Always with a Heart

SKETCH N STASH

2012-01-31T17:01:00.000Z

Hi Everyone

I would like to start with a big "thank you" for all the lovely comments you left on my Handy Hippo post yesterday about the little ribbon tutorial I posted. I was quite worried about posting it in case people thought that I was trying to "teach my Grandmother how to suck eggs"!! But it seems to have gone down well and people are looking forward to next week's instalment. I don't feel so bad now. LOL!!!

I thought I would have a play with another sketch today so strolled over to the Sketch N Stash Challenge blog thinking that will be nice and straightforward .. .. but no .. .. I was wrong.

Why?

Well this week they are doing a "free choice" week which means that you can choose any sketch from their complete catalogue to use alongside your old or neglected stash!!!

My oh my .. .. how many gorgeous sketches were there to choose from?!?!!? Answer .. .. too many!!!

But eventually my decision was made and this is what I created

This used:

Image: Penny Black "3205H" Sunshine Hedge!

Backing Papers: Papermania V & A "Hanoverian Linen Paper Pack"

Sentiment: Pink Petticoat

Woodware Punches: Daisy

Martha Stewart Punch: Daisy and Frond

Josy Rose: Nail Heads

ProMarkers

Chalks

Button from the Stash Box

As for what is old or neglected .. .. well I cannot say that any of Penny Black images are neglected .. .. but this one is definitely old!! I have had this little beauty for a few years now.

Then this is my chosen sketch.

Sketch No 64

So that is me for today.

I'll catch you again tomorrow.

There is still lots to cross of my "do list" today so I had better get back to it if I want to see my bed this side of midnight!! LOL!!!

Have a good evening

Love

HAPPY HANDY HIPPO DAY - WEEK 20

2012-01-30T08:00:00.000Z

Hi Everyone

Happy Handy Hippo Day to you!

I hope you had a good weekend.

As promised last week here I am with yet another Valentine's Day make .. .. and one that is a "little bit different" to what you normally see from me. But I just "love it" and was so pleased with the end result. I think this might be Hubby's Valentine from me in a couple of weeks time

I also promised to do a little session on things I do with ribbon .. .. well I started putting some ideas together and it just got longer and longer and longer .. .. so I am going to spread this out over a few sessions with this week being Part 1.

But to begin with here is my share for the day:

Below you can find the Handy Hippo magic button .. .. and if you click on it you can see all the lovely goodies I used to make this little project. Everything I have used has been automatically added to a shopping basket and as always you can remove anything you do not need (or add anything else you can't resist).

I wasn't too sure how I would get on with a black distress ink pad .. .. but now I am struggling to put it away!! I love it!!! I also stamped with the distress pad too so that I had a more "uneven" stamped image.

Cupid, the Heart and the Arrow are all from the same Sizzix Die.

So now round to what I do with my ribbons .. .. .. Part 1

This first picture shows you one idea for using up those pesky little bits of ribbon. Not long enough to tie around anything but too good to throw away!!

Here I am simply threading ribbon through
the holes that were formed after using
an edge punch

But you could just as easily thread the ribbon
through holes made with an eyelet punch
or even a standard office type punch.

The thicker the ribbon the more
difficult it is to thread and tighten up.

This looks extra funky if each piece of ribbon is a
different colour

To attach your ribbon simply
fold your scrap of ribbon in half and
thread the fold through the
hole of your choice.

Then thread the tails of your ribbon
through the loop. Tighten by pulling
gently on the tails.

I quite often don't tie my ribbons around the whole of my card .. .. sometimes it seems such a waste .. .. so let's say this is the finished look I want to achieve. It looks as though I have used one continuous piece of ribbon and simply tied it around the cream card. But in reality it is two scrappy little bits.

Here is how I achieve this look

I start by taking my length of ribbon .. .. wrap it
around my card and secure it with a
couple of pieces of sticky tape

Next I add double sided sellotape
all around the edge of my card - making sure that
I secure the ribbon well .. .. .. I don't want
the ends of the ribbon to be able to
work their way loose!!!!

Next turn your work over and
thread a second piece of ribbon underneath
the band you have just attached

Then simply tie this ribbon.
I always cross the ribbon from the
left over the front .. .. and then take it
over and through as below

Pull the two ends to tighten it up

Move the ribbon you are tying to where you
want your knot to be and trim the
end up and there you have two
scraps of ribbon that look like one
continuous length

Just like this

If you would rather your ribbon looked like a proper bow .. .. like the one below then that is just as simple.

