My photo
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.

Sunday 30 June 2013

SUNDAY SNIPPETS

Hi Everyone

I hope you are having a good weekend.

It is back to the good old days here in the House of Hearts with regards my photograph today.  

Normally I take my pictures inside a light box set up on a table in our back bedroom (aka the ribbon, wedding stationery and all things sparkly storeroom .. .. with a double bed thrown in for good measure) .. .. but I have had to dismantle my photo booth as I need the space.

I am working on three large table plans at the moment and need to keep them flat .. .. .. so space is quickly running out and it is back to the bathroom window for today's photograph .. .. like the good old days.


I don't think there would be too much guessing as to where all the elements came from for today's snippet make.  LOL!!

Off now to share with my playmates over in Pixie's Crafty Snippet playground and also the Digistamp Boutique Challenge for June (just in by the skin of my teeth)!!  

I will finish with yet another huge apology to everyone.  

My blog visiting has been pretty much non-existent  recently as things have been so busy here wedding wise .. .. and July is going to be even busier.  One very full timetable with three of my happy couples tying the knot this month.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend everyone.  I hope you have had beautiful sunshine today

I will catch up with everyone .. .. one day!!!

Love

Tuesday 25 June 2013

SNIPPETS AND RUDOLPH DAY ALL ROLLED INTO ONE!

Hi Everyone

I hope you are all doing well.

Today looks like it is going to be a lovely day weather wise.  One lot of washing done and another waiting to get going .. .. that will mean even more ironing to add to the pile I made yesterday!!  I know what I will be doing this evening!!!  :-(

But I started my day with a make for Sandra's Rudolph Day Challenge which used up snippets from my every growing collection, which means I can also run over to Di's Crafty Snippet Challenge too.  Though I have to admit that I will be sad when all of the holly paper snippets have been used from my paper pack .. .. no full sheets left now .. .. just a few offcuts .. .. hence this piece not being big enough to cover the whole of my card front.  This has to be my favourite holly paper of all time.


  

This used:

Backing Papers:  Papermania "A Silent Night"
Sentiment:  Magnolia "A Merry Christmas Ticket"
Cheery Lynn Die:  "B148"  Holly Flourish
Josy Rose:  Nail Heads
Nestabilities:  Classic Ovals Large and Deckled Edge Classic Ovals Large
My Trusty Sewing Machine
Ribbon and Cord from my stash box

I really enjoyed my little crafty play this morning .. .. but now it is back to table plans and orders.

Have a lovely day everyone.

Love

Friday 21 June 2013

ANOTHER CATCH UP

Hi Everyone

I hope all is well with everyone and that life is being kind to you.

I can't believe that it is the weekend .. .. again!!  Where do the weeks go?

My week has been "full on" with weddings .. .. hence having nothing to share with you again for days on end!!  

I have got lots done and crossed off the list but no sooner does a wedding disappear than it is being replaced  by another.  Lucky, lucky me!  

One of my "happy couples" got married today and as soon as the alarm went off I rushed out of bed to peep through the curtains to see what the weather was like.  Funny I seem more bothered about the weather for my happy couples than I was when we got married.  

First thing the weather was very dull and "suspect" but come the magic hour the sun shone and it stayed lovely for the whole afternoon so hopefully there will be some lovely photographs to see.

The latest copy of Quick Cards Made Easy is out now and again I was lucky to be asked to work with the cover gift.

Here is one of the cards I made with some of the free papers and one of the free stamps.  Isn't she sweet?


super cute and a lovely freebie.

I also got to work with some other lovely goodies but will share those another day as my lovely Friday fish and chips are ready!!!  Yummy, yummy!!!

Have a lovely weekend everyone.

Catch you again soon (I hope!!).

Love

Sunday 16 June 2013

SUNDAY SNIPPETS

Hi Everyone

Happy Father's Day to all Dad's everywhere!  I hope the love you deserve is coming your way today.

Our Dad's are no longer alive but that doesn't stop us being grateful and giving thanks for having been blessed with wonderful Fathers who loved and cared for us.  We went up to the cemetery this morning and gosh it was busy!  All those families missing someone special today :-(

It is still a day to celebrate though here in the House of Hearts and our youngest has come round to spend the rest of today with his Dad and we will be catching up with the London kids later.

Here is the card I made for our youngest to give:




As always I am lazy on a Sunday and don't list my ingredients .. .. but I just know some of you will like the look of the image I used so I will link it here.

