Presents for My Nieces

Seasons Greetings to everyone! We have had a lovely Christmas - quiet, and spending time with family - just as I like it. We don't have many plans for the rest of the holidays at the moment except a family party for my cousin's 30th birthday next weekend! For the rest of the holidays, we'll just play it by ear and see how the mood takes us!

I did not manage to make as many presents or cards as I had originally planned, but I did make some presents for two of my nieces.

This first gift is a teddy in its own bag which I knitted for my 2 year old niece. The pattern was in the Crafts Beautiful magazine. I was getting a little worried that I would not finish it in time, but I got there in the end.



The little bag opens up to reveal a sleeping bag for the teddy to go to bed!



And this is what the teddy looks like - she has pink knickers on under that dress - and they can both be taken off! My knitting is not too bad, but I'm not very good at sewing - I just hope it all stays together!!



My 13 year old niece loves to sketch, so I covered a watercolour sketch pad for her. (Sorry about the quality of the photo - it was dark when I was taking the photo, and I don't have any kind of light box).



I have used the sketch on Sunday Sketch and Stamp. The only thing missing is a sentiment - but I couldn't find anything suitable, so I added flowers instead - hope that counts!

The stamp I used is from Whiff of Joy - I think she's called Melinda with Book - and I coloured her with Promarkers. The papers are Kay and Co.

I had planned to cover some notebooks for teacher presents this year, but I completely lost my mojo and did not get around to it - I might just do that for when the children start back to school if Mr Mojo comes back!

Thanks for looking, and I hope you are able to pop back again soon.

Love, Andrea xx

Such Sad News

Sadly, I must report that my mother-in-law passed away this evening.

Thankfully, several members of the family have been able to spend time with her in hospital over the last couple of days, and Richard, his Dad and his brother were with her during her last few moments. I have spent some time with her today but, unfortunately, was not able to get back to the hospital to see her again this evening. I came home this afternoon to collect the children from school and to take Eleri to her Rainbows Christmas Party. I am very sad that I was not able to be there to support Richard but I know that Eileen would have been happy knowing that Eleri was able to go to her party.

My heart goes out to anyone else who is also going through such a sad time at the moment.

I must go now.

Love, Andrea

D'you Fancy a Giggle? ... But First You Need to Use Your Imagination!

Hello and Happy Sunday to you all - I hope you have had a lovely weekend, and not had too much trouble with the icy conditions!

I made two gorgeous birthday cards for Eleri to take to a double birthday party this morning, but I bloomin' well forgot to photograph them (doh!). So you'll need to use your imagination while I try to describe them to you (lol!). (If you want a giggle, you'll have to bear with me or skip the next bit of waffle!!!)

The two cards were very similar. I used 6x6 card blanks, covered with turquoise pearlescent card. Then added a mat using the dark pink paper with the knobbly diamond pattern from the MME Quite Contrary pad. I used a little girl from Ollyfant Stamps - a clear stamp Autumn set - she looks a bit like the Tilda images, she is holding some twigs, and her hair and coat is blowing in the wind - there is no name on the stamps. I coloured her dress and wellies in ruby red Promarkers, with ivory tights. On the one card, the girl had dark hair and on the other she had blonde hair (just like Eleri's two friends). I stamped an umbrella from the same clear stamps set. I paper pieced the girl's coat and the umbrella with the cream paper with the swirly flowers in pink, blue and green from the same MME paper pad. I added 3d gloss to her coat, wellies and brolly, to make them look shiny and waterproof. The brolly was added to the top of the card as a penny slider, so that it looked as though it had blown away in the wind - the slide bit was made out of the turquoise pearlescent card which I embossed with the Swiss Dots Cuttlebug folder. On the bottom right hand side of the card I added two sentiments from the MME pad - one said birthday girl and the other said make a wish - I wrote over the sentiments with a Sakura clear stardust pen to make them sparkle. Then added some punched flowers out of the same flowery paper as the brolly and coat, added some dark pink pearls, et voila!!!

So, how's your imagination - can you see my cards? In case my description is rubbish, here's a similar card I made last year .... my cards today did not have the ribbon element on.



And now for that giggle - well it made me giggle anyway! ...

One evening last week, I was in the kitchen peeling potatoes for our evening meal. My daughter and her friend were under the table acting out the Nativity. Eleri's friend was one of the three wise men and I heard her say "I've got Frankenstein, Sense and Myrrh"!!! ha ha ha!! - I was desperately trying not to laugh out loud cos I know Eleri's friend would have been devastated if she thought I was laughing at her! But at the same time as trying not to laugh, I was also trying to work out what she should have said - took me a few seconds!! - Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh! It's still making me giggle now!

Reminds me a bit of the Christmas after my son started school and he was talking to me about Jesus Pryce (awwww! he was only 4, and his cousin's surname is Pryce so he thought that is what people were saying!). And also the time my MIL told us she had to have a cold compost put on her nose when she fell up the steps and bumped her face (ROFL!) It is funny sometimes when people say the wrong words, don't you think???

Hope I've given you a little giggle today, and have a fabulous next week.

Love, Andrea xx