Phoenix Inspirations

So I was standing at my kitchen window looking out and I spied some tiny Muscari flowers framed beautifully against an old wooden sleeper.  The garden is terraced with sleepers as it's very steep and there is a layer of pebbles to stop the weeds - only it doesn't really work and loads of things keep coming up including the aforementioned Muscari. They did look very pretty though and inspired my card making today  - take a look  For my background I used Crumb Cake ink and the large Hardwood stamp. I then used the Tranquil Tulips set and the little stamps from that to create my Muscari. There are lots of leaves and spikey grass bits to use too. It's a very clean and simple card and I may add a sentiment later or I may just leave it as it is.  Hope you like my card today  - see you soon - J xxx 

Today's card is a Bridge Card - I would also like to share with you how I made it. Here is a small tutorial. I took a piece of coloured card sock and scored it into three equal sections. The two outside sections were also scored down the middle - all were creased with a bone folder. White card stock was cut to fit each section.  The images from Climbing Orchid were stamped, coloured, die cut and assembled. A branch from Seasonal Layers was also die cut.  The white card stock was stamped with the Hardwood stamp and the edges sponged. This was done with Crumb Cake ink and Early Espresso. The pieces were stuck down.  The orchid images were arranged and stuck down. A piece of card stock was attached to the card which enables the card to stand up. The strip is the length of the card when one of the side panels has been folded in. This means that it folds flat for posting.  More orchids were assembled to decorate the side panels.  A sen...

Oh dear - it's been a while. My treatment for my fibro is continuing and it's not exactly been pain free. I was referred to the gym by my dr - I go twice a week and it's tough! Any way enough about me - I managed to fit in a bit of crafting today and I had another play with my Painted Harvest set. The background is So Saffron card stock and it has been stamped with the Hardwood stamp - it's huge it did the whole background in one stamp! It was stamped in Crumb Cake ink which was also sponged around the edge along with some Early Espresso. The diamonds were cut from So Saffron and Crumb Cake card stock - again sponged with Crumb Cake and Early Espresso ink. The Sunflower  - stamped in So Saffron and Crushed Curry ink was attached using Dimensionals. The leaves were stamped in Lemon Lime Twist and Old Olive ink and punched out using the co-ordinating punch. The sentiment is from the Graceful Garden set. This card is being entered into the challenge at C...

As I'm on holiday this week I thought I'd make something summery to share with you. Although I'm nowhere near the beach - beach huts for me epitomise summer and I found it really easy to recreate some using card stock. These little boxes are great - unclip the mini wooden peg, remove the lid and add a gift or some sweeties. I used a mini milk carton template for these boxes and used Powder Pink, Lemon Lime Twist and Bermuda Bay card stock. I used ink to match the card stock and stamped on them using the Hardwood background stamp - it's huge! The roofs and doors were made from Whisper White and stamped in Crumb Cake. I sponged around the edges using a sponge and Craft White ink. Hope you enjoyed this fun little make - see you soon - J xx

There are so many talented crafters about who are producing lovely work and sometimes you see a card that really grabs your attention. The card I have made for you today is inspired by fellow demonstrator. I have 'CASE'd' one of her cards that I fell in love with  HERE Here is my card I have used Fresh Fig card stock along with some Crumb Cake that has been stamped with the Hardwood background stamp. A piece of Petal Garden DSP was added along with a sentiment which is from Blooms and Wishes. Fresh Fig and Old Olive ink were used for the stamped roses - they were then coloured with an aqua painter, cut out and mounted using 3D foam pads. They are from the Graceful Garden set. The demonstrator's name is  Julie Kettlewell  and her blog is well worth a visit. I'm quite excited tonight - tomorrow I am running a fundraising event. It's a make and take and the charity is Make A Wish. Hopefully lots of people will turn up and help raise lots of m...

