Feeling Like Rubbish

Yup, I'm not feeling too clever at the moment.  For the past 2 years I've had a problem with my neck and shoulder.  Although I already knew what the problem with my neck was, the thing with my shoulder is a newish one; it started approx 2 years ago and it's been a nightmare.  Then finally last month I got a diagnosis, I was told it's 'frozen shoulder'  Wow, I could have told them that!  Trying to wash and dry my hair, dress and do routine household tasks for the last few years has been a terrible. Plus I work as a secretary for a small fab company, and typing all day is really stressful.  Then to further complicate things I decided, in my wisdom to have foot surgery in February. But hey-ho, at least I'm now getting the proper treatment - steroid injections. 

I had my first one yesterday and this is why 'I feel like rubbish'! Within hours of having the injection I had neck pain, a metallic taste in my mouth, then I got a really bad sore throat, a nose bleed.......and this morning I woke up chocka full of cold. :(    Sniff   Sniff    Sniff

Apparently steroid injections lower your immune system to help reduce the inflammation.  Well, they could have told me first.  My daughter's been ill all week with virus, so obviously I caught a bit of her bug. Ugh!!

Ah well...never mind.  Hopefully I'll wake up tomorrow feeling bit better.  I better...as I'm starting back at work on Thursday after being on sick leave for 3 months. I know, I know bad timing!!  Right that me feeling sorry for myself over with now.

On a good note though...my monthly craft club idea 'Chit-Chat & Craft has taken off in Normanby, Middlesbrough and is due to start on Saturday 8th June.  So if by any chance you live somewhere near and would like to come along.  Leave me a comment and email address and I'll get back to you.

Janine X

Gorjuss Blue Girl

Here's pic of a new card I made using the same Gorjuss Girl as before - sorry I can't help myself she's so cute. Just as before she was such a dream to colour. Once again I had a problem lining up my new Spellbinder border dies, I WILL get the hang of them in the end. I used a 6 x 6 card base with a blue and brown theme again mainly because I just love the combo.  I made the little roses using the new Sizzix Thinlit dies 'mini petals', these are lovely but really small and fiddly to work with - so not ideal for anyone with dexterity problems.

Here's what I used:

Stamp: Gorjuss by Docrafts 'Top Of The World'

Paper: DCWV 'Linen Closet' Pad (a Hobbycraft bargain for £10), Brown and Turquoise CS

Distressing Ink: Tumbled Glass, Peeled Paint, Tea Dye

Dies: Spellbinder Borderabilities A2 Curved Border One, Cheery Lynn Design 'Flourish Leaf Strip', (New) Sizzix Thinlits 'Mini petals'

Other: Dress It Up 'Vintage buttons', Jones Tones Glue

Copics: Skin - E11, E02, E00, E000, Pinny & Tights - E40, E41, E43, E47, Dress - BG10, BG15, BG49, Hair - Y21, Y23, Y38, E37

I've just added my card in the following challenges:

My Mum's Craft Shop Challenge (Spots & Stripes)

 

Hope you like and thanks for visiting.

Why not leave me a message to say hi!

Janine XX

Great News!

I've been really busy while I've been on sick leave following my foot surgery.

So this is what I've been up to since my last post. Because I've been wanting to join a craft club in my local area that didn't involve jumping on 2 or 3 buses to get to it, I decided to start my own club. I thought long and hard about this for quite a long time, mainly because I didn't really want the responsibility...but at the end needs must.

So since my last post -

(1) I've managed to place an ad in my local newpaper to advertise the monthly Chit-Chat & Craft Club I'm planning to start up

(2) Sorted through the responses from the ad, and contacted the crafters and the venue to arrange dates etc

(3) Designed the club logo for any forthcoming newsletters, notifications etc and sorted out the initial info letter about the club and venue etc

So now the club plans are proceeding well I'm hopeful the first session will be at the end of May or the beginning of June.  If anyone from my neck of the woods would like to come along to the club, let me know and I'll send you some info.

