Winter walking

Last weekend we went down to visit our daughter and son in law in Southampton, Hampshire. We are all great walkers and despite the very dreary weather we donned our walking boots and set off after lunch for a good long walk to the coast.

We took a route though the local woods. I loved the roots of this tree, they look like masses of toes to me. I wonder if a little creature has a home in that hole?
The constant rain we have endured here in the UK has made the ground so wet and there were plenty of filled ponds along the pathway, which the ducks loved.

Eventually we ended up at Warsash our destination.

I love the stormy sky in this photo. It looks so heavy and threatening. Luckily it did stay dry the whole time we were out.
We walked past the mud flats and the estuary at Hamble.
There is an old ship wreck here which always makes a good photo.

We checked out some of the moored boats and enjoyed the view. We then made our way home via a welcome warm drink at Costa ;0)

My card challenge today is the birthday card I recently made my for my son in law. He is a fantastic handyman (and cook I should add) and is always busy with projects in their new home. I bought a fantastic digi image from Mo Manning called Mr Fixit. I thought it was most apt. I also decided to made a gatefold card for a change.

I thought the sentiment was fun...to "true" something means to make it level/equal and as Tom is quite a perfectionist it was most apt. I coloured the image with Promarkers and highlighted with Prismacolor pencils.

This is how the gatefold works.

and here is the inside when both flaps are both opened up.

I had fun adding lots of "DIY" extras including ribbon tape measure and screw head brads. The old fashioned embossed labels are a brilliant download from Fuzzimo. I use these on lots of my male cards, they look so realistic and can be personalised too.

I would like to enter my card into the following card challenges;


Inky chicks, this is a brand new blog and their first challenge Anything Goes #1

Bunny Zoe's Craft Challenge Celebration

Cards for men Work #1
Papertake Weekly Happy New anything my new are those amazing screw head brads.
My Mum's Craft Shop Anything Goes #1
Natalie and Amy Your favourite things my favourite things here are the embossed tape and the tape ribbon
DP2 Challenge Something new #168 my new are my screw head brads and the ebossed label download
Papercrafting Journey anything goes
Cute Card Thursday Beat the blues #251 I think my fun, cheerful card really does beat those January blues
Totally Papercrafts Ribbon #149 my "tape measure" is actually a ribbon..I love it!
A+T Emerald Faeries Celebrations #39


Thanks for all your lovely comments on my last post about my French Knitted necklaces. I returned to my class on Tuesday and we have started a new project; making chain maille. OMGoodness is it fiddly but such great fun. I know I have not yet shared my square wire necklace from last term yet, that is on my blogging post list and I will probably make it my next post.

Have a great weekend everyone and thanks for stopping by. We finally had some sunshine today but the temperature has really slumped and we may even seen some of the white stuff (yes snow this time ;0) over the weekend. Keep snug and carry on crafting,

Back soon,

Bye for now,

Jane x

French Knitting...Jane's way

My silversmithing class restarts tomorrow and with all my Christmas posts last year I did not have time to show you the last 2 projects I completed in the autumn term. One is a rather interesting chain made from square wire which I will save for another time but the other is my French "knitting".
Before I show you this I must just update you with my little daffodils on my kitchen side as yesterday I came down to see this...

My heart really does skip a beat to see my first daffodil. As you all know they are my favourite flowers and to me they signify the coming springtime. There are more flower heads coming up and I will photograph and show you as they appear.
So, back to the French knitting.

I bought 2 French Knitters, one is the bee and the other is the Wonder knitter made by Clover. I soon decided that the bee knitter produced a chain that was too fine so I decided to use the Wonder knitter and experiment. I first used some copper wire. After some practice I used silver plated wire and also added small beads.

The chains produced by this larger French knitter are gorgeous. The are almost web like in appearance. I made several and of course my darling daughter snapped one up and wore it a lot over Christmas. They look really spider like and perfect with "Little Black Dresses". In the summer I plan to make some with lighter coloured beads.
For my own Christmas parties I made 2 different length chains and attached them together to form a double strand necklace.
It is so hard to photograph but I have tried..

You can just see here that I have joined the two strands. These are tiny black Czech glass beads I have added. You thread all the beads onto the wire before you start "knitting" and then bring them in every 4-6 "stitches". I love the way they look suspended within the wire.

And here is my pot of daffs used as a handy prop. The chains are not suited to bracelets as they would get too crushed but as a necklace they are quite a talking point.

