Sponsoring UK Scrappers

Well finally done it - we are now sponsoring UK Scrappers! I have been browsing or lurking! around the forums for over a year now and been really impressed with the inspiration and encouragement on offer - so really proud to be sponsoring this amazing organisation.

On another note we have been uploading a few extra things and a few more to go! Today we uploaded some Flair Designs papers, they are lovely and an example are these photorealistic roses. One great thing about Flair Designs is that they put layout ideas on the back of every paper - just "Flip-it!"

Also uploaded are some more of the absolutely fabulous AMM (All My Memories) range albums, these albums have the look and feel of leather, they have 20 page protectors already inside and are album to hold upto 80 pages in total. The detail and quality is fantastic - you have to see them to believe them!!

Anyway off to think of a card I can make for Daring Cardmakers - monochrome.......

Jayne xx

Well I Made My Design Collective Folder!

I finally got round to making my Design Collective folder to keep all of the PDF files for the classes - getting excited now!!

Well here's how I made it:- firstly I painted a Morrisons A4 ringbinder with emulsion! Dulux natural wicker to be precise, used to decorate my bathroom!!! It required a staggering 4 coats applied with a mini roller. I then printed the Design Collective logo and mounted it on mirri card, this was then framed with orange adhesive ribbon on card.T he orange ribbon was also used down the side to hide where the paint hadn't taken in the creases. To finish I applied several flowers and butterflies from Crafty Bitz Botanics flat glitter stickers. Now to mod podge!!!

Off to work on this weeks Speshal dare - getting behind now!!

Jayne xx

Double The Trouble!

Well this weeks Daring Cardmakers challenge was to design a card to celebrate the arrival of a multiple birth - I chose twins. They suggest that if you keep the card long enough you are bound to come across someone who will have a multiple birth - this will probably terrify my friends wondering who it will be!!!!
The card is made using Crafty Bitz Gingham Pram Block Paper - I know some people frown upon cutting up 12" x 12" paper for cardmaking - but I think this paper fits the bill!!!
Firstly I gatefolded an A4 piece of card and trimmed down the height by about 5cm. I roughly cut out the teddy bear heads from the paper put them on card to strengthen and cut out accurately.
Using two sections of the paper I decorated the two front panels of the card and with 3D foam centred the teddies onto it. To trim the edges I used white thick white fibre.
For the inside I printed the phrases onto printer transparency - using wordart in Microsoft word and the font Maiandra GD. I attached the transparency with four square gunmetal coloured brads. The centrepiece is the pram from the Crafty Bitz paper cut out and mounted onto silver mirri card.


Well thank you for looking - speak to you later, off to have lunch and to ponder which friend will have the multiple birth - I have spare paper left if there is more than one - he, he!!!

Jayne xx

Mad Max - Again!

Well I am definitely going to owe Max again!! I have just entered this photo taken on Sunday into the UK Scrappers March Photo Competition.

Fingers crossed! This puppy absolutely fits into the competition theme of something mad!!!

More update tomorrow.

Been on-call this week so busy bee but now finished - so the weekend to look forward to - first though - sleep!

Jayne xx

Max is Speshal!

Well I teased you yesterday and here he is! Max the puppy!! We spent Sunday with Max who belongs to Andrew's mum.

We played football, we played ball and we were wowed by Max's tricks picked up at Puppy training.

I wasn't going to do a Speshal dare just yet, because I wanted to pick up confidence in my scrapbooking from the Design Collective, but when I saw the dare here, to theme a scrapbook page on an interview with.... and seeing Dolly's take with the Fiki monster I just had to have a go!! I have my own tabby tiger monster cat, but after spending the day with Max it had to be him!

I will introduce you to George the cat at a later stage.

My Speshal Dare was made using MAMBI Snapdragon cardstock from the Chester range. I haven't really used any embellishments because the paper is just so gorgeously busy and vibrant, so I just cut around a few of the flowers and used them as a frame.

