FRIDAY SKETCHERS

Hi Everyone

Happy Monday!!!

I hope you have had a good day.  I have spent some of mine going backwards and forwards to the washing line muliple times putting washing out and then bringing it back in because of silly bits of rain.  Then as soon as I have bought it in it would be fine again .. .. so the whole process would be repeated.  I gave up in the end but at least there has been some lovely fresh air blown through it all even if it didn't dry properly!!

My share for today uses the sketch from over at Friday Sketchers.

This used:

Image:  Penny Black "3470H" Gift Hedgy
Sentiment:  Pink Petticoat
Backing Papers:  Aimee Asher

Martha Stewart Punch:  Traditional Scallop

Promarkers

Diamond Stickles

and this is the sketch that was provided .. ..

I must admit I love starting creations with a sketch sometimes .. .. especially if I have a lot to get through.  It takes some of the thinking away LOL!!!

So today is the last day of February which means I am back tomorrow bright and early with my DT project for Penny Black at Allsorts.

Have a lovely evening everyone.

Love

JULES' CRAFTY SNIPPET CHALLENGE - WEEK 8

Hi Everyone

I hope the weekend is being kind to you.

I am a bit earlier with my snippet makes this week as I have quite a bit to do in the kitchen today.  The lovely Sunday roast and hopefully a quiche too .. .. all whilst the washing machine is on overdrive!! 

But mustn't complain about the washing machine.  At least it is only a case of putting it in.  None of the hassle there used to be with the old twin tubs.  No quick wash in those days!!  LOL!!  (Really showing my age now!!).

So before I get cracking here are my shares for this week.  Only three today but not to worry .. .. at least it has helped in using up those snippets that just sit around.

This one used:

The compulsory paper, card and cord snippets
Image:  Elusive Images "D0306"
Antique Gold Embossing Powder
Martha Stewart Punch:  Embossed Zig Zag
Josy Rose:  Nail Heads
Icicle Stickles (wish I hadn't used this.  It was a new bottle and for some reason the sparkly bits are huge)

This one used:

The compulsory paper and card snippets
Image:  Woodware "FRM002" Funky Tree
Sentiment:  Pink Petticoat
Josy Rose:  Nail Heads and Gem
Diamond Stickles
Snowflakes from an origami box that contains just loads and loads of snowflakes - all different (LOL!!)

The bottom layer of the snowflake was just plain white card and I heat embossed it several times until eventually it went translucent (I think that is the right word).  Really like the finished look of it.

Last but not least .. .. and my favourite for this week .. ..

This one used:

The compulsory paper, ribbon and card snippets
Sentiment:  Just part of a Docrafts stamp that has no reference number on it
Shapeabilities: Nested Flower (borrowed from my lovely Sis xx)Adirondak Ink Pad:  Pebble
Martha Stewart Punch:  Traditional Scallop
Leone Em Pty Punch: Ash Branch
Glimmer Mist:  Khaki
Josy Rose:  Nail Heads
Brad and Charm from the Stash Box

So those are my shares for this week but who else has been using up their snippets????????????


First up for sharing this week was Tricia.

Tricia was the lady who is responsible for my Christmas make this week.  There are certainly Christmas snippets in my little trays and if I don't start to use them up then they are going to be around for months and months!!!  Can't have that .. so an occasional Christmas snippet share seems a good idea .. .. plus I will have a few stacked up by the time Christmas arrives.  So thank you Tricia for sharing your lovely makes and inspiring me to add Christmas into the mix.  I just knew getting others involved would be a good idea and would give me much needed inspiration.

To see Tricia's creations (yes she has made two!!) you need to hop to here.  Two lovely makes and I think the colours and the Marvey dotting  look great on the first one. 

The frame on the second one caught my eye and set my mind a thinking for another week too!!  LOL!!

Thank you for sharing Tricia.

Next along came Brenda.  She too has made a gorgeous snippet card .. .. it is surprising exactly what you can come up with when you limit yourself  as to what you can use.  Brenda is still struggling and not able to craft to the extent she normally does so it makes it extra special that she used some of her precious craft time to produce this lovely creation here.

