The Other Side Of Me

I am finally able to pop on with some Christmas cards.  I have been making some every day.  I am NOT going to take such a frantic approach next year and you can hold me to that!  I need about 200 cards a year so I have got  to make some every week next year.  I could easily do it if I gave myself enough time. Anyway, on with the cards: I am finally using up the last of my Holly Berry Bouquet papers, which I must have had for about 3 years.  The colour scheme is real red, wild wasabi (although the ink I've used here is gumball green) cherry cobbler and chocolate chip (with very vanilla obviously!)  I've bought brand new inks recently so I could make lots of cards and the cherry cobbler is stunning to work with.  I kept some silver thread from a gift box earlier in the year knowing I was going to make cards like this with it, so I was very pleased to discover this in my stash. I've used various stamps that I've acquired over the years. ...

I started off the year making Christmas cards and was doing quite well, but there's no incentive in June and July, is there?  So, let the panic begin! Actually I've decided to make at least 2 cards each time I make something I like, so this is what I made on Tuesday: Again, I seem to have used a cluster of different products, but I really like the end result.  And I do think by the time you've got one the way you like it, you may as well make another one. The base is real red, C6 size.  On top of that is a piece of crumb cake, with white snowflakes on it, from a set that was free with my mag.  On top of that is a piece of very vanilla, with my LOTV music stamp stamped on in crumb cake.  On top of that is this beautiful reindeer in chocolate chip.  I was just playing about with stamping something dark onto something light, and this is what I ended up with. But what I really wanted to  ask today is, "Do you know your stamping style?"...

Did I tell you I got a few new things to play with?  I was in Hobbycraft last week and just happened upon this new cupcake stamp and die set by Sizzix and couldn't resist it.  I have had a ball playing with it.  I'm not saying this card is any great shakes really, but I had a lot of fun with it.  I've had the Stampin Up! pennant punch for a few weeks and have finally got to use it on a card.  I absolutely love bunting but I've never had so much fun making them as I have with this.  I used the big punch to cut the scalloped pennants, then the small one to do the white triangles.  I've used my individual letter stamps from Woodware to say 'P.A.R.T.Y.' The papers are called Tea House from Dovecraft.  I've had them for ages.  I cut the heart using my Nellie Snellen heart die.  And yes, sooner or later I'll be using the cupcake die to make clouds, you can be sure of that!  I googled 'Cupcakes' on Splitcoast and found a card made by Ka...

Don't you love it when you give your title a post and realise that a whole year has gone by since you last wrote that?  I can't believe how much my style has changed too, since I last made a birthday card for my dear friend Priscilla. I am the proud owner of the Stampin Up! dsp called Spice Cake.  It is the most gorgeous stuff (somehow I knew it would be!) Here's what I've made: The cardstock and ink is Soft Suede but the centre oval is Very Vanilla.  When I was playing I tried this first on white and can hardly believe what a huge difference it makes just changing from white to Very Vanilla.  But you want to know what makes this card different, right?  Check this out: Yes!  What a cool idea!  So easy to make, too.  You can follow a fantastic tutorial by Dawn Griffith here.   I expect my dimensions are slightly different to hers as I wanted it to fit into a C6 envelope.  Here is a shot of the inside: Are you anything like me...

So first of all, the good news.  After a lot of discussions, we have decided to keep the horses!  I am so thrilled and relieved, I can't begin to tell you.  Once we'd made the decision, things came together very quickly, and we have found a yard for the horses and a sweet little house for us, where I will have my own dedicated craftroom.  This is such a luxury I can only imagine it at the moment! I've been to the doctor's for some stronger antibiotics, as I've been in agony with an ear infection that actually got worse.  I've only taken 2 of the new tablets and feel miles better already.  There's so much to do, I can't afford to be ill now. And I've had time to make another Christmas card for the facebook challenge, Sundays With Santa.  The challenge is to use non-traditional colours.  I feel I have to tell you that first or you'll wonder what on earth I've done: I knew I wanted to use Pool Party and Wisteria Wonder colours together, as...

