Docrafts Forever Friends Kraft Notes Thank You Card

Hi everyone😊

Today I am sharing a 'Thank you' card that I made for a friend:

All the designer papers and the main image are by Docrafts from their Forever Friends Kraft Notes Collection which came out years ago.  I have always loved this collection and made alot of cards using it.  

All the layers were trimmed to 1/16" using my Perfect Layers Tools.

The side panel was punched using a Martha Stewart Pinking Scallop edge punch.

The sentiment is by Stampin' Up! and came from their Looking Up Card Kit (still in their current catalogue).  Just as an aside:  this is a fantastic Card Kit and everything is included - even the ink pad - and the cards are perfect for guys.  You can find it HERE.   I stamped the sentiment using Versafine Vintage Sepia ink which I thought matched the rest of the card's muted tones.  I diecut the sentiment using my Big Shot and a Spellbinders Oval Nestabilities die and layered it onto the pink designer paper which was diecut using a Spellbinders Scalloped Oval Nestabilities die.  I added a Kaisercraft Epoxy Sticker from their Candy collection.  I just looked online and it appears that they have been discontinued.....sigh.....wish I had bought more of them......

You can't tell from the photo but I added sparkle all over the heart using a Wink of Stella Clear Glitter brush. 

Lastly, I tied on some ribbon from my stash and popped the card front onto a white card base using Tombow Mono Multi glue.  Finished size is 5-1/2" x 5-1/2" or approximately 14cm x 14cm.

I think you could use this image for many occasions - love, anniversary, Valentines, friendship.

Thanks for visiting my blog today!

Jocelyn

Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Sentiment from Stampin' Up! Looking Up card kit

Ink:  Versafine Vintage Sepia

Designer Paper:  Docrafts Forever Friends Kraft Notes (retired)

Accessories:  Image from Docrafts Forever Friends Kraft Notes (retired), Big Shot, Perfect Layers Tools, Wink of Stella Clear Glitter brush, dimensionals, Tombow Mono Multi glue, Kaisercraft Candy epoxy stickers (discontinued), ribbon (stash), white cardstock & white cardstock base

Dies:  Spellbinder Oval and Scalloped Oval Nestabilities

Punches:  Martha Stewart Pinking Scallop edge

Wellington Bear With Love Father's Day Card

Hi everyone,

Today is Father's Day in Australia - and this is the card that I made for my husband who is a great Dad to our daughter.

The card uses the Wellington Bear range brought out by Docrafts years ago. I loved this range so much when I saw it that I stocked up because the images are so perfect for guys.

All the designer papers are from this same range and were trimmed to 1/8" using my Perfect Layers Tools. The main image is diecut decoupage which makes it very easy to pop out the pieces and layer them together with dimensionals.   The sentiment is also from this range.

I punched some hearts using my Carl CP-8 Heart duo punch and added a wee bit of sparkle using my Wink of Stella clear glitter brush - alas not captured by my camera.

Here is a close-up so you can see the layers:

Lastly, I added some Darice kraft twine which has a sparkly dark chocolate thread running through it which looks gorgeous in real life.  From memory, I bought this twine from Riot Art and Craft.

We are having a quiet day for Father's Day as we are still in a Stage 4 Lockdown here in Victoria - but the weather is beautiful and sunny which is very cheerful and perfect for going for a walk.  It is so nice to see our Spring bulbs out in flower and to see new leaves on the trees.  

I have made heaps of cards in the past 2 weeks including starting my Christmas cards which is the earliest I have ever started - but I have finished all the birthdays for the year so I figured I may as well start.  

Thanks for visiting my blog today!

Jocelyn


Card Recipe:

Stamps and Ink:  None

Designer Papers:  Docraft Wellington Bear set (retired)

Accessories:  Perfect Layers Tools, Tombow Mono Multi glue, dimensionals, Wink of Stella clear glitter brush, Darice twine, kraft card base, Image and Sentiment - Docrafts Wellington Bear diecut decoupage and sentiment set (retired)

Punches:  Carl CP-8 Heart duo

Couture Creations Sunburnt Country Anniversary Card

Hi everyone😊

Today I am sharing a card that I made for my husband to celebrate our 31st Wedding Anniversary.

We don't fuss too much about Anniversaries and have never followed any of the traditional symbols for the occasion eg: Silver is for 25 years etc. nor given each other gifts - only cards - and are content to stay at home, have a special home-cooked meal and just be together.   We have each other and our beautiful daughter and that is all we need 😊

We have many birds that visit our garden including Rainbow Lorikeets which we all feed.  They are noisy and cheeky and we enjoy them so much which was why I chose the Rainbow Lorikeets paper tole image by Couture Creations from their Sunburnt Country range.

My husband loves all manner of cute and cuddly critters so this makes cardmaking alot easier for me😉    

The paper tole image came already diecut and there aren't alot of layers so it was super-easy to pop them out and put them together with dimensionals.  I used my Big Shot and Lifestyle Nesting Circle dies to diecut the layers underneath the paper tole image. 

All the papers are from the same Couture Creations Sunburnt Country collection.  I have been really loving this range by Couture Creations and it is so refreshing to have Australian flora and fauna images.  They are just about to release a new range called Sweeping Plains and I have already pre-ordered it as I am sure that it will sell out really quickly.  No connection to the company - but just loving Aussie-themed products.  Uniquely Creative and Paper Rose are 2 Australian companies who also have a large range of Australian stamps, dies, stencils, papers etc. and I can highly recommend them having ordered from them many times - and I particularly adore the Uniquely Creative Australian animal stamps and dies.  Again, no connection to them - but if you are after Australian themed products, check them out 😁  Anyway, back to my card.................

You can see the depth of the lorikeets in this next photo:

The sentiment is by Elzybells from the Everyday Sentiments set and was stamped using Versafine Vintage Sepia ink which I thought matched the rest of the earthy colours of the rest of the card rather than using a stark black ink.  Elzybells have been out-of-business for a long time now but I still love their stamps as much as the first day I laid my eyes on them.   I diecut the sentiment using a Spellbinders Labels Trio Shapeabilities die. 

I punched a heart from some scrap red designer paper and glued it on beside the sentiment and added a wee bit of sparkle using my Wink of Stella Clear Glitter brush.

I tied on some rope twine which I bought at my local newsagent and is made by Hallmark.  Technically, it is made for tying around a gift.   
Lastly, I layered the finished panel onto a white cardstock base using Tombow Mono Multi glue.

Finished size is 5-1/2" x 5-1/2" or 14cm x 14cm.

Thanks for visiting my Blog today.  

Jocelyn


Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Elzybells Everyday Greetings clear set (retired)

Ink:  Versafine Vintage Sepia

Accessories:   Big Shot, Couture Creations Lorikeets diecut decoupage, Wink of Stella Clear Glitter brush, dimensionals, Tombow Mono Multi glue, Hallmark twine, Perfect Layers Tools, Cardstock - white

Dies:  Lifestyle Nesting Circles, Spellbinder Labels Trio Shapeabilities S3-147 (retired)

Punches:  Carl CP-8 Heart duo

Hunkydory Moments and Milestones Retirement Card

Hi everyone,

Today I am sharing a Retirement Card that I made for our local doctor who has just retired after 50 years service.  He has been an amazing support to our family and we will really miss him.

The image is from Hunkydory Little Book of Moments and Milestones and I trimmed the plaid pattern on the top and bottom a little to make it fit better on my card.  The designer paper is from an old paper pad by Bo Bunny called Timepiece Collection which I think dates from 2011.

The side panel was punched using my Fiskars Scalloped Border punch.  All the layers were trimmed to 1/8" using my Perfect Layers Tools.  

The sentiment is a stamp from Lili of the Valley (UK) and was stamped using Versafine Vintage Sepia ink, punched using a circle punch and I sponged around the edge using the same ink.  Lili of the Valley no longer make rubber/clear stamps but you can buy this sentiment in digital form from their Etsy Store and is called "For You Circular Sentiments".   I popped the sentiment up on dimensionals. 

I was ever so pleased with how easily everything came together with my card.  I knew straight away when I saw the image what paper pad would match.  Sometimes everything just flows and it's very satisfying.  I have never made a Retirement card before and I have only one Retirement sentiment stamp in my stash so luckily I had one that was suitable for the occasion. 

Once I finished the card front, I popped it on a white card base using Tombow Mono Multi glue.

Finished card size is 6" x 6".

I must admit to struggling of late to be creative after going back into Stage 3 Restrictions here in Victoria (Australia) and haven't made alot of cards - and instead have been baking bread and learned how to make gnocchi - just different things to the norm in amongst the whole COVID-19 crisis.  I have probably made at least a dozen loaves of bread and find it very satisfying.  I hand-knead it and watch You-Tube card making videos whilst kneading so the time passes quickly - and gosh, the bread smells amazing when it is cooking and tastes delicious. A couple of years ago, I started making my own pizza bases so was used to working with yeast and it just seemed a natural extension to move to breadmaking.  It seems to be a recurring theme this year that people have "discovered" breadmaking.  My cousin has been making sourdough bread and really loving it too.

