Phoenix Inspirations

Today at  Make My Monday  Laura has given us the theme of OWLS. The card I have made was created some time ago from a tutorial I found on YouTube - sorry I can't remember who to credit. It's a kind of swing card and if you scroll down to the second picky you will see what happens when the card swings open. Please do pop over to take a look at the fab owl cards made this week and don't forget to say hi to our three new DT ladies. It's the start of a new week and later today mum and I will be making our usual visit to the hospital to see dad. He is making very slow progress but each new day there are tiny improvements - whatever any of you are doing this week - take care and have a good one xx Find the Owl punch  HERE  in my shop.

It's Saturday and that means it's time for our weekly Christmas Challenge at  52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown . It's Mynnette's month and for this week's theme she has chosen this I've chosen to make a card with a Christmas Pud - take a look Materials - Stampin' Up Stamps: Petite Pairs Ink: Early Espresso Card Stock: Whisper White, Riding Hood Red, Chocolate Chip, Gumball Green Accessories: Big Shot, Window Framelits, Adorning Accents, 2 Step Bird Punch, Owl Builder Punch. (Please do drop me an e-mail if you would like to order any of the above items or indeed any Stampin' Up product from the two current catalogues found in my side bar - all my details are above in the top tabs - thanks) . Please don't forget to visit the other DT ladies' blogs to see what they have made this week - see you son - Jacqueline xx

It's my turn again to do the Mid-week Motivation spot over on the  Make My Monday  challenge blog. The challenge this week is 'One for the Boys' so I have made a little congratulations note card to send to a new mum - take a look This is a single stamp (from Stampin' Up of course!) and it was one of those stamps I just had to have! Usually I'm very sensible and think very carefully before making a purchase, thinking very hard about all the possibilities so that I can make the most of my money. Not so this time - as I said I just had to have it! Today I have stamped it onto Naturals White card stock with Midnight Muse ink. I then used an aqua painter to gently move the ink around and colour the image in. No other colours are needed. Here's a pic of the inside - I couldn't resist using my Sale-a-bration elephant again! Materials Stamps: Two by Two, Sassy Salutations, Patterned Occasions Ink: Midnight Muse, Gumball Green, Marina Mist Card Stock: ...

It's Bingo time at  Make My Monday  - take a look at the card and choose a line: up, down, side to side or horizontal - it's up to you I have gone for the line with Patterned Paper, Punches or Dies and Distressing - take a look I have two cute little Christmas owls just about to kiss under the mistletoe - here's what I used Materials Stamps: Sassy Salutations, Christmas Blessings Ink: Lucky Limeade, Early Espresso Card Stock: Whisper White, Crumb Cake Paper: Christmas Candlelight Speciality DSP Accessories: 2 Step Owl Punch, Dimensionals, Sponges, Lucky Limeade organza ribbon, Basic Pearls (All items are from Stampin' Up - please see my details at the top of the page for ordering purposes) This is the last MMM challenge of the year so please pop over and wish the rest of the DT a Happy Christmas. Bye for now - Jacqueline xx

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

A short step by step tutorial is now on my  Craft Club Blog  (there's also a link in the side bar) - here's the one we made at last week's workshop using the Stampin' Up 2 Step Owl Punch this card is also being entered into Mynnette's  Technique Tuesday Challenge Bye for now - Jacqueline xx

A couple of days ago I did a workshop and for the first time in five years I was at a bit of a loss as to what to do this time! This didn't last long and I did have a flash of inspiration in time for my workshop and this is what we made We had a go at making our own backing paper from scraps of left over decorative papers - I used some Springtime Vintage DSP, a punched image and some die cut shapes, it always amazes me though when we all use the same technique but end up with totally different cards. As always as this is a workshop make the tutorial will soon be ready on my Craft Club Blog so watch this space. I would also like to enter my card into the following challenges Alphabet Challenge Blog  - F is for Feathered Friends Lisa Somerville's Bloggers Challenge  - Make Your Own Background Paper Fussy and Fancy Friday Challenge  - Punches/die Cuts. Thanks for looking - see you soon - Jacqueline xx

