HOPE YOU ARE ALL WELL

Hi Everyone

I am back again at last.

I hope that everyone had a lovely Christmas! I spent mine with my family but now they have all returned to their individual homes and I am left playing mega catch up.. . . . so much to do over the next few days craftwise.

My hubby wanted to go "out and about" today as they have threatened snow for us again tonight . It is so difficult to drag myself away when I have such a lot to do but it is only fair I do what my hubby wants to do "sometimes" I suppose. LOL!!!

Santa didn't bring me any crafty goodies at all .. .. .. I just knew I had been too naughty!!!

Good job I have the new Funky Hand CD to play with that's all I can say!! This CD is due for release soon but I get to play with it early!! Lucky, lucky me - I am having great fun with it.

So Christmas cards are now "put to one side" for a little while and tonight I will share a bright and cheery card. I have made this little beauty a few times in various colours as I really like it.

This used:

Image: Funstamps FP110 "Patchwork Daisy"
Sentiment: Funstamps F-C60 "Happy Birthday Circular"
Backing Paper: Pink Petticoat "Lolas Boudoir Rainbow Collection"
Promarkers
X-Cut: Small flower punch
Glamour Dust for the centre of the flower (I will have to wean myself off the sparkle slowly LOL!!)
Gems and Ribbon from the stash box

We had to return a present to town today that we had bought for our youngest son .. .. .. .. it was faulty .. .. .. .. we paid £40 for it a couple of days before Christmas .. .. .. today they were selling the same thing for £20!!!! How annoying is that??

But the surprise was they exchanged the gift for a replacement .. .. .. plus they gave us a nice £20 note!!! I never expected that without an bit of hassle. They must have had a bit of "Christmas Spirit" left over. LOL!!! So the youngest gets a replacement toy and a lovely £20 note into the bargain!!

Catch you all again soon.

Love Jules xx

HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

Hi Everyone

I am ashamed to say I haven't been in blog land very much this week - life has been very hectic - as I am sure yours has too. Preparing for Christmas takes a lot of doing - but I love it!!!

Firstly I would like to share a Christmas card which is to wish everyone a very happy Christmas.

Anyone who calls by - this is for you with my love and thanks for being great blog buddies.

Whatever you are doing this Christmas I hope you have fun.

Today is Christmas Eve (probably my favourite day of Christmas as I love the excitement) and the hectic life has meant a world first for me!! I do not need to wrap any presents this evening and I do not have to go out delivering - all done and dusted.

This means I can spend the whole day in the kitchen cooking lovely Christmas goodies. I love the smell of mince pies cooking!!

Have a brilliant time everyone.

Christmas love and hugs to everyone.

Jules xxxxx

PHEW !!

Well how is it all going?

Is everyone on track for the one day of the year that sends us all into a frenzy??

Today is the last posting day for 1st class post so perhaps like me you spent yesterday writing up all your cards - and searching for that one address that you just can't remember where you put "for safe keeping" LOL!!

I thought I would share something other than a Christmas card today.

This used:

Image and backing papers: Pink Petticoat "Big Fella"
Martha Stewart Punch: Embossed Zig Zag
White "Fun Flock" (not that you can see it too well)
Nail Heads: Josy Rose
Normal felt tipped pens

I have lots of orders to finish today for those organised people who want their January cards ready and waiting to send in the New Year. I wonder if I will ever be that organised?!?!?

I think there is a saying something about "Cobbler's children have no shoes" - well this certainly applies to me at the moment. Piles of cards for everyone else to send and a last minute frenzy to do my own !! LOL!!

Of course in a week or so we will all be making our New Year Resolution lists. Mine always ends up with so many statements and promises for "self improvement" that I forget half of them!!

Right then I am off to have a productive day. I hope you get all your letters into the post and thanks for calling by.

Love Jules xx

FIRST TRY AT BRENDA'S ROSES

Good morning everyone

A special share today.

We had visitors for a Chinese meal last night and whilst the men folk were fetching it I had a little "crafty session" with two special friends.

We always make something when we get together and this week I had no idea what we were going to make until my little visitors actually arrived .. .. when suddenly Brenda's roses popped into my brain.

Here are our first attempts. We followed Brenda's tutorial (which you can find here) but we didn't treat the paper to all the luscious treatment that Brenda did. To be honest we didn't expect them to turn out as good as they did.

Here are the first two roses we made:

and here are my lovely playmates - Neil and Helen

Neil helped to punch the flowers out and Helen did all the shaping and sticking together. She is a real "craft queen" in the making.

Helen is going to come and sleep over with me one weekend so we are going to have to think of something special to make/play with that weekend.

By the end of the evening Helen was a "dab hand" at making these lovely roses and she made lots and lots and even glued a cocktail stick through them so she can put them into a little vase or some oasis. I wish we had taken pictures of all of them at the end now. Helen also did different sizes and managed to do a tiny one using a 3/4" punch!!

I hope you like Helen's creations and know she will be looking on my blog here to see what you think. I am sure you will all be as impressed as I am.

Well done Helen.

Love Jules xx

ALLSORTS DT WORK - WEEK 32

Good morning on this crisp cold day .. .. .. no snow here in the Midlands but a big, big frost!! Think I will stay in today as much as I can . . . . . bbrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr..........

This week on Allsorts there is a slight change in the challenge in that my lovely team mate Debs has asked for "anything but a card".

We have been sponsored this week by A Passion for Stamps and Ruth is offering 1 lucky winner, picked by Random.org the opportunity to win some beautiful stamps. Please pop over to the Allsorts challenge blog to see the stamps and the gorgeous creation Ruth has made to "showcase" them.

I decided to try and incorporate my creation into my Christmas preparations and came up with the following:

I had a few oddly shaped gifts to wrap and decided that this was a good way of disguising them!!

