Getting sooooooooo excited!!......

about the start of the December daily project!! I am not a big journaling person, so for me this is not about what I will write as much as what I will record in pictures and ephemera too! I am a big collector of bits and pieces and I am sure this album will turn into a set of books or I will have to find enormous book rings!!last year I completed Shimelle's 'scrap your day' challenge where I photographed the 26th day of the month for a year and I liked the result. This year, I bought the Making Memories calendar again ready to complete my own version - a photo collage of snaps from each month with one or two items of journaling along the way. This will chronicle the whole year. As I completed Shimelle's project in March, bizarrely this will start in April 09 and go through to April 2010. Anyway, tonight I have been printing off my photo collages for April right through to November!! Just need to track down the album again now!!! Anyone seen it???? Today we finally got around to Barney's Christmas card photo shoot! I bought him a squeaky teddy in The Range the other day so I decided, in the absence of any fancy dress outfit, we would make one with that! Here are the best one's:I then nipped on to the Picnik photo editing site to enhance it with a Rudolph red nose and add some snazzy text! A quick edge with my photo editing programme and we are ready to roll!I have to tell you the little teddy is awaiting repair on the sewing table as the back seam did not withstand the squeaking Barney was giving it!! Lol!

Last night we wrote the 'bought' Christmas cards, (dare I say that???) so today, I really need to finish the hand made ones! You may think it is early, but with hubby's birthday next weekend, my sisters the week after, and DS1's the week after that, we like to get these out of the way early so we can carry on focusing on birthdays!!! TFLx

P.S. You will be please to here, I bagged a Studio Calico add on! Not so pleased that my stash delivery of last month's kit still did not arrive yesterday!! Bought a new bedroom TV though!!

700 post RAK!

Can you believe it??? I am on post 700???? When I started back in December 2007, I was not sure I would keep up my daily blogging but I almost have!! Give or take a holiday here and there!! I have decided to have a RAK to celebrate, as I did at the end of the Christmas countdown last year. I am giving away one of my little easels that I have made for my Etsy shop that display a 12 x 12 page. If you would like a chance to win one, then please leave a comment on this post saying which project you liked best in this years Christmas countdown and I will draw a number using Random.org next Sunday! Good luck!

Roses are green?????!!!

Well, in my case they were! I think this was my favourite class from the recent UKs cybercrop by Pam (aka Wombat) and Angel Crafts. The original class had a wedding photo on it to compliment the roses, and I had this wedding photo of mum and dad waiting to be scrapped! I decided (as usual) to take a vintage theme! I used Cosmo Cricket as my backing paper and the roses were made from Pink Paislee "charming" paper. Add in a Prima Chrystal swirl and some other bits and bobs and I even did a bit of quilling!! Ink all the edges with an olive green ink pad and the vintage look is complete. A couple of bits of lace and a couple of punch out butterflies and the job's a carrot!!! Just loved making those roses! although we were supposed to have more on the page!!

Right, better get off, going out to buy a new bedroom telly! TFLx

Job's for today list!

(One of my layouts from the recent UKs cybercrop. Those tiny rolls of paper all down the left hand side, make this very 3D. The checked fabric adds texture too. Basic Grey Wassail papers.)

To Do List:

Barney's Christmas card shoot - very late I know and no outfit yet!!

Last weeks ironing done

This week's ironing done

Upstairs cleaning (Got totally sidelined last week due to DS1's washing and ironing mountain from Uni!) some of it done

Walking the dog done

Listing things on eBay done

Studio Calico subscribers reveal 5pm done

DS2 Haircut after school 5.15pm done

Cook something for tea done

Ok, I can't see any crafting on there???? Yesterday was lost to the queen as I ended up taking DS2 into town for his Tap exam at ten and did not get back until 2, then did a quick processing of washing and drying and walked the dog, before nipping off to school for a two hour twilight meeting!!! Fortunately hubby had managed to follow the pasta recipe to the letter, so tea was on the table when I got in, but after tea, everything went to pot! I was so cold, I ended up getting into bed at 8.30 with the electric blanket on and next thing I know it's nearly midnight!!! Well, I must have needed it!! At least I was not sickening for something, as this morning I feel fine!

I set off yesterday with scrapping in mind, taking my camera into town as we have a German Christmas market this year, but I never got to it!! I spent ages in TK Maxx and Debenhams trying to get a few presents sorted. It is hubby's birthday next week, so thought I had better pull my finger out and get something quick!! (If he is reading this, which he does from time to time) don't panic!! It's sorted!! Lol!

Did I tell you I managed to blow up the bedroom telly??? No? Well that was something!! On Saturday night, I retreated to the bedroom due to "wall to wall" match of the day down stairs and suddenly, part way through my program, there was a flash and a bang and the telly went off and then there was a strong smell of burning plastic!!! I suppose it is an old telly and we can't grumble, we have decided it was about 14 years old, not bad these days for an appliance!!! I know how old it is, because it was the replacement for a telly that DS2 broke when he was only 18 months old!!! Yep! That's true too! Another funny story! (This post is turning into a Ronnie Corbett monologue again!!) DS1 had done his first day at school and he had been sent a first day at school card by grandma. I placed it on top of the telly and DS2 decided he wanted a closer look. He must have pulled himself up and the telly on the shiny mahogany video cabinet, went flying and the tube smashed on the floor! How DS2 did not get hurt I will never know! Anyhow, that was how I know when we bought this telly as it was the insurance replacement!

Ok, rambling over, I know how you have all missed these real life posts! Not!!! I can put it off no longer, Ironing here I come!

Updated at 7pm!

Pen drives wash at 40 degrees!!

I know this for a fact, because in the mountain of washing that accompanied my son home from Uni this weekend, was a pen drive in his jeans pocket that has been "missing for ages" apparently! I was just about to iron it when I discovered it and spent an anxious few moments wondering if he had all his work backed up!! Fortunately for me, unlike phones that can't swim, flash drives apparently can!! Another delight for me this weekend was the three day old wet football kit that was in a knotted carrier bag that had started to grow mould!! Due to his lack of funds, he had been unable to afford a washing machine this week and so had just brought it home!!! Well , I have to say it's not as bad as his mate who has not washed his bedding since his mum put the sheets on, on September 20th! Well, the Christmas countdown is over for another year! Can't believe how quickly that has gone!! I have a few extra projects that I will be sharing with you over the next few days. What else have you missed? Well, there was a cybercrop over at UKs and I only had chance to do a few layout classes as I was a bit heavily committed that weekend including my first ever craft fayre!! I had a great time at the craft fayre and it was interesting to see what was popular and what I have still got left!! I also wrote one of my funny poems, for a friend who has undergone reconstruction surgery after her mastectomy and posted a hilarious account of her fitting for a new nipple! Yes that is true and she wanted a poem to accompany her page!! I admire her spirit, scrapping her journey! I will ask her permission before sharing it here!

So back to normal posting for me! Still some craft work to do before Christmas!! TFLx

Project 25 - Biscuits for Santa!

Well, can you believe it, here we are at project 25 of the Christmas countdown, twenty five projects in twenty five days! I did worry when I started it again this year that I had committed to a lot of work, but I have enjoyed it all!! I hope you have too! Needless to say, just like last year, there are a few extra projects that will be appearing in the next few days, that did not quite make the top 25! I have tried to make it more varied this year and included crafts at various levels and abilities. I would also hope, that with my instructions, you could give any one of these projects a shot!! Christmas and it's preparations, still remains my favourite time of year, we feel stressed and under pressure, but somehow, we get there in the end! I am really looking forward to filling in my December daily album with you throughout the month and hopefully we can compare notes and ideas! So let's get cracking with the biscuits for Santa!

You will need:
Ready made ginger heart biscuits (mine were from IKEA)
Silver spoon Ready made Royal icing mix (just add water!) It is stronger than glace icing.
Small piping bags (I made them from a cone of greaseproof paper)
Star nozzle and straight nozzle for writing
Narrow gingham ribbon/Christmas ribbon
Cellophane
Small red sleigh bells (Paperchase)
Twine
Tiny Attacher
Scotch magic tape

1. Mix up the royal icing according to the packet instructions, make sure it is not too runny or it will not pipe easily. Pipe stars around the edges of the biscuits and write simple words in the centre of each one e.g. Santa, Ho, Ho, Ho, Noel, Joy, Peace etc Leave to dry overnight.
2. Cut a piece of cellophane roughly A4 size, turn under 1cm along one edge and crease. Fold in half to find the mid point and crease lightly on one edge only (like we did here.)
Roll around into a cone around this mid point, making sure it is a point at the bottom of the cone. Secure with Scotch magic tape.

3. Thread the heart biscuits on to a length of ribbon and knot. Place two biscuits, back to back and slide into the cellophane cone. Turn down the top point of the open cone and secure with more Scotch tape. Fold back each corner at the top and secure with tape.
Thread a sleigh bell on to a piece of twine, knot securely and staple to the cellophane, using the tiny attacher.

Have these biscuits at the ready to leave out for Santa on Christmas Eve or hang them on the tree! If they last that long! A great little gift for any child. Not suitable for the under 3's as the sleigh bell is small.

A friend has made an arrangement of these biscuits, some scented hearts and a few hand made tags on some twisted willow sticks in a vase and made a stunning table centre!! Great perfume too! I use them to adorn my garland on the mantle piece in the lounge! I love the smell!

December Daily album - Day 25

This page is made from a large envelope, the one's that take a piece of A4 paper flat!! I folded it in half and kept it in one piece. I punched hole in the fold using the Cropadile, after I have covered it on all sides with patterned paper. It will be good to arrange photo's from the big day!!

In case I fancy carrying on after Christmas, I have added a few extra pages, maybe to add some special gift tags to or Christmas cracker jokes or even my thank you letter list! Who knows??!!

This page has an old leaflet from a parlour game that I have covered in patterned paper and I may use it to list the gifts I got this year!! Stash, stash and more stash, hopefully! Lol!

Thanks for playing along, and here's to the next Christmas countdown in 2010!!! Lol!

Project 24 - Coasters - teacher gift

I have to admit these are not a new idea, I have made them before on this blog, in fact it was my son who made them first here, however it suddenly struck me what a fab teacher gift they would make!! Take care with your laminating, she says, who managed to laminate one of these to the rollers on my machine and spent the next hour and a half taking it apart!!! If you put in something small, use the carrier sheet that comes with your machine!!! Lol!!

You will need:
MDF blanks in circles or squares
Paint dabber
Hot laminator
Laminating pouches
Patterned papers
Felt or similar for backing to coaster
Heavy duty double sided tape (DIY store)
Dark Brown ink pad

1. Using the paint dabber, paint the edges of your MDF blanks and leave to dry for a few minutes.
2. Choose your background papers and draw around one of the coasters as your template, cut out. Choose elements from other patterned papers and arrange a couple of things on the surface of the mat to see what works. Keep the layers minimal (or the laminating pouch wont go through the machine easily later on.) Ink any edges if required and hold in position with a small amount of tape. 3. Place the backing paper circles inside a laminating pouch and pass the pouch through the laminator to seal.

4. Cover the surface of the coaster with the heavy duty double sided tape, trim with a craft knife. Line up the laminated cover carefully and place on the double sided tape. You only get one shot at this so be accurate!!!!

5. On the reverse of the coaster repeat the process, this time using a circle of felt or cork paper. Ink the edges of the coaster with the dark brown ink pad to disguise any slight inaccuracies.

Great, simple teacher presents and very useful too! What about adding photo's or names or funny phrases? Possibilities are endless!

December Daily - Day 24

This is the pouch side of the photo wallet. I tucked the flap inside the wallet and then added several pages for photographs, made from black album pages. Some of them had patterned paper on and some have pleated ribbon under the edge. Lots of space here for Christ,as eve pics!!!

Pop by tomorrow for our final crafting project of the countdown to Christmas!!! Doesn't time fly when you are having fun!! TFLx