Geraldine the Giraffe

Good afternoon all. 

Recently I made this card for a friend's teenage son. Unfortunately, 

I sent it off in the mail before uploading the photos in my

computer, not realising I had had my camera on the 

wrong setting, resulting in the blurry result...apologies.

I do not have any giraffe patterned paper or embossing folder, so I 

drew a giraffe pattern freehand on a piece of 'thickish' cardstock,

then cut it out with a craft knife...phew!! I then used my 'stencil'

to emboss a piece of ordinary cardstock for the top half of the 

base panel (it is very faint). I then used my stencil to 

sponge black paint onto the lower half of the panel.

I stamped my giraffe with Versamark ink and embossed it with

black powder. I then used a rectangle die to cut the stamped panel,

and while it was still in the die I sponged the panel with Distress

Ink, thus creating a clear border inside the matting layer.

I adore giraffes, and I have named this one Geraldine...

I know, I know, not very original.

Challenges I would like to enter

Artsystamper #16 - 'Its A Guy Thing'

The Paper Girls #200 - 'All About Boys'

Image - Stampworld Giraffe

Sentiment - Peel-off sticker

Dies - Spellbinders Rectangles (long)

Inks - Versamark; Distress Ink Tea Dye

Twine is from my junk stash

On this very cold, grey, and miserable day I will wish you all well and safe.

Hugs,

Jennifer.  x

Autumn Leaves

Oh dear, I am way behind with my blogging, and already it is the

second Wednesday of the month (yikes, October!!!!!!!!!).

Sooooo, once again it is time for another challenge at Words 2 Craft By, 

and this month our quote is by Humbert Wolfe -

"Listen,

The wind is rising, and the air is wild with leaves,

We have had our summer evenings, now for October eves"

A lovely quote, and such an easy one for your interpretation.

We are looking forward to seeing your creations.

I decided to make a centre-step card, as I haven't made one for such a long time.

I made it for my dearest friend of almost 55 years, Diane. She loves leaves, 

so it is serendipitous that this month's quote is about leaves.

Inside the card where I wrote my personal message to Diane. These

leaves were stamped, heat embossed, then cut out by hand.

A close-up look at one of the side panels, 

die-cut leaves, and a tiny flower.

I also stamped; heat embossed several these leaves with various 

embossing powders; then cut them out by hand.

A side-on view. That friendship sentiment is from a sheet of 

friendship-themed peel-off stickers I bought specially with 

Diane in mind. I truly believe our friendship is a special gift.

Stamps - PSX F-2781; Stampworld Solid Gumleaf  (Both these companies no longer exist)

Dies - Cheery Lynn Flourish Leaf Strip, Mini Butterflies, Spellbinders Decorative Labels Eight

Paper - DCWV The Lace and Linen Stack

Ink for sponging - Ranger (Tim Holtz) Distress Ink Vintage Photo

Glitter - Ranger Stickles Platinum

Sentiment - peel-off stickers

Paper flowers are from my junk stash

Challenges I would like to enter

Crafteezee - 'Leaves'

Daisy Chain #24 - 'Autumn/Fall'

Papercraft Business #11 - 'Anything Goes with option of Halloween/Fall'

Use Your Stuff #333 - 'Autumn/Halloween' (stamps about 20 yrs old, paper about 7 yrs old)

For a chance to win a great prize, why not pop over to Words 2 Craft By, admire my teamies lovely work, then enter your own creation.

Until next time, happy crafting, and thank you for visiting,

Hugs,

Jennifer.  xx

Condolences

One of the negative aspects of being in one's senior years and living in a 

retirement village is that most of our friends, and all the other residents

here are also of mature years, and therefore the 'inevitable' is a fairly

regular event.

Sadly, last week 3 residents here in our 'Village' passed away. We were 

acquainted with one of them, and this is the card I made for his wife. 

They had been married for more than 60 years. 

Inside the card where I have printed one of my favourite verses

(enlarged below). In the top corner of the right-hand page, I

have placed a die-cut dove in flight.

I have often used this beautiful verse in my sympathy cards.

I prefer to make fairly simple, yet elegant sympathy cards, and

often use this corner die...it is one of my favourite corner dies. 

Challenges I would like to enter

CAS On Friday #141 - 'Flowers'

Pause Dream Enjoy - 'Cards Only (Any Theme)'

Dies - Memory Box Wildflower Corner; Couture Creations Baby Dove

Stamp - Stamp World With Deepest Sympathy

Verse - "Do Not Stand At My Grave and Weep" by Mary Elizabeth Frye, computer generated using Viner Hand ITC

On this glorious early spring day I have to bring all my washing in off the line...don't you just love the smell of clothes that have dried in the sunshine.

