So where were we!

Oh Yes, down a deep hole for the duration. When I said (in the previous post) I was off to dig a deep hole what I should actually have done was sink a mine shaft, as when I surfaced this morning the Elves were still here, the Bourbon has gone down by an alarming rate, the Penguins are very much in abundance and it is definitely not  Summer.  There was also a letter from the Water Board (waiting on the door mat ) saying that as  I had failed to control MY Penguins (They are NOT MY PENGUINS) they would be in touch in the New Year  regarding the state of the water course.

On the Seventh day of Christmas my True Love/Not sent to me an Igloo?!!.
Well I could do with an igloo to house all those Penguins but I don't want any more thank you.

 Hmmm. Lets look inside.  I spoke too soon but at least they appear to have had their supper..

Penguins, sentiment  and igloo are freebie stamps from a magazine. Fish skeletons drawn in by hand.

On the Eighth day of Christmas my True Love/Not sent to me a Christmas tree?!!.

No. I know what a real christmas tree looks like and a pile of green penguins perched precariously on a tree stump and decorated with stars (even if they are gold ones)  does not fool me one little bit.  Fortunately Donna's  son is in Boston where there is a nice big aquarium. They won't notice a few extra. They are crated up and on their way. Just need to keep their beaks shut and not speak the Queens' English or they will be a dead give away. I have trained them to say "Howdy" and "Have a nice day".


On the Ninth day of Christmas my True Love/Not sent to me 9 Carol Singers.  They can't  sing for toffee's as they said they were  giving a rendition of  good King Wenceslas  but the one sporting the orange scarf was singing  I  am H. A. P.  P.  Y., I am H. A.  P.  P. Y. Now as I pointed out to the last lot of Carolers there is No FISH IN THE INN so clear off.

Lamp post is from a set by Cardio. Scarves hand drawn.
P.S. They put  their Christmas scarves on especially for Kathleen who thought they were all looking a bit pale.

 The boring gear has just arrived on the back of a lorry so I am off to do some drilling.

To be continued.

Wishing You All

A

Happy New Year. 

Merry Goings On!

Total mayhem here yesterday. Look who turned up on the doorstep. Elf Boss himself.  Said he had come to check up on his little mate but I think he heard that 'The Doc' had bought a bottle of Bourbon!!

 The penguins are still turning up by the boatload.  Had a complaint from the waterboard that penguins had been seen waddling along the stream that is the concourse for keeping the lower end of the village from flooding. Said they were building a dam (which is contrary to waterboard regulations) and collecting the fish that were coming through .  Had lots more offers of food for them which is being quaffed at an alarming rate.
In  the evening just sitting down to a bread sandwich when the door bell went again and we could hear singing. Was expecting the Salvation Army to be doing their usual rounds but The Doc said no he didn't think it was them as the uniform was wrong. "Well how are they dressed?" I asked him.
Back came the reply
"Like Penguins"!!!!

DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR.
Jut yell through the letter box that there is NO FISH AT THE INN.

I will leave you with the Christmas card I made for The Doc

 and of course he got a cracker made for him too.

I am now down a very dark hole which I will stay in for  the next few days. When I emerge this will all have been a terrible nightmare. There will be no Elves or Penguins and the sun will be shining on a warm  Summers day.

Wishing You All

A

Merry Christmas.

P. P. P. Pick up a Penguin 4 or more.

Thank you all ever so much for coming to my aid regarding all these Penguins that my True love is sending to me . Jane let me know that they were having smoked Salmon for Christmas Day so I have popped 3 on the bus to her . They are waddling on their way as we speak.  I sent 4 more over to the Playground as Di said she had a pack of Tuna for them. Emma said her brother would like some on his farm so I have loaded up the tractor and they are on their way. Phew. It is nice and quiet here now!

Oh no a knock on the door!

On the Fourth day of Christmas my True Love/Not sent me four Penguins. Now look, you can pretty them up as much as you like with bows and lace and such but it does not detract from the fact you have sent me FOUR more penguins.

