There are so many to choose from at the moment. I want them all but that would be greedy. (I'm also collecting nestabilities and other Spellbinder dies at the moment.)
I've coloured the image with Copics but there is not enough room on the stamp for shading, it's a bit small to get the best from the pens but come in such lovely colours to blend with the papers.
The message is one from Hobbyart, their clear stamps range. They're really nice to use.
A little organza bow and it is finished!!!
Will try and come up with a non-easel card for the next post.
I'm hoping to get a bit of time to play with some distress inks and a paint brush over the weekend. I've been dying to have a play but haven't had chance yet.
Watch this space......
See you soon,

Jane x

What a lovely day today, so warm too. Can't believe how cold it felt yesterday and then how warm it is today. Well that's British weather for you!! Just makes you want to get out and play in the garden. My garden is terrible at the moment. Loads of work to be done to make it presentable for the summer.
My hubby's parents have just celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary, the picture I have posted is of the card I made for them.
The card itself is just a cream square, layered with gold glitter and mirri card. I cut the numbers with my faithful Cricut. The envelope is vellum folded and decorated with peel-offs and brads and finished with lots of ribbons. Its an easy card to make but everyone loves it. I have done a few for special birthdays, anniversaries and they always look really special.
I'm off to Ally Pally on Saturday, can't wait. I've never been before so am quite excited about it. An early start that morning and an early start tomorrow morning too. I am collecting a new addition to the family .......an African Pygmy Hedgehog!!
Will tell you all about him next time with hopefully some pictures.
See you soon,

Jane x

Win a Goody Bag

Hi everyone, hope you're not too full of chocolate!!
I am thrilled to say that today was my last radiotherapy session - YAY!!!! No more going to the hospital every day. My next appointment is not until the middle of May. What am I going to do with myself???? Enough of that I have something for you to do and you may be lucky enough to win the prize.......
The Craft Barn have a £30 Goody Bag up for grabs for a lucky person. To have a chance of winning all you have to do is head over to the The Craft Barn Blog and sign up to become a follower on their blog. You will also some really nice ideas for cards and more there too!!
Good Luck,
See you soon,

Jane x