weaving and banners

I have really enjoyed all the prompts and ideas from Shimelle's Pretty Paper Party it has been a great class and I am still working my way through it. I have printed all the prompts out and added notes to them all so I will continue to use all the lessons from class as inspiration.

Last week there was a great weekend of challenges and ideas incorporating some of PPP but on a Christmas theme. I wasn't feeling too well so I didn't join in very much but I did manage to make this card

based on the weaving idea I used up some unloved blue'ish Christmas papers and created a woven shape that was glued onto a snowflake embossed card. Continuing with the snowflake theme I added some Martha Stewart punched shapes in a pale blue glittered paper. I am not too sure how much I like this card as I tend to be quite traditional in my Christmas colours but I think I like the overall effect (and I used some of those papers which has to be a good thing right???)

Another challenge was all about banners. People are so creative with what they make and how they decorate these hanging works of art. As I wasn't feeling too great I went for the easy option and used some lovely stash that I had bought from Craftwork Cards. Although it is designed for Christmas, several pieces could be used through out the year, so I decided to use some of the Christmas specific bits. The banner shapes are all die cut so really easy to pop out, I added some Candi and some green alphas (from my stash) and put this together....

I have strung it across the fireplace to show you how it looks but I think I might take it into work to decorate a shelf in the office I share. Here is a close up.....

it simply says 'Happy Christmas' I was going to do Merry but realized I didn't have enough 'R's!! This is about all the Christmas crafting I have done so far this year but hope to do some more soon.

I am looking forward to

• checking out more of the Christmas preparations everyone is doing
• starting JYC (determined to do it this year and finally decided to do 6x6)
• Bloggers weekend in Telford next week!!!

Story telling Sunday

Last month on Story Telling Sunday I shared this story of my love of pigs and briefly mentioned an event involving a fire, I said I would be back to tell you more and here I am .... just!

I love fires, I would really like a 'real fire' in my lounge (or in any room for that matter!) but I live in a modern house and it would cost lots of ££££'s to have a chimney put in so in the meantime I pretend with gas and this fireplace (dressed up for Halloween!)

I really really like Bonfires and love sitting or standing around a bonfire outside in the dark. This makes 'Bonfire Night' a fun evening for me. Bonfire night is also known as Guy Fawkes Night and for some reason we commemorate this man's attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605 ... he failed and maybe that is why it is a celebration! Traditionally it is an evening filled with fireworks, sparklers, a fire and fun food.

DS poses with a sparkler...

November 5th is the date this happens which was yesterday. I travelled to see my parents and my dad had a huge pile of garden debris to burn so we had a fabulous fire that was still smouldering when I left their house this afternoon.

Dad was feeling good, though he only finished his third cycle of chemotherapy a few hours before this picture was taken (sadly today he is feeling much worse, lacking in energy, tired but unable to sleep and constantly queasy). We had a houseful with 19 of us sharing yummy homemade food (jacket spuds, 'bangers', chilli, curry followed by trifle, key lime pie, caramel crunch mmmm my mouth waters as I type!) We spent a lot of time laughing and chatting with the TV turned off, enjoying each other's company, playing Rummikub and catching up with all the news across the generations. Loving family gatherings at the moment, so grateful that we can all get together (though my hubby was a bit poorly so stayed home especially as Dad is vulnerable to infections at the moment). We all stirred the Christmas pudding too, traditions are important and help make memories (see this post for info on Stir up Sunday)

My dad reminded my of my first venture into pyromania when I was probably just 2 years old. I cannot remember this time at all, but apparently I managed to turn on a heater in the bedroom next to my sisters cot (she would only have been 1 at the time) and the cot and the

mattress actually caught fire!! Thank goodness my parents discovered the burning bed before any serious harm was done!

Luckily I have never caused any serious damage since that time (at least I don't think so!)

I am looking forward to catching up with everyone else's 'Story Telling Sunday' brought to you from the superb Sian From High in the Sky pop over and check it out xxx