Anything but a Card

Happy Monday everyone,

I hope you all had a great crafty weekend - I know I did, made loads of projects, including my first tutorial which will be coming up later in the week - so watch this space.

It's time for a new challenge over at Make My Monday and this week we would love to see something a little different, hence the title 'Anything but a Card'. So go for it, it doesn't matter what you make as long as it's not a card - ATCs, exploding boxes, gift bags, journal pages, tags, wall art, 3D work, just to name a few but the list is endless. Here's what I made for my DT inspiration ...

I love making things to keep, so decided on a wall hanging for my project this week and it's all made from scratch.  It measures 16.5cm x 16.5cm and the outside edge is decorated with pieces cut from a Spellbinders Lacey Square die.  I only have the smaller range, so I had to cut them and piece them together to enlarge them, but the joins don't show, so we're all good.

I have used several mats and layers before adding another Lacey Square cut from pearlised lilac cardstock.  The collage of items on the front include a stamped postcard (LOTV), a die-cut flower spray, a card cotton bobbin which I cut out and wrapped some cream lace around, a cute little wooden cotton bobbin which I wrapped some lilac twine around, a couple of cream hearts, loads of punched flowers, a couple of stick pins and a little sentiment banner which I created on my pc which reads 'Sewing mends the soul'. Here's a close up of some of the embellishments:

 A piece of lilac polkadot organza ribbon attached to the back finishes it off and it's now ready to be hung - I just need to decide where! Lol.

Don't forget to pop over to the challenge blog and check out what my teamies decided to make this week too.

Hugz, Jan xx

A Little Box of Notecards

Happy Sunday to everyone out there,

It's my turn to post over at Studio 12 today, 

and here's what I made using the very versatile
 'Picknix Collection 1 CD'.

First of all I made a little box from white linen cardstock 

and topped it with a mat of red card and then a topper 

with one of the pretty flowers from the CD decoupaged on top. 

I also added a little 'Thank You' stamp too.

Inside the box is a set of three dinky little notecards 

bearing the same flower and a gorgeous sentiment 

'Earth laughs in flowers', also from the CD.

Hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend,

Hugz, Jan xx

Fancy Folds

Good morning to all my crafty friends,

First of all I would like to say 'Hello' to my new followers - glad to have you on board.  I am thinking that I might have to organize some blog candy now I'm heading up to 100 followers - I'll see what I can do :)

It's time for our next challenge over at Make My Monday and this week we would love to see your projects using 'Fancy Folds' - in order to qualify for the Top 3 award you must use more than one fold on your card or project. I think I got a little over-excited, I lost count how many folds I used (although, they were all the same type!) Lol. Here's what I made for my DT inspiration ...

I made a hanging ornament (which could also be the focal point for the front of a card) using double sided paper.  It's made from eight circles cut from two different papers, which are all folded the same and then attached to a background circle which anchors them all. I added a die-cut piece from book paper and a little wooden flower, which was coloured with Promarkers, to the centre. Some little punched flowers and a piece of hanging ribbon to finish off. 

Don't forget to pop over the the challenge blog to check out the work of my talented teamies.

Hugz, Jan xx

Just to Say ...

Happy Saturday,

It's my turn to post again over at the Scrapbook Stamp Society and I have another of Sherri's gorgeous 'Besties' images for you today. Here's the card I made ...

The image is called 'Lil Muffy Mopsy' and can be found in their on-line store HERE. She is coloured with my Promarkers - don't you just love her blue hair! Papers and other embellishments are from my stash.

Have a great weekend, everyone.

Hugz, Jan xx

New Home

Happy Friday everyone,

It's time for another challenge over at the Polkadoodles Challenge blog and this week we would love to see your projects for a 'New Home' theme. The team have come up with some great ideas and here's what I made for my DT inspiration ...

This one is 6x6" in size and uses papers, a pre-coloured image and lettering from the fabulous 'Sugarplum Daisy CD'. I simply layered the papers onto kraft card before adding my topper, with a little pink polkadot organza ribbon and some pink brads to finish. Quite a simply card and reasonably quick to prepare if you need a card in a hurry.

Hugz, Jan xx

Colour Combo at MMM

Morning crafters,

Well, it had to happen - my two week Easter break is well and truly over and it's back to school for me today!

