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:

CBC CCAD 8 + Cute Card Thursday open theme

At last I've done CCAD 8:

'A SECOND RECIPE
you can make anything you fancy AGAIN BUT your creation MUST INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING
* 3 flowers
* 3 Gems
* 3 scrolls

The background paper is HOTP, mounted on to matt silver. The scrolls were cut on the cricut using Brenda Pinnock paper (which has a slight mottled effect that doesn't show here):



It was nice to make something other than a Christmas card.

I'm also showing this for this week's Cute Card Thursday which is an 'open theme'.

CBC CCAD 17

The challenge for day 17 on CBC is 'Some ART for your Christmas table - Can be anything you want - place settings, serviette holders you decide.'

I bought a couple of candles, like this:



and decorated them:



The lovely Sue has just said that I can also use this for CCAD 7 - a Christmas decoration - because I did make two of them, so one for each challenge!

Salt: O holy night

Where do the days go to? The last fortnight has whizzed by - it's time for a new Salt challenge already. This time Lythan chose the topic 'O holy night'. Please visit Salt to see what she has to say and also to see the lovely artwork of the rest of the team.

I hadn't yet made a Christmas card for my mum and wanted to do something a bit special for her, so this was an opportunity to use the topic of 'O holy night'. I used two large square cards to make a tri-fold one. I used a mixture of papers, including the English Paper Company and DCWV, and the stamped image on the front is a Papermania one I bought last year. I used that stamp quite a lot then, but this is the first use of it this year. The left and right sides of the middle have vellum stuck to them (using my xyron), but the stars are hardly visible on the photo. The words on the front are, of course, from the carol 'O holy night'.







Mum has already received the card and seemed pleased with it.

Tanda ATC swap November: remember, remember

These are the ATCs I received for the November swap on Tanda:



Thank you Carol and Sue - and Tash for organising.

BF Advent 18

Today I received this bag of alphabet letters that have been die cut from the funky brush alphabet - now, who do I know that has that alpha set?

CBC Tag swap received

These are the lovely tags I received in the swap organised by Jackie on CBC:

Blog award

Today I've received this award from the very kind Adele, alias Dingle:



Thank you so much, Adele - and for your kind words.

"The rules are to give it to five others, who shall give it to five others.. You shall link the one you got it from, and also the ones you give it to:) And let them know. And there is more... You have to write down five things you are addicted to...."

Oh gosh!! Five things I'm addicted to (that's difficult, unless I just saw dark chocolate, dark chocolate ... I'm sure you get the drift):

1. Cardmaking
2. Patterned papers
3. Rubber stamps
4. Dark chocolate
5. Husband, family and friends

I realise now I've done the list that they really ought to be in reverse order!!

Now to choose five blogs to name for the award - so difficult - I know so many talented crafty people who deserve to have this far more than me, but I have to restrict to five, so here goes:

Sheila - I so admire Sheila's crafting - she is so talented - it is a delight to visit her blog and see her never-ending ideas and inspiration

Wendy - I feel I could say exactly the same about Wendy - she is outstandingly creative and it is a joy to visit her blog and see her amazing work

Jackie - it is always inspiring to go along to Jackie's blog and see what she's been up to - another lady full of creativity and talent

Kathy - you will never be disappointed if you visit Kathy's blog - her crafting is superb and again and again she comes up with inspiration and results that are stunning

Lythan - last, but not least, another dear crafting friend, who has just been featured on Inspirational - I fully agree with what's been said on their blog: 'this is a site I often go to to look for inspiration. Lythan is a great cardmaker too - which is why I am nominating this site today. Her craft talents are extraordinary. Lythan's use of papers, journalling, doodling combine to make a perfect page or card.'

I feel a bit of a fraud getting this award at this time because over the past couple of weeks I've had very little crafting to show, but there are other demands in life - something to do with something that's happening in a week's time! In fact, I promised myself I'd do some crafting today, but nothing to show so far, although if you come back tomorrow you'll be able to see my contribution for the new Salt challenge.

BF Advent 17

Today's advent present is some super little buckles - they are so sweet - thank you, SS: