Snow Storm

Oh dear the little hare has been caught in a fierce snow storm. He doesn't mind though as it is Christmas Eve, and he is excitedly looking up to the sky for a first glimpse of Father Christmas and his Reindeer!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

I would like to enter this into Lavinia Stamps Let it Snow

 

Christmas Shopping Card

This card is for my Mother, we enJOY going shopping together. Unfortunately nobody makes a stamp of a lady in a wheelchair, so on the card I am walking along! I could of course draw a lady in a wheelchair, but these stamps are so cute I had to use them!

Thanks so much for looking.

I would like to enter the card into the following Challenges:-

Country View Challenges Create a Scene

Artistic Stamper Christmas

Craft Stamper Sharing the Season

That's Crafty Seasons Greetings

 

 

Bah Humbug Card

My sister does not like Christmas so I made her this Scrooge Bah Humbug card. I used the Graphic 45 Christmas Carol Stamps

I would like to enter it into the following challenges:-

Mixed Media Mojo sentiment twist not to use red or green.

Country View Challenges Create a Scene

Artistic Stamper Christmas

Craft Stamper Sharing the Season

That's Crafty Seasons Greetings

Thank,you so much for looking

 

Downton Abbey Card

Oh dear, it's the last Downton Abbey ever this Christmas! What will we do..

I made this wintery Downton Abbey scene in tribute to the long running show. I am going to make several more of these scenes, so I can turn them into Christmas cards for friends who I know love Downton Abbey.

I think Edith is going to marry Bertie in the last show, don't you?

Sorry I think I may have taken the photo a bit askew.

Thanks so much for looking.

I will like to enter this into the following challenges:-

Craft Stamper Sharing the Season

Country View Create a Scene

Artistic Stamper Christmas

That's Crafty Season Greetings

Creative Artiste Mixed Media Challenge Anything Goes

 

Christmas Mug

 

 

I made this Chirtsmas Mug as a gift. I just added tea bags in the mug to take the picture. Later I am also going to add one of those spoon stirrer thingies, you know the spoons which have chocolate on the end with embedded marshmallows in.

I will then wrap it in cellophane.

I used

Lavinia Stamps, dye inks, card, and glossy accents to make the mug.

Thanks so much for looking.

I would like to enter this into the following challenges

Lavinia Stamps Christmas

Craft Stamper Take a Stamp

Country View Challenges Colour Blue

 

Country view Crafts Design Team Special mention

Thank you so very much Country View Crafts for the Design Team special mention.

 

Reaching for Wishes

 

I used dye inks, white acrylic paint on a cocktail stick! a punched butterfly- oh dear that does not sound good but you know what I mean!

And some pretty flowersoft for her to stand in.

 

I would like to enter this into

Craft Stampers Octobers Challenge ink, stitch paint

And Country View Crafts add some texture

All of the cards I have shown for the last few challenges were made months ago, but I had never put them on my blog before. I am still unwell and I have not been able to do hardly any craft since August. I miss it very much.

 

 

 

Winter Fun

 

To make this card I used dye inks, white acrylic paint, stickles and a scrap of fabric which I coloured with ink for the snowmans scarf.

 

The children look like they are having lots of fun whizzing along on their sled!

I would like to enter this into

Craft Stampers Octobers Challenge ink, stitch paint

And Country View Crafts add some texture

 

Winter Whispers

 

I used dye inks to create the background and stamped the cute deers on a separate sheet of card. After colouring them with spectrum noir pencils I cut them out and attached them with 3D pads.

I added some white paint to the trees, and then added lots of glorious glitter for a snowy sparkly effect.

 

Thank you for looking.

 

I would like to enter this into Craft stampers Challenge Ink,Stitch,Paint,Collage Challenge

 

For Marty

 

My dearest friend Marty died one year ago today.

I miss you so very much Mart. I will always love you all the way to the moon and back a gazillion times.

 

Witch's Hovel

I was honoured to be asked to be a Guest Designer this month at Mixed Media Mojo. The theme was Halloween with a twist of wings.

I decided to create this Witch's Hovel. I included an artificial tea light inside the house to give it a spooky look after dark.

I used old book pages to create the house. I cut the pages into strips and wound them around a thin skewer stick, followed by a dab glue on the edge to hold them in place. Then I carefully slid them off the skewer.I built up these little rolls to make the house. You could make all sorts of wondrous houses, the possibilities are endless. You just need to make the appropriate length rolls to fit your design

For the spooky tree I used a thick wire as the trunk and twisted strips of the book pages around it to form branches.

The witch always washes her best hat and stockings before Halloween, so they are hanging on the washing line. I used some twigs for the posts and thread for the line.

I tried my hand at drawing a few bats, and attached them to thin wires to go up behind the house to give the impression that they are flying around.

I used a signpost stamp from a Wizard of Oz stamp set by Crafty Secrets , and I also stamped a crow to sit on top of it.

I assembled it all on some thick card and then covered the ground in black flowersoft.

