CAS Christmas

Hello there,

Well I have to say that things have been getting away from me the last couple of weeks!

After mum being in hospital, I'm still struggling with my back (I have been referred back to the hospital next week) and we have had some personal family stuff going on, as well as manic times as the school term hurtles towards Christmas (Christmas market, nativity production, pantomime, cards, calendars, parties, coffee morning - you know how it goes!) And then there is all the Christmas shopping to come! I say every year that I will start sooner, but alas I am once again struggling to keep up.

My crafting has also taken a back seat, but I am back today with news of our last challenge for 2015 over at Fantasy Stampers - we will be back in the New Year to celebrate our 2nd birthday!

Here's what I made for our new challenge - 'Clean and Simple Christmas' ...

This one uses five stamps from a freebie set called 'Winter Wonderland' which came with a recent craft magazine. I used black archival ink to stamp out the little scene, then I used the snow stamp with Perfect Medium ink and dusted with Cosmic Shimmer 'Enchanted Gold' mica powder (I think you can just see it in my photo) to create a snowy sky.

The scene was mounted on a scrap of black card before I added it to the card base. I stamped the sentiment in black archival ink to finish off. Definitely a simple one!

I hope you can come and join us for our last challenge of the year.

Hugz, Jan xx

Steampunk Snowman

Good morning,

I'm back today in my role as Guest Designer at My Besties UK and have some alternative Christmas artwork to show you for our posting today. As we have five Mondays in November, the design team showcase some of Sherri's gorgeous images and one lucky commenter will have the chance of winning either my chosen image (or my teamie's chosen image) as a prize.

Here's what I came up with using Image 781, which you can buy in Sherri's online store HERE.

This definitely has to be the most 'alternative' Christmas cards I have ever made, but I just love him to bits! I coloured the snowman with a combination of pencils and Promarkers and added a little glitter - well, you can't have Christmas without sparkle, can you - even if he is Steampunk!

The design paper and all embellishments are from my stash - the two chipboard cogs have been embossed with fine detail gold embossing powder to create a metal effect finish.

So why not pop over to the blog and see what Sue made for her project, and don't forget to leave a comment on the main challenge blog for your chance to win a free image!

Hugz, Jan xx

Under the Weather

Hi there everyone,

First of all, I am sorry for not posting for so long - it has been a very manic two weeks here. My mum was rushed in hospital on the 10th November (the date of my last post!) and I'm not really sure where the time has gone since then. She was very poorly for a while, but I am happy to say that after receiving the treatment she required (including a pacemaker) she is now recuperating back at home where she belongs. It has been a very emotional roller coaster for me and my family, but I do feel better now she is home.

My crafting has suffered over this time too - as you can imagine, it hasn't been the top of my priority list. But what better way to return than with the card I made for my mum while she was in hospital.

We have a brand new challenge starting today over at the Alphabet Challenge and Deanne has chosen the theme 'UNDER THE WEATHER' for the letter 'U', so this was the perfect theme for me. Here's what I made ...

I used an 8x8" ivory scalloped card blank and added LOTV design papers from my stash. The image is Fizzy Moon stamped with grey ink and coloured with my Promarkers. The little flowers are slightly dedcoupaged, but it doesn't show well on the photo.

Other embellishments include a die-cut banner, some brown organza ribbon, a few pearl accents and a little sentiment created on my pc.

I hope you can stop by and say hello over at the challenge.

Hugz, Jan xx

All About the Folds

Good morning to you all,

I have my DT project for the new challenge at Cardz 4 Guyz to show you today, where this week Jane has chosen the theme of

'MORE THAN ONE FOLD'

Now there are loads of different ways of interpreting this one, but I went for a basic fold and came up with this ...

It is a 6" square card and I have folded the front section back on itself. I added design paper from my LOTV 'Father Knows Best' paper pad and then a die-cut topper which showcases my stamped saying (from Inkylicious).

Hope you can come and join us this week.

Hugz, Jan xx

Winter Wonderland

Good Morning,

I'm back this morning with a new challenge over at Fantasy Stampers where the new theme is

'WINTER WONDERLAND'

Here's what I made for my DT inspiration using a cute little set of stamps that came free with a recent magazine purchase ...

The stamped panel began as a piece of white card and I brushed Weathered Wood distress over it after masking out the moon.  I added hills in the foreground using a piece of torn paper and some extra ink.

Next I stamped the trees, once with first generation ink and then a second time to create a lighter image and give the effect of distance. I also stamped the deer and the sleigh and reindeer using the same black archival ink.  I stamped some little snowflakes around the top edges of the design using the distress ink again.

