Sunday 16 December 2012

ABC Challenge - Deck the Halls....

Hi guys..I'm a little late with this...I sort of lost a day this week and been trying to play catch up since,,I cant believe that this time next week we'll be settling down for Christmas!!..I have no pressies wrapped yet...still waiting for some to come in the post...I've done most of my shopping online this year..I just couldnt face the crowds in the shops!!!..lol...I finally finshed my cards this morning..and they are ready to be posted tomorrow...

Anyway..on to this weeks ABC Challenge - Deck the Halls...
we would like to see some Christmas decorations and our sponsor this week is the fabulous  Lili of the Valley

  I'm getting really into my crocheting at the moment... for the Christmas fair that I did the other week I made some little hearts to hang on the tree..and they went down a storm...but then I found a pattern for some yummy snowflakes...and then I had a play with a Stampin Up' set of stamps - Christmas baubles and they have the dies to match..and then I made some cute little pom poms that I thought looked like snow balls...

 
I'm really pleased how they all turned out.
 
I'm not having a traditional tree this year..I bought a gorgeous 'Twig' arrangement and put them together with some lighted Twigs I had all ready...and then decorated the whole lot with my makes and a few tiny baubles and glass ornaments ...
 
 
 
I love the simplicity of it.
 
So I hope you will join us this week...I look forward to seeing your creations...
 
Happy Crafting...
Hugs
Jan...xxx
 
 

Thursday 13 December 2012

Marvelous Magnolia Challange - Anything But a Card

Hi ladies..yes its time for another 
 
 


Marvellous Magnolia Challenge...this week the theme is

Anything But A Card

 

Our super sponsors this week are

 
and
 
 
 
 
 
Here's my creation
 
 
 

 
Darling Tilda has been coloured with copics...the DP's are Magnolia.  I added a Christmas tree die cut and lovely WOC roses with Magnolia berries.
 
I do hope you will join us again this week.
Happy Crafting
Hugs
Jan..xxx
 

Wednesday 12 December 2012

Phew!!!

 
Hi guys..I hope this finds you all well and warm!...I am just about feeling more myself again...I went into overdrive leading up to the Christmas fair as I wasn't feeling 100% after my holiday...the fair was quite rewarding so I was pleased with that... but boy was it cold!!..Standing around in the cold didn't do me much good and I spent the next few days recovering from that..!!!..here are some pics of the stall..


 
cards....
 
 
and more cards...
 
 
my niece made some sweet children's book bags
 
 
 
and my sister made some of her bracelets
 
All in all it was a good day and I will definitely do it again next year...I'll just wear 3 layers of clothes and strap a hot water bottle to me...lol.....
 
Ollie made a new friend while I stayed at my sisters....my nieces daughter was a little poorly with an ear infection and was having a little snooze....Ollie kept an eye on her....
 
 
awwwww........
 
After all that we had problems with Mum at the nursing home last week...well Mum is fine as she can be... but unfortunately another resident isn't so...his behaviour is somewhat challenging at the moment (poor man) and that is causing disruption for the other residents including Mum...we have arranged for her to move to another room to be 'away' from it a bit...(the poor mans medication is being reviewed but it hasn't been a success yet) but there are lots of Christmas stuff going on at the home..lots of Carols and little 'shows' and we are going to their Christmas Party on Saturday afternoon...so at least she is occupied with other things.
 
Well now all I have to do is get ready for Christmas...I haven't even written my cards yet!!!..I do have a few pressies but they need to be wrapped and I still have a few more to get!!!  Heyho!!!
 
I'll be back later in the week with some DT creations...
 
Happy Crafting!!!
 
Hugs
Jan...xxx
 

Wednesday 28 November 2012

Hello I'm Back....

