final Christmas bookatrix

 

I'm typing this with some difficulty, as I managed to slice the side of my right thumb on Boxing Day, grating carrots.  Not a good start to a family meal.  It's still pretty sore, so I'm making lots of typos when I should be hitting the space bar!

This was the last of the commissioned Bookatrix cards that I had to make for Christmas, and is the simplest of the set.  It's a robin cut from an old Christmas card, a couple of flowers, a voile ribbon and a few peel-offs.  What could be simpler?  Mind you, it still takes nearly a couple of hours to cut out all the layers, assemble them, add the embellishments and make the box.  I've done so many of these that it should be getting easier, but it's still fairly time-consuming.  Again, I've backed this with a folding card, so that a greeting can go inside.

Thanks so much for visiting my blog.  I hope you all had a very happy Christmas, and my best wishes for a great New Year!  Please leave me a comment so that I know you came, and I'll come and visit you too, so that I can keep up with all the lovely projects you produce.

xx Jill

Christmas bookatrix no 1

A bookatrix Christmas card commissioned for an elderly couple.  It had to be red and gold, so I used stardream white cardstock, and a bright red mirri card, which has a lovely sheen, rather than a shine (expensive too!)  I dug out the peeloffs from hibernation to create the edgings and the sentiment.  I also made a box for this, and decorated it to match the card.  The silk poinsettia is from Prima, many years ago, the gold flowers and ribbon are from my stash, and the roses, rose buds and chandelier beads are WOC as usual.

I attached the whole bookatrix to an opening card, cut to fit, so that the sentiment could go inside.  I find my customers prefer this to a little stand.  Not sure why bookatrix cards are still very popular, but I have another four to finish, (all are nearly complete, thank goodness) and only a week to go!  I have sent some bought cards this year though, as my back operations haven't allowed me to get on as quickly as I'd hoped. 

Thank you so much for popping by to see my blog - all comments are very much appreciated, and I promise I'll stop by to see what you've been crafting this week - I love a good nosey!

xx Jill

vintage birthday card

I'm very fond of vintage images, and this one is from the Marianne sheet of vintage ladies.  I made this easel card for one of my oldest friends, Valerie, who is still teaching dancing.  Michael is still Dance Captain in Billy Elliott in the West End, some six years on, and remains busy with his young baby and Saturday stage school: not quite sure when he fits in some sleep! 

I bought and dived into the new First Edition papers "Isabelle" on the day I bought them.  Not only do they have a pretty shabby chic look to them, but are also heavily glittered.  The colour-scheme is soft, and in ice-cream colours of mint, coffee and pale peach.   What more can a girl want in 6x6 papers?  

Well obviously a bit more stickle glitter around the edges of the paper, a sliced up doiley (I betcha can't see the join!), some very pretty organza lace (ancient, from my stash), a few WOC roses, Petaloo and bridal flowers coloured with copics, some die-cut swirls, a punched out MS heart and a few pearls!






















 I can't do justice to the real colours in the winter light (or lack of it),  but grab a pack and come drool with me - these babies are gorgeous!  Normally I would sit and stroke these for a few weeks before butchering them, but I was very brave, and galloped straight in.  I really can't do Less is More though.  I have tried to keep it fairly simple in layout and let the paper speak for itself, so it's maybe not as busy in style as it might be.

Thanks very much for coming to visit my blog this week.  I'm having a quiet week next week, as part two of my back operation is coming this Friday, so I'll have to take things a bit easier.  More time to come and visit everyone's blogs I hope ......  If you join as a follower please let me know, as I've lost all my followers pictures again.  I got very excited a few weeks ago when they all came back, but it was only for a day, and then they went again.  So sad!

xx Jill