Christmas Lanterns

If there is one card-maker that I seek to emulate it is Sally Atkins. Her crafting is pure elegance. I just like to have a go and so I made a Christmas lantern using her template and the Pink Cat Studio digi stamps. I will be doing at least one more as the pre-printed card I had was too thick to go through the printer, to take the template of the lid, so I fell back on my white card and coloured it red! Anyway, not quite as elegant as Sally's but I like it.

It is great when lit, with LED night lights (£1.99 for 4 at Hobbycraft) but my photo of it was not good!

It was very theraputic to make after I got back from lunch with my Mum. We go to the same place every Friday because she loves it. Seasons Cafe at Fir Tree Farm in Kings Moss, in case you live locally. The food is good and fresh and there is an added opportunity to shop for locally sourced produce. You can also buy wool from their two alpacas! They also have a monthly farmers market and at November's farmers market ( 20 th) they are running the World Pheasant Plucking Championships - try saying that fast - you'll shock your mum, take my word for it! Personally I am going just for the comedy value of pheasant pluckers and pheasant pluckers mates. John and Lucy do a lovely breakfast barm and hot drink ; wonderful if the early morning is nippy.

My cold was not served well by going out and I was sweaty and achy by the time I got home so making the lantern was just a nice way to get comfy again. Mr H was full of "I told you not to go with that cold" when I got home but shut up very quickly when he realised that I had treated him to some of Alan's home reared beef for Sunday - rib eye steak, and some sultana loaf, specially made for Fir Tree farm. Food, the way to stop a man's nagging!

I'm off to look for a suitable black and white fillum to watch while snuggling into a woolly throw - whatever happened to Film Matinees on a Saturday afternoon on BBC2? What man though sport was a better alternative?

Cheery-bye, Hazel x