Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Christmas tree hangers

I was so struck by a Christmas tree hanger ornament that I received from Lynn that I just had to experiment and make some.. and now I am hooked!



The silver borders are simple peel-offs that I had in a 'give-away' box, because I didn't know how to value them properly. My son Joël had given them as a gift last Christmas - now I wish he had brought some more with him!! Isn't that nice to actually be happy with something you thought you would never use??

I embossed over the hangers about three to four times, this is what gives them that ornamental feel.

jaqueline1-3

Thank you Lynn for sharing a piece of your art with me! It is great to have a close-up to be inspired.

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Tag Tuesday #32 - Happy New Year

The challenge on Tag Tuesday this week is Happy New Year and can be found here.



A big thanks to Louise for hosting this challenge this year - I'm hoping it will continue into next year too!

(NB - Sue, I used the stamps you sent me - the clock and the fleur de Lys)

Saturday, December 26, 2009

Playing with paper

Puzzling with papers, scraps, etc. wanting to fit papers with images to reduce the scrap baskets and not make new ones!


The oval diecut came from Sue - distressed and all - just needed a little image and a background panel - thanks Sue! The special prima flower came from Louise.


Used just little scraps for this background and stamped over the top.


Here I added some stitching.
The last two images have been graciously given to me by Nancy Kreuger.

No snow here I am afraid, just rain today, but it's lovely and cozy inside.

Friday, December 25, 2009

Happy Christmas!

We celebrated yesterday evening here so time to relax today and probably create a little. There are no church services today, something we have always been sad about, but we celebrate the Saviour as a family.



I have been so blessed to know you all!

Thank you all for your friendship!

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Tag Tuesday - A shaped tag

I won't have time to make a shaped tag so I hope you will accept this as a 'different' sort of tag creation, a tag on a card?
I wouldn't want to miss a week but I just can't fit it in anymore to make something new but I am determined to try it when I can breath a bit.



The challenge is on Louise's blog here.



Wishing everybody a very Happy Christmas! I hope to be back before Christmas though.

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Lavender and white

Just sharing a card I made with a Hero Arts stamp called Paris Rose. I used it as a background for the image and built the card up from there.



The swirl flourish I used on the background is from the Serenity stamp plate from Artistic Outpost.

We had a little bit of snow yesterday but it didn't stay. I do have a lovely view of the snow covered mountains which are part of the view from our house. And our son Joël arrived home yesterday for the Christmas holiday.
Have a lovely week!
Jacqueline

Friday, December 18, 2009

WINNER of my blog-giveaway


I let my son David pick a paper out of the basket and the name on it was:

PAULA

Congratulations Paula - I will send you a little package this coming Monday.

Huge thanks to everyone who joined in!

Jacqueline

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Tea pocket cards

The challenge on the Hero Arts blog this week is to create gift-holding cards. A little tea-bag is hardly a gift but if it is presented in a little card with a pocket, it could bring a smile to somebody's face.



This is the first one containing Hibiscus tea.



This is the second in the form of a heart containing lemon tea.



And the third one contains tea from the Lime tree. Very refreshing especially when you are thirsty in the summer!! I drink this alot. I'd rather have it direct from the tree though and not in a tea-bag!



I have used some of the stamps from this mix and match set from Hero Arts, which are ideal for small little projects like this. For the tags I found a wonderful link with all shapes and sizes for free printing!




And the last one:


I will reveal the winner of the giveaway tomorrow evening - I won't have time until then. There is still one more day to comment on this post - please scroll down!

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Tag Tuesday # 30 - Punch It!

The challenge for tag Teusday, can be found here on Louise's blog. Thank you Louise!

TAG

This is my tag for this afternoon. I punched out a flower and a circle with a sentiment as you can see.

ONE POST DOWN I HAVE A GIVE AWAY TO SHARE - PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO JOIN IN!!

Monday, December 14, 2009

A little giveaway

Courtesy of Hero Arts - a package had been sent from Hero arts for my third place win in a colouring challenge back in September which never arrived. May arranged to send me a new package which got here within ten days. Just today, after all that time, I got notified that the first package had been found and was delivered this afternoon!! So I'm giving it away with one of my cards. It is a cling stamp and shadow ink - Sandy color.



I made this card for the recent sneek peek 2010 Inspiration challange on the Hero Arts blog.



I know alot of ladies already have this stamp but maybe there is someone out there who doesn't. I will keep this open until the end of the week. For the people who regularly visit my blog I will enter their name into the draw twice. I will probably add to the package as the week advances - the rest will be a secret!
Thanks everyone!
Jacqueline

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Paris Rose

I got the most overwhelming surprise today - in a package from Pia, Denmark. I found a beautiful card and this amazing vintage stamp from Hero Arts called Paris Rose - isn't it a beautiful stamp!



Of course I had to ink it up as soon as I could and make a card. I did the rose 3D after painting it with distress inks. I think this stamp is going to prove very versatile!



Evelyn if you pop by - thank you for the beautiful pp you sent which I used here.

Here is Pia's beautiful card.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Theme Thursday - Vintage

The challenge this week is simply 'Vintage'. It can be found here.

A little while back I received a stunning ATC from LOUISE and wanted to case it.


This is from her, isn't it stunning!

I have to say that I found it quite difficult as I didn't have her stamps.. until I found a very old Anne Griffin acrylic laying in a basket and I knew, that is perfect to frame my image. I built it up from there, using a very stylish flourish stamp from the Serenity stamp-plate of Artistic Outpost which can be found here.


I hope to do this once in a while and I received some gorgeous artwork over the years which I'd love to show here!
And Louise, if you pop by, please tell me who made that gorgeous round frame stamp!

Just a little note to say that my Tag Tuesday tags got first prize in the Hero Arts holiday tag challenge this week - I was so thrilled!!
Holiday tags
Here is the link.

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Birthday wishes

Just sharing a birthday card I made a while back.



I don't use ribbon very much on cards because I can't make them very well, but this one just went how I wanted it.
I printed the image out on patterned paper just to give it a different look than usual.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Moxie Fab World - Tuesday trigger



I'm joining in this week with this challenge, with a Christmas tag that was triggered by this inspiration photo. I had already made some like this in purple (with green and silver) and in pink and green but this gave me the idea to try it in red and white.

Winter tag

Here is my tag. I embossed the stamp image on a red distressed background.

I just want to share this beautiful Christmas card I received this morning from Suzanne Czosek. This is the original card that Suzanne entered with the trigger inspiration photo she found, and got chosen. You can see it if you click on the link above.



Isn't this just beautiful patchwork?!

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Tag Tuesday - # 28

The tag Tuesday challenge can be found here. Louise hosts this challenge every week and the theme today is to create a holiday tag in purple, green and silver.



The problem with purple is, that is doesn't photograph very well and the colors look so much better in real life.

I used some diecuts from Sue, distress inks, the Ponsiettias and flowers design block from Hero Arts. I cut out the ponsiettias to emboss them in silver to embellish the tags.
Thanks Louise.

Sunday, November 29, 2009

My first digi-stamp

I had the idea of making my own definition stamps, but then in a digital way, by using Bible verses in the same way as the Hero Arts definition stamps are made.



This is the result, my first digi-stamp using Isaiah 61:10 - which better verse to use!!

The orange/pink PP comes from Vanessa.

Friday, November 27, 2009

Playing with distress inks

I had a couple of mornings off work this week because my son David was sick and when I saw these links on Godelieve's blog, I really wanted to experiment with distress inks again, now I had more time.



These are the little tag cards I made.

rejoicetag

This one is done by sponging on shabby shutters (green), placing a mask (Tim Holtz) on the bottom of the tag and then sponging over the top with broken china (blue) to achieve this kind of teal color.

totallyspecialtag

This one is done by sponging on two different inks and then flicking on water from a paint brush to get the splotchy effect. I love this technique.

hellotag

The third one is made using pink and brown distress inks on the tag. Then ink up your chosen stamp with versamark, spray it lightly with water and then stamp on the distressed tag. Nice effect I think.

Nice to know some of the basic techniques with distress inks.

Monday, November 23, 2009

A little brown/blue card share and part two on forgiveness!

Just a little share of a vintage card made with brown and denim blue tones.



-------------------------------------------------------
Hi! My sharing today was not easy to get on here. I lost it so many times I had to make a separate document on my hard drive and just couldn't work on-line. So let's hope it will be ok this time!

As I received a very analytical insightful response to what I shared a couple of weeks ago from Deborah Nolan, I want to carry on with the subject of forgiveness..
To give you a little recital of what happened: I had reproached a colleague about her coming in to work late, thinking that she would accept the truth - but instead provoked a harsh aggressive response. Both being Christians and having known each other for four years - what was missing in this confrontation? The conclusion was that I had spoken the truth without love, which had resulted in tension. I was the one who had to forgive first to save the situation which cost me a little sacrifice of my pride.
Look at what Deborah wrote:

« I know from experience that you are dead-on right. It is easier for the "wronged" party to offer the apology because she's not in the wrong. (She's really not got anything to lose, now does she?) Once she does, the wrong-doer is suddenly freed to apologize herself. That earlier apology gives her the advance forgiveness she needs to give her the courage to admit she is wrong. I think we don't like to apologize because we fear rejection. When you said you were sorry first, she knew she was being embraced not rejected, so she was able to apologize. »

Isn’t this a great picture of how God forgives us? Although we are the wrong doers He takes the initiative to open a way of acceptance by a sacrifice which cost Him His Son and now the debt has been paid we can come freely to the throne of God without being rejected!! That is the divine law of LOVE!

God loved us first - we have been « accepted in the beloved » Ef.1:6

That same Love has been shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit - it should give us the courage to walk in forgiveness, to quit criticizing and judging and by walking in this Godly example, opening the way for others to want to walk in the truth and come to the light! That is the way the Cross works in our lives so that the character of Jesus Christ can become a reality in us!

In this light I believe that this Bible verse speaks even louder:

"This is real love, not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins." 1 John 4:10

I really appreciate any input you might have so that this can become interactive! It is good to meditate on these things not to just live on the surface and follow our natural inclinations.

Thank you Deborah for sharing!

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Tag Tuesday #26 - Christmas color scheme

It's Tuesday again and here is the challenge on Louise's blog where you can see her gorgeous example tag.

Christmas tag for challenge

I love this color combo but I am also looking forward to other color challenges that Louise has in store for us in the coming weeks. It's nice to have a tag ready for that special little Christmas gift!

I used a stamp from Sugar lump studios and different patterned papers.

Just want to thank Godelieve, Sanne and Daniëlle who helped me out on Sunday as I thought I was having problems with my blog. Thanks girls!

Friday, November 13, 2009

Art Declassified Bunchberry Stamp

This is an Art Declassified stamp which I recently got sent to me By Vicky Martindale. I had sent her an ATC and she wanted to send me something in return, a Cling from Hero Arts or an Art Declassified stamp. I had never heard of Art Declassified before but when she said it would be an outline flower, I didn't hesitate! In the end she sent me a Cling as well! So kind!

I have to say that I just LOVE this stamp as it offers me a half hour of pure enjoyment just selecting different patterned papers and paper piecing!



Everytime, this card will look different, according to the papers I choose and that's what I love about a stamp.





Here are two I have made so far but actually can't wait to make another one!

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Theme thursday - patterned paper

It's nice to have a little challenge on the Tuesday and the Thursday. Patterned paper, which is the theme, is something I just love. I especially love stamping on it!
Here is the link to the challenge.

praying girl

I got this rubber stamp from Art Journey's on-line shop in Holland. I loved the image of the praying girl. Again it is a stamp I have been pondering on for ages... shall I, shan't I - but I think it is a very versatile stamp for many occasions which is always the reason why I purchase in the end. If stamps don't prove versatile enough I usually end up selling them on Ebay, so I'm very careful.
I used my little flower embellishments again and a butterfly stamp from Paper Artsy.
I used five different types of patterned paper on this card.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Tag Tuesday # 25 - Use a picture


Louise posted her tag for this week's tag tuesday challenge here. Everybody is welcome to join in!

It's so strange that I can use any vintage image but as soon as I try to use a photo, or even a copy of a photo I get into a complete mess. So, I opted for a little sweet vintage image that Nancy Kreuger sent me and used up some scraps.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Theme thursday - Borders and a Pearl of the Word of God

The Thursday theme is 'borders' at this challenge blog today.

I added some borders to this card by punching out two strips of paper lace.



I never usually use this color but I really like it. I saw this stamp used in such a nice way a while back and the effect is achieved by inking up your stamp with distress ink and then spraying a little water over the top before stamping.



This is a photo of the gorgeous roses (50 of them) I received from my sweet hubby today, just to encourage me, he said....
The florists name for this bunch is 'Indian Summer'.

