Thank you for visiting

Thank you for visiting. Please join me and also visit my Splitcoast gallery which can be found here

Saturday 30 June 2012

Christmas in June - CCC12

I don't think I have posted any of these cards before to my blog but apologies if I have.  I realised this morning I had not completed my '12' Christmas cards for the month of June.  Most were nearly there but there were certainly not 12 ready to go.  We have been out today so tonight I have been rushing to get them all finished.
These first two use gilding flakes - I am new to these and need more practice.



The next batch use black stencil paste, which I am convinced is more messy than the white, and sketch challenge SC384.  Only just been brave enough to try any of the stencil pastes but I am learning!


This batch of 5 all use gold stencil paste.  I think this colour is very effective but sadly does not photograph well.


My last two cards uses the church stamp from MFP and the pince cones on the background strip which was created using glimmer mists and then embossed with a Tim Holtz folder. 

You can see it has been a messy June in terms of the techniques I have been using on  my Christmas cards.

Thursday 28 June 2012

Magic 10

I left work early yesterday to see the Osteopath so when I went in to work this morning I found an email asking if I could help with a card for a Nephew's Birthday this weekend.  Well that meant one thing - get home and get cracking!



I was given the theme of Magic for 10 year old John. 

I knew I had rabbits but didn't think I had a top hat so I therefore turned to digital images and found the top hat and rabbits I have used on this card. 




I used the cut outs from the fancy circle used on yesterday's card that had not been binned and added confetti stars.  I used the letters of the name plus his age as items popping out of the hat.  I then added more stars and stickle streamers!  This card is being entered into this week's OCC 10 challenge

Yes it has ended up quite busy, but as it is for a boy of 10 I didn't want it to be boring.

Only one day until the weekend so smile through it and enjoy the weekend - I hope you get a little magic!

Wednesday 27 June 2012

Victoria says Relax

 This card was given today to my Osteopath who I sadly saw for the last time as she is concentrating her work closer to where she lives.  Victoria has helped me through some stressful periods and has been an encouragement to me as well as the one who fights to release my knotted muscles - I will miss her.

My card uses a cute Penny Black image of a cat in a lovely lavender scented bubble bath - something Victoria recommended often!  The mouse enjoys it too!






The card is using colours and theme from this week's Sentimental Sundays challenge and flags / bunting to fit with the Penny Black and Stampin Sisters in Christ challenges.  I have used Spellbinders dies, Memento ink and Copics.  I have captured a close up to hopefully show you the glittery bubbles - obviously went to Lush for the bath products!

Monday 25 June 2012

Swimming in the Big Pond

This is my card for this week's High Hopes challenge using the Week 4 VLV Sketch.  It is a simple card but with a hint of fun!
It was stamped with Memento Black and coloured with Copics.  Papers and from Doodlebug.
Some stickles were added to his spout.

Thank you for looking.

FOSTV - 4th July

It is great working with Marks Finest Papers and I love the stamp sets but challenges like today's always give me something of a well challenge! 

Celebrating American Indepedence Day is rather odd when you are British as I found out when we visited the Boston Tea Party Ship - yes they did pick on us a little - no actually it was quite a lot!!!




I made this card using Island Life, a set launched last week, and using the snowflake from the Ice and Snow stamp set to make my fireworks.  As you can see I made it a celebratory card so I can use it for any good news.  The fireworks were stamped and embossed with white and then coloured over with pencils.  I used a white distress marker to add the 'sparks' in the sky.

Most of you need no excuse to celebrate 4th July so head on over to Friends of Speedy TV and join in this week's fun.  We would love to see what you create.  There is another lovely set you could win called Oh Happy Day

Sunday 24 June 2012

Sunny Sidmouth

One of my friends from college days has recently left the London area and moved to Devon.  I made this quick card to wish her Sunny Days in her new home.  The stamps used are from Hobby Art and Verve.  The sketch I have used is VLVJune Week 3.

I hope you have some sunny days this week too.

Friday 22 June 2012

Silly Shells

Welcome to Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Company's 
                        June Blog Hop!
This month's New Stamp Set Releases are
Welcome Poppies Featured June 19
I'm In Stitches Featured June 20
Island Life Featured June 21
Silly Shells Featured June 22
Please hop along with us! You have a chance to win one of the above stamp sets! Just comment on the following blogs (don't forget this one), each day for more chances to win! (You do NOT have to comment on all the blogs each day! The names are drawn randomly!)