To make my little creation I used:

Paper: by Papermania
Label: Cuttlebug heart die run through the snow embossing folder
Punches: Fiskars small star punch and the tiny snowflake I still don't know!!
Gems, bells and ribbon from my stash box

I am sure you will have all seen these before but I just thought it was a great way to hide presents that are an odd shape - plus they look quite sweet.

I have seen them all over blog land with various names but they remind me of something we used to have as a treat as kids and I am sure they were called a "jubbly". Basically it was a huge chunk of flavoured ice (orange or cherry I think). Mum would cut the top off and you would squeeze the bottom for it to slide up the package to eat. They seemed huge and took for ever to eat!! I have seen versions of them on sale now but they are dinky little things .. .. .. .. not the humongous things we used to eat (that kept up quiet for ages).

Just in case anyone hasn't come across these little packages before all you need to do is:

- cut your paper to a size (craft paper, wrapping paper, brown paper - any paper !!)

- stick double sided tape down one edge (attach to the back of your paper not the patterned side)

- remove the backing from the tape and roll over and stick the opposite edge to the tape to form a tube .. .. the right side of the paper sticking to the tape

- now put double sided tape inside the top and bottom edges of your tube

- before you take the backing off the tape flatten one end of your tube (but just at the very edge not all the way down or you will spoil your jubbly case) I do it with my original join sitting underneath

- remove the backing from the tape at your creased end and join together your first set of end edges

- next add your present

- then crease the last end of your jubbly case but this time at "right angles" to your first end and stick this together. (If I am not explaining this very well go back to the last pictures above and that will hopefully help you).

- now the best bit .. .. .. .. decorate as you see fit!!! LOL!!!

These little packages are not really called jubbly cases I am sure .. .. .. but once finished and decorated I always say "lovely jubbly" .. .. so what better name.

If you decide to make a "jubbly package" then please let me know. I would love to come and have a "look see" at what you did.

Have a lovely jubbly day everyone!!!

Love Jules xx

HUBBY HAS A BIRTHDAY

Good morning everyone

Brrrrr........ cold start today.

My lovely hubby has a birthday today and here is the card I have made for him.

No problem for you to find a heart .. .. .. .. lots of hearts for my hubby because he deserves them!! (Along with a medal for putting up with me LOL!!).

Here is my creation:

This used:

Image: Penny Black 1301K "Hedgehog Kisses"
Background Papers: Funky Hand Download "Hearts & Flowers" (one of my favourites)
Sentiment: Pink Petticoat "Tiny Tags Handwriting"
Cuttlebug: Embossed heart
Koh-I-Noor Coloured Pencils
Nail Heads: Josy Rose
Cord from the stash box

The birthday boy has had to go off to work today - and I am at home. What do I want to do? Sit and make cards!!! (Still have quite a few I want to make).

What have I got to do? Clean just about every room in my house and tackle a mountain of ironing!!! Oh well .. .. all that activity will warm me up!!

So my thinking is that if I have a beautifully clean house (and keep it that way) my creative brain will work better over the weekend for lots of creations and I won't be in the usual mad clean up panic just ahead of Santa coming!!

This year I am determined to have a relaxing and chilled Christmas !!

So no Friday cooking by the birthday boy tonight - he has the night off. I am taking him out to his favourite Thai Restaurant for a meal.

Right then - off to turn on every radio in the house and clean my mucky house!!!

Have a lovely day everyone and just think .. .. ..

this time next week Santa will have visited if we have been good enough !!!!

Thanks for calling by.

Added note: I am over halfway through the day and would like to know .. .. .. .. how come a day spent crafting just flies by and yet I have spent all day doing housework and it feels like it is lasting for ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love Jules xx

PENNY BLACK CHALLENGE - WEEK 79

Hi Everyone

Well I haven't had chance to play along with the Penny Black challenges for the last couple of weeks so I decided it was time to make amends.

The theme this week is "Red and Gold". I have lots of Christmas cards still to make and so what better colours could I use.

Here is my creation:

This used:

Image: Penny Black 1506J "Just Wishing You ..."
Sentiment: Woodware JGCL502 "Christmas Ribbon Tree"
Backing Paper: Pink Petticoat "Fairy Lights"
Nestabilities: Classic Squares Large
Sizzix Die: Stars #2
ProMarkers
Nail Heads: Josy Rose
Glamour Dust
Cord from the stash box

Progress has been made today on the Christmas front - I have actually managed to wrap some Christmas presents and get them lined up in their carrier bags ready for delivery/collection. Still a long way to go .. .. .. and there aren't many more sleeps left!!!!

Love Jules xx

TO SAY THANK YOU

Hi Everyone

I hope you all had a great weekend.

We had a wonderful "label day" yesterday and as usual everyone started to get into the swing of it once they realised the day was nearly over (you know - the point where panic sets in that you have more presents to give than labels .. .. .. and then people get offended that they didn't get a handmade label) .. .. .. .. we couldn't craft all evening too though as it was the X-Factor final !!!

Everywhere is now covered with glitter and snippings of paper but hey . .. it will get tidied up eventually. In the meantime I am crafting around it all as there is so much to do !! LOL!!!

I decided that as a change from a Christmas card I would make a "thank you" card.

Today would have been my Dad's birthday if he was still here - so this is to say thank you to Dad for being the best Dad ever!! I love and miss you mega!

This used:

Image: Hero Arts Cling Stamp CG115 "Thank You"
Backing Paper: Pink Petticoat "Lola's Boudoir Collection
ProMarkers
Cord from the stash box

Lots and lots and lots to do at this end - but I guess it is the same for everyone at the moment. My Christmas decorations have started to make their appearance. I love my Christmas tree and all the little lights everywhere!

Have a good evening everyone.

Love Jules xx

DT CARD FOR ALLSORTS CHALLENGE 31

Good morning everyone

Happy Saturday .. .. .. .. .. and the start of a new week over at Allsorts.

This week the theme for the challenge has come from my lovely teamie "Brenda" - who would like to see swirls and pearls on whatever you create. There is also a beautiful and very appropriate "Pearls and Swirls" prize that has been donated to us by Sir Stampalot (thank you very much Janice and Andy).

