Favourite Five Creations 2013

Good morning all. 

What a cold wet horrible day it was yesterday, I hope it perks up a bit today. We're off round to our neighbours this afternoon for drinks and nibbles then we'll be in for the rest of the night.

The lovely Debby has set another challenge to pick your five favourite creations of 2013, this is going to be difficult!!

Warning this is very long and photo heavy, grab a cup of tea (or something stronger) and make yourself comfortable!!

Here are my five favourite cards from my general crafting:

Happy Birthday

Crafting for all Seasons #55 Make it Girly

Crafting for all Seasons #52 "Think Pink"

Crafting for all Seasons #46 Dies and Punches

Whoopsi Daisy For a Child

Here are my favourite layouts from 2013:

 Ready2Go                       Meeting the Locals                     Brian

A snapshot of eldest's Mongol Rally adventure.

          

Oh what a beautiful day

Memories of a fabulous day in July at my nephew's wedding.

One Moment

A glimpse into our few days in Venice to celebrate our Silver Wedding.

Each Day is Brighter         You are my Sunshine            Live Laugh Love

These three layouts have to be my all time favourites of the kids.

    

As 2013 was a year of milestones in our family my favourites wouldn't be complete without showing the special cards.

New Beginnings

My Aunt's 90th Birthday in January, this card was made for my Mum to give her.

Crafting for all Seasons #50 No Stamps Allowed

My Mum's 80th birthday in April.

Congratulations

2nd Nephew's Engagement in April.

Crafting for all Seasons #54 One for the Guys

Younger son's 21st in June.

Happy Wedding

1st Nephew's Wedding in July.

No Rest for the Wicked

Niece's engagement in July.

Silver Wedding

Our Silver Wedding Anniversary in September.

Gosh that was a task and a half....if you're still with me well done, you deserve a medal!!

Many thanks for your company, friendship, support and comments this year and for bearing with me when I was an absentee blogger. I'd like to wish you all a very Happy and Healthy New Year and here's to lots of crafting for us all in 2014. I'm looking forward to being inspired by everyone's fabulous makes.

Carol x

Christmas Crafting (with sketches) Bloghop Winners

Many thanks to all who took part, we hope you enjoyed hopping around our blogs as much as we enjoyed hopping around yours.
Here is a list of all the winners.   Carol --> Hetty .. Christina --> .... .. Desiree --> Thea .. Diana --> Channah .. Eemili --> Sandra .. Janneke --> Wilma . Jacqueline --> Fabiola . Jolanda --> Aartje . Maritha --> Anita . Renata --> Margreet . Samantha --> ... . Wilma --> Peggy  . Please contact the DT-member in front of your name by going to her blog and emailing her personally.
Congratulations Hetty, please leave your details in a comment on this post (comments are moderated so won't be published) and I'll get your prize in the post asap.
Carol x

Away in a Manger

Good morning all.

A quick Christmas card I realised I hadn't yet blogged.

Kraft cardstock base and a cute decoupage from Cuddly Buddly......et voila!

Challenges entered:

Catch the Bug - fav Christmas song (Away in a Manger)

CHNC - starting over

CHNC Extra - anything goes

Craftyhands Challenge - seasons greetings

Winter Wonderland - fashion (not the height of but I'm sure it rocked in it's day!!)

Aud Sentiments - Christmas

Southern Girls - Christmas wishes

Little Red Wagon - Christmas

Carol x

Favourite Five Christmas Creations

Good morning all.

I hope you've all survived the festivities intact and were suitably spoilt!

My hubby sure knows how to spoil a girl....he bought me a tool kit....no not a crafting tool kit, one full of spanners and wrenches and such like. It did also contain a voucher for the local jewellery/gift shop though, so I can go choose something for myself in the New Year :)

I didn't get around to joining in Debby's challenge last year so when I saw everyone posting this year thought I'd better shake a leg and do it before I forgot. So here are my favourite five:

The links should take you to the original posts.

First Christmas

Guest Design Spot

Christmas Crafting (with sketches) #98

Crafting for all Seasons #48 Anything but a Card

Crafting for all Seasons #67 "Anything Christmas but a Card" Midway Reminder

Gosh it was difficult to pick only five!

Thanks to Debby for doing a linkup for this, I'm looking forward to seeing everyone else's favourite fives.

Carol x

Crafting for all Seasons #67 "Anything Christmas but a Card" Midway Reminder

Good morning and a very Merry Christmas to you all. I hope Santa has been good and everyone enjoys their day whatever you're up to.

Today I've got a midway reminder of our challenge at CFAS, the theme being "Anything Christmas but a Card". We're  looking forward to seeing all your makes. As this is a special one month long challenge we have three sponsors - Whoopsi Daisy, Robyn's Fetish and Rick St Dennis who all gave the DT images to work with.

Another bag from me this time for my niece. Using Chester da snowman and Bella da snowlady from Robyn's Fetish which I've coloured with promarkers before fussy cutting and highlighting with pearlescent chalk and stickles. Paper is from Papermania, embossing folder from Cuttlebug, icicle, village and sign dies all from Marianne Design, rosette and snowflake dies from Memory box, border punch from Martha Stewart, gemstone, buttons (painted white) and cord from my stash.

 Close up of the rosette and sentiment which was computer generated.

Do pop over to the challenge blog to see the rest of the girls inspiration, you won't be disappointed. 

Challenges entered:

CHNC Extra - anything Christmas goes

2 Creative Chicks - Christmas/winter

A Little Bit Crafty - Christmas cheer

Die Cut Divas - let's celebrate

Ladybug Crafts - Christmas/winter

Seema Crafts - Christmas
Sparkles Monthly - anything but a card
Marianne's Design Divas - anything goes
Pile it On - p is for pearl, punch and paint

Carol x

Merry Christmas

Good morning all. Hoping this finds you well.

