Friday 28 December 2012

Silver Stars

Hi Everyone,

It's been a horrible day of incessant rain here ... the patio is flooded and the Boss is miserable because she can't get out into the garden. Truth is, she is a typical cat and won't go out while it is this wet!

I hope it is better wherever you are but, judging by what I'm seeing on the news programmes, I very much doubt it ... unless, of course, you are living in more tropical climes, and if you are, can you send us some more pleasant weather - pleeeeeze!!!

The only upside of all this yucky weather is that I've been back in the craft space. Admittedly all I've been doing is clearing up, but it's a start. So not much to share with you today ... just a few cards that I knocked up pretty quickly, in time for the last posting date before Christmas.


As you can see, they really were quick and simple - given the time constraints they had to be.

Materials: 
4" square white card bases
Star stamp from Anita's Magical Christmas stamp set - an oldie but a goodie!
Greeting stamp from a Molly Bloom's set that came free in a magazine
VersaMark ink pad
Silver embossing powder
Silver card candi

As the challenge is for 'Anything Goes' over at Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge #104, I thought I'd submit this little set.

I'm finding this last week a bit of a hiatus after the festivities, although here in Scotland we will soon be gearing up again for part 2, Hogmanay. Tradition had it that we womenfolk should be beavering away cleaning the house, and preparing the buffet, ready for the first footing that will ensure good luck will be with us for 2013.  

My grandmother maintained that the cleaning was to wash out the old year ready to welcome in the New Year.  She always made me laugh when she ceremonially washed her face just a couple of minutes before 'the bells' ... when the clock struck midnight and the start of a new year ... she couldn't see the new year in with a dirty face :))

And there was nothing half-hearted about the cleaning that both she and my mother did ... even the curtains were taken down, washed, ironed and put up again, all between Christmas and midnight December 31st.  Thinking back, I don't know how they did it with no automatic washing machines, tumble driers or any other of the mod cons we take for granted today. And, even more, how my mother found time to do it all is a mystery, especially as she was a nurse working night shift ... she must have been exhausted by the time the party started! 

And what a spread she put on too ... sandwiches, cheese and biscuits, pickles, nuts, shortbread, Dundee cake and black bun - a type of fruit cake covered with pastry which I'm sure I've never eaten at any other time of the year. The men were in charge of the refreshments ... namely, whisky, other spirits and beers - oh, and lemonade or cordials for the children, who were allowed just one wee drink to see in the new year and then off to bed :))

Ah well, enough of remembering good times past ... I'm off back to sorting out the clutter in the craft space :)

Take care everyone and happy crafting,







8 comments:

scrappymo! said...

These are lovely quick cards! I have seen the candi in the LSS but never tried it...i appears that it would be fairly flat so it would be good for mailing. I like that they are big enough to give some visual impact

Three great cards Elizabeth and have fun sorting out the clutter in the craft room...I am doing the same thing! I'm also trying to rearrange a few things...translation...I am busy making a bigger mess than I already have in order to get to the finished result that I have in mind!!! teehee

Sandra H said...

Hi Elizabeth, These are fabulous cards love the Snowflake and the added Card candy so Elegant too! x

fairy thoughts said...

cute little cards. It always amazes me these days we have so many labour saving devices but still have ... no time !
janet

Hazel said...

The cards might have been quick and simple, but they are gorgeous and very effective. Thanks for the comment you left for me. Great to see you joining in my CHNC challenge 104 - hope to see you again soon. x

Di said...

Super set of cards there Elizabeth. And the memories are great - living on the Borders for so long meant I had the best of both worlds

Happy New Year! Di xx.

Shaz in Oz.CalligraphyCards said...

Hi Elizabeth ah so often think of my own mother and wonder how she did - here in Oz her first laundry was a copper in the middle of the back yard in open no cover so how to wash for two (then three in three years) small babies/children the nappies in mid winter I too know not show she did it all!

At least second home had a laundry, it was better cos it had tubs as well as copper and had roof if no windows!! I remember that one well as we used to fill the tubs up with water and and do the "ring around the rosy" - but was "ring around the tubs", by jumping in one side running around to the other and jumping in and out again, and again!
In our hot summers out west NSW - it was on a sheep station, dad was the teacher at the one teacher school! ah those were the days and yes we hand a huge kangaroo fence to keep the kangaroos out as well.. but did not keep the snakes out.

Love your simple cards and going when up to to start on next years ones as have ideas in my head dont want to lose.. well, God willing wont forget! love and God bless, Shaz in oz.x

Jackie said...

Simple is good and these are excellent, love the design. Love that crocheted scarf too :o)
Jackie xx

BJ said...

Thanks for the round up of New Year Scottish style. Glad to hear you aren't taking the traditions to the extreme - LOL. Super cards too, less is definitely more here I think. BJ