Hi guys yes I'm back from my travels...had a great holiday (rest) in Kenya (yes I've been before).. but unfortunately brought back a tummy bug ( yes I had one last time!!!)...with me which totally wiped me out for the past week...ugh!! so it all seem a distant memory now ...lol...still here is a pic of the view from my sunbed...lol...

 
yes they are my tooties...lol..
 
the weather was just gorgeous although we had rain too...went on safari..(pics to follow) but most of all I had a lovely rest after such an trying year.  I left my sister in charge of my Mum..but unfortunately the nursing home had this horrendous tummy bug that's going around and had to close to visitors and its only just opened again this week so my poor mum (she didn't have it thank god!!!) hasn't seen any family for over 3 weeks.... my sister went as soon as she could but as I was poorly I haven't seen her yet..the thing is my mum hasn't got any sense of time now so it didn't really bother her...but it didn't make us stop worrying!!
 
I'm now running around like a headless chicken trying to catch up as I have a stall at a Christmas fair on Sunday and I'm panicking that I don't have enough cards to sell...how many IS enough??????
 
hope you are all well and dry...
hugs
Jan...xxx
 

Thursday 15 November 2012

Marvellous Magnolia Challenge - DT Card

Hi ladies..yes we are back with another
 
 


Marvellous Magnolia Challenge...this week the theme is

Traditional Christmas Colours

Our super sponsor this week is

 
Here's my card
 
 
Darling Tilda has been coloured with copics...the DP's are MME.  I used a Magnolia lace die and some holly ribbon that I bought from the NEC years ago...lol...I finished with a Poinsettia Die which I edged in liquid pearls and added lovely red pearls for holly berries.
 
I do hope you will join us again this week.
Happy Crafting
Hugs
Jan..xxx
 

ABC Challenge - B for....

.....Butterfly....one of my very favourite things....so I'm really pleased that this is this weeks ABC theme.

We have great sponsor too....




Here's my card

 
I have used Clearly Besotted Butterfly Wishes stamps...The DP is a scrap from my stash and I added  an embossed background.  I completed the card with a lovely soft pink organza bow and pearls.
 
I do hope you will join us this week
Happy Crafting
Hugs
Jan..xxx

Thursday 1 November 2012

The Very First Marvelous Magnolia Challenge - Anything Goes - Dt Card

Hi Guys...I'm so excited as Today is the first ....

Marvelous Magnolia Challange




The Theme is a lovely easy one - Anything Goes! so get inking your favourite Magnolias and come and join in the fun

We have a great sponsor


 
here is my card...

 
Darling Tilda is coloured with Copics the DP is the gorgeous Pad by Fancy Pants I have used Tim Holts Heart Dies and finished with WOC sweet heart flowers, seam binding ribbon and cute little pearly hearts together with loads of sparkle and pearls.
 
Please do pop over and check out our amazing DT creations and I look forward to seeing your creations
Happy Crafting
Hugs
Jan..xxx

ABC Challenge - A for....

Hi Guys...Yes its a blast from the past...lol...I happy to report that I am back on the fabulous ABC Challenge Design Team....and what a great challenge to start with - A for...Appreciation......!!!

You can make a Thankyou card or gift, A card for someone you appreciate, or card with a Thanksgiving theme

We have two Fabulous sponsors this week

 
 

and

 
 
I certainly appreciate Julies offer to join the team again...and I really do appreciate all your very kind comments on my creations...so here is my card for you all....lol....



 
Sweet Tilda has been coloured with Copics..the DP is Magnolia and I finshed with gorgeous lace, WOC Cherry Blossoms and loads of sparkle and pearls
 
I do hope that you will join us this week..I look forward to seeing your creations
 
Happy Crafting
Hugs
Jan...xxx
PS..I sent this card to Papercraft Inspirations as a thank you for featuring my card and blog in their Decembers Issue.


Tuesday 30 October 2012

It's So Exciting!!!!!....

Hi....I am really excited to tell you that I have been asked to join a brand new Magnolia Challenge ...



Our first Challenge is this Thursday 1st November and then every thursday after that.

There are two design teams Pink and Purple (I'm on the Pink team) and have some amazing designers on board.

We have some great challenges lined up, you can enter two creations per challenge and there is no limit of other challenges you can enter your creation for.  We have some great sponsors, including The Ribbon Girl..and Magnolia-licous.

So I hope you will come and join in the fun with our first Challenge with the Pink Team on Thursday.

I look forward to seeing you then

Happy Crafting
Hugs
Jan...xxx



Friday 26 October 2012

Krafty Snowflake.....and Tree

Hi guys....I'm still crafting away for my Christmas fair...here is a bit of a CAS Christmas card..been playing with a brand new...Dee's Distinctively Die - Stacking Christmas Tree and a bit of Frantage Embossing Enamel....

 
I think the snowflake is a bit large....but hey!!
 
Have a great Friday...I'm off to do some ironing..ugh!! its been piling up since I been crafting so I must get rid of it before I play again...well that's the plan anyway...lol...
Happy Crafting
Hugs
Jan...xxxx

Wednesday 24 October 2012

A Sweet Little Favourite...

...Sweet Tilda with Daisy....

 
I have been wanting to use the gorgeous WOC daisy for ages...and this darling Tilda is just perfect. I'm entering this in this weeks challenge at Divas by Design - Use Orange.
 
Short and sweet today as I'm just off to visit Mum in the nursing home...She is as good as she can be..I'm just pleased she still knows who I am...
Catch up tomorrow
Happy Crafting
Jan...xxx

Tuesday 23 October 2012

A Sweet Tilda...

I've been neglecting my Tildas lately so I inked up one of my very new ones this afternoon...with all my crafty thoughts going in a different direction I had forgot how I just love colouring these sweet things....
 
Isn't she sweet....she is a Christmas one but her title escapes me...and my, hasn't Tilda's hair grown since the last collection...lol...she is coloured with Copics and the Dp's are LOTV NitWit's...I finished with WOC flowers and sparkle and pearls...
Happy Crafting
Hugs
Jan...xxx

A Big Hello....


...I just want to say 'Hello' to all the readers of Papercraft Inspirations Magazine who may have popped in to view my blog...I was approached back in September and was asked if I would like this card to be featured in the section of Inspirational Blogs Around the World....

 
I was of course thrilled to be asked...the magazine is out on 25th October...but I see that I am mentioned on their website too....so a big HELLO and thank you for popping by and do come and visit again as I am posting more cards this week.
Happy Crafting
Hugs
Jan...xxx

Monday 22 October 2012

Just to Share...

Hi Guys...hope you had a great weekend...I've been crafting away for the past week as I have managed to get a stall at a Christmas Fair to sell my cards...although I have quite a few 'in stock' I need to make loads more...the fair in on 2nd December but I am on holiday for two weeks from beg Nov so I'm running out of time...here are a couple of christmas cards...

 
 
and a sweet little Tilda
 
 
I'll be back soon
Have a great week
Happy Crafting
Jan...xxxx
 
 
 

Tuesday 9 October 2012

Room with a View....

I recently changed my craft room around and my desk now sits at the window which looks over the garden...I placed the bird table nearby so I can see all the feathered visitors...which seem to be only Starlings at the moment and dont they eat!!! I have to refill the feeders everyday...we do have a little Robin thats comes everyday too....he is the same one that nested in a flowerpot behind our shed in the spring...anyway I'm not here with a nature talk...lol...I'm here to show you this...

 
I was inspired by the colours in my garden and as luck would have it this weeks challenge over at Allsorts is Autumn Leaves and Trees
I blended some distress inks on white card...sprayed with water and then shimmer mist..then stamped this fab funky tree by Katzelkraft in Versafine Vintage Sepia and embossed with clear powder.  I finished with a few gold pearls and a simple satin ribbon.
 
Thank you for coming by
Have a lovely Tuesday
Hugs
Jan...xxx
 
 

Monday 8 October 2012

An Inky Afternoon....

Hi again...well I had my crafty day and got nice and inky with this...

 
I dabbed lots of distress inks around on white card..then sprayed on some water and dabbed it off then sprayed with glimmer mist to make it nice and shimmery...then stamped a grunge stamp over it. Cut a leafy die in black cardstock...inked up some white paper flowers and sprayed with glimmer mist again and then screwed them up a bit...and finshed with black jet and red gems...I love the rich colours...
Have a great evening
Hugs
Jan...xx
 
 

Little Butterfly.....

