Just For You

Good morning from a very chilly Manchester.

Parents were invited up to school this morning to watch Emma's class assembly. They were fantastic. Fortunately Emma doesn't take after her mum, and has no end of confidence! You could see that the children throughly enjoyed it, and it was also clear that a lot of planning and preparation had gone into it. Well done Emma and all of Year 5, you were stars!

I started out planning to make a simple card. I feel I have somehow cheated if I make a card that doesn't take at least a couple of hours to make, so, needless to say, this card isn't quite as simple as first planned!

Whilst commenting on some blogs last week, I discovered that Inkylicious had a stamp set called Meadow Breeze. Upon a visit to their website, it was clear how much I needed this stamp set.

I cut the oval mat out of some gorgeous plum-coloured card using a Nellie Snellen die. I then stamped the image using versamark and embossed with a detail silver embossing powder. The sentiment tag is cut from the same card using a Spellbinders die and a silver peel off added which reads 'Just For You'.

The base card is a smooth white DL, onto which I stamped the small dandelion clock and a butterfly using versamark. I then applied mica powders using a soft brush. You can't tell in the photo, but when the light catches the mica powder it looks fab. Finally, I added some tiny clear gems around the frame.

Thanks for stopping by today, I'd love to know what you think.

Jo x

My Time To Craft Challenge - Nautical

Good Evening

This is my entry into the My Time To Craft Challenge which is Nautical.

The images are from a stamp set by inkylicious called Sea Scapes. I stamped the images using versafine ink onto some of their silk art card. The colour of the sand, sea and sky is from Big & Juicy inkpads Waterfall, Spice and Soothing Sunset and was applied using ink dusters. I used a Sakura pen to add a few waves. The image was the matted onto some pearlescent card, which was then put onto a hammered white card blank. A few minature shells were added to complete the card.

Thanks for having a look.

Jo x

Crafter's Companion Monthly Challenge

Good Morning

My card for today is my entry into Crafter's Companion Monthly Challenge where this month we are to make a card using Aqua and Brown.

I used Helene from the Patchwork Polly stamps for my card. Both Helene and her duck are stamped onto watercolour paper and coloured using Lyra's. How cute is that duck, don't you just love the socks? The backing paper is printed from the Appleby Dapply cd-rom and punched round the edges using a Martha Stewart punch. The mat she is sitting on is a Spellbinders die, as are the sentiment tag and the flowers. I used buttons for the centres of the flowers with a short length of cord tied through them. The leaves are cut using a Marianne die.

Thanks for visiting today.

Jo x

Easter Stitching

Hello

Isn't this sunny weather fabulous? I hope it lasts for a few more days.

Today's card is another made using the paper embroidery technique, this time with a pattern from stitchingcards.com.

The design is stitched using gold, green, red, blue, pink and purple metallic threads.

Have a lovely Sunday.

Jo x

Crafty Calendar Challenge - April Showers Bring Forth May Flowers

Good Morning

and what a lovely sunny morning it is too.

Today's card is my entry into the Crafty Calendar Challenge.

The image is one from the SWALK range, which I stamped onto watercolour card and coloured using watercolour pencils. I added some glossy accents to the puddle, rain drops and top of the umbrella.

The oval she is sat on is cut using a Nellie Snellen die, cut out of gold pearlescent card. The papers used are printed from the SWALK cd-rom. I cut four corners using a Marianne die and added a tiny pearl to each corner. I punched the centre strip with a Martha Stewart border punch. A few mulberry flowers (May flowers :o) ) and punched leaves were added to complete the card.

I hope you have a lovely Saturday.

Jo x

Time For Tee

Good Morning

Sorry I've not been around much this week, it's half term holidays and John is off work too so I've not spent much time at the pc this week.

My number of followers has increased, which I'm very pleased about, and I'd like to say hello to my new followers :o)

Today's card is for my nephew's birthday. He is a very keen golfer so this should fit the bill.

This card uses the paper embroidery technique and a stitching card pattern from Form-a-lines. Gold, green, and blue metallic threads were used to stitch the design.

I do enjoy making these cards, they're very theraputic.

Have a lovely sunny day.

Jo x

Teddy Bea And Her Knitting

Good Afternoon

Here I am again, back with another challenge card featuring my favourite bear. I just had to have this image, so sweet. Here is Teddy Bea doing her knitting.

The Challenge over at Teddy Bo is 'Punch It Out'.

Well, as luck would have it, I got a gorgeous new Martha Stewart PATP set for Mother's Day, this one is called Swirling Lace, and they couldn't have picked a better one. I've seen this on a few blogs and really like it, so I'm delighted!

