Die cutting like a dream

Hi everyone. A few months ago I invested in a Gemini die cutting machine made by Crafter's Comppanion and I wanted to say what a brilliant machine it is. No wonder it sells out everywhere and is on back order. It cuts even the most intricate dies like butter.

Have you been watching the Tonic Live shows featuring Owain and Alison? Haven't they been brilliant. They now do two shows a week, including one called Teatime With Tinic where you can show off your cards which you have made. Such brilliant fun. They also give away lots of dies each week. Pop over to e Tonic Live Chat Facebook Group and see what it's all about.

Things are getting busy on my Crafting With The Craft Channel Facebook Group. Come on operandi join in the fun.

Here are a few of my recent makes.

Joytopia for The Craft Channel

So sorry I haven't blogged for a while but lots has been going on. I've been busy crafting and enjoying myself.

I was lucky enough to be chosen by The Craft Channel to receive a Joytopia Summer Song kit before anyone else. My dream come true to be on. a design team. I managed to make so many cards and got photos back to the Channel to use on launch day.

Here are cards that I made with Mum.

We had such a lovely time working with this.

Crafts Really are Therapeutic and Relaxing.....

Good morning everyone.  Thought I'd say hello as it's been a while.  Been suffering with shoulder pain rendering me unable to do much crafting and I've missed it with a vengeance.

I am most definitely one of those people who cannot sit in front of the television and not do anything as I feel I am wasting my time.

I couldn't do my knitting this week or my cross stitch so had to get the colouring books out as it was all I could manage.

The worst thing for me when I'm in pain is the stress levels it causes me when I can't do anything, it drives me mad.

I have started using my Tattered Lace Big Blue die cutting machine and I love it, I really wonder what has taken me so long to get an electric one.  I am not starting any more card kits I want to have a play with my dies.

We have bought a few new crafty bits this week.  We have on order the 50 shades of Mirri from Hunkydory and three more fab little books - they are so lovely.  We have also ordered some gems from The Craft Channel whose snazzy pink padded envelopes and the speedy delivery are such a breath of fresh air.  We have bought some new glue from there as well to try. Oh and I've also got some Dew Drop Ink Pads.  Naughty aren't we!

A few new dies have snuck in too, some Sweet Dixie Bunting and some Tattered Lace alphabet bunting, a hot air balloon die and a beautiful lacy heart.

So many fantastic brands of crafty items out there too much to chose from, no wonder we all have full craft rooms and empty bank accounts.

Big week for us this week, Mum and I have a trip up to London to the University College Hospital for her pre-assessment as she has her kidney surgery on 14th March.

Hope you like my cards, one is made from Trimcraft's Sweet Treat collection and the others are Hunkydory little book creations.

Hunkydory with a Twist of Tonic

Hi everyone, hope you are all well and enjoying the weekend.  What a treat all the live shows have been on Create & Craft at the Winter Crafting Show at Sandown Race Course.  Mum and I have been unable to go this year, but am saving up for next year.  We think Dean Wilson is just the best presenter there is, closely followed by Nigel May, who, if you didn't know is an accomplished author.

We have been rather naughty and bought some more of the fantastic Adorable Scorable, which is my favourite card to work with, and the Tonic Weekender, can't wait to be able to make my own card blanks in Adorable Scorable any shape and size I want.

Mum has been busy in the craft room this week, she gets to play during the weekdays whilst I am working as a Medical Secretary from home doing digital audio transcription, its my turn at the weekends.  Going up there later this morning for a few hours before its time to cook the dinner.  Lovely roast beef dinner coming up later today.

Mum at 74, is doing ok, though she was diagnosed with a cancerous kidney tumour two days before Christmas, she has a pre-assessment arranged at University College Hospital on the 25th February and then is having the tumour frozen, thankfully not too invasive treatment and will only entail an overnight stay.

Four days and counting til the big blue arrives or is at least despatched.  I have been matting and layering with the fabulous sets of 14 layering dies from tonic, the sizes seem to more or less match the Hunkydory die cuts, which is fabulous, makes life so much easier!

Just had a news flash come up on my iPad, Terry Wogan has passed away.  One of my favourites was watching Eurovision, used to love his commentary.  RIP Sir Terry.

Signing off for now.  Keep crafting.

Love

Tracy

Mum's Cards

My Cards

Thinking out of the box....

Hello again.  What a busy day in the craft room yesterday.

