ALLSORTS CHALLENGE - WEEK 3

Hi again

My second challenge of the day.

This time I am playing with the Allsorts Challenge where the theme is "Curly Swirly".

This is my "Curly Swirly" Creation.

To make this card I used:

Image: Magenta "Buds and Flourishes"
Backing Papers: Pink Petticoat "Sweet Flourishes"
Curly wire
Swirly bead, ribbon and nail heads from my stash box
Silver embossing powder

I hope everyone has had a lovely weekend.

I am quite chuffed with what I have managed to get done today. Lots of planting up of tubs in the garden and tomatoes into my greenhouse. Washing down of garden furniture.

Two lines full of washing and just about to have a rather late Sunday roast evening meal.

Wow .. .. .. I nearly sound like a domestic godess .. .. .. (my husband wishes)!!!!!

Thanks for calling by. It is a bit of a sneaky heart tonight - but I am sure you will find it.

Have a good week.

Love Jules xx

Penny Black Challenge - Week 51

Hi Everyone

At last I have managed to make it to my little craft space and here is my Penny Black Challenge card for this week.

This week the challenge was to work to a sketch. This is the sketch:

Here is what I created

To make this card I used:

Image: Penny Black 3947K "day-dreams"
Backing paper and Sentiment: Pink Petticoat
Woodware punch: scallop oval
Funky Heart Punch "KPS16" by KurePunch
Martha Stewart punch (little sample from my buddy Jackie xx)
Cuttlebug flowers
Little Gems and Diamond Stickles

I was so pleased I got the chance to use this Penny Black image - I love it. It was one of the prizes from the Allsorts Challenge Blog and it arrived with me this week. I was hoping all week that the challenge this week wasn't going to be "only animals" as I wouldn't have been able to show it off. LOL!!

Oh well. Off now to work on another creation - alongside all the usual "Sunday" jobs.

Catch you all again later.

Have a great Sunday.

Love Jules xx

It is true - I am in love!!

Hi Everyone

Well here it is .. .. .. .. Friday evening again!!! Yippee!!! Lots I want to do (AGAIN) this weekend.

So in my excitement I have made a creation.

Those of you who have followed my blog for a while may remember that I declared my love for Messy Rabbit. Well my passion is still running strong.

I love Messy Rabbit very, very much .. .. .. but not any of his friends!!! He is the "one and only".

At the start of this creation I thought I might be able to create a card and also enter it into the new Promarkers Challenge Blog .. .. but I am not sure. I just cannot get the hang of all that shading and detailed work. My colouring is more "blocks of colour". But never mind. Perhaps I will be able to learn some techniques from the new blog.

Not only is my colouring perhaps not up to scratch .. .. .. how on earth can I enter a card that used 13 different colours!!! Not that I am superstitious .. .. .. .. .. just that surely I could have coloured an image of Joseph in his Technicolour Dreamcoat with this many pens. Not just Messy Rabbit with his carrots!!! (Most people have listed 5 or 6 colours on their creations LOL!!!).

Well here it is. Messy Rabbit without his Technicolour Dreamcoat .. ..

This creation used:

Image: Messy Rabbit - MR124 Gardener
Backing paper: Sorry I don't know - it came from Hobbycraft in a little package full of heart papers (can't imagine why I bought these .. .. tee hee!!).
Brads from my stash box

Oh .. .. .. and 13 Promarker Pens!!!

Looking forward to a few challenges over the weekend. I told myself I wasn't going to get drawn into these .. .. .. but I am so weak!!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone.

The weather is promising to be special so let's make the most of it .. .. .. craft in the garden!!!

Love Jules xx

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

Hi Everyone

I hope the week is being kind to you all.

Just a quick post this evening to show you a wedding anniversary card I have just made for a young couple who will be celebrating their anniversary very soon.

I am hoping that the colours on the card show up ok on the photograph. The card looks lovely "in real life" but I am not too sure how well the camera has picked everything up.

To make this card I used:

Background papers: Pink Petticoat (sorry I don't know which download - I very naughtily sit and print lots of different papers out and forget to mark them as to which set they come from!!).
Sentiment: This is just a floppy piece of rubber from the bottom of my sentiments box. I remember buying it a couple of years ago at the NEC and think it may have come from the Debbie Moore stand.
X Cut flower punch
Funky Heart Punch "KPS16" by KurePunch
Ribbon: Club Green
Gems, peel offs and embellishments from my stash box

And there we go .. .. .. all done.

Thanks for calling by.

