Phoenix Inspirations

So this post should have gone up last Friday but I went on a weekend away to my daughter's leaving my laptop at home - thus unable to post! Since I've been back home fibro has set in making me feel tired and unwell so I'm only just catching up. So last Friday was the start of the new challenge over on Rainbow Card Challenge And here is my card I have used Tranquil Tulips for this card with the colours So Saffron and Crushed Curry. It's a two step stamping set which means you can get extra detail on your images. Right I'm off to play now. I have some fab new stamps from Altenew and Lesiazghada Stamps, some coloured pencils and paints and I'm going to spend the day playing - especially as the weather is awful! Thanks for stopping by today - see you soon - J xx

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 I have a card to show you that I made quite a while ago. My wrists haven't been up to crafting and my hands don't like cutting much at the moment so it's lucky that I have a few cards in hand to put up on my blog! I've used Tranquil Tulips one of the fabulous Hostess sets - take a look My tulips are coloured with Fresh Fig ink while the little orange ones are Tangerine Tango. The leaves and grass are Always Artichoke. The sentiment is from Climbing Orchid. I am entering this card into the challenge over at The Joy of Sets To get this set you need to place an order of £150 or more OR host a party and have combined sales of £150 or more (excluding p+p). Please message me to place an order or to book a party. thanks for stopping by today - see you soon - J xx

Today's card is for the challenge over at Color Throwdown Here it is I am really enjoying working with this set - it's so easy and versatile. This card was so easy to create it literally took minutes and could be used for almost any occasion. I've added a sentiment from the Climbing Orchid set as there aren't any in the Tranquil Tulips set but you could add any. The colours I've used are Berry Burst, Pear Pizzazz and Daffodil Delight. It's my last day of work today before my holiday. I'm really looking forward spending a week with my daughter and possibly seeing my son too. It's been so long since I've seen him I think I'll have forgotten what he looks like!!! Thanks for stopping by today - please come back soon - J xx

I have another CAS(E)d card to share with you today. I recently purchases some watercolour paper from Stampin' Up but it's only today that I opened it and had a play. I found a tutorial by Independent Demonstrator Kim Jolley - her blog is  HERE  and the tutorial for her card is  HERE . it uses a different kind of shaving foam technique which is very interesting. However, anyone who knows me knows I hate messy crafting! So instead of shaving foam I just applied ink to my watercolour paper and spritzed it with water to blend it - not quite as messy! Here is my card So after substituting my background I followed Kim's tutorial to create my flowers which I think turned out quite well. I particularly enjoyed adding the splats - again that's as messy as I get. It's so sad that Gorgeous Grunge has retired as it had ready made splats!!!! Tranquil Tulips is a Hostess stamp set which requires an order of at least £150 - let me know if you'd like to place an...

I take part in a number of Facebook swaps - it's a great way of sharing ideas and creativity. Recently one such swap had the brief: double slider card, orange, blue and green. Here's what I came up with This is what it looks like before sliding. The orange ribbon forms the 'pull' The insides have been decorated too and stamped with sentiments. Here's a closer look This was a lovely card to make and there are loads of video tutorials on YouTube - do have a go. it has a huge wow factor. I'm still waiting impatiently for my starter kit to arrive. I am itching to get my hands on all that lovely new stuff - maybe tomorrow...........? See you soon xx

So Tranquil Tulips was still out on my work surface today and I had a little play with it before I put it away. Wreath cards are always fun to make and this was no exception - take a look I thought that this would be a nice quick and easy make but it ended up taking over an hour as I had to use loads of post it notes to mask images off. The finished card is lovely and colourful though don't you think? The sentiment in the middle if from Artistically Asian and is one of my favourites. Phew - so my little play turned out to be a marathon of stamping! Will have to try something a bit simpler next time! Thanks for stopping by - see you soon xx

Muscari or Grape Hyacinth have always grown in great profusion in my garden and they will always have a special place in my heart. My dad hated them! The more he tried to irradicate them from the garden the more they would grow! It became a huge family joke! The stamp set Tranquil Tulips has a muscari stamp in it and today I have created this card - dedicated to my dad who sadly passed away two years ago - take a look This card is made just using the Tranquil Tulips set - there are lots of lovely elements perfect for stamping stems and grassy leaves and it makes making cards like this a doddle! All that's needed is a little light sponging. No sentiment on this card as I haven't yet decided who it is for.  Just a quick post today as I'm back at work after a lovely long weekend off. I have however got some time off in order to make preparations for something very exciting happening at the start of July - hope you will join me for that - see you soon xx

I was lucky enough to receive the Tranquil Tulips as a gift recently. It's a Stampin' Up Hostess set and can only be purchased with orders of £150 or more. I was over the moon - I love this set and got straight to work making a card with it - take a look I used Pumpkin Pie ink for the flowers and Old Olive for the leaves, Very Vanilla and So Saffron card stock. This card will be entered into the challenge over on Freshly Made Sketches Thanks for stopping by today - see you soon x