Phoenix Inspirations

Fabulous Flamingo has to be one of my all time favourite stamp sets. I love it! Any excuse to create a pink and girly card and out it comes! Today I was browsing around Pinterest and I came across this card  HERE . It's by one of my favourite stampers: Michelle Zindorf and I just had to have a go at CASEing it - come and take a look I changed mine a little - I added an extra flamingo and made it landscape instead of portrait and I'm extremely pleased with how it turned out. Soft Sky was used for the sky (naturally) and Pool Party for the sea. The beach was created with Crumb Cake sand Chocolate Chip and the grasses are Always Artichoke. The palm fronds are Old Olive and it's all mounted onto a mat of Lemon Lime Twist. I used Flirty Flamingo ink for my flamingo and I heat embossed the feather details with white embossing powder. I also used a Blushing Bride marker to add more colour. The eye and beak were also added with a marker pen. I am entering t

I have another Moon Baby card to show off today, this time for a baby boy. Have a look and tell me what you think. This is very similar to the pink one I made  HERE . I used Bundle of Love DSP and Dapper Denim card stock. I used my own alphabet dies to die cut the letters and a scrap of old DSP for the baby gro and umbrella. This is the tutorial I used Most of the products used on this card can be ordered from Stampin' Up through me. Have a browse through the catalogue in the side bar and place an order by emailing me on jacquelinenm68@gmail.com or go to my online shop HERE Items can be delivered straight to your door (£4.95 p+p) . Thanks for stopping by today - see you soon - J xx

I've been a bit quiet lately as I've had my daughter staying with me. She's a teacher so she's enjoying six week off at the moment so I've managed to see her quite a lot. Today's card uses a retired set, one I'm very reluctant to part with - By the Tide. Stampin' Up have loads of lovely stuff in their catalogue - you just have to click on the link in my side bar to peruse all the loveliness! Here is my card My circle was die cut on my Big Shot and the white coral was heat embossed with white embossing powder. Soft Sky and Tranquil Tide ink was sponged over to make the coral stand out. The lobster and shell were also heat embossed in white and sponged with Tranquil Tide before being cut out and attached with Dimensionals. This card is being entered in to two challenges Freshly Made Sketches The Joy Of Sets Hope everyone is enjoying the Bank Holiday weekend - I have to work so please send me lots of sympathy please!!

I was asked to make two baby cards for two ladies who are about to go on maternity leave at work. Good job I have just purchased the Moon Baby set isn't it?! The first card is for Alice who is expecting a baby girl - take a look The pink baby gro that the baby is wearing is paper pieced with pink DSP and the rest has been coloured with markers and ink - both water colouring and sponging. The little toys at the bottom were fussy cut and coloured with markers. The word BABY was die cut with my own dies from my stash - not Stampin' Up. The background is Bundle of Love DSP on a mat of Powder Pink card stock. The moon baby itself is a little rocker. I followed a tutorial on Youtube to make it and it's very easy. Thanks for stopping by today, most products used are Stampin' Up. Please email me if you would like to order any of the above items or indeed anything from the Stampin' Up catalogue. My details are at the top of the page or you could go to

On the card I have made for you today I have combined two stamp sets - High Tide and Jar of Love I created my background scene with the lighthouse and made a section of beach in the foreground by using a torn post it note and a sponge. The Crumb Cake ink was sponged over the post it note and then a mask was made to add the grass. I cut out a jar and added some water to it using the sea stamp and sponging Pool Party ink over it. The little fishy was stamped inside the jar and the handle was heat embossed with silver embossing powder. It was attached to the card using Dimensionals. Thanks for looking today - hope you like my seaside card. See you soon - J xx

Did you know that Stampin' Up has a Clearance Rack? There are lots of lovely items for sale at bargain prices. For example These are just three of the many gorgeous items on offer -  HERE  in my Online shop. The Clearance Rack is constantly being updated so be sure to check there often. Short and sweet today - not been feeling to great the last couple of days - my fibro has been playing up plus I've had some long shifts at work. I'm feeling very tired!! Thanks for dropping in today - see you soon - J xx

I have been creating with Graceful Garden again and this is what I have come up with - I've used Petal Garden DSP for the background and used some to stamp my rose on to. I used gold embossing powder on the rose and cut it out. Some gold thread was added under the rose and the  little sentiment was added. this card is being entered into the challenge over at Freshly Made Sketches Thank you for dropping by today - I hope that the weather has been kinder where you are - we've had more rain!!! See you soon - J xx

Today I have another card for you made using the Carols of Christmas set Again the main sentiment has been heat embossed in gold as have the corner details. I also stamped some poinsettias in Real Red on a piece of Whisper White card stock and then covered them with a cut out piece of a post it note. I then stamped the leaves and cut them out. I attached the using Dimensionals. I have a day off work today - yay! I love it when I have a Sunday off - all day to craft and a roast dinner too! Hope you are having a lovely weekend of crafting - see you soon - J xx

I've finally got around the crafting with my Carols of Christmas stamp set. I am pitifully behind with my Christmas cards so I'm trying to catch up now!!! Today's card is a one layer clean and simple creation - come and take a look My main sentiment was stamped in Versamark ink and heat embossed with gold embossing powder - I did the same with the hanging ornaments. My flowers in the corner are stamped in Real Red and Emerald Envy. The little lines were also stamped in Emerald Envy making a lovely little frame. I am entering this card into the challenge over on Addicted to CAS I can't wait to show you more cards made with lovely set or you could order it now and make some of your own. This set is available ahead of the release of the Holiday mini catalogue - click  HERE  to order your stamps now. Thanks for looking today - see you soon - J xx

