Black and dufex bright

This card is for

Crafty Ann 2 'black and white and one other colour'

The picture is a dufex one so it is much brighter irl and changes a bit dependent on the light shining on it, so it is right also for Ildi Co 6: 'black and bright'.

This is also another one for Creative card crew 39: 'Christmas'.



Don't forget: If you go to the top of my blog you will find the post about my celebration candy - you've got to be in it to win it! I now have 100 followers, so I'll be adding something more to the blog candy.

Another blog award

Tracy kindly gave me this award:

Now the rules of this award are to thank the person for the award and pass it on to at least 7 people who deserve it and then list 10 honest things about myself ...

Oh gosh, this is hard (I did a list of five things the other day for another ward - and that was hard enough) - anyway here goes:

1. I can't swim
2. I can't ride a bike (I've never tried!)
3. I won a school prize for a competition about cycling, even though I couldn't ride a bike (it was naming all the parts on a bike)
4. One of the Manfred Man group lived in the street where my nan lived, so we used to play out in the street along with other children
5. I sang a solo in the Royal Albert Hall
6. I don't like mince pies
7. I love Marmite sandwiches with salad cream
8. I love watching Casualty and Holby (you'd think I'd had enough of hospitals, wouldn't you?!)
9. I wear contact lenses, but now have to use reading glasses as well
10. I can't believe I'm 62

I know that I'm supposed to pass this on to 7 others - and there are many more than 7 who I think deserve this - please feel free to take this award if you are a regular to my blog and I visit yours - all my friends on BF and CBC, for instance, and many more besides.

Don't forget: If you go to the top of my blog you will find the post about my celebration candy - you've got to be in it to win it! I now have 100 followers, so I'll be adding something more to the blog candy.

Christmas gifts

These cards are for C.R.A.F.T. 27: 'Christmas gifts'; 'a gift placed somewhere on your card' is challenge 15 on Stampin' sisters in Christ and 'Christmas gifts' is the subject of the current Chirper challenge.

The first card is also good for Kelly Jo color chef 31: 'aqua, red and white', There she goes 31 colour challenge: 'red, green, blue plus neutrals' (all on this card) and Spoon full of sugar 80: 'non-traditional Christmas colours'.

This second card meets the criteria on Color throwdown 71: 'olive, red, brown/cream (which I didn't use), pink' (we could use three of them - so mine is olive, red and pink). Secret crafter Saturday 60 is 'Christmas trees' - plenty on this card! The papers used for this second card came with a magazine, so it's just right for Fab's 48: 'use magazine free papers'.

This third card is also good for 'red and green' on 365 cards day 275: 'tis the season', Corrosive 40: 'green and red ... let's get ready for Christmas', Colour Create 32: 'green, red and white, optional extra: Christmas', Incy wincy 20: 'red and green' and Cupcake 68: 'red and green'. Rosie-Dee 59 is 'red, green and a bit of bling!' - there's glitter and foiling on the gifts, but hard to see on the scan. This is also another one for The treehouse 25 'Christmas colours - old olive, real red, white and black'.


All of these cards are good for 2 red bananas: 'Christmas/winter card', Stamp, scrap & doodle 17: 'Christmas', Sparkle creations 52: 'any Christmas card', Pollycraft 29: 'Ria's wonderful Christmas time', Whimsy 29: 'Christms', Creative card crew 39: 'Christmas' and another one for Charisma cardz 47: 'anything Christmas'.

The papers used for the first and third card are Basic Grey.

Don't forget: If you go to the top of my blog you will find the post about my celebration candy - you've got to be in it to win it! I've just noticed that I now have 100 followers, so I'll be adding something more to the blog candy.

WOYWW today

It's Wednesday again - and that means it's time to take a photo and show on WOYWW. If you've not joined in yet, why not do so - and go and have a nose at everyone's workspace.

My workspace lacks any crafting goodies today - I've been writing Christmas cards - hence the piles over to the right - have done just over 200 so far. On the left of the picture you'll see the two secret Santa presents that I've received - you can read about it further down on my blog.

To the extrene left is a box that contains more Christmas cards to be written ... and then I need to get on and make some more!! I haven't done much crafting in the last few days - trying to get all the cards written - but definitely need to get on - I've got some commissioned cards that need to be done first and then more Christmas cards for us - I'm glad of all the challenges around that are asking for Christmas cards because they spur me on - it's good to have a few sketches to save my brain thinking too much!



Don't forget: If you go to the top of my blog you will find the post about my celebration candy - you've got to be in it to win it! I've just noticed that I now have 100 followers, so I'll be adding something more to the blog candy.

My winning streak has continued!

Amazed this morning to discover that I've won the monthly prize on Quixotic Challenges for their first draw - you can read about it here. I emailed to claim my prize and have found out that I've won a gift certificate for £20 to spend in their shop - how cool is that?! I've had a little peep and think I might get flowers etc because I do so love them.

Don't forget: If you go to the top of my blog you will find the post about my celebration candy - you've got to be in it to win it!

Another bubbly surprise!

For the second day running, I was so taken aback when the post came this morning - I received another package from a BF secret santa:



I decided it would be rude not to open at least one of the presents today, so this is what was in the one I opened:



Whoever you are, secret santa - thank you so much - you have brought tears to my eyes.

And I've just opened the present that said 'first' from yesterday's BF SS and this is what's in it:



I've just made a coffee and am going to enjoy the two together. It's years since I had a chocolate coin (I'm glad the cholesterol police don't read my blog, 'cause I'm not supposed to have milk choc, but this is very special, so I'm going to savour every bit of it!)

Don't forget: If you go to the top of my blog you will find the post about my celebration candy - you've got to be in it to win it!

BF November inchies received

These are the fab 'fireworks' inchies I received from the swap on BF forum - thanks, girls, and thanks, Leigh, for once again hosting:



The 'animal' inchie at the bottom is an addition to the October swap.

Don't forget: If you go to the top of my blog you will find the post about my celebration candy - you've got to be in it to win it!

Super surprise from Santa!!

A Secret Santa swap is taking place on BF forum atm - when it was time to sign up for it (and likewise for one on CBC) I decided this year not to take part because things are still quite difficult with John making a slow recovery and I just didn't know whether I'd be able to get everything together for the deadline - and I wouldn't have wanted to let other people down.

So I was really amazed this morning when the postie came and bought me a package, containing these goodies:



with a card which read:

Dear Hazel, though you deserved a little treat for being a "good girl". from a BF Secret Santa x

Whoever you are, SS, thank you so much - you've made my day. We've been up to Guy's again today and postie came just before we went, so I was able to undo and drool then!

As you can see, I've already opened the 'now' present - some rubber stamps - not sure how long I have to keep the others, but think I should also be opening the one that says 'first' - lol!

Another win!!

I've just learned that I've won this 'that's my boy' set:

for Rumble 18 on 'in the cottage studio' - you can read about it here.

Don't forget: If you go to the top of my blog you will find the post about my celebration candy - you've got to be in it to win it!

I'm officially a 'lady with attitude' ....

I won a prize for twisted Thursday 32 on Shirley's 2 girls - you can read about it here.

My prize arrived this morning, together with a note saying: 'Congrats! You are an official ... 'lady with attitude'.


I also had 20$ to spend at Paper Popsicles because I was the winner on 365 cards for PP week - you can read about it here. I had great fun picking out lots of digi images from their range - no doubt you'll be seeing some of them soon!

And, talking of Paper Popsicles, I was also able to choose 2 templates and a digi image from their range for winning wacky Wednesday's hump day sketch 7, as you can see here.

Don't forget: If you go to the top of my blog you will find the post about my celebration candy - you've got to be in it to win it!

Christmas trees

This is the sketch on Unscripted 33:

And secret crafter Saturday 60 is 'Christmas trees'.

Background paper is BG eskimo kisses.



Don't forget: If you go to the top of my blog you will find the post about my celebration candy - you've got to be in it to win it!

Flower pot card for my Mum

I needed to make a card for mum's birthday on Sunday - I'm OK to blog it because she doesn't go on the internet. I like to try and do something a little special, but, having been making cards for quite some years now, I'm beginning to run out of ideas to make something different.

It so happened that challenge 16 this week on Stamp, scrap and doodle Saturday was to make a 'flower pot' card - there were links to some instructions, which I mainly followed, adapting a bit - I put a strut at the back of the card so it could stand up.

As you can see, the 'flower pot', which was made out of DCWV textured card, was run through the cuttlebug with two different embossing folders. The swiss dots part fits in well with Sunflowers and dragonflies 19: 'polka dots'.

Of course, this is another form of pocket card, so I'm also linking for Creative inspirations 21: 'we want to see a pocket'.

Day 243 on 365 cards is 243: 'beautiful bouquet' - 'Now I know many, if not all of you have put flowers on your cards, but I'm looking for more of a bouquet - you know a bunch of flowers grouped together.'

This is also for Paper maniac inspirations: 'use those flowers' and, as I've used a lot of purple flowers, this is also another one for Lily-boo too November challenge: 'purple'.

Editing to add: I forgot Etsy Inspired 63: 'sleepless imagination', for which I chose this:







Don't forget: If you go to the top of my blog you will find the post about my celebration candy - you've got to be in it to win it!

BF November ATCs received

Today I received my ATCs from the November swap on BF - thanks, girls, for another fab lot of ATCs and Ali for hosting yet again.



Don't forget: If you go to the top of my blog you will find the post about my celebration candy - you've got to be in it to win it!

Summer card in November?

This card is for the sketch for Crazy 4 challenges week 12:


It's also for:

Play date cafe 6:


It's also for 365 cards day 266: 'Colour me with this' - asking us to use something other than markers to colour - I used inktense water colour pencils with sansador. Papers are BG mellow. And as it's a coloured stamped image I'm linking for Caardvarks: 'color it'.

I'm not quite sure why I chose a sunflower image at this time of year!



Don't forget: If you go to the top of my blog you will find the post about my celebration candy - you've got to be in it to win it!

Holly doodles

This is sketch FTL69 on Clean and Simple:


I used Tanda 'holly doodles' designed by a lovely crafting friend, Sheila Oliver. The hearts are felt raised up with foam pads.

This week's Daring Cardmakers challenge is 'I'd like you to put things on your card which begin with the first letter of your name. You can use other things too, but see if you can use at least 3 things that share their initial letter with your own name.

So, H for Hazel: holly, hearts, Happy Christmas.

Challenge 18 on Pals paper arts is K.I.S.S. - 'keep it simple, sweetie' - lots of white space, simple design, minimum time, limited layers and embellishments. Mmmm, I'm not sure about the 'limited time' - by the time I'd stamped a few rejects and then coloured in with copics, I think it perhaps took longer than it should have done, but I think it fits this challenge.

Sunday stamper 80 is asking for either holly or ivy - no ivy here, but plenty of holly.

Penny's challenge this week is asking for random stamping - 'no dp allowed'.

Another one for Colour create 32: 'green, red and white - optional extra: Christmas'

This week Fab's big Christmas 46 is 'stamped background', so it's good for that - also for Whimsy 29: 'Christmas', Everybody art 67, Flourishes Timeless Tuesday 43, Papertake weekly: 'Christmas crackers' (anything Christmas), Charisma cardz 47: 'anything Christmas', Theme Thursday: 'Christmas - holiday creations' and the treehouse 25: 'Christmas colours' - old olive, real red, white and black. There certainly are a lot of Christmas challenges around atm (I wonder why!) - these are only some of them!




Don't forget: If you go to the top of my blog you will find the post about my celebration candy - you've got to be in it to win it!

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving

to all blogging friends in the US

The theme chosen by Mona for today's Salt challenge is 'giving thanks' based on the verse from Colossians 3:17: 'And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.'

As I pondered what to do for this I came across the challenge 120 this week on How much is too much?: 'With Thankgiving this week, on November 26, let's document the things that make us grateful. This week, journal 26 things you're thankful for and use 26 products on your page.' (I didn't manage though to use 26 products - although, I suppose if you count each letter sticker and each flower perhaps it would add up to 26!)

It got me thinking of the things that I wanted to include on my Salt LO - I thought it would be difficult to think of 26 things, but after I'd printed them out I started thinking of more - what a lot we have to be thankful for!

On this special day of Thanksgiving for our friends across the Atlantic, it's good for us all to reflect and be thankful - but not just today, but every day - as the verse says: 'and whatever you do ... giving thanks ...' and, of course, we give thanks for the greatest gift of all - Jesus' sacrifice on the cross.

I decided on a white, black and red theme for my LO - the papers are BG cupcake and the big spiky flowers were cut on my cricut using the Accent Essentials cartridge. The big 'thankful' letters are American Crafts.

As usual, you can read the words better if you click on the picture to enlarge.

