Phoenix Inspirations

I am going to be AWOL for a while, tonight my poor husband was admitted to hospital and things are to be a bit difficult for a while. Hopefully I will be back soon with some better news. - Jacqueline xx

I am having problems with my camera at the moment so I'm afraid I won't have a card for the  52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown  Challenge - but please do hop over there in the morning as there will be some fabulous cards created by the dt. It was   Louise's  birthday this week - Louise is a very good friend of mine so I made this card for her This is a centre step card made from Crumb Cake card stock and the sides have been stamped with the border image from Summer Silhouettes. The main panel has been stamped with more images from the same set and mounted on to Midnight Muse card stock - one of the new In Colours. I love these new stamps and on this card I have also used the new colour Gumball Green. Stampin' Up have recently improved their ink pads and they now stamp even better - great for the technique I have used on this card. I stamped the leaves on my card stock and then stamped again before re-inking - this gives a lovely feeling of perspective to the fi...

If you love colouring in and using markers then  Addicted to Stamps and More  this week is just the challenge for you - simply create a card and colour it in, what could be simpler? Here is my card I have created this using the Bordering on Romance set - one of many favourites!! I have used my Stampin' Write markers to colour in - they are last year's In Colours, I have also used an obscene amount of bling too - no less than 21 flat backed rhinestones but then I did make this card whilst watch Strictly Come Dancing so I may have been influenced by the dresses! Please do go a take a look at the what the rest of the dt have made this week - I'm sure like me you will be amazed by their talent. Materials Stamps: Bordering on Romance Markers: Pool Party, Indigo Island, Lucky Limeade, Blushing Bride (retired) Card Stock: Whisper White, Pear Pizzazz & Blushing Bride (both now retired) Other: Boho Blossoms punch, rhinestones (I would be very happy to place an orde...

This is my last card for Mynnette's  DT Call  - this was the one I found most challenging! Thankfully last week I received a new stamp set and everything fell into place. Here is my card These gorgeous images are in the new Summer Silhouettes set and I can tell that I am going to love them. There are 9 fabulous stamps in this set and thankfully I didn't use them all as there is a brand new challenge blog I want to enter  'ABC' Challenges  and I will use them for that so please pop back later to see what I do with them. Materials Stamps: Summer Silhouettes, Field Flowers (sentiment). Inks: Old Olive, Soft Suede, Baja Breeze. Card Stock: Whisper White, Soft Suede, Naturals White. (you can place an order with me for any of the items listed above or in the new Annual Catalogue. There is a button in the top tab with all the details) I have been laid low by a rotten cold the last few days and my husband is also off sick - we are a right pai...

It's another Monday morning and this means another  Make My Monday  challenge. We are still continuing with a French theme and this week we want to see the 'Tricoleur' - in other words Blue, White and Red. Here is my card So - all the images are from Artistic Etchings - it's a beautiful set so how could I resist? I also couldn't resist adding the Eiffel Tower again too. The colours I have used are Pacific Point, Real Red and Chocolate Chip, Whisper White card stock and a few pearls. Please pop over to the blog and view the other dt loveliness and I will see you later - thanks for stopping by - Jacqueline xx

Back in the days when I was just a customer of Stampin' Up goodies whenever I received a package tucked inside would be a little something created by my demonstrator -  Vicky . Now that I'm the demonstrator - I want to carry on that tradition so I have made these for all my lovely customers. These dinky little note cards are just 3" x 3" and are decorated in the 5 new In Colours and images from the Bright Blossoms and Made for You stamp sets. These 5 fabulous new colours are: Gumball Green Midnight muse Primrose Petals Raspberry Ripple Summer Starfruit Normally on their own the Classic Stampin' Pads will cost you £4.95 each, so if you were to go for the whole set it would be £24.75. Throw in a pack of matching A4 card stock and you are looking at £31.00. You don't have to pay that price though - oh no - if you go for the Card Stock and Pad Kit - you will only pay £27.95, that's a saving of £3.05. You can also buy these lovely colours in m...

