My brilliant Aunty Dot turned 104 last month, this is her with the card I sent. I'm hoping to go down to see her in the next few months (she's in a different state). She's a marvel - lived at home until she was 100, and given her current state of health, I won't be surprised if she sees her next birthday in January 2025. If that happens, I'll definitely be going down for that. Gotta be grateful for the longevity genes on Mum's side of the family, for the females at least. All the gals live into at least their late 80's and 90's.

This years first paper crafting project was 43 Valentine boxes for the social group girls. I love these adorable little milk cartons with a sweet treat inside.

    This one is a bit on the crazy side, which is why I like it. A friend saw these spoon dolls online and started making them, she is now addicted to them, and she sends me pics of her new creations, it always makes me laugh. She said I should give it a try, so I did, and came up with Wednesday Addams. I used Wednesdays face image rather than drawing a face. I've added a pick of Annette's latest doll too.

 Annette's creation.

    I'm going to make a couple more - Morticia and Ophelia (Morty's sister). My family has always been "spooky" so the Addams Family was a good fit for us - and we loved watching it on TV when we were kids. So many years ago, my sis and I started calling each other Morticia and Ophelia, and sis's BFF Wendy became Wednesday. So I'll be making a set each. Crazy we may be, but you have to have a little bit of that, it's much better than being just a boring stick-in-the-mud.

    Something a bit different. I saw this from a YouTube crafter that I follow, so thought I'd make a couple myself. The green one is mine, and the others are for my 2 youngest granddaughters for their school bags (mine is on my shoulder bag). They were fun and quick to make, and a good way to use up some of the ribbon scraps that we all end up with.

    Another of Helen Griffin's dies, this time for the family birthday boxes. I love how these look, and the lid just slots into the base, so no bothersome closure is needed. I used each persons favourite colour.

    Well, a catch up is definitely needed! Here are my Christmas projects from last year.

    Fist up - the boxes for my kids and their families. I made the large main box, and the small boxes for their Christmas cash were placed inside. I used a die from Simply Made Craft, designed by English papercraft Helen Griffin. I totally love how these turned out. I designed a different character for each family, and as 2 of my grands no longer live at home, they got their own.

The gnome was made for someone else, I think he's quite cute. 

    Next was the boxes for the girls at my weekly social group, they loved them as always. I have such fun making these during the year. Another die used here, it would have taken forever to cut these by hand, so I sometimes cheat. 

Then there was this lot for the staff and my fellow volunteers at the Community Centre, same die as above.

For my art group.

    For my "staff" giveaways - the ones I give to all the shop staff in town. My 2 youngest granddaughters come with me to hand them out, they love doing it each year.

These were for the gals in a scrapping group I occasionally go to.

    I did these for the Community Centre. We do hampers for needy families in the area but give a voucher to those where a hamper may not be suitable. So I made these holders as a festive way to present the vouchers.

Quite the roundup for 2023, but I love doing it all.