A Red Challenge and Bye Bye 2009!.......

I've been meaning to join in with the ATC challenges over at Steff's Stuff for a while now

....but life has been a little hectic here, and with the added Christmas preparations, found it a little difficult to keep up with a lot of swaps and challenges!!

So, finally here is my ATC for this weeks 'Red' Challenge:

I've used various rubber stamps and the cute little image is from 'Crafty Individuals', added a few buttons and some lace.

Steff and I have traded ATC's in the past, and she makes some lovely art!

...So if you fancy an ATC Challenge, pop over to Steff's, she posts a new challenge every Monday.

... I'm feeling optimistic that 2010 will help me find my crafty mojo!!

Well, it's still 2009, and I've been busy making some Thank you cards

.....and here is a little ATC to wish all my friends and blogging buddies ...

....A Happy New Year!!

The image is a freebie from Clearly Vintage blog

Cora is so generous and posts some wonderful images

for you to use in your artwork.

Thank you Cora!!

A Happy New Year to all!

May 2010

bring you Health and Happiness,

...and a lots of 'crafty' inspiration also!! ;)

Here's to the bright new year,

and a fond farewell to the old;

here's to the things that are yet to come,

and to the memories that we hold.

(Anonymous)

Thanks for Looking!

Jan x

one more sleep.....

I would like to thank you for all the lovely comments

during my first months of blogging.

It has been a pleasure meeting you all.

....and I will look forward to getting to know you all better,

in 2010.

I would just like to wish all my blogging friends

a Merry Christmas

and a Happy 'Crafty' New Year!

Jan x

An Inchie Christmas.....

Over at Inchy by Inch,

I was involved in a Christmas Inchy swap
These are the inchies I made.

I do love a swap!!

....and these are the beauties I got in return.

Fab aren't they!

Thank you Fiona for hosting!

...and a thank you to all the inchie artists for a great swap!

Thanks for looking!

Jan x

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow......

Brrrrrr!!

Lots of the cold white stuff has been falling down, here in Essex!!

The garden has transformed into a Winter Wonderland!!

...and with the winter theme in mind...
...I dusted of the sewing machine again, to make some festive fabric ATC's

Still struggling with sewing

in a straight line

LOL

(but getting there!!)

I made all these fabric ATC's for
various Winter/Festive themed
swaps

Off to get a Hot drink now!!! ;)

Thanks for Looking!

Jan x

Christmas shopping in Bath and fabby mail.....

..Mmm, December is whizzing by, and I'm still making Christmas cards!!

But before it gets too hectic here...

..... I have just spent a wonderful relaxing weekend in Bath.

-That's the Beautiful City, not the bubbly wet container kind! LOL :)

My lovely hubby whisked me away for a great Christmas shopping trip to Bath. A belated 20th anniversary pressie (with No kids ;) Way-hey!!)

..I've never been to Bath before, So stunning! It's a mega 3 hour car journey for us, although it took us nearly 5 hours due to delays and traffic jams!! Agh!!

...but the Hotel and the Fantastic sights made up for the tedious journey, it was an excellent trip. We had a fab time, doing the touristy bits, including the Roman Baths etc.

....Just a Lil bit of shopping ;) LOL

Yup, that's me -in the pink scarf :) posing in front of Bath Abbey (LOL)

...and on our return home, some fabby mail from the U.S. was waiting for me....

Wow, Christmas had come early!!

If you have been reading an earlier post, you may have noticed that I took part in altered matchbox trade arranged by Pat...

.....well, as promised here are some pics of the beautiful box of treasures that Lori (from Washington) made for me, for our matchbox trade.

What a fantastic job Lori did! Her matchbox is her first attempt at using embossed metal . Although you wouldn't believe it was a first attempt, because it is brilliant!

I Love it!!

There are so many nifty little treasures in the matchbox - Lori generously managed to cram 41 items into it!! (which strangely enough is my age!! -LOL, did I really admit that!! ;)

I 've spilled everything out and gone through all the little goodies, only problem is I can't fit them all back into the box now!! ;)

Thank you Lori, for a fabby matchbox trade, you did a wonderful job!

...and thanks again to Pat for organising it.

This has been a fun swap

...will look forward to taking part in another after the Holidays....

Thanks for Looking

Jan x

Jingle bells, Jingle Bells.......

...Jingle all the way.

The Inchy by Inch theme this week (and the last challenge of this year) is:

Christmas Carol

Well, my favourite Christmas song is Jingle Bells!

...and here's my little inchy to prove it!!

Been fun playing along with the inchy challenges!

Thank you Fiona for organising everything !

Thanks for Looking!

Jan x

Matchbox swap...

Pat, over at Artfully Ooglebloops

(love that blog name!!) organised an altered matchbox swap recently.

The swap was to decorate a matchbox and fill it to the brim with li'l treasures.

Being as I've recently discovered and become just a tad addicted to these little boxes of fun, I just couldn't wait to join in!

Here is the box I altered for my swap partner Lori in Washington (It's ok to post pics now, as I've just heard that it has arrived safely to it's destination in the States )

I altered the matchbox, tag and puzzle piece, with some pretty floral feminine papers, buttons, beads and lace.

It's amazing how many little treasures you can squeeze into a teeny weeny matchbox!

Whooo, I can hardly wait to receive my matchbox all the way from the US now!! - will post some pics when it arrives :)

Thanks Pat, for hosting such a fun swap!

Thanks for Looking!

Jan x

more inchie challenges......

The Inchy by Inch challenge this week, is presents so here is my inchie gift offering.

....'The best gift you can give is a hug: one size fits all and no one ever minds if you return it!'

-oOo-

....and over at the

Small world of inchies and twinchies

the theme there is Purple. I've made a wintery purple inchie....

-oOo-

The colour Purple always reminds me of the poem by Jenny Joseph.

Warning

'When I am an old woman I shall wear purple,

With a red hat that doesn't go and doesn't suit me'

...rest of the poem here

-oOo-

Thanks for looking!

Jan x

First Christmas card!.....

...... I've been so busy with those inchies, atc's and other altered art swaps, that I had completely lost my mojo to make some Christmas cards this year. (Not left much time have I!!)

Well, I'm glad to say that whilst blog hopping, I came across Something completely different

...whose challenge this week is Blue/White & Snowflakes

So, this give me the great excuse to create my first festive card of the year!!

A simple card made by adding 3 inchies

I love sending and receiving hand-made cards to/from my 'crafty' friends

Mmmm, now just got to find more Mojo for card no.2 now!! LOL

'Just like a snowflake, we are all unique and special'

Thanks for looking

Jan x

Button Fairies....

....I've been wanting to make one of these for a while, so when Jen recently organised a Button fairy swap for our Christmas Ornie trade over in the Atc for Beginners Yahoo group, I had a good excuse to dash around to my mum's and raid her button box! (Little box of treasures!)

-oOo-

...found some lovely 'old' buttons

....mixed them with some newer ones

......oh, and some beads too.

...the cute little fairy images, I cut from some scrapbooking papers

...all put together with a little wire,

and a little sprinkling of glitter!

...and voila a button fairy!

-oO0-

Well, 5 button fairies to be exact!!

I only needed to make 2 for the swap, but got a little carried away with those buttons & beads!!LOL

-oOo-

Thanks for looking!

Jan x

New Inchy by Inch theme is....

.

..... Texture

The guest designer over at Inchy by Inch is Jaine

...and she as chosen 'Texture' for this weeks theme and has shown us some of her fabby textured inchies.

I just love using different textures in my artwork.

Here is my 'textured' Inchie, I've used corrugated card for the background, some lace, a teenie weenie button and a metal sewing machine embellie.

Thanks for looking

Jan x

I won some Blog candy.....

....Wahooooo, have received the Fabby Blog Candy that I was lucky to win from 'The Artist Trading Club.... swap 'til you drop' Blog.

It is a lovely set of Delish Crown princess stamps - love 'em and can't wait to use 'em!!

