**Off topic too - Apologies!**

Oh Ren, you temptress ! I'd fly to HK this afternoon if possible. Maybe someday, when things stop being hectic around here I'll have the time to spoil myself big time.

And if you do Denni, since you'll be in the neighbourhood you may as well pop down here too.

Here is some coasters I made for my bother and his family. The gloss on top is a liquid glass product - takes days to dry but when it does it's heat proof for hot cups and safe for the dishwasher too. Am making lots of others too as little Christmas pressies.

Wow, those are great.

They look excellent! what do you use as a support? Cardboard seems too flimsy, wood or cork perhaps?

Those are very cool (and hot too )!

THanks
They are a wooden base. There is a company here called KaiserCraft that put out all kinds of wooden items to alter from clocks to different shaped albums pretty cheap.

oh and I do put a thin bit of cork on the back to stop them slipping on tables.

ANother set of coasters I made yesterday.

I LOVE those! Do you use rub-off transfer decal thingies for the designs?

Lovely coasters, Copago! They are really beautiful

Those are fantastic, very clever.

I have just returned from a week on a residential parchment crafting course. We had a major project to complete during the week and also some Christmas cards to break up the work, some of which took minutes and some took hours. I have to finish off a couple of the cards then will show those to you, but in the meantime this is the project.

The parchment is A4 so it is quite large. We did an oval watercolour piece to fit in the centre but I wasn't happy with mine and also it is a poinsettia and holly so very seasonal; I would prefer to place something which would enable me to have it on display all year so will give it some thought. The dark background is 'velvet' paper in navy blue, we could choose from a range of colours. I have absolutely no idea of the number of holes pricked into this piece but it is in the thousands, many thousands. The white border between the scallops and the lace has been pricked.

Love those coasters Copago. Remember me when you start sending them out as Christmas Presents.
That parchment craft is beautiful Sue.

Whoops, I broke the guidelines! Mods, if you want me to post just the one photo each day then I will.

Entirely spectacular work, Miss Sue! Very, very impressive indeed !

Sue, they are amazing! I so do love your cards, very chic and entirely classic all in one card...excellent as always.

Those coasters look first class, Copago. I love the fun style of the images you used. Are they rubber-stamped andpainted, or something else?

Sue, that parchment is amazing! I can't even begin to imagine how much work you put into it!!! Great stuff indeed!

I spent the weekend sewing. Craft stuff just refuses to be contained, has anyone ever noticed? I refuse to yield! It will live in that tote!!! I made a tote for myself a while back, and this weekend made one each for two friends. (Their choice of fabric!) The flashy pink one is mine.

Very pretty totes.

Having been told to remove all my excess photos posted yesterday I will be a good girl and just post one of them today. It was a genuine oversight on my part, I posted then read the guidelines.

This one uses a holly spray peeloff outline which was stuck on a piece of parchment. A holly leaf shape was cut out from the parchment. Glue and glitter were applied to the 'waste' of the peeloff and allowed to dry (theoretically). Place a small piece of acetate over the peeloff and secure with lowtack tape. Once dry (but ours was still wet!) gently lift the glittered pieces and place them on the acetate in the areas they came from. Roughly cut around the outside of the design, leaving all the inner parts. Put either silicone glue or foam pads on the back of the acetate then line it up and stick in place. Then mount the whole thing on your backing card. Apart from letting the glue dry, this is a very quick and easy card to make, you wouldn't need to use parchment at all.

That looks very classy Sue, and same for the one above. Hope you had a great time away

Love the totes, Santanna! """Craft stuff just refuses to be contained, has anyone ever noticed?""" errrm - yes. I have the 'office' and have taken over a corner of the lounge room for my craft stuff. And still growing LOL

On the coasters they are painted with acrylic paint first, then the images stamped on then coloured in with markers. Pretty easy although the glass coating can take some time.

They are absolutely beautiful cards, Sue! I'll show some of mine over the next few weeks.

Sounds complicated, Sue, but it looks gorgeous!

I look forward to seeing your cards, Jane

Beautiful, Sue. You make it sound as if most of us could follow those *easy directions* - haha, from me anyway!

I love the totes, Santana.

Here we go - and all our Christmas Cards are made
Starting with my personal favourite for a certain "Prince". A simple element with a bit of personalising

Very nice Jane, that will be treasured.

My next one is a standard christmas card element, recycled from last years batch

Very nice card Jane.

This card was made using coloured pencils for the centre part.