Happy Christmas!

Well, the pork is in the oven with the dauphinoise potatoes, presents are wrapped and under the tree, the stockings have been filled and I've just done the Jane Austen's Heroines test...

Have a wonderful day, and may you know the joy of Jesus as your personal gift this Christmas.

I am Marianne Dashwood!


Take the Quiz here!



SALT - John 3:16

It was my sister's turn again to set the challenge on SALT, and this is some of what she said...


The verse John 3:16 'For God so loved the world that he sent his one and only son, that whoever believed in him shall not perish but have everlasting life'

It is perhaps a well known verse, but it is a real testimony to our Christian faith, the fact that the babe Jesus was born as a SAVIOUR for our sins. So that if YOU believe that he came to die, and ask for forgiveness YOU ALSO will recieve the GIFT of eternal life in heaven. John 15:13 reminds us 'Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.'
Use this verse to inpire you or to meditate on in the next few weeks, and especiallly over the Christmas period. God bless you all and have a wonderful Christmas.

I had ordered some stamps from the USA, one with John 3:16 in Chinese script, they didn't arrive in time so I've used an image printed onto paper instead.

For a previous challenge I had made some "moo cards" I had enjoyed it so much I thought I'd use the moo card size (28x70mm) for this challenge... here is what I've made - some fridge magnets!


Ingredients: Basic Grey paper, micro beads, embossing powder, flower punch, shiny fibre, ribbon, button and crystal heart.

Busy busy busy...

Sorry I've not posted for a while... updates on goings on in Magness household... inspite of the huge attempts on the part of us to discourage the belief in you know who - who doesn't really bring the presents... Luke is still adamant that the "real" one is real... this is not helped that he has met loads of them recently and he did ask one if he was real and of course the reply was - yes! jadon is very smiley and very enjoyable, Ethan is testing my patience, I have to keep reminding myself he's only 2 - especially when he insists on being accompanied to the toilet when he is fairly capable of going on his own.

Did a card making session with the youth group at church, slight hiccup... laminator jammed with the first group, thankfully they didn't seem to mind that they didn't go home with a finished product. I adapted for the older group and they created some lovely cards, much to the delight of their parents!

Below is a recent pic of 2 of my 4 boys!

4th Red Indian!

The annual school Christmas Concert has occured!

Here is Luke... 4th Red Indian!

4x4 Friday - Lace

Had a go at the latest 4x4 Friday theme of lace. I've had two friends give birth to girls this last week so had to make some girly baby cards...



DIAMONDS

This weeks challenge from Wednesday Stamper is...
We all know that “diamonds are a girl’s best friend”. This week we’re challenging you with DIAMONDS. Whether you choose the diamond shape or the diamond itself is entirely up to you!!

Made this for someone who has helped immensely with the Breast Feeding Support Project I'm involved with and has started a new job.

Ingredients: PP and stamps by HOTP, flowers by Prima and crystals.

SALT - Light

Hi everyone, its my turn this week (Ruth).
It has come round quick, and I'm so pleased at how the Lord is letting us be Salt.

The theme for this week is

LIGHT

It is mentioned so many times in the Bible, and has many facets of meaning and symbolism.

I am the LIGHT of the World... The people walking in darkness have
seen a great LIGHT ...The LIGHT shines in the darkness, but the
darkness has not understood it...In the same way, let your LIGHT shine
before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father
in heaven.

Please have a look at the other wondeful creations on the SALT BLOG, and please join in!

As Jesus is MY LIGHT and SALVATION, I thought the piece below would be appropriate...


I love candles, and have some empty glass containers from used ones, so I shaved down a round candle to fit into this oval shaped one. I have used a heavy weight translucent paper around the glass and for the punchies. I printed out "Jesus" on to white paper and placed it behind the translucent paper, then using my Making Memories punch/setter tool, punched the holes out along the letters adjusting the size of the holes where appropriate. Then stuck the punchies on and edged with scalloped scissors.


Present for Tesni

My friend's little girl was 1 last week and is having a joint party with her brother who is 3. We've been asked not to bring presents but I couldn't resist making this using some new Primas from Craft Obsessions.




Ingredients: Blank square coasters, Anna Griffin paper, Primas and crystals

Pete and teeth!

