Advent Day No. 21….A Festive Panel.
Hello there!
Thanks for popping in again.
Thanks for popping in again.
I want to thank all of you who left a comment
on yesterday’s blogpost.
It was a real turning point for me actually.
After all my protests about Panic Saturday, and “I’m not stepping foot in a shop today”, late last night I went shopping after all!
But not as you think.
Took somebody’s suggestion, looked up local food banks and their needs, went to the supermarket, filled the boot with – as Wanda pointed out yesterday – real basic things like tea, coffee, juice, pasta, puddings, etc. and now just have to wait until they open, so that it can be delivered in time for Christmas.
Decided to DO grateful instead of just BE grateful.
And that my friends, was down to the uplifting, humbling responses and nudges left by many yesterday.
I think I need to do it more often than just at Christmas though.
The power of the blog, eh.
Ok. So let’s get crafty!
How about a Christmas Panel, with holly and ivy?
Sounds perfect!
Using low-tack masking tape and copy paper to protect the top area, make a panel on a piece of 7″ x 7″ Gelli Card.
Load up your Stencil Brushes with bright festive colours, like Lettuce, Butterscotch and Fired Brick,
and build up a vibrant panel.
Stamp the Holly and Ivy Stamps into the panel,
using black Archival.
These are beautiful festive swirls.
There is a large one and a smaller one. They join up perfectly.
So let’s see what we can do here….
If you buy the large one, we’ll send you the small one as a gift.
Use a paintbrush and water to lift the colour back out of the leaves. If you haven’t done this before, then it’s easy.
Just paint the leaves with water, let the water soak in and then blot with a kitchen towel. Keep the paintbrush clean as you go.
Dust a little yellow around the edge of the card.
If you wanted, you could make 2 cards here, by simply cutting this piece in two down the middle and matting & layering….
Make a fine deckle-line along the panel with a black Micron pen.
Add our Celtic Merry Christmas.
It’s an old stamp I designed myself yonks ago,
but it’s still a firm favourite.
Add a little colour to the leaves with green and red pencils now…
There. A little matting & layering will transform any piece.
Merry Christmas!
The winner of yesterday’s £20 Gift Voucher is ……
LINDA DENT.
(please email me your address so that we can send your gift to you)
Let’s do it again!
Makes me feel good and puts a smile on somebody else’s face too!
Leave an uplifting comment today and tomorrow I will pick another random winner to receive another £20 Gift Voucher.
much love,
95 thoughts on “Advent Day No. 21….A Festive Panel.”
What a lovely thought to help the food banks. I am sure someone will be very grateful of your contribution. Love the card, so easy really, well for you anyway. Not sure mine would work out that well. Off to a Carol service tonight, to enjoy all the traditional carols. Will make me feel festive . xx
How good you are leaving a donation for the food bank. It makes you think when you watch all these telly programmes dishing out the lavish presents , would be far better helping the more needy me thinks and not just at Christmas either! So come on all of us give a little to those that are less fortunate than us. 🙏
Beautiful card wonderful blog another lovley offer ,my crafting friend is popping to see me as I am very unwell today, how thankful we must be to the people that care for us and care about us .to all the special people on your blog and to you Barbara who takes the time out to blog each day thank you xxx
Beautiful card – clever idea. Love the idea of taking things to a food bank. We have a rescue dog and make cards for them to sell and also donate presents for the dogs at Christmas. We also have a local food bank so will buy some bits for them as it is very busy. I think we all need to count our blessings how difficult this can be at times as we are so lucky to live in this country with our healthy care and social support even if not perfect we really do have so much to be thankful for. xx
Well done for joining the ranks of those of us who give to Food Banks! Even though I do not have much money, I willingly share with those less fortunate, for they are many, and I donate to my local food bank each and every time I shop all year long.
This year, now nearly over, I became involved in an online Pay It Forward. I received one gift and in return I paid it forward five times ~ so just recently I sent out five little packages of carefully considered things ~ NONE of whom I have ever met, just acquaintances and friends of friends, on Facebook. They, in turn, send out five gifts each and so the joy is spread, multiplying with each new giver of gifts ~~~ I have decided, this coming year, not to follow quite the same pattern but several times during the year I will randomly pick one of my friends to receive a surprise gift of something I have made, and a small gift of chocolate too ~ there must always be chocolate!
So often, I hide behind my façade and do not share the things I do, but I hope that some of you reading this today might decide to pay it forward with a surprise gift to a friend when they are not expecting anything at all! It just might make their day and mean more than you will ever know!
Hi Barb. Reading the begging of this blog bought a tear. My husbands sister died yesterday, 3 years after we lost him. Yet both of our families are so blessed. We are warm and well fed. Our local supermarket had a food collection for the Food Banks and I was happy to donate.
Thank you for such a great "simple" card demo. This is one I will definitely use. I am seeing it slightly altered for other uses. I can't wait to get my table back into the Craft Space so that I can start again.
Big festive hugs
Cally x
Deepest Sympathy Cally xx
Sending you my deepest sympathy Cally and a hug xxx
My deepest sympathy Cally. Take care xx
Sending you my deepest sympathy. x
Congratulations Linda! Enjoy! Gorgeous card today, I love masking- it's a lovely technique. The colours you have used are fabulous! How kind you are with your food donation, it will make such a difference to so many people – just wonderful! Giving is always such a joy! xxx
What a beautiful card Barbara. So stylish and elegant in its simplicity. Watching everyone running around spending ever increasing amounts on Christmas presents makes me realise how blessed I am because this Christmas I am lucky enough to have both my children and my one year old grandson with me for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. I don't care if I don't get expensive presents as I have the best present I could wish for having the whole family together. No amount of money can buy such a gift.
God Bless and have a happy & peaceful Christmas.
Lynda Lamb
Love the demo, just enough for my cluttered mind at the moment. Very inspiring. I too will pledge to donate to our local food bank. Will have to be from my overloaded cupboards, makes me ashamed to say I have so much.
Jenny
Your food bank idea is fantastic, so many people in need, this is a wonderful card, lovely…And I think spreading a little Clarity joy is very gracious and kind, you rock,
Oh Barbara you've made both me and hubby cry with your lovely post. I know your generosity will be appreciated. And yes, Foodbanks are for all year not just for Christmas 😉
I know not everyone can do what you've done, but you know every little donation does help. You don't have to take it to the foodbank either. Most Tesco stores near a foodbank (Trussell Trust or Fareshare) have a collection box for donations all year round. Doesn't have to be stuff bought in Tesco either! And the foodbank get an additional 30% from Tesco.
Just this week, during 2 hours open, one foodbank helped 25 families, giving out about 450kg of food. Really making a difference. It's all much appreciated.
Right I'd better go back to look at your project now – wanted to ad this before I got sidetracked.
Much love, Alison
Quite lovely and very relaxing to do. I had forgotten this beautiful stamp. I have made a note in my memo book to start early for next year and try to make a version of this. Christmas Wishes to you and yours
X Chris
Hi Barb,
I love your offering today, and talking about offerings we send a donation to Crisis to feed someone, and our granddaughters' school collect food (we are given lists of suitable things) and we take it to the local food bank. It is humbling when you see the people queueing to get a box of "goodies" such as beans, tea bags, sugar and all the things we just take for granted. Contrary to popular belief, these people are in dire straits and are so grateful to us that I feel awkward and embarrassed.
Congratulations to Linda on winning the voucher.
I love that card Barbara. Our local Sainsburys has a trolley where you can donate a can or a packet of food. Only if you can donate a box of teabags you are giving someone a lovely hot cuppa x
I always feel sad this time of year, always think of the loved ones not here anymore and missing them so much. I'm not bah humbug but looking at people filling shopping trolleys fit to bursting always astounds me, its just a day! It was a lovely thing you did for the food bank and the people it will help. If we all donated one item when shopping we would help so many less fortunate than us. Your card is beautiful and I loved the gift tags from yesterday too. We know that Christmas is a time for giving and receiving, a time to remember others less fortunate than ourselves, peace in the world, a time for families to end their quarrels and come together, a time to celebrate the birth of Christ. We know all these things, and we know that this also is the true spirit of Christmas. much love Joan x
You do rock! LOL We are lucky up here as the bigger local supermarkets have a food drop point. I usually add a tin of beans, tomatoes, pasta or the bogof products to my shopping list. I rarely spend more than a pound and drop it in the collection. A little dent in my pocket can be a big dent in another's worries.