My iron levels have taken a nose dive so I've been given iron tablets for three months....that would explain why I'd no energy and was eating for three!!

 I managed to get the rum butter and Bailey's truffles made yesterday and hubby did some mince pies so we're not desperate for anything else. I was so tired yesterday though that when making the truffles I got all the dry ingredients mixed, added the melted butter and thought this isn't all going to bind together...chucked in a large glass of baileys...thought it needs another!! Then checked the recipe to make sure I hadn't misread the quantity of butter and realised I'd forgotten the condensed milk!! So my truffles are decidedly alcoholic lol.

Just waiting for Tesco to deliver this morning, then I need to clean out eldest's room so my Mum can sleep there and gut the kitchen/dining room ready for Wednesday. Hopefully I'll get the turkey and the gammon cooked today too, so they're out of the way. Tomorrow will be spent delivering presents and picking up Mum. 

The craft room is now closed although I still need to re-envelope hubby and the kids cards! I do have a scheduled post for Christmas Day but other than that I probably won't post again until the New Year.

A big thank you to all of my followers for the support and lovely comments you give, it makes it all worthwhile. I hope you all enjoy the festivities however you celebrate and wish each and everyone of you a happy, healthy and peaceful New Year.

I'll leave you with some photos of my decorations.....many of which are still in the loft as I hadn't the energy to put any more up!

The tree

Sideboard with my new nativity scene

Fire place

and the hall table

Carol x

Shamballa Bracelet

Good morning all.

My first attempt at jewellery making!! A present for one of my sisters.

I bought a couple of kits from Beader's Companion when they had a huge stock clearance so they could merge with CC...I've got lots of materials left to make some more!!

This little box made using 6x6 papers was the perfect size to use as a gift box.

Carol x

Sweet Dreams

Good morning all.

We're getting there!! Still waiting for one parcel to be delivered, I'm a bit annoyed as I ordered in November and wasn't expecting a delay but hey ho someone may have to wait for their pressie if it doesn't arrive before we do the deliveries. The hoover filter is on it's way first class so hopefully it will arrive today or Monday...in time to be used!

Another quick birthday card to share today.

Topper, paper and sentiment all from Kraftyhands. Dies from Spellbinders. Ribbon and pearls from my stash.

Challenges entered:

Alphabet Challenge - W for whatever you wish

Brown Sugar - anything goes

Crafts 4 Eternity - anything goes

Polka Doodles - anything goes

Crafts-Too Challenge You - natural world, twist winged things

Craftitude - anything goes/Christmas sparkle

Carol x

Happy Birthday

Good morning all.

A simple birthday card to share today....I'd like to say no cards were harmed in the making of this one but I'd be lying - I scrapped four before using a different stamp and creating this one!!

Stamp from La Blanche, stamped in Memento ink and coloured with promarkers. Sentiment stamp from Wild Rose Studios.

Challenges entered:

4Krafty Girlz - anything goes

Artistic Stampers - anything goes

Emergency Crafters - anything but Christmas

Creative Corner - clean and simple

Sister Act card challenge - anything goes

STAMPlorations - stamps and silhouettes

Stempelsonne - anything goes

Stamping for the Weekend - anything goes

Crafts 4 Eternity - anything goes

Carol x

Beaded Scarves

Good afternoon all.

The day isn't going according to plan....hubby in his wisdom "helped" out yesterday by dismantling the hoover and cleaning it all, leaving the filter to dry under the radiator in the kitchen. Meanwhile younger son brought the dog into the kitchen for the evening and she decided the filter looked good enough to eat. Hence I spent an hour and £20 trying to source a new filter this afternoon and don't have a hoover to use until it arrives! Grrrrrrrrr!!

I eventually got some of my beaded scarves made last week to give as Christmas pressies. They proved fairly simple to make thankfully, with the right tools and a set of instructions!

Seen here being reluctantly modelled by my daughter.

All of the scarves came from Crafter's Companion when they had their birthday week sale on. We have a bead shop in town where I bought my tool kit and they have monthly beading classes so I may go in the New Year to learn some tricks of the trade....could be heading down another slippery slope here lol.

Carol x

First Christmas

Good morning all. Hope you're all well.

Had a lovely visit home yesterday including lunch out with my Mum, niece and two of my sisters followed by a visit to my third sister and two nephews. All cards and pressies delivered so that's cleared a little space. Hubby shampooed the carpets whilst I was out so I need to finish gutting the kids bedrooms today.

Sharing a Christmas card today made for our neighbours who had a second daughter in October. I'd made a special card for the elder one's first Christmas so thought I'd better make them both the same. Hopefully my last Christmas card this year!

Kraft base, red layer punched with a Martha Stewart snowflake PATP, gingham paper from a Holly Hobbie magazine freebie. Topper from LOTV highlighted with stickles. Ivy corner die from Joanna Sheen, all other dies from Spellbinders. Ribbons, pearls, lace and sentiment tag from my stash. Small snowflakes are punch waste. Snowflake sentiment computer generated.

Challenges entered:

Baffies Kreativladen - last minute Christmas

Crafty Creations - anything goes

Creative Belli - Christmas

Divas by Design - anything goes

Fan-Tastic Tuesday - punches and dies

LEJ Designs - anything goes

Papertake Weekly - Christmas

The Shabby Tea Room - red and white or gingerbread

Unstampabelles - Christmas

Winter Wonderland - ribbons and pearls

Die Cut Divas - let's celebrate

Carol x