I have also returned to my Family Tree research after having a break for some years.  I took a DNA test and it has been a fascinating and a steep learning curve to understand all the different terminologies related to DNA matches like Centimorgans.  Back in 2004 when I started researching, I Googled my paternal grandparents' names just for fun and it bought up many family trees that didn't make sense with what I had been told.  Many birth, death and marriage certificates later and getting in contact with various newly found cousins, I discovered that my Great-great-great Grandfather actually arrived in Australia from England as a Convict on The Third Fleet - and he married another convict.  I had always been told that we were descended from 'English Blue Blood Aristocracy' and years ago, people were ashamed of convict heritage - but now people are excited.  It's a shame really that my father never knew the truth (he died about 25 years ago) but then again, maybe he would be horrified!  There are alot more online resources available now compared to 2004 when I used to spend many hours up at my local library looking at microfiche records.  Anyway, I have thoroughly enjoyed delving back into my research and it's been a great way to quieten my mind.  

Well, I have waffled enough.  Thank you for visiting my blog today.

Jocelyn


Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Lili of the Valley For You Circular Sentiments (now only available as a digital download)

Ink:  Versafine Vintage Sepia

Designer Paper:  Bo Bunny Timepiece Collection 6" x 6" pad (2011) - retired

Accessories:  Hunkydory - The Little Book of Moments and Milestones - Product Code LBK197, brown ribbon, Perfect Layers Tools, Tombow Mono Multi glue, dimensionals, cardstock - dark brown, white card base

Punches:  Fiskars Scalloped border, Kaszazz circle punch 

Taylored Expressions Hop to It Easter Card

Hi everyone 

Sorry it's been such a long absence from posting.  I have made heaps of cards but not had the time to post them.  And I figure that sharing Christmas cards well after Christmas is probably not very exciting to my readers.  It was the first Christmas ever that I made ALL of the cards that I posted out as well as for neighbours and my immediate/extended family - but I ran out of time to share them here.  One way or the other, life seems to be busier with a teenager doing Year 11/12 than what it was when they were in Primary School (which, by the way, only seems like yesterday).   

And wow, what a different world we are living in at the moment with COVID-19.  In the State where I live in Australia, we have Stage 3 Restrictions which means we are only allowed out for 4 reasons:  

• shopping for what you need - food and essential supplies
• medical, care or compassionate needs
• exercise in compliance with the public gathering requirements
• work and study if you can't work or learn remotely

Most shops are closed other than food shops, pharmacies, hardware stores and KMart/Target and banks and it is eerily quiet at my local large shopping centre.  People wearing gloves and masks seem "normal" now and people are avoiding each other.

School for my daughter will be online for all of Term 2 which starts on the Wednesday after Easter which I am very happy about to protect her from the virus - and for my husband and myself to limit our exposure to it.   Being a Carer to a family member also means that I feel significant anxiety that if I get sick, who will look after my loved one?!  I am sure that many other Carers have the same anxiety.  I have also had trouble getting some of their prescription medications which are essential for their well-being.  That in itself, has been very, very stressful.   

It all seems so surreal and I am glad that I can turn to crafting to take my mind off things - which brings me to the Easter card that I made for my daughter:

The image is a background stamp - Hop to It by Taylored Expressions and was stamped using Altenew Obsidian Black pigment ink onto Neenah Solar White cardstock.  This has been my go-to black ink for the last 6 months because it stamps so crisply and cleanly the first time.  Even solid images like those by Lavinia Stamps stamp so beautifully and no parts of the image are missing.  Definitely recommend this ink if you have trouble with images stamping cleanly.

The background stamp comes with a set of clear stamps to stamp 4 different types of ears and the bunny's cheeks.  I used all Lawn Fawn inks to stamp these:  Ballet Slippers for the cheeks and Merman, Lemonade, Peachy Keen and Celery Stick for the ears.

The sentiment is by Memory Box from their Springtime Bunnies set.  I popped the sentiment up on dimensionals and added a tiny pink Molossi rhinestone at each end.

I used my old favourite EK Success Arrows border punch to punch tiny hearts from pink cardstock (the arrows look like tiny hearts to me and if you are no stranger to my blog, you will now that I use them ALOT on my cards).

Lastly, I added some sparkle to all the bunny cheeks and tiny hearts using my Wink of Stella clear glitter brush.

Thanks for visiting my blog today!

Jocelyn


Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Hop to It rubber cling stamp and clear stamps - Taylored Expressions, Memory Box Springtime Bunnies clear set

Ink:  Lawn Fawn Merman, Celery Stick, Lemonade, Peachy Keen and Ballet Slippers; Altenew Obsidian Black pigment

Designer Papers and Dies:  None

Accessories:  Teal cardstock, Neenah 110lb Solar White cardstock, dimensionals, Molossi tiny pink rhinestones, Tombow Mono Multi glue, Lawn Fawn glue tube, Wink of Stella Clear Glitter brush, Stamp Positioner