My poor, starving student of a daughter has today conned me out of a birthday card and matching gift. She has bought her friend a hand made owl keyring so I made a little note book to go with it - using my 2 Step Owl punch of course! The big glittery 'C' is her initial - Cerys ........... yes she's Welsh. She is Briony's BFF at uni!! Here is the card I made to go with it As you can see I have also used the glorious Baby Blossoms set along with some nesting dies and some gorgeous card stock - Bazzill Basics pink polka dot and some kraft. I have found a challenge to enter this into it's  Challenge Up Your Life  and the theme is OWLS! Thanks for stopping by today to take a look - see you soon - Jacqueline xx

I love my Stampin' Up punches - they are so versatile and can be used in so many different ways - just check in my labels under 2 Step Bird/Owl punch and you will see. So when my friend Louise came round to play last week and showed me these little chickies I just had to have a go (I did get her permission!!) This is made using the 2 Step Owl punch and So Saffron and Daffodil Delight card stock plus a little bit of Pumpkin Pie. See how fabulous they look in a gang Watch out for an Easter project later in the week using these little cuties!! See you soon - Jacqueline xx

It's Mid-week Motivation time over at  Make My Monday  and today's inspiration piece is a Baby Card The card started with me finding the sentiment in my stash and I knew that it would be perfect for this week's challenge - found  here . My blue background is a piece of white card stock sponged with Baja Breeze ink and some clouds that have been stamped and cut out. I cut my grass from green card stock and added a few teeny tiny flowers (Papermania Mini Punch - Flower). The washing line is two thin strips of Chocolate Chip card stock and the washing is punched from my Stampin' Up Two Step Owl punch - they are punched in pastel shades. Thanks for stopping by today and taking a look - see you soon - Jacqueline xx

It's time for  52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown  again and this week we have a *THEME* - take a look   My first card features a Polar Bear - star gazing It's an easel card attached to a drawer - great for combining cards and gifts in one and this one would hold a lot of Christmas choccies I think!! Here's a close up It's a Pollycraft digi image and the backing papers are from Pollycraft too - some I purchased a couple of years ago. My image has been coloured using Promarkers. My second card is equally as cute Three reindeer, one with a red nose - I wonder who he could be?! These were made using my 2 Step Owl Punch - a couple of alterations here and there and some googly eyes. Don't for get to visit  Mynnette  - she's done some lovely cards too and then pop over to see the challenge - you might even want to take part! Bye for now - Jacqueline xx

If you pop over to visit my lovely blog buddy  Mynnette  - you will see this   Sadly this is not something that I have acheived every week however I did spread a little around last night at my monthly workshop. I have been running my craft club now for 5 years and this month was the fifth anniversary so to say 'Thank You' for their support I made my ladies a little gift Along with the printed schedules each one received a little notebook and matching bookmark. Here's a close up The notebooks are 3" x 3" and the covers are chipboard covered with My Mind's Eye paper. They have been bound using a Bind -it- all machine. The ladies of my Tuesday morning group will get theirs when they come to class in April. Pop back tomorrow and I will show you what we made last night - bye for now - Jacqueline xx

Today's card is a romantic Valentine's card - would you like to see? All materials used are Stampin' Up -  my card stock colours are Regal Rose, Kraft (Crumb Cake), Whisper White, Rose Red, Summer Sun, Chocolate Chip, Lucky Limeade, Pool Party and Apricot Appeal. I also used the 2 Step Owl Punch too. This card is being entered into the  Tuesday Morning Sketches  challenge and  The Kraft Journal  'So Romantic' challenge. See you soon - Jacqueline xx

This week at  Make My Monday  the challenge is to use ANIMALS in your projects. Here is my card Although it's quite unusual for me to do cute cards I really enjoyed making this. It's a centre step card and because the overriding theme is Nature I used some Docrafts Woodland Folk stamps to create my scene. The stamped images have been coloured using Stampin' Write markers and Promarkers, the tree and owl have been punched using scraps of card stock from my stash. We had some lovely bird entries last week so I'm really looking forward to seeing what you come up with this week - hope to see you over there. See you soon - Jacqueline xx