You do exactly as you have above but use a longer second piece of ribbon and do not cut the ends off once you have tightened the knot.

So you have tightened up your knot and now
have two long lengths of ribbon left.

Make two loops (or bunny ears as the lady
who owned the dressmaking shop where I used to have
a Saturday job called them)

I cross the right hand loop over the left hand
loop

Push the loop under and through

Then pull the two loops to tighten up your bow.

It will look completely rubbish at this
point .. .. but don't panic LOL!!!

Just like this .. . tee hee

But work on the bow by pulling and twisting
the tails and straightening out the
loops. I usually find hooking my
finger into the loop helps.

I promise that this is the same "rubbish" bow
you saw earlier .. .. but a bit of love and care
transformed it.

I simply cut the ends of the ribbon where I wanted
but this time in a fish tail shape rather than at
an angle.

Sorry about the photograph overload. I hope it all makes sense and that you all have some fun using up your scrap ends of ribbon.

I will post some more ideas for using up your smaller lengths of ribbon next week. I am sure you will have had enough for this week LOL!!!

Until then have a good week.

Love

and all the lovely friendly people at Handy Hippo

TWO SNIPPETS - ONE RUDOLPH

2012-01-29T15:49:00.000Z

Hi Everyone

Happy Sunday!!!

I hope you are having a good one.

Mine has gone really well so far .. .. and I'm not expecting it to change course (or there will be trouble) LOL!!!

I was up far too early for a Sunday really and got the following two makes done super early.

Then hubby very kindly offered to take me to get some new reels of ribbon in preparation for the next two wedding fayres we have coming up in February and March. I love choosing new colours to make samples with and my favourite this time round has to be the gorgeous "emperor purple" goodies I got.

Of course once I get there I cannot stick to just ribbons .. .. .. .. I ended up with some gorgeous buttons and black lace too. I know black lace isn't everyone's idea of something nice .. .. but I love it!!!

Then of course I see things that aren't wedding related but still "needed". They will be coming to a blog near you soon. LOL!!

But for now I will share the makes I put together early this morning.

Both are for entering into "Pixie's Crafty Snippet Challenge" and the second one is for "The Rudolph Day Challenge" .. .. I hope you get chance to take a look at both challenges and possibly take part.

I love Sunday and my snippet makes because I am totally lazy and use just anything that is lying around .. and as you will see my first card is made from the leftovers of yesterday's card and the images I use are already coloured and sitting waiting in a little drawer to be used. I would have hoped for more makes but of course the ribbons were calling much louder .. .. .. as they do.

The laziness continues because I don't list out what I have used to make my creations on a Sunday either .. .. but as always if there is something you like the look of and want to know more about then please just ask away.

I am going to try really hard to make a snippet Christmas card every week .. .. at least then my Christmas stocks will build up slowly.

Enjoy what is left of Sunday .. .. and I'll see you bright and early tomorrow with my next Handy Hippo project. I was also going to show you a few examples of "things to do with ribbon" .. .. but there are so many that I think this is going to spread over a few weeks. So it is "things to do with ribbon - Part 1" LOL!!

Catch you soon

Love

DOUBLE TROUBLE

2012-01-28T18:27:00.003Z

Hi Everyone

I hope you are having a good Saturday.

Mine has flown by far too quickly as I am sure yours will have done too.

My share today combines to challenges:

The Penny Black Saturday Challenge (Theme = Floral Frenzy)

along with

Sketch Saturday (Follow the Sketch)

I decided a good sketch and being told what theme to work to would make for a quick card LOL!! Lazy, lazy me!!!

Anyway this is the finished result:

This used:

Image: Penny Black "3865K" Gossamer
Sentiment: Papermainia Clear Stamps "Relations"
Backing Papers: Papermania "Rose Garden"
Josy Rose: Nail Heads
Nestabilities: Classic Square
My Trusty Sewing Machine
Diamond Stickles
Beads attached with Glossy Accents

and here is the sketch that I worked to:

and that is me for today.

Have a great evening everyone .. .. see you in the Di's snippet playground tomorrow.

Love

WELL IT'S NOT A VALENTINE !!

2012-01-27T20:57:00.000Z

Hi Everyone

Well it's not a valentine card .. .. but it is "very pink" LOL!!!

Hope everyone has had a good day.

I nipped to see a friend quickly this morning as it is her birthday tomorrow and she is going away .. .. we sat and had a coffee in her conservatory and a good old chin wag (and I was wishing that the room belonged to me .. .. .. it would make a fabulous studio). It was lovely for everywhere to be so bright and to be able to look out and see the gorgeous garden.

The weather whilst I was with her was like a summer's day. But I leave her, drive the short journey home, get my sandwich and a drink and suddenly the day was as dark and miserable as you could imagine .. .. and it went downhill from there. By teatime it was tipping it down with rain and it hasn't stopped since!!

What a mixed bag!!

So round now to my share of the day

This used:

Image: Stampendous! "M214" Bloom Swirl
Backing Papers: GCD Studios "Soul Food"
Martha Stewart Punch: Doily Lace
ProMarkers
Glamour Dust
Diamond Stickles
Buttons and ribbon from the Stash Box

So that is me for today .. .. short and sweet .. .. have to run as my supper is ready!!

Hubby's lovely fish, chips, potato fritters and mushy peas!!! I'm glad he likes cooking .. .. but I don't like the mess he leaves afterwards .. .. sigh!!

Never mind a girl can't have everything.

Have a good weekend everyone.

Love

TOMORROW I PROMISE .. ..

2012-01-26T19:57:00.000Z

Hi Everyone

Yep .. .. tomorrow I promise .. .. .. .. .. "no Valentine card"!!!

I am sure you must all be sick to the back teeth of my Valentine makes so tomorrow I promise to share something different.

What it will be I have no idea yet .. .. but it won't be for Valentines (but there will be a heart on it "somewhere" .. .. .. hopefully .. .. .. LOL!!).

Anyway, tomorrow is another day .. .. and today it "IS" another Valentine card.

This used:

Image: Digistamp Boutique: Valentine Bird Collection (printed onto linen effect card)

Sentiment: Magnolia Stamps "Be My Valentine"

Backing Papers: Hot Off The Press "Classic Creative Pack"

Nestabilities Die: Labels Four

Diamond Stickles

Glamour Dust

Sticky back pearls

Ribbon and Cord from the Stash Box

So a very quick one today as I didn't need to do any colouring at all!! Just a bit of glamour dust on a couple of the hearts and that was it!!

I have been with Mum again this afternoon making more of my little favour boxes. Only another 6 to do for this current order and then the decorating and filling of them can begin .. .. woo hoo!!

So I am definitely going to get those made tonight so that I have reached a lovely little landmark on the production front.

I don't know if any of you visit my fabby blog buddy Elizabeth but she has started to do some work with the lovely Handy Hippo and you really must go and see the lovely project she posted here. She has made the most amazing flower out of hearts!!!!! Wowzers .. .. I am so going to have to try and make one of those that's for sure!!!!! (Once I have some instructions from Elizabeth xx).

Well that is all of my news for today.

I am off to make those last 6 favour boxes .. .. have something to eat .. .. clear up and then hopefully have a good old blog hop. I have a feeling I have a bit of catching up to do!!!!

Have a good evening everyone.

Love

ABSOLUTELY SILLY ABOUT YOU!

2012-01-25T17:23:00.000Z

Hi Everyone

Well that is Wednesday .. .. .. nearly come and gone!!!

Where does the time go? Days lasted far longer when I went to school that's for sure.

Lots of crafty makes in the House of Hearts today but still I want there to me more .. .. .. will I ever be satisfied with the amount I make in a day? I somehow doubt it!!

Just a quick and easy make today .. .. and one that is going to get me in trouble because I should have made a Christmas card for Sandra's Rudolph Day .. .. but the demand for Valentine cards is far higher than Christmas cards at the moment. I wonder why that is LOL!!! (Sorry Sandra xx .. I will make amends). If anyone is wanting to get ahead of the game with the Christmas makes then you need to pay Sandra a visit!!

But for me .. .. I am still in Valentine mode .. ..

This used:

Image: Penny Black "1578K" Absolutely Silly about You!!

Sentiment: Pink Petticoat

Backing Papers: Aimee Asher

Nestabilities: Eyelet Circles

My Trust Sewing Machine

Josy Rose: Nail Heads

ProMarkers

Glossy Accents

Diamond Stickles

Last time I used this stamp I covered the cat's tie with glossy accents .. .. but touched it too soon and it ended up with a dent and a finger print in it .. .. .. and no matter what I did to try and rectify my impatience I just couldn't make the card look decent .. .. so it ended up in the bin (after I stole a few embellishments off it and the back part of the card). I hate it when something has to go in the bin.

This time I added the glossy accents and put my card well out of sight so that I wasn't tempted to "test it". In fact I haven't touched it at all. It can stay lying down until tomorrow whilst I make something else! LOL!!!

Have a lovely evening everyone. Ours involves spag bol and garlic bread ... .. yummy!!!

Catch you again tomorrow

Love

SOME BUNNY LOVES YOU!

2012-01-24T19:19:00.002Z

Hi Everyone

I hope you have had a good day .. .. and if not that tomorrow is better!!

It has been pretty wet and nippy here all day today and there is talk of a bit of "the white stuff" later this week. Nothing that is going to stay around for very long but a nuisance nonetheless.

After all it doesn't take much of it to throw us into chaos does it?!?!? Unlike some of our lovely foreign friends who have to cope with meters of the stuff!!!

All hyper busy at this end with wedding work .. .. .. but still time to pull a quick creation in.

This used:

Image: Great Impressions "G264" Bunnies Taking a Peek
Sentiment: Great Impressions "C343" Some Bunny Loves You!
Backing Paper: GCD Studios "Tea Time"
Leone Em Pty Punch: Ash Branch
Woodware Punches: Flowers
ProMarkers
Ribbon, cord, pearls and brads from the Stash Box

and that is me for today!!

Just time for a little more wedding work before the bathroom is mine for a nice bubbly soak!!

Have a good evening everyone.

Catch you tomorrow.

Love

HAPPY HANDY HIPPO DAY - WEEK 19

2012-01-23T08:00:00.000Z

Hi Everyone

Happy Handy Hippo day!!!

I don't think anyone is going to struggle in finding the heart on my card this week LOL!!

With Valentine's Day just around the corner I thought it would be nice to share a couple of Valentine makes .. .. one this week (the cute type) and one next week which is something "a bit different for me".

But this week uses one of the brand new Penny Black stamps .. .. which of course I love to pieces!!! I think these little hedgies are so lovely and super easy to colour.

I could sit and colour these lovely Penny Black images for ever!! There are lots more Penny Black stamps that you will see here.. .. including other brand spanking new ones. Not necessarily for valentines either. Some will do for any occasion .. .. a bit like this one really. I will be using this image for lots of different types of cards that's for sure.

A few people have been asking me here on my blog, and by email, about different ways I use ribbon on cards so I thought next week I would do a little session on this .. .. including ways to use up the scrappy little bits that get leftover.

Have a lovely week everyone.

I hope the weather is kind to you. It is certainly sounding like a mixed bag for my neck of the woods!!

Love

and all the lovely friendly people at Handy Hippo

PIXIES CRAFTY SNIPPETS - CHALLENGE NO. 4

2012-01-22T17:27:00.001Z

Hi Everyone

I hope you are all well and enjoying your Sunday.

It has been really windy here today and I daren't even risk any washing on the line as I had visions of it making its way into the various gardens nearby. I wouldn't want to have to go and ask neighbours if I could have my Bridget Jones panties back!!! LOL!!!

We had a lovely meal with our friends last night and the children just love doing something crafty when I visit .. .. and last night we were cutting snowflakes and labels with the cuttlebug.

My little crafty mate Neil wanted to make "black" snowflakes .. .. which his Mum thought was just not cool!!

I said I thought they could look quite good and told Neil I would post a card today featuring one of his black snowflakes. It's a bit much when you go to visit someone else's house and come back having used up some of their snippets and carrying a little plastic bag full of snowflakes LOL!! Well a girl can never have too many snowflakes in her snowflake box can she?

Anyway you will have to see what you think to the black snowflake. Is it a good look or not?!?!?!?

Here are my snippet makes for Pixie's Crafty Snippet Challenge (as you can tell I decided to give the black snippets a little hammering this week)

Lots of lovely snippets used up as well as one of the images from my "coloured ready for another day" drawer!!!!

Di certainly had lots of playmates last week. She must have been worn out rushing round the playground to see what everyone had made!! What a star she is!!

OK .. .. time for me to get my pinny on and get some work done in that there kitchen.

Catch you again tomorrow with my Handy Hippo project for this week.

Love

PENNY BLACK SATURDAY - WEEK 185

2012-01-21T16:11:00.000Z

Hi Everyone

I am a bit earlier today as we are off out and about tonight for a take-away with friends.

Thank you for all your lovely comments on my valentine make of yesterday .. .. .. I'm pleased you liked it.

Today I am playing along with the challenge over at Penny Black Saturday .. .. . where the theme this week is "crafty bargains".

They would like to see you put to good use any bargains you have managed to get your hands on in the sales.

Well you have already seen my main "new year" bargain .. .. but you are just going to have to see it again LOL!!

Here is my make:

This used:

Image: Penny Black "3347H" Duckling
Sentiment: Pink Petticoat
Backing Paper: GCD Studios "Soul Food"
Martha Stewart Punch: Daisy
Leone Em Pty Punch: Ash Branch
Woodward Punches: Flowers
Nestabilities: Classic Circles Large, Classic Scalloped Circles Large, Eyelet Circles
Josy Rose: Nail Heads
My Trust Sewing Machine
ProMarkers
Ribbon and pearls from the Stash Box

and here is the picture of my crafty bargain. Good old Dunelm!!!! I'm going to get loads of crafty makes and happy hours out of this stack!!!

So that is me for today.

I'll be back tomorrow to play along with Di in the snippet playground.

Have a lovely Saturday evening everyone.

Love

I WOULD HAVE BEEN EARLIER BUT .. .. ..

2012-01-20T20:57:00.001Z

Tee hee!!

I would have been earlier but hubby was in the bedroom !!!

... "and ?" ...

I hear you cry .. ..

Well I needed ribbons for adding to my card .. .. .. and I have moved those on reels into a drawer in our bedroom .. .. .. and hubby doesn't know yet.

Yes .. .. yet another room the crafty goodness is starting to take over!! LOL!!! I'll cop it!!!

So here is my later than intended make

Ooops .. .. I can see my reflection in the charm. Oh well .. nothing I can do about that!!

This used:

Backing Paper: Hot Off The Press "Classic Creative Pack"
Sentiment: Computer Generated
My Trusty Sewing Machine
Diamond Stickles
Lace, Ribbons, |Pearls, Cord and Charm from the Stash Box

I think this little beauty is going to have to go into a box as it would give an envelope a bit of torture treatment.

Sorry if you like searching for the hearts .. .. you can hardly hide them on valentine makes can you?

Enjoy what is left of the evening and have a fabby weekend everyone.

Love

EMBRACEABLE

2012-01-19T22:01:00.004Z

Hi Everyone

Very, very late Jules today .. .. sorry!!

So I will try to be super quick and share my make of this evening which uses a lovely heart stamp I was excited to receive from my lovely blog buddy Elizabeth. All beautifully wrapped in pink tissue paper.

It arrived alongside a lovely Christmas card and a Christmas decoration to hang on my tree (and it will hang on my tree every year from now onwards). Thank you Elizabeth .. .. you are so very kind and thoughtful xx

I have lots of plans for this stamp so you will see it appearing quite a bit!!

Here is my make:

This used:

Image: Penny Black "3789J" Embraceable
Background Stamp: Debbie Moore "THG005" Hearts Background
Sentiment: Funky Hand "Love N That" Clear Stamp Set
Backing Paper: GCD Studios "Soul Food" (stamped with the Debbie Moore stamp)
Nestabilities: Deckled Rectangle Large
Josy Rose: Nail Heads
ProMarkers
Ribbon, cord and flower from Stash Box

and that is me for today .. .. .. must fly quickly .. .. supper is calling!!!

Love

JANUARY BLUES

2012-01-18T19:45:00.000Z

Hi Everyone

Well if everyone was as lucky as we were here today there was no need for the scraping of frost from windscreens this morning!!

There was plenty of it to be seen as we went to bed last night .. .. but this morning .. .. all gone!!! Wonderful!!

Today it was my turn to post on the Get Funky! Challenge blog where our lovely Lou has set the theme of

"January Blues"

.. .. which means your creation needs to showcase the colour blue.

Here is my little make:

and to make this I used papers from one of Anice's original CD's called The Funky One

Apart from this CD the only other things I used were:

Woodware Punches: Daisy

Ribbons and Brads from the Stash Box

..... and a pen for a bit of a doodle !! LOL!!

You can win a download of your choice if you are chosen as the Get Funky! winner (so another chance to get your hands on one of the lovely downloads that Anice released at the weekend) and believe me they are both "gorgeous"!!

To take part in the challenge you just need to be following the theme of blue and use a Funky Hand product on your creation.

If you don't have any Funky goodies yet then Anice has provided a freebie paper which you can find here.

OK folks .. .. that is me for today.

I'll catch you again tomorrow. But for now favour boxes are calling me yet again .. .. .. and if you could see all the yummy chocolates and the beautifully coloured almonds I need to put inside the different ones I am making you wouldn't believe your eyes!!

How many calories?!?!?!

It's a good job sweeties are safe with me .. .. although I have had permission to pop the odd Thornton's chocolate in my mouth as there are lots of spares!! LOL!!! (but I won't).

Love

PRINTED FLOWERS AND TEMPLATE LINK

2012-01-17T18:35:00.001Z

Hi Everyone

I hope you are all snuggly and warm!!

What a very, very cold start again this morning .. .. but tomorrow we have been promised a slight rise in temperature .. .. but only for one day!! Oh well we will just have to be grateful with that for now.

A share today that could have been a snippet make if I hadn't cut into a brand new paper stack that I bought half price from Dunelm at the weekend!! LOL!!! Never mind I am sure Di will have loads of playmates in the snippet playground .. even if it is super cold. I love papers with writing on and just couldn't wait for a play with my new gain!!

The flowers were stamped onto plain card and cut out .. .. there are even more flowers in the stamp set .. .. these are just a few of them!!

This used:

Flowers images: Hero Arts "CL290" Printed Flowers

Sentiment: Elzybells (sadly no longer trading)

Backing Papers: GCD Studios "Soul Food"

Martha Stewart Punch: Daisy

Josy Rose: Nail Heads

Buttons and ribbons from the Stash Box

Mmmm... loving this stack. Not as much as my Ella Blue from GCD Studios .. .. but it has lots of potential.

I am going to enter my creation into the Papertake Weekly Challenge this week where they would like to see Buttons, Bows, Bling and Blooms (what a tongue twister that is!!).. .. and this can any of these or all of these!!!

Some of you may remember this little set of notelets I made and popped into a little storage box last week .. .. but the link to the instructions for making the box wasn't working!!

Well the link is working fine now so here it is - along with lots of other templates!! Have fun!!!

I'll catch you again tomorrow .. .. have a lovely evening.

Love

HAPPY HANDY HIPPO DAY - WEEK 18

2012-01-16T08:00:00.000Z

Hi Everyone

My these weeks are flying.

Already we are on week 18 of my Handy Hippo makes!!

Plus halfway through January!!! Eeekkk!!! Slow down, slow down .. .. you naughty calendar!!

Here is my project for this week:

This is the sentiment set that I took my words from .. .. as you can see this card could have been for just about any occasion as there are so many fabulous words you can arrange in a multitude of ways.

I chose to work with these products this week so that I could let you know about the new range of Sizzix dies that Handy Hippo are starting to carry (along with lots of other goodies too .. .. so many fabulous things are on the way).

I was having a little stroll around the store on Saturday morning whilst waiting for a visitor to arrive and suddenly I spied the Grand Calibur and a host of grand nestabilities .. .. all at fantastic prices!! Oh dear!! So many goodies!!! LOL!!!

Anyway, I hope you like my project this week.

I'll see you again next week with my next Handy Hippo creation .. .. there will be no problem in finding a heart on it that's for sure!!!

Catch you again soon.

Love

and all the lovely friendly people at Handy Hippo

PIXIE'S CRAFTY SNIPPET CHALLENGE - NO. 3

2012-01-15T19:57:00.000Z

Hi Everyone

Late today ... sorry .. .. too busy enjoying myself !!!

First of all I would like to say thank you to everyone who has been sending me hints and tips on curing my "white screen" problems.

I have fiddled about and changed lots of things and am going to give it a good old test tonight.

The weekend has been mega busy .. .. but very enjoyable .. .. I hope yours has too.

Sunday for me means playing with my snippets and as you know the lovely Di has taken over the keys and is now overseeing proceedings .. .. and what a fabulous job she is doing too!!

Well done Miss Di!!

OK then .. .. .. here is my snippet make for today. As you can see I have raided the "brown snippet drawer" today!!

This used:

Snippets from the brown drawer (I think they are Pink Petticoat and Nitwits but wouldn't stake my life on it!!)
Main Image: Hero Arts "G5311" Silhouette Spray
Background Image: Magenta "Buds and Flourishes"
Sentiment: Penny Black "Critter party"
X-Cut Punch: Small butterfly
My Trusty Sewing Machine
Scalloped border cut by hand using a free shaped ruler that has been hanging about unused!
Ribbon and pearls from the Stash Box

OK that is me for today with my entry to Pixie's Crafty Snippet Challenge - No. 3.

If you are here to take part in the Funky Hand Blog Hop then you need to click here. There is still time to enter. Closing time isn't until midnight tonight.

I'll see you bright and early tomorrow with my Handy Hippo creation for this week.

Love

FUNKY HAND BLOG HOP

2012-01-14T09:00:00.000Z

Hi Everyone and welcome to the second Funky Hand blog hop!!!

If you have visited my blog not via the blog hop and would like to take part then you need to start at the very beginning by visiting our lovely Funky Hand Boss Lady .. .. .. Anice.

Anice will explain everything you need to be doing.

Our blog hop is to showcase two new downloads that are being released today .. ..

we all "love them both to pieces" and are sure you will too!!

They are the

"Steam Funk Download"

and

"Funky Kraft Stash Download".

My creation here has been made with the Steam Funk download
(which includes both the gorgeous papers and the cool alphabet which I cut up into funky shapes).

You should have arrived at my blog via my lovely teamie Ruth who will have shared a fabby make with you, and a magic letter which you will need later.

The letter that you need from my blog is the letter

"E"

and from here you need to hop along to the next Funkette .. .. who is the lovely Lou.

You have until midnight, Sunday 15th January, to leave your answer with Anice
and the winner will receive a copy of both of the downloads. Woo hoo!!!

Best of luck everyone and happy weekend and happy hopping

Love

ANOTHER VALENTINE .. .. BUT I WILL EXPLAIN !!

2012-01-13T21:03:00.000Z

Hi Everyone

I hope your day has been good.

The weather here was lovely after a cold and frosty start .. .. so I was well happy for my lovely bride who got married today. I have been thinking about her all day imagining how her day will have been going!!

Just a quick make today as I haven't had time to do any stamping and colouring .. .. but I need more valentine makes so thought this make was a "bit different" and might catch someone's eye .. .. always nice to ring the changes.

Now I will explain as a few people have commented on the number of valentine makes I am showing LOL!!! .

I don't send all of these valentine cards myself. I make one to send myself and the rest I will hopefully be selling if someone likes them enough to send to their "loved one".

So here is today's valentine make:

This used:

Sentiment: Magnolia Stamps
Go Kreate: Large Frames - Scalloped Squares
Nestabilities: Classic Square
My Trusty Sewing Machine
Silver Embossing Powder
Ribbon, Cord, Button and Pearls from the Stash Box

I don't know how everyone else is getting on but I am still struggling in blogland. I am sorry folks. I am able to leave comments on some blogs but am still getting the white screen on others.

I hope it sorts itself out soon ready for the Funky Hand blog hop tomorrow!!!!

See you tomorrow bright and early.

Love

VALENTINES AGAIN !!

2012-01-12T21:14:00.001Z

Hi Everyone

Today has turned out to be a lovely day weather wise. I have my fingers crossed that tomorrow is going to turn out to be the same as one of my lovely brides will be getting married.

I so want all brides to have lovely weather on their wedding day.

Today I set out to make a card to fit in with a little challenge that Lisa from Wishcraft has set herself called "Waste Not Wednesday". This is where you create something using an image that you haven't used before .. .. one that has sat around un-inked or a digi that you haven't coloured.

Whilst making my creation I decided that it would actually fit into a couple of others too .. .. more about those later.

So, here is my creation for this evening:

This used:

Image: Digistamp Boutique "Valentine Henry"
Sentiment: Digistamp Boutique "Valentine Sentiments"
Backing Paper: Hot off the Press "Cardmaker's Classic Creative Pack"
ProMarkers
Crystal Stickles
Pearls, Ribbon and Cord from the Stash Box
Oh ... .. and a little bit of chalk for those little rosy cheeks LOL!!!

So that is my make .. .. .. .. but then the old grey matter kicked in.

I could remember Enfys starting up her own challenge called the "Going Buggy Challenge" where the theme is to use the colours Grey, White and Red .. .. or Black, White and Red. Perfect, my little creation will fit the bill .. .. hopefully Henry's blue jeans don't disqualify me LOL!!!

Then to impress even more I could remember a little competition on the Digistamp Boutique blog when I purchased my images .. .. so I am entering my little creation there too.

Anyway, waffle over.

Hopefully I will be able to get to your blogs soon. Mr Blogger was being a little awkward with me this morning. When I clicked to comment on some of your blogs all he would give me was a white screen!!! I promise I am trying to get to you but things are not working as they should. Is it just me or is anyone else having the same problem?

Hope you all have a good evening.

Catch you again tomorrow .. .. and a date for diary .. .. there is a Funky Hand blog hop starting at 9.00am on Saturday to mark two new releases from the lovely Anice.

Love

MID WEEK SNIPPETS

2012-01-11T21:11:00.000Z

Hi Everyone

I hope you have had a good day. The weather has been quite lovely here today .. . .and the birds have been mega cheeping!! Do they thing spring is on the way sooner than it should be?!?!?

Well today I needed a card in a hurry today .. .. in fact I need about 100 in a hurry but have had to make do with just one LOL!!!

