It is that time again.....Christmas card season + JAI 95

Afternoon stampers,

Well it is almost the silly season again, so for us crafters that means making a start on our Christmas Card list and also handmade Christmas gifts.

Well i have made a start on my Christmas cards, and will be making a start on the gifts soon.

This week over at Just Add Ink they have a great challenge to make us all think out side of the box, which suits perfectly with what i wanted to do

Here is their challenge

JAI 95 - Bah Humbug!

We've been seeing lots of Christmassy entries lately and we thought we would go BAH HUMBUG! lol

This week's challenge is to make a Christmas project but with NO Christmas paper, NO Christmas images (Christmas sentiment allowed) and definitely NO chocolate .. oh, okay scrap that ... you can give us chocolate!  

This card was created using a Tea bag fold star, another version of this fold can be found in my previous post

This is one that i saw a while ago and had to give it a go, i do not know who's design it is, so please let me know if you know who did it so i can give them credit. 

this is another clean and simple one (minus black mark, thanks to my work desk), i have made up many of these in different colours and using a different stamp from the same set, i am giving some to my mum, so she can send them out to her friends

Well as i have been away from my desk for a few days, i had better get back to the growing paper pile.

Quality time in my craft room

Afternoon Crafters,

This morning i spent time in my craft room making a card a few cards, and also finishing off two ATC swaps i am involved with.

It felt great to sit there and craft until i decided i had had enough, i haven't done this in quite a while.

I will wait until i receive the ATC's from the rest of the group before i post the ones i made, to be fair on the groups, incase they peek.

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This is a case from the wonderfully talented Andrea Buckland,

I did put my spin on it, but i am not totally happy with it at all, it is amazing how we can hit and miss sometimes, i think this one is a miss, i did have my mum in mind, as it is her birthday tomorrow but i'm not so sure, now that it is finished.

I also finished a few christmas cards, 

This is one i remembered to take a photo of, i tried a few different things here, i stamped directly on to my ribbon, and also the tree is made using a teabag fold technique

Here is another one, i made this end of last week. 

I was asked to make for a friend of my son's girlfriend's birthday

Oh well i had better go back to the drawing board for a card for my mum's birthday tomorrow,

Oh on a final note, i was picked as one of the top three winners for last weeks Try Stampin on Tuesday's sketch,

Here is my badge

Have a great weekend

Try stampin on Tuesday #40

Morning Stampers,

It is once again that time of week, 

Try Stampin on Tuesday 

has released a new sketch, and it is a good one

Yesterday was my Brother-in-laws birthday, so i used this sketch to do a male themed card, i also got to ink up a new stamp, well it is not new i have had it for a while but it was yet to see ink.

This one isn't one of my finest pieces, there are many boo boo's

Next time i will have to lock the cat out of my office, as he always insists on a pat or cuddle just as sit down to create.

So go on over and have paly with this weeks new sketch

An extra special birthday card

Afternoon stampers,

Last month was my birthday, and this year as always i had a great time, but i wanted to take the time to show you all a special card handmade just for me.

Every year i make a couple of great kids a birthday card each on their special day, and this year Crystal decided to get her craft gear out and make me a card.

Crystal is 11 years old, and hasn't been making cards for very long.

I was speechless when i was handed this card, i love it

This is the front, 

Here is the inside

And she even decorated the back, compete with her "made by Crystal" mark

Didn't she do a great job, i have been sorting out some of my old stuff, and i have a  nice little pile to give her so she can go on and create more beautiful cards.

With xmas coming up i am thinking of having a crafting afternoon, where i can help her to make special little gifts for her family.

Now for the news on the home front.

Last Tuesday was a very hard day for me, it was the day i said goodbye to my 15yr old Daughter, Alana has gone to live in Australia with her Grandmother. The previous post explains why this all came about.

 There were a few tears at the departure doors, she even laid down a bet as we approached the doors.....as to who would cry first, then a very short time later she looked at me and said, "bugger it's going to be me". i managed to hold it together ...just, but then when her plane left the ground, i couldn't hold it back anymore and then for the rest for the day there were tears off and on, even now i find the tears building when i think of her so far away from home. Just writing this has tears falling.

I am missing her so much, i didn't realize just how much i still did for her.

But she is doing very well, she has just got her very first part time job, and is about to join up with the local surf lifesaving club, and is going to re-join with the scout movement, but the most important thing is she is happy and finally has a bit of piece within her mind, what more can a parent ask for.

Anyway i must go, i have a few cards to show you, so i will get around to posting these in the next few days or so, 

until then, take care and keep crafting