Exploding Box 60th Birthday card for my Hubby

Hello My Crafty Blog Friends and Visitors

I hope that you had a good Christmas. We have had a busy few days visiting various relatives. Hopefully all will be a bit calmer now.

Back in the summer my lovely Hubby turned 60 (free prescriptions here he comes). We had a few days away and that was followed by not one but two tea parties. I realised recently that I hadn't shared the main card that I had made for him. Often between Christmas and New Year I share my top ten cards. This year I will just be sharing the special card I made for my Hubby.

I decided to make an exploding box card. I made this one larger so that I could fit in more photos. 

I used a selection of dies to decorate the various pages. I printed the photos I needed from the files on our computer. 

The papers were in my stash. I used two sheets of A3 card to make the box and all the layers.

The photo in the middle is held in place with gel glue that was allowed to set. 

All the photos in the card represent special memories or special people. This photo is of my Hubby and daughter on the Rock n Roller Coaster at Disneyland Paris. 

My Hubby loves music and he used to play guitar until his fingers got bad. 

We were away for his actual birthday. I had to leave this card at home and I made a flat one that would travel in hand luggage by train. My Hubby loved this card when he got to see it. There are many photos of many happy memories. 

I did make a video but it was too large to upload onto my blog. 

The next time I post it will be 2020. I would like to wish you all a very Happy New Year. 

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Weeks 551 and 552 at the Allsorts Challenge blog

Happy Crafting

Hugs Jackie

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Moving Along with the Times (MAWTT) Challenge Blog - Anything But a Card

Hello My Crafty Blog Friends and Visitors

This is something of a sad post for me. I have been struggling with my crafting. I just don't seem to have as much time as I used to. There are some other changes that are going on at home as well. With all that in mind I have taken the decision to step down from the Moving Along with the Times (MAWTT) Challenge blog Design Team. Therefore, sadly, this will be my last post for them.

Today the new challenge starts at the Moving Along with the Times (MAWTT) Challenge blog and the theme is Anything But a Card. Members of the Design Team are offering prizes for this challenge as well.

First you need a clean wine bottle with the label removed. This is easier with some bottles than others. I measured round the bottle and I cut a thick black strip that I cut by joining some of the Snow Scenes Dies. I cut a thinner white strip and used the Deer Scenes dies. I also cut and stuck to the bottle some snowflakes cut with the Happy Snowflakes set. All these dies are from the John Next Door range from Crafts Too. The Santa's Sleigh was cut with a Creative Expressions die. 

This is a super challenge to enter lots of the Design Team are offering prizes this time. Click on the logo and you will be taken there. 

What inspired me to decorate this bottle was this set of lights that I found in B&Q. The switch is on a cork shape that houses the batteries. It just such a  neat way to light up bottles with no need for trailing wires.  

Here is the prize that I am offering for this challenge. 

Here is the bottle lit up. The shadows it casts are rather good.  I am hoping to decorate another bottle. 

I would like to enter the following challenges:

The Light Challenge at the Cuttlebug Mania Challenge blog

Enjoy the rest of the week.

Happy Crafting

Hugs Jackie

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Beatles Themed Christmas Bridge Card

Hello My Crafty Blog Friends and Visitors

How is your week going? It isn't long until the big day now. I was thrilled to find that I had made enough Christmas cards this year. All of them are in the post now.  This has meant that I have had some time for  other crafting. There is still plenty to do like visiting friends and getting the house sorted.

I am sharing the Christmas card that I made for our good friends that we go to see all Beatles Tribute bands with. We have one more trip planned to Brighton to see the Bootleg Beatles in there final show of their current tour. We are already booked to see the Bootlegs again next year.

This is similar to the design that I made for our friend's birthday. This is a bridge card. To me it looks a bit like a stage. I made the background with one of my photos of a brick wall. I added the phrases in white. The tree is a Beccy's Place image called Oh Night Divine. The message is written on the back of the card. 

The digi stamps I used are from Vera Lane Studio. They came in two sets with phrases. There is John and Paul - the Beatles and George and Ringo - the Beatles. I found a file of a Christmas hat on the internet and I added hats to the Beatles to make them festive. The figures were coloured with Promarkers the hats came pre-coloured. 

Here you can see the way the design works. 

I know my friend loves this card. This was such a good set of images for me to buy. 

Enjoy the rest of the week. I hope all your Christmas prep goes well. 

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Challenge 11 at the Arty Divas Challenge blog 

Challenge 468 at Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge

Happy Crafting

Hugs Jackie

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A Bit More Time to Craft - Winter Robin Christmas Card

Hello My Crafty Blog Friends and Visitors

How is your weekend going? We had a catching up day yesterday. What with being away on holiday and being out quite a bit lately not much has been getting done.

