Going AWOL For A While

This will be my last post for a little while as tomorrow morning a group of 41 of us will travel to Lourdes for a weeks' pilgrimage.  My view for the next week will be the one you see as the header for my blog.

I have a very special friend who is my carer for the week, helps me whenever I need help, and pushes my wheelchair for miles in all.  We met on my first pilgrimage 6 years ago and have become very good friends.

I know quite a number of the people in my group, but as always there will be a few new faces.

My factor 50 sun cream and raincoat go everywhere with me whilst I am away as the weather can change in seconds!!  Hopefully I will  be using the suncream more than the raincoat on this trip!!

Even though we are part of a large group, there is plenty of opportunity for 'quiet time'.  We laugh a lot, cry a lot and have time to think and reflect.  It really is a very special place to go, and I always feel much better mentally when I return.  Physically of course, it is a different story and I know it will take me time to recover, but it is well worth it.

The rest of my family have some lovely days out planned whilst I am away, so I hope the weather stays kind to them.  They always feel guilty if they go to places where I can't join in, so this way they can go and enjoy themselves guilt free.

So, I hope you all have a lovely week, get lots of sunshine and crafting time, and I'll catch up with you all on my return.

Jo x

A Day At The Beach

Good Morning

And what a beautiful morning it is too.

My card for today is made using a digi stamp from Pink Gem Designs.

The image is coloured using coloursoft pencils.  The backing papers are all from a previous issue of making cards magazine.  The flowers are made using Nellie Snellen punches from the same paper with a tiny pearl from Joanna Sheen added to the centres.

My card is for the following challenges:

A Gem Of A Challenge - Sketch

Fussy and Fancy - Summer

Cutie Sunday - Summer

Paper Sundaes - Beach

Top Tip Tuesday - Make It Girly

Do It With Digis - Summer Fun

Craft Your Days Away - Summertime

Easy Crafy Projects - The Summer

Divas By Design - Summer Is Here

Crafting For All Seasons - Beach/Ocean

Crafty Calendar Challenge - Under the sea (the shells are from the sea!)

Thanks for visiting my blog today, have a great day.

Jo x

Pots of Fun

Good Morning

My card for today follows the sketch over at Willow Sketchie Challenge.

I was lucky enough to win one of their challenges, and this digi stamp was part of my prize.

The image is coloured using coloursoft pencils.  The backing papers are some I has already printed out from the Adorables cd-rom, and I thought worked really well for this card.  The punched strip is made from cardstock using a Martha Stewart border punch.  The flowers are prima and the swirls/flourishes cut with a Marianne die.  A peel off sentiment was added to complete the card.

I would like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Willow Sketchie Challenge - Sketch

Alphabet Challenge Blog - L for lemon and lime

Stampin for the weekend - Paws for thought

Do It With Digis - Summer Fun

Craft You Days Away - Summertime

Easy Craft Projects Challenge - The Summer

Divas By Design  - Summer Is Here

Pile It On - Fun In The Sun

Thanks for stopping by my blog today.

Jo x

Congratulations

Good Afternoon

My card for today is made using one of my favourite techniques, paper embroidery.

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The pattern for this card I puchased from stitchingcards.com.  The stitching is done using metallic thread.  The sentiment tag is a spellbinders die.

I am entering my card in the following challenges:

Crafty Creations Challenges - Seeing double

If The Shoe Fits...Scrap It - Ruby

Thanks for visiting, I'd love to know what you think.

Jo x

Humphrey

Good Afternoon

My card for today is made using the Humphrey's Corner cd-rom from Crafters Companion.

This is one of the lovely decoupage images from the cd-rom, layered onto silver mirror board which has been punched all around using a Martha Stewart punch.


The backing paper is from the cd-rom and the stars are cut into a co-ordinating paper using a die-namics star die.

The inside of the card has been decorated to match.

This is a lovely cd-rom which I know I'm going to get lots of use out of.

I would like to enter my card in the following challenge:

Papertake Weekly Challenge - Getting Cute

Totally Papercrafts - One For The Boys

Thanks for visiting.

Jo x

Decorating The Christmas Tree

Good Evening

Today I've finished off another Christmas card to add to my supply!

This is my entry for the current House Mouse and Friends Challenge which this time is to use buttons, bows and bling.

This is a large, square card which I made from white linen cardstock.  The backing paper, which is printed from the House Mouse inserts cd-rom from Joanna Sheen, is matted onto pearlescent gold cardstock.  The decoupage image is also from Joanna Sheen.  I made a double ribbon bow from narrow ribbon and attached to this the charm from my stash.  Three buttons were added to the card, with twine threaded through each.  Three pearls were added, in the same colour as the buttons and the baubles in the image.  A sentiment was then added to complete the card.

