Winter solstice 2019

The winter solstice occurred at precisely 4.19am this morning here in the UK.The word literally means "sun stands still" and the sun is at it's most southerly point and we are the furthest away from it. Although today will have the least number of daylight hours from tomorrow the nights will get shorter as daylight starts to slowly return. Hooray!

There are also just 2 more sleeps until Father Christmas takes to the skies on Christmas Eve. To me this really is the most wonderful time of the year and keeps me in good spirits at such a naturally dark time. I am not religious but I always put the crib, which I have had and added to for years, and I bought some star lights last year in the sale which light it perfectly.
It sits on the shelf looking out to the hall and I love looking at the scene and remembering all my Christmases past, present and those yet to come.

My trees are looking gorgeous and I love to see the lights twinkling on them when I come down on these dark mornings. 

We have some last last food shopping to do before the big day but other than that we are all ready. 

I promised I would share my handmade crackers so here they are all ready for the dinner table.

Here are a few of them.

I used a cute Lili of the Valley simply print reindeer and some die cuts. The colours are to match the table ware.

Shhh don't tell anyone but these are some of the gifts inside...the boys are going to have such fun with those emergency mustaches.

I would also like to share my latest card challenge card, a late addition to my shelves at Dotty's Teahouse, Carshalton, SM5 2AE , where my cards are sold

It is another of my popular traditional Christmas cards. I so love this image. The papers are old from my stash and the dies are by Memory Box and Cheery Lyn. The tag was stamped using an ancient Lili of the Valley set I own. 

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

Pixie's snippets playground #368

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas #469

Cute card Thursdays 2/3 anything goes

Simon says stamp It's Christmas card day!
As you like it 1/3 favourite die and why mine is this old bells die  (I am sorry I don't know the maker.) It works for any celebration, not just Christmas
Mod Squad 1/3 Christmas/Winter

A vintage journey a holly jolly Christmas

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

Moving along with the times 1/3 anything but a card

Simon says stamp Wednesday party time

Try it on Tuesday 1/3 Christmas is coming

The cutie pie challenge 1/3 Christmas cuties

Enjoy the lighter days from tomorrow and all your last minute Christmas festivities.

I will be back on Christmas Eve with my last countdown to Christmas post.

Bye for now,

Jane x

Crackers for Christmas 2018

I have been able to tick lots off my list over the last week and one of the things I needed to do was to make the Christmas crackers. I'm always delighted to see that Tom Smith still make Christmas crackers and these will grace many tables on Christmas day.

My handmade crackers have become quite a tradition in our family and shop bought one just can't be sneaked in by me anymore. As we will be celebrating with Daisy and Jack this year I decided that the theme had to be "cute animal" as both Daisy and Jack really do love animals.

I found I had some really old printed squares by Lili of the Valley which I bought years ago. They were perfect and I die cut them into ovals.

I used my trusty spellbinders die

and also die cut some deer and skates in silver. 

I put my design together and added some silver glitter for some sparkle which you will see more clearly in my final photos.

I gathered all my supplies and set to making 9 crackers.

Complete with corny jokes, gifts, paper hats and a banger.

So here they are

and one final shot.

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

Crafteezee 1/3 a gift

That's Crafty 3/3 anything goes

Fussy and Fancy 3/3 Christmas

Moving along with the time 3/3 anything Christmas

Crafty Catz 3/3 anything goes

Die cut divas 1/3 winter

 So my card today is another traditional  Christmas favourite; gingerbread men

It is for sale at Dotty's Teahouse, Carshalton, SM5 2AE

The gingerbread man stamp is an ancient favourite of mine from my stash. I white embossed 2 onto kraft card and fussy cut them out. I added some gingham ribbon, die cuts and a few sequins for bling. The backing papers again are ancient from my stash.

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

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas anything Christmas

Crafty Hazelnut's patterned paper December

Penny Black and more traditional Christmas colours

Stamping sensations 3/3 winter sparkle

Simon says stamp Wednesday Christmas

 Thanks so much for stopping by. I met up with my daughter and Jack yesterday for our last get together before Christmas Eve. Time is really racing by now and this time next week it will be Boxing day!

Back again on Friday,

Bye for now,

Jane x

Crackers for Christmas 2017

I know I'm like an old London bus....you wait all year for a post from me and then you get 2 in as many weeks.

Yes it's me Billy, firmly back on my green chair now that Bear has been returned home. If you missed all that caper when Norman the Tree arrive do have a look at my last post here.

I have also got a sweet pressie, well it's Jane's really but it was sent by her sweet Finnish friend Mia who makes wonderful things. How cute is this.

The button even has B for Billy...I checked that closely.

