A little birdie just told me the Distress Marker Spritzers, one of the hot new craft tools at CHA in January, are still in small supply at Art 'n Soul. Don't be left out! Dianne would love to show you how they work.


This is a beautiful card featured on the Elizabeth Crafts Designs' blog using Shimmer Sheetz and Peel-Offs.

by Kelly Booth for Elizabeth Craft Designs

This is the link for the step-by-step instructions:  http://ecraftdesignsblog.com/2014/04/a-simple-and-fun-card-using-elizabeth-craft-designs-products/

Here's another version of the Flat Box Card. This version is by Cathy Andronicou for Penny Black. It's the perfect 'gift' when a floral bouquet is appropriate and you'd like it to be a little more permanent.

by Cathy Andronicou for Penny Black

This is the link to the Penny Black blog site; once there, another link will take you to a PDF document that Cathy has prepared that will provide you with the step-by-step directions, with photos, that is also easily printed.

http://pennyblackinc.wordpress.com/2014/04/15/blooming-with-inspiration-by-cathy/

Over at Studio Sessions, Jill Foster and Elizabeth Allan are having lots of fun with varying techniques using Inchie Arts' Art Squares, Tombow markers, and water.

by Jill Foster

Here's the link to see how they're mixing the recipe up for this project:

http://www.studiosessionsart.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/tombow-6-of-8-jill.html

A very clever application of a rubber stamp from Hero Arts for a pretty darn cute Easter card. Sally used the fingerprint stamp as the  head for the bunny, and used various Easter color ink pads to stamp with.

by Sally Traidman for Hero Arts

Here is the link:  http://heroarts.com/blogs/club/2014/04/15/some-bunnys/

From the SEI blog, this is a winning tag design made for SEI's spring challenge. I love the 'blocks', and I think either Inchies or card stock cut into mosaic squares would be terrific.

by Stacy

Stacy had originally made this card for a swap. She has her own blog and you can find her at http://www.croppaperscissorsblog.com/2014/03/spring-mosaic-tag.html

If you have any papers from the Graphic 45 Bird Song collection, you might be inspired to use some of it for cards. Nichola shows several beautiful cards she made from that paper collection.

by Nichola Battilana, Graphic 45 Design Team 

Here's the link to see some of the other cards she made:  http://g45papers.typepad.com/graphic45/2014/04/two-great-cardmaking-ideas-with-graphic-45.html

We had our outing near Westminster yesterday, across the River Thames from Big Ben.

Our two little munchkins are in this
double stroller . . . you can almost see
the littlest one on the bottom!

The London Eye is awesome. The line was too long to even think
about riding on it. It rises to a height of almost 443 feet in the air.
To give you a comparison, the observation deck at the Seattle
Space Needle is at 520 feet. It takes about 30 minutes for a
full rotation; it is so slow, that it never stops when taking on or
disembarking passengers. I was overwhelmed just looking up at it.

isn't he one of the homeliest fish you've ever seen? from the
front, he's even more 'gorgeous'!

this isn't a very good picture, but I wanted you to see
the front teeth on the fish on the right

this little guy was colorful but ugly

the sea horses curl their tail around most
anything, a trait I never knew before

one of the huge turtles

this lizard was enormous!

penguins are always so cute

I loved all those 'dots' on his skin

The London Sea Life Aquarium is very nice but is no match for the world-class Seattle Aquarium.

Tonight we pack up because the rental apartment is reserved to another party tomorrow night. We'll be staying at Kristen's apartment for our final night in London; the fun will be 'over-nighting' with the little ones. I'm looking forward to our lunch tomorrow. We're returning to a little corner pub with outside seating that serves the most amazing fish 'n chips . . . a very crisp batter with tarragon in it. Yummers!