Hi guys...its a terrible day here in Kent..(again)..the rain is lashing down (again) so I'm staying put indoors and crafting :-))

I bought the August issue of Craft Stamper and their free stamp was a beautiful butterfly.  I always read the magazine cover to cover and over again...!!!..the project that caught my eye this time was by Paula Whittaker who used Highlighter Pens together with distress inks to make backgrounds... I was so enthralled with this that I came up with this little card...

 
As Paula suggested...I  just applied the highlighter pen all over white card then added Walnut Stain distress ink around a bit then I sanded it down a little to the white card again and added more walnut stain.  I stamped the butterfly with Versafine Vintage Sepia and embossed with clear powder and I mounted it with a little bit of brown bazzzill and added a couple of lengths of linen button thread for texture and kept the sentiment simple....I love the look and the simplicity of it.
 
well I'm off now to get cracking on some more cards
Have a great day....yes I know its Monday...lol...
Hugs
Jan...xxx

Sunday 7 October 2012

So Sweet....

Good morning..Happy Sunday to you all...I hope this finds you all well.  I have a little card to share today...its my very first Saturated Canary image...yes I know...I'm a bit behind but I dont usualy 'do' digis as I have real trouble sizing the images...If any of you out there have any tips I would be grateful...and another point is that my printer ink isnt compatable with my copics...so I tried the 'cheap hairspray' method and hey it worked.  Anyway...here's my card

I used the oh so cute Butterfly Baby...coloured with copics and I used LOTV NitWit papers....I have seen so many stunning cards made with these darling images I have wanted to try them for ages...I think I might have a new obsession...lol....and I'm going to enter this for this weeks Totally Gorjuss Challenge - Anything Goes.
 
Have a great day
Hugs
Jan..xxx

Saturday 6 October 2012

Besotted With Clearly Besotted


Hi guys...you'll remember I posted the other day about the new stamp company - Clearly Besotted that Stephanie from Stamping and Sharing has just started up with her sister Jenny.  Well the online shop opened just yesterday and of course I had to treat myself...lol...gorgeous stamps... hard to choose which one so I bought three sets!!! and my word what fab service as they arrived today.  I had to have a quick play this afternoon and here is my card...

 
sorry about the murky pic...the light here today is rubbish...I used one of the pretty Christmas wreaths from the Signature Christmas set...I stamped it twice and then punch out the second one with a scallop punch which was slightly smaller but I think it works..then added 3D pads ..then stamped the bow and cut it out and added that...I love the simple sentiment.  The little bit of DP is by Authentique.  The green ink on the wreath looks a different colour in the pic but it isn't IRL!!
Do go and visit Stephanie's store and don't forget she has some gorgeous candy on offer too!!
Off to watch Strictly now..
Hugs
Jan...xx

Friday 5 October 2012

Christmas Kisses....

Hello again....its been and still is a very dreary day here in Kent...the rain is lashing down as we speak and the nice weather lady on the TV tells me that its here to stay for the rest of the evening...but is perfect weather for getting crafty...so I've been playing.....

 
I'm sorry about the dull picture....isn't she gorgeous?....a sweet Penny Black Stamp called Christmas Kiss.  She is coloured with copics....I cut her out as she is quite big and you see more of the dp's..which are from a 'Tulip' pad.  I added a lovely organza bow and used the Spellbinders Poinsettia die again for the flower.  The very apt sentiment is by Craftworks...I just added sweet pink buttons with some white bakers twine and loads of sparkle to her dress and flowers...
 
I'm off to cook supper now..something warming and comforting..and oh Strictly starts tonight..I cant wait!!!....lol...
 
Have a lovely evening
Hugs
Jan....xxx
 

Oh Sugar Gum Drops!!!!!!

I have just realised that I havent posted my GDT card for this weeks Paperplay challenge ..DOH!!!...Sandie asked if I would like to be a guest for October and of course I was thrilled...the challenge this week is 'Shine On' I hope my card is shiny (sparkly) enough...

