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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.

Thursday 31 January 2013

ONE OF THOSE RARE DAYS !

Hi Everyone

Today is going to be one of those rare days .. .. the sort you wish for, but that seldom appear.

I was up at 6.15am and by 7.00am all the ironing I started last night was finished, the kitchen and bathroom sorted and I was showered and dressed!!

.. .. .. and I am even here with an early share .. .. woo hoo!!!  My card was a bit of a cheat though because I had coloured the image previously and had it sitting in a box waiting to be used.

I am posting early because this card is for entering into Sandra's Rudolph Day Challenge .. .. and the challenge closes at 7.00pm this evening.

I am going to try really hard to enter every month and put the cards I make to one side for my own personal use at Christmas.  At least I will be guaranteed that there will be eleven ready and waiting.  Most of what I make I sell which means when it comes to my friends and family I end up in a last minute rush or like this year had to resort to a few purchased ones!!!  Shock horror!!!  I really don't want to see the look of disappointment on my friends faces again by giving them another shop bought card, so am trying hard to get ahead of the game (amongst everything else I am trying to be ahead of the game with LOL!!).

So here is my first Rudolph Day card for 2013




This used:

Image:  Penny Black "Holiday Hugs"
Sentiment:  Computer Generated using font "Fontdinerdotcom Sparkly"
Backing Papers:  Kaisercraft "Mint Twist"
Josy Rose:  Nail Heads
Nestabilities:  Classic Circle and Scalloped Circle
Glamour Dust
ProMarkers and Chalks
My Trust Sewing Machine
Ribbon from my Stash Box

so there we go.  Card number one in the box .. .. thanks Sandra xx

I have just spoken with my Mum.  We catch up with each other each morning and she always asks what I have planned for the day and how things are going.  I bragged about all the jobs I had already done .. .. but just couldn't bring myself to tell her I had made a Christmas card.  She just wouldn't understand LOL!!

Have a great day everyone.

Because I am feeling "hyper" I am hopeful for lots disappearing off my "do list" today.

Love

Wednesday 30 January 2013

SWEET BIRTHDAY

Hi Everyone

I hope none of you have got blown away today by these strong winds.

Earlier today I had to go to the post office to get some orders weighed and posted off .. .. and the wind was rocking my car from side to side while I waited to turn into a side street!!!  It made me wonder how anyone manages to stay on a push bike when it is like this!

I always park a little way away from the post office and walk the final bit (I sadly get far too little exercise so every little bit helps LOL!!) but I have to admit to wishing I had parked outside!!  I was frozen by the time I got back to my car!

Anyway, here is my share for today:




This used:

Image:  Stamp Fairy "Lenny Ice Cream 1"
Sentiment:  Computer Generated using 2 fonts.  Zipty Do and Parisian BT
Backing Papers:  KaiserCraft "Butterfly Kisses"
Cherry Die from the Hero Arts Cupcake Die Set
ProMarkers and chalk
Glamour Dust
Diamond Stickles
Lot of clear embossing powder for the cherry!!

So that is me for today .. .. and as cold as I was earlier I could just eat that ice-cream.

The scrummy backing paper on the lower part of my card has lots of glitter on the coloured sections.  These were already there .. .. I haven't gone mad with my glamour dust!!!

Hopefully I will catch you tomorrow .. .. but things are hotting up in the House of Hearts.  I saw a new bride today and am seeing another one tomorrow and have lots of samples to get ready for other "happy couples" .. .. but we will see how it goes.

Love

Tuesday 29 January 2013

SEWING EDGE

Hi Everyone

Well a bit of a dull day weather wise here .. .. but certainly not dull on the old work front .. .. all super duper busy!!!  Yay!!!

I am trying to rattle my way through a mountain of orders but as quick as I cross them off they get replaced .. .. but hey!!!  I'm not complaining!!!!

Whilst putting all my dies back into their rightful places my Sewing Edge die jumped out at me as being a tad neglected so I used it for my share for today.




This used:

Backing Papers:  DCWV "Citrus Stack"
Sentiment:  Computer Generated using fong Zipty Do
Sizzix Die:  "657829" Sewing Edge
Nestabilities:  Big Scalloped Ovals
Woodware Punch:  Super small daisy
My Trusty Sewing Machine
Ribbon, thread, buttons and pearls from my Stash Box

and that is me blogwise for today.

A little earlier than normal .. .. but that doesn't mean I have finished.  Still loads more to do before I can class the day as a success LOL!!!

Have a lovely evening everyone.

Love

Monday 28 January 2013

CHERRY ON TOP

Hi Everyone

I hope you have had a good Monday and a lovely start to your week.

All our snow has disappeared now and everywhere looks green and clean again!!

A good part of my day has been spent putting everything away and cleaning up .. .. after all the mess I made during the course of last week.

All the wedding fayre goodies have been stored away ready for making another appearance in a few weeks time when we have another fayre booked at our usual venue .. .. The Dovecliff Hotel.

But for now a quick and simple birthday card using my snippets for entering into Pixie's Crafty Snippet Challenge:




This used:

Image:  LOTV "Cherry on Top"
Sentiment:  Pink Petticoat "Tiny Sweet Treat" Sentiments"
Backing Paper:  Wild Rose Studio "Gorgeous Ginghams"
ProMarkers
Glossy Accents
Diamond Stickles
Ribbon from the Stash Box

and that is me for today.

Love this cute little image .. .. and also some of the new LOTV ones that have just come out .. .. but no chance for me to own any of those just yet .. .. I have the dreaded car insurance to pay this week eeekkk!!!!  

Enjoy what is left of the evening and I will catch you again tomorrow.

Love

Sunday 27 January 2013

GUESS WHO IS SHATTERED ?!?!?!

Hi Everyone

I hope you have all had a good Sunday.

My lovely Sis and I have had a great day at the wedding fayre .. .. we were at the FA's New Training Ground in Rangemore .. .. but we didn't see any dishy footballers.  In fact we didn't see any footballers at all (or if we did we didn't recognise them LOL!!).

It was very busy and we met lots of lovely "happy couples" all excited and happy to share their plans and dreams for their special day.  

I always struggle taking pictures when we are all set up ..  ..  but I did try and this is the best of a bad lot. 


.. .. and that is my lovely Sis in the background proving how clever she is in being able to text and look elsewhere all at the same time!!  LOL!!

As predicted by you all the rustic collection was well received and got by far the most interest.  Though the blingy black and grey table plan and associated stationery on the right was also very popular.

I am so pleased I am married.  I just wouldn't know what to choose if I had my time all over again (other than the same hubby of course .. .. I wouldn't swap him for all the craft goodies in the world!!).

So we are home now and I am shattered.

We are going to have a Chinese takeaway tonight so no cooking!  Thank goodness for that!  Hope I can stay awake long enough for them to cook it!!

I'll catch you again tomorrow.

Love

Saturday 26 January 2013

ALL DONE

Hi Everyone

I hope you have had a good Saturday.

Thank you for all your lovely comments on my rustic flower yesterday.  You are all very kind.

Did anyone else wake up to a huge amount of snow?!?!?!?

It started to fall very heavily early evening yesterday and was still going strong when we gave in and went to bed "late" .. .. after falling asleep downstairs LOL!!

Yet it has nearly all disappeared as quickly as it arrived.

Thank goodness for that!  I was beginning to have a little panic about the wedding fayre tomorrow .. .. .. but all looks good so I don't see any reason for it not to be going ahead.

I have got my rustic table plan done and dusted but haven't been able to take a very good picture yet.  But at least this will give you the general idea.



Just off now to get my boxes packed and this time I am going to be super efficient and make a list of everything I take .. .. then when I empty everything out again on Monday morning I will put the list into one of the empty boxes before it goes back up into the roof space for storage.  That will save a bit of thinking next time as I will just be able to work through the list.

Have a good Saturday evening everyone.

Love

Friday 25 January 2013

RUSTIC FLOWER

Hi Everyone

Happy Friday!!!  The start of the weekend .. ... woo hoo!!!!

A bit of a different share from me tonight.

I have been busy on card orders all day and trying hard to finalise my new table plan ready for Sunday. 

As at the last wedding fayre the new rustic invitations I took stole the show, I decided to extend this range and have been working on more new rustic samples.  I only took a few samples and displayed them to the back of my display but they got lots of attention and appealed to the happy couples that didn't want what they call "a princess" style range of stationery. 

I wanted to do a new table plan on this theme too but couldn't finish it completely until I could decide on the final embellishments .. .. and I have tried so many options and not been happy.  But this evening it has all come together so tomorrow I can stick it all down as I am now happy .. .. yay!!!

Here is the finishing touch it needed .. .


made with the Tattered Florals Die, Hessian, Twine, Glimmer Mist and a button.

I am looking forward to putting it all together.  It is going to look so different displayed next to the blingy table plans LOL!!!

Have a good weekend everyone .. .. I hope you find time for some crafty fun (if you want some that is !!).

Love

Thursday 24 January 2013

CHEESECAKE PARTY

Hi Everyone

I hope your Thursday has been a good one.

Once again I find myself trying to fit far too much into my day .. .. but at least dinner will be nice and easy tonight.  I have had a beef stew simmering away for a few hours and just need to drop some dumplings in which I made earlier .. .. yummy!!!

