Sleigh Bells Ring...

Hi folks...time to share Project No 3...a "sleigh bells ring" Christmas decoration using Tim Holtz Prancing Deer and Sleigh BigZ dies...Holiday Greens Thinlits and Correspondence stamp set...

which you could fill with sweets for your Christmas table instead of cones...

and ending on a sombre note...it's hard to believe it's 14 years since the day that will live in our hearts forever...the day that we all remember where we were and what we were doing when the Twin Towers at the World Trade Center fell...my emotions are just as raw today as they were on that tragic day...

and my thoughts are in New York City with the 2977 souls who lost their lives on a day that none of us will ever forget...with all the families who lost precious loved ones and those who are now suffering from related illnesses having been engulfed in the dust and debris storms....living each day with horrific memories...a constant reminder of the senseless evil act committed by a few that affected so many. 

Hugs Kath xxx

Make Every Moment Count

Hi folks...Make Every Moment Count...well that's rich coming from the person who's taken 3 days to unpack the workshop tools and materials but hey ho...it's done now and it's time to share Project 2 from The Retreat...the MDF clock...

painted and decorated with lots of Tattered Florals die cut from book paper...scrunched up and spritzed with Worn Lipstick Distress Stain...

and the sentiment is from Hero Arts Clear Stamp Set-Special Time

Hugs Kath xxx

Remember The Everyday...

Hi folks...I'm sharing the first project from The Retreat...this was my absolute favourite out of all the projects and the one I decided to repeat on Sunday...a fun technique using Distress Paints...Gesso and Stencils to create a Clip Art Frame Canvas inspired by a fabulous tutorial from the lovely and very talented Paula Cheney which you can see HERE...

a huge thank you to Paula for allowing me to share her techniques on my workshop project...with a few changes here and there to make it fit within the time constraints of the workshop and I think it's fair to say that all our Retreaters loved it...

we had great fun...a tad messy at times but hey ho nothing that baby wipes...Tim's scrubbie and a dunk in a basin of hot soapy water couldn't sort out...

watercolouring my favourite Cone Flower from Tim's gorgeous Flower Garden Stamp Set and a message from us all for a certain Mr Holtz...please please please can we have Thinlits dies for the flowers...

one flower and some of the Friendship Block letters were fixed to the canvas...the other flower and Block word were fixed to the front of the  glass which gave a great 3D effect

that was then and this is now...back to reality so hang on to your galluses...I'm biting the bullet and going in...time to tackle the "not for the faint hearted" job of sorting out the "everything thrown in at the end of a busy but lots of fun weekend" kit...

I'll see you all tomorrow to share Project 2
Hugs Kath xxx

Before And After...

Hi folks...the eagle eyed amongst you will see there's been great progress (NOT) in the unpacking department...

my jacket is back hanging in the utility room only because I need it for the chilly early morning doggy strolls and you may also have noticed that the daily blogging embargo has been lifted so let's just take each day as it comes...if I'm here...I'm here...if I'm not...I'm not but I will definitely be back tomorrow to share my favourite project from The Retreat.

And the 24 million dollar question...am I going to be able to gee my ginger and knuckle down for a "tally-ho...let's get the unpacking out of the way" day.

Hugs Kath xxx

P.S.  If you've e-mailed me and I haven't replied...I apologise but I seem to have issues at the moment...getting some e-mails and not others...don't know why...just wanted you to know that I'm not ignoring you.

Oh bother...

Hi Everyone...it's MONDAY and after 2 fun days at The Papeterie Winter Retreat with lots of lovely crafters...

it's going to be a "oh bother...back to the nitty gritty" kind of a day...just the same as coming home from a wonderful holiday with a suitcase of dirty washing...there's kit to unpack...

and a battle to wage with the packaging on the new goodies from Fiskars...where did I put that "hammer and chisel"

but hey ho...this is what I do...it's all part and parcel (no pun intended) and I have an endless supply of big girl knickers...the blog exile may well be put on hold for a while because I have lots of projects to share with you from The Retreat so I'll see you all tomorrow as usual.

Hugs Kath xxx

Busy Crafters...

Hi folks...a quick peek at my fun day yesterday with lots of busy crafters at The Winter Retreat...

and the good news is I get to do it all over again today.

Have a Happy Sunday whatever you're doing

Hugs Kath xxx

Seriously...who am I kidding...

Hi folks...I've been recharging the old batteries on a fabulous "get away from it all" jolly with the folks who keep me sane...the one and only Friday Girls Gang but it's time to get back to work...seriously who am I kidding...spending 2 days in the company of all the lovely folks who've come along to the Winter Retreat at The Papeterie can hardly be described as work.  The weather is feeling a bit wintry so I hope the girls who are used to more temperate climes have brought plenty of Winter "Retreat" Woolies with them...

Santa's Sleigh is all packed up with the crafting kits and the reindeer are chomping at the bit...I'm so excited and looking forward to lots of crafting fun...laughter and yummy grub. I will be sharing some of the projects we make with you next week...until then I hope your weekend is going to be just as enjoyable as mine.

Hugs Kath xxx

Knock Knock...Who's There...

Hi everyone...Knock Knock Who's There...who on earth can that be ringing the doorbell at this time of the morning and me just out of bed with my untamed bird's nest hair...crikey it's the courier man with...

Fiskars Happy Mail...what treasure lies within...I have no idea but I'm about to grab my Fiskars Scissors and find out.

Happy Friday

Hugs Kath xxx

Professor Hocus Pocus...

Hi folks...crikey I know what you're thinking...back so soon but I just wanted to thank you all for your very kind and supportive comments...I assure you I'm not being put out to pasture just yet...once I've recharged the old batteries I'll be back firing on all cylinders again...in the meantime I've had a fun play session in the cubbyhole with Professor Hocus Pocus. I'm not really into the whole Halloween thing but hey how could I resist the gorgeous Regions Beyond Paper Stash Pad from the most important Professor of all and of course I had to have all the Halloween goodies that go with it and now that I've joined the ranks of part-time crafters...there was plenty of time to indulge my Bird Crazy passion.
So let me introduce you to Professor Hocus Pocus and his Magic Potions Book containing vials of poisonous concoctions or could it be the Elixir Of Youth...he's not telling...

to create the aperture for the vials...I stuck multiple sheets of book paper together and used the brand new Fiskars Tag Thick Materials Punch which does exactly what it says on the tin...powers it's way through thick materials...all those materials that punches normally turn their noses up at...chipboard/many layers of paper/400gsm cardstock/acetate/shrink plastic/self adhesive foam/cork/hessian/milk cartons and aluminium cans...

to be launched in the UK this month along with lots of other useful shapes in three different sizes which I'll be using at the Fiskars Workshop at The NEC in November and they will be available to purchase from the Fiskars/Colemans Stand H02 at the show.

Toodle-oo for now

Hugs Kath xxx

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