Back and have the bug!!

I cannot believe that my last blog was in June, sorry folks. Explanation, well I have just worked the longest and hardest 17 weeks notice ever, with a minor op for me and Mum having a heart attack in the middle of it. My first two weeks have been spent in a daze to be honest, I have been wandering around aimlessly wondering where to start but after planning a 21st birthday party for Charlotte my first major project was crafting!!!!! So here is her birthday card which I am going to enter into the following challenges:

C.R.A.F.T which is cute
High Hopes - Anything goes
Crafty Catz- Anything goes
Digital Tuesday - Anything goes

I decided on a book card because I really needed something to get my teeth into to wind down and am so pleased with the result I now want to make another one!!

This is front of the card, I have used the following:

Elmer Elephant a High Hopes Stamp
Image and Ribbon Coloured with Copics
Nestibilities Die Labels Twenty Two
Martha Stewart Punch
Papers are Nitwits Digi Jungle Too
Scattered Straw and PelePaint distress inks

Just to prove that I did make a book card!! Oh and I used a Hougie board for the concertina and the card box.

This is the inside left and I have used a Sqigglefly image by Crissy Armstrong, I just love her images. The leafy frond thing is from a Sizzlets die. The little pocket contained a cheque.

This is the right-hand side. I have used the following:
Elmer Elephant from High Hopes
Stretch the Giraffe from High Hopes
Monkey from High Hopes (hidden under the foliage
Jungle Background again High Hopes
and Baby Elephant Squiggle fly all coloured with copics
Martha Stewart edge punch

And here is a close up!!

I'm please to say Charlotte loved it and her complete set of Copic Ciaos, hope you like it too!!

Hugs Jo x

With Love ................

Well, it's not quite a month since my last post and I haven't managed Jenny's challenge either, sorry!!! I do think I am getting better, you lot might not think so but I am trying honest!! I have a few health issues at the mo, which explains my constant fatigue etc but I won't bore you with that. This weekend just gone was a rare occasion for Neil and I, we actually had a weekend in London, I had managed to get tickets to see Roger Walters perform The Wall at the O2. amazing or what!! We were 4 rows from the front, so spoilt, and such a fantastic experience. If there are any Pink Floyd fans reading this, we both thoroughly recommend going to see it if you get the chance. Anyway onto my card, I am entering this into the following challenges if I am in time!!!

Sweet Sketch Wednesday
My time to craft - Scallops
High Hopes Challenge - Anything goes
Crafty Cardmakers - Embossing

I have used the following:

High Hopes Stamp
Papermania Sentiment
Coloured with Copic Sketch and Ciao Markers
Basic Grey Bittersweet Paper
Nestibilities Lables 17
Martha Stewart Scallop Punch
Martha Stewart Branch Punch
Cuttlebug Hearts Embossing Folder
Wild Orchid Cherry Blossoms flowers
Glossy Accents
Diamond Stickles
Card from Stash

Hope you like it,
Hugs Jo x

Back again!

Sorry folks, life is so hectic at the mo and as I got told off yesterday for not blogging, I thought I had better do some! My weekend away seemed months ago now and it was a fab weekend, I met some amazing talented ladies and we had such a laugh together, so I would just like to say thank you to them all for being such fun and making the weekend so enjoyable. And not forgetting Wendy from Stamps and Memories and Karen Watson for organising the whole weekend and for whom we are truly grateful!! Thank you both ....... we are now all looking forward to the next one in October, if any one is interested pop across to Stamps and Memories for the details!

Now for my card, this was a very quick card I made yesterday for my Uncles 65th birthday, it was one of the very first images I coloured with my Copics so it has been coloured for at least a year or more! I am going to enter it into the High Hopes Stamps which is for the boys.

Images used High Hopes Outhouse and a stamp from a woodware set Copic Ciao Markers Papers are Alison Ellis Rustic Dugout Nestibilities Fleur de lisle Squares Back soon Hugs Jo x

Second of the day and a huge challenge!!