Thanks to Shirley Chalmers (Nanniflash) I have joined a facebook group that challenges us to make a Christmas card every week.  I am so thrilled with what I've made this morning, I decided I had to share it with you folks as well! I am way behind on these, as this is my entry for week 4, 'Santa', but that's the beauty of it, you can add your cards onto the facebook page as and when you make them.  I can't remember who it was that said if you make a card, and it's good, make another one, and that's what I'm going to do.  My Christmas stuff is all in one box, so rather than drag it all out once a week, making a card and putting it all away again, I am going to get it out once a month, have a 3 day session and make at least 6 cards before having to pack away.  I think I'll be a lot more productive that way, (and less stressed!) as it takes me a day to get into Christmas mode, a few hours to look around for some inspiration and then the time it ta...

For some reason Fridays always seem to be a good time to get involved with a Christmas card.  Finally I'm able to join in with a challenge I've followed for a little while.  It's at Lesley Croghan's blog called Always Playing With Paper where she gives us a new sketch each week.  This is the latest one: After a great deal of planning with regard to size and dimension, this is my card entry: I've had this stamp for quite a while now.  She was packaged as a birthday stamp, but she suits Christmas so well.  The colours, cardstock and dsp are all SU.  The Chocolate Chip piece has been embossed with a snowflake embossing folder and then punched along the bottom with a scallop punch.  I had a dither with placement of the sentiment as I didn't want to cover the robin up, he's so sweet.  The card base is only C6 and it's made it a really sweet little card, like a little package, you almost want to use it as a cover for a bag of sweets or somet...

I have actually made a couple of Christmas cards, but this is the first chance I've had to post one on here.  I have found a couple of challenge blogs to keep me motivated throughout the year. The first one is the ABC Christmas Challenge .  They set a new challenge every two weeks, so by the end of the year I'll have quite a batch of cards ready for various people. The challenge this time round is to use Bears and some other things beginning with B.  So here's my card: I've used this cute James the Bear image from LOTV.  I didn't use him at all for the Christmas just gone, so it's been nice to have him out and about!  I think he really suits pale colours like lilac and blue, so this is the first time I've done him in traditional Christmas colours, and I think I've pulled it off because it goes so well with the backing paper.  The other 'B's I've used are 'bling' for his hat, which I've glittered, and 'buttons' as you ca...

Happy New Year, everyone!  I hope you're all coping with this windy weather.  It's been horrendous here, with the roof of the horses' field shelter hanging off! Anyway, something quite exciting to tell you, that revolves around this card: I made this for my friend Michelle, as I know she loves lilac and purple and thought it went really well with this stamp called Cold Crisp Kisses from Little Claire Designs .  It's beautiful to colour in, it fascinated me in all sorts of colours.  The sentiment is from Little Claire's, too. Then, on the Little Claire's blog, just before Christmas, they asked for people to send in cards they'd made using LC stamps, so I sent in this one and this one: I got some lovely comments on their blog, and then, to top it all, yesterday I read that they are going to give a prize to everyone whose cards were shown, so I get to pick a stamp!  What a great way to start the New Year.  I am so thrilled.  I've actually had a look...

Hi there!  I've decided to make this my last  post before Christmas, as the chores are mounting up and, frankly, if I don't do them, no one else will!  This is the card I sent to my dear friend Margaret .  I just think the sweet simplicity of it sums up the true meaning of Christmas. (And I hope she liked it!) I'd like to take this opportunity to wish you all the joy of the season, and to thank you so much for all the kind and uplifting comments that you've left me this year - they've meant a great deal.  The friendship of the crafting community in blogland has become very special to me. Watch this space, though, as I will be back some time between Christmas and the New Year, to do a little awards ceremony of my very own.  See you then. Best wishes, everyone! Jane xx

