December Daily 2018!

 

  What a year 2018 has been, so much has happened and even though, I managed to find the most wonderful cover for my December Daily.

OH MY GOSH, 

be still my heart!

Cover and Base Pages

(and inside the cover)

I bought this off etsy 'Leah Rose Designs Too'  I was so lucky to receive only one of a few Nora made. I was besotted as soon as I saw it, and was able to custom order what I wanted in the embroidery, along with the 'December 2018'.  Why it captured me so much is because I lost my beloved 'Blackie' in May this year and my heart is broken. He has been in every December Daily since I started them (2007) and this remembrance will be his last. 

Inside the covers was an A4 hardcover note book with ruled pages, so out come those signatures.

I kept the hard cover because my Christmassy paper signatures will take its place!  Managed to learn how to stitch the signatures together off  youtube!

I managed to use all kinds of Christmas papers collected over the years, lots of favourites!

Inside the covers (we also lost our rescue Sparrow - 'Chirp' in March)

I placed Blackie where it looked like he was looking at the embroidered little cat

Then to cheer things up, did an introductory page of and image to suit my three  girls.

I managed to put their names on their santa hats! Sparkly red thicker alphas on Basic Grey paper finishes it off 

  1st and 2nd

 This December Daily is truly about using up all sorts of bits and pieces I have held onto for years!

3rd and 4th

5th and 6th

Stamped out some banner pieces and strung it together with butterfly washi tape

Paige's birthday - we went to an elephant sanctury - it was so beautiful!

7th & 8th

9th & 10th

11th and 12th

Love the Christmas tree patterned paper, it was perfect to showcase some of the ornaments I bought in Thailand.  

13th and 14th 

15th & 16th

17th & 18th

19th

I think from this page on, I realised that I've created too many pages in the signatures and could spread the days out by using one day on two pages.  Also, I only usually finish my DD's a day or two after Christmas.  I strung it out to the very end of  December LOL - had space to fill! 

My friend Tania makes the most beautiful cards, and if I can use them to love seeing them all over again, I will put them in an album.  Her Art one to me was perfect for this page - she so clever! 

20th

Thought the door was a great addition as Meaghan managed to come home for Christmas!

We had to let Santa know !

21st

It was really nice to do a couple blue pages!  A couple of years ago, I tried to stick to one colour for a December Daily, but I forgot and mindlessly scrapped away with other colours - it would take discipline, something I dont have when it comes to crafting lol! 

22nd

My, my, Hannah is ready to buy her first home.  I cut out some of the holly leaves from the opposite page and framed the new house with them.

23rd

I use a lot of washi tape in my albums, they make great borders!  

24th

The 'Fave Moment' is a project-life card, I've just used the craft knife to cut around the sentiment and them slipped the photo underneath.  

25th

It was nice to be able to do an introductory page into Christmas. Our day is so busy and we travel from one end of the state to the other - yes on Christmas day.

Had a wonderful big Christmas diecut to use! 

Yay for using lots of diecuts!

Tags always makes great frames for photos too.

I was crabby with myself as I didnt take many photos with my family. So I just had to use the blurry crappy ones I did get.  Still, its a good memory.

26th

27th

The whimsical Christmas tree stamps were cut out and coloured with Smooch Pearlised Accent Ink (they actually look like fingernail polish containers - but boy are they great to use!)

28th

Lots of good use of diecuts!

29th

Love using Glassine Bags - they have a slight transparency about them, it looks like the little tags are spilling out.

30th

Fancy Pants 'Stocking' paper was great to use as background, but also to fussy cut some out to use on the opposite page too.

31st

Just simple strips of washi tape made a feature of these two pages

(sometimes I have smooge some information out....sorry)

AND......... back at home....

Hannah put in a contract on the house...and it was accepted! 

What a way to finish the year!

Then, just to finish off the DD's back page...

Done!

Happy December!!

 

  

XX

 

  

Merry Little Christmas November Challenge

 

I cannot believe its NOVEMBER already!
I've got all sorts of Christmas project ideas especially my Dec Daily!

But for now,  taking part in
Merry Little Christmas Challenge
(anything goes!)

A card this time :)

 

See you here

 

xx

 

 

 

Cat Lover's Hop - Last Day

 

Day 6 Cat Lover's Hop

Sadly its the last day of the hop, and its been a blast!

I've even managed to find some scrapping mojo that has been eluding me for a while.

 

 

 

I've made a card - kinda with a Halloween feel

But its Blackie all the same!

 

 

 

DAY 6 GAME:  Do you trim your cat's claws?  What do you use?  Do any of you use SoftClaws, or similar nail caps?

 

Oh Boy! If I tried to even look like trimming Blackie's claws,  I'm sure he would stick his claws into me! There's no good even trying as he'd think that it was an attack, get terrified and end up in a frenzied nervous wreck!  Luckily though - he never clawed the furniture and never fought as he wouldn't stay outside.  Yes, we were lucky :)  

 

 

I would like to say thanks so much for Janis from Her Peaceful Garden for putting on such a wonderful HOP again this year - 4th year! 

Thanks so much Janis, and for your support in the background xx

 

AND thank you to all the lovely ladies who came by and left beautiful comments

They mean a lot

 

 

 

xx



Cat Lover's Hop Day 5

 

 

 

 

Cat Lover's Hop

Moving along quickly now onto Day 5 already!

Pop over to see all the sponsors of prizes and some fabulous projects!

 

 

Just some little Project Life Cards today

They will be lovely when I come to scrap a couple more pages of Blackie

Popped into a folder with an elastic strap to hold them in place

Lots of journal can be done on these (happy face!)

 

 

DAY 5 Game:  What is the strangest thing your cat has fished out of the trash or brought home to you?

 

 I can honestly say Blackie never did!  He never encroached in anyway. I think, he would have liked to be invisible.  He never took food off the countertops, or got in the bin.  And he was sooo scared to go outside (for fear of that door closing and shutting him out!) so I never got any trophies or presents.  A bird flew down our chimney once and he had heart palpitations!!

Blackie was scared of everything!! 

 

He was overwhelmed very easily

Luckily our atmosphere is calm and this kept him well in his world

Bless him

 

Loving the warmth, he would move around the house wherever the sun was beaming in through the window onto the floor. I swear he  had a daily routine with this!

 

 

 

 

xx

 

  



Cat Lover's Hop Day 4

Day 4 of the Cat Lovers Hop..

 

Today, its another missing Project Life page completed...

Another trip to the vet, mostly for steroid injection for Blackies terrible arthritis

After we pull up in the car, I let Blackie out of the cage as he is soooo heavy (big cat). He loves to have a little smell at a few things before heading inside - he has learned that if its a vet trip then his bowl should be waiting full and heads straight there!

 

 

Day 4 Game:  Is your cat a clinging vine? 

I wish!  Sigh, sadly no, but he did get up in my lap when I was working on my computer. 

 

 

 

 Or an aloof loner? 

But really, this is more like Blackie

He got smoochy on his terms. Evenso, he was a beautiful boy

 

 

You can find the Hop
HERE

 

 

 

 

xx





Cat Lover's Hop Day 3

 

Here we are already Day 3

in the

Cat Lover's Hop

 

 

A full page for my Project Life album

  Blackie sunning himself just outside our back door. He loved the warm cement and would 'almost' fully relax. We were spending a little bit of time outside together while I was watching this fledging sparrow peck around, she didn't seem to have parent birds.  Blackie just sat and observed. He'd stay only about 10 minutes before he somehow would spook himself and run back inside.  The biggest thing though - yes he made it into 2018. 

 

 

Join the Hop HERE

 

The game today was to give advice on getting cat hair off  everything...

Weeeell, Blackie did shed, not so bad though - as he was black.

One of these Magic Lint Brushes (below) always did the trick! 

A quick wipe with one of these - cat hair gone!

 

 

 

 

Just a bit of time in the sun:

xx

 





Cat Lovers Hop Day 2

 

 

Cat Lovers Hop and Day 2

 

 

Lately I've found a real love for Mid-Century Mod Art... and weeeell, its showing!



I've been playing with my Project Life abit, but its far behind and I've missed a few of the pages that Blackie would be in.  Each year for my Project Life album, I like to do an intro page - something that says '2018' or the like.  I hadn't got to it, so this was a good opportunity.

 

It was a great way to do a tribute to both Blackie and Chirp with a header page which would be the last Project Life annual album they would be in.  I tried to show Chirp's mischievous side and Blackie's 'non-chalant' side and the relationship they weeeeell - sort of shared :)

 

 Edited in: the line of black cats above is actually washi tape! Great find!!

 

Join in HERE!

 

Check out the sponsors!

 

Game 2 over at the Cat Lovers Hop is all about 'what's in a name' 

For Blackie... weeeeell, the name is very obvious!  He was black!  The girls were about 4yrs and 6 yrs old when he came to us, and they thought 'Blackie' was a great name!  Little did I know that soon enough  I tried to pick him up (a total rookie mistake) and got torn to pieces!  He was terrified so  went into his 'flight or fight' mode, AND he did both!  I truly thought - he thought - I was going to devour him!  Afterall - that was the only world he knew.

A lot of adjustments were made after that.... and he so wanted to be a part of it - it just took a while.

 

 

 

 

 

xx

 

 

 



Cat Lovers Hop Day 1

 

Memories

A little bit of origami for my first day...

 This was a bit of fun!  And a tiny bit Halloween

Of course a black cat :)

 

Playing in

 

Cat Lovers Hop Day 1

Day 1: Game is Kitty Roll Call where we share with each other the names of each of the cats that call your home (or your back porch) their own. During Kitty Roll Call, you can tell us a little about your cats and you also may add to the roll call any that you have lost since last Cat Lovers Hop.  :( :( :(  Some of you might not have any kitties at home anymore, but please tell us about cats you have had in the past.

