DT Team Call Out

Well I thought I would try out for a few other DT's (well you never know!).  I've got quite a lot of time on my hands at the moment...what with hubbie working away quite a lot of the time plus my sweet daughter is finally leaving the nest.  She's moving to London next week to be an actor in the London Dungeon attraction.  I'm so proud of her, she's managed to fulfil her dreams of being an actress ever since leaving university almost 4 years ago.  I'm going to miss her like crazy, she's my best friend, my confidant and my rock - but I know she has to follow her own path and her own dreams.  I wish her every happiness and look forward to the day I see her name in lights on the West End stage.

Sooooo, back to the card I've made for the design team call out for Sugar Nellie - I used Tiffany and my copics. She was such a beautiful image to colour in. I wanted to make my 8 x 8 card pretty and elegant so I used aqua and lilac to match in with the papers, and used delicate copic colours for Tiffany.  Even if I'm not successful with my entry for  the DT I still enjoyed every moment of making my card. Finally I added my own handmade flowers and hat pins to co-ordinate with the colour scheme.

Here's what I used:

Digi Image: Sugar Nellie 'Tiffany' available from Funkykits
Paper/Cardstock: First Edition 'First Bloom', coloured cardstock from AC, Create & Craft, Papermania
Dies: Sizzix Banner #2, Sizzix Squares, Martha Stewart 'Branch', Spellbinder 'Persian Accent', Britannia 'Medium Rose',  Marianne Designs 'Swirl Rose -  LR0162'
Copics: Skin: E0000, E000, E01, E13, R20 / Hair: YR0000, YR000, E81 E13, E15 / Eyes, Tights, Flower: BG000, BG01, BG05 / Dress: V000, V01, V04, V05, V09 / Hearts: Y0000, Y000, YR00 / Around Image: B0000, B000
Stamped Flowers: Adirondack 'Juniper', 'Tumbled Glass' Distressing Ink, Hunkydory 'Floral Chic'
Other: Ribbon, Wired Pearls, Pearls, Glitter, Diamante Hat Pins, Beads and Spacers, Sentiment Computer Generated, Glitter

Thanks for dropping by, hope you like my entry. 

Why not leave me a quick comment and let me know what you think.

Janine xxx

Tiddly Inks Design Team Call

 

My craftie friend and fellow craft club buddy Ali let me know that Tiddly Inks is having a Design Team call at the moment.  So I decided to give it a shot.
                                                         
I've bought quite a few digi images from them in the past; but decided to buy another one especially to use in my entry.  I let my daughter Heather choose it for me - she chose 'Catch My Heart'.  This sweet little stamp was a dream to colour in. 

I printed the image out 4 times and coloured in certain areas of it with my Copics, then cut those sections out and layered them up to give dimension.  Finally I added a sprinkle of glitter and my own handmade flowers....and tada here it is for you to see

Here's what I used:

Digi stamp: Tiddly Inks 'Catch My Heart'
Paper/Cardstock: First Edition 'Up Up & Away', Create & Craft Glitter CS, Create & Craft Coloured CS
Copics: Skin- E000, E21, E11, E31 / Hearts: RV10, RV13, RV14 / Puddle - BG000, RBG01, BG05 / Boots, Coat, Hat - YG00, YG23, YG03, YG09, G17 / Dress, Basket: BG000, BG01, BG05, BG09 / Hair: Y28, Y35, Y21, Y000, E57
Dies:  Spellbinder Grand Nestibilities 'Square Scallop', Memory Box 'Riveria Corner', Cheery Lyn Designs ' Fanciful Flourish' and 'Flourish Leaf Strip', Britannia Medium Rose, Marianne 'Swirl Rose-LR0162'
Other: Crystal Glitter, Pebbles Inc Pearlescent Chalks, My Own Handmade Flowers, Flat Backed Pearls, Tear Drop Pearls, Miniature Rose Buds, AC Ribbon, Serif CraftArtist 2

Hope you like it.

Thanks for dropping by, why not leave me a comment.

Janine  XX

THANK YOU

Can I say a huge thank you to everyone who visits my blog, my blog followers and to everyone who leaves me comments. 

I really appreciate everyone who visits my crafty home here on 'Crafting Crackers' and especially love it when I find you've left me a message....it's a bit like Christmas (sad I know!!)  You inspire me and keep my mojo going; you all make me feel that it's all worth while.

Thank you my crafting bloggies - you're all stars.

Big hugs

Janine XX

Choo Choo Train

Here's a sweet A5 card made for my step-dad's birthday, which is today.  Happy Birthday Frank!

He's such a great digi image and I'd had my eye on him for some time as my step-dad loves trains. So beautifully drawn my Mo Manning, and if you've not visited her digi stamp store....you should! He was such a dream to colour. I printed him out 4 times, coloured him with my Copic pens, cutout and layered up.

Here's what I used:

Die: Xcut Oval

Embossing Folder:

Cardstock:

Digi Stamp: 'The Engineer' by Mo Manning

Copics: Skin: E000, E00, E02, E11 - Overall/Shoes/Hat: E41, E31, E33, E37, E57 - Smoke: CO, CO2, CO5 - Scarf/Socks/Label: R000, R17, R27, R59 - Shirt: YR000, YR00 - Train: CO, CO2, CO3, CO5, R000, R17, R27, R59 - Track: E31, E33, E35, E47

Distressing Ink: Tea Dye

Other: Polkadoodles Ticket Stubs, Serif CA2, Computer generated sentiment, Bakers Twine, Cardboard Dots

Hope you like it and thanks for dropping by.

Why not leave me a comment - I'd love to hear from you.

Janine X

My Papercraft Inspirations Entry

WELL HERE IT IS!!!

Here's the Papercraft Inspirations magazine issue 114 showing the card I made, the actual card and my prize. Yey!!  I have to admit I felt dead chuffed when they let me know it was going to be in.

Thank you everyone who left kind comments on my blog and on Docrafts. You're all stars!!

Janine X

A Hint Of Summer

Well it's been a busy month for cards.  Here's another one I made, this time for my mum's birthday.

I decided to make it a summery colour, as her birthday is on the 1st day of summer (21st June). She loves flowers so I tried to find a layout that would incorporate at least one.  Then I spotted a card on Pinterest called 'Kindness' which I loved, it just looks so pretty.  Here's the link to her blog so you can check out my inspiration and how to create the layout - http://lindaduke.typepad.com/lindas_works_of_heart/2011/06/6-6-11-mojo-monday-draft.html  The cards on her blog are amazing, she's such a talented lady (Linda Duke). I tried to contacted her to ask permission to use her layout but I've had no reply, so I've made sure I've credited her. On my card the flower and buds were all handmade using dies, coloured with distressing ink; and then the pearls were recoloured using a copic pen to tie in with the colour scheme.

Oh BTW...I love, love Pinterest and I can quite happily spend hours looking at pretty things particularly crafting stuff.  Plus I have 4 boards on there myself - click on the Pinterest link on the left hand side to have a peek (you don't have to register or anything).

Here's my offering:

Here's what I used:

Paper/cardstock: First Edition 'Blank Canvas', Cream Parchment card, Green CS

Dies: Sizzix Tattered Florals, Cheery Lynn Designs Flourish B117, Britannia 'Medium Rose Die'

Distressed Ink: Spiced Marmalade

Other: Pearls, Seed Beads, Copic Pen, Computer Generated Sentiment

Thanks for a dropping by, I hope you like it.

Janine X

Happy Father's Day

I want to wish all the dad's out there a Happy Father's Day or as my daughter would say 'Happy daddykins Day'.   I added the scooter card I made for my step-dad yesterday, I hope he likes it. Unfortunately I lost my dad when I was 19 (32 years ago...gulp!) so I'm sending him a big kiss and a hug wherever he is.

Here is the card I made for my daughter to give to my hubbie for Father's Day.  She spotted this image from Mo Manning last year and asked me to make it for her. She's 24 but she'll always be a daddy's girl.  The images was printed  4 times, coloured, cut out and layered up.  I absolutely loved colouring this stamp...it's sooo cute.

