The stampmans blog hop open from Sunday 27th December to Sunday 3rd January

So what do you have to do? Take the award below and proudly display next to your favourite crafting project of 2009. You should have hopped to me from Jills blog if not then hop back there to begin the hop.
The prize here is one of Kay Carleys DVDs - one of your choice. The letter you need to collect is N and the blog you next need to visit is Debbie Dolphin

Please leave a link on Jills blog to your project so we can visit you. You must also leave a comment here and on every blog you visit in the hop. When you have collected all the letters then email your answer to thestampman@btconnect.com to be in with winning the fabulous prizes on offer along the way.



Thank you for the award Jill which I proudly accept and here is my favourite project from 2009

Here is my project - Ive chosen this as it uses my favourite flower stamp and also I love how the clover and watermelon inks blended so well on this tag. Its from February so its a while back now but hope you like it.

I apologise for the post being a little late - my internet is down so I have had to visit my mums computer to access everything! Have fun on the hop and dont forget to leave those comments!

Watch out on Sunday for this fantastic event happening on The Stampmans blog!

My Last post before Christmas

Hi All
This is my version of one of Tims tags from this year. I just loved the idea of making my own tarten with alcohol inks - its sooo cool although hard to make the lines straight! The warm winter wishes stamp is from see ds - I love the sentiment as it encompasses everyone - even those who dont celebrate Christmas - So this is my Tag for you all. Warm Winter Wishes to all who visit me and who I visit too xx

Love Janet x

Let it Snow!

This is my Tuesday Taggers project for this week. Today I am going crafting for the last time this year with my good pals at the local shop. We are having a Jacobs Join lunch and finishing off any of our outstanding projects for this year.

I have made some shortbread snowflakes for my contribution. Made with the recipe from the good old BeRo book!

The tin is one my brother bought me from Fortnam and Masons in London. A rare time he has bought me a gift just from him without any prior planning. he told me he saw the tin and thought of me :0) Not that I am red and covered in snowflakes but the tin plays Jingle Bells and he knows I love Christmas. I have had it out every year since but as i have made shortbread snowflakes it seemed the perfect tin to take them in so I have also covered up the label with some card with snowflake brads and a handmade at Christmas stamped and embossed.
I am quite pleased with it and also for the memory of my brother buying it for me.

Hope you like it
x Janet x

Quick Blog candy alert!

The Artistic Stamper Blog Has this fabulous candy on offer - but be quick it ends Monday!

Santa Alert!

The programme I was raving about is repeated on Monday night at 12-50am on ITV. Christmas Tales -Legends of Santa.

Sorry I didnt get back with a craft post - didnt craft in the end! Both my boys back from Uni with washing etc so was busy sorting everything out and doing more wrapping. Still waiting for 3 parcels to arrive Arrrggghhhhh.

Hope you are having more success with your preparations!

Janet x

Its official I am unbalanced!

Today I went to BRI for the final vestibular testing the specialist referred me for. The findings are the balance organ in my right ear (the one with deafness and tinnitus) is not working and the one in my left ear is not working very well. That means when my brain gets confused and listens to the balance organ I fall over or get the vertigo symptoms.

Great I first think - at least we know whats happening now -but after thinking more about it what comes next? Ive never heard of a balance organ transplant??? Ive been searching the net tonight for clues - at the worst Im stuffed and at the best I may be able to retrain my brain to ignore the faulty messages. So anyone out there with any experience of this Id love to hear from you. For now I await the appointment to see the specialist again to hear what they think should happen.

Hope to craft a little tomorrow - need to make a new home card so I may have something to show you after all. Hope your week is going well and your Christmas preparations are coming along nicely x Janet

Jolly old St Nick! Tuesday Taggers

I watched a brilliant programme last week presented by Fiona Phiilips Christmas Tales - The Legend of Santa - I missed the first 15 minutes of it but really enjoyed seeing how different Countries have taken up this legend and made it their own. From how he got his Red Suit to how he has grown from a tiny elfen man to the Huge jolly character he is today - Brilliant stuff - You can watch it on the internet on ITV player if you fancy it!

Anyway here is my Tuesday Taggers project for this week.



Papers are by Stampin Up - Image is from a Tim Holtz Stampers anonymous set - I always think this one looks older than the others. Ive used distress inks and pearl powders to colour him and also a touch of promarkers here and there. I love this ticket sentiment by Magnolia and can see me using it lots in years to come!

Keep an eye out on Jill at The Stampmans blog over the next couple of weeks Jill has some fabulous giveaways and prizes lined up!

Have a brilliant day!

Janet x

Sorry couldnt help it!

