Cowslip

Well the weekend’s almost here and I hope you all have something nice planned, even if it’s just crafting away lost in your own world.
Hopefully I can get some more drawing done & maybe head outside to find something to dig or prune. Spent this morning in the local diy store garden section stroking daffs & sniffing hyacinths just long enough to get my fix without being arrested. Spring is definitely coming…trust me.
I had to make a ‘sympathy’ card this week…I know we all find these kind of cards the hardest to make and I hope the spring feel on this one brings a smile to the recipients face at such a sad time.
Whatever you’re doing this weekend…enjoy!

 

Cowslip Digi – Janey’s Digi Designs

 

Awesome design team creations here.

Entering it into -
Bunny Zoe's - Anything Goes
Totally Gorjuss - Flowers


 

An Apple a Day…

It’s been a beautiful, dare I say, spring-like day today.
Mr C & I went for a 3 mile walk after breakfast to shake off the cobwebs (and a few pounds) and then, after a hot coffee, went out in to the Tidy Garden to have a bit of a prune & a clear-up.
Postie thought the sun had gone to our heads, watching us busy gardening as he delivered the mail. It was so good to get back outside.
With that in mind, here’s a card made with another of the fruity Flourishes stamps that I got for Christmas (which by the way is only 328 days away!!) This one is from the Apple of my Eye collection, coloured with Promarkers and matted in layers.

If you’re in the UK Make the Day Special is the only supplier of these fabulous stamps.

Entering it at -
Simon Says - Anything Goes
Simply Create - Anything Goes
Alphabet Challenge - Y for Yummy

New Digi Release

Latest release from Janey’s Digi Designs… the Cowslip

Inspiration, as with all my images, came from this plant growing in the Tidy Garden. Cowslips are spring flowers (here in Blighty) attracting bees n’ bugs with their trumpet blooms. It’s hard to think such a spindly stem can carry such a large flower head.
The image could be used alone or as an embellie on a spring or Mother’s Day card perhaps….hmmmm…got me thinking now. Off to create…enjoy!

Don’t forget to keep up-to-date with all the Design Teams ‘uber-fabulous’ creations join us here.

Birthday Boy

Thankfully my son wanted something other than video, TV & computer games (yawn-city…Zzzz Zzzz) for his birthday last weekend…he wanted a ‘proper’ basket ball net & stand. The basket ball ensemble is ENORMOUS and our plan for him to be able to wheel it up & down the drive onto the street to play with went out the window within seconds of its erection.
The base is filled with sand and it’s so heavy even Mr Muscle C struggled to shift it, so he dragged its leaden weight back down the drive against the house. As it’s too heavy to be dragged on a regular basis backwards & forwards, Mr C and birthday boy went off in the car to buy a heavy duty padlock & chain to attach it to the house wall for fear thieves might steal it. Just after he left a gust of wind swept down the drive sending it crashing to the floor…thank goodness the car wasn’t there, I think it would have chopped it in half…lol.
Anyway, there it is outside the front door to annoy all the neighbours with the bang, bang, banging & thud, thud, thudding that only balls against walls & windows make.

Stamp – Slam Dunk from Mo’s Digital Pencil

Loopy for Lupins

Here’s one of my latest digi releases … Lupin.
Mr C & I have been increasing the number of plants in the Tidy Garden Nectar Cafe over the past couple of years (any excuse to go plant shopping really…) gathering a variety of insect attracting plants especially to help our bee population.
One of the most striking are Lupins and we’re fortunate to have a local grower (small field & a shed) who sells them for prices that would make garden centres weep with envy. So, we have got a ‘few’ (read as ‘quite a lot’) and the bees simply love them and we often just sit in the summer watching them stumble round their individual flowers prizing them open for the sweet pollen inside.
I’ve coloured this one in yellow & used it as the centre-piece for my card but I think this image would make a great embellishment too alongside a character or just a sentiment (going to try that next, I fancy doing a rich, red version).
 

You can get the Lupin digi here and you can follow all the Design Teams creation here.
Now…go dig out your seed catalogue…xx

Enough Already!