So just a quick share today .. .. super quick and simple




This used:  

Image:  Penny Black "1665K" Cheesecake Party
Sentiment:  Pink Petticoat
Backing Papers:  My Minds Eye "On the Sunny Side"
ProMarkers
Chalk

So there we go .. .. even my ingredient list is short and sweet tonight.

Not sure what is happening with my pictures when I upload them at the moment.  They keep appearing in a different order and don't like being moved .. .. but never mind.  At least I can post which is a lot more than I could do a couple of weeks ago.

Have a lovely evening everyone. 

Catch you again tomorrow.

Love

Wednesday 23 January 2013

JUST FOR YOU

Hi Everyone

Happy Wednesday .. .. boy this week is flying by quickly!!!

I am a bit earlier tonight as my mission is to have a good clear up and organisation session ready for tomorrow.

I want to make a new table plan for the wedding fayre on Sunday and hopefully I can get everything printed off tonight so that I can put it together tomorrow morning.  Well that is the general idea.  Whether it happens remains to be seen!!

But for now here is my share for today:



One of my pictures just doesn't want to up-load and I don't have time to faff .. .. so two will do tonight LOL!!

This used:

Image:  The ever faithful Penny Black "3865K" Gossamer
Sentiment:  Computer Generated using font Papyrus
Backing Papers:  Aimee Asher "Doreen Stolz" Lilac Bouquet
Josy Rose:  Nail Heads
ProMarkers
Ribbon and Seed Beads from my Stash Box

I used some of the spare striped background paper to paperpiece the flowers .. .. but coloured them with purple ProMarkers to add a little twist to them.

So that is me .. .. flying in and out tonight.

Have a lovely evening everyone.  I hope you are all snuggly and warm.

Love

Tuesday 22 January 2013

MIMI LOVE

Hi Everyone

Happy Tuesday .. .. I hope your day has been a good one and the snow isn't causing you too many problems.

We haven't had any fresh snow today which is something.  I did need to walk round to the post box today though and that was a "hairy scary process".  Because we are on a school route the kids slide along the pavement and make them a bit treacherous .. .. but kids will be kids I suppose and we all did it!!

So I gingerly walked round to the post box and I could hear my Mum shouting in my ear as she would have done a few lifetimes ago saying "Take your hands out of your pockets .. .. how will you save yourself if you fall" .. .. so I was a good girl and took my hands out of my pockets LOL!!!

Anyway, today's share uses a super cute image I won from Sketch Saturday/The Stamp Fairy just before Christmas.




This used:

Image:  The Stamp Fairy "Mimi Love"
Sentiment:  Computer Generated using font "2 Peas Barefoot Professor"
Backing Papers:  Pink Petticoat "Little Polka Dots" and "Chevrons" both still £1 a download!!!
Nestabilities:  Classic Circle and Scalloped Circle
Josy Rose:  Nail Heads
Ribbon
ProMarkers and Chalk
Glossy Accents
My Trust Sewing Machine

Now I have had this card made for a while today standing up looking at me .. .. and have to admit I struggled with the fact that my little girl didn't have a smile.  I don't know why but I just can't feel comfortable when my images are mouthless .. ..  so I had to add one along with some rosy cheeks.


That's better!!!  Sorry Gerda :-(  I hope you don't mind xx

You wouldn't believe how many pencil mouths she has had rubbed off her face before I was happy .. .. then I had to hold my breath and go over this one with a pen.  I fully expected to ruin my card .. .. and some might say I have!!

Enjoy what is left of Tuesday everyone.

Love

Monday 21 January 2013

SCENTED MESSAGE

Hi Everyone

Rushing in and out tonight I'm afraid .. .. and this is probably going to be the same all week!!

Lots to do this week on top of getting ready for the Wedding Fayre on Sunday.  It is going to be one of those weeks where I could do with not needing to sleep LOL!!!

 I am just hoping that the weather improves otherwise there might be a poor attendance at the fayre .. .. or worse still I suppose it could get cancelled .. eeekkk!!!  I do hope not :-(

Anyway, here is my share for today:




This used:

Image:  Penny Black "4239K" Scented Message
Sentiment:  Computer Generated using font "Vladimir Script"
Backing Papers:  Pink Petticoat "Grannie's Wallpaper" and "Chevrons" (both colour collections on offer for £1 each at the moment .. .. so I just had to treat myself to Grannie's Wallpaper!!!  I would actually like this to be wallpaper in my home).
Josy Rose:  Nail Heads
X-Cut Punch:  Corner Rounder
Distress Ink:  Old Paper
My Trust Sewing Machine
ProMarkers
Ribbons from my Stash Box

I hope you have all stayed safe and warm today.

