Well it's over for another year!

Christmas has come and gone and there is only the New Year left to celebrate. I do hope everyone had a great time. We were very quiet this year and it was rather nice - we had a leisurely breakfast and then opened our pressies - lots of smellies and chocolates (not good for my diet!)and my bessy mate came up trumps with some snowflake dies I have been licking the steam off for weeks (Big hugs to Kaz).

I felt a little let down by our Christmas Dinner - Barry persuaded me to forgo the usual turkey this year and he went out and bought a large joint of 21 day matured Sirloin beef. Don't get me wrong the beef was beautiful very tasty but I really missed the turkey with all the trimmings. Even the house didn't smell right none of the Christmassy smells coming from the kitchen - next year it will be back to the turkey - I will not be persuaded otherwise.

I haven't done any crafting although I have spent this morning tidying up my craft room as it looked like a bomb had hit it, there was Christmas stamps and paper all over the place. It looks a lot better now and ready for me to get stuck in. I have a few atcs to make as swaps but we are off down to London tomorrow to bring the New Year in at Barry's Mums so it will be next year (he he) before they get done.

So as I will not have access to the computer until 02 Jan when we get home again - I would like to wish all my Blog friends good wishes for the forthcoming New Year and I will be back blogging again in a few days.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY

Merry Christmas Everybody

I hope Santa is ready with a big bag of crafting goodies to fill my stocking tonight!!

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas Day tomorrow and eat loads of turkey, Christmas pud, drink loads of whatever is your favourite tipple and generally have a splendid time opening your Christmas pressys.

Cheers - Have a great Day.

My first Blog Award

I have just been sent a super Blog Award by the lovely Donna Thank you so much Donna. Donna's blog is an inspirational place - she is a very talented lady.

I've now got to tell you eight things about myself:-

1. My middle name is Margaret (named after my Mum's sister)
2. I've lost 45lbs in weight this year (still a long way to go yet!)
3. My favourite writer is Terry Pratchett - Nanny Ogg rules:-)
4. I have followed the American singer James Taylor since I was 14 years old.
5. My favourite holiday destination is California USA. So cool.
6. I love cruising and would happily retire on a cruise ship!
7. I hate snow and ice. I should have been born in a warmer climate.
8. I think Eddie Izzard is just so funny. He really makes me laugh.

So there you have it - nothing earth shattering.

The Best Laid Plans !!!!!!

What happened to all my plans I made for today! Well they all went out of the window. I was planning to spend the afternoon making some sweetie bags to take into work tommorrow instead of Christmas Cards.

After I had done the ironing first thing this morning I set things out on my work desk and filled and sealed all the bags with the Christmas sweets I had bought. The phone rang and it was my best buddie inviting us round for Sunday lunch, we couldn't refuse the chance of a great roast dinner and a catch up so off we went.

We have a really lovely time and gossipped to our hearts content. The meal was super and we finally made it home about 7pm. No time to finish off the sweetie bags tonight as I still had to catch up on Strictly which I had recorded last night - I don't think Pamela and James should have been knocked out! I off to watch the rest of the program - the bags will have to wait til tommorrow.

A Good Fairy came Calling.

I haven't had time to tell you but some kind person has returned my purse. I came in from work the other night and there it was on the door mat it had been pushed through the letterbox while I was out. I can only assume that they took my address off my Driving Licence which was also in there.

The money had gone but my cards were all there and so was the little gold dragonfly. As I said in my other post the only thing I wanted back was the little charm as I couldn't replace it and I'm so happy to have it back it meant so much to me. Needless to say I have removed it from my purse and I have put it in a much safer place.

I have had my faith restored in people is putting it mildly. It just goes to show you that the majority of people are good folk and although I will never know who brought it back I can only wish them a Very Happy Christmas with all my good wishes - they have my heartfelt thanks for their wonderful act of kindness.

Stampersue
X

A Lovely Surprise

I have two lovely surprises today - I found out I'm the winner of Hels first Tag Giveaway. Thank you so much Hels I shall treasure it.

Secondly I'm one of the three winners of Jennie's Snowman Blog Candy - Thank you so much Jennie. It's lovely to get some good news after the problems of Friday night!

I also think you should check out the new Letraset official blog as they are offering some great candy not one - not 2 but 10 packs of super Promarkers. Check it out - it runs until 06 Jan 11. They also are promoting their new Letraset website - check it out. We all love promarkers and a girl can never have too may - can they!

There are some mean people out there!!!

To say I'm a bit fed up is putting it mildly. When I got back from shopping last night I realised that somebody had nicked my purse as I came out of the supermarket. I packed my shopping and as my hands were full of bags I tucked my purse in my coat pocket as I have done a hundred times but by the time I had got through the crowds back to my car my purse had gone. I retraced my steps and left my name with customer services in case some kind person handed it in but it has not turned up. Whoever took must have been really fast as I never felt a thing - ain't it a bitch!

Now there was not a lot of money in it about £30.00 but it's all the other things - all my bank cards and my credit card and a little gold dragonfly charm that had belonged to my mum (no monetary value but unreplaceable).I have cancelled all my cards and will have to wait 4-5 days for replacements which has put all my Christmas Shopping on hold - that's a bit of a problem to say the least!

So dear friends take care of your purse when you are shopping not everyone is honest as I found to my cost.

Graphicus - A Sad Day

I was just blogging around this evening and I jumped onto Glendas' Blog only to read with great sadness that Graphicus have gone into voluntary liquidation. I had some great days out to Graphicus and they will be sadly missed not only by me but by a loyal band of customers and supporters. I do hope that Glenda and Adrian manage to salvage something out of this and I wish better things for them in the New Year.

Another post - More Christmas Cards

Another post - this must be a record for me.

Barry decided he was cooking so I left him to it and sneeked upstairs to the craft room. I managed to complete several more Christmas card using the same freebie stamp that I used earlier today but these are a slightly different. I really love this stamp it is so stylish and so easy to colour - I used copic pens in 3 different shades a dark tone, a mid tone and a light tone. The greeting is an embossing folder but it hasn't photo'd very well. I'm off to watch the ABBA special. See you later.

 

Beautiful Afternoon

It was a lovely afternoon here in Morecambe and Bazzer suggested a trip up to the Lakes as the sun was shining. We decided to drive to Windermere but it the first time we arrived without actually seeing the the lake as it was shrouded in a mist coming off the water - it was rather ethereal and strangely beautiful. We got the chain ferry at Ferry Nab and crossed the lake it was really strange the photo really doesn't do it any justice.

 

We then decided to head for Coniston Water and stopped for a wonderful hot chocolate at the Bluebird Cafe on the water's edge. The scenery was beautiful and the snow added to the pleasure of the afternoon drive.

 

More Candy!!

I forgot to post this yesterday - I received a lovely parcel from Shazza at craftyscot.blogspot.com my name had been picked out for her birthday candy draw - all sorts of lovely crafty stash -thanks Shazza and I'm looking forward to playing with it all.

Another Week Flies Past

What happened to last week! If anybody knows please let me know. Lol. Christmas is galloping up and I'm frantically making Christmas cards - last year I said I would make 10 cards a month so I set off and I managed until July then it went downhill and I didn't manage anymore until a couple of days ago. Ah well the best laid plans!!.

This card is made with freebies. The beautiful background paper is a Christmas Party giveaway on the Graphicus Blog and the stamp was a giveaway with Craft Stamper last month which was designed by Glenda at Graphicus (she has also designed a whole sheet of rubber stamps that complement this one). It is very simple but I love it and have used it for all the next batch of cards I have just started. Thanks Glenda.

 

This is another simple card using mu embossing folder for the background and the MS Snowflake punched through and clear adhesive tape (sticky side out) and then sprinkled Glamour Dust over the top to add a lovely sparkle.

 

Might be back later time allowing. Bye for now.

Prairie Fairy Returns to Blogger

Prairie Fairyhas posted some fabulous candy to 'Spread the Word' about her return to Blogger - just check it out some great prizes on offer. Candy closes 24th December.

Fairy Fun Fridays is now back at Blogger too

I Usually Can't Win an Argument

Many thanks to the lovely Carol over at her great blog Somethinggonemissing = she drew my name out on her recent blog candy draw and it arrived today. A super box full of great goodies for me to add to my stash.

Thank you very much Carol.

Another Weekend Flies Past

Well the weekend has just flown past and it's bacl to work tomorrow:-(

Hope everyone is ok in this cold snowy weather. Athough it is bitterly cold here we have only had a really light dusting of snow unlike the NE and Scotland.

I haven't been out of the house today but I have been quite productive in the craft room - I finished off all the atcs I started the other day they are all the same and I haven't posted any on here as they are like the winter atc I posted last week. I then went on to wrap up some things I am sending to my friends in the US and I made some quick gift tags to attach I took a quick photo of them.

 

Do you like penguins? These little fellows are an Art Impressions stamp which I painted using Sparkling H2O's mica paints and simply mounted on paper from my stash. I used Distress Inks on the edges of the paper to soften the edges. I think they are so cute great fo making a quick card.

 

Barry has decided that the craft room has to be renamed The Forge as I spend so much time in there banging and clattering about. He says that he didn't know that card marking was such a noisy hobby. Lol We what he didn't realise that the hammer is an intergral part of my craft kit usually used to knock the drawer front back on after I have pulled if off - I don't know my own strength sometimes:-)

Something a little different today

Hello all

I thought I'd show you something a little different in this post.

Here it is I'm showing off some of the beading I have been doing and I have finally managed to finish this necklace. I think the pattern is called a Dutch Spiral and I used cream seed beads, gold seed beads and some lovely glass pearls. I chose the colours to go with a new jacket and matching top I bought - this is one of the things I love you can tailor your jewellry to match anything. I usually buy my beads from Empire Beads they usually have special offers on every week and the delivery is usually very quick.

 

 

I had a busy evening yesterday, I worked up a real glitter storm and made half a dozen cards with glittered snowflakes - there was glitter everywhere even Max the cat had a light dusting all over his head. I then went on to make some ATCs to send to the US but I have still to finish them off - that's a job for the weekend. Have a good evening.

Trip to the Vets :-(

Poor Max the cat is in the wars again he is causing the problem himself not fighting with other cats. A couple of weeks ago he developed a patch of eczama on his back by his tail it was fairly small so we thought it would go as quickly as it arrived. Well it would have done apart from Max - he decided to chew it off and what a mess he has made - he now has a raw patch the size of a 50p and he won't stop cleaning it so the wound doesn't get chance to dry up. Anyway as is showed no signs of healing we whisked him off in the car to the vets and came away with antibiotics, antihistamines and a large bill. We are on bread and jam for the rest of the week and Max will rattle as he has 3 tablets in the morning and 3 in the evening.

I used one of my old favourite Penny Black Stamps to make this Christmas card that I am going to enter in to the Penny Black Saturday Challenge. I use two Cuttlebug embossing folders to create the background and stamped the image onto some paper I sprayed with tattered Angels Glimmer Mist. I used Stickles on the berries and mounted onto Green Mirror board. I cut three snowflakes out of green mirror card using my Sizzix dies and added a MS Snowflake which I glittered with Glamour Dust to the centre of each one. The green spot paper was from my stash. The photo isn't very good as I couldn't catch the shiny mirror card surface

 

A Couple of Wintery ATCs

Happy Weekend everyone - why do the weekdays drag and the weekends fly past? I have so much to do this weekend and so little time to fit it all in - Jamie is still with us (my one son tornado) he is going back to the Isle of Man on Sunday so there is no point in trying to tidy up the lounge as he has taken it over! So today it's ironing and shopping but first before I start the marathon iron just time for a sneaky blog and post a couple of atc's I made last week.

They are both Penny Black Stamps and I just love the images on both of these, I feel that you don't have to do very much to either of these. So a touch of Stickles glitter and when that is dry top off with a dash of Glossy Accents to give a little dimension to the atc and you are finished

 

 

If I get time today I am getting out the colouring pens - I have just downloaded Anki's Xmas Treat Santa's Helpers for free which is a really cute image - I'm not usually into cutesy but this is so sweet I couldn't resist . Go and have a look I have put a link to her blog

Oooohhh Super Candy from Wee Memories

I'm not sure I should share this as I want to win this fantastic candy at Wee Memories Blog but I have to share it with everyone. So go and check it out before 30th November and good luck.

Is it just me

I am just feeling a little frustrated with the internet - it is running really slow and I don't know what's the matter with Google - I think all the world and his wife must be on-line. So I admit defeat and I'm off to watch The Apprentice and wait for Bazzer to get back from London. It looks like the treatment in London is on the cards - he phoned me before he got on the train home.

On another note I have just got a real accommodation bargain - my big brother is comming over to visit just before Christmas and he asked me to book him into a local hotel for a couple of nights. I managed to get him into the Best Western for £35.00 a night booking with Booking.com. Good or what:-)

By the Way - I think Stuart on the Apprentice is a prize pillock.

