Spot the beach?  Nope? 

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!!

Had fun today sledging, making snow angels, snowball fighting etc...  Let the child within!!

Brrr! 

But good fun....tomorrow as school is out again me thinks I shall mostly be making a snowman!

Mind you it ain't helping in my preparations for Christmas, lol.

Yesterday we were supposed to have our Christmas crop but due to the weather conditions and the fact that it would have been difficult to travel it was cancelled....to be re-booked after Christmas.

A couple of the girls still managed to make it around to my home instead and we tried to make a good dent on all the home bakes whilst doing a wee bit of crafting. 

I thought as I recently bought some Lili of the Valley stamps that I would have a go at their weekly challenge here.

So this is my attempt.

I saw this stamp and immediately thought of my eldest so had to send him this card to let him know I am thinking of him after a difficult week at school.  The stamp is coloured to his school rugby strip with copics oh and of course I had to add the mud! 

Paper:  American craft "Junior" range.

Punches from SU and Spellbinders

Stamps IOTV and Hero art.

Distress ink:  Tea dye, vintage photo and faded jeans.



There's no business like snow business!!!

Yaah....NOT!

Mind you there are advantages of living close to the sea, we have far less than the rest of the North of Scotland and it usually melts.  Unfortunately we do get cut off as the roads seem to be really bad or as they say on the travel news

"Don't travel unless you have too!"

Like you would contact them if you didn't have to make a journey and check the route!

When the weather is like it is there is only one thing to do...wrap up warm and stay indoors.

Sounds like a crafty/baking day today...but what to do first?

Looking forwards to our local crop tomorrow so maybe I shall be organised for once and take something to do and have it all to complete, that would be a first. 

It's our Christmas crop so looking forwards to seeing every ones festive "challenges".

So today having had crafting withdrawal symptoms I decided to get out one of my new Lili of the Valley stamps to play with. 

Yes I have lots of other things I should be doing but well I'm not!

I was introduced just recently to Lili of the Valley stamps by my friends who come to the Hopeman crop....it's all your fault!!!  LOL  (You know who you are!)

The girls had been to the recent Craft event at the SECC down in Glasgow and came armed to our monthly crop with lots of new lovelies...I just HAD to check them out.

This little chap is for a close friend who's little dog "Mac" looks the double of the stamp. 

The likeness is uncanny.

My friend is always there for me, rain or shine, good times and bad....so this is sent with lots of love and many thanks for just being you. x

This card also doubles for the challenge over on the Lili of the Valley blog which this week must include "Glitter and Glitz".  My glitter and glitz as with the time of year up here in Scotland is my "snow".  Apparently snow is on route and it is definitely cold enough!

Papers:  Dream Street papers Wonderland Magic moments & Let it snow.

Dies:  Martha Stewart Vintage lace patp, Spellbinder Nestabilities small deckled rectangle & Papertrey ink ticket.

Snowflake purchased on line, glitter & satin ribbon from stash.  Image coloured with copics.

One of my fella Sugar Bowl Sweeties is giving away some lush candy today....can you believe it?! 

Have you seen what these are going for on a well know auction site? 

They are so cut especially the little boy holding the bunting, my favourite. 

Anyway to be in a chance to win go on over to Elaine's blog and check it out.

Happy crafting!

Whoops, sorry ladies, I'm a wee bit late in posting this....there is no real excuse for not doing so but I do have a sick boy just now and a fuzzy head!

On to this Sugar Bowl challenge which has been set by the wonderfully talented Marlene, and the prize this time?

A set of Spellbinder Nestabilities scalloped squares and, can you believe it, a sheet of not yet released Alice in Wonderland stamps designed by Leanne Ellis.  Wow how fab it that.

Anyway onto the sketch:

The challenge to go with the sketch is to use black, white and one other colour!

Here is what I came up with:

I loved this challenge....it is sssssooo hard to stick to just three colours and I have cheated a wee bit with the colouring in....you couldn't not could you?

This stamp is sent with love and a special wave to two of my Sugar sweeties who took me shopping last year and opened my eyes to a world of beauty products and labels!  You know who you are!!

What fun we had.

Anyway folk I hope you enjoy this challenge...I'm looking forwards to seeing what you come up with. x

Stamp:  Miss Clause, Just the ticket Papertrey ink.

Papers:  Basic Grey Figgy Pudding range.

Spellbinder nestability labels 8, Papertrey ink ticket die.

Prima flower.

 Stitching detail rub on DCWV.

The button brads are from stock and I picked them up at a Scrapaganza event in Holland.

Coloured with copics.

Glitter from my sparkling craft room, lol!



I feel as if I haven't crafted for ages!  :(

All my crafting pals seem to have been very busy too...got lots of catching up to do once I've finished this post.

Our children have had 4 in service days over the last week so in our house we have been busy doing other things.

On Saturday we went to see the Rugby International at Murrayfield in Edinburgh, Scotland v New Zealand.

The hacker!!

A wee Scottish voice broke through it to say "is that the best you can do!"

He would be eating his words by the end of the match as Scotland got whooped!

The NZ team were in a whole different league although it started well with a Scottish penalty but soon went down hill.

The atmosphere was amazing and we had copious goes at Mexican waving much to hubbies delight...he was worse than the kids!

We also had a streaker who didn't manage to get over the wall to the pitch but was near us so we got a "bum" salute!!  He must have been cold!  (Dressed as a chilli!)

The there was a group of Scottish supporters dressed as "Where's Wally" and one manages to get past security and on to the pitch with all the crowd shouting "Where's Wally!"  LOL  So funny till he was set upon and marched off.

Sunday was spent at my eldest boys school for their Remembrance parade which was magical...if not a little emotional.  He looked brill as did all his pals.  The band and the dancers were great too.  I don't like to post their pics on here but you may catch a look if I ever get around to scrapbooking them.

Now I know I'm a bit late with this today, but in my defence is has been an in-service day....and we all know what that means.

To all friends and colleagues from the armed forces that are no longer with us and to both my grand fathers....we remember you, with love. x

 

This is a card I was asked to make for a friend for a lady who is not very well at the moment to cheer her up.  She runs a flower market and also a kipper BBQ locally so I was asked to incorporate both on the card.

The papers are from October Afternoon, Ducks in a row range.  The buttons from Dress it up ranges.

Hope this cheers you up Elizabeth and that you are feeling better soon.

It's that time again, yaah!

This time at the Sugar bowl it is a great sketch from the lovely Maria Therese with a theme "ribbons".

The prize up for grabs is the beautiful Snowflake Spellbinder Nestabilities together with 6 "winter" Sugar Nellie stamps.

So go on...you know you want to!

You've got to be in it to win it as I keep getting told, lol.

I enjoyed this sketch, here is what I came up with:

I love this SN stamp "Snow Cozy" he is such a jolly happy Snowman and a delight to colour with copics, glitter and glossy accents. 

Tis only fitting as we enter the festive season to get him out and give him a good airing!

Paper range:  Tis the Season by BoBunny (totally yummy!)

Punches:  Martha Stewart Vintage lace patp, SU Scallop boarder, SU circle & scalloped circle.

Doily:  Wilton enterprises, coloured with Glimmer mist silver & turquoise blue.

Stamp:  PI Paula Pascual "Essential Christmas".

Ribbon from my "local craft shop for local people!"

The little buttons are from Dress it up buttons and my snowflake I purchased on-line.



Oh and before I go I thought I'd share with you my youngest son's pumpkin this year....well it was a joint effort with him and his dad.

We love Pumpkin Jack in this house so it seemed only fitting to have a go.  There are some fantastic carved pumpkins out in cyber-land, some of them are amazing.  Here is one that I really liked:  U tube pumpkins

So it was a busy "Halloween" weekend here, with parties, "trick 'n' treating" and more importantly our monthly "Hopeman crop".

Cake anyone?

These were the ones made for the kids, triple chocolate or Halloween?!

The girls at the crop got orange Halloween one's...as I know a couple of you like that flavour the best...I won't mention names.

Congratulations to Helen for winning our first "monthly challenge" with your Halloween decoration...guess who forgot to take my camera!

Thanks everyone for taking part, I loved all your work.  :)

Can't wait to get together again for the Christmas crop at the end of November.