Merry & Bright - Friday 21st November

Good Morning Friends,

So sorry I've been awol recently, truth is I haven't been feeling that great...it's been a stress thing and I know that if I get it, then I just have to calm down and let it pass..crafting usually helps and it did, but not card making - sewing. It has been a culmination of work being pretty stressful, as there is so much going on. Without boring you, we (meaning myself and just one of my volunteers) have to work our way through records for 300 charities and groups, checking all the information before a  new national volunteering website is launched at the end of the month - and with web  problems (their end) it is proving a mammoth task...so much to get done and so little time!

I haven't even wanted to look at a paper craft project for a few weeks now and when I've tried, Mr Mojo just won't come out to play - it's my father-in-Law's 80th birthday tomorrow and boy did I struggle with his card!

However, at the end of the day I just have to keep telling myself that there are so many more people out there who have much more reason to feel not great about everything than me, some of you included my dear friends who I know have health problems or are coping with the poor health of loved ones, including one of my  close friends at the moment. 

I did make some CAS Christmas cards before this all set in and I have made the decision that this year for the first time in a great many years, I won't be making all my cards for Christmas. I send and give a lot of cards and at this stage I'll never do it! 

There is another reason too - with this year being such a special one of Remembrance, I wanted to support our servicemen and women, so I have bought some cards from Help for Heroes and The Royal British Legion, so the people I don't see regularly or only have contact  with at Christmas will getting those cards this time. You can't do it all can you? I think I've finally come to realise that :)

More Challenge successes: 

Speaking of Remembrance, my poppy card was chosen for the top 5 in last week's Allsorts Challenge - I was thrilled with that, it's even better than winning because the top 5 are actually chosen rather than picked by random, so it really cheered me up. My Poppy card (last post) that I submitted to the Stamping with Bibiana Throwback Thursday Challenge also made the top 3 there..what a good month it'a been for placements!

I do have to get to grips with some paper craft today - the lovely Ignacio from Nicecrane has just sent some gorgeous new vintage Christmas designs to the DT, so I'd best get working.

I said that sewing had helped me recently, well it has and my sewing machine has been working overtime, with lots still to do - but even with sewing I can't win at the moment because for many years I have suffered very slightly with attacks of repetitive strain injury and if I sew a lot by hand I do pay for it with tingling fingers..another reason I've been staying away from the keyboard, but thankfully it's not too bad. Actually reading this back I am starting to chuckle..`:)

Today's card:

My card was made using  JOFY stamps, coloured quite simply with Promarkers. In the background I stamped some snowflakes with embossing glitter and finished with some twine and a button.

Coming soon....

I will be back with some of my sewn projects soon...think TILDA (Tone Finnanger)...I am such a fan of Tilda and have all the books, which have such inspiring and gorgeous designs..I've been making more polar bears, snowmen and gingerbread men and I have completed an angel  doll as well...

Before I go, I would like to say thank you to one of my lovely blog friends for her email I received this morning. I won't say your name in case you don't want me to, but  thank you 'P', your kind words inspired me to get back and write this blog today..sending extra hugs X

I'll catch up with you all later, now I'd better get on with those DT cards...

Love and Hugs and thank you for your visit,

Carole X

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