Poppy appeal update

Hi Folks

Been away for the week in sunny Skegness and yes the sun did shine! Whilst away Tim found out the grand total of the proms night for the Poppy Appeal. Drum roll please................

The whole concert and card making sales made £1,100 which is rather splendid. There have been many emails to Tim about the concert, excellent feedback from those who attended and much admiration for the gorgeous cards you produced to sell. There are a few left which will now go on sale at the Skipton Royal British Legion HQ. The website is here where you can view pictures of the concert too.

The magazine prize arrived today too so if you sent me cards then please email me at clarkyj44@gmail.com to be entered in the draw to win them - the draw will take place next Saturday the 5th November.

Once again huge thanks for all your support for such a worthy cause.

Try it on Tuesday - fabric fun and alter it week

Been dying to show you this baby! I saw the pattern in simply homemades 1st issue and just knew I would have to have a go. So when Angela chose Fabric fun as this weeks theme - perfect opportunity!
This used to be a pair of my sons jeans - which were split at the crotch rather irreparably but perfect to try this out. A great alter it project!
The other material is 2 fat quarters I just had around the house.
so here it is a jeans bag. Now if I were making this again I would make some modifications to the instructions but I am actually thrilled at how its worked out.

Now this post is scheduled but I have seen some of my team mates work already which is pretty awesome but check out our 8 year old guest designer - wow she is a seriously talented crafter. Stop by Try it on Tuesday and have a look!

Have a great day x

Janet

Today is the day

Of the last night of the proms concert. Tim has been a little disappointed about the ticket sales however there has been a last flurry of phone calls to buy them on the night. So 100 ish folks are going to have a brilliant night here in Skipton.
Meghan and I have been to the hall to set up the cards and other poppy things you have all made - don't they look splendid?
Can you spot your work anywhere?

Meghan also had a final run through her playing to make sure the powerpoint presentation worked with the timing of the piece. This is a gorgeous piano which Meghan is lucky enough to play on at Skipton music festival too - the sound is wonderful and with her slide show going on in the background its beautiful (only slight bias!)
I am one very proud Momma I can tell you. So the bunting will be up later this afternoon - the flags flying and the enthusiasm raring to go. Its going to be a helluva night!

Have a great Saturday folks and THANK YOU ALL who helped towards this wonderful occasion.

I am so thrilled!

To be given this Gingergem for this piece

It was such fun to make to get the award just tops it off!

Huge thanks to Gingersnap Creations!

Rockin my world this Friday

Yay this week I feel I need to be thankful. I have had a few weeks of feeling decidedly fed up with myself. A lack of MoJo has not helped - moral at work is low with cutbacks at every turn so I have not felt very thankful which is so wrong.

So here I am celebrating the many good things in my life.

My family as always make my life so good. Nothing imparticular to report - just I love them lots and lots.

The sky was blue yesterday - that has set the tone for my day too with a real feeling good to be alive vibe running through the whole day.

I had lunch with a very dear friend at a wonderful tea shop (see below)

I listened to my best of M people cd in the car - wow had forgotten how gorgeous Heather Small actually sounds!

I visited Kanban who gave me a donated cardmaking box for a charity day i am helping with on 26th November (for those going on the Claxby weekend dont panic I am organising then leaving Mum and Kerry in charge!)

I have had 2 whole days off work which has been very good.

I got some Christmas presents sorted this week - i am quite a way towards it which always helps me feel good.

The house has been cleaned - still cluttered but its clean!

I have a holiday to look forward to next week.

I have some amazing friends xx

My follow list has gone up over the last week or two so thanks to all who visit me here.

I have stamping club today so stamping with wonderful people is a definite thankful!

and my last huge thankful goes to Virginia at the Celtic house - being thankful has become an everyday part of my life, which is very good for the soul, since I joined her Rocker and Rockettes. So huge thanks for giving me the focus of positives to work on.

go on join in the Friday - it can make a difference to you too xx

So Lunch out.....

Was here. Interlude in Shipley. I so wish I had taken my camera to share this delightful tea shop with you. Set in the 1920's the shop is stuffed with ephemera from that era. Each table has different things on it - The one Jae and I sat on had Settle-Carlisle railway at my side and the Cottingly Fairies at hers. I had tea from a china pot with a delightfully hand knitted and crochet tea cosy - my sumptuous scone was served on a sweet little individual cake stand I loved it! Honestly I cannot describe how quaint and truly lovely it is there.

The picture is taken from the article in a local paper - this is the owner who today was dressed in the most wonderful flapper type dress in a coral colour wearing a mop cap and making her own marmalade for Christmas customers.

The service is perfection, the food amazing and the atmosphere positively delightful. I wonder if Tim Holtz will come over and come to afternoon tea with me - it certainly would inspire his creativity I am positive about that! So Tim if you fancy a trip to Yorkshire tea will be on me and it will be very very English :0)

Janet xx

Back at last

Seems my stamping abilities have returned along with a huge dose of mojo. Had a card to make for Jae so I went all vintage. See the post above to see where the vintage idea came from! This is a gorgeous stamp by Stampsmith and so easy to make into a card. I found a vellum pocket with a great friend verse in amongst my stash which also was perfect. Papers are by my minds eye, the lush little rose I bought from Alison - thanks chuck xx
Here it is as a whole - a little distressing and brushed corderoy ink, a scattering of pearls and pins and its done. I did decorate the inside too but forgot to take pics!

