Here comes Santa Claus!

Yeay my christmas spirit has arrived in bucket loads and right on time....... only 5 sleeps :)  And I am so happy that I have managed to complete my final Purple Haze challenge ....... yes one a week since the challenge blog began until now....... quite an achievement for me. The very last one is Penny Black Christmas and I love Penny Black and I love christmas so the biggest challenge this week was to decide which cute image to use.....I chose Thinking of you....... Oh and getting my creation dry and photographed without anyone eating it :) xx Jayne xx OOOPs sorry it is a Candy Cane Wreath ... :) x

And here's one I made earlier!

Well it really was a bit of a case of here is one I made earlier for this weeks purple haze challenge..... the theme was colours of christmas and I made a card. I wasn't 100% happy with said card and so I started again and made a crystal snowflake bracelet....... beautiful as it is ..... it didn't seem right for the challenge  so I was struggling. Then whilst knitting a scarf for a christmas present ..... I fell in love with the colours and the sparkle of silver that runs through them which I doubt will have been captured in the photograph....... the whole thing shrieked colours of christmas at me........... can you enter a scarf in a challenge ..... well knitting is a craft and I made it myself so yes I suppose I can, The only down to this story (unless you are me) is that the scarf is so gorgeous and pretty ..... oh and warm that it has to stay with me......so I'm off to buy more yarn this afternoon so that I can start the present all over again..

..... note to self...... choose yarn that you don't like or you'll be knitting forever xx Jayne xx

Baubles

Baubles..... well hangers for baubles are my make for this weeks Through the Purple Haze challenge. I never like the bits of shiny cord that come on baubles....... I don't like ribbon as I think it looks too bulky....... I don't like the strange bent wire hangers you can buy and bent paper clips are now a thing of the past now too....... I have been beavering away with beads and have made some bauble hangers that I am very happy with and are worthy of  the Fisk family baubles ........ what I could really do with now is a couple of extra weeks....... I feel so far behind after being poorly for so long that I'm beginning to wonder if the tree will be up in time for christmas ...... xx Jayne xx

Use your stash!

Erm really well that is quite a challenge....... so is crafting whilst feeling this rubbish...... wish this cold would do one. So here is my Purple Haze Challenge for the week....... Beaded snowflakes ready for the tree :) xx Jayne xx

Red.... It's Red honest!

The challenge this week over at purple haze is to use red, purple or pink so I chose red for these christmas photos of my beautiful Ffion and a 12 x 12 scrap book page. It looks quite pinky but that is the light and my amazing photography skills and I am in a poorly state which means I couldn't be fussed to take more...... I can't believe I have another full blown cold..... it is only a month since the last one..... I really have no immune system whatsoever at the moment and no patience as I hate being poorly.... so you will just have to believe me when I say "It's Red" xx Jayne

Stop the world..... I want to get off!

Stop the World I want to get off! Wow really I mean it....... I really am meeting myself coming back...... even more so than usual and in the midst of the chaos that is Garden Cottage at the moment another shock....... a card and a card made by me that I actually love......I don't care if anyone else likes it or not..... how flippant of me but I don't make cards that I like so maybe I should go buy a lottery ticket whilst these strange things are happening :)  so here it is my card....... a drum roll if you please. I almost forgot to say it is for thePurple Haze Challenge xx Jayne xx

Couldn't give a hoot!

Well yes I could....... I made another little owl bag charm and he was to give......... he was very well received by his new owner and as I have met myself coming back this week he will be my "anything goes" Purple Haze Challenge ....... I think I love him even more than the original which I kept...... hhmmm can see me having to make another one soon :) xx Jayne xx

Here comes my girl :) x

Here comes my girl and I am very biased but she is beautiful :) x  Scrap page for the through the purple haze challenge. My lovely Justine-Holly....... can't quite believe she will be 20 at Christmas and in her second year of University...... I am sure she was a curly haired toddler just last week :) xx Jayne xx

How very scary

It really is scary how fast time goes by...... it's almost Halloween and I'm sure it was only Easter a couple of weeks ago and it has been so long since I made any ATC's which is a bit mad as I love making them and the swapping. So I have got myself out there and found a swap to join and my first cards are my entry for this weeks Through the Purple Haze challenge I loved making them...... very messy stuff it was..... the backgrounds are my also loved but underused alcohol inks on glossy card.  I love making my own backgrounds and that is something I haven't done for way too long as well..... how can someone with so much craft stuff actually use so little.... answers on an atc card maybe...... lol xx Jayne xx

It's my birthday!

