Bluebell and Friend

 

Hello lovely people. Recently I hinted that I would have some exciting news

this week........well today's the day to 'spill the beans',.....

Last month I won a challenge at Christmas Craft Creations with one of my

chocolate card/boxes, and as a result I was invited to be the Guest Designer

for the month of January. I was thrilled to accept!! The theme this month is

'RIBBON OR TWINE'

Below is my first card for the challenge.

I used the 'out-of-the-box' technique to die-cut around the image, as it

is a fairly large stamp.

Coloured with Promarkers, is the incredibly cute image

by Wild Rose Studio.

A closer look at my poinsettia, die-cut foliage, and bead sprays.

The centre of the poinsettia is Prills mixed with clear craft glue.

Challenges I would like to enter:-

Crafty Calendar - 'Make It Cute' (2nd entry)

Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas #524 - 'Anything Christmas Goes (optional Feature a Creature)'

Christmas Kickstart #46 - 'Such A Deer!'

Let's Squash It! #4 - 'Use Embossing Folder AND an Animal'

The Holly and the Ivy #85 - 'Anything Christmas Goes'  TOP 5

Image - Wild Rose Studio Bluebell With Presents

Colouring - Promarkers

Dies - Spellbinders Scalloped Circle; Craft4U Stitched Circle; Memory Box Holly Branch; Sizzix Tim Holtz Alterations Holiday Greens; Creative Expressions Pine Cone and Greenery; Cheery Lynn Poinsettia Strip.

Embossing Folder - Unnamed, free with Cardmaking Australia magazine

Sentiment - Craftwork Cards

Ribbon - Vandoros grosgrain

Prills, gold twine, and tiny red beads are from my junk stash

Tiny gold 'foliage' accents are cut from an old Christmas decoration

For more inspiration from the very talented regular design team, why not pop over to Christmas Craft Creations then enter your own 'Ribbon or Twine' creation.

Until next time, thank you for visiting,

Cheers,

Jennifer.  xx

Animal Antics

Good evening everyone, and welcome to my newest followers. Thank you

for visiting, and I hope you find something of interest while here.

It's Friday once again, and therefore it is time for another challenge at

Winter Wonderland, and the theme this week is 'ANIMAL ANTICS'.

During January and February your creations could be for any occasion,

but for the remainder of the year, you MUST create 

something for Christmas.

Our generous sponsor this week is 

I love creating Christmas cards, and I had great fun with this one.

This oh, so cute image is by our sponsor, and is coloured

with Promarkers. I have been trying to get my hands on Frantage

for a long time, but here in Australia, it is VERY difficult to find.

However, I remembered a store a few hours drive from here, and found 

that they actually stock it...so thank you Tracey, at Pages 2 Scrap.

Another product I purchased from Tracey was a huge jar of Tim Holtz's

Clear Rock Candy glitter. I used heaps of it on my 'snow', but sadly I

could not capture the amazing effect it creates, in my photographs. I

 created that pine branch (on the right) by using a Cheery Lynn Fringe

die, after seeing a tutorial by the incredibly talented Pamellia.

Inside my card is decorated to co-ordinate with the front.

Image - Wild Rose Studio Bluebell and Presents

Colouring - Promarkers

Paper - Wild Rose Studio Annabelle's Christmas

Dies - Spellbinders Labels Eight, Decorative Labels Eight; Impression Obsession Pine Branch; Cherry Lynn Cutie Fringe 2; Couture Creations Mistletoe

Punches - EK Success Scalloped Corner Rounder; Martha Stewart Branch, PATP Aspen Snowflake (negative)

Embossing - (Brand Unknown) Snowflakes 

Sentiment - Craftwork Cards

Frantage - Stampendous Shabby White

Glitter - Tim Holtz Clear Rock Candy

Mini 'pine cones' are from my garden

Lace and gold cord are from my junk stash

CHALLENGES

52 (Christmas) Card Throwdown - 'Markers' (HONOURABLE MENTION)

Christmas Cards #13 - 'Winter Hues' (photo inspiration) (WINNER)

Christmas Cards All Year Round - 'Cute Critters' (TOP 3)

Completely Christmas #52 - 'Anything Goes with Twist - add some texture (WINNER)

Crafty Catz #269 - 'Song Title To Match Your Image' (That's What Friends Are For) (TOP 3)

Deep Ocean #98 - 'Our Furry Friends'

Fussy and Fancy #133 - 'Tic Tac Toe (lace/ribbon/sentiment) (ribbon on deer & gifts/gold cord?)

