Happy Halloween! - Thursday 31st October

Good Morning Friends!

Two cards today, my last two Halloween cards...I took these stamped images to the craft fair a few weeks ago and coloured them whilst I was there...so nothing spooky, just a couple of fun House Mouse  cards!

I'm only working this morning as I am training two new volunteers who will work a few hours on a Friday, so this week I am going to the office tomorrow morning..so when I get home I will be bewitching the front porch and garden..I'll try and post photos later or in the morning...if you get Trick or Treaters I hope they are nice ones!

When our friends and neighbours kids were young we used to have a fancy dress party in our house and bake spooky cakes and savouries, tell spooky stories and go trick or treating. One of the most memorable was when one of my American cousins was staying because she did a term at university here..she just organised the best party ever and the kids, now in their teens and twenties still remember her. Now Elisa is married with a little guy who is almost 3 and doing his own trick or treat this year in California where they live..she tells me he wants to be a pirate, so I'm looking forward to seeing the photos!

Love and Hugs,

Carole X

Halloween Sparkle - Tuesday 29th October

Good Morning Friends,

I know there are really  mixed views about Halloween; I love it and love making cards and crafts for it. Sadly this year there has been very little time to create really spooky cards, but I have managed some quick ones which I have already posted, I have one more today and another that I am saving for Halloween itself.

I have enjoyed looking around the blogs of some of you who are also very  much into the creepiness and the fun  of the Holiday and also some others I have come across this last month or so, but this year definitely seems to the the year of the 'fun' Halloween card. I have seen some fabulous creations using the adorable House Mouse stamps and at the weekend, I was commenting on my section of entries to the Emergency Crafters challenge (yes it's now back up and working) and there were some superb fun entries there - there have been  a lot of entries this time, which seems to prove how popular Halloween is - there is still time to enter your Halloween project (closes Thursday) just hop over to Emergency Crafters.

I spent most of Saturday making my project for the next challenge - it's a theme I love, but don't get much chance to use in my designs as I don't get time to just craft for 'me' much any more; so I really had so much fun creating it..all will be revealed on 1st November!

So for today another Halloween Design...

I used a base layer of black card and matted and layered with this gorgeous spidery paper I downloaded last year from Chocolate Baroque. I traced the spiders web with Crystal Stickles, which gives a super iridescent effect.

The remainder of the papers I used for this card were from the fabulous Graphic 45 Steampunk Spells pad (and whisper whisper I've used this paper to make my entire DT project for Friday..sssh!).

The circle was cut with Spellbinders Classic Circles and the witches hat using my Cricut (actually I cut it last year and never used it as it was in my Halloween stash box). The little button was from a pack bought in Michaels on holiday and the sentiment is a stamp from Chocolate Baroque.

Before I go today, I thought you might like to see some photos of grapes we've harvested from our own vine this year...we've been going so many away and have frozen loads (frozen grapes after a special meal are lush!).

These are just a few..I took quite a few bunches into the library yesterday to give away and Tom to his office as well. They are pinot noir and quite sweet. The hens had a field day when we were picking the last of them at the weekend...I didn't have so  much fun washing them as there were so many spiders!

Thanks for stopping by!

Love and Hugs,
Carole X

Nicecrane DT Post: Vintage Santa - Monday 28th October

Good Morning Friends,

I hope you all made it through last night unscathed..I'm not a winter person I'm afraid - s far as I'm concerned snow belongs only on Christmas cards and as for wind..well we seem to get much stronger winds all year round don't we? Where we are does seem to have escaped the worst of the weather: the rain and later the wind swooshing around the house did wake me up, but it's all calm now and as it gets light, nothing in the garden seems to have been disturbed.

Anyway, having a relatively 'free' weekend gave me the chance to catch up on my design team projects, so today a break from Halloween and autumn cards for this Christmas card and gift box made using both pre-coloured and digital stamps from Nicecrane Designs. Click on my link to be taken to an emporium of wonderful vintage  digital designs..honestly there is so much choice -just take a look!

