Jackie's Jewels

Birthday Card For Son In Law

2010-04-16T11:50:00.000+02:00

It was my son-in-law´s birthday last week, and I have been waiting for it to arrive so I could show it to you all. Unfortunately neither the Spanish, nor UK postal services seem to have taken any notice of the fact that I paid a lot extra for it to be delivered urgently!!!

I asked my daughter what he would like for his birthday, and she said ....."An Aston Martin DB9"

There was a waiting list (LOL) so I sent him this instead.

The red card is Bazzill, and the chequerboard and DB9 image are both downloads from Google images.

Sentiments are computer generated.

Crafty Ann´s Challenge Blog

2010-04-11T16:03:00.000+02:00

The challenge this time is for "Let The Sunshine In" with a fairly wide remit...........whatever this means to you, summer, sunshine etc.

For me, sunshine brings flowers, and when I lived in the UK my favourite summer flowers were roses.not very original, but then that´s me. LOL

So, here is my card, replete with roses:-

And here are the details:-

White linen cardstock, embossed with a Cuttlebug border embossing folder.

Backing paper - Cuddly Buddly

White mat - embossed using Cuttlebug Stylized Flowers folder, and with corners cut with corner punch in stash.

Image by Crafty Anne, coloured with Promarkers, and set on twin Nestabilities Ovals.

Paper roses to finish off- from stash.

Pollycraft/OSAAT/Digital Tuesday

2010-04-10T17:48:00.000+02:00

As a Christian, sometimes a scripture comes into my head, and I can´t seem to get rid of it.

For my birthday a few weeks ago, my lovely son bought me "Chariots Of Fire" which I hadn´t seen in years.

I had forgotten about Eric Liddell, but as I watched, my favourite scripture came back to me.

It´s Isaiah 40:32, and that is the sentiment on my card.

Card details:-

Backing paper - free download.........Can´t find it again
Brown Cardstock - Bazzill
Base Card - scored with EaziScore
Sentiment computer generated, and cut with Nesties labels Dies
Flowers : Prima
Pearls - Stash

I am entering this for the following blog challenges:-

Pollycraft - Anything Goes
One Stitch At A Time - Anything Goes
Digital Tuesday : Blue and White + One other colour ( the blue is turquoise blue?

The Sweet Stop / Creative Inspirations/ and Crafty Ann´sChallenge Blog

2010-04-04T19:44:00.004+02:00

As Anne said previously, I´m quite getting into this challenge thing.

My latest is for The Sweet Stop Challenge Blog, Crafty Ann´s Challenge Blog, and the Creative Inspirations Challenge Blog

here is the sketch:-

I have chosen to flip the image.

My flower? Well, I´ll let you into a secret. It´s not where it´s supposed to be because the spot where it is now located acquired a greasy mark whilst I was out of the house, and as my printer is playing up, I decided to cover it with the flower.

I case you can´t read the sentiment it says" All that I am or hope to be, I owe to my Angel Mother", accredited to Abraham Lincoln. It pretty much sums up how I feel about my mother who has been gone now 16 years, but whom I miss daily.

Backing Papers - all by Pink Petticoat.
Circles cut with Nellie Snellen circle dies
Flowers by Prima
Ribbon - local shop
Jewel from stash

Mojo Monday

2010-04-03T20:26:00.001+02:00

For my second challenge I decided to go for the Mojo Monday sketch:-

I decided on the square card......having no equipment to make the round one, and here is my attempt:-

Backing Papers - Angel Mother by Summertime Designs - if you´ve not seen these papers, do try them.................a terrific range and they are free!!!

Backing Card - Bazzill

Image - "Sophie" by Mo´s Digital Pencil

Ribbon - Ribbon Oasis
The circles were cut using my new Nellie Snellen dies..................I love them.

I think I may be getting into these challenges :-)

My First Blog Challenge!!!

2010-04-02T12:33:00.002+02:00

Following the encouragement of the 2 Ann(e)s, I have entered my first Blog Challenge.
It is for the I Love Digi Challenge Blog, and was a "recipe" of 3 papers, 2 brads, and one embellishment.