Holly Jolly Christmas - 'Dies and Punches' (TOP 3)

Jingle Belles - 'A Very Vibrant Christmas' (photo inspiration) (I used reindeer)

Sparkle 'n' Sprinkle - 'Anything Goes with loose glitter, EP,, and/or flocking

For a chance to win a lovely prize, pop over to Winter Wonderland to see the wonderful inspiration by my very talented teamies, then enter our 'Animal Antics' challenge.

Until next time, "happy crafting",

Hugs

Jennifer. x

Time Flies

Recently, when I was working on my cataloguing of all my embarassingly 

large collection of stamps, a friend saw my bundle of new stamps from

 Lili of the Valley. She commented that this little fairy was so cute. When

 I told her that it was called 'Time Flies', she asked me to make a card for

her life-long friend's 70th birthday, using those words as the sentiment.

She felt that they were really appropriate for their very long friendship.

The gorgeous paper, and pearl flower 'ribbon' were purchased at the

craft show I went to in Sydney last month.

A closer look at the little cutie.

Inside the card is decorated to match the front.

Challenges

Crafter's Cafe #77 - 'Square Cards Only'

Divas By Design - 'Pretty Pearls'

In The Pink #51 - 'Fairies and Elves' TOP 5

Papertake Weekly - 'To Die For'

Image - Lili of the Valley Time Flies

Colouring - Promarkers

Paper - Wild Rose Studio Annabelle's Garden

Dies - Spellbinders Labels Eight, Decorative Labels Eight, Classic and Scalloped Circle

Punch - Martha Stewart Butterfly Trio

Sentiment - Computer generated Balsam font

Pearl Flower 'Ribbon' - The Craft Queen

My friend loved the card so much, she asked me to make another one exactly the same (except for the sentiment) for another friend's 70th birthday.The 2 friends live in different states of Australia, and have never met. I told her that I never make 2 cards the same, so we compromised...I have made another using the same image and design, but with blues and a different DP. I will show you that one another time.

My dear John has just come in for his lunch, so I am off to make a nice hot cup of tea and have a toasted ham and tomato sandwich - yummo! It is so cold here today, I may need to light the fire!

Until next time, thank you for visiting, and I wish you all "happy crafting",

Hugs, 

Jennifer. x

Craft Show Goodies

Last month, I travelled by train to Sydney to visit a huge annual Craft Show.

For most of the trip there, I kept telling myself I was not to buy any new junk stash,

as my craft cupboards are groaning at their doors.....but....did I listen to myself????

No, of course not!!! Come on, now be honest, you've all 'been there', haven't you.

The 3 small dies were all 50% off, the nesting dies were $5, and the embossing folder 

was only $2! I have used the Spellbinder Tool-In-One, and it is brilliant. A few months 

ago, I fell in love with the Sweet Lullaby die set when I saw some cards made with it 

on a blog. I have not used it yet, nor have I used the flower-shaping tool kit.

Like all of us, I love a bargain...the Penny Black and Kanban stamps were 

reduced by 50%. One stand had some beautiful cards on display using the

toppers, and although I have rarely used toppers, I thought they would

be handy for some quick cards.

Some pretty papers, ribbons, vintage toppers, and 'berries', completed my

purchases. Although my paper collection could rival any craft store's, I just

could not resist the stunning Wild Rose Studio pad...The only problem I had, 

and believe me it was a problem...was choosing only one. At one stage 

I had about 6 in my hands, and played 'Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Mo!

In addition to all the above goodies, I succumbed to temptation last week, and bought

quite a few Lili of the Valley stamps while they were 'On Sale'. They all arrived 

yesterday, so I can't wait to have a 'crafty play'.

Now I have confessed my naughty crime of 'splurging' to you all, I had better trot

off to the kitchen, and finish preparing dinner. 

Until next time,

Hugs, Jennifer. x

"Hello"

Last week, a friend who loves my cards, asked me if I would go to 

her home and show her and a couple of her friends how to make a 

simple card. None of them have ever done any papercrafting, although

they all do some form of craft, be it knitting, sewing, etc. As I basically

only have enough tools and equipment for myself, I really had to 'put my

thinking cap on' as to a design that was pretty, employed several easy

techniques for beginners, yet required a minimum of equipment. 