Then lastly is Doreen who has been super good and used some of her snippets today.  I was just about to post when I saw that Doreen had played along.  Wow .. and what a stunner it is too.

I really must take a leaf out of Doreen's book and start to put more layers on my cards .. .. that way I will use up even more of my snippets.  You can see Doreens lovely make here.

I hope that you enjoy seeing what my blog buddies make with their snippets .. .. thank you for sharing ladies.  All inspiration is gratefully received.

Oh and before I go .. .. where was the heart last night .. .. not everyone was able to find it ........ well it was here............

Have a lovely rest of the weekend everyone .. .. I am now off to the kitchen .. .. I know my place!!!  (Well on a Sunday anyway!! LOL!!).

Take care everyone and thanks for calling by. 

Love

SEW WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Hi Everyone

I hope the start of your weekend has been good.  Ours started off with mega rain but has finished off quite nice and sunny.

I have been waiting to have a play with this little digi image from Pink Petticoat for a while .. .. well with being a sewing machine lover what do you expect?  My machine doesn't look as trendy as this one though .. ... shame :-(

Here is my share

This used:

Image, sentiment and bobbins:  Pink Petticoat
Backing Papers:  Aimee Asher
My trusty (un-flower decorated) sewing machine
ProMarkers
Buttons, ribbon and thread for winding onto the bobbins from the stash box

The lurex thread wasn't too happy going through the machine and gave a bit of a raggety look .. .. but I decided I liked it!!

Whoever gets this card will also get an emergency sewing kit as there is quite a bit of thread on those bobbins and three button to go at LOL!!!

Have a good evening everyone.  We are having a Chinese takeaway with our friends and guess what I do with their two children whilst we are waiting for the food .. .. yes you guessed .. .. we make cards!!!  LOL!!!

Catch you again tomorrow with my snippet creations

Love

NAUTICAL COLLAGE

Hi Everyone

Friday is here again .. .. yay!!!  Bring on another weekend!!

A share today which uses a lovely set of stamps that I bought from the NEC in March of last year.  The sentiments in the set get used but for some reason the main image never has .. .. so I decided to make amends today!!

It stamped beautifully using a black versafine ink pad and I then heat embossed it with clear embossing powder.  Lovely finish!!  Just a few daps of ProMarker here and there and the job was a good one!!

This used:

Image and Sentiment:  "Butterfly Kisses" Clear 2 Collage - Nautical Collage

Backing Papers:  Aimee Asher

Josy Rose:  Nail Heads

Diamond Stickles

Charm was part of a prize from "An Oldie But a Goodie"

White Gel Pen

Next I really must get rid of my guilt and share the awards that have been very kindly bestowed upon me.  It is always an honour to receive them .. .. especially as I make no secret of the fact that I never pass then on. 

How can a girl possibly choose between all of the fantastic blogs out there .. .. and I would hate to offend anyone.

So first up is a cute one .. .. and it comes "WITH A HEART"   YAY!!!

How cute is that?  This came from a new follower to my blog Ni.  Thank you very much Ni for thinking of me.

Ni is a "newbie blogger" and has only been blogging for a few weeks.  Please pop over and give her a lovely bloggy welcome and if you scroll down the posts a little you will find a fantastic tutorial for making a double easel card!  Well done Ni .. .. it is fantastic.  Must give it a try.

I also received the same award from my lovely "long standing" blog buddy Tracy.  I have known Tracy for a while now and recently she joined the Penny Black at Allsorts DT team.  It is lovely to be working with her.  You must pop over to her blog and see the lovely creations she makes .. .. and also for a glimpse of her gorgeous little boy Bobby.  Don't get me wrong, Tracy's other children are lovely too .. .. but there is just something about Bobby that makes me smile every time I look at him.  I think it may be because he reminds me of my lads when they were younger.

No secrets for me to share with this award .. ..LOL!!!