The panel is mounted on white card, then silver mirri card - then mounted with foam tape onto the background layers (the top one having been passed through my 'snowy' large dot embossing folder).

The stamped greeting is also from the same set and I made a little banner to show off the sentiment. Lots of glitter and three silver candi dots finish off the card.

Why not pop over to the challenge blog where you can see what the design team made for their 'wintery' projects.

Hugz, Jan xx

Teenage Dream

Happy Thursday everyone,

Lol! My Thursdays are always happy ones because it is the end of my working week - one down, only six more until Christmas!

I have my next DT project for Cardz 4 Galz today, where we have a brand new challenge starting where Babs chose the theme of

'FOR A TEENAGER'

Here's what I made ...

I decided on '13' as the very first teen birthday. I love how this turned out - I used one of my favourite Saturated Canary images, called Nevaeh. She is coloured with a mixture of pencils and Promarkers.

The backing papers are from DCWV 'Love Letters' and are inked with Victorian Velvet and Crushed Olive distress inks.  I added a little die-cut banner from some of the scraps, a stamped 13th topper, two little LOTV sentiment tags and some punched flowers and leaves.

I hope you can come and join in with the fun over at the challenge.

Hugz, Jan xx

A Speedy Recovery

Happy Tuesday,

Well, that's half term over - back to school yesterday for another seven weeks until the next holiday! Although I must admit I do love this part of the school year as we approach Christmas.

We have our next challenge over at Cardz 4 Guyz today and this week Kim has chosen the theme of

'HOPE YOU 

FEEL BETTER SOON'

Here's what I made for my DT inspiration ...

This one was actually made for a friend of ours that was recently involved in a motorbike accident, so I hope if cheers him up a little.

The vintage car stamp is from Creative Expressions and I coloured it with brown Promarkers to keep a neutral vintage theme. I used my favourite distress stamp from Stampin' Up to create a little background and then added a sentiment generated on my pc.

Hope you can join us.

Hugz, Jan xx

Sweet Treats

Hi there,

Well, my holiday week is nearly at an end, but got loads done despite my back!

Over at the Alphabet Challenge today we are onto the next letter and Silvi has chosen for the letter 'S'

'SWEET TREATS'

Now this one got me in a bit of a spin because I don't have much based around that theme, so thinking cap on and here's what I decided on for my DT inspiration ...

I remembered this little stamp from an old issue of my Craft Stamper magazine, so had a rummage through my freebie stamp box and dug it out. I stamped three times using a mask to cover the front one, then coloured using my Promarkers. The cute little sentiment was also from a magazine freebie and I added a touch of the same colour Promarker. A few layers, some red adhesive pearls and a simple hand doodled border to finish off.

Why not pop over and take a peek at what the rest of the team came up with.

Hugz, Jan xx

Buttons and Bows

Good morning,

I'm back this morning with our next challenge at Cardz 4 Galz and this week Kim has chosen the theme of

'BUTTONS & BOWS'

Here's what I made for my DT inspiration ...

I used one of my new Creative Expressions embossing folders for this one and embossed just the top part of my Co-ordinations cardstock, then sanded it back to reveal all the little scattered notes (which compliment the stamped sentiment too!)

My bow is made from beige seam binding and I sewed a tiny peach button to the centre as well as adding three feature buttons to the top right of the card.

Hugz, Jan xx

It's all about the Numbers

Happy Tuesday,

Okay, I have spent the weekend resting (again!) and watching Barbara Gray on the telly - such a talented lady and so inspirational. I think things are getting a little easier with my back, small steps slowly but surely (but you didn't hear me say that out loud!) It takes such a long time to recover, but I hope I haven't spoken too soon. Off to the hairdressers this lunchtime, then out for tea with some friends later.

Over at Cardz 4 Guyz, my friend's male themed challenge blog, we are launching a new challenge today and Julie has chosen the theme of

'NUMBERS'

I think this is a great one for guys as it is easy to incorporate into almost any occasion - here's what I decided on for my DT inspiration ...

It is fairly minimalistic - I wanted to let the gorgeous design paper do all the talking. It is just one of the fab designs from 'The Archivist' paper pad by Frank Garcia and is one of my favourites!

I simply layered it onto some co-ordinating cardstock, then again on black for the card base. The topper is cut from some sand card using a Fleur de Lys die, then inked with a little Antique Linen distress ink through the die. The numbers are little chipboard pieces which I squished (yep, technical term) into my Perfect Medium ink and then heat embossed with black powder. A piece of black organza ribbon and a couple of cream buttons to finish off.

