I have been busy busy busy making christmas cards this week - it has felt gloriously christmassy sitting in front of a log fire cat sitting on a chair next to me (if he doesnt have his own chair pulled out so he can enjoy the fire he steals my one as soon as I move, and sometimes before I move) and lots of paper, glitter and ribbon.  I am about halfway through now,  I have already made my favourite card for this year, I keep putting it up on the shelf so I can admire it, now to work out who to send it to.

I will have to get in touch with Wingham wildlife park to see how they got on with the christmas cards I gave them and if they would like more.  We have some fantastic pictures of the tigers now that should make nice cards.  I hope the cards sold as they are fundraising for the lions at the moment.  .http://www.winghamwildlifepark.co.uk

I have been having a lovely time on ETSY making a treasury lists.  What a beautiful way to get noticed - admiring the talent and work of others.  I have had a lot more views for my items since I stared doing the treasury lists, got some more admirers for my work ( no sales as yet but it is coming up to christmas) and found some things to give as presents.  http://www.etsy.com/people/dreamtimemakes
  This is one of my treasury lists  http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MTUzMTc1OTV8MTIzMDU5NzI0NQ/purple-deep-and-rich?ref=pr_treasury     Nearly half the items on one of my earlier lists have vanished I suppose they have been sold.

Today I must carry on getting the cards made and carry on making my neices bag.  And there all the ideas that are bouncing around in my head that might work on Etsy.  (note to self do not go to PINTEREST till you have completed targets)  I had a very busy start to the day - making snickerdoodles, scones and lemonade before breakfast. 

Took advantage of yet another bright sunny day and unpacked the last of the wood we were given from a piece of local woodland, unfortuantly the wood had worm in it so we are burning it first so it doesn't spread to the rest of the stored wood.  I also cleared, sorted and then refilled the log rack by the fire so we don't have to go rushing out to get wood as soon as we get home from work.

 A new bangle..... its hard to see in the picture but there is a bronze like look to this bangle that means its lightness is a shock.


I have just got some red ribbon and black lace for the next one. 

Today I brought some felt flowers which with a few beads of buttons will work really well.  There were several different sizes in the pack.

Homemade lemonade - not just for summer

Back in the spring on a trip to a garden centre I purchased another cookery book ( I am not sure why I brought it because the books I use most I have had for over 25 years and they are like trusted friends) but every so often I have to buy cookery books, it is a need I have.  This one is called
THE PERFECT AFTERNOON TEA BOOK 
its ISBN is 9780754819714

One of the recipes is for homemade lemonade,   we both   love lemonade and it can be quite expensive so I tried it.  We have spent the summer drinking fresh delicious lemonade that costs under £1.00 a litre.                                                

  3 UNWAXED LEMONS
100 - 115Grams caster Sugar
(1/2 cup superfine sugar)

pare the skin from the lemons with a vegtable peeler.  Put the lemon rind and sugar into a bowl, add 900ml (11/2 pints, 33/4 cups) of boiling water and stir well until the sugar disolves.
 Cover and allow to cool.  Squeeze the juice from the lemons.  Add it to the flavoured water, mix well and strain into a jug.
Chill and serve with ice.

BOTTLED AND READY TO DRINK

NOW that it is winter it is time to start drinking hot lemon and honey.  I remember having it as a child if I had a cold.

ONE of the tutorials I found on PINTEREST was for transfering photos to wood.
http://youtu.be/_NjYbAAQ4vw  
I thought it looked fairly simple and would give it a go.  
I used a small photo I had printed for a Christmas card and a small piece of firewood ( if it went to wrong I could burn all trace.  I got a bottle of Acrylic medium from Hobbycraft.  This morning I painted the wood  and pressed the photo unto it.
 

bit fuzzy but its a bit of paper on wood

When I got home from work I started to soak the paper off the wood with warm water and soap.

I don't think I have it quite right yet because some of the picture has rubbed off as you can see. After the picture had dried there seems to be a thin film of paper left. Maybe that is why the mod podge is important. 

I am quite pleased with my first go and will try again.

WATCH THIS SPACE!