I love this technique and the holly is a great stamp for this. Not sure if I mentioned that the NDC peace / noel stencil made my home made cards and gifts so easy this year. I might of overdone the snowflakes though.
I found a quote by Martin Luther King to go inside that I really believe in 'Peace is not merely a distant goal we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal'. Your daily blog has helped me in finding my own peace and I thank you for this.
You are such a warm and generous lady, as are most of your blog followers. It is so much nicer to give than to receive and feels better too. Hopefully we can fill those foodbanks to the brim this year. Love your card today Barb and as I still have some last minute ones I am going to use this idea. Much love to you and your followers xxx
Such a lovely kind gesture and thought to give to the food bank especially at this time of year. Loving the look of this card and colours of it. Xx
What a wonderful generous gesture Barbara but only what I have come to expect from you I'm sure the food bank will be very grateful . Also a very generous gesture from you to us with free stamps and another giveaway too.
Jackie x
Barbara you are very kind and generous , we did the same thing yesterday over here in Spain , we give to caritas every year, the president of the football club collects the food and weighs it and gives the same amount, it goes to he local church.
Liebe Barbara,
das ist wieder eine tolle Karte. Deine Ideen sind einfach wunderbar.Ich schaue jede Woche eines Deiner Videos und freue mich, wenn ich wieder eine neue Stempeltechnik lernen kann. Leider vermisse ich Deine Beiträge auf dem deutschen Blog, aber ich hoffe, dass Du dafür nächstes Jahr etwas mehr Zeit hast. Ich wünsche Dir und Deiner Familie ein ruhiges und besinnliches Weihnachtsfest und für das neue Jahr viel Gesundheit und viele tolle neue Ideen.
Liebe Grüße aus Deutschland
Jutta
You are so generous Barbara! Not only in giving to the food Bank but in giving your time to go and buy it and then take it to them!
And you are always so generous to us by letting us share in your talent and ideas! Thank you! Much love! Xxxx
Feel privileged to share your ups and downs, you are so humble and honest. I live on a very limited income and in a way it makes Christmas very simple for me, small handmade gifts that I have been making all year, this means everyone else downscales too, can only be a good thing. God bless you!
That's really generous of you. They used to have good bank boxes and such like jn the stores at Xmas but you don't seem tk see them now? On the crafty front – lovely card and you have just given me a fresh idea so thank you . xxx
Love this panel card Barbara. To me it seems simple is best. Well done yesterday. I wish I could be as thoughtful as you. Your thoughts always seen to translate into actions. Don't chamge. Xx
Hello Barbara
I bet the food bank really appreciated your gesture. If all of us fortunate people donated just one item a week then those less fortunate than us would be provided for all year round. I donate regularly via my WI who then deliver to our local food bank. I have just packed away my Christmas crafting kits and tidied my craft room, but will remember this idea for next year.
Fantastic to do that Barbara, it will be so appreciated. I just spent a couple of hours singing with some friends at an end of a respite weekend party for physically and mentally disabled children.
A wonderful family, where the Mum is a nurse set this up years ago and always the weekend before Christmas and she and her volunteers (who are angels) take the Children for the weekend and give the their families a bit of a rest.There really are some wonderful people in the world that make a difference. xxx
I give up! written two pieces and they haven't shown up! Thanks for the lovely card today. That was a lovely gesture to go shopping for others ! Our local supermarket collected earlier this month so you could just go round and put extra in your trolley and leave it with them as you left the store which was handy.
Made a card this morning for my sister using the bubble stencil yet again, used it as a border this time then used shaving foam backing paper with a couple of Clarity stamps and Bob's your uncle a quick and simple but effective (well I thought so!) card. Thanks to Elaine Traverso for her inspiration with the bubble stencil! I'll post a pic after Tuesday (her birthday).
Thanks for the stamp offer too, will check I haven't got it lurking before ordering!
p.s well done Linda for yesterday – forgot to write this in my third attempt !! 3 times lucky
Hi Barbara what a lovely thing to do. I once read that the greatest act of kindness is to help someone you'll never meet, and how true is that – to offer something to someone with no expectation of ever being thanked by the recipient. Yesterday, I too added some food to the food bank in my supermarket.