I hope that you like my Witch's hovel and will be inspired to make one for Halloween.

©JannetBlay

 

Crisp Autumn

As I haven't been well enough to make any crafty things recently I thought I would add some which I made in the summer.

Crisp Autumn

If you would like to know how I created this, you can find the details in the November issue of Craft Stamper Magazine.There are lots of lovely autumnal projects in the magazine this month. I am delighted to be included among them.

I Believe in Unicorns

This is a fun mystical creation ! The unicorn is by Lavinia Stamps

 

Challenges

My health has not been so good for the last month or more, so I have not been able to take part in any of my usual monthly challenges.

Happily I have now started creating for my October Guest Designer Spot at Mixed Media Mojo. Even if it is on a lap tray on my bed. I always have to do all of my crafting on a lap tray, so I am used to trying to do it that way!

Thank you so much to Mixed Media Mojo for selecting me, it is a privilege.

I miss my crafting very much but I have been able to do some pastel painting. I have not done any painting for decades, but pastel painting was something I could do when resting. I don't really care for the pastels I have now as they are very waxy. I remember the ones I had years ago were more chalky.

I tried to paint my friend Marty, she died last October and I miss her so very, very much. We had the same and similar health and disability problems.

 

Here is my first attempt at painting Marty. Hopefully I will get better.

I love you my dear friend for always.

 

New Craft Stamper Design

My Craft Stamper arrived today, and it has had a revamp. The new style title is really good with the delicate swirls and splodgy font. I am going to enjoy discovering all the new things inside.

It came at just the right time as I am still not over my infection, but I've finished the antibiotics now, so hope I hope to feel better soon.

Happy Bank Holiday weekend everyone.

 

Butterfly Tree

I was originally going to make an apple tree for my fathers birthday, but I decided that a butterfly tree would look nicer. But I have since decided to buy him a cherry tree for his birthday. So I am now going to remove some of the butterflies and make some cherries to replace them.

I made the tree from old book pages. I punched out a flurry of butterflies from some pretty Dovecraft paper, and glued them carefully onto the branches.

I coloured the lovely Phyllis Harris little girl stamp with spectrum noir pencils. I placed her underneath the tree and onto a card base which I then covered in flowersoft.

Thank you so much for looking.

I would like to enter my Butterfly tree into the following challenges

Craft Stamper Take It Make It Challenge Pens and Pencils

Artistic Stamper Anything Goes

Country View Challenge Summer Time

Mixed Media Mojo Anything Goes

 

 

 

 

New Lavinia Stamps Arrived!

Look what has arrived today! They are gorgeous, I am inspired with all sorts of ideas to create with them. I love the little toadstool, they have a few tiny stamps which are just £1.

I've just got to get rid of another infection, and then I can play.

I have something ready made to put in for the Craft Stamper challenge so I must blog that soon, or August will be over before I know it!

 

Beautiful Polar Bear Photo

Ooh isn't this just gorgeous !

You can view many more beautiful photos at Dennis Fasts Gallery

 

Cliff sings Faithful One at Cillas funeral, he did her proud

I remember as a child watching Cilla Blacks TV shows. 

Cliff sang beautifully at her funeral today, you could see that he had to swallow hard, but he did Cilla proud.

Lavender Tea Cup

This is my first attempt at making a tea cup! I have made an early start making my Christmas gifts. We have friends who always stop in on their way to the Lake District in October so we always give them their Christmas gifts then.

I used Lavinia Stamps Lavender stamp on the tea cup, and their flowers stamp on the saucer. I drew a gold line around the edges and then covered it in glossy accents to make it sturdy but also to give it a glossy China look...

I visited Fortnums and Masons for the first time on Monday, so I picked up, some of their famous tea to sit inside the cup.

Thank you so much for looking.

I would like to enter my Lavender Tea Cup into the following challenges

Lavinia Stamps Anything But A Card

Artistic Stamper Anything Goes

Country View Challenge Summer Time

Lisa B Designs Lavinia Stamps

 

My birthday is in August, and to celebrate I am giving away a Clarity Stamp Stencil. Also included is a booklet of ideas on how to use it. Which is written by Barbara Gray. More info and to enter here

 

 

How others see you is not important

 

 

 

Lovely new Lavinia Stamps

Lavinia Stamps have released some beautiful new stamps. I especially love the new fairy stamps.

You can see them here I have also added my favourites to my Pinterest Crafts

Miss Meadows

I watched the film Miss Meadows today, and it was very very good.  I highly recommend it.


"Prim schoolteacher Miss Meadows (Katie Holmes) is not entirely what she appears. Well-mannered, sweet, and caring, yes, but underneath the candy-sweet exterior hides the soul of a vigilante, taking it upon herself to right the wrongs in this cruel world by whatever means necessary. Things get complicated, however, when Miss Meadows gets romantically entangled with the town sheriff (James Badge Dale).