I hope you will come and play along with us this time.

Hugz, Jan xx

Animal Antics

Happy Saturday,

Well, my half term break has finally arrived and guess what - I am still struggling with my back! I really hope things improve over the next few days - I seem to spend all my time off, trying to get better to go back to work! There must be something wrong with that on some level!

Anyhow, on a crafty note, it's time for a new challenge over at Fantasy Stampers and for the next two weeks we would love to see your projects showcasing

'ANIMAL ANTICS'

Here's what I came up with for my DT inspiration using one of my favourite LOTV stamps (but then they are all favourites when I get them out to use!) ...

This one is called 'Big Hug' and I think it can be used for so many different occasions. I coloured with my Promarkers and added a little glitter here and there. The design paper is from the Bo Bunny 'Isabella' paper pad, which came free with a recent magazine purchase. The stamped sentiment is also LOTV. A few embellishments to finish off include some pink satin ribbon and a few grey candi dots.

The design team have some more fab inspiration over at the challenge blog, why not pop over and say hello.

Hugz, Jan xx

Clean and Simple

Hello there,

I have a very quick make for you today as a DT project for the new challenge at Cardz 4 Galz. This week Amy has chosen the theme of

'CLEAN & SIMPLE'

Here's what I made ...

It took about 15 minutes to make, so was a really quick one!

I simply masked my piece of white cardstock (using some trimmed post it notes) and then stamped just over each edge with my swirly flower stamp using Shaded Lilac, Picked Raspberry, Evergreen Bough and Broken China distress inks. A simple stamped sentiment and a couple of little die-cut butterflies to finish.

Why not pop over and see what the team made for their CAS designs?

Hugz, Jan xx

I Put a Spell on You

Good Morning,

We had a little jaunt over to the Craft Show in Doncaster on Sunday to top up my stash! I was a bit disappointed that two of my favourite companies weren't there though - no Clarity and no LOTV! I still managed to buy a few things, but not as much as usual though.

Over at Cardz 4 Guyz we have our next challenge starting today and Caz has chosen the theme of

'I PUT A SPELL ON YOU'

Here's what I made for my DT inspiration ...

I knew straight away which stamp I wanted to use for this one - it's an LOTV image called 'Abracadabra', just perfect for my design.

I decided to stamp straight onto some book paper for a change and colour him with my Promarkers. The design paper is from a new Tim Holtz paper pad (that just happened to fall into my basket at the craft show!) The little letters are printed from my pc and a few buttons just finish off the design.

Why not come and play along with your own 'Halloween' designs (and remember my 'Fright Night' challenge is still open over at Fantasy Stampers until the 23rd October - full details HERE).

Hugz, Jan xx

R for Ribbon

Happy Friday,

Yay! Me and my poor old back made it through my working week - only one more before half term!

I'm back today with the next letter over at the Alphabet Challenge and this week Sheena has chosen

'R for Ribbon'

Here's what I made for my DT inspiration using a piece of organza ribbon from an old chocolate box ...

I used the ribbon as a starting point and matched the cardstock to it and added a scrap of matching design paper to make the pennant. The sentiment is from a freebie set on a recent craft magazine and is embossed with copper embossing powder to match the colour scheme. I added a little die-cut frame and pretty flower just to finish off.

I hope you can come and play along with your own 'ribbon' creations.
Hugz, Jan xx

Pink and Pearly

Good morning,

I'm still not used to posting on a Thursday yet, but I am delighted to be back with a DT project for the new challenge blog at 'CARDZ 4 GALZ'. We are about to start our third week and Helen has chosen a beautiful girly theme of

'PINK & PEARLY'

To say I was in my element would be an understatement! Lol. Here's what I came up with using an old wooden stamp that I have had in my stash for ever ...

The main stamped image is called 'Dress Up' from Stampendous and I stamped it using Perfect Medium ink on pale pink vellum and embossed it with pink embossing powder. The sentiment is a favourite of mine and says 'Dance like no one is watching' and is also embossed with the same pink embossing powder.

Backing papers are from my stash and I added a pink die-cut shape behind the main image to give a little extra detail. The small flowers are Stampin' Up 'Petite Petals' and are stamped on some pink paper scraps and also embossed with the same pink powder.  Each flower has a pink pearl centre and the dress is also scattered with pink pearls too.  The extra sets of three pearls are faux ones made using my pink cosmic shimmer glue.

