Crispy!

The title of this post goes for the card and the weather .... eeeeeep .... it is FREEZING here!!

Maybe that's why white looks so good right now? I love every colour at the mo - so long as it's white. Scratch head. Shake head. Move on :0) LOL!

If you noticed a smell of burning rubber when you pulled in - that would be me - screaming in to meet the deadline for Stacey's Curtain Call Color Challenge - #62. These colours are so way beyond gorgeous and I've been meaning to play there for a while. So to see in the New Year - playing this challenge is something .... NEW :0)!

The flowers were stamped and embossed on vellum and then pigment ink was rubbed on the back side. I absolutely LOVE this look on a solid sheet of vellum - and wondered what it would be like if the flowers were cut out afterwards ... this is the result :0)

The leaves were fussy cut and then holes were pierced in them for the veins ... you can see them a bit behind the flowers and I'm still trying to decide if that bugs me or not?? Hmmmm. Need to give that a few days before a final verdict. (Any outside opinions?)

This will be the last post of 2010 - amazing thought. I really do wish everyone the MOST WONDERFUL 2011. It's always strange looking at my Day Planner for the year ahead. So many days and no notion at all of what they're going to hold. Some birthdays that I'm writing down - I honestly don't know if those people will still be here when their big day comes around. So we're just planning on being grateful for them every day that we *do* have!

My Hunkadorus' uncle used to love writing in cards:

Be grateful for the Past, Live in the Present .... and leave the Future in God's hands ...

MANY blessings wished to all!

x

N

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Stamps Used: Delightful Dahlia (flowers); Beautiful Blooms (Sentiment); Turning a New Leaf (Leaves) - Papertrey Ink

Circle Stamp from "Custom Design Cardmaking Kit" - JustRite Stampers

Strictly CAS

Hi everyone!! :0) Did you have a wonderful Christmas? Did you get some awesome time off? Did you get spoiled?

We had a totally wonderful Christmas this year ... nothing outrageous, just quiet, slow and full of family. I'm sooooooo contented and happy :0) *SIGH*!

After Christmas there are always Thank You's that need to go out - and we're no exception! However, 3 of the tiddleywinks now have the flu :0( and I decided to go CAS for my thank you's (lots of CAS on the blogaroo lately isn't there? I'm sure the layers will return shortly!)

This mouse full ... full mouse is a thank you for some delicious Belgian Chocolates ... oh my word ... YUM!

This is for some Christmas music .... and I'm putting this one in at the Moxie Fab World - for their Strictly Stripes Challenge :0)  O.K. I know those banners are NOT strictly stripes, but they really did remind me of the challenge ... and maybe new goodies just work like that. We see all sorts of 'possibilities' (or is that rule bending?) in them that perhaps was never intended! LOL!

And this little chap is heading out to say thank you for some specialty teas ... TEA! Love it!

Thank you so much for stopping by! We're counting down to the New Year now - 2011 *whomp!* how on earth did that happen?

Have an awesome day! Big smiles - and HUGS!

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Stamps:

"Mouse Full" Card: Contented Mudpie - House Mouse Stamps; Mixed Thank You - Hero Arts

Banner Thank You: Williamsburg Alphabet - Technique Tuesday; Hyper Mouse - House Mouse Stamps; Banner Builder - Papertrey Ink

Mouse Tea: Feeling Rosy - House Mouse Stamps; Mixed Thank You - Hero Arts

Best Wishes to All!

Hello everyone - regular visitors, lurkers and 'just stopping by' peeps :0)

Some of you may remember this post which I did a while back .... well I wanted to share a gorgeous piece of Happy Mail with all of you!

Isn't that wonderfully elegant??? Opening up the envelope just took my breath away - what an absolutely beautiful card! This is indeed from Patty who has just blessed me more than I can say!

The embossing in those windows just gleams with light - stunning all the way through! I LOVE IT!

Patty - THANK YOU for such a wonderful blessing! I'm so tickled and touched it's hard to describe it adequately! Bless you!

And to everyone in blogland - many blessings to all of you too. This is a really slow, quiet and special time for our family and I probably won't be posting for a few days ... I wish everyone who is also celebrating the Christmas Season the *VERY* best - *many* blessings, *much* love from the people they love and *happy* memories of many kinds to treasure for always ...

x0x

N

Christmas Card

Just a quick post for a CAS Christmas Card. I love this stamp set and the beautiful Christmas sentiments it contains - but have been struggling with how to keep the focus simple.

The sparkling frame was created with my i-rock and the stamped images were all heat embossed with gold embossing powder.

In for a good week Peeps?? The hunkadorus has the week off - so I'm smiling .... (and one of the tiddleywinks is practising "Kiss the Rain" by Yiruma on the piano) so things here are pretty happy and mellow.

Many blessings wished for you too :0)

HUGS!

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Stamps: Silent Night - Papertrey Ink

Moxie Sweet

Hi Peeps! I haven't played in a Tuesday Trigger for eons it seems - and with this gorgeous pic up on the Moxie Blog this week, it couldn't wait any longer :0)!

Isn't it pretty??!

Cath very aptly name it "A Sweet Christmas" - it's sweet in every way!

I thought about this one for a while - and had visions of cupcakes and fairytales ....

....and then thought of Basic Grey's "Eskimo Kisses" paper line ...

Perfect! ;0)

I was one of the people who was really excited when Dawn's Vintage Ornaments came out in Dies this year - and haven't used them yet! Today was the day and the time was NOW!

