It's Hogmanay

Morning folks...after all the Christmas hullabaloo I've kind of lost track of the days which is not an unusual occurrence in my world...working from home I often have to stop and ponder which day of the week it is but even I know it's the last day of December...the last day of 2011...yes it's New Year's Eve or in my neck of the woods Hogmanay...time to say goodbye to the old year and look forward to a brand new one. Can you believe at the stroke of midnight tonight...it will be 2012.  And just when I thought I had persuaded myself to ditch the grumpy face...all is not well at Chez Kath....

out of the blue...I think I will be welcoming in the New Year with a couple of uninvited guests...yes we've had a fall of snow so it looks like it's going to be a white start to 2012 and I think I'm in for the dreaded cold...the fuzzy head and sneezing for Scotland which at my age presents added complications in the bladder department are a dead give-away...a present that definitely wasn't on my Christmas List. You know what they say "feed a cold...starve a fever"...well I'll do my best but I think the body computer must be having a malfunction as the food intake levels have already gone off the Richter Scale.  I'm planning a cosy jammie day...a great excuse to dodge for yet another year that old age Hogmanay tradition of cleaning the house from top to bottom...can't really see the point...dust is dust and who cares which year it took up residence...instead I'll be chilling out on the sofa sorting out the workshop diary and the 2012 calendar...transferring all the birthdays from one year's calendar to the next.

And then we come to another bonkers tradition that I won't be taking part in...the New Year Resolutions...to be honest there is absolutely no point in me even attempting to go down that road...over the years I've had to admit that willpower is not one of my talents and I think the motto for the January page of the 2012 calendar says it all...

We'll be back at midnight to raise a glass and ring in the New Year with you all

Hugs Kath xxx

With a Little Help From My Friends

Morning folks...crikey the weather in my neck of the woods has been wild and stormy to say the least...the wind's been blowing a hooley making those scary wooshing noises as it rattles around the house.  It's silly o'clock and I'm sitting at the computer right next to the radiator looking out at the slight covering of snow with The Furry Boy slumbering at my feet wondering if he's thinking what I'm thinking...that it might be good idea to give our morning stroll a miss today...I hate these dark gloomy cold mornings but probably not...as soon as I move he'll be switched on and raring to go.
Don't know about you but I've got that deflated apres Christmas feeling not helped by the dismal weather we get at this time of year...the thought that Winter proper has still to come and the fact that the Fiskars projects are yet to get off the ground...just can't seem to get back into the crafting groove...oh dearie me I've been hit by a bout of moaning minnie doom and gloom sickness.  Is there a cure...well help may well be right under my nose...staring me in the face and in the words of those Beatles classics....

"ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE"

"WE CAN WORK IT OUT"

"WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS"

my fabulous specially commissioned "kick up the butt" inspirational Cubbyhole Christmas pressie mug from my lovely buddy Debbi...

and the Christmas supply of chocolate yummies destined for the cubbyhole may well persuade Mr Mojo to come out to play...ooh I feel better already...every cloud has a silver lining...the shortest day has been and gone...only 2 days left of 2011...Spring can't be that far away with those gloriously light and bright "up with the birdies" mornings and tomorrow is Hogmanay...time to ditch the grumpy face and get ready to step into a brand New Year.

Hugs Kath xxx

Kraft With Colour

Morning folks...time to share what I've been making with my DT Kraft With Colour Project Kit from Craftwork Cards...can you tell that I loved this gorgeous kit filled to brimming as always with yummy papers...die cuts et cetera et cetera...

 and a gift box with tag...

The weather here has turned a bit wild and woolly...a perfect excuse for having a cubbyhole day...time to crank up the crafty production line...fingers crossed Mr Mojo wants to play and help me nail some of those Fiskars projects.

Hugs Kath xxx

What's On My Workdesk Wednesday

Morning folks...have you recovered from the Christmas celebrations...Christmas is all about spending time with family and friends...the excitement of the parcel opening frenzy on Christmas morning and if you're like me eating until you are fit to burst but after 3 days of making merry this old biddy is suffering from bah humbug and beach-whaled syndrome...the temptation of Christmas Cake and all those yummy bites are stretching my willpower to the limit so perhaps it's time to lock myself away in the cubbyhole...if I'm crafting then I can't be nibbling.
And hey it's Wednesday and that means it's time to join Julia and all her crafty buddies over at WOYWW...our last chance of 2011 to have a peek into crafty spaces across the globe. So what's on my workdesk today...I had every intention of the cubbyhole being out of bounds until 2012 but...and it's a great huge BUT...the first work commissions of 2012 landed in my Inbox just before Christmas and the cubbyhole crew are bracing themselves to get stuck into some frantic Fiskars crafting....

