Postie came with goodies

What a lovely surprise this morning - well, I knew that at some time I'd receive a PIF from Melissa on CBC, but wasn't sure when it would arrive, but I also got a prize from It's a Creative World.

Here is what I got from Mel:



and this is the sheet of rubber stamps I got from Maria on IACW:



I want to apologise to anyone who visits my blog, that for a while I haven't been visiting others and leaving comments as much as I'd like, but life isn't that easy. We're waiting for the phone call to say that John's got a bed at St Thomas and hopefully going up there this afternoon for him to have the op on his toe tomorrow. (I say 'hopefully', not because I want him to go, but because it would now be a disappointment to gear ourselves up and not get there.)

Thank you to all those who have left me comments and encouragement - much appreciated by us both.

Why does it have to have a title?

I've spent all evening on one card (can't show it yet because it's for the next Salt challenge which will start on Thursday morning). I seem to have lost both inspiration and confidence. Lots of bits went in the bin tonight and I've finished up with a big dollop of glue on my trousers (art institute 'dries clear' - oh my, I wonder how that will look in the morning! - fortunately they are old trousers).

There's still been no contact from Pat, so I got John to draw another name out of the hat and it's Helen (H), so the blog candy will be in the post to you, Helen, in a day or two.

Meanwhile, Pat, if you read this, please let me have your details because then I'll also send you something.

Blog candy draw winner

Pat's name was drawn as the winner last Monday evening, but there is no blog to get in touch and I'm not sure, Pat, how to get hold of you. (I thought I knew who you are, but it wasn't the person I thought).

Please get in touch with me so I can send the crafty bits to you - or if anyone knows how I can contact Pat, please let me know.

If I haven't heard anything by tomorrow evening, I'll get John to draw another name - would like to be able to send these bits to someone - and if Pat gets in touch, then I'll send some more goodies.

And I'm afraid atm I have little crafting to show, except a Thank you card for the challenge on CBC: 'It's all Greek to me: Your challenge is to make an item that includes a word or phrase from a language other than English. You might already have items to hand or you might want to handwrite or use the computer and printer - use your imagination and see where it goes!' This is a card I made with 'thank you' in a variety of langauges (printed from the computer) with primas and brads added (I've just noticed that in the photo one of the petals on the bottom prima is hiding - it's showing properly now irl!):

Karen's CJ DLO

I received Karen's lovely CJ before Christmas and, as usual, thought I'd got plenty of time to do my DLO ... and here we are very near to the deadline!

I have to confess that crafting has taken a back seat since Christmas, for a variety of reasons, one of which is that we've had hospital visits with John, resulting in a decision to admit him, hopefully next week, to amputate a toe which has had an ulcer that's been getting worse, so I shall then be up and down to St Thomas hospital to visit him - they think he'll be there for about a week.

Anyway, this is 'my crafty outlook', so back to the matter in hand!

Karen's CJ is part of a group on Bumbleberries and is called 'surprise' - such a good idea - each person has to set the theme for the next person. The lovely Rach (turtlestres) set my theme: 'If I won the lottery' - I must say that I found this difficult to do, because not only do I not do the lottery (so therefore wouldn't win it!) but money doesn't buy happiness or health, although admittedly it can make a big difference to how comfortable you are if you are in illhealth - and we certainly wouldn't say no to a chauffeur driven car to be at our disposal!

So here is my contribution, using Jenny's creations Dizzy papers and other bits and pieces (there are a few white spots showing in the pictures - too impatient to wait - Art institute 'dries clear' glue, which, when dry, will show no white:

Blog candy winner

I wrote everyone's name on a small piece of paper and folded them all in the same way and put them in a bowl. John then stirred them around and picked one:



and the winner is:



Well done, Pat. Please let me know your details and I'll get the candy into the post for you (I've clicked on your username, but there is no access to a blog, so I need you to get in touch).