Here is my entry:-

The 3 papers are from the Pastel Easter Papers set by Mamma MC, and I love them because they are so springlike.

The digital image is Irises by Crafty Ann, and have two black brads in the centre.

The embellishment (well there ARE 3, but only ONE type) are pearl circles.

The image was coloured using Marvy Le Plume pens, cuts out and matted using Nestabilities Lables dies, and Bazzill Card.

I am awaiting new stash!!! Some Nellie Snellen dies, and....................wait for it.....................I have decided to try some Promarkers after loads of research.

I can´t wait for them to arrive!!!

Grandma´s Wallpaper

2010-03-31T13:09:00.000+02:00

I think I am entering my "Black and White "phase.

I just love the simplicity of these two colours, perhaps enhanced slightly by another. I am also in love with the "Grandma´s Wallpaper" papers from Pink Petticoat, so have designed two cards based around these two themes.

The card has first been scored using my new Eazi Scorer, and then I have matted a delicate rose from Crafty Ann, onto Swiss Dots cuttled card, on top of black and white Grandma´s Wallpaper.

The gems are from my stash.

Here is my second card

The BP is the same black and white from Grandmas Wallpaper at , Pink Petticoat and the matts are firstly white Swiss Dots, the plain black card, and the two more cropped images from Crafty Anne, coloured using my Marvys, the flowers are Primas, and the sentiment is computer generated.

I´m having to stop myself from doing more black and white.............it´s a struggle!!

Sympathy Card

2010-03-23T20:31:00.000+01:00

I have really been struggling to define my style, having taken a break from cardmaking for almost a year.

I have looked at so many blogs, and admired the creativity of so many talented people, and I think was in danger of falling into the trap of trying to do things that are not "ME".

My dress style is unfussy, strong colours, with the odd bit of bling. I was never a frilly flouncy child, preferring to be mucking out horses than ballet dancing in a tutu.

My daughter is the same....she hated frilly dresses and dolls as a child.

What I am getting at, I suppose, is that for me to try and emulate those very ornate, and without doubt beautiful card creations I see, just wouldn´t be ME, and that´s why I struggle so with them.

So my style, if I have one, is going to aim for simplicity, and the "less is more" approach.

Now of course this may just be a copout.................but I was so discouraged last week that I couldn´t put anything together resembling the things I saw on so many super blogs, that I almost gave up before I´d begun again. Surely a hobby isn´t supposed to make you feel that way??

Anyway, I have found some wonderful encouragement from my friend Anne, at Wicked Designs, and also from Ikki´s Cuttlebug Cupboard........who shows how you can make wonderfully elegant cards with my little Bug.

My inspiration for this card came from Ikki..................one needed quickly by a friend.

The white linen card was run through the Swiss Dots folder, and, (while I am awaiting delivery of my EaziScore Board) I drew lines with my trusty ruler and embossing tool!

The image is "Bluebells" by Chris Dark, coloured with Marvy Le Plume pens, the ovals done with the Nestabilities scalloped Ovals, and matted onto some blue card in my "scraps" box.

The sentiment is computer generated.

So I am scouring the internet, and my bank accounts, for more toys for my "Bug", and more Marvy Le Plume pens.

A few more for sale

2010-03-21T14:20:00.003+01:00

Just to show that I haven´t only made one card in 3 weeks (!), I have been making a few for the local bar that sells my wares, so here are a sample.

This was made following a sketch on The Sweet Stop Challenge blog (Sketch 47).

I am not confident enough to actually enter a challenge because I don´t think my work is good enough, but I welcome the ideas the challenge blogs generate.

The papers and image are from Gina Jane at Daisy Designs, and have been "livened" up a little with Sakura pens.

The posy is by Crafty Ann, and has been coloured with Marvy Le Plume pens. I am debating whether to buy some Copic markers, but as they are so (relatively) expensive and my colouring in wasn´t good even as a child, I may decide to leave stamping as the 99th string to my cardmaking bow...LOL. The papers are by Cuddly Buddly, and of course the white card has been embossed using the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder

And finally, another very simple card:-

This has been made with the border using Cuddly Buddly papers, and then run through my Fiskars border punch, the flowers are by Prima, and the ovals cut on my bug with Nestabilities ovals. The gems are from stash.(And the middle one has moved overnight!!!!)

Birthday card for my daughter

2010-03-21T12:40:00.002+01:00

At last I can show the card I made for my daughter Sally´s birthday. She has just texted to say she has opened it.

As always I have to apologise for the very poor photography - if I say so myself it doesn´t do the card justice.

and here is the inside :-

The image on the front.........well what can I say? It is by the exceedingly talented Mo Manning of Mo´s Digital Pencil shop, and I swear she has caught Sally EXACTLY as she was at 2 years of age. There is a series of 4 in the Terrible Twos range, and they are all wonderful. She has been watercoloured and had Stickles glitter added to her hair bobbles.

The image on the inside is a free digital stamp called Amelia, but I can´t find where I got it from. (Note to self...........better cataloguing needed!) Her evening gown has been glittered, and her earrings "stickled"

The papers are Basic Grey Two Scoops, the borders cut with my only decent border punch (Fiskars) (another note to self - more stash needed!!!)

Flowers from stash.....(eBay I believe)
Ribbon from Ribbon Oasis.

Sentiments and lovely verse, by Diana Merino, computer generated.

She likes it!!! YAAY.

More Wedding Stationery

2010-03-18T20:04:00.000+01:00

I have spent the last few days trying to redesign this blog..............you can see the results here. I´m still not 100% satisfied with it, but it takes me such a long time to work out the "computerese".........just as well I´m retired.
I have also been preparing things to make more cards for my local bar, so I thought I´d post some more of my wedding designs.

Belleza

Cariño

Eleganza

I hope you like them.

Other stuff

2010-03-09T19:37:00.003+01:00

At the moment I am working on a very special card for a very special little lady.............my daughter Sally, whose birthday is coming up soon, so I can´t post it yet.

However, I do have some more work I can show...............some of my wedding stationary designs.

I have a website, which is "under construction" but here are two of my designs:-

Preciosa

Amada

I also now have a Followers "widget".........so please do follow me.................it will encourage me to blog and make more cards if I think people might be interested.

Mother´s Day Card for a Child

2010-03-06T16:55:00.005+01:00

Well, as promised here is a card for a little boy to send to his mummy.

Once again, it is a terrible photo I´m afraid. My house has virtually NO natural light, and the flash on the camera seems to overexpose the card.

Still I hope you get the gist.

And here is the inside:-

BP and image from Cuddly Buddly Mother Bear Designables

Blue and Brown cardstock - Bazzill

Blue Heart Brad - Stash

Baby and BP highlighted with Sakura gel pen.

Sentiments computer generated.

Gold mirri card - Kanban

I also have the card as a baby girl bear too.

My Comeback

2010-03-04T19:14:00.006+01:00

Well, so inspired have I been by reading other cardmakers´ blogs,(especially my friend Anne at Wicked Designs) I have actually made 3.

I have a card box in one of the local bars, run by my friend Chrissie, and she tells me that they need some Mother´s Day cards, so that´s what I have started on.

The photos are terrible, I´m sorry, but I just wanted to post them as soon as possible

I´ll try to redo them tomorrow.

Here´s the first:-

And here´s the inside:-

The second one is a similar theme, but in a different colour scheme:-

And internally:-

And the final one for today:-

And inside:-

For the technical details:-

BP are all by Cuddly Buddly

Sentiments- computer generated

Border- Fiskars

Flowers from stash

Liquid pearls

Gems from stash

Well...................it´s a start

Ready To Roll

2010-03-02T19:33:00.004+01:00

Well, well, well.

Only 2 years since my last blog post!!!!

I don´t think it would be fair to do a 2 year update, but my interest in cardmaking has waxed and (at the moment) waned.
I am getting lots of inspiration from blogs I follow, particularly from my cardmaking friend Anne, whose blog is at Wicked Designs.
I hope to be making cards again soon.

