Lili of the Valley Teddy Topper friendship card

Hi blogging friends

I made a special thank you/friendship card for my beautiful friend C who has just been so amazing with her support of our family as we continue to go through the ups and downs of our loved one's ongoing medical condition.   I love our chats on the phone and because C loves cardmaking too, we have so much to talk about. 

One thing that I have found through caring for my loved one, is that it is very socially isolating; others move on with their busy lives and you get left behind because you have so little downtime: and you almost feel like your situation is "old news".   I honestly don't think I could have gone through all that we have without C - and I know, that if I am feeling down or I want to chat about anything, I can just reach for the phone and call C.    Knowing that I can ring someone who completely understands how I feel has been a tremendous help and made me feel not so alone.  Now that C has the card in her hot little hands, I can share it here on my blog:

The cute little teddy in his field of daisies is a Lili of the Valley (UK) Teddy Topper which has been retired as I cannot find it on their website anymore.  LOTV do have an EBay Outlet Store where they have lots of their retired toppers and if you are lucky enough, you might be able to find this topper.  You can find the link to their EBay Store HERE.  They do post to overseas but you have to ask for a quote first.  The sentiment is also by LOTV and was stamped using Versamagic Pretty Petunia chalk ink.  I used my Martha Stewart Lace Heart edge punch to punch the yellow heart (ie: the heart is the leftover punchie) which is popped up dimensionals.  I added Kindyglitz Crystalina glitter glue to the heart, butterfly and all the flower petals and the teddy's cheeks (not that you can see it in the photo as the weather was so dull and difficult for photography).  I corner-punched the topper using a SU corner punch.

The designer paper is digital by NitWit Collections -Just Ducky Too.  The white embossed base is a 6" x 6" embossing folder by Crafter's Companion - Floral EF6:  I love this large folder - so perfect for card bases for those of us who make square cards!  Just as an aside, Crafter's Companion have just released some Christmas 6" x 6" embossing folders - ohh, there are some really pretty ones and I have ordered the snowflakes one as I have wanted a larger snowflakes embossing folder forever!!   

The yellow ribbon was added in two separate elements and the bow itself was made with my Bow Easy; I added Fray Stop to the cut ends to stop them from fraying.

Thanks for stopping by - have a fab weekend!

Jocelyn


Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Lili of the Valley UK - General Greetings Small ST063

Ink:  Versamagic Pretty Petunia chalk

Designer paper:  NitWit Collections - digital - Just Ducky Too - Copyright Mary Fran © 2006- 2013 Nitwit Collections™

Accessories:  Big Shot, Spellbinder Scalloped Square Nestabilities, My Favorite Things Die-namics Scallop edge die, Crafter's Companion Embossalicious Floral EF6 6" x 6" embossing folder, yellow organza ribbon, Fray Stop, Bow Easy, dimensionals, Perfect Layers Tools, Kindyglitz Crystalina glitter glue, cardstock - white, lavender

Punches:  Martha Stewart Lace Heart edge (yellow heart), Stampin' Up corner

Penny Black Stickeroo birthday card

Hi blogging friends

Just for something a little different, I made a quick little birthday card using two Penny Black Stickeroos as I have a ton of birthdays coming up over the next 2 months:

This is also my card for the WordPlay Saturday July Challenge of "Birthday".  See THIS link for more details on the challenge.

Before I added the Stickeroos to my card, I lightly chalked the white cardstock with some blue chalk for the sky and a little bit of brown for the ground - not that you can see it all that much in the photo.   The sentiment is also by Penny Black from their Tiny Wishes clear set.  I punched a heart using a Martha Stewart Looped Hearts edge punch ie: the heart is the leftover punchie from using the punch - then popped it up on dimensionals.  I added some Kindyglitz glitter glue to the heart, flowers and bee wings.

The pink cardstock underneath the image was diecut using a Nellie Snellen Doily flower multi-frames die and my Big Shot. 