Just had to re-do my blog again! Getting impatient for getting up my Decs - No 1 son is now home No 2 will be home next weekend so a week today Hurrah Decs up!!!
Found this and thought it was more like my home decs - Hope you like!

Candy but hurry!

My fellow Teamie Emma is giving this fab book away on Tuesday 15th December to some lucky person. Would you like it to be you? Then hop on over to Creativity is Key and add your name - youve gotta be in it to win it!

Another pressie

This is for a colleague at work Jacci - she is responsible for introducing me to papercrafting 5 years ago and buys me the most lavish gifts. Last year I got a bind it all with lots of accessories! Now I just cannot compete with that so this year have made gifts for her and this is one of them. The bag pattern is by Amy Butler and was the most expensive bit of the bag! The material I bought from the local fent shop for a fiver. I did however spend the best part of Thursday with Midnight crafter making the bag. We both made one and are really pleased with the results - i will def make another. The only thing I dont like is that I have used stiffener between the layers - I bought the best stuff (cost nearly as much as the material)but its a bit too stiff for my liking! Still I hope she likes it - she loves bags and has lots of them. Im safe to post on here as she has no internet access at home so could only look at work and seeing as the CC deem this a social networking site it cannot be accessed!
Have got a busy two weeks up to Christmas at work so I apologize in advance for my absence of blogging - there will of couse be my TT entries but possibly very little else! Have fun folks x Janet

Blog hop digi winner

Thanks to everyone who played along with the blog hop on Sunday we had lots of fun! The winner has been picked by the random generator and is
ILDIKO

Congratulations I will email you

Janet

Oh Christmas Tree

As usual Ive used some of my fav products - blonde moments! This time in colours that are not Christmassy. The background is raspberry and pool adirondack inks applied with cut and dry then over stamped with teal archival with a paperartsy stamp (thanks Dy for introducing this one to me!)Then the blonde moments trees are embossed onto white card then painted with pearl pigments powders. Yum!
This is winging its way to one of my very special friends with this verse I found on the net last year.
"There is a list of folks I know
all written in a book
and every year at Christmas time
I go and take a look.
This is when I realise
those names are all a part
Not of the book they are written in
but deep within my heart.
For each name stands for someone
who has touched my life sometime
and in that meeting they have become
a special friend of mine.
I feel that I am composed
of each remembered name
and my life is so much better
than it was before they came.
Once you have known that "someone"
all the years cannot erase.
The memory of a pleasant word
or of a friendly face.
So never think my Christmas cards
are just a mere routine
of names upon a list
that are forgotten in between.
For when I send this Christmas card
that is addressed to you.
It is because you're on the list of folks
that I'm indebted to.
and whether I have known you
for many years or a few
the greatest gift that God can give
is having friends like you x"

Although I am sending this verse to a special someone - it really stands for each person I am proud to call a friend - this tree card has made me feel nostalgic and filled with love for all my family and friends - so hope you can feel the love today xxx
If anyone knows where this is on the net i would gladly add a link to the web page

hop back here at 9pm tonight to find out if you have won the Rudolph digi stamp x

Janet x

Tuesday Taggers blog hop

So you have nearly finished!
Here is my entry from Teris digital shop and Ive made him into Rudolph! He's a cute little fellow isnt he?

Now you should have come to me from Jills blog at The Stampman if by chance you have missed the hop then please go back to the beginning at Tuesday Taggers

Now to be in with a chance of winning this fabby digi image you must leave me a message here. Then collect the last letter which is
Y
Then pop on over to Tuesday Taggers and email us the answer. Should by chance you cannot use the TT email (although we check it some people seem to have problems at times) then come back to me and email me direct - it will come to me anyway!

So the digi winner will be picked at random here and the 3 main winners (you will have seen the prizes on the blog hop) will be picked from the correct answers all winners announced on Tuesday.

Good Luck!

and finally

The secret Santa gift - although its a terible secret as we all know each others work and style so its easy to guess who made what! This gorgeous fridge magnet came from my very special friend Michelle or Midnight Crafter as you may know her you can visit her blog here

It was soo beautifully gift wrapped too - thank you friend xx Janet

And so heres the bauble

I really dont know how Bee finds such treasures but this was her challenge to us last weekend. To decorate this empty bauble which separates so you can add inside too. We all made one then decorated the tree with them. After Christmas lunch before we all left, we swapped them about and this is what I got in the lucky dip! Made be the lovely Joanne it has gorgeous snowflakes on the inside of the bauble. I love it! A really special reminder of a fabulous weekend to go on the tree every year!

Thanks Bee for the lovely challenge it was fab!
Janet x

and now to the bag

I cant tell you how long Ive been waiting to make this bag and I have finally got the nesties at the perfect size Hurrah! I saw it hereMine is done with Brenda Pinnock papers, Papermania and blonde moments stamps. Really enjoyed doing it and love this result. All edges inked with Fired Brick distress inks.

The stamp on the back is sooo perfect and is made by Magnolia.
Hope you like :0)

Tomorrow I will share baubles and secret santa gifts from last weekend with you then on Sunday we have a Brilliant blog hop starting at Tuesday Taggers so be sure to hop along with us as we have fabby prizes to give away xx Janet

Another lumi thingy

Made for a gift so I wont talk too much about that. Used plain red card, detail embossing powder - stamps are kelly Paccini and dovecraft. Found the battery tealights at 4 for a £1 yesterday - a real bargain!

Made this at the weekend. Also made a bag to give it in which I will share tomorrow x Am shattered today. Had lunch with Jae at salts Mill - lovely and great to catch up with her news and plans for Christmas hope your day was as good as mine :0)

And now for the crackers

This was the first of our challenges this weekend to decorate a cracker and make a miniature piece of art to go inside as the prize. Silly me didnt take pics of the crackers but here's my work of art I won in my cracker which was made by the fabby, cheeky and loveable Georgina. I met Georgina 2 years ago and every time we meet its as if we have never been apart - She is one very special lady xx Thanks Hun for this fabby Angel x

So the next showing of the crafting last weekend

This wasnt made by me but by my fabby chum Emma
Emma made all our place cards for our Sunday Christmas Day lunch. Love the colour combo almost as much as I love Emma herself xx

Will show another work of art from another lovely chum tomorrow :0)

Janet

Phew!

Just been to see New Moon with my daughter Meghan - Loved it! The whole romance is captivating and weirdly beautiful. Never thought id be interested in anything remotely close to Vampires but hey Im a huge convert. Having read all but book 3 I knew what was coming but it didnt stop the whole film being brilliant - so glad I went and didnt wait for it to come out on DVD.
Are you a Twilight Lover???

Tuesday Taggers Christmas Carols

Well here we are the 1st December and on the countdown to Christmas. Although many crafters start Christmas early there is something magical about December and the excitement it brings - don't you think?
So our theme for this week is Christmas Carols - although some of my teamies have gone for The Christmas Carol approach by Charles Dickens - isn't that a fabby slant on the theme?
Well mine is definitely along the carol theme. I just had to use my Stampers Anonymous stamps for this one with that fabulous Christmas Carol stamp.



Ive used 5 x 4 inch mountboard and used the white side to stamp and colour. Ive used promarkers to colour in then the distress inks for the main colour.

On Saturday night I thought I had over done the above piece as when I over stamped the music background the Christmas carol bit got lost however I highlighted areas with Glossy accents - went to bed and got up to it looking like this phew!

The berries have been highlighted using stickles then the whole piece spritzed with my fav re-inkers and mica powder spray - this time with festive candy (blonde moments pearl pigments) and fired brick re-inker - lush!

I have used some gold spilt rings to hang it together and added red, gold and green organza ribbon to complete the hanger Ive added some craft wire which Ive curled around a pen.

Hop on over to Tuesday Taggers and check out everyone elses entries to the DT.
Watch out for the blog hop on the 6th December too with some fabulous prizes to be won!

On another note I got my craft stamper on friday and was so pleased to see someone I know with a fab project in it p 74-76.
Congratulations Debbie a stunning project - to see more of Debbies stunning work visit her blog Debbie Dolphin - make yourself a cuppa and go back through her archives - you wont be diappointed!
hope this has scheduled properly as i'm at work again and wont be home till nearly 6pm. Have a fabby day now the Christmas countdown has begun!

Christmas Banner

This is something i finished last week. Its for my friend Jae. We haven't met up that often this year - we met during a difficult part of our lives and have been the emotional crutch for each other. Shes a fabulous person and so honest with me - she doesn't pussy foot around and just tells me it as it is and I love that honesty - even if its not what I want to hear. I think the fact we haven't met up much this year is an indication that our lives have been more positive in 2009 although we are still very much there for each other. However because I haven't physically seen her I'm not sure what to get her for Christmas. We are meeting up on Thursday so I wanted to be prepared.
This is one of the presents I have made. A Happy Christmas Banner that hopefully she will like enough to reuse for a few years. It was difficult to photograph as its so big! Each letter is on a 4"x5" piece of mountboard so its a lot to get in so Ive taken pictures in sections



The kit I have used is a K&Co past TSV so had the papers, stickers, rub ons and letter all to match. I have also added some craftwork cards poinsettias in places too.


