It's Hogmanay...

Hi folks...

it's the last day of 2017, New Year's Eve or Hogmanay if you're from my neck of the woods, when Scots across the world say goodbye to the old year and welcome in the new. Back in the day the house would be cleaned from top to bottom. The the only night of the year that us kids were allowed to stay up to take part in the old tradition of first footing, visiting family friends and neighbours with a bottle of the water of life, a lump of coal, shortbread and black bun to bring luck to the household for the coming year. And it bings back wonderful memories of a sing-a-long round the piano at one neighbour's house, a big bowl of Scotch Broth in another, left-over Turkey sandwiches in the next and as dawn broke, breakfast in whichever house you found yourself before returning home for the traditional New Year's Dinner of Roast Beef and all the trimmings and no matter how many people were in the house at the time, all were welcome to join the feast. Crikey that must have been a logistical nightmare for the cook, planning for 10 and ending up with goodness knows how many happy but very hungry revellers. Sadly it's a tradition that's all but gone replaced by what is now normal on any Saturday night...the drunken city centre behaviour and the nemesis of this dog owner, the dreaded fireworks. I really don't want to spoil anyone's party but Mrs Bah Humbug will be praying for some atrocious lashing rain and howling gale Scottish weather so that the well into the small hours WW2 barrage turns into a great big damp squib.

I'll also be passing on the cleaning part of the tradition, dust is dust whether it landed in 2017 or 2018, instead I'll be tackling a far more important task, transferring birthdays and important occasions from the 2017 calendar to a brand new one...

mind you this still does NOT guarantee that I will turn up for important appointments on the correct date and seeing as it's unlikely that a tall dark stranger will be ringing the doorbell at midnight...the Furry Boy and his Grumpy Old Mum will be tucked up in bed as soon after midnight as is deemed socially acceptable.

Wishing you all a very Happy Healthy and Prosperous New Year

Have fun whatever you have planned for tonight and we'll see you all in 2018

Hugs Kath xxx

My Favourites of 2017 - Part 2

Hi Folks...the white fluffy stuff has returned to my neck of the woods and blimey it ain't half chilly out there...

but apart from a few trots around the block with my Furry Companion...I'm planning another "snug as a bug in a rug/cooped up in the cubbyhole" day with my canine partner snoring at my feet, playing with gorgeous red rubber, making stuff that I can't share with you yet. In the meantime I'm sharing my favourite cards and projects from the second half of 2017...

JULY

featuring a favourite combination of
Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap and Black Soot Distress Oxide inks
Geoffrey The Goat Card

 and
A Thank You Card

AUGUST

Artist Trading Card Halloween Canvas

Owl & The Pussycat Art Journal Page

SEPTEMBER

Shimmer and Shine Card

and a Christmas Shaker Card using 

Tim Holtz STAMPtember stamp set

and I couldn't leave out the technique tags

from Tim's Creative Chemistry Live UK Workshop at Art From The Heart

OCTOBER

A Spooky Mixed Media Panel

It's A Dog's Life Art Journal Page

NOVEMBER
projects for

Tim Holtz Halloween Inspiration Series

and 4 of my favourite Christmas projects...

A Winter Wonderland Wall Hanger

A Magical Winter Wonderland

and

A Special Delivery Home Decor Project

We Can Build A Snowman Shaker Card

and I had lots more Christmas favourites in

DECEMBER

Christmas Shaker Ornaments

Icy Inspiration Art Journal Page

and

Carved Christmas

After that lengthy trawl through the archives, I think I deserve a cuppa and little forage in the fridge, don't you!!!

See you all soon

Hugs Kath xxx

My Favourites of 2017...Part 1

Hi Folks...I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas with family and friends...can you believe after all the anticipation and excitement that it's over for another year. I wasn't sure if I was going to continue the annual tradition of sharing some of the cards and projects I enjoyed making throughout the year but I desperately needed something to keep me away from the tasty titbits in the fridge and the Christmas sweetie mountain...temptation is everywhere and I have no willpower so a trawl through the archives to share my favourite makes from 2017 was the perfect distraction...

JANUARY
and top of that list has to be my Etcetera Tag for the 

Ranger Designer Challenge
at Creativation 2016

which kick-started an Ecetera Tag obsession

FEBRUARY

"Life Is A Journey" Etcetera Tag

MARCH
and one more
"Create Art" Etcetera Tag

APRIL
"Make A Rainbow" Card

MAY
"Home Sweet Home" Frame 

and another obsession was born when Hipsters arrived on the scene
It's a Frame Up Art Journal Page

JUNE 
Hanging Out With The Cool Cats

"Let's Take A Vacation" Suitcase Album

and I'd be in big trouble if I didn't include the Furry Boy's
Father's Day "Old Goat" Card

I'll be back tomorrow to share the crafty projects for the second half of 2017...in the meantime I plan to hit the cubbyhole running....busy crafty hands are guaranteed to keep this old nibbler away from temptation.

