Black and White Snowflakes

 

Good evening. What about this, eh...nothing for many months, then posts on two consecutive evenings.

Although I have more DSP than most stores, I am a 'sucker' for beautiful paper. A few months ago I bought two 12 x 12 DCWV pads. They were so gorgeous, I just couldn't decide which one to buy, so they helped me out by both jumping into my basket. Does that sound vaguely familiar to those of you who are paper addicts like me? 😁

I have had this large die for many years, and it is still one of my favourites. The aforementioned paper pads had several pages of wide strips that coordinate with the main papers, and this is part of one of those strips. I loved the 'clean' look of this card, so made several cards using the various strips.

Challenges I would like to enter:-

ABC Christmas -'Z' is for Zebra (black & white and/or stripes) (2nd entry)

Christmas Crafts All Year Round - Snowflakes

The Holly and the Ivy #153 - Anything Christmas Goes (2nd entry)

Die - Memory Box Grand Merry Christmas

DSP - DCWV 12 x 12 December 25th

Peel off sticker - from my junk stash

Wouldn't it be great if I could keep up a regular flow of posts 😏, but time will tell, won't it.

Until next time, thank you for visiting,

Hugs, Jennifer. x

Gold Stars

Good evening, I hope you all had a happy festive season.

It is almost 9 months since I posted anything on my blog, because 2023 was a year like no other.

I have had multiple ambulance trips to hospital for herniated discs in my neck and lower spine; a malignant melanoma removed; plus liver, kidney and thyroid problems. Worst of all, my beloved husband of more than 51 years became so frail, requiring 24 hour care that we had no choice but to move him into a nursing home. Although extremely weak physically, he is mentally as 'sharp' as he always has been (passing all cognitive tests with 100%), so it breaks my heart that I am no longer able to physically care for him, and that we cannot spend our final years living together.

I did however manage to make all our Christmas cards, plus many birthday (and sadly) sympathy cards throughout the year. The card below uses a die I bought in a sale, and this is its first time in use.

I saved all the star centres, and used them as embellishments on other cards.

Challenges I would like to enter:-

ABC Christmas - 'Y' (your choice) or 'Z' (is for zebra)

Christmas Kickstart #82 - The Midas Touch

The Holly and the Ivy #153 - Anything (Christmas) Goes

Merry Little Christmas #54 - Anything (Christmas) Goes

Dies - Uniquely Creative Star Wreath; Stampin' Up 

DSP - First Edition Christmas Village (very old)

Gold Mirror Card - from my junk stash

Sentiment - Stampin' Up Stars Are Shining

I will try to blog more regularly, so until next time, thank you for visiting.

Hugs,

Jennifer. x

Pink Christmas Poinsettia

 

Good morning. It is no secret that among my favourite flowers

(particulary at Christmas) are poinsettias. 

With a break away from the traditional red poinsettias, I have created

a white one, softly blushed with pink. I used a snowflake stencil and

pearlised texture paste on the pale pink (script) DSP, then when dry,

 I hand-stitched around the edges. I also lightly sponged some of the

foliage die-cuts with the texture paste.

A close up look at my poinsettia that I so lightly sponged

with Victorian Velvet dye ink. The centre is a silver Sparklet.

I painted the wooden snowflake with 2 coats of the

pearlised texture paste.

Challenges I would like to enter.

Creations in pink #56 - 'Anything Goes in MAINLY pink'

My Time To Craft Christmas #57 - 'Poinsettias'

The Holly and the Ivy Christmas #137 - 'Anything Christmas Goes'

Merry Little Christmas #49 - 'Anything Christmas Goes'

Dies - Tim Holtz Holiday Greens, Tattered Poinsettia; Spellbinders Lacey Circles

SPD - Kaisercraft Silver Bells

Sentiment - Art Stamps Australia

Twine for stitching is actually recycled from bags of horse feed, soaked, washed and ironed. My friend Diane sent me a large 'stash'. When we lived on our farm and had horses, I always saved the twine.

Texture Paste - Crafts 4 U

Sparklet, tinsel and wooden snowflake are from my junk stash

I must be off to pretend I am a domestic goddess 😁😁, so until next time, thank you for visiting.

Hugs,

Jennifer.  x

Happy Easter

Good afternoon. In my previous post I showed you one of the 5 chocolate

box/cards I made for an order. That one was in pinks, and this afternoon

I have 2 more to show you...1 is in purple tones, and the other is in green,

yellow and orange tones.

While all 5 box/cards are in various colours, the actual boxes are all

exactly the same size and design. I bought a large block of chocolate,

and experimented with scraps of cardstock until I had a perfect size

for that particular chocolate block which is probably the most common

one in Australia.

A closer look at the floral arrangement.

Inside the box/card, showing the little pocket with its tag

on which to write a personal message; and the large pocket

that holds the block of chocolate.

This is the 'green' box/card.

A close-up look at the pretty flowers and foliage.

Challenges I would like to Enter:-

Craft Rocket #102 - 'Layer It Up'

Fab 'n' Funky #570 - 'Use Die Cuts'

Make My Monday #197 - 'P' is for... (purple, pocket) (2nd entry)

My Time To Craft #505 - 'Easter or Spring Flowers'

The Paper Funday #52 - 'Anything Goes; with optional twist, Flower Power'

Through the Purple Haze #203 -'For Girls'

DSP - Stampin' up; First Edition Spring Drop

Sentiments - LOTV; Peel-off sticker

Dies - Stampin' Up; Spellbinders; Creative Expressions; Cheery Lynn; Dies R Us

Flowers, ribbons, brads, pearls are from my junk stash

Until next time, thank you for visiting,

Hugs, Jennifer. xx

P.S. If you are wondering what happened to the block of chocolate I used to create the template for my box/card.....you'll have to keep wondering, 'cause that's my secret 😁😁😄.

 

Pink Easter Blessings

Good evening. Last Christmas a lovely lady here at our retirement village

bought 2 of my chocolate box/cards. Early in the new year she said the 

recipients loved them, and I was thrilled when she asked me to make 

5 more with an Easter theme. 

I made all 5 box/cards in different base colours, with different DSPs, and  

very different designs. My 'customer' loved them. This is the pink-themed

one. This DSP has the most gorgeous, all-over sparkle, but unfortunately

it does not show at all in the photos.

A closer look at my floral arrangement with those cute

little die-cut eggs.

This is the inside, showing on the right the 'box' which fits a large

block of chocolate, and on the left is a 'pocket' with the tag

on which a personal message can be written.

Challenges I would like to enter:-

Beautiful Blossoms #3 - Anything Goes (flowers must be the focus)

Cardz 4 Galz #195 - Spring Flowers

Creations In Pink #56 - Anything Goes, Mainly Pink

Double 'D' - Easter

Make My Monday #197 - ' 'P' is for... (Pink, Paper, 'Pocket')

Wednesday's Creative Inspirations - Spring Blooms

Ingredients

DSP - First Edition Spring Drop

Dies - Creative Expressions Easter, assorted foliage dies

Sentiment - from a VERY old childrens' Easter set from bargain store

Flowers, ribbon, twine and gem from my junk stash

Until next time, thank you for visiting,

Hugs,

Jennifer. x

 

Zoooom, Zoooom!

 

Good afternoon.

In the first few months of each year I need quite a few cards

for men and boys. However, because I have been unwell,

this year I have had to make fairly simple, quick cards.

For this card I used a topper from a collection of male toppers 

I have had for ages, and had completely forgotten about. 

This is the sentiment on the insert of my card.

Challenges I would like to Enter

My Time To Craft #503 - 'Birthday'

Topper - Craft Creations Ltd

Sentiments - Stampin' Up Hello, and Happiest Birthday Wishes

Dies - Spellbinders Classic Squares; Stampin' Up Art Gallery

Until next time, thank you for visiting,

Hugs,

Jennifer.  xx

50th Anniversary Celebration

 

Just when I thought it was safe to begin blogging again, but no, fate

had something else planned for me. I have been M.I.A. because I

have been in hospital. Poor John had to call an ambulance for me, 

the second time in a few months. As I am now John's carer, it 

really worries me when I am unable to function fully.

Enough of my problems and on to pleasant memories. In my last blog

post I showed you the card I made for John for our 50th wedding

anniversary last year. This post I will show you some photos

taken of our very happy celebration.

The invitations I made were fairly simple.

I made the candle (battery operated) covers, the place cards, and the 

little 'mats' for Rocher chocolates to co-ordinate with the invitations.

I made the cake a month earlier, and every few days I sprinkled sherry

over it. I then iced and decorated it a few days before our celebration.

The knife has elaborate engraving on both sides of the blade, and has

been used for about 150 years by John's family for every significant

occasion e.g. weddings, christenings, 21sts.

For the main meal we took our son and granddaughter, visiting from 

London, and 7 dear friends to a restaurant. Sadly, my matron-of-honour, 

(and still dear friend) Diane was unable to attend.

 After the meal we all came back home where I had 

pre-prepared a lavish supper (calorie free of course😁😁😂).

John and I then cut our cake. (unfortunately in every photo of the 'ceremony',

a friend had his arm across the table, blocking the view of the cake).

We had a wonderful night, and hopefully we will be able to celebrate

many more anniversaries together. When we met, many friends and family

members told us we were too different to last more than a couple of years...

how wrong they were😁.

Until next time, thank you for visiting,

Hugs,

Jennifer. xx