Merry Christmas to you all

At last I have finished making and delivering my Christmas cards for this year.  Here's a pic of the last card that I have made for this Christmas.  I really like the style of this card - made by sticking together 2 square cards to create a square tri-fold card, then I trimed about an inch off the base edge so that it didn't stick out too far - so simple to do but it creates a different look (and also solves the problem of top folded cards not standing up properly).  I think that I'll be making a few more of this style in the New Year. 

Merry Christmas to you all - have a great time!!!

Ruby bear

Here's Ruby - I finished her a few weeks ago but only just realised that I haven't put a photo of her on my blog.  She is made from some very soft and velvety fabric, recycled from an old table cloth.  Ruby was made as a little momento for my parent's Ruby Wedding Anniversary and she is now happily living in my mother's dolls house!

Anyway, Secret Santa teddy (see below post).  My parcel was chosen by one of the best teddy makers in our group - her work is stunning.  I hope that she likes the new addition to her bear hug.  I have my Sectret Santa parcel under the tree, eagerly awaiting to open it on Christmas day.  Had an obligatory squeeze of the parcel but I can't guess - feels like a small box with something squidgy on top - I'm still a small child at heart!

Secret Santa

Hi Bloggers, here's a couple of photos of my latest Crafty Creation.  It is a miniature teddy bear that I finished sewing this morning.  He is for a Secret Santa gift for one of the lovely ladies at the teddy making group that I go to every week.  As it is a teddy class, the Secret Santa gift has to be teddy bear related.  I have bought a teddy bear mug and I am going to pop him inside as an extra surprise.  He is made from a pale grey cashmere fabric and he is from a pattern that I got from a teddy making magazine.  I had a bag of steel shot delivered this morning, so his tummy is stuffed with a little bag of shot, making him a nice, weighty bear to hold.

Here he is in my hand - I think that this photo gives a better perspective of his size.  I haven't named him, I'll leave that job up to his new owner.  Hope they will like him!

Mom's birthday card

Here is the card that I made for my mom's birthday - which was on Sunday (the day after my birthday).  December is always a very expensive month in my family! 

I've used the Crafter's Companion Popcorn bear stamp again, and watercoloured it with Whispers craft pens.  I am enjoying watercolouring again recently - haven't stamped and watercoloured for a number of years.  New techniques are great, but I sometimes think that it's good to go back and revisit some old favourites.  All of the other bits and bobs are by Papermania and the border punch is by Woodware. 

I add extra glitter to the flower since taking the photo - which gave it extra sparkle. 

My mom loved the card but she loved the purple leather jacket that I bought for her present even more!

My birthday

Yesterday was my **th birthday and I had a fab day.  I had some great presents and some beautiful cards.  The card shown above was made by my lovely son - he is 9 years old and really enjoys card making with me.  I wasn't allowed to stay in the room when he was making this card though.

This card was made by my crafty friend MissyB - she's used a Pollycraft image, don't know what paper she used but it is brown, pink and very sparkly.  It is always nice to receive a hand made card because I know the love and hard work that goes into each and every one.  Big thanks MissyB!

My family spent the day at Birmingham Christmas market and craft fair.  I have never seen sooo many people!  The stalls were full of wooden toys, jewellry, bags, hats and scarfs. 

I wanted everything but came home with a Swarovski crystal bracelet, purchased with some of my birthday money. 

There were a huge selection of food stalls.  The boys had frankfurters and I had a box of yummy Chinese noodles - they sampled the noodles and had to have a box of those too!!! 

I shall definitely go back to the fair next year, but I'll try and choose a less busy time, next time.

Just admiring the sparkle of the Swarovski's as I type!!!