The thrill of heat embossing

These cards were made to send to my teamies at the team training day - Heat embossing is so easy once you know how and can follow the process.  I am doing a Heat Embossing refresher/ introduction at our local Community craft group on Thursday so making 16 cards was a great opportunity to refresh myself to the pros and cons.

This beautiful dove stamp is called Dove of Peace and is by Stampin up - Teamed with SU night of navy card stock and SU gold embossing powder it gives a lovely Christmassy feel.  I am going to try it with some perfect pearls too to add colour but no time last week with a deadline to meet.

Thanks for stopping by today x

Paper piecing

One of my favourite techniques - its so relaxing and with gorgeous papers (these were free with a magazine) It gives a really effective look.

Trees and Ribbon by Woodware x
Entering this to Winter Wonderlands - Anything but square
and Crafty Hazlenuts Christmas challenge - Festive trees or greenery 

Thanks for stopping by 

Janet

Summery cards

August classes saw me take inspiration from Pinterest for the lovely stamp set Kinda Eclectic from Stampin up.

This was a really popular class and everyone fell in love with the versatile stamps in the set.

I have an order going in this weekend should you want to take advantage of £2 only postage (anywhere in the UK) then just drop me a message.

Thanks for stopping by Janet

Such a bad blogger !

I have been creating - honestly just been very bad at blogging.

This was a commission card - I was so flattered as this request came from another talented crafter but she wanted a vintage look for her daughters 18th birthday.  It was actually quite lovely to go back to a vintage look which has been lacking in my recent creations- I like all the porojects I have been doing but this was a lovely return to a comfy place if you see what I mean.

Hope you like it too x

Janet

Build a birthday - not just for birthdays........

 Another use for the cake layers on the build a birthday set is to make a stack of presents.  Great for birthdays and dare I say the C word (Christmas).  Here the speckled edges to the card are made from a stamp in the gorgeous grunge set. I love how its made it look like paint. Colours here cucumber crush, mint macaron and delightful dijon.  Just for you stamp is from the work of art stamp set as is the You inside the card.

Another great card for Christmas as well as birthdays - such an easy set to use with lots of possibilities.  At my last class we decided the candles could be made into washi tape strips as well as layered well to make a Christmas tree.

and on Saturday the cake stand became a wedding cake !

So versatile what are you waiting for?

Email me on clarkyj44@gmail.com to order this fabulous stamp set for just £14.00 - with the special offer of postage free !

Thanks for stopping by x

Janet

June Classes

 Each month I host a few in home classes for a selected invite list of people.  The people on my list have asked to be on it and from this I do 3 small classes for a max of 4 people (if you want to join my email list then do drop me amessage - email addy below).  It gives me a chance to chat properly and for us to look at ways to use the stamp set of the month.

This month it is Build a Birthday and the new In colours from Stampin up.

I LOVE this set - its sooo versatile covering many occasions not just birthdays. The card above is one we make in the class (2 have already happened the last one is next Friday ).

Below is me playing around for a wedding card

Its brilliant !

One of the ladies today suggested another idea for Christmas which I intend to play with tonight.

At £14 for the set its a fantastic price.

I have an order going in on Friday 12th so if you fancy the set drop me a message on clarkyj44@gmail.com.

I will add 2 more ideas tomorrow in case you are undecided!

Thanks for stopping by x

Janet

Remembering

As this posts I will be at my 4th Annual Stampin up retreat - this time I am hosting alone as my gorgeous friend and Upline Emma passed away suddenly last October. Many of the ladies attending were customers of Emmas or friends of us both so I am keen for Emma to be present throughout the weekend both in spirit and our projects.

This is one such piece - labelled "Love".

Its the Petite petals papers by stampin up which has been cut to size and framed with the addition of the word and 3 stamped and punched butterflies from the papillion potpouri set.

I have added a little rub and buff to the frame to antique it a little.

This is a simple project but with lots of meaning to it and of course the ladies can change whatever they want about it.

The weekend is about fun and creativity - Emma loved both - and I am sure we will all feel her love surrounding us as we craft and share memories together.

Thanks for stopping by x

Janet

Fiddle faffing all day long.............

 

With this little number.

I found a fab tutorial here but it used 12 x 6" cardstock so I wanted to see if I could do it with A4.

In the end I shaved off just 1/8th of an inch off the first and last measurement - fiddly - and a nightmare for a class but it fits A4.  I also adjusted the front panels to 2 1/4" x 6".

Stamp set is Butterfly basics - colours soft sky and basic grey and the little blue bits I have used the large spot embossing folder - all from Stampin up.

You could add a ribbon coming round from the back to fasten it too but I decided against that for this sample.  The great thing is this pops nicely into a C6 envelope - downside is it would be a large letter post due to the bulk of folds - but worth it for a wow card !

Hope you like it x

Thanks for popping in x

Janet

Birthday gifts

 I have a number of birthdays this month and needed to make some gifts.  I turned to Youtube and pinterest for inspiration and found this fabulous video.  I almost managed it in real time too although did have to pause a few times. I also decorated inside the cards and the envelopes and as suggested popped sentiments into the box with foam pads to be added as needed.

I pretty much followed the design as the video just changed the colours a little.

Stamp sets are Basic Butterflies and framelets and gorgeous grunge from Stampin up.  Colours are daffodill delight, wild wasabi, blackberry bliss and early espresso also from Stampin up.  I made my own card blanks then used SU C6 envelopes to give it in.  As I didnt have the wood SU cases I used and A6 plastic storage box to give them in tied with the fab stripey grosgrain ribbon x

The first one has been given and she seemed pleased. Although she is a crafter she does not do cards so I hope she finds them useful x

Hope you enjoy Brandys video - and do drop me an email if you would like to place an order for any of these Stampin up goodies x

Inspiration............

 Gorgeous tulips

Blackberry bliss cardstock and ink - gorgeous x

Stamp sets butterfly basics and Summer Silhuettes - both by Stampin up x

Texture...........

All the cards we will be making on Sunday have texture on them as everyone will receive an embossing folder as part of the kit.  I have tried to go for some very different looks from traditional to quirky- this is the quirky !

I am usually a traditional girl but I think this Santa is quite cute as well as quirky !

I am entering this into Crafty Hazlenuts Christmas challenge which is to add texture.

One last project to finish tonight so best get on.

Thanks for stopping by x

Janet

The C word in April.........

Yes the C word has been happening this week as my first Christmas class is on Sunday. I have 10 ladies clamouring for spaces and an overspill at the end of April in my home.

10 Christmas cards and a different project in a 6 hour class - a hard task but we seem to have found a great way of doing it by completing projects in 2s so the waiting for supplies is minimal.

This time the ladies all get a free embossing folder - so all the cards will involve embossing to get the best use from their stash.

Will hopefully show you more as the week progresses.

Thanks for stopping by x

Janet

Love is in the air

 At least for someone !Made this little Guest book for my eldest sons girlfriends Mum (phew) who gets married in May - Gold and cream is the colour scheme but I am not a huge fan of mirri card gold and could only find this Bazzil Bling card stock that caught my eye.

 Hope they like it.

and hope this brings a happy ever after for them too.

Thanks for stopping by x

Janet x

Batch makes

Always sad when this sort of card has to be made - I made 4 of these for Andrew and Emmas family.

Yellow is because last time I was with Andrew I took him to Asda and he was looking for daffodils - he said the colours were cheery and he wanted them to give to someone.  I didnt have daffodills but I did have this lovely stampin up set which I borrowed from my Mum. The sentiment is another stamping up set and says just how I feel.

Somehow I just need to sum up what the both of them meant to me to add to each card - thats the really difficult bit as I could go on for ages about that!

Thanks for stopping by again x

Janet

Stamp/ die freebies in January

 Loved the stamp/ dies/ masks which were free gifts in the January Simply cards and papercrafts and simply homemade.

These were some batch makes I did at the local shop monthly craft session - good to have a stock of cards just in case.

The colours are momento dew drops - perfect for craft travel and such lovely colours.

Did you get the freebies and do some makes?

Would love to see them xx

Have a great day x

Janet x

When Mr MoJo did make an appearance

 I created. This was for a friend who had been away over Christmas and I was house sitting.

 I left a gift in each of her rooms to welcome her home again.

 Saw this idea on Pinterest - a hug a day for a whole year!

Folding the hugs was a labour of love in itself !

Worth it though as she LOVED it!

I will be back to show more stuff when I can find the pics!

Thanks for stopping by x

Janet x

One of Megs pieces

Our Megs is in her foundation year of art and is hoping to progress to University in September studying illustration.

This is one of her recent pieces - as you can see she has been studying emotions.

I love this combination of styles - especially the teeth!

This is a whole days work which for a stunning piece is no time at all.

She amazes me my girl xx

Janet x

Did you think I had left the Country?

 Since I saw you last I have been much quieter on the crafty front. My MoJo upped and went early last year and only made occasional come backs.  This was one of my first cards back teaching after a 3 month break - I love this stamping up set - butterfly basics - and although the card is simple I quite like that its an uncomplicated design - I think I needed to return to basics to build up my confidence again.

In the last 4 months I have lost 2 of my dearest friends - Andrew and Emma.  Both had long battles with the "C" word though Emma died suddenly of a heart attack at just 40 years old. Her brave soulmate Andrew passed just last Tuesday after the "C" word took hold.

 Here they are in happier times and how I will remember them - very much in love and there for each other no matter what.

and this little rascal takes up some time too - who can resist the cuddles and playtimes with such a cute puppy.  This is Rosie who will be a year old on 23rd March.  Our lives have been enriched by her joining our family and she is very much loved.

Hope I wont be a stranger here but I cannot promise.  Lifes twists and turns are unpredictable.

Am going on a wander - so who knows I may be visiting you today !

Have a great weekend xx

Janet x