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A very warm welcome to my teeny, tiny part of the huge world of blogging. This is where I share my passion for making hand made greeting cards. So - why "Always with a Heart"? Well this is for two reasons. Firstly, it is because every card I produce carries a heart on it somewhere. This can be big and bold or small and almost hidden - the fun sometimes is just trying to find it! Secondly it is because I put my heart into everything I produce. I hope that any visitors enjoy seeing what I post. If you drop by then please leave me a comment so that I know you called. It would be nice to know that you have found my heart in what I do.

Friday 16 December 2011

A MIGHTY STRANGE MAKE

Hi Everyone

Well tonight's share is going to look mighty strange .. .. but there is a reason.

This card is to go to two very good friends who we went out with during the summer for an Indian meal.   It was the sort of place where you can take your own drinks with you.

The chaps took some cans of "Speckled Hen" beer and my friend and I had a bottle of wine that had all wire mesh around it.

Once we had finished our meal I was sitting playing with the wire from the bottle of wine and made a butterfly with it.  My friend laughed and said "you can put that on a card for me" .. .. .. and her husband then plonked an empty beer can in front of me and said "and I want that on one".  LOL!!!

I knew immediately what I was going to do .. .. and here is the result.

The beer can and the wine bottle mesh have been stored away for use for months . .. tonight being the night they came out to be played with.

Here is my make







This used:

Backing Paper:  Pink Petticoat
Sentiment:  Computer generated
Snowflakes:  An old Speckled Hen beer can
Butterfly:  Wire Mesh from a bottle of plonk!!
Snowflakes:  Cuttlebug die and punches
Diamond Stickles
Wire, self adhesive pearls and diamonds from the Stash Box

So Christmas finally came to the House of Hearts today.

The garland and lights got  attached to the base of the bannister and the tree was finally decorated .. .. complete with new lights that we went out and bought last night in the sale.

So tonight I showed hubby the lovely Christmas tree in all its glory .. .. and he loved it .. .. I was feeling well smug at getting ahead of myself for a change.

But you know what they say .. pride comes before a fall!!!

Pride isn't a nice trait and is one I try to keep under check .. .. but sadly today I didn't manage it and I was made to pay!!!

I switched the lights off on the tree as we were going upstairs for baths and my crafting session only to find that when we then switched them on again one set wasn't working!!!   GRRRR!!!

Have you ever tried to take a set of 100 bulbs off a fully laden tree?  Hubby took them back to the store and they exchanged them for another set.

So if you have ever tried removing a set of 100 bulbs from a fully laden tree .. .. have you also ever tried putting 100 bulbs back onto a fully laden tree!!!  LOL!!!

Love

27 comments:

Crafting Queen said...

Great way to use those cans and wire. Sorry about your lights. :)

Cynthia said...

Love love love the card with the beer can snowflakes and the wine bottle butterfly!!!!!! Ingenious, perfect and awesome!!

Paper Hearts Handmade Cards said...

Brilliant! now that is recycling Jules the snowflakes and butterfly look fab K x

Lynn said...

Oh No! you have my sympathy, it did happen to us some years ago.
I love the card and I'm sure your friends will too.

Lynn x

Doreen said...

Love this card Jules,love the idea to,they will get their card and memories will come flooding back.
Sorry about your light!!!!been there done that.xx

Andria said...

It's perfect and this is what i love about handmade cards, they are soo special, the hold lots of memories for people and you could never buy that on the highstreet. Your friends will love it especially with that clever sentiment :).

Gibmiss said...

Hi jules
Fabulous card so clever the snowflakes....
Hugs sylvie
xx

Gibmiss said...

Hi jules
Fabulous card so clever the snowflakes....
Hugs sylvie
xx

MagsB said...

Oh, Jules, you make my day! The card is just wonderful (my hubby approves of the Speckled Hen snowflake as he's a lover of BEER!) The butterfly is so lovely - how nice it is to make a special, personalised card for friends!

I sympathise about the fairy lights, too, changing them always means Christmas tree decorations scattered over the floor....

love Mags B

Elizabeth said...

How clever are you - this is recycling/upcycling at it's most creative :) Elizabeth x

Misty's said...

Hi Jules
Not a strange make at all. I would call it recycling and making the card very personal. I like metal look myself. The backing paper is gorgeous as well. Do not let me even start on Christmas lights. I have had the same problems with my old Christmas lights as well. When I went to buy a new set following Christmas I made sure to buy lights which do not switch off if one bulb blows!! I can imagine how you feel.
Michaela xx

Sue B said...

Oh WOW! this card is genius Jules!! and what a fab story. It looks SO pretty, your friends are going to be amazed when they see this!!!
Oh sorry to hear about your tree lights!! That happened to me past two years although I only had 40 lights!! and yes it is a right pain getting them off and back on again!! Decided I can't do it anymore and so this year I've got a fibre optic tree!!! At least only one bulb in that.
Hope things go smoothly for you from now on!!
Have a great weekend!
Hugs Sue xx

Unknown said...

Wow you are amazing Jules, love the snowflakes out of the beer can and the gorgeous butterfly from the wine wire!!! They will surely love it xxx

Anonymous said...

Fabulous idea with the beer can and the wire mesh..brilliant result! Hoping the new set of lights stay working properly!! Have a great Christmas! x

Irene said...

Hello Jules

A masterpiece, I love it. What a brilliant idea, and so special for your friends.

I can just imagine you and hubby !!!!

luv
irene
xxxx

Di said...

Oh you clever little Christmas sausage roll Jules! This is terrific! I bet your friends will be most impressed. Soo cleverly made and tied together with the sentiment!

Eeek, what a nightmare with the tree lights though - I bet there was a lot of 'Left a bit, right a bit' going on when you were trying to put the replacement set back onto a fully decorated tree :(

Love, Di xx

Linda . J said...

Love your card Jules, all the details are so fabulous, how very inventive of you, love it.
Oh your poor thing with the lights I hate it when that happens grrrrr
Have a great Christmas and a truly blessed New Year.
Hugs Linda

Debs M said...

great idea for the card, bummer about the lights x

Carole Campanile said...

What a wonderfully clever and beautiful card. I bet it makes them smile everytime they look at it. I really love your handmade wire butterfly and the beer can punched snowflakes!!

Sorry to hear about the tree lights. I have never tired to take lights down after the tree has been trimmed; I was too annoyed so I left them on the tree burned out. LOL!!!!

Hugs,
Carole

Sarn said...

Oh dear, oh dear! What a sorry tale! I managed to fuse the lights on the office Christmas tree the other day . . . we've left them off ever since, but it still looks pretty!

xxx

Marie-Louise said...

Fantastic card. Love the idea.

Shell Shearer Swinscoe said...

Fantastic card hun, love the beer can snowflake looks fab!!
Hope your tree is sorted now!
ps can't find the heart!
hugs shell xx

Sheila in Cyprus said...

What a great card and one full of memories as well. I am sure your friends will love it. Poor you having to re-do your tree. I had to do this once and vowed that if it happened again the lights would stay working or not! Mind you mine were old ones so needed to be replaced. Love Sheila x

Unknown said...

How clever are you...lol? That will make them smile I am sure & how crafty to keep them & remember what was said too. You have made them into a lovely card hon. Are the lights still working? Merry Xmas to you & your family x

coops said...

fantastic card jules.its pure genius how you have used the beer can and wine bottle wire.its brilliant ;D

xx coops xx

Anonymous said...

Genius creation Jules, would never have thought a beer can could make such fab snowflakes! My sympathies for your tree lights, it might be easier to start from scratch, LOL!
Helen x

Juls said...

fabby!!! Love all the metalics, and the wire dragon fly is gorgeous! Hugs Juls