29 October 2012

Quilled Flower Pots

I have been trying to finish some quilled cards the last couple of days - as I haven't quite I am going to re-post an image from a card from earlier in the month.

You may remember I bought a kit at the Quilling Guild AGM from JJ Quilling.  At the time the kit was not available to buy on line but I am pleased to report this week that you can now purchase the 'Flower Pot Trio' kit from the JJ Quilling website and for the bargain price of only £1.95.

This is the design I made up and then added it to a larger card and added a sentiment.

Excitingly this is one of 6 new kits just launched including a fabulous one based on the very en vogue 'Keep Calm' saying.

Browsing the kits also reminded me of a kit I have in my stash that Diane Boden produced last year inspired by 'Strictly' for all you fans out there.  Do pop over and have a browse (and a little treat!).

27 October 2012

Secret day out!

Well, I have had a lovely day today but unfortunately I can't reveal many of the details on here!

I have been to a Stampin' Up Extravaganza day with the lovely Jenny.  I would usually enjoy this day with the local Crafty Bunch ladies in East Coker but cannot attend the day next month as we are off to a Wedding.
After my initial disappointment at missing out I managed to book a place on the same workshop but nearer Jenny's house down towards Poole.

It wasn't the same not knowing most of the ladies there but Jenny and her fab Mum Sue looked after us, the latter making sure we had plenty of beverages through the day (and some great cake of course).

I am not going to share any photos yet as it has to be a surprise to everyone that hasn't been on the day yet - and to be honest I need to finish off a couple of the projects.  Jenny excelled herself in what I think must be the most ambitious set of projects yet for the time we had - there was barely time for lunch.

I (nearly) have 3 lovely projects though, some more great ideas and another great new Stampin' Up stamp set.
I think Crafty Bunch will thoroughly enjoy their day but I recommend a good nights sleep beforehand because I am now exhausted.

As a note to Karen I can report that neither myself nor my Mum won a raffle prize (not that I ever have).  Mum did win a table prize (she always does) but donated it to me!  Good luck on your day - the chances are much higher with my Mum not turning up to steal all the goodies.

26 October 2012

Simple but effective

This card is an idea I found on kraftsbykatemartin.blogspot some time ago and thought how effective it was.

Handily enough Crafty Bunch had purchased this Stampin' Up lace ribbon border punch (now discontinued) so I borrowed it to have a go.  The punch never appealed to me until I saw this card - just goes to show that someone else's use of something can lead you down a completely different path.

The border is backed by coloured 1" punched circles and a little gem in the middle of each 'flower'.
For those that can't bear to throw anything away Janet from Crafty Bunch also recommended keeping the little punch scrap flowers too for making little hydrangea flowers!

Stamped sentiment from SU Curly Cute set and mounted on card to match the circles.
A break from crafting last night as I got a ticket to watch an advance preview of the new James Bond film - thanks to his use of one of the company helicopters in the new movie.  It was a great film (and always better for free).

Plenty more to blog at the weekend - thanks for popping by.
Jill

25 October 2012

Birthday Flowers

Another quick colouring-in today!

Had a request from work for someone that has had a few cards before so I tried to rustle up a few things within the criteria that he hadn't had before.

This is a Personal Impressions stamp that I have had quite a bit of use out of.  Coloured with copics - the 'outfit' used BV11, 13 & 17 from the new Limited Edition box so I made sure I used the fine tip too!

Punched out using a scallop punch and dabbed the edge with matching ink.

Simply layered on matching card.  The base of the card I added some matching paper from a Country Companions set that I also added a little sparkle too.

Sentiment is from my new SU 'Sassy Salutations' set which I bought because I loved the font - the Christmas one will feature shortly I hope.

24 October 2012

Owl Gift Box

And yet another criss cross box for a present.

I've done a few of these now but I enjoy making them and think they make a really nice, useful present.

They are designed for 6 cards but I've snuck 8 in to this one!

The box is decorated with paper from a Papermania pack.

The cards then use some of this paper and matching card and a rather large array of Stampin' Up punches - including Owl Builder, Bird Builder, Photo Corners, Modern Label, Decorative Label, 1.75" circle & Word Window! 


I couldn't find my SU scallop punch when I wanted it (unearthed it now!) so had to use a woodware one.

At least I am getting my money out of the punches which I do use a lot.

I've added little peel off greetings on 6 of the cards, leaving 2 blank and finished off some with some matching card candi.

23 October 2012

Molly Blooms Workshop

Finally I have finished the card I started in a workshop last week.

