Dress Up 2010

...and what a fabby challenge it has been!

We've now come to the end of a year filled with truly inspiring dresses from all over the Globe

Thanks to...

Margaret 

 (Alice and Camilla)

Well, here is my

December dress

Inspired by the Festive season!
I used crafty individuals papers
paper poinsettas and holly
lace, buttons and a candabra die-cut
oh and some Christmas tree lights!!

..and I've just realised that I've not posted Octobers and Novembers frocks!!

(most probably due to the computer issues I've been having!)

So here they are too.....

October dress

Inspired by, you may of guessed...Halloween!

I don't usually do scary

but cute and spooky I can do!
I used a plain distressed  paper background
covered in a fabric mesh
lots of lace
and 'ween images.

November dress

Inspired by my lack of computer access!!

Feeling restricted without my lappie!! (lock & key!)

I used some vintage music paper, ribbon and lace and buttons, key, diecut lock, flowers on this one.

This is my 2010 dress collection...



January



February



March



April



May



June

July

August

September

October



November



December





Many Thanks to Margaret

...and all the other inspiring dress makers

that made this such a fabby challenge this year!

Thanks for Looking!

Jan x



Wishing you all.....

....a Merry Christmas!! Hope you are having a fun filled Christmas Day

...and your stockings were filled with some crafty goodies ;)

Enjoy the Holiday Season!!

Festive Hugs!!

Jan x

(& Barney!!) x

OMG! Sooooo Behind!...

Sorry!!

... for not keeping up to date with...

... the Countdown to Christmas Boxes

...Challenge Piccys..

...Swap Piccys

...Answering messages and emails

Been a little poorly here :(

Flu is doing it's rounds in the Smifferoo household!!

..and it's knocked me off my feet for a few days!

Normal Blogging service will resume a.s.a.p ! ;)

Aaaaaaaaaatishoooooooo!

Jan x

What a difference a day makes.....& waiting patiently for my matchboxes to arrive

Just spent a lovely weekend in Bath

..just hubby and I

No Snow!

....just Sunny days, but soooooo cold Brrrr!

..and Lots of Christmas shopping!!

I preferred the Bath Christmas Market by night

..such a lovely atmosphere

...even if it was below freezing!!

-oOo-

Then when we came home to Essex and we woke up to this!!

Lots of the white stuff!!

...and everything has come to a standstill!

Everything is closed!

Boys are off school, college and Uni!!

So, preparing for more wet clothes and floors today!!

On the upside, Barney is enjoying his first experience of Snow!

(Please excuse the silly hat!! LOL)

Me, I prefer to be indoors, all wrapped up - warm & toasty!!

...and I'm sure Barney is enjoying that too!

He is eight months old now, and still chewing/eating everything in reach!!

Bless him!

-oOo-

Now, if you are passing by my blog today, via A swap for all Seasons, hoping to see my Countdown to Christmas matchboxes.

I'm afraid they haven't arrived here in my part of the UK yet :(

...as soon as they do, I'll blog about them!

..but I'm enjoying blog-hopping around all the other participants to see all the fantastic altered Christmas matchboxes!

Hoping my Postie can get through the Snow today, to deliver mine!!

Thanks for Looking!

Jan x

It's A Shabby Christmas.....

....over at Inkurable Stampers

Being has I'm really into lace, buttons, doilies and all things shabby at the moment..

....I just had to join in with this fabby shabby Challenge!!

I think I've just scraped in on time (with just hours and minutes to spare ?!!)

The Shabby Chic Christmas theme on at Inkurable Stampers inspired me to make a Shabby card for my hubby!!

(You can click on both pics for a better view ;) )

I used some papers from my stash.
...which I've zig-zagged stiched around the edges and distressed with Rangers 'peeled paint'
I used (Magnolia) skating Edwin & Tilda Stamp - coloured with various promarkers
(die-cut mounted and distressed)
..added lots of cluny lace, crochet doilies & flower, paper poinsetta flowers & holly leaves (distressed), buttons, ribbons and a sweet little gold snowflake charm.

Well I best get my skates on here (excuse the pun LOL), and send my entry to Sarah before the deadline!!

Thanks for looking!!
Jan x

Empathy Monster

I really missed all the crafty challenges while my computer was sick!!

....and I was soooo looking forward to participating in Tam's 'Art, heart and Healing Course'

(Details in my sidebar)

So, has soon has I could access the group,

I decided to jump in straight at Week 3

to create an Empathy Monster....

Here is my lil 'Shabby' Monster

the monster is a tool to give ourselves empathy

...to remind you to give yourself an open non-judgemental , compassionate, listening hear when you need it most.

Mine has a big Heart and is a Great little listener :)

...but my monster needs a name now

....Any ideas?

Thanks for Looking!

Jan x

Mystical Creatures....

I was honoured to be asked by Sarah

to be a Guest Artist for the

Inkurable Stampers 2010 Gothic Arch Challenge.

The theme was Mystical Creatures.

Here is my example

You can read more about how I created it on the Inkurable Stampers Blog

...and also check out the regular designer,the talented Fiona Shultz's fantastic example

Here and Here

Thanks again Sarah for asking me to be Guest Artist on your wonderful Blog.

Wow, I can't believe there are only two more Arch themes until the end of the Challenge!

Been Fun!

Also check out the Inkurable Stampers Blog for some other fab monthly stamping challenges

Thanks for Looking!

Jan x

I'm still here.......

OMG, have I really been AWOL for nearly 4 weeks!!`

......Been having MAJOR computer issues here!!On the upside....

My house has never been so spick and span LOL!!

I've still been crafting (especially altering loads of matchboxes ;) )

....but I've fallen behind with Art Heart and Healing course, and some of my favourite challenges due to my lack of computer access :(

Got loads to show and tell, so will most probably try and post over the next few days!

So, I'll apologise now if I haven't popped by and left you a comment recently, I've tried to visit when I can, but I'm sure I have missed sooooooo much in Blogland during the last month!!

...and WOW, since I've been MIA... I've gathered 100 Followers!!

OMG how did that happen?!!

When I started this blog nearly a year and half ago, I just wanted to connect with some other creative peeps from all over the world, and join in some 'crafty' challenges to get my creative juices flowing!

No way did I think, I'd get even 10 people popping by to see what I have done, let alone 100!

So a big Hello to my new and old followers

....and Thank-you for following me :)

... I have been so fortunate to meet some truly inspiring people in Blogland!

-oOo-

In my abscence the lovely Sherry

from Sherry's Simple Blog

has passed on this fabby award to me

Thanks again Sherry :)

First of all I have to list 3 things that make me different from everyone else!!

although I'm sure that they are not unique to me!!

Mmmm.. had to think about this one!

1. I'm good at reading body language

2. I can hypnotise myself!!

3. I make up my own lyrics when I sing along to songs!!

I now have to nominate five other blogs with attitude..

Well, all the blogs I follow and read have Attitude!!

..but these are 5 that pop into mind....

1. Jo (fiddlesnips)

2. Penny(The linen shelf)

3. Tracy Evans

4. Linda ( A swap for all seasons)

5.Kristin (Twinkle Twinkle)

Last, but not least I have to display the Digi's with attitude Challenge Blog, Blog award badge in my sidebar!

Now, I'm going to make myself a very LARGE coffee...a couple of biccies... and go and do some blog surfing to see what you have all been up to... Could be gone for a while ;)

Thanks for Looking!

Jan x

Art, Heart and healing Week 1 - Journal

Week 1

over at

Art, Heart and Healing

(Free course- see my sidebar)

...is to create a self portrait journal page

healing exercise

drawing and shading your portrait

and background techniques

-oOo-

The first part of the exercise was to transform our inner critic messages

write them down those negative thoughts

focus on them

then gesso over them!!

-oOo-

The next step was to draw a self portrait

.....following Tam's fab step by step guide

learning new tips and techniques of drawing/painting faces

I was totally amazed with the results

here is my first attempt of a self portrait!!

Unfortunately I didn't have the water soluble crayons to complete the colouring in part of the exercise

....and being as one of my worst traits is being sooooo Impatient!!

I drew another portrait in an old journal

..and coloured it with an alternative medium

my trustworthy promarkers!!

....some rubber stamping

...and then I used some white acyrlic paint to distress it all.

and these are the results....

