My Five Favourite Cards of 2015

Hi My Crafty Blog Friends

Here I am on the last day of the Year. We are planning to spend this evening quietly at home just the two of us. We have bought the M & S New Year Eve meal deal and we will be watching some films until midnight. I hope you have a wonderful New Year however you decide to celebrate.

When I was browsing the internet I came across a challenge to share your favourite  five cards of 2015. This year for me has been a bit of a roller-coaster with the my crafting and it has been good to look back. The challenage can be found on Debby Yates blog A Scrapjourney.

Well that was harder than  I thought I have made quite a few cards that I have been proud of. I do love this hobby it gives so much.

I would like to wish you all a very Happy New Year. 

Happy Crafting.

Hugs Jackie

Tattered Lace - American Dies

Hi My Crafty Blog Friends

How is your week going? The time between Christmas and New Year is always a bit odd. I have had quite a few deadlines for Tattered Lace and that has kept me busy. It is good to be at home as my husband really needs to rest his poorly wrist. This might be my last blog post of this year so I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Happy New Year. I wonder what is in store for all of us.

I made some samples for Tattered Lace using dies aimed more at the American market. These dies are part of the pick of the week on Create and Craft USA this week. The only way I can watch this is on line.

I made two lots of samples as I was sent the dies in two batches.

This is the first lot of samples that I sent off. I was given the brief to make the cards as American as possible. 

This is the Cheerleader die. This card was used to show off the die on the website. 

I also made a tag I liked changing the colours. This tag was also on the website. 

This was my second lot of samples all of these were shown on screen. 

I liked using the Statue of Liberty die the star burst was made with a mask. 

  

I used the pompoms from the Cheerleader die to make the fireworks behind the statue. I also made my own mask to create the cityscape. 

I changed the colours to make this tag. 

This cheerleader die is called Cheers. I created the background with the same mask as the Statue of Liberty die this time this time I offset it and used two colours. 

I enjoyed making her shiny and sparkly I especially like making the red shoes. 

Here are some pictures from the television. It is rather strange to know that your cards are being viewed in America. 

I will leave you with best wishes for a Happy New Year.

Hugs Jackie

All We Need is Love

Hi My Crafty Blog Friends

I have been away for a while there has been so much to do. We had a lovely Christmas and I hope you did too. Our daughter was with us for Christmas Day and her boyfriend joined us on Boxing Day. If all goes to plan they will be in their own house next Christmas. I think it is going to be a very exciting year. Of course I will let you all know what happens.

I was going through some of my old files and I came across this card that I hadn't shared. I had submitted it to go into the Tattered Lace Compendium but it didn't get included. One of my other projects was included but I didn't get a credit but I did get an apology.

To create the background I used the Bargello technique using two types of paper. I created a frame with with  a square die. 

I used the Tattered Lace Delicate Love Sentiment die  which I cut  twice so I could create a drop shadow and then I mounted it on some cut ovals the smallest of these I embossed. 

I am not sure when I will blog again. I have some deadlines for Tattered Lace over the next few days. It is a good job my husband needs to rest a lot to help his wrist mend. 

I would like to enter this into Challenge 32 at Crafting Musketeers and Week 208 and 209 at Pixie's Snippets Playground. 

Happy Crafting 

Hugs Jackie

Last Post Before Christmas?

Hi My Crafty Blog Friends

How are you all doing? Are things super busy for you like they are here? We have managed to fit in quite a bit of fun too.

I made this card a while ago and I felt it needed its day on my blog and it makes a change to Christmas cards.

Just about everything I used was designed by Sue Wilson. 

Here is the details of the flowers.

I made a drop shadow for the sentiment. 

I have added some pictures from the Bootleg Beatles concert we went to in Brighton on Friday. We have seen them before that go through the history of the music and they have changes of costume. Even the lighting ties in. 

I will leave you with this card. I am not sure that I will be able to post anything else before Christmas. I have some very tight Tattered Lace deadlines one is for before Christmas which I don't think I am going to meet. 

I would like to wish you all a very Happy Christmas. Thank you for all your visits and comments I do appreciate them all. 

Happy Crafting 

Hugs Jackie

Making Cards Magazine

Hi My Crafty Blog Friends

I hope you are having a good week. Things here are getting a bit manic to say the least. It is nearly the end of term and there is so much Christmas stuff to do and my eager helper is out of action.

Well this post is about the card I sent in to Making Cards Magazine after they made an appeal for Christmas cards on Facebook. I have only just been able to get hold of the December issue and I was very pleased with the photo of the card.

This is the card I sent in. I featured it on my blog on 7th November all the details are there. 

Here is the page of readers cards. 

I think this photo shows off the card well. 

I sent this card to my in-laws they have been very supportive of my card making. I do worry about giving easel cards to people ever since I found my uncle displaying one on its side. I shouldn't have worried my mother-in-law worked it out fine. 

I hope that you have a great weekend. Tomorrow we are heading off to Brighton with friends to see the Bootleg Beatles. I am really looking forward to it. 

Happy Crafting 

Hugs Jackie

Unicorn Challenge Blog - Midway Motivation - Winter Time

Hi My Crafty Blog Friends

How is your week going? There is still so much to do. I expect you feel the same.