All the DT enjoyed the challenge .. .. .. .. I hope you do too.

We also have a guest designer this week - Ruth from A Passion for Stamps . Ruth has a pre-Christmas sale on at the moment so why not pop over and see what lovely goodies she has on offer. (Thank you for your lovely card Ruth).

Also don't forget that if you took part in last week's Allsorts Challenge you need to check that you weren't our random org winner or one of Gro's Top Five!!

Here is my creation for Allsorts this week

This used:

Image: Penny Black 4023K "love is the message"
Pearls and Ribbon from the stash box

Well what a tiny list?!?!?!?

That is because I used the Penny Black stamp to create my background by stamping on black card with an Elzybells Sugar Candy Pigment Inkpad. This has been one of the best white inkpads I have used. A really good white that shows up really well - I normally find white looks a bit wishy washy.

I loved making this card - it was one of those that just "came together" with no messing about.

So what does the rest of the day hold for me? Well hubby is going all the way to Watford to watch his team play football. I won't say he is going to watch them "win" because I don't think they have won away from home at all this season!!

Whilst he is away I am going to go and do a bit of shopping. My lovely hubby has a birthday on the 18th December .. .. exactly a week before Christmas - and I need to find him some little goodies and surprises for his birthday and Christmas.

I then need to prepare for a special day tomorrow. It is the family "label day"!!

The men sit and watch football (again) and me and my lovely Sis .. .. .. plus as many of our kids as we can muster .. .. .. ..sit and make Christmas labels for our parcels. A totally mad and happy day and something we have done for a few years now.

Today I will make an inspiration board to get folks in the mood and get everything laid out and ready - tomorrow it will all just be a huge pile of disorganisation (but lots of fun). It is a great way of using up some of the little scraps of everything that get kept all year.

Have a lovely weekend everyone.

Love Jules xx

A LITTLE SHARE AND A BLOG AWARD WITH STRINGS!!!

Good Evening everyone

I hope you are well. I will apologise now as this post is going to be a long one!!!!!! LOL!!!

I have a quick share and then I have an award to accept that involves answering a massive 35 questions (thank you Shirley and Sally for making me rack my brains!!).

First my little creation though:

This used:

Image: Digistamp Boutique "Evie & Toadstool"
Backing Paper: Funky Fairys "Loving it Simple Freebie" Download (very old)
Sentiment: Pink Petticoat "Girly Curly Sentiments"
ProMarkers
Glamour Dust
Diamond Stickles
Gems and ribbon from my stash box

Next I am around to my award.

I need to answer the following 35 questions in order to accept this award - I think they are supposed to be one word answers really - but I just know before I start I won't be able to do this. Neither will I be able to pass the award on to others - but I would love it if anyone decided to take it to their blog and have a go at answering. Please let me know if you do so that I can read your answers.

1. Where is your cell phone? Buried under a pile of craft stash on the dining room table

2. Your hair: Being cut on Sunday!! Yay!!

3. Your mother: Is starting to look old :-(

4. Your father: My hero - but now only lives in my heart and my dreams

5. Your favorite food? Potatoes

6. Your dream last night? Can't remember - which is annoying me because I always dream and usually remember them

7. Your favourite drink? G & T

8. Your dream/goal? To grow old with my hubby still by my side

9. What room are you in? Living room

10. Your hobby? Anything crafty

11. Your fear? Blindness

12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Here will be fine!

13. Where were you last night? Wrapping Christmas presents for my Mum (at 79 she can't be bothered)

14. Something you aren't? A reader

15. Muffins? Not really

16. Wish list item? To die with my hubby so neither of us has to live without each other

17. Where did you grow up? I don't think I have yet

18. Last thing you did? Tried to take a decent picture of a card

19. What are you wearing? My slobby, comfortable, crafty clothes - I love them!!

20. Your TV? Has too many remote controls associated with it (which means I leave it alone)

21. Your pets? No pets

22. Friends? Lots of really good friends - I am very lucky

23. Your life? Hectic but exciting

24. Your mood? I am always excited and happy (so I can be quite annoying really)

25. Missing someone? Always (my Dad)

26. Vehicle? Focus

27. Something you're not wearing? Anything on my feet

28. Your favorite store? Anywhere that has craft items

29. Your favourite colour? Purple

30. When was the last time you laughed? Today

31. When was the last time you cried? Remembrance Day

32. Your best friend? My hubby

33. One place that I go over and over? Memory Lane

34. Facebook? No

35. Favorite place to eat? Anywhere there is a candle on the table

Thanks again Sally and Shirley. As you can see I am quite a soppy person really.

So that is me for today. Do you all realise that this time in two weeks it will be Christmas Day!!!!! (and I still haven't made my special Christmas cards yet!!).

You really wanted me to remind you about that didn't you!!!

See you again tomorrow with the next challenge over at Allsorts!

Love Jules xx

IF ONLY I KNEW THE ANSWER

Hi Everyone

Another creation I would like to share with you. But what do I want to know the answer to?

Well my card features Japanese Dolls and a Kanji Poem (Kanji being Japanese writing) but what does the poem say and do I have it the right way around?!?!?!? Help!!!

If you know for sure I have the writing the wrong way round then please let me know so that I get it right in future. I won't be offended and would greatly appreciate the help.

Anyway, here is my creation:

My creation used:

Image: Three Japanese Dolls (but I used only two!) by Hero Arts
Image: k5191 "Kanji Poem"
Sentiment: Computer Generated
Backing Papers: Pink Petticoat "Stripes White"
Ribbon from the stash box
Nail heads: Josy Rose
Promarkers
X-Cut flower - small
Diamond Stickles

Thank you for calling .. .. .. .. now off I go back to the Christmas cards!! LOL!!

Take care

Love Jules xx

YET ANOTHER LOVE IN MY LIFE !!

Hi Everyone

Back again with another post.

This time showing off a new love in my life "Henry Mouse Hugging a Heart"!!

This is the first time this little chappie has been inked up and I just love him. He was so lovely to colour and I used my Koh-I-Noor coloured pencils again. Dare I say that I think I prefer these to my Promarkers. Shock horror!!. I know I still need to perfect my technique with these pencils but I am well impressed with them.

Anyway here is my creation:

This used:

Image: Whiff of Joy "Henry Mouse Hugging Heart"
Backing Paper: My Minds Eye "Wild Asparagus"
Sentiment: Computer generated
Brads from the stash box

Thanks for calling by - I hope that Monday has been kind to you so far!

Love Jules xx

EARLY SPRING CLEAN AT FUNKY HAND

Good morning everyone


FUNKY HAND ARE HAVING AN EARLY SPRING CLEAN

Funky Hand has been working on a freshen up of their website http://www.funkyhand.com/ and today it is launched with its "new look". It is just gorgeous!!

The website has a completely new look which also gives a hint as to how the new CD is going to look when it is released in January.

As a bit of a celebration on finishing all the redesign work and the imminent delivery of the new CD into the warehouse, Anice is having an end of year craft CD sale. So, over on the new look website you will find all the currently available Funky Hand CD collections reduced by 33% which takes them all down to just over £10 each or even less! Grab them while you can, they are going to be on sale from today until Sunday 13th December.

Postage and packing is always FREE to anywhere in the world when you buy the CDs - so pop over and have a look at the new design on the website and why not treat yourself to an early craft Christmas present. (You could wrap it up and put it under the tree until later - but you will find this very difficult to do LOL!!!).

Before I joined the Funky Hand DT I collected all of Anice's CDs and downloads - so you can believe me when I say you will love them!

I won one of the CDs in a blog candy give away from Enfys and I completed my collection when I won the £20 voucher from the "Get Funky Challenge Blog" prior to joining the DT. This meant I had the full set! Lucky me!! (This challenge is always great fun - so if you can't stretch to buying anything at the moment why not have a go at winning the £20 voucher this month then you can redeem this against one of Anice's goodies instead).

I'm hoping to be back later with a creation but in the meantime have a great day!

Love Jules xx

ALLSORTS DT CREATION - WEEK 30

Good morning everyone

It is time for another challenge over at Allsorts and this week the theme has been set by my lovely teamie "Gro".

Gro would like to see the colour purple on your creations.

This week we are sponsored by Alison from Stretch and Bubbles. Alison has recently started designing her own digital stamps and is offering one very lucky winner their own choice of four digi images from her new store.

As a DT we were given a range of images to work with - and the DT guessed straight away which one I would choose to work with. LOL!!!

This used:

My image from Stretch and Bubbles
Backing paper: DCWV "Christmas Multi Stack" - the sentiment was already printed on the paper
Sizzix Die : Stars #2
The snowflake punch that has no name!!
ProMarkers
Glamour dust
Ribbon, tiny bells and gems from the stash box

I am hoping that Mr Blogger has played along and has kindly posted this for me this morning as I am away at a craft fair with my lovely Sis. She has been creating her handmade bags for weeks in readiness for this weekend - I hope it is a good venue and that she does well as she has worked so hard.

It will be our first time here and unfortunately there was no room for any more cards this time but we are sussing the place out in the hope of possibly being able to both sell our wares next year.

Oh - I nearly forgot. Thank you to everyone who took part in the challenge last week. Don't forget to check whether you were successful in the random org and whether you were chosen by Lisa as one of her top 5.

Have a lovely weekend everyone.

Love Jules xx

A CARD THAT ISN'T FOR CHRISTMAS!!

Hi Everyone

I am here today with a change from my run of Christmas cards - I decided you must be getting fed up with seeing them!! I am still enjoying making them though which is good because I have a long list of them still to make - and that is before I make any for me to send LOL!!

So for today only.. .. .. (Christmas cards will be back again soon) .. .. .. here is a birthday card for a man.

Quite a different type of card for me and one that involved a bit of masking work. I am quite pleased with the result but feel my trees could do with being a bit larger. Still, it was nice to experiment and play a little.

Here is my creation:

This used:

Deer image: Art Impressions "AI-G1046" (Do you recognise this Brenda? I bought if from Sir Stampalot when we were at the NEC?)
Tree image: Whispers
Sentiment: Penny Black 2908F "....to you"
Backing Papers: Memory Stor
Martha Stewart Punch: Embossed Zig Zag
Koh-I-Noor coloured pencils
Nail heads: Josy Rose

Cord from the stash box

I hope that you are all having a good bright day today - it is a little cold here but some lovely sunshine!

Love Jules xx

TWO CHALLENGES FOR YOU TO PLAY ALONG WITH TODAY!!!

Good morning everyone

I hope you are all well and have lots of time to spare as I have such a lot to share and show you.

Today I have two challenges for your to play along with. Both are monthly challenges so you have lots of time to play along.

BY THE CUTE AND GIRLY

Firstly you can join in the "By the Cute and Girly Challenge" where this month my lovely teamie Juls has set the theme of

"movies"

You can create anything provided it fits in with this theme.

Last month was a very popular month where the theme was Winter. Please make sure you pop over to see if you were a winner!! So many gorgeous creations that it was a difficult job for us all to decide who should receive the gorgeous prizes provided by our very generous sponsors.

Here are my "movie makes":

"The Snowman"

Decorated tissue box - in case the movie you are watching is a weepie !!!

"White Christmas"

This challenge turned into a lot of fun. It is surprising what you can fit to a movie title once you get going.

Make sure you pop over and see what all my team mates have made as their inspirational pieces. They are brilliant! Some of the films I haven't heard of though .. .. .. .. and those that I have heard of I haven't necessarily seen as I tend to fall asleep when faced with sitting down and not moving for 90 minutes or so !! LOL!!!

