Twelfth Night – Twelfth House

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So the day I dread has finally dawned and I have to say “goodbye” to Christmas. The tree and decorations that have given so much pleasure will all be packed away safely and the house will look very bare and boring. No twinkly outdoor lights to welcome us home on the dark winter nights (actually no lights at all as right now the street lamps don’t appear to be working!). However, there is still some Christmas cake left and I still have a few of my treasured Christmas teabags, from Betty’s, so I can still have a little festivity before the dreaded return to work.

I am also saying goodbye to my Twelve Houses of Christmas with the final one in the series to share with you today:

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Take a look back at how the street developed!

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I have – just – managed to squeeze the entire village into one picture too:

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This was not easy!

Before I started this set I had thought about linking them to the Twelve Days of Christmas but decided that this might end up proving tricky. Yesterday, as I was clearing up, I happened across Graphic 45s paper pad in my stash – I had squirreled it away, not wanting to use it in case I needed it! So now I can start planning next year’s set which will help me get over today!

Thanks for buzzing by.

Out with the old and in with the new

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New blog challenges continue thick and fast and today sees the start of our new theme over at Crafty Boots Challenges – “out with the old and in with the new.”  for my DT piece I’ve made a card:

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My old are my distress inks, texture paste, stencil and “dream Stamp” (it’s been a long time since I used my favourite Darkroom Door set) and I’ve combined them with my new Agatha Moon stamp that you saw yesterday. The card is also a new take on another project, that I have created but you will have to come back o Wednesday to see that one.

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The background is a blend of Distress Inks – Stormy Sky, Faded Jeans, Chipped Sapphire and Seedless Preserves. I’ve then used a stencil and gold texture paste. I’ve mounted the inked card onto white and added a hand drawn border. Bravely, I stamped the sentiment directly on to the card.

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Agatha Moon has been coloured with Promarkers and cut out. Be sure to buzz over to Crafty Boots and check out the inspirational projects created by the rest of the Design team. The challenge is open for a fortnight and I hope you will be able to share your old/new projects with us. We are loving having challenge winners as guest designers.

Now for the penultimate house in my Twelve Houses of Christmas series:

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Something jolly that will hopefully cheer up all those of you who are returning to work today after the extended holiday.

Thanks for buzzing by.

New Beginnings and house #10

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Challenge Blogs are all revving up again and fresh challenges are getting under way. We at Anything But A Card Challenges are no exception as we kick of the New Year with the theme of “New Beginnings”. As ever, the DT have come up with lots of inspiration so be sure to buzz over and take a look. Here’s my project:

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I was very excited, and very lucky, to receive some new stamps for Christmas including “Agatha Moon” and “Agatha Bee” from eldest Beez. I’m totally smitten with the Agatha series (and also Nina!), by Magda Polakow for Stampotique, and decided to get cracking with them straight away. A new stamp featuring a new moon being perfect for the challenge theme. First, I fashioned a circlet and hanging loop from gold jewellery wire. I got the initial circle by wrapping the wire around a jar and then wove another piece in and out of the ring I had created to there was a double wall. I finished off my creating a hanging loop to which I added a couple of beads from my stash.

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To the loop I added some stamped stars – the stamp is another by Stampotique and I coloured the stars with Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap and a touch of Walnut Stain. The smaller stars were punched from gold glitter card. Originally, I coloured the image of Agatha with Promarkers and this looked Ok, but then I couldn’t help wondering what she might look like “au naturel” so did a second version, stamped on cream card, and added colour with the same Distress Inks as before. I preferred the overall look of the second Agatha so adhered her to the circle. (Buzz back tomorrow if you would like to see what I did with the first Agatha).

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To finish my hanging I added words from the famous quote by Eleanor Roosevelt which I felt were appropriate for the piece and also for the “New Beginnings” theme.

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Here she is hanging from my Christmas tree.

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We have lots of great themes planned for the forthcoming year, as well as our regular “five” challenge for when there are five Sundays in in the month,  and we hope you will come and join in each month and share your fantastic projects that are Anything But A Card! I am also linking up my project  for the Stampotique Designer’s Challenge SDC # 176 – Anything Goes, Week 5.

Of course I also have house number ten, in my Twelve Houses of Christmas series, to share as well.

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I find it quite funny that an angel has ended up living at number 10! (number 10 Downing Street is the official London residence of the Prime Minister and often referred to simply as “number 10.”)

Thanks for buzzing by.

New challenge at My Artistic Adventures and house #8

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Today kicks off the new challenge, the first of 2015, over at My Artistic Adventures. This is, if you like, the first “official” challenge since the new Design Team came together. The challenges take place on 2nd and 16th of each month and I hope you’ll have time to play along. Heather is a generous hostess and there are always lots of prizes and goodies up for grabs.