How Long Since My Last Post!

I can't believe it's over a week since my last blog - how bad is that! Life is a bit frantice at the moment - Bazzer has his first appointment with the Specialist in London so we might know a bit more after Wednesday. I spent the weekend making and sending out ATCs for UK Stampers Group I belong to - and I hold my hand up I got a bit behind with my ATC's but the good news is I have caught up and posted out all the books complete wih my ATCs. I just have to make some thankyou booklets and the job will be a good one!

I have made the card below to enter LOTV Challenge Blog Challenge 73.
Also Just Magnolia Challenge Blog
Passion for Promakers Challenge Week 77

 

 

Busy Weekend

What a busy weekend I have had. Yesterday was so hectic - I managed a quick trip to Hobbycraft yesterday morning but I can't brag about my bargains as I didn't get any! Most disappointing but I supose there will always be another shopping trip to look forward to. Anyway Baz decided we should have a drive up to the Lakes and enjoy the beautiful scenery. I was so taken with the Autumn colours that I forgot to take my camera out and capture their beauty but I did manage to snap some beautiful fells in their seasonal beauty.

I spent the evening enjoying my Rubber Stamp Madness Magazine that arrived in the post - I really love looking throught this US Magazine. I only get two mags regularly RSM and Craft Stamper. I feel they are the ones that suit my Craft/Stamping Style whatever that is:-)

 

 

Now I have had a busy crafting day today and have managed to make this autumn card that will be winging it's way to one of my US penfriends - I got two more this week that makes 12 all over the USA - I really enjoy writing letters and receiving them - we all exchange cards, ATS and all sorts of bits & pieces that fit in and envelope.

Anyway back to the card I used a brass stencil and coloured it using pastel chalks throught the stencil. I then used translucent stencil paste over the stencil and although you can't see it very well it has raised the surface of the pumpkins giving it a lovely glossy finish.

I have enter this card in CES Challenge Blog

 

I then went on to make some sweetie treat bags - I have a friend who is organising a stall next week at a local WI Christmas Fair and she was asking if I had any ideas for some child friendly bits to put on her table - I took myself of to Lidl and purchased some Christmas Haribo sweets and some Father Christmas chocolates and made some mixed sweet bags that I hope will be ok. If not I will take them to work and give them out instead of Christmas Cards!

 

Just a little birthday card

 

Well the visit to the dentist was ok - I was worrying about nothing I didn't have to have a thing done. Not even a scale and polish in fact he complemented me on my oral hygiene:-)

I have made a birthday card today to practice my copic colouring skills and I really enjoyed colouring this little fella in unfortunately I can't tell you who made the rubber stamp as it was an image I got at a class I attended during the summer. Let me know what you think. I'd love to read your comments.

Oh no - Dental Appointment tomorrow :-(

Image via Wikipedia

I have just had a horrible thought - I've got a dental appointment tomorrow afternoon. I really hate going but it has to be done. I have been really lucky and I haven't had to have any work done for the past three years but I suspect that that will change as I think I need at least one filling. When I was a small child my mum took me to the dentist - well I call him that loosely - he was a bit of a butcher really and he just had no patient skills at all. Needless to say thanks to the appalling treatment he metered out to me it left me with an everlasting fear of the dental chair! I know I won't sleep well tonight!!!

Dark Mornings:-(

Its blowing a hoolie and raining cats and dogs this morning - what joy! I hate these winter months when it is dark when you get up and dark by 4.30 in the afternoon- I think we should give up this turning the clocks back - it's crazy.

Anyway just a quck post before I head off to work - a quick Christmas Card I made last week - the reindeer is an All Night Media stamp and the holly swirl background is an Inkadinkadoo stamp that I found in a 50p bargain box at Topaz Crafts during the summer - it is lovely I can see me using this lots and lots..

Better go or I will be late for work! Have a good day.

 

Sorry I meant to say I am entering this card in the Allsorts Challenge Blog
but I was at work when I filled in Mr Linky with my details and my blog was locked out because of restricted internet use at work:-( Anyway pop over and have a go the theme is gold, cream and a hint of red.

I am also entering this card in Sir Stampalot Challenge - on Christmas Traditions

Happy Halloween

I carved two more pumpkins today both of them on a cat theme as you can see although not too clearly in the second photo - I know I should have used the tripod but I was in a rush and it was upstairs.
 

 



and this what became of the flesh of the pumpkins. I cooked it then blitzed in the blender and made Pumpkin Bread and two trays of pumpkin and chocolate brownies to take to work tomorrow. It will be interesting to see what they make of it as I haven't made this before but it was a Martha Stewart recipe I came across and thought it would make a change to try something different.
 
 




We had lots of Halloween visitors and the sweetie bucket is much depleted. Everyone commented on the carved pumpkins and seemed to like them. Now it's over for another year time to pack away the Halloween stamps. By the way some of Tim Holtz Halloween Dies and embossing folders are on half price offer at the Sizzix website for how long I don't know!

This Years' Pumpkins

Here are the carved pumpkins we made last night. Much hilarity was had by all. We all said how easy it is carving pumpkins - when we were younger (in the dim and distance past) how we used to get blisters on our hands scooping out swedes. Pumpkins were too exotic for our childhood.

 

The Howling Wolf is my contribution and Jan carved the wonderful Sorcerer's Cauldren - it was really funny Jan kept humming the music from Fantasia - the Sorcerer's Apprentice all night.

 

The Jack'o'Pumpkin was carved by Pat - how scary is that wouldn't like to meet him on a dark night, and Emily carved the fantastic Haunted House (just look at the amazing detail).

I still have one pumpkin to carve but I will be make pumpkin cake with the flesh. That's a job for tomorrow.

I See No Ships or White Birds!

This was taken last Sunday on the promenade at Morecambe - Bazzer had seen some strange white birds on the beach when he was on his morning bike ride so we had to go and investigate them. Needless to say when we got there they had disappeared there was plenty of gulls, terns dunlins, and eiderducks but no strange white birds - my theory is he needs to start wearing his glasses more ! lol He is so vain he refuses to admit that his eyesight is no longer 50/50 and squints at everything which is not a good look at his age.

 

Here are the last of my Halloween cards and I must check the card next time as this card did not like my Copic Pens and made them dry real funny as you can see. It made the ink go blobby and didn't soak into the fibres of the card - most peculiar. I love these cat stamps I bought it when we were last in Las Vegas and I went to a Rubber Stamp Convention - happy holidays - would love to go back. Big sigh! The stamp company is Sparkle'N'Sprinkle and was a half sheet of unmounted stamps With a Scarecrow and some pumpkins this link will take you to their blog check it out!
 
 

No Time To Craft:-(

Well peps it's been all go this weekend andI have nothing new to show you. Baz has kept busy as we had to clear our the dining room as the new flooring will be arriving this week. Hurray at long last we will have comfort under foot. It's been a long time getting sorted but we are just about there.

We had to clear out the dresser and we had a real giggle when we came across lots of long forgotton photos even some of our wedding day - gosh we were so young I was a child bride I was only 19 lol. Lots of pictures of my mum & dad. Happy memories. Better go Roast beef dinner shouting my name.

Bizzy Becs New Store Blog

Theres a super new blog on the blogosphere Bizzy Becs Store Blog dash along and say hi. Some really nice candy on offer.

Crafters Companion SWALK Blog Hop

Pop along to Crafters Companion Blogspot and take part in their super blog hop - there is a great gift voucher of £50 to be won.

Remember you got to be in it to win it
Stampersue

Halloween is on it's way.

 

Here's the first of the Halloween cards I have made this year. The skeleton and the bats are Sizzix Dies, I love the bats they are so cool I'm wondering if I can fit them into my Christmas cards lol

I have entered this into Crafty Catz Halloween Challenge and
I have also entered this into the Halloween Challenge at craftfairy.blogspot.com

Pumpkin Disaster

Image via Wikipedia

I got a great pumpkin last week from Morrisons and proudly brought it home - it was given pride of place on the breakfast bar where is would remain until the Pumpkin Party where it be transformed with a few swift knife cuts into the main feature of my Halloween decorations.

Imagine my horror when this morning I glanced at it as I walked past into the kitchen and there was a huge mouldy patch on the side of my perfect pumpkin. Back to Mossers and they were very good and actually gave us another one and some money back - no quibbles. Later we went shopping in Booths and their pumpkins are cheaper and bigger - so we bought another. So I now have two pumpkins to carve. Lots of pumpkin cake this year mmmmm lovely!