Holly wreaths

I met my daughter in Gunwhalf Quays, Portsmouth, yesterday to get our Christmas shopping well under way. We had a very successful shop and she also brought with her my holly wreaths which are made by her local florist.
I always like 2 wreathes, 1 for the front door

and one for my studio

I love the natural elements they used and especially the Kraft coloured ribbon. I needed a quick card to get up to date with the Funkie Junkie Challenge and also for some of my other fun challenges I love to enter. I decided to use some "left overs" from my #6 FJ card; a kraft blank which had some embossing paste already on it using my TH knits stencil and a left over gingerbread man I had made for my #6 FJ card.
No process photos I'm afraid as time was limited.

The sentiments are LOTV. The dies are a mix of MB, Spellbinders and J Sheen.. The gingerbread man is a really ancient wooden stamp of mine. I white embossed him and then added a pop of red with my gingham ribbon.

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

The Funkie Junkie 12 tags of Christmas #10 I was inspired by Linda's neutral colours, embossed snowflakes and her pop of red. If you would like to play along with this fun Christmas challenge please check out Linda's post here which gives all the details of the challenge requirements. The challenge is sponsored by The Funkie Junkie Boutique and you could even win one of the prize vouchers if you complete all 12 weeks.

The Ribbon Girl 1/3 December card challenge anything goes

Emerald Creek Dares 3/3  winter wishes

Simon Says stamp Ice inspiration

Winter Wonderland 3/3 frame it or night scene my gingerbread man is framed by my focal die.

Crafty Boots unltd Christmas

Let's craft and create 2/3 Christmas
Crafty ribbons Christmas
Happy Little Stampers untld anything goes with dies
Paper Creator 2/3 Christmas
WOW embossing powders December, winter
Fussy and Fancy 1/3  Christmas in tones or pastels

Thanks so much for stopping by and for the kind comments you leave at such a busy time of the year for everyone. Take care.

Back soon,

Bye for now,

Jane x

Christmas wreath making

The Countdown to Christmas continues; it's just 2 weeks today until the Big Day! I am still opening the windows of my nostalgic advent calendar. I took this photo a few days ago when I actually had daylight in my bedroom.

These are a few of the images I found inside last week. That snowman and snowlady are fun aren't they.

We have our lovely fruit wreath hanging on the front door but I had not yet bought a wreath for my studio door. Although it is far too cold, even with the little heater on, at this time of the year to be crafting out there it is still good to look out of the kitchen window and see a Christmas wreath hanging. Last week, amongst the Christmas decorations, I spied an Oasis ring base in my local Wilkinson's store.

Although it is not actually designed for making into a hanging wreath I decided that I could adapt it. It is supposed to be used flat on a table.

I tied a piece of string around to make a hanging loop and then soaked the oasis with water.

I had cut some greenery and holly from my parents' garden. These were about the only 5 holly berries left this year, the birds had eaten all the rest.

I started by trimming some of the fir and yew branches into pieces that would slightly overhang the oasis. I then pushed them in place.
I had also bought a couple of ornaments and pine cones which cost just a few pounds in total. It did not take long to put it all together...would you like to see the end result...............





Here it is hanging in place

and here is a close up showing the additions.

I'm really pleased with it and the total cost was less than £4.

Now  I understand that Billy got hold of my blog on Saturday whilst I was out dancing at my work party and  our Dance Class Ball. They were both wonderful evening with lots of laughter and dancing. Yes I wore my Cinderella Slippers and yes they caused quite a stir at both events. I promised a photo but it was so hard to get something decent in the poor light at home before I left. Here are a couple but in real life they looked so much more sparkly.

I also have a really sparkly card for my challenges today.

This is the card I made for my dear Hb. He saw this stamp when I bought it and hinted that he would love it to be used for his Christmas card.

Here is the stamp in close up. It is called Christmas Bunnies Stocking by Lili of the Valley. I coloured it with Promarkers and highlighed with Prismacolor pencils.
I really went to town with all the bling as it did not need to go in the post. I made it a box instead.
The round and tag sentiments are also LOTV. The ticket sentiments are Whimsy. I even found some fab matt finish jingle bells...they actually ring. I added lots of Glamour Dust for sparkle on the hats and fur trims. The ornament die cuts are Memory Box and all the other additions are hand punched by me. There is even a festive blue and silver ribbon in there. My Hb loved it.








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

Cupcake craft Merry Christmas #222
Forever Friends Fortnight Challenge Christmas #51
Cutie Pie Christmas #34
Dream Valley Christmas #34
Joanna Sheen With love at Christmas
Pan Pastel Inspired by a carol or song #48 My song is "Baby it's cold outside" by Tom Jones and Cerys Matthews.
Totally Gorjuss O no snow #161
Forever Friends Monthly challenge Christmas
Ladybug Crafts Ink Sparkliscious
A and T Emerald Faeries Christmas #38
Bearly Mine Anything Goes #65
The Ribbon Girl Ho Ho Ho
Sweet Stamping Christmas Anything Goes Their very first challenge ;0)

I hope everyone is keeping warm. It has been freeeeeezing here today, the temperature just about got above 1c all day and is plunging down to -6c tonight...now that's pretty cold to me. I was at home today as my silversmithing class has finished until January so I was able to finish my crackers and get some wrapping done. My heating kept kicking in all day and Billy stayed put. He says thank you for all the comments on his post on Saturday and that he is now resting his paws as he wore them out typing. Thanks for taking the time to visit, I know how busy everyone is at this time of the year.

Back soon,

Bye for now,

Jane x