got a new toy - a kiln ...

...and this is what's been made in it so far...

What I've been doing and why I haven't been blogging!!!

Cuttlebug Father's Day Card

Oops I nearly forgot - this one's for this weeks Cuttlebug Challenge, can't really see the embossed bit on this photo though - sorry!

Father's Day Cards

I've been busy making cards for Father's Day as I've had some requests for friends wanting cards, not for any challenges, just because!! I bought a pack of RL rub-ons with the lighthouse theme, and used various cardstock, papers and my elzybell stamp. Click on the pics for a closer look. The 4th and 6th cards are large - A5 size.
P.S. The top one is going to my Dad!

Crafty Creations, Sketch Saturday and Jewellery Challenges

Well, I finally managed to get into my craft room - my Crafty Creations DT duties finally got the better of me, so thought it best to make an entry for this weeks challenge which is "Purple". I also used the sketch from Sketch Saturday.

I've also made this wire ring ...

for this fortnights Jewellery Challenge, which unfortunately is also the last one for this blog due to poor takers of challenges - ahhh, sad - I'll miss it! So click on the link and post your entry - let's try and keep the jewellery challenge blog going...

and finally, a bracelet that I made this morning that I thought I'd share with you...

Hope you like!

blogging holidays!

Hi everyone,
Sorry I haven't posted anything for AGES, but life seems to be rushing by so quickly and I haven't even set foot in my craft room for nearly a month! I'm still a Stampin' Up demo, so if you want to order anything I'm still around, but what with work, this gorgeous sun etc etc I'm putting my blogging on the back seat for a few more weeks - hope to catch up with you all again soon (probably when it next rains!!)

Stamp With Us & Cupcake Challenges

I've had to make a card for my 22 yr old nephew who is stuck in hospital with various broken bones after a really bad motorbike accident last week, and thought this would cheer him up. I made it with the inspiration from 2 challenges - Stamp With Us and Cupcake Craft Challenges. How hard is it to make a card for a lad when he's stuck in hospital when most of the male cards usually involve vehicles or beer, or other things that he can't actually do right now! Oh well, off to see him now...
Stamps used: life's a breeze, sanded (stampin' up)
Inks used: real red, orange, blue (stampin' up)
Colouring method: stamped
Cardstock used: bold brights - stampin' up
Tools used: nesties, scissors

Papertake Weekly Challenge - Animal Antics

Here's a card that I've made for this weeks Papertake Weekly Challenge which is "animal antics"! I coloured it mostly with chalks, which hasn't come out very well in the photo - it looks quite pale, but it is brighter in real life!!
Stamps used: Loads of Love and accessories - Stampin' Up
Inks used: chalks and SU ink pads
Colouring method: blender pens
Cardstock used: textured bashful blue, naturals
Other Embellishments:

Sketch Saturday & 4th Birthday!

I've had a really busy couple of days what with jewellery parties, stampin' up parties and my little boy's 4th birthday - here's his card that I made with the sketch from this weeks Sketch Saturday challenge!
Here's a pic of my little boy with his car cake, too (I made that, too!) We had such a nice day in the garden - it was so hot, it was lovely!

Papertake Weekly Challenge - Hello Kitty!!

I couldn't resist the new Hello Kitty dies, and my order arrived this morning!! Thought I'd put them to good use making a card for the Papertake Weekly challenge which this week is a sketch, and it also fits in with the ABC Challenge which this week is M for Metallic - I've used gold paper and some gold embossing! - hope you like!

My Time to Craft - anything but a card!

OK, I've managed to waste so much time today on hello kitty... here's my entry for the My Time To Craft challenge which is "anything but a card" so I've put together a belated birthday present for a friend - hope she likes it (and the crafty bits inside!!)

Stamp With Us

Here's my take on the sketch for this weeks challenge over on Stamp With Us. This is my first entry to this blog - I only stumbled upon it last week.
Stamps used: Botanical Blooms
Inks used: ruby red
Colouring method: stamped
Cardstock used: ruby red
Other Embellishments: punched sentiment, stamped flowers
Tools: nesties

Guillotine/Cutter Dilemma - Candy Winner!!!