I really like the panel created with the holly stamp, very effective in its simplicity. Much like yesterday's tags. Hope you have a good day xx
Really like your bright and cheery card. Some of yesterday's comments really tugged at my heart strings. I am working over Christmas. Christmas Eve helping in the food banks, Christmas Day – soup kitchens. Boxing Day – my job with the MOJ, trying to soothe distressed relatives waiting for their loved ones to be released! or not. After that a little time with all my lovely family. I agree it has to be a time for giving and not just receiving.
Yes, I am the "little lavender person" who gave you a special bag at Crowborough.
Finally, a big thank you to all the "giving" you have brought me through your blog etc. It has been a wonderful year with you
Very best wishes
Anne
I gave a donation on line -I am out of work but got some Christmas money so took it from that.To help a lady to try and get her sons home for Christmas-her husband has Alzheimer's and thinks this is the last Christmas they can all be together before he no longer knows who they are.This was so sad. http://www.gofundme.com/iebe7s
Not sure if this is up lifting but made me feel good to help.
Your card Is amazing as alwaysx
We have a food box at our Anglican church here in Spain every Sunday morning, then one person takes it to the food bank to be distributed on a Friday morning. Obviously most of the recipients are Spanish so we have to be careful what food stuffs we give, so we stick to the basics, coffee, longlife milk, pasta, rice, olive oil. The Spanish don't care for biscuits, cakes, mincepies etc. I wish you and your family a very blessed Christmas and a peaceful and happy New Year .
What a beautiful thing to do Barbara. There will be some very thankful people in your area this Christmas. You never cease to amaze me with your thought and generosity. Tomorrow we go off to Center Parcs for the festive period. I think my hubby is more excited than little Carter – mind you he is only 18 months old! (Carter that is not my hubby!!) Lol. Can't wait to see his face when the squirrels come knocking on the door – poor squirrels – if only they knew we had an 18 month old terror inside they would run a mile. Hahaha. Xx
Thanks to you and to all the other person who give to the food bank. Here in France we have a big food bank which has been created 15 years ago by a French humorist. It was supposed to be for only 1 winter and they are still existing and need us more and more. I haven't done it for Christmas, but do it regularly once a month as I would be pleased that other people think of me if I was in the need.
Reading your blog every day and getting inspiration from you and your art is what uplift my day. So thanks to you for all the stunning things you're doing for us and for the ones in need.
Laurence xx
Hi if everyone in the country put just one think in the food bank it would be a great thing, Barbara as usually you give us a lovely card thanks
Caroline
Yet another lovely idea Barbara. Christmas is all about giving, of which I really enjoy. I enjoy doing a variety of crafts and tend to give most things away, at Christmas and throughout the year. Also, at Christmas, rather than my husband and I buying for each other, we each choose a charity and donate to that. My choice this year was the Salvation Army, as the advert always reminds me of how lucky I am. I did buy myself a Christmas gift though, I couldn't resist the jumper stamp set. It arrived yesterday and I love it! Have a great Christmas.
I love your skills! I look forward to your posts. Thanks for all the inspiratition!
Hi Barb
That was a lovely idea, makes you feel good dosen't it, did something similar most years. Love the panel idea can be translated for other stamps and times.
Best Wishes
Julie Bee
Just as I thought, Barbara, you ARE a saint. Well done. Love this artwork. The colours are lovely. I swear that, next year, I'm going to be more organised so that I can spend time making lovely cards like your (some hope) without being panicked. I will be more organised ….. I will be more organised …… I will be more …… Love you Barbara and David xxxxxxx
What a lovely generous thing to do and how lovely that it was a comment on this blog that turned around your feelings. Always try to turn a negative into a positive or …"Always look on the bright side of life..de sum, de sum de dum de dum." (Try reading that without singing along) I'm sure that your actions have made you feel humble but that you will have a warm glow knowing that somewhere there will be a family or someone on their own who will now also have an inner warmth from the sustenance that you provided.
