Seasons Giving Blog Hop: Year 3

Hi Everybody Happy New Year .... and welcome to the Seasons Giving Blog Hop: year 3
This is the first time I have taken part in this and I hope you will enjoy it all

As a wonderful start to 2015 I  wanted to say a big THANK YOU to each and every one of  my loyal blog readers who have been so supportive of me over the last year.
This is my way of showing my appreciation to YOU and you can find me in other places too ...
Card Making Magic  ...   Facebook  ...   Pinterest  ...   Twitter 

I have joined forces with lots of other blogs and suppliers and every one listed below is hosting a giveaway.  All you need to do is leave  a comment  at the blogs to say you have visited.

I hope you will enjoy my Blog and come back to visit me often and join the growing group of wonderful  followers too.  Every week I give away one of my cards as a Friday Freebie and we have regular prizes to give away but you will need to be a follower for the chance to win

This is the prize I am giving away ...

Spellbinders Mix n Match Ornaments

Sheena Douglass Sea Shells A5 Stamp sheet
Pack of Wild Orchid Crafts Flowers

Lavinia  Fairy Stamps

Bo Bunny Christmas stamps

Ladybug Crafts - Nikki and Friends stamp

3 packs of Want2Scrap pearl bling

Crafters Companion Glue Runner

The winner will be announced on January 5th 2015

Everyone of the Blogs listed below will be  joining in this  give-away  so be sure to visit them all and leave your comments for a chance to win the offered prizes from each participant.
Happy New Year Everybody 

Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L

Lawn Fawn

Spellbinders Paper Arts

Reverse Confetti

Clearsnap 

Ice Resin

My Favorite Things

Paper Smooches

Sweet & Sassy Stamps

Stamp Simply Ribbon Store

Avocado Arts 

A Jillian Vance Design

Latina Crafter

 Die-Versions 

 Unity Stamp Company

 Splitcoaststampers

Verve Stamps

 Latisha Yoast

 AJ Otto

Vera Yates

Julia Stainton

Judy Hayes

Kim Watson

Yana Smakula

Chari Moss

Taheerah Atchia

Shemaine Smith

Emily Spahn

Kimberly Crawford

Lee Murphy

Lovely Linda

Laura Williams

Lori Tecler

Chaitali Narla

Darsie Bruno

Lydia Fiedler

Giovana Smith 

Teri Anderson

Beth Pingry

Dina Kowal

Daniela Dobson

Lisa Adametz

Piali Biswas

Kelli Green

Keri Lee Sereika

Jocelyn Olson

Julee Tilman

Michelle Woerner

Lori McAree

Theresa Momber

Anita Autore

Melody Rupple

Sean Fetterman

Bunny Vance

Tricia Traxler

Lisa Arana

Lorena Cantó

Amy Tsuruta

Jodi Collins

Tenia Nelson

Kelly Klapstein

Jill Cornell

Emily Leiphart

Becky Williams

Margie Higuchi

Lee Ann Barrett

Lisa Hoel

Heather Campbell

Lisa Henke

Sheri Holt

Michele Kovack

Ashley Harris

Sharon Harnist

Lori Craig

Nicole Nowosad

Laurel Beard

Michele Boyer

Christiana Reuling

Laurie Schmidlin

Jennifer Priest

Stacey Schafer

Heidi Blankenship

Heather Pulvirenti

Anita Madden

Gloria Stengel

Sarah Gough

Rachel Kleinman

Natalie Dever

Lorine Mason

Loretta Lock

Meihsia Liu

Sarah Martina Parker

Angeline Choo

Christine Emberson

Karen Hightower

Sabrina Alery

Debbie Seyer

Dana Joy

Cat Tidwell

Deborah Saaranen

Ceal Pritchett

Lisa Lara

Colleen Schaan

Anabelle O'Malley

Megan Hoeppner

Monika Davis

Marisa Ritzen

Wanda Guess

Jenny Peterson

Annette Allen

Gracie Chavez

Christina Griffiths     You Are Here

Niki G

Kristi Schurr

Jennifer Ingle

Karolyn Loncon

Camille Robinson

Lindsey M-P

Kathy Clement

Maria Levine

Savitri Wilder

Savannah O'Gwynn

Teresa Horner

Laurel Seabrook

Libby Hickson

Yvonne Van de Grijp

Alice Wertz

Leigh Penner

Lisa Lee

Tina McDonald

Nina Yang

Angel Johns

Casual Santa ...

HO HO HO !!

