Merry Christmas to all my visitors and followers

I hope you have a wonderful relaxing time with your families.

Jolanda x

christmas hanging decoration

I made this Christmas decoration using the cricut. The backgound squares and the lettering were all cut using the storybook cartridge. I embossed the letters and the bell at the bottom with swiss dots and holly leaves on the red squares.

I am entering this into the Fantabulous Cricut challenge - to make a decoration for the house.

Thanks for looking

Jolanda x

fantastic giveaway

Yours artfully are having the most fantastic giveaway - click here to enter. You really must see it :)))) now finished :(

Simon Says Stamp and Show

Simon Says Stamp and Show's current challenge is to show something made with a Tim Holtz technique. Its a bit difficult to choose, because they are all a lot of fun to do. I decided to choose water stamping as I was amazed by the effect you can get with it!!

Thanks for looking

Jolanda x

Sir Stampalot December Challenge

Hi everyone, hope you are nearly ready for Christmas!!

I made this card using my favourite Dutch Houses stamps and a home made one (its supposed to look like a cobbled road). I then embossed with seafoam white and voila!! the background was embossed with swiss dots folder. A very quick and easy card :)

I am entering this into the Sir Stampalot challenge - Travel the World.

Thanks for looking, have a nice day

Jolanda x

Christmas tag

I made this tag for the Studio L3 challenge CCC #24 - Rock Candy Distress Stickles technique. Look in Tim's book for exact instructions.
First I embossed with the music folder in the cuttlebug and then heat embossed with vanilla powder (oh!!! it smelled so good :D) then I covered it up with green distress ink (which I didn't let dry :( and promptly wiped it off when I applied the stickles stuff. But the green did stay around the embossing and I quite like this effect. (mistakes are good!!!)
The flower is cut using a Marianne Design die and the robin and branch using a storybook cricut cartridge.
I am also entering this in the delightful Challenges - embossing challenge

circular Christmas card

Happy Friday!!,

This is a circular easel card. I really love easel cards at the moment...

I cut the circles using the George cartridge on the cricut and embossed them in the cuttlebug.

The snowmen are made using a cuttlebug die - I think they are very cute. The little robin was cut using the cricut; cartridge Storybook.

I am entering this into the Cricut Cardz Challenge #54 circle shaped Christmas card. and City crafter challenge blog - week 34 Let it snow and also Little Red Wagon - use die cuts

Thanks for visiting my blog

Jolanda x

vintage style easel card

Hi everyone,
I made this card using spellbinders labels dies for the card base and backing paper.
The stamped image is by rubber stampede and the snowflakes were cut using Marianne Designs dies. I used corrugated card for the die cutting and it came out with an interesting texture - I'm very pleased with that!
At the moment I have an obsession with the wavy sentiment labels - I saw a similar effect on some of the Scandinavian blogs.

I'm entering this into the Simon Says Stamp and Show challenge - show a holiday greeting , Dutch Dare - Christmas challenge , Secret Crafter challenge #112 Christmas

Hope you like it, thanks for looking.

Jolanda x

Birthday Card

I made this little birthday card for one of my nieces. (how do you spell niece or neice?? both look wrong!! - I'll check later).
The Pink Stamper is having a birthday card challenge so I thought I would enter this card.

Thanks for looking

Jolanda x

cricut owl pop-up card

Hi everyone, last night I made a birthday card for my son's friend. I find it quite difficult to make cards for teenage boys. I don't always want a football or a computer game theme, so I tried something a bit different.

I am entering this card into top tip tuesday challenge - anything goes and a crafty little place challenge again anything goes.

Hope you like it - I had a lot of fun making this using the cricut. The cartridges I used were storybook and george.

Thanks for looking

Jolanda x

vintage style Christmas card

I made this card using a delightful vintage picture. The background paper is sewn onto the card and the hearts have snow on them with a bit of glitter for a bit of glam. I don't think you can have a Christmas card without glitter.

I am entering this one into CES challenge blog - vintage Christmas

Thanks for looking

Jolanda x

roller skating guinea pig!!!

Hi there, hope you are having a nice Wednesday! This is a layout of one of our lovely guinea pigs (we are obsessed with them LOL). This gp is called Molly and the reason for this photo was to make a birthday card/book for my daughter's 16th birthday (made by the guinea pigs of course!). She posed perfectly what a star!!!

I cut the letters, apples and stars on my cricut (wow! what a wonderful machine)

Thanks for visiting my blog

Jolanda x

distress ink gothic arch

Hi everyone, hope you are not too cold! It is snowing on and off at the moment here. Insided crafting is the best place to be :)
I had this sudden urge to make a gothic arch (haven't made one before, but love the shape)
The doors on the front are made using the double distress method from Tim Holtz Compendium of Curiosities. I am entering this into the Studio L3 Double distress Challenge no #23. The colours I used are Barn Door and Walnut Stain.

the background on the inside is barn door and perfect pearls gold sprayed onto baking parchment and the card smooshed around on it. It has a nice shimmery effect. I stamped and embossed the dragon in copper and painted peeled paint distress ink on the body.
I masked the dragon and stamped the windows behind, masked them and stamped another window at the top. I used watercolour pencils to colour them. Oh, the wings of the dragon are embossed with holographic powder.

