It's that time of year again .......

Happy Thursday ........

How are you?  Full of the festive spirit yet?  

We're getting there.  This bug is still hanging on by a thread but, it will not beat me!!

Lists have been made (lots of lists!)  The shopping has started (note to self ..... I need to buy wrapping paper). 

I think I've eaten my body weight in mince pies (the diet starts in January ..... again!). I've tried the odd Christmas cocktail (or two ...... hic!) And,  I'm still making Christmas cards!

I guess he had to come out at some point now didn't he ...... my favourite little snowman.  I'm not even sure he's still available to buy.  He's an old wooden stamp from Inkadinkadoo, and every year I have to use him on at least one card ....... he always makes me smile 😊

I stamped the snowman onto a piece of white cardstock.  Masked around the edges to create a frame, and then slowly blended shades of blue Distress Inks inside to create my night sky

Once I was happy with the colour, I splattered the ink with a little bit of clean water and let it sit for a few seconds.

I mopped up the excess with a paper towel and then added a few dots of white Enamel Accents here and there, sprinkled with a touch of fine crystal glitter, to give it a snowy look

The snowman was coloured using brush markers ..... he's so cute!

And I finished off with a heat embossed sentiment and a touch more 'snow'

Speaking of snow, I've loved seeing all the pictures on Facebook of the snow across in the UK at the moment.  We might have even been in some of it had we gone on our trip ........ brrrrr!

If you're snowed in at the moment, stay safe and warm.

Thanks for popping by, enjoy the rest of your day.

Cheerio until next time ........

More Artist Trading Coins .......

Happy Friday .......

Well that was a busy week!  I don't know about you but I'm definitely looking forward to the weekend.

It's been nothing but Christmas, Christmas, and more Christmas this week.  Cards, baubles, late night shopping.  We had the Christmas lights switch on in town last night, more shopping, and even more Christmas cards.  I even posted my first one, and ........ wait for this ....... I BOUGHT a Christmas card this week !  Oh yes I did!!!!!  Have you seen the price of them these days ..... I only bought the one, it's very nice but, it cost me a small fortune!!  Let's hope I don't need to buy any more!!

Anyway enough of all that ....... I'm playing along with a Blog Challenge today.  This month's challenge from County View Crafts is all about Artist Trading Coins ....... one of my new addictions!

I've recently joined an ATC/Coins Facebook Swap Group, put together by Kylie, the brains behind Happy Little Stampers and also Kylie is Addicted to Stamps fame.  If you enjoy creating these little works of art then why not join us ..... it's great fun.

Here's a set of three I've made for the Christmas Swap .......

Don't you just love snowmen!
This little guy has been with me for a while, and he's still a favourite .....

My coins are made from MDF, and I've given each one a coat of white Gesso then used various inks or paints to add the colour.   The actual  stamping has been done using Black Versafine ink which has then been heat embossed in clear.

The words on this one were hand written and I finished it off with some dots of White Liquid Enamel and a touch of glitter.

Another of my favourite snowmen ....... the new Bundled Up from Penny Black

Stamped directly onto the MDF coin using a Black Archival Ink ..... and then highlighted with glitters and a gold shimmer pen

And finally ..... a flurry of snowmen from Newton's Nook (I think it's called Frozen Fellowship)

These little guys were stamped onto white cardstock, coloured with ZIG markers and then fussy cut and glued onto the MDF coin.
A stamped sentiment and a few drops of the Liquid Enamel add the finishing touches ...... brrrrrr!

I will warn you, making ATC's or coins can be very addictive, they're so cute!!! Now I just need to swap them.

Thanks for popping by .... enjoy the rest of your day and have a great weekend

Cheerio until next time ......

Just when you thought Christmas was over .......

Hello again, happy Thursday evening .......

I've spent most of the day packing away the Christmas decorations .... there's glitter everywhere .... again!  I'm still working on the tree ...... did I really hang soooo many baubles on there!

Anyway ..... just when you were maybe thinking of putting all those Christmas stamps and festive craft stash away ...... don't do it!!! 
January's Happy Little Stampers Christmas challenge gets underway today ..... Ho! Ho! Ho! (Sorry)

As you can see the theme is still Anything Goes ..... with an optional twist of ...... CAS (Clean and Simple)

Here's one of my favourite little snowmen ...... and you couldn't get more CAS. 
(I do love black and white with just a hint of colour)

He's been stamped in black Versafine ink, and then just his hat and scarf coloured ..... oh and his nose!

The sentiment has been heat embossed in gold underneath ......

And then a few dots of white enamel accents have been added here and there, to give the look of falling snow.

As with all the HLS challenges there's a prize for the winner ...... a $20 Gift Certificate to spend in the HLS store.  And guess what ..... it the winner has used HLS products on their winning project then the prize will be DOUBLED!! ....... WOW!

Happy Stamping folks.

Thanks for popping by ...... enjoy the rest of your day.

I'm off to finish taking the tree down ..... I've had enough now, I just want everything put away and the house tidy again.

Cheerio until next time ......