I think the question and answer session sum up Max - not sure what he would think though.

Because of the reward of a carrot for the Donkeys below, I am probably now in debt to Max for putting him on the blog!

What treat do you think he should be allowed?

THANK YOU FOR LOOKING!!
Jayne xx

Look Who's Going to be Blogged Tomorrow!

This is MAX the puppy - find out more about him tomorrow........

Flower Shopping

Today was flower shopping day in preparation for tomorrow. Mummy P is having this gorgeous pink hydrangea in a pot. I am not entirely sure about keeping hydrangeas indoors, I have always known them as outdoor plants.
My grandmother had a huge plant that had to be 6ft wide and 6ft tall and that is not an exaggeration!! The heads were beautiful and because of the soil some were blue, some were pink and some were a mixture!! Very unusual.

But anyway, it seems to be all the rage to move hydrangeas into the house - I will keep you updated on how it fairs.


Mummy D is getting a bunch of flowers, I am probably not supposed to say!! - but Andrew said that his mum is not good with plants you need to keep alive!!! (Jayne now in BIG trouble!!!!) We searched the length and breath of Hereford and couldn't seem to find anything suitable. But as ususal Markie Sparks (Marks and Spencers to non Herefordians) came to the rescue. with this gem. The picture doesn't do the flowers justice but the whites and then the contrast of the purple - is stunning. I am not sure the names of all the flowers, but there are different textures which really adds to the bouquet - fingers crossed she will like them.

Well during all this flower shopping I fell for a couple of things too! How could I resist this striking Clivia?? We bought one for Mummy P about 3 years ago, for Mothers Day - that one is still going strong. They flower best when they are pot bound, strange! But they flourish when they are literally bursting out of their pot. You feel guilty about neglecting them and itch to repot, but apparently that is the worse thing to do - and you wouldn't want to miss out on their fantastic blooms!!


I also picked up a cute little Bellis - it is really sweet and looks like a pompom! Again it is difficult to show it off to its best in the picture. I have used it to replace a primrose, in one of my outside pots. The primrose was mysteriously decapitated?? Not sure how, but I am suspicious about the neighbours cat - it wouldn't have been my George of course!!!

So I think that is us ladies well and truly spoilt for this weekend - there is even talk of a trip to Thorntons in the morning to pick up some chocolates too - can it get any better, he he!!!!!

After all that shopping we decided to go for a walk to make the most of the glorious sunshine - I can't believe it's going to snow??? We went to see the Donkey's and Shetland Pony and Andrew had snuck a carrot in his pocket, but unfortunately they were at the other end of the field and didn't seem interested in saying hello.
We apparently (life according to Andrew) had to take a carrot to thank them for letting me take pictures last week and putting one on the blog!!! Must be some kind of equity thing!!!Well they missed out today.

Well I think thats it for now.
Thank you for the lovely comments on yesterdays DCM dare - they are appreciated.

Love Jayne xxx

Oh! Baby I Tried!

Well this was quite hard! Today's Daring Cardmakers challenge is here.
I got Andrew to pick my items - he is definitely not crafty - well not in the sense we mean - he, he!!
I was gentle on myself and only gave him 10 options in a cup and he was allowed to pick 4.

He picked:

• Colorbox Petal Point Fluid Chalks.
• Design Runner
• Rubber Stamps
• Stickers

Well I was dreading the rubber stamps (why did I include them!!), as my personal collection is quite limited. I decided on a baby theme, mainly because I have rubber stamps in that theme!
I used SeeD's clear baby stamps - I haven't even got an acrylic block in my stash so had to use the plastic case! I arranged the "washing line", baby bottle and small nappy pin on the lid, inked with a black petal point and stamped onto an ivory pearlescent card blank.
I then spent what seemed to be ages, trying to colour in the images with the point of the petal point inks - don't look too closely or you will see the overspill!!
My Design Runner then came to the fore, using the "Oh! Baby" text and the large nappy pin images from the Starter Disc.
The card was finished off using butterfly stickers, I think from Papermania.

