vintage image for birthday card

This is another Kanban decoupage image which I found at the Ally Pally show last weekend.  (Bit of a bargain as I bought four Christmassy ones and got two Deco-style free).  I bought some of the new Christmas papers: Authentique and MME, which I'd like to sit and stroke for a little while before I have to cut into them, and have palpitations. 

I'm very fond of turqoise backgrounds and this decoupage came with matching background paper.  As this was teamed with teal and apricot on the image, I decided I quite liked this colour combination, although it's not one I would choose normally.  This card is for Carol's birthday (Bruce's mum) which was yesterday.   Carol is known to our grandchildren as Nanny Seaside, and she's a lovely, warm person,  known for her practicality and common sense.  (Guess what? She lives near the sea!)

I had to add some flowers of course:  you know me, I can't do CAS.  I start off with good intentions, but what looks elegant and minimal on other people's work, just looks sparse and boring on mine.  Don't know the answer to this conundrum!

The open flowers and leaves are from a Marianne die I bought recently from Oyster stamps, and the sentiment is computer generated.  The cardstock is pearlised, which I used to use a lot, but I tend now to use plain coredinations.  The roses are WOC (smothered in glimmer mist), which I altered slightly with my copic markers, and the organza ones are the last of my Prima stash in that colour.  I will really cry when they are all gone: I have quite a few of the flat flowers left in most colours, but only a couple of purple and green ones left in the organza, and then they're all gone.  I'm going to try cutting some out from organza fabric with a soldering iron, and see how that works, as the only place I've found that still sells these readymade, is in the States, and the postage costs are prohibitive (I was quoted about £30:  aaaargh!!!).  I always use copics to edge my leaves and card-stock too, and although you can't see it, I know when I haven't done it, as the edges show white.

I'll be entering the following challenges:
http://audsentimentschallengeblog.blogspot.com/ - birthday card
http://paper-craftingjourney.blogspot.com/ - die-cuts and punches
http://inkyimpressionschallenges.blogspot.com/ die cuts or punches
http://deepoceanchallengeblog.blogspot.com/ - happy birthday
http://diecuttindivas.blogspot.com/ - vintage

Thanks a lot for stopping by to visit my blog.  It's a real pleasure to know you've come, so please post a comment below, and I'll come to visit your blog too.  Mr Blogger still isn't showing my followers, so thank you so much if you are one - I just won't know about it - so sad!!  Off to copic class tonight with the lovely Wendy from Stamps and Memories - a whole evening of playing with markers - what fun!!

xx Jill

Happy birthday dear friend

I don't usually use die-cut decoupage, but I fell in love with this Kanban set of Matryoska dolls while I was on holiday.  I adore these little nesting dolls, and we bought several sets while we were in Prague at the Christmas Market three years ago, as well as some beautiful very expensive Bohemian glass.  I have fond memories of the hot apple punch with Calvados too, and the divine hot chocolate from Odkolek, but less fond memories of the potato dumplings, cabbage soup and the strangest Tesco EVER!!

The Kanban set came with some matching pale green flowered card, and some tags, so it really was a quick simple card.  I added some check paper and paper lace, with some coredinations pink cardstock, and coloured the jade green flowers and punched leaves with copics.  The pink ones are from my stash.  A few little pearls and gems coloured pink with my copic markers, and hey presto - all done!  The inside, (which I forgot to take a picture of) is decorated to match.

Thanks so much for coming to visit my blog, and if you leave me a comment I'll know you've been, and will come over to your blog too and have a nice nosey around!

xx Jill

off to school

Our third grandson, Tristan, who is four and a quarter, started school on Monday and this is the card I made to wish him luck.  His first couple of days were not very happy I'm afraid, as his friends from Nursery were put into different groups, which was quite upsetting for all concerned, but he seems to be better settled now.  He's such a little chap, and his school trousers (age 3) drown him, but he seems to like his school uniform, and especially having a packed lunch at school!





















This is a LOTV image, and the papers are downloads: Sweet Shoppe "lliela" school papers, which come with extra images to layer and decoupage, as shown in the picture below, which shows one of the inside pages of the card.




















The stars from gold and blue cardstock are cut with an ancient Bigz Sizzix die, which I've always found really useful, and the circle and scalloped circle dies are some original Nesties that have done me proud over the years, and are still going strong.  Do they ever wear out?

I'd like to enter this card for the following challenges:
Craft us Crazy (last one for a while) http://craftuscrazy.blogspot.com/: school theme
Divas by Design http://divasbydesignchallenge.blogspot.com/: back to school
Clear it Out http://clearitoutchallenge.blogspot.com/: school days
Cupcake Crafts http://www.cupcakecraftchallenges.blogspot.com/ : back to school
Victorine Stamps: http://www.vostamps.blogspot.com/: primary colours
Paper Sundaes http://papersundaes.blogspot.com/: decorate inside of card

Thanks so much for visiting my blog.  I always appreciate this, and for any comments you would like to leave. I'd like to come and visit your blog too: I always love to see what other folk have been up to!

xx Jill

A series of September birthdays (number 1)

Hi everyone
It's good to be back to work, and to be back to Mr Blogger, after quite a long rest.

Our lovely daughter Melanie, was 40 on Saturday, so I used my favourite ballerina Tilda image for her easel card.

The beautiful background paper is Melissa Francis "Fifth Avenue", which I spied in Dunelm Mill, and snapped up.  There is music, damask papers, ballerinas and all sorts of gorgeous goodies, so this may be my new best paper for a while.

It was quite difficult to match the shabby feel on the image, leaves and flowers with my copic markers, and I ran out of one colour mid-leaf, so had to improvise by tipping the nib of one colour on to the other!  (If you look very carefully, one of the turquoise leaves isn't quite the same colour as the others, but that's being REALLY picky: yep, that's me!)

I have added glitter to the paper edges, and have glimmered and shimmered the flowers and leaves, which are a mix of WOC, and some silk flowers from my stash.  I've now run out of the white tiny daisies (coloured pink here), which I usually get at Farnborough, and I can't find them online, so if anyone knows where I can get them, please let me know.  Thanks!






















The die-cut tag on the base of the card is one of the newer Nesties, which I got from Oyster Crafts, which have an excellent mail-order service.  The die-cut around the image is one of the Nestie labels, which I like very much and use a lot.

I plan to enter this card for the following challenges:
Anything Goes challenge: http://anythingchallenge.blogspot.com/ - shabby chic
Everybody Art: http://everybody-art-challenge.blogspot.com/ - flowers
Ladybug Crafts: http://ladybugscraftsinkchallengeblog.blogspot.com/ - flowers
Shopping our Stash: http://shoppingourstash.blogspot.com/ - shabby chic
Crafty Boots (new challenge): http://craftybootschallenges.blogspot.com/ - anything goes
Die cut Dreams: http://diecutdreams.blogspot.com/ - at least 5 flowers
Pile it On: http://pileitonchallenge.blogspot.com/ - lots of layers
Pink Gem designs: http://pinkgemchallengeblog.blogspot.com/ - colour inspiration
Crafty Purple Frog: http://craftypurplefrogchallenges.blogspot.com/ - birthdays
Crafting for all Seasons: http://craftingforallseasons.blogspot.com/ - birthdays

Phew! Do I think that's the lot?  Thanks so much for coming to visit my blog - I really appreciate this.  I'd love to come and visit your blog too, so if you leave me a comment, I'll be along to have a nosey around. 
xx Jill