Poorly For Christmas

Hello crafting friends ,just a quick post to say Happy Christmas to you all. I have not been blogging because of illness. I always have tummy problems so I put the pain I was getting down to that. Last night I woke in agony , every breath making stabbing pains in my right side under my ribs.My hubby  rang an emergency doctor number and they told me to come to the hospital. I was crying with pain and hugging a cushion. The doctor was brilliant, saw me straight away. My blood pressure was very high , he felt my tummy and back , then tested my breathing, every deep breath made me scream. He then tested my urine, turns out I have a kidney infection. I'm on antibiotics and strong pain killers.
First it was my hubby in pain with his tooth , now me with this. There will be 5 of us for Christmas dinner tommorow , we will muddle through and try and enjoy it. All the money in the world can't buy health and happiness , a loving family is the best gift so treasure each other.
God Bless one and all and lets hope for a really good new year.
janex

Fixer (boy)

First an up date on Bob's dental problems. Thank you for all your kind words I have passed them on to him.
The root filling the dentist did yesterday has stopped the pain ,fingers crossed the pain will not come back and it will be removed early next year. He went back to work this morning 6am start, well the mail must get through , what a trouper.

Onto my card, maybe I shouldn't say this ,but I love it, that little boy in his dungarees  just makes me smile. My Sam, who is now a sulky 19 year old, once looked like this, though he was never a  D I Y'er . The image is by Mo's digital pencil and is called " Fixer Boy". I've coloured with promarkers.
The papers are all from a 12x12 pad by papermania called "happy days". I've added 2 brads for the buttons and 2 eyelets to give a bolt kind of look. Then added some sticker tool embellishments by create and craft.

challenges entered:

Mo's digital challenge : fav Mo card made by you
creative inspirations : anything goes
audsentiments : use any sentiment
eclectic ellapu challenge : anything goes

well talk about running late, 10:30 and I've not even dryed my hair, dogs need walking and I've got to make a list for the Christmas shop this evening.

janex

Bo Bunny Little Miss Tea Cups

My poor husband has been in terrible pain with a back tooth. The tooth has splintered all the way down past the nerve. He is taking antibiotics and painkillers (no alcohol) and has not slept very much ,this has kept me awake too. The dentist gave him a root filling today and packed it, but he needs it taken out at hospital in the new year. I have had terrible trouble with my teeth over the years and spent about £9,000 on dental implants ,so I do understand. Teeth  are a pain coming and a pain going..

I've made a vintage style card using gorgeous 12x12  Bo Bunny papers called little miss. I've added a felt diecut rose and some little pink pearls. The back ground paper is raspberry road, good match I think, all edged with Tim Holtz worn lipstick distress ink. The sentiment is craftwork cards.
My picture is not very good the light is so poor ,lots of rain here , in fact it has never got light for days.

challenges entered :
cute card Thursday : eat drink and be merry
papercrafting journey : anything goes

We are all so busy at this time of year. I went to M&S yesterday with my Mum, the food hall was a nightmare , you would think people only ate at this time of year.
happy crafting . janex

Carolers Three

I have made my Christmas cards but when I saw this gorgeous Mo image ,Carolers Three  , I just had to have it . What a pleasure to colour, I used my promarkers. I've added German glitter glass for snow.
The papers are docraft vintage Christmas, and I've inked the edges with Tim Holtz aged mahogany ink, and added a Christmas horn embellishment from Hobby craft.

I'm entering the following challenges :

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Stamptacular Sunday challenge : Christmas time.
Celebrate the occasion : Christmas anything goes
 Sunday sketch and stamp : free choice of sketches (I choose the one above
Joanna Sheen : with love at Christmas

I went to church on Sunday,not been for months,I was made redundant in my job there after 12 years, I'm so glad I went , I received such a lovely welcome and even took communion.  I still feel very shocked and saddened by the shootings at the school in America, God bless the families.
I'm back to just 2 poodles now my Mum's 2 are back home , so it should be a breeze walking just 2 this morning.

janex

Co exist by Mo Manning.