Well really yes it is..... how old am I...... well I'm older than I was yesterday but younger than I will be tomorrow.......  Birthdays mean CAKE yeay ...... mine was a Gruffalo one and very yummy too. Birthdays also mean cards.....and here is one I made for this weeks through the purple haze challenge....... I didn't actually send myself a card though......but this one is really going to be given to someone..... my lovely mother in law who celebrates her birthday tomorrow :) xx Jayne xx

OMG It's Christmas!!!

Well it nearly is and I love ...... everything about it  and I am now officially excited after making my Purple Haze challenge for this week...... wall  art with lots of messy ink, paint, the lovely Indigo Blu Christmassy stamps that I had to have and some upcycling...... I love upcycling and giving something a whole new lease of life...... oh and Christmas.... did I say I just love Christmas....... So here it is Merry Christmas...... xx Jayne xx

BOO!

Scary stuff this week for the purple haze challenge a suitably scary child modelling her super scary halloween themed neck cuff........ can you tell how pleased she is..... and yes Justine you look stunning ....... now please believe mummy when she tells you "if you pull a stupid face I will still use the picture ...... lol xx Jayne xx

Time to Scrap

Well it certainly was time to scrap these lovely photos of Ffion. They were taken a few years ago in the very beautiful Joseph Banks Conservatory which is situated at The Lawns here in Lincoln. I was inspired to recent weekend at the asylum...... we went in and I could have cried..... apparently Lincoln City Council have slashed funding for the Conservatory and oh my goodness it is in an utterly awful state....... It is so very sad that they can get away with this...... If it was private then they would slap a purchase order on it or something of the like.  I need to think about what I can do...... how much of a fuss can one person make...... I have taken similar photos as it is now and the difference is devastating...... I know that I can't just sit back and say nothing at all. Anyhow back to the matter in hand Through the Purple Haze Challenge........ inspired by TV or Film....... so here is my interpretation...... It is Ffion (my very own princess) starring in I'm a Princess get me out of here...... two pics as it is a double layout :) xx  Right off I go to comprise a very strong e.mail xx Jayne xx

Sorry NO Cards Today!

Can you tell what it is yet?........Well not a card and that's for sure........ sorry but I'm all carded out. It wasn't a bad run for me. Anyway it's my Purple Haze Challenge for the week and the theme is Bling it on........ so it called for a new handbag charm........ time to get the beads out and I have to admit I enjoyed it.......  I am loving these challenges as they are making me create at least one thing from the mountains of craft stash I own each week and I like that it is getting used very much......... now to stop replacing it with twice as much (at least) as I use that is another challenge altogether xx Jayne xx

Life as we know it!

Yep another card so I'm thinking that life as we know it may cease to exist or the universe may even implode because this certainly is far from the norm........ its for the Purple Haze weekly challenge  and more shocks in the fact that I have even managed to upload it on time..... ooh and I even like this one a little bit..... It's for Justine's friend Kimmie so there is even a recipient.......... that means I made yet another card that I don't hate and I am giving it away......... I don't like the Universes chances :P xx Jayne xx

Keeping schtum but not for long

Well here it is....... my challenge for http://www.throughthepurplehazechallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ It is very simple so simple in fact that  might not believe how close it came to the bin..... I had a very definite  idea and I know the saying goes "It's a poor workman that blames his tools" Well blame is not the word I would use but this post isn't the place ........ I shall publicly slate them in another post in my own time......... one of my pet hates is when things don't do what they say on the packet....... another is wasting precious time and I have seriously done this today so for now here is the card..... yes card ...... I know another one....... although I can safely guarantee:) no one will have to receive it so you are all safe xx Jayne xx

My own worst critic for sure.