T
here are lots of challenges atm with the theme of 'thanksgiving' or 'being thankful', not surprising with the celebrations today in the States. I don't often do this, but I'm going to link my LO to some of them as part of my Christian witness to being thankful to God.

Flourishes Timeless 43
Card*a*licious 31 (which asks for flowers and black and red - didn't realise this till after I'd done it!)
Cricut cardz 2 (I used a cricut cartridge)
Nutty nutshells 4
Paper Blooms
3 clovers 41
If the shoe fits Fashionista Friday 12
Paper cutz 18
2 red bananas
Stampin' sisters in Christ 14 - based on Galatians 6:9
Apron strings 17
Fiskarettes Monday challenge
365 cards day 271 (today)
Stamp something

Please pop along to Salt and read what Mona has to say and see the lovely crafting - and perhaps you might join in giving thanks by making something crafty and sharing with us.

Don't forget: If you go to the top of my blog you will find the post about my celebration candy - you've got to be in it to win it!

Blog awards

I've received a couple of blog awards from two dear crafting friends - my apologies to you both that I haven't blogged these sooner.

This award came from Gez:



And this one was from Sue:


Both of these awards ask me to share five facts about myself, so I'm doubling up on this (because I can't think of ten!):

1. My middle name is Mary.
2. I love nuts (I was obviously given the right name!).
3. I love dark chocolate even more!
4. I don't think I'll use up all my craft stuff even if I live to 100 and craft everyday (but that won't stop me getting more).
5. I love purple, but very rarely wear it.

I hope you don't think I'm not bothering, but I know that lots of my blogging friends have already received these, but I'm sure that there's lots of you who haven't yet - so, please, take these awards with love from me and pass them on - oh, and don't forget to share some facts about yourself.

Don't forget: If you go to the top of my blog you will find the post about my celebration candy - you've got to be in it to win it!

The mystery white blocks

Some people have asked about the white blocks in my WOYWW photo earlier today. They are foam stamps - I've got quite a few of these - most of the others I've got are bigger, in fact some are a good A6 size. They are from QVC and they are cheap when you compare the price of wood mounted or even unmounted. They give surprisingly good results. Having said that, I still like the feel of a good wood mounted stamp (and I do have a few of those, as you can see from the shelves in my WOYWW photo).

WOYWW - Wednesday comes round quickly

Just realised that it's Wednesday (well, I did know that this morning!) and that means it's WOYWW. So here's mine atm:



Don't forget: If you go to the top of my blog you will find the post about my celebration candy - you've got to be in it to win it!

All in your pocket

The instructions for a pocket card were given on Dutch Dare this week - I had a few trial versions first, but in the end 'got it' and produced my card.

I used a digi image from here that fits nicely into challenge 33 on Stampin' B: 'red, black, white and a moon.

This is also for:

Another one for Crafty Ann 2: 'black, white and one other colour'.
ABC: 'H is for hidden' (I'm behind with this one - I intended to get it done in time, but had to practise getting the pocket card right first!).
Creative Inspirations 21 is 'include a pocket'
Little red wagon 4: 'buttons'
Try it out Tuesday 45 is 'all buttoned up'
Hand full of stamps 6: 'no plain Jane ribbon' - the ribbon has text on it - it says 'with love'
365 cards day 269: 'tied up in knots' - create some knots on your card

The red papers are BG cupcake and the black inside paper is BG scarlet's letter.





Don't forget: If you go to the top of my blog you will find the post about my celebration candy - you've got to be in it to win it!

Gingerbreadhouse

This is for SASSC41:


It's also for Dottie's world: 'What do I mean when I say gingerbreadhouse?' Of course, for Dottie's challenges we have to use a Charmed download, so I've used 'Christmas kiss' with Dottie and George beneath the mistletoe - I digitally superimposed them on to a free download clipart gingerbreadhouse picture.

And this is another one for Frosted designs: 'paper tearing' - the white hammered at the bottom to act as little drifts of snow.

I used some 'clouds' paper that I've had for quite some time - appropriate for 365 cards day 231: 'Imagine this: sky'.

As the predominant colours are brown and blue, I'm linking also for Spoon full of sugar 79: colour combo.

And, as it's a Christmas card, it's OK for Everybody art 67, 'winter love' on Simon Says and another one for Kraftin' Kimmie 7: 'merry Christmas, happy winter!!'



Don't forget: If you go to the top of my blog you will find the post about my celebration candy - you've got to be in it to win it!