Phoenix Inspirations

Until a little while ago I didn't know what CASEd meant - it can take a little while for me to catch on sometimes! Well for anybody else like me it means Copy And Steal Everything. So I was mooching around some challenge blogs and I found a challenge on Cards and Things Challenges . It was to use the colours Basic Grey, Barely Banana and Always Artichoke. Well if you are a regular visitor you will know that I just love all things Stampin' Up - how could I resist? (The only thing is - I don't have Basic Grey so I used an ordinary grey ink pad ssssh - I won't tell if you won't!!) Any how moving on I also surfed around the Split Coast Stampers gallery for a bit of inspiration and I found this . I haven't used Organic Grace for ages so I thought I'd have a go - what do you think? It's not a total copy so I hope she will forgive me, I just fell in love with the simplicity of the stamping and the composition - mind you it wasn't very simple trying to li...

Hello again - I'm back with another card for another '3' challenges. I know I'm doing a lot but I'm away for the weekend again so I thought I would get a good crafty fix in now to keep me going over the weekend! So here is my card: I've used another lovely Pollycraft image - this time one of the Lilybean Fairies and again coloured her in using my Promarkers. Backing papers this time are Anna Griffen and button and ribbons are from my stash. Did sneak in a bit of Stampin' Up too - butterfly punch and inks. So this is going into 3 challenges - please check out the links below and I will see you again soon - Jacqueline xx. OCC Weekly Sketch  - Sketch Hidden Treasures Challenge Blog  - Ribbon Pollycraft Monday challenge  - Pinkalicious. Oh and by the way - I got another one of these woohoo!

Good morning every one - how do you fancy a nice icy Christmas card to cool you down in this hot weather? This card was made with a lovely Pollycraft image and then coloured in using Promarkers. I used loads of Stampin' Up stuff too - some red design paper, Bordering Blue and Bashful Blue card stock and Night of Navy ink. The rest of the stuff was from my stash. I am going to enter this card in 3 (yes 3!!) challenges today. I will leave the links below - please visit them and take a look. Sketch Saturday  - Sketch Daring Cardmakers  - Ice and Snow Die Cut Dreams Christmas Club  - Arctic Winter. That's it then - have a nice day - Jacqueline xx.

Yikes - it's been nearly a week since my last post. I haven't ben idle though, I was selling my wares at a local craft event at the weekend - but that is on my other blog ( if you are interested click here ) So, I had a look back at some of the challenges of the weekend and I came across Just Us Girls . This was a project I really enjoyed. Take a look: This is an apron card and there is a link to the template and instructions on the J.U.Gs blog - or you can click here . It is is worth taking a look at all the samples and entries though - they are all really good. This a close up of the message I put inside the apron pocket and if you look below there is a close up of the paper roses I made to decorate it with. O.K that's all for now folks, bye for now - Jacqueline xx.

Hi crafters - my goodness hasn't it been hot! I did a local craft fair at the weekend and I just melted. It should have lasted 'til 6.00pm on the Sunday afternoon but I had already done the whole of Saturday and by 3.00 on the Sunday I had had enough. So I packed up and ended up at my local pub and I sank a double G & T while my husband watched the footy. (hee hee bet he wishes we had stayed at the fair now!!) This was my pitch - looks very cool and shady in this pic but believe me as the sun got higher the shade got less and less! Sadly though - didn't sell much especially on the Sunday afternoon - that was another reason to retire early. I think most folks stayed in to watch the footy. Good job it wasn't next weekend though - I would have missed all the tennis. So until the next time - happy crafting - Jacqueline xx.

Hi all - this is one card for two challenges - would you like to see it? - The first challege is Project Tuesday  and the theme was an 'Open Swing Top Card' Want to see the swing? - There is a link to instructions for this card over on the blog or you could click here . The second challenge is Gingersnap Creations  and the theme there is 'Shades of Blue' I used: K&Company - Blue Awning papers (I know I'm using it a lot a the mo but it is soooo gorgeous) K&Company flower brads Stampin' Up - Bordering Blue card stock S'U inks - Bordering Blue & Night of Navy S'U stamp sets - Pocket Silhouettes, Flight of the Butterfly & Bird on a Branch (sentiment). Thank you for taking the time to look - I'm off to bed now - good night - Jacqueline xx.

Lovely Louise over over on Tag Tuesday  this week gave us the theme of 'Postage'. So I had a rummage through all my crafting stash and found some postage stamps that I had bought many years ago hoping to make some 'Man' cards. I am also at the present time working with some K&Company papers which also display a postage theme. It was just putting them all together in a cohesive way that I had problems with! Anyway this is what I managed to come up with - I hope it works. I've been looking at every one elses work and it is superb, I just hope you like mine. Bye for now - Jacqueline xx.

Good morning every one - hope you are all well. I'm afraid I have quite a messy desk to show you this morning as I am right in the middle of preparing for a huge event at the weekend. It's a local village event but it's a two day affair and I am having a craft stall there. It's all go at the moment packaging and pricing and of course I am panicking - will I have enough stuff?! So what you can see above is me half way through making a paper bag album. I am even using my sacred K&Company Blue Awning papers amd embellishments.(If I don't use them soon they are in danger of being stroked to death!) So that's me - I'm sure you all have much tidier desks than me check out Julia  at The Stamping Ground - and I shall be popping in to see you all soon - Jacqueline xx.

Hello every one, how are you doing? Good I hope. The other day I was browsing round one of the shops in my hometown of Malvern and I came across a multi-pack of note books for not much money. Hmmmm thinks I - I can do something with these. So I did - I decorated the cover of each little note book and tried to make them all  different . I know there are four bird houses (I just LOVE that Stampin' Up punch)but they are each a bit different. Here are some closer views These are now ready to be packed up and priced all ready for the big fair at the weekend - more on that story later! Hope you like these - it would be really good to have a comment, I'm feeling a little lonely at the moment. See you soon - Jacqueline xx.

O.K so I didn't get done yesterday what I should have (will have to work harder today!) but I still found time to sneak in a teeny challenge! Check out the sketch and samples here  and check out my card here: Materials used: White 5"x5" card base Papers: K&Company - Blue Awning Inks: Tim Holtz - Tea Dye & Memento - Paris Dusk Stamps: Stampin' Up - Greenhouse Garden & Bird on a Branch (sentiment). Ribbon: Stampin' Up - Very Vanilla. Pearls from stash. O.K got to dash - busy, busy, busy!!! - Jacqueline xx.

This is going to be such a short post - very busy this week as I am doing a two day fair at the weekend and I have sooooo much to do!! Anyhow there is a sketch this week on the Hidden Treasures Challenge blog to see it click here , and to see my card look here!!! See you soon - Jacqueline xx.

This is for my husband - Clive. Happy Father's Day to you - 'cos I KNOW the kids will forget. Even though you run round for them like a taxi, give them money like a bank, cook them tea at 11.00 at night and generally be at their beck and call. This is for you dearest, made all bleary eyed at 7.00 this morning 'cos I KNOW what a truly great dad you are xx.

I have been feeling a little blue lately, however there is little I can do so - it's on with the crafting. And I have for you today a Christmas card. This card is for two challenges today, I followed the sketch over on Sketch Saturday  and the theme on Die Cut Dreams  which is white. So first here is the sketch And this is my take on the sketch using mainly white O.K so what did I use: 5" x 5" card basic white card stock Pale blue snowflake paper Image - Pollycraft Promarkers Christmas sentiment, silver snowflake sequins and brads from stash. Is this then too blue to be white? They said you could a hint of another colour but I don't know. Is there too much blue? Please let me know what you think, bye for now - Jacqueline xx.

You know I have been feeling a little down lately, don't know why, just one of those things I suppose. Anyway thought I would cheer myself up by making a tag for this week's Tag Tuesday. The theme is 'Men' which I think is to tie in with Father's Day on Sunday. My Mum had given me a big box of photographs of my Grandad - her father - I'm supposed to be making a scrapbook of them, so I thought I would use one for my tag. They are mostly pictures of when he was over seas during the war but I managed to find one of when I remember him most - in the garden with his pigeons. I have teamed the image up with some K & Company Blue Awning ephemera and my bird punch. Take a look - I hope you like it - Jacqueline xx.

Hello felow crafters - thank you for stopping by. This is a stamp set that I purchased from Stampin' Up a while ago. It has proved to be a little difficult and I haven't had much success with it - until today. I made myself a sort of Stamp-a-ma-jig thingy, used some tracing paper and that seems to have worked. What do you think? I used my brayer for that one with a post-it note and looking at that it looks like I didn't get the sentiment very straight -whoops! You may be seeing a lot more Stampin' Up cards soon as I am thinking of becoming a demonstrator and I am going to need a stash of sample cards. I am also sorting through all my crafting stash and selling a lot of it so stay tuned as you may be able to bag a bargin! This was my second Bird on a Branch card - my favourite of the two I think, bye for now - Jacqueline xx.

This s a card I made a few days ago, things just got very busy and I forgot to post it up on my blog. It is a card for my Dad for Fathers Day. We had some very good news this week - my poor old Dad has been enduring some pretty aggressive chemo treatments recently but has now been told that it has worked, and he will only have to have regular check ups from now on. We are all over the moon about that. So this is for my Dad and also for the Truly Scrumptious  challenge. Dad is not a gingham type of chap so I left that bit off! Hope you like it - Jacqueline xx.

Hello folks. Just finished in my garden, sat down with a cup of tea and it started to rain on me!! So came inside to have a play instead. Just a little post to show off a paper bag album that one of my craft club members commissioned. She didn't want pretty and girly but neutral colours and images. I used some papers from a huge kit I bought from QVC light years ago, it was a Cosmo Cricket set with albums, papers, chipboard embellishments and loads of other stuff. It was stuff that I used to get out and stroke occasionally but I thought that the time had finally come to use a bit of it. I made some pockets in the album and I made a few tags to go in them. There were some larger pockets where the paper bags opened so I made some file cards to go in those - they can very easily be used for journaling. I distressed the edges of the paper bags and the papers with Tim Holtz Distress Ink - Brushed Corduroy (my favourite). The tags were made useing the tab punch from Stampin' Up. The ...

Hello folks. Just finished in my garden, sat down with a cup of tea and it started to rain on me!! So came inside to have a play instead. Just a little post to show off a paper bag album that one of my craft club members commissioned. She didn't want pretty and girly but neutral colours and images. I used some papers from a huge kit I bought from QVC light years ago, it was a Cosmo Cricket set with albums, papers, chipboard embellishments and loads of other stuff. It was stuff that I used to get out and stroke occasionally but I thought that the time had finally come to use a bit of it. I made some pockets in the album and I made a few tags to go in them. There were some larger pockets where the paper bags opened so I made some file cards to go in those - they can very easily be used for journaling. I distressed the edges of the paper bags and the papers with Tim Holtz Distress Ink - Brushed Corduroy (my favourite). The tags were made useing the tab punch from Stampin' Up. The ...

This is a tag I have made for Tag Tuesday and the theme was to use all your favourite things. Now there would not be room on one tag for all my favourite things so these are just a few. Here goes: 1) Co-ordinating colours. 2) My Stampin' Up stamp sets ( this one is Flight of the Butterfly). 3) Butterflies. 4) Inking around the edges. and finally but not least 5) TAGS! Here is my tag - I hope you like it.

Feeling a little stressed today - got lots to do. It's my birthday tomorrow - that's not stressing my out, I like birthdays - no it's just I will have to do everything I should tomorrow - today. Because of course I will be whisked off somewhere really glamourous and fancy and wined and dined and generally treated as a woman should on her birthday(here's hoping anyway)  So here is my desk this morning: And from the other side : So it's all go from here on in - I have a workshop that's tomorrow night to prepare for, a photo album to finish (it is a commission and she's picking it up tomorrow night) and a tag to make (see pile of card stock by cup of tea). I have some gorgeous ATC's to catalogue and a box to alter in red and black - this is another challenge I set my workshop ladies and I said I would post an example on my blog. We made little birdhouses yesterday - you can see these in the top pic. I tidied my shelves yesterday so I thought I would show yo...

Does anyone remember that song back in 1990? Yikes - that's 20 years ago! Moving swiftly on........ Birdhouses - that was the theme for my workshop yesterday morning and we made these cute little boxes: I followed a tutorial from a blog I follow, you might like to take a look here  . We had a great time making these and I awarded the prize for the challenge I had set them back in March. First prize went to Viji. I also set them another challenge - a box - they will have to alter it in the colours 'Black & Red'. If you pop back here in a couple of days I may have one to show you. But for now I will leave you with some more pics of my birdhouses - see you soon - Jacqueline xx.

O.K - this is my last post of the day. It's been a bit of a marathon to say the least, but there has been so many fab challenges this weekend that I just couldn't let them pass by. This card takes in two challenges - take a look: For this card I used Stampin' Up card stock - Real Red ( although come to think of it - it could be some Bazzill - yikes can't remember!) , some decorative paper from my stash (again can't remember where it's from), definately S'U card stock Ballet Blue which has gone through my Cuttlebug in the Floral Fantasy embossing folder and some 7 Gypsies paper flowers - coloured with a red Promarker. The blue ribbon is from a Kanban kit I've had for ages. And last but not least - the stamped image is from  Pink Gem and she is called Sprinkles on Toadstool. She has been stamped on to water colour paper and coloured with Promarkers and I have glittered her wings. Phew! Challenges for my card: Pollycraft Monday - Ribbon & Bling. Pape...

Are you feeling a little under the weather lately? Well this could be just the card for you. The theme at Stamp With Us  this fortnight is 'Get Well' Here is my card: The ribbon at the top will undo, then the square panel will open to reveal the sentiment - like so: Materials Used Card stock: Stampin' Up - Always Artichoke, Certain Celery & Very Vanilla. Inks: Stampin' Up - Always Artichoke & Certain Celery. Stamp Set: Stampin' Up - Greenhouse Garden & Flight of the Butterfly. Ribbon: Stampin' Up - Very Vanilla. Punch: Stampin' Up - Butterfly Punch. Other: Hot off the Press - Get Well sentiment. Thanks for taking the time to look - Jacqueline xx.

Hello again, I have an unusual card to show you this time - it's round take a look: It was made using Bazzill card stock (Brocade) and also some green embossed. The background paper is some I found at my local craft shop in the bargin bin. I used a scallop circle punch and my Stampin' Up 5 petal flower punch, the flowers are from my stash (had them ages). The butterfly is also a S'U punch and I have used the 'Flight of the Butterfly' stamp set. The wings of the butterfly have been decorated with pearls. Challenges for this card: Hidden Treasures Challenge  - Circle Cards. Daring Cardmakers  - Pearl. Hope you like it - bye for now - Jacqueline xx.

Hello folks - such a long time since I last posted. I do have something good to show you though. This was quite a large project but very worthwhile doing as it could make a lovely gift. This is a bag made from one sheet of 12" x 12" card ( I used Bazzill card stock). The flowers on the ends of the handles are punched using my Stampin' Up five petal flower punch. The instructions for the bag were some I found on You Tube - Splitcoast Stampers - and it quite easily holds four A6 greetings cards . As well as the greetings cards I also made a little yearbook to match. Here is some pics of the cards : I used my trusty Pocket Silhouettes stamp set and Simply Said (both Stampin' Up) Let me know if you have popped over to take a look - I'm hoping to do this as an all day workshop so stayed tuned for details if you like the look of it. Bye for now - Jacqueline xx.

It has been a little while since my last post, I have still been doing some crafting which can be seen over on my other blog, and the weather has been so lovely and my garden is in so much need of attention that today is the only day I have had to catch up. There have been some lovely challenges this week - it has been difficult to know which ones to choose. This card hopefully fills the criteria for three challenges - here it is: This card uses Stampin' Up card stock - Bashful Blue and Ballet Blue, some sparkly vellum from my stash, a few silver snowflakes, a Stampin' Up stamp from the Wondrous Gift set and a digi image from Pollycraft. The challenges for this card are: Stamp Something  - Use a digi stamp - Pollycraft digi image 'Melody Kiss Me Snowflake'. Sketch Saturday  - Sketch. Sue & Vikki's Christmas Club  - Snowflakes. See you later - Jacqueline xx.

Hello again, this card is for one challenge - Mojo Monday and a DT call on the Hidden Treasures  blog. I followed the square sketch for MM and the colour combination for HT. I just used basic black and white card stock, a tiny piece of black and white paper from my stash and my favourite new toy - my 2 step bird punch from Stampin' Up. (The black ribbon was round a bottle of bubble bath I got at Christmas!!). I also used the scallop edge punch, also from S' U. Here it is - hope you like it - Jacqueline xx.