On Saturday we went to the birthday party of a friend of ours. He came up from London with some friends to stay at his parents house, they camped! Lovely evening of food, fireworks and fancy dress... I cooked a huge piece of pork for about 16 hrs in my oven, and made a veg stew a la Nigella Lawson, hummus, kidney bean dip, guacamole, pinenut and pesto pasta, greek salad and apple sauce... V tasty!

The birthday boy Pete dressed as a duck, including huge webbed feet, and his brother came as traffic lights. His friends from London came as....... Pete! was very funny, the original Pete i the one in red at the front.


Another momentus occassion... Lukes first tooth has come out! The offending culprit was a piece of french bread! We had no idea it was wobbly until it came out. There a couple of teeth already out behind the front teeth, so may need a trip to the dentist at somepoint.


And this pic of Ethan was too cute not to share!

Amazing Grace - SALT

This week's SALT challenge is

From the hymnbook

take your inspiration from a hymn or song that means a lot for your faith

I'm sure the hymn Amazing Grace is know by a huge proportion of the people in the UK, but sadly they may not truly understand the words and the sentiment behind those words. Apparantly John Newton, who was once involved in the slave trade but on conversion worked hard to abolish slavery, penned the words after God convicted him of his sin and need for him.

Anyway, this is the card... I hope it means something for you, as it does for me, and if you've never stopped to read it through properly, here are the words...

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That sav’d a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears reliev’d;
How precious did that grace appear,
The hour I first believ’d!

Thro’ many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promis’d good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease;
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We've no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’ve first begun.

Ingredients: Anna Griffin paper, scallop scissors, MM eyelet setter (to make holes), organza and chiffon ribbon, vintage lace and some cut oout butterflies from decopage paper.

DCM Snowmen and Snowflakes

Just so happens I made this card a couple of weeks ago when my friend was round and we were having a card making session. Added to it this evening with the sentiment.

Played with the settings on my camera to take the picture below with a flash and the one further below without a flash... not sure which I prefer...


Ingredients: Stamps by Anna Griffin, Rhonna Farrer and PrintWorks Collection Inc, punch by X cut with a couple of crystals.
Couldn't resist showing you this pic of Luke I took last night...

CPS #37

Fab little drawing on the CPS site helped me make this... a belated birthday card for a friend.

Ingredients: PP by Brenda Walton and HOTP, stamps by Anna Griffin, flowers by Prima, flower punch, scallop scissors, ribbon and lace.

Caardvarks - Diecut challenge

This was the soon to be ended challenge by Caardvarks...

Let's use diecuts on our card fronts! Link us to your card(s) in the comments section of this post by November 2nd at midnight.

The label, square and heart have been diecut

Ingredients: PP by TLC and Brenda Walton, Die cuts by Quickutz, vintage button and lace, stamp by Anna Griffin.

Di Hickman sketch

well... no change in my life.. still busy, and squeezing in cardmaking time where I can.

Tom preached twice on Sunday and we went to a christening do in between. This is the card I created for the little girl using Di Hickman's sketch, do have a look and see how other people have interpretted it...


Ingredients
: Anna Griffin Stamp, PP by Anna Griffin and HOTP, plastic embellishment, flowers by Prima, Glitter glue and sparkly gelly pen by Sakura.

SALT - Jesus is Lord

Thank you to Kimberley for setting this week's challenge...
Jesus is Lord
What a wonderful reminder of how simple the Christian Faith is... just putting our trust in THE CREATOR, realsising that there is nothing we can do for ourselves, but it's only because of Jesus that we can have LIFE!

I've altered some packaging... a fab little cardboard tub with a plastic lid... thought it would make a nice pressie for someone.

I've tried to capture the different sides of it...


Ingredients: PP by Anna Griffin, flowers by Prima, flower punch, scallop scissors and eyelet punch.

A new Cardmaking blogger...

Please check out my friend Rebecca's new blog.

She has some lovely creations on there, and would appreciate some comments!

Lovely weekend

Well, had an eventful weekend...
Been trying to drum up votes for our latest competition entry... click here
Your votes would greatly be appreciated!