Well the holidays are nearly over, the family has all gone home and my husband is back at work - time to get back in the craft room and create! I was browsing blogs and webs and came across a tutorial on  Splitcoast Stampers  for a Dutch Fold Card. I changed the measurements a little as I like my cards to be square but I was really pleased with the results. I decorated it with some retired SU DSP - Springtime Vintage and then got out a few paper punches and added some embellishment - take a look The edges of the paper were inked with Early Espresso ink as were the punched out pieces of the owl. I added some Very Vanilla Gross Grain ribbon and some flat backed gems for the finishing touches. Here is what it looks like when it's opened And this what it looks like standing up I am entering this card into the  SU Only Challenge  - Feeling a Bit punchy Punches used Scallop Edge Corner Rounder 2 Step Bird Punch 2 Step Owl Punch Boho Blossoms Punch Al...

Today was my last Tuesday morning workshop of the year and we made notebooks. I make a lot of notebooks - they make great gifts and also they go down very well at my craft fairs. Here's a couple that I made a while ago This is the one I made today for the workshop The gorgeous dotty paper is from a DCWV pad and so is the paper used to mount my owl. The owl of course is my SU 2Step Owl punch and she is sitting on a branch punched from the 2 Step Bird punch. A third punch - Boho Blossoms was used to punch the flowers. The initial is gorgeously glittery and is from K&Company. The notebook it's self was made from a cheap A4 pad and there is a full tutorial over on my  Craft Club  blog. I also used my faithful Bind-it-All machine to give it a professional look. You could also use ring binders or ribbon if you don't have a Bind-it-All. Thanks for looking - Jacqueline xx

Last week I went to craft with my friend Jane and she had found a cute little bird house template. It was really easy to cut out and she had used some of the gorgeous Stampin' Up Ivory card stock to print it on. Jane also has one of the new Stampin' Up Christmas sets - Pines and Poinsettias so of course I had to have a go with it! As you can see I added my owl to the front of the birdhouse but the 2 Step bird punch works just as well. The leaves are scraps of card stock inked with Old Olive ink before being punched out. Here is a view of the side And the back I had so much fun making this that I have joined Jane's workshop classes - we are called the Powick Paper Dollies - I went to my first workshop yesterday and I will show you what I made when I have finished adding the final touches to them. Off now to curl up in front of the fire and watch T.V - oh maybe not it's football :(     See you soon - Jacqueline xx

.............Over on  Make My Monday  this week our challenge is Orange and Black with an optional Halloween theme. It's also Wednesday which means it's Mid-week Motivation and this is what I made To find out how I made my Haunted House pop over to the blog 'cos all the details are there. However I will show you a close up here of my pumpkins.(!) These were just orange circles punched from card stock. They were then folded in half, the edges sponged with black ink and then 3 were glued together. This left two flaps which could be attached to the house - take a look I am also entering this creation into the  Just Us Girls  3D Halloween template challenge - see you soon - Jacqueline xx

This week at  Make My Monday  the challenge is to create something ORANGE AND BLACK with the optional extra of making it Halloween themed. Here is my card The owls are made using my 2 Step Owl punch and two are quite happily sitting on a branch. The third owl was supposed to a scary Dracula owl with his bat - like wings. Maybe I should have drawn some fangs on him too! Please pop over to the blog to see what the DT have done for you this week and you might even want to take part - Jacqueline xx

It was so gloomy, wet and grey this morning that I decided to make a bright and cheerful card. My Baby Blossoms stamp set has been out on my work desk for a while now so I thought I'd give it one more airing before I put it away. As always Bev was round for our usual coffee, craft and chat and Louise popped round too - we had great fun but my card seemed to take on a life of it's own and ended up totally different to what I expected it to be! (Too much chat with not enough concentration me thinks!!). Any way take a look I used a variety of colours from the In Colours and Brights sets and also my gorgeous 2 Step Owl Punch. The label that the owl is sitting on has been raised up on 3D foams as have the cut out roses. So - it is still gloomy, wet and grey here and I have to go out to a committee meeting tonight, really not looking forward to that but as I am the secretary I had better go don't you think? I shall be back tomorrow with another Less is More card for their...