Very BAD Blogger !!!

OMG !! What a terrible blogger I have become ! I cannot quite believe how long it is since my last post. In my defence your honour, I had to install a new computer system as my other one blew up - well ok, it didn't actually blow up, but you know what I mean lol ! Up until the last couple of weeks I have been trying to keep going on a grotty and very old laptop, whilst they were building me a new pc - it's all bells and whistles now, so I can now return to blogland.



We have had so many wonderful new products in, that I don't quite know where to start, maybe with the latest and greatest.......October Afternoon - SEASIDE, this has got to be my most fave of all the October Afternoon lines - with living beside the seaside, I have a million and one piccies to go with these fab papers...........and the Shape Stickers and Wild Cards are just fab !!! Whether I will ever get time to use any is another question lol - it has been amazingly busy in the store right throughout the summer, thanks to you, my lovely customers and now we are gearing up for the traditionally busy run up to the (dare I say it) festive season.




Recent arrivals have included a massive Prima order with 6 paper collections and all the matching bits, 4 great new collections from Teresa Collins, Graphic 45 - Steam Punk, Cosmo Cricket, Jenni Bowlin and loads more - it's late on Friday afternoon and my head is boggled !!

Moving forward, we have still to look forward to October Afternoon - Schoolhouse, Modern Homemaker and Campfire (there may even be a new Christmas line) and some gorgeous new Pink Paislee, Girl's Paperie and of course all Tim's latest stuff !! Flying over the Atlantic at the moment are several boxes of brand new Stampotique stamps - more new designs from Jo Capper-Sandon and Daniel Torrente - can't wait for these to arrive :)



Ok, so is missing their mojo at the moment ? (my hand is up ) cos if you haven't already seen the Chicken Soup Blog then you need to get yourself over there, it's just what you need to kick start your creativity and there are even prizes, and whats more there is even a Craft Emporium prize, yes this month the Craft Emporium are proud to sponsor the challenge, so what are you waiting for....go take a peek !

And finally if you have read to the end of this post, we have Blog Candy !!!! If you didn't, we don't lol ! We have a set of the brand new Seaside papers to give away.... YAY !!! You know the ropes.......blah blah...

I will be back, sooner, rather than later !

Lyn x

It's WOYWW.........

...........and I have finally managed to coordinate the fact that it is wednesday and take a piccy !!! I've been meaning to join in with Julia's fun blog hop for ages, sod's law that my desk is probably the messiest it has ever been !!! I've been doing a 12 x 12 canvas using all the fab techniques learnt in a combination of Dyan and Dina's great workshops earlier in the year, lots of painting, inking and spraying, still got to do a great deal to it, so a work in progress lol ! Why does everything seem to gravitate and leave you with a 12 inch square of space to work on ? I get everything off the shelves and it kinda of stays there - tidy up needed before next week me thinks !!!
Right better get a move on and start some serious work..............

Lyn x

.........and breathe !

Phew, busy busy week with the Summer Clearance Sale, we are just about getting the backlog under control and we have made some space for all the lovely new goodies which are being released at CHA Summer. Wow, there are going to be some fab new products judging by all the sneak peaks on various blogs - new stamps from Tim Holtz and Wendy Vecchi, gorgeous new October Afternoon, Cosmo and Pink Paislee and that's just the start !!

Talking of new stamps, we had a massive delivery yesterday from Crafty Individuals which included those gorgeous ones that featured in Craft Stamper this month - check them out here

We also have two "new to us" stamp ranges coming very soon which I am very excited about, the first range should be here in a couple of days with the other one following in the next week or two - rubber heaven !!

My UPS man will be paying a visit anytime now with the gorgeous Graphic 45 Hallowe'en in Wonderland range, so keep your eyes peeled in the new products section - will try and get it on-line later today or first thing tomorrow morning - it is sooooo cool...... I just can't wait !!!

Right, the packing fairies are here, so better get a move on, I will leave you with a couple of cards I found on my camera from the other week using the Stampotique Maison des Fleurs stamp - perfect for a new home card.

Lyn x

It's Sale time !

Ok, so a few days turned into a week but that means we have a mega Summer Clearance for you, over 1400 bargains to be exact !!! Papers from 20p a sheet, loads of stamps and blingy stuff.....too many goodies at great prices to mention lol !!
We have already ordered masses of new summer CHA products, some of which will be arriving at the end of next week, so we need tons of room !
So come and grab a bargain here

Oops... seen to have lost a few weeks somewhere !?

