Believe!

After days, nay weeks, of rain and warm weather we are at last going to get something more like the weather we expect at this time of year! Just in time for a crisp New years Day walk I hope!
First though we have New Years Eve so here is my message for you.

It is quite sparkly and I did this a few days ago when I still hadn't tidied some of the sparkly Stickles away.The centre is just some overstamping of branches and fir trees.

 Everything had a spattering of Picket Fence distress paint.
The blue paper that the quote is on (and the strips at the bottom too) are part of a snowy gelli print that didn't all get used.

I am entering my last page in the Art Journal Journey - Collage and some journalling challenge.

Tomorrow is a new challenge - not only on AJJ but for all of us - what will the New Year bring?
I hope that however you see the New Year in it will  bring something wonderful for you!

Thanks for looking, Chris

Tim's 12 Tags of 2015 December.

Yay! I did it! A whole year of Tim tags!
I love using fabric for stamping but I have never used stencils - I will from now on!
The details and Tim's tutorial are here.

My tag is not a lot like Tim's tag, although I have used some of the great ideas!

As Christmas is over I went for a New Year theme and used the clockwork stencil and my favourite new colour - Ground Espresso.
I don't have any Tim punches(yet!) but I do have some little branches in die form that I bought from the Rowan Tree in Carnforth just before Christmas - unused until today. As I cut them (using brown, gold and green foil card) I saw snowflake shapes so instead of following Tim's shape I made a layered snowflake with a silver snowflake shape on the top of the layers. A little wooden snowflake dabbed with Brushed Pewter stain and the words to hail in the New Year. I have quite a lot of things coming up at the start of the year so the chit chat words seemed apt!
The ribbon is from some crackers we had at Christmas - slightly trimmed to fit.

I would also like to link to

Mixed Media Monthly Challenge #19 - Silver and Gold

Thanks for looking, Chris

T stands for….Thank Yous!

My first Thank Yous are for you who are reading my blog! I so appreciate your visits and comments, and I will try to return your visits - how ever long it takes me to get to you!
I have been slightly pre-occupied recently and haven't really done much in the way of crafting!
Today I started a journal page so maybe I will finish it tomorrow!

a little sneaky peek!

I am also determined to make my final Tim tag for 2015 - I would hate to not finish the year!!
Today however…..is T day! I like to join Bluebeard and Elizabeth for T stands for Tuesday and here is my second Thank You….to Elizabeth, for hosting this weekly fun event!

I have been playing on my phone!
My Christmas cup will soon be put back into the cupboard until next year so here it is - with some Christmas stars - for my naughty Gingerbread latte! 

My third Thank You is to my boys - they know me so well! 
This card is from my eldest son and daughter in law

along with some decorative pears that I have added to my collection!

The big gold one at the back, the glass one at the front and one of the metal ones were part of my Christmas present!

They also bought me a fabulous colouring book!
I received crafty vouchers from the two youngest so I can have a little spend without touching my purse(OK - you know that won't happen!!)so I have that to look forward to!

My next Thank You is to my lovely hubby - he puts up with the threads and paper bits on the carpet, my inky fingers and my disappearances into my craft room and then buys me this..

and tells me to choose a new camera - I do get the grumps when it keeps jumping to Video mode while I am trying to take photos!
The photos today are all using my phone camera. We went out today and I have seen one I like but don't like making 'snap' decisions on something so important! 

Finally, Thank You for looking! Chris

Normal service will be resumed. .

.....as soon as possible.
Family party. ...all gone now - seems very quiet!
Playing on my phone - changes made to a photo

Proper playtime starts tomorrow!
Thanks for looking, Chris

Merry Christmas!

Wishing everyone who reads my blog a very Merry Christmas! 
Thank you so much for your visits!

I loved Angelique so much I kept her for myself.
In case you wonder why my angels all have names it is because a friend once gave me a glass angel and she told me that all angels must have a name! My love for France led me to choosing French names for them.

Hope you all have the Christmas you hope for!

Thanks for looking, Chris

WOYWW 342…and Star Wars!!

I couldn't let this Wednesday go by without linking to The Stamping Ground for What's on your Workdesk Wednesday. I have met so many lovely folk courtesy of Julia and would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas!
My desk I am sure won't impress - a random amount of things, either dumped to sort or leftover and intended to add to my next journal page.

There is even a plastic bag containing some old jewellery from my DIL given to me last week - still to be investigated properly!

Now, I hope you don't mind me adding a film review?
Last week on our way up to the caravan we called in to see the new Star Wars film. Hubby had booked expecting crowds….there were 5 of us in the cinema!!!

This poster was outside in the corridor.
They were giving away sets of postcards so I cut a couple up to make this.

I had this yucky black and green background in my journal for ages - used pens to add lasers and 'flashes' and added some TH words - it was only when I had finished that I opened out the pages to find that the two pages looked so funny together and with the same words!!

The film did not disappoint - to me it was just as exciting as the very first one(in 1977)- which I went to see with my Special needs class - we had won a competition for a free viewing - guess how? - an art competition in which the children made robot shapes using tools, cogs, springs etc.(begged from the local garage)onto large pieces of paper then sprayed them with paint - sound familiar? It was only as the words scrolled up on the screen that I remembered this - it seems I have been masking and spraying for quite some time!

It was great to see the old characters appear - and the story line was good - no spoilers! I will certainly enjoy watching again when the DVD comes out, but the big screen is definitely the best place to see this!

I will be out with grandchildren today so will make most of my visits when we get home!

Hope you all enjoy your Christmas!
Thanks for looking, Chris

I am joining the AJJ challenge where the theme is Collage and some journalling.

T Stands for……the lake!!!

We have been up to our caravan for a few days. We had been told that the electric had been off so were hoping that the generator on site had prevented our frozen food from being spoiled! We found that it was OK and that although the mains electricity was off for a week a generator came to the rescue and everything was fine! 
The weather wasn't very nice and I spent some time making more Christmas cards - it seems that the ones I thought were at the caravan weren't there and although some were, it wasn't enough. At least when they do turn up I will have a head start for next year!!

I overstamped using a simple wreath with different colours - turning slightly each time and then added stickles.
We went into Kendal, mainly to see lovely Pandy (and Henry the dog) at the Kitten and the Goat craft shop. Fortunately she hadn't been flooded but the town hasn't had as many people going in to shop - a perfect excuse to treat myself to a few goodies….Oh! It really would have been rude not to!!!
The lights were lovely but unfortunately photos haven't turned out well.

This has just reminded me that I promised some Christmas Market pics from our trip to Manchester!

Albert Square has quite a lot of food stalls. I tried to cut out the dreadful blow up Santa that sits atop one of Manchester's most beautiful buildings-the Town Hall

Oh! and that lake? This is the view we woke up to on Sunday morning

By the afternoon the seagulls had found it!

This is the same scene last March

I am joining Bluebeard, Elizabeth, Squiggles and the T gang today 

The Christmas mugs are out - the first thing we did on our return on Sunday evening was to get the kettle on for a cup of instant!

I mentioned the other week I had received a letter I didn't want - it seems I am going to need surgery - minor only I hope as they have said I will be out by the evening - yesterday's appointment was to discuss options and I am hoping that all will be done by the end of February!

I will be along to visit as soon as I have had (yet another) coffee!

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and if we don't meet again for a while a Happy and Healthy New Year!

Thank you for looking! Chris…and a X for Christmas!

Winter Scene

I have been making more master boards - I hope that some of you may be receiving cards like this around about now!

I used Stormy Sky, Bundled Sage and Evergreen Bough dabbed onto a mat, spritzed and then dragged some water colour paper through.The trees were stamped with EB and BS and spritzed to give a watery feel! A little bit of spattering with Picket Fence Distress paint and the sentiment stamped in black and clear embossed. The edges were darkened with what was on my sponge! I used up some papers from my stash to mount the scene onto Kraft card.