My Workshop Project for the NEC in March

along with 2 Projects for the Prima Demos at the show

need to be done and dusted by the beginning of January

and wait for it....

24 samples and step-by-steps for the launch of the new 2012 products at the
CHSI Trade Show at The NEC in February

OH YEAH...it's back to HEADLESS CHICKEN AND PANIC STATION MODE again
even The Furry Boy has that "YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS" look on his face...

And isn't hindsight a wonderful thing...I should have added "crafting inspiration in times of need" onto this year's Santa list and talking of Santa...no not the big fat man in the red suit...the other one who goes by the name of Mario...yes Timmie's right hand man...look what arrived in the cubbyhole on Christmas Eve....my "12 tags" prize parcel....great timing Santa Mario and a wonderful Christmas surprise...

I already have this gorgeous set of Texture Fades so they will be winging their way to one of my crafty buddies who has recently been bitten by the Timmie bug.  I'm off to make a cuppa...whip the cubbyhole crew into shape and pray for some divine intervention in the inspiration department.   See you all tomorrow to share what I've been making with the gorgeous Kraft With Colour Project Kit from Craftwork Cards.

Hugs Kath xxx

2011 in Cards

Morning folks..hope you all had a lovely happy and fun Christmas with your loved ones...that Santa popped down your chimney with lots of gorgeous presents and unlike me you didn't stuff yourself silly with food...I do it every year and now feel like a beached whale...it hasn't quite sunk in yet that it has been and gone for another year and in a few days time we will be celebrating a new year. 
Time for what is becoming an annual tradition in the cubbyhole...yes my favourite cards from 2011..started off in 2009 with just one card per month but it's grown wings...apologies for the mega photo fest because I couldn't choose one favourite...indecisiveness is becoming my middle name...time to grab a cuppa and a comfy sofa...

JANUARY

 FEBRUARY

 MARCH

APRIL

MAY

JUNE

and you'll notice that from July onwards I was in a Christmas mood...
JULY

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

So why don't you join in the fun...leave me a comment here with a link to your Favourite Cards of 2011...I would love to come and have a peek.  I'll be back tomorrow to play along at WOYWW and woohoo wait until you see what was in my parcel from Santa Mario...

Hugs Kath xxx

Boxing Day Sale....

wooohoo the Boxing Day Sale has started over at CRAFTWORK CARDS....lots of yummy bargains up for grabs and a super duper chance to win £250 of products...

"Buy one of our SPECIAL EDITION GOODY BAGS from our Boxing Day Sale area and you will be in with a chance of winning £250 worth of products from us!  The SPECIAL EDITION GOODY BAGS are crammed full of cards, papers and accents from our best selling ranges. There is approx £25.00 worth of product in each Goody Bag, PLUS your chance to win £250.00 worth of product from us.  One of these SPECIAL EDITION GOODY BAGS will contain a GOLDEN TICKET giving you the chance to win this fabulous prize".

Don't delay folks....get on over and grab yourselves some bargains.

Hugs Kath xxx

And The Winner is....

Happy Christmas to all my lovely buddies...yes it's your bundle of golden deliciousness and I had to don the old Santa Hat just one more time to announce the winner of my give-away.  But first I need to know...did you all enjoy your Christmas Turkey...me too and did Santa pop down your chimney with all the things on your Christmas Wish List...me too but of course there was never any doubt he would leave me lots of yummy treats and toys...after all I've been extra super duper  good this year and you know for a big fat guy he must be real light on his feet because I never heard a thing...sshhh don't tell anyone but my guard dog status has just flown out of the window.

But I won't keep you in suspense any longer...the winner is...

MAY

just e-mail us with your address May and as soon as the Post Office is open for business your bumper goodie parcel will be on it's way.

It was supposed to be a big party today with my cute chums Brodie Oliver and Megan but they've all had that nasty sickness bug that's been doing the rounds so it's postponed until tomorrow...looks like I'm having a chill out day...sleeping off all those yummy treats from the Christmas Table.