The time is fast approaching - not only Christmas but Autumn too. It;s what I call the 3 'H's of crafting - Harvest, Halloween and Holiday! The new seasonal mini catalogue from Stampin' Up will be available from September 1st and it's jam packed full of lovely stuff! It's full of gorgeous Christmas stamps, stunning Autumnal sets and gloriously spooky images. Request your copy now and get a head start on all your seasonal crafting - my contact details are above and I would be very happy to send you a copy. My order for catalogues is going in very soon so don't delay. The main catalogue is also up for grabs and I can send you a copy of that too - please do get in touch. Thanks for stopping by today - see you soon - J xx

Good evening - and as promised I have the instructions for the little pouch I made for my note cards. It's very easy - take a look Take a piece of decorative paper 9" x 9" square. Fold in half along the diagonal and crease firmly with a bone folder. While the paper is in half score 2" along the diagonal. Score each corner 4" in. Your paper should look like the diagram above and the picture to the left. Fold in the two corners - they will overlap. Remember to crease each fold with the bone folder. Then fold in half. (Ignore the clip at this stage - it was for photographing purposes!!!) Fold the sides down so that an envelope shape forms. Do this for both sides and secure with a clip - like in the picture below. Because of the way it is folded it can be stood up but also can be folded flat to post - it makes a lovely gift. I used Blooms and Wishes to decorate my note cards I hope you like this little

It is really a very quick hello indeed. I've been at the doctor's and hospital today and I'm very tired and achy - need to go to sleep! So here it is for today - a pretty little pouch full of note cards This is just a teaser - tomorrow I will tell you what I used and how to make it - see you soon - J xx

Another challenge card today and I'm in time for this one!!! It's for  CAS(E) this Sketch! here is my card I've used Fabulous Flamingo and she is standing on a beach made from a stamp in the  High Tide set. It's almost a one layer card, my scene is stamped on to a panel of Whisper White card stock. It was sponged with Soft Sky ink for the background and then attached to the card blank. My lovely flamingo is stamped in Powder Pink, Flirty Flamingo and Smoky Slate - doesn't she look lovely? I've had a very lazy day today. I took mum into hospital this morning as she was having a small operation. I came home while she had it and spent the afternoon with my feet up catching up on video-d programs! Very lazy I know but I enjoyed it! Thanks for stopping by today - see you soon - J xx

I made this card for the challenge over at Freshly Made Sketches - unfortunatly I was too late to enter it! I am still going to show it off though - take a look I have played with the Bundle of Love DSP again - this time using the blue side. It is of course the very beautiful Soft Sky and I have used the same colour card stock to make the rose. The leaves were stamped in Old Olive ink while the rose was heat embossed with gold embossing powder. The stamp set is Graceful Garden and both it and the Bundle of Love along with all the other items used on this card can be ordered from my online shop  HERE Thanks for stopping by today - see you soon - J xx

This lovely stamp set and dies will feature in the new Autumn/Winter mini catalogue which goes live on September 1st. However, you can get your hands on it now and get a head start on your Christmas makes. Here's a video to give you some ideas If you would like one of the new Autumn/Winter catalogues please let me know and I will get one to you. If you would like to order the above stamps, dies or bundle pleases get in touch or order from my shop HERE Thank you xx

The card I have to share with you today is one i made for a recent Facebook swap. the brief was a new baby card - any sex and it had to be interactive or open up in a different way to normal. I was scouring Pinterest for some inspiration and came across this card by  Bronwyn Eastley . I purchased her tutorial and here is the result This card has a cute little pop out cot and the Moon Baby stamps are gorgeous for baby cards. I love how it folds flat for posting too The Bundle of Love DSP is perfect for this as it has both blue and pink - perfect for a boy or a girl. Well today is the day I return home from my holiday. I've had a lovely week here in Hereford and I'm going to miss my daughter so much when I get home. I will have to do loads of crafting to take my mind off it!!! Thanks for looking today - see you soon - J xx

I love being on holiday but I'm really looking forward to getting back home and getting back in my craft room - I've missed getting all inky and crafty! Today I have another card for you that I made before I left. It was for my cousin's birthday which was  the day before yesterday - take a look I made this using my much loved Climbing Orchid set and combined it with Jar of Love. I die cut my flowers with my Big Shot and then water coloured them using So Saffron and Rose Red inks. They were die cut out of the watercolour paper which made the ink blend a bit better. I am entering this card into the challenge over at The Joy of Sets Thanks for dropping by today - I hope you like my card and come back soon to see what else I've been up to. See you soon - J xx

It's starting to become a habit this blogging after midnight lark! I've been out on the town tonight in Hereford. We went to Miller and Carter steak house. I didn't have steak - I'm not a fan but I did have some lovely fish followed by banoffee pie - yummy!! I drank a couple of glasses of wine and finished off with a glass of gin so I feeling very relaxed and happy now! I don't have a card for you today but a bookmark made with the Fabulous Flamingo set - take a look I had a spare piece of card stock that was quite long so I folded it over and inserted it into the Scallop Top Tag punch. I didn't put it in all the way so that the fold didn't get cut off. Ribbon was added and magnets were attached inside A lovely way to use up scrap card. I'm travelling to Malvern to see my son tomorrow. I don't think I've seen him since January so I'm very excited. I'm also getting to see my old cat Louis. My son adopted him a coup