I am also entering my card in the following challenges:

Creative Inspirations Challenge - Christmas In July

Allsorts Challenge - Free and Easy

Thanks for visiting my blog today.

Jo x

Cute and cuddly

Good Afternoon

Thank you very much to everyone who left comments on  Emma's card, she was so excited to read all your lovely comments.

My card for today is one I have made using the fabulous Furry Friends cd-rom from Joanna Sheen.

Isn't this just the cutest puppy?  The image is layered onto silver mirror board, cut across the bottom with an EK success border punch.  Three identical pictures were then punched with a circle punch and again layered onto silver mirror board.

I printed out one of the stripy backing papers from the cd-rom, cut it into narrow strips, curled it and then attached it to 3 sides of the frame.  The paw print backing paper is also printed from the cd-rom.

My card is for the following challenges:

Rainbow Lady's Challenge - Pets

Papertake Weekly Challenge - Cute

Thanks for visiting today.

Jo x

Thank You Sir

Good Morning

Today is the last day of term for Emma, then it's holidays until September when she goes into her last year at primary school.  Emma loves school and has had a fantastic year which has passed so quickly. 

Emma wanted to make her own card for her teacher this year, and has done a brilliant job.  It's a variation on the dinner jacket card that she made recently (and won the challenge and came in the top 3 - very proud mum here!).

This is based on Emma's school uniform.  She cut up an old tie, attached some buttons from my stash and drew the school emblem.

I would like to enter Emma's card in the following challenges:

CRAFT Challenge - Thank you teacher

Top Tip Tuesday - Shaped cards

Thank you for visiting today, I'd love to know what you think of Emma's card.

Jo x

Summertime Fun

Good Evening

Today's card is made using another of the Faye Whittaker decoupage sheets from Joanna Sheen. Can you tell I'm a fan of these???

I used a white card base, and then scored the lines onto some platinum pearlescent cardstock to provide a frame for the decoupage.

My card is for the following challenges:

Cutie Sunday - Summer

Fussy and Fancy - Summer

Yuletide Greetings

Good Evening

I hope you've had an enjoyable weekend, my goodness have we had some rain!!  And it's been so dark and dismal all day today.

Anyway, this afternoon I got my next Christmas card made.

The reindeer on this card is from a Jayne Nestorenko stamp plate, as is the greeting.  I stamped using versafind vintage sepia onto watercolour card, and coloured using Lyra's. I just couldn't resist giving him a red nose!   I added some Pinflair snow dust to his antlers and Hunkydory 'snowdrift' around his feet.  The mat he is sat on is cut using a Nellie Snellen die and gold linen card.

All the different backing papers are from an issue of Making Cards magazine.  The poinsettias are made using my new Marianne dies which arrived yesterday.

My card is for the following challenges:

Christmas Challenges With Sketches - Sketch (I really enjoyed following this fab sketch).

Jingle Belles - Reindeer Games  - use a Christmas animal.

Winter Wonderland - Wet or dry embossing (the poinsettias are embossed).

The Crafty Pad - Christmas in July

Paper Sundaes - Christmas in July

Fairy Bea

Good Evening

I'm back with another card for today, this time featuring the gorgeous Teddy Bea.

Teddy Bea is coloured using coloursoft pencils.  She is then matted onto silver glitter card and lilac pearlescent card cut using a Martha Steward PATP.  The flowers are die cut using a Nellie Snellen die, and then a tiny lilac gem added to the centre.  The sentiment mat is a spellbinders floral die, with peel-offs in the centre.

I am entering my card in the following challenges:

Top Tip Tuesday - Sketch

Teddy Bo Challenge- Bea On Her Own

Paper Play Challenges - Things with wings

Bunny Zoe Crafts - Fairies

Totally Papercraft Challenge - Girly Girl

Divas by Design - Pastels

Thanks for visiting my blog.

Jo x

The Snowman

Good Afternoon

Back with my second card for today which is made using the new cd-rom and stamp set from Crafters Companion.

I used hammered white cardstock for the base.  The backing papers are all from the cd-rom printed onto centura pearl paper.  A Martha Stewart PATP was used.  The snowman is stamped in versafine ink and some shading added with coloursoft pencils.  Hunkydory 'Snowdrift' was added around his feet.  His hat and scarf were paper pieced using matching lilac backing paper.

I used one of the papers as an insert for the card.

For the card layout, I followed the current sketch at Willow Sketchie Challenge, a challenge which I was lucky enough to win last week.

I am entering my card in the following challenges:

Willow Sketchie Challenge  - Sketch

Christmas Card Challenges - Paper Piecing (his hat and scarf)

Paper Sundaes -  Paper Piecing (his hat and scarf)

Crafty Emma's Challenge  - Christmas

Jo x