I've been knitting!!!

Good morning all

It's my turn to host our new challenge starting this week at

Fab'n'Funky Challenges

so I chose the theme

Anything but a card

I'm sure most of us papercrafters who make cards dabble in all kinds of other crafts - so I thought it would be fun to ask you  to show off what else you can do : )

(though of course it can be papercraft - just not a card!)

My crafting goes far and wide - I have a 'can do' attitude, if I see something I think - I can do that!!

unfortunately there are far less hours in the day than the number of things I think I can make and most of my ideas get lost in .....not enough time. Though one thing I always enjoy is knitting, I learned to knit when I was a child and it's something that Ifind very relaxing.

I always make winter hats and mits for my grandchildren - here is this years pink and grey hat ( to match the coat)  for my granddaughter Eva - now aged 3- she is the master of pulling a face for a photograph so was only too happy to model the creations for me lol.

and with the mittens to match!!

I hope you'lljoin in with out challege at Fab'n Funky this week, its so much fun to see watelse you have all been making other tha Christmas cards! - I'm sure there has been lots of Christmas crafting going on that you haven't shown us

hugs Judith xx

Christmas at Fab'n'Funky challenges

Good morning all

Today we have a new challenge starting at 

Fab'n'Funky Challenges 

our theme is 

Christmas

We all need ideas for quick and easy at Christmas

and if you're anything like me you always run out of gift tags!

these are very quick and easy to make with some basic dies and scraps of card

This is what I did.....

The gift tags are just gold card folded with a hole puched in the corner

topped with cream card embossed with gold motifs, cut with scalloped square dies

Bauble shapes are diecut from card embossed with gold christmas motifs

then coloured with alchohol inks  and threaded with ribbons to match yur gift wrap

Hope you'll join in with our challenge - every little helps with your Christmas crafting and the girls have some fab inspiration for you this week take a look  HERE

hugs Judith xx

One of my favourite litle 'creatures' !!

Good morning all

Hope everyone is doing well this fine morning

I've been doing a little colouring this week - something I haven't done for a while

I really enjoyed making this card for our challenge at 

Fab'n'Funky Challenges

the theme chosen by our lovely Chris is 

Feature a Creature

don't you just love this little guy!

I've used this stamp from PennyBlack so many times, it's just so cute and pretty and suitable for all sorts of people and occasions

This is what I did

image - Dreaming Geraniums from Penny Black

coloured with Crafters Companion illustrator pens and prismacolour pencils

textured embossing folder from Crafters Companion

Frame dies from Creative expressions ( Sue Wilson dies I think)

Ribbon from my stash

Button from Creative Expressions

Hope you'll join in with our challenge this week - see you there!

Hugs

Judith xx

We're back at Fab'n'funky Challenges - just in time for Christmas

hi all

Hope you've all had a lovely summer - I've had quite an eventful few months 

- some good, some bad but I've had a bit of a break and I'm ready to get going close to again!

We just got back from our summer holiday a week or so ago and our chllenge at

Fab'n'Funky Challenges 

is also returning from summer break this week so it seemed a good place to start

As its the last week of the month our regular theme is 

Christmas

It's actually suprisingly close to Christmas

- a bit scary if you count the number of weeks to December

- not long to get those cards made now!!

today is 25th September 

 - so not hard to work out how many cards you can make at one a week lol.

I thought I'd kick off with a die cut card based on one I've made before to break myself in gently

Die cuts are good for bulk making, and although this one is a bit more complicated than a quick make as the dies have to be lined up precisely, it's easier to make several on the same formula than to design different cards, its always the design that takes me the time

This is what I did...

One the edge stocking die from Crafters Companion

On the edge sentiment die - Crafters Companion

Red and white card and gingham ribbon

I love a bit of red gingham!

I've had a really busy card making week this week - my Mam was 90 on Friday then we celebrated our 40th Wedding anniversary on Sunday - two very special cards - nothing like a bit of pressure to get the creativity flowwing again!