It was fun to make as well as being (I hope) pleasing to the eye.

I hope she likes it - she has always been very positive about my card making even if she doesn't understand the passion for doing it!

although she has begun to cross stitch so maybe she will be joining me sooner than she thinks!

Really looking forward to meeting up for lunch on Thursday. We are going to Salts Mill in Saltaire. Jae has been before but its my first visit!

So about the weekend? Will be sharing my projects over the coming week - It was a FANTASTIC time with the most fabulous people and a very special beginning to Christmas so thanks ladies and you know how special you are to me xx Janet

Going AWOL and early Christmas

Am off to the last craft retreat this year and we are celebrating Christmas with some of the most fabby people I know. Arrive today craft and get the place Christmassy, Saturday stay in our Jim Jams all day and craft, chat and giggle - maybe sing a long to christmas music then hit the mulled wine! Sunday craft till 1 then have Christmas dinner, secret santa, crackers and fun before heading back home by 6.

Hopefully I will have lots to show when I get back. Hope your weekend is as good as I know mine to be :0)

Happy Christmas! Janet

and so they are wrapped

Here is the first Christmas gift I have wrapped this year. Most of my pressies will get this treatment that is of course if they will fit in a bag lol. I just bought some paper bags from ebay so i could decorate and stamp on them to my hearts content after all the pleasure is all in the giving and in this case the presentation! Stamp is by Stampers anonymous, ribbon and buttons from stash, flowers craft work cards and tag is by K and Co.
Hope your day has been great x Janet

Another pressie

This used to be a tin which had parmesan cheese in it! Yuk how smelly I can hear you gasp! But honestly after a few rounds in the dishwasher it doesnt smell at all! a fab size for this and perfect with a red plastic lid!

Ive used k&Co papers to decorate. Yummy stamp is from stampin up and the candy cane and holly are from a sissix die.

Filled with yummy chocs and ready for wrapping. Will show you that tomorrow.
Now I borrowed this idea from Suzanne who kindly said I could use it to make something - so here it is! Thanks for sharing and inspiring me x
Right am off to the land of nod before my head hits the keyboard - team meeting day tomorrow with 2 lots of training in it - think my head will hurt by 5pm???
Have fab day whatever you are doing x Janet

Tuesday Taggers - Celebration of light

This week we are celebrating light with the coming of Advent it is a really exciting time in the Christian calendar and for all those lovers of Christmas but many people of other faiths celebrate at this time of year the beauty of light as the nights are so long and dark. I decided to make aLuminaria and found a tutorial on splitcoast stampers that was just right. I have made mine Christmassy but it could just as easily be an all year round design.



This week we are sponsored by the craft barn who sell this cute little cat stamp from High hopes - he is called Meowy Christmas and is a gorgeous litle thing. Ive also used another high hopes stamp and placed them on opposite sides of the luminaria. The papers Ive used are from last years basic grey wassail collection. The apertures cut with my scalloped oval nesties - swirly vellum, buttons and poinsettas from stash.

Of course it would be far too dangerous to use a real tealight in this so i have a battery operated one inside - but it looks like candlelight.
This is part of a craft pressie so i cannot say any more. It was fun to do and I like the effect.
So If you like little Meowy cat hop on over to The Craft Barn and search under Christmas :0) Pop on over to Tuesday Taggers to see the beauties my fellow teamies have produced too x
I hope this has schedules fine as Im at work and hope you have a great day x
Janet

The matchbox advent calendar

This is what I made last year for my niece and nephew. Its a wooden sleigh which has been decorated with Blonde Moments papers (painted first - I used emulsion) and filled with different sized boxes with chocs in. Sorry pic is so small I pinched it from my docraft gallery!


So I wanted the advent calendar to match.

I began by painting the inside drawers of the matchboxes. Then stuck them together in stacks.

I then covered them with paper. The top and bottom are mountboard covered with the paper too.

Ive cut pictures from the blonde moments papers to add to the sides. Used Vellum stickers - by Brenda Pinnock to add a little interest. Then punched holes in the drawers and added ribbon knotted to give a little handle.

Shock horror another use of peels offs for the numbers! Then a chipboard tree triple embossed and stamped with a BM tree stamp and swished with silver pearl pigment powder for the top.