Well I don’t know about you but I’ve had enough of the white stuff now. Apparently we’re in for a shed load of snow tonight and then tomorrow strong winds, torrential rain & a rise in temperatures that’ll melt everything  ( the snow I mean…sheesh! Not that hot!)
Poor ol’ Mr C went flying today & has really hurt his back so I shall be tending his every need & whim.
What we need now is some sunshine to warm our cockles and dry this flooded land of ours.
Ambrose ‘King of the Waves’ here from Doctor Digi’s House of stamps has the right idea…roll on summer!

New Digi Release–Freesia

‘Freesia Jolly Good Fellow…Freesia Jolly Good Fellow’
The other day, a lovely blogger asked if I’d design a Freesia digi as it was her mother’s favourite flower.
Now we don’t have Freesia’s growing in the Tidy Garden (which will be rectified this year) but what we do have ‘in da house’ is one romantic ol’ fool in the shape of Mr C, who, once he saw the digi request, took it upon himself to purchase a posy of said blooms for the house and for me to draw (literally) inspiration.
OMG…the pair of us have sat intoxicated by their sweet perfume all week wondering why we’ve never grown them before.

So you can get the Freesia Digi here at Janey’s Digi Designs

…and if you want to grow your own pot of loveliness, then Sarah Raven has a great page here for top tips & advice.
Don’t forget to keep up to date with the Design Team’s creations you can follow them here.

New Digi Release

New release at Janey’s Digi Designs….Icelandic Poppy.
These were Mr C’s treat to himself in the Tidy Garden last summer…

…personally I prefer them naked at the end of the season
when they’ve dropped their petals. Mr C’s an old-fashioned kinda guy & like his flowers fully clothed.
For more floral fancies check out Janey’s Digi Designs Shop.
Don’t forget to follow over at the Design Team’s Blog for updates & inspiration…here.

Wish I Was Here

With the UK covered under various depths of snow and freezing temperatures nipping at your nose, I thought I’d make something to warm your cockles and give you something to look forward to.
This is a Michael Powell Square Urban Stamp called ‘Shore Thing’ that I got in a sale just before Christmas. Coloured with Promarkers with real shell embellies from the beach.
Now…where’s my beach towel?

Let’s Do the Time Warp Again

Oh I’m shivering with 'antici………..pation’!
I’ve got tickets for the Rocky Horror Show that’s going to be touring the country this year and I’m just sooooooo excited.
I dread to think how many times I’ve seen the film. In my less-senior days I use to go to the audience participation shows, I’ve got the music, even the script for actors for the whole play…..how sad am I? I once had the figure to slip into fishnets and suspenders. If I wear them this time I fear they may not let me in!
My Sophie’s coming with me and she’s almost as excited as me. I have 5 months to teach her EVERYTHING she needs to know.
Mo Manning, AKA Mo’s Digital Pencil had just the perfect image for me to use on my Rocky Horror themed card. This is Franks Girl, but I think she looks just like Magenta from the RHPS…perfect.
I’ll leave you with the image of me in my Rocky Horror outfit…don’t have nightmares…..mwhahaha!

Design Team Announcement

I’m delirious with excitement to introduce the AMAZING crafters who are joining me at Janey’s Digi Designs to share their ideas & inspiration with my new range of digital stamps.
Thank you so much ladies, I’m chuffed to bits to have you on board.

Fanfare maestro … may I present -

Faye

http://stampinfluffnstuff.blogspot.co.uk/

Mina

http://pinkpuds.blogspot.co.uk/

Mandy

http://amandacruxton.blogspot.co.uk/

Chrissy

http://chrissyscardland.blogspot.co.uk/

Julie

http://catchmecrafting.blogspot.co.uk/

Heidy

http://heidysscrappies.blogspot.co.uk/

Tammy

http://tammy-tammyspot.blogspot.co.uk/

Sue

http://bearhousecreations.blogspot.co.uk/

Ali

http://mycraftydesk.blogspot.co.uk/

Debby

http://debby4000.blogspot.co.uk/

Not only are they amazing crafters, they’re all bonkers too…what a team!!!
Follow the team here at Janey’s Digi Designs

Purple Rinse, Purple Rinse…

It’s essential that us women folk take good care of ourselves & our appearances. Deirdery is an ambassador in the Department for Style and sure knows how to please her man Derek. She’s even taken to ensuring that their beloved pooch looks great too.

