I can't seem to get 'my' turn on MY computer these days!

Princelet is permanently glued to the email to chat to 'she that is beautiful'.

Ahhhh - young love, eh girls.

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

Had to go out last night - it was the old goats Christmas do. The dinner was really lovely. I tried to have a dance, and managed one, then had to give up - just could not breathe. It was fun, but I am not ready to start dance classes again.

I am much better to day - have been up and about making candles.

http://www.princesskitten.co.uk/design_24015.html

It is probably frowned upon in candle making circles and I expect someone will say I shouldn't be doing it! But I have been, for years now.

I love candles and we get through loads, and it's such fun to produce something - then use it. The old goat wondered in while I was working and could not believe it.

I am home alone tonight - the old goat is doing a wedding - and princelet is off with she that is beautiful

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

UNWELL

Kitten is unwell and has gone to bed

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

ROUGH DAY II

Still rough today. Don't know if it's the ME or I have a bit of a bug - the old goat was rough for a couple of weeks, and princelet has the sniffles.

So here is a Christmas card I made earlier. Yes I know, sticky back plastic - too much Blue Peter as a kid, and all that.


Can you see the shape? It's an over lapping gate-fold, cut to a window arch shape - but the flaps are also cut to window arches so it folds out to a triptych.


Experiment with paper until you get a good shape - then make a card template and there you go!!

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

ROUGH DAY

I have slept most of the day - feeling really rough. I only have a bit of a cold but it's knocked me off my feet.

Still fidget nickers does not mind - we have snuggled all day!!

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

REST DAY

I am under strict orders to rest!!

The past couple of weeks has been a bit nerve wracking and next door are going to start building soon - as well as us doing the new end space. With that and all the fairs coming up I am taking time away from the bench and 'business' side.

I normally slow down about now anyway to have a big sale in the shop and decide where and what to plans will be for next year. I missed my November holiday and it's starting to show.

So today - here is a link to investigate

http://www.ryan-kesler.com/swaps/ArtRaffle/index.php

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

DAY OFF

Monday is kitten's day off

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

STAMPING

This is - one stamp - one ink pad - and one sponge.

Not really clever enough to explain it all - you have to see it happen really.

I am going to experiment with all sorts of colours to see what happens, but I am getting hooked on 'painting' with ink pads!

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

SHOWS

Cor - I have had a day to day I tell you.

We did a local community hall Christmas fair this morning. It was scheduled 10am - 2pm, so I had to be up ready and organised to leave just after 9am so we could get there and I had time to get organised. You know me and mornings - don't say them both in the same sentence. Well, I got up and was really and we left at about 9.30 (ish).

It was lovely - every one knew each other - every one chatted. I talked to an elderly gent who used to have a business making bespoke silk underwear - you just never know who you are going to meet! He could see all my work was hand done with out me having to explain what I did, and stocked up.

I t was really busy, the old goat had a queue - then at about 12.30 - it stopped and everyone went home. So I was able to do the really fun thing I was looking forward to.

I went to meet Barbara Grey (Clarity Stamps). You all know I sing her praises on here all the time ((Hi Babara!!) - she was over at Janet's for the day. I missed out on the workshop (because I am a dozy kitten and never organised) so I went over to see her demonstrating in the shop. Did not stop long - just wanted to say hi really - I am working through her projects so am learning how she achieves the amazing effects (AND LOVIN' IT - YES).

It is not expensive to join her project club, and you start at the beginning so you don't get faced with things you have no idea about.

I had the latest project yesterday - now I am dying to get to the bench and tinker.

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

STILL TIDYING UP

Went out to lunch with my darling curate friend (well she is a vicar now I suppose - but I always think of her as when I first met her). It's lovely to get out once in a while (sans dogs!) and have a good old chat.

Have carried on with my clear-out - it's that time of year again! - and I came across some work I did with a 'treasure box' stamp. Have you seen these? Think they are just for making boxes? Guess what?

Think again -

Cut out the centre panel.

Mat, mat and mat

makes a great topper!

. . . . Cut round and leave the right side tab on.

Makes a great gift or small card

Cut around and keep the top tab and make a small card or gift tag -

or -

use 4 panels to make a screen card.

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

Did not really get much done today. My fingers a sore and I keep bashing them when I try to work. I can't really put enough pressure on it to cut properly, so I finished a couple of things that were hanging about and had a good old tidy up.

Picked up these chipboard 'wings' at a clearance sale. Still not really sure about them!

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

Ooop!

I have had a small accident! All I can say is that I am so glad that I have acrylic nail coverings - otherwise I would now have huge chunks out of the tops of my fingers. Sorry are you squeamish? As it is one of the acrylics took most of the force and I lost the one and I have a couple of nasty cuts through a couple of nails.

It's ok, but I think I will snuggle on the sofa with Henry tonight - 2 finger typing is so hard now!

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

NEW SPACE

Got the little guys some agility equipment today, there is a load of bricks and cement arriving tomorrow and the new cabin is on order - all systems are go on the new space. OOO EER!!

Have you seen my cute little stitched albums??

Quite simple, with pages to stick photos on and flaps to tuck things in.

All you need is 1 12" x 12" sheet of double sided smooth card/heavy weight paper. Now is the time to get a few ready to fill with photos and send as pressies, either now or after Christmas.

FULL INSTRUCTIONS -
http://www.princesskitten.co.uk/design_17402.html

Let me know how you get on, if it is easy to follow. or if I need to make any changes

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

DAY OFF

Monday is kitten's day off

- we are going to get my new cabin!!

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

STAMPING

What a beautiful day! Actually got loads done in the garden, getting sorted for the new bit.

Finished all my little note cards, just got to list them in the shop - next job after here.

Was trying out a new stamp that arrived the other day.

I just LOVE trees and branches. Take your backing card - slice it up a bit - gently ink the edges - tape it (on the back) back together - and stamp on the top side and you have a whole new image!

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

WEEKENDS

Even though we are at home all week Saturdays always seem the feel a bit different. I have done loads of house work tidied - hovered - swept the leaves from 3 of the patios - walked into town with princelet. The old goat is in Blackpool doing a wedding and he is staying over with a mate, so we are home alone.

I was fairly late starting on the bench today. I need to make some more of my small embossed glitter note cards - they have all sold out! I did about 8 stencil tops and have left them to dry overnight. I have a new one too - very swirly flower, I do love brass stencils

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

WHAT ON EARTH HAVE I DONE!!!!

Went to collect princelet's Christmas pressie today. Got a second hand drum kit Ebay and had to drive 80 miles to get it. He has been having lessons since January, and seems to be sticking with it.

Don't panic - - it's going in my old summer house, and I am getting a new cabin.

Not had a lot of free time today, but I did get a parcel with some ez mount to sort out my unmounted stamps a bit. Only got a few, but I must start tidy or it will all get into a total muddle.

So here you go - laminated pages of the stamped images - and the stamps just cling to them. Couple of big book rings through punched holes and instant storage system

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

TIP OF THE DAY

Ever tried embossing vellum in your cuttlebug?

Well do!!

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

STUDY DAY - this is a longie!!!

Quite a small 'select' group of us at class today - we were working with vellum

Now, vellum is lovely, touchy, feelie, semi-transparent, tinker about-ie, fiddly, type stuff - but it can be hard to work out what to do with it, and you can get a bit stuck in a rut. So what do you do?? You pinch a few ideas from parchment crafters and add it to your own card making techniques, that's what you do.

This is just so gorgeous - straight forward and easy. There is a new embossing powder out called 'Snowflake', it is white with a holographic silver glitter (on the lines of 'Black Sparkle' if you have seen that - but bigger glitter flakes. Use your left button to enlarge the image then back button - and you will see what I mean.



A5 size piece of vellum - stamp and emboss all over with snowflakes. This design happens to be all one quite big background stamp, but you could use a small one repeatedly - just remember to put the embossing powder on each time you stamp or the ink will dry. Fold in half and cover an A6 size card. We punched holes in the top 2 fronts and used ribbon to hold together and hold a tag - but you could use brads/eyelets, silicone glue blobs, double sided tape just on the folding edges, loop ribbon round the whole card, tiny glue dots under the snowflakes.