Quite hard and using some new techniques - so thank you Daring Cardmakers.
Speak to you soon!
Jayne xx

Daring Cardmakers Sketch

Well I think I could be getting addicted to the Daring Cardmakers challenges! If you haven't bitten the bug see here (but be warned their blog should carry a health warning - addiction guaranteed!!).
The little extra challenge for Tuesday was to design a card using their sketch template. Sketch templates are a fantastic idea, giving a basis to try something new.
This was quite a simple, but I think really effective.
I had a beautiful clip art image of I think it's a Gazania flower - and guess what! My Robi cut it out for me.
I put the flower on a dark background which hopefully makes it stand out and used some stripy paper to co-ordinate behind and for the sash across the card.
To finish off I added a little sunshine with a sun charm.

I am still not sure about Mummy D's mother's day card - below, so I was thinking I may give this one instead - what do you think??
Thank you to Daring Cardmakers for the inspiration!
Jayne xx

The Design Collective

Well I signed up to the Design Collective and really looking forward to learning new things. Some of the top designers in the scrapbooking world are going to be sharing tips and techniques.

If you haven't signed up yet see their blog here.

It's a fantastic idea and I would like to say thanks to all that have set it up.

As a pre-class challenge on their forum they have suggested submitting a card for mother's day which also reminded me to post the card for Mummy D (Andrew's Mum) on here.

I posted the card for Mummy P on the Design Collective gallery because I wasn't quite so happy with this one for Mummy D.

I'm not sure what but it is missing something - any ideas gratefully received!

It's of course a Robi creation again and I had a go at making a flower.

The paper is from a HOTP Creative Pack which came from shhh!!!!.... QVC!

Andrew's mums favourite colour is lilac so I added some lilac ribbon and some lilac and pink gems.

Hope she likes it.

Jayne xx

Little Donkey - Well Shetland Pony Actually!

Can I start by saying thank you to all of you that left comments about my Daring Cardmakers challenge - it was lovely to have such support and to think I was nervous about posting it!!!

I now feel truly inspired - wonder how long it will last!

I am not sure that I can boast mastering my Craft Robo just yet - as the comment left on the Mummy P card suggested - fortunately no-one was around to hear me shouting when I forgot to put the carrier sheet in or pressed send to printer rather than Craft Robo!!! But hey I enjoy the challenge and making the images which I will share soon (when I can work out how!).

I was working most of yesterday so didn't manage to get out in the sunshine, but made up for it today with a walk - and we were surprised to find that the donkeys that live near us have a new friend - little donkey (well Shetland Pony to be precise!).

He (or she) was gorgeous and very friendly and soft to stroke too. He has this amazing shaggy "perm" for a mane which has an almost blue tinge to it - we were teasing that it had, had a blue rinse!
He seemed very pleased to have his picture taken and positively posed for it!

Just discovered some twelveby12 orange gerbera paper in my stash - no idea where it came from, he, he!!! It is now sat on the side tempting me - so maybe you will see something creative very soon!

Happy crafting.
Jayne xx

My First Daring Cardmakers Challenge! Superbaby

This is the first Daring Cardmakers challenge I have attempted! The (Super)Heroes challenge can be seen here.
I wasn't sure what to do at first and then came up with SUPERBABY and of course all the best superhero's do it in pants!
Hence my theme.
The card is shaped as a pair of pants - it is shown here on a red background.
The card was covered in baby border paper, which was hidden in my stash - I think from a mini scrapbook kit.
I put yellow ribbon on the edges of the "leg holes" (partly to disguise some dubious cutting - not my best today!!!).
My favourite toy the Craft Robo came out to play to make the nappy pin, which is actually cut out of silver mirri card but difficult to show in the picture. Robi also cut the S which was then threaded through the pin.