Hello blog friends!  I realise I haven't posted for a few days, but it's been so hectic here.  I can't complain as I've been out for two Christmas lunches and two Christmas parties!  I am sooooo tired! I just wanted to show you the card I made for my craft group friends: The stamps are a brilliant set from Stampin Up! called Tree Trimmings.  You can't see it very well in the photo, but I've stamped each bauble and heat embossed them, just with clear embossing powder to add a bit of shine, but then I've added glitter with my Quickie Glue Pen, so the ornaments sparkle beautifully.  I've added some tiny gems to the top of each bauble (from Wild Orchid Crafts.  Note to self - order some more, they're fabulous!) The background paper is MME Snowed In, and the colours match my inks perfectly.  I was so pleased as it was complete chance.  I stamped the baubles, then started hunting round for paper so was delighted to see how well these went together. I...

When it comes to cardmaking, I'm not really a glitter girl at heart.  I have a lot of glitter card but I haven't ever used it.  Then all of a sudden, this happened! All of last year I wanted a snowflake die, and now I've finally got one, and I'm having a lot of fun with it.  I've also used my new holly leaf punch on here and my Nellie Snellen leaf punch, which cuts out the really delicate leaves you see here.  I stamped the sentiment in the middle in Marina Mist ink and then added the snowman that I'd actually made for a different card but ended up not using it.  I popped him on here and decided he looked right at home. Some of the snowflakes are just plain card, but on others I've added either embossing powder or glamour dust  and it's that contrast that seems to make the card quite pretty.  It's appropriate as we've had snow here this week.  Well I am off to completely rearrange my sitting room, as we have just co...

For some reason that I still can't quite understand, this card took me nearly all day to make! This paper is absolutely beautiful.  It's part of the Polar Expressions range by Imaginisce, called Frosted Forest.  It's got very subtle glitter on it, that feels fabulous when you touch it.  But for some reason, I got as far as putting it on the kraft card then my mind went a complete blank and I just couldn't decide what to put with it.  In the end this little robin stamp presented itself to me and it turned out to be the perfect thing.  I've scored the white card to make a little frame, then distressed it and added the stamped image, which matched the card very well once I'd coloured it in.  My horse is called Polar Express, so finding a paper range called Polar Expressions was right up my street.  I have got some left so I dare say I'll manage to think of something else to do with it.  Well, it's just a flying visit today I'm afraid, as I ha...

Hello all, I hope it's not too wet and windy where you are.  I'm not keen if I have to be outside, but don't mind snuggling up in front of the fire with a good book, or some cross stitch and a cat on my lap.  I am feeling flushed with success as I'm pretty sure we've done all the Christmas shopping today, so now I have the mammoth task of wrapping everything and making tags! Here's a card I'd like to share with you today: This card is unique because the white and blue dotty paper is my last ever piece of the Craftwork Cards vintage range.  It was perfect for this card.  I've cut the scalloped circle and trapped a die cut snowflake inside vellum and added it to the vertical strip.  The snowflake top left is Perfect Plum and the scalloped circle is Rose Red, two beautiful Stampin Up! colours.  The sentiment is from Craftwork Cards, too.  I was thrilled to be able to die cut a little circle, punch two small holes in it and make my own button.  It...

After a great deal of dithering, I have finally made a card for my BFF.  I'm pretty sure she doesn't read this, which is a good job, as I definitely don't want her to see this before I send it. When I'm making a card that I know will have to be posted, I tend to be a bit cautious, so I love an opportunity to make a card for someone I know I'm going to hand over in person and so can be a bit more lavish.  I'm prepared to go OTT and make a box for it if it doesn't fit in an envelope.  I was surprised to find this easily fits in, though. If you're going to make one of these, you'll need two 6x6" card blanks.  Cut the tops off the outside flaps diagonally and stick the card backs together, one inside the other.  Cover the two triangular sections with your chosen DSP and a border using your favourite border punch, then stick one down on top of the other.  Stamp your image and back it with a scalloped border (square works just as well as round) and s...

