Inspirational mini book

I made this mini book for a friend of mine who is struggling a bit in life just now.
I thought the words of the 'Don't Quit' poem were perfect for this situation.

I used two sheets of Basic Grey scrapbook paper for the backing on all the pages, which are actually the 'backing' from those brown envelopes that contain 'special craft papers'! I then set about embellishing them, I coloured the verses of the poem with Pro markers and then just stuck them down and embellished the corners.

I stamped straight onto the backing papers of the 'inside' pages with some of my favourite stamps, mostly from Elusive Images, except the 'Time' page, these stamps are from The Artistic Stamper. I coloured them using Inktense watercolour pencils.....and I just love the lovely subtle muted effect this had...it's very 'vintage' looking.

Believe it or not but I DID try NOT to make this very girlie, as my friend is a bloke...looks like I've failed a bit in places though .....but I think he will love it because of the lovely words and sentiments.

Thank you for looking in and I hope you all have a safe and prosperous New Year.

Take care everyone,

Jackie x

plain and simple Christmas Card

A very plain, simple and quick card here. I do love the 'tone on tone' look.

I used copper coloured card and the lace tree cuttlebug folder, just mounted it onto some copper coloured mirri board and that was it! Told you it was quick and simple. lol.

Anyway, sending best wishes to you all for a wonderful and safe Christmas break.

Take care everyone, and thanks for looking in,

Jackie x

more butterflies.....

This is exactly the same as the purple one but only in a different colour. I think this is so 'soft' and elegant and I do love the colour of this.

The butterflies are stamped and embossed in white onto vellum, then coloured from behind using promarkers. I love the effect they have given, very 'transluscent' and quite subtle too.

Thanks for looking in,

Take care

Jackie x

Flutterby Butterfly...

This is a Christmas present for my sister-in-law who is an art teacher! Eeeks!! I just HAD to get this right! And I must admit I LOVE the end result! Am I pleased with myself or what!

Anyway, I used Elusive Images Patchwork Butterfly unmounted themeplate along with backing papers from the Artylicious Fantasy Floral cd rom. I do adore this stamp set....there is a humongous butterfly on there that will be great done on shrink plastic!! Can't wait to have a play with that one!!

The Butterfies are coloured using the Inktense watercolour pencils, which are a must have! I was really pleased with the colouring on this as I don't really do a lot of watercolours because I tend to struggle a bit, anyway thank you all for looking, and here's hoping my sis-in-law likes this gift!

Take care everyone,

Jackie x

Exploding Blooms box.

This is a commissioned piece for one of the ladies at my son's karate club. It's for her mum's birthday. The brief was "something flowery"!

I haven't used these templates for a while so thought I'd do something a little bit different for her. The templates are Wendie Rhodes Exploding blooms, and they are just lovely!

I used Joanna Sheen's Perfume Bottles rubber stamps, and stamped and embossed them in white, and just added a white bow and some peel-offs to finish things off. I think this piece will go down really well, as it is really quite pretty and girlie. I'm really pleased with the end result too.

Thanks for looking in,

Take care

Jackie x

Joanna Sheen Decoupage

This is a Birthday Card for my mum. I used Joanna Sheen's Decoupage Botanical 1 set for this. I do like this image, very soft and it was also an excuse to do something green, which I very seldom do because I struggle somewhat with Green.

Anyway, I'm not too sure I like it, maybe I should have used the gold peel offs on the decoupage page instead of the small flowers. It just doesn't look 'quite right' to me. Never mind, we live and learn, sadly it's too late to change it now, I've got such a busy week ahead that I just won't have the time to do another one.

I also used the Glitter Girls Tall Stories board for this, which I must admit to having had for ages and seldom used, suppose this card was as good an excuse any! lol.


The 'best wishes' tag was made with the Eazi-Score Mandalla board, which I adore because it has sooo many different uses!
Take care and thanks for dropping by,

Jackie x

Apologies for the lack of blogging recently, but life has just got in the way of things just now.

Anyway, I made this ATC gift pack using instructions from the Inside secrets of a Scoreboard book by Eazi-Score Phylis. I also used some of the Elusive Images stamps for some of the phrases and also the decoration on the pack as well as some backing papers from the Artylicious Filgree Fusion cd.

I haven't made atc's in such a long time so I really enjoyed tryoing these out again.

Thanks for dropping by

Take care

Jackie x

Cuddly Buddly Flip Flop Book

I saw this design on the internet the other night while browsing due to the fact that I couldn't sleep, so thought I'd give it a try. I'm quite pleased with the results and it wasn't quite as complicated as I thought it would be.

