Olde World Santa

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, are now preparing for

New Year celebrations. Although Christmas is over for another year,

I have a few Christmas cards in my 'drafts', and this is one of those.

I am on the design team for Fat Cats Card Corner, and this card was actually made 

to demonstrate a new die which was in the latest batch of dies that Kaaren sent me.

The jolly old Santa is from a 12x12 paper stack I have had for several

years. He reminds me so much of the Christmas cards from my 

childhood, many, many years.

Dies - Find It Trading-Janine's Art Floral Hexagon; Marianne Creatables Design Folding Lace Square (foliage); Cheery Lynn Holly Leaves; Spellbinders Layered Poinsettia

Paper - First Edition Christmas Village

Image - First Edition Christmas Village

Ink (sponging) - Distress Inks Aged Mahogany; Peeled Paint

Gold brads are from my junk stash

I must go and take the washing off the clothesline, then begin pampering myself in a vain attempt to look glamerous...John is taking me out to dinner as it is my birthday today.

Until next time, thank you for visiting,

Hugs,

Jennifer.  xx

Silent Night

Can you believe it, only 3 more sleeps 'til the big day.

I have well and truly broken the promise I made to myself early this year to NOT

buy anymore dies. You all know what I mean don't you...there are just so many

beautiful ones out there, and each seem to be prettier than ever.

This card uses 3 such dies...the gorgeous 'Silent Night', the very versatile star 

background, and the mini poinsettia. I used 3D tape to raise the top layer to

allow more of the embossed layer to be seen.

A closer look at the elegant 'Silent Night' which I adhered to a piece of

JAC paper, then sprinkled fine glitter on that. Finally I adhered that to

the gold matting paper.

I sponged the edges of all the poinsettia petals with Aged Mahogany 

distress ink. The centres are punched from scraps of gold glitter card.

The white foliage has been lightly sponged with Iced Spruce distress ink.

Dies - Creative Expressions Sue Wilson Netted Star Background, Creative Expressions Sue Wilson Swirled Silent Night; Cheery Lynn Poinsettia Strip; Sizzix Tim Holtz Alterations Holiday Greens; Marianne Design Creatables Folding Lace Square (gold glitter foliage)

Gold paper - Unknown brand

Gold glitter card - Crafts 4U

Embossing Folder - Freebie with Cardmaking Australia magazine

Distress Inks - Aged Mahogany, Iced Spruce

Glitter - Tim Holtz Rock Candy

I have quite a few Christmas cards in my drafts, so hopefully in the next few weeks (although Christmas will be long gone) I may be able to make time to show them to you...I am taking a few weeks off from duty at the Fort.

Hopefully all your Christmas preps are more advanced than mine.

Until next time, thank you for visiting,

Hugs,

Jennifer.  xx

Bad Kitty!

This little kitty isn't the only one around here who is bad...

MY BAD!! Again I haven't been keeping up to date on my blog.

Subsequently it is time for another challenge at Words 2 Craft By, 

and our quote this month is an interesting one by Benjamin, aged 11...

"I'm an angel at Christmas time, but the rest of the year I'm the real me".

Are there any parents out there who could identify that quote with

their little 'angels'?

I didn't have any images of angel/naughty children, but I did have this 

irresistible kitty digi stamp.

This is another digi stamp, trimmed with deckle-edged scissors.

How could you be cross when kitty puts on such a sad face.

Our kitty looks at us exactly the same way, when he knows

he has done something naughty (and it works every time!).

Image - Whimsy Love Me Anyway digital stamp

Colouring - Promarkers

Paper - Doodlebug Design Inc. Home For The Holidays

Sentiment - Digital freebie by Bizzy Bec Greetings North Pole (thank you Bec)

Gems are from my junk stash

For the chance to win a fabulous prize, pop over to Words 2 Craft By, check out the great inspiration by my teamies, then enter your own creation.

I hope your Christmas preparations are all going to plan...not long to go now!

Hugs,

Jennifer.  xx

Count Your Blessings

Does being a klutz excuse me for being such a bad blogger?...my excuse

reason for more than a month since I last posted anything on my blog is

that I have been recovering from a serious fall in our garden. I tripped

and crashed into a brick wall. A trip to hospital revealed a broken toe, a

dislocated toe, a twisted knee, a sprained wrist, a whiplash-like injury  

to my neck, a 'jarred' spine, and a severe laceration to my elbow. It is 

4 weeks since my accident, but I am still hobbling around.

Enough of my woes... today is the 2nd Wednesday of the month, so that means

it is time for a new challenge at Words 2 Craft By. This month our quote is

'When I count my blessings, I count you twice'

This is a lovely old Irish saying, and it allows you lots of ways you can employ it.

This sweet image is from a rather old 12x12 sheet of vintage images by

Graphic 45. I always wanted lots of children, but sadly we were only able

to have one baby. This little cherub reminds me so much of our precious

son (now 44), who had big blue eyes, and very blonde curls.

Images - Graphic 45 'Little Darlings Collection'

Paper - Forever Friends 'New Arrival' 12x12 stack

Die - Joy Crafts 6002/0356

Sentiment - Computer generated 'French Script' font

For a chance to win a fabulous prize, pop over to Words 2 Craft By and check out my teamie's wonderful creations for some inspiration, then enter your own creation.

Until next time (hopefully soon),

Hugs,

Jennifer.  xx

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

Autumnal Glory

I know I keep repeating myself, but "where are the months rushing to"? It is

already the 2nd Wednesday of the month, and that means it is time for

another challenge at Words 2 Craft By. Our quote this month is by

F. Scott Fitzgerald "Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall".

As a completely hopeless paper addict, I thought I would faint with pleasure

when in 2011 I found a wonderful shop while wandering around London. I

think it may have been in the Bloomsbury area. Although an unassuming

looking store outside, it was filled with the most exquisite papers, mostly 

hand-printed. The papers were (understandably) quite pricey, so after a

lengthy and agonising elimination process, I walked out with 2 precious 

large sheets rolled up in my arms.

I have only used a piece of this one once before. 

My card is for one of our gardeners here at our retirement village. He 

recently had a dreadful accident, and has many months of recuperating 

ahead. He is a lovely gentleman, so I had no qualms about using some 

of this precious paper.

The colours are so rich, aren't they.

Inside my card where I wrote our 'Get Well' wishes.

Challenges I would like to enter

2 Crafty Critter Crazies #18 - 'Anything Goes (with a Critter)'

Animal Friends #66 - 'In The Woods'

City Crafter #429 - 'Fall Colours'

Crazyhazelnuts Patterned Paper - 'Anything Goes (with patterned paper)'

Create and Inspire #77 - 'Inspired By A Song' (Autumn Leaves - Nat King Cole)

Pause Dream Enjoy - 'Always Cards, any Theme'

Paper - Hand-printed (brand unknown)

Die - Sue Wilson Creative Expressions Get Well

Ink - Tim Holtz Distress Ink Rusty Hinge

For a chance to win a fab prize, why not visit Words 2 Craft By, check out my teamies lovely inspirations, then enter our "Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall" challenge.

Until next time, 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