New Stuff

We are going to be launching a range of yummy scrummy ribbons..and I can't wait, I'm just putting the finishing touches to the collections and can't wait to get them online.


I have just bought myself a Flap Book and some chipboard monogram alphabets..(when I get the chance to play is another thing).


I have just started designing for Cardmaking and Papercraft magazine and my designs start from next month so that has been very exciting for me..I HATE having my photo taken and no matter how many times I have it took I just look..... well.....as though I am talking under a forced smile...(hurry up and take the bloody photo).

And I had the pleasure (not) of having to tidy my desk up for that shot!!!

Had a bit of a lazy weekend..apart from today..and yesterday..infact it hasn't been a lazy weekend at all really. I had a fayre to do today and spent yesterday working for it..lol..lol..and this ishow tired I am ...YAWN...I am cancelling a hair appointment tomorrow at 9am as I am gonna have bit of a lie in..lol..( yeah right..who am I kidding).

So signing off for the night..nighty night everybody..sleep tight..will see you tomorrow..xxxx

Back from holiday.

Yes....I have been away for a week of, REST??..mmhh not sure about that..did a lot of walking, dodging in and out of rain showers and learning myself to play the piano.

We stayed in a lovely thatched cottage in Ayr (I am soooo annoyed with myself, I've wiped the blinking pictures of it from my camera...how I've done that I will never know!!..haha..anyway..moving on..:))

It was a hugh place and looked PERFECT when we first entered..but..with a little sneaking around and checking matresses (does anyone else do that..it comes from watching the programme Hotels from HELL, remember that?? worts and all..anyway thankfully matress was fine but things like under furniture..must have been at least 3 years of dust there. Maybe I am a bit picky, I think it's as I am getting older and I truley think I could turn into one of those people who take their own cup and utensils around in their bag..lol..lol..jumping forward to the return home, we stopped off at a pub in Gretna for a bite to eat..no kidding..there was an ant on the counter!! omg..I know, just the one, but one to many, am I sounding like Victor Meldrew??..so..I got a glass of red wine, took it to a table along with a quite grubby looking menu, tried to open it and found somebody's left over dinner sticking the pages together..eeeewwwwwwwwww.

I went to take a sip out of my wine only to find lipstick around the rim..and guess what...it wasn't mine..eeeewwwwww, got that replaced took a sip of it and found it was horrible so ended off leaving.........on a brighter note..(there's got to be some):)

Our cottage had a piano in it..so sitting down at it pretending I could sing and play the piano was my past time. Here she is..............

My main ambition was to learn chopsticks..but failed..but did learn Silent Night, Kumbaya..(dodgy spell??) and the first few bars from a Coldplay song..lol..

The views from the property were superb and set in private woodland.

Our treat for our holiday was a lovely meal at a very plush restaurant, called The Brig O Doon Hotel..which I would highly recommend. From the outside it looks like a plush pub..hence me only dressing in jeans and crocs...omg BIG mistake..lol..lol..

To begin the meal an aperitif of haggis and salmon mousse, followed by scallops, then salmon and creme brulee to finish..mmhh yummy. REALITY CHECK..lol..lol..back in the real world now Sharon!!!
Hopefully somewhere HOT and sunny in September....x

My Crafting Buddy

I couldn't resist showing these before and after pics of my dog Niamh.

This shot is her quite full of beans on a hike we did a couple of weeks ago over the Lake District.

And this shot is of her when she got back from her 10 mile hike..lol

Summer Loving Kit

Here it is ..our first scrapbook kit....Summer Loving.

The kit consists of:

4 8x8 patterned papers- pink, yellow, green & blue

4 8X8 sheets of dotty paper- pink, lemon, green & blue

2 metres of white organza ribbon

8 Name plates- 2pink, 2yellow, 2green & 2blue

16 mini brads

Summer Garden Border stamp ( clear, unmounted, self clinging to acrylic blocks)

Flower Power stamp ( clear, unmounted, self clinging to acrylic blocks)

Interested.......??? press here

Coming Soon.......

We are putting the finishing touches to these fab 8x8 scrapbook papers, available in kit form for all you dedicated scrappers. Not available anywhere else....exclusive to Willow Designs....I just couldn't resist giving you a sneak preview.

Scrap Cards

This is what I call a Scrap Card.....a little mini scrapbook page stuck to the front of a card..hence the name Scrap Card. It's a great way to practise doing layouts without going to a lot of expense. Some people sketch their layouts..but if you are anything like me I have to have a bit play and be able to visualize what I am trying to design. Scrap Cards are designed to the size of 10x10cm and stuck to the front of your card...simple..yet effective. Have a go!..they're addictive.

Make A Wish

This is a very quick card I have had in my stash for a few weeks..I just came across the pic today....and it reminds me of why I LOVE crystal lacquers...you can't get the total effect from the photo..but the sheen and gloss you get when using them is yummy.:)

We have a fair next weekend in Malton which is in North Yorkshire so I am busy trying to get organised for that. I have taken to writing myself lists of things to do.to keep my head tidy..lol..lol..

..As the stamp says...Make A Wish....

If you had one wish..what would you wish for?

Effective Washes

I have been having a little play today....this stamp..Patchwork Made With Love is becoming one of our best selling stamps..and this card..which took me no longer than 10-15 mins to make shows how simply stamping the design and roughly colouring with watercolours gives a contemporary look which could easily be adapted using your own stamps.

Willow Framies

These Willow framies have proven very popular since we launched them so I thought I would share a little inspiration using them.

