Happy New Year to...

...each and everyone of you.


For some of you 2009 has already arrived and taken up residence, for others it is still working its way to you. Whatever the situation for you, may I take this opportunity to wish you all a very Happy New Year and wish you all a Healthy and Happy 2009 (trying to get this typed and posted before cyberspace goes manic LOL).

Let the celebrations begin...

Here's to a wonderful 2009...take care everyone.

Love and best wishes
Toni

In just under...

...six hours we will bid farewell to 2008 and welcome in 2009.

Where did 2008 go???????? It seemed to fly by even faster than other years (must be an age thing LOL).

Life has changed this year...a new role at work - not one I would have chosen but things seem to be going okay...Dad (FIL) passed away - although this has been expected for a while it still came as a shock...Kristy split from her boyfriend and has been rather poorly this year so Uni has been quite tough for her...and I still don't seem to find the time I want to craft (hurumff).

The Internet has brought me in-touch with some lovely craft folk...it is great chatting to folk in different parts of the world and it has also brought me in-touch with folk that live very close to hand but who I would probably never have met.

As another year comes to a close I hope that 2009 will bring more crafting opportunities...have a good one everyone - I'll try and pop back at midnight.......

There it was...

...been and gone - Christmas, I mean LOL



This is a pic of my prezzies under the tree after I had un-wrapped them all - I had a lovely lot of stuff.

However, I don't know about you but Christmas hasn't seemed very Christmassy this year. Whether this is because of all the last minute hassle at work or whether it is the fact that I developed the "bug" just as I was due to finish work for the holidays - I don't know **shrugs** It might even have something to do with this grotty weather we are having at the moment - I don't mind the cold but I hate this gloomy overcast weather that we are having...yuck, yuck, yuck...

Tomorrow is New Year's eve which means I only have five more days before I have to go back to work and this cold is not shifting one little bit :o( What a wonderful start to a new year (NOT!!!).

I will probably pop out tomorrow morning to get a few bits & pieces but to be honest, the thought of fighting the queues in the sales has not appealed one little bit. So I have avoided Lakeside & Basildon and doubt very much that I will visit either before returning to work.

All is not 'doom & gloom' though (he he he) I have managed to make a start on the cards that I need for January birthdays - must remember to take some pics when they are finished..............

Just one sleep left until...

...Santa visits.


This year has just flown and has not been the best of years for many reasons but hey, tomorrow is Christmas. My friend Eleni in Athens shared a link for sending a letter to Santa which I did and I received a lovely letter in reply.

Today I have to deliver the presents to my sister & niece and collect from them the ones for the rest of the family...I'm the family delivery service LOL

It gets harder every year to chose presents so I'm keeping everything crossed that folk will like what I have bought.

I always love Christmas so will be just like a big kid tonight waiting for the day to arrive so all the pressies can be opened.

I Wish you all a Very Merry Christmas

Love from Toni xx

Nice things do happen...

...honest.

The sore throat, runny nose and hacking cough started last Thursday and by Saturday I was feeling very sorry for myself (lack of sleep never sits well with me). All I wanted to do when the weekend arrived was curl-up and stay in-doors but with Christmas fast approaching that wasn't going to happen - no way.

I wandered over to Artbase to collect some last minute bits to add to gifts for some of my crafting friends and was surprised with the following...


Caroline tells me that Grace picked out the chocolate bear, so thank you Grace...it is lovely and is sitting under the tree guarding all the presents LOL

The beautifully wrapped box will stay a surprise until Christmas day. Margaret tried to slip it into my bag with my purchases without me seeing but wasn't very successful LOL

To Emma. John, Margaret and Caroline...have a great Christmas and here's wishing you all the best for 2009.

Today I needed to go and get some of the food stuff that you can't get too early otherwise the dates run out before Christmas has even arrived. I'm still not feeling too great but at least last night I managed to get some sleep so I wasn't walking around like a total zombie. However, the weather has beengrotty - dull, overcast and drizzly - so I couldn't wait to get home again.

Imagine my surprise when I arrived home to find a parcel on the mat - I knew I hadn't ordered anything so was rather puzzled...

A while back I saw a link on Annette's (Voodoo Vixen) blog that took you to the Fiskars site and their new forum "Fiskarettes". I signed up to the forum as I like and use quite a few Fiskars items in my crafting. The pic below shows what the lovely folk at Fiskars sent me for joining their forum...



A very big thank you to Fiskars, this really brightened my day.

The Fiskarette forum can be reached via the link over to the right-hand side of my blog. Crafters share lots of ideas and projects that they have produced using Fiskars products. I have found some lovely things by just browsing through.

The cold/flu is still hanging on in there but I'm feeling a lot better because I know I have some lovely friends and the odd nice surprise can make all the difference...........................

Exchanging...

...awards, rather than gifts.

I sent my friend Eleni the friendship award that Paula had given to me and in return she sent a lovely award back

This award states that:This blog invests and believes in time and relationships. These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends, they are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers.

I need to have a think about who I want to share this with. Thank you Eleni and I'm so glad that things are starting to calm down a bit in Athens..........

A Friendship award...

...from a very lovely lady - Paula

I have never met Paula except here in cyberspace but she has shared her crafting skills and details of her family life with me. We 'chat' often via the UKS forum where we first met. She makes lovely comments about my crafting efforts and has now honoured me by giving me this award. I feel proud to call her my friend.



"These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award."

I visit a lot of lovely blogs but these are the eight I have chosen to share my friendship award with...

Annette is probably the reason I love mini-books so much. Hers are always delightful pieces that I would love to be able to replicate. She always has time to help her fellow crafters and is quick to share ideas and tips.

Ruthy was kind enough to give me my very first award back in July. She has shared some beautiful pieces of work on her blog.

Eleni is another lady I have never had the pleasure of meeting in real life as she lives in Athens but along with her beautiful craft work she has also let me have an insight into her way of life - I'm thinking of her a lot these days because of the media coverage of the terrible riots/protests that are happening so close to where she is - take care Eleni.

Caroline is one of only a few bloggers that I know in real life. Her crafting is wonderful and she has become a fellow mini-book adict LOL

Sarah shares some lovely ideas on her blog and she has been kind enough to drop by my blog and leave some super comments. I wish her continuing good luck in her participation in the Scrapbooking Apprentice.

Missy is another lady I have only had the pleasure of 'meeting' here in cyberspace but I love her work and she has been an inspiration - I love flicking through craft mags and finding Missy's work.

Dan is a very generous crafter who shares a new template everyweek with his fellow UKscrappers. I first met Dan when he became a Drama Queen for the Oscars cybercrop earlier this year LOL. Dan is a fabulous stamper and I have learnt so much from the videos that he has posted on his blog - he is the reason I now try more stamping techniques - Thank you Dan.

Cal was so helpful during my very first cybercrop. I really wondered what I had let myself in for but she was always around with her cyber-bacon butties and helpful comments and tips. Without her I would never have learnt about baffies LOL

So there you are, my eight nominated award receivers...............

I suppose...

...I should have mentioned some of the materials I've been using.

DCWV 12x12 Christmas Stack.
K&Co Christmas papers.
Forever Friends Christmas Stamp.
Inktense pencils.
Stickles.
Glitter card.
Vellum.
Beads from a 'Make snowflakes' kit.
Core-dination cardstock.
Cuttlebug embossing folders.
Assorted ribbons.
...and bling, loads of bling LOL................................

Lots of...

...Cards.


I've been rather busy trying to catch up with my card making - Christmas is nearly here and there is still soooooooooo much to do.

I managed to do my usual...

In my panic to get as many done and written as posible I forgot to take pics (ho, hum).

These are only some of the cards that I completed (this last pic is rather blurry due to the vellum).

All the rest have been written and delivered.

One year I might just remember to take photos of ALL my cards LOL..................

I know what...

...one (well, two actually LOL) of my Christmas presents will be.

I happened to mention to Mum that I'd seen the new Amy Butler bags & totes in Artbase and they were lovely but as it wasn't payday for another week I was hoping that they wouldn't sell the ones I wanted.

Mum said she had intended to give me some money for craft stuff so she suggested I went and got them so they could be wrapped and put under the tree.




I have the faded china ones (grey & lime) they are beautiful. So I'm a very happy bunny..........

Thank you everyone...

...for your lovely comments about my tree and decs.

I decided two Christmas' ago that I was going to change to a gold and copper colour theme - previously I'd had gold and burgandy. So I started to collect garlands and other bits that would "go" LOL

This year I added the new tree and the bronze & chocolate baubles.

I have to let you all into a secret...this is probably the cheapest I've managed to decorate a tree for LOL especially as the cost includes the tree...

Tree - £19.99
Santa tree topper - already had
4 boxes of assorted baubles - £4
4 lux strands of tinsel - £4
Ribbon - already had
Lights - already had
10 sleigh bells - £1

Under £30 the lot c",)

Paula, the ornaments on the front of the fire place are all ceramic and I made those a few years ago when I attended ceramic art classes (got too expensive).

So once again, thank you all for your lovely comments and I think I just proved that you don't have to spend a fortune to have a great Christmas setting...........

The New Tree...

...is up and decorated c",)


Although not the most expensive of trees (just under £20) I am really pleased with the way it has 'fluffed' up.

Could probably have done with a few more lights on the main tree but I think it looks fine - and I couldn't get to the other lights anyway, so no way was I gonna buy more LOL.

I found a roll of gold organza ribbon in my stash so this came in handy.

Focusing isn't one of my photography skills - tends to be a bit hit-n-miss - never mind, you get the idea.

The fireplace has a bit of tinsel and my ceramic figures.

So Christmas has arrived in my house...lets hope this year is a good one.........

Clearly...

...Christmas.

This was the project that we undertook at Artbase yesterday - a BoBunny clear mini book with Basic Grey Wassal (sp?) PPs and loads of ink, glitter, paint and embellies :o) - a mucky time was had by all LOL



As you can see the pages are all different shapes and there are 'dangly' bits and pieces.



Mine is not finished as I wasn't happy with the Christmas photos that I had, so I have decided to wait and take pics this year with my little book in mind.....

Thought I should...

...start getting ready for Christmas LOL



As you can see, plenty of bling/sparkle..................

What colour tree...

...this was over on Sarah's blog so thought I'd have a go.

Surprisingly, gold (bronze/copper & chocolate) is my colour theme for my home decs.

You Should Have a Gold Christmas Tree

For you, the holidays represent a time of optimism and wealth. You definitely have a generous spirit, and you give a lot during the holiday season. You really go over the top for Christmas. Everyone on your list gets a great gift. Even if you don't have a lot of money during the holidays, it's the one time you pretend like you do. Your gold tree would look great with: All kinds of metallic decorations You should spend Christmas Eve watching: Miracle on 34th St What you should bake for Santa: A ton of cookies, cupcakes, and candy. You would enjoy spoiling him.

What Color Christmas Tree Should You Have?

Watching Miracle on 34th Street...now that is my idea of Christmas.

Wonder what the most popular colour is, LOL............