I would like to enter the challenge at
 Country View Crafts where the theme is Create a Scene
  Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge where the theme is Winter Wonderland

I'll be back tomorrow with photos of what we have been up to!

Thanks for looking, Chris

Collage and some doodling

I started this page ages ago - now is the time to add to it! 
My life has been really hectic lately - we are off for a short break and to check the damage - if any..!  I come back to a hospital appointment and a night out with the girls! Maybe then I can think about festivities!
In my efforts to introduce some calm I finished the page with some college from my scraps.

 I am linking to Art Journal Journey where the theme is Collage and some Journaling

I will visit you when I can - promise!!!
Thanks for looking, Chris 

Tea stands for Teacup Lady

I have just realised that my previous post was last Friday, the time has been whizzing for different reasons! I came to write my cards for UK addresses on Sunday and realised that they were nearly all at our caravan! We had intended going last week when we had a phone call to say that we would be best ringing before we went because the electricity was off - the storms had put the whole area out of action and the schools had been closed too!! We had plans for the weekend here at home (including a memorial service and a carol service at church and a meal out with my 'boys') 

I had to set to and make some more as by the time we go on Thursday the post will have gone and they won't get posted until Friday at least! 

As I was making my cards I also made a journal page using up paint and scraps as I went. I stamped my lovely PA Lynne Perella Teacup Lady onto a scrap too.

A dreadful photo but the best I could do with yet another grey day!!

I would like to join Bluebeard and Elizabeth (and young Squiggles!) for T Stands For  Tuesday.

I would also like to join in with Valerie's choice of theme - Collage and some journaling at Art Journal Journey, 

and also Moo Mania and More which is Favourite Stamp or Stamps - if you are a regular visitor here you will have seen Teacup Lady a few times!!!

With a little smattering of snow on my page I would like to remind you that there is still a week left at Try It On Tuesday for our Snow, Snowflakes or Winter White theme.

I realise that many of the Tea gang may be in bed by now but I will try to make most of my visits this evening!

Thanks for looking, Chris 

Finished cards

A few posts ago I made a master board but I had only completed a couple of cards. In between going out shopping and visiting friends, playing in my journal and completing some more angels I managed to use the rest of the master board.

You can see more of how I made it and the other cards here.

It started like this….

…….and looked like this when I had used stencils and stamps

I would like to enter in 

 Anything But Cute challenge - You've Got Happy Mail 

Craft Stamper Magazine challenge - Sharing the Season

Country View Crafts - Create a Scene

Thats Crafty Challenges- Seasons Greetings

We went for a river side walk this afternoon - the long way round to the Post Office and the Charity shop!!
The river was rushing over the weir!

The river had been rising and falling and has left quite a lot of rubbish on the side.

Here is the bank from the other side of the river in July
It is where we saw the young canoe group going over.

They finished up near the island that the geese were on.

The island has been gradually disappearing - this was taken a month ago.

Here it is today.

Only two geese remain on the opposite bank!
This photo was taken by hubby in November - I love these colours

You can see some evidence on the right of the first time the river rose.
We are very fortunate to not have been flooded - the poor folk in our beloved Cumbria are having a really tough time of it and there is more rain on it's way - we are hoping that it is not as devastating as it has been.If you want to see more I have provided two links

Thanks for looking, Chris

A hurried, using my scraps up kinda page!!!

I really should have been writing Christmas cards but needed a distraction and bit of fun following receiving something I did not want to read when our post arrived today!(although I had been expecting it!)
I grabbed a couple of bags and a stencil and started to make my page - added some stamps - the nearest to hand - some Prima swirly ones and came up with this…

My little bird, you may remember seeing him earlier this year, is one of my favourite stamps. 
The journalling says Live every moment and laugh every day! I made a flag pole with it to hold my Hopes, dreams flag (both Paper Artsy)

I am linking to Art Journal Journey where the theme is Collage and some Journalling
and 
Moo Mania and More who want to see our favourite stamps

Thanks for looking, Chris