They say variety is the spice of life................

 So I like to try different things.........

Last Christmas I made some wrist warmers for a friend and decided to play about with the pattern to make some for my Niece who has petite wrists and hands. I should have added something so you could se the size as these are quite tiny. I gave her them today and she loves them - especially the little owl thats in the pattern.

 I also made this beanie hat for her which is a normal adult size and fits fine.

 There is a kind of pattern in there too.

I am thrilled she likes them as I was worried when I heard she hates knitted things !

Now I need to make a POU for my Nephew - there is a challenge!

Thanks for stopping by x

Janet

Our James

 Loved playing in water. Here he is about 19 months old getting soaked in the back yard. This was another layout idea from a kit but again I didnt follow it too closely.

This is the reverse of the above image and just one I quickly put together at the end of the session last Wednesday. My sleepy boys in the days before Meghan. Another 2 layouts for James' scrapbook this time - one day I may finish it!

Thanks for stopping by x

Janet xx

Last one of Megs for now

Again this was a layout begun at the crop. Not a direct copy but very near of the kit I was lucky to buy there.

The journalling has not yet been added fully but you can see I have put a little in there though the title is hard to see in the picture. It says "Tea at the Ritz"

I love the picture of Megs looking through the cake stand - which if you are a friend on facebook you will recognise as the title picture on my facebook page !

That was a very special day and one I do treasure very much - I have pictures of my son James from that day too ready to scrapbook next time.

Thanks for stopping by x

Janet xx

Layouts from the weekend

 The Layout on the left hand side was the layout from a kit I purchased on Saturday - There was so much in the kit with the addition of some more card stock I was able to create a 2nd similar layout for a 2 page spread.

This is my daughter Megs and her best friend Emily at their coming of age photo shoot earlier this .year.

 The picture of above their heads was to recreate one of the very first photos I have of them as babies lying side by side.

Here they are looking all grown up - I love how the photographer used Megs fur hoody to make it look like a very wintery shot!

So thats 3 more layouts done for Megs album - there is one more to share then 2 for our James' album too - told you I was on a roll xx

Thanks for stopping by x

Janet

A return to scrapbooking.........

 I went to a crop on Saturday - I can't tell you have wonderful it was to craft without any pressure at all. No deadlines - no must have project just go with the flow and see what happens.  I will show you what I did last Saturday another day - this is what I did today after purchasing a few scrapbook kits from the crop.

This looks nothing like the layout in the pack except the colours and papers. I found I wanted to go my own way once I had chosen the photograph to play with

Our Megs playing the "play me I'm yours " piano in St Pancras station, London.

 I neary burst with pride that day as Megs played Bellas lullaby from Twilight and White clouds the piece she played at the Remembrance concert 2 years ago.

The lady in the photo to Megs Left was reduced to tears and called her an Angel who played beautiful music. She was not wrong there but it was lovely for a complete stranger to appreciate my amazing daughter and her playing.

Lots more scrapbooking to show but I will wait for another day.

Papers and card by Stampin up.

Alphabet die Hippie chick by cuttlebug.

Thanks for looking x

Janet

Another Molly project

 I was so glad to have my Mollies with me at the retreat so I could make catch up cards.  Here is another one I made for a friend in Scotland tht I need to catch up with.

Same papers as my previous Molly project but this time using ice cream George - seems apt for the hot weather!

Off to work for a sleep over duty today - wont be back till after 3pm tomorrow so its a looooong shift but not long now till my 2 weeks holidays yippee!

Thanks for stopping by x

Janet

Christmas in July

 As you know I love Christmas crafting - and so do many of my crafty chums. For the last 3 years we have got together regularly to prepare for Christmas.

This was part of last weeks class where we used embossing folders for quick but classy cards.

I really liked this class and will be making more of these for my own Christmas collection.

I am entering these into the Christmas in July challenge at Little Red Wagon

Thanks for stopping by xx

Janet

Catching up with my failings................

 Before they catch up with me !

The lovely Margaret has been following my blog for a long time - we have met a few times and she is a complete sweetheart.

I missed replying to an email some while ago so whilst I was at the retreat I made a few catching up sort of cards. I know some amazing people and sometimes life gets in the way of me letting them know how special they are - so for Margaret I went to one of my fav stamp design collections and made her a Molly Bloom card.

 

I even managed to pen a short letter inside which I am hoping she has now received xx

 

I loved making it for someone so lovely xx

Big hugs to Margaret and all you special folks out there xx

Love J x

A labour of love

 Ever since we made the wreath at last years stampin up retreat I have been meaning to play at making a pomander so at the Claxby retreat a few weeks ago I did just that.

 The papers used are by stampin up as are the 2 flower punches - all the flowers were carefully inked and curled before pinning to the polystyrene ball.  Each flower needed a middle so I added card cany and pearl gems.

This is our Megs holding it so you can see its a sizable ball!

It really was a labour of love and took quite a while to complete but I am very pleased with the out come - What do you think?

Hope everyone is doing well and loving these summer days we are having.

Thanks for stopping by x

Janet

Pesky flies

 The ladies at stamping club love Molly Blooms projects - so this week I am combining pretty with practical with this lantern jar.

We are decorating a jar to hold a citronella candle to keep the pesky flies and midges at bay whilst we enjoy the light evenings.

 Here is my sample with Molly sitting on a picnic blanket with her picnic basket.

 she is joined by the hens and the flowers and bunting all around the jar.

 some ribbon and lace to pretty it up

and a lazy summer days sentiment.