The tree branch is heat embossed in silver on Soft Stone cardstock (love this together!) and I then shadow stamped the branch again with Smokey Shadow ink for a bit of depth ... the ornaments were die cut and then stamped and heat embossed too ...

I added the bling with a brand new toy :0) - an Imaginisce i-rock tool; just too much fun!

So there it is :0)  It's one of those projects that left me feeling really pleased - but lamenting the limitations of photography - with all that sparkle there is a lot more animation when you hold it in your hand!

Have an awesome day - and a fantabulous weekend! All your Christmas shopping done? Anyone getting crafty goodness... which perhaps they ordered for themselves ...this year?

Why would I ask a question like that ;0)!

Heee! Have a good one!

x

N

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Stamps:

Sentiment:Tree Trimming Trio - Papertrey Ink

Ornament Decorations: Vintage Ornaments Additions - Papertrey Ink

Tree Branch: Big Pine Bough - Hero Arts

A Sad Goodbye :0(

Hi Peeps - some of you may have noticed that my beautiful "Designing For" blinkie has disappeared ... and rather than leave you wondering, I wanted to share a few words about that.

When I was offered the DT position at Penny Black it was under the understanding that I was free to choose which images I worked with and that they would all be at my disposal.

Unfortunately there seems to have been a 'broken telephone' situation and that wasn't the case. My crafting choices were made for me - and the last items I received were going to require me to change my crafting style substantially - and move in a direction which I hadn't anticipated, and honestly didn't really desire to go.

My blog has been a place where I've enjoyed sharing my little crafty adventures with the world - complete with the freedom to say - "Ooooh love this stamp" ... or "This one didn't turn out quite the way I'd intended" .... (That only happens to me - right :0) ?  And sometimes even say things like "wish this sentiment was a bit bigger .... "!!

I wanted to keep that honesty and openess here - but if I was crafting with things I hadn't actually chosen (and in some cases wouldn't chose) and was struggling to feel confident with, it was going to be a conflict of interest for me - and end up not being fair to Penny Black either.

So I chose to go back into obscurity :0)

Penny Black has a gorgeous line of products - some just too jolly cute for words and I would have loved the opportunity to get to know the line a whole lot better. However, as things turned out, I don't think I was the person they needed to showcase the specific products they had in mind for me.

I do want to wish both PB and their DT all the very best. What a gorgeously talented group their DT happens to be!! I LOVED the time spent working with you all - thank you all so much for that blessing!

xxxxx

N

Case Your Favourite Challenge

Hi Peeps :0) They say that when you haven't crafted for a while - the best way to get back in is to case someone ... so THIS challenge at Wee Memories was just what I needed! The challenge is to case something you love - a favourite card, designer, layout ...

I have loved THIS card by Debbie Olsen ever since I saw it last year - and thought it would be a great CASE to try and get back into the feel of things here ...

This was my take:

The background papers are stamped ... and I added a bow for some festive cheer.

This little fellow is coloured with chalks and pencil crayons. Don't you love the sublime expression on his face? :0) (His name is Maxwell!)

And one toot, just before I leave - not for me but for Paper Maniac . I won a certificate to this store a few weeks ago - and just have to say that Patti was so amazingly fabulous to me! My order (which was so much fun to place - the store was full of brand new DP's :0) went out less than 24 hours after I put it in. It has now arrived - beautifully packaged with everything in perfect condition - and despite the fact that such a huge portion of my order was a GC - she actually spoiled me by not charging me shipping for it as well.  I felt so pampered and feel so grateful to her! THANK YOU Patti - I will definitely be back!!

And another note before signing off here - THANK YOU to all of the *sweet* people who have left me best wishes recently! I so appreciate your kindness! Things have started to improve - but I'm not up to any marathons yet :0)!!

BIG SQUEEZY HUGS TO ALL!

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ETA - I have just learned that House Mouse has a challenge blog - and that this card fits their latest challenge! So have decided to play it in there and look forward to seeing what the next challenge will be!

Stamps:

Santa's Little Helper - House Mouse Designs

Festive Foliage, Compliments of the Season, and Holiday Labels #14  - Waltzingmouse Stamps

Believe - Papertrey Ink

Hellooo???

Just a quick note - sorry to be absent at the mo!

I've ripped something in my back and it's most comfy lying down ... on one side ... propped up ... just so ... :0)

Just in case you were wondering! (And yes, the ink still calls! LOL!)

HUGS!

xxxx

N

Bling On The CAS!

O.K. Confession here -

1. I didn't buy this stamp set for Christmas cards at all .... but thought it had great potential for spring and baby cards :0)

2. Uninked stamps *CALL* to me :0)

So here it is, inked up in all its Christmassy glory ... and it *IS* so jolly cute I'm glad it didn't wait until spring after all!

Those little birdies have everyone in the house smiling at the mo ... :0)

Loads and loads of glitter and rhinestones on this - it sparkles up a storm IRL!

Still looks like I need a few lessons in photography here or else this card should go through the laundry - how else do you get your "whites whiter and your colours brighter"?? LOL!!

Heee - that was so corny :0) hope you're having a great day! It is SOOOOOO overcast here and has been so for most of the week (which is probably why bling and glitter look so good) - hope there is something in your day to make it sparkle!!

Hugs!

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Stamps : Framed, Signature Christmas, Merry Little Christmas - Papertrey Ink

ETA: These pics are new - spending some time on my back (see post above) was a good thing - I actually ready my camera's handbook :0)!!