Gifts Galore

Once again it is the second Wednesday of the month (December can you believe)

 and therefore it is time for another challenge at Words 2 Craft By. However, it is

a rather sad challenge, as it will be our last. After quite a few years we have 

decided that "all good things must come to an end", as the old adage goes.

The quote for our last challenge is appropriate for the season...

"For it is in giving that we receive" 

from the beautiful prayer by Saint Francis of Assisi.

(I am sorry for the poor quality of the photographs, but for many weeks

much of eastern New South Wales has been choked by dense smoke

from the deadly bushfires we are still experiencing, with no end in sight).

I decided to create an easel card. They are such fun to make,

but notoriously difficult to photograph effectively.

A close-up look at the cute little 'meeces' preparing their Christmas

gifts. Don't you just love the end view of the mouse on the lower left.

A side-on view of my card. I cut two of the icicles strip from 

glitter card, and adhered them together to create the 'stopper'.

The inside of the card when it is opened. The blank area is where

I wrote our personal Christmas message.

This is how the card looks when it is removed from the envelope,

before it becomes an easel card. The greeting is cut from a bought

Christmas card. It is French, because the card is for our little 

Granddaughter who is half French, but lives in London.

 She speaks both French and English beautifully.

Image - Lili of the Valley Happy Christmouse digi stamp

Colouring - Promarkers, and Distress Ink Gathered Twigs and white gesso to colour deer

Dies - Spellbinders Labels Eight, Decorative Labels Eight, Classic Rectangles, Scalloped Rectangles; Impression Obsession Fir Trees 084-V,  Mini Snowflakes 100-F; Memory Box Deer Trio (large deer only); Joy Crafts Icicles; 

Paper - I think it is Imaginise (several years old)

Sentiment - Cut from bought Christmas card

Peel-off border sticker is from my junk stash

Challenges I would like to enter

Christmas At Sweet Stampin' - 'Critters'

Because this is our final challenge, we have three prizes for challenge entrants, AND three prizes for W2CB followers!..so why not pop over to Words 2 Craft By, be inspired by my teamies' creations, then enter your own interpretation of our last quote. 

Thank you to all of you who have supported us over the years with your wonderful challenge entries, and also to our many Guest Designers. 

In closing, I would like to thank our lovely Sybrina, and Bobbi for all their dedication and hard work over the years as our co-ordinators. they have been an absolute joy to work with.

Until next time, thank you for visiting, and also welcome to my new followers.

Hugs,

Jennifer.  xx

Golden Snowflakes

I now have another card to add to my "I am going to have all my Christmas

cards finished before December" collection.

This card was fairly quick to make just using die-cuts and gorgeous gold

glittered cardstock which I backed with double-sided adhesive paper. It

is also flat, so will only attract basic postage costs.

A closer look at the stunning die-cut sentiment. I fell in love with this

die the first time I saw it. My photos do not do the glittered cardstock

justice...IRL the sparkle is almost blinding!

Challenges I would like to enter.

ABC Christmas - 'C. and D. are for? (I choose C. for Clean)

A Snowflakes Promise #48 - 'Anything Goes'

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas #374 - 'Anything Christmas Goes (opt. use some gold)'

Di's Digi Designs - 'Die Cuts'

Happy Little Stampers DIES - 'Anything Goes, but must use dies'

Mix It Up #10 - 'Anything Goes (opt.CAS)'

My Time To Craft #365 - 'Monochromatic'

Sparkles Forum #101 - 'CAS'

The Holly and the Ivy #23 - 'Anything Christmas Goes'

Winter Wonderland - 'Anything Christmas Goes'

Items Used

Dies - Sue Wilson Season's Greetings; Impression Obssession Mini Snowflakes

Glittered Cardstock - Crafts 4U Champagne

Just a short post today, but before I sign off I would like to remind you that we have a challenge over at Words 2 Craft By, with this month's theme "If snowflakes were kisses, I'd send you a blizzard".

Thank you for visiting, and until next time, I wish you "Happy Crafting",

Hugs,

Jennifer. x

If Snowflakes Were Kisses

Back in December I won a challenge with this card, and, 

finally the day has arrived to reveal my exciting news at which I hinted last week...

As a result of my win, I have been invited to join the design team at 

WORDS 2 CRAFT BY!

When the lovely Sybrina invited me to join the DT, I was not sure if I was ready to

begin 'DTing' again, but Words 2 Craft By is such an organised challenge,

I was thrilled to say "yes thank you".

(While I have previously been on several Design Teams, I had to resign because of

John's serious health problems resulting in the sale of our farm and moving 

into a retirement village.)

Words 2 Craft By is a monthly challenge, beginning on the second Wednesday of the

month, finishing on the first Wednesday of the following month. There is a slight

variation to usual challenge blog themes in that they consist of a quote. These

quotes, sometimes quite well known and often by famous people, can be 

interpreted in any way you wish.

The theme for this month is 

"If snowflakes were kisses, I'd send you a blizzard" 

so my first DT card was a joy to create. I immediately knew what image I 

would use...a cute one from Lili Of The Valley.

I used the challenge theme as the sentiment on my card.

A closer look at the lovely image, which I coloured with Promarkers. I

haven't hand-coloured any stamped images for ages, but I enjoyed

colouring this one so much, I will be doing more in the future.

Inside my card is very simple, with plenty of room to write

a personal message.

Challenges I would like to enter

52 Christmas Card Throwdown - 'Shades of Blue'  HONOURABLE MENTION

A Passion For Promarkers #431 - 'Add An Embellishment'

A Snowflakes Promise #48 - 'Anything Goes'

Hanna and Friends #290 - 'Winter'

Happy Little Stampers Christmas - 'Anything Goes' (with optional hearts)

Kreativeinkauf #59 - 'Winter'

The Holly and the Ivy #23 - 'Anything Christmas Goes' TOP 5

Image - Lili Of The Valley Festive Post

Colouring - Promarkers

Paper - Lili Of The Valley (discontinued)

Dies - Joy Crafts 6002; Impression Obssession Mini Snowflakes; Crafts 4 U Stitched Circles; Spellbinder Butterflies Circles

Punches - Martha Stewart PATP Aspen Snowflakes 

Sentiment - Computer generated (I cannot remember the font I used)

Glitter - Stickles Stardust; Tim Holtz Rock Candy

Pearls and peel-off stickers are from my junk stash

If you would like to enter a slightly different challenge, with a chance to win a lovely prize, pop over to Words 2 Craft By and let us see your creation (it does not have to be a card).  You may want to also visit my teamies' blogs.

Until next time, "happy crafting" and

Hugs from

Jennifer. xx

Jolly Santa

Good evening.

Tonight I have a card that has been made using a recycled card, 

and the ironed-on serviette technique.

Last Christmas, a dear old couple who live a few doors from us, gave us a large

card that featured this ever so jolly Santa and his bag of toys. Using part of

the main image, I created a new card which we gave to the couple last 

week. They were thrilled that I had 'recycled' part of their card.

The snowflakes have been heavily glittered, but as is the case more often

than not, the fabulous sparkle does not show very well in the photos.

I 

Don't you just love this cute, jolly face. To my eye, I think he

looks to be the quintessential Santa that everyone imagines.

Challenges I would like to enter

Always Fun #36 - 'Santa'

Christmas With The Cuties #12 - 'Santa Claus Is Coming To Town'

Crafty Sentiments Designs - 'Snowflakes'

The Holly and the Ivy #21 - 'Anything Christmas Goes'

The Merry Christmas #47 - 'Anything Goes + Christmas'

Image - From recycled card

Paper - Serviette 

Sentiment Tag - Craft Creations Ltd

Dies - Spellbinder Classic Circles, Scalloped Circles; Impression Obssession Mini Snowflakes; Joycrafts 2018 & 2019

Glitter - Kindyglitz Chrystallina

Until next time, thank you for visiting,

Hugs,

Jennifer. xx

Snow Scene

Hello to all the busy, crafty people out there in blogland.

I feel as if a huge weight has been lifted from our shoulders, as John's medical 

negligence case was all 'done and dusted' in Sydney earlier this week. For 

more than 2 1/2 years we have experienced almost constant stress.

For the past few months I have managed to have spasmodic sessions in my craft

room, and by breaking my own rule of only creating 'one-of-a-kind' cards, I 

have managed to finish the 54 cards that I mail or personally deliver.

Hopefully I can now try to get into the spirit of Christmas, 

decorating the house, cooking, and shopping.

This card was not a production line creation, although to save time I did use a topper 

from a sheet I bought several years ago at a craft show in England. It did 

however take a fair amount of my time because I was rather 'out of practice'.

A close up look at the wintery spray I made from various die-cuts,

recycled Christmas decorations, and some tiny conifer cones from

our trees in one of our paddocks back on our farm.

A small section of the house on the topper.