Had a lovely Sunday. There were 4 baptisms at church in the morning, and then a fellowship lunch... lots of lovely food brought by people to share and eat together. Then it was off to the nearby river to see 2 other guys being baptised. Apparantly, before our church had their building thats how they always used to baptise people. It was such a blessing to see friends obeying the Lord and declaring their faith in Christ.




Ramblings

Not had many crafting oportunities lately...

lots going on in Magness household, visitors, poorly friends, mega curries to cook, nappies to change, addictive scrabble games, dish washing etc

some pics from the weekend and beyond...



Below is a fruit bouquet I made for a friend's birthday, was enjoyed by many!


I've done 2 WI talks and a ladies club talk over the last month or so. 2 were on beaded flowers and the latest one was Christmas card making, below is a pic of a couple of cards that some ladies made.

SALT - Creation

This week's challenge was set by Kim, and it's CREATION. Please check out the Salt blog to see the challenge and the fab creations the other gitls have done.

Ingredients: Rhonna Farrer stamps, clear embossing powder, Prima flowers, buttons, ribbon computer print out and mulberry paper.

Wednesday Stamper - MOO CARDS

Moooooooooooooooo!!!

I just love this idea! Small long pieces of card with a photo or some small piece of art. Wednesday Stamper's challenge of the week has introduced me to them - do check the site out!

Or get your own printed up here

Anyway, just had to have a go and enjoyed it very much. It was a great way of focussing creative energy, by having a small and more unusual shape to decorate. They are 2.8cm by 7cm.



Ingredients: PP by TLC and Kelly Panacci, stamps by Rubber Stampede and Hero Arts, vintage lace and button, flower punch and safety pin.

CAARDVARKS chipboard challenge

Luke is going to a birthday party tomorrow, so I thought i'd make a card with a difference for the birthday girl. It's more of a hanging, apparantly she's having a "new" bedroom, she's become more girly - thought this would look nice on her bedroom door.


Ingredients: PP by TLC and Brenda Walton, Chipboard flowers by TLC, flower and circle punch, Quickutz Eliza alphabet, Fiskars scallop scissors, Hero Arts leaf stamp.

JOY - the 2nd attempt!

Managed to squeeze making this card whilst waiting for dinner to cook. Wanted to create a "joyous" effect. And the line "The Joy of the Lord is my Strength" has been going through my head today. I really want to meditate on it and consider what it really means and how that impacts my life. Particularly as a wife, mother and sister in Christ.

Ingredients: Stamps by Rubber Stampede and Rhonna Farrer, black embossing powder, primas, jewels, letter stickers, Sakura gel pens.

SALT - Joy!

I'm pleased to announce that I've been asked to join the Debbi Moore design team! Debbi is expanding her business and has apeared on PaperCrafts4u on one of the sky channels, and is due to appear soon on QVC. There's a few of us apparantly, so not sure when my turn will come round to be sent a kit to create some cards with. Will let you know! But I won't be able to show you anything until it officially starts to get sold.

Again, I've had a busy week and not much time for crafting, so struggled to get this one done! Not entirely pleased with it so may have another bash when more time is available!

This week it was the turn of Hazel to set our challenge, she wrote...

'Joy'

When things are going well in life we feel happy and joyful, but sometimes circumstances of life may cause us to feel sad, but even at those times we can still experience the joy of the Lord. I'm reminded of the verse in Nehemiah 8:10b: 'for the joy of the Lord is my strength'.

We'd love to see your take on this challenge
so please leave us a comment when you are finished your piece,
so that we and others may see your work.
This is my take... never to early for Christmas!!! lol

Ingredients: DCWV vellum quote, Anna Griffin paper and punch., ribbon and eyelets.

Been a bit busy, but made some cards...

Had a busy week settling back into school routine, also a mum of a boy in Lukes class has not been well so I've been picking up her little boy to take to and from school. Inlaws were up to, had a nice but full week so no card making, nor even my Salt challenge for this week! Please still have a look at everyone's creations, they are all beautiful and inspiring.

I've been following the career of a friend I have known since I was about 14. He's an actor and is appearing in the latest Kenneth Branagh adaptation of As You Like it. f anyone watched Film 2007 presented by Jonathon Ross, they would have caught a glimpse of his bottom!!! anyway, heres a pic I found to tempt you to watch the film...

