Woodland Christmas

This week we have a new challenge for you at Lili's Little Fairies, but before I tell you all about it, please read to the end of this post, as we have some very exciting news for you - a little sad, but a lot happy.

Our theme this week is one that may have some of you trembling 

in your little boots:-

'NO FLOWERS'

We have 2 lovely sponsors this week. The 1st is

who are offering a lovely bag of goodies.

I have used another of my new LOTV stamps, Woodland Christmas.

Aren't they the cutest little critters!

Inside my card matches the front.

Challenges:-

Whimsical Designs - 'Something Old/Something New' 

(Spellbinders dies-old/LOTV stamp-new)

Christmas at Sweet Stampin' - 'Winter Animals'

Inky Impressions #123- 'Animals' (2nd entry)

Image - LOTV Woodland Christmas

Colouring - Promarkers

Sentiment - LOTV

Paper - Art Stamps Australia

Dies - Spellbinders Classic and Scalloped Circles, Decorative Labels Eight, Scalloped Rectangle; Cottage Cutz; Tim Holtz Alterations Snowflakes

Stickles and Liquid Pearls

There are so many changes afoot at Lili's Little Fairies, and instead of trying to explain them to you in my own words, these are the words of our 'fearless leader', Squirrel, who gave permission for all of we Fairies to 'copy and paste'. 

Times change, and we Fairies are changing with them.  This will be the last ever challenge as Lili's Little Fairies.  No, please, don't be too sad, read on.  

We have had a blast as LLF but it is time for a new start and from next week (5 September), we are becoming Crafty Little Fairies, with a new look and a new address.

Something else new and, we think, very exciting - we are opening the challenge up to use images other than LOTV.  So, you can still use your Lili's and we would love to see them, but you can also use other images too. How cool is that?!  I am sure the Fairies will continue to share their love of Lili with you all but this does mean more of you will be able to join in the challenges with us.

So, we hope you are as excited about all this as we are - see you next week for the first ever Crafty Little Fairies Challenge!

Because this is our last challenge as Lili's Little Fairies, we have been given not one, but two £10 prize vouchers by Lili of the Valley, to wish us good luck with our new challenge blog. The two lucky winners of this fab prize will be drawn by Random Number Generator, so we would love to see all your 'No Flowers' LOTV creations.

Thank you for visiting, and until next time "Happy Crafting",
Hugs,
Jennifer. x

Sewing Mouse

This post will be rather brief tonight as for some unknown reason I fainted this afternoon, so am feeling a tad washed out. The last time that happened to me was about 20 years ago when I had Glandular Fever (but didn't know I had it at that stage). 

It is once again time for another challenge at Penny's Paper Crafty, and our theme for you this time is that you have to choose 

3 EMBELLISHMENTS FROM THE FOLLOWING LIST - 

ribbon, lace, eyelets, brads, card candi, charms, flowers, 

feathers, buttons, gems or pearls.

Wow, that gives you plenty of scope, doesn't it.

We have 2 lovely sponsors this week, and they are:-

and

I was asked to use a QKR image, so I chose Digi 18210 Sewing Mouse. I always

love using QKR images, they are so quirkily (is that a word?) cute.

The cotton reels on the paper are aqua, tan, brown, and cream, so I went 

with those colours for my colouring of the image, and my embellishments.

The 3 embellies I chose are flowers, card candi and ribbon.

A closer look at our cute little seamstress.

Inside my card.

Challenges:-

Crafter's Cafe - 'Embossing (wet or dry)'

An Oldie But A Goodie - 'Embossing' (Spellbinders die & Emb. folder 

about 5 years old).

Image - QKR digi 18210 Sewing Mouse

Colouring - Promarkers

Paper - Kaisercraft Needle and Thread

Embossing Folder - Cuttlebug Kimmy Luvs

Dies - Spellbinders Classic and Scalloped Ovals

Punches - Martha Stewart Hearts ATPP; Fiskars 1/8" hole: Marianne Scissors

Card Candi - Craftwork Cards

Ribbon and Flowers from my junk stash

It's just after 9pm, but I will have to jump into bed. I don't think it will take me long to nod off tonight.

For a chance to win great prizes, why not visit Penny's Paper Crafty and enter our 3 Embellishments (from the list) challenge.

Thank you for visiting - I will be back tomorrow night.

Hugs,

Jennifer. x

Joyful News!!!

Tears of joy are rolling down my cheeks because at 7pm tonight our darling little boy, Cujorelli (Cookie), returned home.

At first I thought I was imaging him meowing at the back door, as I have dreamed I have heard him every night since he disappered 3 weeks ago tomorrow. Then I thought it was the gale-force wind that was blowing...but no...it was Cookie, freezing cold, filthy dirty, and a walking skeleton. We have weighed him, and he has lost almost 2 kgs!!

Heaven only knows what he has been through...if only animals could tell us. These past weeks have been bitterly cold in the nights (down to 0C, with one night -1C), and Cookie has always felt the cold badly, so he must have been so miserable. He has been given a small feed, some warm lactose-free milk, and is presently curled up in his basket by the fire - he appears quite exhausted. We didn't have the heart to bath him, so have just wiped him down with a damp towel to remove the excess dirt.

Cookie is the 26th kitty cat to own me, and this is the first time this has ever happened, but I just hope and pray that this will be the last time.

Poor old Pally (he is 15), we think was beginning to enjoy being an only cat after his initial confusion at Cookie's sudden disappearance. However, tonight he seems to be rather confused again by his sudden reappearance.

Perhaps we should rename Cookie, Lazarus!

As I wrote in the post about Cookie's disappearance, he was always zany, crazy & madcap, and not likely to 'grow up', but we can't help wondering if this experience will have changed his character.

Some of you are probably wondering why we feel like we do, but I know many of you are cat (or pet) lovers, and understand completely. A big thank you to all of you who wrote kind words of comfort when Cookie disappeared.

Miracles do happen!

Hugs,

Jennifer. x

Benson Bear

It'a bit scary isn't it how fast the days are flying by. That mouse in the treadmill is beginning to look more and more like me. It only seems like a few days ago that I was announcing another challenge at Penny's Paper Crafty...well that one has finished, and we have a new one for you. The theme we have for you is usually very popular :-

'DIES AND/OR PUNCHES' 

Thank you to our generous sponsors this week.

and

I chose to use Crafty Sentiments dig stamp Benson Bear Birthday. However, 

I created a Christmas rather than birthday card.

I used kraft card for the greetings tag, and all my layering, and

sponged it with Mowed Lawn distress ink. That tiny holly, and

the greeting are brand new dies I bought at a craft show last week.

A closer look at Benson Bear, coloured with Promarkers. The red dots

are the tiny holly berries from my new mini die, cut from mirri board.

Inside my card matches the front. The tiny holes in the scallops were 

made with a Fiskars punch. That pretty paper is heavily glittered, but

as is so often the case, the glitter does not show in the photo.

Challenges 

Craft Room - 'Something New' (mini-holly, & greetings dies)

Christmas Card #38 - 'Non-TraditionalChristmas Image'

Christmas Cards All Year Round - 'Fussy and Fancy'

52 Christmas Card Throwdown #20 - 'Holly'

Winter Wonderland - 'Red and Green'

Image - Crafty Sentiments Designs digi Benson Birthday

Colouring - Promarkers

Paper - Art Stamps Australia

Dies- Spellbinders Classic and Scalloped Circles; Memory Box Mini Holly Leaves; Cheery Lynn Deco Corners; Elizabeth Craft Designs Season's Greetings

Punches - EK Success Scalloped Corner; Fiskars 1/8" hole

Ink - Tim Holtz Distress Ink Mowed Lawn

For a chance to win great prizes, why not visit Penny's Paper Crafty and enter our Dies and/or Punches challenge.

Until next time, happing crafting,

Hugs,

Jennifer. x

Sympathy Roses

This year, I have had to make so many sympathy cards. They are not a card that any of us enjoy making, are they, and I think that many of you agree that we prefer to make these cards especially for the recipient, rather than have a stash of them in reserve. 

I made this card for a close friend's daughter, whose husband passed away after a long illness. She is a florist, so I thought this lovely digi stamp would be appropriate. It is 'Roses'  by The Digi Doodle Shop, who have now sadly ceased trading.

I kept the design fairly simple, using a dry-embossed background and silver sentiment

and border peel-off stickers. For some reason, the pink butterfly looks peach-coloured,

but it is actually a very similar pink to the roses. Perhaps it is because I used pearlised paper?

The image is coloured with my Promarkers.

I would like to enter this in the following challenge:-

Sentimental Sundays #168 - 'With Sympathy'

Image - Digi Doodle Shop Roses

Colouring- Promarkers

Dies - Spellbinders Classic and Scalloped Circles

Punch - Martha Stewart Butterfly Trio

Embossing - Cuttlebug Emb. Folder

Peel-off stickers from my stash

It is after midnight, so I must try to get some sleep. I am aching all over, as yesterday, I tripped and fell heavily while being a tour guide at an historic Fort in Newcastle where I volunteer 3 days per week. At my age, I don't 'bounce' as well as I did many years ago.

Back in a few days...so in the meantime, happy crafting,

Hugs,

Jennifer. x

Love Grows

Hello all my crafting friends,

At Lili's Little Fairies we have another challenge for you, and our theme this week is

'VINTAGE/SHABBY CHIC'

Thank you to our lovely sponsor this week:-

Vintage/shabby chic is definitely a style that is way out of my comfort zone, so my card is about as vintaged and shabbyised (I think I have invented a new word) as I will ever do.

I used the darling LOTV stamp, Love Grows. This one has been around for a fair while, but is still popular, and hasn't lost any of its appeal. I sponged all the edges with Versacolour Umber, then used my Tim Holtz distressing tool on all the edges. I also sponged the greeting tags and twine with the Umber.

I have coloured Love Grows with Promarkers, and used what I felt were vintage colours.

Inside my card matches the front.

A side-on view.

Challenges 

Bunny Zoe's Crafts - 'Bingo' (ribbon or lace, die-cut,tag)

Flourishes Timeless Tuesday #233  'Autumn Colours'

Perfect Sentiments #87 - 'The Great Outdoors'

Papercrafting Journey - 'Distressed/Vintage'

Ruby's Rainbow #60 - 'Vintage'

Stamp - Lili Of The Valley Love Grows

Colouring - Promarkers

Ink - Versacube Umber

Paper - Kaisercraft

Dies - Spellbinders Classic Square, Labels One

Greeting tags - Lili Of The Valley Set 24 Sentiment Tags

Lace, pearls, twine from my junk stash

We would love to see what you create for our Vintage/Shabby Chic Challenge at Lili's Little Fairies.

Until next time, happy crafting,

Hugs,

Jennifer. x

Happy Little Bunny

Because it is Wednesday, that means we have a new challenge for you at Penny's Paper Crafty.

The theme for this week is :-

'LACE AND/OR RIBBON'

We are lucky this week to have 3 lovely sponsors :-

I was asked to choose any image from Stamp Art Designs by the wonderfully talented Kathryne, so after much deliberation (Kathryne has so many lovely images), I chose this cute digi stamp,  Happy Little Bunny

As usual, I coloured my image with Promarkers. Her tail has Diamond Flower Soft

to make it look fluffy. I think I should have used a smaller pearl on her collar.

I don't think that I am the only cardmaker who loves the Spellbinders Floral Oval die...

I see it on so many other crafters' cards. Can you blame us...it is so pretty. The 

gorgeous paper, First Edition, is heavily glittered, as are all the butterfly die-cuts.

A closer look at the greeting, and embellishments.

The inside of my card is decorated to match the front. That exquisite butterfly

die-cut was a gift last week from my wonderful and very talented English blogging 

friend, Pauline. Isn't it beautiful! It doesn't show up in the photo, but I 'smothered'

it in Star Dust Stickles. I think you will be seeing a lot of this butterfly...BIG

THANKS again, Pauline.

Challenges

Stamp and Create - 'Glitter'

LEJ Designs #66 - 'Furry Friends'

Crafty Sentiments - 'Dies and Punches'

Whimsical Designs - 'Bingo' (die-cut,stickles,ribbon)

Bunny Zoe's Crafts - 'Bingo' (ribbon,sparkle,charms)

Image - Stampart Designs by Kathryne Happy Little Bunny

Colouring - Promarkers

Paper - First Edition Spring Drop

Dies - Spellbinders Floral Ovals, Classic and Scalloped Ovals; Cheery Lynn Butterflies; Martha Stewart Butterfly; Joy Crafts Floral Flourishes Butterfly

Greeting - Wild Rose Studio Cute Greetings

Ribbon, Charm, Pearls, Gems, Stickles, Flowersoft - all from my junk stash

For a chance to win one of the great prizes at Penny's Paper Crafty 'Lace and/or Ribbon challenge', why don't you enter your creation.

Hugs,
Jennifer. x

Goodbye Little Friend

EDITED

23/8/13 - Unbelievably, our darling Cookie turned up at 7pm tonight in the freezing cold and gale force wind. I thought I was imagining him meowing at the back door, as I have dreamed I could hear him almost every  night since he went missing. It would have been 3 weeks ago tomorrow morning that he disappeared after we let him outside after breakfast. He is pitifully thin (almost a skeleton) and filthy dirty, and although agitated, he appears to be uninjured.

It is so difficult to write this tonight, because I am so heart-broken and my eyes are filled with tears. Last Sunday our dear little Cujorelli, nicknamed Cujo, or mostly Cookie, went outside after his breakfast, and vanished. He was never outside for long, preferring to curl up on our bed, or in his basket by the window. We have spent many hours searching for him all week, to no avail. 

He loved to dive under the doona as I was trying to make the bed.

Cookie making himself very comfortable indeed.

He would often sleep soundly like this.

Although Cookie was almost 5 y.o., we don't think he would have ever

grown up. He loved to play games, and would squeeze into any bag, basket, 

or box that would stay still long enough.

Any time Cookie wanted our full attention, he would make a cute little

half meow, half purr sound, and tap us several times. He would not

stop until he got a big cuddle, or a back rub.

We miss our little boy and his zany antics so much. The strange thing is that, although they were not buddies, our other cat, Pagliacci (Pally) seems to be missing him too. Pally is a sedate old gentleman of 15 years, and his behaviour all week has been very odd. I don't believe anyone who says that animals don't know what is going on.

I will try to get some sleep now, although I keep waking up, thinking I can hear Cookie meowing. I keep getting up to check just in case a miracle has happened. The hardest part is not knowing what has happened to him. Our vet said that in our area, in the past few weeks, he knows of a Maltese Terrier and a joey (young kangaroo), having been snatched by an eagle...I just don't want to think about that theory!

My heart is just not in card-making mode at the moment, but my DT committments have pushed me along, so I will have some cards for you in a few days....

Until then,

Jennifer. x

Ballerina Kitten

Hello my fellow crafters,

Here we are about to enter the second week of August, and we have a new challenge for you at Penny's Paper Crafty, where our theme this week is -

'DRY EMBOSSING'

Thank you to our 2 generous sponsors

Digi Darla

This little cutie is Digi Darla's Ballerina Kitten. 

 

A close-up look at our little dancer. Couldn't you fall in love with that face.

Inside my card matches the front. This is the first time I have used my Ballerina die,

even though I bought her about 12 months ago. That lovely embossed paper is very

lightweight, and came in a pack of 25 A4 sheets. I bought it many years ago, so do 

not know what brand it is.

Challenges

Kaboodle Doodles #183 - 'Anything With Scallops'

Top Tip Tuesday #107 - 'Embossing'

Hobbycutz #12 - 'Card For A Child'

Image - Digi Darla's Ballerina Kitten
Colouring - Promarkers
Sentiment - Freebie by Nettys Cards (Thank you, Annette)
Embossing Folder - Craft Concept Cottage Floral
Dies - Marianne Ballerina 2; Spellbinders Classic and Scalloped Ovals, Classic and Scalloped Squares
Card Candi - Craftwork Cards

For a chance to win great prizes, why not visit Penny's Paper Crafty and enter our 'Dry Embossing' challenge.

Hugs,
Jennifer. x