Next we have the:

GET FUNKY CHALLENGE BLOG

My next challenge is for the Funky Hand Challenge Blog . This is my very first challenge with this fantastic group of ladies. They have made me feel so very welcome and are such great fun. (Thank you ladies xx).

This month my team buddy Kath has set the challenge and she would like us all to

"Deck the Halls"

So .. .. .. for December you need to create a Christmas decoration. This can be for the Christmas tree, the Christmas table, the fireplace, a wall, a Christmas parcel - wherever you would normally decorate to celebrate Christmas.

Whatever you create for this challenge needs to use a Funky Hand paper or digistamp somewhere but if you don't currently own any of these gorgeous creations then you can always use some of the freebie papers that are available here.

Who knows .. .. .. you could be the winner for December and win a £20 voucher to spend in the Funky Hand Store!!!

This is what I created as my DT project (not that my Christmas table ever looks like this)!!!

My Christmas table consists of so many people crammed around it that there is hardly room for your plate let alone decorations!! LOL!!! (Happy Days - I love Christmas!!).

Please make sure you pop over and see what all my Funky Team buddies created, you can see them all here and I look forward to visiting all your creations.

Also you need to check if you are the lucky winner of the £20 voucher for November!!

Phew!! That was a post and a half!!

Catch you all soon and thanks so much for calling by. Cold start this morning .. .. I need to scrape my car windows!!!!

Love Jules xx

CHRISTMAS CARD MODE CONTINUES !!

Hi Everyone

Oh I am having so much fun .. .. .. I love Christmas and am slowly getting that "giggly tummy" feeling!! I must be unbearable to live with because I just get so excited.

Lots of Christmas cards to make and I am getting quite a few made and thought I would share a very quick one with you here. Really simple and quick (which is just what I need) but "different" in that it uses what are not traditionally seen as Christmas colours.

I treated myself to a set of Koh-I-Noor pencils and decided to try them out on a simple image.

I love these pencils!!! You need to blend the pencils with paper stumps and Sansodor oil but it was so easy and I think gives a really good effect - and this used only one of the 24 colours in the set. I don't think I did bad for my first time!!

I got my supplies from Elzybells - and if you also visit the blog you will find there are tutorials to show you different ways to blend and shade your images.

So, here is my creation

This used:

Image: Great Impressions G271
Backing Paper: Funky Hand Download "Funky Little Christmas"
Sentiment: Computer Generated
Nail Heads and gems: Josy Rose
Snowflake (still don't know who made this lovely little punch)
Diamond Stickles

Back now to more creations - thanks for calling by.

Love Jules xx

ALLSORTS DT CARD - WEEK 29

Good morning all

I hope you are all well and are looking forward to the weekend.

As usual mine starts with a new challenge from Allsorts.

This week we are being sponsored by DigiSparkle and my teamie Lisa has set the theme of "buttons".

DigiSparkle very kindly provided the DT with an image of their choice to work with .. .. .. here is my choice of image and below is what I did with it.

This is the first easel card I have made - after seeing so many gorgeous ones in blogland I decided I needed to have a try. I must admit I really like them. There could be a few more of these being made in my little household!!

So .. here is my creation

I really am hoping that I will be able to take some better photographs today and replace this image (but it isn't looking very promising at the moment).

My creation used:

Image: DigiSparkle "Robbie Robot"
Backing Paper: Craft Creations SRo48P "Space Stars"
Sentiment: Computer generated
Cuttlebug "Star" die
Promarkers
Buttons from the button jar!!

I really enjoyed making this little creation. It was a change from what I normally do.

Robbie the Robot is normally bigger than he is shown here - but I shrank him down a little for the main image and then shrunk him down even more to make a line of Robbies to go across the bottom.

By the way don't forget to check whether you were the winner of Kirsten's challenge last week or one of her Top 5 .. .. .. and then go and get your button jar out!!

Have a lovely weekend everyone.

Love Jules xx

A FRIDAY SHARE AND CATCH UP

Hi Everyone

Well where has the week gone?!?!? Is everyone else's time flying by or is it just me?

My week has been spent trying to get on top of my cardmaking orders and special makes. It is a bit like the olden days. Craft goodies all over the dining room table (and floor).

I am needing to craft early morning, all evening and weekends at the moment (good job I love it so much) but in order to spend time with my lovely hubby too then some of my goodies have needed to come downstairs. Of course everything I need is always upstairs so I am running up and down the stairs like a woman demented!! Who would have thought cardmaking could be a keep-fit workout too?

I am well into Christmas card mode at the moment but even though I am making lots of them they are not mine. Just don't know where I am going to find time to make my own (if I do at all?).

Just thought I would share a quick creation with you this afternoon because I have had the rare treat of some sunshine and thought "quick .. .. .. take a photograph of something whilst the light is good".

Here is my creation:

This used:

Image: Penny Black Slapstick "Here comes Christmas"
Sentiment: Elzybells
Backing Paper (Blue): Funky Hand Download "Blue Christmas"
Backing Paper (Brown): Funky Hand Download "Funky Little Christmas"
Promarkers and Watercolour Crayons
Small snowflake punch (Panic!!! Don't know who made it!!).
Diamond Stickles
Ribbons and gems from the stash box

So off to make something else now and hopefully get it photographed whilst there is still some nice light.

Have a great rest of Friday and a wonderful weekend everyone.

I had a little panic at work yesterday when I suddenly realised that in a month's time it would be Boxing Day!! Of course I needed to share this information with my work colleagues and was told "oh - stop it!!" LOL. Sounds like I am not the only one who is nowhere near ready yet.

I'll catch you all again tomorrow with my Allsorts DT creation.

Thanks for calling by.

Love Jules xx

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANICE - HAPPY SHOPPING FOR US!!!!

Good morning everyone

Today it is the birthday of Anice from Funky Hand. (Happy Birthday Anice!!!)

