Happy Birthday Ardyth!!

Good morning :0)

The wonderfully kind-hearted Darnell has organised a special birthday bash amongst us crafty people for the super talented Ardyth, whose birthday it is today :0) I'm not sure how many but a fair few I reckon, are joining a virtual celebration over at Darnell's blog and you are invited too :0)

Ardyth is such a talented designer, turning those images from Pinterest into cards leaving me with that "why didn't I see that" look on my face!! so I thought this would be the moment to try for myself for her birthday card. I stalk follow most of Ardyth's boards on Pinterest and we share some of the same pins including  this one..

                                                        
                                                                             source

Now I've not been nearly as inventive with my design as Ardyth would be... in fact it's an outright copy although my choice of wording has affected the layout somewhat but I think it still works...

It's a little outside of my comfort zone being bold typography but (hopefully) the perfect tribute Birthday card for you Ardyth... I hope you have a really wonderful day and your family spoil you rotten, the blogging world would be a poorer place without you and your amazing CAS inspiration :0)

If you'd like to join the party you can hop over to Darnell's blog post and link up a birthday card too :0)

Thanks for stopping by

Jenny x

A Royal Roar!!

I'm a happy mother chick today as my nest is full again now that Hannah has come back home for a few days having finished her exams... she is heading back again at the end of next week to join her house-mates in a proper week of end of exam celebrations but for now they are still studying hard so she has partially moved back home for the summer!!

This is why I'm later posting my Make the Day Special DT card which is also for the Royal challenge over at CASology as well as a CAS birthday card for the Lawnscaping challenge this week....

It's a tough cue word this week but I went with the 'King' of the beasts and a rather cute King he is too, the sentiment inspired me to set him up like the lion in the MGM logo by using a banner and some leafy branches for a laurel wreath .....I've obviously not remembered it right though because it should be gold film reel so not quite sure what I'm thinking of but he looks very regal anyhow!!!

                        

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It's a relaxed atmosphere at home today.. James is more than happy to have his sister home, not least because of all the extra washing to do and Hannah has decided she is just not going to fit back into her room this summer without a good clear out so the wardrobe is getting her attention first..... Watch out Charity shop here we come!!!
Thanks for stopping by
Jenny x

stamps and dies used: Bannerific, Critters on the Savannah, Blissful botanicals by Lawn Fawn

Two Cards and some Fun News

Well that has to go down as the most unimaginative post title in history!!! I'll blame it on being giddy with excitement because I've joined the Paper Smooches Sparks DT for the next 6months... have you seen the talented team I'm accompanying???  It's going to be fun and I can't wait to get started :0)

It just so happens that I have a card for this weeks PS Sparks challenge which is a colour theme and they have a definite nautical feel....

                                                             
At this moment in time I do not have any nautical stamps by Paper Smooches so I made the striped pattern down the edge of the card with these PS stamps

 

I'm really loving the technique of using the back of acrylic stamps to make extra shapes from your sets :0) I also love the fact that a nautical theme means a good dose of eyelets can be used too... I have enough to get through!!
After stamping and embossing the sentiment I felt that gap needed a little something and the tiny flag from the top of the Sailboat die was just the job :0)

My second card is for Dynamic Duos which has a bold colour duo this week with the dessert option of making a card for a child...
                                  
.....I don't usually say no to desserts so I had to join in and use these cute little vehicle dies from Memory Box for an ultra CAS card and seeing as it's a birthday card it's another for the birthday challenge at Addicted to CAS

 James has a large collection of diecast cars under his bed and you will frequently find them lined up in colour families on his track or along the table so this formation just wouldn't do for him!! I made them lovely and shiny with glossy accents and dont'cha just love this itty bitty wheels too!!

 Right much to do today as Hannah is coming home tomorrow night having finished her exams for this year and my crafting space seems to have spilled into her room!!! 

Thanks for staying with me to the end of another long post and thanks to the lovely comments you've already left me about the Paper Smooches DT announcement, you really are the best :0)

Jenny x

A Grumpy Fella!!

Hello again :0)

I was inspired to craft yesterday after seeing the Cats n' Dogs themed challenge at Less is More. Chrissie has used this little character called Magnum on one of her inspiration cards and I knew just how I could use him on a card along with a Stampendous stamp....

Magnum is a digi stamp from Ladybug Crafts Ink but I have prized him from his cat flap... it needed a shoe horn and plenty of grease to do it... Lol. Now he's punched through my card front instead because he's not happy that someone should dare to be jolly and say "HAPPY" birthday!! 

The torn paper hole is a cling stamp from Stampendous which I just had to buy after I saw fellow limette Debby use it for a challenge quite a while back :0) I've Paper pieced the flaps and raised them up on foam for realistic dimension and the sentiment is computer generated, the font is 'Aint nothing Fancy'... love its simple shape :0) 

Just to annoy Magnum even more I'm popping him in over at Addicted to CAS where they're having a birthday challenge... perhaps that will improve his mood!!!

                                                           

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I think it was obvious from an early age that I was an animal lover, my choice of toys, games and books reflected that and I even had an imaginary dog called spot that went everywhere with me!!
I think my parents always thought I'd have a house full of animals in later life..... well kids aren't that far off are they!! Lol :0)

Thanks for stopping by
Jenny x

More on that Hot Spot...

Hello there :0)

Edited to add: Thanks ladies for selecting my card as a winner over at CASual Fridays :0)
                                      

I'm back again, both here and over at Make the Day Special blog today, with a couple more cards using the Large Hot Spot Base die and I've also made these as my submission entries for the Paper Smooches Sparks DT call.
I have a rather *a-hem* large collection of Paper Smooches stamps and I love using them so I thought I'd throw my hat in the ring for the DT call having thoroughly enjoyed guest designing for Kim a couple of years ago on the PS blog... I cannot believe it was that long ago!!

So this was a tall order to combine the Hot Spot die and a prevoius PS sparks challenge but this is how it went....

This is my fave of the two, I love that hot spot die cut in the woodgrain paper, it makes a brilliant jump off point to make a scene with this cheeky little monkey :0) 

Here's the past Photo Inspiration I used from the PS sparks blog ..

                                         
I'm also entering this cheeky chappy into the CASual Fridays challenge this week because the sentiment is stamped on DP... hope thats not too tenuous!!
                                    

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For my second card I modified the Hot Spot die to make a Polaroid frame..

Now I own a few photo frame dies *sshhh* but by enlarging the window with the smaller die you make a polaroid frame with rounded corners inside and out... how cool is that, I've not got one like that in my stash!!  I'm sure you know how I did it but here's a photo because it takes up less space than explaining it!! :0)

Oh and I'm so pleased about the faux washi tape too, I used the back and front of the dotty strip in the Alphadot stamp set over a piece of torn copy paper to get that ripped edge look :0)  Bonus score for using two brads as well!!

Here's the past Paper Smooches Sparks photo inspiration for this card...

The DT call closes on the 20th May if you fancy giving it a go...it's been open since the 4th but hey I take my time on these things!! Find the details here .

For all your Paper Smooches stamps and dies check out the store at Make the Day Special here in the UK.

Thanks for stopping by :0)

Jenny x

Stamps used: Vogue Abode, Zoo Crew, Love Monkey, Sentiment Sampler

A Stinkin' One Layer Card!!!

No, no, no..... I really do love the one layer weeks at Less is More... okay perhaps some more than others but this week is a really good one because we have to use a coloured card base other than the usual neutrals. This mean't it was time for the Prisma coloured pencils to put in another appearance and I'm always in the queue when there's colouring to be done :0)

A red base seemed the most natural choice for this little stinker and I just love how he pops off the card... prisma's are just amazing at colouring on darker colours too :0) Both he and the sentiment are from a set called Scent-sational by There She Goes, the sayings in the set are all punny and usable :0)
I had a quick check online to make sure I coloured the correct bits black and white as these little critters aren't native here.. thank goodness :0)

It took longer to take a decent photo of the card than it did to colour him... red is a nightmare to get true to life in a photograph!! I had to use the natural light coming in from the patio doors, which isn't a lot on such a dreary day, instead of the artificial lights round my light tent.

Okay lets get this post up because I've got to get dinner on the go :0)
Hop over and take a look at the gallery at Less is More... it's a piece of art in itself with all the different card blanks on view!!

Thanks for your visit
Jenny x

Exploring a Hot Spot!!

I bet that title grabbed your attention *wink*..... well I've been creating using the Hot Spot Large Base die from Paper Smooches for my DT post at Make the Day Special. It's such a fun and versatile shape with lots of scope for your imagination to run with, come and see :0)

First up I've used it to make a Teacher Thanks card and also my entry to the Rainbow challenge at Addicted to CAS, I couldn't resist stamping those rainbow coloured pencils out and using the die as a box for them....

The black, Kraft and acetate layers are all cut with the large die in the set but the two base layers are turned 180 degrees so the window is hidden under the Kraft layer.

James is off to a friends birthday lunch today and a card was needed, his mate loves seals and this little guy from Paper Smooches was an obvious choice, so I used the small zig zag strips from the smaller die and glued them snugly together to make water for the ice hole on the card...

