I love Purple!

Good morning,

Well, nearly a week down the line and my back is still dictating how much (or little) I can do - I am so frustrated that I have had to spend my half term break from school getting myself fit to go back to school! But elsewhere in the world people are fighting larger battles than mine - my thoughts are with a couple of crafty friends this week - so get a grip Jan and stop feeling sorry for yourself!

As it's Friday, it's time for another challenge over at the Polkadoodles challenge blog - and this week it was my turn to choose the theme. Bet you can't guess what it is!! Lol. Yep - we would love you to play along this week with your projects made using the colour PURPLE. Here's what I made for my DT inspiration ...

I made a 6x6" card and layered a couple of papers from the fab 'Sugarplum Daisy CD' before adding my topper.  The image is printed from the 'Candy Doodles CD' and coloured with my Promarkers - I lurve her purple hair! The sentiment is also printed from the same CD and both are matted onto Lacey Circles cut with my nesties. A few little punched flower embellies and some added bling to complete the card. 

If you have a minute, please pop over to the blog and check out the work of my talented teamies - some fab inspiration over there for you. I shall look forward to seeing all your glorious 'purple' creations over the next week.

Hugz, Jan xx

Handmade Embellishments

Happy Holiday Monday,

First of all I must apologise for my absence this week - after a long time well I have been suffering with my back again. It decided to flare up just before my birthday weekend last week and although I wouldn't allow it to dampen my birthday celebrations, needless to say I have paid the price dearly for the rest of the week, culminating with nearly passing out with the pain during a class assembly at school on Thursday!! I had to make a quick escape before I did the 'dying swan' act in front of a hall full of kids and parents!

Anyway, that's enough feeling sorry for myself - I hope everyone is enjoying their extended weekend and sharing the lovely weather we have here.

It's time for a new challenge over at Make My Monday and this week Fliss has challenged us to 'Make our own Embellishments'.  Well the possibilities are endless, but I decided to play with my friendly plastic and make some chunky embellies for my DT project.  Here's what I made ...

This one is an Artist Trading Card (ATC) which measures 3.5" x 2.5" - the background is made from acetate coloured with alcohol inks, then I have stamped the text and 'Imagine' wording with black archival ink.  I softened the friendly plastic and pushed it into the text stamp to make the top embellishment, then used a different colour to press into a mould for the bottom one. Quite a simple one this week as I can only sit for short periods of time.

Hugz, Jan xx

Green and Yellow

Good morning everyone,

Well, I've had a fantastic birthday weekend, which began last Thursday and finished yesterday! Lots of lovely prezzies on Thursday morning, then I had to go to school but the children were great and all sang 'Happy Birthday' to me. Out with the girls on Friday for some fab cantonese food (which didn't fit into my diet at all!), a visit to the cinema on Saturday to see 'Fast and Furious' - amazing!! And then out for carvery lunch on Sunday with my family - needless to say I now feel like a beached whale and will probably spend the next few weeks undoing the damage!!! Hey ho - you're only 50 once!

Anyway, let's get down to business - it's time for another challenge over at Make My Monday. This week our Caz has chosen another of her famous colour schemes - 'Green and Yellow', perfect for spring. Here's my DT inspiration ...

It's also my turn to post over at the Scrapbook Stamp Society blog today - and as I have had such a busy birthday weekend I have cheated a little and used the same card which showcases one of Sherry Baldy's gorgeous 'Bestie' images called 'Tina Tatters' - which can be purchased at her on-line store HERE. I used my Promarkers to colour most of her and paper-pieced her dress with scraps of the backing paper. 

Have a great day,

Hugz, Jan xx

Spring Colours/Pastels

Good Morning,

Well, I didn't wake up today looking too much more wrinkly after my 'big birthday' yesterday! Many thanx for all your lovely happy birthday messages.

It's time for another challenge over at Polkadoodles and this week we would love to see your projects using 'Spring Colours/Pastels'. Here's what I made for my DT inspiration ...

I must admit I can't take all the credit for this one - I saw our teamie Dee make one of these last weekend on the Polkadoodles show on Create and Craft. I love anything like this that looks a little bit different and was easy to make. All the papers, image and sentiment are from the gorgeous 'Sugarplum Daisy CD' which you can be at the Polkadoodles on-line store HERE.

Don't forget to pop over to the blog where this is some fab projects from my team mates.

Hugz, Jan xx

Inspired by a Book Cover

Hello my crafty friends,

It's time for our next challenge over at Make My Monday and this week our Mynnette has another book cover as inspiration. I love these - it definitely gets the grey matter thinking - here's the photo we used ...

I love the simplicity of this one and decided to keep my project along very similar lines - here's what I made ...