I think there is definitely enough 'pink' and 'pearls' there then - step away from the card Jan!! Lol.

Thanx to Helen for a fab theme this week - I hope you will come and join us with your own creations.

Hugz, Jan xx

You Rock!

Happy Tuesday,

I can't believe it's time for another challenge over at Cardz 4 Guyz - the weeks are flying by!  This week Joan has chosen the theme of

'YOU ROCK'

Here's what I came up with for my DT inspiration using an image from the internet ...

I used Promarkers to colour the 'colouring page' image and then masked it and stamped one of my favourite 'grunge splats' behind it with black ink.  The lettering was done on my pc and I added a couple of red brads to secure the piece onto some mats and layers.

I hope you can come and join us with your own 'rocking' creations this week.

Hugz, Jan xx

Fright Night!

Hello there,

Well, I went back to school on Wednesday and my back is coping a little better - new pain meds from the doctor and I was back at the hospital yesterday for some up to date x-rays - so onwards and forwards as they say!

On a crafty note, I am back today with our next challenge over at FANTASY STAMPERS and the theme for the next two weeks is

'FRIGHT NIGHT'

So we would love to see all those fab Halloween projects - here's what I made for my DT inspiration ...

I love making these type of cards with the inky scene backgrounds. I started with a piece of white card and added layers of distress ink in Seedless Preserve, Scattered Straw, Spiced Marmalade and Rusty Hinge, using a piece of torn paper to make the hills and a circle mask for the moon. 

I stamped the tree (from an old Christmas scene set) in black archival ink and added some stamped foliage around the edges using the Seedless Preserve ink. The spooky house and fence are both die cuts that I bought in a pack from one of the craft shows a while back. A little stamped 'Happy Halloween' greeting finishes off the design.

I hope you can all come and play along with us for this theme.
Hugz, Jan xx

Fairies

Hello,

I have another DT project to show you today - this time for the new challenge at 'CARDZ 4 GALZ' which launched last week. This time it was my turn to choose the theme and we would love to see your projects showcasing

'FAIRIES'

Here's what I made for my DT inspiration ...

This one is quite simple in design with lots of layers for effect.  The stamped image is 'Never too old for a Hug' and is one of my favourite images by LOTV. She is coloured with Promarkers and has added glitter on her skirt and fairy wings. I made the little banners using up scraps of papers with a couple of matching buttons.

I hope you will come and join us over at the challenge, and don't forget to click the 'Follow' button to keep up to date with our new challenges.

Hugz, Jan xx

Button Up!

Good morning,

I'm back again today with our next challenge over at Cardz 4 Guyz and this week it was my turn to choose the theme, so here we go with

'BUTTON UP!'

I know you all have a crafty stash of buttons out there, so let's see what we can do with them. Here's what I made for my DT inspiration ...

Now I know this is not a 'card', but I made this for one of my work colleagues for her baby shower. I chose to stick to neutral colours as at the time we didn't know if the baby was a girl or a boy. She has since had a healthy baby boy, and this project could easily be made using more traditional baby colours.

This is a great way to use up some of your button stash - if you are anything like me that stash is never ending (bit like the ribbon stash, and the adhesive pearl stash, I could go on ...) Lol.

I hope you can join us with your own 'button' makes this week.

Hugz, Jan xx

Q for Quick & Simple

Hi folks,

I'm sat here feeling very sorry for myself today as I had to give in and take some time off work with my back this week. I went to see the GP yesterday and he has changed my pain meds and is sending me to the hospital to get some up to date x-rays.

On a crafty note, it's time for the next letter at the Alphabet Challenge and this week we are up to the letter 'Q' and Pat chose the theme of

'QUICK & SIMPLE'

This was a good one for me this week, as I can't sit for very long - so here's what I made for my DT inspiration using a new set of Stampin' Up stamps ...

It was definitely 'quick' and is definitely 'simple' - it took about 15 minutes to make! Lol.

Three simple layers of cardstock, the top two have a circle aperture cut out using a Spellbinders die. Then I stamped one of the 'Flower Shop' flowers and cut it out with the corresponding punch. I added a little Crushed Olive distress ink to colour it and then made my own 'dazzler' for the centre using some pva glue and black glitter. A little stamped greeting and some embellies to finish.

I hope you will come and play along with us at the Alphabet Challenge.

Hugz, Jan xx

Brand New Challenge!

Good morning everyone,

I am rather excited to be here today to share the launch of a brand new challenge blog over at

'CARDZ 4 GALZ'

This is a sister blog to the popular male themed challenge 'CARDZ 4 GUYZ' and is run by my very special crafty friend, Caz - so please join me in wishing her every success in this new venture.

