Happy Christmas One and All

Right it's a real quickie today, I had lots to say, but time pushes on so I'll keep it quick.

Firstly, I'd like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year.  Yeah I know, It may be hoping for too much, but we can all have dreams can't we?

Here are the last 2 Polka Doodles challenges for you.  Don't forget that Nikky has a show on Create & Craft sky671 or freeview36 the the 4th January.  Then she has another show on the 8th Jan launching her new CD, so get those dates fixed and don't miss them.

For today's (Friday 24th) challenge I've made a gift bag from a C5 envelope. My main image is Nikky's gorgeous cupcakes which I've stamped onto pale blue card and used silver embossing powder. I then watercoloured it with Aquamarkers. I'm sorry to to say it doesn't show that well in the photo, I seem to be going through a bad photographer phase at the moment! I've used papers from Paper Boutique Vol1 cd, Tea Dye and Stormy Sky distress inkpads, Martha Stewart corner punch, recycled brown card, raffia and eyelets.

I made fun loving 50 year old card for last weeks challenge.  All the papers and extra bits are from Sundae of Seasons CD. I edged the numbers with a silver ProMarker, first the fat nib then I went round again with the fine nib. I've added adhesive gems, ribbons and added some faux stitching.

 The inside of the card.

Well that's it for now.  Enjoy the holiday period.  Eat, drink and be merry as the saying goes.

Is there light at the end of the tunnel?

Well I managed to get loads of annoying bits and bobs done today, so I'm feeling quite pleased with myself.  I didn't manage to get my Aunties all-in-one working properly though.  I really think these printers are made not quite right just to keep us all annoyed with them.  It's all working except the scanner wirelessly. It's time to contact HP, deep joy!

I do now feel that the light at the end of the tunnel is just round the corner and I will be ready for Christmas. It may not be till midnight Christmas eve, but I WILL be ready.  Well actually I have to be, because I've got to cook for 10 this year.  And all in my slimline cooker (eeeks), I hope they all have big breakfasts before they come round, lmao.  It's going to be a squash in our tiny little home but at least we won't get cold with all that body heat.

It was my turn to set the challenge for last Fridays blog post over at Polka Doodles.  The theme I chose was to make a project that would hold a gift of some sort. 

I made a Christmas cracker for my project and  filled it with jelly beans, but you could put what ever you like in it as long as it fits. All the papers and elements are from Jingle Jangles CD. I just love all the whimsical artwork on it. I added red polka dot and gingham ribbon and used a Martha Stewart punch. I resisted the urge to smother it in glitter.

 

 I had some yummy stash from Kuretake so I set to work on making some samples using them.

Here are the results.

Altered cigar box. I marbled the paper using alcohol inks, then stamped and overstamped using black sparkle embossing powder.  The stamps are by Creative expressions.

 Glass heart. Alcohol ink on the back, Painty pens and an old Basic Grey rub-on on the front.

 

Alcohol inks on mirri card.  Creative Expressions stamps.

 My marbled paper (I was very pleased with the results). Elusive Images stamps.

 More marbled paper and a Polka Doodles stamp.

 A gift bag made from a C5 envelope, decorated with oriental paper, ribbons and brads.

That's enough for tonight, I need some sleep. Take care all.

Xmas decs and then more decs

I'm going to be in so much trouble this year, I've done the unforgivable for a card maker. Yes I've bought ready made Christmas cards.  I hear all your loud gasps of horror, but I just don't have the time or energy, and I'm not putting myself through the stress of trying to get them done in time (it's already too late).  I have a few made so a few lucky people will get handmade ones.

I had a complete disaster with my Polka Doodles challenge card for last week.  I lost the first one I made (still haven't found it), the cat knocked my coke over the second one and then I dropped an inkpad on my third attempt.  I gave up at this point so there is no card from me for that challenge.  Why do inkpads always land ink side down when you drop them?  It's like buttered bread isn't it.

Here are a few Kuretake Alcohol ink projects.  There are just over a hundred gorgeous colours and they work the same way as Ranger Alcohol inks or if you are an artist spirit inks.

Here are a couple of test pieces on foiled cardstock.

I've also done a few more decorations for my tree.  I came across some wooden decorations in Tescos, the boxes have 10 decorations in them for just £1.  Bargain don't you think?  Some I triple embossed and stamped into, then filled in the stamped detail with stickles.  I used a combo of Blond Moments and Cosmic Shimmer embossing powders.  The rest were painted with Ranger paint dabbers, stamped and stickled (is that a word? it is now, lol).  I used Polka Doodles xmas and 7Gypsies stamps.

 The next ones are die-cut grunge paper, painted, stamped and stickled.

Lastly a few pics of the snow, as if most of you haven't had enough of it.  We had loads for us, being on the south coast we either miss it or just get a dusting.

 Heeeeelp, Mum I'm sinking!