Where's She Been Hiding?

Hello to you all!

Yes, I've been conspicuous by my absence! I've been busy doing live demo's on my Facebook Group, Knall Crafting... there's a page - which has a rose as the avatar, the group is the multi-coloured paper.

If you ask to join the group, please remember to answer the questions or your request will be removed!

I've been busy crafting and am getting all my Christmas cards made at the moment... I know waaaaay too many people!

Anyhow, I just wanted to pop in quickly and let you know I am still here.

Here's a couple of my makes!

Facebook Live - Knall Crafting

Just in case you missed it or don't subscribe to my Knall Crafting Facebook Page...

I'm now doing a weekly Facebook Live!

Sometimes it will just be for a chat... sometimes I'll do a Demo, sometimes I'll be answering your questions and helping you solve problems!

Click HERE to watch back

I'll be live - Wednesday evenings from 7:30pm - See you there!

Concealed Boxes - Tonic Studios guest blogger

Some of you didn't visit the Tonic Blog to see my guest post, so I'm sharing the photo's here for you...

If you would like to read the whole post, then please pop over to the Tonic Blog - Here

I have a few cards to share with you... bear with! :-)

Blog Tonic: Guest Post - Paula Knall - Concealed Box Creation

Today I made a guest appearance on the Tonic Studios' Blog!



Blog Tonic: Guest Post - Paula Knall - Concealed Box Creation: When Owain invited me to do a Guest Post on the blog, I was a little nervous and decided I would wait until I had something really spec...

Trinket Box

Eeek - 2 days running! I must have a fever.

So here is my second project with the Trinket box dies.

This was so much fun and is based entirely on little boxes I've seen on Pinterest and various blogs - so I can't give any particular credit. But these dies lent themselves to this design.

The coordinating stamps were screaming out to be heat embossed in a coordinating colour and the dies cut so beautifully!

As you open up the boxes inside are revealed

Each box also decorated with the detailed dies

And turn it around - it's a total work of art!

Now - Much as I love blogging and sharing with you - I also hate to sacrifice precious crafting time - so there's no frequency to my posts, that means if you don't want to miss out on what I'm sharing, but you don't want to keep checking in when there's nothing new... you can subscribe to the blog - or like my KnallCrafting Facebook page - where I always share my latest posts.

Ta Ta for now!

Paula xx

Stylish Tonic Studio's Desk Tidy

Oooh - Get me, blogging twice in a month. I must be getting back in my stride!

It hasn't been hard finding my crafting Mojo lately as I have been subscribing to Tonic Studio's Monthly Craft Kits - You can subscribe here... Tonic Craft Kit

Every month I receive a selection of Craft Perfect paper and card stock, an assortment of Nuvo products, an amazing set of dies and coordinating stamp set. This month the dies made up a super trinket box and here is something I created!

It is so versatile and can be used for jewelry, makeup, craft supplies and embellishments... the options are endless!

It has 12 drawers and they are configured to increase the stability of the design to make it sturdy! The drawers, drawer sleeves and the stunning detailing are all part of the kit! You can see how beautifully the dies cut!

Each layer of drawers, and the boxes on top, are first adhered to a 5 x 5" piece of black card which also helps reinforce the structure as well as holding everything together. The boxes on top are just simple boxes that I designed and I have added a coordinating lime green liner for extra support and to give the whole thing a quality look and feel.

I have another surprise from Craft Kit 8 to show you - it may even be tomorrow! So do pop back!

Paula xx

Background Inking

Hi Guys,

Just a really simple background technique for you today!

Mother's Day - Just the Tonic

Hi there,

I hope you all treated your Mums yesterday... or were treated by your children if you have them.

I really wanted to knock the ball out of the park this year and the Tonic Memory Book dies really enabled me to do this.

I used lots of embellishments and also some dies from Subscription Kit #7

Of course a little Nuvo got included and I made the box to hold it.

Here are a few pictures!

That was the year that was!

Oh yes - and what a 12 months... 2 carpal tunnel surgeries, bulging discs with severe sciatica, Chris working away and to top it off one of my poor kitties has had some sort of accident and may lose a leg.

Sometimes I envy people who have a 'faith' to turn to in times of crisis. My husband is amazing and supportive luckily. But what also really give me a lift, a sense of not being alone, reassuring and motivational support are the on-line communities I belong to.

The two main Facebook pages I follow have been Tonic Studios (Craft Products) and Kit and Clowder (Colouring Community). I have had a lot of support from everyone and it has made a huge difference! So a big Thank You! to everyone on those pages.

Those of you who craft will recognise the benefits of being able to immerse yourself in creating and of course I've been doing that!

Here is a card I made with the new Tonic Studio's Memory Book Creator die bundle. Now the image doesn't do it justice! As this card is 8in x 8in! I know!

It's for my niece to give one of her friends!  Isn't it stunning?

See all the gorgeous confetti inside? That is the Tonic Nuvo confetti found in the packs of 4. I just love them and if I were a fortune teller I would be seeing lots of shaker cards in my future! Oh and LOTS of glitter.

Thanks so much for continuing to visit my blog. I know I don't post as regularly these days, but as you saw above... Life's been a bit rubbish and I'm just determined to stay positive!

OH and I forgot to mention - I've been smoke free for nearly 5 months!

Dixon also says Hi!

Just the Tonic...

Well - I've discovered Tonic Studios' products in a big way! I'm absolutely loving the Nuvo drops and the monthly craft kits are basically craft porn in a box!

So now my doses of bliss and crafting happiness are split through the month! Tonic Craft Kit the first week of the month, followed on the 15th by my Kit and Clowder colouring class.

This week I used the die set from the craft kit with one of the images I coloured, just to make a bit of something colourful to brighten up the dreary wet January days.

I'm sorry the picture quality isn't great but that's the problem with glass. Can you see where I've used the Nuvo drops?

I'm going to blog a whole lot more now and will share my colouring and crafting with you - hope 2018 is looking fabulous for you so far! I'm waiting for my next colouring class with bated breath! 24 hours to go! Eeek

Happy Christmas 2017!

Gosh has it really been that long since my last post?

Here's Blaze opening his Christmas presents!





Hope you have a fabulous day and lots of love from us to you and yours!

November Class - Christmas Gifts

Hi there,

The clocks went back yesterday so it'll be dark an hour earlier but just now the sun is streaming through the window.

I'm biting the bullet and going to run a class in November. I only have about 8 spaces left available and we're making some fabulous Gift Wrapping!

Were going to make a super little gift card holder.

A sweet little Pillow Box - Ideal for small items of jewellery or something else for a stocking.

And finally this fun hexagonal box... just crying out for some sweet treats!

If you think you might like to come along I have 3 dates available. The 13th, 20th or the 27th of November. Give me a call to book or pop me an email! The details are in the header above.

Can you believe Christmas is only a few weeks away now! How did that happen?

Positivity...

I can't believe it's nearly a month since I posted!

Still suffering with my back but this week I did manage to make a start on a markers class with Kit and Clowder.

Unfortunately I wasn't happy with the results and here is why!

I had opted to use some 'cheaper' card stock that someone suggested might be suitable for markers, but unfortunately, this months' class was quite detailed and I noticed the markers were bleeding. You can see here, where these were supposed to be fine lines... easily achievable with Copics with practice.

You can see the 'spread' of the ink.

There are a number of things to take from this...

• It is important to always buy the 'tools' most suited to the job in hand
• Cutting corners to save money isn't always cost effective
• Be patient, improvement comes with practice and that includes making mistakes
• Trust in the advice of the experts - that's why they're experts.

It is important too to look at the positives! 

• I have learnt an important lesson
• I will have the opportunity to improve my colouring even further with the extra practice
• No practice is ever wasted
• I have been able to 'recycle' my penguins and made 3 awesome cards!

I'm entering these in the Whimsy challenge! https://whimsyinspires.blogspot.co.uk/

That's me for today! Happy crafting! xxx

Aaaand - Back in the room!

I need to be more positive, so I'm going to make one brief mention about my back problem... Yes it hurts... still! It's curbing my activity as I can't sit down, the Chiro is costing me a fortune I'm lucky I have a few bits I have had on my hard drive for a while to share.

I'm going to try and blog more! I've been back from holiday for a week - it was hot... I was prone and I wish I was still there. Even if I did spend most of it flat on my back!

Today I have a video tutorial for you. Please let me know if there is anything you would like a video for - just add a comment on this post and if it's possible I'll do it for you!

This is a little shaker card I made and I know they're quite popular... this is a Christmas design but you can substitute any of the stamps! And the paper!

Here's the tutorial! Enjoy! And I'll be back soon! xxx

Irony...

I always get a little confused as to what is and isn't "Ironic" - especially after Alanis Morrisette got so much stick.

Anyway - Thought for today...

Is it considered irony that when I planned to give up smoking after the packet was finished... with 3 cigarettes left, the lighter ran out of gas?

Couldn't leave you without something else I've been working on...

Pencils... yipes - if I thought the alcohol markers were a new challenge - who would have thought pencils would be so hard to master!

How are you liking the new style blogging? Would love to hear your thoughts! I would also love for you to share my blog... so please feel free to post me all over t'interweb!

Dog gone...

Hiya!

Well I've decided to shake up my blog a bit and today is as good a day as any!

I'm broken... yup - completely knackered!

It's seems I've managed to do something to one of my discs in my spine... So I'm pretty much prone, and have been for a week now. Sitting is the most painful thing ever and for goodness sake don't ask me to bend!

Blaze has gone to stay with my parents... which he is loving as he's playing 24/7 with their collie puppy. That way he will get walked.

Now I don't know if you've ever had a problem with your back but I now know why pregnant women are taught to pant... it really does help a little with pain management. I just never expected to have to pant in order to put on my knickers!

I mentioned I've been doing some work with my Copics and here's a couple of things I would like to share today.

This was an entry into Conie Fong's monthly challenge. The illustration is one of hers and the challenge was to team it up with die cuts - so my SU stash came to the rescue.

I love the monochrome technique I used here and I'll probably use it again - I would love to hear what you think!

This is another of Conie's images and I used some SU items here too. If you fancy colouring this image and would like some guidance, Alyce (Kit and Clowder) has re-released her class where she teaches techniques to colour this and another image - one in Pencil and one Markers.

Check out the Facebook groups and websites to colour and buy the images (Discounted if you purchase the class!)

Conie Fong on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/396730687168777/

Kit and Clowder on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/kitandclowder/

Conie's Etsy Store - https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ConieFongArt 

Kit and Clowder - http://www.kitandclowder.com/

The holistic approach

Well everything in my life needs a bit of a shake up every now and then... so last weekend I de-cluttered and am embarrassed to admit I filled a skip, a van and sold a load of bits too!!!

I'm doing this Diploma through work and I'm really struggling with my confidence and my ADHD really doesn't help with my focus - but I am going to do this! You watch!!!!!

So now I've bored you I'm going to share some of my recent work. I've been doing a lot of colouring with Copics and some with Spectrum Noirs. The joy of the alcohol markers is that they blend beautifully - as a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator I usually focus on SU products as the quality and diversity of their products, combined with the co-ordination, is unrivalled.

I do recognise though that a lot of my customers have other products so today I'm going to show some projects that have used Stampin' Up! products to showcase the colouring I've been doing.

Here I've used the new embossing paste for the brickwork using the SU mask... all the elements are SU but I've used the Spectrum Noirs to good effect. The stamp sets are At Home With You (and coordinating dies), Bella and Friends and Banners for You (with co-ordinating Dies).

In this second card I have used the shells and fish from the Seaside Shore stamp set, the lily from Remarkable You and you'll notice the embossing inside - that's the Seaside embossing folder. The lovely mermaid is by Conie Fong and coloured with my Copics

Lastly for today - It's Christmas in July! Except it's now August - and we seem to have moved straight to winter, as it certainly feels more like Christmas in light of the recent weather. The stamp set is Seasonal Bells - with coordinating punch and the background stamp is Sheet Music - I'm totally in love with that!

Righty ho - I've been studying all day and sat at the computer a lot - so I'm off for my tea and a bit of a lie down to free up my old aching back! Ha Ha!!!

Birthday Blooms - Stampin' Up! - Kit and Clowder Colouring Classes

Good afternoon! Today I'm sharing a few cards made with just one set - Birthday Blooms.

I was really disappointed when Stampin' Up! withdrew their Blendable markers. So the first few images show you really don't need alcohol markers to colour beautiful images... the last is a little self indulgent as I did buy a set of Spectrum Noir markers... I'm still learning but am going to be doing a set of amazing classes from Kit and Clowder. (Link at the end!)

These first two are made by embossing the Vellum then colouring with my Blender Pens

I also used Blender Pens here - not perfect but It's the colour combo here that I love! Oh - and the fabulous Lace Trim and Duet Banner punch.

This was coloured with Aqua Painters after first stamping the image with Versamark and using Clear Embossing Powder.

This was another one with the Aqua Painters, but I used Archival Ink so it wouldn't run when I added the water.

This last image was coloured with my Spectrum Noir markers - I may have opted for a different manufacturer if I had realised the limitations of these pens... But they're probably perfect for me to get started with!

If you would like to start colouring you won't go wrong at all joining one of Alyce's classes at Kit and Clowder - she is AMAZING!

http://www.kitandclowder.com/

Check out her group on Facebook too - but only nice people are allowed to join - I couldn't believe what a lovely, encouraging and generous group they are!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/kitandclowder/

Take care all!

Christmas in July!

Just to let you know if you join my team in July, Santa has a few extra gifts for you!

You will get an extra £65 worth of FREE gifts with your starter kit. This includes -

• Clear Block 'D' x2  - 118485
• Grid Paper - 130148
• Paper Snips - 103579
• SNAIL Adhesive - 104332
• Bone Folder - 102300
• Carols of Christmas Stamp Set - 144804

Click here to see the stamp set!

So - pay just £99 for £130 worth of product of your choice from any current catalogues, get all the above Free... and there's no obligation, though obviously I would love to see you succeed in growing your own Stampin' Up! business and will support you all the way!

Click on the tab above to join my team!

For every £45 you spend in July get £4.50 off in August!

I've just got back from a lovely holiday in Cornwall with my family to be greeted with this fabulous offer!

Oh Yes! What a great deal! AND it's in addition to any hostess benefits you earn on your orders. So it equates to an extra 10% FREE.