Basically, you just punch four sides of the 6x6 cover with the bind it all, then just add the pages so they 'close' on top of one another at right angles instead of like an ordinary book, if you get my meaning. Hopefully the pictures give you an idea of how it's done.

It took me two days but that was mainly due to the colouring and cutting out.

Anyway here's what was used in the making of it:

Giggle Gang stamps, Kyle Emmy and Charley.

Cuddly Bits Daisy Patch rubber stamp.

Large Doily Frame stamp.

Peppy downloadable backing papers in Cornflower/Blue.

Marvy La Plume Brush Markers

Bind-It-All 6x6 cover (1)

Bind-It-All 6x6 pages (4)

White 'O' Wires

Ribbons.


Thanks for looking in,

Take care everyone

Jackie x

Re-Use and Recycle!

This project started life as a tin of peas!!!

I was getting so fed up of trying to rummage my containers for some of my smaller tools that decided to do something about it instead of buying yet another container!

I measured a sheet of glossy card, then inked it up using Tim Holtz Alcohol inks. The letters you see spell the word 'STUFF' and are from a small chipboard alphabet set, I embossed them with gold embossing powder, glued them around the tin and just added some other bits and pieces I had lying around on my craft table.

I'm quite pleased with this, because now I don't need to go 'a huntin' for the tools I need and can see them at a glance.

Thanks for looking in, take care

Jackie x

Wooden 'Book' Box!

Another project for Cuddly Buddly! And I must say I had loads of fun with this!

It's a fantastic little wooden box shaped like a book......so it's just perfect for stashing away all those little secret things that us females like to do....lol.

Anyway, I painted the box with Adirondac Acrylic paint in Terracotta, then stamped the Cuddly Buddly Daisy patch corners round the edge in gold, then heat emnbossed. I also distressed the cover with Tim Holtz distress ink in Fired Brick, but sadly the photo doesn't show it very clearly, but it looks like the 'book' has been handled a lot. I painted the 'pages' with a Sakura Chisel point marker in gold to hopefully make them look like they were edged in gold. I turned out not too bad and also looks like it's an old boook and had a bit of a hard life!



I Used the Peppy downloadable backing papers in cornflower and peach for the inside covers and for the sweet little card and ATCs. I stamped the Giggles gang, Kyle, Emmy and Charley then coloured them using Marvy La Plume brush markers, I also used the Daisy patch 'bits' stamp and stamped it multiple times to get the cluster of Daisies. I tied them all up in a little bundle with some lovely ribbon and hid them away inside the 'box'

The alphabet used for the 'title' of the book is one I have had in my craft stash for absolute yonks! In fact I've had it sooo long that I can't remember where it came from or who it's from, but it just seemed to 'fit' the project perfectly.

I modelled this 'book' on one I'm in the middle of reading just now actually, it's an old leatherbound one that I got from someone and it too has had a bit of a hard life.

Take care everyone and Thank You for looking in

Jackie x

Cuddly Buddly notebook mini album!

This project started out as a bare naked chipboard notebook, but you know me.....I just can't leave things alone and just HAD to do something with it......so....I used the Cuddly Buddly digi download Peppy papers in peach and cornflower to cover the front, back and inner pages.

I used The Giggles Gang stamp range, Emmy sitting, Kyle with flower, and Charley, along with the CuddlyBits Daisy patch stamp and also the Large Doily frame stamp. I coloured the 'kids' using Marvy La plume art markers as I seem to be the only one on the planet that DOESN'T own a set of promarkers yet!

I used some lovely ribbons to embellish the binder and also stamped and coloured the kids onto shrink plastic to make some cute little 'charms'.

I really did enjoy doing this project and as you can see it is ongoing as I can't seem to remember what safe place I put the rest of the 'baby pictures' in....as usual...lol.

Take care everyone and thanks for looking in

Jackie x

My first Cuddly Buddly project....

I made this dinky little photo frame using the Cuddly Buddly Large Doily frame rubber stamp and the digi download Peppy Backing papers in peach and Cornflower, I stamped onto two different papers and then partially stamped the bow to match the bottom layer, I just cut them out, glued them all together and then added the photo to the back, I then made a little 'leg' for the frame to make it stand up better.

I'm quite pleased with this little project and to be honest it had loads of uses and would make great little gifts.



Oh yes, that little boy is now 15 and standing five foot six inches tall!! He'll be mortified with this photo, but I love it. lol.


Thanks for looking in,

Take care

Jackie x

My first big Crochet piece!