Hubby was well impressed .. .. though I was expecting him to comment that his favourite wine "Rioja" wasn't listed!  Perhaps it was so popular they have sold it all!!  LOL!!!

I am taking this over to show the playmates in Pixie's Snippet Playground too. 

Have a lovely Sunday everyone.

Time for me to take more washing to the line and to decide what type of cake to make this Sunday.

See you when I do.

Love

Saturday 15 June 2013

CATCH UP

Hi Everyone

I thought it was time I showed my face in blogland before I forget how to post!!!  LOL!!!

Things are going really well in the House of Hearts on the old wedding front.  Lots of romantic creations.  But sadly no general projects for me to share.

The journey ended yesterday with one of my happy couples .. .. they will be getting married next week .. .. and so I decided to have a little crafty play this morning before I start on my next wedding missions.

Here is what I came up with:




This used:

Image:  Hero Arts "S5316" Silhouette Grass
Sentiment:  Pink Petticoat "Simple Sentiments"
Backing Paper:  Pink Petticoat "Easter Colour Collection Treat"
Distress Inks:  Tumbled Glass, Broken China, Old Paper and Bundled Sage
Nestabilities:  Oval and Scalloped Oval
Punches:  Daisy, Tag and Heart
Ribbon, Twine and Pearl from my stash box

Whilst my mind was wandering one day whilst tying ribbon I thought of this scrummy stamp and realised that I only every stamp it in black ink .. .. so today I started with white card and clear embossed it and then stamped it in Bundled Sage distress ink and clear embossed that too before distressing the background.  Quite pleased with the finished look.

So what else have I been up to during my absence from blogland?

Well it has been pretty much full on wedding work but we did  have a lovely romantic night away last weekend to celebrate a really special friend's 70th birthday.  The party was in the evening and hubby had found this lovely place here for us to stay, which is just outside of Weston Super Mare.

It was a fabulous place.  Super clean and friendly and nothing was too much trouble for the owners. I felt well spoilt.  We were sad to leave on the Sunday morning .. .. but one night is better than none!

Here are a few pictures.  I tried to post them from my Ipad whilst we were there but I couldn't manage it .. .. no doubt user error on my part!!  LOL!!!




 

Isn't it fabulous?  The bathroom was huge .. .. bigger than my bedroom at home!!

So another happy memory made and a lovely birthday party too.

OK back to it for me now.  Three table plans to prepare today!

Have a lovely weekend everyone.

I know I won't be back to regular posting for a while yet, but do have a snippet share lined up for tomorrow.

Love

Wednesday 5 June 2013

BLOG BREAK TIME

Hi Everyone

Well the weddings have reached the "busy, busy, busy" stage .. .. .. it is that time of year.

So I need to take a little blog break so I can concentrate on what pays my bills and buys my crafty goodies .. .. though with a car service, MOT and car tax due this month I can't see many crafty goodies falling through my letterbox for a little while yet :-(

I know it is a good thing that business is so good that I need to take a break from here .. .. but I know I shall miss everyone and all your lovely creations.

I'll be back as soon as I can but in the meantime stay safe and have fun!

Love

Tuesday 4 June 2013

HAS YOUR DAY ROCKED?

Hi Everyone

Hope your day has been a good one.  Beautiful weather again!!!  Yay!!!

My day has been super busy on the wedding front and I thought for a while I wasn't going to get to share anything with you today .. .. but I managed to "pull something out of the bag" at the last minute.




This used:

Image:  A page from the DCWV "Rockstar Mat Stack"
Sentiment:  Made using the Digistamp Boutique "Simple Tags Set" (just love how you can add your own words to these) .. .. mine uses font "1942 report"
X-Cut:  Corner Rounding Punch
Cuttlebug Embossing Folder:  Allegro
White Pigment Ink
Frayed Burlap Distress Ink Pad
Metallic Cord and eyelet from my stash box.

and there we go.

Quick and simple and one I know my youngest Son will be requesting if he sees this on my blog!!  LOL!!!

Sorry but I need to fly in and out today.  Still some things to do ahead of tomorrow.

Take care everyone and thank you so much for calling by my blog.

Love

Monday 3 June 2013

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH

Hi Everyone

I hope you have had a lovely Monday.  Our weather has been gorgeous today.  So lovely to be able to have the windows open and smell those freshly cut lawns.