The designer paper has been in my stash for a while and is by Echo Park - Country Drive.  I am still on my mission to shop my stash rather than buying papers and really just buying some on the odd occasion when I see them on special.  All the cardstock layers were trimmed to an 1/8" border using my Perfect Layers Tools.

Lastly, I tied on some ribbon and attached some pink pearls to the bottom right-hand side.  I added some Fray Stop to the cut ends of the ribbon.

I thought about adding some flowers or some other fancy thing but decided to keep it simple so it is pretty flat and I can just pop a thin piece of bubble wrap over the card to protect it and it is still flat enough to not cost more to post.  Plus I always struggle with adding lots of embellishments to my cards for some reason (?).  I love what other cardmakers do with adding flowers, flourishes, fancy corners, diecuts, bits and bobs but they just don't seem to look right most of the time when I do it - just can't seem to get the card to look "balanced" and it looks too busy.

I think you could use this card for not only a birthday but for friendship or just to say "hi". 

Before I go, I thought that I would share 10 random things about myself - just for something different to my usual posts:

1. My favourite season of the year is winter:  all that layering of clothes, wearing a scarf, mittens and long socks - snuggling down in bed with lots of blankets - sitting by the fire on a cold day - bring it on - I LOVE it!
2. I am a big fan of the UK show Time Team as I have a keen interest in British archaeology.  Although the show has now finished, I sit glued to the TV watching the repeats.  I was so sad when Mick Aston passed away a few weeks ago.   I also have a passion for Egyptian history and archaeology.
3. I was Dux of my Business College when I graduated (blush, blush) but if I had my time over, I would have chosen to do something in the field of archaeology rather than a secretary (or a bookkeeper as I became later on).
4. Apart from the UK Time Team, my other favourite TV shows are NCIS, Mythbusters and Call the Midwife - plus I watch AFL football no matter who is playing.  I also love to watch older shows like Seinfeld, Frasier, M*A*S*H and Stargate SG-1.  Not into all the reality TV Shows - it all just seems like a storm in teacup compared to being a full-time Carer!  All the so-called "drama" and couples arguing/fighting and the manufactured suspense I find irritating.  I am probably in the minority as the shows seem to rate their socks off! 
5. In my 20s, I was heavily involved in motorsport and was co-editor of a monthly motorsport magazine.  I also had my own racing car and competed in club level motorsport all over the state in which I live. 
6. I do NOT dance - EVER!  Not even at my own wedding.
7. My favourite football team in the AFL is the Geelong Cats and my favourite players are Joel Selward and Tom Hawkins
8. I am so thankful that my mother taught me how to knit and do embroidery when I was a child as I continue to love those crafts.
9. My favourite singers are Josh Groban and Michael Buble. 
10. I love to grow my own herbs and I make my own salad dressings using them.  You only need a few basic ingredients and it takes literally minutes - and tastes delicious.  Best thing is that you know what's in it and it really only costs a few pennies to make. 

So there you have it - a little bit more about me!

Thanks for stopping by!

Jocelyn


Card Recipe:

Stamps:   Sentiment from Penny Black clear set Tiny Wishes

Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black

Designer paper:  Echo Park Country Drive 12" x 12"

Accessories:  Penny Black Stickeroos from 'A Bunch of Love' sheet, pink stitched grosgrain ribbon, Fray Stop, Kaisercraft Hot Pink pearls, Kaisercolour chalks, Kindyglitz Crystalina glitter glue, Nellie Snellen Doily Flower Multiframes dies, Big Shot, dimensionals, Perfect Layers Tools, cardstock - white, rose pink, buttercream

Punches:  Martha Stewart Looped Hearts punch

Wings of Joy - Splitcoaststampers Christmas Fan Club

Hi blogging friends

I have some happy news!  I was asked to be a Guest Designer for the Splitcoaststampers July Fan Club Christmas Challenge!  WOW!   I nearly fell off my chair when Stacy (the Challenge Hostess) sent me a PM (private message on SCS) a few weeks ago and it took me about 2 seconds to reply "yes".  I feel so honoured to be asked.   The Fan Club Monthly Christmas Challenges only started this year and it is great to make a card each month to add to your Christmas Stash.  I only needed to make one card for the challenge, however, I decided to make 2 - one more layered and one clean and simple so that Stacy could choose which she preferred - and much to my surprise, Stacy chose both!  I do confess to being a little nervous when I was making my cards as I am a quiet and reserved person and never ooze with self-confidence.  Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed making my cards as I adore making Christmas cards - my favourite type of card to make!

