Monday Musings

There is only one thing on my mind at the moment CHRISTMAS! It is just inconceivable that on Wednesday it will be December. It's all very exciting but I know for me there will be very little chance of getting anything done once the schools break up. That means exactly 3 weeks from today I need to have :

• Bought/made and wrapped all my presents
• Planned what we will eat over the holidays and bought all the non-perishable items
• Bought/made all the fillings for the advent calendar (I can't even find it at the moment!)
• Completed and sent all my Christmas cards
• Found the tree ready to put up all the decorations on the 21st, if the children haven't nagged me into doing it before then

But my reward for doing all of this will be 2 weeks of celebrations, crafting and baking with the children, and watching White Christmas and Muppet Christmas Carol at least a dozen times.

The way the weather's going could there even be snow?

All together now...."I'm dreaming of a white Christmas.......".

** Kate **

Stamps, stamps and more stamps!

I buy Quick Cards magazine when it catches my eye, which it definitely did this month. There's a lovely little Christmas stamp set on the cover, designed by Dulcie Jackson. Used them to make a couple of quick cards!

And made some leftovers into another scrapling.

Dulcie is the designer behind Wild Rose Studio and, by coincidence, yesterday I was very excited to find I had won a complete set of her Christmas designs. Stamps and a CD.

I'll have to get trying them out now!!

** Kate **

Initially

It's Friday! And that means a new challenge on the Daring Card Makers. Typically for me I have just finished the last one. It was to use things beginning with your initials to decorate your card, at least 3 if you could.

Mine had to be a Christmas card as I still don't have enough and you could say the 3 part was a bit of a cheat.

Inspired by a Dyan Reaveley article in Simply Cards and Papercraft issue 64.

In a festive mood today, ate Christmas cake for breakfast.

** Kate **

House Mouse

House Mouse is a range of cute stamps of which I currently have one. But that's not going to stop me entering the House Mouse Monday Challenge!

#57 is to make a double pocket bag. (there's a link to a tutorial on the HMMC blog above). I had started a card for challenge #56, which was to replicate a kit, so I incorporated the supplies I had found into my bag.

The bag is supposed to stand up, but mine failed miserably.

Had a day out yesterday with lunch and a bit of craft shopping. The garden centre we visited has animatronic displays each Christmas and this year there was a new penguin scene.

Branston wasn't too sure at 1st but started to warm to them as the day went on and could be heard shouting "Duck, duck" whenever we saw them.

** Kate **

Winter Wonderland........

Is the theme of the Penny Black Saturday challenge. I also set myself a mini challenge to not just use blues.

So that's another Christmas card done.

More tomorrow. And then hopefully some craft shopping!!

** Kate **

Monday Musings #12

A jokes a joke, even when it's a bad one. So today I wanted to share a competition entry from earlier in the year which was on the theme of favorite jokes.

Groan, an oldie but a goodie?

One thing that's been no joke this weekend is the weather. As I look through the window now a gale is wreaking the garden. A constant reminder of the far worse weather that has hit the north of the UK.

** Kate **

Scraplings

Sounds like something from Star Wars, doesn't it? "Observe the Scraplings Luke, learn from them, be mindful"

In fact it's the art of using up off-cuts of card to make mini-cards, tags or even little albums. It's also the current challenge over at the Daring Card Makers.

I've got a few little scraplings on the go at the moment but this is the only one completed. It's made of the off-cut left from yesterday's BoBunny card.

Simples!

Lost all my enthusiasm for Internet shopping yesterday as the computer is taking so long to switch between pages once you are in a site, it's just not worth trying. I think it's the latest upgrade of my security system. It has decided the Internet is so unsafe It doesn't want me to use it at all! Thank goodness Blogger is still working OK.....famous last words!

** Kate **

Missing photos and missed challenge

1st missing photos from yesterday. This necklace I made for me and have been wearing the last couple of days.

A little bracelet to put in the gifts/for sale box.

And a necklace which I hope shrieks sophistication.

I've got a card finished but I missed the challenge deadline. It was for the Christmas card sketch over at BoBunny.

I think that's about it for today, off to do a sneaky bit of Internet shopping cos I can't find what I want.

** Kate **

Mojo musings

Totally lacking mojo this weekend. It has taken a hike, perhaps even gone on a world tour.

My musing for today is this, and had Einstein still been with us I'm sure he would already have the formula worked out :

Creative inspiration is inversely proportionate to time available.

That is to say when you have absolutely no time what ever available to craft your ideas are limitless and you are sketching out little ideas on the backs of envelopes in the Post Office queue. Conversely, when you have set aside loads of time at the weekend, and have a whole list of things that need doing, you will create nothing.

Did manage to brings a few pieces of jewellery together on Sunday night, but there has been no chance to photograph them in the light today.

So here instead is the Dinky Diva and Small-N-Grubby with their ballet medal booty. Yep it was that time again this weekend, it came around really fast.

Fingers crossed for the return of inspiration tomorrow.

** Kate **

Friday Already

The Small-N-Grubby one has been very poorly but finally went back to school yesterday, only to get soaking wet again on the way home. Fingers crossed that his immune system is back up to full strength.

Yesterday was spent catching up with mundane things and going into town to pay bills and pick up shopping. SMO, Branston and I treated ourselves to lunch in Waitrose and it was nice to get out of the house.