My next award has come from Elizabeth (thank you Elizabeth) .. .. another lovely blog where you will find lots and lots of lovely creations and great inspiration.  Please take a visit.

Along with this comes the revealing of  another 7  random things about myself.  Oh dear!!

I received this award a little while ago .. .. .. sorry it has taken me a while to respond to it Elizabeth only I thought folk might get a bit fed up with my random reveals if I posted it too soon after my last confession  LOL!!!.

So my randon things .. ..

1.  I have lived in the same town all my life and can never imagine living anywhere else ever.

2.  I have only been a bridesmaid once (and a only a bride once too LOL!!).

3.  I used to have a little seat fitted on the crossbar of my Dad's bike .. .. loved those special bike rides with him.

4.  I got married on Easter Saturday

5.  Our first house cost less than a new card would now  (tee hee cards on the brain ... this should say "car" - thanks Annmaree .. .. can't believe you read this far!! LOL!!)

6. I used to have a Singer hand sewing machine when I was first married and made some lovely crimplene dresses (eekk).  I wish I had kept that machine as I would love to use it now for my cardmaking. Much easier than keep setting up my electric one!!

7.  I broke my foot when I was seven.  My Dad used to keep the garden tidy for a local bank and I used to help by weeding and picking up the pears that fell from the tree.  One week I was "investigating" (as you do) and there was what looked like a slab propped up against a wall.  I pulled the slab forward to see what was behind it but it fell towards me and broke in half over my foot.  It turned out it was the base of a safe.

Strangely my foot didn't hurt at all - but Dad insisted I went to hospital and I got a ride on my Dad's crossbar to the hospital.  They must have seen us arrive and kept asking if I had got my foot trapped in my Dad's front wheel.  I kept saying "no" but they still kept asking how I did it and saying "are you sure you didn't trap it in the wheel of the bike?".

I never got to ride on Dad's bike again after that :-(

If I peep through some huge old double gates in a local memorial ground I can still see into the bank's garden.  I do this sometimes when I go to town and take a little trip down memory lane .. remembering happy times spent with my Dad .. .. but it never looks as tidy as it did when we looked after it. 

OK then I think I have bored you enough for one night.

Catch you again tomorrow.

Love

A LITTLE BIT LATE

Hi Everyone

Sorry I am a little bit late today.

Just a quick share which features some of the colouring I did whilst at my Mum's yesterday .. .. it is the first time I have coloured this one and I think it is really cute.  I shall be doing this one again for sure!!!

This used:

Image:  Great Impressions "G268"

Sentiment:  Funstamps "FG12" Happy Birthday (Dots)

Backing Paper:  Funky Hand Download "I do Wedding Wordbook"

Woodware Punches:  Daisy
Diamond Stickles

Brads from the Stash Box

Although the download says it is a word book there are also some fab A4 sized papers on there too. 

Hasn't today been a beautiful day weather wise?  Lovely gentle sunshine .. .. though it didn't make my windows look that lovely!!  Eekkk!!

No time for cleaning windows that's for sure .. ..LOL!!!

Take care everyone and thanks for calling by.

Catch you again soon.

Love

I'M SO CUTE!!

No .. .. not me .. .. my little image for today!!  LOL!!

I have spent quite a bit of the day with my Mum today .. .. doing loads and loads of colouring .. .. and talking and re-living the olden days!!  Some of them good and some of them bad .. .. but all part of life's rich tapestry.

I was able to take along lots of things to show her as I have been working on some wedding stationery for a fayre my lovely Sis and I are doing towards the end of March .. .. and it was great to be able to share it with her. 

I still have loads and loads and loads to do for the fayre  and it may mean me having a blog break just so I can give it 100% for a week or two ..  but for now I will battle on.  At least if I haven't visited you for a little while you know the reason.

But for now here is my share for today:

This used:

Image:  Penny Black "1706H" I'm So Cute !!