Well, I know that I don't blow my own trumpet often but I am so pleased with how I managed to colour this image!! I thought after I had bought it, that perhaps I was being rather ambitious, but have genuinely surprised myself just a shame about the quality of the photo, I was losing the natural light. It must be the Copic talents of Wendy and Karen rubbing off on me, but I still have so much to learn!! I think I will be using this image loads more, because I just love his gorgeous face and big paws!!! This card I am entering into a few challenges, the first being my favourite challenge

Sweet Sketch Wednesday, sorry ladies I missed you last week!!

My Time to Craft which is Wild Thing, does't look very wild though, does he!!!

Simon Says Challenge - Fathers Day or Male Card

High Hopes Challenge - Fathers Day

I have used Leo by High Hopes, he is gorgeous and a huge challenge for me to colour!!

Fathers Day sentiment by Cuddly Buddly

Coloured with Copic Sketch and Ciao markers, lots of them!!!

DP is Alison Ellis Boyzone

Dots Cuttlebug folder

Nestibilities are Pinked Circles

Raffia, card and Button from stash

I hope you like him as much as I do!!

That's it for tonight

Hugs Jo x

Penny Black and High Hopes Challenges

Firstly I must apologise for neglecting my blog and all of my blogging buddies. Life has been so hectic this last week at work, I have been working long days and have just had no spare time to craft :( Christmas is approaching far too fast for my liking and I still have stamps that haven't been inked, shame on me!!! I have managed to put a couple of cards together today, nothing spectacular but two more for the pile.

This first one has been made using a sketch for the High Hopes Challenge
I absolutely adore the Snowmen and Snowladies stamps that they have.

The image is coloured with Copic Markers and Spica Glitter pens

The papers are from a Joanna Sheen CD but I'm not sure which one

The snowflakes have been made using the Large Hobby craft Snowflake punch

and Martha Stewart Snowflake punch.

Nesties Labels Four

Cuttlebug Dots Folder

Glossy Accents

Glamour Dust

Gems and Card from Stash

The next card has been made using a sketch for the Penny Black Saturday Challenge

I love this little image but I'm afraid I haven't a clue what this gorgeous kitty is called, as it is one of Wendys that I stamped whilst visiting but I do know that it is a Penny Black!!
Sentiment by Cuddley Buddley
Coloured with Copic Markers and Spica glitter Pens
Papers are by Kaisercraft
Flowers are from the HobbyHouse
Nesties Deckled edge Rectangle
Ribbon, Gems and card from stash
Stickles

Hope you like them!!

A little peek at my mud bath in the back garden!! Not good, why on earth I agreed to this building work at this time of the year I shall never know!! The man in the photo is my 80 year old father in law, who is making a fantastic job of the brick laying!! Apparantly there are another two layers of bricks to go, so we may be done before Christmas!! What more could I ask for but an extra craft room!! Fingers crossed!!

Well folks that's me for today, I have a day off tomorrow to try and tackle the Christmas present shopping which I am not looking forward to, especially as the day could have been spent crafting!!!

Take card everybody.

Hugs

Jo x

One card for lots of Challenges!!

I really don't know where the time is going, only five weeks left until Christmas and I have made a few cards and nothing else!! Not quite into panic mode yet but it's getting close!!

Conservatory update is they wanted to deliver next Tuesday, Hubby had ideas of storing it in the living room whilst the brickwork is completed!! With only three rows of bricks down I was having none of it, I have come across his "it will be ready for Christmas" before, he never says which Christmas. I agreed to a delay in delivery of two weeks, so my builders have to get their act together!! Watching Neil and his Dad together is so funny, what one isn't doing the other is thinking about, a right pair of characters and I wouldn't want them any other way!

I made this card over the last two nights, not very good am I, so have found a few challenges to enter.

Crafty Catz - sketch

Allsorts challenge - Card for a child

A Spoon full of Sugar - Pre school card

High Hopes Challenge - A recipe

By the cute and Girly - Winter wonderland

Susies Sassy Challenge - Pink and Sparkly

I have used High Hopes Snowlady Stamp

Sentiment is Inkadinkado

Coloured with Copic Markers and Copic Spica Glitter pens

Martha Stewart Loop Punch

Martha Stewart Snowflake Punch

Hobby craft Snowflake punch

Round Nesties

Large Pinked round Nesties

Quickcutz corner die

Paper is Kaiser Craft Christmas Spirit Cheerful

Glamour Dust

Card and Gems from Stash

I think that's it, hope you like it.

Must go now, am shattered!!

Hugs Jo x

One Card, three challenges

This is the most glittery card I have ever made!!! If ony you could all see the real thing!! I just love glamour dust!!! I have been missing out so much having only just discovered it.

Love, love, love it!!

This little cutie is going into three challenges:

High Hopes challenge this week is Snowflakes

I have used the sketch from Sketch Saturday

Sophisticats is buttons and ribbon

I hope you like her!!

I have used one of the fab High Hopes Snowladies stamps, they are all so gorgeous and coloured her with my Copic markers with lots of glamour dust to add just a tadge of sparkle!!

Paper is from the Christmas Blue Collection from Dovecraft

Labels Four Nesties

Hobbycraft Snowflake punch

Martha Stewart Snowflake Punch

Ribbon, Buttons and card from stash

Back later

Jo x

High Hopes challenge 49-Untraditional Christmas and A Spoon Full of Sugar Challenge 74

Oh my goodness, have you ever seen anything like it, what ever possessed me to choose purple!!! Nikki from High Hopes Challenge wanted an untraditional Christmas card with red and green kept to a minimum so I thought a challenge, don't use them at all. As I think the High Hopes images are my favourite ever, I just had to have a go!! There was a lovely simple sketch over on A Spoon Full of Sugar Challenge this week too which I thought would be perfect for me as I do simple, especially as my crafting habits seem to be after 9pm!! So here is my creation, hope you like it!!

Snowman Stamp by High Hopes

Sentiment by Impression Obsession

Coloured with Copics Ciao Pens and Spica Clear Glitter Pen

Paper is Daisy and Dandelion

Felt Snowflakes by Hero Arts

Card by Papermania

Glossy Accents

Gems from Stash

That's all for today folks

Jo x

High Hopes challenge 47 - Lotsa Layers and ABC E is for Embossing

Well today has been a good day, the nice man came and measured for the new conservatory and said it will be here in about 3 weeks. Poor Hubby nearly passed out, as the old one has to be taken down and new footings dug!! It's a good j0b he is still between jobs as he hasn't got time to go to work!!! No, to be fair we have decided to delay until Neil has done the work in his time or else it would be one mad panic and that's just not fair, not only that, we have a lot of sorting to do!! I decided to have a little tidy of my craft room today and it will last for the next few weeks I think. I really need to be ruthless and chuck out but you know what us crafters are like!!! It does look a little more organised, thanks to a few pine spice racks found in the local kitchen shop, ideal for keeping reels of ribbon and stickles etc on. Really pleased with how that idea worked out.

Well another new stamp and I just love her. I have another two of these to go yet, I am addicted to these gorgeous High Hopes Snowmen or Snowladies whichever you want to call them!! And I can't wait for the release of the Wags'n'whiskers stamps!!

I am putting this into the ABC challenge and High Hopes challenge.

Stamp is Snowlady Surprise by High Hopes coloured with Copic Ciao pens

Sentiment is from Cuddley Buddley

I have used Spica clear glitter pen on the fur on the coat to make it sparkle

I have used Snow Dots Cuttlebug folder, round and round scalloped nestibilities.

Martha Stewart Snowflake and doily punches

Glossy Accents

Flowers, spacers, gems, paper and cards from stash

Hope you like her

Jo