This little spring chicken is 41 years young today and to celebrate Anice is offering everyone the chance to buy anything from her website at a whopping 41% discount!! Woo hoo!!! (Thanks Anice xx).

So from today 25th November until 26th November you can get the discount on everything you can find at http://www.funkyhand.com/.

Just enter the code 41TODAY when you check out and the discount will be deducted automatically. You can use this code as many times as you like over the discount period so go and grab some last minute Christmas downloads or treat yourself to one of Anice's CD rom collections.

Better still why not persuade someone else to buy them for you by saying you would like something from here for Christmas. LOL!!! (I promise you won't be disappointed).

If you have never used any of Anice's products then you really are missing out. There are backing papers, word books, digital images, alphabets, digital ribbon - just so much to play with. One CD will keep you amused for weeks if not months!!!!

Why not pop over and see all the inspiration from the DT - there are masses of examples showing what you can do with each product.

So - off you go. Have a great day and Happy Discount Shopping!!

Love Jules xx

PENNY BLACK CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN CHALLENGE

Hi Everyone

It seems ages since I was here last because I have been doing so much.

I spent a lovely time away with my hubby over the weekend - we stayed with two special friends and had a lovely meal out on Saturday and a good old "catch up".

On the way home on Sunday our friends drove partway back with us and we all stopped off at a huge shopping centre at Bristol and can you believe it - I managed loads of Christmas shopping all in one store - no trawling around different shops!! (Thank you Mr Lewis for having just the right things).

I then managed a "very quick" trip into Hobbycraft - and I really was quick - just as I promised hubby I would be!! (I can be a good girl sometimes).

Today I have been busy creating special makes that I cannot share just yet and I have had a lovely trip to the dentist.

I needed a filling replacing because the old one was "leaking".. .. .. whatever that means. Lucky me .. .. .. and I am now only just thawing out from 3.00pm!!! I don't think I have ever been so frozen in all my life. It was a lower back tooth that was the culprit but nearly the whole of the left side of my face was numb - even my ear and up into the temple of my head. I was a bit worried in case it didn't wear off as it was lasting so long!! (My lovely hubby said that I must have been given an elephants dose!!) I chose not to take offence. LOL!!

I needed to post some wedding stationery off to Australia after the dentist and that proved interesting - trying to talk with only half a mouth working properly!!

Anyway, all's well that ends well - I am back to normal now and have my Penny Black Challenge card to share. This week is a very special week over at Penny Black so make sure you have a little look:

My creation used:

Image: Penny Black 1505H "Wishes for Kisses"
Sentiment: The Unmounted Stamp Company XM-GR-07 "Happy Kissmas"
Backing Paper: Papermania
Cuttlebug Embossing Folder: "Snow"
Spellbinders Nestabilities "Large Deckled Rectangles"
Snowflake Brad: Sparkle Burst Brad from Karen Foster Design
Diamond Stickles
Brads from the stash box

So that is all for today folks. I hope you have had a good day and thanks for calling by my blog.

Love Jules xx

ALLSORTS DT CARD - WEEK 28

Good morning everyone

First of all let me apologise for being AWOL since Wednesday. What a busy week I have had .

Lots of card orders to get done and just no time for playing and posting. Sorry folks!!

So today starts off another week at Allsorts. The theme has been chosen by Kirsten and she would like us to be inspired by a Christmas Carol or Song Title.

I chose "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" and here is my creation:

This used:

Image: Stamps Away J1032 "Reindeer"
Image: Dec 25th - Dovecraft DCRS87
Sentiment: Computer Generated
Backing Paper: Funky Fairy "Blue Xmas" (this was part of a free download last year)
Snowflakes: Cuttlebug Dies
Glamour Dust and Thread from the stash box

If you took part in last week's challenge then don't forget to check whether you were the winner or whether Emma chose you as one of her top 5.

Have a lovely weekend everyone.

Love Jules xx

HAPPY WEDNESDAY

Hi Everyone

Happy Wednesday!!

You just wouldn't believe the places I have been trying to take photographs that are half decent!! Even the bathroom got a try out!!

Everywhere is just so dark !!

So this is the best I have been able to do this morning .. .. sorry!!

This little creation used:

Image: ? There aren't many clues on the wooden block. Just a copyright sign followed by the name Heather and then a number R-50-HK
Sentiment: Do Crafts "25271"
Backing Papers: My Mind's Eye
Promarkers
Brads and Diamond Stickles

Have a good day everyone. I hope your weather is better than mine (it won't take much beating).

Off to work and catch you again soon.

Love Jules xx

NEW RELEASE FROM FUNKY HAND

Good morning everyone

Exciting news!!

Funky Hand have moved into "Digital Stamps" and as a member of the DT I have been allowed to "play with them" ahead of time and have created a couple of samples ahead of their release. The collection is called "Festive Fun" and at £1.99 for all the images it is great value for money.

Why not pop over and check out all of the images available in the collection and also have a look at the stunning creations my fellow DT mates have produced. Lots of brilliant samples and inspiration.

But before you do .. .. .. .. below is what I have created using just two of the images.

The backing papers for this card came from the "Tis the Season" word book download. I love the green shades!!!!

The backing papers on this creation came from the "Blue Christmas" word book download.

As you can tell the weather was being a bit kinder when I took these photographs. It is simply pouring it down with rain here this morning!!

Have a great day everyone.

Love Jules xx

NEW HOME CARD

Good morning everyone

I hope your weekend is going nicely.

Today is starting off fairly bright here where I am - let's hope it stays like this as I would like to take some photographs that look half decent.

I had no choice yesterday though.

In order to share my creation I needed to take a picture before we left home as we were going to a little house-warming party.

A new photo taking position was found (necessity being the mother of invention) and with the help of one of my many "furry friends" I managed to get this little shot.

Still not brilliant I know but it is better than nothing I suppose!!