This is the verse in the pocket x

Am thrilled to have some excitement to craft again - I feel bereft without my mojo. Back just in time too with stamping club tomorrow!

Hope your day is wonderful and you are keeping warm xx Janet

My final Halloween thing I think

This time an altered tin for our Becky Boo Matthews little sister, my Niece. using the same reminisce papers as before.
All the edges have been distressed before layering and the fabulous Tim holtz witch die cut as the main feature.
except I think for our Becks this might be the main feature - the contents.

Halloween has been such fun and has helped me recapture my MoJo so I love it!

Off out to lunch with Jae today whose birthday it is on Saturday - I am hoping for exciting news from her so fingers crossed xx

Itchin' to show you

my project for a DT project next week so please forgive me adding a sneaky peek here.

Its not been a good weekend/ start to the week at Clarky land however today the sun is shining and I have accomplished something other than Halloween! I have been dying to try out some of the projects from Simply Homemade Magazine. I have recently subscribed to it as I keep missing issues but this is actually something from issue 1. If you have seen the mag you may guess from my sneaky peek. Mums away this week so I have ventured alone to tackle the sewing machine, broken 2 needles (denim can be very thick) but I managed without too much disaster.

Right off to take our Amy to the docs - she woke up with conjunctivitis this morning and as Mums away its my job to get it sorted.

Hope your day is as bright as mine today - I feel glad to be alive!

Still playing with Halloween

Thought I would use up a few bits making a Halloween sweetie bottle. The bottle once had prima flowers in it now its home to green and white jelly beans. A few bits of left over paper, some twine and a charm and hopefully it looks suitably halloween like for my nephew and trick or treating.

Hope you are having a great day x

More Halloween

This is the cute Halloween picture I found in my craft room on Wednesday which led to the whole creative evening.

Gate fold card using Reminisce papers as in the previous post.Inside the card.......

Is the cute image with faux stitching detail and a sweet little pumpkin charm.
That sweet magnolia greeting
and I love that bat paper!. I added glossy accents to the cats mask which just accents the detail.

This is for my niece and nephew who love the whole Halloween thing. I am really grateful that I managed to do it!

Got my lovely pal Kerry coming for lunch today - she has a big birthday this weekend so Mum and I plan on making it a little special x

Have a great day x

Janet

Is it returning?

After a truly awful day (the less said the better) I found solace in a bar of galaxy then made myself go sit in the craft room to see if anything would happen. I came across an image I had coloured last year and not used for Halloween so that set me off.
The gorgeous papers my Teamie at SMC and TIOT ,Angela, had given me and believe they may be a few years old by Reminisce . There was also a sticker sheet to go with it so I began to think I may be able to make something after all.
This tiny tray once housed some crafty bits or other and was helpfully painted a dark grey so I jazzed it up with a mixture of the papers, stickers and charms then turned it into a wall hanging.

I also made a card which I will show you another time but I was shocked to realise I was in the craft room for 2 and 3/4 hours. It felt very good to be back in there. I think Mr MoJo may be creeping back ever so slowly but I am so glad he is. I shall feel better when I am back stamping again. Only one stamp on here and that's the little verse which is by magnolia.

Over at Simon says stamp the theme is Halloween/ Goth so I think this fits the challenge well x

Over at Stampin' Royalty its a colour picture inspiration so I hope it goes with that too.

I also saw that paper pretties had Halloween as an inspiration for projects so I am entering there as well.

Peace and tranquillity

Over at Try it on Tuesday the theme is peace and tranquillity. It is also TAG week.

With my MoJo still in hiding *sighs exasperatedly* I have gone for a simple layered look.

The stamp is by stampin up and is coloured with promarkers. the papers are left overs from Megs project last week and are by Stella Rose.

Do stop by and see my team mates tags - gorgeous work everyone x

Try it on Tuesday

New website

The Stamp Man have launched a brand new website - still under construction you can find it here so you can save it to your favourites.

Find it Here

I know - nothing for almost a week and then 3 at once - just like the buses!

This is a quicky

As its so long since I played its been eating away that I need to say thanks so if only to stop the nagging in my head here goes!

I am so thankful for my little family. DS1 &2 are back into Uni life with hardly a thought to spare in their busy lives - that is so how it should be. When they are busy with friends, with work, with life - it means they are happy and to this old Mum that is enough! I am a useful mine of info at 10am (when Ive been on nights) and DS1 needs to know will his trainers stand going in the drier - errr no love they won't. Or at 12-30am when DS 2 is doing a load of washing as he needs his shirt for a gig tomorrow - its got a stain on it mum what can I use to get it off? err at 12-30am try washing up liquid son??? Do I ever complain? No I feel glad to still be needed even if its only for washing advice LOL.

