Friday Focus

So I've taken a little break from blogging this week, more about the reasons later in this post. But I have been busy creating and preparing my December album cover, pages and a set of embellishments.

For the past three years I've used Shimelle's Journal Your Christmas as the basis for my album, but this year although I shall still follow Shimelle I'm going to mix it up a bit with other things too. And I've found this inspiring blog - Let's December Daily - that's really got me in the mood.

So here's my cover, which was inspired by Bec's 2013 cover:

And a peek at one of my pages.  I've used a Katie Pertiet digital set - December Days Borders -  to decorate some lined paper and this will be where I'll do my journalling - and add the odd embellishment or two.

And here are some of those embellishments:

Another thing I've been doing is looking back at my intentions for 2014 - blogged about here - and I'm pleased I'm on track with most of them. The day trips have now turned into afternoon trips as my dad needs more help - life getting in the way of good intentions as so often happens, but I have come to ACCEPT this.

 

But it's the first one that I really need to take stock of. Until this week I've slipped back into daily blogging and manic card making, so it's got to stop! So now I'm reverting back to 'not every day' and making sure the challenges I enter are either multiple or the ones that really speak to me. It's just ridiculous to do anything else.

I've also caught up with my envelope calendar and the pages for my 1st of the month pages.

October's pocket:

The weather photo:

The inspirational quote:

My journalling:

A day in my life 1st November:

Thanks for dropping by my blog today. I do appreciate your time and am happy you spent some of it here with me.

Wednesday Words

I've gone all Christmassy again today and made a card for a new to me challenge - Inspired by Stamping - that I learnt about from my AAA Cards teammate Vicki - here.

   

I pretty much went with the sketch but added a little gold too.

I mixed up stamps from my two favourite designers - Uniko Studio & Clearly Besotted - and lucked out by finding a scrap of holly embossed gold card.

Supplies:
Stamps: Uniko Studio, Background Builders Christmas, Jolly Christmas; Clearly Besotted, Holiday Sentiments
Inks: SU, old olive, real red
Dies: Lawn Fawn, stitched party banners; Clearly Besotted, Journal It

And just before I go I'd like to share my envelope calendar for September.  This has been a very positive month for me personally and I'm beginning to see a little light shining at the end of the caring for my dad tunnel.

So here's the whole pocket:

The inspirational quote for September:

The weather photo - such an absolutely glorious month weatherwise, just check out that temperature:

And finally my journalling trying to sum up how far we've progressed this month:

Thanks for looking at my blog today, I hope you've found it interesting and I appreciate your visit.

Tuesday Talk & Envelope Calendar

Hello and welcome to my blog at the beginning of a new week. And the beginning of a new month.  And the beginning of a new album of Learn Something New Every Day. Don't know what this is? Keep coming back to my blog throughout September and you'll find out.  Check here for more immediate info.

Today it's a card for CAS Colours & Sketches. A simple little sketch which I have grunged up and indulged my passion for purple.

 

 

I first saw this stamp over at Kathy's blog Purple Princess Diaries - here - and knew immediately it was right up my street.  On this card I've combined it with a sentiment from Clearly Besotted and sparkled it all up with Stickles.

Supplies:

Stamps: Creative Expressions, Urban Beats; Clealry Besotted, Superstar

Ink: Adirondack, purple twilight

Die: Paper Smooches, stitched

Embellishments: Stickles, Star Dust

Next up is my share of the contents for my August Envelope Calendar. Still loads of fall out from my Dad's hospital stay and looking to be sometime yet before I manage to establish some sort of regular routine to life, but I'm taking it a day at a time and clinging on!

The weather photo:

The quote - and I am trying to embrace it!

And my journalling:

 

Hope your week has got off to a good start and many thanks for dropping by today.

Jane

 ***

Saturday Slot

A double challenge card today.

The layout is from Freshly Made Sketches and the colours from ColourQ.

  

I decided it was time the Pretty Petals stamp set got another airing. So I went ahead and inked it up and stamped it with one of  its matching sentiments under the flowers. The flowers got my favourite Wink of Stella treatment.

I added a trio of hearts to frame the flowers and made them a bit 3D by adding Glossy Accents.  Love how your can actually see the Glossy Accents in the photo!

