Thank You cards and

.........a Very Happy New Year!

It's going to be a strange one in our house. For the first time in about 5 years DH is working and I'm not going with him. He has always worked at a local hotel on NYE and we've made a night of it and booked a room. This year he is working at a golf club about 20 miles away so I decided not to go. It's a good job really as I smacked myself in the mouth with a spoon on Christmas Eve and on Christmas day my front tooth fell out!! It's a crown which had worked it's way loose. I'm having two roots removed under sedation so had a dentist appointment on Monday where they decided that they would fit me with a false one while they have me in the chair. My appointment for the work is 13th January and I am not really looking forward to it but hopefully I won't be aware of what they are doing to me. I'm talking to everyone at the mo with my hand over my mouth and won't leave the house LOL We did nip to the Range the other day but I just kept my mouth shut.......I think the assistant thought I was really rude until DH told him that I'd lost my voice ;))

Christmas has been strange this year too......I haven't felt in the least bit Christmassy :( It was lovely having my family together on Christmas day if not hard work :) We always used to share Christmas and my sister, mum and myself took it in turns to host but this was the first time we had been together for about 15 years! Even then it wasn't all of us as my sister and her family stayed at home, which is just as well really as I think we would've had to set the tables up in the garden!! LOL Christmas has also been overshadowed by the deaths we had in the run up. We have Auntie's funeral on Friday and I am dreading it.

Anyway onto a brighter note. Yesterday was 'Thank You card day' as I had a few to make. I haven't used any sketches or anything and just made very quick and simple cards the same as the following two. The last one is for a special person who did me a huge favour just before Christmas!

Now the 'To Do List' looks something like this :)

a gardeners year book for my mum

cd clock for DS's best friend (no rush because he's a JW and doesn't celebrate Christmas so will give it to him next week)

5 forum birthday cards done

Debbi Moore samples from new kit in progress

DD1's wedding invitations started

gut my craft room in progress

I'm now off to shrink my list even further, take care and TFL xx

2 Sketches 4 You

I managed to do Laura's sketch #16 AND Katie's bonus sketch last night so have made a good start on my birthday cards :) This one is Laura's and my take on the sketch.

The image is a rubber stamp I bought from Sally-Ann pre downloads ;) Papers are from one of the Anita's pads (I think), flower is part of a larger one from Dunelm, I used Glossy Accents on the petals in the image to give it a bit of depth and finished off with some self-adhesive pearls.

The next sketch is Katie's.

I though this stamp fitted perfectly with the sketch. I bought this stamp a long time ago but have no clue as to who the manufacturer is as it is unmounted. I stamped the image twice, coloured them with Prisma pencils and Sansador and Sakura Stardust pens, cut out one whole frame and the flowers from another and decoupaged them. I finished the card with self adhesive pearls in the middle of the flowers and a stamped greeting.

Sketch Saturday

Week #31 -27th December - Your Choice!
Hello Everyone......... Surprise!!Didn't expect to see a new post this week did you?
I do hope that you are all well & happy, and have everything that you hoped for.
Did Santa, leave you some craft stash in your stocking? ;)
Just incase there are some of you who are itching to try out your new craft goodies, then this week is for you ;)This week is your choice!
I know some of you look forward to seeing a new sketch here each week, and that you don't like to miss a sketch, so I decided to let you choose the sketch that you liked the most from the last 30 weeks. That way, you won't miss a sketch because there isn't a new one this week to miss!
It will be interesting to see if there's a sketch which is the most popular with you all, or if there will be a mixed bag of your favourites.Don't forget to tell me what sketch you used! ;)

As I haven't been doing this challenge very long I thought I would go right back to the beginning and do sketch #1 and found that it leant itself perfectly to the card I had in mind using the above image, a la Clarice Cliff.
I used a stamp that I bought a long time ago from Rubbadubbadoo and coloured it with Prisma pencils, the papers are again from my left overs box - the top one is by Brenda Pinnick and the striped paper is from Pink Petticoat (and is actually green!), ribbon is from Ribbon Oasis the flowers are Prima, the sentiment is a See D stamp and the spotty brad is from my stash.

Papertake Weekly

Dawny's sketch #5

I thought I was running late for this challenge again but having revisited the site I realised that the sketch is actually up for two weeks with it being Christmas, phew!

I thought I would make a start on January's birthday cards as I have a few to do. I also need to restock the box DH has at work and at least one of my shops. So the image is a Snag em stamp by Imaginesce coloured with Promarkers which was part of my prize from Wendy at Secret Crafter. I bought a few from Craft U Love a few weeks ago and this is the first time I've had the time to use them.............what a change from making Christmas cards! The papers are from my 'left overs' box and are Love Elsie (I think) and Pink Petticoat which I punched with my new Martha Stewart punch which was also from Wendy. Sentiment is a See D stamp.

My 'To Do' List

I finally managed to get my to do list cracked off, well most of it anyway!
So, the first item on the list is make crackers

along with the ties for the napkins and the choccy money I used as table confetti! I also made place cards which I forgot to add to my list.

The next thing on my list is 2 necklaces for DD2 and her best friend.

I only managed to photograph this one as DD needed the one for her friend straight away but it's very similar to this one, just a few different beads!

Then I had a gardeners book for my mum which I abandoned as I ran out of time. She didn't know she was getting one so I can make it any time.

A birthday book for my brother..........I was cheeky here and wrote everyone's birthdays in it!! It made him laugh :)

I also decided to make one for DD1. The papers used on the first one are by Little Yellow Bicycle and the second one are Brenda Pinnick.

So next I did a Post it Note holder for DS

I also decided to make one for DH as uses post its when he's djing, for writing down requests.
Dad's birthday cards which I finally got finished at 2.30 am on Christmas Day!!!

Large letters were cut on the Robo using Doodlebug 'Bazzil' card and the rub ons (I think) are by Mambi. the candles were hand cut using some oddments of K & Co papers from the mat stacks. The card was based on the little self adhesive cake button in the bottom corner. I think it's from a Sue Dreamer sheet.
The house was cleaned to within an inch of it's life and 'most' of the ironing was done and the rest was shoved into our bedroom :)
So the new list looks something like this:

My 'To Do' List
a gardeners year book for my mum
cd clock for DS's best friend (no rush because he's a JW and doesn't celebrate Christmas so will give it to him next week)
5 forum birthday cards
Debbi Moore samples from new kit
DD1's wedding invitations
gut my craft room

Secret Crafter's

Saturday Challenge This week it is set by our lovely JILL and it's a theme:PAPER PIECINGAny project you like but there must be an aspect of paper piecing on your creation, which may be stamping onto patterned paper and placing over parts of your image for example to make clothes for your characters/items, or by making your own backing paper and piecing onto your project.

My future son in law rang me on Christmas Eve and asked me to make a large card (A4) for someone at his work who was retiring on New Year's Eve. I managed to get the image stamped onto assorted papers and card on Christmas Eve but that was it so I had to put the card together yesterday morning before we went to my parents for Dad's birthday. The upshot was one very simple card. I used assorted pieces of paper from my 'left overs' box, the letters were from a tub I chuck left over letters into ;) the fab stamp is from Sally-Ann (when she had her ebay shop selling stamps), the ribbon was from Ribbon Oasis and the sentiment was computer generated.

Stamp Something

The sketch added for 19th December was perfect for the extra Christmas card I wanted to make for my mum.

This is 'Eunice-Santa's Helper' by Art Impressions. My mum is called Eunice so I couldn't resist using the stamp. I bought the stamp to make her 70th birthday invitations but coloured her lilac so I really felt I had to use the stamp for the purpose it was made.......a Christmas card, LOL I couloured her with Stardust pens by Sakura, the papers are Figgy Pudding and Blonde Moments, the ribbon was from Ribbon Oasis, the flower is Prima and the flower centre is a Vintage Berry from Craftwork Cards..

Sketch Saturday

#30 Another great sketch and as I had/have so much still to do I thought I would use the sketch for something other than a card so I used it to do my friend's gift bag and was really pleased with it. I used the black and white box and tag further down (from Sue's CBC challenge) so thought I would do the bag to match.

Papers are Doodlebug, flowers are from Crafts U Love and Prima and I used my Martha Stewart punch.

And the rest of the gift wallets

My 'To Do' List

make Crackers (I must be :))

2 necklaces for DD2 and her best friend almost done

a gardeners year book for my mum

a 'birthday book' for my brother who is lousy at remembering birthdays!! nearly done the birthday book (but have scrapped the calendar-he won't use it any way!!)

post it note holder for DS

cd clock for DS's best friend (no rush because he's a JW and doesn't celebrate Christmas so will give it to him next week

Dad's birthday cards (Boxing day!)

5 forum birthday cards

clean my house erm it's even worse now

ironing

But first, I am going to put away all my Christmas card making stuff -YAY :)

Take care and TFL

Getting nowhere fast!!!!

:))
I could do with another couple of months slotting in between now and Thursday............that way there might just be a chance that I will be slightly more ready than I am now LOL I've just looked at my 'to do' list and haven't made any headway at all, I keep getting side tracked. My idea was that I finished work last Friday which would have given me time to get myself sorted but 'Oh no' it just ain't happening!! I got a frantic message from one of my shops this morning "Can we have some more Snowman Poop please?" "yes" says I "but am on my way to town, will drop it round later." "Ok" says she "and we've just sold the last bag of Reindeer Food, can we have some more of that too?" I whizzed round town and didn't get what I wanted (I think half the population of England were queuing in our M & S..............has no-one told them that the shops are only shut on Thursday and that most will re-open on Friday!!!!
Another thing I got side tracked by was this mini album for my friend. I'm not really sure why I made it when her prezzies were all sorted anyway.........just another ploy to stop me doing the dreaded HW I suppose LOL

I actually used my Sizzix Album cover and page die for the first time in about 3 years. I think if cover die hadn't fallen off the shelf when I pulled some ribbon off a roll (the ribbon was trapped round the die but I didn't realise!) then she wouldn't have got the album LOL All the papers and bits and bobs used were on my desk.

