A retired Old Truck!!

Firstly I would like to thank the lovely DTs over at A Gem of a Challenge and Sentimental Sunday for choosing my strawberry card in their Top 3's last month, I was so chuffed and am sure it was the gingham fabric that did it!!

Well folks, July is here and that means we are on a down hill slide to Christmas, lol and no I haven't started my Christmas cards yet!!  I can't believe that half of the year has gone already and that this is card number 7 for Crafts Galore Encore DT.  When I first joined the DT, I was so apprehensive, stressed and worried about it all but I can honestly say it is the best thing that I have done. They are all such a fabulous talented fun group and this month we have 4 new members to the team so do pop across and meet them all. So on to this months challenge, a nice easy one and it is to use a stamp or a digi stamp.  We have a fantastic sponsor this month, Fred She Said who have very kindly donated $15 GC to spend in their store.  Check them out here 

So here is my masterpiece for July using the Old Truck

Image the Old Truck by Fred She Said

Sentiment from a Woodware Set

Nestabilities labels Eight

Coloured with Copic Ciao and Sketch pens

W0 to W7 for the truck body

C1 to C7 fo the wheels

B0000 for the car windows and headlights

Momentos Wheat sponged for the background

Papers are DCWV

Glossy Accents on the headlights

Card and Raffia from Stash

I am going to enter this card into the following challenges:

Bunny Zoes Challenge - Layers

Crafting from the Heart - Always anything goes

My craft creations - Always anything goes

The Pink Elephant Monday Challenge - Anything goes

Crafting at the Weekend - Anything goes

Crafty Catz - Anything goes

Sister Act Card Challenge - Anything goes

Stampin for the weekend - Anything Goes

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

The Sisters of Craft - Anything Goes

Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes

I hope all of my American followers enjoy their 4th July celebrations.

Hugs Jo x

Sooner than you think .....................

Even though I don't blog as often I as should, I do still colour and create, it just takes a while to all come together!!! Any how, this is what I have been doing lately, playing with a Hougie board to demonstrate at the Kintbury show yesterday. I must admit I was quite pleased with my creations, the baby gift box set is adorable. Pop across to Kerry's blog for the instructions, I adapted it a bit but it still worked.

The Easter Egg box, I am going to enter into the following challenges:

Papertake Weekly, Truly Dimensional

Stamping for the Weekend, Easter

Our Creative Corner, a 3-D Easter Project

C.R.A.F.T challenge, Easter

Forever Friends Easter Stamp Set

Copics Sketch and Ciao Markers

Nellie die

Martha Stewart punch

yellow card, ribbon and acetate from Stash

I apologise for the quality of these photos as I had to use my phone as the batteries have run out on the camera!! Hope you like them.

Hugs Jo x

I'm back and a long post!!

Firstly, I must apologise for my absence. Life has been so hectic recently with the change of location of my job, which has now doubled my journey and added an extra hour of travelling time to my day. My aim has been to get into work early so that I can finish earlier and get home at a reasonable time to have the evening to relax, but things don't always work out as planned, do they!!! To add to my stress I've had to change my car as the mondeo was too thirsty so hubby now drives this, after all it is his car, and my old one has gone!! Those of you that know me, will know that I have had to overcome my fear of small cars due to a nasty car accident 3 years ago, when had I been in a small car I wouldn't have survived. I'm still very unsure of it and every journey is a huge challenge to me but I am getting there.

I have still been crafting on and off, making the odd card for Wendy and birthday cards but always last minute and have forgot to photograph them. Last weekend I attended a Next Step Copics course which was being run by Wendy from Stamps and Memories and Karen Watson who is a great friend of Wendys. I had been involved in some of the preparation for this course but I still learnt so much from them both. Each time I attend the introduction to Copics Course, (yes, I have done this more than once!!!), I learn something new that I didn't take in the first time, so if you have the chance to attend one of these courses, go, they are so informative and great fun.

Anyway, on to todays card!! There is a story behind this card, hubby keeps lovebirds in aviarys in the garden, rather a lot of love birds, in all shapes, makes, colours and sizes, well you know what I mean!!!! So if I ever see anything with lovebirds on I usually buy it. This stamp I have had for a while and it had never seen any ink until last night when I decided it would be perfect for my Copic blending practice!!

This little card qualifies for the following challenges:

Stamping for the weekend - Anything goes
Papertake Weekly - Recipe 3, 2,1 mine is swirls, flowers and image
Allsorts Challenge - Park/Garden inspiration (This is my Garden)
Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Summer Loving
Stampevie and more - Swirls

Hope you like it!!!

Penny Black Stamp - The forever dream
Coloured with Copic Sketch and Ciao markers
Papers Basic Grey - Kioshi
Memento Tuxedo Black
TH - Peeled Paint Distress Ink
Nestibilities Labels 4
Nellie Small and Large Flower Punches
Sizzex Sizzlets In Bloom Die - Swirley Vine
Gems and Card - Papermania

Promise I'll be back soon

Hugs Jo x

Birthday Boy

What a week!!! Lots of short days at work because Tango has been poorly. In case you don't know, Tango is a big ginger cat, the softest, cuddliest cat you could ever meet!!! We think he had been poisoned. I was so worried, that I was getting up in the middle of the night to see if he was OK, bless him. I hate seeing poorly animals especially when it is your own. So off to the vets we went, our vet is about 2 minutes drive from us and Tango cried pitifully all the way there and back as he hates the car!!!! Thankfully he is on the mend and been a very spoilt boy!!

