Been busy

The last few weeks organising a surprise 60th birthday partyfor my special craft buddy Georgina aka Georgy girl. Folk from the docrafts forum have been sending me birthday atcs or Braks for the last month which I presented to her today at her party.

There were lots of pages but you would be asleep if Id taken pics of them all! Each envelope has an atc inside

I used various stamps all stamped with arhival coffee ink.

Then my good buddy Midnight-crafter made this gorgeous cake for her!

Here is my pal blowing out her candles

and here are the party goeers - some from as far away as Lincoln and Liverpool - yes thats how special she is xx

Can you see her at the back looking cheeky and gorgeous now she is a pensioner?

Glad you enjoyed your day my dear xx Love you loads x Janet

A gardeners card!

My brief for this card was for a gardener - not too hard one might think however this gardener grows veg not flowers - so that had me thinking for a while. Anyway at the local crop last week i spotted this stamp in the cupboard where we are allowed to borrow supplies from so I stamped it a few times. Forgot to look at the name though so have no details at all to tell you! papers are from doodlebug as is the letters and photo corner. ribbon is from papermania. This is for Barbaras other half who is 60 next month - Ive already given her it and she was thrilled - I love making cards for her she is always sooo complementary :0)
have a great Friday!
J x

Believe it it is True!

You know how sometimes you look at an offer and think thats far too good to be true? Well here is one and the fab news is it really is true!!! The Stampmans blog aka Jill
is offering the most fabulous Blog candy bar Mr Holtz himself! 2 lucky winners will receive a set of his new colours distress ink pads OR the 12 new colours of re-inkers - Now come on is that not one helluva giveaway??
So hop on over to Jills Blog .
and find out what you have to do - me? I will be busy trying to mop up the drool off my keyboard before I can do anything else LOL
Janet

Tuesday Taggers - Mess

Over on Tuesday Taggers this week the theme is getting messy! Here's a project I made which I did get messy with but forgot to take pictures of my hands! Its an exploding box with flying btterflies! My pal Midnight Crafter gave me a tutorial (check out her boxes on her blog - wow!)

Ive used adirondack dye inks, stampin up card stock and stamps, the butterflys are made from fantasy film and put onto thin strips of acetate so they look as if they are flying when you take the lid off the box.

The roses are punched out of a 6 petal flower punch then followed the many tutorials on the net for this. Ive given them a spray with mica spray made from Mustard sed re-inker and gold mics powder so they shimmer which you cant see on the pics. This particular box is a commission for Barbara at work for her MILs 80th.
Hop on over to Tuesday Taggers to see some truly awesome work. My fellow design team buddies are such a pleasure to work with and really blow me away every week with their fabulous stuff. Thanks Guys x

Janet

blog award

Ive been given this blog award by Susie.
Thanks for thinking of me Susie x
As usual there are conditions attached I must list 10 things that make me happy :0)

1) My family
2) My Friends
3) My Home even though its still needs loads doing to it!
4) Crafting
5)Receiving lovely comments on my blog
6) Tuesday Taggers - love my fabby Teamies and everyone who join in - its fun, friendly and Happy!
7) Chocolate - the real stuff not chocolate flavoured anything!
8) Classes with Dy - Never had one that didn't make me feel happy!
9) Docrafts Forum! Always so many pals there to chat and swap atcs with x
10) Breakfast at Weatherspoons on my birthday with my special crafty chums x

Now I must pass this on to 5 people
Michelle who is a very good buddy x
Dy whose workshops make me happy!
Emma another super crafty chum x
Debbie who just makes the most gorgeous stuff i just want to try it every time!
Jill - whose just fabuloso!

Another commission

From Barbara at work this time her MILs 80th Birthday. Ive used My minds eye papers, papermania build a rose stamp, papermania numbers and gems, Martha stewart border punch, ribbon from stash then added some stickles.

Because the rose is bulky Ive made a box for the card to go in. I worked with Barbaras MIL many moons ago and know she is German so the stamp with different names for Mother seemed appropriate with the word Mutter (German for mother) being so near the top. She hasnt seen it yet I do hope she likes it!

J x

Demo with Suze Weinberg

My Pal Elaine has emailed me some pics she took on Tuesday - I was sat to the right hand side of this picture so had a fab view of what she was doing. She was so personable - checking we could see/ understood/ wanted to ask questions - quite honestly she was brilliant! She brought along samples of techniques as well as demonstrating them - the pic below was my favourite sample.

Stunning! It had a beeswax coating and was on a piece of wood. Needless to say i bought beeswax and an extra project pan to have a go at home too! I need a week off work to play now LOL.

So Huge thanks to - Elaine for the Pics x Ta chuck x, Michelle for being a super fabulous chauffeur as always x and to Suze for one helluva demo xx

Janet

No challenges but postcards for special people x

Made this postcard for a special lady. I got the fabby postcard stamp and friends verse at The Craft Range in Hapton, Lancs - It is marked £10-90 but it had a whopping 70% off and begged me to take it home LOL (along with another santa stamp and a fabby Paris suitcase stamp). The flower stamp is one of Kay Carley designs from The stampman - such a lovely versatile set. Ive coloured it with Stampin up inks chocolate chip and pumpkin which I think have worked remarkably well. Cant remember who made the beautiful day stamp but thats a gorgeous one too. This is the reverse.

Heres another for a different friend this time using paper piecing for the flowers. Papers by My Minds Eye, letters stamps by papermania, ribbon from stash - again I have used Chocolate chip to ink the edges.

On Tuesday I went to see Suze Weinberg demonstrate at a shop in Lancashire. She was fabulous! Those of you not familiar with Suze she is the melt pot Queen -behind all the ranger melt pot products. I learned so much I just need a day to play not to have a go! I also succombed to some bargain basement stamps - a little passport stamp to go with the suitcase, some word stamps and a gorgeous Christmas stamp of an Angel 5 stamps for a fiver cant be bad! Im hoping my Pal Elaine will email pics she took of the demo so I can share them with you or you can visit Suze to see some . Im def a follower now! Suze gave away all her demo projects to her adoring fans and lucky me got one too but I dont want to share yet as its a gift for someone else who will appreciate it but I will show you soon x

Have a fab day x Janet

A commission and Hels challenge

Hels challenge this week was for roses. So here I have decorated a pizza box. I found the tutorial on Splitcoast stampers . The rose is made from card. The leaves are from the papermania build a rose set stamped in olive green ink from stampin up.

The papers, ribbons and buttons are from the current goody bag from docrafts. I shared with my mum the whole goody bag and there is oodles!

Inside the box is a card commissioned by my workmate Barbara - I have a list of Barbaras commissions for the next few months as she has some special birthdays coming up in her family.

This one is an easel card for her niece Erin who is 5. Mum cut out erins name and the no 5 on her slice machine!

It is of course the beautiful Daisy stamp from Sugar nellie, coloured with promarkers and also using elements from the Papermania goody bag. the tab punch is from Stampin up.

Well this may be may last post till into next week as we have a busy weekend ahead. im working from 2-30 today till 3 tomorrow, a valentine meal Sat night then the same working hours Sun/ Mon - This is where I pay for having time off last weekend lol.

Hope you have a brilliant weekend x Janet

New home :0)

My Friend Janet has just moved home! We dont see each other anywhere near as much as we would like as she now lives in Dumfries. Janet and OH Chris have just bought a new house and her daughter has moved into their old one. With the new baby arriving only 2 weeks ago its been a bit hectic for them.
Anyhow Janet is in Yorkshire visiting her Mum for a few days so hopefully we will get to meet up today. here's a card i put together last night for her. she described her new house as looking like the ones you used to draw as a child so this stamp from Dimension fourth seemed perfect. Card stock all by stampin up. Image coloured with promarkers and then cut out with nestabilities. Used the stampin up scallop punch for the border. Janet is also bringing me some crafty goodies she has found during her clear out! How exciting :0)
Have a briliant day x
Janet

Mad in March SCD

Over at SCD The theme this weeks is Mad as a March Hare! I was so regretting not having kept the stamps my teamie Emma had lent me - I confess I didnt stamp one image despite borrowing her Alice in wonderland stamps for 3 whole months!

So what to do??? Then on Saturday at AFTH I found this picture in one of the magazines we were using for art journalling and I thought wow thats perfect! So this is a bit of collaging with a magazine picture card from a Christmas card and papers from stash. The words are from a sudio g set - "Mad in" is a little wooden individual letter set and "March" from a clear months of the year set. Overall Im quite pleased with the look especially as I thought I couldn't join in!

Im hoping I can join the challenge every week for the month of atcs as we can swap them at the end - Perfect!

Love is all around - Tuesday Taggers

My turn to pick the challenge this week and as its my wedding anniversary (24 years) on Valentines day I've gone for "Love is all around". This is an atc for the friendship swap over on the docrafts forum. My partner is the lovely Tikvah! Folks who swap atcs know how lovely it is to receive an atc through the post - it is a fabulous feeling. on this Ive used stamps by dovecraft, stampin up and studio G. The spotty paper is by Papermania, card, ribbon and the silver heart from stash. In fact the heart was actually a Christmas bauble that I have just changed the shape of.

We also have a lovely prize on offer from The Craft Emporium Lyn brought a 6x6 paper pad back from the CHA show especially for us but do make sure you add a link to The craft emporium to be in with a chance of winning it!

Hop on over to tuesday taggers to see what my team mates have done!
Have a fabulous day x
Janet

I have been certified

I can now officially pratt around! Heres my fabby certificate!
Presented by the most fabulous tutor in the whole world!
I cant tell you how much i enjoyed this weekend and finally being able to "get" art journalling. Of course i cried - those of you who know me already know my bladder is too close to my eyes at the best of times but this was deep and touching tears of a healing kind.

Everyone on the course has gone and will continue to go on a rollercoaster ride of personel discovery and I feel blessed to be holding on tight for what will be an exhilarating ride of a life time. Dy is right this should be taught in schools - how happy would the Country be with well addjusted people being able to find a creative outlet for their worries, fears, joys and blessings.

It would save the NHS millions!

Here I am with Dy and My super friend and house guest Emma x

The ride was with the most fabulous people all on their own journey of discovery. Dy as always was the most fantastic tutor. Her unique way of sharing herself as well as filling every moment with knowledge is amazing. I can never grow tired of her workshops which are always jam packed with skills to transfer to all areas of crafting. Her knowledge and love of ranger products is also so infectious you cannot help but run to the shop to stock up on more goodies to play at home.

The kitchen fairy AKA Pam treated us to wonderful food as did all the ladies who brought treats! I ate far too much of the gorgeous Tablet! The survival packs of tissues and chocolate was really welcome - especially the tissues. My lovely friends Emma, Bee and Michelle - as always so special to spend time with such truly gorgeous people - inside and out. I was dithering about booking on the second weekend as I was over budget this month - so they arranged for the deposit to be paid so i can go back and do the second weekend with them - thanks so much Guys I really do love you all x

Dy you are a star - i shall keep my certificate her on my sidebar as a reminder that pratting about is a cool thing to do and may even preserve my sanity x

Hop here to visit a fab shop and check out Dys workshops for the coming couple of months x

The Craft Barn sketch and Hels challenge

Over at The Craft barn blog there is a fab new challenge for this month with some brilliant prizes on offer. Here I have made an atc following the sketch - It also fits into Hels challenge which is hearts including stamping - all these are are bits of scraps from my scrap box - I only know the stamp (love) is by dovecraft and the red spotty card is from a christmas card - loved the spots so kept it!
This is for a secret Valentine swap - I know I am safe to post as the recipient doesnt visit my blog so its now winging its way to its new home!

Had a lovely evening at Art from the Heart so am heading to bed as I am up early to go back :0)

have a fab weekend x Janet

Something completely different!

Over at SCD the theme for the month has been Gothic Arches. Ive always liked the idea of doing these but just never found the time! When I saw Melody was on the DT earlier in the month I vowed to have a go and eventually here it is!

If you have been following my other blog you will know Im into making everything in two's just now so then had to do another! Any one who has been at our house for any length of time would recognise the top window as being Sid our split personality cat! the stamped image has a much friendlier face than our Sid when he wants to be let in!

Recipe 1

Card stock by Kanban

Lace from stash

Cat stamp from PSX (over 10 years old!)

Window frame cut out on the slice

purrfect - not sure of actual make but was a docraft promotion

Edges stamp - in white is a snagem tree

The swirls on the frame a little stamp I bought off ebay about 3 yrs ago!

and ribbon from stash

recipe 2

Card stock by kanban

Ribbon from stampman

window stamp paperartsy mini

Tree - snagem

Cat and purrfect not sure as above a papermania offer

White ink pad from stampin up

Red gel pen and crystal stickles

really loved the shape - shame the theme has ended but looking forward to something completely different for the next challenge LOL x

Janet

Tuesday Taggers!

My post is not here this week but over on my other blog and you know what that means!
Visit it here

Craft Emporium

Check out the Sale at The Craft Emporium its fabulous - whoops I spent too much on stamps - there is a shock! Some brilliant ones though for journalling which will come in handy for some projects I have lined up for my crafty group!

They have been a fab sponsor of Tuesday Taggers in the past so thought Id share the news :0)

Have just worked 2 waking nights. They have been fairly quiet as my charges have slept and not been up half the night as they usually are! It has allowed me to craft as well! I have been making some quick and basic cards for the adult service centre as they are raising some funds by hiring the Town Hall for a sale. My sister, who has downs, goes there twice a week. I shall also have some baking to do before the 20th!

Anyway 80 cards in less than a week is going some - they are very basic as they are only selling them for £1 each so I didnt want to spend lots of time on them but they are all ok - Not my usual crafting but given the time span thats not unusual. Fingers crossed they help them raise more funds to carry on the support work.

Right am off for a nap - am back on an early tomorrow so need to make sure I can get some sleep but not too much that I will stay awake tonight!

This week is busy - Going shopping with Michelle and Averil from Malham after I finish work in the morning - craft shopping that is LOL Wed hair cut and late shift, Thursday packing card kits for another fund raiser for BHF with Michelle and Elaine then Emma is arriving to do a stampin up party at Craft club. On Friday - Sunday Emma, Michelle, Bee and I are meeting up to do a beginners art journalling course at Art from the Heart phew I need to go to bed from thinking about all that lol. Always love Dys courses - really you should try and do one sometime it will be worth it!