Christmas

The Trees are up the Garlands are up & the Advent Calendar is on display , It must be Christmas.
The advent calendar I picked up in Tesco a few years ago for about £5 .I bought 5 of them a gave them out as presents but have only just got round to finishing the last one.

Merry Christmas  to All

Merry Christmas to All

Now December has come I would like to wish all who read and comment on my Blogg a Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year.
Here are two little Christmas Projects I have just finished,
The first is my Christmas mirror , to be used only from now until Christmas or may be a bit longer.
As you can see it is the famous Ikea mirror, I must have about 10 of these around the house now.

The second Christmas project again is one of my boxes picked up from the Car Boots last summer.

It took some time but I'm pleased with how to turned out. The only problem is I can not find a Christmas use for it. Can any one help?

A Detour from 12x12

A few weeks ago Dave surprised me with tickets for the Hobby Craft Show at the N.E.C. I had a great time and as usual spent too much. The show was very good but not as good as Alexander Palace, not enough 12x12 paper for me.

What I did find was this M.D.F. book binder a diversion from my normal 12x12 layouts.

Alexandra Palace Craft Show

I hope all who went to the Craft Show at Alexandra Palace last week had a great time. I had a wonderful time and found some great new papers. Spent too much but who cares.
The two layouts below are of my girls , Joanna & Jilly when they were young. I did them the week before the Show to clear some of me odds & sods.Makes me feel good when I spend too much at the Show.

Dave's visit to see Jamie on his 2nd Birthday

Dave went across Czech to see his grandson on his

2nd Birthday.

Hi All
Sorry for the gap in postings but my PC has been playing up.
Here are some of my lasts 12x12 layouts .

This is my Dad when he was about 16 with his cousin Cynthia and his Mum and Dad Horice & Lucy.
Dave is into family Trees and last weekend we found Lacy's and Horace's grave about 20 miles away in a lovely small village called Bittesfield.We have now found the farm were  this picture was taken and to my surprise my relations are still living there.
The layout is Bo Bunny timepiece paper with some real straw and roses and petals from Hobby Craft.

Joanna feeding my first grandaughter Amber in1991.
The paper this time is from Bo Bunny Gabrielle range with keys off a lecklace from Prime Mark sale.
The flowers are a mix of Prima and home made ones with a small wooden bird in a cage I picked up some where.

See Through

This picture is of my two daughters Joanna and Jilly when they were young playing in the ground.
This is the first time I have played with the Prima Acetate See Through paper and i am not shore about it.Please let me know if you have used it and in what context.
The border is Graphic 45 Romantic and the decorations are a Twiddleybitz Christmas tree on its side to make a corner and a Dusty Attic Lamp Post.

Frederick's Wedding

As you can see from my posts I love doing old pictures.This one was sent to Dave from a relation he found doing his Family Tree. It is a picture of his Grandads and Grandmothers Wedding in the early 1900's.
Again the paper is from the Bo Bunny Gabriella range , I just love this paper.
The decorations are a Dusty Attic Clock And Prima flowers

Followers

Hi To All,
Can any one tell me why none of my Followers are getting my new Posts?
I set up a test blog and became a follower of this Blog. The only Posts I got were 3 months old , none of my new Posts have been received by my test Blog.
Please help me!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Chris

Lets Get Shabby August Challenge

Here is my box for the latest challenge. Again it is a old box I picked up on my travels & made for a friends Birthday , it holds her present perfectly.
The Toile I used was an wallpaper sample I pick up. I've used it on the bottom & on the top of the lid. The Ticking paper is used around the top of the box , it doesn't  show up very well on the picture.
I've finishes it off with a Cameo fastener , lace around the box lid & base with some roses & a key on the top of the lid.

Before

Day Out at Norton Priory

Yesterday Dave & I had a day off and took our selves to Norton Priory for the afternoon. It has a renovated Walled Ground that Dave has wanted to check out for some time. As you can see from the picture they have done a very good job but I think we were a month to later to see it at it's best. Still well worth a visit with a very nice cheap tea room within the ground.

Jamie Growing Up

Yet another little frame I picked up last Sunday at the Car Boot.

The pictures are of Jamie , Daves Grandson who lives in Czech. He is 2 in August and is growing up very fast . Dave is going over at end  of August to see him with a suitcase full of presents.

Dave like this so much i've made another one from another cheap frame I pick up. This one he is taking with him for Jamie's bedroom.

A War Time Story

This LO is of Dave's Granddad's brother Harry who fought in the First World War. The picture was taken in Crewe when he was visiting his brother Frederick(Daves Granddad).
The paper I have used I think is very fitting for the subject, it is from Bo Bunny Timepiece range.
The clock around the picture is from Dusty Atic and the clock in the top right hand corner is made up from a watch cut out of Bo Bunny timepiece paper with a surround from 7 Gypsies Optical Lens. 
The Medal is a medal I believe every one who was alive at the end of the war got and the document is his army record.

The story behind the picture is that Harry  like Daves Granddad  fell out with his father and left home at fifteen .When he was old enough he changed his name from Poynter to Kemp and joined the Army.

He went through the 1^st World War and left in 1920 after serving in the Machine Gun Corp and the West Yorkshire regiment’s. The letter below is a letter to his Mum apologising for his actions.

This photo and letter was sent to Dave from a distant relation in Portsmouth when he was researching his family tree.

Harrys letter to his mum

Old layouts of our Cats

Old layouts of Puss our first cat who is no longer with us and our two new cats Holly & Mitzy.All picked up from the RSPCA.

Fight night , who gets the chair.

Lets Get Shabby July Challenge

Here is my entry for this months challenge over on Lets Get Shabby titled No. 2 Robins Nest.
This birdbox was made using music paper from an old book shop a punched roof that I lifted in different places to give some texture.
Wooden lollie pop stick fencing and a wooden hanging frame that I painted both in white paint.

I have just got a HONORABLE MENTION on this months challenge .

Thanks very much Lets Get Shabby.

Before

Amber as a Baby

Amber's Mum found this picture with coffee Stain marks all over it.Dave played with it with his magic photo software & I made two LO's of it. One for me and one for her Mum.

What do I do with all my framed Lay Outs

Sharon (Fat Monica) asked the question where do I put all my framed Lay Outs & Projects when finshed.

Bed Room

Bed Room

Dinning Room

Hall

  I hope this answers your question Sharon

Another Two Ikea Mirrows

Yet another two Ikea Mirrows picked up at a Car Boot sale last week for 50p each. I will have to stop doing these mirrows, at the last count I had 10 made and two more to do LOL.I have linked this Post to HandMade Monday.

PEEK A BOO

An old colour photo I had of my daughter Jilly which Dave converted to Black & White. I love this picture , I have scraped it two or three times but this time I found the perfect back ground.
The paper is Websters Pages again( I LOVE WEBSTERS PAGES PAPER) & the fencing came from my local craft shop in Stoke on Trent.

Treasured Keepsakes

Thanks to all my new followers & all the comments I got over the weekend.

They are much appreciated.

Here are three items I picked up at a car boot sale & turned into treasured  keepsakes, I hope you like them.

Also thanks to Fat Monica for her kind & helpful comments on her blog. Check it out it is well worth a look ( follow the link from my followers).

Dad & I on Holiday

My daughters Joanna & Jilly

Dave's son Antony with his wife Veronika & Jamie