Friday 30 March 2012

Crafty Ann's Challenge # 62 - Christmas in March

Every year at my house we light the Christmas pudding and try to get a good photo and we finally managed this year. So here in all its glory is a 12 by 12 scrap book page of our Flaming Pudd. The digikit is Crafty Ann's and it contains some lovely papers and embellishments. I worked in Craft Artist.
Why not join us in this challenge and record a memory from Christmas past or get ahead start on next years cards and pop over to Crafty Ann's Challenge blog and see what the rest of the design team came up with.
Jen x

On Our Travels with Darcy's Postcard Challenge - Turkey














While reading about Turkey I found some fabulous images of the tiles that they have produced there since the 15th Century and earlier. I chose one which can be found in the V&A museum and turned it into my backing paper. I used the colours from that tile to colour a tile of my own, a stamp from Rob Adams. The early tiles were colbalt blue and white and later in the 16th century turquoise and green then coral were added. As Turkey is also famous for its carpets I decided to needle felt the pocket for my postcard. I used wool and Sari silks on a felt base.  I am loving this challenge, thank you Darcy, so much wonderful work to see and places to find out about. Jen x

Thursday 29 March 2012

Rainbow Lady's Challenge # 198 - Butterflies

Over at Rainbow Lady's Challenge blog  one of the design team Caroline is sponsoring this challenge. She has provided these beautiful butterflies for the rest of the team. For my 6 by 6 card I used two backing papers from Snicker Doddles "Outside My Window" digi kit. In Craft artist I added Caroline's butterflies. I printed the result on paper and on acetate. I made a bowed topper with the acetate and attached it over the paper with brads. Unfortunately this does not show up so well in my photo. I added acetate butterflies on top for an even more 3D effect.
Do pop over and see what the rest of the design team have created and let us see your butterflies.
Jen x

Wednesday 28 March 2012

Dragon's Dream TIO # 112 - Thorn Birds

So long since I read this book and I can remember only snippets of it, so I gathered together bits that made a connection with my half remembered thoughts and did a collage. The two stamps are from Chocolate Baroque and Tim Holtz, the rest from my scrap box. Must  seek inspiration in there more often. Thanks for looking, any comments you leave are much appreciated.
Jen x

Tuesday 27 March 2012

CD Sunday - Spring has Sprung

These little violets have popped up all over my garden so I could not resist this image from Joanna Sheen's CD "Diary of an Edwardian Lady". The backing paper is from there too. I kept it simple to match the simple flowers and mounted on purple mirri card and added a bow. Thanks for coming by, ant comments you leave are much appreciated.
Jen x

Friday 23 March 2012

On Our Travels with Darcy's Postcard Challenge - Israel

I looked to an Israeli water colour artist for my inspiration this week. The pocket of my page is a picture of the original painting by Dan Partouche and I had a go at reproducing something in the style of using Distress inks, stamps and brushes and a few freehand touches. The rest of my page is a picture off the web of the mountains in Israel in full flower.
I did struggle this week, the hardest country so far for me. Looking forward to seeing what you all do, always so inspiring.
Jen x

Thursday 22 March 2012

Rainbow Lady's Challenge # 197 - House and Home

This week we are thinking of House and Home at Rainbow Lady's Challenge blog. I was inspired by a gift from a dear friend of  this TH on the edge die so my mind turned to dressmaking, which I used to do a lot of back in the day. The backing paper is TH and is coloured with  distress stain Bundled Sage. The edge die is cut from the same paper and distressed with Vintage Photo. I added the ribbon and made a zip flower with added needle to complete my A5 card.
Do join us this week. Jen x

Tuesday 20 March 2012

CD Sunday Challenge - Spots and Dots

I have used Mabel Lucie Attwell CD from Katy Sue Designs this week for the topper and backing paper. I used an embossing folder for the mat and decoupaged the girls. The ribbon and flower are from my stash. It is a 6 by 6 card. Thank you for stopping by to have a look, I do appreciate your comments.
Jen x

Sunday 18 March 2012

D is for Dance

Onto D with my alphabet tags and D is for Dance. Always wanted to be a ballet dancer as a small person, had some lessons but not the talent or the build! My background paper is from Booland Designs "Peacock Dreams" and the embellishments from Allegro "Dance" scrap kit. My image is from Whoopsidaisy and is coloured with Promarkers.
Jen x

Friday 16 March 2012

Dragon's Dream TIO # 111 - Alice in Wonderland

My background is Eco paints and the Alice stamp is from Artistic Stamper. I added some trimmed childrens' playing cards featuring characters from Alice in Wonderland that I bought in a charity shop for 50p and some ribbon that I found just yesterday. Serendipity at work I think.
Thank you for stopping by, all the comments you leave are much appreciated.
Jen x

Crafty Ann's Challenge # 61 - Spring into Spring

Over at Crafty Ann's this week the challenge is to think Spring. I have used Ann's lovely vase of Spring flowers and sentiment together with a quote from Wordsworth as my topper. I coloured the flowers with Promarkers. The backing paper on my twisted easel card is from K & Co. and I cut the butterflies and punched the border from the same sheet. Do take a look at the designs from the team and let us see your Springtime creation.
Jen x

On Our Travels with Darcy's Postcard Challenge - the Netherlands

The Netherlands for me means flowers and Amsterdam means push bikes. My OH worked there for 12 months and when I went to stay  bikes were THE mode of transport.My bike is a stamp made by Flower Soft and coloured using Promarkers, the tress are stamps from Crafyt Individuals and the tulip stamps are from Sheena Douglas. My page is printed from Sheena's CD and the tulips and daisies pockets is made using a transfer of hers. Thank you all for the kind comments you leave, I do enjoy seeing what all you talented crafters can do.
Jen x