I've not long learned the very basics of crochet! I bought a book of 'blocks' and I'm so glad i did really, because all the blocks range from the very basic to the very complicated!

This is just a basic 'Granny Square' that just grew and grew! So absolutley nothing complicated about it! I'm really pleased with it becuase it goes with my new bedroom decor perfectly and it'll go on my computer chair to hide the humongous hole in the fabric!!

Thanks for looking in

Jackie x

I received my very first blog award at the weekend and would like thank Clare for passing it on.

The award comes with the conditions that I reveal five of my favourite things and then pass it on to five blogs that have inspired me.....so if your'e ready....here goes!

Five of my fave things:

1: Watching my teenage son compete in karate competitions! such a difficult thing to do and just so very brave! he's my hero! and he'll be mortified with me for saying that) lol.

2: Crafting of any kind!!

3: Reading! Books, magazines even store catalogues! Anything to get inspiration!

4: My cat!

5: Coffee! I drink waaaaay too much of the stuff!

And now for my five most inspiring blogs.



Wendy

Ali

Suzanne

Cynthia

Jak

I hope you've enjoyed some of inspriational blogs and just having a wee peek into my slightly mad world!

Take care and thanks for looking in,

Jackie x

I'm in need of some 'techy' help please......I'm trying ti figure out how to post links without having having to post the whole line address....if you get what I mean....any help would be appreciated...Thanks in advance

Jackie x

Wedding card with a difference!

Again I must apologise for the lousy photography! Sadly the flas bleached out these picutres as well. David Bailey I'm not!!


This is a card for the karate couple I mentioned in my previous post! It's a bit different!

I used the Sizzix Bigz XL Cube die, and cut it out using White tapestry card.

All the embellishments are done using the Keepsake boards.

The Wedding bells are from the Bookatrix board, and I put them through the big shot using the Swirls cuttlebug folder.

The Scalloped heart is from the White Celebrations board, as is the horseshoe.

The top layer is done using the little hearts from the Eazi-Score scoreboard, and I added their initials to the hearts, I also used that handy little book stamp I was talking about in my previous post.

i finished things off with wome peel-offs and vairous other bits and pieces from my cradt stash.

I only hope they don't mind getting a slightly 'different' wedding 'card'.

Thanks for looking in,

Jackie x

Weddings Galore!

This is a commission for one of the 'karate' ladies, a couple who go to the karate are getting married next friday so this was kind of rushed as Tuesday is the only day we'll see them before the wedding, and there's no karare next friday so my son will be pleased....he can get a friday night in for a change....lol..

Anyway, the flash really 'bleached' out this photo I'm afraid, as the base layer for the bookatrix is actually done with gorgeous white tapestry card, I have made heart embellishments from the keepsake 'tall stories' board using the little scalloped hearts and put their initials on.

The second page is done in a similar style this Time I used the White Celebrations boards wine glasses.

And the main page is again using the Celebrations board for the hearts, which I glittered using clear Stickles, and the 'book' is a rubber stamp that I've had in my stash for ages, and it has come in extrememley handy!

Sorry the picture doesn't really do this csrd justice.

Thanks for looking in,

Take care

Jackie x

Chipboard pendant, charm bracelet and earring set.

First of all many apologies for the quality of the photograph! My flash refused to fire because of the lights on my craft units, and then then the light caught the paint effect on the heart so you can't really see the colours.

Anyway, This is a commissioned piece, and the brief was 'girly pink and lilac'.

I used some chipboard hearts that I've had in my stash for ages, painted it pale pink and then gently sponged the edges with lilac using Twinkling H2Os. I used Clear Stickles for the little heart, and finished off with some pearly doodles. Covered the holes with eyelets and then added a funky bead charm to the bottom of the heart, it's hung on a lilac cord.

The charm bracelet took a wee while as I made all the charms myself, they are just differnt types of glass beads in pink and lilac. The Earrings are again charms I made and hung from Earwires. Quite simple really, but I think I've achieved the 'brief'.

Thanks for looking in,

Take care

Jackie x

Alcohol inks!

As you can see I kind of got carried away with my Alcohol Inks! lol

I decided to give my trusty little heat gun a funky new make-over!

First of all I gave the whole thing a light sanding, then just went nuts with the inks, it's certainly different, and I wasn't really sure what results I would get.

Oh yes! And one other thing.......it matches my newly decorated bedroom! lol

Thanks for looking in,

Jackie x

All out bling!!

Well this bracelet is really over the top! I originally made this as a christmas present for my niece but I loved it sooooo much that I kept it for myself!! lol.

Anyway, it's a realy fun and funky piece and I just love it! I've worn it a few times and it's always been admired.