 To make the card I began with some Adorable Scoreable card, I used a digital stamp, which I coloured with Promarkers and simply matted and layered on green and gold card, which I then tied with red ribbon and added a button and bakers twine. To finish I didn't want to add glitter anywhere, but I added a little flowersoft to make the 'fur' cuff on Santa's cloak. The image is large, bold and colourful,  so I wanted it to remain the focus and refrained from adding any other  embellishments to detract from it.

 I created the box from a plastic milk carton template, which I bought from Stamps Away at Alexandra Palace in April. Interestingly, I was watching Ali Reeve on Create and Craft on Friday and they were selling these templates. She demonstrated embossing the template through the Grand Calibur (or other embossing machines) to mark the crease folds - and yes it works!

Again, I used Adorable Scoreable card to make the box, but this time, just to show you the pre-coloured images, I used them instead. These photos show the front and back of the box.

These are the images on the pre-coloured sheet - you get the same images with the digital stamps, except of course they are in black and white !

Thanks so much for stopping by, I hope you all have a happy Monday!

Love and Hugs,

Carole X

Sewing Catnip! - Sunday 27th October

Hello Friends!

Hope you are enjoying the weekend and remembered to put your clocks back! It looks like many of us here in the UK are bracing ourselves for some pretty 'busy' weather tonight, which I'm not looking forward to at all! It's such a beautiful morning here that it's hard to believe what they say is heading our way.

We actually had a Saturday with nothing that we had to do, so after a leisurely breakfast and a bit of morning crafting, we just dropped in at our local garden centre for a browse and a coffee and then came home and I was able to craft all afternoon... and as Tom's parents are in Italy at the moment, we have a day at home tomorrow as well, so more crafting...yippee!!

Yesterday, I turned some of those stamped House Mouse images that I coloured at the craft fair last week, into cards, but today's card is one I made for the craft fair (and sold) - another House Mouse, but this time from the CD.

I used some autumn leaf paper from a 6x6 pad in my stash and covered  a card blank. I printed the image on to photo paper and matted and layered on blue card. I then cut another piece of paper from the same pad to the same size and inked the edges with Vintage Photo. I used the offcuts from this piece to cut the little banners at the bottom.

The sentiment is also from the CD and the pumpkin topper was in a pack I bought in Michaels over in the US.

Another simple little card for today!

Hope you all have a super crafty Sunday, and keep snug and safe indoors tonight!

Love and Hugs,

Carole X

Sunday Stampers wk 279: Winter - Friday 25th October

Hello Friends,

Having missed taking part last week due to too many things to do and not enough time...I'm back this week with a contribution to the  Sunday Stampers Challenge set by Hels Sheridan, the theme of which is 'Winter'. If you want to find out all about Sunday Stampers, check out Hels' fabulous blog here

This week I have made a tag (I'm pleased to say that Mr Mojo is gradually appearing from the suitcase he chose to remain in when we got back from holiday, but sssh...don't want to scare him back in!).

I took a large white tag and stamped the Indigo Blu 'Stag on a Cliff' image (yes I admit this is my current very favourite stamp!) using clear Perfect Medium, then I sprinkled with Cosmic Shimmer detail white embossing powder mixed with smidgen of aurora  crystal sparkle embossing powder and heat embossed.

Next I inked up a 'That Special Touch'  snowflake frame mask with Perfect medium, placed it around the top and bottom edges and one side of the tag and ran it through the Grand Calibur. After embossing, I sprinkled with the aurora crystal and heat dried - sadly as always none of the sparkle shows in the photo! Finally, I inked all over with Peacock Feathers distress ink and roughed up the edges of the tag.

I stamped the sentiment and also heat embossed using the white detail powder, then cut into a banner shape. I used some vintage ribbon, which I sprayed with water and scrunch dried for the bow and to finish I added a die cut snowflake, which i made using double side adhesive paper and dipped in micro beads, then I added a button and some twine.

Thanks so much for stopping by, I really do appreciate your visits and comments!

Love and Hugs,

Carole X

Autumn Blossom - Thursday 24th October

Good Morning Friends,

A quick post and a quick card this morning! A long day at work ahead: I'm training a new volunteer and we have our library management board AGM tonight, so I'll go in slightly later and

work through...actually I enjoy the library meetings and from someone who actually doesn't much care for meetings that's high praise!!

I got quite a lot done at home yesterday - not crafts but in the craft room/study! It was quite a 'techie' day - I installed the new printer (phew it's nice to be able to print again!!) and downloaded the new operating system on my iMac - plus all the App updates that seemed to come with it - so whilst that was all going on, I tidied my craft room as best I could and put all the Christmas stash to hand so now I can get going with it :)

So this is a very quick card that I made as a card sketch example for the library event I was due to attend last week. I made some sketches and my plan was to help people make cards following sketches. I don't often make really simple cards, but this one was just that - some pretty paper, a sentiment, a die-cut blossom and leaf and some distress ink, just matted and layered!

Thanks for stopping by, 

Love and Hugs,
Carole X

Autumnal Window Card - Monday 21st October

Good Morning Friends,

I hope you all had good weekends and managed some crafting - I only managed the colouring at the Craft Fair, but that was fine, relaxing and has given me some cards to make!

Autumn is a beautiful season and my favourite for crafting - such wonderful colours to play with...so I have just had to make some  more autumn crafts to at least see out October and over the next two weeks, will be sharing them with you...

For this one, I used backing paper from a paper pack that was free with a magazine ( I mislaid the cover so have no idea of the designer!). I covered a 6x6 blank and inked the edges. The window was die cut using Kraft card and backed with another piece of paper from the same pad. The flowers are made from a punch, the leaves from dies and the pumpkin and button I brought back from the US.

The gold leaves were stamped with versamark and heat dried with gold embossing powder, then rubbed with Mica powder and heat set.

Sorry about the photo - I was packing up some cards I had made to take to the craft fair, when I realised that I hadn't photographed them, so I did it in rather a hurry! Glad I decided to do it there and then though, because I sold them!

Thanks for stopping by!

Love and Hugs,

Carole X

Workshop & Craft Fair! - Sunday 20th October

Good Morning Friends!

Yes a double whammy today..and a long one, so hope you'll stick with me!!  I seem to have gotten through the hectic period (relatively) unscathed! First of all though, thank you for all your lovely comments about my spooky wreath - yes I think it was my favourite too! 

I'm sorry I didn't get to visit you all yesterday, but will have a nice leisurely catchup later on..I did actually have what was looking to be a really horrendous week craft-wise but we had a great workshop and to find out what had made the week so "grrrrrrrr-some" (yes I made that up!), read on below the photos!

Workshop

Thursday night was the last of three workshops Amy and I put on using the Indigo Blu 'Stag on a Cliff' Christmas stamp and a design by Linda Warmsley and these are the fabulous cards made by my lovely group of ladies..

Craft Fair

Last week was when I was due to take part in an annual 'have a go' event at the Library, we had a social media event at work, followed by our workshop in the evening and then I had a craft fair on Saturday...by Tuesday I was getting the feeling of 'melt down' so something would have to 'give' and despite having spent quite a while prepping my craft stuff for the Library, it had to be that one because there were a lot of people taking part and it was just a drop in. I wouldn't let down Amy or our group unless (well I'd have to be so poorly I couldn't move!) and the fairs in aid of a Bristol Hospice are the only ones I do now - a) because I support the charity and b) I don't have the time, so I couldn't miss that one.