The hinges I cut with my NEW cricut machine. It doesn't just cut cutesy animals but a lot more!!
These I embossed with a cuttlebug halloween folder, just as the doors. an old beady earring completes the door.

I am also entering this into the Simon Says Stamp and Show your distress inks

and also Fab and funky challenge - go with the flow.

and Paper Cutz challenge anything goes

Thanks for looking and all your lovely comments :)

Jolanda x

Something hidden

I fancied having a go at the Artistic Stamper challenge - something hidden challenge. I thought what could I do that was hidden? and after a lot of tea and thinking :s I thought , what about a hidden baby! As you can see from the photo 'mum' pulls up to reveal a baby. She can even give birth and you can take the baby out.

I'm not sure this is particularly 'artistic stamping' but really enjoyed making this cute card, tag and envelope.

Thanks for looking

Jolanda x

giveaway winnings

This is a bracelet that I won in a giveaway from Roni on the Ink Stains blog. She has lots of great ideas - go and have a look :)

RAK

Here is my lovely RAK from Trash to Treasure Art. Take a look on Lynn's blog - her projects are really inspiring! and beautiful.

Dutch Dare card

This card I made for the Dutch Dare sketch challenge. I used another of my new stamps. The snowflakes are from a Marianne Creatable die. Thanks for looking

Hi, Earlier this week I received some lovely christmas stamps by Rubber Stampede I bought on Ebay. This is first thing I made with them.
I stamped the Father Christmas with Walnut stain distress ink and the holly is stamped and painted with peeled paint DI. I put some perfect pearl powder over the sentiment and it shimmers beautifully.

I am entering this into the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp and Show - whatever makes you happy (using new stash of course! and getting messy doing it)

The Stamp Man - anything by Tim challenge - I used Distress Inks

Challenge up your life - St Nicholas Challenge 32

Frosted designs - distressing

Thanks for looking

Jolanda x

Hi everyone,

This is a card made using my favourite Tim Holtz stamp.

I painted the background of the shaped panel with black acrylic paint and then stamped the bird image and embossed it with cosmic shimmer - Denim lilac aurora.

Then I painted over it with silver acrylic paint and wiped it off after a couple of minutes.

The swirls in the corner are embossed with the same embossing powder as the bird.

I cuttlebugged the flowers, painted them black and embossed as before.

I am entering this card into

Simon Says Stamp and Show - show us your favourite Tim Holtz stamp

Dutch Dare card challenge - clean and simple

Something completely different - wings

Thanks for looking

Jolanda x

Studio L3 CC Challenge 21

This tag was made following the perfect distress technique from the Compendium of Curiosities book by Tim Holtz. Turn to page 38 for the instructions.

For the background I used tumbled glass and peeled paint distress inks.

The houses are from one of my favourite stamp set - Craft houses by AVEC. The lamp post is one I carved from an eraser.

This technique has made the tag look a bit watery so I accentuated it with weathered wood brushed on to look like water at the bottom.

I enjoyed using this technique - it seemed a bit scary and out of control at first, but turned out ok. I decided to leave this tag embellishmentless - nothing I added looked right! But I think this tag looks very nice as it is.

This tag is being entered into the Studio L3 CCC #21 perfect distress technique

Thanks for looking at my blog and to all the lovely comments you leave :)

Jolanda x

Nature's Factory tag

Hi everyone, here is my latest entry for Studio L3's CCC #20 - the challenge this time is to do Tim Holtz's industrial grunge technique. Loook in the book for exact instructions.

First I painted the tag yellow with acrylic paint. Then I made a mask in a cog shape (this was made in the same way as you cut snowflakes as a child - if you know what I mean).

Next I sponged over the mask with red and then black paint.

I used the urban grunge technique on the the flowers (photo doesn't show it very well :( ). I painted them silver to look like metal and arranged them like cogs. To finish them off I glued some washers and nuts in the centres.

As this tag looks a bit mechanical, I thought it needed some worker bees -I die cut them with a cuttlebug die and coloured them with permanent marker pens.

Thanks for looking at my blog and thanks to my growing number of followers :))
Jolanda x

card for a man

This card is made using a Tim Holtz embossing folder and distress inks; weathered wood, antique linen and walnut stain.
I copper embossed most of is except for the wording which is black and copper sprinkled together. Its very difficult to show the embossing in a photo as its really shiny.

I am entering this card into the Stampman challenge #8 - cards for men

and also The creative cottage challenge #26 - embossing (there is lots on my card both dry and heat) And Challenge up your life #30 - Easel Card

Vintage Style Christmas Card

Hi everyone,

This is my second Christmas card. I am entering this into Annonyme Scrappere Challenge #9. The challenge is to make a Christmas card without any red on it.

Thanks for looking

Jolanda x

My first Christmas card of this year!

I have finally got round to making some Christmas cards! I know I'd better get my skates on!!

the background paper is made from lining paper, I scrunched it up and stamped and white embossed the snowflakes. This acted as a resist when I put on Tumbled Glass and Tea Dye Distress inks.

The beautiful angels are a free image on the Internet. I put a little bit of glitter on their necklaces. The flower was inked and stamped and then cut out.

I am entering this in

The Artistic Stamper October Challenge
Layer it up

Jolanda x

Extreme Masking - Challenge #19

Happy Wednesday to you all!

Studio L3 have another exciting challenge from the Compendium of Curiosities challenge; this time extreme masking. I won't tell you what this is exactly cos its in Tim Holtz's book!

I bought the book and I think it has changed my style of crafting! (for the better I hope! :)). The book is so full of wonderful ideas.

I used Distress inks to colour the background - barn door, peeled paint and walnut stain on a yellow tag.

For the extreme masking I cuttlebugged a 'ornament' shape and used this as a mask. Inside the shape I stamped wording from a Tim Holtz stamp. The stamp stamp is a See D's one.

The lady is from a free image on the Internet somewhere - I think it may have been Art-e-zine.

Thanks for looking

Jolanda x

dabber resist

Hi everyone, here is my latest entry for the Studio L3 Compendium of Curiosities Competition. This time you need to turn to page 37 and use the dabber resist technique.

I used a Tim Holtz stamped and used yellow to do this technique (read the book for the exact technique) The blob on the heart is melted wax!

Thanks for looking

Jolanda x

Make your own stamps!

Hi, everyone - hope you are having a good Sunday

I wanted to show you a stamp I made. I have seen so many nice birdcage stamps around and thought I would have a go at making my own.

In the local pound shop I found a set of four rubbers - 2 big and 2 small - Perfect!

I drew out my design using a soft pencil and then turned it over on top of the rubber, rubbed and transferred the design onto it.

Cutting it out with a lino tool requires a little patience but I think this only took me about 20 minutes.

I stamped the birdcage and embossed it with a cosmic shimmer embossing powder.

To stamp the birds inside I cut a mask for the outside and stamped through this so none of the bird stamp shows outside the cage.



Thanks for visiting my blog

Jolanda

Halloween Tag

Happy Saturday everyone!

This morning the postman brought me a present!! (that I bought for myself). Some distress embossing powder and the halloween and poison embossing folders. I couldn't wait to try them out.

This tag is made using the halloween embossing folder (Tim Holtz of course!!)

I stamped the spider and dark red embossed his back - he is lovely and shiny but it doesn't show in the photo.

Halloween is a very popular theme for challenges this week

I am entering this into the following:

Polkadoodles

Stampin for the weekend

frosted designs

Crafts and Me

creative cottage

stamp something

Wow!!! I have 10 followers now!! :) Thank you for supporting me

Thanks for looking at my blog

Jolanda x

Recycled art!!

This door hanger is made from recycled materials that I had lying around. The base is corrugated cardboard - I just stripped off some of the top layer and inked it.

The frame and die cut swirls are cereal box card.

The photo - a leftover from pyramage - the image is a free one from the Internet somewhere.

The flowers and butterflies from handmade paper remnants and pieces of scrap paper.

Some years ago I made a wedding dress for a friend and the pearl trim is leftover from that (I knew it would come in useful one day!).

I must say I am very pleased with this effort! I love shabby chic but feel I have never quite made it.

I am entering this into the Our Vintage Affair Challenge blog - their October challenge is to make a door hanger. Visit their site if you haven't already, its stunning.
Also Totally Gorjuss are having an unsquare challenge and Polka Doodles are having a make your own embellishments challenge
Craftalicious have an anything goes challenge.

I have also just found a great blog - Three Muses who are having a vintage challenge.

I would also like to say a big thank you to my followers - I now have 8, it feels really good :D.

Thanks for looking

Jolanda x

another spooky tag 666

Hi everyone,

Simon Says Stamp and Show have a challenge to use numbers. As I have seen so much scary halloween crafty stuff made recently, I decided something scary would be good.

There are numbers all over the tag and embossed in the bottom righthand corner are the numbers 666.

The stamps of the ladies and the children (hiding in the background) are Tim Holtz stamps.

I used distress inks in weathered wood and Walnut stain.

Thanks for looking

I am also entering this into the secretcrafter saturday challenge - distressing

Jolanda x

Lunch at the Thai restaurant

Hi again,

Today we had lunch at the local Thai restaurant. The food is so delicious and beautifully presented I have to take my camera every time I visit. The carved flowers are fantastic.

This time carrot butterflies!!


Hope you don't feel too hungry after looking at this!!

Bye for now
Jolanda x

slightly spooky Autumn Tag

High everyone, I made this tag for the Kard Krazy Tuesday Tag challenge. The theme of this is pumpkins.

The lady and cross are hand carved from erasers.

I am also entering this into Gingersnap creations gothic challenge. I think the church is quite gothicy and the lady and cross quite scary.

And the stampin for the weekend challenge which is to use the colours of Autumn.

And the stampman challenge site which again is to use Autumn as inspiration.

Thanks for looking

Jolanda x

even more wedding pics