That also means it's time for our next challenge over at Make My Monday and this week Caz has chosen another of her colour combos and we would love to see your projects using BLUE and BROWN. I decided to get all inky for this one - here's what I made for my DT inspiration ...

I made a set of three matching Artist Trading Cards - can't remember the last time I made any and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I started with three pieces of blank white card measuring 2.5" x 3.5" and treat them to a coating of 'Tumbled Glass' distress ink. Then I splattered them with a little water and blotted with some kitchen roll. Next I splodged some 'Walnut Stain' distress stain on my craft mat and moved it around until it beaded on the mat, then blotted the pieces of card to pick up some splodges of ink. I also added bits of text stamp using the same colour distress ink. I used a variety of images to stamp on the top of this with an archival black inkpad, then finished off with some doodling around the edges using a fine black micron pen and white highlighter.

I can't wait to see your projects using this week's theme and I shall look forward to visiting your blogs.

Hugz, Jan xx

E is for Emerald

Good morning,

Well I'm sad to say that I am nearly at the end of my two week Easter break, but have enjoyed every crafty minute of it. If I could find a way to support my 'habit' without working that would be bliss! But back in the real world I am due back at work on Monday ready for the new Summer term at school.

Anyway, enough of that - it's Friday again, which means it's time for our next letter over at the Alphabet Challenge. This week we are on the letter 'E' and our Tammy has chosen the theme 'Emerald'. Now this can be interpreted any way you wish, but you must use green on your project. We have a brand new look over on the blog to go with our brand new leader, so why not pop over and take a peek. Here's what I made for my DT inspiration this week ...

I love these little Accordion Tag books and have made a couple in the past. As I had one in green, it seemed just perfect for this week's challenge. I have decorated it with paper from my stash matted onto cream linen cardstock.  Believe it or not, the set of 'sewing themed' stamps came free with a magazine purchase and I thought this would be a great way to display all the individual stamps. All I added was a little green thread (to make the cotton bobbin), some dark green satin ribbon and a few buttons to decorate. 

I shall look forward to visiting your blogs to check out your 'Emerald' themed projects over the next couple of weeks.

Hugz, Jan xx

It's all about the Background

Good morning crafty friends and followers,

I hope you all had a great weekend and are ready to begin another week. I had a manic cleaning day yesterday (oops, sorry to swear!) I blame it on this warmer weather - spring cleaning and all that. Anyway, that's enough about that! Lol.

It's time for a new challenge over at Make My Monday and this week our Fliss has chosen the theme 'Make your own Background'. Well, the possibilities are endless and it took me a while to decide which method to use for my card. As I use my distress inks and Promarkers all the time, I wanted to do something a little different - so here's what I used to make my background ...

A roll of metal tape, a Cuttlebug embossing folder 

and some alcohol inks.

And here's what I made ...

Here's how I made the background in three easy steps:

Step One 

Start with a piece of plain white card measuring 13.5cm x 10.5cm 

and cover it with lengths of metal tape, 

wrapping it around the edges onto the back to secure.

Step Two

Pop the piece of faux metal into the embossing folder 

and pass through your chosen machine.

Step Three

Apply your chosen alcohol inks all over the embossed piece 

until blended together.

I have matted my background onto a piece of black card before adding it to my 6x6" card. The flowers are stamped onto a book page, cut out and then coloured with 'Twinkling H2Os', which leave a lovely shimmer. The sentiment is from 'Creative Expressions' and is stamped with Versamark ink and embossed in black. Some die-cut leaves and a couple of little punched flowers finish off the card.

I am really looking forward to visiting your blogs this week to look at all your handmade backgrounds.

Hugz, Jan xx

Just for You

Happy Saturday to you all,

Well, I'm half way through my Easter break from school and loving every minute of it - I have done so much crafting, I think I need to buy some more stash! Well, that's my excuse anyway! Lol.

It's my turn to post today over at the Scrapbook Stamp Society and I have a card using another one of the gorgeous images by Sherry Baldy called 'Belinda Beehive', which you can purchase from their on-line store HERE.  This one was made for a crafty friend as part of a DT sister swap over at SSS ...

The card measures 6x6" and is covered with paper from my stash.  The image is coloured with my Promarkers, with a little added glitter to make her wings sparkle. Added embellishments include a Memory Box corner die, stamped LOTV sentiment, pink organza ribbon, three die-cut flowers with candi centres and a few adhesive gems for a bit of bling. Doesn't she look so cute with her little basket of hearts.