ALSO BIG NEWS......I've just had a lovely email from Papercraft Inspirations magazine and they want to put my Country Companion card in their next magazine, and they want a photo of me to go alongside it (poor things...why!). I have to admit I'm really chuffed and excited.  It will be in Issue 114 so watch out for it.

I'll be adding another Gorjuss Girl card over the weekend.

Thanks for visiting, why not leave me a comment.

Janine XX

Sitting Gorjuss

Here's pic of a new card made for my niece.  This was such a dream to colour, however I did have a few problems sorting out the layout, mainly lining up my new border dies....but I got there in the end. It's a 6 x 6 card base so it was a nice area to work on. I just love blue and brown together...warm but fresh.

Here's what I used:

Stamp: Gorjuss by Docrafts 'Top Of The World'

Paper: DCWV 'Linen Closet', Brown and Turquoise CS (Hobbycraft bargain for £10)

Distressing Ink: Tumbled Glass, Peeled Paint

Dies: Spellbinder Borderabilities A2 Curved Border One, Britannia 'Multi Rose', Cheery Lynn Design 'Flourish Leaf Strip'

Other: Vintage button

Copics: Skin - E11, E02, E00, E000, Pinny & Tights - E40, E41, E43, E47, Dress - BG10, BG15, BG49, Hair - Y21, Y23, Y38, E37

I've just added my card in the following challenges:

The Cutie Pie Challenge (Clean and Simple)

The Sugar Bowl (Anything Goes)

Hope you like and thanks for visiting.

Why not leave me a message to say hi!

Janine XX

What's Up Doc

Made for a commission for a friend who's son is turning 21 and a student doctor. I have to say this was a real challenge; I knew what I wanted it to look like but I couldn't find the right type of template to either draw around or cut it out with my machine. I wanted it to be a A5 card size so it would look a bit more substantial. So as a true crafter I designed my own, you know what they say 'necessity is the mother of invention'.

I used MTC software and joined, tweaked and extracted shapes to get the final looking white coat.  For the background shirt I used part of an Arty Farty 'Birty Shirt' template, and the tie is a knotted piece of bias binding tape. I added a few buttons down the front to give a bit of realism.  The stethoscope was a free svg file which I dissected to make it look like it went around the collar, unfortunately it's not to scale due to the way it was originally drawn. Maybe I'll design my own for future use. The pocket sentiment was computer generated and cut out.  I used foam tape to created high and depth on every section of the card.  I have to admit I am so happy with the end result.  My friend was really pleased with the card, she had no idea what she wanted so it was a happy surprise....hopefully her son will feel the same. 

I hope you like it.

Thanks for dropping by and hope you'll visit me again.

Janine XX

FOOTNOTE - I have been emailed many times by lovely people wanting me to make a similar card for a family member or friend, who is planning to be or has graduated as a doctor etc. Unfortunately I am unable to do this because I no longer own the cutting machine or have the pattern used to make it. I'm really sorry!

My Papercraft Inspiration Entry

This is the card I've just sent to Papercraft Inspirations.

They always ask you to send in cards showing what you've made using your magazine freebie. Well in April's  Issue (No 111), the freebie was a Country Companions stamp set and papers.  So here's what I made with them. I stamped and coloured him with copics and a few prisma pencils to add a little shadow.  All the floweres were handmade.

 

Here's what I used:

Image: Country Companions stamp set freebie from Papercraft Inspirations magazine

Distressed Ink: Tumbled Glass

Cardstock: Freebie daisy paper from Papercraft Inspirations magazine, Pale Green, Yellow and Kraft card

Dies: Cheery Lynn Designs 'Flourish Leaf Strip, Britannia Medium 'Multi Flower Rose' (024), Marianne Creatables Rose Swirl (LR0162), Spellbinder Edgeabilities

Copics: FUR - E41, E53, E33, E35, Y28 / EARS - R000, R11, R32, R02, BV31 / TOP & BOOTS - YR31, YR23, YR15, YR07, 0 / BOOT SOLES - BV31, BV23, BV25, / FLOWERS - B60, BV000, B97,Y11, Y08, Y17, Y28, YR04, 0 / LEAVES & GRASS - YG11, YG17, YG67, 0  / BUTTERFLIES - BV31, BV23, BV04, BV000, Y11, Y08, Y17, Y28, YR04, 0 / AROUND IMAGE - B000, 0

Other: Pearls, Ribbon and Stickles glitter, Prismacolor Pencils

Wish me luck. 