I hope you'll join in at Fab'n'Funky,  we have lots of challenges coming up  to fill those long dark nights of crafting : )  - I love this time of year

Have a fun crafty week everyone 

Hugs

Judith xx

Stars and stripes are so this time of year....

Hi all

We have a new challenge this week at

Fab'n'Funky Challenges

a very 'of the season' theme

Our lovely host Pat would like to see 

Stars and / or Stripes

I made a quick and easy 30th birthday card for a male friend

using the Kinetic dies from Crafters Companion

They're so handy to make quick cards - great for male cards like this one where you can use simple embellishments and papers to make a statement

This is what I did....

Card created using the circle kinetic card die and Lets celebrate sentiment from Crafter's Companion

Papers - Just for men from Crafters Companion

Black card 

Star dies - Crafters Companion

Circle and scalloped circle dies - spellbinders

'30' - Tim holtz vintage Market dies from sizzix

hope you'll join in with our challenge this week

Hugs

judith xx

June blooms at Fab'n'Funky Challenges

Good morning all

There's a new challenge starting today over at 

Fab'n'Funky Challenges

the theme is 

June Blooms

as it happens my Mother asked me to make a card for a friend who was 80 just last week and although I haven't done much crafting lately I set to and used the lovely Lush Lilac collection from Heartfelt Creations to make this card.  I really love that these sets allow you to make a really professional looking card with all the elements matching

I made my favourite easel style with a box to match - I think it went down very well with the lady concerned 

The only elements that weren't from the Heartfelt Creations Lush Lilac collection were the circle dies for the easel stopper and the 80 which were cut from a Tim Holtz alphabet strip die

Hope you'll join in with our challenge this week at Fab'n'Funky

hugs

Judith xx

It's Wedding season - join in with us at Fab'n'Funky

Good morning all

Greetings from not so sunny Florida where I'm still on holiday

- lot's of rain the last couple of days but under the lanai by the pool where I camp out it doesn't much matter - it's hot rain and I can while away the time with my book and wait until the sun comes out again 😎

It's challenge day at Fab'n'Funky Challenges again 

(these Wednesdays come round so fast! )

and our theme this week 

chosen and hosted by our lovely Neva is

Wedding

so let's see your Wedding cards, boxes and decorations

and inside with a pocket for a gift voucher

I made this one a while ago for a special friend  - I love that Lili of the valley stamp - I've used it so many times for wedding cards , you can sort of personalise the colouring with hair colour and wedding theme colour.  The papers are also LOTV I think and I think the die inside is from creative expressions.  I added a little pocket inside for a gift card and it was all boxed up in a matching box tied up with a big bow!

hope you'll join in with our challenge this week

Hugs

Judith xx

Anything Goes - with a cup cake!!!

Good morning all

I expect you thought I'd disappeared from the face of the earth!

My crafty mojo is not very well at the moment and I just can't seem to motivate myself - on top of that lifes been pretty busy and inspite of good intentions my craftroom is an absolute tip so any inspiration I might have is short lived at the thoughts of a big tidy up before I start!  It's not that i'm generally a really untidy crafter - I usually tidy up after one thing before I start again but I made a couple of  messy projects a few weeks back that got pushed to the side rather than put away and now I really can't face the aftermath!!

I've got lots of time on my hands at the moment,
 not crafty time but lots of R & R 😎
 - we're back in Florida on holiday so I thought I'd see what I could find in my photographs of  projects I havent shared to join in with the challenge over at Fab'n'Funky Challenges this week

Our lovely Wendy has come back to join us
- and we're so happy to see her back on the team

so she stepped up to host this weeks challenge which is 

Anything Goes

I thought it was a great oportunity to share the princess themed cup cakes I made for my granddaughters birthday party a couple of weeks ago
( you see I have been busy really!!)

Eva was 3 years old on 18th April - how did that happen!!

She asked me to make her a princess cake, because of course like all little girls these days - she is a princess!!  I was all ready to make her a pink and pretty princess castle from a picture i found on pinterest - it looked quite easy to make 9 that's me all over I just look at things and think I can do that! - sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't!! - but in my world I can make anything lol.