I was having fish fingers for lunch but looks like I will be sharing.
Image is a freebie from Crafts Beautiful  magazine. I have used my watercolours from Caran D'Ache to colour the penguins and the background. Stitched round with purple thread. The snowflake is a die from Memory Box. Sentiment a magazine freebie and the Die cut for it is by John Next Door JND003 mini Tags set. Pearls, ribbon and lace from my stash.
Entering into the following challenges:
Dream Valley #2125 Christmas
Creative Moments #182 Anything goes/christmas.
Dies R Us #135 Anything christmas
Cutie Pie Challenge #142 Christmas cuties.


On the Fifth day of Christmas my True Love/Not sent me Five Penguins.  Sending flowers with them won't work their charm on me either I can still count!!!!

Just used grey water colouring on this card. The paper is a freebie from Making Cards Paper Craft Special 2017. The black leaves are Crealies CLCS 11 die and the poinsettia and berries dies from John Next Door. Image is a freebie from Crafts Beautiful  magazine.   Sentiment is a magazine freebie and the ribbon/pearls from my stash. I have used silver stickles glue  but not showing up in photo. There IRL.
  Found a packet of fish cakes lurking  in the freezer so that has kept them quiet but that is it now as the fridge and freezer have been ransacked.
Entering into the following challenges:
Creative Inspirations # Festive fun.
Sparkles Christmas #107 Winter wonderland.
The Holly and The Ivy # Anything goes christmas.
Ellibell's Corner #  All creatures great and small.



On the Sixth day of Christmas my True Love/Not sent me  ? Penguins. Oh good he has gotten the message.

 Should have known better!!!

Don't you Hi me!!!!!!
The Larder is Bare.
Painted using my Caran D'Ache water colours . Hi Sentiment is by Imagination Crafts. Image is a freebie from Crafts Beautiful  magazine.
Entering into the following challenges:
Creative Knockouts #329 Anything goes.
Addicted to Stamps #180 Cold and Frosty.
2 Crafty Critter Crazies # Anything goes with a critter.
Not Just Cards # Anything goes.
Water Cooler Challenges #252 Anything goes.

Cracker Anyone!

My week has been rather a hectic one what with fending off Penguins arriving  supposedly from my Sweet heart via Iceland and keeping track of  that wretched Elf,  I got the very bright idea of making Crackers for the kids Christmas Day tables!! Now next time I get a brainwave like that will  someone please remove the battery . Four days later and here are the results. All posted off and received special delivery  to  my Daughter and Son for their respective families to open.

First box is for Fluff and Co.

I went to a John Next Door work shop a while back and amongst other items we made a cracker using his die for the cracker base.(JND139 Facated Cracker) Of course at the end of the day the die along with a lot of the other dies we used made their way into my shopping trolly. The original crackers we made was in craft card but not being a lover of it I batch made these ones using red and green card stock. I then die cut various design papers and hand cut the triangles and stuck them on individually.  The names are blanked out as I adhered them as I went along. The contents have been personalised so didn't want them getting muddled up. They all include a gift, party popper and a joke. I scoured the internet for appropriate jokes for each one.

Second  box is for Not so little Boy anymore and Co. Rather a bigger box as an extended family around table.

 I used quite a bit of mirror card on these ones.

Entering into the following challenges:
All sorts challenge #551/2 Anything goes..
Creative Inspirations# Festive Fun.
The Crafters Cafe#233  Holidays or use something beginning with C.
Moving Along With The Times #113 Anything but a card.
Cut It Up Challenges # 189  Anything goes  Christmas.
International Art And Soul #73 Anything but a card.
Pixies Crafty Workshop #368. Use up your snippets. (odds of ribbon).
Love To Craft #41 Anything goes.
Sparkles #123 Add glitter and sparkle..
Not Just Cards # Anything goes.
Creative Artiste #56 Anything mixed media goes.

I will leave you with one of the crackers jokes that I didn't use.

Q.      Why did Santa go to  the Doctor?


A.      Because of his bad "Elf".

I can so relate to that!!!!

No,No, Thrice times No!