I didn't need asking twice to be a part of the Design Team as I love anything 'girly' - here's what I came up with for our first theme

'YOUR FAVOURITE COLOUR'

Now for a very long time, I have always said purple was a favourite colour - but as I looked through my crafty stash (which took a while!) I couldn't believe the amount of pink things I have squirrelled away over the years, hence my very pink girly card.

I think this represents my true style of crafting - I love the stamped images (especially LOTV - you will probably be seeing a lot of those!) and colouring with my Promarkers, then lots of embellishments (everywhere!).  Time to step away from the card then! Lol.

For this one I have used LOTV paper pad 'Heartfelt' as well as the image 'Birthday Fairy' and the sentiment is from the 'Small General Greetings' set.

We would love you to come along and play at our new challenge - please pop over and say hello HERE and remember to hit the 'Follow' button to keep up to date with our challenges.

Hugz, Jan xx

Something beginning with M ...

Hello crafters,

I have another masculine design today for the new challenge over at Cardz 4 Guyz - this week Jane has chosen the theme of

'SOMETHING BEGINNING WITH M'

Here's what I decided on ...

I chose 'Monochrome' and 'Metal' for my letter 'M'. 

I love using this technique to create metal effect embellishments for cards - I used metal tape over a piece of scrap card, then passed it through an embossing folder, then swiped a little black ink over it to distress it. All other embellishments are from my stash.

Hope you can come and join us this week.

Hugz, Jan xx

Steampunk Stylie

Good morning,

I have had a really tough week, this week with my problematic old back! I am trying to manage the pain, but on occasions it has got the better of me this week. My working week from Monday to Thursday has been a challenge, to say the least.

Over at my challenge blog, FANTASY STAMPERS, we have a brand new challenge starting today with the theme of 'STEAMPUNK'. Now I know this can sometimes be a daunting one, and the design team found it a challenge too, but we would love you to experiment and come and play along.

Here's what I came up with for my DT inspiration ...

This all began as a piece of white cardstock, which I covered with distress inks in 'Scattered Straw, Rusty Hinge, Aged Mahogany, a little Crushed Olive and some Gathered Twigs'.

I used my Papermania cogs stamp to add some detail down the right hand side, and then ran the piece through an embossing folder to add a little interest to the left. The quote was printed on my pc and mounted on brown cardstock. The butterfly and cogs are chipboard pieces that I covered with gold embossing powder and then I added a key to the centre of the butterfly. There are a few other stamps from my stash in the design too.

I hope you will come and play along with us, with your own projects.

Hugz, Jan xx

Nephew

Good morning,

I'm back again today with news of the next challenge over at Cardz 4 Guyz and this week Amy has chosen the theme of

'KRAFT AND BLUE'

Here's what I made for my DT inspiration ...

Sorry about the poor photo quality guys, no natural light when I took my pic!

I made this for my little nephew who will be 9 next week. The image is 'James - Laptop' from LOTV and is coloured with my Promarkers. All design papers are from my stash and I added die-cut stars to match one of the design papers. A stamped greeting and some letter tiles to finish off.

Hope you will come and play along with your own creations.

Hugz, Jan xx

A bit of Embossing

Good morning,

I'm back today with a new challenge over at 'Cardz 4 Guyz' and this week Helen has chosen the theme of

'EMBOSSING'

Now this can be dry embossing or heat embossing - here's what I made for my DT inspiration ...

Three scraps of card passed through my Crafters Companion 'Distressed' embossing folder and then highlighted with a little Gathered Twigs distress ink to show the embossing better.

Three matching buttons and some little punched banners to finish off, with a 'Thank You' sentiment from my Stampin' Up 'Sassy Sentiments'.

Hope you can join us with your own embossed creations this week.

Hugz, Jan xx

Autumn Leaves

Happy Saturday,

I hope everyone has some crafty plans for the weekend - I have some school work to do before I go in my craft room, then I have some wedding invitations to design.

I'm back today with news of the next challenge over at 'Fantasy Stampers' and for the next two weeks we would love to see your projects showcasing

'AUTUMN LEAVES'

Here's what I made for my DT inspiration ...

I was trying to get a bit more 'arty' with my photos, but not sure I managed it - it just looks like I forgot to clear away!! Lol.

My card is made using lots of little individual stamps from my stash - I went through lots of my acrylic stamps and pulled out those with the tiny little stamps on them.