Love Jules xx

Polka Doodles - Week 1

Hi Everyone

Well after allowing myself a weekend of challenges .. .. .. it is "back to work" Tuesday - ready to try and fit 4 days work into 5! Wow .. .. .. just realised my life is full of challenges at the moment LOL!!!

Before I head off though I thought I would share another challenge card. This is one I made for the Polka Doodles Challenge .. .. .. .. this is a new challenge that started this week .. .. .. .. and it looks like it is going to be a popular one.

This week the challenge was to work to a sketch.

Here is the sketch

Here is my creation

Here is my list of rather simple ingredients and now that this card is done it will be another one I will do again. It will be really quick to copy now it is done and in different colours it should look completely different.

Backing papers - that Costco Memory Store pack is getting a hammering at the moment!
Spellbinders Nestabilities "Scalloped Circles - Large"
Stamped sentiment - Anitas
X Cut - Medium and Small Flower Punches (bet you are getting sick of seeing these now!)
Funky Heart Punch "KPS16" by KurePunch
Fiskars corner rounding punch
Bling from my craft stash

I enjoyed this challenge and if anyone else fancies a go then pop over to Polka Doodles.

Have a great day everyone. Thanks for calling by.

Love Jules xx

Allsorts - Challenge Week 2

Hi Everyone

I hope you have all had a great Bank Holiday weekend.

Sorry, I am a little later posting my Allsorts Challenge than I expected. The garden mission took longer than I thought it would .. .. .. and we also went to a wedding reception last night and stayed over. I very sadly took a few images and crayons/markers with me in the hope of being able to colour a few images before breakfast but unfortunately I didn't get any done .. .. .. .. .. all the little kids were sitting at the dinner tables last night with their pencils and colouring books and I wanted to fetch mine and join in!!!. So the only crafting I got done was leafing through a few craft magazines.

Another delay came in taking a photograph. My lovely hubby came home with a new camera for me as a treat - and I needed to learn a little about how to use it. I still have a lot to learn so this photograph may be a bit "odd" as it is my first photo shoot with it - LOL!!! I am just hoping it looks loads clearer or my hubby will be gutted.

Anyway.. .. .. here is my creation for the Allsorts Challenge. The theme being "no stamped images".

I went with the embossing folders / dies and punches and created this:-

I used:

Backing paper - from Costco ages ago (think it was from Memory Store)
Fiskars punches - Threading Water and Ribbon Punch
X Cut - small flower punch
Cuttlebug - embossing folders
Cuttlebug - nested heart die
Gems from the stash box
Diamond Stickles

I am fairly happy with this card. I think the only thing I would change now is the colour of the embossed backing card .. .. .. .. .. but that might only be because it now reminds me of those yukky chocolate "Caramac" bars you could get when I was a kid (many moons ago). Not sure if you can still get them but the chocolate used to be this colour .. .. .. .. and I hated it!!!

Well I am now hopefully going to have time to do a bit of catch up "blog hopping".

Catch you all again soon. Thanks for calling by.

Love Jules xx

Penny Black Challenge - Week 50

Hi Everyone

What a beautiful day - I hope that the weather is as gorgeous for everyone as it is in my little part of the world today.

Just a quick challenge entry before I head out to do a bit of gardening. (Need to clear some land for a courgette plant that is desperate to move into the bit world!!). If I spent as much time in the garden as I do in my craft space then I would have the most beautiful garden in the world!! (But I don't .. .. .. .. so I haven't).

The challenge over at Penny Black this weeks is "Buttons Galore".

Now I am someone who struggles with buttons - full stop! They usually get added to my cards and removed!!!!

But having said that .. .. .. I quite like this creation and will probably find myself making the same card again - and here it is:

This creation used:

Image: Penny Black 3788F "Art of Love"
Sentiment: Penny Black "Critter Party"
Flowers punched from X Cut punches
Little gems and "buttons galore" from my stash box

I would never had made this card if I wasn't entering it for a challenge and yet I really love it now it is finished.

Well off to the garden. Have a great day.

I am hoping to be back with my Allsorts Challenge entry later.

Love Jules xx

I am a winner!!

Hi everyone

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay
My, oh my, what a wonderful day
Plenty of sunshine headin' my way
Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay

Look what I have won:

This is a prize from the Allsort Challenge Blog.

I was lucky enough to win Challenge 1 (by random org I know .. .. .. but I won).

Oh I am so excited. I loved this prize as soon as I saw it.

Thank you Allsorts.

Challenge 2 has been posted - this week no stamped images are allowed. So there is a challenge and a half for me.

