commissioned card for 65th birthday

A friend asked me to make this card for her mum's 65th birthday.  I don't really do LIM, so I suppose this card's about as minimal as you're likely to get from me!

All the cardstock is white pearlised, and the ribbon, leaves and flower were all coloured with copic markers.  There is dry embossing; die-cutting; (this Nestability is one of my faves) and the leaves are die-cut too (Marianne, I think, but I can't find which one).  The flower was a cream silk flower from Hobbycraft originally, and it didn't come out quite the same colour as the edging or the ribbon, although I have to say it looks similar in the picture! What do I know?

The flowers on the box are WOC, and the die-cut swirl is Marianne, from the circle frame set.  I used the waste card for the frame on the front of the box.  We crafters always hate to waste anything!

I'll be entering the following challenges with this card:
http://craftsandmechallenges.blogspot.com/ - birthday

http://divasbydesignchallenge.blogspot.com/ - die-cuts and punches
http://craft-roomchallenge.blogspot.com/ - summer birthday
http://allsortschallenge.blogspot.com/ - lemon and lime
http://www.sewmanychallenges.com/ - dry embossing

Thanks so much for visiting my blog.  It's always a pleasure to receive comments from you, so many thanks if you'd like to do that.  Off to the Newbury show with a friend on Saturday, so hoping to catch up with all the latest on the crafting front.

xx Jill

vintage card for 60th birthday

It's been a bit of a while since I blogged, but you'll have to forgive me as I've been very busy making costumes for Louise's upcoming show mid-July.

This is a vintage-style birthday card for one of our dearest friends, Cathy, who was 60 on Wednesday.
We spent a wonderful day yesterday in London for lunch and then top seats at the Victoria Palace Theatre to see Billy Elliot.  One of my studentswas taking the part of a ballet girl, and she was brilliant.  An ex-student, whose parents are close friends of ours,  was also performing as one of the miners.  He's been in the show for six years and is Dance captain, and although he has his own dance school now and a family, he still looks (and dances) the same - if rather less hair!!  Like his dad he's follically challenged!  Another ex-student is Assisstant choreographer, and a former student of my daughter was also performing, so it was quite nostalgic for me.  We ended the day with a lovely meal; and absolutely shattered.  I can't keep up the pace like I used to - I get tired quickly, and I need to go to bed !

The card uses First Edition papers "Summer Breeze" which are truly scrummy, and an image from the Marianne decoupage "Nostalgia" set of prints. The lace and flowers are from my stash (some from Hobbycraft and others from WOC), and the little butterflies are from a Martha Stewart PATP corner punch from Wendy at Stamps and Memories.  For the "neglected tool" part of the shopping our stash challenge, I'm ashamed to say that not only had I never used the MS butterfly corner; it's also a very long time since I got out the MS edge lace punch too. (Sorry!)

You can see greater details of top and bottom in the second and third photos. The sentiment is computer generated.   How nice to have a bit of sun to take better photos!

I'm entering the following challenges with this card:
http://craftyourdaysaway.blogspot.com/ - vintage
http://ourcreativecorner6.blogspot.com/ - your own style
http://deepoceanchallengeblog.blogspot.com/ - flowers
http://everybody-art-challenge.blogspot.com/ - anything goes
http://shoppingourstash.blogspot.com/ - using a neglected tool
http://theangelcompany.typepad.com/digi_design_house/ - pearls and lace

Thanks so much for visiting my blog, and if you'd like to leave a comment I'd really appreciate this, and will come to visit your blog too.

xx Jill

retirement card

I'd forgotten to post this card on my blog, so here goes.

This was another quick and easy card made for our friend Tony who has retired from the Civil Service.  For many years he was a Customs Officer with Joe, and he has at last taken the plunge and retired.  

I used an LOTV topper, and altered the colour slightly with copic markers (also the bp, the sentiment surround and the card candy).  The clear sentiment is also LOTV, and the little chain embellishment is an EK punch.  I think this is the third card in a row that hasn't got any flowers - I'm clearly sickening for something!!

Thanks very much for visiting.  Please feel free to leave a comment, and I'll get back to you.

xx Jill

new baby brother

A card for our little step-great-grandson Maxwell, whose new baby brother, Kobe, was born last week.

I used one of the LOTV squares for this card, which was quite quick and easy for a change.  Papers are a download from Bearly Mine, and the cardstock is Coredinations.  I used an MS punch for the little scrolled border, which I think is going to prove quite a useful purchase!  Three star-shaped buttons with a little ribbon threaded through completes this card, and again without a flower or glitter in sight.  I'm getting withdrawal symptoms though, so the next card I put on my blog will be stuffed full of them, as a girl can't go too long without flowers or bling!!

I've used this verse before and think it's perfect for the birth of a new brother.  The unusual font is very suitable for children and is Wacky Action BTN Lt.

Thanks so much for visiting my blog and really appreciate any comments you'd like to leave.  xx Jill

mermaid birthday card

This cute little Tilda mermaid is for my grand-daughter's best friend, Willow, who has lots of red hair.

I used Kay Miller download paper for the background and the sentiment inside, and Magnolia stamps for the mermaid and seahorse, which were coloured with copic markers.  The plain cardstock is Coredinations from The Range.  The little fish is a charm I've had in my stash for many years, so no idea where that came from!  There is also some Stickles glitter glue of course, for a little bit of bling.  Notice that there are no flowers on this one - I'm surprised I don't feel faint from the deprivation!

Thanks so much for visiting my blog.  I really appreciate your leaving comments, and I'll visit your blog in return.  I've had a bit of trouble with google comments when I've been out visiting, so I'm very sorry if you're one of those.   I promise I tried to leave comments but it wasn't playing nicely.

xx Jill

sympathy card for stillborn baby

I think this is one of the hardest cards I've ever made.  It was commissioned to send sympathy to a couple whose baby girl was stillborn, which is really tragic.

I used pearlescent card for all the white, with embossed dots (Cuttlebug folder) and an embossed sentiment (Papermania folder).  The trellis is an EK punch, as is the punch for the little flowers, and the butterfly is from Hobbycraft.  The leaves are punched with an MS punch, from pearlescent paper coloured with copic markers.  I used Incredibly Tacky glue from WOC to attach all the elements.  The poem inside was sent by a fellow dc member, so very many thanks for that.

It just makes me so thankful that we have been so fortunate in our family.  Thank you for visiting my blog, and for any comments you'd like to leave.  xx Jill