Christmas Cards

Hello...

 Happy Thanksgiving 

to all who celebrate this tradition ... I hope you have a wonderful day!

I've been busy organising for Thursday Club... my group want to make some Christmas cards this week ... It will be my last craft class for this year because the following weeks we will be having various entertainment for them including a Christmas Party ... where of course Santa arrives with presents!

I'm made a couple of cards myself ... and both have been done using the bits that were left over from other things ... It's no wonder that I never use up Christmas stuff ... Lol! 

Sometimes things on my desk just seem to go together whereas I can spend hours thinking up what paper to use etc.,

I used the inlaid die technique again and the paper I used for the word die ... well, let just say it's been in my stash for well over a year ... maybe two! 

... And I wasn't going to toss out the negative that was left over ...

Not when I could make this sparkly card ...

I hope you can see the glitter ... I think both of these cards will qualify for the challenge this week at Shopping Our Stash

You know looking at this last card ... I'm think what great antlers those fern things would make ... hmmm ... another card on the horizon I think ...

Thanks for stopping by - have a beautiful day

~ Ros ~

Snow White

Hello ... Happy Tuesday!

Time for another challenge at City Crafter where Wendy is our lovely hostess ...

Wendy's theme this week is Snow White 

Make a card or project where the main colour is white (can be clear white or off white)

So far we haven't had any snow here but it very, very cold ... too cold for snow in fact

For this challenge I thought a Christmas card would be perfect

Ok, so there is a subtle hint of silver in there - But there's a whole lot of white too ... which I'm finding so very hard to photograph!

I embossed the sentiment in silver, rubbed the embossing folder with silver ink and added some liquid pearls to the holly ... The holly die is a Marianne's Creatable die which I also dry embossed using the Swiss dots folder ... This whole card was made from my scraps too

Our winner this week will be given a Guest Design spot with us here at CCCB so come and join in the challenge ... Don't forget to visit the Blog to check out the rest of the DT creations and that of our resident Guest Designer Lisette

Thanks so much for visiting me today

Have a beautiful week and stay safe (and warm)

~ Ros ~

Giving Thanks

Hello ...

How are you?

Today's prompt at Our Beautiful World is Thanksgiving ...

Traditionally a celebration for the blessings of the year and for the harvest ...

We all have much to be Thankful for ... even though life can be so cruel at times ... but then, no one ever said it would be fair

Here in my little part of the world it's cold ... very cold right now ... no beautiful sun drenched beaches with swaying palm trees ... No Disney World and no millionaires yachts moored at the dock

But so much to be Thankful for ...

Thankful that the only debris that litters my garden and floats on the now still garden fountain are beautiful fallen leaves and not debris from hurricanes, tornadoes or earthquakes

am Thankful to wake up each morning to the sound of birdsong ...  and not the sound of gunfire or bombs falling 

 We have plenty of rain ... and yes we complain about it ... a lot ... but we have beautiful green landscapes and the privilege of 4 glorious seasons 

From the sweet delicate scents of Spring ...

to the whisper white of winter

I am Thankful for these seasons ... the visitors that arrive with them each year

... some building their homes in my trees

I am Thankful that I can afford some kindness to those who wait in line

... and make me smile

I am Thankful for the burst of winter white flowers to brighten even the dark days

I am Thankful for this past year 

For the warm home I live in ... for the food in my cupboards

for my freedom, my family and my friends

Visit Our Beautiful World blog to see the Thanksgiving photos from around the world and read the stories behind them ... 

And why not link up with us this week ... There is always, always something to be Thankful for

Have a beautiful day

~ Ros ~

A Christmas Market

On Thursday my DH and I caught a train to Manchester to visit the Christmas market

It was cold but relatively dry and we had a fun day ...

I forgot to take my camera ... but I did have my phone ... so apologies for the quality of my photos

It was a 20 minute walk from the station and we passed the beautiful 100 year old Midland Hotel

Afternoon tea here costs £20 per person ... If you want a champagne afternoon tea it will set you back £26 ... We didn't stop ... We headed for Santa

Here he is outside the town hall ... the array of chalet stalls meandered around the city and the smells were delicious!

There were stalls selling garlic

Sausages of every variety

French macaroons

Though I was more taken by this in the background

pretty huh?

There were stalls selling hot food, cold food, coffees and liqueurs ... more chocolates and sweets than I could believe ... 

We gave into temptation and grabbed a lamb burger with stilton cheese

There were plenty of Santa's

... and snowmen

and especially for my German friend Barbara ... Moose!

This cute variety I love ... but not the real stuffed heads of once live moose

And look at the array of cuties for the garden

Hey! How did DH get in there again? He's not as smart as this guy huh?

He knows I love a man in uniform ...

For hours we wandered around taking in the sites and scents ... displays from all around Europe selling everything from food to fine jewellery ...

Darkness started to fall and the lights were so pretty

Even in the local pub

It was time to head home 

We strolled through the streets of Manchester ... taking in shop windows with fabulous displays ... street side coffee bars that were so tempting, bathed in the glow of the Christmas lights

A fine day was had by all and I can promise you I slept like a log that night!

Till soon

~ Ros ~

Christmas Cards

Hello there ...

How has your week been? 

I've been getting ahead on some DT work and making a few simple Christmas cards ... Ones I hope won't cost a fortune to send

I love this branch die and the little birds ... both by Memory Box

... and I love the Washi tape ... a buy from Ebay 

The pretty poinsettia is by Pink Paisley ... my dear friend Rebecca sent me a pack of their embellishments - the star and sentiment are My Minds Eye ... I just drew a string for the star

I have to prepare some Christmas cards for my sweet group for next week's class .. I'm thinking that these will be quite simple but effective for them

I'm keeping this short as my DH wants us to go into Manchester to visit the German Market ... It's ages since I took a train ride and right now the weather is not too bad ... 

Have yourselves a beautiful day

~ Ros ~

Christmas is coming ...

Hello and Good Morning!

It's time for a new challenge at City Crafter this morning but before I get into that can I just say how dreadfully sorry I am to hear of the devastation in US Midwest following the Tornadoes... 

I cannot begin to comprehend the plight of those who have been affected both there and in the Philippines ... The images we are seeing are horrendous

My heart and my prayers go out to you all ... 

This week at City Crafter we have the lovely Charlene hosting for us with her theme
 Decorate It
 Char is asking that we create a project that uses a wreath ... 

This is the first Christmas card I've made this year ... I'm so behind I know ... but with the postage rates and the cost of supplies I have decided to send mostly shop bought cards this year ... (Gasp)!
So here's my card

One of the many gifts I received from my beautiful friend Rebecca was a Christmas stamp set which included this sweet little deer, the snowflake and the sentiment ... 

I cut my sparkly wreaths using the Cameo and fussy cut the little deer ... I used a white gel pen to add a few details to him first and a black pen to give him some hooves and a nose ... then a sparkly eye

Our Guest Designer this week and for the following 3 weeks is the lovely 

Lisette aka Mrs Beez

Please hop over to the blog and take a look at her lovely creation together with those of the rest of the team ... The winner of this challenge will also have a Guest spot with us at CCCB so get creating and link up your entry Here

Thanks so much for your visit ... Have a lovely day and keep safe

~ Ros ~

Eyes

Hello there ...

So nice of you to stop by ... I hope you are enjoying your weekend

It's a new prompt at Our Beautiful World today

... and Kirsty has picked the word Eye(s) for us

They say the Eyes are the mirror of the soul ... I happen to believe that ... 

Eyes...

There are the Eyes of the wise

This little guy was a gift from a friend and he sits in my craft room looking over me and my iMac 

There are painted Eyes

I've seen this ship many times ... often moored in Palma bay

Then there are Eyes that keep watch ... can you see the strange reflection in this little guy's Eye?

Yep, he's watching me watching him ... and another set of Eyes are watching him watching me

... hoping that there may be a few nuts left to spare

There are unseeing Eyes ... that warn off predators ... like on this butterfly wing

But are there any Eyes more beautiful than that of an innocent child?

... Or those of an animal learning to trust ...

Or those of a faithful friend ... Eyes filled with devotion and unconditional love 

... and when they close for the last time ... they take a piece of your heart with them

Link up with us this week at 

Our Beautiful World

Till soon

~ Ros ~