What's Christmas without a bit of Glitter and Sparkle

Hello again,

What's this I hear you all say... nothing for nearly a week then TWICE in one day!

I'm trying to catch up with everything before the silly season really gets underway.  As I said earlier, Lauren arrives tomorrow with that little angel of a Grandson of mine.  I want to be able to spend as much time as possible with them so I'm going like the clappers trying to get everything finished.

The last of my Christmas cards has just been written (phew!) now all I need to do is get them in the post tomorrow.

Before I venture out on a spot of late night shopping, I just wanted to share with you one of my Christmas cards that I made with the latest Penny Black Saturday Challenge in mind.

Their Challenge this month is ........

GLITTER AND SPARKLE

What's Christmas without a bit of glitter and sparkle eh!  There was a time when I didn't make a card without glitter on it, not just at Christmas time either.  No sparkle, then it couldn't have been one of mine.

How things change.  

Here's my entry ......

There's quite a bit of sparkle on here, although I couldn't capture it in the photo.

I've used the PB stamp Fantasy Tree for my background, stamped and embossed in Disco Black embossing powder

You can see a bit more of the sparkle here, still better in real life though.
For my snow effect I've used Chunky White Fran-tage.  I don't know if I've mentioned it before but I LOVE these embossing powders.
The little snowman is also a Penny Black stamp, and I've stamped him onto acetate using a Black Stazon ink then coloured in the image, from the back, using fine glitters.  Doing it this way, the glitter doesn't shed.

I finished it all off with a few sparkly snowflakes stamped around my little winter scene, a sentiment from the Penny Black clear stamp set Christmas Cheer and a festive red ribbon.

I think I'd better go and dust all the glitter off me before I go out.  Just caught a glimpse in the mirror and I look like something off the Christmas tree.  I've just answered the door to my delivery man too, no wonder he was smiling ......... !!

Look who he brought .........

Meet Charlie Bear's 'Michaelmas' ........  he's my Christmas present to myself.  I just couldn't resist this little guy when I saw him.  He's soooo cute.
I bought a Charlie Bear for Alex last year and I didn't want him to take him home.  Well Grandma has her own now.

I just need to find somewhere for him to sit - preferably away from the glitter!

Enjoy your evening

Cheerio for now

Linda

x

Helloooooo!!!

Good morning everyone,

Yes, I'm still here.  I'm slowly disappearing under a pile of Christmas cards, presents, wrapping paper and lots of glitter!!!  The 'Christmas To Do' list is getting longer and longer and the hours in a day are getting shorter and shorter.  And to top all that I'm having computer problems. Great!!  Don't you just love this time of year.

My fabulous Tech Support (aka the other half) worked his magic last night and got my laptop running again - yeah!!  Guess what I'll be asking Santa for this year.

I can't believe it's nearly a week since I've blogged.
We had the Christmas Do last weekend.  What a good night that was.  It was James Bond themed, and they were all there, from Sean Connery to Daniel Craig - swoon! (Not the real ones of course, but pretty close).
We were entertained by a star studded line-up -  Michael Buble, Shirley Bassey, Freddy Mercury, Boy George, Adam Ant and Madonna!  Wow!!!   And no hangover on Sunday which was a real bonus.

Christmas cards have been the main task this week, I thought it was time I made a start.
I've squeezed in a couple of blog challenges too.

First up is Less is More

It's week 97, and it's that good old favourite One Layer Week.  The theme is ......

IN A ROW

 Here's what I've come up with .....

I haven't used these little cuties for ages and I just love how this has turned out.
The stamps are by JudiKins and were among the first rubber stamps that I bought.  I think they're called Praying Angel and Peeking Angel - the peeking one is definitely me, my halo's always slipping!!

I stamped the angels in black Versafine ink, using my stamp positioner to make sure they all ended up in a line. I dry embossed a single line underneath them and then stamped my sentiment.  I used the Indigo Blu Mega flakes in Chariot of Fire on the sentiment and also to highlight the halos

A touch of fine crystal glitter adds sparkle to their wings.  So cute!

Well, I'd better be off.   Still lots to do.  Christmas cards to write and get in the post.  Presents still to buy and then wrap. Decorations still to put up.  At least the trees are done now.  The one in the hall went up on Sunday .......

I think it needs a little more on it, maybe I'll see what I can find in town.

Lauren and Alex arrive on Friday (oh no! that's tomorrow).  As they won't be here on the 25th we're having Christmas Day a week early, so I've got all that to shop for.  At least it's late night shopping tonight.

Have a lovely day.  Keep warm and cosy.

See you all later.

Linda

x

Oooh!  Almost forgot.  There's another fabulous Christmas Giveaway over on the Indigo Blu Blog  Pop over and leave your name to be in with a chance of winning the fabulous Bare Forest rubber stamp.  

My latest DT post is on there too.

At last!

Happy Friday everyone!

I had quite a productive day yesterday, even if I did get soaked to the skin whilst in town.

I posted my first lot of Christmas cards, after taking out a small mortgage to cover the postage costs.  I really should think about these things when I'm making the cards - no big bows, no metal embellies, NO foam pads.  Ah well, at least it's only once a year, and the cards were pretty!!!  Friends and family are worth it.

I did some Christmas shopping, stocking stuffers this time.  I also bought some more Christmas decorations to fill the spaces on the tree.  You know how it is, the tree looks perfect as that last bauble goes on.  Then over the next few days as you sit and look at it, you spot the odd gap here and there.  Well, I've no gaps now and I'm happy with the tree again.

My search for the perfect under garment for my evening dress went better than I thought.  I found something suitable without too much trouble.  Cost me a small fortune but at least it holds it all in, pushes it up where it should and, I can still breathe, which is a bonus!

