Favourite Mo creation for 2011

I have been visit blogs this morning and noticed people showing off their 'Favourite Mo Creation for 2011'.  Thought I have to join in this fun.  Although I do not have many Mo images, I so love colouring the ones I own and love seeing them on everyone else's creation.  The images always seem so full of action.

Well I had a look back through what I have posted for the year and this would have to be my favourite.  I did so enjoy colouring him and he really reminded me of the recipient.  The original post is here.

So I am entering this into this into Mo's Challenge #115 closes 5th January

Well that is it for me this year.

Wishing you all a very exciting, happy and crafty New Year. :-)

We have some friends coming over to help celebrate the Year in.

Thanks so much for visiting and leaving so many lovely comments throughout this year.

Craftmad January Swap Groups now open.

Hi everyone, as I have not been crafting this past week.  Although, I have been in the craft room  to find my desk and go through all my papers.  My papers so needed tidying up and reducing a little ... just removing some of the smaller pieces.

Anyways,  Craftmad - a great Aussie crafting Forum I belong to and have been a member of for 6 1/2 years - yikes!  Membership is free.  We are now taking names for the January Card Swap and the January Sewing Swap if you would like to join in.  The more the merrier.

Card Swap - We are swapping two cards and as embellishments we are recycling something from around the house or leftover from Christmas.

Sewing Swap - We have decided to start on a small quilt by swapping a 9 inch quilt block for a few months.  The block for January is a Fence Rail.  Beginners are more than welcome as I certainly am a beginner.  I have never done a quilt before so am quite keen to have a go at this.

I have met some wonderful people through Craftmad and lucky enough to meet some in person which has been a bonus.  I have been lucky enough to have had a coffee with Rachwho, Kamma, Mandy, kllpakl and met  camsmum at a craft fair, oh that reminds me all met up with JuileMak at the Townsville craft fair.

Some of the members of Craftmad are venturing into the world of blogging so you can check out all their work.  Cathy at Cathy's Creative Corner, Kerry at Kerry's Place to Escape, Beth at HuggiesCrafts Happy Spot,  Kaye at Crafty Kaye's Room, camsmum at Fairy Scribbles, and Alex at Cards and Things by Alex.

Thought I would share what I have swapped at Craftmad during 2011.

December Sewing Swap - a hand sewn Christmas Ornament for each participant.

December Card Swap - Anything Goes 

(No photos as I didn't take part in this swap)

November Sewing Swap - One Fabric Notebook Cover

November Card Swap - Anything Goes but not allowed to use Pink

 November

October Sewing Swap - one small felt owl.

October Card Swap - Use a large number or letter.

October

September Sewing Swap - Two Fat Quarters with Birds.

September Card Swap - 10 Sheets of Embossed Cardstock.

August Sewing Swap - Lavender Sachet

August Card Swap - Black and White

August

July Sewing Swap - Two Christmas Fat Quarters

(Forgot to take a photo of these)

July Card Swap - Tic Tac Toe

For this card I chose -  Lace, Glitter and Embossing

 For this card I chose - Diecuts, Pearls and Paper Piecing.

June Sewing Swap - Fabric Postcard

June Card Swap - Butterflies

 June

May Sewing Swap - Fabric Flowers

May

May

May Card Swap - Easel Cards

May

April Sewing Swap - Scavenger Hunt

This one was a lot of fun sadly I have not taken a photo.

This is the list we had to complete:

Scavenger Hunt Details:

You will send 5 fabric or fabric/sewing related items to your partner. Things like fat quarters, ribbon, thread, buttons, seam rippers, iron-ons, pincushions, etc. would work.

Each item must go for one of the following categories:

Something black and white

Something with red

Something with polka dots

Something sharp

Something spring colors

April Card Swap - Not a Square Card

April

 April

March Sewing Swap - Bukuro Bag

March Card Swap - Mini Cards 2" x 3"

February Sewing Swap - 2 Fat Quarters - 1 x Plain and 1 x Patterned

Again no photos....something I must do in 2012 be sure to take photos of all swaps.

February Card Swap - using the Craftmad February Card Sketch Challenge

January Sewing Swap - No sewing as we were catching up with Christmas

January Card Swap - One Calendar

Just a couple of the pages I created.

Well I hope you enjoyed that journey.  I certainly did and realise now how busy I have been.

Remember to visit Craftmad and join on in with the friendly crowd.

If you have any problems signing up just let me know.

The Last Little Bit of Christmas

I made this to hold my Mum's IOU voucher as the present I ordered did not arrive for Christmas Day.  My fault, as I was late ordering.  Hoping it will arrive soon.

The card I started with green linen textured cardstock then tore two pieces of white paper and adhered along the bottom to create the snow.  Then I added these wonderful little stickers that I bought while we were in Japan. I had so much fun creating the scene.

Do you know this card is perfect for the Unstampabelles challenge.  Have you got your entry in yet? Challenge #6 Christmas closes 30th December.

It has become a tradition in our house that our daughter decorates a fruit cake.  

We had to have two attempts this year.  I had bought a fruit cake but it was so dry it just crumbled.  So then I made a fruit cake which was much more dense and dark.  I really like how cleverly our DD has created the stripy green icing for the tree.

The side view

Although the kids are teenagers the stockings are still filled for each of us.  Just a little extra fun on Christmas morning.  This year there was a little help from our son when filling and persuaded me to add a pair of pink granny undies to the bottom of DD (16yo).  The look on her face was priceless.  There were other fun things like chocolate coins, chips, bubbles to blow, craft ribbon and paper, :-) rubiks cube, suduko book, can of WD40 etc.

