Banana Frog Hoppity Hop!

Hi Cyber buddies

Thanks for hopping by (do you see what I did there??? LOL) If you have found me via the Banana Frog blog hop welcome :) If you're a regular or you've just stumbled upon me you are welcome too :) and there is still chance to catch up on all the froglet inspiration spread across blogdom check out the Banana Frog blog here to start at the beginning so you don't miss anyone .... we wouldn't want that!

So this is the first of a monthly blog hop from Banana Frog and our theme this month is flowers. There are some gorgeous Flower stamps available from BF but me being me decided to show you stamped flowers with a twist :)



I'm also re visiting a previous Lilypad lesson that I did and full step by step instructions on how to make the roses are here. Basically these paper roses are normally made with heart shapes in descending order so looking through my stamp sets I have selected some different size hearts from the It's all about Hearts stamp set and the I heart you stamp set. I also added the perfect quote tile from the Build a Daisy stamp set

I stamped the hearts onto some patterned paper with some Black soot distress ink and cut them out.



They are assembled small hearts layer first building up to the large hearts layer. 4 hearts each layer and 4 layers in all but as I said check out my Lilypad lesson for more detailed instructions :)



The layers are then scrunched .... and I mean scrunched don't be afraid to really screw up the paper, it breaks the fibres and allows the paper to be manipulated more, once you've scrunched you unfold and mould the paper into petal shapes.



It is a super easy way to make home made flower embellishments and the different size heart stamps are perfect to add that extra patterned detail to your patterned paper.

As I said there are many lovely flowery stamp sets available from Banana Frog, I used the Super Dreamy stamp set on my latest Project of the day



and the Superlicious stamp set for last months colour focus



and this Lilypad lesson.



I love seeing how all the other froglets have made flowery projects with their stamps and hope you have had a lovely day hopping about being inspired to get stamping by them all! Oh and are you in the club? as in the tadpole club? 'A little bird' tells me you should check out the Frog for details!!! Oo Oo there is a late addition to our hop the most talented Annlouise you will find her gorgeousness here hop on over and leave her some love :)

I'll be back soon to announce the winner of my 'I've got a brand new blog' giveaway so don't forget to become a follower and leave a comment :)

I hope you're all well and happy and I'll *see you* soon, until then Happy Crafting

Love
M x

There's a hoppity hop coming!!

Hey all flying visit to let you know there is a blog hop coming!!! Banana Frogs 1st blog hop will start at 9am on the 30th March ..... hope to see you there :)

Have a great weekend
Love
M x

That was the show that was!!!

Hi Cyber buddies!! I've finally stolen some time to check in with you all after my return from The Stitch and Craft show at London Olympia. I had a BLAST!!! I met so many lovely and wonderful people and had fabulous workshops, wow! there are some talented people out there and I was inspired by all the different interpretations of my classes!

For this post I thought I would share pictures of my booth with you all ...




Ready for the off ... poor FiFi packed to the hilt!



Here's my naked booth and as you can see I was in good company with the lovely Shimelle as my next door neighbour



The half way point .... I was flagging! We had to get up a flight and a half of stairs after walking across the car park to get everything in!



TaDa! the finished article

And now for some close ups .....





















....And just to prove I was there LOL

I had the most wonderful email from one of my workshoppers, the lovely Yvette made my day with her kind words and I LOVE the finished layout she made from my class



I also got to meet one of my best cyber buddies Amanda, a most talented crafter in her own right!



And that's it 4 very hectic days of my life, and I'd do it all again tomorrow!

Since I got back I have been working on my Scrapping angel retreat classes, a Banana Frog project of the day and some other stuff that I will share soon.
I also had a fabulous workshop at Bee Crafty before I went to London, taught, without being there, at the Crafty Stash crops (clever me LOL) and still have to share the spellbinders projects I did for creative expressions!!! So lots more pretty pictures on my next visit which will be after the weekend of 2 funerals and a 21st birthday hmmmm sounds like a film!!

Thanks for stopping by, don't forget to become a follower, leave a comment and be in for a chance at my 'I've got a brand new blog' giveaway full of goodies including Banana Frog goodness and Glitzy gorgeousness!

I hope you're well and happy and until I *see you* next time happy crafting :)

Love
M x

Olympia!!!

Hi cyber buddies .... I have no idea where this week has gone!

There is a lot to catch up on but it may just have to wait until after the Stitch and Craft show at Olympia this week. I am in the throws of preperations for the show which starts on Thursday 18th March, yes this week!!! and runs until Sunday.

So are you going??? I hope to see you there. Come and say Hi at my booth FM01. I have some of my DIY projects for sale at show prices, some of my work on display and if you fancy a class I have 2 workshops a day Arty Memories, a scrapbook class at 11 am on each of the 4 days and Funky greetings, an interactive card class at 2.45pm again on each of the 4 days .... I'd love to see you! Would you like a sneak peak? Ok shhhhhh between you and me OK?!

Arty Memories scrapbook class

(a Girly version)



(a Boy version)



Funky Greetings card class

two interactive cards





and both workshops are FULL of Glitzy goodness!