I also got around to making my first family Christmas card - yeah!!!
I must confess I did have a bit of help.  I fell in love with this stamp a while ago when I saw it on Kath Stewart's fabulous Blog. I decided then I just had to have it and use it for my family cards this year. It's from Stampendous and it's called 'Snowy Postcard' 

My inspiration came from Kath herself, check out what she did with it here, a stunning card as always.  And another of my blog friends, the lovely Avril over at Mrs B's Blog.  Take a look at her version here.  Again, another stunning design.
Thank you so much ladies, I hope you don't mind.

And here it is ......... my version 

I just have to make another 6 now.
All the background layers are done though, and each one is slightly different.  I just need to Fran-tage them, do the extra layer, and put them all together.
I love the how the Fran-tage gives a nice snowy look to the scene, I've added a  touch of glitter to the rooftops too

I decided it would be quicker to add some die-cut holly leaves to the frame instead of colouring in and cutting out the ones that are there .......

........ so I used the Festive Greenery die from Tim Holtz and added some red gems for the berries.
A big satin bow adds the finishing touch.

The inside has been done too .......

As I said, 6 more to do then it's another trip to the Post Office.  That's my weekend sorted then.  Or maybe not.  It's the Christmas Do tomorrow night - lots of festive spirit.  Which probably means I'll be a little delicate, shall we say on Sunday.  Ah well, it's Christmas! Ho! Ho! Ho!

Have a lovely weekend.  And if you get any of the snow that I keep seeing being forecast over in the UK, keep cosy and warm.

See you next week

Crafty hugs

Linda

x 

PS    Oooh,  I almost forgot.  As it's Friday it's my day to post on the Creative Studios DT Blog.  Here's a sneaky peek of this weeks project ........

some quick and easy Christmas cards.  To see them in full you'll have to pop over there and take a look.  Cheers!  xx

To Hubby, with love .....

Morning everyone,

Just a quick post today I'm afraid, still lots to do.

Thank you so much to all my followers, new and old, who are putting up with my temporary (I hope!) lack of creativity.  I do appreciate your comments.  Bear with me, I'm sure things will soon be back on track.

For the last couple of weeks I haven't had the time to join in over at Less is More. And you all know how I hate to miss a challenge.    
It just so happens that this week it's a Colour challenge, and what else could the colours be other than ......

RED and  GREEN

Seeing as I had a Twinchie sat on my desk done in just those colours, it would have been rude not enter this week.

I don't usually make my Twinchies into cards, however I couldn't resist this one - Stephen, here's your Christmas card .........

It's a little bit more CAS than my usual cards for hubby but I think it says it all.
There's lots of white space, not too heavy on the embellies, and I love the liquid pearls for the berries.

The sentiment stamp is by Stampotique and is one of my favourites.

Well that's one card I can cross off the list.  Just the rest of the family ones to do now!
I must confess that I have actually written some cards that I had left over from last year.  Well, I haven't had time to make any yet, and there are some that I need to send early.  I just hope that I didn't send the same cards to the same people as last year (oops! that would be embarrassing).  Too late to worry now, they're going in the post today!

Here's a few of last years designs .........

Tim's Snowflake stamps

I love Black and white with a touch of colour

soooo cute!

 See what I mean, about Hubby's card ........

............. not usually so CAS. this was last years.

Well, must dash.  Off to the Post Office then it's a spot of Christmas shopping I think.
We've also got Stephen's work's Christmas Do on Saturday.  That means dinner suits and evening wear.  My dress is out of the wardrobe, it still fits (thank goodness!).  I just need a little help, making it all look a bit .... smoother shall we say.  So it's off to buy a piece of that 'hold it all in' underwear I think.  Wish me luck!

Thanks for popping by today.  Enjoy your Thursday.

Cheerio for now.

Linda

x

Time for a Twinchie

Hi there,

How is everyone?  I hope you're all keeping cosy and warm. 
Have any of you had snow yet?  We've haven't seen a single flake, but it's a bit on the chilly side though.

Things in the old craft room are still not going smoothly.  Minor panic yesterday when a project I was working on just wouldn't do what I wanted it to.  Stephen came home at lunch time, poor thing, and got the full force of a major rant.  Everything went in the bin, I told him to close the craft room door, I was never going in there again, and he could sell the (bleeping!) lot of it!!!
He was very good.   He gave me a cuddle, told me to walk away and take a break, and not to sell any craft stuff just yet!

I did go back in there later on, started everything again and by the time Stephen came home I was back on track.  So, no huge craft sale just yet.

It's Twinchie time again, don't they soon come around.
It's challenge #11 and the theme is ......

Traditional Christmas Colours 

I must admit I love red and green on Christmas cards, it always looks festive. I do use other colour combinations, but there always has to be at least one of my Christmas designs done in the traditional colourway - call me old fashioned.  

There's some fab inspiration from the Design team over on the Twinchie Challenge Blog.

And here's what I came up with .......

...... a little bunch of mistletoe (mwah!)

The stamp's from an Inkadinkadoo clear set, which I've stamped using a green Versafine ink, then coloured with a Copic pen.  The berries have been highlighted with Liquid Pearls, and a pretty red satin ribbon finishes it all off.  I've mat it onto some red cardstock and added a touch of glitter around the edge.  Twinchie done! 

It's going to go on a card later, so you'll see it again soon.  It's perfect for another Blog Challenge, and as time is a luxury I don't seem to have at the moment, 2 for 1 sounds good to me.

Well, that's me done for today. 

I'm going to try and catch up with all your blogs tonight.  I feel like I've missed so many posts recently, and I do like to see what everyone's up to.

Have a lovely evening.

Cheerio for now

Linda

x