It's Theme week at  52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown  and this week we want to see Christmas Cards featuring - FAIRY LIGHTS Now I have to admit that I struggled with this challenge - whose idea was it to do Fairy Lights??? ...... err - that would be me DOH! However Louise to the rescue, she has dashed round with her Pennant Parade stamp set and matching punch and this is what I have come up with You can just see my multi coloured lights on my trees - perhaps you can see them better in this close up I have used the brand new In Colours for this card: Gumball Green, Summer Starfruit and Raspberry Ripple. My fairy lights were coloured with last years In Colours. Both the trees and the scalloped edges were punched using the fabulous matching punch for this set. My sentiment has been heat embossed in gold - this is a brilliant stamp set with loads of really useful sentiments in a gorgeous funky font. Materials Stamps: Pennant Parade, Sassy Salutations....

Remember this card for my workshop this week? The tutorial has now been posted  HERE . Before you race on over though take a look at the one I rustled up for my demo on the night A close up of the large panel And a view of inside All the stamped images have been coloured by slightly wetting the outlines with a paintbrush - the leaves have been coloured with a marker. Materials Stamps: Bordering on Romance, Field Flowers (sentiment). Inks: Midnight Muse, Lucky Limeade (Marker) Card Stock: Crumb Cake, Naturals White, Summer Starfruit (If you find that you can't live without any of the items listed above or indeed any Stampin' Up product do get in touch and I will happily order them for you and have them delivered direct to your door - see the link in the top tab). I will return in the morning with the 52{Christmas} Card Throwdown - see you then - Jacqueline xx

This is my penultimate card for  Mynnette's DT Call  and is for the Sketch Challenge - take a look at what she set for us For this one I decided to use my French Foliage set and use leaves instead of butterflies - hope that's OK? I was trying to think outside the box when I created this so I hope it's worked and you can still see the basic sketch underneath all the splodges and sponging! Materials Stamps: French Foliage Inks: Early Espresso (Marker), Chocolate Chip, Crumb Cake, Old Olive. Card Stock: Whisper White, Naturals White. Other: Sponges, Dimensionals. (If you love any of the items used above and need would like to purchase any you are very welcome to order through me and have them delivered direct to your door, just click the tab at the top) Had my monthly Thursday night workshop last night so please pop back later to see what we made - there will be a link to my tutorial too. - See you later - Jacqueline xx

This is a card I have made for Mynnette's DT Call which you can find  HERE . She has several 'Inkspirational' challenges for us to complete before she chooses her team and this is for her 'Photo Inkspiration' challenge. Here is the pic for us to use Here is my card I have used an old retired set for this card called Bird on a Branch and I started with a piece of Basic Gray card stock on to which I sponged some Chocolate Chip ink. I also used the Chocolate Chip to stamp a few branches. The rest were stamped in Versa Mark ink and heat embossed with white embossing powder. My birds were stamped on to Whisper White card stock with Basic Black ink, cut out and attached using 3D Dimensionals. There are still two more challenges to complete but Mynnette has very generously given us 'till the end of November to complete them and her challenge blog will start in the New Year - that means that if you fancy being on Mynnette's DT -  there's still...

This week  Simply Stampin'  want us to make our own DSP or background papers. I have been lucky enough this week to have been lent some lovely Stampin' Up sets - including the one I have used in this card below This handy little set is called Confetti and I have used the dots, leaves and flowers. My sentiment is from the gorgeous new set Sassy Salutations - there are loads of useful sentiments in this set. I just stamped the little confetti stamps randomly in different coloured inks and then inked the edges of my card stock with Crumb Cake ink. I ended up loving my paper so much that I didn't want to cover too much of it up so I just added a sentiment. Materials Stamps: Confetti, Sassy Salutations. Ink: Crumb Cake, Old Olive, Raspberry Ripple Card stock: Whisper White, Old Olive All the above can be ordered through me and delivered direct to your door - details at the top of the page. Thanks for stopping by to take a look today, I also noticed today th...

We have an absolute cracker of a sketch this week for you this week - take a look As soon as I saw this sketch I knew exactly what I wanted to do - and for once it worked!! Here is my card This is where Double Sided Paper comes into it's own - I cut a few diagonal lines on my paper and folded it back. 1 - it reveals the gorgeous underside of the paper and 2 - leaves an area perfect for framing an image. The image in this instance is this year's retired Sale-a-bration set Fresh Vintage. The stamp has been coloured with Stampin' Write markers, really quick and really easy. Markers are perfect for adding coloured detail to your stamps and come in all the current Stampin' Up colours. All you have to do now is head on over to  Addicted to Stamps and More , take a look at all the other gorgeous dt cards and then have a go yourself - I can't wait to see what you do - bye for now - Jacqueline xx Materials Stamps: Fresh Vintage Ink: Lucky Limeade...

Thursday night is my next club workshop and this time we will be making a Double Dutch Fold Card - I love making these they are so quick and easy and gorgeous to decorate - take a look It's getting close to that time of the year so I thought I would use this lovely set again and the Festival prints DSP. Here is a view of the inside Supplies used to make this card: Stamps: Christmas Blessings Ink: Cherry Cobbler ink pad, Cherry Cobbler and Lucky Limeade markers Card stock: Naturals White Paper: Festival Prints DSP As usual as this is a workshop make I will endevour to get a step by step tutorial ready for you to follow after the workshop and don't forget all these supplies can be ordered by me and sent directly to your door - just click the link at the top. Bye for now - Jacqueline xx

That's right folks we are still French over at  Make My Monday  and this week we want you to add a 'Fleur de Lys' to your projects - just like the one I have used in this card On top of my Fleur de Lys background I have added the Eiffel Tower from the lovely Artistic Etchings set. I have used some Baja Breeze and Whisper White card stock to punch some Boho Blossoms and Lucky Limeade for the leaves - they have been punched using the 2 Step Bird punch. To my centres I have added a few rhinestones. The dt have created some lovely cards for you to see over on the blog so please do pop on over to take a look. Don't forget that I can order any of the lovely S'U products used to make this card, they are: Stamps: Artistic Etchings. Card Stock: Whisper White, Baja Breeze, Lucky Limeade Ink: Chocolate Chip, Crumb Cake Other: Boho Blossoms Punch, 2 Step Bird Punch, Rhinestones. I am devastated - I've just watched Downton and poor Sybil has died, so sad - m...

The more observant amongst you may have noticed that my blog has in the last 24 hours undergone a major change. A couple of weeks ago i made the decision to become a Stampin' Up Demonstrator and with the help of my lovely upline -  Vicky , I ordered my Starter Kit and made plans for my first workshop. This weekend it is Open House here at Rose Cottage and if you are in the area you can pop in and take a look at the new Annual Catalogue whilst having a nice cuppa and piece of cake. There are free gifts just for turning up and a Make and Take. People who know me know that I am very passionate about Stampin' Up products - I use them on all my cards - so nothing will change in regards the content of my blog posts. All that's different is that you can now purchase your own Stampin' Up goodies through me. So - back to today's Make and Take. It's a quick and easy Christmas card using two new sets - Christmas Blessings and Sassy Salutations - take a look Whisp...

We have some lovely colours for this week's challenge at  52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown  - I know they are lovely 'cos it was me what chose them!! - Take a look Now I'm afraid you are going to indulge me again - this card was made some weeks ago as I like to be prepared and uses the now retired Dasher stamp, I've also used some retired DSP but take a look and tell me what you think I've also used some gold embossing powder, Chocolate Chip card stock and ink and seam binding ribbon. Now I know for a fact that there are some fab cards made by the dt this week so please do pop over and say 'hi'. We also have a lovely Guest dt and she has brought prizes with her! So - I'm back home now and I would just like to say thanks to all the lovely comments you have left me - it's so nice to know you are thinking of me. Back later - Jacqueline xx

It's CAS time at  Addicted to Stamps & More  that means a clean and simple card, little or no embellishment and plenty of white space - take a look at the card I have made, I think I've followed all the rules! I have resurrected an old favourite for this card - Baby Blossoms and used a variety of colours from the Subtles and Brights range. My sentiment is from Bird on a Branch and I have added some Lucky Limeade Organza ribbon. Don't forget to visit the blog to check out all the other wonderful creations provided by the dt. It's ten to midnight - I didn't have the time to schedule this before I left at the weekend so I'm rushing to do it now. Thanks for all the lovely comments you have been leaving me - Granddad is slowly settling in to his home and I have today been tidying up his garden - he had over 200 geraniums that needed digging up! See you soon - Jacqueline xx

Morning all - the challenge this week at  Make My Monday  is FRENCH VINTAGE - here is my card I have used Whisper White and Basic Black card stock along with Chocolate Chip and Crumb Cake ink. My stamps are from the Artistic Etchings set. Sorry this is such a short post - I've scheduled it because at the moment my Granddad is in the process of moving into a care home - I apologise if I don't get round to leaving any comments in the next few days but please 'bare with' and I will hopefully get back to you towards the end of the week - Jacqueline xx