What really sad and terrible news today , the shootings  in American of little children and their teachers, I cried as I read it in the papers. What a world we live in ,we must pray for those lost and their families and friends that grieve them.
Seen as I'm surrounded by animals at the moment , my 2 poodles and my Mums 2 poodles , I felt a critter card would be very relevant. I walked all 4 of them this morning, they were really good but I certainly used a lot of pooh bags...phew...
This image reminds of that advert when the dog,cat and mouse all sit together by the fire. We have had many cats and dogs living together but never with a bird as well. I love this Mo image though it makes me smile and hopeful the person receiving it will smile too.
I've coloured my digi image with copic markers. The patterned paper is cafe Mediterranean by DCWV. The sentiment stickers are K&Co.I've added 2 flower brads and a strip of orange ribbon.

Challenges entered :

Sketch Saturday : followed the sketch
totally gorjuss : to someone special ( to me anyone sent a handmade card is special)

Enjoy your weekend . We are having friends round tonight for drinks and a meal, we may even squeeze in some games...well it is nearly Christmas.
janex

Mo's Digital Pencil " Diva" and Poodle Friends

The very cold weather has been replaced by very wet weather. Just at the time my guest have arrived. My Mum has gone to London till Monday, so her 2  silver toy poodles have joined my 2 white and brown poodles. They are are quite old now but still cute but their breath is well " dogs breath " and when they invade my craft room I'm scared to move, my craft room is tiny and I'm so afraid of my computer chair going over their tiny feet.

Bought a few Mo images , there is 25% off at moment so it seemed a shame not to!
This one is called Diva, and doesn't she look like a proper little madam. I have gone bling tastic,although my camera does not do it justice. The papers are DCWV glitter pad and I've added German glitter glass to the boa. I've coloured with copic markers and the sentiment , I think it goes so well ,is by great impressions.

challenges entered:
Mo's digital challenge : D is for ( in my case Diva)
paper makeover stamps : sparkle
crafts 4 eternity : bling-tastic


Happy crafting. janex

Molly Bloom Gypsy Caravan

Afternoon crafters, I've been busy getting ready for Christmas like I expect most of you have. Decorated 4 rooms, love it ,so pretty when all the lights are on . We have put them along the garage guttering and entwined them around the trees and shrubs in the front garden. Where we live most people decorate and light outside their houses, doesn't half brighten up the evening dog walk.

Made all my Christmas cards now so thought I'd do something a little different  I've always been  fascinated with Romany gypsies and have read several books about them. I would love a vardo (gypsy caravan) in my garden) my son's grandad has a real beauty. Nearest I'll get is this stamp.

The 2 stamps used are by Molly Bloom, they took an age to colour but I love colouring so that's alright.
I used promarkers and a touch of pencil . The paper is called Nordic Holiday. The paper and images are rather busy so no embellishments needed.

Took a few pics of my Christmas decorations to show you and I suffered for my art by taking some pics of my card outside in the still frozen back garden.

I've been putting out plenty of food for the birds and pouring hotwater onto the frozen bird bath. Poor things, imagine living outdoors , I'm not liking this cold snap but on the other hand it is so lovely and bright. My old Nan used to say the cold killed off the germs.
Lastly an up date on Uncle Jack, he is out of hospital, sprained wrist and 2 broken fingers , very weak but more or less in one piece, thank goodness.

Till next time , keep warm and happy crafting. janex

this is an add on, you know that lovely film I told you I watched and cryed , a heartwarming Christmas one. It's called " a little piece of heaven " and is on sky true movies at 5pm today.

Love Blush , pink or blue you choose

I have been making a lot of floral cards lately, they are very popular when selling cards because all us ladies love flowers but not everyone loves cute, I do but , I also like to vary my crafting /cards.
I had to get in a good supply of blank cards, what a problem to get 6x6 in any craft shops,so I bought mine from handy hippo with a 20% discount , well I had to slip 2 stamps in to get free p&p as you do....so I got 2 penny black stamps, this features one of them called "love blush". Isn't it lovely and so good for paper peicing too.
I've kept both cards fairly simple.The blue and green card  has the image coloured with promarkers . The papers are g.c.d studios material girls.
The pink card is paper pieced with scraps and the background card embossed with dots. I've added a flat front bow so it looks elegant without too much bulk.

challenges entered :

crafting for all seasons : use flowers

Penny Black @ allsorts : choice is yours

Not as cold as yesterday here , but still very chilly. Spoke to my Dad in Thailand this morning , 34 degrees there ...wow...and that's about average. He only wears trousers about 3 times a year, usually shorts, just image that , pity it's so faraway and I hate flying. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could teleport like in Star Trek.

happy crafting. janex

Christmas Post Box

Just had a real good cry, no I'm not sad , just been watching one of those True Christmas movies on Sky. It was so lovely and heart warming, happy ending of course . What a softy I am !
Some last minute Christmas cards. To be honest I'm sick of making them now and have had a break and  made quite a few floral cards lately, well it cheers me up, I'll post them on my blog tomorrow
Blimey so cold today,walked the poodles in their warm coats but spent ages talking to a fellow dog walker , when I got in, I felt numb. Soo dull today but the wind is so bitter, maybe snow on the way.
Plenty of snow on my card. The lovely festive image is from my beloved just inklined CD, not much to colour in with all that snow,bit of red and brown promarkers and lots of German glitter glass from The Hobby House for sparkle. The paper is My Minds Eye, Snowed In. The ribbon was a magazine free gift and the button tree, Hobby craft. I've inked the edges with Tim Holtz olive green.
This card is for our best friends, he has been a postie for over 27 years and cycles in all weathers  but never complains .
My parcel from UPS arrived at 4.45 , by that time my hubby was home, but I walked the dogs sooner, my old neighbour kept watch. Like I say what's wrong with Royal Mail ! My parcel from Brenda for my win at Stamping sensations came early the next morning ,many thanks to her.

challenges entered:

Divas by design : let it snow
everybody art : Christmas
Craft creations : Winter Scene
Craft challenge : Christmas
Cute Card Thursday : red and green

stay warm and happy crafting. janex

ps . If your going to watch any of those soppy Christmas films , have the tissues ready, if your anything like me.

The Old Potting Shed

I haven't got a shed at this house ,unless you count the plastic store we have, but I love them and especially the smell,all wood preserve and earthy. I love this image to from Mo's digital pencil.

I've coloured with promarkers and the papers are nitwits from simply cards mag. I've added 2 plasic garden  tool  buttons tied with raffia and a sentiment from craftwork cards.

challenges entered :
 mo's digital pencil challenge : fav colour combo, I'd say earth tones.
Passion for promarkers : include the word happy
papertake weekly : anything goes

I've been waiting in all day for a delivery from Happy Hippo, the parcel is being delivered by UPS, what's wrong with Royal Mail.... suppose I'm bias being married to a postie. My poor poodles have only had a short walk in our road.

happy crafting. janex

Snowy Church at Advent

 This card is for my Great Aunty and Uncle in the North East. They are both in their 80,s and yesterday we had sad news that Uncle Jack had fallen and had badly hurt his head and back. He is in hospital but my poor Aunt can't even visit his as she has agoraphobia and. hasn't been out for years  although in her youth she was a real party girl and lovely looking. They have no children . Despite all that's happened she still sent Christmas cards for all the family and £10 for everybody regardless of age as she does every year.
I know she will love this card and I will enclose a letter too.

The card was made using the fabulous La pasha cd that I adore. It looks tricky to make but is actually really easy because the cutting guilds are printed for you to follow on the ivy etc. The card is a 8x8 with a sqare cut in front and the church image glued inside. I've added some glamour dust to the snowy church (why does the glitter never look glittery in my pictures ?) and used some gold transparent peeloffs from pinflair. The holly paper is do craft vintage Christmas.

Challenges entered :

Allsorts : Advent
Fussy and fancy : I love Christmas
Totally gorjuss : anything goes with glitter
alphabet challenge : V for vintage

Had a panic this morning my pc wasn't working , it happened a couple of weeks ago in the same way, hopefully fine now, who wants that expense just before Christmas. We had to have a new tyre on the car the other day,big bolt right through it ! that was bad enough.
Sam had his party and they where all as good as gold. My tummy is a little better ,touch wood.

Enjoy your Sunday and happy crafting.janex

Royal Mail, simple Penny Black

My baby boy is 19 today, how time flies. We all went for a meal last night 10 of us and Sam is having a party with friends tonight. I had one of my favourite meals, fish ,chips and mushy peas, it was lovely , but at about 9.30 I began feeling ill, my tummy was bloated so bad I could hardly breath then I was sick. My Mum had the same and was also ill. No it wasn't the fish others had it in where fine ,it is our dodgy tummies. I said to my hubby I'm never eating out again....famous last words.

Still making Christmas cards, even though I started early, lots of commissions  this one is for a post lady ,very fitting don't you think.

The stamp is royal mail by penny black. Coloured with promarkers and glittered with glamor dust.
The checked paper is from papercellar and the green snowflke paper ,papermania vintage Christmas. The sentiment sticker is old stash, do craft I think.

challenges entered:

The sweet stop : followed the sketch above
Penny Black December Challenge: glitter and sparkle
Jingle Belles : December to remember

It's cold but bright here, had a nice walk with Sam and poodles (with their coats on ) going to chance eating some lunch now.
Stay warm and happy crafting. janex

More Art Impressions "girlfriends"

Just got back from my dog walk,lovely and sunny and bright but blimey that wind is cold. Least it's not raining, good news for those with flood problems, North Wales was badly hit.
Still got a bad tummy, good thing I didn't get that job really!
On a brighter note,just loving my new Art Impression stamps. More girlfriends today but this time they are the glamorous beach babes. I know it's not a very seasonal card but it was such a joy to colour and I did start my Christmas cards early.
I've coloured with promarkers and a touch of pencil. The bp is happy days papermania 12x12 pad. I've used some bright glitter card and a glitter drink sticker  from create and craft.

challenges entered :

less is more : glamour and glitz
I love promarkers : anything goes

enjoy your day. janex

Art Impressions "girlfriends" having a laugh

I saw the art impressions girlfriends stamps on a blog and well, I just had to have some. I ordered mine from oyster stamps, this particular stamp I ordered as a single, it wasn't in stock so they sent me the set with the fabulous sentiments included at no extra cost, now how brilliant is that!
It took me ages to colour in with my promarkers and a touch of blended pencils, but I love colouring so that was ok.
The spotty background paper is docraft Happy Days 12x12. Just kept it simple to let the great image speak for it's self.

challenges entered :

oohlala : spots and dots
creative card crew : anything goes
Joanna Sheen : anything goes excluding Christmas


for all those that are feeling the effects of the weather in the Uk, the floods causing terrible damage,you are in our thoughts.
My tummy is still playing up ,hope it's alright for Friday as we are going out with family to celebrate our son Sam's 19th.

stay warm and safe,happy crafting . janex

Put On Those Wellies,

Think you need wellies just to get down the road,talk about rain and wet fields. Driving home from Chester today the fields looked like lakes with sea gulls bobbing up and down on them.
More cards made with the fabulous ,just inklined and La pashe cd's. I have made so many cards with this cd and I'm just loving it!
One of my cards is the La pashe printed image and backing papers ,the other is the digi image coloured by me with markers and pencils.
The backing paper (ferns) is prima Botanical collection. I've added raffia and a cute watering can button.
These cards will be good for garden loving men, and I know quite a few of those.

challenges entered:


Sunday Cd challenge :  inspired by nature
the paper shelter : Birthdays


Don't forget your brollies . Happy crafting. janex

Snow Covered City

I don't think I have ever loved ,or used  so much , a crafting cd as much a the just inklined and La pashe double cd set. I can highly recomend them.
This gorgeous Christmas image from the La pashe cd just reminded me of Chester, not far from us , and I thought it would make a really special Christmas card for my hubby's parents. My in laws live a few miles from Chester.
I printed the image, decoupaged and glittered with glamor dust. The card is an 8x8 from craftwork cards. I cut a square in the centre  covered the front in docraft vintage Christmas paper , with the edges inked with tim holtz ink,added gold peeloffs and placed the scene inside the card.

challenges entered :

crafty Hazelnuts Christmas challenge : for someone special
one stop craft challenge : vintage Christmas
allsorts : bring on the bling (lots of glamor dust used not easy to see in the pictures)
Bearly mine : snowflakes


Not been feeling too good this week ,bad tummy , story of my life. Least with crafting you can sit down.
Hope you have a good weekend. No snow here but it was very cold and frost here this morning.
Happy Crafting.janex

