Hang In There...

This card is for someone quite dear to both of us, who has been going through

a very difficult time. He is normally a very happy soul, with a great sense of

humour, but lately has not had too much to laugh about.

Hopefully my card, with this cute little monkey and my words of

encouragement inside, will cheer him up.

I found this little guy (sentiment included) on Pinterest, but could not 

find any link to his ownership, so if that is you could you please 

let me know so I can give due credit.

Image - Pinterest freebie Hang In There

Colouring - Promarkers

Papers - DCWV stack Animal Crackers 

Die - Cheery Lynn Fanciful Flourish (cut into small pieces) 

Stickles - Platinum 

Challenges

Freshly Brewed Designs - 'Animals'

I Love Promarkers #257 - 'Make Us Laugh'

Passion For Promarkers #285 - 'Letters Of The Alphabet' (M for Monkey)

Shopping Our Stash #189 - 'The Big Screen' (Planet of the Apes) (die & papers 3 years old) 

Thank you for visiting, and until next time "happy crafting",

Hugs

Jennifer. x

Krafty Creations

My goodness, can you believe we are already in the 2nd half of February?

Because it is a Friday, it is time for another Winter Wonderland challenge.

This week our theme is 'CRAFTY CREATIONS'.

Don't forget, we are still in our 'non-Christmas' period, so you can enter

our challenge with any style/image, as long as we can see some kraft.

Our generous sponsors for this challenge are 

and

Other than my base card and part of the insert, I have used kraft for every

other element of my card and matching envelope.

As in my previous post, this card is also quite different from

my usual style. However, I really enjoyed making both of them.

A closer look at the flowers, sponged with Adirondack Raison,

 and the leaves, sponged lightly with Bundled Sage D.I. This is 

the first time I have used the pretty flower dies, which I won

in a challenge last year.

Inside my card co-ordinates with the front.

Challenges

Crafting for all Seasons #96 - 'Die and/or Punches'

Cute Card Thursday #361 - 'Floral Delight'

Just Inspirational - 'Handmade Flowers'

Papertake Weekly - 'Bingo' (die-cut, free, glitter)

Party Time Tuesdays #195 - Anything Goes

Dies - Cheery Lynn Leaf Flourish; Sweet Stamps Mini Flowers

Punch - Martha Stewart Floral Strip; EK Success Scalloped Corner Rounder

Stamp - The Creative Stamp Collection P/L E238

Inks - Adirondack Raison; Tim Holtz Bundled Sage

Stickles - Ranger Platinum

For a chance to win one of the fab prizes, why not pop over to Winter Wonderland, be inspired by my teamies gorgeous creations, then enter our 'Krafty Creations' challenge.

Until next time,

Hugs

Jennifer. x

80th Birthday

Yesterday was a special day for one of my fellow guides at the Fort. He

celebrated his 80th birthday...a major milestone in anyone's life. Keith is

full of life, and is the Fort's 'clown'. He has many nicknames, just one of

them being a brand of smallgoods, because most of us tell him he is

more 'ham' than could be found in a delicatessen!!

I was going to make Keith a card which featured a clown, but as I was on a 

kraft 'kick', I opted for a more traditional card. I know for sure that Keith

won't be embarassed about the fact that I have disclosed his age, as he

has been telling everyone for months that he will be 80 in February. 

To create more dimension with the eight and zero, I die-cut three of each from

kraft, and layered them. I then heavily sponged them with Walnut Stain D.I.,

 embossed them with Moonstone E.P., then very lightly and randomly applied 

Tarnished Brass distress stain. Finally I briefly used my heat tool to allow 

the Tarnished Brass to blend into the EP.

I rarely write verses inside my cards, but as Keith is such a happy and 

bright person, I thought this verse suited him perfectly.

