Happy New Year!

So … hello 2015! Didn't that come around quickly? I can’t believe 2014 has come to an end. My dad used to tell me that the older we get, the faster the years fly by. And in 2014 that was certainly true for me. Oh how time flies!

2014 was a bit of a roller coaster year for me. It’s been a year full of ups and downs, challenges and triumphs, and far too many life and work lessons to mention. I felt as though I was taking 2 steps backwards for every one I took forwards for most of the year. And I still feel a little as though I have a full year of last year's work ahead of me, even though the year is now at an end. But in other ways I can see exactly where my time actually went. It has been, at times, a year that was more then just a little frustrating I can tell you!

The past couple of years have been the same really. Because I can now see how 2013 was full of similar little hurdles and lessons as well. In hindsight, I may have been wiser to take some of them on board at that time. But I didn't.

So for me, some of my New Year Resolutions for this year, are the same as they were at the beginning of last. Even the year before. Like these …

- finish my studio. Do you remember that? My 'Creating Space Project' from the beginning of 2013?
- come out from behind my computer a little more. I'm not yet quite sure how that will manifest itself yet. But, hey, it's good to have a goal, right?
- do other things with my designs. Stay with digital. But broaden my horizons into other areas too. Just a little.
- give myself chance to breathe. And create more. And stay true to myself.
- and get organised. Well, perhaps that should be stay organised! I seem to be able to get myself organised when I need to. I think staying that way is my real challenge!

In a way, each of my New Year Resolutions feels like a little gift to myself. With the advent of a new year, all of a sudden, ‘next year’ has become ‘this year’. All of those hurdles & lessons are, quite definitely, now in the past. This new year is my chance to try again, to re-commit to the promises I've already made to myself.

So I am looking forward positively : )

Anyway … onto the good stuff. Shall I tell you how I made my cards?

I created the background for both my cards in exactly the same way ...

... a light spray of Spray Mount Adhesive across my card base, with an even lighter sprinkle of gold chunky glitter on the top. I sprinkled it all over the card base for the grey card. And just across part of it for the white one. Then I left them to dry overnight.

For the gold glitter star, I applied a thick layer of PVA adhesive to a star shape cut from white card. And added an equally thick layer of gold glitter - the same chunky glitter I'd used for the background.

I did this at the same time as I did my background. So it too, was left overnight to dry. I have to admit to being a little surprised to discover how much the edges had curled as it dried. But it was a pleasant surprise. I really liked it.

I then added it to my card with a length of button twine, secured in place with handmade Washi Tape, made from a sentiment.

The faceted star was created using the same star shape cut from ready-glittered gold card, which I simply scored across all five points, folded gently into shape and mounted it to my card using silicone glue.

And voila! Two very sparkly cards to wish you all a Happy New Year : )

Thank you all, so much, for all your wonderful support throughout 2014. You always make me feel like a very lucky girl : )

Happy New Year everyone!



Card Credits
Grey Card Base: Paperchase
White Card Base: Dovecraft
Sentiment: 'Christmas Sentiment Ribbons'
Star Die: Papertrey Ink
Chunky Gold Glitter, Gold Glitter Card, Button Twine