Good morning - it's time for another challenge at  52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown  - it's a new month too and it's my turn to choose the challenges. The first week of the month is always a sketch and here's what I have for today Here is my card Now I thought that I was being very organised when I made this card a few weeks ago, unfortunately this stamp set - Pines and Poinsettias has since been retired from the Stampin' Up catalogue but I do love it - so I thought that you might indulge me and not mind if I used it! I used markers to colour my stamps and Chocolate Chip ink to sponge around all my edges.  Please do pop over and take a look at the rest of the dt's amazing work - we have a fabulous Guest Designer this month and she has brought prizes too! See you soon - Jacqueline xx

It's been a while since I took part in  Technique Tuesday  - sorry Mynnette, but I am rectifying that now! The technique this month is Bargello and the step by step tutorial is laid out beautifully on Mynnette's blog for you to follow. I am not new to this technique and have done it before take a look  HERE  and  HERE  - today I thought I would have another go as it is such a great technique and a great way of using up scrap pieces of decorative paper. Today I have come over all Christmassy - take a look I am frantically using up as many scraps as I can at the moment and this I think is probably the last of my Just Add Cake DSP and the two together look very festive don't you think? On to my Bargello background I have added a panel of Whisper White card stock to which I then added my three Christmas Trees - can you see that I've made them 3D? I did that by stamping the tree six times with the stamp from Pennant Parade and then punching it out using ...

There is a beautiful sketch this week at  Simply Stampin'  - take a look I've been wanting to play along with this challenge all week and I'm cutting it very fine doing it this morning and as I was getting prepared to make it I was thinking - it better be a quick one. Then I got this idea in my head of how I wanted it to be and it ended up taking me forever! You've heard of Three Minute Thursday - well this was very close to being Five Hour Friday! Any way here is my card I started off by stamping my border with the long stamp from Bordering on Romance, I then coloured it with a Cherry Cobbler and Lucky Limeade Stampin' Write marker. I then added a square of Cherry Cobbler card stock on to which I layered my circles. My circles have been stamped with more images from Bordering on Romance and again coloured with the markers - sparkly rhinestones were added to the centres. My teeny tiny sentiment is from Pennant Parade and I have added some punched Bo...

Hello - before I show you what I made today may I just welcome my new followers, thanks for joining me and I hope you continue to like what you see. So, yesterday was one of my workshops and this time we made a Never Ending Card. These are really fun to make and a great way to use up your scraps of patterned papers. I have loads of scraps at the moment but I can't bear to throw them away no matter how small they are! Here are some pics of my card My papers are from the retired collection 'Just Add Cake' and my stamp set is Everything Eleanor. The inks I have used are - Pretty in Pink, Wild Wasabi and Marina Mist. I'm having a big clear out in my craft room at the moment and you know the saying 'it has to get worse before it gets better'? Well, the mess couldn't get much worse - I have sooooo much stuff!! Hopefully tomorrow I will be able to sort it all out but I am running out of hidey holes in which to stash it. Maybe I should have a craft...

Did I scare you? Not too much I hope! But this week we at  Addicted to Stamps and More  are Addicted to HALLOWEEN So dig out all your scary stuff and get creating. Here is what I have made My Boo Banner is made by die cutting pennants from various types of card stock in various sizes. I have used Pumpkin Pie and Basic Black plus some scraps of DSP - my letters were from my stash along with the googly eyes on my bats. I love my bats - here's a close up Can you see - he's been made using the 2 Step Owl punch, his wings are punched circles which have been punched again with a scallop circle. There is loads more freaky stuff to behold over on the challenge blog and we have new members on the dt so please hop over and say 'hi' to them all and hopefully I shall be visiting you all soon to say BOO! Bye for now - Jacqueline xx

Bonjour indeed as this month  Make My Monday  is coming over all French. Fliss has chosen this lovely theme and her first challenge for us is PARIS - ooh la la! Here is my card A great big 'thanks' goes to Fliss as she sent me some stamped images in the post, I teamed these images up with some stamped leaves form the French Foliage set - very appropriate don't you think? I also used some Basic Black card stock and Pumpkin Pie ink. We have a fantastic month of french themed challenges for you and a lovely new Guest DT - please pop over and take a look - there is also some fabulous Parisian inspiration there too. See you soon - Jacqueline xx