Happy New Year

I needed to make two thank you/New Year cards today, so I have made these for the challenges on TGIF (challenge 65: all it's new) and A Spoonful of sugar (challenge 29).

I've used various DCWV papers for both cards, some sticky ribbons and computer printed 'Happy New Year':





This is a good opportunity to wish everyone a Happy New Year.

I much appreciate those who visit my blog and it's lovely when you leave comments.

Looking forward to a new year of ever-evolving excitement in the world of crafting - there are so many lovely forums, blogs and challenges out there and plenty of inspiration.

Our Creative Corner

I've added a link to Our Creative Corner on my sidebar. They have just added three new design members to the team and are giving away some fun goodies:

'How would you like to win some fun goodies from Jacksonbelle Embellishments? To be entered to win, add our banner to you blog and leave us a link here in this post. We will announce the winner on Wednesday, January 7th.'

Crafty Creations

Over on Crafty Creations there is the offer of two lovely stamps - all you have to do is leave a comment and link to your blog. It's a lovely challenge blog - why not hop over and have a look?!

CBCC 078 It's off to work we go

New challenges have started up on CBC and the first new one has been set by Jackie is 'off to work we go': 'Your challenge today is to make something NEW with a theme of occupations.'

I suppose this is stretching it a bit, but I thought I'd use some of the Jolly Nation decoupage and background papers to make a 'riding instructor' card:



I'm hoping that at some point I'll need to send a card to someone who's mad about horses!

Spiral Whisper new previews & Comp

There is news on Spiral Whisper of some lovely new designs being prepared for launch. There is an opportunity to win some - just go over to their blog, leave a comment and put a link on your blog. Certainly worth a look - such cute images.

2 Sketches 4 You: 16 Laura's sketch + Created by hand: pattern paper + Our Creative Corner: clear thinking

Our central heating failed to come on yesterday morning - the engineer came today, but a part is needed and won't be available till next Monday at the earliest. I spent most of today waiting around for him to come, wearing lots of layers and not really being able to settle to do anything. We're now beginning to warm up - the engineer lent us a fan heater and then a friend happened to ring and, as a result of John telling him about the problem, he turned up later on our doorstep with two sizeable convector heaters, so we can now warm more than one room.

That means that I've been able to do a little crafting.

I decided to make a card using Laura's sketch on 2 Sketches 4 You:



I used alcohol inks on the back of a Ranger memory glass, ran it through my little xyron adhesive (took the little cartridge out so I could put the glass through straight) and stuck this on some patterned oil on water paper. The papers, including the flowers, are DCWV pocket full of posies.



This card is also for the challenge on Created by hand - using pattern paper.

I've just discovered that the current challenge on Our Creative Corner is 'clear thinking' - add something clear to your project - so the memory glass is perfect for this.

One Stop Craft + Sketch Saturday

On One Stop Craft challenge blog the current challenge 9 is '3 is the magic number'. I've used three patterned papers (K & Co Addison), 3 small blooms, 3 buttons (all from a PM mini embellishment kit). The ivy stamped image is Whispers and was stamped with library green and coloured with copics.

I also used sketch 26 from Sketch Saturday



as this week's challenge 31 is 'your choice' - choosing any of the SS sketches as the basis of a card.

ABC challenge 'U is for underneath'

The current challenge on ABC is 'U is for underneath' - We want you to interpret underneath however you choose, it can be images/objects underneath thinngs, or images hidden underneath tags etc. Let your imagination go wild.'

I've used some pieces I had left over from Dream Street papers that I got earlier in the year from a kit from BF.

The flap at the top lifts up to reveal the pocket, which in turn has the card tucked into it:

DCM traditional silver and gold

The current DCM challenge is 'traditional silver and gold', so here are four cards (sorry about the flash reflection on the photos, but impossible to take pictures of foil card without this happening) that use either gold foiling or silver.

These are pyramage cards that were part of a concept card kit I bought earlier in the year - these got put aside - tucked away on the keyboard shelf - to be used on a rainy day. Well it's not actually raining today, but I thought I'd use them!

The first card three cards have silver foiling on them and the last one has gold foiling (despite some of it looking silver with the flash):









The build up of the pyramage doesn't show here, but irl this dimension gives an additional feature to the cards.

And another silver one, this time just flat, no pyramage:

Sorting, tidying or making?

I'm not really sure today whether I'm sorting, tidying or making? In fact, it was going to be a sorting session, but I seem to be doing more making and certainly less tidying, because the more I make the more untidy everything becomes.

Underneath my work surface I have a pull out keyboard shelf - I don't use this for a keyboard, but to put bits and pieces for safe keeping until I might want to use them! Some of these have been there for quite some time, tucked away out of sight. I decided therefore that as part of the sorting and tidying I would use some of them on some cards (at last!).

So here are three cards I've made (so difficult to get photos when pearlised card is being used):







It wasn't intentional, but a colour theme seems to have emerged (which is good for matting and layering some of the pieces of paper and card).

It's done!

I've made John's birthday card - and it's not till Tuesday!

I feel I've let him down though - I wanted to make a rugby card because he loves it, but when I looked through my stock I could only find Jolly Nation background sheets and no decoupage ones, so I've used a different rugby decoupage with it. I printed on to BG cupcake blue paper and mounted with 3d tape.

It's a very simple card, but with John's poor vision it's best not to make it too complicated.



The current challenge on Kaboodle Doodle is 16: For the boys: 'This week the challenge is all about Males, we would like to see a creation aimed towards boys and/or men. Ok so it is quite a difficult one this week, but we are nearly at the end of the year so we thought we would give you a challenge.' So this card fits the bill for that.

Three challenges in one

I didn't really intend to make a card tonight, but it just seemed to happen. I've used a recycled picture from an old card, inked the edges with green and pink and then mounted on BG sultry and two scoops papers and then on to a pink base card.

The BG challenge at the moment is 15: Going green - 'For this weeks challenge we would like to see you use some recycling on your creations, eg, cardboard, parts cut from another card, material from old clothes, postage stamps, it can be anything you like, the list is endless, also its not essential that the recycled item has to be old and used, you could simply use the inside of a business envelope for example as i know they can have some lovely patterns that can be used as backing papers etc, so have fun and of course not forgetting to use at least one item from basicgrey somewhere on your creation.'

There is also an ongoing recycling challenge on Arty Girlz, so I'm linking there too.

The current challenge on My Time to Craft is 41: Colour challenge: green - I feel this card has enough green on it to link for that.



I wonder if anyone can understand or explain why it is that I made this card that I didn't have to make, whereas I need to make one for John's birthday next Tuesday and still haven't done it. And actually as it's still Boxing Day I didn't intend to do any crafting till tomorrow - but it's just a bit of relaxation.

Crafty presents + a Christmas surprise!

First of all I thought I'd show the crafty presents I received for Christmas. This doesn't mean I didn't equally appreciate the non-crafty presents, because I did = it's just that this is a crafting blog, so here they are:



I also got a 'voucher' from John towards another set of 36 copic pens.

And when I logged on today I found out that I have won blog candy over at Claire's Crafty Corner! Take a look here to see what I've won!! Thank you so much, Claire - a lovely Christmas surprise.

Christmas Day!!!

The day has arrived (and how quickly that happened!)

All has been revealed this morning - I now know that my secret Santa on BF is Paddy - thank you so much for all the goodies that I've enjoyed throughout December and for today's present of stickers and papers and the lovely card:



I was also in a secret Santa group on CBC and I've received this cross stitch kit:



I used to do a lot of cross stitch, but last year, because of my back, I sold off a lot of my materials, including a big project that I just couldn't finish. But this one is small enough for me to pick up and do without a big frame or anything, so I will be able to do it - and I'll show it on here when I've completed it. Thank you, secret Santa! (This time the sender isn't revealed).

Now I must get off here and back to the kitchen! I prepared all the veg last night and this morning have made stuffing mixed with sausage meat (the lower fat version, of course!) and sausages wrapped in bacon.

If you happen to stumble this way among the festivities, I hope you have a good day.

A different kind of crafting

A different kind of crafting today - well, it's really not crafting, but I thought I'd show some of what I've been baking.

Mum and I both have high cholesterol, so we don't eat normal sausgages or sausage rolls, so I make some with lower fat sausages:



And I made some cookies. The flower shaped ones are chocolate chip, the stars are hazelnut (with a name like mine I just had to have some of those), the square ones are walnut and the heart ones are plain as poor John shouldn't have chocolate or nuts because of the potassium, although I think he might make a bit of an exception.



I usually make a chocolate yule log (well, strictly speaking, it isn't, because I cheat and make a loaf cake instead of the fiddle of making a swiss roll beneath the chocolate covering.



