Back to work . . . yee hah . . . NOT

I was so pleased to get up to the sound of ringing this am, I have missed it so much, LOL.

had a good christmas, but am showing my age, as so glad its over and done with for another year, bah humbug, but it is so much organising for one or two days.  Kids enjoyed themselves, which makes it worth it though.

Anyway found some time to do some art, pre xmas I got my 365 Calendar January journal page ready, really enjoyed looking at Kate's work last year, so am really pleased to see she is doing the challenge again this year, check out her blog here for more info.

Then after christmas when I finally got the dining craft table back, I sat and looked at a blank page for a long time, eventually this is what it evolved into

I say evolved because there are more layers to this than you can ever guess, most of them now hidden under a thick layer of black acrylic.  However I was determined not to rip the page out, so made it into a 2011 Priority page (not a resolution page), was mooching around doing this whilst watching the lovely Rpatz in Eclipse, swoon.

Done at last . .

yes the christmas cards are all done, the presents are bought and just gotta sort out a shopping list for next week,  We are having roast beef as the OH doesnt do turkey.  Should have had my roast turkey fix today, but my christmas do was cancelled, as was my hair appointment.  Was actually quite glad as wasn't feeling on top of the world, afternoon snooze seems to have helped though.  Has everybody else got that really annoying cough.  I had bought a great secret santa gift though, from Ann Summers, was really looking forward to seeing the recipients face, oh well, will have to wait . Had a great laugh in there with the OH,  they had a packet of p***c hair removers, looked a lot like tooth picks, LOL.

Anyway talking about the OH here is his card, my boys cards and a couple of others.

So wishing you all a very Merry Christmas, hope you all get through next week, getting everything that needs doing done with as least stress as possible.

WOYWW 80

WOW I've just looked back over my previous posts and my last WOYWW was no 72, 8 weeks ago, time has flown but I thought I must pop in to say hi to everyone and wish everyone a very Merry Christmas.

So here is my desk today

It's as I left it last night, a ten year old card for my niece, just two more pre xmas birthday cards to make and three xmas cards and I will be done and have some time to take myself down some other routes.  I have been following Tims 12 Tags of Christmas, but havent actually made anything so might try out some of his creative tips, like his stamp making out of his dies, brilliant, I knew id kept the funky foam for a reason.  It's also a great marketing tool as there is so many more of his thing I now need, LOL.

Little boast coming up...... but if I cant boast to you my fellow crafters, then who can I, my work colleagues try to look interested, LOL

For those that dont know I was lucky enought to be a Runner Up in the Altered Artist section of the Craft Stamper of the Year competition, it was with my Jewellery box.  I was as you can imagine absolutley flabbergasted to be placed, as the level of skills shown by the other winners far exceeded my own and the winners work was just amazing.

I t has really boosted my confidence and I cant wait to get my teeth into something new to alter.

So for those that have no idea what the phenomonom of WOYWW is, just pop along here to find out.

Tim Holtz blog candy

the lovely Lin is giving a heap of Tim goodies away to celebrate her year, and it has been a good one, pop here to find out more.

Oh Christmas cards, oh christmas card

all made and written just got to buy the stamps and seal the envelopes, one of my least enjoyable craft things of the year.  This year I went for the same card for everyone, just a slightly different method for the snowflakes. . .

From left to right the methods were, 1) stippled luminsce arts paints  2) ferro texture paste  3) irredescent embossing powder  4)  mica paint, which bled too much so traced in white Inkssentials pen 5) ferro paste  6)  Inka Gold.   All done through a Crafters workshop snowflake mask.  The photo was a tree in our garden in last years snow.

Big sigh of relief, just three more special ones to do for my men, and then I can forgot about it, and move onto presents and food.  We make a rod for our own back dont we girls.

Catch up time . .

Llife has been busy, hardly time to craft except for xmas cards and nearest and dearest's birthdays, am looking forward to post xmas then I am gonna indulge and do some journalling and perhaps some canvas work.  However  I do have a birthday card for a friends birthday, guess what age she is, LOL....

with flash

and without, quite a difference in colour, I prefer the more muted one.  Anyway started making this card and it went a bit different from what I was expecting, but I perservered and managed to bring it back to something OK, then gazing around my room for some further inspiration, and the birthday card Flutterby Crafter sent me in March caught my eye.  Embarasssingly it is Flutterby's bitrthday today and I have managed to miss it, so no card to send back. .  (bad friend).

Anyway hope you are all enjoying the lead up to xmas, I have managed to not buy one present or any food yet, a record I think.  In the time of having Credit cards I would start buying in September for the boys and not stop till xmas, then wonder why they had a mountain of presents to unwrap and I was in debt up to my eyeballs.  Having to buy what you can afford is not only enlightining (sp!) but is actually quite relaxing, as you cant just buy, because you've seen the perfect present, which then means you have to buy another present for the other one, which costs more, so then the other one needs another pressie and so it goes on and on.  All that disappears and so the stress of xmas does as well, I would recommend it.  My boys this year have asked for only  a few presents each, not totalling more than £50 (eldest) and £70 (youngest), bless them, wish I could buy them more, when you hear what other children get just in their stockings, but that's life and we will still have a great xmas.  Sorry that came from nowhere, but I would honestly recommend it.

Merry Christmas to you all.