I was panicking about enough to sell, but although I made a few last minute cards, I had plenty.Then came the first big bug!!! Because I have been so busy this year, I seem to have allowed my craft room and my poor iMac to get very disorganised and have been happily saving digital stamps and images to flash drives that I haven't backed up. I used one of them Monday and it was fine, Tuesday I went back to use it and everything had gone! I tried everything, but the drive was corrupted and there was no replair!!!I had a word with our social media trainer (who also is a bit of a techie) on Thursday and it could be recoverable but a bit of hassle. I know a lot of my Pink Petticoat images are on there and Nitwit papers. I am so annoyed with myself for not bothering to back them up and have learnt my lesson.

Then on Friday, leaving it very late, I had to package the cards I'd made recently. I label the bags with my logo, the price and insert greeting details. I got my labels out, went to print them and my printer said 'NO'....for weeks now it had been flashing up messages saying its own way "Please I'm getting old, I've given you a good service but I need to be sent to the printer graveyard...please!" But in between the coughs and splutters it was still printing beautifully, so I ignored it.... then on Friday morning it just gave up and died...oh dear, I had to put on my best handwriting and do them by hand and today we are out to look for a new printer. I've had this one, an Epson, for 8 years or so and I do use it every day and a lot...I mean a lot, so it has given me great service. The problem with printers is that they cost more to repair than buy new.

Anyway, Tom and I got to the the craft fair and as usual it was great! It's in Chipping Sodbury Town Hall and between now and Christmas there is one every Saturday, but certainly this one is very well supported. It was great to see some of our craft group call in; one was helping a friend of hers on a stall too... and also to see other stall holders that I have got to know over the years.

There was plenty of foot-fall and I sold lots of cards - I was so pleased! Although I'm not taking commissions at the moment, I do have a few Christmas cards to make for a couple of regular customers and a took a couple yesterday from one of my office volunteers who called in and from another stallholder.

I always feel that in between standing and talking to people, encouraging them to have a look through the cards, it's a good idea to actually do some crafting. I like to take some stamped images and colour them and find that House Mouse is good for this; I am used to colouring them and they are fun for people to look at - yesterday I am also it encouraged the sales of the many House Mouse cards I'd made, even though some were from the CD's rather than stamped! The other best seller was cards made using Indigo Blu stamps - remember my George the Bear card from the other day? Well he went within minutes, as did the Elisabeth Bennet cards and the stag Christmas. I also took along a few of the wooden tree ornaments decorated with Indigo Blu and they sold too.

I totally forgot to take photos of the fair, it was so busy, but here is my 'work' from yesterday! I took along my Promarkers and had a good time talking to people about stamping and colouring. I only too a few markers, so some of them are just partially coloured.

Sorry for the lengthy post, catch you all later - now off to find that printer!

Love, Hugs and Happy Sunday!

Carole XX

Spooky Wreath - Wednesday 16th October

Good Morning Friends!

I stayed up really late Monday night...by late I mean early hours - crafting! Tom had to go to Amsterdam for work and I don't sleep so well when he's not here, so it was at least a chance to try and get some of this weeks craft work prepared! Trouble is, guess what? Today I'm paying for it and am soooo tired!!

This will be the last of my Halloween wreaths and this time, instead of using an embroidery hoop, I used a polystyrene circle and made this one to enter into the current Country View Crafts Challenge on the "Something Spooky' theme.

I used an 8in/20cm circle and covered it entirely with orange satin ribbon; I then covered three parts with the sparkly netting in black and orange tying the strands in knots.

The 'Spooky' sign in the centre, I picked up in a Michael's store when I was in the USA and what a find because it  fits snuggly in the centre of this circle. I bought the little pumpkin button at the same time.

I used a Halloween Stamp set by Hampton Art to stamp the bats and spider in black archival and heat embossed using black embossing powder for the spider and silver for the web. The crow on the grave stone is from a set by Chocolate Baroque and was heat embossed in silver.

I would like to enter this wreath in the current 
Country View Challenge "Something Spooky" - full deets can be found by clicking the link!


Thanks so much for stopping by!
Love and Hugs,
Carole X

Trick or Cheese - Monday14th October

Hello Friends,

I hope you all had a good weekend, without the nasty rain we had all day yesterday - oh well, once we had returned from our Sunday family visits in the afternoon, it was good for a little crafting.

 I made a card to go with the House Mouse wreath I posted yesterday...this was actually inspired by  design suggestion on the stamp packet -just my 'take' on it (I'm afraid Mr Mojo is still being a bit shy!) 

The backing papers I used were from Graphic 45's Steampunk Halloween. I used the trick or cheese stamp, coloured with Promarkers and cut out some holes at the side where he's nibbled the cheese (this was the design idea that I saw and liked).

I matted and layered on black card and the little pumpkin is a Spellbinders die on which I drew the Jack O' Lantern face.

Thanks for stopping by!

Love and Hugs,

Carole X

House Mouse Halloween - Sunday 13th October

Hello Friends,

Well here we had a lovely sunshine on Saturday followed by a murky, wet, cold Sunday..oh I'm missing that sun already!

My dear friend Paola in Italy share a love of everything House Mouse with me, so for birthdays, Christmas, Easter I always make her House Mouse cards (and we send House-Mouse e-cards to each other just for fun!)..we also both love Halloween and although her kids are either just about to leave school or away at university at the moment, we still send each other a little Halloween treat!

This year Ton's parents will be over in Italy visiting the family at Halloween, so I was able to make something a little larger, that they can take with them. I made another wreath using an embroidery hoop as the base, but this time instead of using just sparkly net fabric, I have used a variety of ribbons and also given it a House-Mouse theme...

The stamp I used is 'Trick or Cheese' by Stampendous: I coloured the little cutie with Promarkers and then cut him out and finished off by coating him with Glossy Accents (though you can't see this in the photo).

I would like to enter this project in the following Challenge: 

House Mouse & Friends

"Hey Pumpkin", Challenge HMFMC155

Thank you for stopping by!

Love and Hugs,

Carole X

Sunday Stampers wk 277 - Saturday 12th October

Hello Friends!

I promised myself that no matter how busy I was this week, that I would make one crafty item that has become a regular part of the week for me..taking part in Hels Sheridan's Sunday Stampers (click for deets). We've been back from the US two weeks now and I just have to get back Mr Mojo from somewhere, because I reckon his suitcase is still going around that carousel at Heathrow!

It was a close call, but last night I made this  really simple card as my contribution! The theme this week is to use the word 'wish'...

It was a good excuse to try out this new Indigo Blu ' Dinkie' stamp, which I bought from Amy's shop, Out of the Blue in Chipping Sodbury, on Thursday....along with a gorgeous butterfly.

I do love the Aloysius stamp, this one is 'Sleeping George' - he is so cute with so many uses, from baby to birthday.

A quick post  today as we have things to do, but if I didn't get to your blogs yesterday I will later today - I did my blog hop a bit early, before a lot of you had posted!

Happy Saturday all!

Love and Hugs,

Carole X

Workshop Photos - Friday 11th October

Hello Friends!

Last night was our regular Out of the Blue craft group workshop and for October, Amy and I decided to use a Christmas design by Linda Warmsley for Indigo Blu. The card is an 8x8, the first time we have made a large card and uses two Indigo Blu stamps - Stag on a Cliff and Baubles Flourish.

These are photos of the cards made by my group, unfortunately the light in the room isn't great for photos:

I made a simple card using this stamp and masking technique and posted it here back in August, but it is great fun to do. Linda's original card can be found here

There were three new ladies on my group last night, from talking to them after it seemed they really enjoyed it, so I hope that we see them again in the new year.

This card actually looks really difficult, but is actually quite easy and everyone finished in plenty of time, whereas we nearly always run over time (not that that matters when you're having a good time!)!

