Off the starting block - It's Christmaaaaas!!!!!

Thought I'd share with you my first Christmas card, only took me two evenings (well one evening to lay it all out and a half an evening to stick it all down). Basically because I was on my own in the house this afternoon, so was left to concentrate without anyone saying 'what we having for tea' or the tele blaring out in my ear and my side table tucked up under my armpit whilst trying to craft, to avoid blocking someone's view of the tele (heaven forbid!!!!).  If you saw my crafting area in the corner of our lounge, by the tele, you'd know what I was up against!  

I had this card in mind when I bought the Tonic dies of the Stag and Sleigh, but at Alley Pally on Saturday saw a card on display that inspired me.  The original was similar but I embellished a little with the Sue Wilson Christmas Trees and the message is from one of Phill Martins' stamp sets.

When I started it I planned it as red and gold, but then it went to gold and purple, but then it ended up being all gold.  Nothing ever ends up being the same as the idea in your head does it?   

What I found amazing, is that us crafters spend loads of money on our crafting stash, must have the latest trends, can't live without them, I bought loads of stuff at Alley Pally last Saturday, spent loads of pennies (well pounds really but don't tell anyone!) , couldn't wait to get home and play and the first card I made was done by using stuff I already had!  Ironic really, lthough the stag die and sleigh hadn't been out of the packet since they arrived in the post in July!!!! Never mind I'm sure I'll get to use my other new stuff sometime or the other????

Ooh the one thing I did use from Alley Pally was the Starlight Paints from Imagination Crafts, these are amazing and I used them on the background to get the pink and gold shimmer, by using a brayer.  All good fun :)

Once again, thanks for popping by and don't forget to leave me a message to let me know you popped by (unless of course you're my bank manager......)

Take care and see you soon.  

49 years together and still going strong!

Just wanted to share a card that I've made for my Sister and Brother in law on their 49th wedding anniversary today.  Can't believe they've been together so long, but they do make a lovely couple and are two of the nicest people I know. 

I love making cards for either of them as they are always greatly received and my brother in law always takes my card as shows it to everyone every birthday (must really get on people's nerves, but they're always so polite!). However, sometimes it can be difficult trying to think of something different every time and this one was no exception.

I started making a card last week, got an idea in my head and wanted to use brown and cream, so made some flowers and laid the card out, using some spellbinder dies and my Nuevo glitter but it just didn't look right,  I kept laying it down, walking away and then going back to it but still wasn't happy.

Then one night, I was flicking through the TV channels (as everyone else had gone to bed and I had control of the remote (for once!) and came across Phill Martin (Creative Expressions) on the newish craft channel Hochanda.  He was making a Christmas card and I really liked it and suddenly thought I could do that as an anniversary card.  Hence the picture of the end result.  

Although I didn't have the stamps he had, and obviously don't think my sister and husband would have appreciated 'Merry Christmas' on their anniversary card (although it may have meant they would have got a Christmas card off of me, but that's another story!), I used what I had in my stash and hence the final result.  I was pleased with it and my sister and brother in law were delighted with it.  

Hope you like it too.  

Thanks for popping by, see you again soon.

Trudi