Sunday 31 December 2017

Goodbye 2017, Hello 2018.

2018 is just around the corner hours away, so here I am having my traditional nostalgic look back over my creations of the past 12 months and picking out my favourite projects.

Before I do, I will share the results of my 2017 Resolutions which were as follows:
1) Make a minimum of 2 Christmas cards per month
2) For every card using a newly purchased image, make 2 featuring an older image and
3) Make one masculine card per month.

The results are as follows:
1) 44 Christmas cards made, but a large proportion of these were in Nov/Dec and even then I discovered I needed a lot more than I'd made so I really need to increase this target to 3 per month next year to avoid the panic rush in December!

2) Newly purchased:Old image ratio was 39:52, so I didn't quite make this target.  I don't think it is worth trying to improve on this because if i look at the pile of unused stamps I have, I've probably already failed on this for 2018 too before we've even hit 1 January!

3) Masculine cards total was 37 (although some of those were edging towards males who are very much in touch with their feminine side!)  I think I need to focus more on masculine Christmas cards because I really do struggle with those in particular.

I'll make my 2018 resolutions at the base of this post. While I ponder what they'll be, I am doing my customary annual round up of my favourite projects from the last 12 months.

You'd better brace yourself for a photo heavy post, or just scroll to the bottom to see my aspirations for 2018 ...

Thank you for staying with me this past year. I know many bloggers are moving towards FaceBook or Instagram etc, but I'm not a huge fan of FB and am not a member of Instagram, so I'm staying here for the foreseeable. I really do appreciate the comments you leave me, because I know that it takes much longer to write a comment than simply click a 'like' button, but I hope you'll stay with me in Blogland!  :0)


I was really pleased with this 'no lines' image and have a new-found soft spot for hedgies:





I reverted back to my customary fussy style for this wedding wall hanger:




I love this panda and found the 'no lines' technique really worked well on her. I want to continue to work on my no-lines technique in 2018.





Some lovely new releases from Lili of the Valley included this comical pony which I loved ...





... and this adorable image called 'Bedtime stories':



I continued my love affair with Stamping Bella images with Orchid:








And found new love with Gerda Steiner images:


These Christmas Mice arrived from LOTV later in the year and they became one of my favourite images for a long time:





I tried something new with these pop-up boxes using Adorable Elephants from MFT ...




... and re-visited one of my oldest images, giving her a colouring facelift!





I tried new techniques with backgrounds and masking (the moon)...



... but still loved one of my oldest layouts (complementary papers on top/bottom halves, covered by a central panel, with an array of flowers around a circular image)...



... but clean and simple became more common on my blog:






Finally, I finished with a project which took many hours, but I loved the end result - an advent box calendar. Click on the image below to see the whole project!


So, my new year's Resolutions for 2018?

1) Make at least 3 Xmas cards per month which must include at least 1 suitable for a guy,
2) For every card using a newly purchased image, make 2 featuring an older image.
Let's see how these fare! :0)

Thanks for staying until the end. 
Have a lovely New Year and I'll see you on the other side!
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Wednesday 27 December 2017

You're the Best

Well Christmas Day is over and I've managed to resist the temptation to start my 2018 Christmas cards (so far). Instead I've made a rather Spring-time looking card featuring a Gerda Steiner image and sentiment.  The image is a digi but the sentiment is a clear stamp from the Happy Hoppy set. 






Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
  • Bunny: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Tattered Rose, Worn Lipstick
  • Grass: Shabby Bundled Sage, Mowed Lawn, Forest Moss
  • Blues: Tumbled Glass, Broken China
Card Recipe:
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Wednesday 20 December 2017

Snow Fight

It's my mid-week post and this week I'm in full winter mode with a cute image called Snow Fight.  These 'littles' from Stamping Bella are really adorable and quite easy to colour. 





Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
  • Hair: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo
  • Skin: Tattered Rose, Worn Lipstick, Tea Dye
  • Grass: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn
  • Blues: Blueprint Sketch
  • Purples: Milled Lavender, Dusty Concord
  • Snow: Weathered Wood, Pumice Stone
  • Raccoon: Frayed Burlap, Walnut Stain, Black Soot

Card Recipe:


From Dies To Die For:
Other:
  • Flat backed pearls
  • First Edition Silent Night papers
  • Clearly Besotted Little Donkey (Sentiment)
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Thursday 14 December 2017

Advent Boxes

I have a bit of an obsession with boxes. If hubby buys a pair of shoes, I'm sure that I get just as excited about the box as he does about its contents!  I've made an advent calendar with boxes instead of just 'doors' and I think I may have over-faced myself with this project.  I created it from scratch, firstly by cutting and assembling the 24 boxes and then making the folder to hold them.  I then decorated the outside and the fronts of the boxes with a number and a snowflake, Poinsettia or gems.  I think I'll be sticking to cards for a little while to recuperate from this project!  However, I loved making it and it fulfilled my obsession with boxes for a little while! :0)

We're wanting to know whether you prefer boxes or bags at As You Like It Challenge, so I hope my project inspires you to participate in our last challenge before Xmas. 








Project Recipe:
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Wednesday 13 December 2017

Tag a Penguin

It's my mid-week post for Dies to Die For and I'm in festive mode with this trio of Pingu Toasty Greetings gift tags.





Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
  • Feathers: Tattered Rose, Hickory Smoke, Black Soot
  • Blues: Tumbled Glass, Broken China, Peacock Feathers
  • Purples: Wilted Violet
  • Pinks: Spun Sugar, Worn Lipstick, Picked Raspberry
  • Rocks: Frayed Burlap, Walnut Stain
  • Oranges: Wild Honey, Spiced Marmalade, Rusty Hinge

Card Recipe:


From Dies To Die For:
Other
  • Satin ribbon
  • First Edition Gilded Winter Paper Pad
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Thursday 7 December 2017

Have a Pink Christmas

It's with a sad heart that today is the last challenge at In The Pink Challenge as Christine has decided to close the Pink Palace. I've been on the team for just over 2 years and have loved using one of my favourite colours every challenge, so I'll definitely continue. Christine has managed the challenge for over 5 years which is a fantastic achievement, so well done Christine. Mwah!  We hope we will gets lots of you join us for our final challenge, which is a super easy 'Pink Christmas' theme.






Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
  • Fur: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Tattered Rose
  • Scarf: Picked Raspberry
  • Greens: Shabby Shutters, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
  • Robin: Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs, Festive Berries

Card Recipe:


Created for:





I've been inspired by:

Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Wednesday 6 December 2017

Polar Pals

Well, it's my midweek post for Dies to Die For and today I'm sharing a CAS creation featuring Polar Pals from MFT.  It's actually a birthday set, so I've combined with a sentiment from MFT's Jingle All The Way stamp set to transform it into a more Christmassy card instead.






Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
  • Fur: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy 
  • Red scarf: Festive Berries, Fired Brick, Black Soot
  • Blue scarf: Faded Jeans, Stormy Sky, Black Soot
  • Ground: Weathered Wood
  • Sky: Tumbled Glass

Card Recipe:


From Dies To Die For:
Other:
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Thursday 30 November 2017

Little Donkey

I've always loved donkeys. I was a huge fan of Winnie the Pooh as a youngster and Eeyore was my favourite. We also live fairly close a lovely donkey sanctuary and I love going there. They're such lovely animals, and despite many being treated fairly poorly they still love human contact and come running over to see you if you go to visit them.  I'd love to have enough land to re-home a couple of donks!  Maybe one day (and a lottery win!).  Join us at the As You Like It Challenge and share your favourite animals.






Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
  • Fur: Frayed Burlap, Walnut Stain
  • Grass: Shabby Shutters, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint
  • Fence: Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs
  • Straw: Scattered Straw, Brushed Corduroy

Card Recipe:

I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Wednesday 29 November 2017

May all your dreams come true

It's my mid-week post and I'm using Teddy Birthday Presents from Whimsy Stamps combined with a sentiment from Stamping Bella's Dorothy the Dreamer. Although my teddy bear is cute, I'm hoping this might be sufficiently masculine for hubby's birthday card. 






Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
  • Fur: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs, 
  • Greens: Shabby Shutters, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint
  • Reds: Candied Apple, Fired Brick
  • Blues: Tumbled Glass, Broken China
  • Oranges: Fossilized Amber, Wild Honey, Broken Hinge

Card Recipe:


From Dies To Die For:
Other:
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Friday 24 November 2017

Merry Christ-mouse

It's a super simple Christmas card from me today since it turned out that the image filled the card base by itself.  I hope you like it.





Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
  • Fur: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs, 
  • Tree: Shabby Shutters, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint
  • Ground: Old Paper, Bundled Sage, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
  • Blues: Tumbled Glass, Broken China
  • Purples: Wilted Violet
  • Reds: Abandoned Coral, Fired Brick
  • Baubles: Victorian Velvet, Aged Mahogany, Blueprint Sketch, Cracked Pistachio
  • Pink ribbon/bauble: Picked Raspberry
  • Mouse: Pumice Stone

Card Recipe:

I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Wednesday 22 November 2017

Polar and Mousie

I really love these stuffies from Stamping Bella, and today I've used one called Polar Bear and Mousie.  I've kept the design nice and simple so it focuses on the image which I've watercoloured as usual. The sentiment comes with the stamp.





Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
  • Bear: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Gathered Twigs, 
  • Mouse: Pumice Stone, Tattered Rose
  • Reds: Candied Apple, Fired Brick, Aged Mahogany
  • Snow: Weathered Wood, Black Soot
  • Sky: Tumbled Glass

Card Recipe:


From Dies To Die For:
Other:
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Thursday 16 November 2017

Winter Wonderland

It's all about your favourite festive colour combo this week at As You Like It Challenge.  I love pink at any occasion, but I think it's especially lovely at Christmas and so I have lots of pink decorations on my Christmas tree!  I've made a pink & white themed girlie Christmas card using Snowman Friends from Polkadoodles.





Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
  • Hair/Fur: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs, 
  • Skin: Tattered Rose, Worn Lipstick
  • Pinks: Spun Sugar, Worn Lipstick, Aged Mahogany
  • Snow/Penguin: Hickory Smoke, Black Soot
  • Holly/Tights: Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint
  • Sky: Tumbled Glass

Card Recipe:


I've been inspired by:

Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Wednesday 15 November 2017

The Walrus, the Polar Bear and the Pingu

It's 'Hump Day' so I'm here with my mid-weekly dose of cuteness using this adorable image from Stamping Bella called The Walrus, the Polar Bear and the Penguin.

I love these Stuffie images and wanted to keep the image as the central focal point. I've added a narrow matting layer of dusky blue and embossed a layer of white card as a background, stitching both layers.






Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
  • Walrus: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs
  • Polar Bear: Pumice Stone, Tattered Rose
  • Penguin: Black Soot, Pumice Stone, Dried Marigold, Carved Pumpkin
  • Snow: Weathered Wood
  • Sky: Tumbled Glass

Card Recipe:

I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Thursday 9 November 2017

You're Weird and I Love It

We're looking for spots or stripes at In The Pink Challenge this month and despite not really being a fan of either I've somehow managed to use both on my card because the pretty papers have white polka dots as well as a feint stripe on them.






Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
  • Monster: Spun Sugar,  Worn Lipstick
  • Eyes: Hickory Smoke, Antique Linen
Card Recipe:
Created for:



Sponsored by:



I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx