A crafty review of 2016 ..... Part 2

Happy Friday folks .......

It's the end of the week, and very nearly the end of 2016! I'm so looking forward to the start of a new year.
There's already quite a bit on the cards for 2017 ..... we've already booked one holiday!  I've got a craft retreat to look forward to towards the end of the year and plans are being made for a little crafty trip across to the UK for my favourite craft show at Port Sunlight. Oh ..... are we're going to be moving house (again!)

But we've still got the second half of 2016 to look back on. Yesterday we got as far as June so ..... grab a cuppa, this could take a while, and let's carry on where we left off, way back in ........

July

Hubby's birthday, our wedding anniversary.  Challenges, blog hops and workshops along with all the usual stuff!

More Mixed Media projects too ...... love my re-cycled mirror

 Pretty canvas using Brusho's and Golden Gel Medium

And another fab workshop with my group of lovely ladies .....

We're into August now ......

More Blog Hop fun with the launch of the first STAMPlorations Colouring book 

More mixed media fun at the CAS Mix Up challenge .......

Stencil fun for the Craft Stamper Challenge ......

And again ...... another great workshop ........

September .........
Lots of birthdays again ..... little man started infant school and we had the Isle of Man Food Festival

The monthly challenges were fun as usual ....... a bit of watercolour spritzing for HLS (love this Penny Black stamp!) 

Never get tired of those Crazy Birds .......

Even found time to play along with my favourite challenge ........ well it was one layer week

October ...... we had Lobsterfest on the island, and there was Halloween. I started planning my Christmas workshops, there were Stampin Up! parties and an exciting trip across to the UK.  I was lucky enough to attend an Eileen Godwin Workshop .... whoo hoo!! (Still haven't completely finished my projects but .....we had a fabulous day, would recommend it to everyone!)

Autumn was definitely in the air ........

Love how this card turned out ....... and how cute are these ......

I started to fill the Christmas card box too ..... these were favourites at one of the workshops

Nearly there ..... we're in November ........
Challenges, Blog Hops and Guest Designer spots along with all the festive preparations.

One of my favourite Christmas designs ....... a little bit of inlaid die cutting, something I really enjoyed doing this year

And you all know how much I love my tags .......

So proud to be a Guest Designer again on this year's 12 Tags of Christmas with Loll & Friends

A few more of my favourites from the 12 days ....... love this little guy

Alcohol inks on YUPO paper and then die cut .......

Quick and easy with texture paste .....

It wasn't all festive makes in November .... on one of my workshops there was a choice ...... why not try something pretty and floral instead of the Christmas design .....;.

We've made it to December ....... Ho! Ho! Ho!
Festive parties, trimming the tree, Christmas fairs, lunches out with the girls and of course all that shopping!!!

Pretty MDF baubles for the Craft Stamper challenge and a festive workshop

A little bit of festive Mixed Media

Sweet Poppy Stencils were back on our TV screens ....

A festive make just for me (I made a set for Lauren too) ..... I love my little forest

And of course, the final workshop for 2016 ....... and what a workshop it was!

A busy day but lots of fun ...... thanks for your support ladies.

And Thank You ..... my fabulous Blog friends and family, for taking the time to visit.  I really do appreciate each and every one of you ....... and I love receiving all your comments.  Let's face it .... without you guys I'd just be talking to myself!

I'd like to wish you all a very Happy and Healthy New Year and I hope 2017 brings you everything you wish for and more.  Let's make it a good one!

Mwah xx

Thanks for popping by ..... hope you've enjoyed the review of my crafty year.

If you're out celebrating tomorrow, New Year's Eve, then have fun and stay safe.
I think we're off out to our favourite restaurant seeing as we're both feeling a little better.  Then it'll be pop into The Prospect for a quick drink with Chris, on to Artisan to see Lauren ....... one of the drawbacks of being in the hospitality trade I suppose, working on New Years Eve, before coming home to see the New Year in with a special bottle of bubbly and the little man ..... who will hopefully be alseep!

Have a good one and I'll see you in 2017!

Happy New Year!

What a year that was ...... my crafty review of 2016 (Part 1)

Happy Thursday ........

It is Thursday isn't it ...... I'm not really sure!

Well the festivities are nearly over ..... Christmas has been and gone for another year (sigh!)
I hope you had a good one .... we certainly did! The good old Walmsley family Christmas ....... precious time spent with family and friends. Too much food as usual, far too much to drink, but the company was amazing.
Dare I say it though ..... I'm fed up with mince pies and stollen.  I've eaten my body weight in delicious Christmas cake ........ and will someone please hide the chocolates and nuts!!

The New Year celebrations are going to be a little less lively I think, as we're all suffering with colds and flu at the moment.  But ..... we're not going to let that get in the way of saying goodbye to 2016 .... and Hello 2017!!

What a year it's been.  Full of highs ..... and a few lows, but as always lots of great memories.
Here's a quick look back at some of my favourite makes from the last 12 months.  Grab a cuppa and let's go all the way back to ......

 JANUARY

(If you missed the original posts, or would like to take a closer look at any of the projects then just click on the links) 

The start of the year is always a busy time ...... what with loads of birthdays to think about, Design Team work to get done and all the regular Blog Challenges to launch.

It was Take a Stamp for the Craft Stamper challenge and I still love how this frame turned out

I was still part of the Clarity DT so it was back to work there too ...... love these little houses

And January saw my 700th Blog post ..... that's a lot of blogging!  More Clarity favourites too

Onto ....... FEBRUARY

Valentine's Day ..... my workshops are back in full swing ....... and a new Design Team position.

One of my favourite Christmas designs .......

Time to play along with one of my favourite Blog Challenges ..... Less is More

And beautiful new Clarity stamps

Onto MARCH ......... my birthday month.

Fabulous workshops with my group of ladies ....... using old book pages

And having fun with Alcohol inks ...... loved creating this grid card

My first lot of samples for Sweet Poppy Stencils (my new DT position) .....

Oooh .... and the launch of a brand new Blog Challenge ..... right up my street!  CAS Mix Up .... perfect!

Into APRIL ...... another busy month for birthdays and challenges, a fun blog hop, a new car and the first trip of the year across to the UK.

A little bit of Mixed Media for the Happy Little Stamper challenge .......

Beautiful stencils for the ARTplorations Blog Hop

More Sweet Poppy samples ........ a little fun with Brushos too

And another fab workshop with the ladies ...... all about masking.
This is my favourite from the day ....... so pretty.

Next up ...... MAY
A week with my crafty buddy in the UK ..... always fun!  A visit to my favourite craft show .... Port Sunlight and a workshop with the lovely Maria Simms
Not forgetting that the end of the month sees the start of the Isle of Man TT!

The old craft room is as busy as ever, with the regular Blog challenges.  It's Take a Stamp for Craft Stamper ..... love these new stamp sets by Kim Dellow for PaperArtsy

My finished canvas, made using the project from the workshop with Maria

And this was my favourite sample done for another fun class with the ladies ....... mixed media

Well .... we're half way through the year ..... JUNE already
TT comes to a close, it's time for the family trip to Bourton along with all the regular crafty commitments

Getting inky for the Craft Stamper Challenge ......

CAS ..... for my favourite Blog challenge

And having fun with Maggie and the crew, at a monthly craft group on the island ...... with Bleeding Art Tissue (love this technique!)

Well ..... I think we'll leave it there don't you.
If you've stuck with me so far ..... well done and thank you!
If you fancy seeing the second half of my favourite makes, join me again tomorrow for July through to December ..... don't forget the cuppa!

Thanks for popping by ....... enjoy the rest of your day.
I'm off to put the kettle on ..... I need a refill after that lot.

Cheerio until next time