I hope you all sang along with the song at the start of my blog. This is a special song for me as my oldest son used to sing it at the top of his voice every morning when he was about 4 years old and I can hear him now. Happy days!

Well must fly - lots of creations to create (whilst I hum a happy tune!!).

Have a great weekend.

Love Jules xx

Trying something new

Hi Everyone

Woo hoo!!! The Bank Holiday weekend is here!!! So I am even more excited than I normally am on a Friday night!!! (I know - you didn't think that was possible did you?!?!?!?).

To celebrate I decided it was time I tried to do something new .. .. .. so here is what I created.

To make this card I used:

Backing Paper printed from - Funk Hand "Funky Seasons" CD
Papermania "Exquisite Vellum Collection"
Image - Magenta "Deco Vase"
Fiskars "Threading Water" punch
Brads, eyelets and thread from the stash box
Tesco Thick Bleach "from the bathroom"

Yes you read my ingredients correctly. I decided to have a go at "bleaching" my card as I had never tried this before.

Firstly I stamped the image and embossed it with clear embossing powder then I painted neat bleach onto the areas I wanted to lighten.

It seemed quite strange really as the bleach has not changed the card's colour evenly. I am assuming that this is because of the fibres in the card - but I think it has made for a more interesting finished effect.

Well I don't know about you folks but I have lots happening this weekend, but hopefully I am going to find time for some crafting too (I usually do even if it means getting up at "daft o'clock").

There is so much I want and need to do that I could do with a few days that are "just mine" - you know what I mean .. .. .. the rest of the world stays asleep and when it wakes up .. .. .. perhaps a week later .. .. .. it is none the wiser that I got an extra week out of life in which to do all the things that I wanted to do .. .. without anyone or anything else suffering in the process. (Hey - wouldn't that be nice!! Could Santa arrange that do you think if I asked him nicely in 6 months time).

I hope that everyone has a really good Bank Holiday Weekend. Have fun!

Love Jules xx

Another man's card & an award (thank you Brenda)

Hi Everyone

Back to my theme of men's cards. I need to get quite a few done for Father's Day and am trying to come up with some options that don't involve drink and sport (though these will have to follow eventually of course).

I made this little creation simply because I wanted to use the little "tool brads" which I managed to get from The Glitter Pot. A little pack of 50 tool brads for £1.85!!! I thought that was really good and I love them as they are so cute. Especially the gorgeous little hammer.

Tonight I have also managed to break the little punch that did the swirly bits.. .. .. not very clever of me. It started to jam and not cut even thin paper. This happened to me once before with a previous punch I had and the man at the craft shop managed to mend it for me.. .. .. .. so of course, because I watched him mend it I thought I knew what I was doing and could mend this one myself!!!! .. .. .. .. WRONG.

The springs have sprung out everywhere as well as other various bits and pieces.

My patience with it has ran out so I have put it to one side to try and mend it another day. Otherwise it will become the punch that only cut 4 shapes. That is nearly 60p a swirl!!!

Anyway - here is my creation for this evening:

This used:

Image - Woodware FRCL039 "Mr Fix It" (Paper pieced insead of coloured)
Sentiment - Hobbycraft 40882 "Special Day"
Background paper - (green paper) free with a craft magazine ages ago (brown DCWV "Old World Stack")
Swirly bits punched with a Woodware Punch (that I have wrecked)
Tool Brads - Woodware

Bit of a Woodware theme appearing here me thinks.

So that is it for tonight folks. Not a brilliant photograph but better than none!! I am just grateful you cannot see all the mess that is surrounding this little work of art.

Really must clean my craft space!!!

I have also received an award today from my crafting buddy Brenda.

If you get chance to pop over and see Brenda's blog then you must as you will be in for a real treat. I think she manages to make more cards in a day than I sometimes do in a week!!! Thank you so much for thinking of me Brenda and giving me this award.

Take care everyone and thanks for calling by. Off to catch up with The Apprentice.

Love Jules xx

Dexter the Bear

Well cards don't make themselves much quicker than this one did.

Dexter arrived in the post on Saturday (whilst our visitors were with us) and he had to sit in his little plastic bag waiting to be used.

I couldn't wait to rip him out of his confined space, print him up and colour him.

A very basic card - but Dexter just had to be used - I couldn't wait any longer!!!

This card used:

Sugar Nellie - "Dexter the Bear"
Sentiment - Woodware FRCL004 "His Birthday"

Woodware Punch
Brads from the stash

So as I said a "simple card" - but at least Dexter gets his first airing. Awww I lurve him and his cute little jumper!!!