I drew a feint circle on my piece of cardstock, then stamped each stamp in turn, roughly at the quarter points on the circle. I had a few gaps left at the end, so filled them with acorns and butterflies (and a little bit of doodling!)  I coloured the leaves with my Promarkers and stamped the sentiment in the centre (which went horribly wrong, as it does) so I had to stamp again, cut it out and stick it in the middle!

Lots of layering to finish off, including some gold mirri card to give a little bit of shine.

I hope you can come along at play at the challenge this time.

Hugz, Jan xx

A Brand New Challenge Blog!

Hello everyone,

I am here with some fab news today about a brand new Challenge blog due to launch on the 1st October. My very good crafty friend Caz over at Cardz 4 Guyz has decided that it is time to launch a sister blog for all the galz out there - so why not pop over and check it out at

'CARDZ 4 GALZ'

During the month of September she is planning to introduce the new design team and showcase some of their work, so I have one of my all time favourites to show you today to fit the theme

'MY FAVOURITE THING'

Now this was a hard one to decide on, but I chose 'Pink' and 'Embellishments' (which are only two of my many favourite things about crafting), but here goes ...

I am so proud of my friend for taking on this new challenge and wish her every success for the future of the blog. Please pop over and say hello and I shall look forward to seeing lots of your gorgeous work when we launch on 1st October.

Hugz, Jan xx

Three of Something

Hello crafty friends and followers,

I can't believe it's Tuesday again already - I wasn't well at the weekend and it seemed to pass in a blur.

Anyway, it's time for another challenge over at Cardz 4 Guyz and this week Kim has chosen the theme of

'THREE OF SOMETHING'

Here's what I decided on for my DT project ...

It is only a simple design as my back isn't allowing me to sit for very long periods of time at the moment - so my crafting is suffering!

Some matting and layering using ivory and dark olive green cardstock, then a stamped greeting in 'Peeled Paint' distress ink and a hand drawn squiggly border in green ink to match.

The three candles are made from scraps of design papers and rolled to make the candle shape. I added a tiny little wick inside each one before arranging on my card.

Hope you can come and join us this week,

Hugz, Jan xx

O for One Layer

Happy Friday,

Well, that's week one done! It's been a crazy week back at school, but then they always seem to be that way.

We have a brand new challenge and two new design team members over at the Alphabet Challenge today. Why not pop over and join us for the letter 'O for One Layer' and say hello to our new ladies.

Here's what I made for my DT inspiration using another of my LOTV stamps ...

The stamp is called 'Fabulous Flower' and is coloured with my Promarkers, with the addition of a little glossy accents in the centre of the flower. The sentiment was printed on my pc.

Hugz, Jan xx

Let's Colour

Good morning,

Well, it's time - back to school today ready for the new Autumn term! Where did that six weeks go? I must admit, after dashing around doing all the washing after our little holiday, I did get to spend the day colouring yesterday while it rained, and rained, and rained some more!!

Here's what I made for my DT inspiration for the new challenge at Cardz 4 Guyz. For the next week Julie has chosen the theme of

'LET'S COLOUR'

I did keep this one quite simple, because I wanted the colouring to be the focal point.

I used little 'James Bear on his Laptop' by LOTV and coloured it with my Promarkers. He looks just like me when something goes wrong (no, not all furry, but a little bemused!) Lol.

I hope you can come and play along with us over at the challenge.

Hugz, Jan xx

The Colour Purple

Hi there folks,

Well, we had a fantastic time up the east coast and believe it or not, we had some fabulous weather too (I even came back with a bit of a suntan!) Lol. Lots of rest and relaxation, along with trips to the seaside (and way too many calories to count!) Best get back on that diet! Lol.

Anyway, we have a brand new challenge over at Fantasy Stampers today and the theme is

'THE COLOUR PURPLE'

This just happens to be one of my favourite colours - here's what I made for my DT inspiration ...

I was spoiled for choice with this one as I love anything purple, but was still in a 'magical' mood after my post on Tuesday so dug out this little 'Fairy House' stamp from Lavinia Stamps.

I stamped it first in black Versafine ink, then masked it out and added a moon mask to the background. Next I began inking to make the sky and hills using three different coloured distress inks in 'Milled Lavender', 'Seedless Preserve' and 'Dusty Concord'.

I coloured the little houses with Promarkers and glitter pens, then added a little extra glitter around the stamp for some more sparkle. The stamped sentiment is from another set from my stash and the border around the edge was stamped using the bottom section of an Inkylicious stamp.

