Happy Christmas and a Happy New Year!

I am writing this on Christmas Eve at my lovely in-laws to wish you all a very happy Christmas Day and a Happy New Year. I hope you will have everything that you wish for!

This time of year makes me very reflective. What a strange year is has been for Col and me! I would never have thought last Christmas that just a month later we would have nearly lost our home. As a result of that, the rest of the year took a completely unexpected course and we finally returned to our house at the end of August. There is still a long way to go in terms of the Contents claim with our insurers and the house is still rather minimalist, but we are so happy to be back. Apart from the darkest time, in the week after it happened, when it was like a waking nightmare, it has mainly been at worst anxiety and upheaval. Last week when my Mum had a fall and cut her head which required stitches, the worry and distress was a thousand times worse than anything to do with our flood. I guess what I want to say is, I hope all of you are with your loved ones this Christmas. For those of you who have lost someone special this year, my heart goes out to you, and I know that the year I have had is nothing compared to that loss. It has also been a tremendously hard year financially for many of us, and there are not so many presents waiting under the tree in many homes.

I have had some wonderful kindness from my crafting friends over the past year and it has meant so much: thank you! A disaster makes you realize what tremendous goodness and thoughtfulness there is in people. Hope you have a day full of warmth, love, hugs, and full tummies tomorrow. Thank you for your friendship.

A Sleigh Ride Together with You

Over on the Happy Daze blog today I have this little canvas using the Artistic Outpost Sleigh Ride stamp set. There is still time to enter the Winter Wonderland challenge with a chance to win a £15 gift voucher so hop on over to the blog!

I am entering this into the Artistic Outpost December Referral Programme which is Anything Goes.
You can buy Artistic Outpost stamps from Happy Daze if you are in the UK or direct from Artistic Outpost if you are in the US.

Choosing the Christmas Tree

Over on the Happy Daze blog today I have made a Christmas card using the Artistic Outpost Sleigh Ride set depicting two little girls choosing their Christmas tree in a wintry forest. Dear Petra was here as consultant when I was finishing this off and she suggested I go into the garden to take the photo. Now I am what I call an indoor cat and don't believe in going outside unless it is really necessary. Colin is in and out all the time like a fidler's elbow, walking leaves into the house. It was good advice anyway, and the photo on Happy Daze is amidst a fir tree, but I also rather liked this lichen covered wooden bench which is full of character. Petra and I had a lovely day together and she also kindly gave me the snowflake charm, which was the perfect finishing touch.

I am entering this card into the Artistic Outpost December referral programme which is Anything Goes. You can buy their stamps direct from them if you are in the US, or from Happy Daze if you are in the UK.

Think and Wonder Little Girl in a Frame

Over on Happy Daze blog today I have made this little frame using the Artistic Outpost Think and Wonder plate. I love this little girl image! For the frame I used tissue tape and Inka Gold in various colours.

I am entering this into the Artistic Outpost Referral Challenge for December which is anything goes. If you are in the US you can get their stamps directly from them, and if you are in the UK you can get them from Happy Daze.