Seeing stars

Hello and welcome to November. As it is the first of the month it is the day for my Country View Design team piece for our brand new challenge.  For this month the lovely Rachel has chosen the theme stars. It is the time of long dark nights when we start drawing the curtains earlier and earlier in the afternoon. Rachel's lovely theme of stars for this month's challenge is perfect to shine some light for us.  I really hope that lots of you can join us. You can enter anything crafty with no limitations to 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

The weather is so mild at the moment and I still have fuchsia in full flower...long may it last. I love the dew on these beauties.

The clocks went back on Saturday night so we need all the light we possible can. I decided to make something very sparkly for my DT piece, a fairy Christmas card using some very non traditional Christmas colours. I added lots of sparkle too.

I made my background with distress stain and then added and ink through my Tim Holtz star stencil

I stamped my Lavinia fairy

I added a little blue and purple around the edges and my Noor Christmas star die cut. Then I replaced my stencil and added some sparkle medium for extra bling

and Stickles to her wings for even more shine for a snowy scene.

Here she is again after drying with a TH celebrate sentiment in glitter card to add that extra sparkle for Christmas. Do you think that up there with the fairies, these stars then fall as snowflakes on earth...I do ;0)

 I have used this colour way and stamp for my 2nd DT card which is coming up on 27 November. You will see how very different 2 designs can look. Stay tuned.

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

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas challenge  anything goes

                                       Sweet stamping inspired by a book or song I think mine is very  obvious..."When you wish upon a star" from Pinocchio ;0)
                                        Allsorts Let's made a start on Christmas
                                       Simon says stamp Wednesday anything goes



Thanks for visiting. Happy November everyone and yes I can say it now...only 54 days til Christmas...are you ready ;0) 


Bye for now,


Jane x

Studio news, Part 3

After giving that sneak peek at the end of my last blog post I am back to show you how my Studio is coming along. I needed some blinds and I decided I could not resist a red version of the same blind we have in our kitchen.

Here is my studio blind, it is a Sanderson fabric called Dandelion 

I just love it! As the daylight is so short at the moment I have not been able to get any photos without artificial light but I am sure this gives you an idea

My Hb and I fitted this one on Sunday. I have also bought a matching blind for the left hand window and at the moment have not decided about the door. I may well buy a plain maroon red for that or I may just buy the same. They were out of stock so I have time to think about it.

This is a link to the green version we have in the kitchen.

We also have lampshades of this in our newly decorated room.

I cannot get enough of these wonderful retro patterns.

Back at the Studio...this is the light sensitive lantern my Dad installed for me. It clicks on and off with any movement and when I go in and out. It gives such a cosy glow in the darkness.

I also have a clock which I can see from my workbench.

We have assembled the first of my Ikea Billy bookcases for my storage. I have bought another 2 doubles and a single but we need to get an off cut of carpet in place first.

Some of my card making stash in place.

I wound my new fairy lights around the rafters which also give a lovely glow.

That is my Studio news up to date for now. I will of course post again when I have some more to show.As you all know life gets rather busy this time of year.

 So here I am working outside in my wonderful creative space. I love it. It gives me a little warm glow inside when I see these photos.

I hope you are all keeping cosy wherever you are in the world. In my Count down to Christmas there are only 26 days left so I really should get on with the last of my cards and jewellery. Have fun with all your festive preparations too. 

As I have felt very nostalgic writing the post I just had to share one of my favourite poems for this time of the year. It's the last day of November tomorrow and this seems very apt!

November 

November comes and November goes,

With the last red berries and the first white snow.

With night coming early and dawn coming late,

And ice in the bucket and frost on the gate.

The fires burn and the kettles sing

And earth sinks to rest until next spring.

Elizabeth Coatsworth

Take care, 

Back soon,

Jane x