June is just whizzing by - I can't believe I last blogged at the beginning of the month........... bet ya all thought I'd ridden off into the sunset on a beautiful green Yamaha Virago lol !! Well I resisted again and I am still "bike-less" .........oh well, maybe next year !! The T.T. Race weeks have been and gone and the Island is returning to it's normal sleepy self, the weather was a bit mixed which held up several of the races, but we got there in the end with some great racing and a party atmosphere everywhere.

More yummy new goodies popped up yesterday - think that UPS man fancies me - haha !! or maybe it's just cos I keep ordering more stuff !!! This time we have the brand new Jenni Bowlin paper line "PLAY DATE" and lots of Tim restocks. You can check out the new Jenni Bowlin in the new products section of the website .


Well, the sun is still shining and I am off to a barbie soon, so will leave you with a few cards that have been sitting in my camera for weeks !

Bye for now !
Lyn x

New goodies !!

That man from UPS has been visiting me again with lots of lovely new goodies !!!!
Tim Holtz Tissue Tape, Texture Fade Embossing Folders, 7 Gypsies Petit Carnet Mini Books and lots more.....all in the new products section on the website.

Back later !
Lyn

An oldie but goodie .......

I dug out one of my very favourite stamps at the weekend, it is this very stamp that led me to first stock Stampers Anonymous gorgeous classics and I still love it today.

And the winner is ...........................

..............drumroll please...... number 14 - Karen ! Well done Karen, if you can email me at lyn@craft-emporium.co.uk with your addy I can get your prize posted.

Right it's that usual Monday morning madness, so must dash !!

Back later

Lyn x

It's Candy time !!

Well, I said the other night that it must be time for some more Blog Candy and I have just the thing ! The gorgeous Cosmo Cricket DeLovely arrived at the end of last week, lovely bright summery colours....perfect for those long hot days .......that's if we ever get a summer - I may have just given the "S" word the kiss of death !!
So who wants to win a 6 x 6 Mini Deck ? Just leave a comment and in a few days the random generator will select a winner.

It's official......I'm in love with the new Tattered Florals Die !!! I spent a lovely afternoon yesterday at my pal Penny's house and we set to work making gorgeous fabric flowers (Penny's craft room is not only a haven of your normal crafting stuff, but it is also chock full of gorgeous fabrics and threads) I said to her yesterday that she really needs to have a blog to show off her amazing fabric creations - they would blow your mind !!!! In fact if she doesn't I will have to take some photo's and show you myself.... ha ha, I know you will be reading this Penny !!
Anyway here's some of the flowers we made.................

.....now I need to clamber up into the loft to rescue all my hoarded fabrics !! I knew they would come in useful one day.

I can't believe that it's nearly that time of the year again when the Island comes alive with the sound of 1000's of motorbikes and the promenade is buzzing with life ! It's the time of year when I start hankering after another bike !! Luckily, I never actually get around to getting a new one - I had a few very near misses in the olden days LOL ! - So I ponder and window shop and before you know it, T.T. Week is over for another year and my hankering gets pushed to the back of my mind again ....... the kids can then breathe a sigh of relief again......pmsl..........ermm.... "Mother on a motorbike"..........I don't think so !! They would never live it down LOL !

Ok, get commenting if you want to win lol

Lyn x

Ooops !

Yes a big OOOPS, the newsletter last night went into overdrive and some unlucky people got 5 in 30 mins !!! Sooooo sorry folks, it seemed to be on a perpetual loop and wouldn't stop LOL ! I hope everyone was not too annoyed by the Craft Emporium invasion. My lovely hosting company have sorted it all out now, so no more hassles.


I think Blogger is actually behaving itself today as well, so will attempt to put a few piccies on..................
I thought I would make this little folder to hold all the little packets of gems and blingy stuff that always seems to get lost, so using a set of the Teresa Collins Bracket Covers and page protectors, I set to work.......Some yummy paper from one of the Tim Holtz Paper Stacks and my favourite little Stampotique pal Prom Queen (who will be arriving back in stock any day now)




With hindsight, it needs bigger wires, so I will probably re-bind it over the weekend, but it sits on my shelf nicely and no more lost gems :)

Back later with some........Bl..........sssshhh.......

Lyn x

Arghhh !!!