 All four winners will be announced on June 23, 2012 on the Mark's Finest Papers blog. You can go back and comment if you missed a day. (HINT: The more you comment, the more chances you have to win and comments on the MFP blog count twice!)  
This is the last day of the hop so go check back any posts you have missed and want to comment on!  
 The deadline for commenting is 11PM EST on Friday June 22, 2012.

Lois
Vicky
Anne
Pat G.
Karen H.
Patty P.
Mary
Marilynn
Pam
Debbie
Nancy
Bonnie
Kathy
Brenda
Toni
Tangii
Thrifty Stamper
Sue
Kelli
Janine
Tammylee
Janis L.
Mark's Finest 

I am going to put this in a frame and give it to a good friend.

 This card uses the 3 smaller shells and the sentiment from Daffodil Greetings.  There are some funny sentiments with this set but not ones I wanted to use here.

Thursday 21 June 2012

Island Life

Welcome to Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Company's 
                        June Blog Hop!
This month's New Stamp Set Releases are
Welcome Poppies Featured June 19
I'm In Stitches Featured June 20
Island Life Featured June 21
Silly Shells Featured June 22
Please hop along with us! You have a chance to win one of the above stamp sets! Just comment on the following blogs (don't forget this one), each day for more chances to win! (You do NOT have to comment on all the blogs each day! The names are drawn randomly!) All four winners will be announced on June 23, 2012 on the Mark's Finest Papers blog. You can go back and comment if you missed a day. (HINT: The more you comment, the more chances you have to win and comments on the MFP blog count twice!) The deadline for commenting is 11PM EST on Friday June 22, 2012.

Lois
Vicky
Anne
Pat G.
Karen H.
Patty P.
Mary
Marilynn
Pam
Debbie
Nancy
Bonnie
Kathy
Brenda
Toni
Tangii
Thrifty Stamper
Sue
Kelli
Janine (you are here)
Tammylee (see what wonderful creations Tammylee has for you next)
Janis L.
Mark's Finest 



 I have also used the Gullible Mini Stamp Set on this card.

Thanks for stopping to look - hope you are enjoying the hop - they are great sets.

Wednesday 20 June 2012

I'm In Stitches

Welcome to Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Company's 
                        June Blog Hop!
This month's New Stamp Set Releases are
Welcome Poppies Featured June 19
I'm In Stitches Featured June 20
Island Life Featured June 21
Silly Shells Featured June 22
Please hop along with us! You have a chance to win one of the above stamp sets! Just comment on the following blogs (don't forget this one), each day for more chances to win! (You do NOT have to comment on all the blogs each day! The names are drawn randomly!) All four winners will be announced on June 23, 2012 on the Mark's Finest Papers blog. You can go back and comment if you missed a day. (HINT: The more you comment, the more chances you have to win and comments on the MFP blog count twice!) The deadline for commenting is 11PM EST on Friday June 22, 2012.
 
Today I am sharing two cards made with this set.

I used to do far more with my sewing machine than I do today.  Cardmaking has taken up all my creative space and my previous sewing place - the dining room is usually full of hubby's work papers etc. etc.  
When I first started sewing we all used machines similar to this made by Singer or Bernina.  You can see that I do have something a little more modern - wedding gift from Hubby so it is still 33 years old this year.


  
My second card uses another couple of images from the set and as you can see I used embossing powder on the scissors.
This is the full list of design team members who have projects to share so have a hop round to see what they have done with this lovely set.   Tammylee is next.

Tuesday 19 June 2012

Welcome Poppies

Welcome to Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Company's 
                        June Blog Hop!
This month's New Stamp Set Releases are
Welcome Poppies Featured June 19
I'm In Stitches Featured June 20
Island Life Featured June 21
Silly Shells Featured June 22

My cards using these poppies hopefully show how much I love them - I have made 3 one of which you will find on the MFP page at the end of the hop.