No this is not happening. Who ever  my true love is, sending me penguins is not on. I do not want a pile of Penguins to feed. Yes I do have a fish pond but it doesn't have any fish in it so unless this lot like frogs legs they are going to be very hungry. I have only just finished rehoming all the ducks from last year. At least they only ate grain!!

On the First day of Christmas my true love/not  sent to me a Penguin. Ok one penguin can stay.

Image, igloo  and sentiment  are all freebies from Crafts Beautiful magazine. I have used my watercolours  from Caran D'Ache to colour the background and igloo. Just a dab of yellow on his beak. I have painted silver glitter glue around the sentiment  and on the igloo. Sentiment is silver embossed.  Stitched before adding to the design paper and glitter card.
Entering this card into the following challenges:
Ally's Angels #29 Anything goes.
Crafter's Castle #24 Anything goes.
Craft Stamper # Anything goes.
Addicted To Stamps #180 Cold and frosty.
Sparkles Christmas #95 Winter wonderland
12 Months Of Christmas #60 Anything goes + optional layer it up.


On the Second day of Christmas my true love/not  sent to me a  further two Penguins. They will have to share with the first penguin. I only have one tin of  sardine fillets in olive oil with lemon. Two penguins are not company.

All images are freebies as above . Coloured using my Caran D'Ache water colours. Finished by painting over the igloo and snowflakes with a brush and silver glitter glue. Stitched with blue thread.
Entering  this card only into the following challenges:
Crafty Cardmakers #247 Christmas.
Dream Valley #215 Christmas.
Make My Monday #111 Anything christmas .
Lost Coast Portal Challenges #89 In The Deep Mid Winter
Paper Craft Challenges #52 Christmas.
Tuesday Taggers # Christmas is coming.

On the Third day of Christmas my true love/not  sent to me a  further  Three Penguins. Another look in the pantry and I have found a tin of Tuna but that is it the cupboard is now bare!! Three penguins are definitely a crowd.

Same penguin stamp as above + freebie sentiment. Painted using my Caran D'Ache water colours. sentiment is embossed in black and die cut using a  Sizzix circle die.  Design paper is a freebie from a magazine. Stitched with black thread. Penquins bodies brushed over with silver glitter glue.
Entering this card only into the following challenges:
Aud Sentiments #242 Christmas/Winter + a sentiment.
Creative Moments #182 Anything goes + christmas.
The Sisterhood of Crafters # Anything  Christmas.
Creative Knockouts #329 Anything goes.
The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge # Anything goes.
Winter Wonderland # Anything goes christmas.


Now if your all wondering what that wretched Elf has been up to  well see the picture below.
He is none too happy about it but needs must. I can't cope with Penguins  and Little L'th  all at the same time.

Isn't christmas over yet.

Fairies and Gnomes come out to play.

I have been having a play with last two stamps that I bought in the 'Willowby Woods Collection' by Creative Expressions. 

 This one is called Toadstool Turret which I inked up and stamped onto watercolour card.   The two gomes are freebies from a magazine set that by careful masking and positioning I added to the toadstool. All coloured using my Graph'it marker pens and edge with a silver gel pen. The sentiment is from the same freebie gnome set. A Gnome is not just for christmas as this will be a New Home card. 

 Entering into the following challenges:
Not Just Cards # Anything goes.
Ally's Angels #29 Anything goes.
Crafting With An Attitude #58 Anything goes.
Crafter's Castle # 24 Anything goes.
Craft Stamper # Anything goes.
Love To Craft #41 Anything goes.
Stamping Sensations # Anything goes with stamping.

The second stamp is called  'Oak Hollow.' Again I have stamped the tree onto watercolour card first and then added the hare and the fairies on top. The small fairies are by Lavinia Stamps. The large fairy and the sentiment were  part of freebie sets in different magazines Th hare came from a set from Crafts Beautiful magazine. All coloured with my Graph'it pens and a silver gel pen. Then finished with silver glue for the added sparkle.

Entering into the following challenges.
2 Crafty Critter Crazies # Anything goes with a critter.
Ellibelles Corner # All creatures great and small.
Tuesday Throwdown #446 Anything goes.
Crafty Creations #404 Anything goes.
Brown Sugar #296 Anything goes.
Colour Crazy #49 Anything goes.
Polkadoodles #50 Anything goes.


