Ooh, I am a tad excited..over on Tim Holtz blog he used a picture of my mess (all the goodies Tim, Mario and Alain supplied at last weeks event, plus a good handful of some vintage pieces I brought with me)....

So, I have finally finished the configurations box. It was great fun choosing items to put in it.

On the right is the champagne cork from my 40th celebrations with a tape round it showing 11 (my actual birthday)

Below, in the glass jar is one of my MOO cards (if you haven't discovered these guys yet, go to moo.com they make some great business cards etc) with a photo of my steam punk micro scope slide necklace that I got Tim to sign.

and now for the announcement we all new would come.......

My name is Li'l Pidge and I am a craft addict!

Oh the shame.......3 trips to the onsite shop and then the lovely Edwina gave me a lift not only home but to LB Crafts in Olney!!

Here are the goodies I bought,

lots of Ten Second Studio items as they are SO hard to get hold of, and rarely at any of the craft shows I go to.

Then some more Tim Holtz stuff, including the ATC die you can see that I won from Tim himself (how lovely is that).

Now for another confession, I won a die, I even bought 2 at the event (!) but I don't own a machine!! My lovely hubby said he'd buy one for my 40th, (did I mention it was my b'day a couple of weeks ago....dragging this out I know) so best I'd better pull my finger out!

Anyway, off to make some tea!

happy crafting

li'l pidge x

Back, happy but knackered!

I cannot believe it's over! After all these months of waiting I am back from my first PaperArtsy session with Tim Holtz! Boy, it went fast...it was like speed crafting!

Tim was gracious as we all queued to have our photo taken with him!

I met some lovely ladies (hello!), went for a Chinese (£4 for a boiled rice!! became my mantra!) and got very inky and had an absolute blast.

Lin and Leandra's class was such fun, playing with metal, paint, inks and sprays (boy did it go everywhere!) and this is what I made:


I love the Ten Second Studio metal working tools as they are so easy and natural to use and the grunge paper hinges were so easy to colour with bronze goop (is that the technical term!?!)

A quick break (and maybe just a little shopping in the on site craft shop) then it was on to the Tim Holtz class. After such a great morning there was much anticipation.

When we took our seats...look what greeted us!

A configuration box, papers, feet and a zipper bag filled to the brim with goodies!

Tim showed us the configuration box he made, so we had plenty of inspiration

When we went to tea break (one of the ladies had her leap year birthday celebrations at the event and brought homemade cupcakes for the entire group, how lovely was that) we returned to find a fabric sack on each of our places, filled with bits and bobs, some vintage, some Tim's products (and I added a few of mine I brought from home)

I have nowhere near finished it yet, I included a 40 from grunge painted black (to celebrate my birthday (again!) in the middle is one of my MOO cards I got Tim to sign then placed it inside one of the glass bottles....I just need to finish it now.

The next morning, instead of heading back on the train, I met a fellow crafter (hello Edwina) who came from Barry and gave me a lift home (how nice is that), even nicer, it was via LB Crafts in Olney (can you overdose on craft?)

So now it looks like a bombs hit the house as all my goodies are all over the place...I'll take a photo to share all my goodies.

If you ever get the chance to go to a PaperArtsy event, I recommend it, its fast (NO chance to get bored), you learn new techniques and get to meet some great new people.

And a big hello and welcome to my new follower, Kaz, who I met at the event, HELLO (grin)

Happy Crafting

Li'l Pidge x

Happy Valentines Day

Happy Valentines day. My lovely hubby made me a 1980's inspired mix tape (but on a flash drive) with songs such as 1-2 crush on you by The Clash and Milkman of Human Kindness by Billy Bragg...such a lovely hubby!

So, I decided to start using up some stuff that I 'found' when I cleaned up the craft room (how did all that stuff fit in there?).

This card is made using some Ten Second studio metal sheet which I embossed by hand (the old fashioned way-until I get the Vagabond Machine that is!! Hubby promised it as my 40th pressie when its finally in the UK!!) and coloured with alcohol inks, mounted on gold textured card, finishing with a large flower embellishment.

My biggest news is that, last weekend the Coven threw me a 40th Party (at the wonderful Jill's flat) It was a great night, lots of food, drink, laughter and some balloon sculpture (don't ask!!),so a big thank you to you all (and to my best friends who had to travel back to the 'sticks' on public transport after many cans of cider!!).

This was followed by my hubby whisking me away to a posh hotel in Devon where I had my first (and hopefully not my last) hot stone massage! It was wonderful, very relaxing and amazing on my poor old joints!

This was followed by a lovely bouquet of flowers he had arranged to be delivered to the hotel room (good man...after more than 20 years I think he is doing well!)

I got some lovely presents, crafting money from the coven and money from family (ready for my Paper Artsy event with Tim Holtz where the plastic is going to be well and truly flexed!!), lots from hubby, cup cake goodies, threads and a wonderful handbag from my parents.....but, I think the best one has to go to my lovely brother (who is about to leave the UK again, but this time for 18 months to volunteer for the GVI projects in South America teaching children in deprived areas as well as generally helping out digging water tanks etc).....my favourite drink, an entire mixed case of red wine.....

Thanks bro....and Happy Birthday (my brothers birthday is today.....ah, a valentines love child!!).

Well, I'd best go as I need to unpack and put away my goodies....where has my 3 days off gone?

Happy Crafting

Li'l Pidge x

154 days until...

So, what is 154 days away?

Christmas? No, that's MUCH sooner (too soon, I have not started making anything for it yet)

When Spring starts? Good lord, it's only the Autumn equinoxe today.....don't wish your life away!

No, it is 154 days until I attend a workshop with Tim Holtz!!! Yep, you read that right........I cant believe that he will be coming to the UK, but the amazing team over at paperartsy (great stamps etc and an amazing angel plus policy....check them out) have managed to secure a workshop with him and I was lucky enough to be able to buy a ticket (they all sold out in 40 mins!)......I even did a happy dance around the kitchen when I found out!


But, back to craft.... this tin was 50p from a charity shop, I coloured it with alcohol inks, stamping on tissue paper, adding words and a metal bird house I made from a paperartsy stamp and ten second studio drawing tools, adding a little lace for a femine touch.


I then made a little book with a shaker window and glittered a little pencil....perfect for slipping in my pocket when out walking in the autumn days and I get an idea I dont want to forget.

All for 50p! Now, that's a bargain.

Happy Crafting

Li'l Crafting x