2017

Happy New Year!

Wow here we are at the start of a brand new year. Welcome to 2017 and I hope you enjoyed all your Christmas and New Year Celebrations. We went down to see in the New year with Daisy and Co and had such fun.

The weather turned so chilly for the end of December but Mother Nature as always looked so beautiful. We managed a walk in the woods which I will share soon but here is one of the photos.

Not only is it the start of the new year but it is also our very first challenge of the year over at Country View. It's a really simple theme for January an "Anything goes" challenge this time. 

You can share any handmade craft, it doesn't have to be cards or tags it could even be a knitted item.  There are no limitations to the number of other challenges or the number times you can enter. You can win a £20 voucher too so it's win win in my books! All the details can be seen here. 

I wanted to make a New Year card with an inked and stencilled background. I wanted some spirals and "whizzes" (you might not know what I mean but it will all make sense) but I have no stencils like that. Soooo I decided to make my own and rather that cut them out I decided to make them with my glue gun! I rarely use a glue gun and whilst looking at projects on the Internet I found that lots of people make their own stencils with them so this is what I got up to.

Mine is a real cheapie gun purchased from Tiger for £4.

I just drew my spirals and "whizzes" by hand onto a craft mat

when then had cooled I peeled them off

 and arranged them on a sheet of mixed media paper to make a master board

Out came my sprays 

first red 

then I washed and dried the stencils and moved them over so that I could spray gold

I loved this effect. 

I wanted to add some fireworks but the only thing I could find in my stash was this tree...no I'm not mad...............

I just masked off the trunk, inked it up

and hey presto, fireworks were now going off in the background. 

I wanted some final bling so I added some glittery stars through my star stencil, which I forgot to take a photo of but you can see in my final card photos.

I cut a piece of card from my master board and put on my creative hat  and this is my New Year's card.

The image is a sweet Nicecrane digi. It was sooo hard to show the background but here is a close up. IRL the gold shimmer and the paste really sparkle and you can see the fireworks exploding! If you want to see what I made with the remainder of my masterboard stop by again on this Thursday. I will give a clue that it has a rather "loving" feel to it 😉

I would like to enter my first card of the new year into the following challenges;

Time Out 2/3  with each sun rise we are given the chance for a new beginning I am certainly looking forward to 2017 and all that it brings.
That's crafty 3/3anything goes
Winter Wonderland someone special or happy new year mine is for new year

Pile It on 3/3 any holiday/celebration

Simon says stamp Wednesday anything goes

Cute card Thursday 3/3 anything goes

CRAFT anything goes

                Creative Inspirations 3/3 anything goes with optional sketch

                     Allsorts 1/3 something new mine is the New Year!
             Dutch card lovers new year card

Thanks so much for stopping by. Have a fabulous New Year everyone....

I found this great poem by Helen Hunt Jackson written in the 1892. It's a great way to start 2017.....and worth remembering,as Helen wrote, that we don't need a new year to make any resolutions or changes...each day starts anew as it is only a night from old to new!

Only a night from old to new!

Only a night, and so much wrought!

The Old Year’s heart all weary grew,

But said: “The New Year rest has brought.”

The Old Year’s hopes its heart laid down,

“The blossoms of the New Year’s crown

As in a grave; but, trusting, said:

Bloom from the ashes of the dead.”

And cried: “I have not half I need.

The Old Year’s heart was full of greed;

With selfishness it longed and ached,

True love it shall understand;

My thirst is bitter and unslaked.

But to the New Year’s generous hand

All gifts in plenty shall return;

I was a slave; it shall go free,

By all my failures it shall learn.

I have been reckless; it shall be

 The Old Year had its work to do;

Quiet and calm and pure of life.

And find sweet peace where I leave strife.”

Never a night such changes brought.

Only a night from old to new!

No New Year miracles are wrought.

All nights are sacred nights to make

Always a night from old to new!

Night and the healing balm of sleep!

Each morn is New Year’s morn come true,

Morn of a festival to keep.

    Each sunrise sees a new year born.

Confession and resolve and prayer;

All days are sacred days to wake

Only a night from old to new;

New gladness in the sunny air.

Only a sleep from night to morn.

The new is but the old come true;

Have a happy and healthy 2017 everyone. I hope that it brings you all your hearts' desire. 

Back soon,

Bye for now,

Jane x