I made a 6x6" card by simply matting and layering first a piece of black card and then some textured cream cardstock.  I added a strip of embossed card, together with a piece of ivory lace (which I embellished with a few pearls).  I wanted to recreate the cameo on the front of the book, but have to admit the main image is printed from my pc as I didn't have any stamps along these lines. The sentiment is stamped in black archival ink and is inked around the edge with 'Black Soot' distress ink. 

Don't forget to pop over to the main blog and check out the fab work of my teamies.

Hugz, Jan xx

G is for Glitter and Gems

Good morning,

I hope everyone is having a good week, despite the change to our wonderful British weather!

As it's Friday again, it's time for our next letter over at the Alphabet Challenge blog. This week we are on the letter 'G' chosen by Lesley before she left the team. There have been a few changes since then over on the blog where the DT have now split into two teams, but we are still offering a new challenge every fortnight. We are also now offering a snazzy 'winner's badge' for the 'Top 3' entries each time as a little incentive. So, this time we would love to see your projects using 'Glitter and Gems' and here's what I made for a little DT inspiration ...

It's a fairly simple 6x6" card covered with paper from my stash. I added a gorgeous glittered butterfly which I stamped onto acetate and glittered from the back, making a striking focal point for the card. I also added a strip of double sided tape across the bottom of the card and added some of the turquoise glitter before popping on a sentiment which was created on my pc. And I certainly don't need asking twice to bling it up with some pretty gems! Step away from the card, Jan!! Lol.

Don't forget to pop over to the blog and check out some more fab ideas by my talented teamies. I shall look forward to visiting your blogs over the next couple of weeks.

Hugz, Jan xx

Anything that Flies

Happy Holiday Monday,

Wow! What a gorgeous day we had yesterday, I hope today will bring us the same. I spent the day with my family in Castleton yesterday and climbed 'Mam Tor' - what a spectacular view from the top on such a lovely day. My little fur babies were shattered when we finally got home - I didn't hear a peep out of them all night!

So, are you ready for another challenge?  We have a new theme over at Make My Monday and I have to say, this is one of my absolute favourites - 'Anything that Flies'.  There is such a lot of scope to this one and I couldn't decide on just one thing that flies, I had to use a few! Here's what I made for my DT inspiration ...

I am seriously into my home decor at the moment and made another wall hanging, but I love these as I get to keep my work, instead of giving it away. Selfish, I know!

This one measures 25cm square and uses one of my precious pieces of Tim Holtz shabby papers as a background. I have stamped out various things that 'fly' including a dragonfly, a butterfly, a birdie, a fairy, an owl and even a flying heart! The flower is handmade and stamped on parchment paper with Stazon ink and the metal butterfly has been coloured with my Promarkers to match the color theme. The 'Wings' lettering was cut using my Sizzix Sidekick. Hope you like it.

Please pop over and check out the work of my teamies if you have the time and I shall look forward to visiting your blogs to see your entries.

I would like to enter this into the following challenges:

Fashionable Stamping - Anything Goes

Fussy & Fancy - Anything Goes

Hugz, Jan xx

Gift Bag Tutorial

Good morning,

I hope everyone is looking forward to the extra long weekend - mine starts here and as it's Friday again, it's time for another challenge over at the Polkadoodles Challenge blog.

This week we would love to see your projects which fit the theme 'Anything but a Card' - so lots of scope for those creative minds.  I decided to make a little gift bag and as promised, here is my very first tutorial on how to make it.  Here's what the finished project looks like ...

And here's the instructions on how to make it, 

using just one piece of A4 paper.

First, print your chosen paper design onto A4 paper 

and trim to 29cm x 19cm. 

Then transfer the template measurements 

to the reverse side of your paper.

Score along all the solid black lines, 

then turn your paper over (printed side facing up) 

and score along the two solid pink lines.  

Turn the paper back again and score along the diagonal dotted lines.

Make all the folds and burnish with a bone folder, 

ensuring the two pink lines are folded from the front.

Now fold down the 2cm at the top to the inside 

and stick with wet glue.

Fold the bag together and glue the 1cm flap to the inside of the bag.  

I added distress ink to all the folded edges next, 

but this stage is optional.

Fold up the bottom of the bag 

(like you would when wrapping a present) 

and stick with wet glue.  

Use a long handled dry paintbrush to reach inside 

your bag and press the flaps down from the inside.  

Cut a piece of card 10cm x 4cm 

and stick inside the bottom of the bag to reinforce.

Punch holes and add your chosen ribbon handles, 

tying knots on the inside to secure.

Your bag is now complete - simply decorate as you wish.

My paper, chosen image and sentiment are all from the gorgeous 'Sugarplum Daisy CD' 

which you can buy from the Polkadoodles on-line store 

HERE.

I hope you enjoyed my tutorial and found it easy to follow - 

I would love to hear your comments. 

If you encountered any problems please let me know 

and I will be happy to help.

Hugz, Jan xx