By trimming down the side of the die cut you can use the positive and negative zig zags making 5 from each colour... enough to make a good sized pattern :0) Hehe doesn't he look cute in his scarf??

Right I need to get going and deliver James at his friends house, he's looking smart and is rather excited about the mini disco afterwards.... I hope they haven't got any low ceiling lights because at 6' 4" he's rather tall to cut some moves on the dance floor!!!

Thanks for stopping by :0)

Jenny x

 

Nature's Duo!!

Red and green together just make me happy... Mother Nature got that colour combo spot on with roses, tulips, field poppies and strawberries to name but a few :0) It also fits in perfectly with this weeks colour challenge at Less is More because red and green sit opposite each other on the colour wheel too :0)

                                                     

I wanted to try some partial die-cutting with Lawn Fawns Blissful Botanicals stamps and dies and this is the end result...

The dies make it so easy to cut after you have stamped because they line up easily and the thin white border is really growing on me now... I'd never cut it that neatly myself!! 

For a bit of interest and texture, I embossed part of the base card with a folder from a Cuttlebug set called Fabric Swatches... I love all the stitching and faux fabric effects on the four folders :0)

I couldn't decide whether to add extra bling near the sentiment, I love the black beads in the flower centre but looking at it now I think a few more scattered would have been okay!!?? It's too late now because it's already gone on its merry travels!!....... Happy Birthday Jackie :0)

Thanks for stopping by

Jenny x

Stamps used: Blissful Botanicals, Judy's blooms, Sophie's sentiments by Lawn fawn

Seeing Hexagons

Hello there,

I'm excited to be joining the talented ladies at CASology today as guest designer after my interactive engagement card won me the chance for a second time :0) I'm pretty sure you'll love the cue word for this weeks challenge....

As you probably can tell I like to skirt round the obvious themes that come to mind and look for something a little different..... well, I recently found these sequins in my daughters room whilst rummaging through her crafty stash for something else, (oops... she reads this blog!!) and when I saw them in my 'must use these' box, an idea was born....

Now this photo is looking rather blurry to me and I'm hoping it's just my rubbish monitor!!... but I'm sure you don't need me to point out the hexagons in the sequins anyhow :0)  This new Memory Box die was on my desk so I just trimmed the head of the stalks and replaced it with sequins... which are a pretty pastel green but look a lot paler in the photo :0)

I think they imitate the flowers pretty well and YAY me for being on trend for once without having to buy stash!!

I want to say thanks to Melissa for the pleasure of joining the DT this week and urge you to go and visit the DT's wonderful creations over at the CASology blog, hope you can play along too :0)

Thanks for stopping by

Jenny x

Supplies: Graceful Silhouette By Memory Box,    
                  Hero Arts 'Say it All'

Trolley Towers!!

Hello there,

I'm sharing my Make the Day Special DT card here because it's for a couple of challenges, one of which is the Paper Smooches Sparks challenge..... anything goes this week and I don't need to think about that one twice *wink*
I've use the Grocery Cart die (we call them shopping trolleys over here hence the post title) but I've revamped and recycled it into a concrete jungle instead......

The tiny squares and rectangles just cried out to be windows and the sloping angles make great architectral  lines as rooftops and perspectives. The glare on the windows is shimmery opaque vellum stuck behind the pieces with highlights added using a white pencil.
Pardon the pun but do you like the pop of colour in the celebratory balloons?? They are enamel dots with a hand-drawn string.... I'm thinking along the lines of this as a New Pad or New Job card... hubby even suggested they look like school/uni buildings so perhaps a New Graduate card or is that stretching it too far?

I've used this weeks CAS(e) this sketch which is another good one to add to the files :0)

 

Well it's the bank holiday here in the UK and I'm not going to mention the round yellow thing in the sky that rhymes with 'Fun' just in case I frighten it away....fingers crossed we all see it this weekend.

Have a good one whatever your doing and thanks for stopping by :0)
Jenny x

Caring Wishes

Helloooo..... I'm just literally popping by with a card which owes it's outcome to the three challenges it's for!! Never thought of trying to make a card that way before and I suppose in some cases it just wouldn't work but this time round I think it did.....

I've used the Cue word 'Care' at CASology this week, the palette from ColourQ and, for a second time, this weeks sketch at Less is More... and yes, the proportions are better this time round :0)
I'm also chuffed to have used a piece of patterned paper (albeit the tiniest dent in a mountain of stash) and an older Woodware stamp set... score two!!

Here are the challenge graphics..
    

Okay so it's time to catch up with other jobs now... apart from a dog walk, I've spent most of the day in the craftroom which is a sacrilege on such a beautiful day!!

Thanks for your visit :0)
Jenny x