Big Furry Christmas Hugs & Snuggles

BUDDY 

xxx

Merry Christmas Everyone

Santa's been here...has he popped down your chimney too...

Santa's now on his way home to The North Pole for a well deserved cuppa...three cheers for Santa and his reindeer...another great job guys....YOU ROCK !!!
Time to open those parcels...
Merry Christmas Everyone

Hugs Kath & Buddy xxx

Merry Christmas From The Cubbyhole

Hey everybody...it's Christmas Eve...don't you think it's kind of snuck up on us this year...hopefully all your Christmas prep has gone according to plan and you're all set for the big day tomorrow. The cubbyhole is closed for the holidays and the crew will be heading off to bed early tonight...all snuggled up cosy and hopefully fast asleep before Santa comes a-calling.  So all that leaves me to say is that....

We wish you all a very

Merry Christmas...

and a big thank you to all my lovely teamies and our bloggy buddies for the beautiful cards and good wishes and to all the lovely folks who have visited my blog this year and left comments...we love to hear from you. We hope you all have a wonderful happy and fun Christmas with those you love...enjoy all the fabulous food and worry about the diet later and that all your Christmas dreams come true.  The Furry Boy will be popping on briefly on Boxing Day to announce the winner of his give-way and I'll see you when I've recovered from yet another Christmas food fest...despite the best intentions in the world...I will no doubt gorge myself silly again...can't seem to break the habits of a lifetime...thank goodness it's a once a year thing and I am so looking forward to the best Christmas treat of all...the Downton Christmas Special...a whole 2 hours

Lots of Love 
and Christmas hugs from

Kath & Buddy

xxx

Tis The Season of Goodwill...

Morning folks...well it's serious countdown time now...only 2 more sleeps until the fat guy in the red suit pops down the chimney and the thought that I will be running the gauntlet bright and early this morning at M&S for all the last minute foodie stuff that you can't buy in advance isn't exactly filling me with Christmas JOY....in fact the old plastic and I will be mightily relieved when the shops close their doors on Christmas Eve and if I've forgotten some vital ingredient....well the kitchen crew will just have to adapt and overcome.
Silly me for thinking that this is supposed to be the season of goodwill...not in everyone's world apparently...I had the misfortune yesterday to come across one of life's "I'm All Right Jack...Sod Everyone Else" folk...a way over the top frazzled individual who proceeded to rant and rave at me all because I had the audacity to get in her way as she stormtrooped down the aisle....talk about supermarket rage and for those of you who don't know me...my pet hate is rudeness in any shape or form so it was time to give her a little bit of Christmas Get A Life advice delivered in my softest and calmest voice...crikey we are all in the same boat and for goodness sake...it's only a slightly posher than usual Sunday dinner...certainly not worth getting in a strop about and I can't help but feel sorry for the folks who will be joining this miserable sour faced old biddy for Christmas.
Christmas Dinner at Chez Kath this year will be a laid-back affair...with no extra hungry visitor mouths to feed it's going to be an "eat when we like" day...starter and soup early afternoon followed by a long gap before we tuck into the main course....pudding...cheese and biscuits to follow later in the evening snuggled up on the sofa watching TV with a few doggy strolls thrown in throughout the day to aid the digestion and get rid of that bloated "I've over-eaten again" feeling.  Taking things easy so that I'll be fighting fit for Boxing Day...looking forward to a fun filled day spent with those bundles of fun aka...the grandkiddies.
So after hitting M&S and I sincerely hope I don't run into Mrs Sour Puss again...it's back to my "all is calm...all is bright" sanctuary to string up the Christmas cards...one of my least favourite jobs but hey someone's gotta do it.  I have managed to finish 2 of the rosette trees...

but 2 hardly constitutes a table decoration and I doubt if I can magic up the time to make any more so for this year they will be sitting on the festive mantlepiece....

 alongside a family favourite...the angel with attitude...

Thanks for listening folks and if like me you are feeling a little a bit battered and bruised by the whole run up to the big day thing...put the kettle on...chill out with a cuppa and a great big chunk of christmas cake...it's a bit like giving birth...hold on to the thought that this time next week we will only remember the good bits.

Hugs Kath xxx