We had a couple of days in the Lake District and I always visit The Paper Warehouse near Kendal when we go as it is a lovely shop.  Last year I was lucky enough to visit on their Christmas demo day which was superb - whilst checking what was on this year it turned out I was in the area on a day when the lovely Clare Rowlands - creator & designer of Molly Blooms stamps was running a workshop.  Obviously I had to go!

Clare gave us this stamped image which combines 2 of her new Christmas designs - the skater & the lamppost.  Our pack also had a card with all the paper required to make this fab card.

What also appealed about the workshop was the fact that Clare uses Copic pens.  I have coloured the image, used glitter on some of the white areas for Christmas sparkle, added glossy accents on the boots and I loved her use of the little white dots on the girls face and scarf.

A selection of cutting, stamping and 'distressing' with London Fog Memento ink gives this fab card.  There is a picture of the inside too!

Clare has also just released a great magazine, worth it for the stamps alone but it also comes with papers, buttons, ribbons and a great stamp set - click 'here' for the link to her blog page about it (& all for £7.99).

I met some lovely ladies too and do visit the shop if you are lucky enough to be in the area.

22 October 2012

Flowerpot Birthday

A similar, but slightly different, card to one from a recent post.

I had enough brown quilling paper left for another pot - I must have more in the house but didn't have any to hand so decided to make one pot a feature of this card which was for a Crafty Bunch birthday.

Flowers made from the kit from JJ Quilling.  I have mounted the pot & flowers on some X-Cut dies and some matching pearly paper which are all layered on to a lovely shaped card from Craftwork Cards.

Some Anita's gems added in the corners and an SU stamped sentiment punched out and mounted on further SU punched labels.

I am now off to glitter the ongoing card that I might post soon!

18 October 2012

Champion

Well - is it just me that has had a spot of bother with Mr Blogger for the past few days?  I'm afraid I ran out of time to schedule posts before I had some time away so there has been a small break in posts again - but back to it!

Another request (of which I did two for different relatives) for a gold medal winning sport-related card.

I've punched a gold 'medal' and added London Olympic colour ribbon to it, name & age added with peel offs.

I've then used my Woodware sport stamps set again in different coloured inks and mounted them on matching card.  Stamped sentiment punched out and mounted and the whole card finished off with some little stamped gold stars.

Just need to complete a card I started at a workshop last week and I can report on that too.

8 October 2012

Floral Birthday

I actually quilled a card again - hoorah!

This design caught my eye at the recent Quilling Guild AGM and I bought a kit from JJ Quilling run by the very talented Diane Boden (very well assisted by Mr Boden I must add).

Apologies the kit isn't available to buy on line and I'm sure I will be told if you aren't allowed to see this image!

I made up the card for Mum's birthday and she was really pleased with it.

I cut the A6 card that came in the kit and mounted it on green & brown card to make it bigger and so I could get a sentiment on - this one is a Stampin' Up one from the Curly Cute set.

6 October 2012

Parchment Day

A lovely non-crafting crafty day out today!

I went along to a South West gathering of the Parchment Craft Guild and what a great day it was.
I first started parchment about 20 years ago when Pergamano was first introduced to the UK.  I was lucky enough to be taught by a fabulous quiller who had been one of the first Pergamano tutors taught by Martha Ospina.  As I then got in to rubber stamping and many other things I have lapsed in and out over the years but still love it.  It's a shame it is one of the more time consuming crafts when we all seem to have so few hours in the day.

Today there were 40 very friendly ladies and we were lucky enough to get 4 different 'sessions'.
Alison Yeates from Kingfisher Crafts did a great demo using watercolour (and the lovely polychromos pencils) on parchment, Linda Williams who is Chair of the Guild had some great tips on using grids and gave a demo on shadow writing as featured in a fabulous (currently out of print) Christmas book she has written and Gail Sydenham made painting with acrylics look amazingly easy!
We all had to miss one of the 4 demos so the demonstrators could have a break, unfortunately I didn't get to see Christine Coleman today but thanks to Sue Pritchard for telling us all about the Guild exam system, showing us examples and giving us some tips.

Well done to Celia Preston for pulling off a great day and keeping us fed and watered.

Much more inspiration and I will have to now see what parchment tools I can dust off to use!

5 October 2012

Bookworm

Apologies (especially to Janet!) for going missing - an exceptionally mental week.

Another commissioned card today for a special birthday.

When I asked if there was a particular theme or hobby for the card 'bookworm' was suggested and I immediately thought of this digi image that I've had in the stash for ages (sorry I'm not sure where it came from).

I coloured it in Copics and have 3D'd the image by adding a second layer of the bow, open book & bottom pile of books.  I have then added these to a couple of 'pages' stuck to the card.  The paper is from a Country Companions pack which I added some sparkle too.

Computer generated sentiment layered on matching card.