This used:

Backing papers: DCWV "The Green Stack"
Image and Sentiment: Woodware FRCL059 "On the Move"
Nestabilities: Classic Scallop Rectangles Small & Classic Rectangles Small
Ribbon (flowers already attached): A present from my blog buddy Brenda (Thanks B xx)
Rafia, charm, cocktail stick and brads from the stash box

I paper-pieced the image using up some of the many thousands of small bits of paper I just can't throw away!! LOL!!!

Have a good Sunday everyone.

Love Jules xx

DT CARD FOR ALLSORTS CHALLENGE

Good morning everyone

Phew!! What a week last week was over at Allsorts. A record 177 entries into the challenge!!

Today is the start of another challenge and this week Emma has chosen the theme which is:
"for a child".

Here is my creation:

This used:

Image: Penny Black 3981K "Team Teddy"
Sentiment: See-D's #50159 "Celebration Messages"
Backing Paper: Pink Petticoat
Martha Stewart: Zig-zag Punch
ProMarkers
Chalks

Lots of crafty creating needed from me over the next few days!! Let's hope the weather is bright and we get chance to take some decent snapshots!

Have a lovely weekend everyone.

Love Jules xx

NEED HELP WITH WEDDING IDEAS?

Good Morning everyone

A special post this morning.

I am hoping to help my blog buddy Chris from Craftling's Cosy Corner sell more of her lovely Wedding Stationery CDs.

(No heart on this creation so stop looking now!!!!! This is one of the lovely samples on Chris's CD).

If you pop over to Chris's blog by clicking here you can read all about the CD and the reasons for Chris selling them - but in brief they are being sold to raise funds for the Papworth Trust.

In total Chris is hoping to sell 10 of her CDs - she has sold 4 so far and has another 6 to go!!!

I am one of the 4 and I can tell you the CD isn't only for creating wedding stationery - it gives you inspiration for creating cards suitable for engagements, weddings and wedding anniversaries as well as special/romantic cards in general.

But of course if you are hoping to break into the wedding market , or perhaps make stationery for your own wedding - this CD is just what you need. There are 100 project ideas (complete with instructions for making each project), sample wording, as well as lots of hints and tips and techniques.

Chris is selling her CD for £9.99 with free P&P which I thought was wonderful considering all that is included in the CD (and you get to help a worthwhile cause too).

I do hope I manage to help Chris with her fundraising!

Have a good day everyone and I will hopefully be back later with a little creation to share.

Love Jules xx

DOES BLACK LOOK BAD FOR CHRISTMAS?

Hi Everyone

I have made a card using some of my purchases from the NEC - I love it but am not sure. I have a dilema. Do Christmas cards in black look depressing or designer?

Here is my dilema card

This used:

Image: Penny Black 3880K "Fantasy" (new stash from the NEC)
Embossing Powder: Cosmic Shimmer "Black Sparkle"
Backing Paper: Costco (no they didn't have a stand at the NEC - this is old stash)
Ribbon from my local market
Heart Charm: NEC
Nail Heads: Josy Rose

I just love the effect of the Cosmic Shimmer - it twinkles in so many different colours - but you cannot really tell from the photographs :-(

I will just have to leave my card standing around on the shelf for a while whilst I decide.

Love Jules xx

PENNY BLACK CHALLENGE WEEK 74 AND ONE HUGE CATCH UP

Hi Everyone

Phew what a wonderful and mad weekend!!!

Will tell you all the news once I have shared my Penny Black challenge card for this week.

The theme is to make a card that fits in with the lyrics or title of a song.

Here is my card - I have chosen the song title "Strawberry Fields Forever".

This used:

Image: Penny Black 1670K "Sugar Sweet Dreams" (from the NEC at the weekend)
Backing Papers: My Minds Eye "Wild Asparagus"
Sentiment: Pink Petticoat
ProMarkers
Woodware Hydrangea Punch
Gems and Ribbon from the stash box

So that is one of my creations for today - others I cannot share just yet.

Now for a good old catch up. What a fantastic time I had at the NEC.

I was super lucky this year and went twice. The first time I went with my lovely Sis on Friday and the second time on Sunday with my bestest blog buddy Brenda. I had a fantastic time with both - thank you ladies!! I am just so lucky to have a fantastic Sis and a fantastic mate. It was great to spend time with both - talking and laughing for England!!

The two days were just so very different (apart from both being expensive LOL!!). It was like I looked at one type of thing with my Sis and a completely different kind of thing with Brenda.

It was also very interesting to compare the two days. Friday there was just so much stock on all the stands but by Sunday a lot of it had gone. There were so many things I wanted to show Brenda but they had all gone!! Can you believe that The Paper Mill stand had sold out of all their card by Sunday!!

What surprised me most was that this was Brenda's very first craft exhibition. Oh - I do hope she wants to go again. We were both sad when our day had ended and we had to say goodbye - we have been looking forward to for ages. Our better halves and my youngest son spent their time in the Music Live exhibition. They have all played or play in bands so it wasn't as if we cast them aside just anywhere. They had just as good a day as us. (We did give them a choice - they could have gone to the "cake decorating" exhibition).

So after my crafting extravaganza with Brenda I have completely new stash. I now have a little draw that I have labelled my "Get Down and Dirty" draw. This contains a lovely range of Glimmer Mists and Tim Holtz distressed ink pads ready for me to play with when life calms down a little. (No pressure but I know Brenda is just waiting to see what I produce with them - thank goodness she has done a tutorial on her blog that I can crib from!!). I already owned a couple of distressed ink pads and I just wish you could all have seen Brenda's face when I told her what I had been doing with them. LOL!!! (Too ashamed to share with the whole blogging world).

I have lots of new things to play with - but I never saw anywhere a stand that was selling "Bags of free time". Perhaps they too had sold out and gone home Thursday evening!! Shame.

I have lots of other things I want to share but this is turning into a very long post so I will save some for tomorrow.

I also need to go and do some commenting as I haven't done any of this since Saturday evening. It is my challenge over at Allsorts this week and it has gone mad!! So many lovely entries and I need to go and check them all out. At this rate I may hold the Allsorts record for the highest number of entries!!