Sentiment:  Woodware Clear Stamps (all individual words you put together to make up your own sentiment)

Backing Papers:  Pink Petticoat

Josy Rose:  Nail Heads
ProMarkers
Glossy Accents for the doggies cold little nose

Diamond Stickles

Ribbon from the Stash Box

I have also been the recipient of some more lovely awards.  Thank you very much ladies for thinking of me.

I promise that I will get around to posting them (and revealing even more secrets about myself!!!) but for now I am afraid they are on the back burner as time has become extra precious and scarce .. .. sorry!!

Right back to it for me....

Catch you again tomorrow.

Love

ROCK STAR

Hi Everyone

Well I hope your weather has bit a bit nicer where you are than has been here with me today .. .. .. especially if you have children on half term holidays.

Nothing worse than weather which means you don't even want to leave the house .. .. kids just don't like being cooped up in the house do they?  Unless they are a teenager of course and then chances are they don't even want to leave their bedroom LOL!!

Just a quick and simple share today .. .. but one I like.

This used:

Backing Paper:  DCWV "Rock Star"
Image:  Inkadinkado "98693" Rock Star
Sentiment:  Created using Funky Hand "Craft the Year Away"
Sizzix Die:  Stars #2
Diamond Stickles
Cord from the Stash Box

and that is it .. ... hope you likey, likey.

I was asked by Katina and Annmaree what I use to take my photographs.

Well the secret isn't in my photography skills thats for sure .. .. but I do use a photo booth that I bought a while back from Maplins.  It is portable and has two little lights with it.  It all collapses flat and has pockets for the lights etc.. .. not that mine is flat very often.  It is usually set up on my ironing board in the spare bedroom LOL!!!

It looks like this:

It looks huge here as if you could park a car in it but it isn't really .. .. ..  and I don't use the camera stand .. .. just the lights and the photo box .. .. and I put white card on the base and at the back of the box.

I have had mine a while now.  It was on special offer when I got it - but I do find it really good and I could take photographs at midnight if I was still awake LOL!!!

My camera is a Sony Cyber-shot.

Hope this helps.

Love

FRIEND TO FRIEND

Hi Everyone

Well what a wet and miserable Monday it has been!!  It has hardly brightened up at all today here.

Lots of creations need to be done in the House of Hearts .. .. but still time for a little share.

This used:

Image:  Penny Black "1342K" Hugs & Kisses For You (love this image it might be my second fav)
Sentiment:  Great Impressions "E411"
Backing Paper:  Pink Petticoat
Martha Stewart Punch:  Traditional Scallop
X-Cut Punch:  Small Flower
ProMarkers
Ribbon and Pearls from the Stash Box

A couple of answers to questions regarding my Snippet Collection of yesterday.

Carole sent me a comment ...  part of which said:

"Ok so now ..... where is the heart on the second card? I've enlarged it, scanned it, sent it through the Techeartoscope; sliced, diced and reassembled it and then forwarded it on to the CIA and even they can't find it. Well .... it is the CIA so thats not saying much. LOL I give, where is it? LOL"

Carole .. .. the hearts are there I promise and there are lots of them .. .. they are all along the black ribbon.  Strangely enough I can see them on my laptop but not so well on my stand alone machine.  Hope you can see them now you know where they are LOL!!  I tried to blow up a picture to show you but it doesn't look very good.  Sorry if you spent a lifetime looking and sorry if the CIA are going to be charging you for wasting their time LOL!!!  Where do you get Techeartoscopes from? .. .. I think I need one of those for quality control purposes .. .. tee hee!!

Also Loftylass would like to know what paper I used on the Wedding Card.  Yes, you are right it is Pink Petticoat .. .. "Just An Old Fashioned Girl".

So I now have my poorly lappy back again .. .. yay!!!   A new hard drive and a new battery and it is like a new machine.  We are now in the process of getting everything back on it.

Lovely to have my machine back again .. ... with keys where I expect them to be!!  There are extra ones on the old machine I have been using and I kept pressing one of them by accident that thought I was wanting to print all the time.  Good job it wasn't connected to a printer or I would have got through a couple of reams of paper!!!   Eeekk!!!

