Presents Under the Tree

Hello fellow crafters,
Tonight's card is for some friends who live in a nearby village, and have already received it. I worked with Kathy when I was a Registered Nurse (Nursing Sister) in a Doctor's surgery in the early 1980s, and we have remained friends ever since.

The card looks blue, but IRL is pure white, and the tree is actually a lovely soft mint green Mi Teintes paper. I really don't know why some colours look so different when reproduced on the computer. I have 4 embossing folders called 'Snowflakes', but I don't know the brand name of this one. I think it is my favourite. The 'Celebrate' die-cut is by Cheery Lynn.

I have had the Memory Box 'Crisp Bows' dies for many months, and this is the first time I have used them. They are beautiful aren't they. The gifts have been cut with Spellbinders Classic Squares and Rectangles.

The tree die is also new - Cottage Cutz 'Partridge and a Pear Tree'. There are several pears and birds included in this set.

Inside the card - a Spellbinders Classic Circle is layered onto a Spellbinders Lacey Circle, and the corner die-cuts are by Cheery Lynn.

It is still sweltering here at 9.45pm, so I am off to have a cold shower and slip into bed, and try to sleep. John and I have been rehearsing all day, because tomorrow evening we are donating our music for a Christmas party for 90 people at historic Fort Scratchley, at the entrance to Newcastle Harbour. The party is for all the volunteers at the Fort, where I am training to become a Tour Guide. We are both looking forward to 'coming out of performing retirement' temporarily...they are a wonderful, very dedicated group of people. If you click onto the link above, the photo shows the beautiful building where we will be performing.

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

Hugs,
Jennifer. x

Tattered Poinsettias

Hello fellow crafters,
How are you all going with your Christmas preparations? Everyone I know seems to be in shock about how fast the big day is approaching.

Over the past few months I have seen several cards featuring Tim Holtz's Tattered Poinsettia, and so recently I succumbed to temptation, and bought the dies. These cards are the result.

Both cards are almost identical, with a just few variations.  

I used a Pergamano 'ball tool' (don't know if it has a proper name) and a pricking mat to mark veins in the leaves and petals, before sponging the edges with Distress Ink.

      The base card is dark green.

The inside of the card matches the front, however it never ceases to amaze me how various reds do not photograph accurately - the cardstock for the flowers, and the holly on the DP are fairly true, but the red scalloped rectangle layered under the white message card is not the bright red IRL as it appears here, nor is the narrower ribbon. 

I would like to enter the following challenges - 

                                                   Try It On Tuesday - 'Let's Get Inky'

                                            Crafting For All Seasons #41 - 'Use Flowers' (winner)

Paper - October Afternoon 'Deck The Halls'
Cardstock - Bazzill
Dies - Tim Holtz 'Tattered Poinsettia'; Cheery Lynn 'Holly Flourish'
Punch - Carl 'Holly Leaves'
Ink - Tim Holtz Distress Inks 'Antique Linen' & 'Walnut Stain'
Ribbon, Peel-off sticker, spacer & brad from my junk stash

Until next time, happy crafting and thank you for visiting.
Hugs,
Jennifer. x

Beep Beep

Hello fellow crafters,
It is safe to show you this card, as our friends (who follow my blog) received it yesterday. We have known Katie since she was a sweet toddler, and we have watched her grow into a lovely young woman with 3 lovely children of her own. Her husband Bill and my John have become good mates.

I love this image of the little mouse looking so excited about delivering his gifts. I couldn't guess how long I have had this paper hiding in my Christmas junk stash...at least 6 years...yes, I am hanging my head in shame! (makes it a bit hard to keep typing though - lol).

Close-up view of my cute friend and the punched border.

Inside the card, decorated to match the front. The 3 snowflakes are the negatives of the punched corners.

Close-up look at the pretty ribbon, the bow tied with my bow-easy, and the die-cut snowflake. I added Stickles 'Star Dust' to the snowflakes on the ribbon and the paper, and also to the gifts and car.