I am not having much luck tonight - I've been trying to send out a newsletter to subscribers and the blooming thing keeps crashing out - so apologies in advance if you have received it twice, my hosting company will hopefully sort it out and I will try again in the morning.
So...I though I would try my blog instead... a nice long post for a change, and twice now, yes twice ! the blinking thing has not published - there are gremlins about tonight.

So, I will just quickly tell you about the new arrivals and go and partake of a nice glass of red LOL !

New goodies today are the gorgeously zingy Cosmo Cricket DeLovely range and some 7 Gypsies lushness including those fab book covers and Printers Trays.

It must be about time for some more Blog Candy.....but that's for another day.... so keep checking the blog !
Right I am hitting publish now before I lose the blinking thing for the third time !!!

Be back soon
Lyn

I was having a bit of a play with Stampotique "Heart Throb" boy at the weekend...... although I don't think he looks very happy in his cage LOL ! I used the new Tim Holtz Cage Die in Grungeboard and dug out some of the older Prima papers to go with it. The words are 7 Gypsies Gaffer Tape.


He looks a bit happier out of his cage here.........or not !!

Ok just a quick update on the 12 x 12 Grungepaper - it arrived yesterday and was put back into stock last night, an email was automatically generated for those who had it on notification, unfortunately by the time many of you checked your emails this morning - it was showing out of stock again - yes....it sold out in under an hour !!!! It has been in such short supply now for months that everyone was bulk buying several packs at once (and in one case... the entire stock that was left) The good news is that we have the 6 x 12 Grungepaper, and that is now in stock in the new products section, so apologies to those who thought the website was going mad !!! Other new bits and bobs have arrived too including Tim's Paper Stacks which are now back in stock. Still a few more boxes to unpack that arrived yesterday, so watch this space.....

Lyn x

Oooh look whats coming soon ........

.......ooh this is very exciting, the amazingly talented Jo Capper-Sandon has designed a fabulous range of stamps for Stampotique - and the good news is that they are all winging their way over the pond as we speak and will be in stock at the Craft Emporium very shortly.

How wonderful to have a british designer on the Stampotique team, Jo has designed her stamps to work beautifully with the existing Stampotique range as well as independently in her own unique style. Check out Jo's Blog here to see all the amazing samples she has produced.

The new stamps and restocks of all the popular favourites will be in store very soon - can't wait !!!!

Lyn

Third time lucky !!!!

Damm blogger keeps losing my post from today - so one more go then the computer is flying out of the window !!! So apologies in advance if the pictures and words don't correspond, I'm going with whatever comes up LOL !!



I actually escaped to my new craft room this weekend and had a little play with some of the new products - Tim's new paper stacks are amazing - you know what I mean, far too nice to cut into to, but I forced myself - it's just a bit of paper right ? I love the rabbit from Tim's Spring Sprung set and added some of the papers from the Vintage Shabby stack and of course some Ideo-ology metal bits.............the clock was cut from the Lost & Found stack and rock candied !

This one below was using lots of fab Wendy Vecchi Studio 490 stamps on grungepaper, the vintage photo is from Tim's paper stack Lost & Found

Tim's Lost & Found stacks sold out very quickly over the weekend, we have ordered lots more, so fingers crossed they arrive soon - if you didn't catch them first time, they it may be an idea to use the product notification button (next to each product image) this way you will get an automated email just as soon it they go back in stock.

Ok let's see if this works, for some reason nothing will save to draft, so it may just disappear again LOL

Lyn x

Woo Hoo - unexpected delivery !!!

Look at what's just arrived !!!!!
























Ooops BIG piccy lol !
I wasn't expecting these beauties for a couple of weeks, but they have just turned up today YAY !!!!!!

You will also find lots of other new products on the website too - Shabby Green Door, Pink Paislee, cool hangy things from Zutter and lots more in the what's new section here

Sorry just a quickie - back later !
Lyn

So who wants to win £100 worth of stash !!!!