Today has been a good day - one with plenty of crafting!!! Today I have used a relatively new stamp set - Jar of Love. It's chock full of flowers, fish foliage and mason jars - it's beautiful! Here is my card There are dies available to help you cut the shapes out easily but I prefer to cut by hand - it just takes a little longer! Unfortunately when I was stamping the 'Love' sentiment I smudged it a bit. Enter a few sparkly gems and you wouldn't know would you?!! I am entering this card into the following challenges CAS(E) this Sketch Color Throwdown Colours used are Soft Sky, Crumb Cake, Smoky Slate and Daffodil Delight. Thanks for stopping by today - see you soon x

Isn't that what they say in the song? Well I'm ready to get off now please. In the last twelve months I became separated from my husband, lost my dad, got a job for the first time in twenty five years, became a divorcee and then my ex died. More downs than ups but I'm hoping that they are just around the corner. Meanwhile I have been doing a little crafting and one of my recent projects has been a Bendi Card. It doesn't look very bendy there but there are various flaps which open up showing different layers of the card. Looking at it from above will give a better view of the bends. I really enjoyed making this card. I used my wood grain stamp for the house and various punches for the clouds and flowers. It took quite a long time as I added liquid pearls to the centre of every flower! That's it for now, thanks for stopping by!

I have a love card to share with you today although not necessarily for Valentine's Day. I won't be celebrating this year unfortunately but never mind - let's take a look at my card This card was inspired by the picture inspiration over on the  Inkspirational Challenge Blog I used the Hardwood stamp for my background and the frame from Papaya Collage. I die cut my letters in white and added a tiny gold heart. Thanks for looking - see you soon xx

Good morning from a very wet Bridgnorth! Today I have a screen card to share with you - take a look This is is closed but when you open it............. A peacock sitting on the fence.  The background was created by sponging over torn copy paper to make misty mountains and green hills. The tress were stamped two or three times before re-inking to create a bit of perspective and then the fence was added to make the foreground.  The peacock was stamped, coloured, cut out and attached with foam pads to make him stand out and all the panels were sponged around the edges. Here is a close up of the peacock He was coloured using my Stampin' Write markers. Hope you enjoyed today's post - back soon xx

Today I'm going to share with you my Facebook swap card for September. The brief was a cascade card, no flowers or butterflies and no pink, blue, orange or white colours! Here's what I came up with Two slanted pieces of card stock are intertwined to form this complicated looking card. I added a panel to the back of the card to make a little pocket to hold a tag for writing on. Stamp sets used are Papaya Collage and An Open Heart with the background being created with the Hardwood stamp. I used a scallop border punch down the sides and added a label to the front with the sentiment on. Thanks for looking today - see you soon xx

Here are the last of the cards made using the stamp set Walk in the Wild. Not so clean and simple this time as I took a bit more time to create backgrounds and I threw in a bit of fussy cutting too - take a look The first background was made by stamping Chocolate Chip ink on to Chocolate Chip card stock with the Hardwood stamp. I then used the same ink to sponge around the edges. The inside background scene was sponged on to die cut panels using torn copy paper and a fir tree stamp (one I made myself a long time ago). The images were stamped on to white card stock and then cut out and attached using Dimensionals. Hope everyone is enjoying the Bank Holiday weekend - I'll be back next week with a few more 'Man' cards - see you soon xx

I love using the Hardwood stamp as a background especially with flowers. Here's two cards I made combining them both I've used various pinks and purples for these cards and also added a splash or two of Crumb Cake with one of the stamps from Gorgeous Grunge. I distressed the edges of the paper a little and sponged the edges with an ink pad - that's about as far as I will go when it comes to distressing - no inky fingers for me if I can help it! Thanks for stopping by today - see you soon.

The lovely Laura has chosen our theme this week at  Make My Monday  - Sprays and Mists. Here is my card The only spray or mist I own is a Perfect Pearls one in Gumball Pink but I think I managed to make it look Christmassy! The spray is on the background which is the Hardwood stamp, stamped on to Blushing Bride card stock with Blushing Bride ink. The pearlescent spray was then sprayed on to the background. Thanks for looking - no doubt I shall be back later with my now becoming usual Monday 'catch-up' post! xx

It's time for another fortnightly challenge in  The Male Room  and this time the theme is WOOD. It's not a problem making 'male' cards any more not when you have the fabulous Hardwood stamp -it's huge but creates gorgeous backgrounds - here is my card I have teamed it up with the equally manly Walk in the Wild - I really do love that moose! - and the Lovely as a Tree - always a great standby for male cards. Embellishments are the Modern Label Punch with a few gems - coloured black with a marker. This card is as we speak flying across the Channel to my Facebook swap buddy for this month - hoe she likes it! Bye for now xx