Catch you again tomorrow.  I am sure there won't be any problems with the heart tonight LOL!!

Have a lovely evening.

Love

JULES' CRAFTY SNIPPET CHALLENGE - WEEK 7

Hi Everyone

Hope you are all having a good Sunday.

I find I really look forward to my Sunday creations as they feel so different to the cards I make throughout the week.  It must be because I don't allow myself to do any colouring (it certainly makes for faster creations that's for sure!!).

I have made a little hole in my "snippets" today .. .. but the drawers have filled up a little this week with a bit of an influx of cream and black .. .. hence the reason these two colours are featuring a bit this week.

Here are my snippet make for this week:

This used:

The compulsory snippets (card, paper and ribbon)
Sentiment:  Elzybells
Paper ribbler (for adding a bit of texture)
Woodware Flower Punches:  Large, Medium and Small
Martha Stewart Punch:  Embossed Zig Zag
Eyelets from the Stash Box

This one used:

The compulsory snippets (card, paper and ribbon)
Sentiment:  Hobby Art Crafts"GR1833B" Happy Birthday Boxed
Fiskars Punch:  Threading Water
Sizzix Die:  Tattered Florals
Brad from the Stash Box

This one used:

The compulsory snippets (card and ribbon)
Sentiment:  Lili of the Valley
Cuttlebug Dies and embossing folder set:  Heart
X-Cut Punch:  Small Flower
Pearls from the Stash Box

The compulsory snippets (card and ribbon)

Image:  Paper Artsy "HP1004EZ"
Sentiment: Hobby Art Crafts"GR1833B" Happy Birthday Boxed
Cosmic Shimmer Embossing Powder "Black Sparkle"
Diamond Stickles

So there we go.  My makes for this week.  I think my favourite this time is the second one.

A few other lovely blog chums have played along as well over the course of the week.  Lovely to see you and your inspiration!!

First up is Carole with another fantastic make.  Carol is becoming quite a regular and makes the most beautiful creations.

Thank you very much for the inspiration Carole .. .. I think I will be doing a take on this one as I do have some similar equipment in my craft pod LOL!!  Love your colours .. ... you can see Carole's gorgeous make here. 

Next up I have two "newbies" playing along.  Welcome ladies!!!

First up is Brenda.  I was well impressed with Brenda taking part as she has been struggling big time as she is having a few problems at the moment.  Brenda is banned from the computer and undergoing physio .. but lucky for her she has a lovely family who are helping her to post etc.

Brenda's creations can be found  here .  The snippet makes were done over a few days as Brenda is unable to craft for very long at the moment (far too painful .. .. poor Brenda).  So thank you for the huge effort you have made in taking part Brenda .. .. you must be so desperate to get back to crafting. 

and my second "newbie" is Doreen.

I am well impressed with Doreen.  Can you believe that she keeps all of her snippets stored in boxes according to the designer!! and there was me thinking I was good to have mine stored by colour LOL!!

Well done Doreen .. .. love your organisation!!

I also love Doreen's make.   You can find that here.  How nice that you managed to play along today.  Doreen always has lovely layouts and great distressed edges.

I hope that people take time to go and see how beautifully people have used their snippets.

Well I haven't found any earth shattering ways of using snippets this week .. .. other than attaching them to cards.

I did read of one person who makes their scrap in confetti and then has a confetti party where they throw it all up into the air.  Mmmmm.... not too keen on that one!!  Great fun I am sure but lots of clearing up afterwards .. .. .. it would be like the pine needles from Christmas.  They would keep appearing everywhere for days and weeks afterwards.

It would seem I gave folk a bit of torture yesterday .. .. sorry .. .. not intentional.  Where was the heart?

Well it was here .... ...

Have a lovely evening everyone.  I hope you liked my snippet makes.

Catch you again tomorrow.  In the meantime if there is a snippet creation you would like to share or you know of good ways of storing or using up all the snippets of paper we all see to accumulate then let me know here and I can link to you next week.