 

  
Please hop along with us! You have a chance to win one of the above stamp sets! Just comment on the following blogs (don't forget this one), each day for more chances to win! (You do NOT have to comment on all the blogs each day! The names are drawn randomly!) All four winners will be announced on June 23, 2012 on the Mark's Finest Papers blog. You can go back and comment if you missed a day. (HINT: The more you comment, the more chances you have to win and comments on the MFP blog count twice!) The deadline for commenting is 11PM EST on Friday June 22, 2012.

Lois
Vicky
Anne
Pat G.
Karen H.
Patty P.
Mary
Marilynn
Pam
Debbie
Nancy
Bonnie
Kathy
Brenda
Toni
Tangii
Thrifty Stamper
Sue
Kelli
Janine (that's me)
Tammylee (next stop)
Janis L.
Mark's Finest

Monday 18 June 2012

Summer

The theme this week at FOSTV is Summer and that is also the theme for this week's Pan Pastels challenge. Butterflies flitting around the summer flowers is a really beautiful sight.  I made the card using the masked centre technique recently posted in the tutorial section at Speedy TV using three shades of pink ink.

We may even be getting a little summer here in the UK as the sun shone yesterday and my nose also got a little pink!

Please join in the challenge at Friends of Speedy TV - you could win the stamp set called Lighthouses.

Sunday 17 June 2012

High Hopes for the boys

Men and boys alike have to BBQ.  The High Hopes challenge is one for the boys so I paired it with Sketch SC385 and came up with this simple card.

It is coloured with Copics.  Papers and fibres are from my stash.

Thanks for popping by.


Red, White and Blue again

I seem to be into red, white and blue right now- must be all the royal events and all the Union Jacks flying!
This card uses VLVJune2012 Week 2 sketch and this week's JUGS colours which are, as you might have guessed, Red, White and Blue.
I have used Spellbinders dies, Tim Holtz embossing folders and Verve stamps

Thank you for dropping by.

Janine

Saturday 16 June 2012

Actions speak louder than words - 1 John 3:18

The challenge at Stampin Sisters in Christ is all about actions and God's love showing through them.  I have had this Hero Arts stamp in the drawer for some time but it remained un-inked until today.  I am sure with a group of children there is plenty of action in their dancing.  I know this should be a May image but with the strange weather we are having it could almost be April!
The image is stamped with Black Versafine and Distress Markers are used to add the touches of colour.  The flower is made with the smallest bitty blossoms die - yes I am trying to work these out - this is my first attempt!

May your dancing be this happy!

May hope sustain you

When I saw this lovely sketch I had no idea I would be using it for a bereavement card and for someone I have known a long time.  It is not easy to make a card when you are feeling tearful but I knew I had to get this done.  I have used Verve and Marks Finest Papers stamps with the Sketch SC389.  The card will go off on Monday to Sally and the girls who lost a husband and Dad to cancer on Friday morning.  I can't imagine what they are going through right now.

Friday 15 June 2012

VLV June Week1

It is now the 3rd Friday in June and I have only just made my week 1 card.  I have used some Spellbinders dies and the lovely rose image from Marks Finest Papers Love Remains set on this card.  Even though I went for quite muted colours I did paint some Stickles on the rose so in real life it sparkles a little. 

This week seems to have been a really long one so I am keeping this short and sweet.

Have a good weekend

Janine

Thursday 14 June 2012

Jubilee Cow

Sorry this is possibly a little disrespectful to use a cow with the red, white and blue colours so close to the Queen's Jubilee weekend of celebrations but somehow the card evolved and I just went with the flow.  I actually have tremendous respect for the Queen who does an amazing job.
The card uses some doodlebug scraps in red and blue and the image with some Copic shading.  I am entering the card in this week's Penny Black challenge

WMSC101 - Anniversary Wishes

This is the first of two posts today to share a challenge card or two.  This one is using the Waltzingmouse sketch for this week.  I have used two of their sets on this card, which I am afraid is quite simple.

Thanks for looking.

Monday 11 June 2012

FOSTV - Father's Day

Father's Day is a sad occasion for me because I lost my Dad when I was only 19 and my Father-in-Law about 7 years ago.  However as I sell cards at work I have made a couple of Father's Day cards using Marks Finest Papers stamps.

The first one uses sketch SC323 and an image from the set Big Boys Toys plus an embossing folder to add a bit of a texture to the papers, which I then sanded.