Anyway with a bit more searching around I found this lovely "I'm a princess" castle cupcake stand with little princess toppers so all I had to do was make cupcakes - and i have to say it looked fab.  I made an extra little banner with her name on and added a rosette with '3' - really easy and greatly admired by all on the day.  

I then packaged up all the cupcakes into pretty bow tied bags and each little prince and princess at the party got one to take home - job done : )

My daughter was over the moon that she had her own 'cake lady' who turned up at the party, set it all up and sorted out the party treats to take home - that's what Grandmas are for 😃

I really enjoy baking and cake decorating, and knitting and sewing and papercrafts..... Iknow I know, I spread myslf around but I can't resist having a go at  - well anything!!

and here's the birthday girl and her brother Jacob 'helping' on an Easter baking day 

Hope you'll join in with our very easy challenge at Fab'n'Funky this week 

as for me - today I have a date with a mouse : )))))

hugs

Judith xx

Fun with Mixed media

Good morning all

It's challenge day at 

Fab'n'Funky Challenges 

and our lovely Chris has chosen this weeks theme

she wants you to get a little bit inky!

the theme is

Just Add Ink

so from anything really messy and inky - to stamping with ink - interpret as you will, but most of all have fun!

I have a real 'thing' about notebooks - I can't resist a notebook or journal and I just love a blank cover to decorate!

I think i picked with one up quite cheaply in Hobbycraft - it had just a plain kraft colored cover

I used Dylusions to make a colourful background, then sprayed with pearlescent misters, stencilled, doodled and generally had fun with it.  the real fun part is not really knowing how it will all end!!

hees another view of the whole cover - it shows the pearly effect under a bright light

and the inside covers too!

I really enjoyed doing this - a bit of arty freedom!

This is what I did....

blank journal from Hobbycraft

Dylusions acrilic paints

Pearlecent ink sprays

Posca white pen

stencils

Hope you can join in with us at Fab'n'Funky this week - have some fun!!

Challenges I'm entering 

Try it on tuesday - use a stencil or two

hugs Judith xx

Love is like a butterfly, as soft and gentle as a sigh.....

Good morning all

Who remembers that song from the TV series 'butterflies'!?

- there I've put that one in your head for the day lol

We have a new challenge over at 

Fab'n'Funky Challenges

and the theme is...

Butterfly!

(we want to see a butterfly or butterflies please)

This is what i did.....
Butterfly and carnation dies from Sheena Douglass
small butterfly die - Crafters Companion
Sentiment - Sheena Douglass
Papers - LOTV

Hope we see you playing along with us this week at Fab'n'Funky this week

hugs
Judith xx

is spring in the air? - even a little bit!

Good morning all

Well here we are in March!

How did that happen? - this year is just flying by

Our lovely Neva over at 

Fab'n'Funky Challenges

has decided that spring is in the air

So we want to see 

Spring Colours

I made this pretty card for my mother in laws birthday

90 years young she was!

and I used the very pretty Patchwork Daisy collection from Heartfelt Creations

- I think its my favourite HFC collection - just so fresh and clean

and ready for spring

Hope you can join in with our challenge this week 

Hugs

Judith xx

and yet again - it's Christmas!! - and it might be cancelled due to injury lol

Hi all

Well - some days just don't go to plan at all and this was one of them!

I was supposed to come back early and post this post but.....

I usually do a late morning session with a personal trainer at the gym on Wednesdays but he had an early session cancellation this morning so off I went. I just got the the end of some bench dips (technical term I know lol) when I sort of twisted awkwardly as I stood up and pulled a muscle in my upper chest - just what I need - I think I'll live but I sooo hate being out of action.  I decided to soldier on like the martyr I am and did my Aldi shopping on the way home (so i didn't have to go out again), put it away, had a snack, made a tagine for dinner and put that in on a slow cook, tidied around like you do - then I sat down and fell asleep lol. 

So how do I feel now - I'm not sure, definitely I can feel it when I 'push'  - I've got this pushy pepper mill thing and that was sooo painful to put pepper in the tagine lol.  I'm just hoping I wake up better in the morning - I really want to do my spin class tomorrow night lol.  Have I got a problem - probably, I'm a spinning addict I think.  Don't worry I won't do anything stupid but I'm so annoyed with myself, I just started a 6 week fitness challenge last night and it looks like I've fallen at the first hurdle - the best laid plans as they say!!

Anyway enough of my moaning back to the real blogging reason

it's our  Christmas challenge week at 

Fab'n'Funky Challenges

and the theme is just

Anything Christmas

  

I love art pads for Christmas cards, if you're going to make your own Christmas cards every little helps when it comes to quicker makes -the LOTV ones are particularly cute

This is what I did

Image - LOTV (artpad)

papers - from a very old papermania pack

sentiment stamp - Anna Griffin

snowflake die - whimsystamps

craft card and various odds and ends from my stash

Still very much on the use up the stash thing - and it would save me a fortune if I stopped buying new stuff lol

Have a great week everyone

Challenges i'm entering this card

Christmas at sweet stampin  - anything christmas
Cute n crafty christmas- christmas/winter

hugs

judith xx

So what's in a number!

Good morning all

Quite a thoughtful post from me today for our challenge at 

Fab'n'Funky Challenges 

this week

The theme is 

With a Number

(add a number to your project)

This is one of those cards everyone loves to hate 

- man cards 😖

and inside

a verse I like very much 

I made this card for a very good friend, a friend since we were at school

 - a very long time - who was sixty a couple of weeks ago

He's been my husband's best friend since school days, best man at our wedding...

his birthday was two days before my hubbys 60th birthday - a real week of celebrations!

and the very worst thing!!! - I'm following close behind

- and I keep asking myself - how did I get to be nearly 60!!

It's something you hear all the time - but I can honestly say I don't feel any different to the way I did all those years ago when we were just kids - my mother will be 90 this year and she says the same things. 

 Isn't life and age a funny thing! 

This is what I did.....

Image - Umbrella man byTim Holtz  from Ranger

Sentiment inside also from Ranger

Watch die - Sheena Douglass Time Traveller collection

Background created with a generic 'happy birthday' stamp and

Crafters Companion fashion die numbers (60)

Tag dies - My favourite things

Hope you'll play along with our challenge at Fab'n'Funky this week and perhaps enlightgen me further about advancing age lol

Hugs

Judith xx

Who wouldn't love some flowers on valentines day!

Hi all

I'm late today with my DT post! - stayed in bed a bit too long this morning and didn't have time to post before I went out this morning - but I digress....

Today is the start of a new challenge at 

Fab'n'Funky Challenges

and our theme - because it is the month of lurve is

Hearts and Flowers

I had an engagement card to make last week and thought this image was perfect to use and was useful forthis challenge - and it still fits in with my - use the stash you already have Judith! - resolution for 2019

Nothing on the front of this card is new!!!

 - not even bought in the last year

 - I feel so proud lol

- but the tag die on the box isn't new and 'a gift for you' inside isn't either 

 - not so proud (he he)

the inside has a pocket for a giftcard

and here's the box just for completion 

This is what I did....

Image - Love Balloon by Lili of the Valley

Sentiment - from Lili of the Valley 

Coloured with Copics, Spectrum Noir Illustrators and Prismacolour pencils

also TH DI and spectrum noir clear sparkle pen

Card created with Sue Wilson hexagon die from creative expressions

Papers - first edition

Heart banner die - La La land

Flower dies - impression obsession

label and 'for a gift' die - Heartfelt Creations

Hope you'll join in with our challenge this week - see you there

hugs 

Judith xx

Fantasy figures challenge

Hi all

Well guess what! - Christmas is still going on around here lol

We have a new challenge starting at 

Fab'n'Funky Challenges

and our theme is 

Fantasy Figures

so what better than a Christmas Fairy!