Finally the whole thing was matted onto Summer Starfruit card, then dark brown spotty card and my card was finished.

Supplies:
Stamps: Clearly Besotted, Pretty Petals & hearts from Design A Tree
Inks: SU, tempting turquoise; Memento, rich cocoa, nauticval blue, pear tart
Embellishments: Wink of Stella, clear; Glossy Accents

Just time to share my July envelope calendar contents. I thought I was going to have to give this a miss as I'm finding it difficult to find time to keep up at the moment.  But then I realised this was such a pivotal month in turning my life upside down, and probably changing it for some time to come, that it was far too much of a biggy to ignore. So here it is:

The weather photo:

 

The very apt quote!

 And my journalling:

 

Thank you so much for visiting my blog today. Your time is very much appreciated.

Jane

 ***

Friday Focus

A couple of things to share today, but first just a little reminder to nudge you into taking a chance over at the AAA Cards bloghop. Definitely time to do the hop and treasure hunt and maybe if you're quick enter a card too. Eight prizes to win and pretty good odds at the moment too! Click on the image below.

I'm feeling kind of pleased with myself for combining three challenges in one card today.  I used the layout from Freshly Made Sketches, the colours from CAS Colours & Sketches and the theme of FLOAT from CASology.

   

This card was so much fun to make as it involved building up a little picture using lawn fawn stamps - so very cute!  I don't have any of the three specified colours but did my best to make a near match using papers and inks from my stash.  The layout was right up my street using a small cluster at the bottom of the card - something you might have noticed I often like to do. 

For my floating part I used the clouds, a balloon and maybe the bird is just about to float off up into the heavens. The sentiment is so positive and I stamped it at a jaunty angle first in the grey and then in black slightly off to create a little shadow.

Supplies:

Stamps: lawn fawn,Hello Sunshine & Fly free

Inks: SU, melon mambo; Memento, toffee crunch, London fog, tuxedo black

Ppaers@ Melissa Frances, Kitschy Kitchen

Die: Spellbinders, standard circles small; Clearly Besotted, Tag Along

Embellishments: Habico Ltd, opulent assorted pearls

And the other thing to share today is a look at my monthly envelope calendar I'm keeping for 2014. It's beginning to get a little bulky now with six months worth of bits and pieces in it  and I've had to do a little repair work on the back of the envelopes as I noticed some were tearing a little. I've used washi tape for now, but am guessing it will need a more robust tape before too long.

Here's the whole pocket:

 

The weather photo - loving the vibrant water lily in my pond.

The monthly quote. I've certainly been enjoying visiting and being visited this month.

 

And my journalling:

 Thanks for looking at my blog today, hope there was something you found interesting and hope to see you again.

Jane 

 ***

Monday Moments

One card, three challenges and my envelope calendar for May to share today.

I'm starting with the card.  I've had this idea in my head for the challenge at Time Out for a while, but had to wait for my new, and first ever purchase, of lawn fawn stamps to arrive. So pleased I bought them, very cute!

I used a free choice layout from Sketch Saturday, colours and inspiration from Time Out and the Lucky Dip from Less is More to use more than one stamp. A triple challenge card - love things in threes!

        

 

Our challenge for this time's Lucky Dip is to use 

MORE THAN ONE STAMP 

 

 

Supplies:

Stamps: lawn fawn, Home Sweet Home; Clearly Besotted, Diagonal Stripes

Inks: SU, tempting turquoise, rich razzleberry, cherry cobbler; Memnto, toffee crunch

Extras: washi tape & Wink of Stella clear

  

And now for my envelope calendar. The theme for this month just had to be my garden.  I have been so very busy weeding and sowing and pricking out and planting, not to mention spending lots of money at garden centres!

Here's the whole pocket:

The weather photo. So glad I have this to rmind me it didn't rain every day.

 

The monthly quote. I may not have enjoyed the rain but the garden certainly did.

 

And my journalling:

 

 Now I'm going to sit back and enjoy everything blooming and looking gorgeous - fingers crossed!

Thanks for visiting my blog today, hope you found it interesting. See you again I hope.

Jane

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