I cut a couple of squares of card from some pearlescent cardstock and punched out the four corners. I then added a little pearl (from Joanna Sheen)to each of the corners. The backing paper is from Making Cards magazine, designed by Nancy Watt, which again got the punched corner treatment. I then punched a border from a strip of left over paper. The flowers are die-cut using a Marianne die and little buttons added to the centre with ribbon threaded through (I figured if she was knitting, she'd probably need buttons!).

I then knitted a few rows and made up a mini ball of wool, used a couple of pins for knitting needles, with the sharp ends cut off and a little glue gel applied for safety. This is a close up of her knitting.

I had stamped Teddy Bea onto some watercolour paper, but this time decided to colour her with coloured pencils. I thought that the grain in the paper would make her fur look more textured. I applied a little glossy accents to her glasses.

She was then added to the card using glue gel so she didn't look 'flat'.

I thoroughly enjoyed making this card and am also entering it in the Papertake Weekly Challenge Anything Goes with the option of using something new (my punch and the image).

I am also entering this card in the Craft Your Passion Challenge Anything Goes.

Thanks for visiting.

Jo x

Flowers For St Luke's

Good Morning

A new challenge blog has launched this week St Luke's Charity Cards Challenge. If you click on the challenge name, you will be taken directly to their website where you can read all about this fantastic new challenge.

The theme for this month is flowers, and this is my card.

For my card I used a hammered white cardstock for the base. I took some lovely mint green cardstock and punched down the edge using a Martha Stewart lattice punch. I made a double bow with some narrow ribbon which I then threaded through the lattice. There were some very sweet stamps included as a free gift with Cardmaking & Papercrafts magazine, and I used some of these for this card. I stamped them onto watercolour card, and then coloured them using brushmarkers.

My completed card will be sent off to the address provided to be sold to raise funds for the charity.

Thank you for stopping by today. Have a lovely day.

Jo x

Happy Birthday To You

Good morning.

I hope a good Mothering Sunday was had by all. I had a lovely day and was well and truly spoilt, some new crafty goodies amongst other things :o) and a handmade card from Emma. John and Emma went to watch City play in the afternoon, and they won 5 - 0, so big smiles all round.

Today is my younger sister's birthday. Happy Birthday Kathryn. So today I am sharing one of the cards that we sent her for her birthday.

This card is using Joanna Sheen's Precious Petals cd-rom.

I printed the image twice so I could add some dimension to the card. Some of the tulips are on 1mm foam and the others on 2mm foam. The frame is on 2mm foam. The flower border across the top was die cut using a Spellbinders die, and the wording was created using Dimension Fourth stamps.

Have a lovely day, I'm off to play with my new goodies!

Jo x

Less Is More - A Touch Of Red

Good evening

This is my entry into this weeks' challenge over at Less Is More. The theme for this week is a touch of red.

I hope I haven't overdone the red with this card. The stamp is a Pampered Pets stamp, which I stamped onto watercolour paper using versafine ink and coloured with brushmarkers. The red mat is die cut using a Nellies die. The image is applied using glue gel to add a bit of dimension. For the sentiment I matted some matching card and added a gold peel-off.

I am also entering this card into CBGM Blog Challenge which this time is pets.

Thanks for stopping by, and thank you in anticipation of all your lovely comments.

Jo x

A New Baby Girl

Good afternoon

I didn't think I was going to get to post anything today as my camera has had a major blip and I can't work out why. Anyway, managed to borrow one to get this photo taken.

Thought I'd have a change from the bears today, so this is a digi stamp from Pink Gem Designs which is very cute.

I printed the image onto watercolour paper and coloured using Lyra's. The mat the image is sat on is cut using a Spellbinders Fleur De Lis die. The spotty paper underneath was cut using a Get In Shape template. Some ribbon and a few little buttons added to complete the card.

As luck would have it, the current challenge at One Stop Craft Challenge is spots and dots, so I'm entering my card into the challenge.

Thanks for visiting today.

Jo x

Up, Up and Away

Good Morning

Before I show you my card for today (you'll never guess the theme, lol), I thought I'd show you some photos of a camellia I have in my garden. It's been there about three years now, and started out as a little twig! Last year it has three buds on it, and I was so upset when a neighbours cat managed to knock one of them off. Well just look at it this year.

There are lots of buds still to open, so hopefully it will be like this for a couple more weeks. Up close the flowers are so beautiful.

It's like my dad always says, you can't rush nature, you can't be an impatient gardener.

Now onto todays card. And yes you've guessed it, it those gorgeous bears again.

This time I have coloured Teddy Bea with brushmarkers. Isn't she cute? The balloons and clouds are embroidered directly onto the card, which is a pale blue colour. When it was finished this card reminded me of a Winnie the Pooh story I used to read to Emma, where Pooh bear was floating through the sky hanging onto some balloons!

I may show something different tomorrow, but can't promise - these bears are so addictive!

Have a lovely day.

Jo x