Until next time, thank you for visiting,

Hugs,

Jennifer.  x

Sparkling Forest

Good evening all.

The card I want to show you tonight is the Christmas card I made for 

my dear husband, John...

It is an easel card, and I have used a new (to me) technique ...dryer sheet and 

ultra-fine glitter...there are endless tutorials for this technique on the internet. 

The sparkle is truly amazing, but as usual that is barely visible in my photos.

A closer look at the die-cut poinsettia with its pearl centre.

This is the easel card opened out. I chose the lovely blue paper, because

I thought it looked a little bit like cracked ice on a lake in front of

the pine tree forest.

The die-cut sentiment.

The back of my card. John gave me the "Handcrafted by" stamp many, many

Christmases ago. "Jen Pen" is one of the two nicknames John has for me.

Challenges I would like to enter

Addicted to Stamps - 'Baby It's Cold Outside'

Christmas At Sweet Stampin' - 'Anything Christmas'

Craft Rocket #44 - 'Winter'

C.R.A.F.T. #450 - 'Christmas'

Dare 2B Artzy - 'Winter Wonderland'

Eclectic Ellapu - 'Christmas'

Merry Christmas #2 - 'Anything Christmas'

Penny Black and More - 'Something New' (Technique)

Stamping Sensations - 'Cold and Frosty Colours'   TOP 3

The House That Stamps Built - 'Tic Tac Toe' (Pearls/Snowflakes/Silver & Snowflakes/Blue/Glitter)

Image - PSX K1465; Stamp World Handcrafted By

Paper - Kaisercraft Silver Bells

Dies - Sizzix Tim Holtz Alterations Holiday Words:Script; Spellbinder Layered Poinsettia; 

           Memory Box Star of Wonder

Punch - Martha Stewart PATP Aspen Snowflakes (negatives used for 'falling' snowflakes)

Glitter - Tim Holtz Rock Candy Ultrafine

Peel-off stickers, dryer sheet, and pearl are from my junk stash.

I really must be off to bed as I am light-headed with tiredness...I did some very heavy work in our couryard garden today, then did a huge grocery-shop. We had house guests last week, so the fridge and pantry were almost bare; and we are having several lots of guests this week.

Until next time, thank you for your visit,

Hugs,

Jennifer. xx

Vale Al

Early on Saturday morning I received the very sad news that one of my fellow guides at
the Fort where I volunteer, had passed away during the night. Al was only 67, and was
a much loved and respected member of our 'Fort family'. His lovely wife, Roz, is also
a volunteer at the Fort, in the museum. They had only just returned a few weeks
ago from a 1 month trip to Europe, where they shared some
wonderful experiences.

I always prefer my sympathy cards to be fairly simple, yet elegant, so this is  

the card I made for Roz and her family, using a new corner die.

The inside of my card has a verse that I love, and have occasionally included in

sympathy cards. A tiny die-cut dove-in-flight is in the corner of the page 

where I wrote a personal message of comfort to Roz. 

A closer view of the verse.

Challenges

Penny's Paper Crafty #190 - 'Anything Goes'

Sentimental Sundays #220 - 'Monochrome'

Dies - Memory Box Wildflower Corner, Couture Creations Baby Dove

Sentiment - Stamp World With Deepest Sympathy

Verse - Do Not Stand At My Grave And Weep by Mary Elizabeth Frye (1932) 

Font - Wendy Medium

Liquid Pearls - Perla

I shall miss Al greatly...he was a true gentleman. When I was training to be a guide at the Fort, he was always so encouraging and supportive, and had a great sense of humour. His favourite piece of music was the 'Dambusters March' (from the film), and he savoured every note when John played it for him at any Fort function. If Roz is agreeable, John would like to play it at the staff Christmas function, as a special tribute to a special man. Those of us on duty yesterday were a little subdued, and one of the guides commented ... "if someone couldn't like Big Al (he was well over 6' tall), there was something wrong with them".

Vale Al

Until next time,

Hugs, 

Jennifer. x

"Surprise!"

Today, in New Zealand and here in Australia, it was ANZAC Day, when we remember all the brave men and women who have given their lives in war time so we can enjoy our wonderful freedom and lifestyle.

'LEST WE FORGET'

As many of you know, I am a volunteer guide at Fort Scratchley, in Newcastle, and yesterday I was at the Fort all day. We were incredibly busy (it is school holidays and also a long weekend), and I only managed to sit down for about 6 seconds! The Fort is almost 1 1/2 hours drive from home, so the 2 or 3 days I volunteer are very long. I didn't get home until 6.30pm last night, then this morning I had to get up at 2am so I could drive down to the Fort to attend our Anzac Day Dawn Service (and then volunteer all day). It is always so moving, especially when the Last Post is played, and the hymn, 'God of Our Fathers' is sung...I have to confess I get a lump in my throat and a bit misty-eyed. Of course we are also extremely busy on Anzac Day, and today was no exception, with hundreds of visitors to the Fort.

