Happy New Year!

Kicking off the last day of 2017 with a couple of poppy cards, made with the Corner Poppies die from Spellbinders. In both cards, I used the Ornate Labels One 3D embossing folder for the background - the first time I have used it, and I just love the deeply etched crisp embossing. The first card was cut twice, in white and red card. I coloured the white leaves and stems with pencils, then cut out just the flowers and buds from the red. The sentiment is by Clearly Besotted

This one looks quite different I think, the poppy die was cut just once in white, and the whole thing was shaded softly with pencils

A very happy new year to you all. This year has been a difficult one for us, as Mike has had a few months of ill health. Thankfully he was well enough to enjoy the family at Christmas, and continues to improve a little

My last photo for this year is this one of me and Molly, now thirteen months old, I was dropping them off at the airport for their Boxing Day flight to Dublin when she decided she didn't want me to go and dive bombed into my arms, clinging on like a little limpet!

So thank you to all of you who continue to visit me here to listen to my ramblings, and give me more support and encouragement than you will ever know. I wish you happiness, health and happy crafting in 2018 xxx

Filling up the Christmas Card Box.........Spellblogger post

A bunch of Spellbinder Christmas cards today. I have been busy churning out Christmas cards. This first one was made using the Majestic Labels Twenty Five Nestability die set. It's on clearance, at a great price.  It's quite fancy for me, but I rather like the contrast between the silver card, and the burgundy. The holly was cut with the Jolly Holly set, and the JOY word from the Ho Ho Ho set (the sentiments on each of the cards comes from this set)

The second one was cut with the Bird Call set, I cut it twice in white and red, backed the white with black card. The birds were cut out of the red. I wanted red to make cards for my American friends - the Cardinal is a symbol of Christmas there, here in the UK it's a robin. I discovered to my surprise when I lived in Florida, that the robin heralds the Spring in the USA. Who would have thought, they obviously like being here for Christmas, then move on when they have had enough of the rain.........This die is useful, I can see ways to use it year round (and it's on sale......)

This last one is a favourite, made with one of the new sets called 

Gilded Ornaments, it is going to become a Christmas classic in my collection. Isn't it pretty?

I guess it's time for me to stop making, and start writing these cards. How are your Christmas makes coming along?