A quick project this week as we also have a craft sale in the afternoon for unloved stash to be sold on to someone who wants it.  I have had a big de stash so am hoping someone out there will want some of it !

We are using the sale table proceeds to raise a bit of money too - we will vote on the charity to receive it on the day.

Hope everyone is well 

Thanks for stopping by xxx

Brace yourselves - I will mention the C word throughout this post !

For some folks Christmas is the most exciting time of the year - me included in that and as you know I have been heading to Claxby for the last 4 Novembers which has been some of the most fun times of my life.

I have gone on so much about the magic that is captured on these weekends I have been asked to do one near to home.

Amazingly its almost full already with only 4 places left!

I shall still be heading to Claxby as usual as those ladies are like my family now and the time together is so special I cannot find words to describe it.

So much fun ahead.

Happy times x

Janet

So proud.........

 of my crafty club ladies. This weeks project was so far away for some of them but they embraced the idea and went with the flow - to stunning results.

 As I have been so busy of late 3 of the ladies have stepped in to take the lead on some classes and this was Pams week. Pam is an experienced crafter and knows most of the techniques having seen them do the rounds two or thre times in th time she has been a crafter so all of the ladies took advantage of her expertise and also some cheaper alternatives from the DIY store to consider.

 Look how beautiful they all are and so very different.

 The only thing recognisable for these mirrors to have come from Ikea is there shape!

A really lovely day - Thanks Pam xx

Good old Ikea

Where would be crafters be withour Ikea mirrors to alter? With unlimited ways to do it - its always a fab crafty project to suit the budget concious amongst us.

This is a result of a playday with a couple of my crafty chums and an experiment with cheap polyfilla instead of texture paste. I love the soft feminie colour which is moonlight from the fresco range at Paperartsy. Teamed with some Tim Holt and Fiskars stamps a little lace, flowers and liquid pearls its a transformation from its plain mirror status.

Will show you what my chums did next time xx

Hope all is well with you blog buddies - thanks for stopping by xx

Janet

Stampin up retreat bank holiday weekend

 Hello there folks - at last I can show you the Stampin up retreat weekend makes.

 Saturday was my project day - I had found these cute little mini albums in Tescos sale sp made a full day scrapbook project

 There were 24 pages in all - 12 double sided pieces with spaces for photographs.

 All the materials were in the attendees kit so they could add or change as they wished.

Here is just 6 of the 24 pages - wont bore you with them all !

 On Saturday night we decorated a wooden hanger. Those roof tiles were a labout of love - all that inking and punching!

On Sunday we made this - a decorated box frame with my lovely upline Emma Daye. I loved the project and really enjoyed the weekend.

Who knows we may be doing it all again next year too!

Thanks for stopping by x Janet x

Christmas gifts - Its never too early!

It was my evening craft session last Tuesday which has been running 8 years in August - I have made some wonderful friends through this evening session - it so relaxed and we have such a laugh.

I just grabbed these 2 scented candle jars to decorate for this session - so a nice and gentle project however I forgot my little tool bag - so I finished them off today at home.

 I have used a little Molly Bloom stamp for the character and some of the ribbons and buttons from the Molly Blooms Christmas mag from December 2012.

 They are slightly different but this wont matter as they are for 2 different gifts.

The lid has been decorated too and I may even make boxes to present them in - although i do have some rather cute mini brown bags which would be lovely as well - still as Christmas is a month or two away plenty of time to decide!

I wonder if you can guess the fragrance?

Busy with top secret stuff as the stampin up retreat is nearly here - in just 2 weeks we will be having fun playing with new stash and some fun projects - so I may be quiet for a little while but then have tons to show you!

Thanks for saying hello

Take care and have fun crafting x

Janet x

Lovely Weekends

Friday saw the first Christmas class of the year - and some new faces played along - it was a wonderful day - just short of some Christmas music in my opinion but hey that could be taken as taking it too far! 

(maybe I will be daring for the next class in July!)

My gorgeous pal Liz came along and stayed over for another play day on Saturday - look at the gorgeous tulips she brought!

On Saturday we were joined by another 3 friends - we all met through the Do-crafts forum swapping atcs and its wonderful how our friendships have blossomed through the years.

 We each made our own version of this. Which is my next stamping club project next Friday - its turned out just how I wanted it but I do still need to add some Gems to finish it off.

 Sunday was all about afternoon tea with 2 lovely ladies. The tea was postponed from Easter Saturday so they still had their Easter gifts to be given.

 Cute little muslin bags - stamped with inks and paints.

Such a cute way to give some mini eggs!

I forgot to take afternoon tea pictures which is a shame as I had made some parcels from filo pastry which I was very proud of but none left to photograph as they were too delicious!

Hope your weekend has been as wonderful as mine - I feel tired but rested if you get what I mean - ready to be back to work again tomorrow.

Megs and I are down to the serious business of puppy hunting - so lots of research to do before we choose our bundle of cuteness. I think that will keep me busy for a while LOL.

Take care and thanks for stopping by xx

Janet

A little bit of Gorjuss

 I was drawn to this stamp - most likely because it reminds me of our Megs. On Sunday I had a few hours to myself so I had a little play - Its the first time in ages I have created just for the pleasure of creating and I did so enjoy it.

I love the papers too which I think are Kaiser craft. 

Hope all well with you and thanks for stopping by x

Janet