My challenge card today is a cheerful birthday card using a Penny Black Betsy Bluebell image. It is for sale here in my Etsy shop I still have my winter sale on, just enter the code WINTER2012 to receive a massive 25% off (not applicable to shipping costs).

I coloured her with my Promarkers and highlighted using Prismacolor pencils. The backing papers are some sparkly First Edition papers and also a download from yonks ago. My birthday sentiment is LOTV and I used some gorgeous blue satin edged organza ribbon.











I would like to enter my card into the following challenges;

Stamping for the weekend anything goes
Crafty Catz Anything goes # 164
Cute Cards Thursday  Something new #250 my new is my ribbon.
Pan Pastels anything goes #1
Totally Gorjuss anything goes with ribbon
Penny Black Saturday Blues
Stamping sensations friendship
Penny Black and More Love is in the air
Bearly Mine something old something new #67 My old are the backing papers, my new is the ribbon
Simon Says Stamp new something my new is my ribbon.
Ooh la la Happy Birthday #121
Make it Monday Linky Party #122
A and T Emerald Faeries Celebration #39
Forever Friends Monthly challenge Birthdays

We are still in dire need of some sunshine here in the UK, despite the forecast at the weekend for some sunshine it certainly didn't happen in the south. At least it remains mild for the time of the year. Our dancing class returns tonight and I think it is the turn of the rumba for our next 3 weeks. I do love this "dance of love" ;0)

Have a good week,

Back soon,

Bye for now,

Jane x

New Beginnings

This is my very first post of 2013 and already I have noticed that there are signs of new life all around. I managed to get out in the garden to make the most of some rare sunshine on New Year's Day. As I did some clearing I saw lots of lovely bulb shoots beginning to peep up through the sodden ground. I could not believe how wet the earth is. I have very free draining soil so goodness knows how sodden clay soil will be.

I have also been watching my dear little pot of daffs on my kitchen side. The flower heads are beginning to emerge and it won't be long until they bloom.

My hyacinth is also coming along nicely. I so miss colour in my garden at this time of the year. I was delighted to be bought some flowers which are cheering up my dining room at this dark and dismal time.

Pretty roses and stocks are the perfect remedy.

As well as new beginnings in nature I have also been thinking of a better way of responding to the lovely comments that you leave me here on my blog. I so love reading them and I always reply but I am aware that most people don't have the time to come back and read my replies. I have decided that instead of responding to comments here on my blog that I will either write on your blog or via your linked email address (if you are not sure if you are linked check your profile and your email usually appears there). I think this will be a much more personal way of me responding. Several of my fellow bloggers already do this and I think it is a very good idea. Please excuse me if there are times I cannot respond but I always try to.



I hope you all enjoyed your New Year celebrations whether you  were partying or just curled up with a good book? We had great fun at our Ball and saw the New Year in with around 80 other dancers.

I love the way this photo came out, I nearly deleted it as it was blurred but I think it summed up a really fun night on the dance floor. Our dance classes start back next week as does my silversmithing class. I will definitely be showing you my French knitted jewellery I finished really soon, it came out really well. I went back to work yesterday after 10 days off so I felt well rested.

My challenge card today continues the new beginnings theme which also seems to be the subject on lots of challenge blogs this week. I thought I would share a New Baby card.

I used a stamp made by my great blog buddy friend Kerry's company, Ladybug Crafts Ink. I coloured it with my Promarkers and highlighted with Prismacolor pencils.
The backing papers are from my stash.  I added some fab new pale blue pearls for a little bling and a pretty organza ribbon. It is for sale here in my Etsy shop

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges;

My new year got off to the best beginning this morning as one of my LOTV Christmas cards from December is featured in the daily talent spot on the great Joanna Sheen Challenge blog here. I was thrilled to see my card there ;0) and I just found out that with the very same card I won a £10 Joanna Sheen in the Charisma Cardz challenge here. Wow!!

Really reasonable ribbon #63 my new toys my "new" are my blue pearls and organza ribbon.
Papertake weekly Anything goes
Passion for Promarkers #179 New beginnings
Bearly Mine #67 something old something new my old is my stamp, my new are my pearls and ribbon
Party Time Tuesdays #101 celebrate
Simon Says Stamp New something
Wednesday Creative Inspirations Celebration #195
My Mum's Craft shop Anything Goes #1 new monthly challenge
Crafty Ribbons #36 New Beginnings my new are my snazzy pearls and my ribbon
Natalie and Amy My favourite things as well as everything I have already mentioned these baby backing papers are my faves!



I hope that 2013 brings new beginnings to you all and the very best of good health and happiness.

Back soon,

Bye for now,

Jane x