I can't tell you how EASY they are to use..already designed and coloured...life's a breeze..lol..lol..

This particular framie has been used as a party invite but could be adapted to...new home..across the miles..from our home to yours...any invitation...anything really...hope you enjoy the inspiration.x

Baby Cards

For those UK scrappers...........here is the example of a Christening card..but could be adapted for a baby shower card. The tile has been done on shrink plastic..put through the printer to achieve the text..stamped and coloured with chalks..then embossed using clear embossing powder. The background has been stamped on a vellum overlay and dry embossed.

Hope it gives you a little inspiration.

All Good Things Come In Small Packages.....

Here it is...I spent half an hour probably just deciding what I was going to make..lol..

Well it's my mums fault..she has been buying a Cricut machine..now she has bought..let me tell you...a paradise of collections so that's the hardest part really..just choosing something.

I have chosen a petal box..so it actually closes by interlocking petals together..before fixing together I have used the Crazy Daisy stamp and coloured with gel pens..simple..quick...and easy.

Guess what size it is..???mmhhh????no more than 2.5cmsq..adorable..I don't know what you would fit in it ...maybe a jelly babie..lol.

That was the smallest size..so I have a heart box to play with toworrow..

This is a view of the top..cute..

There are tiny little slits in the side

of the box that you could tie ribbon

or threads through and tie off in a bow......

I didn't have anything quite dainty

enough for this minature box.

Little Princess

This is todays crafty contribution which is made using this months stamp..Just For You...(reduced price until the end of March).

I bought a lovely new ink pad...

Brilliance..twilight..I think it gives a nice subtle look to your work and is a three coloured stamp..lavender..lilac..& pink..all pearlised.

And again..using the BLING to add interest..:)..i just lov em..

Going Cold Turkey

Yep....withdrawl symtoms are setting in.............I havn't created anything for a day...I was working yesterday at a craft fayre so I am limited to space to craft. I was however able to get some paintings done of my stamps..I am renewing all of my images on the website and that takes a bit of time which I usually don't have..so although I havn't got all of them done it's a step in the right direction. I am into colouring using H2O's at the moment and fine them a delight to work with as they aren't a flat solid colour...see if I can find something to show you...hold on....
there we go..the Perfect Present stamp..you can just make out how nice those paints shimmer..

Just For You ATC

After the disappointment of the mysterious waterfall card develops an ATC...well I had to create something today.

I have chose the Just For You stamp as it is March Stamp of The Month and at a reduced price for this month only.

Do you see those little brads?? (making memories) How sweet are they?..they came in a mixture of colours and sizes and add..well..a little bit of bling..lol

I will be getting wrong off Willowsmum...I have dabbled into our new papers for our next CD...after I tell her that she can't use them..lol..lol..

I think a little card to accompany this ATC would be adorable............

Waterfall Disaster

Well..it's goning to take me more than one attempt to perfect this technique..I thought I was going great until I found out I had stuck all the blumming squares on the wrong way...(tut..tut..)
I spent ages on it as well..oohhh how annoying, I have got my impatient head on..so it's no good ..time for a cuppa I think..

Freehand Card

Here it is ...my card made using the freehand designs I made. I am going to try my hand at a waterfall card today I think..wish me luck..

Check out my Slide Show!

Going back to my roots

This is what I love to do..and what I find relaxing..although I studied Graphic Design I was always taught to hold my pen/brush toward the end so you are able to work freely..rather than holding a brush tight towards it's bristles..making quite a "tight" result.. It's been quite nice to go down another avenue with my designs..only trouble is..there are that many avenues and doors..I am going to get myself lost one of these days..lol
I am going to make a card with my makings and will pop a pic on when I'm done.

I love sketching.........yep I think that's one of my favourite things to do....doodle..it's amazing what you can come up with in a matter of 2 mins..about what the above sketch took.

I have decided my next range of stamps are going to be for big girls..although the fairy stamps are extremley popular I think it would be nice for a little variation..lol..lol..so I am thinking romance...soft lavenders...cornflowers.....honey bees......well you will all have to wait and see..x

Free Templates

This is a card I intially done for a magazine...to encourage readers to trace from a pattern, it's a very sweet drawing of rosebuds and summer flowers.
In this photo the image was coloured using H2O's then embossed using clear embossing powder.
It was used here for a contemporary wedding invitation but lends itself to most occasions.
If any readers would like a free template please leave your email details on the contact form on website.
I will look forward to seeing what you all create.

Welcome All...

My name is Sharon and I have been cardmaking and scrapbooking for longer than I can remember..I've always been creative from being a little girl and guess I inherited that from my mum who also designs the cd's and downloads for Willow Designs.
I thought I would kick start this new blog with offering you all a taster of our designs..and to top it all off...yep it's free..even better!!..To get your free downloads visit http://www.willowdesignstamps.com

Didn't get a lot of crafting done over the weekend..I was babysitting for my cousin..so my time was taken up with the little man and entertaining him..I had to step back and evaluate the situation a little as it was getting out of hand when I caught a glimpse of myself through the mirror..dancing to Tweenies..lol.I wouldn't care if it had made him laugh..but he just looked at me as if I were crazy..oh well..he might have a point there..

I think I may have an addiction...there..I've said it now...phew feel a load better for it..lol..lol..ATC ADDICTION...........
We run monthly swaps on our forum ..for those who are interested..please feel free to join in http://www.willowdesigns.proboards106.com
Here's my contribution this month..