Snow in Alcester

Not blogged for ages, but just had to take these before we eventually get the thaw.  Ive never seen icicles like these before.   Got a fresh fall of snow last night and the sides roads are terrible.

My Daughters Year 6 Prom

Last night was Victoria's Year 6 Leavers prom, an event that has them looking forward to for weeks.   They have a disco at the local town hall and there are stretch limos flying about everywhere, it was absolute mayhem when everyone arrived.


We managed to dodge the showers as there was a thunderstorm as we were leaving the house.

 And we also managed to get a photo of Harry as well.

These were the girls who Victoria shared the pink stretch limo with

And finally I just had to get a picture of Victoria with her best friend Imogen.  Theyve been friends since Reception.


Thanks for looking 
     
                     Julie x

A Special Anniversary Card

This was a card I made this week for a 45th Wedding Anniversay.   As Im into doing iris folding at the moment I thought Id tackle this pattern. It was quite tricky to cut out but Im really pleased with how it turned out. 

I think its a pattern I will use again.

Thanks for looking

                            Julie x

A Special Order

Back again this time to show you a special card for an order for my friend June.  She asked me to make a special card for her friends daughters wedding.   She cant go to the wedding so she wanted the card to be a keepsake.   Ive made one of these type of cards before so I thought Id do it again.  The image is from "Joanna Sheens - Fashion Boutique" cd along with the papers that match the picture.  I created the flowers using a 2" flower punch and Im really pleased with how they turned out.  As Im into doing iris folding at the moment I wanted to incorporate this into the design.  I finished it all off

with a box to match.  I echoed the paper and the flowers from the front of the card.

I hope she likes it.  Im thrilled with how it turned out and enjoyed creating it.

Thank you for looking


                             Julie x

Some Cards to show You

Hi Everyone,

It ages and ages since I did a post, I pop by every day to look at new posts but just havent had the inclination to post myself.  I thought Id put some cards on that I have made over the past few months.   The first two cards made for a work colleague for her family.  In this one I used a Mikey image from Charmed Crafts, coloured with promarkers.   The papers are from a retro paper pad, and the letters are just some random stamps I found but never used, they were a bit fiddley to cut out.

The second card, I tried to copy a sketch I so on Split Coast Stampers site using an Anya "Geisha" stamp.  I fiddled ages with this one as well and it lacked something so I put the ribbon on and then stuck on the butterflies.

Lastly the card to the left is the one I gave to my hubby for his birthday.  I used the stamps I bought recently by Clarity Stamps.   Id seen the demo that Barbara Grey did on create and craft and just had to buy it.   You stamp and mask to create the row of cottages and then coloured them in with promarkers.   I was a bit unsure about the hills in the background, Barbara used her brayer to do her hills, but I havent got one of them yet.  Anyway thank you for taking the time to look.


                                                                       Julie x

A Teenager Card

Hi

Here is a card made for an order.  I apologise for the completely rubbish photo, bit dark but I took this with my camera phone because my hubby has got the other one (he's away on business).   The image is a Greetings Farm - Amy Paints.   I thought it was ideal for a teenager.   I sponged around the edges with my ink and then coloured the background with a pale promarker.   The image is coloured with promarkers and the flowers hand made.

Thanks for looking


                             Julie x

Just for Mum and a card for a Fisherman

Hi

Here are some cards Ive made over the last couple of days, for my mum and mum in law for Mothers Day, same card and design, just coloured slightly different. The tilda is sweet tilda and I coloured her with Promarkers.    The flowers Im really pleased with, they are made from scalloped nestie circles.  You cut between each scallop, then wet with a waterbrush on each side, then you scrunch them into a little ball and then layer.    I made the buttons by cutting circles with a punch, coloured them with promarkers and used my crop-o-dile to make the holes, then finished off with a ribbon.  

The papers are from a pad called the best of K&Company.   My friend Sara gave me quite a few sheets last time I went over.   Ribbons and lace are from my stash.  

I stamped ink randomly over cream card for the top and bottom bit, just to colour them.