I used a random number generator to choose a winner, and it chose Annie
(no. 20) - so contact me with your address and I'll get the candy in the post.

Thanks to everyone for your helpful comments, maybe someone will design a perfect cutter one day....

my guillotine dilemma - continued...

I never did reach a satisfactory conclusion with regards to my ongoing guillotine dilemma - I bought the purple cows one, which went back as it was too big and bulky, so I then bought one I found on special offer from cutting edge crafts which is a rotary trimmer, but not as accurate as my good old faithful "squeaky", although it has inch marks which I find really useful. I then also bought a small A5 XCut guillotine, which is great, fairly accurate, but doesn't have inch marks. So, if I want to cut large pieces of 12 x 12 to, say 5 x 5, I use my rotary, but for smaller cuts I use my Xcut. I'm still not happy, and am now looking for the best grease to un-squeak squeaky!! So, I will draw a winner of my blog candy anyway, as you all had so many useful comments to make - I'll go and do this in a little while and come back with a winner ...

weddings, weddings, and more weddings

I've just made a couple of quick cards today - the first is an engagement card for a party that we're going to today (leave everything til the last minute, me!)

and the second is a RSVP for a wedding that we're going to - cocktail styley!! This is actually a 3" x 3" card!
Stamps used: stampin' up
Inks used: bashful blue, certainly celery, ruby red, stazon black
Colouring method: inks and blender pens
Cardstock used: various
Other Embellishments: glass hearts, ribbon
Tools: nesties, guillotine etc

latest jewellery

Here's my latest bracelet over on Elljay Creations, made with chunky chain and lucite flowers and leaves.

Cute Card Thursday

Over on Cute Card Thursday this week, the challenge is "mirror mirror", and the prize is a fab stamp set from Stampin' Up, courtesy of me!!

There are a couple of offers with Stampin' Up when you buy through me at the moment - buy 3 paper packs and get 1 free (valid for May 2009),
delivery just £3.50 per order (this is a special offer from me, not stampin' up)
and ...
become a demonstrator and get a free star punch (worth £12.50)
If you want any more info regarding Stampin' Up products, please email me - jennyraynor@tiscali.co.uk with the subject Stampin' Up in the subject line,
thanks for looking at my blog,

more cards

Click on the pics for a better look...
This first one is supposed to be an Ipod (!!), made for our nephew's 13th birthday.

I've been itching to make another card from my large nesties, and this is a new stamp that I bought a few weeks ago and haven't had the chance to use it before now. I stamped it using my new chalk inks - first outing for them too!

This card is my DT make for the Crafty Creations challenge which this week is sweet and yummy! Another first for me on here too - my core-dinations cardstock! The cakes are stamped using the faux silk technique.

Todays makes

I've made this card for this weeks Sketch Saturday challenge.
Stamps used: papermania, stampin' up
Inks used: not quite navy (SU) & black stazon
Colouring method: watercolour pencils & chalks
Cardstock used: misc
Other Embellishments: twine (stampin' up)
Tools: cropadile (to make holes for twine), creative memories circle cutters, guillotine etc
And this jewellery is for this weeks Jewellery Challenge which has a new challenge today which is "white".

Stampin' Up Special offer

I think that these new punches (available from the mini catalogue) are great. The punches cost £12.50 each, and there is a stamp set also available that matches perfectly. BUT... I'm offering you a special offer - place an order with me for the two punches and I will send you a sheet of the corresponding stamped sentiments absolutely free! I will also reduce the standard postage (normally £3.95 or 5% of order value) to £3.50. Email me if you're interested (with Stampin' Up written in the title bar so I can see your email amongst all the junk!).

Coming up in May - buy 3 packs of designer paper and get 1 free (from set list) - contact me for ordering info!