Challenges

ABC - 'D is for Die-cuts'

Fantastic Tuesday #71 - 'Anything Goes With A Twist/Use A Die'

Moving Along With The Times - 'Favourite TV Programme' (Foyle's War/Call The Midwife)

Paper Minutes #371 - 'Journey'

Party Time Tuesdays #195 - 'Anything Goes'

Penny's Paper Crafty #214 - 'Embossing (wet or dry)' (I have used both)

Sparkles Monthly #65 - 'One For The Boys'

That Craft Place - 'Film Inspired' (Genevieve)

Tuesday Throwdown #232 - 'Use Metal'

Image - Graphic 45 A Proper Gentleman Collection

Dies - Cuttlebug Alphabet Fancy Pants; Tim Holtz Sizzix Steampunk; Spellbinders Sprightly Sprockets

Embossing - Cuttlebug Clockworks

Media - Stampendous E.P. Moonstone; Tim Holtz D.I. Walnut Stain, D.S. Tarnished Brass

Brad - Stampin' Up Hodgepodge Hardware

Thank you for visiting my blog, and until next time may I wish you "happy crafting".

Hugs

Jennifer. x 

Flower Arranging

As promised in my previous posts, I have some very exciting news to

share with you. I have been almost bursting at the seams, keeping my

little secret to myself...the one bright spot in my awful January was that

during the first week, lovely Deborah and Lynsey from the Winter Wonderland

challenge asked me if I would like to join the wonderfully talented Design 

Team!!!! After I started breathing again, and stopped doing a happy 

dance around the house, I replied with  "YES PLEASE!!!"

The theme for my first challenge with Winter Wonderland is

KISS (keep it sweet and simple)

Our lovely sponsor this week is Di's Digi Designs, who are offering

a $12 voucher as the winner's prize.

I don't think you could get much sweeter than this little bunny, busily

arranging flowers in a vase.

This is the first time I have inked up this very cute image. 

Inside my card co-ordinates with the front. It is also the first time

I have used this rather pretty embossing folder.

Challenges

4 Crafty Chicks #232 - 'Use A Hand-Coloured Image'

Hanna and Friends #215 - 'Embossing'

Moving Along With The Times - 'Pastels' TOP 3

Penny's Paper Crafty #213 - 'Favourite Fold or Technique' (colouring, die-cuts & embossing)TOP 3

Ruby's Rainbow #97 - 'Soon Be Spring'

Top Tip Tuesday - 'Favourite Colour Combo' (pink, white & green)

Image - LOTV Flower Arranging

Colouring - Promarkers

Dies - Spellbinders Classic Circle, Lacey Circle

Embossing Folder - Crafter's Companion Flower Garden

Greetings Tag - Craftwork Cards

Punch - Martha Stewart Butterfly Trio

Ribbon, eyelet and brads are from my junk stash

I would like to thank my fellow teamies at Winter Wonderland for the invitation to join them, and also for their warm words of welcome. Why not pop over to the challenge blog and have a look at their beautiful cards, then enter your own KISS creation for a chance to win a lovely prize.

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

Hugs

Jennifer. x

Pretty Poinsettia Paper

Hello, and welcome back to all my crafty friends. It has been so long since I

last attended to my blog, I almost forgot how to! 

January was a nightmare of a month, and I am glad it has finished, never to

return. We just seemed to crash headlong from one disaster to another...

John's broken hand has healed fairly well, but he still has a large lump over

the fracture site. He had a bad 'tummy bug', conjunctivitis, and had surgery 

to remove a cancer from his nose. The biopsy results came in last Thursday,

and they show bad cells right to the edges of the excision. He has to see a 

facial cancer specialist in 10 days. To finish off the month in a dramatic

manner, our kitty cat, Cookie, was bitten by a snake. After a mad drive 

into town at breakneck speed, Cookie was barely alive when we arrived

at the vet's surgery. He was given anti-venom ($743.00), and lots of 

other drugs. After 24 hours in intensive care, he made a truly 

miraculous recovery. The total bill came to $1,100.00, 

but our 'baby' is worth every cent.

