How time flies - December already!

Hmmm ..... so it's been a while.

The last few months have been a whirl of activity

however I think I've come back to earth and ready for some more crafting fun.

You may remember from previous years,

that in early December, the old folk at church enjoy a service together followed by a delicious Christmas lunch while being entertained by a talented choir.

I think it is always nice for each person to go home with a little gift

so this year I made Easel Calendar/Post-It Notes.

Each one is different, some traditional, some quirky, some masculine, some feminine 

but something for everyone.

I purchased the calendars and post-it notes, but everything else is from my stash.

Another member of the congregation also made beautiful embroidered handtowels 
which were given to all the ladies (the men got chocolates).

I'm sure everyone thoroughly enjoyed their celebratory lunch together.

Until next time .... happy crafting!

 

Zentangling Randomly

My brain is tired, so I think it's time to take a break from my usual cardmaking for a while, 
but I will be back - I have too many lovely stamp sets not to come back!

This week, I've been Zentangling!

As I haven't done any Zentangles for a while, 

I referred to a book that has lots of fabulous patterns in it.

I've been using blank pages in my journal as they have a dotty grid on them,

which makes Zentangle just a little bit easier.

On some pages, I've drawn outlines with black pen and filled them in. 

Some designs take a couple of hours, others have been worked on over a couple of days.

On some pages, I've drawn the outlines in pencil, filling them in with black ink,

then rubbing out the pencil lines.

It's always a bit of a surprise at how the pattern evolves and comes to completion.

Some pages are definitely more interesting than others,

but how they turn out is random, depending on what patterns I use.

 As I said at the beginning of this post, I'm going to take a little break from crafting

but I will be back, with some fresh ideas and enthusiasm.

Until then ......

Happy Crafting!

 

Wishing You a Special Day

As promised from yesterday, I'm back with card #2

After fiddling around with various background papers and not being happy with anything,

I did an about turn and got out my box of flowers, a piece of muslin, some printed vellum and a music note that was lying on my desk from a previous project.

Once I was happy with the arrangement, I glued everything in position with Glossy Accents.

As this was a regular square card and there were going to be six people signing it,

I created two pockets on the inside left and included three different sized tags 

for extra writing space.

As the flowers were too lumpy bumpy for an envelope,

I made a little pizza box for the card to sit in

and tied a pretty organza ribbon around it.

 Flowers - Prima; Little Birdie Flowers; Green Tara

Stamp - Stampendous 'Birthday Wish' 

Birthday Wishes to both of these good friends.

Happy Crafting!

 

We Dance and Play the Night Away

Recently, two good friends turned 60

and to celebrate, the Mother's Group girls

took them out to dinner at a lovely restaurant

overlooking the Harbour.

Of course, cards were needed to accompany the gifts

and I was delighted to make them.

So, card #1

I found this paper at my local papercraft shop while I was looking for something else

and it made me think of fairies and other woodland critters.

The card itself is quite large, it being folded A4.

I stamped the poem and the fairy, added an extra two toadstools

(which came in the co-ordinating embellishment pack)

and attached a sparkly 60 to one of the toadstools.

To make the inside just a little bit different, I used two folded A4 cards,

trimming down one side of each and adhering them together (if that makes sense).

I added a strip of paper which was left over from the front of the card to both sides of this cut down middle, stamping a sentiment on the front and extra fairies on the back.

There was plenty of room for everyone to sign the card

and the recipient was delighted.

 Stamps

Lavinia Stamps - Secret Night; Three Dancing Fairies; Dancing til Dawn

Stampendous - Birthday Wish

Paper

Kaisercraft - Enchanted Collection 'Fairytale'

Embellishment

Kaisercraft - Collectables 'Enchanted'

Cardstock

House of Paper - Earthy Recycled Oatmeal


I'll return shortly with card #2, so please come back ..... until then,

Happy Crafting!
 

Thank you

So, what have I been doing in a crafty way lately?

Probably not a lot, Mr Mojo has been conspicuous by his absence

and we've had a few bleak, dreary, winter days lately and I don't think that has helped. 

To top it off, I'm coughing up a lung and my back has gone out in sympathy.

Anyhoo ......

.... a few weeks ago, I was asked if I could make some thank you cards.

I thought I'd add a co-ordinating tag as well.

I made each of the cards in a similar style but with different stamps and colours.

All the cards were coloured using Inktense water colours.

This is a stamp I've had for many years, and it stamped just as well now as it did when it was new.

 I know the tags weren't requested, however, I thought if they weren't needed now, 
they could be used for a different occasion.

Stamps

49 and Market - Gabi's Hibiscus Stamp Set

 Stampotique - Flos

Penny Black - Fuchsia

 Stampendous - Say It Today

Thanks for visiting again today.  Until next time ....

Happy Crafting!

 

I woke up like this

I'm in a slump.  I buy new stamps and supplies, but the grey matter just won't play ball.

I've got out my colouring books, which apart from laying down colour, don't require much thought but even they don't seem to be 'doing it' for me either.  I'm not sure why, it's almost as though I'm tired, but I'm not; perhaps I'm bored and need a change to reboot my creative juices.

 

Anyhow, I decided I needed to make something with one of my new stamps,

so I went with a very basic design.

 

 

Says it all, really - doesn't it?

 

I stamped the fox and the #sentiment with Versafine Clair 'Nocturne' 

(my new favourite black ink)

and the background 'elements' with Versafine Clair 'Morning Mist'.

Colouring was done using KaiserCraft pencils.

 

 

Stamps

The Rabbit Hole Designs 

 If anyone has any suggestions to drag myself back into the land of creativity,

let me know.

 

In the meantime ....

Happy Crafting!

 

 

Showers of Love

As a blogger, I'm either blogging every day or instead, weeks go past.

That's not to say I'm not working on projects, just that sometimes I'm waiting for someone to receive a card or project and I refuse to blog something until I know it's been received.

Of course, sometimes there is nothing going on in my head at all, just fuzz going round and round.

It's times like this that I find playing along with challenges is just the kick I need to get started again. 

 With this in mind, Tag Your It Challenge #89 is Umbrellas

This lovely girl and her wee pupsicle are very reminiscent of some weather we've had recently,

winter with some rain showers.

Wouldn't it be fun if it rained little hearts instead of water?

Anyhoo .... take a peek over on the challenge to see some more umbrellas.

[This stamp set is unmarked (although I bought it from a papercraft shop)

 so my apologies if anyone is looking for it] 

Happy Crafting!