JB chipboard swap

On Just Bex, Lis organised a naked chipboard swap. We were put into pairs and exchanged some chipboard. We then had to use the chipboard we'd received to show what we did with it. So there needed to be a 'before' as well as 'after' photo.

Ohhhhhh - I should have done this much sooner, so this afternoon I got started, completely forgetting to take the 'before' photo. So this is what it looked like after I'd been putting paper on the other side and actually had run the raw side through my xyron ready for sticking, except that it didn't work that well - which is why the naked chipboard looks in quite a state. I can assure you that when it arrived from Canne (my swap partner) it looked much, much better:



I used BG sultry papers, stuck on to the chipboard, cut round, sanded and inked with green chalk cat's eye. I then put matching sultry papers behind before sticking on to a main piece on the card.

Thanks, Canne, for a lovely swap and Lis for organising.

Bubblyfunk Bookmark swap

Today I've received my lovely bookmark from Janice as my partner for the swap on BF. We had to make a bookmark in yellow. One side of the bookmark has been embossed and inked and the other side is very cleverly paper pieced with gorgeous flowers. Thank you, Janice, for a beautiful gift:





There was also a gorgeous card from Janice:



And also a freebie Robbie Burns bookmark:





I've done mine to send to Janice, but won't show it till she's received it. I wouldn't normally have chosen to work with yellow, but sometimes it's good to do something a bit different, so I enjoyed doing the swap.

Well I never ....

I've just put my Salt LO for this time into the album and hadn't realised that it goes so well opposite the previous one I did for 'rejoice', using 'celebration'. I couldn't have planned it so well if I'd tried!

Salt: freedom

It's Salt challenge day and this time Casey set the theme.

Freedom in Christ is something we often hear about. But, I wonder how many of us really know what that means?

Just recently I attended a conference where an international Christian speaker presented the message to us. One of the things he spent time on was the identity messages we get from the world and our actual true identity. He said we often try and change our behaviour to match someone elses. But, it is essentially our identity message that we hear in our heads that will determine our behaviour. So, we need to gradually align our identity with the identity Christ has given us which says we are accepted, significant and secure. Then our behaviour will be changed and be more Christ-like . Knowing and believing the truth of these messages which Christ has died and risen for, will indeed set us free from all our striving and comparing.

The layout I have done uses the verse from John 8:32. I have used a different translation to the one you would normally hear which is "..You will know the truth and the truth will set you free."

What does freedom in Christ mean for you?

We'd love for you to share in this challenge with us and leave us a message with a link to your blog. Our prayer is that this week you may be able to experience the freedom that

Christ has given us!

I've used a clipart photo from Publisher and a favourite song for my contribution. The background is Sandylion Water and the swirls are stamps by Rhonna Farrer, stamped with Stazon ultramarine. The Celebrate stamp on the tag is docrafts whisper.

Please take a look at Salt

Jackie (Okey-dokey) on CBC recently set a challenge: 'when all else fails ....' when all else fails... you don't have any images, stamps or paper with what you are looking for, you can still make a quick card using clipart. Today's challenge is to make a quick card or other crafty project on any subject and you just have to incorporate a piece of clipart. Thanks, Jackie, because it made me think of using clipart for the above.

So this LO kills two birds with one stone because I've also included it in the CBC challenge.

Brilliante Award

I've received this lovely award from Ellen - thank you so much.

The rules of this are:

1.the winner can put the logo on their website/blog

2. put in a link to the person who gave you the award.

3.send the award to at least 7 other blogs that inspire you with their layout-creations-themes

4.put a link to these sites on your blog

5. notify the people you nominate for the award.

Now comes the really hard bit - I know so many lovely crafty people who have such inspirational blogs that I love to visit. I'm nominating seven, but please don't be offended if I've left you out - I would love to nominate many more.

So I give this award to:

Joanne
Lythan
Kathy
Sue H
Janice
Di O
Jackie

Teacher cards

Our local primary school (where I used to be chair of governors - have friends working there, including the head teacher) are having a summer fair on Friday and I've been asked to take cards along.

