The last Christmas card of 2010 - Trinitage

Honestly - this is the last Christmas posting! But, I couldn't post before in case my OH peeked at this blog.

I thought this would be really easy to make but it took more fiddling than I expected. The card used a Jak Heath trinitage design - this one is a steam train in a festive Christmas scene.

The A4 trinitage sheet even comes with a small pyramage image to put onto the 'front' of the card which is a lovely touch. I used dark red and gold script backing paper from my stash behind the pyramage and also on the inside of the card before building up the trinitage itself. But oops, they didn't send the instruction sheet (perhaps as I only ordered this one?) - however, there are some good tutorials out there - this one here was a lifesaver - and it's Jak Heath doing the demo so it's straight from the 'horses mouth' so to speak! The photo doesn't do it justice but the three layers do look pretty good! All I added to finish off was a band of of gold 'cut-out stars' ribbon from my stash which I bought in Germany earlier this year.

I suspect that I either used card that was a bit thick to make the little 'tubes' for the trinitage - or that adding the additional paper to cover the background was just a step too far. When it was eventually finished, I had one heck of  a job to get it to close so I could put it into a box or envelope! Still, OH loved it and that's what mattered but I notice that it's looking a little bit worn........betcha he's been playing and trying to work out how it was made :)

And this is the very last Christmassy photo:

It's a small peek at our Christmas tree. My favourite decorations are a selection of  little clear 'musical instruments' decorated with pink ribbon and roses bought in New York a lot of years ago......one is lurking here under the pink satin bow. I know it's still a little while until Twelfth Night but every year when I pack the Christmas decs away I wonder what will have passed during the intervening year before it's time to unpack them again. This hasn't been such a good year and I so hope that 2011 is kinder - and I wish that 2011 is a good year for you too!

Di
x

Poliflora

........................is nothing to do with adhesive - it's an anagram of:

APRIL FOOL

Gotcha!!!!!

Oooer, I'm SUCH a bad, bad girl:

 

I disabled comments on the post you came here from - let's see if anyone else falls for it :)) Feel free to leave any berating comments on this post though!

Have a nice day, snort, snort!!

Di

x

Pussy cats posing!

I do a spot of 'cat-sitting' when our friends/neighbours go on their hols. Penny and Misty are very entertaining and they (mostly Penny) like nothing better than snuggling up on our front doorstep. It's sheltered and quite cosy - plus it's a bit of a suntrap in the Summer. As I type this Penny is snuggled up there right now in fact!

Anyhow, about two weeks ago I spotted the pair of them perched on an adjoining fence doing a spot of sunbathing........this was in between the two loads of snow here. It took me ages to 'snap' them but I succeeded and this is the result. Penny on the left and Misty is on the right.

I fiddled round with the images a bit getting them to the right size and then die cut them into rounds with rounds of gold mirri card behind (you can see my hand reflected too in the photo!!). The backing paper is from Craft Creations, gold card candy from Craftwork Cards and the sentiment is from my stash (QVC I think!). I then went a bit wild with white and pale pink Christmas roses and ivy leaves  (from Wild Orchid) which I'd glimmered using Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist (Pearl). The glimmer doesn't show so well in the photo but it does gently shimmer in real life - trust me! I also NEEDED to use the Christmas roses as I just hadn't had enough time to try them out before now.

The finishing touch was the addition of teeny cheeky Santa hats - cut from some leftover House Mouse backing paper and given some sparkle using Stickles (Icicle). Len thought the cats would be mortified at the indignity of the hats - but I hope Kim and the family like it!
It's now time for me to sneak round and quietly post this through their letterbox - naturally the card insert says 'Hope you have a Purrfect Christmas everyone! With love from both of us, Penny and Misty xxxxxx'

As they already have their Christmas card from Len and I - I wonder if they'll guess who's behind this one. I expect so........I'm sooooo easy to rumble!


Have a wonderful Christmas!!


Di
x 

Snowman Soup!

It's been a hectic few days here in the Workshop - and in the kitchen. But, in between wrapping presents yesterday I managed to put together some Snowman Soup. I'm pleased about this otherwise we'd have been left with unused sweeties and I'd have had to eat them myself :)

The idea, and the insert is from here. Helen's blog is full of great ideas - I know she isn't the only person to rustle up Snowman Soup but I found her little rhyme so easy to copy and paste. Thanks Helen!

Just small pretzel bags snipped down to hold some mini-marshmallows and tied with green ribbon. Then the printed Snowman Soup rhymes were put into tall cello bags (I used card bags with the adhesive bit at the top cut off), and the little bags of marshmallows were added along with a Galaxy hot chocolate drink sachet and a candy cane - all the consumables came from Sainsburys which is thankfully within walking distance. A wider piece of green ribbon to tie the top and done!

Di
x

I think I've peaked!

This is the last Christmas card I've made to send this year. I'm not sick of making them - I just wish there was more time in a day so I'm a bit relieved I've finished! It's time to be thinking of sausage rolls, mince pies, spicy red cabbage to go with the turkey on Christmas Day and all those other things we can do a bit in advance...............err, I suppose some housework needs to figure in there too!!!

We have some lovely neighbours and their two daughters who are into drawing their own extra bits inside the family Christmas card - so I went to town a bit on this one especially for the girls!

It's another Christmas House Mouse decoupage and the backing paper is from my stash - a freebie with a magazine a year or two ago. I just trimmed the corners of the easel card, added some sparkly snowflakes and then the delicious icicle strip across the top. The final touch is a sparkly snowflake button from Hobbycraft with a little bit of silver yarn threaded through and tied in a little bow.

Now I can finally begin to tidy up my desk/floor etc. - it's been like a bombsite, to the point that I began losing things and I hate to be THAT disorganised!! Hope your preparations are going OK!

Di
x

Another card from a friend

I have a friend called Sue who does loads of cross stitch and this Christmas card arrived from her today. How cute huh? I used to do cross stitch but now it tends to be more of a holiday hobby so I'm very impressed at all the work that must have gone into this. I think this is a card to keep and bring out every year!!

Di
x

Look what the postman brought!

Today the postman delivered an envelope with a gorgeous hand crafted Christmas card and such a cute little Babushka brooch, made from felt.......very clever and endearing. I love it!

They were sent by Helena - who is struggling over the loss of her beloved cat, Fluffy, which makes it all the the more special that she took the time to make and send these. Helena has a couple of blogs you might want to check out - her own is here and Bob T. Bear's is here. Bob is Helena's outlet for a lot of funny things although of course Bob would disagree and claim he writes it all himself - who knows, maybe he does?

We're supposed to be going to an Ice Skating Show on Sunday (yet more darned snow weather permitting) and I'll certainly be wrapped up in umpteen layers as apparently it gets VERY cold sitting throughout the show in our local ice rink. I'll be wearing a very Russian-style hat and scarf and this cute little brooch will be pinned to my coat to join in the fun!

Thank you Helena!

Di
x

Jingle All The Way!

I nipped into my local fabric shop for some fleece the other day - more of this later, if I get time before Christmas! The snow had just cleared and boy, were the pavements icy. I almost skated into the flipping shop.

Whilst there I had a little rummage through a box of Christmas die cuts - well, it would have been rude not to! I found, buried right at the bottom, a packet of five quite lovely reindeer die cuts. The packet was the only one otherwise I would have bought more :(

This is what I rustled up - another five cards made - yippee!!

The reindeer were cut from different coloured mirri card - the top one here is silver (that wretched pink blush crept in again when I was taking the photo!). The cards are 6" square ones and the background paper are from my stash - from Craft Creations I'm pretty sure. The googly eyes came from my stash again as did the little lilac bow with a bell and the plain red bow. The sentiments are from a box I found recently that I'd collected from Lakeland Limited, back in the days when they sold some pretty nice card making stuff. Then just couple of little gems added to each end of the sentiments bring them a bit more to life.

I'm only left with the House Mouse decoupaged cards to make up (all the decoupage is done and assembled though).......oops, and a load of inserts to make for about 60 cards, thankfully I did some as I went along. Simples!!

Di
x

Happy Feet :)

I must have started to make these cards not long after last Christmas, whilst still in the Festive Mood!! I love Christmas and would happily live in a permanent Christmas Bubble! I hate the way the house looks so bare, even though it isn't really, after the deccies are taken down. To counter this I even pack the everyday clutter ornaments etc. away in the Christmas deccie boxes......but it still looks bare afterwards :( I know some people can't wait to rip their decs down ready for another year, and are quite proud of this, but I just don't understand it - there's still a kid inside me.................thankfully!!

Anyhow, today I was rootling round looking for something or another...a bit gingerly as my back is telling me off these past few days. Plus, Pixies Crafty Workshop looks like they've run amok in here - it's like a bombsite right now!! But, I came across this one hidden in a half made basket of cards.......plus three others all the same ready to just stick together - result! Another four down and goodness knows just how many to go (I do know in fact, but am not admitting it..............am in denial!!).

It was easy peasy to make - the background is a Craft Creations 12" x 12" sheet of snowflakes chopped into four (I'm making four cards all the same here, OK?). Then some very sparkly card cut into wavy 'hills' layered on top, a sentiment from Lakeland Limited. WHATEVER made them stop doing their crafty stuff is beyond me - plus a gem instead of a ribbon bow at the end of the tag! A couple of snowflakes (confetti I suspect.............from my stash!) and then the cute little Sandylion puffy penguin stickers added at jaunty spots. I like to think they're having a great time dancing....and that the little one right on the bottom right is just how I feel now...........................ready to lie down and rest my back :)

Di
x

From Our House To Yours - err, que?!?!

This is another card I rustled up using that fabulous KanBan card kit - oh boy, has that kit come to my rescue!

The card itself used lovely red card stock, already embellished with sumptuous gold swirls, it's A5 and the topper is decoupaged, plus it was already sparkled too! I really love the cosy look of this card and the way the recessed windows seem to really glow and invite you in to have a quick warm by the fire (and perhaps a mince pie and some mulled wine?!).

Thankfully there was a choice of two sentiments to go with this topper - one of them said 'From Our House To Yours'. Err, no way do houses send cards to one another, or do they, is it me?! It just grated on me so I opted for the other option!

Last week I went to a local farmshop for a mooch around and there was such a beautiful robin, very much like the one on this card sitting on the wall right next to where I parked, just so amazingly close. We sat for ages eyeing one another up before he flitted off and I got out of my car and went into the farmshop. We do have a resident robin in our garden so perhaps I could send the farmshop this card saying 'From Our Robin to Yours'? :))

And, as is almost usual, I finished it off with a gold organza ribbon tied in a bow!

Di
x

Christmas House Meeces

I had a couple of sets of Christmas House Mouse decoupage and a set of Christmas backing paper to play with. This one was the worst, and yet the most rewarding out of all of them. I managed all the decoupage with teensy scissors - mostly as I can't be trusted around craft knives!

Easel cards came into play again, mostly as these are special cards for special people. I just layered the image onto peachy pink mirri card, and did the same with the sentiment. The backing paper of teensy Christmas lights is from the House Mouse backing paper pack and the green and gold strips (a perfect match!) happened to be lying on my desk after a frenzy of KanBan card making. The card is propped up on a little twist of plastic faux Christmas lights - I bought them at least a couple of years ago and can't recall where they came from but they certainly added just the right finishing touch!

My step-mum loves cute little mice so I think this one is for her - plus it's safe to post this as she shudders at the thought of new technology and pigs would be flying if she ever ventured into the realms of computers.

A Christmas card for a special couple

This card has been made for an ex-work colleague and her smashing husband. Arun worked for me quite a few years ago and she is also one of my best friends.........we sure had some fun times working together over the years! They've had a tough year as Arun was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year but thankfully she is through the op. and radiotherapy and is doing really well.

It's another from the KanBan card kit which I made into an easel card. The backing papers are mostly from the kit although I did add a Martha Stewart punched border in textured silver card  laid on top of frosty white card. I also added some Twinklets Diamond Dust (super stuff, I recommend it!!) to the 'snowy bits' and the card front is propped up behind a gorgeous sparkly snowflake button from Hobbycraft - with the teensy holes covered up with a sparkly diamante. Lots of 'sparkle' going on here and I see lots of reflections in the piccie too!! I hope that 2011 is a sparkly, healthy and happy year for them both!

