A look back at 2019 ...... Part 3

Happy New Year's Eve ......

Well this is it ...... my final post of 2019!  And what a year it's been.
Before all the celebrations start, lets finish taking a look back at the last tweleve months. Grab a cuppa, and a comfy chair, and off we go!

AUGUST ...... we had the Manx Grand Prix, birthday celebrations and the odd night out (or two!). 

In the craft world things were beginning to get a little festive with Sweet Poppy Stencils back on the TV

It wasn't all baubles and holly though ..... this little guy found his way to the craft room

and one of my favourite stencils had another outing

SEPTEMBER ...... the month of the IOM Food & Drink Festival, one of my favourite events on the island!   
I got the Art Journaling bug (again!) ........ my large Dylusions journal finally saw some paint! (it's seen a bit more since then too)

There was the launch of a brand new Blog Challenge ...... Perfectly CAS (using only one third)

You all know I love CAS, so I was thrilled to be part of the Design Team ......

And we're back to food and drink, for the National Coffee Day Blog Hop .....

Oooh! ...... and this little man was 9!!!

On to OCTOBER ...... we had a fabulous holiday in Santorini ...... our first time there but it won't be our last! 

We had a trip across to the UK to see the family ........ and we also made the decision to finally buy a motorhome ..... hubby's new toy!  It won't be long now before it's all ready to collect.

On the craft side ...... we finished the calendars .... yeah!

and I joined the CAS Mix Up Design Team ......

Not long to go now ...... NOVEMBER.  

The festive preparations really got underway. We had a BIG birthday to celebrate, and it was the Christmas Workshop.

Festive ideas for the Sweet Poppy TV shows,

CAS Mix Up, and the CAS Stencil Challenge

It wasn't all Christmas though ....... this is one of my CAS Mix Up makes

OK ...... DECEMBER it is.  If you're still with me, well done, and thank you.  You might want to refill that cuppa!

It seems like five minutes since I put the tree up, Christmas shopping became a daily pastime, and there's been party, after party, after party!

I've cooked enough food to feed an army, and eaten my body weight in chocolate!  It's been fabulous!

One Christmas party that didn't end with a hangover was Uniko ........

I got to hand deliver some of the family Christmas cards this year which was nice ......

I managed to get the last ones in the post on time .....

And I even used the iron on some ...... 

Well, that's just about it from me. 

I'd like to say a huge THANK YOU to all who have visited my Blog, left comments or become followers this year.  I really do appreciate each and every one of you.

I hope you've enjoyed your time here ...... it's nice to know I'm not talking to myself!

If you're off out celebrating this New Year's Eve, have a great night.

We're off to our favourite restaurant for dinner, then it's back home before midnight.  Well that's the plan anyway.  I'm cooking a mountain of food again tomorrow, for the first family dinner of 2020!

All that's left is for me to wish you all ......

 a very Happy, Healthy and Crafty New Year.

xxx

May your stamps be perfect,

your ink pads never run dry,

and your mojo be always with you!

See you on the other side!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

A look back at 2019 ...... Part 2

Happy weekend .......

It's been quiet here today, so I'm continuing my look back at 2019.
It hasn't been a bad year I suppose ..... we've had our share of curve balls thrown at us but, fingers crossed we can deal with them! 
2020 is not that far away now ...... who knows what that will bring!

Anyway ...... we're up to APRIL. 
We had birthday's and Easter.  Lauren started a new job.  We had friends over who we hadn't seen for a few years and picked up like it was only yesterday.  The hot tub was full and our BBQ season started!

On the craft front there were Blog challenge, new releases, and of course my workshops.

I do love a one layer card every now and again ...... although not always the easiest cards to make!

Another thing I like to create are Artist Trading Coins ....... little pieces of artwork made for swapping

These were for the Happy Little Stampers ATC Challenge

We had more fabulous stencils from Sweet Poppy

I love this pretty hummingbird design

And we made a start on our workshop project ...... calendars

In MAY it was .....  Bank Holiday weekends, wine tastings, and a couple of trips across to the UK.
There was my favourite craft show at Port Sunlight ..... only 17 weeks until the next one!

Hubby and I had a fabulous long weekend in Scotland

And of course, the IOM TT got underway ....

Craft wise there were new releases from Uniko  and Sweet Poppy Stencils ......

More Calendar pages on the workshop ......

As well as all the regular Blog Challenges etc. ..... including the CAS Stencil challenge

and Happy Little Stampers ....

On to JUNE now ...... all the regular crafty bits plus TT Race Week, where the weather played a big part at the start of the week.

There were Blog Hops ......

and Challenges ....... and a few new stamps!

A blast from the past ..... mica powders! I'd forgotten how much fun these little pots were

And I had fun with a new technique from Jennifer McQuire ...... floating die cuts
I must do more with this technique in 2020!

JULY ...... lots of birthday's, a wedding anniversary and our family holiday ...... a little later than  we normal go but well worth the wait

Regular blog challenges ......

a touch of alcohol ..... ink that is!

and lots of birthdays ......

the perfect excuse for making gorgeous floral designs ......

And by the end of the month it was time to start feeling festive again with the first of the Christmas releases from Sweet Poppy Stencils.

Phew!  What a busy year it's been .....  and it's not over yet.
I'll be back with a look at the last few months very soon.

Thanks for popping by ...... enjoy the rest of your weekend.
I need a nice large, cold,  G&T I think ...... cheers!

Cheerio until next time .......