Exciting things happening overnight on UK Scrappers, yeah, you can be in with a chance to win a whopping £100 worth of stash !!! How cool is that ? All you need to do is hop along to UK Scrappers, register for the cyber crop and enter the additional Mystery Kit Mega Prize. This is a totally new prize that we Mystery Kit sponsors have put together, and the great thing is......all you have to do is make a layout ! Now don't get me wrong, I love the wonderful creations that some talented people put together for the Mystery Kit prize, but heck - I couldn't do that if I tried - I don't have the time for starters, or the talent LOL !! But we can all do layouts can't we ! So depending on which team you are allocated to - you buy your Mystery Kit from one of the following sponsors:

Top Hats team - Indigo Mill

Cars team - Craft Emporium

Ships team - Sarahs Cards

Thimbles team - Mod Scraps

The great thing is we four sponsors get to judge it !!!! So get your entries in, and you could end up with the fab Mega prize. Can't wait to see all the lovely layouts.

Lyn x

Woo Hoo - new October Afternoon is here !!

Yes folks, we have two gorgeous new collections from October Afternoon "Fly A Kite" and "The Thrift Shop" This time there are nine papers in each range and the 8 x 8 Pads allow for this by becoming thicker with a whopping 34 sheets in 17 different designs !!! Fab stickers and Journaling Cards, Stamps and Flash Card Books. There are still Rub-ons to follow and a couple of items that are subject to manufacturing delays - these should be here shortly to complete the full range. We have also stocked up on as much of the previous lines that were available, but sadly some items are not being re-printed including the very popular Cherry Hill 8 x 8 Paper Pad :(

Check it all out here in the new products section

OMG... where has March gone ??!?!?

........I seem to have missed this month somewhere along the way ??
It has been manically busy on the website with loads and loads of new goodies arriving, which of course, means loads and loads of orders to pack !!!
Tim's Alterations dies have now been in stock twice (AND.. out of stock twice lol ) I never even got a chance to stroke them !! Not only has it been frantic workwise, I have also had computer problems, particulary with Blogger - when I did get a few minutes to update I lost the post completely and gave up, I also have issues with reading everyone elses blogs - even Facebook is freezing up on me every time I spend more that 3 seconds on it !! So I'm not ignoring you all - promise ! Hopefully my internet problems are now getting resolved and this post will manage to appear and I can catch up with everyone again.

I have some super fabby wonderfully scrumptious news as well......................guess what is clearing through customs at Stanstead as we speak ?? YAY !!!!!! I don't even have to say the name do I ?..... 'cos you're all waiting patiently (and emailing me LOL !) Answers on a postcard.......... it's time to get stalking.

OK, I'm going to keep this short and not upload any photo's in the hope that it will publish before getting lost in cyberspace again..........will hopefully confirm the arrival very soon :)

Lyn

Fab, fab week ! Part Two !!

Now then, where are we up to ?

Thursday saw me hitting the shops in Harrogate for a lovely mooch and a bit of retail therapy, then it was back to the studio on Friday where I was lucky enough to take one of Dyan's workshops. We made this cute little mini book which was fronted with a fab box frame...........

We painted and inked the frame and used Tim's Stamps to decorate it, the book and tags. Lots of yummy Idea-ology metal bits were used inside the box frame. Great fun to do ! The great thing about Dyan's workshops are that you can take away all the fab techniques to apply them to other projects - you watch, every book I make now will have some sort of frame as the front LOL !!
No sooner that workshop was over it was time to clear the decks ready for a kid's party - wow they had a great time making gorgeous mirrors ! Straight after the party it was clear the decks again ready for the start of the Art Journaling weekend - I don't know how Dyan does it, she is on the go non-stop !!! Everyone started to arrive and get aprons on ready............

Here's Emma and Ann...

Maria, Diane and Mandy............

Joy and Jane..........

Liz and Anne-Marie........

Trish, Michelle and Gill.........

We all started out the weekend as strangers and we laughed till we cried, and cried till we laughed and more importantly made some friends along the way. What a great bunch of fellow Art Journalers !! Another "must go to" if you get the chance - you even get fed and watered LOL !!

I can't believe I didn't take any piccies of my Art Journalling !?!?!? I was obviously far too engrossed LOL !

The week flew by and soon it was time to leave.......ahhhhhh, but not before I grabbed some piccies of the new place - wow look at all that space !!! Very posh !

Can't wait to go back for more..........but yes you guessed it, I am now so far behind with work, that I'm practically in last year LOL ! So, a very busy and hectic week followed, just to ease me back in gently - of course !!

And talking of work, or shop goodies more importantly - the Greetings Farm stamps are now finally on the website - after sitting here for nearly two weeks !!!! There is still another massive box of stamps sitting here too - will try and get them on-line in the next couple of days.

Lyn x

Fab, fab week ! Part One !!