I would like to enter the following challenges -

Papercraft Junkies #5 - 'Embellish It'
I Love Promarkers - 'Anything Goes'

Perfect Sentiment #58 - 'Let It Snow'
ABC - 'C for Clear It Out' (2nd entry)

Penny's Paper Crafty - 'Anything Goes' (winner)

Sparkles Christmas - 'A Button or Bow'

Sweet Stampin' - 'Ribbon and Snowflakes'

Penny Black and More - 'It's Your Choice'

Penny Black Saturday - 'Glitter and Sparkle'

Hooked On Craft #27 - 'Christmas' (2nd entry)

Fussy and Fancy #77 - 'I Love Christmas' (2nd entry)

Sparkles Monthly #38 - 'Christmas Is Coming' (3rd entry)

Image - Penny Black 'Gifts Sedan'

Colouring - Promarkers

Paper - unknown

Die - Spellbinders 'Snowflakes'

Punch - Martha Stewart PATP 'Aspen Snowflake'

Ribbon, gems, Stickles from my junk stash

Well folks, I'm on a roll...I have finished several other cards, so will show you another one tomorrow night...mind you, our house is beginning to look like... NO, NOT Christmas...I know that song......a derelict squat! I almost looking forward to reacquainting myself with the duster and vacuum cleaner...who am I trying to kid????!!!! I once saw a poster somewhere that read "housework never killed anyone...but why take the risk!" LOVE it.

I know I have been rather lax lately about visiting your blogs, and commenting on your beautiful creations, but I am going to try to remedy that situation later tonight. Thank you all for your visits here, and the encouraging comments you leave.

Hugs,

Jennifer. x

Gift Tag Toppers

Hello fellow crafters, and welcome to Judith, my newest follower,

This little 'night-owl' hit her pillow at 9.30 last night! Can't remember the last time I went to bed before midnight, but I was 'done-in' after our big day yesterday.

John sailed through his Gastroscopy, and although the surgeon took biopsies of some 'funny' areas, he stressed that he is sure there is no need for concern. BIG relief!

The John Hunter Hospital is the 2nd largest hospital in the state, and a lovely touch is that every afternoon, they have someone playing a Baby Grand Piano in the huge foyer. While I was waiting for John, I sat and listened to a pianist, Wai Ching (a young doctor). She was playing various classical pieces (my 1st love), and after I quietly applauded several times, she asked me if I played piano. When I told her I had been a professional singer, she invited me to join her. We had a ball, performing a variety of songs; semi-classical to  'show-stoppers' from popular stage musicals and films.

These 2 cards were very easy and quick to put together. I had a bundle of gift tags (2 designs) left over from about 4 or 5 Christmas' ago, so I have used several of them as 'toppers', trimming them down with a Spellbinders Scalloped Square die, then layering them onto left-over gold gift wrap and Bazzill cardstock.

I cut four large squares of white card, then embossed them with Cuttlebug folders, 'Swiss Dots, and 'Ornaments'. The joins, and edges are covered with Anita's Glitteration border peel-off stickers, which have been lurking in my stash for 2 or 3 years.

Finally, I applied gold Stickles to the embossed ornaments, but regret doing so - I should have left them plain.

Challenges I would like to enter are -

Crafty Catz #161 - 'Recycle/Upcycle'

ABC - 'C for Clear It Out'

Must go and attend to some domestic duties, then it's off to my 'hidey-hole' to make more Christmas cards.

Thank you for visiting,

Hugs,

Jennifer. x

Fun Day at Di's

Hello fellow crafters,
Last week I travelled to The Entrance, on the Central Coast, for a fun day of card-making with a lovely group of ladies at Di' Scrapbook Shop. I have booked a seat in December too, when we will have a little Christmas party. We made 3 cards, designed by Di, but I can only show you 2, as I will be giving the 3rd one to John. I will show it to you once he has seen it.

The base cards are on kraft...I really must use kraft more often, as seems to go with everything. The cards are very different to my usual style, with lots of distressing and inking. I think it is good though to sometimes create something that is out of one's 'comfort zone'.

The flowers are Green Tara. The holly leaves were cut with a Cheery Lynn 'Holly Strip' die, and swiped with gold Versacube. The green cardstock was given a border (on both cards) with Martha Stewart PATP punches.

The pine cones were cut using a Tim Holtz 'Tattered Pinecone' die, and Cordinations cardstock. A Cheery Lynn die was used to cut the pine branches.