...would just like to say a big big thanx to Chriss (who runs a fab monthly atc swap over at The Artist Trading Club and Janey from Janey Mays's (who donated the stamps).

Jan x

No business like snow business.....

Well, the challenge over at Inchy by Inch is a little tricky this week!
The theme is 'Winter White' -mainly white inchies (you are allowed one other colour-phew!). So these are my wintery inchies:

Mmmm, I hope they are white enough?!!!......

I've used blue as my other colour

'Winter is the time for comfort,

for good food and warmth,

for the touch of a friendly hand

and for a talk beside the fire:
it is the time for home'

(Edith Sitwell)

Thanks for Looking!

Jan x

Remember Remember .......

........the 5th of November

-o0o-

Here is my challenge inchie for the 'firework' theme over at Inchy By Inch.

(Rubber stamped and glittered background, with an image of the man himself - Guy Fawkes)

-o0o-

It won't be long before the fireworks are lighting up the UK skies!

-o0o-

The 5th November is known as Guy Fawkes or Bonfire Night, It is an old English tradition, which for some reason we still celebrate Guy fawkes failing to blow up the Houses of Parliament.

-o0o-

...So lots of Bonfires and Fireworks!!

-o0o-

Remember, remember the fifth of November,

The gunpowder, treason and plot,

I know of no reason,

Why the gunpowder treason

Should ever be forgot.....

-o0o-

Thanks for Looking!

Jan x

Happy Halloween.......

.......and a Trick or Treat to anyone peeking in at my blog today!!

Well, no Tricks here, Just a couple of Pumpkin treats for you....

...better pics, taken in the dark.

Well, my boys are too old to do the Halloween dressing up now, but I still love carving those pumpkins.

I carved the owl creation at the back, using a template found on the 'net.

...and the li'l fella at the front was carved by my li'l fella, Callum (12 years) I thought he did a great job, and still had all fingers intact after hacking away at his pumpkin!!

Saying that, oldest son (19 yrs) is off too a Halloween Fancy dress Party tonight, and asked me this morning to help him with a costume!! ....nothing like last minute requests eh!!

....one more 'ween ATC for you.....

...anyway must dash, Gotta Haloween cossie to make!!

Have a Spooktacular Halloween!

Thanks for looking!

Jan x

More Fairy Magic....

I've just been involved in a fabby Inchie Booklet swap, over in the Yahoo group Addicted to Inchies.

It's now Ok, to post the pics, as I've just heard that my little package containing the inchie booklet, survived the postal strikes/delays here in the U.K. and has reached it's destination in one piece to the U.S.

Phew!!....was just a teenie weenie bit worried about it's safe delivery!

The partner for my swap was Gwenny in Texas.

Gwenny makes some fabby artwork. So I had my work cut out for this swap!

Well, this was such a fun swap to make. When I checked the database and found out that Gwenny likes Fairy and Flower themes (My faves too!) I thought It would be fun to combine them both.

First of all, I cut out the card (from a cereal packet) to make the pages.

Covered them in 'Blueberry Hill' (Papermania) Papers - I just love these Shabby-chic style papers!

Distressed the pages with inks and added some stamping flourishes and 'I believe in Fairies' to the pages.

Made seven fairy themed inchies and placed them in the booklet.

I left the back page of the inchie booklet empty, so that Gwenny, can place her own inchies in.

A scrapbook ring to keep all the pages together and decorated with ribbons.

But the best find in my crafting stash was the beads, I have a few assorted alpha beads left over from past projects, and luckily there was F-A-I-R-Y ones left! ...and in the right colours too!!!

How lucky was that! :)

Whoo, really enjoyed this swap!

...can't wait to get my inchie booklet now! :)

Thanks for Looking!

Jan x

Off we go a Haunting......

Halloween Week and some Halloween challenges:

The theme over at Think monday - Think ATC is Skeletons, Ghosts and Pumpkins......

Here is my Spooky ATC Offering.....

Boo!....

(Rubber-stamped background, coloured with distressed inks added a Halloween image and a lil' spider)

....and the

Inchy by Inch

theme is Halloween.