Good afternoon blog friends!  How cheerful am I, considering I have raging toothache?!  I am going to have to phone the dentist as soon as I've done this, which is not something I'm looking forward to.  Maybe I'll linger in blogland a while first! Anyway, I did say yesterday that I had a card to show you that was very quick to make.  As soon as you see it, you'll see why! I was gazing lovingly at the Less Is More challenge this week, which is to use silhouettes, when I realised I had this stamp (from Little Claire Designs) and hadn't even used it yet.  I am so excited to be able to enter a card on my favourite challenge blog! I've used the Labels 1 die from Nestabilities to cut the shape and stamp the image on it, then drew round the die on the red card to make the frame.  I do appreciate the irony of buying a set of dies only to draw round one and cut it out by hand, but it's a really easy shape to cut neatly and well worth the effort.  Although ...

Over on the Cards For Men challenge , they want to see 'Fancy Folds'.  I didn't even know that's what I was doing until I'd finished the card.  I'd been fiddling at my desk for ages and discarded loads of stuff and then got my Rudolph stamps out (from Woodware) and decided to have a play.  This is the result. I think it would make a great card for your brother or uncle etc.  I've been wanting to use this embossing folder for ages, but cut it square instead of leaving it as the usual rectangle.  I am very careful whenever I make a card like this, to make sure it's still going to fit in an envelope. And I'm obviously in recycling mode, as the red card used is actually from some old file dividers that hubby brought me home from work.  You've got to appreciate a husband that goes through his office, sees some card and thinks, 'Hmm, I know where this should go!'  Well it's better than throwing it away, isn't it?! This card was quite ...

Hi everyone, I hope you've had a good weekend and enjoyed the fireworks on Saturday (here in the UK.)  I am pleased to say, despite the workload, that I've been able to keep on cardmaking, much to my joy. A couple of monthly challenges have popped up that have inspired me, so this card is for: St Luke's Charity Card Challenge      and Ready-Teddy-Go Challenge. If you don't know by now, let me tell you that I have a bit of a thing about bears.  There is always room for one more in my house, and always room for one more in my stamp collection.  I tend to use them a lot on cards for my hubby, whether it's birthday, Christmas or our Anniversary.  I tend to buy a new stamp for these occasions, use it on a design for him first, then 'release' it to be used for other people. This is a Forever Friends bear, which I think I bought from The Glitterpot last Christmas.  Over at St Luke's they want to see a Christmas card, and for Ready-Teddy they w...

Helloooo! Hope you are all well.  It's been an extremely busy week and will be now throughout the winter as the horses are in at night, which makes a lot more work for me.  I won't be making a card a day like I have through the summer, it'll only be 2 or 3 cards a week now, especially with no craft class either for the next few weeks. BUT I have made a card for this week's Sunday Sketch and Stamp Challenge , which has a lovely sketch for us to use.  Here is my card: You probably all know this image called 'Dropping The Shopping' by LOTV.  I saw it in a magazine last Christmas and absolutely fell in love with it.  The papers are Henbury Lane and the sentiment is by Little Claire's Designs.  I've added glitter to the little girl's hat and coat, and used white embossing powder at their feet, which I find perfect for snow.  I tried some fluffy stuff last year but didn't get on very well with it at all.  Embossing powder really does the trick for m...

I really liked the sketch over at Sketch Saturday this week, and again I've decided to use it to get a Christmas card done.  Here we are: The sketch is quite unusual and I really had to think about how to do the bit in the middle that's in red.  In the end I cut it out with a little tiny join in the middle which you can't see as it's under the stamped image.  I followed the sketch very closely and instead of getting things ready beforehand I just decided to go with the flow.  Each time I saw an element on the sketch I decided to add something to my card to represent it, hence the snowflakes and the two little tags with stockings stamped on.  I just felt it worked really well that the little girl is looking at a robin and the backing papers have robins on.  My favourite bit was making the snowflakes.  I wiped a Versamark ink pad all over a big section of card, then sprinkled white embossing powder all over it.  I heated the powder until it set, ...