Anyway today I have made this card, just noticed that the buttons look wonky but it is how it has been photographed, really not one of my better skills!!! I love colouring this image but am still not sure what colour monkeys are!! The card papers are a lovely aqua colour but have turned out grey again must get a better camera!! I am entering it into a few challenges,

Sweet Sketch Wednesday

Cute Card Thursday - Boyz to Men

Stampin for the weekend - Card for a male

Saturday challenge - 3 Embellishments, 2 papers and 1 image

Sophisticat challenge - Card for a child

Simon Says Challenge - Birthday, celebrations

Image is High Hopes Open Ark

Daisy and Dandelion Sentiment

Coloured with Copic Ciao and Sketch Markers

DP is Nannas Nursery Baby Boy

Oval and Ribbon Labels Nestibilities

Nellies Multi frame

Ribbon, card and Buttons from stash

Hope you like it

Hugs Jo x

Let me introduce you to ...............

Our resident rat catcher, Tango, most often referred to as the "ginger furball". "Rat catcher?" I here you say," doesn't look like he catches rats". Well this was taken yesterday afternoon, after he had been on look out all day by the green house. As you can see exhausting work this rat catching. Yes, he had caught three young rats, "oh what a good boy" was that? I am sorry to say that the first two didn't survive, first one found dead on the living room floor and second one found dead on the lawn!!. "So what happened to number three", I hear you say? He brought it home to mum and let it go in her craftroom ..................... Now you know why he is not a good boy!!!!!!!!! I screamed and managed to keep an eye on where it went, Hubby to the rescue and he caught it by the tail. OMG, never a dull moment here!!!

Hubby has now spent all day today sorting out the top greenhouse and laying more concrete!!! Happy Sundays!!

Well on to today's card. This is totally out of my comfort zone. Very OTT and a Tilda!! I do own some of these little girls but they all face sideways or have their mouth covered as I so want to draw a face on them!! I have to thank lovely Vicky from Kips Cards for this lovely image that was sent as a RAK. Pop across and have a look at her work, it is amazing, I just wish I had her patience.

I think this covers a few challenges, I started using a sketch over at Fussy and Fancy but I think it has gone a bit wrong, I have got them around the wrong way, sorry ladies. The rest are;

Stamping for the weekend - Ribbons and bows

Cute Card Thursday - Mono Mania , mine is Pink

Roses on Paper - Layers, I have 11

Just Magnolia - Punch it out, mine is a border punch

Paperplay challenge - Shiney, happy people, I'm sure Tilda must be happy with her Glamour dust!!

Our Creative Corner - Bows

By the Cute and Girly - Fairytales, I think Princess Tilda qualifies for a Fairy Tale

Allsorts Challenge -Petals and Pearls, I have used Liquid Pearls and flat pearls

I have used Princess Tilda image from Magnolia
Coloured with Copic Pens
Paper is Basic Grey Bittersweet Pad, gorgeous papers!
Nestibilities Oval and Scalloped Oval
Martha Stewart Doily Punch, really love this punch!
Swirls Cuttlebug Folder
Crystal Glamour Dust
Pastel Raspberry Liquid Pearls
Glossy Accents
Ribbon, Card, flowers and flat backed pearls from Stash.

Hope you like her
Hugs Jo x

I'm back but not my Mojo!!

Hi folks, I hope you had a fab Christmas and a Happy New Year and that everyone is back to normality, whatever that is!! We have had a nice relaxing weekend after a rather hectic time over Christmas, in fact yesterday I had a pyjama day!! Shame on me!! Think I'm probably too old for a pyjama day, but I had one anyway!! On to my card ............... Mojo gone not good at all and not happy with this card, my fault for not finding time for me! Picture is rubbish too, will try and take one in the daylight, tomorrow. It does cover lots of challenges though, so I'll start my list with Copic Colour Challenge 45

Paper Play Challenge 46 - New Beginnings
Stamping for the Weekend - New Beginnings
Allsorts Challenge 33 - Sketch and New or Old (pearls)
The Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge 64 -New Beginnings
By the Cute and Girly - New
Stamp Something - New Something(pearls)
One Stop Craft Challenge - Something beginning with B

Phew!!
Anyhow here it is, I hope you like it!! The card that I have used is actually Lilac but has come out a nasty grey colour and the green is a quite bright green, I will try and photograph again tomorrow.

The image is a free digi stamp and I have hunted high and low and can't remember where I got it from, sorry.
The sentiment has been made on the computer.
Copic pens used: YG0000, YR0000, B95 for B93, YG03, YG00, BV02, E00, Y21 and Y28.
Clear Spica Glitter Pen
Circle and Scallop Nestibilities
Cuttle Bug Dots Folder
Nellies Small Flower and Embossing Punches
Papers are DCWV Nannas Nursery Baby Boy
Pearls
Glossy Accents

Oh my Gosh, I have just seen the time, it has taken me all evening to blog this!!

Off to bed now!!

Hugs Jo x