Our Megsy turned 16 yesterday - how on earth did I became old enough to be Mom to a 24 year old, a 21 year old and a 16 year old I will never know cos I still feel 18 but with a 45 year olds knowledge of life! She had a happy day and you get the picture a happy kid = a happy Mom.

I am happy to have got the bedroom cleaning out of the way

To have tackled the ironing

Be half way through my Christmas cake mountain of makes (6)

(I am less happy with the lack of MoJo it has to be said which led to all those things happening!)

I had fun today at stampin club with fun people who make my life brighter just by being themselves. Even if the days entertainment was my atrocious stamping skills!

(No Mojo = rubbish crafting!)
The lovely Pam who made my day by giving me a gorgeous plant - such a sweety thanks love - not sure what I did to deserve it but you made me feel special anyway xxx

Okay I admit its no longer classed a quickie but the end is nigh I promise!

I will end by saying I am grateful for you - yes you who is reading this mindless ramble - you who visit stay a while maybe, sometimes leave me a comment but I know you have been and that you bother to stop by is enough to make me happy.

Thank you!

So I am off to let the Queen of Rockin my world Friday know I have played along - its been so long she may have forgotten who i am

Only Joking Virginia xx

A new challenge at the Paperlane

And this month its all about Glitz and sparkle.

Perfect to show you what Lovin' Ink have got coming up at our Christmas workshop in November.

Here is a very large Christmas Bauble containing the nativity story Molly Bloom style!

So here we have Shepherd George and Angel Molly - The sparkle is not showing up well in the photo but Molly's wings, halo and star are all stickled!

Here is the reverse side with Naughty George as Joseph and Molly as Mary.

A light dusting of frosted snow and sealed inside the bauble.

With bells and the postmark to finish it off.

Hard to capture the bauble hanging in situ without glare from the plastic but I had lots of compliments at Stamp Club today with a growing list of folks who want to do the class.

With only 10 places available it will soon fill up.

Michelle's sample will be ready shortly to show you that the nativity is not the only scene you may want to make - we have an outdoor snow scene and an indoor fireplace scene which maybe more up your street - all with the adorable Molly and George Stamps. You never know the big man himself may even make an appearance!

So this is my entry to The Paperlane Challenge this month hope its Glitzy and sparkly enough x

It also fits The Papertake Weekly challenge of Anything goes

And simon says stamp which is sparkle and bling

And Bah Humbug which is Glitz and glitter - the snow is full of the stuff!

Happy Friday sweet friends x

Janet

Do you love Candy?

Now Jill ,AKA Mrs Stamp Man, has had amazing fun making up these old bags - having seen them IRL I can say they are brilliant value and sure to set your creative juices flowing to make amazing art.

Now as they were a limited edition set they have all gone now - except this little baby.

What's more you could be the proud Momma or Daddy of this bag of deliciousness with very little effort and a lot of drooling.

So how can that happen?

Check out Jills fabby Post here to find out.

Enjoy my friends and Good Luck!

I Forgot to tell you was picked a winner!

Over on the Stampmith Challenge with this card. I am thrilled as I do adore Stampsmith stamps. I get a gift certificate to spend instore - which was so difficult as I loved too many of the stamps. The lovely Estelle has been brilliant and I look forward to making more projects with the gorgeous stamps.

I get to display these in my side bar too!

A fab new challenge began at the weekend so do stop by here and see what its all about.

I get to play more tomorrow with these beauty's at the lovin ink stampin club check out Michelle's samples here.

Well the cakes are in the oven so gorgeous smells will be wafting very soon and I think in the absence of creativity today I may even tackle the ironing!

My Baby has turned 16!

Yes today is our Megs birthday - sweet 16 - how time does fly. This is her birthday card a little project one of my craft buddies showed us at our last craft club session. On the front is the magnolia horse - our Megs is horse mad - she will be very excited as she is going riding later today.
It opens like a little bag
with lots of folds it looks really complicated but is in fact quite easy.

Opened out fully. the papers came from Running with Scissors in Grimsby. I bought them at our last Claxby retreat. the smaller horse stamps are by inkadinkadoo.

Its been a funny old week - I have been totally devoid of any MoJo which has not been helped by working 2 nights at the beginning of the week. I am so out of doing nights now that doing more than one on its own just saps me of everything. I have also been struggling with a tummy bug so have felt really "off it" with that too.

Last weekend saw Tim and I do some serious cleaning and bedroom sorting which in the heat was not an easy task - its quite rare these days that we are home together to tackle these things and though it was hard work we did have quite a laugh which was just as well given the job in hand. Monday , Tuesday and Wednesday passed me by in a haze of being asleep when everyone is awake and being awake when the world is tucked up in bed and now I have a day off to play and Mr Mojo is nowhere to be seen.

So in the absence of my creativity I think I will make a few Christmas cakes to cheer myself up. the smell is always divine.

Happy Thursday folks Have fun whatever you are up to x