Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to all my family, friends and followers.

I know I've been missing for almost 3 weeks now! Like everyone else, I was so busy in the run up to Christmas...shopping, wrapping and writing, and since I finished work on Christmas Eve I've not had any time to just sit and write.

But I have to say, we've all had a lovely Christmas and enjoyed the company of good friends and family.

We've either had visitors or been out visiting every day and I'm starting to feel a little fatigued now. I've also been out with friends to see an Elvis impersonator...he was actually very, very good and if I was an Elvis fan then I'm sure I would've enjoyed it more, and I went to see West Side Story at the Palace theatre in Manchester with the hubster...now that was excellent!

I haven't set foot inside my craft room since the first week of December but I hope to get some playtime before I have to go back to work...I think it's going to need a good dusting first!

I hope everyone has enjoyed Christmas (and got lots of crafty stash to play with).

Wishing you a very Happy, Healthy and Blessed 2014, and many thanks for your continued support and friendship.

Love 'n'hugs

Totally Tilda Challenge ~ 87

Good morning my lovelies.

I'm sorry I've not been on here recently...more of that later, but I'm back today with a card for the new challenge at Totally Tilda. This will be the last challenge for this year. The theme we have is a nice and easy one for you, "Anything Goes" with an optional added extra of "recycling" if you so wish.

(sorry for the very wonky photo!)

Winter Tilda has been coloured with the usual DI markers.

The papers are Maja Design Vintage Frost basics and the little sentiment is cut from one of the sheets, as is the Finland postage stamp.

I set a good example and added some recycled bits to my card.

The diagonal strip of lace was on a Christmas gift I received last year, I just had to dampen it and iron it flat again. The Norway stamp at the top was peeled off a parcel of papers from Papirgleder and the blue button I snipped off my PJ's. (It's very considerate of clothing manufacturers to be so nice to us crafters and supply spare buttons with clothes...that is why they're put there, right?)

Plenty of glamour dust on Tildas muff and hat pom-poms, a few pearls and a bow made from 15mm Ivory satin ribbon.

There are 3 very generous sponsors for this challenge, please pop on over to the Totally Tilda blog to read all about it, and to see all the fabulous creations from my DT sisters.

So, as I said at the beginning, my apologies for not being on here lately.

We went away last weekend to see Hal in London, travelling down on the Friday and coming back home on Sunday. Hal took us to his favourite places, Camden Market, Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park, Covent Garden and a stroll along the Southbank. 

We had a fabulous time but my poor feet were throbbing!

This week I started my Christmas shopping...a tad late I know! I think I'll need to give up sleeping to get on top of everything before the big day arrives. I also bought Christmas cards because I haven't got any handmade ones to send! 

I was asked a while ago if I would donate some cards to the Christmas Fayre, to raise money for the Salvation Army and of course I said yes. I did think I would have plenty of time to make some more but I think someone's been stealing the months and wham bam before you know it...Christmas is almost here!

I just have a few more gifts to buy now, presents to wrap and cards to write...I need one of Santas Little Helpers please!

Thanks for looking.

Love 'n' hugs

Totally Tilda Challenge ~ 86

Good Morning my lovelies.

It's December 1st today...how on Earth did that happen? I guess I need to start thinking about Christmas!

I'm here today with my creation for the new Totally Tilda challenge. The theme for the next fortnight is

'Anything But A Card' and I chose to dress up a box.

Show the way Tilda has been coloured with the usual DI markers.

I used MFT dies to make the tag and the pretty little paper bow.

A punched snowflake, a couple of Doodlebugs jewels, and a sparkly diamante embellie complete the tag.

The box with an acetate cover is pre-made from Stampin' Up and it's held closed with 25mm satin ribbon tied into a big, fat bow and finished with a Sparkly button.

The box is filled with lovely ribbons from The Ribbon Girl in shades of purple.

Our generous sponsor for this challenge is...

Sir Stampalot

And the prize for one lucky winner is 2 Magnolia stamps.

Please pop on over to the Totally Tilda blog and check out all the amazing creations from my super talented DT sisters.

Thanks for looking.

Love 'n' hugs

Totally Tilda Challenge ~ 85

Good Morning my lovelies.

I'm back today with my card for the new Totally Tilda challenge, and we have a fabulous theme for the next fortnight...Buttons and Bows.

I loved making this card...all Princess Pink, girly and glittery.

I have no idea what this Tilda is actually called (no name on the packaging again) but to me she is called Princess Tilda. As always, she's been coloured with DI markers.

The gorgeous papers are Maja Design Sofiero.

Joy! Crafts Butterfly Border.

Sentiment from PTI on La-La Land Stitched Tabs.

The bow was made from 25mm pale fuchsia sheer ribbon with a button stitched onto the centre.

A few pearls and some Prima enamel dots.

Our lovely sponsor for this challenge is

Bunny-Zoe Crafts

And the prize is...

Please pop on over to the Totally Tilda blog and you can see the amazing cards made by all the other Tildarettes. 

I believe I can enter my card into the In The Pink challenge, where the theme is stitching, real or faux.

Thanks for looking.

Love 'n' hugs.

A Berry Merry Christmas

Good morning my lovelies.

Christmas is fast approaching and I'm getting in the spirit of the season...or rather I'm in panic mode as usual! It sure is true, the older I get and the quicker it seems to come around.

I think I've made 4 Christmas cards so far, I guess I'll be buying most of them again this year.

It's been another dark and wet day here and this was the best photo I could come up with, I just couldn't capture how sparkly it is in real life.

The gorgeous Berry is of course designed by Sylvia Zet and available to buy as a Digi or a Rubber stamp.

As usual she's coloured with DI's, mainly markers.

There's glossy accents on the berries to make them shine, and plenty of glamour dust on her ear muffs and boot tops.

The sentiment is from PTI.

The lush papers are again from Maria, a Christmas gift last year.

The bow is made from 15mm Satin Ribbon with a diamante snowflake in the middle, and there's die cut snowflakes on the edge.

Thanks for looking.

Love 'n' hugs

Totally Tilda Challenge ~ 84

Good Morning my lovelies.

Today we have a new challenge at Totally Tilda, and the theme for the next fortnight is

'Going Postal For Christmas'.

I never seem to get around to making many Christmas cards so this was a very welcome theme for me.

Just remember to use a post mark, postcard or postage stamp with a Christmas theme.

This little cutie is North Pole Tilda.

She's coloured with the usual DI markers, with lots of Glamour Dust on her gloves and hat, and 'Wink of Stella' pen on the little snowflakes around her...she's very twinkly in real life!

Papers are Pion Design 'Wintertime in Swedish Lapland'.

MFT Die-namics snowflake.

Ecru satin ribbon and a few pearls.

The circular post mark from Inkido was another gift from Maria last Christmas ♥

Our generous sponsor for this challenge is

The Ribbon Girl.

Please pop on over to the Totally Tilda blog and check out all the gorgeous cards from the other Tildarettes.

Thanks for looking.

Love 'n' hugs

Snowflake Garland

Good morning !

Oh how I needed that extra hour this morning. With Phil being away the last couple of weeks and Hal now being at Uni, I've been home alone and it's very quiet, so very quiet. And I can't sleep! 

I can't get to sleep and then I'm awake early...like 6am early last Sunday. I don't get up at that hour when I'm working, so I needed that extra hour in bed today.

There is a plus side to being home alone...less washing and ironing and less cleaning which only goes to prove what I already knew...that it's boys that make all the mess.

I was off work last week and I managed to get through most of the jobs I had planned and still had some play time :)

This is the gorgeous Snowflake Garland Marci.

As usual, she's coloured with DI's but all markers this time.

I love colouring Marci but I must try and colour her hair in a different shade, I always colour her blonde and I don't know why?

The papers were a gift last Christmas from Maria - thank you sweetie ♥

Ribbon is from the Ribbon Girl, Vintage Ivory Fluted Sheer and Ivory Satin Ribbon.

Lots of glamour dust on the snowflake garland, and on the chipboard snowflake.

Thanks for looking.

Love 'n' hugs