Here's what I used:
Digi stamp: Mo Manning 'Love you daddy'
Papers: First Edition 'Summer Breeze'
Copics: Dad's Shoes: BG10, BG13, E31, E33 / Trousers: E31, E33, E35, E57 / Socks: BG000 / Girl's Hair: E31, E33, E25, E29 / Petticoat & Flowers: Y000, Y00, Y02, Y08 / Card/Watch: Y00, Y02 / Dress:/T-Shirt/Shoes: BG10, BG13, BG49 / Soles: E00, E11 / Skin: E000, E00, E02, E11
Dies: Sizzix framelits 'Hearts', Sizzix framelits 'Squares', Spellbinders Grand Nestibilities 'Scallop Squares'
Other: 8 x 8 Kraft card base, Teal Cardstock, Computer Generated Sentiment, Serif CA2, Buttons, Bakers Twine, Kraft card, 'Tumbled Glass' Distressed Ink

Thanks for calling by.

Janine X

I've Been Busy!

Well last Saturday the Craft Club I started called 'Chit-Chat & Craft' had it's first session..omg I can't believe it's a week ago already.  Well 5 lovely ladies came along (and myself) - we had 2 decoupagers, 2 colourists and 2 knitters.  We had a really good chin-wag about what we like to get up to in our crafting lives, swopped skills and technique etc. We did actually do some crafting as well.  It was so lovely to meet up with like-minded people - they're such a lovely bunch. 

Thanks ladies (Ali, Elizabeth, Jan, Helen and Adel)  - I can't wait to do it again !! Our next session is on Saturday 6th July 10am-3pm.

I've been busy making lots of cards recently.  June is such a busy month for birthdays etc.  So he's what I've been up to........

These are my first offerings - here are 3 quite quick cards I made for my sister-in-law and my step-dad - all were printed from CD onto super smooth decoupage paper. I don't tend to make many regular decoupage cards these days as I like to concentrate on colouring my images instead. But I thought the teddy bears were so cute and the scooter man was such a good one to do for my step-dad for Father's Day, because he likes to zoom about on his scooter like a man possessed.

Here's what I used for them all:
Card: Scalloped white 5 x 5 cardstock, coloured cardstock, My Mind's Eye 'The Sweetest Thing'
CDRom - Just Inklined (I added a bit more colour to the images with my Copics)
Dies: Spellbinder Curved Border
Other: Glue, Glitter and computer generated sentiment, super smooth decoupage paper

I must admit the images doesn't even look like they're decoupage...but they are...I promise!

Hope you like them.

Janine xx

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

Here are 2 cards I made recently.  One was for my sister and the other was for my closest friend who turned 60 on last week.

On both cards I stamped the image 4 times, and coloured different sections Copics, them cut out and decoupage them.  All the paper flowers are handmade (even the buds), the sentiment circles were designed by me using Serif CraftArtist2 and cut out Spellbinder dies.

This was the card I made for my sister

This is the card made for my friend

Here's what I used:
Stamp: Art Impressions Girlfriends 'Party Girls'
Paper: Card 1 - First Edition 'Spring Drop', Card 2 - First Edition ' Blank Canvas'
Dies: Sizzix Thinlets 'Susan's Garden' Mini Petal, Marianne Designs 'LR0162 - Swirl Flowers', Britannia 'Multi Flower Rose Die' Cheery Lynn 'Flourish Leaf Strip', Flower Punch (old one), Spellbinder Edgeabilities, Nestibilities Circle
Copics: Skin: E000, E00, E02, E11, R32 / Trousers: BG000, BG05 / Pink Top: R000, R20, R22 / Green Top & Balloon: YG00, YG03, YG011, YG17, YG23, YG67 / Orange Top & Balloon: YR00, YR02, YR07, YR15, YR16, E95 / Purple Top & Balloon: BV000, BV00, BV02, BV04, V04 / Hair: Y000, Y15, Y17 / Shoe Soles: YR61, YR68, E15
Other: Glitter, Pearl String, Ribbon, Wire, Beads, Stick on Pearls, Glue, Cardstock, Serif CraftArtist 2, Grand Calbur

Hope you like them.

Thanks for visiting.
Janine X

Footnote: My friend loved her card and couldn't believe all the flowers were handmade.

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