This is what I came up with...

I have always loved the combination of pink and green, and I knew I had

several sheets of the striped paper in my large paper stash. The pinks of

the cardstock, ribbon and topper are all a perfect match IRL, but as so

often before, they look very different in the photographs. I would love

to know why this happens????

Quite a few years ago, there was a company here in Australia that

would travel each year to many areas and hire a hall for a few days, where

they would sell a vast selection of lovely papers, cardstock, punches, and 

stamps, all designed by themselves. I particulary loved their papers, and

 this 'topper' was from a heavy-weight sheet of deeply-embossed, 

small rose images at various stages of opening (here). I cut a 

fully-opened rose for each of the ladies, using a circle die.

Inside the card is fairly simple, and these cards were a good way

to use some of the huge collection of peel-off stickers I have 

managed to accumulate over the years.

On Sunday, my friend is going overseas for a few weeks, so we will have 

our craft morning when she returns. I hope the ladies enjoy 

making this card.

Image - Paper Pleasure Plus

Paper - Grace Taylor Vintage Collection

Embossing - Couture Creations Trellis

Dies - Spellbinders Classic and Scalloped Circles, Floral Doily Motifs; Cheery Lynn Butterfly Trio; 

Punch - EK Success Scalloped Corner

Sentiment - Wild Rose Studio Cute Greetings

Stickles - Star Dust

Peel-off Stickers, Ribbon from my junk stash

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

Hugs, 

Jennifer. x

Flutterbyes

Gosh, aren't the weeks disappearing rapidly, and therefore it is yet again time

for the Pink Fairies at Crafty Little Fairies to invite you to join us for this 

week's challenge, the theme of which is always such a popular one -

'THINGS WITH WINGS'

You may interpret this one anyway you like e.g fairies, butterflies, 

dragonflies, birds, or even aeroplanes.

A big THANK YOU to our 2 wonderful sponsors this week. They are

and

I made this card for a dear little girl who will be turning (no prizes for 

guessing...) four years old soon. I hope it is 'girly' enough for her, with a

combination of a fairy, butterflies, flowers, and buckets of glitter (perhaps a slight

exaggeration!). The '4' was in a big packet of wooden numbers

I bought years ago - I painted it blue then embossed it with about 

4 or 5 layers of Opals E.P., finally sprinkling it, while hot and

 'sticky', with Martha Stewart Ultra-fine glitter.

I LOVE my new Butterfly Border die!

A closer look at the little fairy and her flowers. The fairy is by PSX, and 

this stamp is one of my oldest. PSX stamps are of such high quality, but 

sadly the company ceased production many years ago.

Inside my card. The blue cardstock and the ink for sponging are a much

closer match in reality (would I tell a fib??!!). Seriously though, isn't it 

strange how colours often do not photograph true, particuly reds.

Challenges

An Oldie But A Goodie - 'Spring Has Sprung' (everything except Butterfly Border die)

Crafters' Cafe #54 - 'Flowers'

Crafting For All Seasons #72 - 'Spring Into Spring'

Cupcake Inspirations #251 - 'Butterflies'

Hobbybook Designer #1 - 'Make It Girly'

Milk Coffee - 'At least 2 Flowers'

Paper Shelter #149 - 'Fairies'

Papertake Weekly - Bingo (Gems,Die-cuts,Flowers; and Die-cuts,Free,Glitter)

Passion For Promarkers #238 - 'Butterfly Kisses'

Squirrel And The Fox #65 - 'Autumn or Spring'

Image - PSX 

Colouring - Promarkers

Paper - First Edition Spring Drop

Sentiment - Wild Rose Studio Cute Greetings

Dies - Spellbinders Labels Eight, Classic and Scalloped Ovals; Joy! Crafts Butterfly Border

Punch - Martha Stewart Branch

Embossing Powder - Opals

Tiny butterflies - from a $2 shop

Flowers and gems are from my junk stash 

For a chance to win one of two lovely prizes, why not visit us at Crafty Little Fairies, 

and enter our 'Things With Wings' challenge, but please remember that to be eligible, 

you must use a stamped or digi image.

Until next time, "happy crafting",

Hugs, 

Jennifer. x

Lavender and Lace

Can you believe we are almost into February. At this rate, we'd better start

Christmas shopping, and dragging out the decorations for the house!!!