Get Salon Deirdery here at Doctor Digi’s House of Stamps and while you’re there, fill your basket with a whole host of other ‘fantabulous’ images.

Bleeding Heart

 

This is one of my digi stamps BLEEDING HEART…

…which, I know, looks like a row of legless turkeys on a washing-line!

 

 

 

Mo’s Digital Pencil Blog Hop

 

Ahoy!

It’s blog hop time for the gang over at Mo's Digital Pencil. Our theme this month, chosen by Julie (Queen of Embellishments) is….

‘Use embellishments, the more the merrier’

which is Julie’s cruel way of getting me back for setting last months theme of Clean & Simple which went down a storm within the group (not!)

So here’s Lil Ballerina pondering her next move.

I think a ribbon, flowers, 2 papers, a paper ribbon, punched border & gems counts as ‘lots of embellies’ (I may just have got away with it).

If you’re joining in with our hop then you should have arrived here from Kerttu's beautiful blog and as I’m at the end, if you want to join in then start back at the beginning with our Julie.

As always there are 2 x $5 vouchers up for grabs for 2 lucky peeps, who leave a comment somewhere along the hop, to spend at Mo’s Digital Pencil.

Have a groovy day!

xx

Time Toooo….Say Gooooodbye

Yes, in the words of Sarah Brightman & Andrea Bocelli it’s ‘Time tooooo….. say Gooooodbye’ to the awesome team over at Just Inklined and to thank them all (fellow DT members, the boss Jak Heath & the awesomeness that is the artists behind the scenes) for having me and letting me work with some amazing works of digital art.

Miss you already.

Stamp - Batchelors Button - Just Inklined

Icelandic Poppy Seed Head

When not pulling my hair out trying to create a simple shop on Blogger, banging my head on a brick wall and ranting at a laptop, I can be found, at peace, creating my next digital stamp.

This is my latest image with yet another highly original title of ‘Icelandic Poppy Seed Head’ which will be available here at Janey’s Digi  Designs just as soon as I can get my head around Paypal.

If you grow Icelandic Poppies then it’s always best to keep deadheading to encourage further blooms but towards the end of the season it’s worth leaving the seed heads to drop their petals & then this is what you’re left with. I think the seed head is far more beautiful than the flower itself.

A Misunderstanding in the Bedroom

 

Poor Derek, he really hasn’t got a clue.

His wife Deirdery has been reading a certain saucy book and looking longingly at Derek she suggested that maybe they took 50 Shades of Grey to the bedroom.

Derek’s trousers & shirt were off before he left the room and Deirdery thought he’d rushed off to prepare himself for a night of passion.

Poor Deirdery, she hasn’t got a clue either. Derek’s in the shed, putting on his decorator’s overalls & going through his paint charts.

There may be trouble ahead!

Get Dunderton Decorators Ltd and see what you can do with a paintbrush.

My Latest Creation

Here’s another of my own digital stamps that will be available soon from Janey's Digi Designs. I’m still putting the site together and making a few tweaks here n’ there, but you can start following now if you want to, that way you’ll be notified when the images are in the shop.

This one is a Red Hot Poker and, as with all my creations, is based on my work and photography as a gardener at Tidy Gardens by Jane.

 

Stamp – Red Hot Poker (Janey’s Digi Designs)

‘Cherrio!'

I jest, I’m not going anywhere…just desperate to find a cherry gag…I know, failed miserably.

As well as spoiling me rotten at Christmas with a graphics tablet, Mr C (you gotta love that guy) also bought me some gorgeous fruity stamp sets from Flourishes. This juicy bunch of cherries is from the nattily named Cherries & Peaches set, coloured with Promarkers & glazed. Can’t wait to get back in the garden…I’m going stir-crazy.