Well have a fun day doing whatever you are doing.

Plans for me....is to attack that bamboo garden again.  Was out there most of yesterday as things are a little cooler with rain.  So still weeding and getting plants under control and mulching. :-)

My Top Five Christmas Cards

Had to join in this fun.  Debby at Scrapjourney set a challenge to list your own five favourite Christmas cards.  So these are my five favourite Christmas cards I made this year.  I love all the different styles and shaped cards I have done.

Debby is generously offering 6 LOTV stamps as a randomly drawn prize to whoever links up by 30th December.

Aussie Christmas Card

Hi everyone, I had a lovely coffee yesterday with my friend Karen who I met through Craftmad.

I made this Aussie card for her and her family.  I have used three digi images from Make it Crafty which I coloured with my Copic pens.  The 4th image  - the 'Merry Christmas Tree' tree which I have annotated as from Tams Rusty Bucket.

I have tried to create a movie strip as I wanted to use all the images and I thought this would be a fun way to show them off.  I attached the film strip to green linen textured card and finished with these wonderful gold star stickers.

Well today, I have been out with every other person it seemed buying food and those last couple of presents.  Finally, thought that I had found the most wonderful present for my hubby and bought it.  Only for him to ring me an hour later saying that he was in the shop and looking at buying the exact same thing.  This present is not something we had discussed ever before, he must be able to read my mind.  Through the whole phone call I was saying you really do not need to buy this now, but he just was not getting my hint.  So I had to come straight out and tell him.   Positive.....he obviously wants and needs it. :-)

I think that is me until probably Boxing Day so I would like to take this chance now and say a

Very Merry Christmas to you all and your families.  

I hope you all have wonderful relaxing days and special moments with friends and families.

Off to finish making the Christmas Cake.

15 min Christmas Cards

Suddenly, yesterday morning, I remembered I had not sent a card to my sister and a dear friend Helene.  Two special people so they had to be handmade although I know my sister would just be as happy with a shop bought card.  So I had 15mins before leaving the house, so thought I would try to make something to send while I was out and about.

Dug out my blank white pre-cut and folded white card.  Then a layer of lovely linen textured red card stock.  I then ran some more white card stock through my Holly embossing folder.  I am so happy that embossing machines like the Cuttlebug were invented. :-)  Finished with a red Merry Christmas sticker sentiment.  It's simple but I like the whole effect.

This card would be perfect to enter into our current Unstampabelles challenge.  The theme is Christmas and you get a bonus entry if you can add a sticker.....remember though you can't use any stamps.

Challenge is open until 30th December.

Here is the terrific prize I won from Jess for her celebration of 500 posts.

Thanks so much Jess.  I have already put the Smooch to work to help revamp a decoration and gold Christmas tree.  Sprayed the decoration and then added some gold glitter while the Smooch was wet.

Have a great day everyone.

A touch of Christmas

This morning I had a spare minute and thought I would add a little more tinsel to our curtains.  So grabbed one strand and the remainder I placed in a pile on the floor.  Our dog promptly got up from where he had been laying and plonked himself down on all the tinsel.  Seems quite content. :-)

Thought I might share our tree that our daughter put up and decorated for us.  We have lights that sparkle at night time too.

Have a wonderful day everyone.

Osaka to Tokyo

Today's photos are our trip from Osaka to Tokyo once again on the Shinkansen (Bullet) Train.  Yes, it is very fast but you don't feel that you are going any faster.  Also I thought the scenery would be a blur but no...you could see everything pass by.....just don't blink as you will miss it.  We all have comfy seats which can recline a little.

Some of the scenery between Osaka and Tokyo.

More scenery between Osaka and Tokyo.

The Bridgestone Factory.

Another view of our carriage.  That is the conductress coming down and checking our tickets.

Here I am in our roomy room in Shiba Park Motel in Tokyo.  Yes, plenty of room for the kids to visit and these were the softest beds in our journey.  Very comfy indeed.

This is the view from our room.

After a quick unpack and a cuppa we went for a walk around and found this Zojoji Temple just down and around the corner.  Another beautiful temple.

A little more walking and we found Tokyo Towers.

This is the view from the first observation deck in Tokyo Towers.

Yet, another view from the same level.

I asked hubby to take this photo as I liked the way the sign from inside the building looked like a floating street sign for all those buildings.

We did not go any higher as there was a forty five minute wait to go to the next level.

We went on a Saturday and in our excitement paid to go up to the first observation deck.  You then have to pay again to go up to the next deck.

Had we known or thought about it we should have visited on a week day.

We did but only for food and the place was bare compared to the Saturday crowd.

After checking out the view we found they had a food court so sampled some food.

Not only are there drink vending machines but they have machines you purchase a ticket for the order of your food.

You make a selection, pay the money and press the appropriate button then receive a ticket which you give to the lady at the counter. Wait a little bit and on this occasion I had a yummy bowl of curry.

After tea we caught a train and headed to Shibuya and a famous five way intersection which at night time is full of lights and people.  Amazing.  

More buildings and lights.

Cars turn at the famous Shibuya intersection.

There are crowds of people who very patiently wait while the cars go here and there. 

 They stop and next it is the pedestrians turn to go and off the hundreds of people go.  No pushing or shoving.  Everyone is polite and feels like synchronised driving.

We then headed back to our Motel and could spy Tokyo Tower over the top of the trees with a change of light colour.

Well only five days left until Christmas.  Today we are planning a little Christmas cooking. White Christmas, Rocky Road and anything else yummy we can think of.

Enjoy your day.