Tiny gold bows completed both cards.

I am really looking forward to the next craft day, and all the products I used for these cards can be purchased from Di..

A very brief post tonight, as we have to drive down to the John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle tomorrow morning. John is having a Gastroscopy to try to discover what is causing him to constantly choke on food...his neurologist is almost certain it is not connected with his Parkinson's Disease.

Until next time, happy crafting.

Hugs,

Jennifer. x

Holly and Poinsettia

Hello fellow crafters,
Hope you have enjoyed, or are still enjoying, your weekend. After playing 'domestic goddess' this morning, I  hid myself in my studio, and made another 2 cards. This is one of them.

I was quite pleased with how it turned out, despite the fact that it looked nothing like this in my mind before I began. The base card is actually dark green, but looks black in all the photos I took.

The holly berries have been given a touch of 3D lacquer.

A close-up of the poinsettia, made with the Spellbinders die, 3D mini foam dots, and 3 tiny gems.

Inside the card, decorated to match the front.

Challenges I would like to enter are -

Fab 'n' Funky - 3 of Something (3 gems in poinsettia) (Winner)

Crafty Sentiments - 'Red, White and Green'

Fussy 'n' Fancy #77 - 'I Love Christmas'

Hooked On Craft #27 - 'Christmas'

Image - PSX

Colouring - Promarkers

Embossing - 'Trellis' (not sure of the brand)

Dies - Spellbinders 'Poinsettia', Classic and Scalloped Rectangle, Classic and Scalloped Circle; Memory     

           Box 'Amira Flourish; Marianne 'Poinsettia'; Cheery Lynn 'Holly Leaf Strip', 'Holly Flourish', 

            'Merry Christmas'

Punch - Martha Stewart 'Branch'

Happy crafting, and thank you for visiting,

Hugs,

Jennifer. x

Recycled Card

Hello fellow crafters,

Welcome to my new follower, Judy, and "hi" to Mel, from Raymond Terrace.

Not a good week I'm afraid... I saw my GP yesterday because I have had an increasingly painful shoulder which keeps me awake, and seriously restricts much of my movements. I have to now have an ultrasound of, and a cortisone injection, into my shoulder. AND my liver function tests have again shot up.

This unwelcome news came on top of the awful week we have had with our beautiful 'fur baby' Pagliacci (Pally) (picture on sidebar). He will be 14 on Boxing Day, and we think he has used up almost all of his 9 lives. I felt something was not right last Sunday and Monday, but thought it may have been the dreadful heat we have been experiencing this week (43 degrees C today). However, early on Tuesday morning he refused breakfast and was a little unsteady on his feet. We called our vet and when she examined him, she was quite concerned.

She took him straight back to the surgery, and admitted him to hospital. Blood tests and an ultrasound have revealed he is anaemic, has poor kidney and liver functions, and has an enlarged uneven textured liver. However, the ultrasound shows no masses whatsoever (that is a relief). He will be on a high dose of antibiotics for a week, then re-tested, with a possibility of having to have a liver biopsy. He is home with us now, and although he is much improved, he is still 'just not himself'.

He had to have both his beautiful ears completely removed 2 years ago because of cancer. In April this year, he had horrible cancer lesions on his nose and face, but with diligent treatment those healed completely within weeks and he once again went into remission. Since then he has had a ravenous appetite and has been very well. We lost our dear little 13 year old pet duck, Blossom, a few weeks ago, so we certainly don't want to face the prospect of losing another beloved pet too soon.

One of the charities that John and I support regularly is Donkey Welfare With Heart Inc., founded and run by a wonderful couple, Christine and Stephen Berry. I always save any cards picturing donkeys, that are given to me, then recycle them for Christine and Stephen.

I cropped the original, very large card, and layered the image on gold textured card, and DP (? Kaisercraft) from my stash. I added gold peel-off stickers in the corners. I did not attach any greeting to the card, as I felt the script on the DP was enough.

The inside of the card co-ordinates with the front. I cut the circles with 

Spellbinders Classic and Scalloped Nestabilities.

That's all for now, I must go and prepare dinner. It is still sweltering, so we will just have chicken and salad. Thank you for visiting and leaving your lovely comments.

Hugs,

Jennifer. x