Phoenix Inspirations

Last week it was the birthday of my daughter Briony's boyfriend. Here is the card I made for him This is one of my favourite layouts for cards and this one does look good with all the nautical bits and bobs! I popped over to  Paper Playful  to take a look at their list of Tuesday challenges and found one perfect for my card. The theme is 'Out to Sea' and can be found over on the  Tuesday Throwdown . I hope Leigh liked the birthday present I got for him. It was tea bags and biscuits. I thought it would work because Briony had got him a new mug. It has a picture of Lionel Richie on it and the words 'Hello.....is it tea you're looking for?' - I thought that that was quite funny! Thanks for stopping by to take a look - see you soon xx

Today I have a card to show you that I have made to enter  The Male Room  challenge. It's a challenge blog which I set up but sadly had to leave earlier in the year - I always vowed I would try and take part in a few of their challenges and at long last I have this.......... the challenge by the way is here is my card Created mostly in Crumb Cake card stock and ink all that has been added is a little burlap ribbon and my washi tape. The tiny gold charm is an anchor that mum had floating around in her button box - so I nabbed it! Hope you like my card, tomorrow I will share a card I made for my daughter's boyfriend - I'm really into my male cards at the moment! See you soon xx

Good morning everyone - how are you on this fine Bank Holiday Monday? Fancy a trip on The Open Sea? Come with me...... Here are some little note cards made using The Open Sea stamp set. The background paper is some I've had for a long time with a sea theme to it - this piece looked a bit like a maritime map which I thought was very appropriate. I chose my colours very carefully making sure that they matched my papers - Pool Party, Night Of Navy and Real Red. This can be seen better in the next photo where I have a matching pouch to house all the cards This pouch can sit on a desk or shelf but folds down flat for posting as a gift. Thanks for stopping by - enjoy the rest of your day xx

Well we had the End of Term last week and now this week at  Make My Monday  we are celebrating the Great Getaway with the theme of VACATIONS So can you imagine setting sail across the ocean in a big cruise liner, sailing off into the sunset and ending up who knows where? That was sort of my idea when I created this card although a deserted island would suit me perfectly just now! Here is my card Materials - Stampin' Up Stamps: Traveler, The Open Sea, Basic Alphabet Ink: Pool Party, Chocolate Chip Card Stock: Very Vanilla, Pool Party Accessories: Dimensionals, White Bakers Twine (To order any of the above current items or items from the Annual Catalogue please e-mail me on deezinesart@gmail.com - a catalogue pdf can be found in the side bar. Items can be delivered direct to you - just £4.95 p+p any size order. Also see the special offers above in the top tabs - thanks). You can also shop directly from my Stampin' Up website - click  HERE  t...

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...

Oh yes - it's Monday again and time for another  Make My Monday  challenge - this week it's all about the boys - we want to see your masculine creations please. I have reverted to my favourite card layout and gone for my squares - take a look I have taken the images from The Open Sea and stamped them off each of the squares and then sponged the edges to give it a slightly vintage feel. Materials - Stampin' Up Stamps: The Open Sea Ink: Chocolate Chip, Crumb Cake Card Stock: crumb Cake, Chocolate Chip (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 with the NEW SPRING/SUMMER MINI. Items can be delivered direct to you - just £4.95 p+p any size order. Also see the special offers above in the top tabs - thanks). You can also shop now directly from my Stampin' Up website - click  HERE  to take a look. I can't wait to visit...

This theme used to fill me with horror - I used to dislike vintage so much but with The Open Sea from Stampin' Up it's easy, and just right for this week's new challenge over in  The Male Room . There is a gorgeous sailing galleon that is just begging to be made vintage and teamed with the old style World Map looks great - take a look Materials - Stampin' Up Stamps: The Open Sea, World Map, Loving Thoughts Ink: Chocolate Chip Card Stock: Very Vanilla, Baked Brown Sugar, Chocolate Chip (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 with the NEW SPRING/SUMMER MINI. Items can be delivered direct to you - just £4.95 p+p any size order. Also see the special offers above in the top tabs - thanks). You can also shop now directly from my Stampin' Up website - click  HERE  to take a look. Please don't forget that if your or...