And a huge thank you to everyone for all your comments. It has been fun hearing about your worst and best purchases during 2007. I recognise a few things that I could add to both of my lists - and I'm beginning to think that perhaps I ought to get those small cuttlebug embossing folders out and have another go and actually using them!

Happy purchasing and crafting during 2008!

Happy New Year - Blog Candy

Edit: Thanks for all your interesting comments - this will be kept open until 23:00 Monday 7 January and then a name will be drawn for the blog candy. Please keep the comments coming!

As this post will be kept at the top until drawing the name for the blog candy, please scroll down to see my latest posts - thanks


Happy New Year

Well, I've now gone past 10,000 hits since I had a site meter in April (started my blog the previous month). I want to thank everyone who pops in and leaves comments - much appreciated. I've made many cyber friends during the time I've had a blog, as well as many crafting forum buddies.

The past year has been a difficult one for us in many ways, but as this is a crafty outlook I'll not dwell on any of that.

This blog candy is up for grabs (names will go in the hat and John will pick a winner):

To be in with a chance of winning the blog candy, please leave a comment on this thread, telling me what was your best craft purchase during 2007 and what was your worst.

I'll leave this post at the top for the next seven days (that's why the date on it is 7 January, whereas I'm actually posting it on New Year's Day).

I'll start the ball rolling by saying that I think my craft robo was my best purchase. As for the worst? That's a difficult one, because sometimes I get carried away and buy something and then have it waiting around in the cupboard for ages, wondering why I ever bought it! Although I do tend to use most of what I buy at some stage.

I think the worst craft purchase during 2007 has to be the little cuttlebug embossing folders - the ones that come in sets of four - it's not that I don't like them, but their use seems to be limited, whereas the bigger embossing folders are very versatile. Perhaps I ought to start another thread where you can show me what you've done with the little folders, so that I'm inspired to actually use them instead of them just lurking around in a box.

HS:MS mini catch up

Of course, Saturday, on HS:MS was Self Portrait day - all you're getting this time is hair:



Yesterday was 'Show Off Sunday' - so, here's that dog Josey again. A friend (who had been hospital at Christmas) gave Josey a late present yesterday and here she is attempting to get at the contents of the wrapper:



And today on HS:MS the topic is 'fold: To bend something over itself so that part of it covers another. Find 'fold' in your space today.'

My photo is very boring and functional - towels in the airing cupboard:

HS:MS white and perfume

Combining yesterday and today on HSMS: 'white: The opposite of black, the colour of milk or snow. find 'white' in your space today' and 'perfume: A fragrant liquid. Show us 'perfume' in your space'.

So here is one of my favourites on a white towel (which admittedly doesn't look very white because of the shadows in the photo - it is white honestly!):

Salt: where your heart is

My word - how quickly the weeks go by. Today saw the launch of this fortnight's challenge on Salt and this is what Gillian said:

Happy New Year!
May 2008 be a year of Blessings and Growth in the Lord for you.

Hi everyone, Gillian here, and it's my turn to set the challenge for the next two weeks.
You know setting these challenges is quite a soul searching exercise.
When I chose this theme the time of year came to mind
The Start of a New Year
and so many of us make New Years Resolutions
we look at the New Year as a sign of Change & a time to Grow.
In order to Change & Grow
We must Examine
So this weeks Challenge is perhaps a verse
that may help you to examine
Please take Inspiration from the
Gospel of Matthew
Chapter 6, Verse 21
For where your Treasure is,
there your Heart will also be.
to help your creative juices along, our DT have created some amazing pieces
We'd love for you to join in with this weeks challenge
Once you've completed your piece, leave us a comment at the bottom of this post
and we'll come and view your Creations.

Please take a look at Salt

I confess that I'm a bit late in contributing to this one (sometimes life's circumstances just get in the way!), but here it is now.

I took the theme from the Psalms (particularly Psalm 19 and 119) that God's word is precious, like gold, like diamonds - a real treasure for us. The Psalmist said: 'Your word have I hid in my heart'.