Thursday 15 March 2012

Rainbow Lady's Challenge # 196 - St. Patrick's Day

Over at Rainbow Lady's the challenge this week is generously being sponsored by Elegant Inspirations, so for your change to win  the CD join in with your interpretation of St. Patrick's day.
For my 6 by 6 card I have printed a background paper from Sweet Shoppe Designs Lucky to Have You kit and a leprechaun form Serif's Myths and Legends kit. The leprechaun was decoupaged and a greeting and shamrocks added from my stash.
Jen x

Tuesday 13 March 2012

CD Sunday Challenge - From Me to You

I fancied colouring today so my topper is stamped using Summer Adorables from Jayne Nestorenko "Secret Garden". I used Promarkers to colour the images. The Backing paper is from the accompanying CD. The punch is from Martha Stewart. Thank you for coming by to look, all your comments are much appreciated.
Jen x

Friday 9 March 2012

On Our Travels with Darcy's Postcard Challenge - Canada


Thought I should start this week by clearing up last weeks puzzle. I spent years trying to do it before I got to sixth form and learned what Euler had proved. I won't make you wait  but will tell you he proved that it was impossible! The good burgers on their Sunday stroll had to cross one bridge twice.
Onto this weeks country, Canada. I lived there for about four years, in Toronto, and loved it. We still have close family there so visit every year.
My scene is cottage country. I stamped it using 9 different stamps from "Country set" by Stampscapes and "Nature set 1" from A Stamp in the Hand Co. I stamped using Versifine Vintage Sepia and distressed with Vintage Photo.
My page is depicting what I think is one of the highlights of the year in Canada the Fall colours. I stamped and distressed using a number of DInks. The leaf on the pocket is metal and coloured with alcohol inks.
Thank you all so much for your kind remarks you have made. I am so enjoying this challenge and seeing all of your fabulous work.
Jen x

Thursday 8 March 2012

CD Sunday Challenge - Imagine

Had fun playing with my marbling paints to make this background which I thought went with the bubbles. The image is from Joanna Sheen's Enchanted dreams CD. My butterfly border is a TH on the edge die which I cut then embossed with a dotty folder. Thank you for stopping by, all your comments are so appreciated.
Jen x

Rainbow Lady's Challenge # 195 - Red, Brown and Cream

This week at Rainbow Lady's we are thinking colours, red, brown and cream. I have designed my 8 by 8 card in Craft Artist using a kit by Digilicious Designs called Autumn Grove. I do like her designs and I think this tree is such a lovely colour. We had one just like it opposite my house but it blew down in those gales a few years ago, I miss it, so this is homage to our lost tree.
Jen x

Monday 5 March 2012

C is for Cranes

Trying out my fairly new stamp and emboss folder from Sizzix and Hero Arts which I used to create the leaves as a backdrop to the cranes. The cranes were stamped and cut out then mounted on the tag. Both the cranes and the water are stamps from Kodomo Inc "Dancing Cranes". Cranes are a symbol of happiness and eternal youth, so all good. Thanks for looking.
Jen x

Friday 2 March 2012

Crafty Ann'a Challenge # 60 - Anything but a Card

My "not a card" is a 12 by 12 scrapbook page. The elements and main paper are from Crafty Ann's Cream Dream kit and I have added a background paper from her metallic collection. I put them together in Craft Artist. This is a lovely kit to work with and the soft tone seemed just right for a baby photo.
Do have a look at Crafty Ann's challenge blog for the projects from the rest of the design team. I look forward to seeing your entries.
Jen x

On Our Travels with Darcy's Postcard Challenge - Switzerland

My daughter lives and works in Basel so I started there with my research. I found that one of the world's greatest mathematicians was born there, so as an ex Maths teacher that was irresistible. His name is Leonard Euler ( pronounced oiler) and he lived from 1707 to 1783. He laid the foundations of Calculus, Topology and Graph Theory. A giant on whose shoulders others stand. One of the famous  things he did was address the problem of the 7 bridges of Konigsberg. In that city there were 7 bridges and people were trying to walk round it crossing each bridge once and only once. Can it be done?
My postcard shows the map of the bridges and a portrait of Euler. I zentangled in his name.
My book page is the cover of one of his books and the pocket a 10 Franc Swiss bank note which shows his picture.
Thank you all for your kind comments over the last few weeks.
Jen x

Thursday 1 March 2012

Dragon's Dream TIO # 110 - Birdsong

My tag is inspired by the book story line and this picture of my lovely Grandad in his WW1 uniform. I created the background in Serif Craft Artist and added my stamped lady afterwards. She is from the stamp plate "Love letters straight from the Heart". Thank you for coming by to take a look. All your comments are much appreciated.
Jen x

Rainbow Lady's Challenge #194 - St David's Day

Over at Rainbow Lady's challenge this week we are celebrating St David's day so we would love you to join us with something Welsh. I have chosen Daffodils, the flower of Wales in a Welsh country setting. The topper is from The Big One CD by Le Pashe and is decoupaged. I mounted it onto a pastel yellow card die cut with a Martha Stewart punch. It is mounted on 8 by 8 card stock, I think I may have cropped the top! It is square in real life! Looking forward to seeing your entry.
Jen x