New from Stix2

New to the Stix2 range & available at the end of August we have the small calendars (pack of 10) which are great for creating your own calendars from artwork, craft projects or your favourite photos. These are very handy for creating unique gifts & projects for workshops too. Here are a couple of ideas using plenty of other Stix2 products.

Here I've taken a 5 x 7 cream card blank, cut it down in half down the fold & reassemble it (longways.) I've then folded the top in half  to form an easel card. The photo has been printed onto Stix2 Printable acetate (S57183) & I've attached a second piece of the acetate onto which I've printed a sentiment over the photo using Micro Dots on a Roll (S57124) The card used is from the Gingham range in green (new!) & lemon. As you can see from the photos below the calendar, which has been mounted onto the base with 3D foam tape, acts as the stop bar but you can take the front further back to reveal a pad of post it notes.This would be useful to have on your desk & would make a great gift , you could personalise it with a photo of your own choice 

For my second sample I've made another desk calendar but this time using  stamps from Chocolate Baroque. I've stamped the image onto a piece of card which has been sprayed with the Stix2 spray paints. I've loosely cut around the outline & mounted it onto the new navy & violet card from the Stix2 Tinted card range. The base of the calendar has been made from a piece from the Pearlescent card range (Platinum). With the card in landscape mode, score at 3.5" internals with the last small section being used to form a tab to join the 2 ends together. I've used red liner tape to hold the base firmly together.

  

Welcome to my week.....

It's been a busy old week, well nothing new there but something going on every day with hardly time to "turn the horse around" before I was off again so to speak.

Monday saw me doing all the mundane usual things, you know, house work & the highlight of the week the trip to Tesco. ARGHHH! I had my personal shopper with me this week in the form of Mr Frosty. That can be both a blessing & a hazard. The blessing comes at the packing stage as we have a good system going there but he does tend to inhibit browsing as he thinks I might be tempted to spend too much!! Hah! As if! So Monday usually passes in a blur of domestic bliss- not!!

Tuesday was the day for my first workshop day at Imagine Design Create Seaton. I was feeling nervous, excited &  with a little trepidation thrown in too. Have I packed everything? Get a grip you're going to be working in a craft shop!! Will they like me & my style of work? They've booked haven't they? And... breathe!
So, I set off early being reliably informed by my transport manager(Mr Frosty again) that it should take me no longer than 35-40 minutes to drive there. Hmmm! He hadn't factored in getting through Colaton Raleigh in the "rush hour". For those of you reading this (is there anyone reading this?!) CR is a small village on route to Seaton  (Seaton is a mere 20 miles further along the coast from Exmouth where I live) & a bit of a bottleneck.Traffic was at a stand still with people getting out of their cars & milling about. Stress levels went up a few more notches as I was convinced that there must have been a "major incident" up ahead & I was going to be late!  Turned out on enquiry to the local friendly postman, that it was no more than 2 large vehicles trying to inch their way past each other on the narrow country roads. Phew! Now calm down Deb! I was soon bowling along again.  
Well my day at Imagine Design  Create was a joy & I was made to feel very welcome & appreciated by the ladies participating in both my workshops. By the end of the day we were getting on like we'd all known each other for years, having a laugh & pulling each others legs. As it should be! I was so pleased that they had enjoyed it so much that they had all booked there & then for next month's workshop day on Tuesday 10th July.

Another day, another workshop as Wednesday saw me away to our regular monthly Wednesday morning workshop at the Pilgrim rooms Glenorchy church Exmouth. This week our project was "Paper Mosaics" in 2 very different forms. We were a small but very select group this time & as my crafty partner Jan had only just landed back on our shores after her hols in Turkey a matter of hours before I had volunteered to take the first class so that she could have a bit of a lie in. More chat, coffee & putting the world to rights went on as we worked diligently on my mosaic project which had a more traditional style to Jan's contemporary one-that's why we work so well together!. Boy was I glad to see Jan appear about 10.30 as I was having visions about her being stranded at a Turkish airport! I seemed like ages since I'd seen her, I do miss my crafty bestie when she's away! 

It was good to get out into the garden in the afternoon & have a bit of peace & quiet doing a bit of tidying & deadheading. I always find that really therapeutic especially after a hectic couple of days. My roses are particularly good this year & I'm wondering if "the beast from the east" did some good in killing off some diseases. Every cloud & all that.

I'm a regular member of our village church & was recently persuaded (against my better judgement) to join the team of flower arrangers who make the church look so beautiful. My reluctance stems from me not being any type of flower arranger not from a reluctance to help, may I add quickly. My idea of flower arranging is take 'em out of the wrapping & deposit in a vase of water, no fiddling about required. My fellow flower arrangers at last weeks meeting assured me that I'd soon pick it up & there was nothing to it......we'll see! So on Friday morning I set off for church for my first turn on the rota.I have to say that under the expert guidance of Sue (what patience!) I really got into it & thoroughly enjoyed myself. The results weren't half bad either!

 

So that about completes the week. I'm away to church in the morning to recharge my spiritual batteries & to restore order to the chaos of life. As a committed Christian my time in my Fathers house I liken to charging my mobile. I plug in, immerse myself in the fellowship of my church family & ask God to speak to me as I speak to Him. 

I hope you've enjoyed my week with me. I wish you a blessed & peaceful week ahead &  "May your God go with you".

Talking of Fathers Day....

The Stix2 design team  were recently asked to come up with some sporty themed cards with the world cup looming (ugh!!). Sooo... I found myself forced to buy some suitable masculine dies. I've teamed my die cut images with some of Stix2 very versatile acetate products & backgrounds created with the spray paints.

For the first (let's get football out of the way!!) I've used some printable acetate to create the small happy birthday border on the left & for the large sentiment inside. The micro glue dots on a roll are fantastic for attaching acetate to card as they really don't show! The red gingham card is new from Stix2 & all the card blanks & card are from Stix2 of course.

For the sailing card I've simply placed the die cut onto a piece of background created with the spray paints. The motor bike design is mounted onto a piece of acetate which has had the spray paint treatment & then I've added a printable acetate sentiment to the bottom.

All of the dies I've used for these designs are from Printable Heaven  & if you haven't checked out this website you really should as they have some real treasures to be found (including a craft pound shop with fab embellishments) & some great cheap dies which cut like a dream. Just love this beach hut! 

Father's Day for the men in our lives

Father's Day will soon be upon us again (where is this year going!) & time to do the thing we all dread, (go on admit it!) & design a card for our menfolk. I've used 2 of the fab sea themed masks & a stamp set from Imagine Design Create which I shall be using in my workshop at IDC on Tuesday 19th June. I've used them with Distress Oxides & Stix2 products which are also available from Imagine Design Create. Let me talk you through.

Here we have an A5 white card blank. I've white embossed the shells from the stamp set & the sentiment. I've sponged over the shells with the Oxides. The foiled strips at the sides of the card come from Stix2 Transfer Foils.   

A simple gift bag to put Dad's goodies in which I've stencilled using the masks & Oxides again. I've also added a Stix2 die cut tag attached with some paper raffia. 

All available from :-

Imagine Design Create

Flowers, flowers, flowers!!

Could it be that summer is here at last? I'm getting excited as my hols are coming up soon & I'm just hoping that the weather is going to be kind as we're having a "staycation" this year. So I've been out in my garden lately too tidying up after our vicious winter & seeing what has survived so I guess that's what has filled my head with flowers. I just love these stamp sets from Imagine Design Create which I will be using in my afternoon workshop at IDC on Tuesday 19th June. Here's what I've come up with.

Here I've white embossed onto a craft paper gift bag & coloured with water colour pencils which I find give a stronger colour on craft card/paper but I haven't activated with water.

This is a 5 x 5 card & I've stamped each flower with different shades of Memento ink pads, cutting them out & after giving them a little shaping I've layered them together with 3D foam pads.  I've also stamped the background with the smaller flowers & paler shades of Memento.

Now this one was a "happy accident"! I stamped the flowers onto a background I'd made earlier (in true Blue Peter fashion!) using Versafine Onyx Black. Unfortunately me being my usual impatient self I smudged the black ink but then I thought "Do you know what? I like that!" So I smudged a bit more & got more of a grungy effect which is more me anyway. When I layered onto black card it really "popped"! What do you think?

OK enough for now here are the 2 sets I've used click on the link below all the other fab products from IDC. Bye for now!

Imagine Design Create

Fabulous Summer Florals

A few more samples for my first workshop at Imagine Design Create Seaton Devon.

I just love working with these 2 stamp sets with Memento ink pads. We'll use masking techniques to create this bright summery design with no layering so no extra postage! 

Triple layer stamping. Here's a quirky technique which looks effective but is oh so simple. Monochrome effect with a pop of colour. 

Here's the 2 stamps sets I've used available at  Imagine Design Create Seaton Devon. 

Want to join me? Book with Kerri Ann on 01297 624246 

TUESDAY 19TH JUNE 2.00-400
 £12 each workshop or £20 for both morning & afternoon

FABULOUS SUMMER FLORALS

Imagine Design Create!

Here are a couple of the samples I've been working on lately for my first workshop  at Imagine Design Create Seaton on Tuesday 19th June. I've used the great quality stamps & masks designed by the IDC team in partnership with my very favourites Distress Oxides. 

Here are the projects for my morning session & the products I've used. If you'd like to join me please book at Imagine Design Create 01297 624246

£12 each workshop or £20 FOR BOTH

TUESDAY 19TH JUNE 10.00-12.00 

 BETTER AT THE BEACH
Like to get messy?! Create great backgrounds using Distress Oxides to use with Imagine Design Create masks & stamps & you'll produce stunning summery seascape designs.