 
 
 
 
 
The panel underneath the Memory Box snow flake die is sparkled although it doesn't show up in the pic...I've gone a bit CAS with this and used a nestie poinsettia flower die and embossed the white card with dots...I used kraft twist paper for the flower and embossing the edges with sparkly gold embossing powder...and finished with a few gems...
Hope you will pop over and join in the fun this week
Hugs
Jan...x

New Stamp Company - Candy!!!

Today Stephanie of Stamping and Sharing has launched her new online shop - Clearly Besotted...All her own designs and they are truly lovely.  To celebrate this she has some fabulous candi up for grabs.






I have just placed my order for three of her sets and I cant wait to get inky with them..so why not pop over and have a peek, you will be just as inspired as I am...

Hugs
Jan...xx

Friday 28 September 2012

You Know...

...when you're fast asleep in bed and then you just wake up 'bing' wide awake at a silly hour of the night and then you try really hard to go back to sleep but the brain starts racing away with all sorts of thoughts?..well I have that a lot...I'm usually worrying about my Mum in the nursing home but last night was different....I woke up at 4.40am precisely and had this on my mind....

 
well I had the chipboard mannequin on my mind.....you see, I have a few of these that came with a Craftworks kit which I haven't done anything with yet but I kept looking at them wondering what I could do with them...they are a bit big to stick on my cards...I had seen one standing up like this with wings somewhere but I cant think where.....and that was on my mind at silly o'clock this morning!!!
 
So this afternoon I had a play...I stuck two mannequin's together to make it quite sturdy I then cut out the body shape from a DP with a script design with a pinky tinge.. then inked it with Black Soot distressing Ink....then I made a Tutu out of hot pink ribbon but didn't like that...I knew what I wanted to do with the wings...I embossed them with sticky embossing powder then sprinkled Frantage embossing enamel and heated that...I just love the big chucks but you have to try and heat it from underneath as it goes everywhere!!!...anyway...I then dabbed some ink in Raspberry over it and thought I would just dry it off with the heat gun and it all bubbled which I didn't think should happen but I loved how it looked..I did the same on the back of the wings....
 


 
then I sprinkled some on the mannequin at the neck and hem and again dabbed with Raspberry ink... I wish you could see how sparkly it is but the camera couldn't pick it up.
I thought I had finished but it just needed something else....so I cut slithers of organza ribbon and glued them to the hip and thought of a pearl to finish but no that wasn't right...so I coloured a mother of pearl button with Raspberry ink and finished with a gem. I put one on the top too but I'm not sure about that...ummm.
And then I embossed and coloured the base in the same way and then glued the mannequin to the base and Tad dah!!! I made something completely different for me.
 
 
 
 
I'm quite pleased with it but you should see my desk..what a mess!!...lol....I think I'll have an early night tonight...lol...
Have Fun!
Hugs
Jan...xxx

Wednesday 26 September 2012

Christmas is acoming......ugh!

Well it is according to my local Sainsbury's with all the Christmas Chocolates out on the shelves...and...and!! would you believe M & S have their Christmas cards out already...I just hate this..its all too early....I dont even think about Christmas until middle of November that way it keeps a bit of magic to the season otherwise you're sick of all the hype before it gets here...ok enough of my bah humbug mode...I've bitten the bullet...lol...and made some Christmas cards...well to keep up with you all....lol....here are a couple to share....

 
 
 
I used a new tree die for this one...I'll give details later....
 
have a good evening
Hugs
Jan...xxxx
 
 

Meooooooow

Hi Guys...I hope you are all well and staying warm and dry...we have had so much rain here in the UK.... non stop since sunday even here in the South East....so I'm not going anywhere today which gives me an excuse to sit and play...and I just have to show you a card I made this morning using this fab Stampin' Up! halloween Cat....
the stamp in called 'Frightening Feline' and I used Carta Bella 'All Hallow's Eve' DP's, a bit of distressing, a lovely seam binding ribbon and a sweet little button threaded with Stampin' Up! linen thread.
 
I off back into the craft room for some more making
Catch you later
hugs
Jan...xxxx