Hugs Kath xxx

Merry Christmas Everyone...

Hi folks...woohoo...just 2 more sleeps until the big man in the red suit pops down our chimneys. I'll be heading off shortly to do battle with all the "picking up last minute bits and pieces" folks at my local M&S...the crazy annual expedition guaranteed to have me counting to ten and that's just to get a parking space. I'm under no illusions that it will be any saner inside the store...if past years are anything to go by it will be ARMAGEDDON...PANDEMONIUM and BONKERS BEDLAM all rolled into one. The world and his wife will be out in force with their overloaded trolleys...the folks who are either feeding the five thousand or haven't cottoned on to the fact that the shops are only closed for 2 days. If I make it home in one piece I'll either be celebrating with coffee and a mince pie...

or if my level of frazzledness has gone through the roof...I'll be popping a cork and having a little glass of fizz...

The cubbyhole is closed for the holidays and meals for the next 2 days are sorted...

and after tackling the washing-up...

I'll be putting my feet up and my jammies on for a couple of chill out days snuggled up with my "with me every step of the way" Furry Wingman...he's been on the guarding the oven door/licking the floor clean/ taste testing kitchen shift for the last week and has definitely earned his share of the turkey on the big day. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

A big thank you to all my lovely design team mates and crafty friends for the beautiful cards and good wishes and to all the lovely folks who have popped by my blog this year and left comments...we truly appreciate you taking the time to visit. We hope you all have a wonderful happy and fun festive celebration with those you love and that all your Christmas dreams come true.

Lots of Christmas Love and Hugs

from Kath & Buddy xxx

Ho...Ho...Ho...

Hi folks...Ho Ho Ho...I'm on the final leg of the Christmas Cookathon Marathon...the Turkey Crown has been cooked, sliced, bathed in gravy and is off to the freezer until Christmas Eve and will be popped in the oven on Christmas Day to reheat...my days of being stuck in the kitchen slaving over a hot stove and carving the bird on the day are long gone...

Boxing Day's Roast Beef is ready to be sliced and get the same treatment as the turkey, the yummy ham needs the rind removed and will be popped back in the oven with a delicious sticky brown sugar, orange juice and honey glaze...

 and the Christmas Cakes just need a little festive decoration...

It's amazing how organised and motivated you can be to finish off the Christmas food prep when a very special parcel of  secret "making samples for CHA" delicious red rubber and stencilling goodies arrives in the cubbyhole...

a huge thank you to Tim, Mario, Paula and Mr Stampers Anonymous and a big shout out to Mr UPS for the 2 days ahead of schedule extra speedy delivery. Now that the Christmas prep is sorted...I'm looking forward to a couple of chill out days in my happy place before I head to my local M&S for the last minute bits and pieces so without futher ado...let the "happy bunny/kid in a sweet shop" inky fun begin.

Toodle oo for now

Hugs Kath xxx

A Stroll through a Christmas Winter Wonderland...

Hi folks...I'm sharing the visit I make every December to my favourite Christmas Winter Wonderland and I have to say I was more than a little disappointed to be greeted at the door this year by this guy...CUTE...YES...FESTIVE... NO...they could have at least decked him out with a Santa's hat, a Christmas scarf or a little bit of holly, don't you agree.

But just around the corner, there were Santas galore...

all shapes and sizes...

and even Santa in a glass dome...

it looks like the traditional colours of Red and Gold for Christmas are still popular...

but I'm not sure where bears with parcels...monkeys on Christmas trees...

and toy soldiers feature in the Christmas story...

and there seemed to be a big winter woodland theme to the decorations this year...

 these cute figures were everywhere...

and even a reminder of my favourite Seasonal Tim Holtz/Sizzix die...

Apparently this is the latest trend in Christmas trees...stark and minimal...I have to admit they looked beautiful displayed against the backdrop of a Northern Lights sky but I suspect one sitting in the corner of your front room is not going to have quite the same impact so...

I'll be sticking with my traditional tree...

decorated with an assortment of "definitely not colour co-ordinated" ornaments collected over a lifetime, each one with a special memory...

Today I'm back in the kitchen on the last leg of the Christmas Cookathon marathon and if all goes to plan,  tomorrow I'll be heading for the cubbyhole to have some fun with a very special parcel that arrived on Saturday.

Toodle-oo for now

Hugs Kath xxx