2012 a vintage year

Here we are at the very end of 2012. What a year it has been, so many happy occasions. Like many other blogging friends I think this is a great opportunity to look back over the last year and be so thankful. I thought it would be good to look back through the seasons - despite the torrential rain which started in June and has continued right up til today.

Spring included my birthday celebrations and some gorgeous early sunshine which was sadly short lived. 1st April 2012 was spent outside in the garden in hot sunshine!

Summer was just amazing as it included the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations, my darling daughter's wedding and the Olympics. Such momentous occasions. Just about the only hot sunny week we had was the week leading up to the Olympics and indeed my daughter's wedding day. We were so lucky with the weather.

Autumn included our sunny holiday on Rhodes and some of the best conkers seen for years. I harvested my first chilies grown from seed. The autumn leaves this year were also very beautiful

Winter included the countdown to my favourite time of the year...Christmas. I managed a trip to the Winchester cathedral Christmas fair and also carols for Christmas at  Chichester Cathedral and wore my Cinderella slippers to the Ball. I so enjoyed my annual countdown to Christmas and sharing it with all my old and new blogging friends.

My card making has taken on new heights and I was delighted to win several card challenges and also proudly made the Top 3 in several others, my most recent VIP Top 3 was just today with my recent Wrapping up Christmas card. I thought I would share a card collage of a few of my favourite makes of the year.

So there we have it, 2012, such a vintage year. Of course I need to add my card challenge for today and it just has to be one that I have made over the Christmas holiday with some of my new stash.
The image is a new one for me, a Tiddly Ink cutie, these are a sweet range of stamps.

I coloured her with Promarkers pens and highlighted with Prismacolor pencils. You can see that this is the first circular focal I have used as I now have my Big Shot die cutter...woop woop. I used a my new Spellbinders standard circles and scallops to cut this. I also used a brilliant Martha Steward punch at the side. The papers are Nitwits and I also added some hand punched red hearts. The ribbon is actually from some of the Christmas presents! It was too gorgeous to throw away. This card is for sale here in my Etsy Shop and is even included in my 25% off sale.

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges;

Totally Gorjuss New
Natalie and Amy Your favourite things my Favourite things are my new Big Shot and my new digi stamp
Winter Wonderland New beginnings
Papercrafting Journey anything goes
Charisma Cardz anything goes #51
Cute Card Thursdays anything goes
Party time Tuesdays anything goes #100
Jelly Park Old and new My old is my backing paper, my new is just about everything else!

The Ribbon Girls are also launching a fab new Magnolia only challenge on the last Sunday of each month. Have a look at their link, it sounds like fun...and they have another fab giveaway too!

So there we are...2012 was indeed a vintage year for me and my family. Of course there are always ups and down in a year but I always like to focus on the positives as they so outweigh anything negative. Life is good,  make sure you seize the day.
Thank you everyone for all your visits and your kind comments. It has been a total pleasure to write Jane's Journal for another year. I am looking forward to sharing another year of blogging and friendship with you all.

I will raise my glass of champagne to you tonight at midnight at the New Year Ball.

Cheers,

Bye for now,

Jane x .............and of course I could not close without a word from my Billy.....

Here's to the return of some sunshine in 2013...purr xxxx