And yesterday I made some mince pies (special mince meat that's sugar free so John can eat some - I don't like them).

BF Advent 24

Well here we are on Christmas Eve - the last but one of the advent presents to open - a little box of After Eights just for me! Yummy! I love them:

Wishing everyone a Happy Christmas

While visiting other crafty blogs I've noticed that quite a few people are putting a Christmas card on for all their visitors.

I thought I'd use a card that I made for a Chinese whisper swap on CBC (so I couldn't show it until the group had finished):



This is an opportunity to thank all of you who visit my blog (whether you lurk of post comments - and it is always lovely to receive comments) and to wish you all a peaceful and Happy Christmas and every blessing in the New Year - may 2009 be a happy and healthy one. I am, of course, aware that for some people Christmas can be a time of sadness, because of bereavement, illness or difficulties in relationships etc - and this year there will also be more people who are so uncertain about the future of their jobs and finances. Despite many uncertainties, I pray that you can look to the future with some hope, bearing in mind the message of Christmas.

BF Advent 23

Only a couple of days to go - and today in my BF Secret Santa package I had all these lovely serendipidy squares - these must have taken Santa a long while to put them together:



I love them - thank you, SS!

CBC CCAD 14

Challenge 14: 'A GIFT BAG

- You can make it from scratch
- Just make a header and use a cello
- or decorate an existing one'

I decided to use an existing bag (I've had this silver holographic bag in my box of bags etc for ages) and decorate it with blooms etc.

This is how it started:



I took the existing cord off and used ribbons instead:



We have so many birthdays at this time of year that I now need to concentrate on them rather than Christmas (which is almost done except the wrapping and the stockings).

Sorry - once again, hopeless flash photos, but wouldn't be able to get it done in the morning by the deadline.

BF Advent 22

This is what Santa gave me in today's little package - some lovely stamped images:



Yay!! We're getting close to the big day now and the big reveal of who my Secret Santa is (I have my suspicions).

CBC CCAD 13

Sue's challenge 13 on CBC was to use one of the songs from CCAD 12 (a quiz) on a card.

Big confession - yet again I'd left John's Christmas card to the last minute, despite starting making cards some time back in August!

So this challenge was just what I needed. Two of the songs are on this card: 'Silent night' and 'O little town of Bethlehem' are both two of the carols printed in gold foiling on the vellum used on the left and right inside pages of the card.

The format of the card is very similar to the one I made for mum a few days ago.

And, of course, it also features 'Hark the herald angels sing' on the front of the card (which I wrongly at first thought was one of the songs on the list):





Here's a close up that shows that the two songs really are on the card:

BF Advent 21

My advent present today is a lovely little 'to from' tag - thanks, Santa!

Surprise, surprise!

I thought I'd share the lovely surprise I had this morning - a Christmas present in advance from John - it was delivered this morning - he asked for it to go with bronze, gold and brown, which is the theme of our decorations and he thought it would be good for me to have it delivered in the run-up to Christmas:

BF Advent 20

Lots of die cuts (obviously Santa has a machine and lots of dies):

CBC CCAD 20

This morning, Sue has asked us to show our favourite handmade card that we've received. This is a toughie! I've received so many gorgeous cards from lots of crafting friends, so this is such a difficult decision.

The one I've decided to show was made and sent by an elderly couple - both in their 80s - it is beautifully cross stitched and equally beautifully printed inside, including one of the lovely quotes from Isaiah:





This is an opportunity to thank everyone who has sent a gorgeous handmade card - every one is so much appreciated.

CBC CCAD 11

'YOU HAVE BEEN TAGGED (AGAIN)

I need tags for those SPECIAL PRESSIES - so all personalized and ready to go - I need at least 2'

She here are mine:



Why is it that colours never look right with a flash photo in the evening?

CBC CCAD 9

CBC CCAD 9: ' PRESSIE for someone - anyone you like - if you are very clever you could even make it to fit the box you made'

I used a 12 x 12 paper (can't remember what it is) that has squares all over it, made into a little maze book and simply putting a photo on each square - for our DIL:







Sorry, but photos of photos don't come out very well, particularly with flash in the evening.

BF Advent 19

This is what I got today in my advent box - a pen that has the choice of four different colours (I remember having one of these when I was younger):

CBC CCAD 10

The challenge for day 10 on CBC is to 'USE A PHOTO BUT you must make something Christmassy with it.'

I've used a photo taken of our back garden when we had snow in April and made a simple last-minute Christmas card: