Just a quick reminder!

I have Just had a look at my calendar and realised that there are only 7 days left until the online workshop begins, where has the month gone?!

This means there are only 7 days left in which to register.

A few of you have still not applied for your workshop forum accounts, this is not important until the workshop starts but it maybe worth doing it early just in-case of any problems.

I have now accumulated over 100 minutes of video to go along with the online instructions and downloadable pdf's which I am currently uploading.

For more information on the workshop and to register click the picture below

Andy

See…..this is what happens!

See…. this is what happens when I am left unattended for an hour!

I bought the Dalek pictured below on the left as a present for someone, it was fairly inexpensive and has been sat in its box on my work desk for a few weeks now.
This afternoon I got a little bored and removed it from it's packaging to take a closer look…….  the rest I'm afraid is history :)
I need to get Back to Tesco first thing tomorrow to purchase another one or I am going to be in so much trouble!

Andy

What no Acrylic paint? …..Me??

I had such fun yesterday demonstrating at Coleman's Craft Warehouse in Rushden Northants and without the aid of my beloved acrylic paint!
Distress, Archival ink and keeping it simple was the order of the day using products from Adirondack, Tim Holtz and Teresa Collins.

Before I continue can I just say a big thank you to all the fantastic staff who looked after me so wonderfully  and kept me supplied with tea!
Also a big hello to all the lovely people who joined me at my table during the day.

My first hurdle was to produce simple rusty steampunk tag's with a hole punch, distress ink, card stock  and no Acrylic paint! I used Rusty Hinge and Walnut Stain distress ink combined with my Flight of Fancy stamp set.
The tag on the right has a smaller tag added using Tim Holtz's Halloween Haunts Kraft Resist Paper Stash, I really enjoyed using this paper, its fantastic!


Halloween Haunts Kraft Resist Paper Stash


As Halloween is approaching my gothic set proved very popular,  so many people commented on the fact that they can be used all year round,  this is something I often have in mind when designing stamp sets.
I have also used the Halloween adornments from the Ideaology range on the tags below.



Tim holtz ideaology Adornments Halloween


Next up are a couple of tags using my Simply Angelic set, this set was designed in memory of my wonderful sister Kim.
She absolutely adored cherubs, angels and flower fairy's, at Christmas time her home would be completely filled with them!


I very rarely use designer papers but the Teresa Collins Christmas Home pack is a very easy-to-work-with, adaptable product with some lovely damask papers included.




Finally the Word Up set combined with the splat stamp from my gothic set, a taste of good old urban grunge!



I have to admit it was nice to keep everything simple for a change and just use inks but I do have a pot of acrylic paint in front of me and it has with my name on it!……. get ready for my Steampunk  camera!

Have a great Sunday
Andy

Glee 2011

Hello,
Just back from the 2011 Glee show at the Birmingham NEC and I'm completely shattered, apologies to anyone awaiting an email reply, I will get onto it in the next few days I promise!
Myself and Jenny the General Manager at Country Love Crafts arrived on Sunday to set up the stand and filled it with amazing Decoart and Decopatch products before leaving to arrive at the hotel.
We booked into the Holiday Inn Express located on the A45 in Birmingham.
The hotel had only just opened and I have to say it was truly fantastic!
This was my first time with holiday Inn and I can fully recommend this particular hotel.
One of my big bug bears about many hotels is the fact they will charge you ridiculous amounts per hour for a simple internet access, the Holiday Inn was completely free,  well done Holiday Inn!
The room was absolutely immaculate and fitted with a queen-sized bed that had a choice of either a firm or a soft side to sleep on. 
My only complaint would be that the lighting was very dim,  trying to paint or even applying my make-up in the evening was completely impossible lol!


As soon as the show opened Jenny started work on her fabulous recycled wooden chair using just Americana Acrylic Paint combined with Decopatch and I made a start on Scotty the dog pictured below!




Our famous Decopatch tree below also made an appearance and was very popular with the crowd!


John Collinworth, National Account Manager for ExaClair also joined us over the three days, here is some of his handy work!

Thanks John for such a wonderful evening on Tuesday night, the food was exquisite!
OK I had better get back to finishing preparations for my demo at Coleman's Craft Warehouse this coming Saturday.
take care everyone,
Andy

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I'm Going to Glee!

When I was asked if I would like to go to Glee at the Birmingham NEC I literally jumped at the chance, I really like the TV show and Jane Lynch who plays coach Sue Sylvester has to be my favourite character, she is hilarious!

After my initial excitement I was informed that it was actually the Glee trade show for the garden, landscaping, leisure and pet industries and that we were going to be demonstrating Decoart Patio Paints  and not the musical! …. "Not the musical?…. Ohh Maaaaan"  I felt a big bit stupid I have to say!

So, I am now in the middle of washing, packing and getting ready to leave tomorrow in preparation for Monday.
We will be located at Stand:  5H54 until Wednesday,  if any of you are attending please do pop over and say hello!

I spent the afternoon on Thursday running  workshops at Helen & Douglas House  which offers hospice care for children and young adults.
The work they do there is absolutely amazing, please take a little time to watch their video below.

Helen & Douglas House

 

Unfortunately I don't have much in the way of artwork to show you as I have been so busy with other stuff along with preparation for the online workshop starting on October 4th, it already has over 90 photo's, 8 PDF's and 1 hour of video and there is still more to do!…what have I got myself into!! :)
I have however set myself some free time in October so that I can be available a little more for the online workshop and to concentrate on new techniques with the idea of a possible Steampunk online workshop, but I will see how this one goes first.

I will leave you with the picture below, this is my practice box which I experiment different paint techniques on, I have been trying to make it look as if it has been dragged from the depth's of the ocean! Not quite there yet but its coming along.

Have a good weekend,

Andy

Aberdeen

Hi all,
Hello to everyone attending the Country Love Crafts Sale & Unveil day yesterday, I hope your journey home was less stressful than your journey in the morning!
Here are some of the impressionistic pears painted on 6" x 6" earthenware tiles, they were completed in the morning workshop using Duncan Concepts under-glazes and now ready for firing.

I was going to be demonstrating at Paperarts in Gloucester this coming Saturday but just to let you know the date has changed and has now been moved forwards to November 12th.
I can also announce that myself and Lindsay Mason will both be at The Papeterie in Aberdeen during the weekend of November 26th and 27th, we will be demonstrating and also running workshops. I cant wait to meet up and work with Lindsay again, she looks after me and keeps me out of trouble!
Ermmm I have just spent the day filming videos for the ermmm online workshop, I'm so desperately trying to stop myself from saying ermmm while giving instructions! It's so much  easier having a ermmm soundtrack with text instructions but unfortunately ermmm that will not suffice for this!
Ermmm 
BFN
Andy

Can You Handle It?

Ok Here is the final Altered bottle for the online workshop, you will get instructions on both this, and the Evil Elixir Mixer… two for one….bonus!!

Can You Handle It?

Andy

Altered Bottle No 2

Hi everyone,

Just competed bottle number 2 for the online workshop and really happy with this one.
Now….. what other bottles shall I open?? …hick… It's a hard job but someone's got to do it! lol

Andy

Materials List

Hi everyone,
I have been asked by a few people if I can provide the materials list for the Elixir Mixer online course so that they can assess the cost and availability before committing so below is the list minus two ingredients which I want kept secret until people have registered, I am sure you can understand my reason for this, but I can give you the price of them.
The price of the first ingredient.. the rare one is £9.95 and enough to complete approx 8 bottles and the second ingredient I have just found on Amazon at £2.60

Bottle. (your Choice)
Acrylic paints. I use Americana but most good quality Acrylic paint will work. Please avoid any chalk acrylic such as PaperArtsy Fresco as it does not work with one of the techniques. The colours I have used on my bottle are Sour Apple, Indian Turquoise  Burnt Siena, Burnt Umber, True Red, Black and White. These can be purchased  from the Craftbarn but you can use colours of your own choice for this project.

P80 grade Sandpaper. One that can be used wet or dry
Isopropanol or Adirondack blending solution.  MAPLINS OR MOST GOOD STAMPING/ CARDMAKING SHOPS

Araldite epoxy glue or any fast setting epoxy glue  DIY STORE
Bitumen Paint. (smallest tin you can find)   DIY STORE

White spirit or Mineral spirits in the US.   DIY STORE

String or Twine.
Elastic Bands.
Artists Paint Brushes square and round.
Paper towel.
Baby Wipes.
Latex gloves.
Scissors.
Printer.
Embellishments. (whatever you have in your stash that you would like to add)

I've had complaints!

Hi everyone,
Before I start can I say a big hello to everyone I met during Saturday's demo's at the Craft Barn and all the lovely ladies attending my workshop on Sunday who made me feel so welcome. Sorry I have no photo's but I promise to remember my camera next time!

This bug I picked up last week ended with an ear infection arriving on Friday and my hearing was very poor the whole weekend, this unfortunately got me into a bit of trouble at the hotel!
I use my phone as an alarm clock and have four separate alarms set, the first at 4:30 am and then every half hour there after. I awoke Sunday morning to my alarm going off at 6:30 along with a gentle tapping at my door…It was the hotel security guy informing me that they had received numerous complaints from other guests about an alarm clock which had been going off since 4:30 in the morning… and he had been knocking at my door for the past hour!....whoops.  I apologised profusely and explained to him about my ear condition but for some reason he did not seem in the slightest bit happy or sympathetic with my explination.
I entered the breakfast room very sheepishly and sat quietly in the corner hoping that nobody knew that I was the guy from room 311!  So my deepest apologies to anyone staying at the Premier Inn Crawley on Saturday night…I admit it….it was me!

Today I am busy preparing the PDF's for the online workshop and making a start on a couple of new altered bottles using different designs and colours, I had a little play with the hues on the original picture to give me some ideas, this can be really useful.

Should I go pink and girly?!? lol
Right better get back to it
Enjoy your day,
Andy

Packed and ready to go!

Well I'm all packed up and ready to travel down to The Craft barn in Lingfield Surrey for a weekend of demo's and workshops!
I have had a really rubbish week,  internet problems….. having too much to do and not enough time to do it in and on top of that I had some kind of bug! not a cold or sickness but overwhelming tiredness and complete lack of appetite? I can honestly say I had my first proper meal in 6 days yesterday,  I dread to think how much weight I have lost!  I am happy to say though, it does seem to have passed  and I am really looking forward to getting away for the weekend to hit the (As much as you can eat full English breakfast) in the hotel and see everyone down at the Craft barn.

Just a quick note to those who have registered for my  online workshop, The only information that the workshop site has on it at the moment is the tools and materials list, everything else will appear the day it begins which is Oct 4th.

Right off to double double check I have packed everything,

BFN,

Andy

Fancy a Tipple?

Hi everyone,

Well the feedback on the workshop poll was 100% positive so I have decided to go ahead with the Evil Elixir Mixer workshop, I do hope some of you join in as I have put so much work into this project it would be a shame for it not to continue…. Hey… no pressure of course! lol
I have been teaching workshops now for over 10 years but never online so here goes!

My schedule for September is pretty hectic so the start date will be October 4th, this will take us straight into Halloween which is absolutely perfect!

I have to say this has been a hard decision for me but, I honestly think with all the media that is now available to put online, this is going to be fun!
The problem with running a one day workshop in altering is the drying time, believe me you do have to plan for this. With an online course the problem simply disappears, none of you will be arriving late completely stressed out after driving in rush hour traffic for miles on end, having to book the day of work or arrange for babysitters.. You can all work at your own pace and even have a glass of wine along the way! I am completely converted!

I will see you on the dark side… Mwah-ha-ha-ha!

Details of the workshop are listed below

Introductory Cost £18.00!

Upon registration you will be sent an invite to the workshop site, here you will find a materials list, much of which you will probably have lying around in the garage. I have also put the materials list at the bottom of this post. There is also a link to where you can get hold of the rare product once you have registered!
Please note the invite is not automated so will not be immediate, I have to invite you personally..Its much warmer that way don't you think!
In this workshop we are going to alter a plain bottle in a way that the paint is NOT going to scratch off! You will be free to use whatever colours and design you wish along with the techniques shown.
One of the products you will be using, I know for fact that there are only 21 bottles left in the UK at this present moment so it's first come first served. For those of you outside the UK I do have an alternative you can use. Anyone in the states will have no problem getting hold of this product… can you guess where it comes from yet :)

The Workshop will run for a total of 28 days, after this time the information will be removed along with your access. This will give you plenty of time to fully complete the project.
The online site is now fully functional and will include on launch day, photographic instructions, Video, Pdf downloads, artwork and a chat box where you can talk to me when I'm available.
A private forum which I will monitor has also been set up. Here you can interact and discuss matters involving the workshop with other likeminded delegates.

Unfortunately refunds will not be accepted.

Click below to register

Sorry Registration Now Closed
New Dates to be Announced Soon

Materials List
below is the list minus two ingredients that I want kept secret until people have registered, I am sure you can understand my reason for this, but I can give you the price of them.
The price of the first ingredient.. the rare one is £9.95 and enough to complete approx 8 bottles and the second ingredient I have just found on Amazon at £2.60


Bottle. (your Choice)


Acrylic paints. I use Americana but most good quality Acrylic paint will work. Please avoid any chalk acrylic such as PaperArtsy Fresco. The colours I have used on my bottle are Sour Apple, Indian Turquoise  Burnt Siena, Burnt Umber, True Red, Black and White. These can be purchased  from the Craftbarn  or you can choose your own colours for this project.


P80 grade Sandpaper. One that can be used wet or dry DIY STORE
Isopropanol or Adirondack blending solution.  MAPLINS OR MOST GOOD STAMPING/ CARDMAKING SHOPS

Araldite epoxy glue or any fast setting epoxy glue  DIY STORE

Bitumen. (smallest tin you can find)   DIY STORE

Turpentine or White spirit (mineral spirits in the US).   DIY STORE

String or Twine.
Elastic Bands.
Artists Paint Brushes square and round.
Paper towel.
Baby Wipes.
Latex gloves.
Scissors.
Printer.
Embellishments. (whatever you have in your stash that you would like to add)