Happy New Year...

...to you all.

Let us raise a glass to bid the old year farewell...

...and welcome in the new.
Wishing you all a...

 ...that brings you everything that you hope for and...

Happy 2015 to you all and I hope you all continue to enjoy your crafting in the coming year................

Poodle yarn info...

...for those who asked.

"Poodle" yarn is made by Stylecraft and comes in 100g balls.

If you follow the instructions that are on the inside of the ball band - one ball will make one scarf.

The yarn is a mix of 74% acrylic, 16% polyester, 10% mohair and is machine washable at 30c.

To make a scarf is very quick and easy, even for less experienced knitters as you only cast on 3 stitches and it is all knitted in garter (plain) stitch. My first scarf using this yarn took me just over an hour as I was getting used to the feel etc. but subsequent scarves were polished off in about 50mins - yes, it really does knit up that quickly.

The ball band recommends 5mm needle but I used 6mm - my choice and I know how my knitting works up (I found the loops in the yarn a little loose on the 5mm so the 6mm held the stitches a bit more comfortably).

I don't know how wide spread availability of this yarn is (we have all lost our local wool shops over the years) but the ball band contains the following site details www.stylecraft-yarns.co.uk

I'm hoping my local wool shop will be stocking up on this after the holidays as there are some colours on the colour chart that I would love to try............................................................

Still boxing...

...clever.

I actually remembered to take a photo of this scarf before I packaged it...

 ...I am loving this poodle yarn (not cheap but one ball = one scarf) and it is so soft. It also knits up in just under an hour. Once bundled into a box...

 ...you don't know what it is until you open the package. Although my niece seems to have forgotten my tendency to save boxes for this purpose as she thought she had been given a box of coffee - Doh!
One little lady who had no problem unwrapping her gifts was my Sister's dog; Lexi. She was happily ignoring all the folk in the room and played with all her new toys - including monkey...

...as you can see, monkey is nearly as big as Lexi but that did not stop her...

...she was 'loving' her monkey by cuddling it in a choke hold and using it like a pillow.
This was a gift to me from Santa...

...I love it. A mug, tray and coaster - perfect for holding a cuppa & treat on my desk.

I stopped off at my local garden centre on the way to Mum's yesterday as there were a couple of plant pot holders that I wanted to pick up - the place was heaving. Folk were grabbing all the Christmas stuff that had been reduced to 50% of its original price - some families had trolley loads and the queues at the tills were a nightmare (no till set aside for quick purchases). As I had managed to park and find what I wanted I stuck it out but nearly 30mins in a queue seemed silly when I came to hand over my £5 for two pot holders...folk around me were spending several 100s of £ on trees, decorations & lights - you could hear the 'plastic' groaning (I dread to think what some folk will be faced with when their credit card bills come through in the New Year).

I have not 'hit' the sales this year and do not intend to - yesterday I queued and that is the only queuing I intend to do...there is nothing I need that desperately that will tempt me back..................

Boxing Day...

...and a day of calm.

I've decided to have a PJ day and catch up with all my blog reading. I've also been taking it easy as we have a family gathering at my Sister's tomorrow which will mean I have a lot of driving to do.

But what exactly is "Boxing Day"...after all, we have already exchanged gifts on Christmas Day. So what does it mean?

According to Wikipedia...

In Britain, it was a custom for tradespeople to collect "Christmas boxes" of money or presents on the first weekday after Christmas as thanks for good service throughout the year. This custom is linked to an older English tradition: since they would have to wait on their masters on Christmas Day, the servants of the wealthy were allowed the next day to visit their families. The employers would give each servant a box to take home containing gifts and bonuses, and sometimes leftover food.

...so there you go - a bit of trivia for the holidays.

I have to say, this year I was boxing everything that I possibly could. I give a lot of knitted gifts so I wanted them to be a little less obvious this year - I've been merrily hoarding saving boxes & tubs all with the aim of making things look a little more uniform.

It was a great idea (in theory) but I hadn't banked on the fact that boxes don't cram into bags as easily as squishy parcels...

 ...what I should have been able to take into work in one go...

...ended up as three days of deliveries. Oh, and that wasn't the only problem...folk then queried why some folk had bigger boxes than others or different shapes (tubs) - I hasten to add, this was said in jest. It's amazing how different a pile of scarves looks when packaged in Latte/Coffee/Tea boxes or Twiglet/Cheeselet tubs.

I think I'm just about caught up with my blog reading and have also managed to select my prize from the recent Bugaboo Holiday Chaos event - I was lucky enough to win 4 digi images for one of the cards I made and because of the 50% Sale on their site, I was able to pick 8 images...how super is that.

Have any of you ventured out for the start of the sales or have you been searching for bargains on-line? After seeing the madness that took place during Black Friday and the following weekend, the last think I feel like doing is battling my way around the stores - I'll see what things are like next week when things have calmed down a little.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who follows my blog - your support and lovely comments are very much appreciated. When I started out on this blogging lark I had no idea that I would actually stick to it (especially as I'm not the best when it comes to techy stuff) - but here I am, still blogging away (some weeks more frequently than others) and I am lucky enough to have travelled the world via the posts of my blogging friends. Today Saw the page views pass the 100,000 mark - something that I would never have dreamed could happen. So once again, thank you to those who follow or just drop by from time to time.

Enjoy the rest of the festive season as we count down to the end of 2014............................................

Merry Christmas...

...to one & all.

Have a wonderful time........................................................................

It's Christmas Eve...

...and I think everything is done.

If it isn't, then too bad - we'll make do without.

The bed is changed and now sports my new snowflake bedding...

...I even have scatter cushions with angels...