Breaking News!!!

I'm thrilled & excited to announce that I will soon be holding monthly workshops at 
Imagine Design Create Seaton.

Kerri-Ann & her team design a whole variety of great stamps, masks & paper pads as well as offering a vast range of craft & art materials.

Here's details of my first workshop day:-

£12 each workshop or £20 for both

TUESDAY 19TH JUNE 10.00-12.00 

 BETTER AT THE BEACH

Like to get messy?! Create great backgrounds using Distress Oxides to use with Imagine Design Create masks & stamps & you'll produce stunning summery seascape designs
.

TUESDAY 19TH JUNE 2.00-400 

FABULOUS SUMMER FLORALS

We shall produce some pretty floral designs using quirky layering techniques & clever ways with masking. We shall use lovely floral stamps from "Solid Flowers" & "Dear Friend" stamp sets to create unique designs for that special friend.

I'll post some samples soon- promise!!  

To book please contact  Imagine Design Create on 01297 624246.

Chocolate Baroque Meets Stix2

All the Stix2 demonstrators received a lovely surprise in the post last week- some gorgeous stamps from Chocolate Baroque. I've been an admirer of Chocolate Baroque designs for a while now so it was a pleasure for me to get to work with some at last & in conjunction with Stix2 products too! What's not to love!! Below are the designs I've come up with so far but there are more to come yet I'm sure. 

Let me talk you through the products I've used all available from :-

www.stix2.co.uk  www.chocolatebaroque.co.uk & 
www.crafterscompanion.co.uk

Chocolate Baroque Mosaic Flower (UA6SP0556)

I've embossed using detail gold embossing powder & coloured the flowers using a wash of brilliance inkpads which I've also used to add colour to areas of the background. The navy card is new to the Stix2 Tinted card range& the main image is mounted onto a piece of Copper Pearlescent card. All mounted onto a 5 x 7 ivory Stix2 card blank.

Chocolate Baroque Medici Flower (UA6SP0555)

I've used the Stix2 spray paints to create the background which I've stamped onto. Just spray some paint onto a craft mat & spritz with water. "Mop" up the paint with white linen card- you'll be able to create more than one piece. I've coloured the image with 

Spectrum Noir pens from www.crafterscompanion.co.uk & again I've layered onto the new navy card. To finish I've wrapped some ivory  organza ribbon (S57391) around the left edge of a 5" x 5" Stix2 white card blank- did I mention the these are a new addition to the Stix2 range too?!

Chocolate Baroque French Heart (UA6SP0558)

Here again I've printed onto a piece of spray paint background & coloured with Spectrum Noir pens. I've distressed the edges of the image using the new Stix2 Edge Scuffer (S57387) before softly applying some ink using the new Foam Daubers (S574120 pack of 5). The image & die cut has been mounted onto the other new colour to the Stix2 Tinted range-Violet. Finally the whole design was attached to a 6" x 6" white Stix2 card blank.

I'm off for another play-watch this space!!

#March Meet The Maker

Following an Instagram trend throughout the month on March #marchmeetthemaker here's my contribution, although I'm afraid i haven't quite met the daily challenges,to give a little insight into Crafty Debs.
You

Hi my name is Debbie Frost & I live in South Devon. I've been a demonstrator for Stix2 for almost 4 years which I love. I'm also a craft tutor & I regularly run my own workshops on a variety of different topics & techniques 

Where

I live in sunny Exmouth, Devon which not only has a stunning4 mile beach but beautiful  scenery & nature at the estuary where the river Exe meets the sea.

How you started

I have been a crafter for as long as I can remember but got more interested in card making when I got a job in the local craft shop (Japonica- sadly no longer open!). I then went on to win a couple of competitions in craft magazines, was a DT member for the Woodware blog & was finally approached by Stix2 to become one of their demonstrators. The rest is history! 

Favourite to Make

Anything messy & mixed media with lots of texture,colour & different techniques especially canvases!

Workspace

Overlooking my garden but don't look too too closely at the mess!

Can't Live Without

My trusty Stix2 Hot Melt glue gun! Always on my desk & useful for all kinds of  craft techniques not to mention household repairs.

Customers & Feedback

Nothing gives me a greater buzz  when I've been to one of my Stix2 demo days at one of my crafty retailers than knowing I've done a good job & everyone had a good time. So thanks to all my loyal retailer supporters! 

The ladies at Somer Craft Addix

Creative Friends

Of course I count all those associated with Stix2 as my creative friends but we all have special ones don't we? I feel privileged to count this fine trio of ladies as my close crafty friends.

My craft bestie Jan Caudrelier - that's us with the award for Best Craft Retailer in 2014 awarded to Japonica at the NEC.

Fellow demonstrators Jenny Redfern  & Jane Williams