Love

FIELD OF DREAMS

Hi Everyone

Well it might have been a nasty day weather wise (rain, rain and more rain) but it has been a lovely day crafting wise.

I was up bright and early and am really pleased with my makes of the day.  It was one of those days when things just seemed to happen without too much thinking .. .. .. I like those sort of days!!!

Of course the very first thing you ever do on a Saturday morning (well the first thing I do) is have a look what the challenge is over at Penny Black Saturday.  Any excuse to play with my Penny Black stamps LOL!!! 

This week the theme is "Mens Cards".

Here is my make

This used:

Image:  Penny Black "2365F" Field of Dreams
Sentiment:  Penny Black "3849E" Birthday Dreams
Backing Papers:  Aimee Asher
Fiskars Punch:  Threading Water
ProMarkers
Buttons, string and thread from the Stash Box

So that is my share for the day.

Thank you for all your lovely comments yesterday on my attempt at cake icing.  You are all very kind .. .. but I think the general concensus is "stick to the cards Jules!!" LOL!!! 

I will be back tomorrow with my personal crafty snippet challenge.

Have a good evening and thanks for calling by.

Love

FRIDAY SKETCHERS .. .. AND ??????

Hi Everyone

I hope you have all had a good day.

Friday is here again .. .. yay!!!  Time for the weekend!!!

My share today uses the sketch from over at Friday Sketchers.

This used:

Image:  Penny Black "3470H" Gift Hedgy

Sentiment:  Woodware Clear Stamps "FRCL 128" Circular Greetings

Backing Papers:  Aimee Asher

Woodware Punches:  Daisy (various sizes)

Josy Rose:  Nail Heads

Nestabilities: Standard Circles Large, Classic Scalloped Circles Large
ProMarkers

Diamond Stickles

Brads and Embroidery Thread from the Stash Box

and here is the sketch (there are some lovely sketches around at the moment don't you think).

and now for "the cake" .. .. .. how could I not share it!!!

Don't split your sides laughing.

We had a lovely evening celebrating our friend's birthday and then the cake made its appearance.

This is what everyone saw ............

The emblem is of his fav football team - perhaps if it had been a bit bigger it might have turned out better. 

The birthday boy was well pleased (and very polite) and his wife explained how I had helped with the decoration as she couldn't manage with her poorly wrist.

I then instantly apologised and said how sorry I was that it wasn't a very good job but the birthday boy made me feel so much better because he said that at the end of the day it doesn't really matter what it looks like .. .. it is the love and thought that has gone into it.  The love his wife had put into making the cake in the first place and the love I had put into icing it.  (Isn't he lovely). 

All the good icing bits - my friend had managed to do prior to me making my mark with all the black bits.  Don't blow the picture up any bigger .. .. it only looks worse LOL!!!  It looks like he is 20 not 70!!!

Then finally .. .. good news!!!

My lappy has come home.  Yay!!!

They have put me a new hard drive in and a new battery .. .. all under the warranty that only has another month left on it .. .. yippee .. .. it feels like Christmas.  So my lovely hubby is now installing and up-dating everything for me so hopefully I will be back up and running properly by tomorrow evening.

OK dry your eyes now and stop laughing .. .. you have other blogs to go and visit!!  LOL!!

Take care everyone.  See you tomorrow.

Love

SUPER QUICK SHARE

Hi Everyone

A super, duper quick post from me today (what do you mean .. .. that will make a change LOL!!).

I am out to celebrate the birthday of the gentleman I iced yesterday's cake for.  Oh dear!!!  Not sure I will be able to look him (or the other guests) in the face as his cake makes an appearance.  My camera will be going with me.  Who knows I might take a picture and share it .. .. but then again I might not!!. 

In the meantime I will simply share a card (at least I am proud of this)

This used:

Backing Paper:  Aimee Asher
Image:  Hero Arts "S5316" Silhouette Grass
Sentiment:  Papermania "Stamping for Him"
Josy Rose:  Nail Heads
Ribbon from the Stash Box

and that is it!!

Time for me to go and make myself look beautiful.

Catch you tomorrow

Love