Lots of layering to finish off and some purple adhesive pearls in the corners.

I hope you will come and play along with your own purple creations - remember, it doesn't have to be a card.

Hugz, Jan xx

Myth and Magic

Hello there,

This one was scheduled, as we are enjoying a little sunshine along the East coast (hopefully!) - so I hope it arrives where and when it should! Lol.

We have a new challenge starting over at Cardz 4 Guyz and this week Caz has chosen the theme of

'MYTH & MAGIC'

Here's what I created for my DT inspiration ...

Now, this is a topic that I love - anything mythical, magical (or fantasy for that matter) - so away I went to see what I could find. I decided to use this gorgeous little dragon image by Mitzi Sato-Wiuff and coloured it with just a graphite pencil, shading it with a paper stump. I have also picked out some tiny areas with colour too, just for highlights. 

It started out as a card, but while I was colouring my daughter came home and popped her head around the craft room door to see what I was up to. 'Ooo, I like that - what's it for?' she asked. I told her it was for my blog 'And then what?' she asked, grinning! Needless to say, it has now turned into a little hanging plaque which will end up in her room (as she also shares my love of the theme)!

I hope you will come and join us over at the challenge.

Hugz, Jan xx

No Design Papers

Good morning,

Well, I'm off on my holidays up to the East Coast today - fingers crossed for some nice weather (and yes, I did sneak some crafty stash into my bag too)!

Over at the Alphabet Challenge we are up to the letter 'N' and Helen has chosen the theme of

'NO DESIGN PAPERS'

Here's what I made for my DT inspiration ...

This one was made for a friends birthday - hope she liked it. 

I cut a scalloped circle into a piece of copier paper and used it as a mask to create an area to ink through. Using a Clarity stencil (brick wall) I inked through with three distress inks - Picked Raspberry, Shaded Lilac and Peacock Feathers. Next I stamped the silhouette image (from Stampin' Up Serene Silhouettes) using black archival ink.

I cut the bottom section of the card away and replaced it with a piece that had been passed through an embossing folder, then covered the join with a piece of co-ordinating ribbon. A stamped greeting and a couple of adhesive crystals finish of the card.

Why not pop over to the blog and see what the team created too - hope you can come and play.

Hugz, Jan xx

Time Flies!

Hi there everyone,

I'm back with news of the next challenge over at CARDZ 4 GUYZ and this week Joan chose the theme

'IT'S ABOUT TIME'

Here's what I made for my DT inspiration using one of my embossing folders ...

I began with a piece of plain white cardstock, then added some distress ink in Faded Jeans and Tea Dye using my inkdusters. Next I passed it through an embossing folder to create the clock background. I brushed gently over the top with some Gathered Twigs distress ink, just to highlight the embossing a little, then cut the whole piece into four smaller pieces

The pieces are layered on kraft card and then a background. The little topper is made using an old set of stamps - I cut out the 'Time Flies' part and then stamped and cut out the wings, adding them to the topper before layering it on to some more kraft card. It also has a little metal timepiece embellishment to finish off.

I hope you will join us over at the challenge.

Hugz, Jan xx

Boys Rule!

Good morning,

Well, I'm not liking this rain, that's for sure - where did the sunshine go?

We have a brand new challenge starting today over at FANTASY STAMPERS and for the next two weeks the theme will be

'BOYS RULE!'

Here's what I made for my DT inspiration ...

I used up some of my paper scraps on this one, together with 'Scooter Boy' stamped image from LOTV which I coloured with my Promarkers. The sentiment is also LOTV and I added a few die-cut stars to embellish.

Hope you will come and join us with your own male themed projects.

Hugz, Jan xx

A Numbered Birthday

Hi there,

I'm back today with the next challenge over at Cardz 4 Guyz and this week it was my turn to choose the theme. So, we would love to see your male themed projects for a

'NUMBERED BIRTHDAY'

Here's what I made for my DT inspiration ...

There were lots of possibilities for this one, but I decided on a child's birthday card using a new set of Kanban stamps which I recently purchased online.

Why not pop over and see what the design team did with the theme - hope you can join in too.

Hugz, Jan xx

Design Team Calls

Happy Sunday,

I hope everyone is having a great weekend and enjoying some sunshine.

I've just popped on this morning to let you all now that we are looking for some new Design Team members at both my challenge blogs, so if you are interested, or know anyone who maybe, check out the links below:

FANTASY STAMPERS - two projects per month

http://fantasystampers.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/design-team-call.html

THE ALPHABET CHALLENGE - one project per month

http://alphabetchallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/design-team-call.html

We are a friendly team on both blogs, with some overlap of DT members - so please share this information with your friends for me.

