The Pleasures Of A Dog

Another inklined digi, this time a fox terrier in bandanna, found here, just as cute as the shit zu used in this
 card, in his own way. I've coloured him with promarkers to match my new paper, checks 6x6 pad by paper cellar.
The quote sticker is from K&Co I think but it is old stash so not sure. The sentiment is by craftwork cards and I've added a wooden button and a twine bow but still tried to keep a masculine feel.

challenges entered :

Sketch N Stash : followed the above sketch
paper make up : anything goes using a digi stamp

craft your passion : buttons and bows
cards for men : animal magic

well the rain just keeps coming, I feel so sorry for anyone who's house or business is flooded. My hubby said the yard at the Warrington Post Office deport looked like a harbour, one of the drivers videoed it to show after he arrived at Chester 2 hours late.

happy crafting. janex

Christmas Kitten

You've seen the Christmas puppy here ,so it's only fair I don't leave out the felines. I used to have a gorgeous  ginger cat called Benny and before him Tiger, don't like how they catch birds though.
This image is from a Joanna Sheen cd called animal antics. I've printed the main image on gloss paper and printed a matching insert in paper.
The background paper and the sentiment are docraft home for Christmas and the black bead gems are from hobby craft. I've adde flowers from wild orchid and the often featured cotton lace trim.

challenges entered :
corrosive challenge : animal companions
love to create : anything goes
Christmas crafting : traditional colours

raining none stop here, went to my inlaws house and needed wellies to get to the frount  door from the car , heard things are worse now and they are getting sandbags delivered.

happy crafting janex

Merry Little Christmas

Someone at church once said to me they didn't like the saying "Merry Christmas", it meant folks having a drink and having fun not a thing she approved of  being a  Methodist  who signed the pledge. I love the saying and I love this tag , it also reminds me of the Judy Garland film "meet me in St Louis" when she sings that beautiful heart warming song.

The tag is home for Christmas by do craft as are the stamps I used to create the background paper to my stamp.I stamped and inked the edges with Tim Holtz distress inks.  The felt snowman ,the lace trim and the snowflake are all from Hobby Craft.

Challenges entered :
DYSU: flags or tags
The poodles parlour : tag your it!
creative stamp friends : new stamps (mines the home for Christmas stamps)
stamping Sisters in Christ : use something hand made  (mines the background paper)
Bunny Zoe Crafts : distressing

Our neighbour Anthony, who is bike mad, hired this mean machine for his girlfriends Birthday, they went to Llandudno on it, but before they went he gave our whole family a go. We loved it, not scary as it doesn't go to fast and really lovely the wind blowing through your hair (you don't need a helmet,) but they wore them for the long drive.
My Bob is pictured on the back in his Post Office uniform. Imagine delivering letters on one of these ...cool.
enjoy the rest of Sunday.janex

Furry Friends Christmas Puppy

I'm not sure if this is dog is a standard poodle pup or a labradoodle puppy, either way he is such a darling. The image is from a Joanna Sheen cd rom called "furry friends" the photography is by Rachael Hale. She has a wonderful way of capturing the real cuteness of animals, I have her calendar too. I've used papermania home for Christmas 12x12 papers, loving this range by docraft. The embellishments are wildorchid roses , the leaves are recycled Christmas decorations and the star pins , last years stash. I've added a fancy peel off and another old stash sentiment. Sorry to be unsure of makes but my Christmas stuff that is left over, is stored in a big box , and is brought out every September.

Challenges entered:
Winter Wonderland : to the one I love
52 Christmas card throwdown : embellishments
Allsorts : inspired by a song (Santa Claus is coming to town)
polka doodles : inspired by a song (Santa Claus is coming to town)

It's like Winter here today, frost on the ground but lovely and bright. My head is already throbbing, the heating is on and the baking paint smell is toxic....oh why did I have to whiten the wood work.
Have a great weekend.janex

Romantically Sweet

I've made this card for my in-laws up an coming Wedding Anniversary, 49 years wow, they are still very happy together and rarely spend time apart. They have asked us to join them for a meal to celebrate.

The image is from a Joanna Sheen cd rom, The Faye Whittaker Collection ", I can highly recommend this cd, the images are beautiful. I printed onto glossy paper at top quality, definitely makes a difference to the look of the card. The background paper is K&Co , ocean sea glass. I've added metal corners, blue lace and poppies from  wild orchid , been waiting for these to come back into stock, lovely aren't they!
Inside I've printed a matching insert, on the cd, a great finishing touch.

challenges entered :

Joanna Sheen: so sweet
 paper play : choose a holiday (mines a beach holiday in Summer )


I'm so achy and tried....spent yesterday putting gloss white paint on the wood work,hall, stair, kitchen. The smell is horrid it's given me a headache, but the fact was I've been putting it off and it was a job that definitely needed doing. Must say it looks nice.
Just going to enjoy a bit of crafting today, plus the usual house work  but nothing too taxing.
have a great day. janex

A Little Autumn Shi tzu

Thought I'd give you and myself a little break from Christmas cards. Isn't he the cutest, when you see these little dogs as puppies you know why they are so popular,but a word of warning...there are many ladies by me that walk these cuties but most of them are little sods,yappy unsocial brats...mind you as my poodles are getting old they have become grumpy old men.
The image is a digi from inklined called Shitzu and can be found here for £1. I discovered this digi company via Jules blog , and I'm glad I did.
I've coloured him with promarkers. The papers are graphic 45, dragonfly duet,so lovely I was loathed to cover it.The 2 side panels are K&Co paper embossed in a cuttlebug folder and ink distressed.The leaves and flowers are kars wooden embellishments also inked.I've added green organza ribbon and a computer generated sentiment.


challenges entered :

Sweet Sketch Wednesday : followed the sketch above
Papertake weekly : a hazy shade of Autumn
Bearly mine : fall colours
crazy 4 challenges : anything goes with a fall twist
pan pastel : Autumn / Fall
stamping sisters in Christ : Autumn /Fall

Feels Autumnal today,set the heating to come on,I'm glad I did.

happy crafting . janex

Sending Holiday Cheer

The title of my post is the name of the stamp set,by Hero Art, that I've used in my card, it's not a name I'm fussed on. I love American stamps and craft companies but for Christmas they will insist on calling it "The Holidays", which misses the point of what we are Celebrating and is also laughable because "The Holidays" as it is now equates to one day in the States and is going down the same road in the UK.
That said I love this cute house set and it stamps nicely.I've tried to create a Nordic look to my card. The paper is called Nordic Holiday,it's double sided,the reverse has a lovely cross stitched writing effect, I've used that on other cards. I've used Tim Holtz distress inks, brushed corduroy to give a faded look and added lace ,ribbon ,a poinsetta die cut with a wooden button centre for a homespun feel, I'm very into this at the mo ...lol...as you can tell from previous posts.The sentiment is a free gift with cardmaking and papercraft mag.
The roofs and the tree have been given a Christmas frosting with stickles glitter.

challenges entered :

creative inspirations : Christmas in September
Stampavie and more : sparkling/glitter
craft your passion : bingo < bling/ribon/distress

It's another day of mad weather here again, not very warm. I'm off for a nice bath to warm up.
Have a lovely day. janex

Home For Christmas

I've got the bug for making Christmas cards now, so your going to be seeing a lot of them on this blog for awhile.
I've dug out my Christmas stash from last year andI've bought a lot of craft stuff from the Docraft Home for Christmas range. The stamp ,paper,tag and 3 little bows are all from this range. The flower is a Marianne diecut with added twine and button , the white cotton lace is from Hobby craft .

challenges entered

creative card crew : tree
ABC Christmas challenge : R for recycling (mines the button and twine)
oldie but a goodie : show us your ribbons
Dream valley : celebrations

well the weather here is mad, sun ,then strong wind, then heavy rain...do I walk the poodles and risk a soaking...not really much choice ....they must have walkies.

happy crafting . janex

Vintage Style Christmas Cards

I had an afternoon of making Christmas cards yesterday and decided to go down the traditional/vintage route instead of my usual cute style. Must say I'm pleased with the results, these cards are very grown up for me.
I was lucky enough to win the Penny Black challenge last month, the prize was a wooden Christmas stamp called "first day of Christmas ", this features in my first card.
I've stamped in green memento ink then added red promarkers and red gems. The papers are craft creation. The lace ,ribbon and twine from hobby craft, the wooden heart button from a local craft shop. Every thing has been given the warm vintage look by using Tim Holtz distress ink , brushed corduroy and the blender tool. To tie my bows I use a glitter girls bow maker.

challenges entered :

Penny Black Sept challenge : buttons and bows
Penny Black and more at Allsorts : Early Christmas


Stamping for the weekend : starting Christmas early
My second card , is still very vintage, I used a clear stamp, part of a Christmas set by inkadinkadoo.I coloured with markers. Papers and gems as above , all inked . The holly border is a martha stewart punch and the holly button from hobby craft.

Rosie with presents

I've used one of the pre coloured images from lili of the valley, called "Rosie with presents ", quick to use and always good results. I've matched the paper my minds eye travel and wild orchid flowers to the colours on the image.
The swirls and corners are spellbinders , pearl and bird charm hobby craft , sentiment craftwork cards and the ribbons old stash.

challenges entered :

Lili of the valley : embellishment bingo (I choose the top line,pearls,charms and flowers)
papertake weekly : thing to make you go awwww
simply create too : anything goes
wild orchid : layer it up

off to walk the poodles now, dull but dry here. Making some vintage style Christmas cards today...watch this space.....
Have a great weekend janex ps Downton starts on Sunday,oh joy!

Lady and the Tramps

I just love this stamp "Lady and the Tramps" by Lindsay Mason , a wooden stamp by fun stamps. I'm a dog lover , it features a poodle , it's great for either sexes and it just makes me smile.
I've coloured with pro markers, the paper is first edition , Spring drop and the sentiment (don't you just love it ! ) is old stash possibly K&Co.
I've kept it simple because I think the great image and sentiments need to shine.

challenges entered :

Sweet sketch Wednesday : followed Patties sketch
craft punked : pets
polka doodles : ice cream colours ( mines neapolatan )
Totally papercrafts : favourite stamp

just ran and got my washing off the line, it's now blowing a gale and the rain is lashing down. Never mind there's always crafting , the hobby the weather can't spoil.

janex

Sarah Kay Autumn Winds

I got this stamp by Sarah Kay called "Chloe watching the trees in the Autumn wind", at the last Happy Stamp fair I went to in May, the next fair is just a few weeks away, it was reduced to £3.99, so loving a bargain , I bought it along with another. This is the first inking but as it is now Autumn and getting a bit chilly outside, it seemed a good time to use it.

I took my time to colour it nicely with my pro markers, you need the fine nibs for this one. The paper is K&Co, the swirl a spellbinder die ut, the ribbons Hobby Craft and the wooden flowers kars embellishments,edges inked with brown chalk inks.

challenges entered :

Passion for promarkers : green and yellow
shopping our stash : 3 2 1 (1 image, 2 ribbons 3 wooden flowers )
craft challenge : Autumn

happy crafting . janex

1 Penny Black Stamp 3 different cards

I have often thought of buying this fun stamp called "Party Animals " by Penny Black, so when I saw it reduced to £6.99 at Hobby Craft, it went into my basket.
I made 3 cards all in different colour ways, perfect for any childs Birthday ,or simply a fun loving big kid.
Card 1 uses fine and dandy papers by my minds eye and craft embellishment stickers, the sentiment is a Penny Black also.
Card 2 uses first edition papers , Spring Drop and wood ware clear banner stamps.
Card 3 uses paper from creative cards mag and craft embellishment stickers .
All 3 cards are coloured with promarkers.

challenges entered :

Divas by design : for a child
crafting for all seasons : school days/for a child
Tuesday Throwdown : your a gem (gem stones used on card 1 )

Well a bit dull here but not too bad, yesterday was so cold, last night huddled by the fire with heavy hail stones hitting the windows...British weather hey...it was roasting on Saturday !

have a great day. janex

More Spellbinders Homespun

Horrid weather here today, feels very chilly , heavy showers, me and the poodles got caught in one,lucky I had my brolly.

I'm enjoying being creative with these new dies "homespun" by spellbinders. I've used blues in one of my cards to give a clean crisp look, like delf tiles.The papers are papermania, capsule blue collection. I've added lace , a yellow ribbon bow from do craft, and a couple of circle punched shapes.
The red,green and yellow card, has a real home sweet home country kitchen look, using ginham card from pinflair and red gingham paper from craft creations. The stamp is studio G and the sentiment ribbon, the ribbon box. The lace is from hobby craft and the gingham ribbon bow from my Dad in Thailand.

challenges entered :

Mojo Monday : followed the sketch (loved that sketch will use again)
Love to create : show us your ribbon or twine
Fussy and fancy : fabric of our lives( I have used in my red card, felt , lace and silk heart)
Heck of a challenge : anything goes

happy crafting. janex

Easy As Pie with Homespun Dies

I have been desperately waiting for these gorgeous new dies, they are called homespun ,designed by Nina for spellbinders. I loved them on first seeing them and knew I could use them on lots of cards.
The dotty red paper and the checked yellow card are from pinflair, the dotty ribbon from my big ribbon stash ,the pie sentiment is from a 12x12 sheet by Kaisercraft called Nan's favourites collection, lemon slice. The cherry paper is do craft, Happy Days, and the lace border punch martha stewart.
The felt flowers and leaves are diecuts from the set with added gems , I've inked the edges in brown chalk ink and added some bakers twine to the jar.
Hope you like it, I'm off to diecut more...think I'm hooked now .

challenges entered :
Joanna Sheen challenge : going dotty
Ladybug crafts : anything goes
The squirrel and the fox : anything goes
crafts for eternity : vintage toy colours (red,green )
Tuesday alchemy : anything goes.

happy crafting. janex

The Wedding Party and Ness Gardens

The sun has got his hat on and the same yesterday. Mum and I had a lovely day at
Gardeners Question Time at Ness Gardens, everywhere looked fabulous baked in sun and the atmosphere was warm and friendly.
The pictures show some of the lovely garden with Mum and I enjoying our common interest (unfortunately she is not a crafter ) .I never have my picture taken as a rule and you can see why, what a stupid pose ...I'm the one in the patterned shirt. The picture showing the flower arrangement is a novel way , using and old next catalogue cleverly folded to create a modern and eye catching flower arrangement.









I saw the Faye Whittaker cd rom on the Joanna Sheen blog reduced this month, I love her beautiful nostalgic art work, so bought it. This image of the backs of a wedding party I loved, and I'm pleased with my rather over fancy card.
The flowers are wild orchid,with stickles added, the vellum paper is do craft.The peel offs pin flair and the gorgeous love birds from buttons gallor at Hobby craft.




challenges entered :
craft punked : wedding
allsorts : layers
paper craft star : something girly


enjoy your Sunday, hope it's sunny like here on the Wirral. janex

Gone Fishin

I've decided to make a few men's cards, I like making them and they are nice to have waiting for when needed. This lili of the valley stamp, with the little boy fishing called boys fishing ,is a great stamp because we all know a bloke that fishes . The sentiment is from a real old See D stamp set called fish tales. The fabulous embellishment,fish and net , is part of a topper set from Hobby craft. They have a new range of topper sets,good quality and only cost £1 , I bought several and will buy more!
The papers are We R Memory Keepers , travel light 6x6 pad. The ribbon is from my stash. I've coloured with promarkers and edged with brown chalk ink.

challenges entered :

sweet sketch wednesday : followed the sketch
Simon says : put a stamp on it (use a stamped image )

I've not felt too well lately and my Husband has been off work,so that accounts for my lack of blogging. I have made several cards and I'll post them at a later date. Just got a new Joanna Sheen cd rom, Faye Whittaker collection, I've wanted this for some time and as it's reduced this month I treated myself. The images are delightful.
Going to Ness Gardens, Wirral, today with my Mum, lots of well known gardeners from TV and radio will be there to answer questions. The gardens there are beautiful and there will be plants for sale. It's early morning and the sun is shining a pleasant day in the offing I think.
Hope you have a good day too. janex

The Owl Family

Think we all have a soft spot for owls, my hubby loves them and I often think of them for mens cards. This card is for my little brother who has a Birthday this month.
The image sentiment and papers are all from the Sept issue of making cards. The leaves are kars wooden embellishments coloured with promarkers. I've added a ribbon,button and twine from my stash.

challenges entered

The squirrel and the fox : one for the men
secret crafter : animal antics
my Mums craft shop : anything goes
fab n funky : colours of Autumn

feeling very tired and aching today, went walking yesterday, just too much....
nice easy crafting day today. janex