The above storyline is from IMDb

Braver than you think Pooh

Just a little whatnot I made quickly today, with my new sentiment stamp from Inkylicious.

I am happy to report that their ink dusters worked very well too, 

I am celebrating my birthday on Saturday by giving away a Clarity Stencil, and ideas booklet written by Barbara Gray. So please pop by and take a peek.

Ink Dusters, Pooh quote stamp, and make your own Stamp Masks

I have received these happy packages One from Inkylicious and one from Stix2 .

I am especially looking forward to using the ink dusters as I have had terrible problems with some stencil brushes I have used before. The hairs came out, and not just one or two but bunches of them! (See pics below) The company sent me another set and the same thing happened again, so I looked for alternatives and these ones look good. 

Oh at the same time this lovely stamp found its way into my basket. The quote is from a Pooh film, but it is not from the original books by A.A. Milne. I hope to a make a card with it soon.

At Stix2 I found A4 sheets of masking paper, so I can now create my own masks for stamps, and I may try to create a mask  for  the London skyline. A bit ambitious, but worth a try! Stix2 have free postage in July.

I have some Blog Candy to give away on Saturday.......

My Pastel Painting of Elvis

My sister was recently sorting out all of the clutter from our attic, when she came upon some of my pastel paintings from nearly 30 years ago! 

I particularly like this one of Elvis. I could never do that now! It is especially remarkable because at the time I painted it I was very, very seriously ill, and I painted it in bed.

 A few months later I was near to death in a coma and was not expected to survive, but that is another story......

It was nice to see this painting again, I now have it in a frame and hanging on my wall. I am of course still an Elvis fan.

Crafty Individuals Face Value

I don't think I have ever made a Christmas card in July before! 

Crafty Individuals have a Challenge this month with the theme of "Face Value". So I used their lovely deer stamp on my card, and created a snowy landscape.

 I have a feeling this deer maybe Prancer!

Thank you so much for looking.

GIVE AWAY

 



It's my Birthday on the 1st of August, and to celebrate I am giving away a Clarity Stamp Stencil. Also included will be a booklet of ideas on how to use it. Which is  written by Barbara Gray.

I am not giving any clues as to which stencil it is, but if you would like a chance to win it, just pop back on August 1st!

 

Fields of flowers tags

It's my sister's birthday next week, so I wanted to make some summery tags to attach to her gifts. I have used Lavinia stamps. I wanted to create a field of neverending beautiful flowers.

 I would like to enter these into the following challenges

Artistic Stampers Challenge Tags

Little Claire's Challenge In Bloom

Thank you so much for looking

Magical Fairy Garden

My mothers friend often gives her broken bits of jewellery and various sparkly bits, for me. As she thinks I can always do something with them!

The last little collection had  a large sparkly gem pendant included, and a very pretty flower which was once an earring. I immediately thought of fairies, and my Lavinia Stamps.

I decided to make a 3d  Fairy scene. I cut down a camomile tea box to use as my stage, and started stamping. I carefully cut out my fairy and glued her to  the top part of the pendant, and glued the underneath  to the box. Then I began stamping a vast array of lavender flowers and bluebells. I wanted the fairy to be sitting amongst a host  of flowers. I cut out all of the flowers the lavender was a real challenge!

I decided not to use the poppies and chose bluebells instead 



Even though I used thickish card the flowers did not want to stand up, and they just flopped when I inserted them into the box. So out came the trusty pva glue, and I gave them a good coating. When they were dry I managed to slot them all  in, including of course the one special earring flower. I then  used three colours of flowersoft to cover the box and to make it look like grass and flowers. Of course as it is a fairy special place it needed a few drops of stickles added too!

I made a lavender bag to go underneath the box. I had some left over dried lavender from the garden  last year. This years is drying nicely. I attached the lavender bag with a ribbon to the underside of the box so it can be taken out if needed.



I am going to give this to my Mothers friend Irene, to thank her for all the little bits and pieces she sends to me. I have to admit though, I sometimes have no idea what some of the bits are......

I would like to enter this into the following challenges

Lavinia Stamps Add a Flower

Craft Stamper Take it Make it Anything Goes

Thank you for looking, I hope you can smell the lavender.

 

Clear Stamp Storage Solution

I had a  splendid stamp binder which I think was made by Papermania. It's zipper broke last week
 ( probably caused by overfilling!) and since then I have been trying to find a better solution for storing my treasured stamps. 

I decided to try an Ez Mount binder, which arrived today ( you have to buy separate page inserts too) The stamps stick directly to the pages, although some of my stamps were playing up and wouldn't  stick. So  I gave them a little bath, and then they were fine.

My stamps enjoying a bath

The only problem I have found with the new binder is that all the stamps which had happily lived  in my original binder won't fit in the new one.

Ez Mount Binder

So I am now not sure whether to buy another Papermania binder, and hope the zip doesn't break again or get another Ez Mount one. The price is about the same. By the time I have saved for  one I may have decided.......