Hope you like it and thanks for dropping by.

Janine XX

Update13/4/13 - I thought I would retake the awful photos I look of the Country Companion samples and replace them on this post.  I think they look a lot better.

Spring is in the air

Well hopefully!!! At least the birds think it's spring judging by the dawn chorus that keeps waking me up. :(

Anyway here's my newest contribution - I made it just for me because I loved the image, with absolutely no-one in mind for a change.  I decided to go CAS, nothing too fussy.

This cute fella is a digi stamp from Pachela Studio at Cuddly Buddly which I hand coloured.

Here's what I used:

Digi stamp: Cuddly Buddly - Tumbled Toby 'Just saying hi'

Distressed Ink: Tumbled Glass

Cardstock: First Edition 'Blank Canvas', Pale Green, Yellow and Kraft card

Dies: Cheery Lynn Designs 'Flourish Leaf Strip, Britannia Medium 'Multi Flower Rose' (024), Marianne Creatables Rose Swirl (LR0162), Spellbinder Edgeabilities

Copics: FUR - E41, E53, E33, E35, Y28 / EARS & FEET - R000, R11, R32, R02 / CLOTHES - YR31, YR23, YR15, 0 / FLOWERS - Y11, Y08, Y17, Y28, YR04, RV21, RV000, 0 /  LEAVES & GRASS -  YG11, YG17, YG67,  0, YG95 / AROUND IMAGE - B000, 0

Other: Ribbon and Stickles glitter

Hope you like it.

Janine

XX

MY NEW COLOUR SAMPLES

Here's a quick montage of samples that I've stamped and coloured while I've been recuperating.

Full details of everything I've used is on my other blog: http://thecolouringcorner.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/new-stamped-and-coloured-samples.html

Thanks for visiting.

Janine XX

Mother's Day 2013

Here's the Mother's Day card I've made for my mum.  Sorry for the poor picture quality, unfortunately it was such a dull day when I took it that I've had to edit the lighting and exposure of it - and it's not great. Thankfully the close-up is a little better.

I decided to make a single layer card to keep it CAS, as it's still pretty difficult to craft with one foot up on a pile of crafting mags to keep it elevated.  I created the layout using CraftArtist 2 with a few digi images from Cherryblossom Lane from Polkadoodles.

Here's what I used:

Software: Serif CraftArtist 2, Cherryblossom Lane CDRom from Polkadoodles

Copics: W1, W2, W3, W5, 0, E04, E93, R000, R32, R46, R81, R85, Y00, Y02, Y08, Y17, Y38, YG03, YG06, YG17

CS: White, Pink

Glitter: Stickles - Fruit Punch

Thanks for dropping by.

Janine X

My right foot.....UPDATE

I thought I would post an update on my right foot. Well my stitches are out..yey! Although I'm still hobbling about with my stick and wearing my s/shoe I'm definitely getting there. but it's a slow process. During my sickie time off I've at least managed to practice my colouring techniques using my Copics and trying out watercolouring with distressings inks (which is my new fav).  I love the vintage/Scandanavian look it's just so pretty. I've been trying to recreate this style with my copics, but it's kinda trial and error.  

Hopefully I'll upload some piccies this weekend...depending on the foot situation.  

**My lovely hubbie is going to buy me the Tim Holtz distressing pens as a get well pressie...isn't he the greatest. I mean my hubbie not TH lol (although TH is kinda great too)  ;)

Thanks for dropping by.

Janine X