I've been tagged!!!

2008-04-17T16:58:00.008+02:00

I have been tagged for the very first time by my friend Angie at Pixieland http://craftypixiedust.blogspot.com/ and been given this wonderful award.

The "rules" are as follows:-

1) You have to pick 5 blogs who deserve this award for their creativity, design, interesting material and also contributes to the blogging community no matter what language.

2) Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to the blog to be visited by everyone.

3) Each award winner has to show the award and put the name and the link to the blog that has given her or him the award .

4) Award winner and the one who has given the prize have to show the link of "arte y pico" blog (linked in my title) so everyone will know the origin of this award. (Cut and paste the info into your blog to make things easier)
Hmm.... now, who to choose.... I've omitted a couple of my favourite blogs as I know they're busy ladies and prefer not to be tagged, but as I've got more than five favourites this is not a problem! So I choose the following (just click on their names to be taken to their blogs)

CraftyC's Crafting Library - http://clairebsd.blogspot.com/
Lazy Trout - http://lazy-trout.blogspot.com/
Leigh's Little Blog - http://leighslittleblog.blogspot.com/
Nikki's Cards and News - http://nikkiscardsandnews.blogspot.com/
Challenge Addict - http://challengeaddict.blogspot.com/

NOT a crafty post

2008-04-15T11:18:00.002+02:00

Well I WAS going to blog a couple of cards, but quite honestly the scans were so bad that I couldn't bring myself to share them.

However, I thought I would share a couple of pics of my "girlies", my two standard poodles Molly and Lulu.

Here is Molly.

If ever there was a grumpy old woman of the dog world, Molly is it!

She hasn't grown more grumpy with age............she was like that as a puppy. She likes her own company, and playing with balls. She would fetch a ball until she expired! She is loving and loyal, and we love her to bits.

Here is Lulu.

She is quite obviously the pretty one, but to say that she is the bimbo of the dog world is to insult bimbos.

She is just SO sweet natured, she doesn't have a bad bone in her body.

But she has no brains either!!! But her sweet nature makes up for it.

Molly is the boss of the two,and Lulu doesn't mind.

They have both adapted well to life in Spain, and we wouldn't be without them for the world.

And finally here they are together, you can see who rules the roost can't you?

I'm off now to make some cards..........hopefully

I am a VERY bad blogger!

2008-04-08T12:33:00.003+02:00

I can't belive how long it is since I last blogged!
My life is so full just recently that taking time out to update this blog has just fallen out of the equation.

I had the MOST wonderful few days with my darling daughter Sally in the UK. We did a girly road trip from Bedford to the place we were both born, Stoke-On-Trent.
We went around old haunts where we used to go riding, and had a lovely visit with my Aunt Dorothy, who at 84 has more energy than I have at the moment. My cousin Jeff was also there, (I haven't seen him for a good few years,) with his lovely daughter Sarah. We had a really good time.

We then drove up to Manchester where we had tickets for a Westlife concert.......that was great.

In my absence I have also been making quite a few cards for orders.

I'll post a few now and the others later.

Here is one of my favourites.

I am sorry for the poor scan. This card was my first using my new Nestabilities dies, and uses a Shabby Princess image (Spring Breeze really HAS to be my favourite!)on lilac pearlescent card, matted onto Bazzill cardstock. It is enhanced with lovely lilac pearl hearts.

Another one using the same Shabby Princess images was for a ruby wedding.

Here's the outside.

I used my Cuttlebug folder on pearlescent card, and cut the Sizzix hearts on the "bug" too.

Here's the inside:-

I really love lilac ..........can you tell?

My last card for now is using a Sugar Nellie stamp.

She is watercoloured and has some Sakura sparkle on her cardigan. The papers are Making Memories, flowers are by Prima, and the ribbon is from Ribbon Oasis

Must fly now............am giving a Spanish lesson to two friends.

A Few new cards and a bit of news

2008-03-12T22:20:00.005+01:00

I have been fairly busy with card orders recently, and only now am finding time to blog them

The first is a special "concertina" card, requested by a lady for her husband's 60th birthday. The brief was to use my Sugar Nellie Pirate, and somehow link it to a Ferrari!!!!

I decided on a pirate treasure hunt, and the results are below.

The papers are all free downloads from Monti's Pixel Playground, and I have used Sakura glitter pens and jewels to add a bit of texture.

My next two are for the same lady.

This one was for a Religious Easter card.

Again I have used a free download for the main image. The backing paper was "made" on my own PC.

The second one was for the lady's daughter, with an image of the family pet.

The pawprint background paper was again from Monti's Pixel playground.Fabulous site!!

I am going back to England on Friday for a "girly" long weekend with my lovely daughter Sally, who I miss terribly.

It is both our birthdays in March and our mutual gift to each other is going to a Westlife concert in Manchester, preceded by 2 days in Stoke, where we are both originally from.
We are going to mooch around old haunts, and visit my elderly aunt who is now on her own after 60 years of marriage, as my uncle is now ill and in a nursing home.

I'm also going to take some flowers to the final resting place of my mum, dad, and sister..........sure to be a bit emotional.

Then it's off up to Manchester for the concert ........woooooooooopeeeeeeee!!
followed by some retail therapy in Manchester.

I am really looking forward to it, but know I'll miss hubby terribly.

I'm back again!

2008-03-08T10:23:00.005+01:00

Well I see it's over 2 weeks since I last blogged. This is mainly because I've been so busy.
I have 3 Spanish lessons myself per week, I am now giving basic Spanish lessons, and what with the dogs, house, card orders and DH to look after I've been a bit short on time.

However I have lots of cards to show, and gossip to impart.

Today is our 5th Wedding Anniversary, and is a good time to take stock of life.

If anyone had told me 7 years ago that I would be married to a Puerto Rican lawyer, and retired in Spain I'd have had them committed.:-)

They say God moves in mysterious ways, and to that I would add, unthinkable and marvellous ones too. I thank Him every day for the blessings I have received. Life is not perfect, and still fraught with worries about one's children, but I trust God has it all in hand.

Here is the card I made for Frank for our Anniversary. The photo is from last year, and I matted it onto Bazzill cardstock, and just added Prima flowers. he loves it!!!

I will blog my card orders later as I have to rush now to get ready for our lunch out.

Back on Board

2008-02-23T19:05:00.003+01:00

Well it's been a few days since I last blogged, but we've had guests since Wednesday. They have now returned to the UK but are coming out here to live permanently in March.

Have only made a couple of cards as time has been limited.

This one is an order for a guy who loves to sing karaoke and has just returned from a cruise where he sang a lot.

The image is from Cuddly Buddy, and is set on an image downloaded from Google, matted onto gold mirri, and black Bazill card.

I have added Sakura glitter pens to the curtains, and clothing.

This is another image from Cuddly Buddy (they are SO good for male cards) It's for a golf lover's 60th birthday. The backing papers are from the same Country Gents set, and again I've used gold mirri card............I think I use that when I have no other ideas... LOL.

Have 3 more orders to complete. Hopefully the mojo will not let me down.

More Challenge Cards

2008-02-19T09:47:00.006+01:00

Well yesterday was a mixed bag. I woke with a migraine and had to cancel my (new) once a week Spanish conversation session with Cristina. Although the actual pain had gone by late afternoon, they always leave me feeling washed out mentally, and in no fit state to speak in Spanish for 1 hour+. So we rearranged it for today.

I did however manage to make 3 more cards for Shell's Card Challenge on Cardmaking Friends.

I am trying to economise, so wanted to use papers that were free, alongside my New Cuddly Buddy graphics.

and:-

Both of these cards use images from the Country Gents collection.

The first one also uses backing papers from the collection, and the second from the wonderful Shabby Princess. The sportsmen are matted onto gold mirri card which doesn't show up too well.

The next one again uses Shabby Princess papers, and a large Prima flower, with a Pink Petticoat sentiment.

I hope to make more today............I'll let you know!

All In A Days Work!!

2008-02-17T22:19:00.003+01:00

Those of you who know me will know that we try to let out two of our rooms as a BnB - not had too many guests yet, but hope springs eternal.

I had planned to spend today (after the ironing) making cards, but a neighbour knocked on the door at midday to ask if a visiting artist could stay.

"When?" I asked.
"Tonight and the next two nights" she replied.

Well the room wasn't aired and I needed to give everywhere a thorough cleaning so at first I said I could only put her up for tomorrow and Tuesday.

However after a burst of energy, I had made up and aired the room by 4.30, so called her to say her friend could stay from tonight if she wished.

They turned up at 9.45, and to say the friend was well oiled would be putting it mildly.

We got her upstairs, in the hope she would fall asleep.

My neighbour left to fetch her luggage, and within 2 minutes I was entertaining the drunken lady in my living room. She wasn't going to sleep it off as I had thought.

Now, don't get me wrong, she is obviously a VERY nice lady, but I was concerned that she would break the glass lamps, vases etc, in her room, and, more to the point, fall down the 3 flights of stairs and hurt herself.

Ten minutes later my neighbour reappeared with a 6foot 6" Norwegian artist, who she said would "give her a good talking to, and put her straight"

To cut the story short, they took her away, apologising profusely for her behaviour.

I've lost out on 2 night's accomodation, but WHAT an experience.

Who'd be a landlady??

Needless to say I haven't made a single card. :-(

Sketch Challenge Cards

2008-02-15T18:15:00.004+01:00

I belong to a lovely forum called Cardmaking Friends, and Shell (AKA Challenge Addict) very kindly sets us sketch challenges to get our mojo working.
I have to confess to not having done many lately, but now my card orders are done I have done two this afternoon.

The first one is for my very best friend in the whole world. You know, the sort of friend who has been through all your tough times with you ( and vice versa).
Anyway, my lovely friend Lynn had an horrific accident 10 days ago when skiing in Austria, and had to be airlifted from the mountain. She ruptured the ligaments in both knees, but one is so severe that she was operated on in Austria, and had to stay in hospital until she got a certificate saying she was fit to fly.

She occupied 3 seats on the flight and is now at home with the worst leg in a brace and unable to walk.
She faces much pain and many months of recuperation, so here is the card I made for her.

The papers and image are a download from Shabby Princess, matted onto Bazzill card.

The next card also has Shabby Princess papers with a Prima flower.

Apart from my cardmaking I have been to my Spanish class this morning.

My "profesora" is the sweetest lady I have ever met, Paloma, and is just so patient.
It is a joy to go to her classes. I also go to her privately once a week for a conversation class.
I just wish my Spanish was showing an improvement for so much effort!!

Sugar Nellies

2008-02-13T21:13:00.009+01:00

At the moment my favourite stamps are Sugar Nellies from Funky Kits.

I had a recent order for 10 cards and the customer liked the cuteness of them.

Here are a few

The first card uses the Pirate stamp and a free download from Montispixel playground, with Stickles glitter glue on the palm trees and treasure chest.

The second uses the pirate again, on Making Memories Cheeky Emery papers, with Bazzill cardstock.
Watercolour pencils are Aquarel (only ones I could find in Spain.)
These Sugar Nellies will be dominating my cardmaking for some time to come I think.

Another stamp I love is Hamish.

Here he is with his tractor:-

I have used my Cuttlebug for the backing card.

and here in his kilt with his wee doggie:-

Do let me know if you love Nellie as much as I do.

My first post

2008-02-13T16:54:00.003+01:00

Well I created this blog ages ago, and haven't yet blogged, and was reminded of this by my new friend Cristina, who seems to combine a full time job with so many other things, and still has time to post, that I felt almost ashamed not to be doing the same.

We have been up at 5am two days running to drive down to Alicante. Yesterday to try once more to get Frank's residencia sorted out, and today to take our best friends to the airport for a trip back to the UK. I am exhausted- walking the dogs at 6am is definitely not recommended!!!

I am very much lacking in motivation to do anything today, and for a few days past now.
Hopefully my mojo will return soon.

As soon as I have figured out how to do it, I will start posting piccies of my cards.