Hola!

Hey all

Well here we are nearly at the end of the 2^nd month of 2014 already …. Eek!!!! Time sure does fly especially when you’re having fun … and I HAVE been having fun ;) So I thought I would pop by and share some pics with you so you can see a little of what’s been going on in my little world!

As a lot of you will know the last two years we have been on a working holiday on a cruise ship to the Amazon and Caribbean (I taught craft classes and hubs made ‘em laugh!) but this year we decided it was time for some us time so we have been on our jollies to our beloved Mexico …

We went on some great trips (all by public bus, we try and avoid the tourist trap as we have visited so many times we know how to get around under our own steam ;)) Highlights were Playa Del Carmen, Isla Mujeres, Xcaret and Chichen Itza as well as many visits to the locals beach we frequent in Cancun where we have so much fun with our Mexican friends especially the day we went (un knowingly) on their bank holiday … crazy times!

I am on inspiration overload from all the artwork, culture and colours we experienced, as ever, on our travels

And completely relaxed from such a lovely time. This picture shows the boat we travelled on to the Spa under that waterfall for a Mayan massage at Xcaret, bliss, although the stripping off of the clothes in the boat was an experience, I won’t go into details but let your imaginations fill in the blanks LOL

We had (lots of) good food, (lots of) good wine and lots and lots of laughs. I love my husband and I love our Mexico.

So I have returned recharged and raring to go …. Well now the shock of being back in the cold and the jet lag has worn off LOL.

Friday saw my return to Create and Craft TV after my break with some Serif shows with Craft Artist 2 professional and the Darling Buds digi kits

I had such a blast with everyone and it really is like visiting family going to the studios.
I’m also thinking about posting little tutorials from some of my Serif work so watch this space ;)

On my return this little beauty got packed and sent on its way to Scrap365 magazine HQ

It’s one of those pieces of work that I cannot wait for you to see, I love it but you’ll have to wait until the June/July issue to see it in all it’s the glory. In the meantime though did you get your copy of the Feb/March issue of the magazine available now?

It is a great issue, full of inspiration and has a little contribution from little old me looking at hybrid scrapping or as our clever Ed has called it ‘Scrap Fusion’

This is a sneak but of course you will need to buy the mag to see it in its full pictorial glory. There will also be a blog extra going live on Tuesday to sit alongside the article. I have created a step by step screen shot tutorial to address the digi side of the layouts so I hope you’ll join me then for some inspiration ;) so go and grab a copy of the mag in the meantime if you don’t already have it and be inspired!

Well that’s me for this post, I have lots cooking at Art Tart towers and intend to be here on a slightly more regular basis from now on to share bits of me with you …. Hmmmm that sounds a bit wrong but you know what I mean!

Thanks for popping by and I hope you are all well and happy
Until soon, as ever, Happy Crafting
Love
MJM x

Home, jet lag and Creativity Knocks!

Hi Cyber buddies I am back in Blighty!!!! Well I’ve been back since Monday night actually but jet lag and catching up with meetings and deadlines has taken up my time but I thought it was high time I stopped by to say hello and share some ‘stuff’ with you!

So 1st I’ll share a quick whistle stop tour of the rest of my FABULOUS Mexican holiday!



I topped up on creativity in Playa Del Carmen



We did have rain … and I mean rain! Wow those tropical storms are amazing so what else was a girl to do but go downtown to visit the craft and material shops ….. oh! the ribbon and lace :)



We spent a fabulous day topping up on some Mexican culture and spirit at Xcaret



We took another trip to Isla Mujeres and had a great time driving round it on a golf buggy. We went to the art garden and temple Ixchel, then sat and drank cocktails looking at it before this happened ….



Yep another storm coming and believe me when I say we nearly drowned on that golf buggy! …. Hilarious!
And in between all those events we ate good food in the Palapa Belga, and lots of other restaurants. Drank beer on the beach, swam, chilled and laughed …. FABULOUS!!!!!



Then we came home … HOW PIGGIN COLD???????? Not a great pic but it makes me laugh! I haven’t been warm since I got back!!!! That’ll teach me!

And so Adios or should I say Hasta Luego Mexico and Hello Blighty and back to creativity! Oh how I have missed you …. And I have a head fit to burst with creative ideas following all the Mexican influence and CHA to boot! 1st up is …..



My Lily pad lesson (formerly known as Stamp School, Lily pad lesson sounds so much more fun don’t you think?) and it can be found on the Banana Frog blog here with step by step destructions as always! Did you enter the DT call???? If you did good luck, if not if you’re a speedy stamper go for it deadline is tomorrow (14th) New things coming at the lily pad too, all exciting stuff so stay tuned!



Today I taught the first of my monthly workshops for 2010 at Bee Crafty



We did my birdhouse project and had such a great day. All the ladies that attended were lovely and were great with me when the pesky jet lag hit LOL Thanks all for making it a great day and to the lovely girls at Bee Crafty ….. I love coming to see you. There are still places available for next months Putting on the Glitz workshop, book quickly!

I’ve been working on my visit to Olympia for the craft and stitch show. Got your tickets??? If not visit here and get them cheaper than on the door and while you’re there book up for one of my workshops. I am doing one at 11am and one at 2.45pm every day of the show 18th-21st March. If you can’t make a workshop please drop by my booth and say hi, I’ll give you a stand number soon :)

And lastly!!!!



Remember the video I told you I filmed at CHA? Presenting the oh so fabulous Purple Cows freestyle mouse kit (soon to be available in the UK watch out for freebies :)) Well it is now live on the creativity knocks website eek!!!! Please pop over and take a peek here. It will stop and start as you download and then will play straight through and while you’re there PLEASE register on the site, it’s quick and painless and once you’ve done that PLEASE give Purple Cows your vote in the Great Tool Hunt, it really is a SUPERB tool (and besides you’ll earn me brownie points with the bosses :)) Go on you know you want to!!!!

Ok cyber buddies before you fly off to Creativity Knocks I’ll say a quick goodbye, I have a workshop with the awesome Sheena Douglass tomorrow yay me!!!! And as of Tuesday, for all of you that have moved house with me from my website blog to here my ‘and finally’s’ will be back as I am going to fetch our adorable and much missed Stanley Dervish home form his holidays with my parents and Ruby his sister in Yorkshire …. Can’t wait!

Thanks for stopping by ….. I will endeavour to be back more regularly as ‘normal life’ (whatever that is!!) gets under way so my posts won’t be so epic LOL
Hope you’re all well and happy and until soon ‘happy crafting!’

Love
M x