I used Copics to colour the image.


The second card uses the Sentimental Sundays sketch and an image from the set being offered as a prize to one lucky participant who joins in the fun at this week's FOSTV challenge.  This is a simple card but shows how easy it is to make a card with these masculine images.  The set is called Get Reel and my card just uses some patterned paper as a background.  The flags and buttons finish it off!

I am also entering this card in the Pan Pastels challenge for a Father's Day card.

Sunday 10 June 2012

Another New Technique - Acrylic Distress

Jugs this week are encouraging us to us the Acrylic Distress technique which is another technique I have never tried before.

I used a Spellbinders M-bossabilites with a peeled paint dauber and then inks in Frayed Burlap and Dried Marigold.  The stamped image is from Mark's Finest Papers (a Heinrich Company) and is from a new set called Oopsy Daisy.  It was coloured with Copics and popped up on foam pads.

As you can see the card stock, which started out white, was cut with a fancy rectangle die also from Spellbinders.

Thank you for checking this out.

Saturday 9 June 2012

Two More Christmas Cards

This post is Christmas related - sorry I know we are only just seeing the sunshine.  My cards will be for my CCC12 commitment for June but are also for other challenges.

The first card is for the Sentimental Sundays and High Hopes challenges.  Sentimental Sundays is a sketch with Spots and High Hopes this week is Anything Goes.  The image is High Hopes, the sentiment is from Tim Holtz and the papers are from Papermania.












My second card is for today's OCC challenge to use your favourite Tim Holtz technique.  Well I can't say this is my favourite technique because today was the first time I tried it but I saw Tim on a video showing his reflections stamps and I had to get them.  I found out how to use them with embossing folders so that is what I did on this card.  The embossing folder is from Cuttlebug and I used the Seasonal Reflections Christmas sentiment stamped in Archival black.  The sponging was done with Bundled Sage Distress ink and the berries were coloured with a marker.

Friday 8 June 2012

Your Time to Shine

Stampin Sisters in Christ challenge from last Sunday was about heavenly things and originally I was going to make a Christmas card using an angel.  However I went to the Glitter Pot that morning and watched Jane Gill demonstrating stencils with paste.  Now I knew I had a hardly used jar of stencil paste because I was never brave enough to go for it so I came home and had a play - this was my first attempt so I turned it into this card using this week's Mojo Monday sketch.  I know you need sunglasses to look at it but I wanted a really sunny theme!


Thank you for looking and maybe the sun will make an appearance for us this weekend

Thursday 7 June 2012

Jump

OK this is a quick, simple and cute card in between some more sensible cards I am making for the up and coming Marks Finest Papers Blog Hop - we have some more great sets to work with this month. 

I made this card to start my June Christmas cards off (CCC12) - 12 a month minimum is my target.  I used this week's JUGS sketch.  The image is a digital one.



Thanks for looking and have a great weekend - only Friday to go!

Monday 4 June 2012

Buttons & Bows

This week's challenge at Friends of Speedy TV is to make a card or other project using Buttons and Bows.  I made this Anniversary Card which is for my sister and her husband for their 18th Wedding Anniversary.  I hope they like it.

The card uses Marianne and Spellbinders dies along with the rose from the Marks Finest Papers Love Remains set.  I love colouring the roses from that set - in fact I was doing one in pink only last night.  This rose bud was coloured with Prismacolor pencils and then H2Os to add a little sheen.  I have also tied a bow in a sheer blue ribbon and added tiny buttons to the die.

The set you could win this week is another flower set - Daffodil Greetings which also features a lovely butterfly.

Thank you for checking this out - please join with this week's challenge - we would love to see what you create.

Sunday 3 June 2012

Wet Jubilee

It has been  a very wet day for the Queens Jubilee Parade and for all the street parties.  We have our flag on display but never made it to any events and will catch up with it on the TV.  Instead I had some crafting time and came up with a card for this week's Penny Black and OCC challenges based on one of Kath's cards.  The image is from Penny Black and I used distress inks.  The horizontal strip is stamped with an Anita's stamp.
PBSC204 & OCC Frame

I also mounted an image I did on the Scenic Layouts class on another card base - this card uses MFP and Stampscapes images.


Thank you for stopping by to look and comment.  Have a good week.