I cut the template for the hanging heart container on my craft robo and then cut out lots of hearts to go inside, each with a scripture promise on it. There's room for me to make more as and when a particular scripture prompts me.

Where have the last few days gone?

Christmas this year certainly turned out differently to what we expected. Not only did mum not come over on Christmas Day, but she still didn't feel well enough to venture out on Boxing Day. So in the afternoon we had a taxi over to her so that we could take the presents that were here for her and also some of the Christmas food.

Thursday was quite a functional sort of day - because we had someone coming to do the cleaning (relief for the regular person), it made sense to take down the tree etc in the morning ready for her coming in the afternoon, because next Wednesday we're having new carpets fitted and so won't be cleaned again till next Thursday.

So this really has been a strange Christmas because it's the first time ever that the tree has come down by 27 December! We've still got cards up, but not much else.

Yesterday I had a day of watching craft on QVC (no, I didn't buy anything) and in the afternoon I popped briefly into Bromley (no way I wanted to battle through the sales zone, except I did venture into M & S) to collect an unstamped letter from the Royal Mail sorting office.

And today I've been putting items for sale on ebay (no, not unwanted Christmas presents!) - it's taken me best part of all day, taking photos, descriptions etc.

I'm well aware that this is supposed to be 'My Crafty Outlook', so back to crafting reality. I did make a few cards yesterday - or it might have been the day before - but I won't show those now.

Why oh why didn't I make John's birthday card earlier?!?! Why is it that the important ones are always left till last? It's his birthday tomorrow and I'd been trying to come up with a new idea - the longer we're married the harder it is to come up with something new!

He plays bowls (for a blind bowling team) and enjoys rugby on TV and loves his classical music, but I seem to have exhausted those themes, and, besides, I made a rugby decoupage card for mum to give him. We sometimes play cribbage (we use large print playing cards - and because you only finish up with four cards to play with, it's not too difficult. Anyway, I decided to try to do a card based on this and looked up the maximum score that could be got, which is why the card has the Jack and 3 fives and the other five at the bottom. I was going to put something like 'you are a top scorer' but I wasn't sure that was good wording for a card!

I'm not sure that I'm that happy with it, but at this late stage it will have to do! The background paper is from the Guy's Life collection, which picks up on the cards theme, although not clear on the photo:

Between courses

The morning was spent preparing the lunch and family phone calls (some more to come later). Mum was meant to be coming over to us by taxi, but, unfortunately, had one of her giddy turns just before the taxi was arriving, so she hasn't been able to come over.

John and I have just done justice to our Christmas lunch (neither of us could quite finish it - eyes being bigger than ...) We're now having a rest between courses, so I decided to open my CBC secret santa present:



We haven't got presents for each other this year because we bought our new TV for each other, but we've got other presents and stockings to open in a while.

Hope you're enjoying your day.

PS - for anyone who read this earlier, I made the most terrible mistake - I typed 'fortunately' instead of 'unfortunately' about mum!!

New Year Blog Candy

My site meter is telling me that I've now had over 9,700 visits, so it seems that some time in the new year I'll reach the 10,000 mark (I didn't actually have a site meter when I first started the blog, so for the first two or three weeks there's no record).

I'll come back to this after Christmas.

Happy Christmas everyone

Thank you to everyone who visits my blog. I'd like to wish you all a Happy Christmas and every blessing in the coming new year.

This evening I've packed away the remains of my Christmas crafting stuff (even sorted through it before doing so and was a bit ruthless with getting rid of some bits and pieces).

We managed to get to church this morning for the family service and also the early carols by candlelight this evening. In between I did some baking - mince pies and sausage rolls and prepared for cookie dough which will be cooked tomorrow.

We still feel a bit in a state of limbo, as the decorating's been done, but the new carpet is being fitted on 2 January, so we have carpet cut away from the skirting boards - not the best look really! And because things will have to be moved again for the carpet laying we still have boxes of things housed in the room where I craft because it's pointless unpacking them and packing up again.