We also did this one.

Again stamped and embossed - silver this time. Now here is where we steal some parchment craft techniques. If you GENTLY rub on the back, over a stamping / embossing mat (you know those spongy ones) with the ball end tool - the front will take on a white opaque look. The baubles, stars, ribbons and base tub have been embossed and show on the card quite white against the plain vellum outside the tree. Then you can paint colour on the front in the other bits with H2Os / whispers / Marvey pens.

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

Amitriptyline at night

Citalopram in the morning

Check out this site: http://www.fibromyalgiatreatment.com/

and just let me know if I can help in any way

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

CHRISTMAS IS COMING

It's the first of the Christmas fairs tonight. I am just about finished making for Christmas - I don't take any more orders after the 1st December. It's a few weeks since I was out with the stall so I am a bit nervous: it's a school one and it's usually good fun.

While I was sorting out the stock when I came across some cat and dog decoupage toppers that I made up last year. I had forgotten just how cute they are, if they don't sell over Christmas I think I will make them up.

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

KITTEN TO THE RESCUE!

Frantic phone call last night - could I?? No-one can??

Well - kitten can!

passing out card for an Engineer - tank - army stuff - special text.

Found an image in one of the image banks and decoupaged it!! I have a text plate to add to the bottom left corner with all his details. Loads of inking detail and 'camouflage' texture. Not bad for NOW!!

Who can do it - kitten can do it!!

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

DAY OFF

MONDAY IS KITTEN'S DAY OFF

Yours

P XXXX
www.princesskitten.co.uk

TIP OF THE DAY

When you use the staz-on cleaner after stamping - just turn round in you chair, or move away from the work bench. That way you won't splatter all over your just stamped work.

Yes, I did - and, Yes, I swore

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

NEW CARD

I have been tinkering about with some cutie pony images someone stamped for me. I could never afford to buy for my own use - and I think I would soon get bored with it - but I know these sort of things are popular.



Painted with H2Os, and multi layered.

The first Christmas fair is next week, so I am keen to see how all the new bits and bobs go down.

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

ACETATE AND A TIP

Today I have been playing with acetate and my new tree group unmounted stamp.




Now, I am not good at stamping on acetate - even though I scrounge A3 sheets from the old goat, I usually manage to make a mess of most of it! But - one small tip I have - secure the edges of the acetate with post-it notes (or masking tape) and it will help stop it slipping.



After stamping - put a double sided sticky sheet over the image (helps protect it) and cover with glitter - back (using brads) with a piece of card the same colour as the glitter, and matt to match the trees - ohhhh yummie!

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

DID YOU KNOW?

Coloured card varies in price - why?

It is cheaper to produce coloured card with a white centre because all they do is 'print' the colour on white card and don't have to keep huge stocks, just print to order.

Card with the same colour 'core' has to be made in the correct colour all the way through the making process, and they have to keep stocks of it ready in all the colours.

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

COMMISSION

I am starting to pick up a few commissions here and there - this card is for
a son's 30th - well you can see that! - his job involves wild animals (the game type not rabbits). The customer knows my style very well and gave me a free hand 'what ever you do I will like it' - no pressure there then. There is a lower layer of wild animal pattern card and a wide stripe of black mesh for texture. The image is hand painted, matted and raised, while the greeting is just inked and set flat. The zodiac panel is painted and lettered (all by me) on rough watercolour paper.

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

OLD GAS BAG!

I have just noticed that I have more posts than days - does that make me an old gas bag!!!

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

STUDY DAY

I have been tinkering with one of Barbara Gray's projects today - it really is another world. I have a proper workshop with her in a couple of weeks - must ask her if I can put a permanent link to her site from here.

Mind you she might not approve - I always seem to go off on a side track!

The 'frame' was stamped onto white card with versa-mark and clear embossed. Then the background colour is mixed directly onto the card with the brayer. The ink won't take over the clear embossing - it resists - hence 'resit embossing'. The top image is part of a set the came from America inked with the multi-colour Kaleidacolor pad, and clear embossed.

I can see doing more on these lines, but tinkering with the background and raising the image. The Kaleidacolor pads are pricey and I only have one - but I expect Father Christmas could bring me another one - I could really do with the greens, wonder if they do a pinks one??

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

POSTAL SCAM

This oldie seems to be doing the rounds for Christmas again - it's as well to be reminded and take care.

- it has been confirmed by Royal Mail. The Trading Standards Office are making people aware of the following scam: A card is posted through your door from a company called PDS (Parcel Delivery Service) suggesting that they were unable to deliver a parcel and that you need to contact them on 0906 6611911 (a premium rate number). DO NOT call this number, as this is a mail scam originating from Belize. If you call the number and you start to hear a recorded message you will already have been billed £15 for the phone call.

Be aware folks - the bad guys are out there and won't give up!!

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

CLEVER OLD GOAT

You know the old goat is a clever old stick? Well he is sometimes - look what he made me

Very simple - lump of wood with holes drilled in to store my liquid pearl bottles up-side-down (like you should!). I use these ALL the time - you would be amazed how they lift a flower when you sprinkle tiny bits around it.





You may have to enlarge the image to see it properly (left click - then use 'back' to get back here) - but all the tine dots around the blooms are liquid pearls - and I just love 'em!

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

blog candy up for grabs - http://www.carlzcardz.blogspot.com/

just have a gander over and see

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

TODAY'S GRUMP

Are you on the Internet? Is it just me?? The whole world is soooooooooo painfully slow tonight. Trying to jump between my site - my site's community - my emails - and stuff I want to check up on - - - and it's driving me nuts. Normally it switches and swaps quite quickly (I do this a lot) OH, but, tonight it's a pain.

Now I have that off my chest - back to work!

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

SHOW AND TELL

Loads to tell you about and something to show you.

The guys over at Xelacrafts have got 25% off their unmounted rubber stamps. They are cheap enough to start with and there is no extra postage if you just order stamps - Take 25% off and you are quids in - see -

http://www.xelacrafts.co.uk/

OK - I know it's too late for this year, but I just had to show you -

How cute is this?

It is a pattern taken from fabric and used for papers - remember my patchwork a while back? If you can do it in fabric - you can do it in paper.

Got the templates from

http://inspirationaltechniquesandtutorials.blogspot.com/search/label/Halloween

Last of all - want to see what I did??

Paper cut polar bear with cub - would also work nicely for a winter baby.

Ohhhhh - I love my job

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

DAY OFF

Monday is kitten's day off

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

NEW CARD

Sometimes I get an idea in my head, and I have to work it so I can get rid of it and move on. A while back I bought some Christmas stamps that had 3 baubles (which I wanted), 3 stockings (very interesting and do-able), and 3 crowns (what?). Girlie princesses - that's what.

So today I finally got around to it.
Here is Christmas crowns - done girlie style.
Did a couple for the stall. I might do more - depends it it takes off, but I just wanted to get the thought out of my head.

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

NEW CARD

I was rummaging through my ribbon box looking for something when I dug up some of the felt that was on offer a while ago. At the time it really pi**ed me off because it was such a pain to glue it. Since then I have bought a fine tip glue bottle - ridiculously expensive for a small EMPTY bottle (you know thrifty kitten) - but I have to say it's a godsend. I use it all the time and don't know how I coped with out it. http://www.finetip.co.uk/

Makes doing stuff like this so much easier.

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

TIP OF THE DAY

I have been looking about for shallow trays that I can store my projects 'in work' in. Sometimes I an working on a set of things for a few weeks/months and I want to keep all the research and stuff together while I am doing other stuff.

Today I had a brain wave - - SEED TRAYS - - cheap (in the potting shed - but pennies anyway), the right size (take A4 easy), light weight, stackable, washable / clean, and so on.

I now have a tidy heap of trays with zodiac - lovie/valentine - children's age - princess - et al,

all waiting for me to 'get a round chewit'. (around to it - for those too young to remember chewits!)

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk