Starry 1222

It has been another cold day today, although I think I have managed to sort out the heating for the main rooms now. And I am going on holiday tomorrow yippee!!

I have made a OL card and an ATC collection today. I am not sure how to split my post into two, so please be aware that the two different designs are for two different sets of challenges. Firstly, here is my simple thank you card (I am not sure I like it myself).

I used a cling stamp from papermania for the button strip, and stamps from my stash for the sentiment and corner. The sentiment and corner were heat embossed, although it is difficult to see this from the photo. Finally a little lilac bow was added to finish the card and add a little pop of colour.

I made this card for the following challenges:

LOC #105 Use a sentiment

SOS #228 Thanks

simonsaysstamp monday Thanks
audsentiments 145 Anything Goes
OLS #22 A multitude of gratitude

ATC Christmas Starry Night Collection

Here is my Starry Night ATC collection, which means I now have nine ATC's ready to go next month. Now just to make a start on my cross stitched decorations exchange!

ATC #1

This first ATC was based around the Sketch from Sketchy Colours
 Sketch #259
I used a Helz Cuppleditch paper, a foam snowflake from my stash, as well as some Santa boots (no idea where these came from) and a pre-coloured Angelica and Adam image of fairy Angelica sitting on a stack of presents. The sentiment was hand-written (in case you couldn't tell).

ATC #2

This card has the patterned paper as the main background, with the snowflake in the same position, but a different shape for the image. Again the sentiment was handwritten using silver gel pen on Kraft card.

These first two cards from the collection are to be entered into the CRAFT 338 Christmas Present Challenge. Unfortunately I couldn't figure out how to incorporate a present into the last one due to the style. I suppose I could have replaced the snowflake at the bottom, but I do not have a present stamp that would have fit into the space nicely. These two are also for the Crafty Hazelnut Things with Wings challenge (fairy sitting on presents).

ATC #3

Again the background is dominated by the starry paper. This time I stamped a sentiment and some snowflakes onto the background and heat embossed. Unfortunately I think that the background paper is a little strong for the delicate stamps used and it just overpowers the embossed areas. Oh well I wouldn't have know if I hadn't tried, and it does sparkle nicely.

So here is the complete collection together:

I used the colours from the always playing with paper inspiration photo:

They also fit the following challenges:
papertake weekly Let it Snow
Simon Says Wednesday Christmas
my time to craft #309 Let it snow
alphabet challenge T for Tis the season
The Card Concept Festive Glory
Christmas at Sweet Stampin Stars (ATC #3)
live and love crafts Christmas Tic-Tac-Toe (Star-Snow-Glitter) - ATC #3

GROWING VEGGIES

So I did manage to get down to the allotment today and I cut down the Asparagus ferns, which the wind had already been trying to help me with, and mulched over the crowns ready for the really cold weather. I also harvested all my Beetroot, which weighed in at 3.2kg! Quite a harvest there. Yesterday I took the last of the apples off the tree and half filled a large bag for life! Hmm, does anything use Beetroot AND Apple???

I also emptied my potato sack in the back garden and harvested a good crop of 1230g, with only slight scab on some of the tubers. Not too bad foor a cold weekend in November.

Audio Book Review

1222 by Anne Holt

When a train is derailed during a snow-storm at 1,222 metres above sea-level the passengers are all very lucky – the only fatality is the driver, and nobody has suffered any serious injuries. Furthermore, they are rescued and recovered to a nearby hotel. There is an unusually high number of doctors, due to a conference that they were travelling to, making it easy for all injuries to be dealt with quickly. However, it quickly becomes known as the ‘Finsey disaster’ (Finsey being the village where the hotel is located) due to the event occurring during the isolation of the passengers in the hotel due to the raging storm.

The book uses storm gaging for each of the chapters, reflecting how the tension is increasing between the passengers through the story. First there is the issue of the extra carriage with the secret passengers, then there is the first murder. After this dissension, deaths and suspicion follow. Hanne is an ex-police inspector who was paralysed when a bullet severed her spinal column. She really does not like people and initially finds her situation difficult. She does however start to get over her prejudices and dislikes and determines to uncover the murderer, and maybe also the mystery of the secret carriage.

A fast paced book with an unlikely heroine. I found this a very good book to listen to, although I did think it was a little obvious where the author was angling for the killer. The characters are well expressed and full of character and there are several aspects to consider throughout. I would love to find some more of her work that has been translated into English.