I made a few cards, a couple for a red and white colour challenge on the Trimcraft Forum, a get well card for a friend who has just undergone surgery and a mother's day card for my Mum.  Nothing like planning ahead is there!

I didn't realise quite how bad my right shoulder was damaged until I tried to wind the handle on the spellbinder.  Thank goodness the physio is helping.  The sooner my Big Blue machine arrives the better, it is due on 4th February, not long to wait.  Let the countdown begin.

Have had a few crafty deliveries this week, though I do wish that Create & Craft would change the way they package their goods and use boxes instead of just padded envelopes, have had corners all damaged of one delivery and the other one had cards damaged.  They are sending out replacement cards for the ones that were damaged and haven't heard back yet as I emailed as I'm fed up with struggling to get myself understood by the call centre.  I will keep you posted. 

Anyway whilst watching the Trimcraft show on Create & Craft on Friday, the demonstrator Mel had some brilliant tips.  She suggested instead of using mirriboard to mat and layer, draw round on the edges with a black chisel edged Spectrum Noir pen, it really made the images pop and stand out.

The other top tip she showed was when you do a card, instead of leaving a big white area (see my cat card), using a fine pen make your own background using little dots to take the eye away from the white area.  It works - see my card photo below.

Hopefully will be moving my jewellery making stash upstairs for storage today, so probably will be doing a spot of cross stitch this afternoon, or colouring - you never know.

Whatever you do, have fun and keep crafting.

Love

Tracy

xxx

What does your craft room look like??

Hello everyone from a cold and frosty Essex morning.

We spent a few days sorting and tidying our craft room.  We bought a really good box tidy system from The Craft Channel which has really helped us sort out our stash into some sort of order.  Making it much easier.

The desk and chair was donated to us by my brother and most gratefully received too.  The table where the Spellbinder machine is one of those hospital bed tables on wheels that we bought for my late father and have put it to good use in the craft room.

What are your best craft storage items?  Ours are most definitely the box storage system that lets you stack things one on top of the other.

I work from home during the week, am hoping to have cleared my work today so I can have tomorrow off and spend it crafting, well some of it, and as for the weekend, guess where I'm going to be for a few hours.

I have joined the Trimcraft forum this week and they are a nice friendly bunch, not to mention the Hunkydorables on Facebook and Tonicaholics.  Both are fab groups to get good ideas from if you are looking to interact with other like minded crafters.

Enjoy your day.

Love

Tracy

xx

These are a few of my favourite things...

Hello again,

Thought I'd tell you about my favourite products at the moment to use when I'm card making.  I must admit that I don't tend to go out shopping as Mum is disabled and has health problems plus the fact that I run a secretarial business from home, I tend to work all hours between doing everything else.

Anyway my top products at the moment are:-

1. Red High Tack Tape for sticking acetate on cards.
2. Tonic glue pen.
3. Hunkydory 3D foam, the tops lift off so much easier than other brands, which is good for my arthritic thumb joints.
4. Tape runners.
5. Stickles glitter glue.
6. Nuvodrops.
7. Hunkydory gems.

At the moment I'm busy working with my Hunkydory kit that came with my Platinum Membership which is lovely and I have  big 35 litre box of Hunkydory kits waiting to be worked on.

I have also just ordered a Tattered Lace Big Blue electric die cutter, I will let you know what I think of it when it arrives.  I have a dropped shoulder and am receiving physio as the nerves and tendons are paralysed at the back of my right shoulder, so it is a nightmare winding those handles on the Spellbinder at the moment.  Got my first "proper" session of physio tomorrow morning.

Anyway, just wanted to say Hi again.  Keep crafting!

Tracy
xxx

If I wasn't at home, right now this is where I would like to be.  My favourite holidays are cruising holidays, I go on my own and love it.  This is me on a high cliff above Nice back in 2014. Good times aboard The Thomson Dream.  I

Hello and welcome to my blog.

Hello everyone, welcome to my first blog. I have been crafting for years one way or another, be it rubber stamping, knitting, cross stitch, adult colouring books, jewellery making and card making.

I am one of those people who cannot sit in front of the TV doing nothing.

I have recently started card making again after a bit of an absence, favourite brands at the moment are Hunkydory, Tonic and Spellbinders.

I just love being able to let creativity run wild.

I hope to add a few how tos on this blog on the up and coming weeks.

Here are my latest cards made from Hunkydory products. Hope you like them.