Stamp - Cherries & Peaches (Flourishes)

Hey Little Bird!

 

I

When not up to mischief indoors, you will find me in the garden (or someone else's) and it was in someone else's garden last year that I struck up a weekly rendezvous with Robin. Not sure if Robin was male or female as all robins pretty much look the same, but our meetings became the highlight of my week. I would be greeted every Wednesday with a robin-style ‘Wotcha!’ from the branch above my head and then as I tended the flowerbeds on bended knees, Robin (for want of a better name) would hop around my hands picking out the tasty insects I’d unearthed. The icing-on-the-cake happened early summer when Robin introduced me to its 2 chicks that it encouraged down onto the ground where I was working to feed 2 feet from my hands. It’s a wonder I get any work done sometimes…I really do have the best job ever!

Stamps - A Little Bird Told Me (Mo's Digital Pencil)

Oriental Awakening (Inkylicious)

Roll on Half-Term

Well the kids are back at school today after the Christmas hols’ and boy was it a struggle for us all to get up this morning after so many late nights. There were alarm clocks going off all over the house, the snooze buttons being pressed & then going off again 5 minutes later, alas not in unison so it was almost like a bell ringers convention for 20 minutes!

I’ve shimmied round with the vacuum & duster, shoved stuff in the the washing machine and shuffled bits n’ pieces of paperwork …I know, such a rock n’ roll lifestyle.

The house is so quiet, Mr C is busy at work in the ‘other room’ and is too ‘in the zone’ to have idle chats with me. Thank goodness the offspring will be back again soon & the house will return to normal.

Roll on half-term!

 

Stamp - Baby Line (Just Inklined)

Janey’s Digi Designs Coming Soon

Blogger is playing silly-wotsits this week with lots of us unable to post any photo’s so, thanks to Jak Heath's recommendations, I’m having a go at using Windows Live Writer to write this posting.

Here’s the second of my own digital creations called Dropwort which will be available soon.

 

Don’t be put off by its not-so-pretty name. The Dropwort has to be in my Top 3 of most beautiful plants in my Tidy Garden. Easy to maintain, long-lasting & utterly gorgeous.

Now I’m going to press ‘Publish’…fingers-crossed this works.

Have a great week everyone xx

 

Lie Back and Think of...

...in Deirdery Dunderton's case it's probably 'Where's Derek!!??' Poor Derek (her long suffering husband) is probably at the bar getting his beloved wife another carafe of plonk & some chips. Such devotion...sighhhhhh

 

Stamp - Deirdery's Day Off (Dr Digis House of Stamps)

Tiz No Longer the Season to be Jolly

Tralalalala...lala...lala.

Is it me or did Christmas & New Year fly by?

Mr C said 'it's your age'....(just before I clipped him round the head with the frying pan!)

So the Christmas decs', wonky tree & trusty baubles are back in the loft, the Quality Street are no more and there's a slighty dodgy looking satsuma pleading with me to be eaten, but I may pass on that one.

The house looks clean & simple again, a bit like this fabulous mutt from Mo's Digital Pencil, but it's lacking a certain 'je ne sais quoi'. A pink gem, that's what's needed...oh and on the dog's collar too!

Merry 2nd of January

 

Stamp - It's All in the Accessories (Mo's Digital Pencil)

A New Year & A New Kid on the Block

Happy New Year Everyone!

I hope your celebrations to welcome in the New Year went well last night & you're not too hungover.

So the new kid on the block is Me! For absolutely yonks I've wanted to have a go at creating my own images for cards based on my gardening photography.

Just as I hopped into bed late Christmas Eve night, Mr C (heavilly disguised as Santa) handed me a beautifully wrapped box and said I should open it there & then. I couldn't believe he'd bought me a Graphics tablet to help me make my dream come true....what a guy!

So here's my first ever digital stamp which I will release at some stage (once I've learned how to open an online-shop). I've imaginatively (Not!) called this one 'Polyanthus'.

 

 

Stamp - Polyanthus (Designed by me!)

Papers - Forever Friends 'Spring Time' collection

Promarkers