This is Santa here just to say "Bye" for this year as my work is done.

All you good little boys and girls will have got your gifts and now it's time for me to head off back to the North Pole. 

I just had a few little repairs to make to the sleigh and then the reindeers will be able to take us home.

Christina took this picture of me while I was busy mending the sleigh ... not my usual attire but the red suit is for special days.

Mrs Santa will be waiting with a nice roast dinner and the red suit can be washed and ironed ready for next year.

The Elves will also get some time off  ... until they have to start making next years toys.

Be good and take care ...

Santa  xx

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Footnote from Christina

The image is from Just Inklined and I thought it would make a really good Santa out of his normal outfit. He has been colored with Spectrum Noir and his glasses are Glossy Accents.  I have even smudged a little black on his skin to look dirty.

Colors used ...

FS2 FS3 IG2 IG3 IG6 TN2 TN4 EB4 TB6 TB7   Blender pen

P.S.   Thank you for entering into the spirit of todays card and especially to Elaine who wrote this lovely reply to Santa and I hope she won't mind me adding it here:

Dear Santa 
Thank you so much for all your hard work 
All the Little Boys and Girls are so happy with the New Gifts they have
You did a grand job .

I hope the repairs to your sleigh are not too major 
and you have a good journey back to the North Pole 
then the reindeer can have a good long rest .

Mrs Clause will be so pleased to see you 
back home and will spoil you 
with good hot dinners 
after traveling all over the world .

Christina has taken a very good Picture of you 
( she has a new camera you know and has been practicing , isn't she doing well ? )
it is nice to see you without your splendid red suit 
but to be honest i would have known your lovely face anywhere .

Anyway Santa 
I just want to wish you and yours a very Happy New Year .

Take Care 
Elaine H X

So pleased ...

Hi Everybody,

On Christmas Day I had all my family around at my house for dinner and a very jolly affair it was too. One by one they all arrived ..  laden with gifts to be exchanged.  It was full of loud chatter and much laughter.

Griff bought himself a Christmas sweater with a big Snowman on the front ... but my youngest daughter out did him by wearing a sweater that had lights in the Christmas tree that actually twinkled.

My youngest Grand daughter Robyn ... who is 21 ... couldn't wait to get through the door to tell me her good news.  Her boyfriend Jamie had proposed to her and  given her an engagement ring as part of her Christmas surprise.

They make a lovely couple and seem so happy together and everybody was really pleased at the news.

And today I have made this card for them in  Robyns' favorite color of deep purple.  Inside here is a little tag with their names and the date on it and I know she will love it.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

My gift ...

Hi Everybody,

I had to show you this beautiful gift that my Grand-daughters give to me on Christmas Day

I was not allowed to open it until they where both with me and I was so touched by this lovely gift.

It is not a card but a large picture frame and it is created by Emma Ogden

She can be found on Facebook at Made by Emma Ogden

They had it specially made and have added all our family names to it.

This includes my husband Griff, my two daughters Amanda and Victoria, two grand-daughters Ashleigh and Robyn, one grandson Jamie and one great grand-daughter Isabella.

And I love it xx

This is Isabella playing with some of her gifts at my house.

Both of my daughters are in the photo and the one bending down is grand mother to Isabella.

We had a lovely time playing with her  and the keyboard was so much fun.

And I had quite forgotten how much mess one little girl can make ripping open presents.  She couldn't wait to get to the next one ... kids !!

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Card Winner ...

Hi Everybody,

I hope you are all enjoying your Sunday.  I know that some of you are in deep snow and although it looks pretty it is not my favorite thing ... especially if you need to be going somewhere.  The UK seems to grind to a halt whenever we have snow.

Here in the North West it is cold ... but the sun is shining and the sky is blue

Because I was late adding the post for last weeks Friday Freebie I have allowed it to run on until today and this morning a name was chosen

The winner of the bright and sunny yellow card is ...

Ann Morris

so if you would email me 

christina@card-making-magic.com

your postal address as soon as you can I will get the card in the post to you straight away

I hope you will visit on New Years Day as there is going to be a really huge Blog Hop and the chance for you to win lots of  "Goodies" from the many designers and suppliers that are taking part in it.

It is a really nice way to show readers that they and their comments are very much appreciated and I have a lovely prize that will be on offer. 

You will be able to click links to go to other blogs and all you need to do is leave a comment.  You will find blogs that will become your favorites as you hop along ... but please come back to me as you do ... I don't want to lose any of you wonderful people 

More tomorrow...

Hugs xx