...aren't they sweet - and new PJs await me as is the family tradition for Christmas Eve.
Two weeks ago, I bought a fir wreath but when I got home I decided I didn't want to risk it being stolen. So I put it on the back door...

 ...it wasn't very expensive but I loath the thought of folk pinching it...

...I love all the detail...

...and the large cheery bow...

...but having had things stolen from the front of the house previously, it is staying on the back door to greet me each time I come from the garage.

However...

The front door looked a little un-loved by comparison so I decided to bite the bullet and decorate it.

So grabbing some bits that I picked up in the 99p Store...

...and my recently acquired...

...bow maker. This is what I came up with...

 ...a much happier front door...

 ...sporting a wreath that I made myself. I love the way the bow turned out - the wired ribbon may have been a reel from the bargain bucket but it certainly looks very effective.

The wreath consists of a tinsel covered wire frame (99p), 3m of wired ribbon (75p) and a glittered clip-on rose (£1).

I'm much happier with the way my entrance will greet my visitors over the Holidays...

...I really didn't want to be a Grinch.

I hope you are all ready for the big day and would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a wonderful Christmas........................................................

Bugaboo will be celebrating...

...their 5th birthday.

Note your diaries for a crafting event to look forward to once all the Christmas & New Year frenzy is out of the way...

...it all kicks off on the 17 January 2015 so why not drop in at the Catch the Bug site and play along.

If you help to spread the word about this birthday event you could even be in with a chance to win a prize - but you need to hop over to the site to find out more.

So folks, a week of crafting fun to look forward to - what a great way to start the New Year......................................................................

Last Saturday...

...was the last Eastwood crop of 2014.

It was held at the Toby Carvery in Southend so that we could see the year out with fun, friends and a good meal.

It was a full house and everyone came with their silly Santa hats & decorations.

Although there were a few folk doing scrapbooking LOs, there was a lot of last minute card making going on. I hold my hand up and admit that I was one of those trying to get last minute cards finished.

My Couture Creations embossing folder "Moonlit Berries" got a good workout...

...a bit of simple matt & layering with red CS and the addition of some Cosmic Twinkles...

...a piece of DoCraft satin ribbon to provide the sentiment and some punched holly leaves (Woodware)...

 ...and even with the new lighting in the function room and my lamp - I still couldn't get decent photos of the ribbon & sparkle...

 ...although you can see the sentiment more clearly on the ribbon sitting on the table.
Sticking with the embossing folder but no sparkle this time...

 ...I added Kraft card as the base and cut some Memory Box baubles...

 ...would you believe I bought this die late last year (it kept selling out before I could nab it) and it hadn't been used. To be honest, I couldn't find it. Guess what - the reason I couldn't find it was because I had actually put it into my magnetic storage folder; who would have thunk LOL
The red & white cards were finished off with a couple of gems for the holly berries...

 ...I love the simple lines of this card.
So no scrapping at the crop for me...

...but my final batch of cards for Christmas 2014...

...and I even made all the envelopes to go with.

Christmas cards done & dusted - or is it - there's bound to be someone I have forgotten so I'd better make just a few more..................................................................................

Just where...

...did that week go?

I was going to be so organised and get some cards done for the "Catch the bug" Holiday Chaos event - yeh, right. Friday is here and I'm chasing around like a headless chicken.

Seven days, seven challenges...oh heck...where did the week go...

Saturday - Sparkle & Shine...

...plenty of bling on this with the clouds covered in Crystal Ice Stickles and some clear gems.
Sunday - Sketch...

...a bit of embossing on the card blank and then some gold edged squares topped with a fairy and finished off with a bow.
Monday - Colour challenge...

 ...using the colours from the selection given.
Tuesday - New release & Recipe...ran out of time.
Wednesday - Humorous Christmas...

...my favourite "JJ" relaxing in a glass - perfect for decorating a recycled gift bag.
Thursday - Christmas Critters...ran out of time.
Friday - Freebie Clean & Simple...ran out of time.

So I managed 4 out of the seven which is more than I thought I was going to manage.

Will someone please slow things down a bit...how can it possibly be Christmas in two weeks time...EEEEEEK!!!

But worse than that - it is the Toby carvery crop tomorrow and I haven't even made a start on packing for it.......................................................................................

Let the chaos begin...

...Bugaboo Stamps are kicking off their 2nd annual Holiday Chaos event.

Seven days, seven challenges and lots of goodie to win. Why don't you hop over and take a look at what is going on at the Catch the bug blog........................................................................................

Simply...

...wing Bling it !!!

Despite all my good intentions to be more organised with my Christmas cards this year, time has run away from me yet again. So I thought it was time to make a dent in the lacking numbers.

This lovely digital set of images from Nicecrane designs are fabulous...

...and so adaptable for Christmas cards or notelets.
As the images all have a blue/grey tint to them, I grabbed the following stash...

 ...smooth white CS, aqua glitter card and some aqua gems.
I cut the CS to A5 then folded in half before running the front of the card through my Big Shot...

...using a "Couture Creations" embossing folder called 'Moonlit Berries'.
The images were printed and trimmed...

...and some "Cosmic Shimmer" twinkles applied to the bows on the ladies hats.
I cut a snowflake from the glitter card using a DoCrafts punch (the punch didn't like the glitter card and I ended up banging the punch on the ground to release the cut-out - should have stuck with my dies)...

 ...the snowflake was added to the card and then I used some gems to pick out some of the embossed berries.
This is the finished card...

...fairly quick and simple (if you don't have to fight with a punch - LOL) and a way to boost the numbers of Christmas cards you have ready before the posting deadline.

If you are fast running out of time, don't panic - pop over to the Nicecrane Design site and grab some lovely seasonal images and if you are stuck for some inspiration, hop over to the Nicecrane blog as there are some wonderful Christmas ideas over there........................................................