My 'To Do' List
make

Crackers (I must be :))
5 gift voucher wallets (2 are in progress) done
2 necklaces for DD2 and her best friend almost done
a gardeners year book for my mum
a 'birthday book' and calendar for my brother who is lousy at remembering birthdays!! nearly done the birthday book (but have scrapped the calendar-he won't use it any way!!)
post it note holder for DS
cd clock for DS's best friend
a gift bag for a special friend done-see next post
Dad's birthday cards (Boxing day!)
5 forum birthday cards
clean my house erm it's even worse now
ironing
pop to town first thing on Monday morning to pick something up. done

Friday Sketchers

#33

As I have a few gift wallets to make I thought I would make a start by using this challenge so that's the first two done. They are for my kids from Grandma!

The papers on the left and the tag on the right were from the English Paper Company last year, the spotty paper and the Christmas tree were freebies and the silver ribbon and the white fibres were in my RAK from Rosie :)

This picture shows the inserts.

TFL

My award

I would like to say a great big 'thank you' to Hazel for her kind words and lovely award :)

"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...."

5 things I'm addicted to (apart from my fab DH and kids!)

1. Card making
2. Coffee
3. Card making
4. Jaffa cakes :)
5. My lap top!!

I would like to give the award to

Beryl who makes great cards and leaves lovely comments! :)

Enfys who also makes great cards and leaves lovely comments ;)

Sally-Ann (now Sally-Ann has just got the award from someone else but she has been such a big help in making my Christmas cards that I couldn't not give her an award :))

Liz from Pink Petticoat who has also played a major part in my Christmas card making this year!

Kathy who is a great inspiration

Merry Christmas girls.

......and now for the rest of the stuff I made this week

All the componants of this card were from Craftwork Cards apart from the sentiment which is a rub on from MSE.

This set was part of an order. It is teal mesh with black beads. The picture doesn't do it justice as the colours are more virant IRL.

This is another mesh set which was ordered from the jewellery party I did on Thursday. This one is black mesh with white and silver lined clear beads.

This bracelet is magnetic and was made for a special friend's Christmas pressie.

My 'To Do' List

make

6 gift voucher wallets (2 are in progress)

2 necklaces for DD2 and her best friend

a gardeners year book for my mum

a 'birthday book' and calendar for my brother who is lousy at remembering birthdays!!

post it note holder for DS

cd clock for DS's best friend

a gift bag for a special friend

Dad's birthday cards (Boxing day!)

5 forum birthday cards

clean my house

ironing

pop to town first thing on Monday morning to pick something up.

Not much there then and I need to pack my Christmas stuff away as we are moving my craft table into the dining room for Christmas dinner. I think that's about it.

I shall now go and tackle the work mountain :)

Take care and have a lovely weekend. xx

DCM

My last post this evening/morning is for today's DCM challenge which is another team challenge. This week, we're setting another team dare which is to use traditional silver and gold on your cards. We'll leave it up to you as to whether or not you make a Christmas card.

This is the card I made this afternoon for DD1 and her fiance. She is Tatty Teddy daft and I found this decoupage sheet in the bowels of my My Documents folder. I don't know how long I've had it or where it came from. I used silver highlights on my card, cord, jingle bells, backing card and Stickles glue.

Christmas cards

All Year Round Quick Fire #3

This is their requirement soooooooooooooo on to the challenge I'd like to see cards with and 'Vintage' type image. Thats it, pretty simple....

And here is the card I made.

Every year I make my friend a 'special' card and whilst scouting the internet a few weeks ago looking for inspiration I came across this tutorial by Mary Jo Allbright. I just love this free standing pop up card and it was really simple to make. Take a look, there are some fabulous tutorials on the resource page. The image is by Anita's amd I've used it a few times this year. I think he is gorgeous and definitely vintagey (if that's a word!). I used duck egg blue card and finished it off with white satin ribbon and fibres.

2 Sketches 4 You

This is Laura's sketch #15

Image is a Pink Petticoat download coloured with Promarkers, snowflake paper is also from Pink Petticoat, pink paper is from Craftwork Cards, sentiment is a vellum sticker as before and the crystals are from my stash. I made this card for DD.
I'm also hoping that this card fits in with the Papertake Weekly challenge too which is This weeks challenge is to use one colour! You can use shades of the same colour and small accents of other colours if you like!

Sketch Saturday

Sketch #39

Paper is from Lili of the Valley, tree was hand cut using an old template from Craftwork Cards, silver ric rac was a freebie off a mag and the greeting is a vellum sticker from last year's Papermania Christmas collection.

Secret Crafter

This is the 11th challenge from the Secret Crafter's blog and I think (so far) I have completed them all! This is Donna's latest sketch.

I used the sketch for DS's Christmas card. The paper is a mix of Figgy Pudding and 'that' paper pad by DCWV :P I love the Santa on this stamped image. I was very lucky to have bought mine cheaply from the US when the dollar/pound was high so didn't pay a great deal for it. I know it has been selling for silly money!Anyway, I just stamped him using silver ink and matted the image onto navy blue card. DS loved it and thought it was great that the 'card had his name on' (he is 20, by the way LOL)