Challenges I would like to enter  

Die Cut Divas - 'Winter Time'

Kreativeinkauf #57 - 'Conifer'

Sparkles Monthly #98 - 'White Christmas'

The Holly and The Ivy #20 - 'Anything Goes, Christmas'

The Merry Christmas #46 - 'Anything Goes + Christmas'

Tuesday Throwdown #371 - 'Christmas Scene'

Winter Wonderland - 'Anything Christmas Goes'

Image - Topper Sheet (Unknown Brand)

Paper - Kaisercraft Letters To Santa

Dies - Cheery Lynn Cutie Fringe 2, Wreath Strip; Memory Box Woodland Branch; Impression Obssession DIE-021N; Sizzix Tim Holtz Holiday Greens; Spellbinder Decorative Labels Eight

Sentiment Tag - Craftworks Cards

Snow - Leane Creatief 

Glitter - Tim Holtz Distress Stickles Clear Rock Candy

Red Berries and Gold 'Twigs' - recycled Christmas Decorations

Lace, gold bead, and pine cones - from my junk stash

I do hope your Christmas preparations are coming along nicely, and you are not getting too stressed. I also hope you are staying warm or cool, depending on what part of the world you live in.

'Til next time (soon I hope), thank you for your visit,

Hugs,

Jennifer. xx

White and Gold Christmas

Hi everyone. It's just over a month since I last showed you a card. I just

can't seem to get my mojo started up with so many other things going on

in my life. At the beginning of this year, I was determined to create my

Christmas cards at a steady rate, but unfortunately that plan has fallen 

by the wayside. I'm afraid lots of friends will be receiving store-bought

cards again this Christmas, unless I can have some quality time in my

craft room.

To add to my pre-Christmas stress, we have finally been given a date for 

John's medical negligence case...5th December, in Sydney. Despite the 

rather inconvenient date it will be good to have it (hopefully) finalised

before Christmas, and we can get on with what's left of our lives.

As most of my cards have to be sent by post (and because the clock is

against me), I am trying to keep most of the designs simple in order to

keep the cost of postage down. I have also made several cards at a 

time with fairly similar designs, as seen in my previous post.

This is one such card, using the fun die set I won in a challenge.

A closer look at 2 of the die-cuts. This was my first attempt at

'feathering'. It is obvious I need some more practice, by hey,

we have to start somewhere don't we.

Dies - Impression Obssession DIE220-Q; Cheery Lyn Merry Christmas Set

Tiny coloured gems, and peel-off stickers are from my junk stash

Until next time, thank you for visiting,

Hugs, Jennifer. x

Christmas Joy

This was supposed to be a simple and quick card, using my lovely new die set

that I won in a Dies R Us challenge. Many, many years ago I saw a card on a 

blog using tiny die-cuts by (I think) Cuttlebug, and the idea has rattled 

around somewhere in the back of my mind ever since........

I cut all the red and gold squares by hand...THEN the 'fun' (not) began. Trying

to line the squares up with equal distance both vertically and horizontally 

between them almost had me tearing my hair out, and several rather 

unladylike words crossed my lips. I thought the stripey paper would  

help,but then we all know what thought did, don't we? 

It made my wonky placements more noticeable.

A closer look at the cute little gingerbread man. It looks as if the gold 

matting is uneven, but that illusion occurred when I cropped my photos.

.

The lovely bell.

Inside the card, where I used a die-cut of the candy cane as a 

simple embellishment. 

Challenges I would like to enter

ABC Christmas - 'J' for Jingle Bells or 'K' for Keep It Simple (I chose Jingle Bells)

A Snowflakes Promise #40 - 'Anything Christmas Goes'

Crafting By Designs - 'Get Ready For Christmas'

Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas #335 - Anything Christmas Goes (optional-Use Some Gold)

The Holly and Ivy Christmas #6 - 'Anything Christmas Goes'

The Male Room #61 - 'Stash/Die Cuts' (Dies new, paper & gems very old)

Weekly Christmas Card #13 - 'Anything Christmas Goes' (optional-Wreaths)

Dies - Impression Obsession DIE220-Q; Spellbinder Classic and Scalloped Squares

Paper - Art Stamps Australia; Gold cardstock from my junk stash

Tiny gems are from my junk stash

This card is for an elderly friend in England, but as he doesn't own a computer and therefore never sees my blog, it is safe to show it to you.

We have once again had a glorious late autumn day, but it is now cooling down...time to warm the house and prepare our dinner, so until next time "thank you for visiting".

Hugs,

Jennifer. x

Ice Dance

Good evening fellow crafters. Can any of you believe it is almost the end of

January already? I can't, nor can most people I know.

We have had an eventful week with John...He is bleeding again, and has another

serious infection, the result of which we have been on the 'doctors and various 

tests rounds', and have more next week.

Onto happier matters. I have managed to make another card, this time for Christmas.

