Phoenix Inspirations

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

Good morning - I've been away for a week. It should have been a weekend but we had problems with our car and I ended up staying away longer (which was nice). And although the break was very nice - I didn't half miss my craft room. So much so that I didn't even unpack but headed straight to my computer in order to find a challenge to get my teeth into! Over on the Pollycraft Monday blog there is a challenge to use Autumnal Colours - click here  and I will transport you there. Before you go though please take a look at my card   This is Burt the Owl and once upon a time he was a Friday Freebie on  Tales from Pollycraft. He is a digi stamp and I coloured him in using coloured pencils. The background cardstock is Bazzill Basics - Burning Ember and the patterned paper is from Basic Grey. Some Stampin' Up stamps and inks made the little flowers and the sentiment is also from Pollycraft. Hope you like him - see you soon - Jacqueline xx.

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.

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.

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.

Here is my card for this week's challenge at Pollycraft Monday.  This little lovely is Retro Melody, she was coloured with Promarkers and the background papers are 'Hot off the Press'. The theme is 'Hidden Messages' - just pull the ribbon and take a look inside - Hope you like it - got to go now - taking my daughter to her sixth forms leavers do, she goes to university in September. How the time flies!! See you soon - Jacqueline xx.

That is this week's challenge over on Pollycraft.  And here is my card : The image for this card is last Friday's Friday Freebie  at Tales from Pollycraft. She is called Earth Fairy 'Love You This Much' and it included the sentiment too. Used my Stampin' Up Butterfly Punch for the large pink butterfly and every thing else was used from my stash Hope you like it - Jacqueline xx.

Good morning - a nice day at last, watered all my plants and put the washing out so - time to play! The challenge over on Pollycraft  this week is 'Summer Blooms'. We have plenty around us at the moment - the woods are full of Bluebells, Primroses and Wood Anemones, and the blossom on the apple trees are very pretty.........I will have to take some photos. Anyway here is my card: Recipe 5" x 5" white card blank background paper - free in Cardmaking + Papercraft (many moons ago) card stock - Bazzill - Lily Pond image & sentiment - Pollycraft flowers - The Craft Garden other - Cuttlebug, Nestabilities,Promarkers brads & gems from stash I am of now to do a bit in the garden while this lovely weather lasts. Hope you like my card if you pop over to Pollycraft  there are some more fabulous cards to admire. Thanks for stopping by - Jacqueline xx.

'Here Comes The Sun' - well it does on the Pollycraft Monday Challenge blog. Here is my card - it's a bit bright - you may need sunglasses Yikes all that yellow!! All the images on this card are Pollycraft digi's, they are from the Sweet Dreams Springtime Retro collection and her name is Evangeline. I used Promarkers to colour her in. Hope my card has brought a little sunshine into your day - see you soon - Jacqueline xx.

Hi folks - hope everyone had a good Bank Holiday. It was my husband's birthday today so we went out for lunch - very nice. We were going to work in the garden too but the rain put a stop to that. So I made this instead for this week's Sketch Saturday  challenge : (see above sketch) I decided not to do a card this time but a book instead. The image is from Pollycraft and is this week's Friday Freebie . The background papers are some basic yellow card stock, Anna Griffen pink polka dot and one of my own designs - pink check. The flowers are what I won a couple of weeks ago from The Craft Garden  - aren't they fab? All the ribbons around the binding are bits from from my very untidy ribbon box and I used my Bind it All to bind the book and punch the holes. I also used a bit of Stampin' Up ink to ink the edges of the papers too. Well that's all for now - see you soon with another challenge - Jacqueline xx.

Hello again. I have finished cleaning my teenage son's bedroom - I removed all clothing and bed wear and and washed the whole lot (socks twice!!!). All mouldy cups and plates found lurking under the bed have been thouroughly washed and the three inch layer of dust on the floor has been hoovered away - how long will it last I ask myself?! Anyway after all that I thought that I deservered some craft time and so I made a card for this week's Tuesday Morning Sketches . Here is the sketch :  And here is my card: And here is a close up : She's dreaming with her head in clouds - bit like me!! The only thing I changed on the sketch was the placement of the sentiment, but it wouldn't fit at the bottom. Have to go now - I really need to tidy my craft desk. It is approx 6ft long but at the moment I am working in a space about 4" square!! - why does that always happen? Bye for now - Jacqueline xx.

Phew - just sat down for a well earned cup of coffee so I thought I would show you this week's card for the Pollycraft Monday Challenge   The challenge this week was to make your own flowers so I used the flower images from my Sweet Dreams Springtime Retro kit along with Melody. I also used some of my Anita's Flower Silhouette Card Shapes to make an easel card. I coloured in with pencils. O.K, so I'm off now, coffee is finished and I am half way through cleaning my son's bedroom. So it is back on with the radiation suit and decontamination will commence!! - Jacqueline xx.

Hi folks - hope everyone had a good weekend - what gorgeous weather! Almost too good to stay in and craft - almost, can't stay away for long! Today's card is for Sketch Saturday  and it features Dudley Dinosaur. He was a Friday Freebie over on Tales from Pollycraft . The sketch I used was this: And this is my card: Makes a good boy card don't you think? If you look very closely at the dark green mat you will see that it is embossed. That is because I have now aquired my heart's desire. I've got a Cuttlebug!! If anyone has any tips on how I use Nestabillities with it I would be very grateful. Bye for now - Jacqueline xx.

I've nearly caught up - today is Wednesday so I am only one day behind. I am trying to do at least one challenge every day, although I am coming across different ones all the time and there are not enough hours in the day to fit them all in! It's great fun though. Tuesday Morning Sketches have a really fun sketch this week - you can find them here  . Now if you look at my card you will see that there are not as many points on my star as the sketch. That is because I had to cut it out by hand. I've mentioned this before - I really need a Big Shot. I will get one and I am having a table at the weekend at a local village event so hopefully will be able to add to the Big Shot fund! Take a look at my card for this challenge 'cos hopefully by Monday it will be gone! The image and sentiment are from Pollycraft, the backing paper is Anna Griffin and the rest is just bits and pieces from my crafting stash. Just another quick close up pic of the image and I will be gone. See ...

This is another of my most favourite blogs - I LOVE Pollycraft and for my card this week I used an image downloaded from Tales of Pollycraft - it was a freebie a little while ago and you can visit the site here  . I would also recommend paying a visit to the web site where you can see all their lovely stamps and downloads - found here  . O.K - now for the challenge. This week it is a sketch And here is my card: As I said before the image is from Pollycraft - Cody, and the backing papers are from my scraps box. I used an Anna Griffen paper punch to make the tabs and flowers from my stash. To distress the edges of the papers I used Stampin' Up ink -  Rose Red. I really enjoyed making this card and I hope you enjoy looking at it! Don't forget to check out the challenge blog - here  - Jacqueline xx.

Hello folks, just got back from spending the weekend with my Mum and Dad and had to go three days without crafting! So, after getting in and of course having a cuppa my fingers were itching to get back into my craft room. Sketch Saturday have a lovely sketch this week - check them out here  . Yikes - all those circles! Here is my card The image is from Pollycraft and so is the sentiment and the blue paper is K&Co. The main brown card stock is Bazzill - but I can't remember the colour. All the edges were inked with Brushed Corduroy Distress Inks from Tim Holtz. Phew - it's good to be back! Bye for now - Jacqueline xx.

   This is this week's challenge over on Pollycraft  . And this is my card : I used the brown and pink as prescribed and my chosen colour was green - touches of green on the fairy, green silk flower and foliage - I failed to notice I had coloured the flower yellow. Hope this doesn't disqualify me! I did however use one of the Lilybean fairies from Pollycraft. I had to buy the whole set as I couldn't decide which one I liked best! Bye for now - Jacqueline xx.

Hi folks - here is my entry for this week's Pollycraft Monday Challenge. We only had a week for this one and I didn't think I'd make it, but the craft fair I have been working soooo hard for has been cancelled - again. So I was able to slow down and complete this card. To view this challenge click here  . Receipe: Papers - 3 various from stash + Stampin' Up Real Red. Embellishments - 3 red buttons. Ribbons - 1 blue + 1 red. Stamped Image - Pirate Ethan ( from Pollycraft. Thank you I love him!) Bye for now - Jacqueline xx.

I downloaded this image as a freebie from the Pollycraft website - isn't it lovely - thank you Pollycraft. So, this is my entry for your challenge - Sparkly Things. There is glitter on the stripey background (which I designed myself!) and a blingy brad in the flower centre. Hope you like it - Jacqueline xx. To visit the Pollycraft blog click here