Big hugz, Jan xx

Little Mermaids

Good morning,

I hope everyone has had a good week - today brings me to the end of the third week of my summer break, I can't believe it's already half way through (where does the time go?)

I have some DT inspiration for you today for our next theme over at the Alphabet Challenge and this weeks brings us to the letter 'M'. Caz chose the theme of 'MERMAIDS', so here's what I made using one of my many LOTV stamps ...

This one was made for a work colleague who turns 40 when we return to school in September - that's organised for you! Well, that sure makes a change! Lol.

It is made using a 6"x6" scalloped card blank and the pretty design papers are from the LOTV 'Heartfelt' paper pad. The image is called 'Little Mermaid Friends' and is coloured with my Promarkers and a little added glitter for some sparkle. The sentiment was printed on my pc.

I hope you can come and join us with your own 'Mermaid' creations.

Hugz, Jan xx

A Little Gift Tag

Hi everyone,

I'm back today with the next challenge over at Cardz 4 Guyz and this week Andrea has chosen the theme of

'ORANGE & BROWN'

Here's what I made for my DT inspiration ...

It's a little gift tag which is folded to give a 3D effect, but it doesn't really show in my photo. The stamp is from Woodware and is coloured with my Promarkers. The little greeting banner was printed on my pc and the embellishments are from my stash.

Hugz, Jan xx

Lots of Layers

Good morning,

We have a brand new challenge starting today over at my challenge blog 'FANTASY STAMPERS' and for the next two weeks the theme is

'LOTS OF LAYERS'. 

Here's what I made for my DT inspiration ...

I decided to stay monochromatic, one of my favourite themes, and used up lots of scraps of papers for the layers on this one. It measures 8" x 8" and the main stamped image is from a 'Swalk' set by Crafters Companion' called 'Thinking of You' - she is coloured with my Promarkers. All other embellishments are from my stash.

I hope you can pop over and check out some more fab inspiration from my design team - hope to see you at the challenge with all your own layers.

Have a great weekend,

Hugz, Jan xx

Something beginning with T

Good morning,

Just popped in quickly this morning to let you know we have a new challenge starting today over at Cardz 4 Guyz and this week Jane has chosen the theme of

'SOMETHING BEGINNING WITH T'

So, here goes with my DT inspiration ...

It mainly consists of just one layer (apart from the clock centre and the sentiment). I used my Stampin' Up sets 'Clockworks' and 'Gorgeous Grunge' (two of my favourites for male themed cards). I stamped and masked the watch fob and then did the background stamping using Gathered Twigs, Rusty Hinge and Tea Dye distress inks. The sentiment is from a very old set of stamps in my stash - but I'm not very good at following the advice! I'm always putting things off until tomorrow!! Lol.

Have a great day (despite all the rain!)

Hugz, Jan xx

L for Lavender

Hi folks,

Well, that's the first week nearly over and I am still not finished spring cleaning my craft room - I knew it would take a while, but I have actually thrown some things away!

Over at the Alphabet Challenge we have a new theme today - we are up to the letter 'L' and Mari has chosen

'L for LAVENDER'

Here's what I made for my DT inspiration ...

I used my Clarity Alphabet stamps to create the lettering and filled in the background squares with 'Shaded Lilac' distress inks to match the layered cardstock.

The stamps are from Art Impressions and I used tiny little masks to stamp out all the individual plant pots and colour them with my Promarkers. I now realise looking at it that my stamped flowers look more like lilac than lavender, but it's the thought that counts! Lol.

Why not pop over to the blog and take a look at what my teamies made too.

Hugz, Jan xx

Pretty Petals

Good morning to you all,

Well, it's finally here - the waiting is over - I officially begin my summer break today! Six glorious weeks without any school - loads of time for crafting, and the first job on my list is a complete spring clean of my craft room! I may be a while!!

But for today, I have news of our next challenge over at 'FANTASY STAMPERS' and for the next two weeks we would love to see your projects showcasing

'PRETTY PETALS'

This can be any interpretation and any project, as long as it has some flowers on (remembering it has to include stamping) - that's not hard now, is it! Here's what I made for my DT inspiration ...

I chose another quick and simple design to showcase the stamp. It is LOTV 'Sunflowers' and is coloured with my Promarkers. A simple Happy Birthday sentiment and some layering to bring out the colour.

I hope you will come and join us with your own creations.

Hugz, Jan xx