Phew....finally managed to find time to get the piccies off the camera and blog about the wonderful week at Art from the Heart. But where do I start, so many brilliant techniques, workshops, inking, painting, getting as messy as can be. Lots of lovely new friends, good food and Dyan's fab hospitality - even thought she did get me hooked into Prison Break LOL !!



























First workshop of the week was with the amazingly talented and lovely Dina Wakley - wow..... what can I say, Dina shared all sorts of techniques and tips with us....... we gessoed, painted, textured, inked, splatted and collaged for two glorious days.

Dina was such a fab tutor and such a lovely, lovely person - we were indeed in "messy heaven". What a fab way to spend my first two days, I truly felt like I'd had a "one to one" workshop with Dina - what a perfect venue with just the right amount of people.

The first layer of paint was laid down..............

Then we started playing around with masks...............

























Even Dyan got time to play..........





















Dina in full "splatter mode" LOL..................

We even got fed !!!! Yummy food courtesy of Pam (who is an absolute diamond)

Work in progress..........

At the end of day 2 we descended on the local Mexican restaurant for a fab meal and drinkies.........all trying desperately to hide our inky and painty hands LOL !

If you ever, ever get the chance to take one of Dina's workshops you must........you will have the most amazing time !! Specially at Art from the Heart, then you can do Dyan's too - double whammy !!!

Well believe it or not, uploading these piccies has taken ages and ages, I think my Internet connection is playing up........again !!!

So I'm giving up for the night - more piccies tomorrow !

Lyn x

Just a quickie..............

........Will write a proper post when I have surfaced from underneath orders and deliveries LOL !!

Tim Holtz Alterations arrived yesterday and are now on-line, not all the products are ready for shipping yet and some didn't arrive but what we do have are here



























Sitting here still to go onto the website are the Greetings Farm stamps which arrived last week eeek !! Also some lovely new stamps from Donna Salazar, hopefully these will be on-line by tomorrow am.

Had a fabby week at the Art from the Heart Studio including two amazing days with Dina Wakely and Dyan's Art Journaling weekend - will post some piccies and updates later............or in a few days LOL !!!

Back soon !

Lyn x

Meltdown !!!

Not sure whether that means me or the website...........or both !!!

First of all an apology, I did say in the newsletter that although I was heading off for a short break next week, orders placed up until Friday midnight would be depatched before I left.......well, I sort of "over extended" myself - the sheer volume of orders over the last 48 hours have been phenomenal !! There was no possible way that we could have got them all despatched before leaving, so rather than disappoint anyone by having to wait, an executive decision was made and the cut off point was changed to Wednesday midnight. All orders placed up to that point will be despatched before leaving. So basically anyone who placed their order before the notices went up on the site can rest assured they will not have to wait until afterwards.



Tim's brand new book came and went in the blink of an eye - wow I have never seen anything like it, and we ordered loads !!!!! You'll be pleased to know that we have re-ordered it and it will be back in stock soon.



Another favourite amongst the new arrivals is The Crafty Chronicle by Donna Salazar.....





















The paper it is printed on was chosen for the way it reacts with paint and can be formed into flowers. You can create your own unique embellishments with dictionary, wanted ads, horoscopes and even the articles on the front page. More product info on the website !





So where am I going next week ? ........ I am so excited as I am heading up to Harrogate to the wonderful Art from the Heart Studios YAY !!!
2 days of workshops in Art Journaling with the very talented Dina Wakley and Dyan's own Art Journaling Weekend to follow - how cool is that - I am hoping that some of that amazing talent from both Dyan and Dina will rub off on me, my mojo seems to be sadly lacking at the moment LOL !!!

A rather yummy delivery (yes another one !) is taking a little while stuck in customs at the moment, but will hopefully arrive in a few days................here is a little hint.........and don't look too closely at the colouring in - it's my first time with this kind of thing, I don't normally "do" cute !!

The stamp is of course by The Greetings Farm and I have coloured her with Promarkers and used Shabby Green Door "Farmers Market" papers...........so more new goodies to look forward to when I get back ! We were also able to take advantage and buy the special edition "Cheeky" stamps which were only available to retailers who attended CHA.

Back soon

Lyn x

Just a quickie !!!

Lots and lots of new goodies have just arrived and are on-line, including the new Distress Inks and Tim's new Book.

Back later with a proper update on all the new products, as I am currently buried under boxes LOL !!