New Year, New Craft stash!

Hi everyone,

Well as i'm practically snowed in at the moment here in Bedfordshire, I got some proper crafting done today for the first time since before Xmas! Woo hoo!

I usually get the family to collect the Xmas cracker packaging over Xmas and New years so I can 'recycle' them in my cardmaking the following year.  It doesn't always go to plan as I forget about them, but this year I did actually make my Thankyou cards out of them!  What do you think?  I don't think you would know at all!! hehe

I think it's a nice thing to do, sending thankyou cards.  I know we all say it to our family and friends when we receive our gifts from them, but what's an extra token of appreciation?  Plus, you get to show off what your best at - creating!

I also made myself and a few friends some 2010 diaries this afternoon using my new The Greeting Farm Miss Anya stamps.  I am building up quite a collection now, I just love them, almost as much as Magnolia Tilda and Edwins!

Well, bedtime for me I think!!  Don't forget to enter my blog candy below if you pop by.....!

Take care,

Lou x

**CLOSED** Happy New Year Blog Candy!

Hi everyone,


I have some more lovely candy to give away for the New Year!!

What you will get:

- Miss Anya Love - The Greeting Farm Stamped Images

- Rain Snow Shine - The Greeting Farm Stamped Images

- Magnolia's StampClub™ WINTER & CHRISTMAS 2009 Stamped Images

PLUS...

- Magnolia NOEL Stamped Image

- Magnolia Tilda Santas Little Helper Stamped Image

- Magnolia Edwin Santas Little Helper Stamped Image

This blog candy will close at 6:30pm on Monday 1st February, and I will announce the winner sometime that very evening!!

All you have to do to win is:

1. If you're not already a follower, please become one.

2. Display this photo on your blog for all to see with a link back to my blog.

3. Leave me a message so I know you have entered.

If you don't have a blog of your own, please become a follower anyway, and spread the word to anyone you think might be interested! ALSO, dont forget to email me your e-mail address so I can get it touch with you if you are lucky enough to win!

I will post worldwide, so everyone is welcome to enter.

Good luck, and thankyou as always for visiting my blog!

My Christmas Card designs for this year!

Hi everyone,


I have finally finished this years Christmas cards!!!! Woo! I will be starting a lot earlier than end of November in 2010 for sure! I am now so behind on everything else it's a nightmare! lol!  I'm usually so organised, I really don't know what happened this year! It has definitely gone far to quick!!

Having said that, I have actually wrapped all presents up and they are under the tree ready for Christmas Day.  Looks so pretty!  Looking at it though, Mark and I have bought way to much as usual...oops. haha!

I still have to buy all the food and tidy up the house and re-arrange everything ready for the family to come over.  I have 6 over on Boxing Day and then 9 over the following day.  Where I am going to put all these people, I really don't know, but it's part of the fun, right?

I have had such a wonderful collection of handmade cards from people this year.  It has really brightened up my fireplace compared to the usual shop bought cards, which are still lovely to receive of course!

I don't think I am going to have much time to post before Christmas, so I just wanted to say MERRY CHRISTMAS to you all and a VERY HAPPY 2010!

Lots of love,

I have been given the Kreativ Blogger Award!

A big thankyou goes to the lovely Lori for sending me this award, which is very much appreciated!!  It just so happens she also won my Blog Candy today too!!

Here's what I'm supposed to do:

1.  Post a link back to the person who sent me this award!
2.  Post 7 interesting facts about me!
3.  Send this on to another 7 favorite blog sites and say why!
4.  Let my fav bloggers know they've received this award!

I will do the rest of the above after i've published this post!

7 Interesting facts about moi are:

1. I have lost 3 stone since January through Rosemary Conley Diet and Fitness - v. proud!
2. I can play the Piano fairly well..!
3. I cried like a baby when I ripped half my toenail off back in August and passed out twice!
4. Like Lori, I to am addicted to craft shopping and could quite easily do it all day, everyday!
5. I have always wanted to drive an HGV!!
6. When I was a baby I had Pyloric Stenosis, which has left a big 12cm scar on my tummy!
7. I am very interested in family history and have researched back to the early 1600's!

7  Favorite blog sites (in no particular order) I am sending this award to and why are:

1. Kat has become a really great friend to me, even though we have not yet met! I love her blog because its always has such funky creations!
2. Katie ,who I also consider a good friend, and whos blog is full of fantastic creations from cards to yummy cakes!!! 
3. Hannah blog is so pretty and pink! She always has amazing cards. 
4. Susies blog I probably visit the most as she has fantastic challenges that I always want to enter when I have time, and I find her creations inspirational! She's a lovely lady too!
5. Sharons blog is always fun to read and I love to hear about her adorable Collie, Ben who sounds like a little star!  Sharon blog is also full of cute cards!
6. Jackie always has beautiful creations on her blog!
7. Lori has a wonderful blog which I am new to, but from what i've seen so far she has beautiful cards and i'm looking forward to having more of a look around!

Few! That took me way to long!!! Very difficult choices, I really have a lot more fav blogs than 7!!!

Thanks again Lori.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Who want's BLOG CANDY!?!?!?!?!

Hi everyone,

I have some lovely candy to give away to one lucky follower of mine!!  I thought it was about time I posted some candy to thank you all for visiting my blog and posting such lovely comments about my work.

What you will get:

- Jolly Nation Clear Stamps Set
- Gorjuss Girls Stamped Images
- Miss Anya Stamped Images
- My Guy Ian Stamped Images

This blog candy will close on the Saturday 5th December, and I will announce the winner sometime Sunday evening.

All you have to do to win is:

1. If you're not already a follower, please become one.
2. Display this photo on your blog for all to see with a link back to my blog.
3. Leave me a message so I know you have entered.

If you don't have a blog of your own, please become a follower anyway, and spread the word to anyone you think might be interested!
I will post worldwide, so everyone is welcome to enter.

Good luck!

Reigate Christmas Craft & Gift Fair takes place today!

Hi everyone,

Well I have been such a busy bee these past few weeks making all my stock for the Reigate Christmas Craft & Gift Fair and having all these visitors over, I can finally relax today! Yipee!!

The pictures I've added on this post are examples of the stock that is selling at the Fair until 4pm today. I hope they are being snapped up by lovely people right now!  It will be a good test to see how they will do in the shop opening next year!

The first picture is a Vintage style Lady Project Book. The second picture is a Vintage style Hardback Notebook. Third is an Eygptian Spiral Bound Notebook. Kanban Crafts really do have some lovely images, don't you think? Last but not least, the fourth is a Shopping list with Miss Anya Collection stamped image, by The Greeting Farm.

Please keep your fingers crossed for me and I will report back with news in a later post!

I was thinking earlier it's about time that I put up some Blog Candy!  So, please come and visit my blog and look out for some candy soon!

Hobbycraft show @ NEC = super fantastic, but now bankrupt....LOL

Oh my goodness! Me and my friend Madeline went to the NEC in Brum today to spend spend spend at the Hobbycraft Show and had such a fabby time!! I have never been before, but after going today I will definitely be going next year! I saw Joanna Sheen, Stephanie Weightman and met Leonie Pujol who is really sweet. I hadn't realised she had left QVC though, and was shocked to see her on the Create and Craft stand! haha! Lots of luck to her in her new job.

As you can see, I had many bags to carry and had to leave a lot in the cloakroom as it was just to heavy to carry around! I was there from 10:30 until 5! What a long day, but it went so quickly! I am going to ache tomorrow!!

I got an old QVC TSV at one of the stands for £20, and it has loooooooads in it, which is why I thought id photo the contents list to show you! Really good value I think!

Anyway, I hope whoever went to the show had a fab time, I certainly did. Did I mention that already......:oD?

My First Attempt using Tim Holtz Stamp!

Recipe

Tim Holtz Stamp - Storytime Santa

Calendar Stamp

Music sheet Stamp

Holly Stamp

Brilliance Dew Drop Ink Pads - Black,Red, Green, Yellow and Blue Pearlescent

Scalloped Card from Craftwork Cards.co.uk

Well, I bought this Tm Holtz stamp back in 2006 in Florida, and never actually used it as I had not a clue what to do with the stamp!

I bought the latest copy of Simply Cards & Papercraft Magazine and what did I find??? A Tim Holtz Xmas stamp feature! I was really pleased!!! So basically this is an example from the magazine, with a few alterations! I am fairly pleased with it, not sure if I like it all that much as it is really different to my usual style! I don't own any Distress Ink Pads, so I have just used my Dew Drop ones for now. I am going to the NEC tomorrow for the Hobbycraft Show, hopefully I will see some there and i'll get a few!

Hope you are all having a fab weekend.

Candyfloss Xmas Easel Card

Recipe

x1 Pinflair Novelty Easel Cards & Envelopes (Pack of 3)

Stamp 'N' Bond Powder

Icicle Glitter

X1 Die-Cut 'Santa's Little Helpers' Character Sheet - Candyfloss Character (QVC pack)

Pink Gem Stones

Pink Ribbon

Craft Glue

Mini Glue Dots

Mini snowflake punch

White & Pink paper

See D's Christmas Words Stamp

Silver Ink Pad

As you probably noticed in previous posts, I have been using these cute novelty easels to display my cards and bits on, but I decided to use them for what they are meant for this time! I am really pleased with how it's turned out, and it's just a completely different way of sending a Christmas card.

I have also decided to enter this into Susie's Sassy Challenge Blog this week, so wish me luck! The theme is 'Christmas'. I have had a look at the enteries so far, and they are all stunning as always, so it's going to be tricky to pick winners! Head over to Susie's Blog and enter one of your Christmas card's!

My first few Xmas Cards for 2009!

I really must get cracking with these Xmas cards I need to make!! I sat in my craft room all day yesterday making up Daisy & Dandelion and Forever Friends Xmas decoupage and today is the day I need to use them on my cards.

I can't believe its 7 weeks until Xmas, I have hardly done any Xmas shopping - i'm starting to panic a bit now!!! So much to do, so little time!

As I mentioned in a post a few weeks back, I will be selling my handmade cards and other items in a shop called Calladoodles in Edenbridge, near Croydon in the new year. I'm really excited now! I have been asked by the owner, Clare, if I could make a few bits (mainly Xmas cards) for a stall she has got on Sunday 22nd November at Reigate Christmas Craft & Gift Fair 2009 which I have happily agreed to take part in. Hopefully it will be a good turn out and lots of money will be raised for Diabetes UK which this fair is in aid of.

I am also raising money for Diabetes UK with my Rosemary Conley Slimmers Club, and will be taking part in a 2 hour 'Aerobathon' on 2oth November 2009. I am really looking forward to it and since my dad has got Diabetes, I really want to take part.

So far, I have been sponsered £50 and I only got the form 2 days ago, so I'm feeling pretty proud!

Anyway, I am off to make a start on the rest of these Xmas cards, which I will try and post pictures of this evening!

Have a good day all.

Lou x