No??...you're not too keen on that idea, I hear you cry. I agree! lol.

 Speaking of how fast the days are speeding by, it is once again Thursday, and

you know what that means...it's time for another challenge at Crafty Little Fairies.

This week it is the turn of the Pink Fairies to invite you to join us in the theme of

'LAVENDER AND LACE'

I'm sure many of you will love this challenge, where you can unleash all your

girly creativity.

Our lovely sponsor this week is Stamp and Create, who are offering a 

generous prize in the form of a gift voucher.

Remember, you must use a stamped or digi image on your creation to be

eligible for this great prize.

I am ashamed to admit that early last year I bought several gorgeous Wild Rose Studio 

stamps, featuring this oh so cute little elephant, and none have seen ink until now.

Oh dear, methinks I just heard a very loud collective gasp of horror from you all!

A closer look at Wild Rose Studio's Bella With Flowers, 

coloured as usual with my Promarkers.

Inside my card matches the front.

Challenges

Animal Friends#10 - 'Dies/Punches'

Brown Sugar #78 - 'Embossing'

Craft-Dee Bowz - 'Anything Goes With A Handmade Bow'

Crafter's Cafe #48 - 'Use Ribbon or Lace'

Fan-Tastic Tuesday #20 - 'Make It Cute or Sweet'

Flourishes Timeless Tuesday #256 - 'Purple'

Incy Wincy Designs - 'Ribbons and Pearls'

Inky Chicks #21 - 'Bingo' (Lace, Swirls, Butterflies, Ribbon)

Loves Rubber Stamps #88 - 'Use Lace'

Pile It On #4 - 'Animals'

Vintage Stamping/Flonz Craft - 'Lavender and Lace'

Image - Wild Rose Studio Bella With Flowers

Colouring - Promarkers

Paper - Prima Meadow Lark

Sentiment - free with a magazine

Embossing - Couture Creations Trellis

Dies - Spellbinders Classic, Scalloped, and Lacey Circles

Punch - Martha Stewart corner punch Butterflies

Scissors - Fiskars Victorian (to cut around sentiment)

Viva Perlea Pen - Creme

Lace and Ribbon from my junk stash

For a chance to win a lovely prize, why not visit us at Crafty Little Fairies, 

and enter our 'Lavender and Lace' challenge.

Hugs,

Jennifer. x

Butterfly Waterfall

Good evening fellow crafters,

Hot, hot, hot!! We are only 3 weeks into spring here in Australia, and already we have temperatures in the mid 30sC. The grass is dead, brown and tinder-dry, and there are constant hot, dry westerly winds. There are widespread Total Fire Bans, but there have been major bushfires in many parts of NSW already, so we are dreading what sort of summer we are in for!

Australia is certainly a continent of extremes, as expressed in Dorothea Mackeller's famous poem 'My Country'..."...of droughts and flooding rains...her beauty and her terror, the wide brown land for me". The poet was English, but grew to love Australia, and wrote the poem while living just a few kilometres from where I live.

At Penny's Paper Crafty we have a new challenge for you.

Our theme for this week is

'Waterfall Cards' 

There are lots of tutorials on the internet on how to make a

Waterfall card. However, if you don't wish to try this technique,

you may make an

'Easel Card'.

Our challenge is kindly sponsored this week by

and

I was given Polka Dot Pals Daisy digi stamp, by Little Miss Muffet Stamps, 

and this is what I created with her.

My 'waterfall' is straight IRL. I added Crystal Stickles to every

butterfly on the designer paper.

A closer look at Daisy with her bag and balloons.

I coloured her with my Promarkers.

Rather than stamp images on my 'waterfall', I cut out

butterflies from the designer paper.

Inside my card with more cut-out butterflies, this time in profile.

Challenges

LEJ Designs #72 - 'Lots of Layers'

Crafty Cardmakers -'Winged Things'

Crafter's Cafe #30 - 'Dies and Punches'

The Squirrel and the Fox #53 - 'Happy Birthday'

Tammy's Scrappin Corner #81 -'Happy Birthday'

Image - Little Miss Muffet Stamps digi Polka Dot Pals Daisy

Colouring - Promarkers

Paper - Crafters Choice Princess

Sentiment - Wild Rose Studio

Dies - Spellbinders 

Ribbon, brads from my junk stash

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

Until tomorrow night when I will be back with another card,
"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