PEARL of the WORD

I'm going to share something today in which God taught me a good lesson about His wisdom! It's just a small example but they are all worth learning from in discipleship!
You could call me a simple girl... for me truth is truth and I don't let much get in between. But I am still learning that truth without Love, is a very cold truth and Love without truth is not worth much either!

So what does the Bible say about this and how do we apply it in a wise way in our daily lifes? I used to think that I would rather have a row than hide the truth - somehow that still appeals to me - to get 'stuff' out in the open, to be transparent, to let nothing get between me, God and other people. But 'stuff' happens, and we learn by it.

Here is the Bible verse from James 3:17

"But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy."

OK, here is the scene. My DH was in Cyprus and I was alone in the office with his secretary who I have known for four years. She is French, a Christian of course and we have had good times together. Due to circumstances in her life she is going through a very hard time and just had three weeks sick leave. Officially we start at 9 o'clock. The first day she was back to work she was there working before I arrived and I love that sort of enthusiasm! But the following days she started getting later and later and it started irritating me.... Thursday morning I thought, right, truth is truth, I am going to say something about it because she had been late in the past and we had better not make a habit of it.

WRONG.. I got the full blast and instead of feeling better about saying the truth I suddenly felt very bad and realized that I had caused tension between us. It lasted two hours. My husband called around 11 o'clock and could hear on my voice that something was wrong, so I told him. Here's what you do, he said to me, you are going to go to her, put your hand on her shoulder and say you are sorry - that is applying the Cross to your life, to allow peace to reign in the office again. GULP - me?? But I was right!
I had to fight off some pride but I did it and what happened?? She melted on the spot - Oh no, she said, I was wrong and I should never had reacted so aggressively - she just couldn't stop saying sorry to me!! We felt instantly better and the peace was restored in the office.

So what am I learning here - that wisdom is firstly pure (my irritation should have been dealt with first) then peaceful (it really wasn't my responsibility and blessed are the peace-makers), then gentle, reasonable.. full of mercy!! It is an application of the Cross, that will choose to deny itself instead of claiming my right of 'being right'. Truth without love is hard.

I believe that if I cannot say the truth in love than I just might as well keep my mouth shut and deal with my own heart first before the Lord in prayer!

Love without truth is just as wrong - but that will be for another day.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Tag Tuesday - no paper


Grumble, grumble... NO paper...
Louise certainly raised the bar but I don't think I could as I just love my paper!! So I had to use something else and I found some canvas which I printed an image on. With the same canvas I cut out a tag and sponged over a Tim Holtz mask which Louise had sent to me, with distress ink. I sewed the image on and I also sewed the little pom-pom lace on but it went all crooked - so this is an imperfect tag, but I don't have the time now to make another one!
Thanks Louise!

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Gothic Arch Sunday

The Gothic Arch Sunday challenge is back on blogger which I am really pleased with because it feels like it is 'home' again...
The theme is to be inspired by the paintings of an English man called Lord Frederick Leighton, which are quite vintage in appearance.

image0-23

My DH returned last friday night from Cyprus, so glad to have him back! We are having real fall weather at the moment and the birds are getting ready to migrate as they are sitting in their thousands in the trees - the noise they make is awesome! That is probably what inspired my tree on this arch.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Favorite color challenge - Theme Thursday

Another lovely theme from the Theme Thursday challenge blog which can be found here. My favorite colors are all tints and shades of vintage pink, burgundy, browns and beige.
The stamped image is from Sugar Lump Studios and I also used the Antique brocade background stamp from Hero Arts for a panel. I distressed the snowflake with worn lipstick distress ink.



Please don't look at the lines - my cutter has broken after four years - I really loved that little apparatus and now I can't cut straight!

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Tag Tuesday - paper piecing

So happy that Louise is back again. She made a beautiful tag for this week's challenge which can be found here.



For my tag I tore paper strips in the same colors as the vintage image in a Christmas theme. The little children look like they are praying! I have reached 50 tags which I have made instead of cards, ready and waiting to
be sent out at the beginning of December, and this tag will be added to the others.

I am nearing finishing point!


This is the image I used on my tag and I'm sure others might love to use it. It was a freebie I downloaded a long time ago so I cannot credit the source unfortunately but I'm sure the giver would have liked it to be freely given to others.