Finally this is a quick card for a friend who is a keen fisherman.   Im sorry its not a very good picture, the light was a bit rubbish.    The image is coloured with promarkers and the papers from my stash.

Anyway, thanks for taking the time to look, your comments are really appreciated.

                                 Julie x

The Sugar Bowl Challenge 30 - Kathys Sketch (Shabby Chic)

Its nice to be able to join challenges again, this time its the turn of The Sugar Bowl.   There challenge was to follow the following sketch provided by Kathy.   Here is the sketch.

Ive used one of the lovely gorguss girls which I received in an image swap from a fellow blogger, Shirley (Nannieflash).   Ive coloured her with promarkers and I hope Im getting better at using them.  Im pleased with how it turned out.    All the papers are from my stash,  I think they were orginially downloaded from a site called Canon Scrapbook papers.    The ribbons and lace are from a huge bag I received from my friend Sara.  Finally the flowers are fringed quilled flowers.  I need to make more of these as my daughter Victoria has nicked most of them for her cards.  

Any I hope it qualifies for entering the challenge I couldnt quite get the circle to lie underneath the bottom panel because that was my biggest nestie circle

Thanks for looking.  

                                                                      Julie x

Some Cards with Tea Bag Medallions

Hi, Im back again.    This time using some tea bag medallions.    This one on the right is an order for my friend who asked me to make a simpleish card.   Again I used my alphabet stamps I got for Christmas.  I stamped them onto cardboard, in fact the cardboard was from our envelope boxes at work, it seperates the envelopes. Its perfect for creating chipboard letters.   I coloured the letters with promarkers and glazed them with diamond glaze.   The backing sheet and tea bag papers are from a  fantastic site by a lady who is a member of Circle of Crafter - Penny Wassenaur, here is her site.   Its fabulous for 3D sheets, she does sentiments on the sheets, backing papers to match and also tea bag squares, Ive used Penny's site quite a lot.   The fold I used is the Xing Fold.

 Again this card on the left is made using Pennys sheets, this one is called Jogger.    We are going to some friends on Saturday for a birthday meal.   Simon is a keen runner and I couldnt resist making up this card when I saw this sheet.    Again I used the Xing Fold but using smaller tiles this time.


Thank you for looking.   I hope to be back on a more regular basis.


                                      Love
                                    Julie xxxxx

A Tilda Card

I love using Magnolia - Tildas for cards and this one was for an order for my friend June who is sending it to her daughter.   I coloured it with Promarkers and I am entering it into the challenge at Passion for Promarkers where the theme this week is to add buttons and bows.   I actually made the button myself with Fimo clay.  My first attempt, I think I'll make them bigger next time.   Anyway thanks for looking.

                       Julie x

An Anniversary Card

Hi

Im getting back to blogging now.   Here is a card that was ordered by my work colleague, Judy for her parents in law for their anniversary.   Ive made cards for Judy in the past and she requested that I make a box as well.   This is what I came up with.  This idea came to mind and I thought the best way to show it off was to make an easel card (cos I like doing them anyway)   Its A5 in size.   The papers are from a Wedding paper set that I was given by someone who was giving up papercrafting.   Image is from Charmed Crafts and I coloured it in with my prisma pencils.   The love hearts I cut with a cuttlebug die and embossed them with my swiss dots folder, but you cant see that quite well.

For the box I carried the purple theme over.   The lid was really easy to do, but the base was a bit trickier.   I made three in the end cos they kept coming out bigger than the lid   grrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyway I hope she likes it.  Im quite proud of it.

Thanks for looking.

                             Julie x

A Letter "M" for Mary

Another of these lovely stitched letters.   I really love doing these.   They make really personal cards.    This is for my sister in law Mary, its her birthday on the 16th Feb.   The card is quite a large one 8" x 8".  I just matted and layered it using the colours I did the stitching with.   


Thanks for looking


                               Julie x

Victoria's first attempt at using prisma pencils

Victoria wanted to show you this lovely card she made using my prisma colour pencils.   I showed her the technique how to use these pencils and I think she did really well.   She used my cuttle bug to cut out the label shape and I also showed her how to ink the edges.   The fringed flowers are from my stash, Ive gone none left now!!!.   She also stamped the sentiment as well.


There will be no stopping her now.


Thanks for looking


                                        Julie x

I used my new Alphabet Stamps

Here are some cards I made using the Alphabet stamps I got for Christmas.


They are great for making quick birthday, christmas cards as they come with the
other half  of the sentiment, you just use the letter to finish off the word.   


I embossed them a little bit and then put some diamond glaze on them.  The clocks are a stamp borrowed from a friend.  I coloured them with my lyra colours and then cut them out with my nesties.  I sprayed them with some spray and shine.


Thanks for taking the time to look




                          Julie x

My Daughter is now a crafter - better watch my stash!!

Here is my daughter Victoria.  She is 11 years old and today she has made some lovely cards with her friend Jade.


Whilst I was giving my craft room, which is up in the loft a much needed tidy up, Victoria asked if she could make some cards.  I gave her some embellishments that I had been given and probably would never use, some card and some of my flowers and ribbons.


Below are the cards she made in a few hours, she made more in these few hours than I have made in a week!!

Thank you for taking the time to look.  Hopefully I will be able to show you more.

My New Baby!

Hi  
Just wanted to show you my "new baby", meet Henry the Smart Car.  Ive been without a car for the past six weeks when my Landrover failed its MOT big time.  The wheel hubs were badly corroded and it was going to cost quite a lot of money to get it back on the road and the value of the car didnt  justify it.  Anyway we found this little beauty on ebay and picked it up on Friday.  Smart cars can do up to 60mpg and are only £35 per year to tax and really easy to park, in fact when I park in a parking space, it looks lost!   I know they arent everyones cup of tea but I just love them.


Thanks for looking  

Julie x

A Special 70th Birthday Card

Hi Everyone

I wanted to show you the handstitched card I made for my hubbys Auntie who was 70 years old yesterday.    My friend had used this pattern recently for a card swap and was really taken with it.   I ask to borrow the pattern from her to make the card.    Auntie Mary has done lots of cross stitch in the past so I wanted to make something for her which would be a keepsake and I know she would appreciate all the work that goes into a hand stitched card.    Also its my first easel card and Im thrilled with how its turned out.   The little flowers I used were from Joanna Sheens - Fabulous Flowers and I decoupaged them with silicon glue.  The finished it off with a few organaza bows.

Anyway as this is my last post of 2009 may I take the opportunity to wish all my lovely followers a Very Happy Christmas and Prosperous New Year.    I know I havent been around much since the summer, but Im slowly getting back into crafting,  even my dad blogs more than me!!!!!

With Lots of Love

Julie x

This is what has kept me from crafting

But at long last all the bedrooms are done.  I started back in August doing Victorias, and then moving onto Harrys and finally our bedroom.   The kids bedrooms are a bit cluttered with all their stuff and they do look better than in these pictures.  Im really pleased with ours, it feels so lovely to have all new stuff.

Will hopefully be back soon with some cards.    Julie xxxxxxxxxx

A Card for the Box

Its my intention over the coming months to make cards to go into a box so that I always have a card on standby.  This card is one that going into the box.   As Im into stitching cards at the moment I had this one stitched all ready to just mat onto some card and decoupage.  

Whether I get any more cards into the box remains to be seen.

Thanks for looking.
 
                                   Julie x
                                                                                                                            

Stitched Sunflower Fairy

Hi

Im quite proud of this card.   Ive picked up card stitching again and this is my latest effort.   The card is for a girl at work who is leaving on Friday to go on maternity leave.   Im going round today to do the collection for her so the card had to be big enough for all the signatures.  Its 8" x 8", made by joining two A4 pieces of card together.  I layered it up that much, it wouldnt fit in the envelope so I had to make a box for it.   Anyway I hope she likes it!!!.

The fairy is the sunflower fairy.  I took the colours from the fairy to do the stitching.

Thanks for looking

Julie x