January Partner Swap

I decided to use some of my Craftwork toppers for this swap.



I stamped the background and edged the card in matching ink.  
I cut the toppers to fit the card and added the sentiment - wiping the edges with matching ink.  
I hope my partner likes them.



I received these cards from my partner .....

The flower comprises of diecuts.

The pieced mouse is matted onto a blue background.  The stamped image is brill.

Thank you Carol.

Well, it would appear that my keeping of records has been sooo good that I picked up the wrong listing and sent my cards to the wrong person!


With that thought in mind I have remade the cards, albeit slightly different, and posted them to Carol.  Thank you Carol for being so patient in waiting for these cards.

I used Gelliprint offcuts for the backgrounds, used the same toppers but different quotes.

January Colour Swap - Silver

After being ill in bed for a few days, I needed to complete my theme and colour swaps in double fast time.

I used three different silver papers for the background to these cards.  

I then cut out several of the squares from a wall paper sample.

I attached the squares to the backing paper and then added a silver embellishment to the centre squares.
Very pleased with the way these cards look.

I received these cards by return:

Silver paper with glittered diecut butterflies.
Thank you JanS.

Silver mirri card makes this shiney, very, very shiney!  Love it.

Thank you Kate.

Textured and embossed background with a glittered image and shiney numbers.

Thank you Mel.

January Theme Swap - Snow

As we have 'hit and miss' snow in our area at the mo this is an appropriate theme!
I downloaded my images from the net and set to work.
Snowboarder


I used a white wallpaper for the background of this card and cut out a small piece of white with a pair of fancy edge scissors.  After I fussy cut the image and attached it to the paper, I added a few white and silver snowflake peel offs.


Snow joke

I drew over this image with pens and added some white diecuts and peel off snowflakes.


Snow Fox
Love this image and I knew straight away how I was going to present it.  I added a piece of white glitter paper, which had been fussy cut along one edge, to a pearl finish card base.  I fussy cut the image and attached it to the card.  In my embossing tin I have a 'snow' embossing powder ... it's been in there a lotta years so I am not sure how it's going to react but .....

I scribbled some glue over the card and image, then added the powder ..... heated it up .... and some of it, most of it, expanded into a fluffy white snow effect.  Quite pleased with the effect, not how I envisaged it but .... it's good.

I received these cards by return.

 3D decoupaged snowman in a boot.
Thank you Margaret.

Beautiful background, textured with silver embossing and peel offs border.

Thank you Jan W.

Beautiful hand drawn image, watercoloured and glittered.

Thank you Kathleen.

Chinese New Year

 Xīnnián kuàilè or 新年快乐 or gong she fa ootsai

Happy New Year to you all!  
I love entering this swap every year - this year it is the year of the Rooster (or Cockerel to us English!)

I used Washi paper for the background and added some cutouts from a Magazine produced in the Arcadian Centre here in Birmingham. I shop there in one of the supermarkets so had managed to obtain some red envelopes to put my cards into.
I purchased a sheet of postage stamps from the Royal Mail but, when they arrived, I found that the actual stamps were just plain and the rest of the sheet contained various stickers of the different cockerel images. unable to use the stamps I did manage to use a few of the stickers. This is the Earth Cockerel.

I used a red card and applied cutouts from the magazine, a strip from a tea packet and the Metal Cockerel.

On this red card I added a background of symbols and then added some fussy cut pictures from tea packets and magazines..... and the Water Cockerel.





I used a piece of Green Tea packaging as the base card and applied several cutout words. The Cockerels I used this time were Fire and Wood.

I couldn't fit the cards into the red envelopes so had to enclose them separately in the postal envelope.
They have all arrived safely so I am waiting now for my returns .

UPDATED:


Superbly embossed, cut and coloured.
Thank you Cindylou.

Painted background, cut & stamped.

Thank you NovaScotiaCrafter.

Beautiful stitching on Printed Background.

Thank youdonnacr.

I received these gifts inside the gorgeous envelope.

Thank you VikkiZ 

WOYWW #399

This is What'sOnYourWorkdeskWednesday - if you want to find out more then checkout the WOYWW tab at the top of the page - and our thanks go to Julia for hosting this weekly meet up.

Two for the price of one this week!


I am still destashing, although looking at this photo I wonder if I am actually destashing or just moving stash into new containers!!
Underneath it all are my challenge cards (or components) for this months cardmaking swap.



Just in case that photo filled you with horror .......my other desk has remained clear ......ish!
Just love my desktop scene, fills me with happys ........


Thank you to all my visitors last week, love reading your comments, my apologies if I didn't make it back to you.  The decision has been made to buy a new PC - desktop or laptop is still undecided but soon - and very soon...... like this year! - I will be able to get up to speed again and computing might become a pleasure.   Mind you, it only took 20mins to get sorted on line this morning!
Have a fun week and stay warm - or cool if you're other way up!   when checking the preview I see the main text is a fuschia colour ...... interesting ...... should be black!  Doncha just love Blogger!

WOYWW #398

This is What'sOnYourWorkdeskWednesday - if you want to find out more then checkout the WOYWW tab at the top of the page - and our thanks go to Julia for hosting this weekly meet up.

Late to the party today as I am all behind and Betty Martin.  Been ill I have ..... been in bed sick ....BUT I'M ALRIGHT NOOOWWWW!!!

Causing mayhem as per usual.  Desk is a bit empty as my latest goodies have just been dumped.
I did manage to try out the ATC die but only once or twice and it was back to bed ..... all strength gone.

I saw this die as I lay in bed, 'that'll stop my wonky eye cutting wonky ATCs' I thought ..... then needed to bring the total spend up to Free Postage level so included some very pretty stamps in my order!
Today I have been repeatedly told that my PC is very old ..... lost count of the number of times the gentleman at SKY told me...... 'it's a very old desktop' says he .... over and over again.  I knew that, I just wanted some suggestions on how to connect to his wonderful broadband!
I spent nearly all day trying to connect this dear old thing to his ultra modern broadband but to no avail so am now stuck with this sloooow speed.  
To think we have been changing ISPs in the hope of getting a faster speed!  lol  Sorry, my sense of humour ....
Anyhows I am here now and ready to link up, enjoy my evening meal and then visit as many desks as I can ....
Thank you to all my visitors last week, especially the late linkers .... I picked up your comments while feeling rough and they certainly perked me up.

WOYWW #397

This is What'sOnYourWorkdeskWednesday - if you want to find out more then checkout the WOYWW tab at the top of the page - and our thanks go to Julia for hosting this weekly meet up.

A very quick post this morning, flying in before we go collect Little Soldier.

This larger view of the desk shows how I left it after giving up!
I had made the four atcs in the centre of the desk and, when it came to finishing off with labels and plastic pockets, I noticed a spill of pink watercolour on the pink card - abandoned.
Then the quote smudged on the green one - give up and come back another day!
So that's the desk.
You might notice a few other items crowded round .... the pot of pens given to me for Christmas by my SIL, the stamps still waiting to be used, a few bird pictures ready to update Little Soldiers picture book.....

Off we go then, another day of strange happenings before the snow arrives.  I'm not holding my breath as we live in the suburbs of a big city and the weather doesn't always happen round here, but .... glancing out my window as I type I see the Bamboo is almost bent double at times so it looks as though the wind has arrived .......

Have a good week and catch you all later tonight.  I plan to use nap time to make a cauliflower cheese for dinner, lovely cauli bought from Studley Nurseries .... love their fresh fruit and veg.

WOYWW #396

This is What'sOnYourWorkdeskWednesday - if you want to find out more then checkout the WOYWW tab at the top of the page - and our thanks go to Julia for hosting this weekly meet up.

Oh! My goodness!  I must be getting old ...... couldn't remember the number of WOYWWs we were up to!!
Confession time hereabouts now...... there wont be much crafting done over the next few days!
We are having our house valued and we would like him/her to see the actual house so we are having a Grand Tidy Up, I hope to then to start sorting and chucking.  We are not selling it up, we are doing it up and wondered how much the refurbishment will change the value.  Think television programmes.  It's something we have always promised ourselves we would do so this is the year ...... workmen are on standby ....
This week, and I hope only this week, my desk is setup for the creating and crafting.  Looks a bit staged, it is ..... just to remind me when I go into the room .... Chinese New Year swap .....

Love the sheet of Royal Mail stamps, disappointed to find the actual stamp is an old design ......
Lots of red envelopes, labels, magazine cuttings .... just to inspire me .....

May not get round to visiting desks today, depends how well I get on with the tidying.  Talking of visiting desks .... I have noticed on several visits that my comments are not showing up, even some hours later when I go back to check.  I never know whether to comment again or leave it in case it shows up later, I visit a lot more desks than my comments show!!

Off now, have a good week, enjoy your creating ......

2017 +1

Good Morning.

It Is Time To Jump Out Of Bed,

Brush Your Teeth,

Eat Your Breakfast And

Get Ready To Grab

All The Opportunities

That Will Come Your Way.

Happy First Good Morning of 2017