I started my day off by helping hubby to "find his car" underneath the snow.  

Thankfully it was still dark because I must have looked a right sight in my dressing gown and boots scraping the windows and lights with a fish slice .. .. .. but it did the trick beautifully without me getting my hands all cold and covered in snow.  Perhaps I should take that idea to Dragons Den LOL!!!

I'll catch you again tomorrow.

Love

Sunday 20 January 2013

SUNDAY SNIPPETS

Hi Everyone

Here at last!!!

I seem to have been meeting myself coming backwards today .. .. .. and still haven't finished yet!

I wouldn't mind but it isn't as if I had a lie in .. .. in fact quite the opposite.  It was one of those silly days where you wake up all hyper and can't wait to get cracking on with things.

Even my snippet make came together later than I anticipated but at least now I can head off over to the Snippet Playground and enter Pixie's Crafty Snippet Challenge for this week.

So here is what I made with my snippets this week:




No problem with the heart today .. ..  I hope LOL!!!

I am being my usual lazy Sunday self and not listing my ingredients .. .. but any questions then please ask and I will do my best to answer.

Just time now to finish off the ironing.  I made a start on it this morning but did so much that I needed to let the ironing board dry out before I could start again.  It will be lovely to think it is all up to date.

If I get my skates on it could all be done and dusted by the time Mr Selfridge starts on the TV.  I am really enjoying that programme.

OK .. .. stand clear .. .. ironing board here I come!!!

Enjoy what is left of Sunday and have a good week everyone.

Love

Saturday 19 January 2013

PORTRAITS

Hi Everyone

I hope you are having a good weekend.

Hubby and I have decided to confine ourselves to barracks for the whole two days .. .. it isn't nice out there!!

Lots on my "do list" so a good chance to knuckle down and get some of those tasks crossed off.

I have been able to cross one of them off with the help of Sketch Saturday and Penny Black Saturday who between them have allowed me to come up with this little share.  Great challenges ladies .. .. thank you!!! xx

So this is my share of the day:


 

This used:

Image:  Penny Black "3868J" Portraits
Sentiment:  Penny Black "3849E" Birthday Dreams
Backing Paper:  Pink Petticoat "Swiss Dots"
Nestabilities:  Classic Squares and Lacey Squares
ProMarkers
Diamond Stickles
Ribbon and Pearls from my Stash Box

The challenges I have entered are:

Penny Black Saturday (January) - theme January Blues
Sketch Saturday - follow the sketch.  I have added it here in case you fancy playing along (I have rotated the sketch).


So that is me for today.

Off to get a few more things off my long, long list LOL!!!

Enjoy your Saturday and I will catch you tomorrow with my snippet make.

Love

Friday 18 January 2013

GIFT HEDGY

Hi Everyone

I hope you are all safe, warm and snug in your home!!  What a day!!

We have just watched the news and it looks like it has been a nightmare for so many people .. .. scary road conditions that's for sure.  But of course you just can't help but go "ahhh" when you see the tiny children all togged up and being pulled on their little plastic sledges with their bright red rosy cheeks glowing!!!  

Mmmmm.... we might still have a yellow plastic sledge hanging up in the garage!  I wonder if Mr Heart will give me a little ride up the road on it!!  I somehow doubt it!  He is a bit more grown up and sensible than I am  LOL!!

We didn't get the 6" of snow we were promised last night but it has snowed nearly all day today .. .. and there is the possibility of more tonight/tomorrow.

I live on a main road and it takes a lot for our road not to be clear of snow because of all the traffic it gets .. .. but today is the first time I have known it not to be clear!!  

My little craft pod overlooks this main road and I get to see lots of things out of it.  Some good, some bad, some happy and some sad .. .. but today I saw something that I just couldn't believe.  A woman driving along in her car, with snow on the road and snow falling down very fast .. .. arms up in the air texting on her phone .. .. no hands on the wheel because she needed them to text .. .. but still moving along.  Stupid, stupid woman!!!!  

... .. .. and after all that .. .. .. my share for today LOL!!!




This used:

Image:  Penny Black "3470H" Gift Hedgy
Sentiment:  Pink Petticoat "Happy Birthday Sentiments"
Backing Papers:  DCWV "Citrus Stack"
Bunting Stamp:  free with a magazine ages ago
Nestabilities:  Eyelet Circle
My Trust Sewing Machine
ProMarkers
Button Twine

and that is it!!

Not much more to report for today .. .. other than it is snowing again!!!!  Anybody want a bit?!?!?

I'll catch you over the weekend.  Have a good one.

Love