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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.

Saturday 28 May 2016

CELEBRATION SATURDAY

Hi Everyone


Edited to say:  This is a sticky post which will stay at the top of my blog until the prize draw below ends at midnight on 
Monday 30th May.
See below this post for more recent posts.  Thank you xx


Happy Saturday .. .. ahead of hopefully a happy Bank Holiday weekend!

As some of you will know Saturday is the day I share a celebration card .. .. but today I am sharing far more than that.

The lovely Jo from




is very kindly offering my lovely blog pals the chance to win some of her 
beautiful digital design work.

One lucky person will win 
The Grand Prize 
of 4 free downloads from her gorgeous store

and then .. .. 

a further 4 people will win 1 free download.

So five lucky winners in total!

How cool is that?  It doesn't include the bundles and journals .. .. just the paper downloads .. .. but believe me you will have trouble in choosing between them all because they are all so beautiful..

Family and childhood memories are very important to Jo and they are the foundation of her business and to be in with a chance of winning one of the five prizes all you have to do is leave a comment on this post saying what your favourite childhood memory is.  

You have until 12.00 midnight (BST) on Bank Holiday Monday to decide what you might like to write.

Jo will be reading all of the comments and will choose a winner on Tuesday morning - so the winner is nothing to do with me . .. . or the lovely Mr Heart this time. 

But in the meantime my share for today is a card which uses one of the beautiful paper sets from Jo's store called All Natural Collection.  I love the soft tones to this collection and the fact that it can be used for both male and female creations and thought it would be perfect to use for my Celebration Saturday card where I am celebrating love!

This creation will end up as an anniversary card once the insert is inside:




This used:

Backing papers: TinkerNCo Digital:  All Natural Collection
Sentiment:  Sizzix Die 656772 "I love you"
My Trusty Sewing Machine
X-Cut Punch:  Flower
Josy Rose:  Nail Heads
and some sparkly glitter card left over from a lovely winter wedding

If I was to be able to enter then my favourite childhood memory would have to be from when I was around six years of age.  I was left at home with my Dad .. .. which was a very rare thing. I can hardly remember Mum ever not being there, so she must have been on a "special mission" somewhere.  I remember that it was a Saturday afternoon (because the man came on the TV reading the football results out) and clearly Dad wanted a snooze so he said "let's have five minutes".  We snuggled down on the settee and he wrapped his arms around me and interlocked his fingers in front of me really tight so I couldn't escape whilst he had his nap.

The open fire was roaring behind the fire guard and I was warm and cozy.  Little did he know that he didn't need to lock his hands in front of me .. .. I would never have moved .. .. I just loved lying there with him so much and I can feel the warmth and contentment even now.

Sometimes when I can't sleep (because of this stupid busy head I have) I take myself back to that special day when I felt so happy to have my Dad all to myself and to feel his arms keeping me safe. 

Happy days!

Anyway .. ..  I am looking forward to reading those special childhood memories as I will feel I will know my lovely blog buddies even more .. .. .. and I know Jo is looking forward to them too.

Catch you soon everyone - and if you can't spot the heart today .. .. .. well what can I say?!!!

Have a lovely day.

Love Jules xx

19 comments:

Barb said...

Unfortunately Jules I'm not very good with digi stuff so my comment is just for you. I loved hearing about your happy childhood moment. I had a very close relationship with my dear Dad too.

Your card is a beauty. I love all the glittery blue and the background paper is really pretty. A beautiful celebration card. Barbxx

Lynn said...

Hello Jules, your special memory is so touching. I really like your card, so I will have to browse in Jo's shop. Isn't it exciting having a prize draw?! My memory from my childhood times is when I had a new teddy for christmas, along with a doctor/nurs e set. I can't really remember how old I was. But my vivid memory is of my dad, operating mask over his mouth, and stethoscope in his hand and me dressed up in my very new starched nurses uniform - ready to operate on my new teddy! Mom was in the background holding onto the bandages - no doubt having a giggle behind them. There are lots of other super memories of course, especially when my brother joined the scene, but this one seems so vivid and 'sticks out' from the rest. Enjoy your bankholiday weekend, and I look forward to reading the happy memories of all your other blog lovers. Lynn x

cuilliesocks said...

Hi Jules what a lovely post to read and also a feast for the eyes with this gorgeous card, beautiful papers and design, I love the big sentiment die too. What a wonderful memory for you.
Mine is waking up on Christmas morning, peeking out of my bedroom door which was off the living room and seeing my stocking hanging up at the fireplace with a cosy fire going, fire guard over it of course. Poking out of the top of the stocking was the most beautiful doll with a pink pixie hat,and when I lifted her out she was dressed all in pink,little jacket, pantaloons, dress, vest,the whole layette. My lovely mum had knitted everything for her and I didn't see her do any of it. I was just a wee toot,I don't think I was even 5years,but I remember it like yesterday and the feeling of how lucky I was to have a mum who would do that. Gosh feeling all emoshunnn now.
Thanks for reminding me of this wonderful memory Jules, Kate x ☺

Aquarius said...

A beautiful card and such a lovely memory you shared with us

Lorraine said...

A gorgeous card Jules, love the design and pretty papers.
Lorraine x

littlebee said...

Hiya Jules, love the card and no mistaking the heart today ha ha. I have many lovely memories of my childhood, mostly shared with my wonderful and very special Nan, whose birthday would have been yesterday, hence a special visit to her grave with some lovely blooms just for her and a prayer in my heart for her. I used to spend many hours with my nan, just sat on the hearth watching the flames in the coal fire making shapes and seeing what we could see there . . . wonderful and magical. Enjoy the bank holiday weekend and hoping the weather holds. Sue x

Kathleen said...

Stunning card, love the papers and the glittered heart and sentiment.
My favourite childhood memories were between the age of 5 and 9. My Grandma and Grandad had a caravan at a place called Skipsea, in the Summer holidays we would go away for 2 weeks holiday with Mum and Dad, then have a week at home and then Grandad would take us and Mum to the caravan, Grandma was already there, then on the Sunday evening Grandad and Mum would go back home and Grandad always gave us a £1 to spend, a whole £1. In the caravan next door were Dad's Aunty Edith and Uncle Charlie, also came for the weekend. We had great weather and lots of fun but loved every Friday night when Grandad came back. Unfortunately Grandma dies when I was 9 and we no longer went to the caravan for the Summer. I worshiped my Grandad. I was gutted when he re-married and after a couple of years moved away.

Kath x

Brawny x said...

My fave memories are based round Weymouth which is my fave place today. Clambering on the rocks on Portland giving our parents heart failure especially when we wanted to climb up the Pulpit...and to finish off we'd sit on Chesil Beach throwing pebbles at pebbles - one person would say which pebble we'd got to hit and the winner was the one who knocked it over...how on earth we all knew which one we were aiming at I have no idea (if you've been to Chesil Beach you'd understand why I say that) but we just did! We still play this game to this day with our grownup kids and grandkids. When my son is travelling he'll sometimes have his lunch at Chesil Beach and tell me he's playing 'stones' so it's a memory from my childhood passed down to my kids and their families!

Brawny x said...

Ps forgot to say a fabulous card my dear. Just love the papers x

Kath said...

A fabulous card Jules - I love the sentiment die. My favourite memories are when we used to travel from home in Staffordshire to stay with my grandparents (mum's parents) in North Devon. It was a journey of three trains and two buses as we didn't have a car but my sister and I were so excited and were convinced the noise of the train was saying 'Taking you there, taking you there'! My mum's family all lived nearby so we would go and set up camp on the beach every day. If it wasn't warm enough to put swimsuits on then mum would tuck our dresses into our knickers so they didn't get wet! We always had a new bucket and spade and, of course, a packet of flags for the top of our sandcastles. Happy days!
Kath x

Sarah said...

Such a lovely card Jules and a brilliant chance to showcase such fabulous papers too. I enjoyed reading your childhood memory, the football results were compulsory Saturday evening viewing in our house too!!

I have lots of very happy childhood memories which include my little Sister and various cousins but one that I hold dear and is just for me is one of my Grampy . He had a stroke early on in life I think, so as far as I can remember was bed ridden for the most part. I remember the first thing I did whenever we arrived at their bungalow was run into their bedroom to seek him out to give him a kiss because he always saved the jellies out of the dolly mixtures for me. He died before my Sister and cousins were born so I must have been between two and three then and a very lucky girl to have known him. Ooh, I'm getting a bit emotional too!! xx

Linda said...

Hi Jules, love the card and the papers are scrumptious, I love your happy memory, it's what family is all about.
My favourite memory was riding in my Dads wheelbarrow on the way home from the allotment. I used to help harvest what he grew in the allotment with great relish as I got to eat peas and their pods, raspberries and sweet tomatoes fresh from the bush, I always went home with tummy ache because I'd eaten too much! I'd ride home sitting on top of the potatoes and cabbages eventually falling asleep with a full tummy.
Linda xx

Unknown said...

Hi Jules, A really lovely card and those papers are beautiful. It was you who got me addicted to PP and if these papers are anything to go by this will be another addiction to blame you for ;)

Reading everyones memories was lovely and a bit emotional too as sadly neither of my parents are here anymore, I have so many lovely memories but the main one was how I used to love Saturdays as it was the day Dad used to take me and my brother off out to give Mum some peace lol and every saturday was the same, we used to go to the library and spend about 2 hours deciding on our books, then we would go swimming at the local pool. We would get home really tired and happy because on a saturday evening we were allowed a 'party' tea which meant we didnt have to sit at the table we could sit on the carpet in the lounge to watch 'Some Mother's Do Have Em' with our sandwiches and crisps. Such a simple thing but so lovely to look back on now !

Hugs, Kaz xx

Carole said...

What a fabulous card Jules...love the blues...different for a love card from red and I love it!! Childhood memories?.....The one that sticks with me is that every year we went to Scarborough for a weeks holiday (same week it was dad's birthday) in a boarding house... I would be sick with excitement the night before but always remember waking up to the sound of the seagulls the first morning and thinking ...oooh we are at the seaside and we don't have to go home for a whole week!!....my Dad saved so hard for that week...how times have changed eh!! xx

Carole said...

Lovely card Jules, love the Blues always my favourite colour. Been a bit absent here busy life. Hope all yours are well bye for now xx

XxJULESxX said...

Love your happy memories, and love the card it's beautiful!
my memory is watching dracula on telly with my three sisters then my dad would chase us through the house saying " i want a drink of blood" we used to run screaming as we were scared already!!!.Great memory of my lovely dad,lol

Jacki Daniels said...

Dads are very special to us us daughter they always hold a very big piece of our hearts miss mine so much loved reading your memory very precious
Jacki

Liz said...

Beautiful card, just stunning!

My Mum was a dressmaker. One of my favourite childhood memories was being allowed in the room for the final fitting when my Mum had made a wedding dress for someone. The brides-to-be always looked so beautiful and the dresses were stunning. xx

Carole said...

You've totally made my day, bless you. Thank you for sharing your childhood story, we must have had similar relationships with our dads.

The card you made is really great too, I dashed straight over to the TNCo site and made a purchase ;)!

Now I'm heading back to pick one of your super sketches to make use of them!

Hugs, Carole x