The Butterfly Challenge is running it's usual challenge over the christmas period and I would love to see your Fairies, Elves, Gnomes, Imps and Pixies over there. Your cards don't have to be Christmas cards as I have shown above. Challenge runs until the 31st December.

In Trouble Again!

Little L'th? 

"Have you been on my computer"?

Nnooooooo!

"Well what's that notice at the end of the garden then"?

"Erm, think I had best make myself scarce."

What the!!!

Little L'th? 

"Come here this very minute"

Mamoth Card Making.

What a Day. Realized late last night that I was going to be 20 odd cards short of my total needed. Set to and made/completed 18 which are for old school friends and Family all of whom would expect nothing less than a handmade card from me. I even surpassed myself and decorated the envelopes (which I also made) with matching stamped images.
Here's  just a few of the envelopes going in the post tomorrow.

 It is time for the girls in the Christmas Card Club to show our last cards for the year.  Rachel chose Humour as the theme but I'm afraid I have had to fall back on the option of Anything goes and show two cards that I managed to finally get finished for cousins who don't see my blog so ok to show before they will be going in post on Monday.
I  brought these home from a recent Julie Hickey workshop I attended and finished them as I didn't like what I had done to them in the class so they needed tweaking.

First Card

 The stamp set used is called Festive Joy JH1022 by Julie Hickey.  We had inked up the stamps using white pigment ink but I thought it looked rather flat so I have gone over it using a silver gel pen and now it has a lovely sheen against the red. I fussy cut the images out and adhered to the card using 3D pads for dimension. The gems were also added by me from my stash.

Entering into the following challenges:
Scrapping 4Fun #155 Christmas.
Brown Sugar #296 Anything goes.
Sweet Stampin # Christmas.
Sparkles #122 It's beginning to look a lot like christmas.
Merry Little Christmas #17 Anything goes.
Winter Wonderland # Anything goes.
Crafting with an Attitude #58 Anything goes.


Second Card

This one uses Julie Hickey's Christmas Frame JH1026 and Christmas Frame Word Die JHD-CUT-FR002
We had inked up in black ink which again I thought looked a bit flat even against the red wording.  I fussy cut round the image and also round the aperture in the centre of the card.Die
I went over the design using my silver gel pen and now happy with the resulting card. I had die cut the Christmas from a larger piece of red card and was able to centre it and pop under neath the image before attaching to the black card stock and then onto the card base.  This one is going to a cousin who is only just having her second christmas since losing her husband to a brain tumour so I still did not want to send her a too merry a card. I think this will be just right.

Entering into the following challenges:
Polkadoodles Craft Challenge #49 Anything goes.
Creative Fingers #176 Anything goes.
Crafty Catz #486 Anything goes last minute christmas.
Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends #119 Anything goes.
Craft Stamper # Anything goes.
Crafter's Castle # Anything goes.

Lets get this straight again!!

I really should have known better but he was sitting quietly in the lounge reading nicely so I went upstairs and set the  new mini sewing machine up to stitch  a card. Nipped downstairs to make a cuppa before I started and within 5 minutes this is what I found on my return.
Now lets just get this straight again. This is MY  SEWING machine. It is not and has not been made on the small size for Elves to use!!

 And books are for reading not using as improvised ladders.

"You haven't touched the tension button have you Little L'th?"

"Nnooooooooo."
"Erm which button is it?"

Entering into the following:
Dl Art 7th annual Elf antics.

So hours later having sorted out the tension I eventually got the card made below.  I had already painted the image which is a stamp by Nellie Snellen 'Snowy House -2' using my Caran D'Ache watercolour paints. Once it was dry I embossed the sentiment by Studio Light  with silver embossing powder and once that was completely dry, painted on the silver stickles glue using a fine paint brush.
not showing up here but it does IRL. Sewed two rows of stitching round the edges to give a home spun look to the painting and roughed the edges of the watercolour card with my TH edger. Gave the same treatment to a larger piece of red cardstock and then mounted onto more water colour cardstock made into a card base.

Entering this card into the following challenges:
Through The Craft Room Door # Anything goes.
Crafty Creations #403 Anything goes.
Aud Sentiments # 241 Winter or Christmas sentiment.
Colour Crazy #48 Anything goes.
Alphabet Challenge S is for snow.
Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends #119 Anything goes.
Crafts Galore #70 Anything goes.
Love To Craft #41 Anything goes.
The Creative Crafters #22 Anything goes.
Stamping Sensations # Anything goes with stamping.
Tales From The Craftroom Door # 11 Christmas.
Jingle Belles #Happy holidays
Winter wonderland Challenge # Anything goes
Merry Little Christmas #17 anything goes.
Sparkles Christmas #107 Winter Wonderland.
12 Months Of Christmas #60 Anything goes + optional Layer it up.

Advent Calendar.

I made a House Advent  Calendar way back in 2013 and it has been put up on my window ledge every December ever since. Little L'th saw it on Sunday and decided whilst my back was turned that it needed a bit of a revamp and should now have  more of a Scandinavian look to it!!

Hmm.
Well at least it has kept him quiet and away from my Summer House.

Whilst Little L'th was busy I made another card for your inspiration for the Fairy Challenge over on the Butterfly Blog. Theme is Fairies, Elves, Gnomes, Pixies and Imps are out to play.  If your getting tired of making christmas cards then you can make a non christmas one with them as I have below. Remember a Gnome is not just for Christmas!!

I have used another Creative Expressions Stamp. This one is Knarly Nook. UMS 883 and have left mainly uncoloured except for a few green leaves, lights on in the houses and silver gel pen around the edges.  By careful masking of the other stamps I have managed to create a scene around the tree.  The Small Pixies and the Owl (minus the branch he was sitting on) are by Lavinia Stamps. Sentiment and the sparkle stamp are a freebie from a Practical Publishing magazine whilst the fairy sitting at the bottom (minus the leaves and flowers she was amongst) is a freebie from a Cardmaking and Papercraft Magazine from 2014. I added glitter glue  around the fairies which I have managed to capture a bit of in the photo.  Backed onto  a green non shed sheet of glitter card and then onto black cardstock for the base card.

Entering this card into the following challenges:
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #119 Anything goes.
Crafty Card Makers #246 No patterned paper.
Through The Craft Room Door  # Anything goes.
Tuesday Throwdown #446 Anything goes.
Crafts Galore #70 Anything goes.
Love To Craft #41 Anything goes.
The Creative Crafters #22 Anything goes.
2 Crafty Critters #Anything with a critter (Owl).
Stamping Sensations #Anything goes with stamping.

Two Birthdays

I have two Grandson's who have birthdays in the same month and only a year apart.  They are growing up fast and it is getting difficult to find images for their respective cards but this year LOTV came to the rescue with their Oliver range of Digi images. I found two that were just perfect for them.

1st Card.
The image by LOTV is Oliver Game Boy.  This Grandson, as soon as school is over likes nothing more than to get home onto his computer and play games.

Coloured using my Graph'it markers and a silver gel pen.  The sentiment and banner are by Clearly Besotted from their Basic Banners stamp set. The beige cardstock and design papers from my stash. Slowly getting the hang of the little sewing machine. Glittered numbers were also in my stash.

Entering into the following challenges:
Jan's Digi Challenges #3 Anything goes.
Polkadoodles Craft Challenge #48 Anything goes.
Colour Crazy #47 Anything goes.
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #119 Anything goes.



2nd Card.
The image by LOTV is Oliver Kicking About. This Grandson hates school (thinks it is boring )
and is horrified by the idea of having to stay there until he is 18.  He does however love Football and is never happier then when playing in his team.

Coloured again with my Graph'it markers and a silver gel pen.  Banner and sentiment as above. The blue cardstock and design paper along with the silver numbers from my stash.

Entering into the following challenges:
Crafts Galore #70 Anything goes.
Crafty Hazelnuts Patterned Paper # Anything goes.
Love To Craft #41 Anything goes.
The Creative Crafters #22 Anything goes.