We are back with the second group to make this card next Thursday as well.

Thank you so much for stopping by, glad you liked the photo of Bella and the grapes yesterday. After the lovely summer we had, the hens are definitely not liking the sudden turn to such chilly days and nights..and I'm with them there, especially when I look at my fading tan!

Have a great crafty Friday all,

Love and Hugs,

Carole X

Autumn Door Wreath -Thursday 10th October

Hello Friends,

Thank you for your comments on my Halloween wreath in my last post...there is another in the making! I know not everyone likes Halloween, but I love it - especially in craft world! Having just got back from the USA, I am truly "Halloween-ed" up this year. I think I mentioned that we went with some of my family to a massive Halloween shop...so many costumes and scary items for house and garden. There was one where you would and activator plate put on your path or lawn (hidden)and when anyone steps on it a gigantic spider leaps at you! It scared the bejeebies out of me..and I really do run a mile from a big spider anyway!

Anyway, those of you who have been following me for some time will have seen this wreath last year, although I have added to it. For those who are fairly new blog friends, I really do love to decorate door wreaths and from spending various holidays and a bit longer with family in the US since I was a teen, I have always loved looking at wreaths on the doors of some of the houses ( I've noticed during our last few visits that this tradition seems to be less and less on outside doors though, but more inside the houses, maybe a sign of the times with them being taken), so I love to decorate my own front door. 

Last year I created all new wreaths, so have kept the same this year. I did post this one last Autumn, but before I'd added the poppies for Remembrance Day, which I decided to leave on through the season this year. This wreath will stay up until the end of November.

Yesterday Amy and I put on a day-time workshop for a group of Carers; we used an Indigo Blu workshop Christmas card. A lot of the ladies were new to paper craft, but I think they enjoyed it. They certainly all came away with lovely cards (which I omitted to photograph). It was our first 8x8 project and I have to admit, the card itself does look a bit difficult to make, but it's not and once everyone realises this and relaxes into having fun, it just all comes together. We are making the card at our regular workshop tonight, so I'll show you tomorrow!

Before I finish, I though I would share some photos we took at the weekend - those of you who have been with me a while will know all about our four pesky hens - Cara, Bella, Lacey and Penny. When it comes to getting up to know good, Bella should really be called 'Dora the Explorer'. This time of year and I forever 'losing' her from somewhere inside the grapevine that spans the length of our garden - they all love grapes, but she is the only one 'brave' enough to jump up there and get stuck in. Anyway, here I am, having actually lifted her out of the vine on Saturday (it's okay, I did let her have one or two more!) and also a photo of some of the grapes we've picked...

Thank you so much for stopping by, I really do appreciate it..have a great crafty day and I hope the sun shines on you all!

Love and Hugs,

Carole X

Halloween Hanger - Monday 7th October

Hello Friends!

First of all a big welcome to my latest follower, Carole ... So good to connect with another Carole with an 'e'....there aren't too many of us about! 

I am sorry not to have gotten around your blogs between Wednesday and yesterday, but last week after getting back from the USA and being very pleased about having no jetlag, something even worse 'hit' me..the realisation about how much I have committed myself to, both at work and in craft land, between now and the end of November. My 'to do' list is crazy and doesn't even include the time to make Christmas cards, which I have barely begun. I am one of those people (fortunately), who has an inner realisation that all will come good in the end, but it doesn't stop me stressing in the meantime!

Anyway, back to crafts...those of you who 'followed' me across California over the past few weeks will remember that I decorated a couple of tee shirts for my cousin's two year old son...well I Skyped with Elisa on Friday and Wesley was wearing one of them..apparently he doesn't want to take them off...cute!

Now, I really do count myself SO lucky, that I have a lot of American family in California and then I have to pinch myself again, that most of Tom's family are in the Venice area of Italy...could I really ask for two more beautiful places on this earth to have  a reason to visit? Anyway, one of my dear friends in Italy is Paola and we still send a little Halloween treat to each other as we love this Holiday. This year Tom's parents will be over there visiting, so they can take it for me and I decided to make a couple of  little wreaths and give one to Paola.

This one actually an embroidery hoop, which I covered with black sparkly netting and then using black and orange net cut into strips, I tied little strips all around. To finish I added a pumpkin bauble (which I bought in the US and has a bell inside) in the centre.

I've had the spidery ribbon in my ribbon stash for a few years, the spider webs are flocked, it's very touchy-feely!

It was something I made in front of the TV one evening...my mojo is still not fully active and maybe because my craft room is such a mess, I'm finding it hard to work in there at the moment...never mind, it'll come back soon...I hope!

Thanks for stopping by and have a lovely crafty day,

Love and hugs,

Carole Z X

WOYWW week 226 - Wednesday 2nd October

Good Morning Friends,

Thanks for all your 'welcomes home' yesterday!

This is the first time I've shared my desk in a while, mainly because you can't usually actually see it by Wednesday :) ! Full details about WOYWW can be found at Stamping Ground here

Anyway, I thought this would be a good time to share the goodies I bought in MIchaels and Joanns stores on our recent road trip across California. Amazingly both were offering 40% discounts across stores - so off a whole purchase - sadly I was limited to just lighter items due to suitcase space!  I Knew I should have left out some of those shoes I took!!

Since we got back at the weekend, I have been totally unable to get my creative juices flowing...I think Mr Mojo has stayed in California (can I blame him? NO). Truthfully I think the real reason is too much on my mind...work for instance...October is 'try something new month' in our town, so next week I have to out up a big volunteering photo display, plus I am going to be training three new volunteers to cover our Centre on the days I don't work...all that... and coming back to a pile of work after holidays (though thanks to my volunteers a lot of it was covered).

Then there's craft - next week we have  a workshop and the week after that? Wednesday I am helping set up a 'try a craft event' in the library where I work and also taking part. I have to make up about 30 'make and take' kits for people to come in and make a card ( and I still haven't completely decided what I'm doing!), then the Thursday in work I'm holding a social media drop in event all day, my social media expert, Paul and I, will be helping community groups to get into Facebook, tweeting, blogging and more... and then a  quick dash to our workshop in the evening...I'm worn out writing this...on the Saturday I have a craft fair! Less said about how unprepared I am, the better!

All this and all I want to do at this time of year is make Halloween items and I have no time this year :( ....and I still can't get my head around Christmas.

I think I am going to need another holiday..lol...I'll be lucky..not for  a long while I suspect!

The items on my desk are mostly pretty little autumn embellishments we don't see so much here, plus a stencil which I have the idea to use on an altered frame and for scrapbooking. I also got some Halloween and Flourish stamps. Much like our Hobbycraft stores here, they don't seem to have many in-store stamps and most of them were wooden..however they were good prices. There was a good die selection, about the same price - except for the big discount - but most of the Spellbinders ones I saw I had already, so I just bought a flourish because that is something I was really needing.

Do you see the little paper pumpkin? I made this whilst sitting on the sofa watching TV the other night: it's from a craft magazine I bought in the USA. It's just strips of paper and if I get the chance I will photograph it properly with a tutorial ..no promises though!

A lot of the above will be used for scrapbooking...the USA loves this craft and there is so much you can buy for pages. I could have been going on holiday anywhere in the world and bought embellishments to match..wonderful!

These are specific ones I came back with..

Before we went away I was working right up to almost the last day, finishing the presents I made for my folks in the USA, so my craft room is looking pretty unruly (even for me). At this moment, the only thing I can find is my iMac! So I am now off to give it a good tidy, hoping that Mr Mojo is actually hiding under something :)

Happy WOYWW day everyone!

Love and Crafty Hugs,
Carole X