Still on my 'use up my stash' thing

I had a look through my old Lili of the Valley stamps and found this lovely little Christmas fairy and the sentiment stamp - so I was in business! 

I have to confess I did treat myself to the new Lisa Horton stitched flower dies - oops!!

This is what  I did.....

Image and sentiment stamps - LOTV

Coloured with Copics, and Prismacolour pencils

Crafters companion sparkle pen and sticklesto add sparkle

paper- Heartfelt Creations Oh holy night paper pad

Christmas tree die - from Mariannes

Snowflake die - Frost borrder from Memory box

Flower and leaf die - stitched flowers by Lisa Horton from Creative Expressions

Hope you'll join in with ou challenge this week - Christmas card anyone!

Hugs

Judith xx

and christmas is still going on here!

hi all

I'm late with my post today - having a busy day/week!

It's hubby's birthday tomorrow and it s a big one! - sixty years young, not only that but our best friend had that same birthday yesterday so it's been a few of busy crafting days making not theeasiest thing - special men cards and trying desparately to finish off a keepsake book - that's still not finished, maybe it'll come in handy for 65 or 70 lol

Today's other big event was a trip to the dentist to have a tooth capped, it had a filling in that had cracked - yuk, never mind all done now.

I'm still in Christmas card making mode and decided to make a few quick easy cards with some of my artpads.  This one is from a lili of the valley pad I've had for ages ans I also used some paper from an old LOTV Christmas paper pad and a Dovecraft paper pack

We have a Christmas Challenge over at 

Fab'n'Funky Challenges

 this week - so this came in very handy!

I'm really enjoying using up my old Christmas stash and I'm determined to keep going with it - just slap my hands if you see me going near a Christmas stamp, die or paper pad lol.  There are some lovely cards on the blog this week for Christmas inspiration - hop o over and see what we all made - and get out your stash to enter our challenge ad to add to your Christmas pile for next Christmas

Hugs Judith xx

With love at Christmas!

Happy Thursday!

Well I suppose Christmas is well and truly over and forgotten for most of us now.  It's that funny (or not so funny) time of year whe we look back at that busy, happy, expensive time of year and sit in cold miserable cold January wishing we could do it all again!  - well at least I do.  We had a lovely family Christmas that I so enjoyed but I suppose at least now we have a whole new year with lots ofblank pages to write in - and who knows what it will bring!

I always like to start the year by making a few Christmas cards - just to get off to a good start for the next one which will come around all too fast!  Sadly if other years are anything to go by my good intentions soon fall by the wayside, but the good intentions are there for now.

So I decided to make a christmas card with a heart to fit our chalenge over at 

Moving Along With The Times

the theme is 

Have a Heart

I used a cute stamp from a lovely set from Hunkydory Crafts

For the love of stamps - Furry and bright

I added a lovely  red velvet covered heart button onto the ribbon 

- I've had it in my stash for ages just waiting for the perfect card to use it on!

This is what I did

Image and sentiment - Furry and Bright - by For the love of stamps

Coloured with - prismacolour pencils

Papers - hunkydory Christmas erfect backgrounds stamping pad

Snowflake corner die - Wildrose Studio

Ribbon and heart shaped button from my stash

Centura pearl cadstock - crafters companion

Hope you - have a heart - for our challenge - see you there!

Hugs

Judith xx

For a child challenge with an oldie but goodie!

Good morning all

I've been having a good old sort out in my craftroom and found lots of very interesting and forgotten stash and things I haven't used for ages!

I haven't done a lot of colouring lately and it was always my first love so I sorted out my prismacolor pencils to make a start, got out my boxes of 6 x6 papers and  I 'found' a box of digis that I've printed out over the years - and never got to colour.  This little cutie is from the long since closed Dilly Beans Stamps and perfect for our challenge over at 

Fab'n'Funky Challenges

where our theme is 

For a Child

This is such a quirky little image, I stuck real buttons over the button eyes on the digi and carried on the button theme - I thought this would make a cute card for my son to give to my granddaughter on her birthday - it's not until April so I'm well prepared!