My Artistic Adventures Challenge Blog
The first challenge of 2015 has an Anything Goes theme, be sure to buzz over and check out the loveliness that the rest of the DT has created. For me, this was a hard one to start with as first, it meant make a choice about which of Heather’s lovely collage sheets to use, and secondly, what to make with it. There always so many possibilities. Here’ s what I went for:
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A thank you card seemed appropriate for this time of year.  For this I have used the Pink Victorian Thank You set and teamed it with some designer paper from my stash. Both the image and the paper have been edged with gold glitter.
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I’ve added some lace and ribbon along the bottom and a strip of crinkled seam binding across the centre. In one corner is an arrangement of paper roses, ribbon, ribbon leaves and a teeny-tiny bow.
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I’ve echoed that arrangement on the opposite corner.
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Despite all the embellishments this really was very easy to put together and the image is so pretty it works equally well as part of a clean and simple design. I made a smaller card and planned not to add any embellishments:
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Alright then, just a teeny bit of lace and a paper rose!
And so for today’s house, we’ve reached number eight:
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Although the snow has gone, I haven’t quite got it out of my system yet!
Here’s how the street is shaping up:
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Thanks for buzzing by.

Starting 2015 – Twelve Houses of Christmas #7

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Happy New Year! I hope you had a good evening. Did you make any resolutions? After last year’s epic fail in keeping most of mine (remember the “no new crafting supplies” one!!) I’ve kept mine very low key this time. I vaguely remember being badgered by eldest son who was writing them down so he could police the keeping of them! This morning, most of the snow has disappeared – seems there has been some rain overnight to wash it all away. However, “Bee Movie” is showing on TV this morning so I am taking that as a good omen!

Here’s house number 7:

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Enjoy the first day of the new year and thanks for buzzing by.

 

Seeing out the old – 12 Houses of Christmas #6

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Well here we are, not only does this mark the half way point in my Twelve Houses of Christmas series it is also the last day of the year. New Year is a bit of a non-event in the Beez household these days so for us it will be a quiet night in. I seem to remember that last year I didn’t even make it to hear the chimes of Big Ben. Before I share today’s house I would like to say a huge thank you to all of you who have supported me throughout 2014. I reached a point earlier in the year when I thought about giving up on my blog but it was the thought of the many friends I have made over the past two and half years that encouraged me to keep going and I’m jolly glad that I did! So thank you – to those of you that follow and/or comment and those of you who just buzz by occasionally I do appreciate you taking time to do so.

Wishing all of you a very Happy New Year, if you’re partying the night away, have fun, and I hope that 2015 is a happy and healthy one for you and yours.

Here’s house number 6:

 

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Thanks for buzzing by and look forward to seeing you again next year :)

12 houses of Christmas – Number 5

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When I started this series I wasn’t sure if they would follow a theme or not. Looking at all five together today they do sort of look as if they are in a set. I didn’t intentionally make them all the same size but they have ended up being so and I think I shall keep them more or less like that. They are all a combination of similar toned reds and greens and three of them have little hearts (I may go back and add one to numbers 3 and 4!). Here’s number 5:

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Thanks for buzzing by.

 

All about the snow including house number 4

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Before I share today’s projects (for there is more than one!)I have to let you know that voting is open for the 24 tags of Christmas over at the Gecko Galz. All you need to do is email geckogalz2014@gmail.com with your favourites. You can check out all the entries over on the blog,  I have two tags that you can see here and here.

Now for the projects that I have to share with you today and both reflect the weather outside. They are also a little reminder that over at Crafty Boots Challenges our “Winter Wonderland” theme has reached the halfway point which gives you a whole week to come and join in the fun. First up I have today’s little house:

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I would also like to show you my little snow fairy that I made as one of my Gecko Galz DT projects. She’s certainly been busy if the weather is anything to go by!

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I’ve used an old jam jar and given it a coating of glue and glitter around the lower outside edge and then added some faux snow to the inside base.

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The image is from the Sugar Plum Fairies collage sheet. I’ve layered two images together to give her wings dimension and added planter of crystal clear glitter. In her hand she is holding a string of tiny snowflakes and stars.

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I covered the lid of the jar with a paper doily and muslin and wrapped some starry wire trim around the edge. The label was printed on my computer. On top there are some more stars and white roses that have been dry brushed with white paint and glittered.

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There’s no fairy like a snow fairy! :):):)

Thanks for buzzing by.

 

 

Joy – 12 Houses of Christmas Day 3

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Well my prediction that the snow would soon melt proved entirely wrong and it’s still holding fast and is just as deep as it was. By all accounts there has been panic buying in the village store with supplies of bread and milk being snapped up. This is pure hearsay, I haven’t ventured out in it choosing to cosy up inside instead!!

Without further ado here is today’s little house:

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Very quick and simple to whip up, this little house has given rise to a whole host of new possibilities! I’ve used a left over gift tag from last year to cover the chipboard base and then added the word and the roof which have been cut from some red glitter card. I’m now thinking of digging out all my old gift tags, and recycling some of this year’s, to create another set of houses for 2015. Can’t wait to get started! Of course that will be right after I’ve got next year’s Christmas cards sorted super early :)

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Thanks for buzzing by.