A busy week crafting whilst at my daughters flat, 5 forever friends cards and 1 cross-stitch card

This week I have spent 4 whole days sitting in my daughters flat as her new kitchen is being installed, I had to hide away in her front room away from the noise and dust and to keep out of the way of all the comings and goings in her small flat. The kitchen is now installed and looks gorgeous and all the tiling has been done by lovely workmen, but we still have to wait til next week for the washing machine to be plumbed in,  all the sockets to be installed along with an extractor fan, the ceiling will be replastered, then new lighting installed, the walls will be decorated then the floor will be retiled.
hopefully the work will be completed by the end of next week, and I shall do some more crafting whilst waiting for it to be finished.

The reason I'm telling you al this is because being stuck in the flat with nothing to do it was the perfect opportunity to craft and not feel guilty that I should be doing something else, I spent 4 days watching craft tv and crafting.

for the first 3 days I stitched a Christmas cross-stich card, it came free with this months World of Cross-stitch magazine, which is normally £4.99 per issue but the publishers gave me a very special offer of 3 issues for 33p each, along with 3 other cross-stitch magazines and quick cards magazines.
The cross-stitch was quite intricate but it was very enjoyable and it helped the 24 hours I took to sew it pass so much more quickly than they would have without this distraction.

Earlier this week I purchased some craft items from a fellow docrafter, they were 2 Creativity magazines with their free gifts, and lots of Forever Friends Christmas stash, epoxy stickers, papers and die-cut toppers and sentiments, the parcel was waiting for me when I got home Wednesday evening and I couldn't wait to start crafting with them, so on Thursday I took all the FF items to the flat and I made 5 Christmas cards with them, the card blanks were sent to me by a docrafter recently.

 

 

Getting back into cross-stitch

Much as I enjoy cardmaking, there are times when mojo vanishes but I still want to craft, but need a complete change. I discovered a superb cross-stitch magazine kit which had aid, threads and needles, and many gorgeous Christmas cross-stitch patterns. I bought it in 2009, its called Enjoy Cross-stitch at Christmas Issue 1 and I was drawn to cute penguin characters designed by Margaret Shelley.  I haven't mounted them onto Christmas cards yet as I was waiting for some more red extra strong DST to attach them with, this has arrived, just not got around to making the cards yet.

This first trio of penguins they said should take a day to stitch but supported with lots of cushions o my orthopaedic recliner, I spent 4 1/2 wonderful days, I was able to get lost into the stitching and it helped the week pass far more quickly and pleasurably.

 

This 2nd cross-stitch took 1 1/2 days to stitch, I varied the design slightly to suit me but the main character is the same, I love all the black backstitching of fluff, it brings the characters to life and makes them look like they are nice and cosy.

 

 

Five challenge Christmas cards & another Christmas card

This year I am taking part in Ginny's (AsIDoRodos) daily A-Z Christmas card challenge on the DOCrafts forum, all we have to do to take part is to upload one card each day for each letter of the alphabet, starting on Sunday 16th October, the winner will receive a crafting book as their prize, here are my first 5 cards for A-E. Pledging to take part in this challenge has really got my Christmas cardmaking MOJO back, I'll upload more challenge cards as I make them.

                                                                  A is for Angels

this is a twisted pyramage card, backing paper from a C & C Christmas kit, Glitter Girls gold holographic Grande border peel-offs. the gold glitter card, 5" sqaure cream pearl card * peel-off greeting are all from my stash.

B is for Bauble

Papermania felt bauble, Anna Griffin Holly leaf card,  holly paper in October goodybag swap, red foiled peel-offs  from my stash.

C is for Cracker

Pyramage/cracker kit in October goodybag swap, Brenda Pinnick pink polkadot card, (from a QVC scrapbook kit), edged with TH Fired Brick distress ink, DL card from my stash.

I also made this card in blue

blue embossed card & diecut snowflakes donated by other crafters recently. Blue holographic card and DL card from my stash.

D is for Dancing On Ice

Cross-stitch kit

                                                                E is for Excitement

Christmas Eve House Mouse decoupage & co-ordinating sentiment toppers matted onto pink glitter card. Backing paper is from Dovecraft 8" x 8" Christmas Blues (2007) paper pack. Pink organza ribbon and A5 white card from stash, 3D Christmas tree topper from October (Christmas) goodybag swap.