I have not made any cards so far this year, because of all the 'dramas', and

also because we have been moving my studio (in a converted stable) down

to the spare bedroom in our house. The decision to do so was partly because

there have been several snakes around my studio lately! The 'move' last  

week was not without several major glitches (my cupboards were too 

big, and had to be cut down!). I am still trying to organise all 

my junk stash, now that the cupboards are smaller.

While having a break today from unpacking boxes, I updated my photo 

folders in my computer and found photos of 2 Christmas cards I had 

not blogged. This is one of them...a very basic card, using this

lovely glittered paper.

I have had this embossing folder for about 3 years, and realised I have 

never used it.

Inside my card is very simple.

Paper - Upikit

Dies - Spellbinders Classic and Scalloped Rectangles

Embossing - Cuttlebug Holly Ribbons

Peel-off stickers from my junk stash

Thank you for visiting, and I will be back on Friday with some very exciting news.

Hugs,

Jennifer x

M.I.A.

Hello to all my bloggy friends, and welcome to my new followers,

Desire and Lynsey. I hope you enjoy your visits.

From a quick browse it appears that most of you have shrugged off

the effects of the 'silly season', and are back to full swing with your 

crafting. However, I have not posted anything since New Year's 

Day, and other than this post, I will be M.I.A. for about the  

next 2 weeks for 2 reasons.

One is that I am having to do most things for my poor John, because of

his accident. He cannot shower or dress himself, do his hair (he has a 

ponytail), cut up his food, drive the car, nor attend to his normal outside 

tasks. Once again we spent several hours at the hospital yesterday, having

a new cast put on his arm. It is the 3rd one in 10 days, as the casts 

become looser as the huge swelling reduces.

The second reason for my absence is that I am trying to move my studio

down to the spare bedroom in the house. It is mind boggling how much

junk stash I have accumulated in the 15 years since we converted the 

old stable. Lots of people have dropped in to wish John 'get well', 

which is lovely, but of course I use that as an excuse to be 

distracted from the sorting out process.

Since just after Christmas, we have had temperatures in the high 30s, so

that makes going up to the studio, and carting boxes and equipment 

down to the house very unpleasant.

I am bursting at the seams to tell you all some very exciting news, 

but it will have to remain a secret for the moment.

All will be revealed soon, so....

Until then, "happy crafting" and

Big hugs,

Jennifer. x

P.S. The photo is a corner of our garden, but since it was taken about 2 years ago, some of the plants have changed...mainly because of the dreadfully hot and dry conditions we have had in recent years.

Five Favourite Creations of 2014

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

In addition to Debby's 2014 Five Favourite Christmas Cards Challenge,

she is also hosting a challenge where you can enter your Five 

Favourite Creations of 2014.

!

Once again it was difficult to choose my 5 favourite cards this year,

because like so many of we crafters, I am super critical about my

own work. However, I have narrowed my choices down to 6...

I just couldn't choose which one of the following cards to

eliminate. For details, please click on the card titles.

Best Friends

Another Parchment Rose

42nd Anniversary

Flutterbyes

Summer Fun

50 Happy Years

Challenge

Debby 4000 - 'Five Favourite Creations of 2014'

For the first day of 2015, John and I have had a very quiet day at home. We spent many hours at the hospital yesterday, where John had more x-rays on his hand, and a new plaster applied.

The surgeons decided not to operate, as they felt that if they cut into John's hand to screw the bones, it would take longer to have his hand back to full strength, than if they just plastered it. The compromise is that he will most likely have an ever so slight shortening of his finger (about 2-3mm). If he had any other occupation than professional pianst, the Drs would have operated, and any very slight permanent changes would not have been a problem.

Although it is almost 11pm, it is still very hot, with high humidity. This evening at about 7pm, it was 34oC! I'm going to have my 3rd cool shower for the day, and try to sleep. Apparently we have another 'stinker' on the way tomorrow.

Until next time, I'm sending happy New Year hugs,
Jennifer. x