It was my regular monthly workshop last night although this is the first for a long time. It was a lovely gathering and I'm hoping that all the ladies enjoyed themselves! We made three items - two cards and a tag with the Hardwood stamp being the focus of the projects and my inspiration for these makes came from the lovely Julie Kettlewell of  Julie's Japes  - she has done some wonderful work with this stamp and I couldn't resist CASEing a couple! As always when I do a workshop I put a step by step tutorial on my  Craft Club Blog  and the first of them - the Seagull card is  HERE Materials - Stampin' Up Stamps: Hardwood, The Open Sea Ink: Baked Brown Sugar, Basic Grey, Basic Black, Summer Starfruit Card Stock: Whisper White, Tempting Turquoise, Baked Brown Sugar, Island Indigo, Garden Green, Blushing Bride, Crisp Cantaloupe Accessories: Punches - Cupcake Builder, 2 Step Bird, Circle, Scallop Edge, Bitty Blossoms (retired), Scallop Top T...

So on Sunday I showed you a card with the stamp set Peaceful Petals which sadly won't be making it in to the new Annual Catalogue. Today I have a very similar card to show you - take a look Not the best of photo's but this card also showcases the Petite Petals flowers (in blue) - that's a great set as it also has a matching punch so no fussy cutting! Petite Petals 133155 Price :  £10.95 One beautiful flower, six gorgeous designs--it's the stamp set that keeps on giving! Includes 6 stamps. Coordinates with the Petite Petals Punch. Petite Petals Punch 133322 Price :  £11.50 Punches are a quick and easy way to add interest, dimension, and color to your cards, tags, and scrapbook pages. Coordinates with the Petite Petals Stamp Set. Punched image size: 7/8" diameter. So - should be on my way back home soon which means I get to play  work again in my craft room! I also have some of the new stash coming in the new catty so I may have a couple of...

You know even though I have enjoyed staying with my mum whilst my dad has been in hospital, I do miss my craft room. It's been particularly hard knowing that I have stamp sets waiting to be used that will be retiring at the end of the month. One such set is Peaceful Petals - here's a card I made a while ago I CASEd this from a card I saw on Pinterest - can't remember who's it was now though. I have also used one of my new favourites Hardwood - it's a great background stamp and I have loads of ideas for more cards using this just as soon as I can lock myself away in my craft room once more! Hardwood 133032 Price :  £15.95 The Hardwood Background Stamp creates a realistic wood background for cards, scrapbook pages, and more! This limited-time set is only available from 28 January through 30 June, 2014, so order yours today! Available in both wood- and clear-mount. (To order any of the above current items or items from the Annual Catalogue please...

It's time for a new challenge over in  The Male Room . We make male only cards and projects and this week we want to see some TREES AND LEAVES. Well - out came the Lovely as a Tree set - my go to set for men - but this time I thought a different style of card was in order - a BOX CARD - take a look I also used the fabulous Hardwood stamp for this. A gorgeous background stamp and it's huge. However I have a tip for you - buy the wood mount style. How awful would it be if you bought this wonderful stamp, opened it up and realised that you didn't have an acrylic block big enough?! So I'm thinking that this will be my dad's Father's Day card - what will yours be? Can't wait to visit and find out! Hope you have fun looking at all the other dt cards today over on the blog! (To order any of the above current items or items from the Annual Catalogue please e-mail me on deezinesart@icloud.com - a catalogue pdf can be found in the side bar along wit...

Good morning and welcome to Monday! I'm kicking off the week with my DT card for this week's challenge over on  Make My Monday  where the theme is SEASONAL FLOWERS - we even have an inspiration picture too - take a look Here is my card My card is a kind of back to front gatefold card using the Window Framelits. Can you see the woodgrain stamping in the background? That's the new Hardwood stamp available now in the Spring'Summer Mini - it's one of my new favourites! Find these items and more in my shop  HERE or drop me an e-mail at deezinesart@icloud.com Have a great Bank Holiday Monday folks - see you soon xx