A Crafty Christmas Candle ...

Just a quick post this week as the Big Day draws ever nearer and there seems to be a million and one things still to be done ... beds to change, last minute gifts to wrap, cake to decorate ... is it time to get those spouts on yet?

We had the first of our family Christmas get togethers yesterday and about 10 minutes before everyone was due to arrive I realised that I hadn't got a table decoration ... damn! Then I remembered something I had seen on the trusty Pinterest site (don't you just LOVE Pinterest?!) and with a few simple supplies, (adapting slightly to fit what I actually had in the house) had a pretty decoration in minutes!

Here's what you need:

• An old glass jar (everyone who knows me knows I am a Yankee Addict so I had plenty of empty jars stashed in the cupboard waiting for a recycling project!)
• A few trimmings from the Christmas tree or any other such greenery - I didn't have any trimmings but had some Rosemary in the fridge so just used that
• Cranberries (or you could use any red berries you might have in the garden)
• A floating tea light - again, I used Yankee Candle tea lights as I happened to have a few boxes in the cupboard ... ahem ... and as they are in plastic containers they float - bonus!  If you are using normal tea lights, just take them out of the silver container which will help them float.
• Piece of pretty ribbon

All you do is put your chosen greenery into the jar, top up with water, sprinkle the cranberries on the top, sit the tea light in the middle and tie the ribbon around the neck of the jar.  Ta da!  Simple, effective and made in a few minutes.  I made three to sit down the centre of the table.

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and wish you and your loved ones a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.  See you on the other side!

Bev x

December Daily - Project Life

So ... how many of you are putting together or planning to put together a December Daily album?  I have never attempted one before as December is hardly a 'sit back and chill out' kind of month is it?  If you are anything like me, I expect you too are up to your ears in lists, wrapping paper & sellotape, never mind trying to keep up with a daily scrapbook layout!  This year though, since discovering the Project Life memory keeping system, I thought I would have a go.  So far, so good.  Not only has it  proved to be quick and easy to achieve, but it has also added to the festive mood and I have really looked forward to completing it each day.  With the Hello December card collection from Stampin' Up, all I have had to do is slot in my photo(s), write my journalling and add a few quick embellishments - done!

Those attending my January classes will be completing their own December Memory Albums (hope you are remembering to take those photos girls!), but in the meantime I promised to share a few of the completed pages from my album.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend folks - go off and make some memories!
TTFN
Bev x

White Christmas in a Flash!

December already ... how did that happen?!  Still, so far so good.  Presents all bought; cards made, and those for posting written and dropped into the mail box; home made mince pies & cranberry sauce safely tucked away in the freezer **smiles to self looking very smug** 

Just as I was patting myself on the back and congratulating myself for being on track with everything so early, I began to get that uneasy feeling ... you know the one ... when you are sure you have forgotten something but for the life of you you can't think what.  And then as I was just writing the last card I remembered.  Dammit.  I hadn't made any cards for Youngest to take to school for his classmates.

Never fear though, I had a crafty day planned this week with my lovely friend Louise so I would just have to make a conscious effort this time to actually get on and make something more than the one card or half a scrapbook page that I usually manage to achieve (due to the coffee that needs to be drunk, cakes that need eating and general catching up that invariable needs to be done when we see each other!)   With a few scraps of patterned paper, some 3x3" white card blanks and the White Christmas stamp set, I was able to whip up 15 mini cards in a flash enhanced with a bit of 'colouring in'.  Perfect!

In fact, in between drinking coffee, eating Nutty Apple Loaf (if you haven't tried the Hummingbird Bakery's recipe for this you are seriously missing out!) and munching our way through half a box of Milk Tray ... ahem ... we actually managed to be quite productive.  Here is Louise featuring some of the lovely cards she made with the Festival of Trees stamp set.... gorgeous!

Both of these stamp sets are available from my Stamping' Up shop (Click here ) and are great for creating quick and easy christmas cards in a flash.

I hope you have all remembered to start taking your December photos to include in your memory albums!  As I think I mentioned previously, I have decided to do a  'December Daily' Project Life album this year (although yours can be anything you want it to be) and have already made a start and am really pleased with the results so far.  So quick and easy to do and (so far) still up to date! I will share a few pics in next week's blog so you can see what I have been up to.

Finally, I wanted to let you know that there are lots of new items added to the Clearance Rack on the Stamping' Up site ... up to 80% discounts on some items too, so definitely worth a look. See you there!

Now ... I just fancy a mince pie ... oooh look, Delia says you can cook them straight from the freezer ... result!

TTFN
Bev x