new baby card

29th July 2011
Just a quick addition to this post to say that I won a top three award at: http://pattiescreationschallenge.blogspot.com/.  I was really thrilled at this, as although I only ever make cards in my own style (including the commissions I get!), it's very nice when someone else likes the card too.  xx Jill

So sorry I haven't posted anything on my blog for a couple of weeks, but with being so very busy with Louise's show, nothing else got done. I have to tackle the dreaded h**s*w**k over the next few days and do some packing before we go away, but just time to add this card, and possibly Joe's birthday card too.

This easel card was for my step grand-daughter, which I forgot to add to my blog last month. I used Spring Breeze paper from First Edition, which has a lovely glazed finish, and coloured the beautiful WOJ image with copic markers. Quite an unusual combination of colours for me to use,: coral, mint and brown, and although the papers are really pretty, I'm not sure the colour scheme works in the copics or the flowers as well as I'd hoped.

 I love these Elizabeth Bell stamps, and I'm quite sorry she doesn't do any single stamps for WOJ any more: just a rubber plate every so often. I used coredinations plain card as usual, which you can get froThe Range in 6x6 packs or from A Maze of Memories in South Oxfordshire in 12x12 sheets. If you've not come across them before, their range of plain cardstock is extraordinary, but quite a trek to get them! I tend to only go if I'm going up that way anyway, as it's a bit far to make a special trip, so I take some dps with me and stock up with loads of colours to match. The fancy tag, and the die cut shape around the image are Nesties, and the die-cut corners are from a very old, (but very useful) Cuttlebug set.

 

The flowers are a combination of WOC and some silk flowers from my stash, all coloured with copics to match. The leaves are an MS punch from Sir Stampalot, which I use time and time again.

I'm entering the following challenges with this card:
http://craftsandmechallenges.blogspot.com/  - add a flower
http://www.thehousethatstampsbuilt.com/ - use glitter
http://scrappyfrogschallenge.blogspot.com/ - flowers
http://sirstampalotchallenge.blogspot.com/ - anything goes
http://pattiescreationschallenge.blogspot.com/ - glitter or bling

Thanks so much for visiting my blog, and for all the comments you leave - I really enjoy reading them all.  Have fun!! 

xx Jill

sympathy card

This is a sympathy card for a friend, whose father lost his battle against cancer last week.  I know that the survival rates are higher nowadays, but this horrible disease affects a third of the population, and with everyone living longer, that figure is set to rise.  Let's all pray for a real breakthrough soon, so that the lives of sufferers and their friends and families can be changed for the better.

The decoupage is a freebie on the Craftsuprint website, and caught my eye immediately I saw it.  I printed it out several times to create more layers, and added some little pearls from The Hobby House.  I very rarely use peel-off sentiments, but I just needed something very simple and discreet, and it seemed to be right. 

Again no flowers or glitter, (just checking to see whether I have a fever or not) so I plan to make up for it with the next card!  I found some gorgeous Petaloo velvet flowers at the Newbury show (and no! they weren't a bargain), which are scrummy and vintagey (which probably isn't a real word, but you know what I mean) and very strokeable, so I'm looking for the right occasion to use those, with some delicious cream guipure lace, which I also found at the show.  They look quite suitable for a wedding, so I'm debating with myself about when to use them up.  I have a bit of a tendency to take out my favourite things, stroke them and coo over them, and put them back unused: I think I'm just a collector of beautiful craft items, but I expect most of us are really!

Thanks so much for visiting  my blog, and for any comments you leave.  You will notice that all my followers have disappeared from my side-bar, which I've tried to rectify with no success.  There seem to be plenty of others with the same problem, so I'm hoping Mr Blogger will get this sorted out soon.  Please still join as a follower if you would like too, as it shows up on my dashboard, and if I know you've left a comment I will come over and visit your blog too.  xx Jill