So I’ve made it to my workspace again this week, and attempted a card for a couple of challenges. The “Glory of Christmas Challenge 79″ is entitled “Jesus is born”, and the “52 (Christmas)card Throwdown Challenge” is to use stencilling on the card. So here is my effort this early evening…

I decided to make the stencil the whole card – using a “That special touch ” mask, simply called “Nativity”. I used the Dovecraft Decorative chalks, mixing the colours as necessary, then set them with good old cheapest possible hairspray! The sentiment is one I love to use – and probably used around 50 times last year. It is a “Verses rubber stamps” stamp, called “O Holy night Stillness”. A little peel-off border is all it took to finish it. A really simple card – but as I make over 300 a year – well, they can’t all be complex and take several hours. I’d never be there for John to look after him if I made them all that complex!!

So that’s it, folks. Take care of yourselves. God bless.

Margaret

Well, good morning. For someone who had not put up a post since January 5th, this is the second in three days! The reason? John was still asleep after a really bad night, so I got up, sorted the church noticesheet, then came through and made some cards. Having done the hard work, I felt it only right and proper to enter a couple of challenges…. so …

Here’s my entry for the Merry Monday Challenge – something with bells

The card was made using several papers I had in my cupboard, then a stamped Sheena Douglass design. The sentiment was typed into the computer, sized and printed onto card. Cut out with a Creative Expressions Californian collection die, it was then inked with memento colours whilst the die was still in place. The whole was titivated with candi and bows. I like my cards, wherever possible, to celebrate the real reason for Christmas, hence the idea of celebration at the baby born in a stable.

Now I wonder if it is OK to enter a different challenge, with a couple of different cards, in the same blog post?? Well, here goes!!

These two cards are for the ABC Christmas challenge – D – Don’t overdo it

And

The first card was made by simply stamping the DoCrafts image straight onto the card base using versamark ink and gold embossing powder. The sentiment is a Welsh Christmas greetings peel-off. The second card was simply put through the big shot in the embossing folder “Winter Wonderland” which came free with a magazine. The two images were stamped with black memento ink – images from the same free gift! – then the “Noel” was cut from a Tonic die. The whole was simply finished with a small red ribbon.

Take care. God bless.

Margaret

Oh my goodness – talk about AWOL! I haven’t posted since Jan 5th – so negligent have I been, that Neet wrote an email to me the other day to see if I was still in the land of the living!! Thanks Neet – I really appreciated that effort you made on my behalf – and to know you have been praying for us both was so very humbling.

So, hello my friends – and anyone who happens by here. I haven’t been around all these past weeks as I have been spending my time looking after John. He continues to confound the medics by getting better – although, having said that, he has gone down with a mild infection the past couple of days – and stronger. He is out and about a little. We have managed a trip to the local hospital for a special blood test and prescription, plus a trip up on to the ward. The staff were thrilled to see him and were amazed at how well he was. We have managed a trip to the Craft show at Event City, Manchester – something NOT to be undertaken by the fainthearted. We have managed a trip to Abakhan to help our younger daughter find fabric for some costumes for a Middle Earth themed birthday party requested by our youngest grandson – AND – we have managed to celebrate John’s 70th birthday in style. Admittedly, not on the day itself, as he wasn’t well enough – but  two weeks ago instead.

But, first, the reason you are here. To see my desk today. Here goes!

I have finally used the first of those two mug trees – for all my tapes etc. – found a nice bright pot for paintbrushes – tidied my box of everyday useful bits – played a little – tried out a few new ideas – and made a card and envelope for our youngest grandie who turns 10 in a couple of weeks. There is also my daylight lamp, which is exceedingly useful the older I get, some stick and spray, the plates for the big shot, some gilding wax, some felting I dumfed, a pile of bits which are experiments, and three cards I tried playing out ideas with.

Mrs D and I managed a play day – and set out all our stencils and glittery embossing pastes, and had a great deal of fun! The two brownish pieces are an experiment after I read Shaz in Oz’s post (Which, needless to say, I can’t find this morning, in order to put in a link and give her the credit. Sorry, Shaz!). I wanted to try and put something “behind” an embossed image. Not a total success by any means – and certainly nowhere NEAR anything which Shaz produced – but fun and an interesting result. Shaz had inked up an embossing folder, then put a stamped image onto it as well – it just looked as though the stamped image was peeking out through the embossing.

Well, so much for my desk this morning – and, if you have got this far…. a HUGE thank you to those who have been praying for us – a picture for you, to “warm the cockles of your heart!

My treat to John for his birthday was a flight over Snowdon and up the coast here to Llandudno. We managed it a fortnight ago. John was up for the challenge – and we somehow managed to shoehorn him into this tiny plane. Four replacement joints mean he doesn’t bend like the rest of us!! However, he got in, I climbed in the other side – and we were up, up and away. Couldn’t get over Snowdon because the cloud base was too low – but travelled up from Caernarfon airport along the coastline, passing many familiar places, until we flew right over our bungalow. Then it was back along the Menai Straits, passing Puffin Island, over the two bridges which link Anglesey to the mainland, over Newborough Warren and Llanddwyn Island and back into the airport. It was fantastic – all the more precious because of how ill John was just before Christmas. 45minutes in the air, and when we landed, John said “Now, how about we go out for lunch”!!! A great lunch on Anglesey, then we drove back home through the mountains we had seen from above. A wonderful day. Thank you, my friends, for your prayers for us. God is faithful, and has heard your heart cry on our behalf.

So – that’s about it for this week. If you have happened here by chance – why not find out more. Pop over to Julia – she will tell you more about What’s On Your Workdesk Wednesday

Take care, each and every one of you.

God bless.

Margaret