I hope they like it!
Now this next bit i can take no credit for. My craft buddy Averil made 2 last year for her own children whilst we were at the craft retreat at Malham. Her idea - as the drawers are small - was to put inside a little clue or instruction for each child which over the 24 days would lead to the house being trimmed up for Christmas. How cool is that? No reward except the pleasure of decorating your home for the excitement ahead. I really liked this idea so asked SIL if she would be up for it before I made the advent calendar and I think she is keen as she bought the matchboxes! So I have some tiny envelopes from Kanban that she can pop a message inside for them.


Bless my nephew said - so tactfully the other day when I said I was making an advent calendar for them - "Auntie Janet - you might be a little disappointed when I tell you this but Gran always buys me a lego advent calendar but we can have 2 you know" How sweet. I reaasurred him I knew about Grans calendar but this would be very different.
So that along with the santa easel card was my crafting on Tuesday at Embsay. Im back again on Saturday this time making a banner for friend. So watch this space x
HAGD Janet

Colour create red, green and white

Heres another Kanban quickie which is perfect for the colour create challenge this week. Papers by K&Co, Image Kanban cut out with nesties, ribbon from stash, ticket stamp from Magnolia x

My first Easel card

A really simple card for the Winter Wonderland theme this week of St Nicholas. Ive used this image before as I stamped some at the local shop a month or so back. I think hes a stamps happen stamp. Coloured with promarkers, Polar white flower soft on his hat and Ive just realised I had meant to glitter his beard a bit so I will have to do that when Ive finished. Edges smudged with distress ink then simple matting and layering with green mirri card. The believe stamp is by Stampers anonymous embossed in gold then the brad I think is a papermania one.
I was quite pleased with the result although it is such a simple card.
Hope you are avoiding floods where you are x
Janet

Just fancied a change

So have gone all Christmassy :0)
Id love to be a Gal who got her tree up on Dec 1st but alas with my boys away at Uni and we NEVER trim the tree without them I have to wait until nearer Christmas when they are home - so heres my little Christmas extravagance - A Christmassy blog background.

Hope it makes you feel festive :0)
Janet

A new theme Red, Gold and Green

Wow you really loved the no patterned papers theme last week - some truly stunning entires too!

This week we are staying with a gentler theme and have some colours for you to work with Red, Gold and Green. My teamies have come up with some fab projects this week! Here's my take on it.

Its a chipboard bauble that Ive decorated then added ribbon so I can wear it like a necklace! In 2 weeks time I am heading off to Claxby again for another Craft retreat - These weekend jaunts have become my annual holiday the last couple of years and I just love them! This time at Claxby the theme is Christmas and we are having a pajama day but with a twist we have to decorate out PJs to be christmassy so this is my first bit of decoration.
The green papers are by Brenda Pinnock, The cute cat is a stamp from High Hopes and wait for it i have actually used peel offs for the Santas little helper bit! Those who know me will now need picking up off the floor in shock as Im def not a lover of peel offs but hey it seemed to work at the time LOL. The edges I have done using a glue stick then putting embossing powder on and heating. I love the un even texture it has produced.
hop on over to Tuesday Taggers and check out the rest of the DTs work for more inspiration.
Today im off to the local craft shop for a day with fabulous people - I plan to make a matchbox advent calendar so i may have it to show tomorrow - watch this space!

HAGD x Janet

Tuesday Taggers - No Patterned papers

hopefully this has scheduled to post beautifully - if not - sorry folks! Im at work so have no blog access its a banned site you know!
So how much of a challenge is this? Well I find I use less and less patterned papers these days so it wasnt too tough. Im still dreaming of finally doing Mr Holtz's 12 tags of Christmas 2007 and 2008 this is quite close I have to say. I made a Christmas card last year along these lines too and love how the background is different each time its done. Ive used alcohol inks for the background then stamped the tree and Believe with Rangers archival ink - the only one I have found which works well with the alcohol inks. The snowflake is from a long forgotten QVC tsv kit but I love how it works on this tag. All mounted onto black card to frame it - Im quite pleased with the result. Thanks as ever to Mr tim Holtz for oodles of design inspiration :0)
Hop on over to see what my fellow teamies at Tuesday Taggers have done - some brilliant work and sooo creative. HAGD xx Janet

Some Kanban quickies

Im lucky to live near enough to the Kanban outlet to stock up on good quality card (when I can get a lift with my craft buddies that is!) I picked up this sheet of santa images. I think they are usually foiled and die cut but this was just a sheet to cut out. Ive used the nestabilities to cut them out and k&Co papers for matting and layering. Quick cards but I do like the images very much. ive added the Christmas ticket sentiment which is a magnolia stamp - really like ticket stamps although i dont think Im that brilliant at using them.


Think thats my creativity for today LOL
Have a brilliant Saturday x Janet