Thanks for looking in,

Take care

Jackie x

Funky Jewellery

I've had the 'stuff' for these pieces for ages and never got round to doing anything with it. It's the first time I've worked with chain so wasn't really sure how it would turn out, so I'm really pleased with the end results!

Here's a close up of the detail....


This set is just for me!! As I adore the 'gunmetal' look, and the colour change beads and crystals really set it alight! I think it has a bit of a 'gothic' feel to it, maybe it's just the colours, anyway, Thanks for looking in.

Take care all,
Jackie

Chipboard 'waste' photo frame!

From this..........




.....to this....



I've had these chipboard sheets of shapes for a while now so thought it was time I had a play. While I was looking through the sheets some of the shapes were falling out and i thought the sheets had some interesting shapes to play around with.

This is the end result and it happened purely by accident really, I had laid down the 'empty' sheet down on top of some photos I was having a look through....and ...well....the rest is history!

So I got to work playing around with some finishes so here's what I did.

First of all, I painted the whole empty sheet with the Blonde Moments Acrylic paint in Metallic Copper, then I alcohol inked over the top of that, I used my old faithful crackle background stamp to over stamp the whole thing. I quite like that look really, it seems ato add a wee bit of texture.

I then glued around three sides of the frame leaving the top open to be able to slot in the photograph, I painted some of the shapes in acrylic paint and stamped over the top of those with the crackle background stamp.Then glued them onto the spaces they came from slightly mismatching them to add a bit of interest.

Here are pictures of the detail...





I just attatched some ribbons with oversized paperclips and little mini bulldog clips for a bit of decoration.

So there you go....something a tad different for the living room!

Thanks for looking in,

Takce care

Jackie x

I've been having a play with some Altered Art style stamping, and I'm not sure if I was successful or not, but did have loads of fun playing!!

This Chipboard tag book was sprayed with Glimmer mists first then overstamped with various background stamps and then finished with the main images and embellished using various techniques and 'stuff' from my craft stash!!


The RED page: I stamped a text background in red to match the page, then over stamped that with some of Glenda Waterworth's Inspiration Words stamps, I then stamped and heat embossed the word "Art" with clear versamark ansd some holographic embossing powder, along with the little "square tile"
REVERSE side: This is basically done in the same way only I used Twinkling H20's to colour the hearts and used Glossy accents Glaze on the top heart to highlight it.

The YELLOW page: I stamped the word "dream" twice, then over stamped that with the lady image, again Using Glenda Waterworth's stamps, I highlighted her hair using clear Stickles glitter glue, I embellished using some gold square gems and sprayed a paper flower gold finished off with a gold brad.
REVERSE side: I stamped a lace background stamp, and from the same Dream themeplate over stamped with the elegant lady stamp, I stamped and heat embossed the word "Fashion" in Cosmic Gold embossing powder, I just stamped it again using the Archival ink pad in Black.

The DARK BLUE/LILAC page: I stamped the text background and then over stamped with the shoe design with the Archival ink, then I overstamped again this time using versamark clear, and heat embossed with the Adirondak Denim blue ambossing podwer.
REVERSE side: I used Glenda's theme plates again for the background, then used The Gibson Girls for the main image, I then 'smeared' over some glossy accents to highlight the image as it didn't really show up very well, I just finished off with some gems.

The BRIGHT BLUE page: I used some text background stamps and then stamped the butterfly onot some plain white card which was inked over, then cut it out and stuck it down using glossy accents, when it was dry, I embellished the butterfly with some clear stickles glitter glue and then used some liquid pearls to finish off.
The REVERSE side: I used Glenda's Butterfly themeplate again, stamped and smeared over the text, stamped the smaller butterflies, then I stamped the large butterfly with clear versamrk, heat embossed using holographic embossing powder.

The GREEN page: I stamped the Text Rose from Glenda Waterworth (again!) with green stazon, then coloured this using Derwent Inktense water colour pencils. You can still see the sheen of the Glimmer mists through the colouring which was a pleasant surprise.
The REVERSE side: Is done exactly the same as the other side only using a different orientation.


Whew!!!! I hope I've managed to make the instructions clear enough and you managed to understand some of my ramblings.

I haven't really done a lot of this style of stamping, but I must say doing little things like this is certainly good practice and I thoroughly enjoyed myslef!

Some of the pages didn't come out the way I envisaged they would, but that's the way it goes with this style, anything goes and it doesn't really matter.....well i don't think so anyway..lol.

Thanks for taking the time out to read this looooong post today,

Take care everyone

Jackie xx