The new challenge starts at the A More Time to Craft Challenge blog and the theme is Anything Goes and there are some fantastic digital papers on offer as prizes. I just love using these papers myself.

Here is a Christmas card I made with the Gothic Flakes digital papers.

I printed the papers in two sizes. The larger one was for the outside layer. I chose a paper with a paler centre so that the robin would show up. I cut one of the John Next Door bauble dies in gold and I used and foliage die to make a wreath around the bauble. I think the bow came with the robin die. 

Why not join in with the challenge the papers are well worth winning. Click on the logo and you will be taken straight to the challenge blog. 

The branch is a Spellbinders die the robin die came free with a magazine (I can't remember which one now). 

This is a Crafter's Companion die. I love the the dot is attache to the i. 

I did enjoy making this card and using the papers. Hopefully I have made enough Christmas cards this year. I really need the time I have next week to catch up with some other makes. 

I would like to enter the following challenges: 

Challenge 468 at Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge

Happy Crafting

Hugs Jackie

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Poinsettia Christmas Card to match Gift Box

Hello My Crafty Blog Friends and Visitors

How has your week been?  I bet we are all going to have a busy weekend. Last week was good for us. We saw Michael Bublé at the O2 Arena it was such an amazing experience. It was so good to share it with our good friends. The following evening we all  saw a Beatles Tribute band at a local club. We do like to get out when we can.

When it came to sorting through our Christmas cards I realised that I didn't have one for my parents in-law. I had made the box for my mother-in-law so I decided to make a card to match.

The backing paper had been in my stash for a while. 

This is the first time I have used this die from the John Next Door range. It is called the Renmore Die Set. The sentiment die is from Crafter's Companion. 

I made the poinsettias with the Poinsettia die and the Swirl Poinsettia dies. 

Here is a picture I took of Mr Bublé at the concert. I do have a zoom on my camera. 

Here is the card with the box. I even made a small version of this card with the smaller poinsettias cut with the dies. I am still not sure if I have enough Christmas card. 

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Challenge 467 at Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge 

The December Challenge at Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge

Challenge 62 at the Holly and the Ivy Challenge blog

Challenge 17 at the Merry Little Christmas Challenge blog

Challenge 189 at the Cut It Up Challenge blog

Challenge 485 at the Krafty Chicks Challenge blog

Happy Crafting

Hugs Jackie

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Not Just Cards Challenge Blog - December Challenge

Hello My Crafty Blog Friends and Visitors

How is your week going? Michael Bublé was just amazing. The travelling was a bit daunting but we managed it. Being with our good friends made the travelling fun too.

Today sees the start of the December challenge at the Not Just Cards Challenge Blog and our theme is always Anything Goes. Well it is December so here is a Christmas card.

The backing paper has been in my stash for a while. It does have a slight sparkle. 

Our challenges are always fun click on the logo and you will be taken there. 

This image is called Winter Robin and it is available from Sheepski Designs. I printed on to Neenah card stock and coloured with my Promarkers. I made a frame for the image with the Double Pierced Rectangles from Creative Expressions. I used black card stock and I aged it with Pebeo Gilding wax. Can you just see the Santa's Sleigh die that I used. 

This is a John Next Door die I think it comes with some labels. 

I cut some trees with the Winter Trees die set from Creative Expressions from black card and then I used Pebeo gilding wax. 

I will post some pictures of the concert when I have sorted our camera and if they are worth showing. 

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Challenge 399 at the I ❤ Promarkers Challenge blog

Challenge 17 at the Merry Little Christmas Challenge blog

Challenge 62 at the Holly and the Ivy Challenge blog

Challenge 467 at Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge

Week 523 Mega Christmas Challenge at the Passion for Promarkers Challenge blog

The December Challenge at the 2 Crafty Critter Crazies Challenge blog

Challenge 142 at the Cutie Pie Challenge blog

Challenge 404 at Crafty Creations Challenges

Challenge 127 at Scrapy Land Challenges 

The Christmas is Coming Challenge at the Try It On a Tuesday Challenge blog

Enjoy the rest of the week. 

Happy Crafting

Hugs Jackie

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Poinsettia decorated Christmas Box

Hello My Crafty Blog Friends and Visitors

How was your weekend? On Saturday we visited my parents and significantly managed to get them to agree to have a live in carer. I just have to get that sorted now. We followed this by meeting up, for a Christmas meal, with our daughter, son-in-law and his parents. The venue was the Heron on the Lake in Fleet and they do a very good festive meal. On Sunday we caught up on lots of Christmas jobs. I have felt like I have been chasing my tail since we came back from holiday.