Russian Dolls

I was fascinated, as a child , by Russian doll sets ,so I loved this cute digi stamp but I'm really sorry I have had it for awhile and can't for the life of me remember where, If you know please let me know thanks                 . I've coloured with promarkers to match the papers,darling  dear by my minds eye. The sentiment is a penny black rub on and the tiny heart brad by bo bunny.

challenges entered :

cute card Thursday : girls only
totally gorjuss : plain and simple
Divas by design : 2 or more patterned papers

not 4 o clock yet and it's dark...yuk ...the wind is howling and the rain is hammering on the windows.
stay warm and cosy.
Happy crafting. janex

Just Inklined Poppies and 2 washed and clipped poodles

Spent hours washing ,clipping and removing a tooth of my 2 poodles Alfie and Hudson. They look lovely,smell gorgeous and I save alot of money by doing it myself,but it's not my favourite job, it makes your backache and your hand tingle. Sam was in a nice mood today and helped me with the grooming.


I've took a picture of them, not very good because ,Hudson the brown one , doesn't like to be photographed  and goes all scared.

I love poppies,in real life and in cards, this beautiful poppies image was on my new just inklined cd. I've coloured the image with promarkers,must say it was a joy to colour. The paper ,don't you think it's fab and a perfect match! is from a making cards special edition mag, say it with flowers. I've kept the card really simple,black matt, Marianne diecut and 2 poppies from wild orchid plus a craftwork card sentiment.






challenges entered:
The squirel and the fox : anything goes
dream valley : anything goes
pan pastel :red and green

enjoy the rest of the weekend,and stay warm if your in the cold Uk, dogs will need their coats on after their clipping.
janex

Just Inklined Christmas Robin

I'm loving my new purchase of just inklined and La pashe cd's,the images are so varied,something for everyone. I think we all love seeing a little robin,even me who is scared of birds, I know they are very popular on Christmas cards even though we see them all year round.
We have one who almost lives in our garden ,he drinks and washes in the bird bath and loves to perch on my Nan's old stone gnome in the island bed.
I've coloured my digi images with promarkers and added some stickles for snow.The tartan paper is paper cellar 6x6 pad. The ribbon is from the ribbon box , the border is a martha stewart holly punch and the sentiment is from hobby craft.

challenges entered
crafty sentiment designs : Christmas
stamping sensations : traditional Christmas.

enjoy your weekend. Bob and I are going to my Mum's for dinner, lasagne ,my fav. janex

Rock Music and a craft room make over pictures

I've been awol from my blog since Sunday,but still busy with crafting and improving my craft room. I'm very lucky to have a whole room for crafting, but it is a small box room so space is a premium with all the stash I have . Bob and I went to Ikea and shock horror....we never had a row...just got lots of ace furniture . I always wanted an A2 size set of draws and I got one and a tall set of 9 draws. My punches had become a real problem, not now though, with my adorable red metal draws, they are so cute and deep but take up so little space. No punches to fall on my head now. Most of the boxes are filled with clear stamps. The 4 square box unit on the landing holds wood stamps and stickers etc. Bob has my old unit for his hi fi in the extention. So I've took some pics to show you, not posh at all, but it's my little heaven on earth.

Just bought the new  double cd's from La Pashe and just inked, they are fabulous and great value. The image on my card is from just inklined ,considering this one digi image costs £3 to buy on line , the 2 cd's for £18 where a must have.
The card is for our friend Nick , he has a birthday next Friday, he is music mad and has more cd's and records than HMV. I've coloured the image with pro markers, the papers are pet stack by DCWV. I've added a star brad threaded with red ribbon and a craft work cards sentiment.

Hope you like my pictures, like I say nothing posh but I love it. The wooden shelf box my hubby found in a skip at the Post Office where he works , his boss let him bring it home for me, it's an old letter sorting box, I wish there were more but there was only 1.

challenges entered :
ooh la la : someone special
craft your passion : clean and simple
Tuesday Alchemy : anything goes
Divas by design : anything goes
cards for men : anything goes

well enjoy the rest of the day, quite pleasant here. Just bought a few bits of clothes in the sale at M&S. Gosh the amount of spending I'm doing and no job yet. My son Sam has just been offered a full time job so is leaving education for the money.
happy crafting. janex