A Heartfelt Plea

Hi everyone,

I don't normally do this, but I need your help.

There is a little girl I know (not very well, she used to go to the playgroup my son goes to on a Tuesday morning with her gran which is run by the Salvation Army) in Mirfield, West Yorkshire, her name is Florence.  Florence had just turned 3 years old.  Last year she was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in her nose, so rare that hospitals in the UK didn't have the facilities to treat her.

Major fundraising went on and eventually Florence and her mum and dad boarded a plane to America where they did treat her for the cancer, I think she was out there about 6 months.  She came back to Mirfield and just after Christmas was given the all clear.  Everyone was so relieved, she was still quite poorly but just before Easter she made a return to the playgroup and was running around and just being a normal 3 year old girl.

However, we have just found out that the cancer has returned.  She is extremely ill and has only been given a few weeks to live.  She is at home being cared for by her family and nurses from Candlelighters.  When I saw the leader of playgroup this morning they said she is on morphine to keep the pain down, it's just a waiting game.  It is so tragically sad.

This is where I need your help.  On Thursday 31st May some friends of the family are holding a Ladies Night at a local Working Mens Club.  You know the thing, clothes, make-up, gifts, wine etc.  I was asked if I would like to have a stall to sell my cards.  The money raised isn't going straight to Florence (that was done last time for the America trip), but this time for Candlelighters, the charity which is providing the care she needs.

My plan is to sell as many cards as I can at £2 per card, with ALL the money going to Candlelighters, nothing for me, nothing for the cost of the stall, all of it straight to the charity.

If there is anyone out there who thinks they may have one or two cards in their stash which they think they could donate I would be very grateful if you could let me know.  Send me an e-mail jostreet1973@gmail.com.

I have also put a link to the Candlelighters web site just so you can have a quick look.

I don't yet have many followers on my blog, if you think you might know some of your followers who may be able to help it would be brilliant if you could link them back to me.

On the night itself I will take loads of pictures and post them on here and let you know how much was raised.

Thanks for reading.

Jo xx

Less Is More & Retro Sketches

Hi everyone, hope you are all having a lovely bank holiday.

Just a quick post today as I'm taking my children to a birthday party (lovely!!) I wanted to show you the card I made for Less is More and Retro Sketches.

Less is More challenge this week is a colour challenge and Mandi and Chrissie have picked YELLOW, I have to say I'm not a big yellow card maker, but I am quite pleased with how it's turned out.  Also when I say this weeks Retro Sketch challenge I put the two together and hey presto.

Here is my card...












































The papers are from two K & Co pads I've had ages.  I stamped and Paula Pascual flower onto some Craftwork Cards embossed card and then paper pieced the petals. I then added glossy accents to the petals and the Candi to give it a nice shine. I did want more petals to hang over the edge, but didn't quite work out.

Anyway I hope you like it, Mandi and Chrissie, I think you've converted me to a yellow crafter.


Bye for now


Jo xx

Back to Normality

Hi everyone, and a particular warm welcome to my new followers, I've now hit 40 yipeee and also to my new DT members for Craftwork Cards, hope we have a great time together, I'm really looking forward.

Anyway, some of you may or may not be aware that I was one of the lucky ten who have been picked to become new members of the Craftwork Cards Design Team, to say I was giddy yesterday when I received the e mail is a bit of an understatement, my lovely eight year old daughter, Evie, wondered what was wrong with me and kept giving me her best eye roll (she's good at those)!

Now I've calmed down a little I realised I've got quite a few cards to make over the next coming days, one of which is my friends son's birthday.  Lewis will be 6 tomorrow (nothing like leaving it to the last minute)!  Here is what I've made...

The image and papers are from The Clip Art Fairy and its called On the Bench.  I'd like to say that I coloured him myself, but I can't, it's pre-coloured (I just don't have the time today).  I did the sentiment in Word and added some Candi.  Hope you like him, I'm entering him into these challenges...

Sketch n Stash 86

Cards for Men - Texture

Simon Says Stamp - Birthdays

Cute Card Thursday - One for the Boys

Here come the Boys - Hobbies

Bye for now

Jo xx

Got some Mega News

Hi everyone, hope you are all having a lovely bank holiday weekend.

Now that I've stopped bouncing round the house I've got some mega exciting news.  I've been given a place on the Craftwork Cards Design Team.

I can't believe it, and I'm still stunned.  When they put the call out the other week on their blog I thought what an opportunity it would be, never really thinking for one minute that they would pick any of my cards/projects as there are so many talented people out there.

After a lovely day out with the kids and hubby I got the email and I think I read it about three times, convinced that either I or they had got it wrong, but no, its official and I'm as giddy as a kipper!

I will be back tomorrow when I've calmed down a bit to show you the projects I sent them.

Jo xx

Less is More - Week 65 Sketch

Hi everyone

Hope you are all ok and not too waterlogged.  After a lovely sunny day yesterday the rain is now back in Yorkshire.  Supposed to be camping in North Wales this weekend - not sure!!!

It was, however, a good excuse to do abit of pottering and I have been a bit of a bad blogger recently.  I have made cards but just not posted them, so hopefully over the next few days I will get my act together.

One challenge I don't like to miss is the Less is More challenge and this week Mandi and Chrissie have given us  lovely sketches to play with...

Now my Headteacher at work has a 'buzz' phrase at the moment and that is 'blue sky thinking'!  We were all a bit unsure at first but it basically means to think outside the box, the skies the limit!  So I gave it a go...

Mandi and Chrissie I hope you approve of my card as there is not alot of white.  Basically an acetate card with Stampin Up Create a Cupcake stamps and punches.

To hide the glue I did a mirrored image on the back...

I was going to stamp the acetate with little white flowers, but decided to keep it very plain and simple.

Hope you like it, I will try and come back soon with some more things I've made recently.

Bye for now.

Jo xxx

Less is More - One Layer - Doodling

Hi everyone

Hope you are all having a good week.

Now I like a challenge, like most people, but for me Mandi and Chrissie at Less is More this week really gave me a challenge.  They want us to do some Doodling.  This can be in any form you wish, faux stitching, hand written or drawn elements on your card, zentangle. As long as you create something with 'ink' by hand.  Oh dear me, I thought!

I am NOT a doodler, I don't doodle when I'm on the phone or in meetings because I would stop listening. I just can't seem to do it, so I nearly didn't do this weeks challenge, but it was on my mind and I really wanted to do something, anything.  So I sat and doodled and five pieces of scrap paper later nothing really much had been achieved, but I persevered and finally came up with this...

Not at all technical, I know, and they look a bit like fireworks

Added some glitter and a little gem

Can you tell I'm really trying to 'sell' this card, but I'm still not really feeling the love.  Think I will end there and decide to leave doodling to the experts.

Hope you like it.

Jo xx

I think I know where my MOJO is hiding!!!

Hi everyone hope you are all having a good week.  It's been a really lovely Easter holiday.  For those of you who are not aware I am a teaching assistant in a special school and with that comes the luxury of school holidays yeahh!!

The first week was spent in Lanzerote with the family, here are a couple of little holiday snaps...

A panoramic view of Playa Blanca from our villa...

Me and the kids on the sea front.  Anyway enough of those, as I was saying I think I know where my Mojo is hidden...

Somewhere under here, it's a bit of a disgrace isn't it.  I am hoping for a major clear up this weekend, but I have actually managed to make a card (I just moved things onto the floor!!)...

On Sunday I am going to be the proud Godmother to my friends little girl Stephanie.  I'm very excited and so this afternoon I've managed to make her card.  Hopefully I may have some Christening photos to show you early next week (and some more cards!!)

Bye for now.

Jo xx