We also have a DT call going on at Fab'n'Funky - the details are HERE.  

Come and join our friendly relaxed little team - and use up all that forgotten stash!

This is what I did....

image - ragdoll from dilly beans (long since discontinued!)
coloured with prismacolour pencils
shaded with TH DI - tumbled glass
papers from MME - Happy Day
letter/number dies - fashion dies from Crafters Companion
buttons and ribbon from my stash

Hope you will join in with our challenge this week - have a hunt around that forgotten stash you never know what treasures you might find!

Hunkydory and For the Love of Stamps DT calls

Hi all

Have you seen that there is a DT Call out at Hunkydory Crafts

they are looking for new DT members for both 

The Hunkydory team 

and 

For the Love of Stamps team

Here are the links to follow if you want to apply

https://www.hunkydorycrafts.co.uk/2019/01/do-you-want-to-be-a-part-of-our-2019-design-team/

https://www.hunkydorycrafts.co.uk/2019/01/our-for-the-love-of-stamps-design-team-is-recruiting/

The call closes on 16th January so you have lots of time to get prepared

It's Snowtime at Winter Wonderland

Hi all

Sorry this is late - I've been out all day and just realised my post wass still in draft

We have our first lovely challenge of the year over at 

Winter Wonderland Challenge blog

and our theme is 

It's Snowtime

(we want to see snow or snowmen or anything snow on your project)

here's my card using a lovely image and sentiment from Beccy's Place

called Snowman digital stamps set available HERE

our challenge is sponsored by  the lovely

Beccys Place

who are giving a prize of 2 digis to thhis months winner

We'd love to see you paying along at Winterwonderland.  Our challenge has now changed from fortnightly to monthly - so you have until 31st Jauary to enter.

This is what I did....

image and setiment - from Snowman digital stamp set from Beccy's place

Coloured with - Prismacolour pencils and Spectrum noir sparkle pens

Snowflake die  - from Sara Davies Contemporary Christmas collection

Looking forward to seeing lots of you getting waaaay ahead for next Christmas

hugs

Judith

Here's an idea for all those Christmas cards youre taking down.....

How about you make your card for next year!

Good morning all

.... and Happy New Year xx

I hope you've all had a happy and peaceful Christmas time - doesn't it just pass so quickly! We've had a lovely but very busy time, only just said goodbye to our last 'guests' yesterday.  We've had both our mothers, my daughter, son in law and two grandchildren and my son and his partner all staying - thankfully not all at the same time but its been a bit like musical beds crossed with a laundry with all the coming and going and changing of bed's thats gone on!  My craftroom used to be my son's bedroom and we still have a sofa bed stashed under my large worksurface to use when we run out of beds ( always at this time of year!!).  It's always a good time for a really good tidy up.  Everything gets stashed away or piled up on my other desk - and it's a huge job to set it all up again.

at the moment it looks like this! - the sofa all folded back away - everything else waiting to be moved back again - that's this week's job! - then I'm so looking forward to some real crafty me time, I have so many ideas and projects lined up to do - roll on 2019!

Anyway - I made my card for this weeks challenge at

Fab'n'Funky Challenges

 before Christmas as I knew my craftroom would be out of action for a couple of weeks.  

Our challenge is

Recycle your Christmas cards

I thought I had taken a 'before' photo - but apparently not!  Basically this started as a very plain background only card with a sentiment stuck on, I removed thesentiment, added the stag and the new sentiment in the frame together with the gold/gem trimmed frame, then  mounted onto a new 7x7 inch card - really easy

I have to say I find it very satifying to create in this way - it's so much better than putting your cards in a recycle bin!

I hope you'll join in the fun - we'd love to see what you make.  If you pop over to the blog at Fab'n'Funky Challenges there are some fab ideas for you to recreate using your own cards - a great start to your crafting new year

Hugs Judith xx