Ok, to the cards...

Made this for the Caardvarks micro min challenge of making a card atc size.


And this one for the DCM challenge to use a word as the central focus of the design. I punche out circles along the bottom of the card and then stamped inside them to the back of the card.

Caardvarks sticker challenge

Stickers??? Who would admit to using stickers om cards? Sorry if I've offended anyone, but i'm one of those people who cringe at the site of badly used peeloffs. Ok, I understand they can be very useful in the right context.

Anyway, Caardvarks most recent challenge is to use a sticker on a card, and there's some goodies up for grabs too.

Here's my card... for a family who are having a Thanks-giving service for their little girl tomorrow.


Ingredients: PP by HOTP, sticker by TLC, flowers from local source and Prima, vintage button, and some grossgrain ribbon.

Sketch This #25

A sweet friend of mine told me she had got engaged a couple of weeks ago, this is for her...

I used Sketch This' recent challenge



Ingredients: PP by Basic Grey and I think it was DCWV, scallopped scissors, fiskars shape cutter, Prima Hydrangea, miscrobeads and crystal and silver CS.

Another flower...

Couldn't resist using a lovely piece of scrap pale gold silk brocade and some pale gold silk dupion to make this hair clip. Going to have to give it to someone left handed as I've stuck it that way! doh!

The brocade had interlining on it so made it really stiff, its created a lovely shaped petal.

Tsumami Kanzashi

I love discovering new crafts.

Heres an old craft, but new to me. Used to create beautiful hairpieces for Geisha, this is the art of silk flower making. If you search for Tsumami Kanzashi on Google, you will find numerous tutorials on other folks blogs.

As with all ancient crafts people have updated them for today's use. The use of stitching and glue guns instead of the traditional rice glue can be less fiddly and time consuming. Also fabrics other than silk can be used.

Here I have used a fab polka dot cotton. I looking forward to experimenting with all my scraps of fabric that I have hoarded away. So watch this space for more creations.

I took these photos before I spread the petals out more to make them more rounded.


No win :(

Pepsi finally announced the winners today, we're not listed.. :(

Made cardboard shields and swords with the boys today. Last day of holiday before school tomorrow! Have polished Luke's shoes, given him a haircut and bought new plimsoles.

CPS sketch #29

No news yet on the Pepsi challenge. Tom actually won with a previous entry the other week, however we are still waiting for them to announce the pepsi choice winners for this last week. We're constanly checking the website and our emails to see what's happening. Will let you know if there is any news!

I am trying to revolutionise our home organisation system, basically we haven't really had one! But since hitting 30 and now being the proud mum of 3 children I realise that my messy ways are a hindrance to family and crafting life! So I have developed a 4 week rolling rota of the chores I need to do everyday/week/every 4 weeks and have got plans for involving the children in little jobs they can do every day too.

What home organisation tips do you have? All tips greatfully recieved!

Made a card! I have a lovely uni friend who I am terrible at staying in touch with. he and his wife are so faithful sending pressies for the children and postcards whenever they go on holiday. So I though I'd make a special card and put pen to card and write a long letter. Although in this day and age it is easy to phone or email, I think it is so special to recieve something by post still.


I used CPS sketch #29
Ingredients: PP by HOTP, Stamps by Anna Griffin, ribbon, Prima flower and flower punch.

The Pepsi challenge continues...

If you'd like a giggle at our expense, please check out... The adventures of Pepsi Man!

Also Tom's song entry here.

And if you have time before 12pm tonight please register and vote us HIGH!

Smell the roses...

Here's a challenge...

Which one is real?



Well...











... actually neither of them are!

I was web surfing last night and was looking at the Martha Stewart website and found the instructions for making the first rose, I then made the second one. The instructions are here and there is a handy video to watch as well. You can also go to the Mommy Makes Roses website for more info.

SALT water

The latest SALT challenge is the theme of WATER as set by my dear sister Esther.

Do have a look at the Faith Challenge Salt blog and the other creations based on this theme.

I was short of time this week to do anything too elaborate, so I created this Baptism card.


Ingredients:
PP by TLC, stamps by Rhonna Farrer, scalloped scissors by Fiskars and the punch tool from MM eyelet setter.

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