Thanks for calling by.

Love Jules xx

Time to share a special award

Hi Everyone

Well I just have to share with you an award that will certainly take some beating.

I received this award from Jem over at Jem's Crafting Blog - thank you so much Jem. I had spotted this award on other blogs and am so proud that it has finally arrived on mine.

Not only was Jem kind enough to nominate me for this award - she designed it herself - using a dead frog found in her garden.

If you want to see the full story concerning the frog then you can read it here. Jem makes lovely cards as well as this "unusual" award so take a look at those too!!!

I hope everyone enjoyed Monday - one day nearer another Bank Holiday weekend!!! Yeah!!

Take care and thanks for calling by.

Love Jules xx

Allsorts Challenge - Week 1

Hello again .. .. .. .. could this be a world first for me - two challenges in one day?!?!?

The Allsorts Challenge Blog started yesterday and their theme was "Sweets".

There is a fantastic prize on offer so I hope too many people don't play this week .. .. .. then I will have a better chance of winning!!! (Selfish and greedy girl .. .. .. I don't deserve to win now!!!).

Here is my creation:

This was made using:

Background paper and image: Pink Petticoat download "Sweet Sundaes"
Glossy Accents to make the cherry on top shine
Glamour Dust
Brads and Ribbon from my stash

I know that an ice cream cone isn't really a sweet (but it is a "sweet treat") - and the little bits of chocolate on the ice cream count as sweets in my book!!! Mmmmm.. .. .. I want one now!!!

I don't want to stop crafting now but unfortunately I have to.

Time to cook the evening meal and then a bit of "blog hopping".

Take care everyone. Hope you all had a great weekend and thanks for calling by.

Love Jules xx

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Week 49

Hi Everyone

Sorry but I am a bit late with my entry for the Penny Black Saturday Challenge this week.

This is because we have had two lovely visitors come to stay for a long weekend. We have had a wonderful time together catching up. They are now making their way home and I am making cards!!!!

First is my favourite challenge - using my favourite stamps.. .. Penny Black.

This weeks challenge was a recipe 3 - 2 - 1 - 3 flowers, 2 papers and 1 charm or brad.

Below is what I created:

This used:

Image: Penny Black 3823H "Delights"
Papers: DCWV "Retro Prints"
Adhesive Pearls: Papermania
Ribbon: A huge roll I bought from Costco yesterday (just had to use it).
Flowers: Petaloo "Mulberry Street"
Nestabilities : Classic Scallop Rectangles

One down and at least one more to go.

I want to take part in the first week of the Allsorts Challenge Blog. This week the theme is "Sweets". Not quite so easy - but I will have a go. Hopefully I will be back later with my creation (if I can find something in my stash that I can use - nothing is springing to mind at the moment PANIC!!!).

Love Jules xx

No problem finding the hearts today

Hi Everyone

Well there should be no problems for anyone in finding the heart(s) today.

I have been asked to make a wedding card for a young woman to give .. .. .. but unfortunately I don't really know her style yet!! I was trusted to come up with a creation worth giving. I hope I haven't let the lady down.

Below are three creations for her to choose from. I have tried to make each one a different style in the hope that one will be suitable. (If not she still has Saturday to raid the shops LOL!!!).

So here we go (in no particular order) - weddings R me .. .. ..

All of these cards used backing papers from the DCWV "Wedding Prints" stack.

Card 1 used:

Sentiment - Studio g "On your Wedding Day"
Cuttlebug Nested Hearts Die
X Cut flower punch
Ribbon from Hobbycraft - Club Green
Gems from the Stash Box

Card 2 used:

Image - Elzybells (coloured with Promarkers)
Martha Stewart punched card (thanks Jackie xx)
Josey Rose - Hot Fix hearts
Diamond Stickles
Ribbon from my lovely market lady

Card 3 used:

Paper rose (mounted onto pearlised card - though this doesn't show up too well)
Sentiment - Elzybells (also on pearlised card)
Josey Rose - Hot Fix heart
Ribbon from a local craft store. (This ribbon had a thread running through it so you can "draw it up" to form the lovely ribbon flower).

--ooOoo--


So I wonder which will be chosen - if any!!!! We will have to wait and see.

I am looking forward to a special weekend. We have visitors coming to stay - my old boss (from when I first returned to work after having children - many, many years ago) and her husband. Who would have thought that the person who interviewed me all those years ago would end up as one of the very best friends a girl could have!! Looking forward to a real good "catch up".

Take care everyone and thanks for calling by.

Love Jules xx