At the speed 2017 appears to be going, I want to be better prepared. Yeah, yeah,

yeah!!!!, I know we all say that, don't we, but this time I mean it (she says with

tongue firmly planted in cheek).

My background paper is a serviette, and like with an earlier card, I have used

the clingwrap/serviette/iron method. When I saw one lonely pack of these serviettes

in the $2 shop, I snaffled it double fast. I had a session last weekend creating a  

bundle of backgrounds, so you will be seeing lots of these on my 

Christmas cards throughout the year.

This cute and clever little puppy dog is a very old Penny Black stamp, which I am 

fairly certain is discontinued. I have not used him for many years (naughty me!!), 

but I will try to remedy that situation this year. He is so easy to colour.

Challenges I would like to enter

Addicted To Stamps #140 - 'Baby It's Cold Outside'

Animal Friends #46 - 'Winter Sports'

Cardz 4 Gals #39 - 'Movie Madness' (Ice Castles 1978)

Cute Card Thursday #462 - 'Something Fun'

Penny Black and More - 'Anything Goes'

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - 'Anything Goes'

Image - Penny Black Ice Dance

Colouring - Promarkers

Dies - Spellbinder Classic Circle, Scalloped Circle; Sue Wilson Winter Trees; Impression Obssession Mini Snowflakes 100F

Paper - Serviette (Un-named brand from $2 shop)
Sentiment Banner - Craft Creations Ltd
Kindyglitz Chrystallina, and Ribbon from my junk stash

Have a happy weekend wherever you are, and until next time, thank you for visiting,

Hugs,
Jennifer xx

Star Gazing

Well folks, here we are again with only 167 days until Christmas, and to

help you prepare your cards for the festive season we have a new

challenge for you at Winter Wonderland. Our theme this week is

'HAVE YOURSELF A BEARY CHRISTMAS'

Thank you to this week's wonderful sponsor......

For the past few years I have been saving pretty cards given to us by

friends, with a plan to recycle them. However, each Christmas the 

collection expands, when I stash them away and forget about them. 

When I saw the theme of our challenge for this week I remembered 

that I had a large card with cute polar bears in the enormous collection.

Silly muggins me forgot to photograph the card before I chopped it up.

I cut the image down considerably, so as to showcase the bears, layered

the image on mauve pearlised cardstock (same as the base card), then 

created a border of silvery clear border stickers that I have had in my

junk stash forever. The sentiment is recycled from the same card.

A closer look at the little cuties. I was not happy with how I joined the

border stickers at the corners, so I covered them with tiny negatives

from a Martha Stewart PATP punch.

Inside the card is very plain.

Image - Recycled Christmas card

Sentiment - Recycled Christmas card

Paper - Kaisercraft Christmas Spirit

Dies - Spellbinders Scalloped Rectangle; Impression Obsession Mini Snowflakes; 

Punches - Martha Stewart PATP Aspen Snowflakes; Carl Snowflake

Glitter - Ranger Stickles Star Dust

Peel-off Border Sticker is from my junk stash

For a chance to win a lovely prize, and be inspired by my teamies gorgeous creations, pop over to Winter Wonderland for our 'Have a Beary Christmas' challenge.

Thank you for visiting, and until next time,

Hugs

Jennifer. x

Buttons, Bows and Pinecones

Another week has rushed by, and now it is Friday, which means it is time

for a new challenge at Winter Wonderland. Our theme this week is

'BUTTON IT UP'

We want to see buttons somewhere on your creation, and please 

remember your creation must be a Christmas one.

Our lovely sponsor this week is Digi Stamp Boutique, and they are 

offering a ₤10 voucher as the prize.

Some people seem to have a talent for placing buttons on their creations,

thereby enhancing their work, but when I saw that our DT brief this week at

W.W. was to use buttons, I wanted to 'head for the hills' and hide. Usually, I

am never happy with my use of buttons, but in this case I quite like how I 

have used them...I think it is because they are clear crystal, and therefore

rather subtle additions to my card.

I haven't made an easel card for ages, so rather enjoyed making this one.

The Bazzil cardstock I used is a lovely soft green, but for some 

reason it looks grey in the photos.

This is the first time I have inked up this gorgeous Lili of the Valley 

stamp, and it was such good fun to colour. In addition to the crystal

buttons I used, there are buttons on both these cuties' coats.

A side-on view of my card, showing how 3 of my buttons act as the 

'stoppers' to support the easel element of my card.

This view shows the inside of my card when fully opened.

The largest snowflake with its crystal button centre. I tied the silver cord 

through the buttons, so they would be slightly more visible.