Hope you all have a great weekend,

Hugz, Jan xx

Pink and Brown

Good morning friends,

I am excited to bring you some new products this morning from the fabulous Polkadoodles. Nikky has designed a fantastic new mini CD collection called 'Fredericka' which can be found in the on-line store HERE.  It contains a range of images, papers and sentiments that can be printed off and used in your crafty projects. She has also added several other products to this range, including a paper pack, a toppers pad and  a collection of black and white images which can be coloured (for those of you who aren't a fan of CDs).

Now, as it's Friday again already it means it's time for another challenge over at the Polkadoodles Challenge Blog. The theme this week is a colour combination and is one of my favourites, so we would love to see your projects using 'Pink and Brown'. Here's what I made for my DT inspiration ...

I made a 6x6" card using an image, papers and sentiment from the new 'Fredericka mini CD collection' mentioned above. The beauty of using a CD means that I can just print off the correct amount of paper that I need for a project, rather than printing A4 sheets out all the time. The image is coloured with my Promarkers and matted onto a layer of brown cardstock.  I inked around the edges of the sentiment tickets before securing them with a little brown button, tied with a piece of pink twine. A little die-cut flourish and a couple of pink heart brads finish the card.

Don't forget to pop over to the challenge blog and check out some more fab inspiration from my teamies.

Hugz, Jan xx

Craft Stamper

Helloooo,

I have another 'Clean and Simple' card today - I am becoming addicted to these clean looking cards, which is rich coming from one who normally can't stick enough on a card - I usually have to give myself a stern warning to 'walk away'!! Lol.

I made this card to enter into the current challenge over at the 'Craft Stamper Magazine' blog, which is based around the 'Faux Air Brushing' technique that was demonstrated in the March 2013 issue. Here's what I made ...

First I masked an area across the card and sponged 'Tumbled Glass' distress ink through a mask to make a background. Then I cut out a template using some flower dies, placed this over my card and sponged 'Victorian Velvet' distress ink through the gaps. I also used the same ink to stamp a text impression through the gap onto the flowers before removing the template. The sentiment is Creative Expressions and is stamped with black archival ink. To finish off I doodled along the border and the stems for the flowers, before adding a pearl centre to each flower.

Hugz, Jan xx

Buttons and Bows

Hello again crafty friends and followers,

Here's my second post today - I shall have to be careful, this is becoming a habit!! Lol.

I have been playing in my craftroom over the holiday weekend (mainly to avoid all the chocolate!) and have made a little project to enter into the challenge over at 'Lili's Little Fairies'. The theme this week is 'Buttons and Bows' and I have made an exploding box - here's what it looks like from the outside ...

The box measures 10.5cm x 8cm x 8cm and is made from kraft card. 

I picked one of my favourite colour schemes and 

decorated it with card and papers from my stash, 

together with pink polkadot organza ribbon and little green buttons.

I decorated the top with an LOTV image

which is part of the set - 'Present Trio'

(his little furry friends are hiding inside).

I continued the theme inside, using the other little bears from the trio 

which I stamped twice and coloured with my Promarkers,

then added buttons threaded with a little pink twine.

Here's a close up of the centre piece - 

using another LOTV stamp called 'Recipe Sentiments'.

I also used a piece of acetate to give the illusion

of the little pink bow floating in the air.

I haven't made one of these little boxes for ages and really enjoyed putting it together. Hope you like it.

Hugz, Jan xx

One Layer

Happy Monday,

I hope everyone enjoyed the Easter weekend and copious amounts of chocolate!!

It's time for our next challenge over at the 'Make My Monday' challenge blog and this week we would love to see your projects using just 'One Layer'. No matting and layering, no adding embellishments - just simply one layer! Now that's not easy when you're talking to the gal who has to stick everything on her cards!! Lol. So, out came the inks and here's what I made ...

I must admit, I'm quite pleased with the finished result. I used a 6x6" card and masked off the area that I wanted to ink. I used a sponge to add TH distress ink in 'Tumbled Glass' and 'Broken China' to the space, then over stamped with one of my script stamps. I then used the feather stamp with 'Faded Jeans' distress ink, before stamping the sentiment in archival black ink. Simples!

I shall look forward to visiting your blogs to check out your 'One Layer' cards - so happy crafting!

Hugz, Jan xx