A little late tonight as we have been to the dentist for a check up this evening.  I can remember the days when I used to dread going for fear of what they might want to do .. .. now I just worry about how much it will cost "if they do" want to do something!!!!  Thankfully I got away with just a clean and polish .. .. phew!! That means I can save my pennies for the car service, MOT and tax that are all due later this month!!  Boo hoo!!!!

Here is my share for today .. using one of my favourite Penny Black images.  Great for so many occasions.




This used:

Image:  Penny Black "3347H" Duckling
Sentiment:  Computer Generated using font "Zipty Do"
Backing Papers:  Pink Petticoat "Pinstripes"
Nestabilities:  Classic Circle and Scalloped Circle
Josy Rose:  Nail Heads
ProMarkers
Ribbon from my stash box

 I thought you might like to see a few pictures I took in my garden this morning .. ..

Here are those four tomatoes I was telling you about yesterday

A burst of colour from my chives .. .. might make this my computer wallpaper for a while.
I just love the colours.

But the best colour was the clear bright blue sky
we were treated to this morning.
How gorgeous is this .. .. not a cloud in the sky!!

Of course there are still weeds to battle with and messy parts to see in my garden .. .. but at least there are some pretty parts to see.

Catch you soon!!

Love

Sunday 2 June 2013

SUNDAY SNIPPETS

Hi Everyone

Happy Sunday!!

Well I am ploughing through my chores and "do list" quite well today .. .. .. please, please please let this be the way the whole week is going to go!!!  If so I will be one happy bunny come next weekend.

Funny how you have days when everything goes your way .. .. and then others where it feels like everything is working against you!!

One of the things on my "must do" list is a little acceptance card in response to a celebration we have been invited to (you will never guess who did the invitations and the favours LOL!!!).

Although this looks huge in the photographs it is really a dinky little 11.5cm x 9cm and it is really cute.  This is what I will be taking over to Pixie's Crafty Snippet Challenge this week as the whole thing used up some of those snippets that are slowly taking over the craft pod!!!  

I am beginning to feel like I could become one of those "secret hoarders" that they do TV programmes about.  The presenter will climb her way into my craft pod and hold up a miniscule piece of ribbon or card and say "can we just throw this little piece away?" .. .. and I will reply "oh no, I can punch a heart out of that or tie a tiny bow with that ribbon!!  LOL!!!

Anyway, here is my snippet share for this week





As always I am lazy on a Sunday and do not list my ingredients .. .. but you know you can always ask if you want to know what anything is.

I really enjoyed making such a small card and think I should do a few more of these for the salon .. .. when I get chance!!!

OK .. .. off to make the most of this being a good day.

Guess what?!?!?  We have 4 tiny tomatoes already!!!  We have never had fruit in our greenhouse so early in the year!!  We grow the little tiny cherry tomatoes .. .. I keep looking but have never found any heart shaped ones yet.  Wouldn't they look pretty hanging on all the plants in my greenhouse. After all they are called "love apples" so if they were heart shaped it would be much more appropriate don't you think?  LOL!!

Enjoy your Sunday.

Love

Saturday 1 June 2013

SKETCH SATURDAY

H Everyone

Happy Saturday!!!  I hope you have been blessed with glorious sunshine today.  

I saw one of my lovely brides today who gets married in a few weeks time and we were both hoping the weather would be equally as beautiful for her special day.  I so enjoy listening to all the lovely plans the couples make .. .. and the little special touches unique to each and every one of them.  It gets me "all loved up" LOL!!!  (Not that it takes much for that to happen .. .. I am probably the soppiest person on the planet!).

Last week I didn't get chance to play along with Sketch Saturday . .. . but as I have a list of orders as long as my arm I thought I would use their fabby sketch this week to help me cross this one off my list.




This used:

Image:  Hero Arts "G5311" Silhouette Spray
Sentiment:  Computer Generated using fonts "Benjamin Becker Extra Light" and "Monterey"
Backing Papers:  First Edition Papers "Boho Chic"
Joy Craft Dies:  Curved Edged Flowers
Gold Embossing Powder
My Trusty Sewing Machine
Diamond Stickles
Pearls, ribbon from my stash box

and if you fancy playing along here is the sketch I worked to (isn't it a beauty!!).


Have a lovely rest of the weekend everyone .. .. and don't forget to slap the sun-cream on!!!

Love