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!

For Dad

Few cards to show today all for Dads.
This card is for a motor bike loving Dad. The image is a personal impressions stamp,the sentiment is a di namics stamp.Fathers Day sentiment,sassy stamps. The paper is from a making cards mag.The dad stickers prima,old stash.
challenges entered :
Party time Tuesday : all things mechanical ,Fathers Day
Craft challenge : Fathers Day (entering both cards )
Cards for men : Fathers Day


I made this card for my Son to give his Dad, I know it's kind of cute but he likes Mini's and teddies ,so it will be well received.
The image is a lili of the valley die cut. The paper ,papermania and the lettering ,sizzix girls are weird. I've added red twine , black and red buttons and a bit of black ribbon.

challenges entered:
paperplay : for a man card with twine.
papertake weekly : 3 2 1, I have 1 image,2 papers ,3 buttons

Milk and Biscuits

Please click for a better veiw
At last a nice day,and a day to myself,been busy at my gardening job. I think it's too much,3 acres and lots and lots of weeds. I've got 3 big sore mosquito bites and I'm aching.My lovely Hubby came and helped me with the heavy work. I think I've done a great job so far but the man who owns the house didn't even notice ,rich number crunching types are an enigma to me ,I do pretty and creative ok!
On a possitive note I had my hair cut yesterday,back to a bob , I love long hair but mine isn't as thick as it was so is better shorter.

Onto my card,featuring a very under used ,by me, Lili of the valley stamp,it's called milk and biscuits. I loved that as a kid,it's more wine and olives now...lol...
I've coloured with promarkers in colours to match the papers,they are fine and dandy by my minds eye.
I've used a martha stewart punch,nestie circles and added pearls and bunting for an outdoor Summer look.

Challenges entered:

The crazy challenge : recipe : I used twine,die, punches,pearls.
passion for promarkers : lots of layers
stamp with fun : holidays
crafty catz : summertime
The cheerful stamp pad : in the garden
lilies little fairies : one for the boys

another bargain bunch from Asda, these beauties cost £2.40, the lilies smell very strong but scent the room well.

enjoy your day. janex

Mr&Mrs times 2

What a Jubilee washout, don't know about you, but here, it's rain rain and more rain.
It will not stop raining ,the top guttering has come off, it's come in the extension, carpet and wall paper soaked.

I've not made a wedding card for awhile but today I have 2 to show you. My inspiration came from the beautiful raspberry roads papers that I've used in both cards.
The pictures are rubbish,taken in the dull house,please click for a better veiw. My first card features a lili of the valley stamp, copic coloured and glittered with stickles and glamor dust.The punch is a martha stewart and the shapes nesties. The sentiment,wiff of joy, I remembered this after buying the stampendous one which is not as nice and doesn't stamp well,that'll teach me for having way too many stamps...
The pretty bows are by essential crafts ,I buy them at a local cake decorators.


challenges entered:

totally gorjuss : followed the sketch above.
The ribbon girl : use ribbon or lace
shopping our stash : may flowers





Hope the weather brightens up for any June weddings,we are going to a wedding next month and I thought I'd make a card for that. He has blond hair and she is dark so I've coloured my happy couple into match.
The image is a lili of the valley called I Do,I've coloured with promarkers and added lots of glitter.
The roses are wild orchid (not added these sorts of flowers for ages). The papers are raspberry road,free gift with cardmaking and papercraft mag.The sentiment stamp is by stampendous. The heart punch used a Martha Stewart and the butterflies pealoffs.

challenges entered:

sketch Saturday : followed the sketch
lili of the valley : anything goes
creative bellie : wedding
fab n funky : celebration

Special Delivery

Pretty sure I've got myself a gardening job,I went there yesterday,it's a big Victorian house and about 2.5 acres of land,with streams and a large pond. There is a lot of work to be done but I like a challenge. The lady of the house is very nice,quite young with 2 small children and a Lancashire lass like me. I feel quite excited at the prospect,much better than working in a boring shop and hours to suit me.
I'm feeling a lot better,tummy and back wise though not 100%,the new tablets and a rest have helped. Tests on Monday.
My card features a new stamp called special delivery (you get the sentiment to) from Lili of the valley. I've coloured with copics.
The gingham paper is wildrose studios and the yellow check we r memory keepers .
The star bottons (just love em ) where bought at Happy stampers craft fair , £1 per bag, wish I'd bought more now!
The blue ruffles ,from the ribbon box are as rare as hens teeth ,so I'll be eeking out these pretties.

challenges entered:

The sweet stop : followed the sketch with a spin (ruffles)


Allsorts : buttons and bows
lili's little fairies : bear essentials
fussy and fancy : new baby

well I had planed on a spot of gardening at my own home but it's peeing down here and none to warm....hey hoe another crafting day. Enjoy your weekend. janex

2 Joy Riders Cards

Lucky me lately, I won 2 craft prizes with this card, how good is that!

Red,white and blue,London,Royalty and the Olympics, so on trend at the moment,really inspiring me with my crafting.
I bought the new crafts beautiful mag,issue 240 and it was full of gorgeous trendy A4 papers ,the one I used is by Alison Butler. I think it goes so well with my new lili of the valley stamp "ride with me", coloured with bold pro markers. I had a quick Google at lambretta images and these colours are authentic. It makes a great celebration card for many occasions I think.

Challenges entered:

sketch and stamp: followed Sarah's sketch (I've rotated it)
Sir Stampalot April challenge: Happy Birthday (it's their 2nd Birthday)
my mums craft shop: stamp it





The same stamp "ride with me" but with a very different look. The colours are muted pastel tones , I coloured with copic markers then highlighted with water coloured pencils.The papers, letters from Paris by wild rose studio.The glossy stamp embellishments old stash.

challenges entered:
sweet stop challenge: followed the sketch above.
stamp with fun: no Easter card
stamptacular Sunday: playin' with pastels

Popping to Chester this afternoon,want to have a look in M&S,the weather has turned here,steady rain, I know we all need it and the garden does, so different from the glorious day last Monday spent in very sunny Llangollen.

happy crafting. janex

25th Wedding Anniversary To Us

On Wednesday my Hubby and I will have been happily married for 25 years. I was 19 and he was 22,where did the years go. We now have an 18 year old son,2 toy poodles ,have moved house several times,gained a few pounds ,a lot of grey hairs ( I dye mine) and a few wrinkles but we still love each other and get on very well.
Thought I'd share some pictures of the big day,glad I said the men should wear morning suits I think old fashion suits apart from early 60's look pretty naff and spoil wedding pictures. I thought the men at our wedding looked very smart. It was quite a cold windy day,the wind kept catching my veil and myself and my bridesmaid shivered in our off the shoulder dresses. Someone put a fur coat around my bridesmaid shoulders,to her horror,a real animal lover ,she was a vegetarian and hated fur.

This is the card I've made for my Husband, it's total cute style,most of my cards are,but I know he'll like it and there is hardly a touch of silver on it.
The image,one of my new Lili of the valley stamps,coloured with copic markers and cut and mounted with silicone glue for dimension. The lovely easel card is by craftwork cards and the papers fine and dandy by my minds eye.The diecuts are martha stewart hearts border and a shapability.The little fence and flowers embellishment is very old stash just waiting for the perfect card.

challenges entered:
stamping sisters : use everything (well this is a rather busy card lol)
fussy and fancy: anything but square or rectangle
secret crafter : a shaped card
Allsorts : photo inspiration

enjoy your weekend ,especially if your a bride or your celebrating an anniversary. janex

Cute As A Button Mushroom

When I saw the cupcake challenge....mushroom...I thought I had nothing suitable in my stash ...and then....light bulb moment ! I remembered some Lili of the valley diecut images I had. This image is so cute don't you think? It's called Maisie sitting pretty. The background paper is serif,picnic in the park and the butterfly is by Marianne designs.


challenges entered:
cup cake inspirations: see picture above
Sketch N Stash : Followed Angies sketch
Simon says stamp :anything goes
Lili's little fairies: anything goes

We are having the loft boarded and a ladder and light fitted today. At nearly 48 my hubby is getting a bit to old to launch himself up from a step ladder and as for me ,well I just can't get up there. About 4 years ago, my son Sam,went up there and spilled lots of lego in the lagging, it's still there. When the jobs done it will be great for storage,clothes etc, we are not minimalist folks, my hubby and son are both music mad and my hubby has way too many shoes (my opinion)and as for me...too many clothes ,handbags and that's before I consider all the craft and sewing stuff...bet it will be filled in no time. Wowser in 25 years you accumilate alot of stuff and thats including the clear outs we have had in 4 house moves!!!

enjoy your day and happy crafting.janex

Easter Bunny with Chicks

The Beautiful Town of Llangollen, North Wales



Aren't you just loving this glorious Spring weather,so sunny and warm.....I love it!
We went to the wonderful Welsh town of LLangollen yesterday. It was packed,lots of American visitors enjoying the views of the Welsh hills and the beautiful quaint buildings. The river dee was so dry for this time of year. We walked along the old Victorian station and then enjoyed a glass of real ale outside a pub on the front. I hope to live there one day, although I'm a Lancashire lass a part of my heart will always long for North Wales.
There is the added bonus of a lovely craft shop there "Crafters Cove", the views from the shop are so pretty, I said to the young girl working there " I bet you never get sick of looking out at those great views" , she said "on a day like this it's awful because you want to be out enjoying it".
I bought 2 flowersoft stamps,moments in time at half price, a card mag and a paper pack,quite restrained for me lol...
On to my card for the day, an Easter card featuring a lili of the valley image,free in a card mag. I've coloured it with pastel coloured pro markers. The papers are really old stash, papermania as are the little egg buttons. The spotty pink bow ribbon and the green prima flower are the finishing touches.

challenges entered:


everybody art: followed the sketch
passion for promarkers: ribbons and buttons
creative card crew: Spring
crafts and me: Light airy Spring colours

have a lovely day.janex

Travel In Style

Blue and red are so retro and trendy at the mo, loads of stylish home style blogs full of this vibrant colour combo. I do like it but I'm not that brave for my home,just my cards and a few sewing projects. Please checkout this ladies blog Happy Loves Rosie it is so fab and retro and as for that gorgeous caravan I covert it badly,bet you will too.
I've made a male card for a change,well they do need cards too,but it's still airing on the cute side. The stamp is "pride and joy" by lili of the valley. The papers We R Memory Keepers,travel light. I've added some spotty buttons and a papermania sentiment. Bit of stitching round the edge and a Marianne diecut oval.

challenges entered:

Lili's little fairies: followed the sketch
cup cake craft:sound of music challenge , Mines "In Cars" by Gary Newman
secret crafter: shabby chic/vintage ,I have a vintage car image!
pan pastel : bright colours.

well it's be a lovely warm and sunny weekend here,and today is looking the same. I'm going to make the most of it,hope you are too,have a great day.janex

Spring

Hi Crafter's,
hope your well,not as bright here as yesterday,no rain though, in fact not a lot of rain in a while and I live in the NW of England,we'll be as bad as the South soon. Well no card in awhile then 2 on the run!
The image a Lili of the Valley was free in a card mag,thought I'd make a start on a few Easter cards,he is so cute springing on his pogo stick. I used to have one but often ended up falling off onto my knees...ouch..
I've coloured with pro markers and used 3 different green papers ,We R Memory Keepers and gingham basic.The sentiment sticker is from an old scrap-booking kit.

Challenges entered:
The crazy challenge : go green
sweet shop sketches: followed the sketch with a green twist
Allsorts: 3 in a row
Celebrate the occasion: welcome Spring
I love promarkers : 3 different papers

A Card At Last

It's about 2 weeks since I've made a card,long time for me,oh I have enjoyed it,I forgot how great colouring in is and so is matching papers.
My image is a Lili of the Valley stamp coloured with promarkers and the pretty papers websters pages a free gift with Simply card and papercraft mag.The lovely heart ribbon I've had for ages, Smirk by trimcraft.

challenges entered:

sketch "n" stash : followed the sketch by Michelle
passion for promarkers: Animals
cute card Thursday: Happy Birthday
Everybody Art: friendship

Happy Crafting. janex

Face To Face With Nature

Evening crafting friends,hope your feeling fine and dandy. Another card with gingham,I go through spells of this, I love gingham as it always seems to work for every style and every season. It's a wonder there isn't a gingham challenge blog....

The image,bear with butterflies, I do not have the stamp,although I do have a huge amount of LOTV stamps,this one was free, with others in a card mag. I've coloured the image in my brightest promarkers. The gingham papers are wildrose studios. The sentiments old scrapbooking stash. The ribbon was in a mixed bag from Crabapple crafts, Cheshire and I glued little ribbon roses to it.

challenges entered:
colour create : lilac/blue,white and kraft
I Love promarkers : nature
paper play :critters
lili's little fairies: anything goes

have a pleasant evening.janex

Spring Colours

With all this cold, and for some snowy weather, we are all longing for Spring and the new growth and brightness it brings.
I hope my card will bring a bit of Springlike warmth to the poorly recipient.
I've used a very cute Lili of the valley stamped image,coloured with copics. The papers,been having fun with these, are called soft nostalgia,by hot of the press ,and wre the free gift with simply cards and papercrafts this month.
The blue flower was stamped onto spotty paper and layered with an added green leaf at the back, completing the spring look.

challenges entered:

cupcake inspiration: (see pic)
craft pad: fresh spring colours
crafts and me: bright and cheerful
stampalot February challenge: In the garden
Lili's little fairies: spring colours

suns out now ,yipee. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.janex

A Toast To Love

I've not used a lili of the valley stamp for awhile now,I do love them, and have a huge box full to prove it. So I thought I would use this very cute stamp called Bubble Bath for a glamorous " love" card. The papers and circle surround are part of a 12x12 kit, Grace Taylor ,Vintage Elegance . They have a beautiful glitter effect and are very reasonably priced. I've added some more sparkle with stickles . The card ,love the shape ,is a new pack from craftwork cards, bit pricey £4.99 for 20 ,but nice for a change.

I'm entering the following challenges:

squiggle Saturday: All loved up
Sunday sketch and stamp : following the sketch
paper Sundaes : valentines

nasty dull day here ,so after my compulsory dog walk ,I will stay snug in my craft room. Hope you enjoy your day . janex