.....I've made three Scary inchies this week....

(All stamped with parts of a Tim Holtz stamp, distress inked, glittered, and added some Halloween confetti)

.

Happy Haunting!

Bugs and Hisses to you all!

Thanks for Looking!

Jan x

Whoo Whoo's got the cutest lil' baby face?.....

A couple more inchie challenges for you......

Over at Inchy by Inch the theme this week is Babies....

Here is my baby inchie....

I've used a teeny tiny Cab Face,

......and I have had this little pink baby's dummy (pacifier) in my craft box for years!!

Finally found an excuse to use it!!

Babies are such a nice way to start people

-Don Herrold-

Whoo Whoo! What a Hoot!!

If you stop by the Small World of Inchies and Twinchies Blog,

their latest theme is Owls,

Being a bit of a night owl myself, this theme was right up my street!

Here is my Owl Inchie:

Rubber stamped,

... a touch of glitter!

.....and just had to give him some googly eyes!!

Thanks for Looking!

Jan x

Some spooky going ons.......

....over at 'The Artist Trading Club' - This months ATC theme is Halloween, here are my Spooky Offerings:

Trick or Treat!!

I've rubber-stamped the backgrounds, coloured with distress inks, added some Halloween images (The 'Marie' ones are from a collage sheet called Marie Antoinette Masquerade from iTkUpiLLi ) and a few creepy embellies!

Thanks for Looking!

Jan x

Happy Harvest........

I 'm joining in (for the first time) a Gingersnap Creations Challenge

GC25: Chestnut Challenge - Harvest

I've made a card using the Harvest maiden Rubber stamp by Creative Expressions.

Coloured with ProMarkers......

added some stitching.....

........and a few little embellishments

Happy Harvest!

Pop over to Gingersnap creations to see some fabby Harvest Creations!

Thanks for Looking!

Jan x

TIME for some more inchies......

Ali Manning is the guest designer over at Inchy By Inch this week.

Her theme is Time

...and I've managed to grab some of that precious crafting time to make

my Time Inchies:

Vintage Time

I've Rubber-stamped the clock (part of a Tim Holtz stamp)

added vintage children images

and a brad and spinner for the clock's hands.

Then distressed it with some distress inks.

'They say that time changes things, but you actually have

to change them yourself.' -Andy Warhol-

Thanks for looking!

Jan x

Dancing in the Rain.....

Another Dark Rainy day here in Essex!

So the Inchy By Inch Challenge this week is very apt!!

Here is my offering:

I've used a bubble background technique,

added a welly and a tear

shaped gem.

"Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain!....."

-Author Unknown-

Thanks for looking!

Jan x

Fairy in a Bottle.....

I'm joining in for the first time with:

Think Monday -Think ATC's

The ATC Challenge

this week was:

'Bottles'

Here's my ATC:

Thanks for looking!

Jan x

Life is a masquerade....

Over at Inchy By Inch the challenge this week is all about masks

Here are my inchies:

I've made 6 inchies

(rubber-stamped and coloured with ProMarkers and Tim Holtz ink pad)

and I've put them on to an ATC....

'Life is a Masquerade'

thanks for looking!

Jan x

Autumn leaves......

Over at Inchy by Inch the latest Challenge theme is Leaves.

Here are my 'Leaves' Inchies. Very apt, now that Autumn is arriving.

I just love those autumnal colours

Jan x

...and now for something different....

...I've been taking part in an altered matchbox swap over in the Addicted to Inchies Group.

I had so much fun with this swap. This is my first altered matchbox. I now want to make more!!

My partner was my friend Les in Canada, and I know she is a little partial to an 'Asian' theme, so I decided to go all Oriental with my altering!! I altered a little jigsaw piece and added it to the box. The little handle on the drawer is made from a brad pushed through a bead.

This is the underside of the Matchbox

We had to fill the matchbox with 4 Inchies and a few little 'crafty' extras. It's amazing how many bits and pieces you can cram into a teeny matchbox!!

Thanks for Looking!

Jan x