I will be back ASAP and will of course be taking lots of pictures at the show to share, oh and I am having an 'I've got a brand new blog giveaway' All you have to do to win a package of lovely goodies from the new Glitz paper lines, Purple Cows and Banana Frog is to become a follower and leave a comment at the Art Tart, right here, right now ..... Shimples LOL A winner will be picked at random on April 1st (after midday GMT LOL)

So I'll see you at Olympia, don't be shy, say hello!
I hope you're all well and happy and I'll *see you* soon until then happy crafting

Love
M x

PS There's a blog hop happening over at the ranch giddy up and join in the fun and win a prize aswell as getting lots of inspiration along the way from the cow girls!

Stamping style challenge!

Hey cyber buddies .... I know I hear you cry 'she's blogged within the week' LOL wonders never cease and miracles do happen!!!

I thought I'd drop by and share this .....



My Lily pad lesson. A very easy technique that looks super stylish and the full step by step instructions with photos are here.

AND while you are over at the Lilypad check out the new style challenge .... get stamping with your Banana Frog stamps, create a lovely spring project, share it with us and you could win not 1, not 2 but 3sets of gorgeous Banana Frog stamps. You have until midnight GMT 10th March so why not treat yourself to some crafting 'you' time over the weekend and get stamping .... good luck ..... can't wait to see what you create!

On other crafty matters .... I've been scrapping!!!! it feels like an age since I created pages and I had lots of fun .... I'll share pics soon.

I've also been creating samples for Sheena Douglass for her spell binders shows with creative expressions on Create and craft. The shows were crazy busy, I don't know how Sheena kept up! I'll share pics of my cards soon too :)

I hope you're all well and happy, Just a quicky from me to let you know what's happening at the Lilypad .... I'll be back soon ... maybe I actually will be too!

Until then
Happy crafting (and stamping!!)

Love
M x

A wish to be a better blogger!

Well I don’t know where the time has gone since our last visit!!!! I just seem to be chasing myself coming back at the moment. BUT I will not complain, all’s good and I am happy (if not a little frayed around the edges LOL) So before I go further I will apologise for yet another epic post from me, I do have the good intentions of little and often but don’t seem able to put that into practice!!

Some of you may also notice my colourful background has gone … while it made me smile at the time I decided it was a little bright and distracting so I will remain a plain Jane until just the right thing finds me :)

In my last post I said I was in Yorkshire at my parents retrieving Stanley Dervish, well, we finally made it home through the blizzards, I couldn’t believe there was more white stuff!!! We’re glad to have him home although I know he misses his sister!

When I got back I had to prep my class for the Barncrafters crop, and I had a great time with all the lovely ladies there



We made birdhouses and I loved seeing all the different versions. This one was made by Annie and is just awaiting it’s bling. I love the colours



And this one was made by Julia who was at the Bee Crafty workshop the week before. Thanks for sharing Julia I love it!



It’s great how everyone adds there own creative touches to one of my DIY projects!

I also posted this months offering on the It’s a creative world blog for the Simple things project. This months prompt was Simplicity





And after my trip to Mexico I used it as the inspiration for this little fold out mini book/art journal in which I tried to record the simplicity of life over there



Go and check out all the IACW girls’ projects. I love them all, such a wide and varied take on one word! (Click on the simple things logo on the right to take you right to the project posts) Why not play along too!

I managed to fit in a trip to Stitches last weekend. The trade show at the NEC and met up with some old friends and met new ones too including finally meeting the lovely Jane Dean and the super talented Karen Burniston.

I had another Lilypad lesson over at Banana Frog.



As ever hop on over to the blog for a full step by step of the project. Keep an eye on the Lilypad, lots of exciting things are happening and don’t forget Bev has returned to retail so you can buy ALL the fab Banana Frog stamps right there!

I’ve also had quite a few projects published over at the Purple Cows ranch







This is a wall hanging created with Clear scraps acrylics and lovely Cosmo Cricket papers



A laminated organiser, I made one of these for myself too and I can tell you I couldn’t be without it!



And a laminated fishing game …. Oh such fun! Pop on over to see Sadie Purple cow and you can get full PDF instructions for all the projects for free, and not just mine but all the cow girls projects! There’s lots of things happening at the ranch at the moment and I’m thrilled to be working with Design Objectives in bringing the cow to the UK in a big way. You are going to love the freestyle trimmer (I do) and the UK version of their fabulous laminator …. Watch this space!

I’ve also been getting creative for creative expressions and helping Sheena with some demonstrations for Create and craft this week. I got to play with lots of new spellbinders dies as well as the gorgeous cosmic shimmers watercolour paints … you see I told you I can’t complain about being busy … I’m a lucky crafter and love working with all the great companies that have me along to play!

Oh and in amongst all this I put on my old hat as stage manager and worked hubby’s show at the Bristol Hippodrome last Friday. He had a great time …. And so did the audience! And he has me coming out of retirement AGAIN next week as he is doing an anniversary show in his home town.

At the moment I am getting ready for my workshops at Olympia later in the month. I’m also designing my stand so it looks pretty, please pop by and see me at the show. I’m also getting ready for my full day workshop with the lovely Sue at Crafty Stash … that’s going to be a great day!!!

Ok I’m done waffling and you’re all up to date now …. Phew! So all that remains for me to say is

And finally …… (it’s been a while LOL)



Stanley and his sis Ruby



Stanley is home!!!!



Stanley helping my hubby unwrap his birthday presents!!!

Ok cyber buddies thanks for trawling through this epic, who knows my wish to be a better blogger may come true and I’ll be back soon…. But no promises!!!! I hope you’re all well and happy, thanks for stopping by and until soon happy crafting ;)

Love
M x