Jane has got some last minute Christmas prep to get on with so she asked if I would share not only the latest about Old Choc but also something called Christmas Crackers.....I think they are those things she puts on the table and then proceeds to tear to pieces. I see them each year and they explode too. A bit dangerous I think but then at this time of the year I am surprised by nothing. 

Old Choc is back in his rightful place although there are whispering's that he might be getting so old that he is on his way to the big Christmas tree wood in the sky after this year. He's had a good innings and rumour has it that like the Dr Who regeneration Not so Old Choc is out there somewhere.

 He has Jane's vintage ornaments displayed like a Chelsea Pensioners medals and of course now that Bear has gone home is also full of chocolate.

Us cats aren't as daft as dogs and would never dream of pinching a choc from Old Choc.

But they do look pretty and Jane doesn't know that I give them an occasional bat with my paw as I go past. 

So onto these cracker things....Jane has bought these serviettes for her Christmas table.

Goodness knows why they don't just use their paws to wipe their mouth with, it serves us cats perfectly well.

I digress.....she took this pile of things

and rolled them all together into tubes, stuffing them with little presents and tying them up with shiney strings.

Then she disappeared upstairs and started putting together these papery things. Jane never sits still like me...

She then emerged with her Crackers for 2017

 She has made 10 in total. Although some of the family won't be here until Boxing day she still likes to make them a cracker. Even little Jack has one although I think he will tend to try to eat his rather than open it. Perhaps I'll give him a hand. Babies do need a bit of help don't they.

So there we are, it's a wrap then from me and my posts. It is so tiring for my paws to write them,  and the keys on the computer are a bit slippery for my claws. Never mind it's all done....no hang on...I'm being given more instructions apparently Jane wants to enter these into challenges;

Here we go;

A vintage journey winter wonderland

Winter wonderland anything goes
Deep Ocean jingle bells
Fussy and fancy 3/3 Christmas
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas challenge anything goes
Lil patch of crafty friends 2/3 anything goes
Sparkles Christmas
Simon Says stamp Monday party
Simon says stamp Wednesday party time
Double D Baby it's cold outside/winter
Moving along with the times 1/3 anything but a card

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and a happy and healthy 2018....I have had a peep under the tree and there is something with my name on there..that makes we one very happy pussy cat. When I have a chat with the man in the red suit when he pops down the chimney on Sunday night I can tell him that I'm sorted!

Jane says that she is back on Christmas Eve with her very last countdown to Christmas post.

Before I close I must just share one of the jokes she put inside the cracker....it really cracked me up....

What does a cat on the beach have in common with Father Christmas?

Answer;  Sandy Claws.........

What's that,  can I hear you groaning, OK then
I need to get away from typing and back to what I do best..

It's a cats life I live here 😼

Thanks for stopping by.

Bye for now,

Billy x (and Jane x)

Jane's Journal's Crackers for Christmas 2016

Hello we have just finished the wrappathon and I am pleased to say that the presents are all wrapped. It really is getting very exciting seeing everything so festive everywhere you look now. I did a little squeal on Thursday morning when I brought my milk in from the doorstep....you may think these look like 2 ordinary bottles of semi skimmed milk

 look again...............

 yes the festive foils are back 😋

 Every year I hope that they will return. In these days of cutbacks I am just thrilled to see them back. Yes it's the small things which bring me such joy at this festive time of the year.

Pure nostalgia of Christmas past.

I have also managed to get my annual crackers made. I have shared these every year since I started blogging so this is my 6th set. These these are the serviettes I wanted to coordinate with this year.

I searched the internet and found some cool vintage snowmen images which I die cut using a stitched frame die.

I dug out all my  kitchen rolls and cut them to size.

The contents are secret until the big day. 

I added jokes, bangers and hats and started to roll them in crepe paper

and then a final wrap of tree paper.

So here are a few of them

I would like to enter my handmade crackers into the following challenges;

A Vintage Journey Winter Magic

Simon Says stamp Monday Let there be snow

Simon Says Wednesday gift it

Studio 75 Christmas decorations

Pile it on any holiday/celebration

C.R.A.F.T 1/3 Christmas

Fussy and Fancy 1/3 Angels/faires or Winter

Winter Wonderland For someone special/happy new year 1/3 These crackers are for the most precious people in the world to me; my family. 

I will leave you with a couple of the corny jokes inside

What do you call Santa when he's lying on the beach?

Sandy Claus

What do you get if Santa gets stuck in the chimney?

Crisp Kringle 

Did Rudolf go to school?

No he was "elf" taught

Ho Ho Ho!  I hope that made you smile. Just 8 more sleeps until he pops down the chimney for real. 

Are you ready? It's the final of Strictly tonight and as an avid fan I have booked my seat in front of the TV, with a G+T to boot! Enjoy the rest of the weekend. Thanks for stopping by. 

Back soon,

Bye for now,

Jane x