I'm a bit behind with my posting at the moment but there's still time to take part in the challenge over in  The Male Room . The theme is MUSIC and you have a week left to play. My card was inspired by the John Lennon song 'Imagine' - take a look Materials - Stampin' Up Stamps: The Open Sea, Loving Thoughts Ink: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Pear Pizzazz, Bermuda Bay Card Stock: Naturals Ivory, Real Red Accessories: Circle Punch, Modern Label Punch, 2 Step Owl Punch, Dimensionals (To order any of the above current items or items from the Annual Catalogue please e-mail me on deezinesart@gmail.com - a catalogue pdf can be found in the side bar along with the NEW SPRING/SUMMER MINI. Items can be delivered direct to you - just £4.95 p+p any size order. Also see the special offers above in the top tabs - thanks). You can also shop now directly from my Stampin' Up website - click  HERE  to take a look. Please don't forget that if your order...

Over at  Make My Monday  Laura is our first Hostess of the year and she has chosen EMBOSSING for our challenge this week. I've used loads on my card - dry embossing with a folder through the Big Shot and some gold and clear embossing using my heat gun. I also went outside of my comfort zone a little for this one and I'm still not sure whether I like it or not - the idea worked anyway - take a look I managed to make the ink look wet by using some clear embossing powder I used a Versamark pen and repeated the process about 3 times to achieve the look I was aiming for Materials - Stampin' Up Stamps: World Map, The Open Sea, Fine Feathers, Loving Thoughts Ink: Crumb Cake, Chocolate Chip, Basic Black, Early Espresso, Versamark Card Stock: Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip Accessories: Gold and Clear Embossing Powder, Dimensionals, Big Shot, Heat Gun (To order any of the above current items or items from the Annual Catalogue please e-mail me on deezinesart...

My fellow team mates on the DT at  Make My Monday  will not be surprised when I whine and moan at the subject of this week's challenge - STEAMPUNK!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't do Steampunk as a rule as I don't really understand it however, here is my card for this week - what do you think? Materials - Stampin' Up Stamps; Best of Butterflies, The Open Sea, Papaya Collage Ink: Black Stazon, Crumb Cake, Real Red, Versamark Card Stock: Basic Black, Real Red, Crumb Cake,Naturals Ivory Paper: Modern Medley DSP Accessories: Scallop Trim Punch, Gold EP, Big Shot, Dress Up Framelits, Apothecary Accents, Dimensionals (To order any of the above current items or items from the Annual Catalogue please e-mail me on deezinesart@gmail.com - a catalogue pdf can be found in the side bar. Items can be delivered direct to you - just £4.95 p+p any size order. Also see the special offers above in the top tabs - thanks). You can also shop now directly from my Stampin' Up web...

Morning all - sorry I've been away a while. I took some time out while sorting some things out. Thanks so much for sticking with me and coming back to visit. Today's card is for the new challenge over on in  The Male Room  - the theme this week is TRAVEL AND/OR TRANSPORT Here is my card Materials - Stampin' Up Stamps: The Open Sea Ink: Midnight Muse, Gumball Green, Early Espresso, Versa mark Card Stock: Whisper White, Gumball Green Paper: This and That DSP Accessories: Clear EP, Dimensionals, Circle Punch (To order any of the above current items or items from the Annual Catalogue please e-mail me on deezinesart@gmail.com - a catalogue pdf can be found in the side bar. Items can be delivered direct to you - just £4.95 p+p any size order. Also see the special offers above in the top tabs - thanks). You can also shop now directly from my Stampin' Up website - click  HERE  to take a look. Please don't forget to pop over and see what the ot...

Fliss has created this week's theme over on  Make My Monday  and she wants a Vintage project in sepia tones using either pink or blue. Here is my card - I chose blue Materials - Stampin' Up Stamps: The Open Sea Ink: Soft Suede, Midnight Muse Card Stock: Very Vanilla, Soft Suede Accessories: Circle Punch, Dimensionals (To order any of the above current items or items from the Annual Catalogue please e-mail me on deezinesart@gmail.com - a catalogue pdf can be found in the side bar. Items can be delivered direct to you - just £4.95 p+p any size order. Also see the special offers above in the top tabs - thanks). You can also shop now directly from my Stampin' Up website - click  HERE  to take a look. Don't forget that during the month of September if you join my Stampin' Up team not only will you receive the wonderful Stampin' Up Starter Kit but a FREE gift from me - a stamp set of your choice (up to the value of £21.95). Email me now for m...

Yep - yesterday was just that. I had intended getting up and posting my DT card for the challenge over on the  CAS - Colours & Sketches  blog but one thing after another happened and I collapsed into bed late last night realising that I never did get around to it! The challenge however is a colour theme - take a look and here is my card Materials - Stampin' Up Stamps: The Open Sea, Loving Thoughts Ink: Crumb Cake, Real Red, Bashful Blue Card Stock: Whisper White, Real Red Accessories: Dimensionals, Scallop Trim Border Punch, Circle Punch (To order any of the above current items or items from the Annual Catalogue please e-mail me on deezinesart@gmail.com - a catalogue pdf can be found in the side bar. Items can be delivered direct to you - just £4.95 p+p any size order. Also see the special offers above in the top tabs - thanks). Please don't forget to pop over and see what the other DT ladies have to show you and I hope to be visiting your bl...

Well I can safely say that the first challenge over in  The Male Room  was a huge success as we had over 100 entries! Challenge no.2 starts today and we have the theme of REFLECTIONS,  Now this could be reflections on water, mirror images or if you are a scrap booker or make memory books perhaps a page looking back reflecting a memory - the choice is yours please just make sure it's male. Here is my card                                  This is the card I made recently for my Son's 20th birthday (I can't believe I have 2 children now in their 20's!). For this card I didn't use my brayer - although you could - I used my sponges to lightly dab the dark ink on to the card stock. The Midnight Muse ink is very dark but using a sponge meant that it could be lightly applied and built up gently to give the effect I was after. My moon was created from a punched post it note  - I made 2 ...

That's right in just 6 days my new challenge blog  The Male Room  goes live with it's first challenge. It's a challenge blog for male only cards and we will be kicking off with an 'Anything Goes' challenge. Fellow teamie Caz has already started the countdown with her card  HERE  and today I'm sharing this card on the blog Materials - Stampin' Up Stamps: By the Tide, The Open Sea Ink: Baked Brown Sugar, Coastal Cabana, Bermuda Bay, Calypso Coral, Early Espresso Card Stock: Whisper White Accessories: Dimensionals (To order any of the above current items or items from the Annual Catalogue please e-mail me on deezinesart@gmail.com - a catalogue pdf can be found in the side bar. Items can be delivered direct to you - just £4.95 p+p any size order. Also see the special offers above in the top tabs - thanks). Please do pop over and take a look at the blog - it's going to be great fun! I am also entering this card into the challenge over at  Craft...

I know I must be mad but this is something I have been thinking about for a while now - my new challenge blog -  The Male Room . It does exactly what it says - it's a challenge for men only cards. Do check it out - I need a design team and all you have to do to qualify is make a male card/project - simples. Oh and if you could spread the word a bit for me that would be great please. Speaking of male cards - here's the card I made for my husband today This set is being carried over from the Spring/Summer mini into the new catalogue - isn't it lovely, can't wait to use it some more. Materials - Stampin' Up Stamps: The Open Sea, Delightful Dozen Ink: Crumb Cake, Not Quite Navy Card Stock: Whisper White, Very Vanilla, Riding Hood Red Accessories: Decorative Label Punch Thanks for looking, see you soon - Jacqueline xx

So, in amongst all the madness and mayhem of the last week and a half-ish there have been some wonderful havens of calm. One such haven was found at my friend Jane's workshop - please do visit her blog here at the  Petite Fleur Paperie  as she has some stunning work to show off. On the day we made cards using the very masculine set - The Open Sea. This is a set I have very much fallen in love with now and will probably be adding it to my wishlist! - Take a look at the cards I made The first one is a large A5 size card and is the one I have chosen to give to my husband today on his birthday. Along with the stamps I have used various inks and card stock in Not Quite Navy, Primrose Petals, Raspberry Ripple, Tempting Turquoise and Crumb Cake. The second two are smaller A6 size cards and use the same colours as above. So - is everyone looking forward to the weekend and the extra day on Monday? I must admit to being a little miffed as my  This and That ...