A Big Thank You & Getting Ahead!

First off, let me say a great big THANK YOU to each and every one of you, for all your words of support and encouragement during the tough times this year end has thrown at me.  I know that some of you have faced equally tough times, which makes me love you all the more for your continued support whilst dealing with your own problems!

I also want to say a great big thank you to Loll, Kylie and the team at Happy Little Stampers for giving me the amazing opportunity of becoming a member of a Design Team for the very first time!  I am saddened that I have to step down, but I wouldn't have been able to give it my all next year, and if I can't give 110%  I don't think it's fair to anyone!  Anyway, I am hoping to still join in some challenges as and when I have some time, so I will still be here!

On to the rest of this post.  I just finished the last of the Christmas preparations (just the food to prep to do - Christmas Eve), so I have tried to get a few Christmas cards ready for next year - as I was caught unawares this year - so, this will probably be my last post until 2017!

I want to wish you all a wonderful Christmas and a healthy and happy New Year in 2017!  Here are the cards!  The first one up was a card inspired by one I received from my very dear friend Loll. 

Thank you Loll, I hope you don't mind that I 'pinched' your idea!  The second one was made with the negative die-cut of the first.  The third was one of a set of identical cards I made for Mum's support workers (I made eight) and the rest were made from die-cuts from some new dies I purchased and tried!

** Picture Heavy Post **

 

 As ever thank you so much for your visit today . . . have a great one, and . . . see you next year!  Hazel xx

Butterfly Trio

As you are reading this I will be in sunny (hopefully) Spain, with the peace and quiet of the campo (countryside) all around. 

Of course, as you, (my regular readers) will know, I am without internet, but with the problems and frustrations I have had recently with the internet - that can only be a good thing - the downside is, I will miss you all and my visits around blogland!

Just before I left the UK.  I had made a Bokeh background piece and wanted to do something with it, so I made three cards.

** WARNING **  This post will be picture heavy!

When I cut the butterfly die out of the background, I couldn't bring myself to throw away the negative pieces, so I cut another butterfly out of black card and used the negative pieces with the black one and mounted it to a plain, white card base, added a sentiment strip, WOS and glossy accents.

This is that card.

The butterfly I cut out of the Bokeh piece, I just made into a shaker card on plain, white card-stock and added a sentiment die-cut.

This is that card.

Finally, with the Bokeh background, I cut another butterfly out of white card and foam, adhered them together, backed the cut-out with gold foil card-stock and adhered the layered butterfly in to the cut-out for dimension.  I then added a sentiment, die-cut from the same gold foil card-stock, added some gold  'sequins' and some gold Stickles and called it done!

This is that card.

 

I hope that you enjoyed your visit today and if you leave any comments, I thank you and apologise that I will be unable to return the favour until I am back in the UK!  Have a lovely day!  Hazel xx