One day (soon, hopefully) we will be straight(ish!).

Christmas tree

On JB Elvin the Elf has today asked us to share photos of our Christmas trees. So here is mine (and it will also serve as my HS:MS one for today):

Handcrafted cards I've received

Over on the Just Bex forum, Elvin the elf is asking us to show some of the handcrafted cards we've received for Christmas, so I thought I'd show some here. Some were made by the people who sent them and one or two (I think) were purchased from others.

We are very grateful to all who have sent us cards.

HS:MS cute

'Attractive in a pretty or endearing way.'

My initial reaction was to post a photo of Josey, but you've seen so many of her I thought I ought to show something different - and besides, Anita has shown her new cute puppy who is so much cuter than Josey!

Here are our stockings hung up in the hall - for three adults, mind! But hey, why not? I'm going out today to get all the stocking bits and pieces. I'm doing one for John, one for mum and one for me. For a few years now John hasn't been able to put one together for me (lack of vision and other problems make it impossible for him to trail around). And this way, I get to buy all those little bits and pieces for myself that I never usually buy!

ATCs for swap on Paper n Lace

These are the ATCs that I've done for the December swap on Paper n Lace:

Christmas:



Friendship:

HS:MS glow

'To have an intense colour or slight shine. Find 'glow' in your space today'. Having already taken a photo of lights on the tree for 'glass' I looked around for another 'glow':

Commissioned cards

The request was for a card with a 'posh' car on it - I hope this decoupage fits the bill. The scan isn't very clear because of the raised decoupage (and photos were worse with flash). I didn't have a blue 'happy birthday' and husband, so I improved - used a green one coloured with Stazon blue ink pad:




The other card is for a 2 year old granddaughter. I cut the '2nd' overlay on the robo. The other bits are mainly K & Co Dollhouse embellies:

Salt: John 3:16

Esther chose the topic for this fortnight's Salt challenge:

'How time flies, and it is my turn (Esther) to set the challenge again. With Christmas now around the corner, I thought it best that we still concentrated on the 'true meaning' of Christmas namely -JESUS.

The verse John 3:16 'For God so loved the world that he sent his one and only son, that whoever believed in him shall not perish but have everlasting life'

It is perhaps a well known verse, but it is a real testimony to our Christian faith, the fact that the babe Jesus was born as a SAVIOUR for our sins. So that if YOU believe that he came to die, and ask for forgiveness YOU ALSO will recieve the GIFT of eternal life in heaven. John 15:13 reminds us 'Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.'

Use this verse to inpire you or to meditate on in the next few weeks, and especiallly over the Christmas period. God bless you all and have a wonderful Christmas,

see you in the New year with more challenges!

Please leave a comment with this post,

it is always encouraging to know that you come and visit our blog.

Especially if you want to share your creation on this topic'

Please take a look at Salt

I found it hard to finalise my ideas for this one, but in the end went for a digi LO (produced with clipart and wordart in Publisher and then tweaked in Digital Image Pro).

Firstly I produced this:



and then changed things a bit to come up with this:



I'm still not sure which I like best, but I think it's probably the second one.

Nearly there ...

Managed today (well, it was yesterday actually, because I'm posting this at way gone 2 in the morning because I just can't sleep) to make birthday cards that I needed for directly after Christmas, so they are now in the post so that they don't get overlooked.






I also did a few more quick Christmas cards (the ones that I needed to research addresses for - which have now gone in the post first class). I didn't scan all of them, but here are a couple:





Oh dear, what an awful photo that last one is - I was in such a hurry to get cards into the post.

Now the big confession - I still haven't made a Christmas card for John and I also need to make a birthday one for him for 30 December - oh well, there's time yet. And two commissioned cards to make before the end of this week. And then that's it! (apart from a couple of ATCs and CJs).