This is my midway motivation card for the Unicorn Challenge Blog the theme for this months challenge is Winter Time. This means not just Christmas makes but cards for winter birthdays and anniversarysin fact any winter celebration.

I do like making these pop-up box cards and people seem to like receiving them. There is a tutorial at the top of my blog for making these from A4 and A3 sheets. All the measurements are there so I won't bore you with the details here. I used the Dasher the Deer stamp set from Creative Expressions once they were stamped and coloured I cut them out with my ScanNcut. The antlers were removed from one to make her look more feminine. 

This shows the internal slats and where I placed the decorations. 

It is so neat that they pack flat for posting. 

I would like to enter the December Challenge at Through the Purple Haze , Challenge 12 at a Snowflake,s Promise , Challenge 10 at A Bit More Time to Craft , Christmas Animals Challenge at Cuttlebug Mania and Challenge 32 at the Crafting Musketeers Challenge Blog. 

I hope the rest of the week is kind to you. 

Happy Crafting

Hugs Jackie

A Christmas card for a poorly boy

Hi My Crafty Blog Friends

How is your weekend going? We managed to pop out with no accidents yesterday we even treated ourselves to breakfast at M&S before we tackled the shopping. There is still a lot to sort out for Christmas but I expect most of you are the same.

I saw an appeal on Facebook for a little boy who is treminally ill and he wanted to get lots of Christmas cards this year for his last Christmas. So I thought I would make one for him. If you click this link you will find details of the appeal and the addresses of where to send them there is still time.

I used the Tattered Lace Dinosaur die and I made him a little Santa hat. I made him a Christmas tree with one of the Sue Wilson Winter Trees set. The star came from another Sue Wilson set. The Santa stamp came free with a magazine. 

He does look cute with his hat on surrounded by snowflakes. 

I hope this card brings a little joy to the boy and his family. 

I hope that you have a good week. 

Happy Crafting

Hugs Jackie

A Quick Christmas Card with an Angel

Hi My Crafty Blog Friends

I hope your week is going well. For those of you who missed the news that my husband has had his cast and stitches removed and now has a splint to wear. He has been signed off for five weeks and he will have to be assessed again before he can go back to work but the healing seems to be going well.

I bought this year's Sue Wilson Angel die I think she is beautiful and I hadn't used her which seemed a waste. So I set to to make a card. As you probably know things have been a bit hectic in our household and there hasn't been much time so this had to be a quick.

Everything I used for this card was designed by Sue Wilson of course I am a big fan. I used an A4 Embossing Folder, the Angel die, the Merry Christmas die and the Noble double pierced Rectangles. 

The Angel is beautiful

I have used this die a lot this year it has been very useful.

I might make a few more cards like this if I get time. 

I hope you have a good weekend and get done all the things that you are planning

Happy Crafting

Hugs Jackie

My Card in Quick Cards Made Easy Magazine

Hi My Crafty Blog Friends

How has your week been so far. Mine has been ok we have been doing lots of Christmas things at work we have had two carol services and a nativity play to enjoy. The parties and silly jumpers come next week.

Back last October I was messing about on Facebook and I noticed a post from Quick Cards Made Easy Magazine. They wanted to be messaged by people who were willing to be on their readers design for the December issue. Well I messaged and I was emailed the bonus papers for the December issue. They told me the size of card they wanted and I had to write a bit about the card.

The papers were very jolly and new year themed. So I made a Happy New Year card. 

There were sentiments on the sheets as well. I added gold mirri card and black card to the design. 

I was rather pleased with how this card turned out. 

Here it is in the magazine. I do love seeing the things I have made in print. 

A quick update on my husband. His caste is off and his hand has a splint he is signed off work for another five weeks timed to end when he goes back for another assessment. We are very pleased and the healing seems to be going very well. 

Enjoy the rest of the week. 

Happy Crafting

Hugs Jackie

Not Just Cards - Always Anything Goes

Hi My Crafty Blog Friends

Here we are at the start of a new week. There is not  long left until Christmas and there is still so much to do. This isn't easy with a husband with one hand who gets very tired as his hand heals but it could be worse.

This is my last Design Team post for the Not Just Cards Challenge blog. I had been thinking about this for a while and when my husband had his accident that finally made up my mind. I having been finding it difficult to keep up with all my commitments and with my husband being ill that has become even harder.

The new challenge starts on the Not Just Cards Challenge Blog today. The theme is always Anything Goes and there are sponsors and prizes. The image I used came from Julia Spiri and her online store.

When I saw this beautiful image called April Elf I felt that she deserved to be in a frame. So I printed her large and coloured her with a mixture of Promarkers and pencils. Then I made a frame with my Sue Wilson Double Pierced Rectangle Noble cutting dies. I did cut acetate to cover the image. 

I made the flower with a Spellbinder die and the leaves with the Faux Quilled Leaves die. 

I might put this on the side in the dining room it does stand up on its own and she is very pretty. 

I would like to join in Challenge 4 at Our Crafty Corner , Challenge 53 at Creative Craft Cottage and Challenge 89 at Crafting From the Heart. 

Enjoy the rest of the week. 

Happy Crafting

Hugs Jackie