Wish my eyes were that blue!! LOL

....but I will still have another attempt at using the water soluble crayons on my original drawing when I get some.

-oOo-

Im really enjoying the course so far!

....and seeing everybody elses self portrait creations!

Can't wait to see what Tam has in store for us for next weeks lesson!

Thanks for Looking!

Jan x

Let's get Shabby Challenge #16

Challenge #16

over at

Let's get Shabby

..is a two part challenge

PART 1

Choose from one of the two kitchen pics to be inspired by...

I was cooking in

Kitchen #2

PART 2

You needed to have specific ingredients in your project....
One piece of fabric-Well I decided to make a fabric hanger-So definately some material included!!

Two die-cut shapes-Wings

Three colours from your chosen kitchen-Green, Pink & Yellow

You are allowed to use other items in your creations , just as long as you include the recipe requirements.

So here is my little Fabric hanger for the Shabby Challenge...

Lots of lovely fabric (piece of fabric -recipe requirement)
I've used some calico for the backing, then some shabby floral & gingham fabric and some pink sheer material backing the pic (which is also on printable cotton)

-oOo-

I was mainly inspired by the greens, pinks and yellow in this Kitchen,

I also got some inspiration from the florally fabrics in the pic

Die-cut wings (recipe requirement)

I painted these and added some Distress crackle paint to give a crackle look, which you cant really see very clearly in the pic.
...the pic is a retro advertising image printed on to some printable cotton (added some lace for a crown, and some buttons)

...a little voile bag filled with eggs!!

...a yellow gingham bow and patch of yellow gingham fabric
...and lots of lovely lace and buttons!!

Added a wooden tag, on top of a crochet heart -which I also painted and stamped 'Shabby Queen' with some Alpha (Hero Arts) Stamps

..Tied some lace and pink voile fabric to a vintage spoon and added a little pink flower,

and placed on top of some green ribbon.

Well, you have only a few days left if you want to join in with this fabby shabby challenge..

So go and check out the Let's get shabby Blog

Thanks for Looking!

Jan x

Santa Claus is coming to Blogland.....

Over at

A Swap for all Seasons

Linda has another generous Giveaway...

'Santa Clause Blog-Along Giveaway'

for the Countdown to Christmas participants.

-oOo-

To enter the Giveaway

Santa Claus has to visit your Blog!

-oOo-

Well, I've been a good girl!!

(Well for most of the year, anyway LOL!!)

So here he is....

I love vintage pics,

and this is one of my fave vintage pics of Santa

..Oh, and I love Mrs Claus' Shabby lil dresser too!!

Santa has had his lunch,

...and is now off visiting someone else in Blogland

...before the Big Rush!!!!

-oOo-

.....and ,

I also love modern Santa pics

So over to

My modern Santa in training....

Mmmm, think my little man needs to grow into his hat first!!

...and perhaps grow some whiskers!!

So have you been Naughty or Nice!!
Will Santa visit you!!
Thanks for Looking
Jan x

Petite Inspiration Box Swap - Black & White Edition...Part 2

...as promised

these are the altered matchboxes

that I received from the

Petite Inspiration Box Swap

Black and White Edition

This stunning one is from Kathy of Country Chintz

...covered in gorgeous embellishments!!

Below are all the wonderful goodies that Kathy crammed inside her box

So many wonderful goodies!!

I love my little witchy pendant!!

...and witchy rosette, and altered bottle cap,

leaves, ribbons, flowers, tickets, spooky embellies, buttons!

...and a fab skellie!!

...and so much more!

...Kathy also spoilt me and sent some extras that didn't fit inside the box!!

Thank you so much Again Kathy!!

-oOo-

..and this beautiful sparkley one is from Andra of A Red Polka Dot Day

I love how Andra has decorated outside and inside the box!!


..and look at all the wonderful goodies Andra included



I love everything, especially all the lace, ribbons, tickets, charms,

...my name in glittery letters (nice touch!), cards

...but my faves are definately the gorgeous buttons and printing stamp.

Thanks again Andra!
-oOo-
...and Thanks to Heather at Speckled Hen

for organizing such a fabby swap

Thanks for Looking!
Jan x