It's December!

Firstly, this post is a day late... I'm sorry :-(  All I can say is "Save" is NOT "Publish".  

Yup, it's December... time for a new challenge at Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper challenge.  Being DECEMBER, it HAD to be a Christmas card... here it is :-))

 The paper I've used is from Wild Rose Studio... the Annabelle's Christmas Paper Pack.  It's a really nice collection of prints, the paper is lighter weight than I usually use, but it cut "cleanly" which is my main reason for using heavier paper, so all okay.
I have had the image "Christmas Fairy Holly" in my cyber stash for a few years now, I just think she's gorgeous!  It's a Mo's Digital Pencil image available here.  I've used my usual combination of Copic markers and Prismacolor pencils to colour and added gloss to the snow globe... it looks quite "globular" in real life, lol.  I also added gloss to the berries in her  hair and the bells on her sash -  and Viva Pearl pen (Creme) to the ruffles on her petticoats; you all know these things look better in real life, right?? :-)  I used Viva's Ice White Pearl pen to add the falling snow.

Those Lawn Fawn Stitched Hillside Border dies have come into play AGAIN... what can I say? I love 'em, lol.  I used Memory Box's Frostyville border die in gold glitter card to add interest to the top of the image matt.  Obviously I used gold glitter for the other matting too.  The ribbon is from my stash... though I remember buying it in Spotlight for a song!  Hope they've still got some because this was three short lengths I had in my scrap box!

I have stamped the sentiment, yup, STAMPED... not digital - an actual rubber STAMP, hehe.  I rarely stamp directly on the image panel, because I'm really BAD at it, crooked nine times outta ten, lol... but not anymore; I bought a Stamp a Ma Jig, who knew a (alright let's face it, overpriced!) bit of plastic could make SUCH a difference?!  Of course, doesn't matter what it cost now, lol.  Another of course is it didn't stop me from getting ink everywhere... which is the reason I added the inked border- to cover a fingerprint, so not quite the CAS I was aiming for at the start, but I actually think it softened the whole look, so a happy accident :-) 
I added some red rhinestones to the sentiment, and three to the other side to balance it out - don't worry, once I saw the pics of the card I moved that top rhinestone so they're straight now, I just couldn't be bothered taking another photo, lol.
The stamp (yup, rubber + Stamp a Ma Jig) on the inside is from a PortaCraf set I've had for years, I've got quite a few rubber stamps that might just get an outing now.  I used the Frostyville border die again, isn't it amazing how different it looks cut in white compared to gold/glitter?
That's it... another really simple card, the look I'm favouring at the mo. I have had some real problems with Photoshop (as in Editor won't open, well it will NOW, but it took some fixing) and have had to use Photoscape to resize and watermark this card... bit of a learning curve, taking time I didn't really have, but I think I might use it more often now I know how.  It's good to have a backup plan too :-)
I'd like to enter this card in the following challenges.

As You Like It Favourite Season and Why (Christmas - Family get togethers and the feeling of goodwill, just LOVE Christmas!)

Clear It Out  Theme: Holiday - Christmas Stash: Glitter

Cute Card Thursday Fairies and Angels

My Time to Craft  Let it Snow

Gem of a Challenge Inspired by a Christmas song or carol (I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas… Holly looks like she is with that snowglobe!)

Sweet Stampin' Sparkle and Shine

Bunny Zoes Crafts Sparkle

Pile It On Use Red and Green 

Crafty Hazlenuts Christmas Challenge Die Cuts and Punches

Hiding in my Craft Room Any Holiday

Creatalicious Challenges Merry Christmas

Cutie Pie Challenge Simply Cute and Christmassey

Card Mania Challenges Christmas 

Crafty Hazfelnut's Christmas Extra Challenge Anything Goes Christmas

Pixies Snippets Playground Use snippets… of Anything (card, ribbon etc) -The white die cuts are from "those" bits of card leftover when you make a card base :-) and it's the last of my ribbon (it was in three bits, only just managed to get the bow!

Jingle Belles Use Leftovers (see above) 

Aud Sentiments Anything Goes + a Sentiment 

Outlawz Friday Colouring Challenge Anything Goes, optional Twist: Christmas 

Inky Chicks Merry Christmas

Whimsy Inspirations Challenge Anything Goes Holidays 

and all the following are "Anything Goes" challenges: 

Craft Your Passion

Li'l Patch of Crafty Friends

Addicted to  Stamps

The Crazy Challenge

Art by Miran

Simon Says Challenge

Papertake Weekly

Through the Craftroom Door

I hope you get a chance to enter the challenge, it's SO easy... and a great prize on offer as always.  Check out the rest of the team's inspiration here

Other things have been occupying my time too.  My Mum has been very ill.  She has ongoing high blood pressure problems, that they just can't figure out; she weighs only 38.1 Kg (which is 83lb or just UNDER 6 stone) and has been fit as flea all her life, really looking after her health... Last Sunday she rang me quite distressed saying she felt very unwell; for her to ring me is unusual, she never complains.  My sister happened to be up from the country so we took Mum to the Doctor - he took her blood pressure and it was 244/115; he called an ambulance, I went with her, my sister saw to Dad (who is a little lost these days) it was awful.  The Paramedics were lovely, but they were clearly very concerned.  Her blood pressure didn't drop below 238/110 all day... then it dropped like a rock to 124/60 which they said was not good (it dropped too fast) so they took the Nitro patch off - which is when "the" headache came back, sigh
Anyway long story short, Mum was in hospital until Friday, she's had a barrage of tests and they've decided she must be "one of those people who are just Hypertensive"....d'ya think??  They have got her blood pressure down to 151 in the mornings - she has the reverse of most people, her blood pressure rises when she gets up - so relatively speaking she's good.  Seeing Dad in that situation has brought up a lot of issues; he is so dependent.  My sister stayed with him for the week, but she lives 400km away - I don't know what will happen if Mum is in hospital for any length of time or worse... I just don't see how I'll be able to do it all myself.  Oh well, I suppose we'll cross that bridge if and when we come to it.  It is the curse of having extremely elderly parents - but the blessings of having them with us fit and healthy AND independent for so long far outweigh the pitfalls.
Until next time, Happy Crafting, Donna