Catch you all again tomorrow

Love Jules xx

ALLSORTS CHALLENGE DT CARD

Good morning everyone

It was my turn to set the challenge over at Allsorts this week and I have gone for "Bring out your Bling"!.

So I am expecting to see lots of sparkle over the next week!!!

As a design team we were all allowed to make our own choice of image from DigiStamp Boutique and the winner this week will also win their own choice of several images too.

Please pop over and see what my fellow DT mates have created with the images they chose and also visit DigiStamp to see what you could win! Lots of choice.

Here is my creation:

This used:

Image: DigiStamp Boutique "Ruby Fairy"
Backing Papers: Funky Hand "Funky Daze"
Sentiment: Studio G "Make a wish"
Nestabilities: Standard Circle Large and Classic Scalloped Circle Large
ProMarkers
Glamour dust and Diamond Stickles
Gems from the stash box

So I am hoping you are all going to be "blinging creative" over the next few days. I felt it was a challenge that would fit into any theme of card be this birthday, anniversaries or Christmas. All it needs is a bit of bling!!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone.

Love Jules xx

PENNY BLACK CHALLENGE 73

Hi Everyone

To begin with I would like to thank everyone who left me good wishes /comments on my fantastic Funky Hand news of yesterday. I couldn't bring myself to post this entry last night as I wanted to keep my happy news at the top of my blog just a little longer.

But I am here now with a rather late Penny Black challenge entry!!

The theme this week is "White on White" .

I thought this was a really good challenge and I did enjoy it - but how many shades of white are there in my card box?!?!?!? Unbelievable. I thought black was the most difficult colour to be consistent with but now I am thinking the same about white too.

Here is my creation

This used:

Sentiment: Penny Black 3555D "Merry ..."
Cuttlebug embossing folders: Swiss Dots and Snowflakes
Cuttlebug die: Snowflake (covered with Glamour Dust)
Nestabilities: Classic Heart and Classic Circle
Brads, ribbon, gem and diamond Stickles from the stash box

I am loving the finished look and would like to thank the Penny Black challenge team for pointing me in this direction. I feel a few more similar creations may be in the pipeline!

Thanks for calling by.

Love Jules xx

WOO HOO !!!!!

Big, big news in the world of Jules
and
"Always with a Heart"

My hearts have shone through and I must be one of the luckiest people in blogland .. .. .. Anice has asked me to join her design team over at Funky Hand! Yeah!! It took a whole half second to make the decision!

I have been bursting to tell everyone for the last week or so and now it is official and I can share my news with the world.

I keep popping over and looking at my name on the DT list. What am I like?!?!? I just can't believe it.

As you will know from my blog I love Funky Hand papers and use them quite regularly so I am going to have so much fun.

Anice's next CD is called "Dreams Come True". How appropriate. My dream has come true and this will be the first CD I get to use as a DT member!!! Woo hoo!!! How excited am I?

Sorry no card - just major excitement!!

I will be back later with a card to share if I can sit still long enough to make one!

Love Jules xx

THE QUICKEST CHRISTMAS CARD EVER

Hi Everyone

Here I am, still in Christmas card mode - I thought I would give you a break from holly today though LOL!!

Today's creation is a really quick Christmas card and one I think I will be making a lot more times over the next few weeks. I have already made three! Everyone who sees them loves them.

Everything on the card has come from the Pink Petticoat Download "Fairy Lights" other than the sentiment which was computer generated and the metallic cord and star dust Stickles which came from the stash box.

An ideal card if you have lots and lots to do and not much time to do them.

The tree is a paper pieced image on the download and it is on the download in other colours too.

So, off to make another Christmas card.

Have a great day - I hope the weather where you are is better than here. I have rain, rain, rain and more rain!!

Take care.

Love Jules xx

BY THE CUTE AND GIRLY - CHALLENGE 2

Hi Everyone

The start of another month and the start of another challenge theme over at By the Cute and Girly!

Last month was the launch month and there were some lovely creations entered.

This challenge blog is a place where you can enter lots of crafts - not just card/papercraft but anything that you have made which follows the theme.

For the November challenge the theme is "WINTER" and this was chosen by my Cute and Girly Team mate Lora.

Here are the items I made and a little bit about them.

Firstly my favourite make (so you get two pictures LOL!!)

This was made (twice) by adding beads to wire shaped as a snowflake. It was purchased in a pack of 6 from my local craft store. I just had to choose and add my beads then twist the end of the wire into a loop to stop the beads falling off.

I made the snowflake once and noticed that I had missed off one of the tiniest of beads - and being someone who can't leave things alone I took it all to bits to make it again. Unfortunately though in the process one of my large clear beads broke and so my snowflake is not perfect!!!

I still love it though and because my Sis and I both love Christmas (and each other) so much I am going to give it to her to hang on her Christmas tree. (Hope you like it Jo - sorry it isn't perfect but then neither am I xx )

My next creation

This is a tea-light holder made from a crackle glazed glass candle holder.

I attached strips of mulberry paper and punched mulberry paper shapes and attached them to the outside of the glass using a mixture of PVA glue and water. I mixed them together in equal quantities and applied the glue to the glass with an old childs paintbrush which I have had since the year dot.

I just finished the top edge off with a peel off to make it look neat.

My last creation - wait for it - a card with even more holly!!!

This used:

Image and Sentiment: Elusive Image Unmounted Theme Plate "Holly Script"
Gold embossing powder
ProMarkers
Diamond Glaze
Paper ribbler (for putting my gold background card through)
Woodware "Holly Punch"
Small beads for berries
Ribbon from Costco
Nail Heads: Josy Rose

So there are all my creations for the Winter Challenge over at By the Cute and Girly.

Make sure you pop over and see what everyone else has made - there is some great inspiration.

I hope everyone has a lovely Sunday and thank you for calling by.

Love Jules xx