I'm still here...

Hi crafty folks! No, I haven't fallen off the planet or anything - just been super busy round the house and in the garden etc... My OH Leon's back is not good at the moment and it means I have less time for extracurricular stuff if you get what I mean! At least he's got an appointment to see the surgeon that deals with him now but only after having to telephone said surgeon's secretary and question why 4 months on from his MRI scan he's still not heard from him. And you'll never guess what! Someone had "forgotten to put him in the system" (!!!!) so, he could have waited till xmas and still not been seen! Oh well, we've traveled this road before and know that sometimes you've got to put on your "pushy pants" to get what you need from the good old NHS. So, yep I don't have a lot of time/inclination to get crafty at the mo but I've by no means retired completely. I'm finishing a home decor project that I've been playing with on and off and its nearly done so I'll upload that shortly! Also I sold some cards lately and have replenished my craft funds for more new stash! Yay! Yipee! Trouble is my local Hobbycraft is a bit rubbish and I can't find anything to splash the cash on! Can you believe that! Must try harder! Other shops are available! Have a notion to try cutting up an old children's book for the vintage illustrations to use on cards as inspired by Julie Kirk @ notes on paper! I love her style of putting things together and her work is brill! Will let you know how I get on with it all!
Take care everyone and pop back soon for a look at my home decor project.
Love, Jak
Xxxx

Twilight Sparkle necklace

Hi there! Apologies for not being very creative of late although strictly speaking my creative talents have been employed doing other stuff - namely shelving and storage round the house! Not very exciting I know but nevertheless a necessity and whatsmore a metaphorical fire has been lit under my backside to de-clutter and get shot of a whole pile of nonsense! Phew - it's a job that's been looming on the horizon for months now and now that I've finally got round to doing it I feel loads (literally) lighter! Shock horror - I even threw out a pile of stuff I'd squirreled away to re-purpose at a later date. Let's face it, that later date was getting later and later... So, now that I have rid myself of such junk it's time to refocus and do something a bit more imaginative! Since her birthday, Sadie's obsession with My Little Pony has hit fever pitch and when she's not playing with Ponies or talking to anyone that might listen about Ponies she is trawling Etsy for custom Pony delights and/or Equestria related goodies! And so I got to thinking that perhaps I could rustle up a Pony necklace inspired by some of the beautiful kitschy cuteness that abounds there! One Twilight Sparkle figurine and a recycled necklace later I presented her with the amazing (her words) creation you can see here! Guess what - it was a big hit! If I can get my hands on any more of these MLP blind bags I might be tempted to make her some more and myself a little bag charm. I think her obsession/brainwashing is taking me over too. Help me!

Millie is modelling the necklace here. Excuse her manky t-shirt - she'd just eaten her tea!

As promised - Anna Griffin cards...

These really are beautiful products to use and pretty simple to make up because everything goes so well together! Some of the cards are much bigger than I would normally make but the embellishments are big too so proportionally it all works! It's a different style for me card-wise but I'm lovin it!
Keep creating!
J
xxx

Busy making cards...

... well, trying to. You know it doesn't come easy to me, cardmaking. Why this should be I don't know. Perhaps it's the small format or the fact that to sell them at a good price you can't spend too much time on them. Whatever it is I do find it very challenging and I have to say it's kind of got under my skin a bit and I will not be satisfied till I've got a production/sellability formula worked out. Meanwhile I have been trying out a couple of QVC TSVs. One, a My Craft Studio CD-rom product - I really liked 50% of the backgrounds and digital stamps but not enough to want to hold on to the whole package which was a shame 'cos it came with some really lovely glittered papers too. It went back to QVC! The next TSV was an Anna Griffin box full of vintage botanical goodies and it's a keeper!!! Wowzer! - just beautiful! I have only one complaint about this and its that the C6 cards have larger than C6 envelopes (to accomodate the layerage and dimensionality bestowed upon the cards I'm presuming) so this means C6 baggies don't fit them. Hmmmph! But that aside it is a lovely collection of goodies. There's even acrylic stamps for inside your handmade cards. Gorgeous!
My next project here is to have a good old tidy out. I'm having a joiner put in some heavy duty shelves in my utility room so I can store away bit's and bobs like xmas decs, stuff to recycle/put to the charity shop (and other various bits of junk that anyone else would generally throw out). I live in an old house and much as I love the proportions of the rooms and high ceilings etc, builders didn't "do" storage back in the 1900s which means although I do try to keep stray things to a minimum, my utility room often ends up like Steptoe's yard. An other alternative of course would be to get the attic floored but I think I would end up hoarding everything if I did that!
Anyways... better go and get on with it eh! Soz there's no piccies this time, will take some photos of the beautiful Anna Griffin kit soon as I make some cards with it!
Happy crafting everyone,
love Jak
xxx

Good morning....

How can it not be a good day when you wake up to this as your view... ahh the sea...
Westhaven @ 7.24am
Gorgeous!

Poor little Mog...

My poor kitty has been almost eaten alive! Massive infected cat bite by the base of her tail. She's very poorly with it. Vet had to shave away a big load of beautiful silver fur to clean it all up today. Get well soon girlie!
Xxx

Cardmaking...

Its something I don't do an awful lot of, but I have taken a notion to put together a box of cards - hopefully 50 or so - to sell with donation/percentage to charity. I'm trying to reign myself in and not spend too much time doing them cos then they end up costing too much and therein lies a dilemma. If I wouldn't buy one from myself, then (to me) that means they're not good enough. But then on the other hand, if they're too "artsy" then that puts other folk off who don't appreciate that kind of thing. Now I know that you cant please everyone but there's no point in making 'em if I can't sell 'em! Hmmm! Your comments/opinions on this one would be welcomed. If you make cards which do you find sell the best? Birthdays? General/blank? Should I do a mixture of baby, moving home, good luck sentiments? Anyhoo I've only made 20 so far so I'm not even half way there yet! Got a total bargain from ebay the other day - 3 sheets of Anna Griffin sentiments for under £4 with p&p all in! Result! I do love an ebay bargain - not that they're easily come by these days! Gotta go - there's cards to be made!
Happy Easter - step away from the chocolate now!!!!
Jak
xxx