We are all our own worst critic! Isn't that what they say....... yes I'm sure it is and it is very true of me. So here it is my Through the Purple Haze weekly challenge this weeks theme is Funky girls and boys........ yes I thought you had best know that as you might not get it from the card....... yes I succumbed  to another card  ........... So what do I have to say about it ......well It's done and it's uploaded....... If I was pushed for a positive comment it might be that it's actually quite sparkly in real life, which just goes to show my photography skills are not improving at all ............so did I enjoy this challenge...... err well no but it was certainly a challege......... bring on the next one :) xx Jayne xx

And Bingo a little birdhouse des res if ever I saw :) x

Well its post a run for me as I am running off with Jay and our lovely Ffion for a week so need to post my Bingo challenge for through the purple haze weekly challenge before we vanish off into the distance....... My chosen bingo line was ribbon, 3 patterned papers and pearls. This was a project I made up and painted several months ago and then put it to the side as you do (well as I do all too frequently)..... I am really pleased that I used it as a base for this as it is now complete and looks lovely if I say so myself....... des res for any little birdies. Maybe that should be a whole new challenge to make some birdies to live in it when I come back..... watch this space although if it happens at my usual speed then you may have to watch for quite a while :) xx Jayne xx

Is it a bird? Is it a plane?...... hell no it's a card (so almost a miracle from me today then).

Well it's a card...... as close to a miracle as things get around here...... it is for Through the Purple Haze Weekly Challenge. For anyone expecting more I can assume you that normal service will resume next week. The theme is Butterflies and flowers and one of my much underused Tilda's makes a rare appearance. I have no idea who she is but she is carrying a potted plant. The blog is still in need of an overhaul the most observant amongst you will no doubt have noticed......... now if only I could glue and stamp that :) x Jayne x

Almost a card...... Honest it is!

Well it's challenge time again at Throughthepurplehaze and in my defence ...... It's almost a card....... well in the fact that it started life as a sheet of card/chipboard. It no longer fits in an envelope but my little mini suitcase opens up to reveal a little mini album made from scraps of Stampin Up papers I had left over from Carole's mini album class at the Craft Cupboard retreat. Well it has tags too ..... first picture is the front, second is the reverse side and the third picture shows the little album next to the suitcase....... I had great fun making this...... messy and painty..... just how I like my craft. It is hard to see but I covered the suitcase in crumply tissue before painting it to give it the appearance of a little age. I am loving the challenges as they are inspiring me to make something every week and also making me blog..... although updating the latter still isn't happening.  I can't believe how quickly the summer is flying by..... I love having Ffion home and will be very sad when she has to go back to school so we are making the most of every minute we have together :) x Jayne x

Favorite Colours

The Through the PurpleHaze Challege for this week made me a little hazy I can tell you...... my fave colours change so frequently .... well craft wise they do.... this teamed with the fact that I struggle to make cards meant I had to think harder than normal this week ad I decided to play completely outside the box and go with my fave colours to wear as jewellery and so that made it so much easier...... antique gold, peridot green and bronze..... so the pliers have been out and I made a complete set, Necklace, bracelet, ear rings and a bag charm...... yes sometimes when I start I just don't know when to stop ......... My love of beads is all back again ad for anyone who has visited my little blog before you might notice the improvements have begun...... at a slightly reduced and more sedate pace than the jewellery....... pliers and beads ad I get a little carried away....... buttons and techno..... sometime, someday and I am adding to the must do sometime list is taking better photographs.....the last one will make any member of my immediate family giggle hysterically   :) x Jayne x through the Purple Haze challenge

One womans junk is another womans treasure....... oh yes!

Well another week and another challenge from Through the Purple Haze....... I used an old frame I picked up in the local charity shop for the princely sum of 30 pence, more old fizzy drink cans, Gesso, paint and a couple of brads ......... I don't often praise myself but I really love the results....... a very shabby christmas in July. In fact I am so happy with it I have been very brave and entered a second challenge at Anything But a Card..... which is in all fairness my kind of Challenge . This is to go with the still very shabby blog which I have done absolutely nothing about xx Jayne xx

It's not Purple, it's not hazy but it is (or at least it was) rubbish!

After being pressured (no names shall be mentioned) here is a little upcycled plaque I made for the Through the Purple Haze IndigoBlu challenge. Everything with the exception of the pearls was destined for the bin. It turned out absolutely nothing like what I started out to do but when I have paints I tend to go off at a tangent. I am not sure really what I am supposed to put about it as I'm pretty new to all this challenge malarky ..... the stamp is obviously IndigoBlu and also the flakes it is gilded with....... the flowers are metal cut from old drink cans, the plaque itself said something completely unfunny  and so unmemorable that once I had painted over it I have absolutely no recollection of it whatsoever. I need to go now and buy Blogger for dummies or something with equal informative powers so that I can bring badly updated blog kicking and screaming int the present day....... now that will be a real CHALLENGE!
 xx Jayne xx