As I write this, I have been awake now for 20 hours, and only managed to sit for about 1 hour in total all day. My feet are aching more than I can describe, so I will get on with showing you the card I made for our new challenge at Crafty Little Fairies. I am very naughty, because the challenge began last night, so I am a day late...however, I think (or hope) you will forgive me.

Our new challenge theme is one I know you will all love -:

'FURRY FRIENDS'

Don't forget, that as from next week, the Crafty Little Fairies challenge
will be a monthly challenge, beginning on the first Thursday of each month.

This cute image is one of the 1st rubber stamps I ever bought. I often use

it either on a Christmas card, or a birthday card, such as this one.

Don't you just love those cute faces!!

Inside my card matches the front.

Challenges

Incy Wincy - 'Furry Friends'

Penny Black - 'Cats and Dogs' WINNER

Image - Penny Black Funny Present
Colouring - Promarkers
Paper - Prima Meadow Lark
Greeting - Stampworld
Dies - Spellbinders Classic and Scalloped Ovals; QuicKutz Lace
Gems and flowers from my junk stash

For a chance to win a lovely prize, why not visit us at Crafty Little Fairies, and enter our 'Furry Friends' challenge. Don't forget, you must use a stamped or digi image on your creation.

I'm off to bed, so until next time "Happy Crafting",
Hugs,
Jennifer. x

Birthday Penguin

Good evening fellow crafters, and "Welcome Aboard" to my newest follower, Fiona. I hope you enjoy your visits.

Can you believe that it is June already!! I am already beginning to stress out about the fact that I only have 2 Christmas cards made.

It is yet again time for another challenge at Pennys Paper Crafty. This week we have one that we are sure you will love, and we expect lots of entries, with plenty of freedom to unlease your creativity. Our theme is

'BIRTHDAYS'

Thank you to our 3 generous sponsors this week

From a selection of fun Bugaboo images, I chose this cute image, 

'Birthday Penguin - candle' to play with.

As usual, I coloured the image with Promarkers.

I have had this paper for about 5 years, and decided it was time I used some of it.

Inside my card is decorated to match the front.

Challenges I would like to enter are:-

Sandy's Crafty Creations - 'Anything Goes With Embossed Background'

Songbird #21 - 'All Creatures Great and Small'

Kaboodle Doodles #174 - 'For The Kids'

Creative Card Crew #37 - 'Punches/Dies'

Tuesday Throwdown #150 - 'Embossing'

That Craft Place - 'Dies and Punches'

Gingerloft - 'Critters of the Sea'

Image - Bugaboo digi Birthday Penguin - candle
Colouring - Promarkers
Paper - Postscript Rainbow Balloons
Sentiment - Stampworld
Dies - Spellbinders Classic and Scalloped Circles; Cuttlebug Birthday; QuicKutz Scallops; Star (freebie)
Embossing - Fiskars Texture Plate Party

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

"Happy Crafting"
Hugs,
Jennifer. x

Aussie Wattle

Hello fellow crafters,
Yellow - mmmm, definitely not my favourite colour for my cards...a touch here and there maybe, but not as the main colour. I think a lot of you feel the same. When I saw the Less is More challenge theme for this week, at first I said to myself "no mam, no way", but then I thought "come on girl, why do they call them challenges!

As I said in my 'Fairy' post, these challenges are making me use long forgotten stamps - I am totally ashamed of myself, but I bought this lovely wattle stamp about 4 years ago, and la la la la la (covering your ears) it has never seen ink!!!!!!!  What more perfect stamp could we have for a yellow challenge than 'Wattle'.

The company that designed and produced this stamp, and the gumnut one on the inside of the card, was a small family owned business based in Sydney, and sadly they retired, and closed the business last year. They were a lovely couple, and the stamps were high quality. Over the years, I bought quite a number of them, but wish I had more.

Side-on view

The inside of the card co-ordinates with the front

A close-up of the lovely corner stamp, made by the same company that made the wattle stamp. I don't know what the white lines are - must be a light flare on the lens.

My card base is made with my new A4 300gsm hammered white cardstock - it feels like velvet. The greeting is a gold peel-off sticker from my HUGE collection - if I live for another hundred years, I don't think I will ever use them all.

This card was made specially for the Less is More Challenge - Yellow.

Stamps - Stamp World

Colouring - Promarkers

Cardstock - House of Paper

Paper - Chatterbox

Other - ribbon and gold peel-off sticker from my junk stash

Thanks for looking...until tomorrow...happy crafting.

Jennifer. x