 

 

 Weeell, as most of you know, my Blackie passed away recently and was 18 years. 

He had to be re-educated being a big feral and that was a big ask.

His instincts were different,  and as a pet (eventually) he was more like a dog with loyalty (only to me as his trust issues never left him) and the amount of words he could understand.

To his last day, I was the only person who could ever pick him up, (bit the vet a few times!) and he would flop against my shoulder.  We also have a cockatiel and had a sparrow which flew around our house of a night before being put into their 'night' cages to sleep.  Blackie seemed to understand that they were 'paws-off'.  He never made attempts towards them (though I'm sure he thought it especially when Chirp (the sparrow) would swoop him for fun!)  But maybe he just never wanted another feather in his mouth after being terrified and living on edge when homeless.  Who knows what a cat thinks?

Will I get another?  Not yet.  I'm not sure that Maggie our Cockatiel would last long with a cat that 'doesn't understand bird's safety'!  (Chirp our sparrow passed away a couple of months (old age) before Blackie.  Its just Maggie now)  If I could get a cat that I KNEW would not hurt Maggie, I would.  I just cant take that chance.  Sigh.  So not yet, and I don't know if I'm ready.

 

Bit blurry, but it was movement going on.....Chirp landing on my knee to annoy Blackie, and Blackie turning away to ignore her

Maggie just stays out of it! LOL

 

Anyway, join in the fun lots of sponsors giving prizes!

 

HERE

 

xx

 

 

My Yearly Participation in the Cat Lovers Hop is Here!

 

 

 

 

Two things that keep me ticking along with this blog is Christmas, and cats! LOL.

 

So again Janis from Her Peaceful Garden is hosting the

 

 

And here is a great place to start as this explains all about the Hop

2018 CAT LOVERS HOP - GUIDELINES and FAQs

 

There are some amazing prize including some gorgeous stamp sets from Stampendous- stunning!

 

 

 

We lost Blackie in May after 18yrs, and I miss him, I miss scrapping about him.

Doing this hop will be a really good place to start.

 

xx

 

Merry Little Christmas October Challenge!

 

 

Here we are back again for

October's Challenge at:

 

Merry Little Christmas

 

Here are a couple of Project Life Cards I've finally completed from last years album!

 

Some of these pics do go into my December Daily, but I do like to put some Christmas into my Project Life Album too :)

 

 

Also, go see what the other DT member have created

HERE

 

 

 

----------------------------------------------------------

 

Speaking of December Dailys, its nearly time to start thinking about them.

October already!   That's  the start of planning time!

 

Got to start thinking about shaking things up over at

LETS DECEMBER DAILY !!

have you been there for a visit?

 

It's still asleep....but not for long :)

 

 

xx

 



Merry Little Christmas September Challenge...

 

 

Did you dust off your Christmas stash last month for the August Challenge?

Weeeell, .... Its time to get it back out again for the September one!

 

Remember.... its anything goes!!

 

I'm still finishing my Project Life from last year... so here's a couple of

Project life cards to add in to December :)

 

If you want to join in...

you will find the challenge HERE

and don't forget to check out what the rest of the design team have created!

 

 

 

 

 

See you there :)

xx

 



 



Merry Little Christmas August Challenge

Time to dust off some of the Christmas stash!

Its good to get it back out!

I'm so behind in my Project Life and this is a great excuse to get some pages finished in last years!  (I'm so close!! Its like - DO IT!)

Christmas Morning  - Lovely old basic grey 'Dasher' paper!

So join in HERE

You have all of August to submit

anything Christmas - ANYTHING!

See you there :)

xx



Merry Little Christmas Challenge Blog Design Team

 

      I'm sure you will be all surprised -  I'm back! 

This very neglected blog has been so sad for a while now and its time!

What's the best thing for me to get scrapping again - get that mojo back???

 

JOIN....

  Merry Little Christmas Challenge Blog Design Team 

 

The first challenge goes live on August 1st!

 The challenges will go from the 1st to the last day of every month, and will always be

 Anything Christmas Goes!

 

Yes!!  Nothing better than getting a little Christmas into the soul!!!

This will get the creative juices flowing again!

So, the motivation is now here,  and there is a ton of festive stash that needs busting!!

 

 

So grab yourselves this little badge and stick in your sidebar :)

 

 

Hope you will join us!

Thanks for stopping by today

 

 

 



We Said Goodbye To Blackie Today

 

 

Our hearts broke as the vet could no longer do anything that could help our very loved 18 year old boy. He had a couple of rough nights and I stayed with him but knew deep down that it was time.  What a beautiful soul... more 'knowing' than any cat I'd ever owned..

 

We did have him for a long time, and yes he was old, but it doesn't help the heart understand... mine just hurts....

it was one of those life's hardest decisions, but the right one....

 

xx