My mother-in-law loves good quality dark chocolate (much like me). We usually buy her several bars of chocolate and I make a box for them. She uses the boxes I make for many different things.

I do like making boxes. Using a scoring board makes this very easy. Before I make the box up I cut the lattice into the card stock and stick some acetate behind. 

The Poinsettias were made with dies from the John Next Door range. I added a ribbon to make the box more festive. 

I know my mother-in-law will love this box. I wonder what she will use it for afterwards. 

We are doing something very exciting tomorrow. With friends we  are going  to see Michael Bublé

at the O2 in London. Our travel plans have been affected by the strikes but that is all sorted now. I will let you know how we get on. 

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Challenge 247 at the Crafty Cardmakers Challenge Blog

Challenge 73 at the International Art & Soul Challenge blog

Have a great week

Happy Crafting

Hugs Jackie

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Winter Wonderland - Anything Christmas Goes Challenge

Hello My Crafty Blog Friends and Visitors

How has your week been? It has been very cold here. I hope you have something nice planned for the weekend. We are meeting up with our Daughter and Son-in-law and his parents for a meal and possibly a trip to a National Trust garden. We should be able to fit in a quick trip to my parents as well. On Sunday we are hoping for a quiet day at home.

Today sees the start of the last challenge of 2019 at the Winter Wonderland Challenge blog the theme is Anything Christmas Goes and the sponsor is Digital Delights.

I do like traditional colours at Christmas. I chose papers that would match the way I would colour the image. The Merry Christmas is a Crafter's Companion die and the Snowflake banner is a die from The Works. 

There are many wonderful images in the store click on the logo and you will be taken there. 

This image is called Magical Tree Santa and is available HERE.  I printed the image onto Neenah card stock and I used my Promakers to colour it. 

Someone who came to the house liked this card so much that it has already gone. 

I would like to enter the following Challenges:

Challenge 399 at the I ❤ Promakers Challenge blog

The December Challenge at the 2 Crafty Critter Crazies Challenge blog

Challenge 33 at the Crafty Animals Challenge blog

Challenge 486 at the Crafty Catz Challenge blog

The December challenge at Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge 

Have a great weekend.

Happy Crafting

Hugs Jackie

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Circular Christmas Box for Chocs

Hello My Crafty Blog Friends and Visitors

We are back from our cruise. It was so lovely to be away in a holiday bubble. We got back last Friday and on Saturday I had a call about my mum who had taken a turn for the worse. We visited on Sunday and all seemed fine but the care package might need to be increased. I am in talks with the Care Agency to try and work out what is best. Today I am helping at the first of two Felting Workshops this week.

Before we went away I challenged myself to make a circular box.I wanted to use  dies that I had from the Heart Box die set from the John Next Door range. I did watch a video on how John Made the Heart box and I applied this new knowledge to a circular box.

I used a lot of the Double Pierced Circle dies from Creative Expressions to make this box. They are my go to circle dies. I also used the Winter Trees die set and the Deer Family die set all from Creative Expressions. 

Here you can see the Washi Tape around the edge of the box. The paper I used came from the John Lockwood Box Magazine. 

The lid fits nicely on the box. 

It does remind me of a Cheesy Triangles box. I am sure some chocs will fit just fine. 

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Challenge 460 at the Fab 'n' Funky Challenge Blog

The Christmastime Challenge at the Cuttlebug Mania Challenge blog

Enjoy the rest of the week. I will be mostly sorting out things for Christmas. 

Happy Crafting

Hugs Jackie

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Crafts Galore Encore Challenge blog - Challenge 70 - Anything Goes

Hello My Crafty Blog Friends and Visitors

We are back from our cruise. It was fabulous and we met some lovely people. Now we have a bit of time to get Christmas sorted this year it will be simple.

Being the first of the month the new challenge starts at the Crafts Galore Encore Challenge blog. The theme is Anything Goes and the sponsor is Gecko Galz.

From the store I used the Christmas Filigree Collage Sheet which is available HERE and the Merry and Bright Digital Paper Pack which is available HERE.  I used images from the collage sheet they were easy to resize on the computer and I chose from the Digital papers ones that would match the images. I was only going to make one card. Then I got carried away. 

There are so many wonderful things in the store. Click on the logo and you will be taken there. 

I made this card. 

This one. 

Finally this one. But I didn't stop there. Oh no. 

I made tags as well. The papers and images worked so well together. I do hope I have enough Christmas cards now. There isn't much time left to make them. December is looking very busy. 

Happy Crafting 

Hugs Jackie

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