So this afternoon I thought I'd make some quick 'thank you for being my teacher' cards. I used some of the papers that were used for my 'schooldays' CJ, some BG papers, some DCWV papers, plus some stickers, rub ons, sticky ribbons and dymo labelling:

Oooops!!

Oh dear, having finished my CJ last night I decided not to punch the holes and fasten it together, but to wait till I ws fresher this morning. Well, I definitely was still sleepy this morning when I prepared and punched the holes with my super duper big bite.

I managed to punch holes on the wrong side of the back cover! I couldn't face doing it again (and haven't got the appropriate bits anyway and those on there would be ruined if I tried to take them off), so I decided to tie ribbons that match up with some I've used on my DLO.





I must remember this for another time - check whether all the pages, including the covers, are the right way up before punching the holes!

Bubblyfunk CJ

A new CJ group has started on Bubblyfunk forum and tomorrow is the first posting day. The subject for mine is 'schooldays'.

I used some papers that I bought ages ago at Poundland and thought I'd never get round to using - they are bright - and seemed just right for this CJ. I also used various chipboard letters etc from a big lot of chipboard I bought from QVC.

Apologies for the photos, but evening flash and all that. Why is it that whatever I do red irl still looks too pink in the photos?

Front:



Welcome:



Rules:



My DLO left - there is a hidden journalling tag, but for the time being it will remain hidden:



My DLO right:



Sign in pages:





Back:

Tanda Teaser 'canine capers'

Wendy set the Tanda teaser this week: 'CANINE CAPERS - I would like to see dogs on your cards. Lots of lovely doggies - there are no restrictions with this one - use whatever products you have to hand.' Sorry to hear though, Wendy, that little Chloe is poorly - hope she's better soon. http://tandastamps.blogspot.com/

Well, no surprises from me really - used the Josey look-alike labrador stamp for this simle card (similar to one or two I've done before, but I love this stamp, for obvious reasons):



It's a poor photo because you can't see the gold effect on the white card - iridescent - but at least you can clearly see the lab, which is the main thing!

Satisfyng stamping session

The brief on CBC for this month's swap is to use card other than white or ink other than black. I like doing these rubber stamp swaps because it's an opportunity to do a few extra for myself at the same time.

The first stamp is a foam one I got in a set the other day from QVC - very good value for the size of the stamps (have to watch the ink on the edges though - I might resort to using the craft knife to chop them down, but they are on quite deep foam).

Wimbledon v Crafting

The last couple of days have been a bit up and down - back to the GP yesterday to get advice about the stye on my eyelid that won't go, so still can't wear my contact lenses, which isn't making me a very happy bunny - and also about the query of more vertebrae fractures - waiting for an appointment to see someone regarding the posibility of surgery to cement the vertebrae. Also time and thoughts taken up with family issues.

Anyway, there is also the big dilemma - Wimbledon v crafting!! It's been a very British day today, of course, although only Andy Murray now going through to the next round.

In between watching the tennis (and there's only so much you can sit and watch) I've been still working on my little houses.

Yay! I've got them finished - all 21 of them. The photos aren't brilliant because I've only just taken them, so they were flash, but here they are:







Btw I apologise to crafting forum and blog friends that I haven't been visiting as much over the past few days (and it's not just Wimbledon to blame, but a combination of reasons) - normal service will be resumed soon!

And I also remember that I was tagged and haven't done anything about it, so more apologies (although actually it's similar to one I've done a couple of times before).

Little houses

Nothing to show from yesterday -iIt's not that I haven't done anything, because I did make quite a few cards for stock yesterday, even though I didn't feel like it. I bagged and labelled most of them (don't usual do this and regret it later) and I can't be bothered now to undo them and take photos. They were all quite simple cards to fill some of the stock gaps - a lot of them were made using bits that I'd prepared ages ago and never used - my own toppers, stamped images etc. I'm hoping to take some to the local school summer fair soon and then will prepare for a sale for TEAR Fund in September (so I ought to start on Christmas cards).

Since I got up yesterday morning my back has been particularly painful (think I might have any fractured vertebra) so I'm trying to forget the pain and do a little crafting.

A while ago I signed up for the Little Boxes on the Hillside project swap. When I signed up the prospect of making 21 houses didn't seem that bad ...

I decided to cut out all my various shapes for the houses and then, to make them more substantial, stuck each one on to some white card. Oh dear ... what a mistake (I think) - I was going to heat emboss on to some, but now I don't think I'll be able to, because the heat will probably cause the adhesive to separate the card from the card backing. So it looks as if I'll now have to make another layer to do any heat embossing and then stick that on the house shape.

So this is what I've achieved (or not!) so far - a pile of vaguely house shapes:



It's a start!

Bumbleberries CJ

It's my turn to add to Isobel's fab 'Poems to Ponder' CJ - well, actually, I don't need to post this till next Friday - for a change I've got it done early (which is quite surprising as I feel poorly today).

Anyway, the poem I've chosen 'Warning - when I am an old woman I shall wear purple' seemed to fit in well with the tone of the CJ so far. I love ths poem, and now that I'm already 60 I think it's time to put it into practice!

I used K & Co red hat society papers (couldn't resist - so appropriate) and other bits and bobs.

I loved reading the poems that Isobel and Kathy had already chosen and look forward to seeing the rest of Isobel's book when she's got it back.





I love these CJs - I've now got a new one to start for the group on Bubblyfunk - that needs to be posted on 1 July, but I'm going to try to get it done ahead of time.

May/June CBC ATCs

At last I've managed to do my 'Rip & Tear' ATCs for the swap on CBC.

The one on the left has torn vellum and the one on the right has a flower picture torn twice (difficult to see here). I overlapped and fixed at the back with sellotape so that there was no adhesive used on the front of the ATCs. I thought the little dragonfly brads just added a touch. The right hand side of the cards is stamped with a border stamp with Brilliance galaxy gold and clear embossed. The base card is actually a slight rainbow effect, which subtly changes the look of the vellum.

Salt: Rejoice in the Lord

It's time today for a new Salt challenge, this time set by Ruth who says:

REJOICE!
The Bible says to Rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS.

This is a verse that I keep meditating on as its one of those that pops into your head, but is very hard for your heart to grasp sometimes.

When we go through trials, or we can see others suffering, getting to the truth of this verse is vital.

It doesn't say Rejoice for the sake of it, it says Rejoice in the LORD, the one who has saved us from the punishment we deserve, the ALMIGHTY one, who LOVES us so much.

My LO uses 'The Message' version of the verse from Philippians 4:4. I cut the big circles on my cricut. The plain cardstock is DCWV textured and the patterned piece with all the 'celebrate, fun, good, food' words etc is an odd one that I've had for a long time and can't remember where it came from - it just seemed right for this verse. I thought the stapled raffia would make a change from ribbon. The 'celebrate' at the top left is K & Co chipboard.

Please take a look at Salt

I love seeing what my fellow Salt friends have come up with and they never cease to amaze me with their creativity and today is no excepton - beautiful work from everyone.

What a beautiful surprise!!!!

Last week I had an intriguing email from a dear crafting friend, Sue Hyde, telling me that in a day or two I would receive a card from her, but I wasn't to open it until a parcel had arrived. Obviously this was a surprise of some sort and I hadn't a clue what it was about.

Sue's card arrived on Monday and I have to admit I was soooooo tempted to open it, but I didn't.

When I got back home at lunchtime today after visiting friends, there was a big parcel waiting for me. I opened the card from Sue:



which explained what the mystery was all about. Sue, Sharon and Nicki (from Switzerland) have been involved in some charity stitching projects. They were ready for another project and read about John having to give Josey back. Sue said: "It made me feel so sad to think how the two of you must have been feeling so I had a word with Nicki and Sharon and we decided there and then that we waned to make a little something to brighten yours and John's day. You can open your parcel now and be assured ... there's love in every single stitch."

So I opened the parcel, in which there was a card from Nicki:



and two most gorgeous cushions:









We are so overwhelmed by the thoughtfulness and generosity of these dear friends. I know how much effort was put into the stitching involved to produce these beautiful cushions.