Well that's my first dare attempt - very nervous, hope it's OK!
Thanks for looking!!!!
Jayne x

Trains - aargh!!!!

I am sat waiting for Andrew to come back from London! It's now 10.45pm and he is still not home, despite arriving at Paddington at just before 5pm!

There was apparently a fire on the line and so all trains were cancelled, he had to go to Waterloo and get a train to Reading, then change and fortunately they held the direct train.

Then.... they said everyone would have to get off at Worcester - panic phone call from Andrew, as they were chucked off the train!!! But a few seconds later they let them all back on and said they would bring them home - phew!

I thought I was going to have to make a late night dash - but instead I decided to snap a piccie of my latest gerbera. As you have probably noticed gerbera's are a bit of a passion, particularly orange ones. The colour is purely from the flash, the picture was taken in a very dark room and I wanted to see how the flash would pick out the colour. i think it looks quite velvety, so quite pleased!

Jayne xx

Back to Work and Card for Mummy P

Well it was back to work yesterday - which is why I didn't post! Always hard the first day back after a holiday - even if it was only for a week - so completely shattered and collapsed when I came home.

It was good to catch up with everyone. It was raining all day too which meant that it wasn't too distressing to be shut in. It did mean, however that one of the major car parks in town was flooded which meant that people pinched the spaces in my car park! So I struggled to find somewhere to go and was nearly late.

That car park was still flooded today and some of the main roads too, the river is up, but hasn't caused too much disruption it just seems to be the places you wouldn't expect to be flooded today.

Anyway, enough about the weather! I tried a new style today for my mother's day card - going for something a bit elegant this time! It is a black and white look (well black and cream - the card is cream), with a splash of silver mirri card tucked in behind.

The coat stand and MUM lettering were made using my best friend the Craft Robo.
I spent ages with a pair of pliers trying to make the coat hanger out of some garden wire that I had taken the green coating off. In hindsight I think that the wire was too thick and not particularly pliable, but the only other thing I had was picture wire which is stranded and very difficult to use - it kept splitting, plus it was gold in colour - not fitting with my theme and I just had to have a coat hanger so on I ploughed!
I love the coat it is actually a Habico embroidered iron-on motif, but it is just beautiful, black and shiny silver with 3 little gems for buttons (in stock here). The coat is mounted onto some cream hammer card, which is then put onto the silver mirri card.
The flowers at the bottom were using my second favourite thing at the moment my Design Runner from Xyron - what did I do before it came along? - It was also used for the "Happy Mothers Day" inside.

Well that's the card done for my mum, just Andrew's mums to do next and then there is Easter, Dad's Birthday and just for fun to come!

Speak to you tomorrow!

Jayne xx

New Blog and Busy Week

Well I have taken the plunge and started a blog! I hope you will find it interesting.
Let me introduce myself - I am Jayne (I will post a photo soon - when I can find a decent one!) and I have been crafting (mainly cardmaking) for the last two years - don't shoot me but the craft shows on QVC inspired me!!!!!!!! But I have since developed my own styles.

I know others have said it but my hobby has grown into an online craft shop, which will hopefully expand into a "proper" bricks and mortar store - and I can escape the day job.

Anyway you will learn more as the weeks, months (years possibly!) go on and I will bring you shop stories, crafting tips and more

and so the story begins........

Last Week.....
What a busy week it was and mainly shop orientated! We were very inspired after our trip to the Stitches trade show and so will have lots more surprises for you coming soon too.
We also went to the Wholesaler and rummaged through the boxes to bring you some fabulous Eno Craft Stickers:-

There is something for everyone - florals, animals, teddies, tags and even pirates and dalmations - we now have 33 styles in stock check them out here.
Also something that really caught my eye were the new double sided Chester papers from MAMBI, absolutely gorgeous and here!

Speak to you all soon!

Happy Crafting.
Jayne