My plan for the weekend is to catch-up with crafty jobs which should include :

• Card making challenges
• Missed birthday presents
• Christmas presents
• Christmas cards
• Making jewellery to sell
• Catching-up on forums
• Preparing excess stash for a table sale

I wonder how much of that will get done!!!!

** Kate **

Monday Musings #10

Small-N-Grubby is still off sick. He has added an itchy rash to his list of symptoms. Having him at home for a few days has led me to the conclusion that :

There is no toy more interesting than the one your brother is playing with!

(Picture taken back in the summer)

The Daring Card Makers this week are using kraft cardstock in their projects. This is mysterious stuff that looks like plain cardboard. I couldn't find any in time to make my card so I have used a couple of shades of brown (which aren't really as dark as they look in this picture).

The bird stamp is one of my newest purchases by My Minds Eye.

** Kate **

Just one of those days

Small-N-Grubby has been under the weather for a few days , we thought he was on the mend until he threw up his breakfast this morning. Despite this I still got to escape to a Christmas Fayre with my sister, but it was very disappointing and we came away with nothing. Thinking about it afterwards there were at least 3 stalls I remember buying from last year that weren't there this time. Anyway, it put a dampener on the morning.

I hadn't been home long enough to put the kettle on when the electricity went off. There was a very helpful message when I rang the supplier saying that an underground cable had been severed and so the power had been switched off for safety reasons. The repair was expected to take all afternoon.

SMO took the Dinky Diva and Branston out for a walk and I tried to persuade Small-N-Grubby that the best place for him was under the duvet. SMO arrived back with takeaway coffees just as the power came back on about 3.30. He passed me the drinks and then went back outside to get the pushchair. I warmed my hands on the cup and was completely oblivious to the fact that he had tripped out the door, twisted his ankle and rolled down the road. Apparently, people coming out of the corner shop rushed across the road to help him as his tumble looked so impressive.

Early nights all round I think.

** Kate **

BasicGrey Photo Inspiration

There is a challenge currently over at BasicGrey with a photo for inspiration. It's an interior design picture with lots of deep burgundies and stripes.

So I set to work on a card using a piece of Mellow paper which has undertones of the right vibe. I coupled this with some Anna griffin burgundy, but the papers were double sided and I accidentally stuck it down green side up. So this is the not quite right card.

The branch stamp is by My Minds Eye and is one of my craft shop buys this week.

Then I found a chipboard frame that I liked and started again with some more Mellow paper and this is where I ended.

After that it was using up the leftovers to increase the Christmas card supply.

At this rate I will reach the 50+ I need in plenty of time, famous last words!

I needed a new baby card this morning and reached for another of my new stamps.

This one was being unpacked when I was at the shop and I just had to have it. His name is Koetie (don't know how you pronounce it) and I think he and his little friend are just adorable.

I stamped him in VersaMagic Oasis Green for a softer look, but actually the details on the stamp are so fine it doesn't look too heavy in black. I'm just finishing one where I have coloured it in purple and I have plans to make him into a Christmas card and nursery rhyme card too so he is very good value for money.

** Kate **

NEC Crafts for Christmas

Had a bit of a re-organise on the blog, not quite how I want it yet, but getting there.

Crafts for Christmas starts today at the NEC (runs 5-8 Nov) and hopefully Creative Moments will have taken some of my latest projects with them. Lots of lovely Prima supplies were involved.

If you're going I hope you can try and find Claire and Margaret on the stand and have a look at the projects.

I've had a bit of a craft spend of my own yesterday at a nearish shop. Lots of new stamps to play with, just have to find time now to get making!

** Kate **

Packing a Punch

Yep this week's Daring Card Makers has got some punch, cos that's the theme! Your most recent punch to be exact, which in my case is a pine branch, I think.

I've also incorporated 2 of my most used punches, a large scallop and a circle that fits inside. Rather than punching the stamped image out, I've punched the circle and then punched the scallop over the top to get a frame. The papers and embellishments used are Anna Griffin.


Once my main card was done I set to work on a batch of Christmas cards following Kathy's theme of Cuttlebug backgrounds with a few added extras.

In this case the extras are again from Anna Griffin.


When I bought my Christmas embossing folders and dies (last January in a closing down sale) I couldn't resist adding this one to the pile.

I haven't worked out how else to use the scene yet, but found this double sided card really useful as I made the whole thing from one cut.


Lastly, it's been far too long since I got the Patchwork Pals out so I have updated a Christmas card over here too.


** Kate **

Monday Musings #9

Cute photo overload this weekend with lots of firsts for the Branston Pickle.

We went on a spooky treasure hunt at old Sarum on Friday looking for pumpkins in the style of famous characters from history. Here's Small-n-Grubby with Henry VIII.

Lots of running up and down battlements and ruins.

SMO and Branston contemplate the defences.

On Sunday Branston tried out a puddle suit his cousin had grown out of (thank you very much). He loved it as we no longer had to remove him every time he found some muck to get into. How cute is he? (Not that I am biased or anything.)

He loves water, any he can find.

Later he managed to fall from this step and has a grazed face to prove it.

Despite the torrential rain in the morning we were even able to get him onto Granddad's allotment for the 1st time. Here seen helping Small-N-Grubby with a thoughtful moment.

** Kate **

P.S. yes the pumpkin was Pooh. By Sunday morning Branston had stolen his ears and tried to eat them so he looks even sorrier for himself now!