Di
x

More Christmas cards - thinking of my Dad

Today is always a sad day for me. Living in Germany for many years meant that 6th December was a celebration, but my lovely Dad died, many years later, on 6th December and since then I can't bring myself to put the tree up or anything, beyond making cards, until that date has past. I know, if he was here, he'd kick my rear end for being daft. When the dreaded call came I was baking six different Christmas cakes for him and the rest of family and I haven't baked one since either :(

And, exactly 30 years later today, I still miss him - although I do remember him whenever I look in the mirror and see I have his nose.....thanks Dad!! I know that John Lennon was shot a couple of days later and it totally passed me by as I was so consumed with the most awful raw grief of my own. But, everywhere these things happen and we do pick ourselves up and carry on, although never the same as before.

But, onto brighter thoughts - here's a very typically German style Christmas card (it's A5 - from my KanBan box of goodies) complete with huge lush red bow from my ribbon stash! Very OTT, but then Dad was always quite flamboyant and I'm sure he would approve. One of my young neighbours (20 years younger than me and still in touch) from those days apparently used to think he was David Niven ( perhaps that's why I can't help but shed a tear when watching his films)  - maybe now you get the picture of a mixture of elegance, a gentleman with panache, mischief and that twinkle of slight wickedness?!?! And I still miss him...............sigh. But I bet many of you also miss your own Dads too so I'm not really alone - although I also bet each and every one of us thought ours was the best one EVER!!

Di
x

Labels for easel cards

For ages I've wanted to produce some labels to stick onto the back of easel cards showing how to display them - trust me, not everyone knows and it's such a shame when you go to all that trouble only to confuse the recipients of your efforts!

I found this website, although there are others too:

http://www.docrafts.com/project/Easel-Card-Label/p3173142

So, I made a copy of the image (thanks Becky!), resized it, turned it 90 degrees and set up a page of labels! It was so easy I wished I'd bitten the bullet a long time ago!

I use Decadry labels - 65 per sheet - ref. OLW4730 - pack of 30 sheets from PC World.

This is going to save me a lot of time as I usually handwrite the instructions onto each card I send :) A picture is worth a thousand words they say!

If you'd like a copy of the file just drop me an email or put something in the comments box and I'll email it to you! Have a nice day!

Di
x

KanBan hidden card stash to the rescue!

Oh boy, did I get a fright yesterday - I checked our Christmas Card list and I'm still WAY short of the target :( We've both moved around a bit so have friends and relatives all over the place and I really don't want to fall back on shop bought cards so am soldiering on.

By a stroke of luck (or forward planning which I'd completely forgotten about!) I found a box of KanBan goodies from QVC (Christmas backing paper/card, die cuts and sentiments) tucked right on a high shelf in my crafty room cupboards. Whew! They still need to be made but I had a quick go yesterday and here are some of the results.

I got two cards from the backing card, the Santa toppers are almost the same and the poinsettias are Papermania 'A Silent Night'. The flowers and leaves came in layers which I just assembled with small gold brads and sprayed with Tattered Angels Pearl Glimmer Mist - it doesn't show up so well in the photo but it's really lovely for a subtle shimmer.

This card..........blurry photo, sorry....... (I managed two from one lush turquoise/silver A4 sheet again) was just layered using foam pads and then a couple of toning snowflakes added. The beauty of this KanBan set is that so much of it goes together in 'themes'.

And this one (I only made one of these) was again really simple. A bit of pop-out decoupage and layering of the topper (it's quite a big one) onto toning silver and poinsettias card stock - and a little white and silver bow just to pick up the white touches in the card.

That makes another five done.......in between I have been working on other cards but these KanBan ones are just so quick they could well save my bacon! And there's still lots of cards I can get out of the box - thank goodness!!!

And as for my desk, don't even ASK how that looks! In fact, stuff is also strewn all over our bed - purely so I can mix and match stuff you understand!

Di
x