The cluster of mini pinecones, berries, and foliage, all 'smudged' with 

gesso. I learned to make the 2 pine branches from a tutorial by

my super-creative blogging friend, Pamellia. A visit to her 

lovely blog is well worth the time.

Challenges I would like to enter

Christmas At Sweet Stampin' - 'Cute Christmas'

Christmas Cards All Year Round - 'Vintage'

Crimbo Crackers #80 - 'Die-cuts'

Inky Impressions #209 - 'More Than One Fold' WINNER

Penny's Paper Crafty #227 - 'More Than One Fold'

Try It On Tuesday - 'Sewing and/or Buttons'

Image - Lili of the Valley Festive Post

Colouring - Promarkers

Dies - Spellbinders Classic and Scalloped Rectangles; Joy Crafts 6002/2019; Impression Obsession Mini Snowflakes; Cheery Lynn Cutie Fringe 2, Wreath Strip

Punch - Martha Stewart Branch

Paper - Kaisercraft Wish Upon - Twinkle

Sentiment - Craft Creations Ltd Mixed Christmas Greetings 

Gesso - Atelier Traditional Primer

Glitter - Kindyglitz Crystallina

Pinecones from my garden

Buttons, Berries, Silver Cord from my junk stash

For a chance to win a lovely prize, pop over to Winter Wonderland and be inspired by my teamies beautiful creations, then enter your own Christmas 'Button It Up' creation.

Thank you for your visit, and until next time I wish you all "happy crafting".

Hugs

Jennifer. x

It's A Stitch Up

My goodness, the weeks are rushing by, aren't they. It's Friday again, and therefore

it is time for a new challenge at Winter Wonderland. This week our theme is

'IT'S A STITCH UP' 

We want to see some stitching on your creation. It can be real or faux.

The fabulous prize this week is a $15 gift voucher from The Paper Shelter.

The Paper Shelter very generously gave the Icicles team several images to use.

This beautiful image is called Holy Night and it also came with this lovely 

design paper. I thought the lacey border looked as if it was stitched, but I

decided to draw faux stitching around the mat.

I used crackle medium on the fence and while it was wet I sprinkled Rock

Candy Distress Glitter over it. I applied 2 thick layers of white acrylic paint

on the die-cut trees and also sprinkled the top layer with the glitter. Sadly

the beautiful sparkle does not show up. Likewise, the sparkle of the

liberally applied Star Dust Stickles to the printed trees, the snowflakes, 

and the 'Noel' do not show, and in places it appears pink.

This sweet image just melts my heart, and was a joy to colour with

my trusty Promarkers.

T

There are lots of trees on the front of the card, so I decided to use this

gorgeous embossing folder which I bought very recently, inside my card. 

I also used just half a tree die-cut, coloured with several green DIs, to  

add interest to the panel on which I will write my personal message.

Challenges I would Like To Enter

As You Like It - 'Alcohol or Distress Markers and Why' (Alcohol because they blend so beautifully, and as stated by several DT members, they can be used to colour ribbons and other embellishments)

Chocolate, Coffee and Cards #89 - 'Use A Die-Cut'

C.R.A.F.T. #307 - 'Christmas'

Crafty Catz #275 - 'It's A Girl Thing'

Creative Corner - 'For A Child'

Di's Digi Designs - 'Include An Animal'

Holly Jolly Christmas - 'Trees' TOP 3

Incy Wincy - 'Embossing, Wet or Dry' (my embossing is inside the card)

Sparkle 'n' Sprinkle - 'Anything Goes' (with loose glitter, embossing powder and/or flocking) TOP 3

The Crafter's Cafe #112 - 'Animal Antics'

Image - The Paper Shelter (digi) Holy Night

Paper - The Paper Shelter (digi) included with above image

Colouring - Promarkers

Dies - Impression Obsession Fir Trees, Mini Snowflakes; Spellbinders Holiday Sentiments; Marianne LR 0205

Embossing - Nellie Snellen Christmas Trees

Distress Inks - Tim Holtz Iced Spruce, Bundled Sage, Weathered Wood, Frayed Burlap

Glitters - Stickles Star Dust; Tim Holtz Clear Rock Candy Dry Glitter

Acrylic Paint - Semco Matte White

For a chance to win that great prize, why not pop over to Winter Wonderland, have a look at my Icicle teamies' gorgeous creations, then enter your own creations in our 'It's A Stitch Up' challenge.

The last two weeks have been frantically busy for me, and the coming week is shaping up to be the same. However I hope to squeeze in some crafty playtime...I am feeling a strong urge to get my fingers inky and messy, so..........

Until next time, thank you for visiting,

Hugs,

Jennifer. x