My first card uses one of my favourite Christmas sets by Taylored Expressions:  Wings of Joy.  I stamped the image onto watercolour paper and coloured it with a mix of Lyra and Faber-Castell watercolour pencils and a paintbrush.  I added some Cotton White Fun Flock mixed with fine glitter to the bird's hat using Tombow Monoglue, and some Kindyglitz Crystalina glitter glue to the bird's wing as well as the holly leaves and berries.

The gorgeous designer papers are by My Mind's Eye - 12 days of Christmas.  I love, love, LOVE the colours in these papers - so pretty. 

The poinsettia was made using the Layered Poinsettia dies by Spellbinders and my Big Shot.  I used the 2 smallest dies for my flower then punched 3 circles from green glitter cardstock using a Carl CP-1 3/16" circle punch.  The Spellbinder dies come with the berries dies but they are too big for when you just make a smaller flower.  I bent the petals (technically, I think they are leaves) up to give them some dimension and used dimensionals for putting the flower together.  Here is a close-up - and you can see the Fun Flock on the bird's hat a bit better too:

The bottom panel was punched using my old favourite punch - Fiskars Threading Water. 

The grosgrain ribbon is by Dovecraft and the button which has had some sewing thread sewn through the holes, was glued on using Crafter's Pick Incredibly Tacky glue.  I added Fray Stop to the cut edges to stop them from fraying.

The layers were trimmed using my Perfect Layers Tools.  The red cardstock layer on the card base was trimmed to 1/16" and the green cardstock has been trimmed to 1/8".

Finished size is 5-7/8" x 4-1/8" imperial or 150mm x 105mm if you are metric.

My 2nd card is very simple:

The dry embossing is a Sizzix Textured Impressions embossing folder which was layered onto gold glitter cardstock then onto burgundy cardstock.  Both layers were trimmed to 1/16" using my Perfect Layers Tools. 

I again used my Spellbinders Poinsettia dies but punched the berries using my 3/6" circle punch out of gold glitter cardstock - and popped up the petals with dimensionals.

Finished size is 5-3/4" x 4-1/2" imperial or 146mm x 115mm if you are metric.

That's it:  easy peasy!

If you are a Fan Club Member of Splitcoaststampers, come and join us for the challenge and get ahead with your Christmas cards to avoid the rush later in the year.  Hope to see you there!

Thanks for stopping by!

Jocelyn


Card Recipe - Card #1:

Stamps:  Taylored Expressions - Wings of Joy

Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black

Designer Paper:  My Mind's Eye - 12 days of Christmas 12" x 12"

Accessories:  Kindyglitz Crystalina glitter glue, 140lb watercolour paper, Lyra + Faber-Castell watercolour pencils, paintbrush, Big Shot, Spellbinder Rectangle Nestabilities + Scalloped Rectangle Nestabilities + Layered Poinsettia dies, Perfect Layers Tools, dimensionals, Dovecraft ribbon, Fray Stop, Stampendous Cotton White fun flock mixed with fine glitter, Tombow Monoglue, Crafter's Pick Incredibly Tacky glue, green button + matching green sewing thread, cardstock - Christmas red and green

Punches:  Carl CP-1 3/16" circle, Fiskars Threading Water


Card Recipe - Card #2:

Stamps, Ink and Designer paper:  None

Accessories:  Big Shot, Sizzix Textured Impressions Joy w/Frame embossing folder #657981, dimensionals, Spellbinder Layered Poinsettia dies, cardstock - white, burgundy, gold glitter