Your card design is gorgeous. Thanks for Sharing xx
A wonderful act of love, Barbara, that will always be returned to you… In fact, every now and again I make a cake, scones, lasagne, cottage pie or whatever and I always try to make a little extra and pop one into a widow or widower local to our community. Little acts of kindness covers the world in love and makes it a better place for everyone. Niiiiiiice card by the way. Just bought the Clarity holly bough stamps, so I'll have a go at that one tomorrow. No panic shopping for me either… let it snow, let it snow, let it snow… Love Gill xxx
You've inspired me to donate to a food bank! Xxx
A great thing to do Barbara, so many will benefit from your generosity. Sons parcel drop off to homeless in town last night was a real success , so many grateful recipients that were touched that someone had thought of them.
That's such a lovely thing to do. I usually have the charity "gifts" on my Christmas list, goats for Kenya and so on. This year I'm really feeling the gratitude for what I have – my first child, Bethany, arrived a month ago, so with her and my gorgeous husband I have everything I could possibly want.
I love the card today – panels are a personal favourite. But as I've left it very late and am making cards today, having missed the final posting day, I'm keeping it very simple! I might have to add the celtic Merry Christmas to my collection for next year though.
Barbara,as well as talented you are a very kind and generous lady.Thank you
Wow. I am so pleased I mentioned food banks yesterday. So many more people will benefit because of you highlighting the issue on your wonderful blog. You are very generous. I love your card today. I think it is such an elegant look and is a favourite technique of mine.
Beautiful card, panels ones always look so effective. Great idea to give to a food bank, I have done this in the past for the local animal rescue. XX
Well done Barbara. I'm sitting in a warm cosy room thinking how lucky I am, so my Christmas donation will go to the Salvation Army who do wonderful work helping the homeless.
Wow, when leaving my comment yesterday about clearing my cupboards out to donate to our local food bank, I was trying to motivate myself, I did do it and will be going to the foodbank tomorrow. But it has really struck home how powerful the internet is, that a simple comment can produce so much giving and goodness – I must clear out my cupboards more often! Happy Christmas to all.x
Wow, thank you Barbara. You've certainly put a smile on my face. Catching up with your blog everyday cheers me up, makes me think, and inspires me. I love todays creation and your generosity. The food bank is a very worthy cause. I've decided to give the equivalent of my voucher to Crisis. The thought of someone sleeping in the street at any time is horrible but even worse at Christmas. x
Congratulations Linda xx
Congratulations Linda. By making that donation you will be a winner twice over : ) Take care.
Thank you Donna and Mrs B. Merry Christmas. 🙂
That was such a generous thing to do – they need all the help they can get.
I am a Hospice volunteer, and have been for many years. It is always good to help out a local charity
That was a lovely gesture Barbara. Love this panel, terrific technique too.
Thank you for reminding us all about those in need at a time when a lot of us take things for granted, I know I can be guilty of that! You're not only talented but very kind and thoughtful too. Merry Christmas to you and everyone reading your blog. Xx
Well done, Barbara, in Germany foodbanks are called "Tafel" ( a very old word for table). The discounters and supermarkets are giving fruits, vegetables etc. for volunteers which are driving the food to the "Tafel". Last week they said on TV that the "Tafeln" have not to many goods anymore as they had before because of more and more refugees needs help and supermarkets don´t give to much of these goods because they economize and make more profit.
By the way beautiful card, Barbara. Only the colours are more autumn than Christmas…
Rolf xxx
Hi Barbara wow the food bank will be delighted to see you tomorrow. I pop things in the trolley at Sainsurys and school used to collect when I worked there and I did shoeboxes most Christmases and it does give you a good feeling doesn't it. I will donate in January as people will probably donate at Christmas and then forget.
The artwork is wonderful today, the jolly sprays are lovely. Congratulations to Linda. Take care love Diane xxx
what a beautiful card. so simple in concept but so effective. it really sets off those stamps beautifully.
so glad this blog is of use to you as well rather than just to us for inspiration. it makes it more awesome as it is 2 way. brill. merry christmas, hugs xx
Hi Barbara, your heart and soul truly are full of goodness, you'll help a lot of your local people have a better Christmas. And it sounds like many other food banks will have fuller shelves as a result of your blog and the generosity of the people on here.
This is a lovely card and lovely stamps. Somehow missed those stamps until now, I think I'll need to take advantage of your generous offer :-), thank you.
Congratulations to Linda, hope the goodies you buy with your voucher give you lots of pleasure. And very generous of you to donate an equal amount to charity.
Got my presents all finished and wrapped today, yay. Used Barbara's tip of writing on the parcels who they are for, I even pushed the boat out and used a metallic pen!!!! Should have thought of writing on the paper before wrapping them though, and maybe the pen wouldn't have pierced through the wrapping!!!!! And I even found time to sit with Daisy at the back door to let her have a wee play with the leaves blowing about in the corner, she brought a big one in to give to me as a present, my wee pal. I'm totally wiped out now!
I think you are all a lovely group of people and I feel privileged to be allowed and encouraged to be part of this and to talk on here. Thank you Barbara and everyone on here.
Love Brenda xx
Love the simplicity and effectiveness of your card.
Another great card design Barbara, and a very meaningful blog post. Every year as one of my Christmas presents I go and buy food from the supermarket and donate it to our local ' Well Springs' project…..this year they were actually collecting at Tesco's so it was very easy to do…
After all none of us know what is around the corner and life can change in a heartbeat….
Hugs….xxx
What a generous heart you have Barbara. I put basics in a collection bin in our local supermarket, it's not a lot of expense and can mean so very much to someone. Love the panel on your card, gorgeous in its simplicity and fab colours. Pat x
Thank you Barbara for this opportunity to win on your Blog. I love absolutely everything that Clarity carries. Your video's are inspiring as well. I get my Tetley Tea ready, then watch you create! As a CANADIAN viewer, I have never ordered your marvellous products. The money exchange, and such has me bewildered, to say the least…lol….P.S. Love your pretty accent! Smiles Thank you for your continual inspiration!
Hi Carol, thank you for your kind comments. Just to let you know, Clarity products will be available in the USA from the 9th January 2015… Happy Xmas. David. Claritystamp.co.uk
Such an elegant card, wish I'd thought to do something like this, I'm ok now for next year.
What a lovely generous gift for the food banks going to search for local ones, there is a sainsburys in town so will have a wander down and do my bit, can't afford alot but every bit counts xx
What a lovely gesture. I make up hampers for my local cat and dog rescue centres but you have inspired me to help local people too x
What a lovely, kind thing for you to do. I know there are lots of people who regularly give to food banks, and do other worthwhile charitable deeds, but there's always a need for more. My new year resolution is to give more, money, time, whatever.
This is a fab, stylish card, and the technique can be used with any number of stamps and colourways, for any occasion. Love it x
Love the design, pity I've finished all my Christmassy things, I'll just have to change the leaves for spring ones or Easter flowers. Got to give it a go soon. Love all your designs Barb, you inspire me to keep on trying to get better. Thank you.
Love your art work once again such a talented lady love you xxx
stunning make Barbara – I love this style of card – and the colours are beautiful! Yum! Big hugs rachel xx
Fab technique, beautiful in its simplicity.
Very few of us could survive for long if we had a sudden change of fortune. With that in mind, I believe in donating to food banks because any one of us could find ourselves needing their help at some point. Unfortunately, until things change, food banks are an essential help for many
Hi Barbara. I love the beautiful panel/card. A great quick card, one to remember : )
As usual you don't just talk the talk, you walk the walk as well. It makes you feel good doesn't it, knowing that your actions last night will make a BIG difference to someone. We are on a tight budget but I pop a ban of beans, teabags or similar into our Tesco's box quite often throughout the year. We also give new toys to the local Salvation Army at Christmas via a service at our local church. They go to local children who wouldn't otherwise get any presents (there are nearly 250 families within a 8 mile radius of our village that need this help! How could we not help them?, And we live in a relatively affluent area!) When I go to the supermarket and see the obscene amounts of food and drinks people have in their trolleys just for a couple of days it makes me feel quite sick.
On the bright side, you have nudged us all to not just think of others but to take action. Thank you. And you give to us all every day with this wonderful blog that has me in tears, sometimes sad ones, but so often happy ones. I have to make sure hubby is awake before reading your daily post as I often woke him with my laughter. What a wonderful person you are, and your followers too. It's just a shame you can't give us more hours in the day to craft more as you inspire us so much. By the way, please tell Dave that I hope his sore finger that we saw in yesterdays pics is getting better!!! : )) (sorry, couldn't resist that one : ) )Take care.
My turn to say congratulations to you today. It's lovely what Barbara does and her blog shows there are a lot of good people out there.
I must say barbara, that you are a truly lovely person, inside and out. Sometimes it's easier to think about what we want than to give thanks for we already have. I recently lost my dad quite suddenly, and it has given me a big jolt as to what is really important.
You always make me smile when I read your blog, and my crafting has been really important to keep me going on the bad days.
Thank you. Xxx
How inspirational you are Barbara and what a wonderful forum your blog is for highlighting the true meaning behind Christmas. We all get so caught up in preparing for the festivities, it is easy to forget that the appalling situation exists that there is significant percentage of our population who having to rely on food banks to survive. Well done Wanda for mentioning this and I hope everyone will be able to contribute something to their local food bank. Ela x
Love the panel cards & you can use the idea with so many stamps. You are so very generous with your time and the food bank was a lovely idea. I used to do the snowboard boy & girl, it's good feeling helping others that aren't so fortunate as us. Well done Barbara.xx
Merry Christmas Barbara, Another lovely card – I must try and enter the clarity card comp .,perhaps that should be my new years resolution! thank you also for the fast delivery – I ordered goods late Thursday and received them early Saturday this is my fourth attempt at posting today!
Once again, a beautiful card and fairly simple to create. I am truly amazed at how you are able to keep up the blog as well as creating beatiful art work. You are very generous with you talents and time and it is always good to give back to others like you have with your local food bank.
Your step by step instructions are so easy to follow, you are a joy to watch I have only been crafting a year but it's turned into an obsession and I love it. You are an inspiration to a lot of people and you make art accessible to all explaining techniques that I never thought were achieve able to a novice like me. Keep up the good work and Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Beautiful card, Barbara. I love the colours you have used, too. Must have a go at this technique.
Love Joan x
A lovely generous gesture giving food to the food banks. Beautiful card as well. I must give this technique a try sometime. Been wrapping pressies this eve. Taken longer than expected and still not finished, but off to bed now before my son wakes me up early! x
How kind and generous of you. Lovely card today. Another technique to try out. Thanks for all the inspiration. x.
Gorgeous Barbara…….how heartwarming to read what you have done – Pay it Forward – I think at this time of year there are many RAK by many people who quietly go about making generous donations be it large or small – Christmas is after all a time of giving and peace for all – I think this year with the 100 year celebrations of the great war I for one have found myself caught up listening and watching various things to do with the 'truce' between the warring factors in the trenches – clearly spurred on by the lovely Sainsbury ad this year – but radio 2 have been running all different clips on what life must have been like – and it makes you realise just how lucky we all are. We can spend our money on crafting goods generally whenever we like – but for so many who lost their lives then and in the 2nd war and in every battle since then – we would not be in such privilege positions – so it does good to be humbled occasionally and I admire what you have done.
Much Love Kim xx
Great art work as ever!!! lovely warming colours fantastic xx
Hello Barb, this card is really beautiful, love the colours in the panel, and the Celtic Merry Christmas stamp. Well done Linda. And such heart warming stories, about helping others. Hugs to Cally, a really difficult time of year (well no time is good) to lose someone close to you. Take care everyone. Bx
Barbara, your fab card and technique struck a chord with me yesterday and I simply HAD to have a go …. if you're interested …. you can see it on my blog purpliciousprincessdiaries.blogspot.co.uk
Seasons Greetings
Kathyk
Great technique! MUST give it a try! Hazel x
I love that holly and ivy with those zingy colours and a great sized sentiment too. What a lovely gesture of yours Barbara and am sure it will be helping to make someone's Christmas better! x
Another inspiring idea, and heart-warming gesture! I really hate to waste food when there are so many people who are hungry, and have lots of recipes which use up over-ripe bananas and slightly wrinkly apples – even learnt how to make potato scones the other day to use up left over mash! Congratulations to Linda on winning your voucher, and what a lovely gesture to donate to Crisis. My niece used to work with homeless people before she had her children, and the stories she told would break your heart. Thinking of all those less fortunate than ourselves, Susan x
Really love this card so simple but so effective thanku x