Project 4

I made 3 cards like this after everyone else had gone to bed on the Sunday night. I was wide awake and still full of crafting so I carried on. This card is using Stampin Up kraft card which is now called crumb cake. A really lovely quality card which I have stamped over using sepia archival ink with a snowflake from a Stampin up set called winters post. The huge snowflake is a nestibility dies and the reindeer is from the winters post set too. The tinest hint of frayed burlap distress ink and thats the card done. I like the colour scheme of this but also its simplicity - it would be a perfect mass produced Christmas card and is still very flat as there is only one layer of foam pads. A little sparkle of diamond stickles in the middle of the snowflakes gives it that glittery Christmas look.
Hope you like this one too x

Project no 3

Now this one took hours LOL! 3 cardboard photo cubes inked then covered with paper which has been torn, pricked then sewn I must have been completely mad!

I used to do lots of tearing and stitching on my papers mainly because I had nothing better to do LOL but actually its a look I still really like.

This embossed bauble it a stamp from Graphicus.

and these are Hero arts - see post from Monday as they are on sale.......

and this is another Graphicus one this time a leaping reinedeer. This is a gift for a relative for adding photographs of Christmas' to. The thing about home made presents is they dont actually cost a lot to do but if you added up my time on this one and I got paid what I usually do at work its worth £40! - More thought, time and effort than it takes for a few clicks on the computer to buy a gift thats for sure - wonder if it will be appreciated for that????

Thanks for stopping by today x Janet

Project no 2

More using up of those Cosmo Cricket papers - this time on a small scented candle tin from poundland. The candle inside has the rich smell of apples and is perfect for a work colleague who loves smelly candles!

The little snowflake on the top is from a nestibility set and thanks for the addition of ribbon to my pal Emma x

This project took minutes to achieve but I am really pleased with its new look. Hope she is too x

Project number 1

Here is one of the projects I did at the craft weekend. My SIL gave me this box 2 years ago it housed toiletries which she had been given for Christmas. I have sat and pondered many hours over what to do with it so took it away to play with.
Its now a decoration which lights up - the picture does not show the lights bit very well at all but it has electric tealights which shine through the bottom to light up the dangling baubles. The papers are leftovers from many other projects and are by Cosmo Cricket. The Baubles are stamped from a gorgeous hero arts set which just happens to be on sale here.

Here is the tea lights - its a shame it doesn't show it up better but I am pleased with the results and this is purely for me!

Just goes to show what can be done with some packaging!

Hope you are all managing to keep warm. Disaster has struck here - our dishwasher has frozen up so we are having to wash everything by hand! This happened after Christmas last winter too
I think I need to sort out a woolly cover for the pipes LOL
But I am busy doing some knitting - yes me knitting! I can't tell you what it is just yet but its a challenge I can tell you. My Mum is the knitter in our family but what she is knitting at the moment you would not believe
whispers - chicken jackets - yes thats right outdoor garments for chickens whatever next LOL!
Have a great day!

Christmas In Claxby

Last weekend saw the 2nd Christmas in Claxby retreat organised by Bee and Kate at the Viking Centre. Kitted out as a bunk barn its spacious and perfect for a meet up with chums and a wonderful place to craft in spacious surroundings.

It takes us around 3 hours to get there but once inside its like we have never been away. These folk are really special people and I am lucky to have them in my life - not just as friends but awesome crafters who share my passion and inspire me with theirs.

These pics were taken on the Sunday - Our official Christmas Day! We did of course drink plenty of Mulled Wine.

After which Bee and Kate still managed to cook up a feast!

The table is laid for the 8 of us Bee, Kate, Emma, Andy, Georgina, Joanne, Michelle and I

Here is Michelle and Georgina as you can see the mulled wine has taken effect!

Georgina and Joanne - Jo is recovering from some pretty major surgery and even though she felt unwell was still the life and soul of the party!

Kate and Bee who organised the whole thing - perfect hosts every time!

Emma and Andy - Em is deciding whether that chicken is in fact just for her LOL.

My Yummy Dinner! The works!

These are the scenes outside as we got ready to go on Monday. We wound up by 11-30 although we could have stayed till 4 but with the weather conditions we decided to get going whilst it was light and as warm as it was going to get LOL

The countryside around Claxby is stunning. So different to Craven where Michelle and I live which is surrounded by hills. The snow makes this even more beautiful!

This is the road out of Claxby - Good job we set off early huh?

Just look at the gorgeous trees.

And even more Gorgeous here are my fabulous friends from left to right

Joanne, Michelle, Emma, Georgina, Me, Kate and Bee. Andy is behind the camera this time.
Thank you friends for a wonderful start to the build up of Christmas.

I will share some of the things I made later in the week x

Keep warm

Janet

Recycled pot

Early in September Jill at the Stampman asked me to decorate something recycled as a possible project for Craft Stamper. The theme was lemon, soft green and kraft. I had this little pot in the kitchen just waiting to be transformed - it used to hold ready mixed icing by Betty Crocker!

So I had a play with these fab hero arts stamps my pal Elaine bought me as a gift. First I cut a strip of white card and coloured it with willow and lemonade adirondack dye inks. I then stamped all the strip with the checked flower stamp in banana archival ink. I did the same with the flower and cut it and the leaf out then shaped them with a ball tool.

I have added kraft card to the pot, then the decorated strip, lace and ribbon. The green thin ribbon I have threaded through the flower and the button making holes with a cropadile then added the little scissors charm. A perfect pot for your craft desk to keep pens and scissors tidy.

Sadly this project didnt make the Craft Stamper this time and by the looks of what is in there its because there was just not enough room to showcase them all. It was a fun project to make and I love the light weight of the pot as well as the shape - need to make more cup cakes then to get more icing lol!

Stamp Man atcs swaps - Tis the season

Over at The Stamp Man atc challenge the December swap is open today and is called Tis the season! I have used my Tim Holtz stamps again which you can find here.

Teamed with weathered wood and black archival ink this is one of my favourite colour combos of this year!

Hope you would like to play along too I have such fun sorting out the swaps and love to see the variety of ideas that everyone has. Do stop by and see the other DTs work too - really fabulous inspiration x