Pre-Christmas birthdays

I've been caught out yet again.  I go into Christmas mode in November trying to make sure I am not making Christmas cards on Christmas Eve (needless to say I usually fail) and forget about the birthdays.  There are a couple coming up and I only have one card done.  I know what I will be doing tomorrow night!  Here's another vintage creation for Pam.

ANYTHING BUT HOUSEWORK

Took a day off work on Friday with every intention of doing a pre-Christmas tidy especially bedroom 3 which has become a fabric warehouse.  There are bags and piles everywhere and no chance that anyone can sleep in the bed.  Needless to say I didnt need much of an excuse to abandon this plan and make a card instead.  Our son Jon is going to a fancy Baptism today and wanted something special to take to the uber rich parents of the child.  I made a special keepsake card for him to take and he was really pleased.  The invitation said that the invitees should wear a touch of pink so the card just had to be pink.  Also made a box for the card t go in.  Hope the parents like it.

Some Christmas stash

Just come back from a great few days in Berlin.  Used up some of my Air Miles and hubby came too so after my work was finished we had 2 full days to explore and explore we did.  Chilling out today as my walking muscles are all protesting....

Berlin was very Christmasy and I managed to pick up a few items of Christmas stash and cant wait to use them.  Particularly like a mini star book which has magnetic covers and makes into a tree ornament.  Will be getting the ruler out to measure this little baby up so I can do my own version.  Also in the stash are napkins, Christmas tea bags, gold rafia, green and gold ribbon (bought in a very upmarket shop called Ka De We so that I could get a carrier bag), chocolate santas and snowmen and some printed clear bags to make table favours.

Another vintage card

Another vintage card because when Mr Mojo is being sparing with his presence I can always start a vintage card and he comes out to play.  Such alot of my cards recently have been for people leaving work that it was a pleasure that this went to someone having a big birthday- although hitting the big 50 meant that she was re-thinking her life and getting a new job.  Used some pretty papers I got in the bargain bin in Michaels on my trip in August and WO roses, and used a new border punch.

Work in progress

 Had a great day yesterday doing some sewing at Gail Lawther's class to make a panel from her lovely book Glimpses of New Zealand. I chose to make the seascape which is foundation pieced and embellished with allsorts of lovely threads and beads.  On the day I got all the foundation piecing done with a mixture of batik fabrics and even managed to make a mini panel which I will use to make either a small picture or a couple of cards.  Hope I can find (make!) time to finish it and that it doesnt become yet another UFO.

Here's the basic piecing:

Getting ready for the embellishment

The mini version

Another memory book

I really liked Rosemary Merry's demonstrations a couple of weeks ago on Create and Craft and I was curious when she kept talking about her many styles of memory books so I looked up her blog http://www.rosemarymerry.blogspot.co.uk/  and found a great tutorial using on piece of 12x12 scrapbook paper.  It is a video tutorial so the first thing I did was make up a book as a pattern and wrote all the dimensions on. Next I made a one using decorative paper to use as a memory book for someone who has recently left work.  Will be giving it to her tomorrow and hope she likes it.

MY LOVELY HUBBIE IS SIX-O TODAY

He is in denial but it is true- my lovely hubbie Paul is 60 day. Following rave reviews from our grown up kids he decided he would like to go to the Warner Bros Studio Tour 'The Making of Harry Potter' to celebrate the occasion, so deciding the theme of his birthday card was easy.  Bought some Creative Imaginations HP scrapbook papers and embellishments which I used for the card and I will make a couple of scrapbook pages with all the lovely pictures we took.  Here's the card and my favourite photo in Diagon Alley.