Sometimes when I am in a rush I do a "lucky dip" in my picture file and see what comes up .. .. well I ended up landing on a card that looks a bit like the one below. You know .. .. the same but different!!

This is actually one of my favourite snippet makes from months ago .. .. so I decided to make it again and play along again with Pixie's Crafty Snippet Challenge No. 2 .. .. Miss Di will be pleased with me. Twice into the playground this week!! Woo hoo!!! If I hurry up I will be entry number 22 .. .. two little ducks!!!!

It is quite a good card actually because you can use the style for so many occasions by simply changing the sentiment across the top. I could happily sit and make a dozen of these .. .. .. if only I had time!!!

Anyway here it is:

This used:

Image: Papermania "Hampstead Collection - Sketch Flower Clear Stamps"

Sentiment: Great Impressions "E411"

Snippets from the drawer of leftovers

Josy Rose: Nail Heads

Cord from the Stash Box

So that is me for today. Short and sweet.

Have a good evening everyone and I will see you tomorrow.

Love

LOVE YOU

2012-01-10T21:54:00.000Z

Hi Everyone

Back again!

Just a quick share tonight .. .. as I have been visiting my Mum this afternoon (armed with favour boxes for sticking together) and I was a little late back.

Tonight I suddenly realised what is just around the corner .. .. Valentine's Day!!!

Alongside Christmas and Mother's Day I find this quite an easy occasion to create for. Must be something to do with all the hearts!!! LOL!!!

So here is my first valentine make of 2012

This used:

Letters cut from: DCWV Rockstar Mat Stack
Letters cut with: Sizzix Alphabet Die Set "Round-a-Bout"
Wooden Heart (can't believe I have managed to get my hands on these .. .. they sell out as soon as they come back in stock . . . . and I lurve them!!!)
Woodware Punch: Inverted corner rounder
Self adhesive pearls and ribbons from the Stash Box

and that is about it!! Easy to make but not easy to photograph because of the pink foiling.

If you called by to see if you won the Promarkers from Handy Hippo then the winner is announced here.

I'll catch you again tomorrow . .. .. . time to munch on a bit of supper and then hopefully a little blog hop before bedtime!

Love

PROMARKER WINNER

2012-01-10T15:27:00.000Z

Hi Everyone

Just a quick post to let you know that the lovely Kerry from Handy Hippo

has let me know the winner of the 20 Promarkers that have been

featuring on my blog for the last couple of weeks.

Drum roll please ..................................................

finished of with a crash on the cymbals

The winner is

KYM

from Kym's Crafty Cards

Many congratulations Kym. If you could email me with your name, address
and your list of the 20 colours you would like to receive
then they will be quickly speeding their way to you!!

I am sure you will have lots of fun with them.

Thank you to everyone who took part in the draw.

Also as a follow on to my Happy Handy Hippo post of yesterday .. .. quite a few of you asked if there was a template for the little box my notelets were in.

Well there is. It is a Scorpal template .. .. but unfortunately the link to print off the PDF of measurements and instructions doesn't seem to be working at the moment. When I click to print the PDF it just freezes my screen eeekk!!! so I am assuming no-one will want to link to it at the moment.

I have emailed them to let them know so hopefully it will be sorted eventually and then I will re-post and link for you.

Catch you again soon.

Love

HAPPY HANDY HIPPO DAY - WEEK 17

2012-01-09T08:00:00.002Z

Hi Everyone

Well here we are back again with the Happy Handy Hippo posts after the Christmas break. A rather belated Happy New Year to all from myself and everyone at Handy Hippo.

I would hate you to think I have been sitting about doing nothing though whilst I was away on a break.. .. .. so to prove I was still busy playing and creating I worked on a special little project for you .. .. but beware .. .. it involves photo overload!! LOL!!!

This is my little project - 4 little notelets with
handmade envelopes

and they all store in this little box made using
a scoreboard and decorated using the stamp set
and distressed backing paper

This is the first little notelet which is was decorated
in the same way as the storage box .. .. simply
by stamping and distressing with distress inks and
adding a narrow decorative border using a
Martha Stewart punch

This notelet was decorated by making a patterned
background for matting and layering onto using one of the
smaller stamps in the set and then stamping and painting the
main image using distress inks

This notelet was decorated by first covering the base
card with a small square of the patterned paper
then adding multiple layers of coloured card.
The final layer having the image embossed
using white embossing powder and finished off
with faux stitching and colouring in
parts of the mage using a white gel pen.

This one "might" be my favourite notelet.
I say "might be" because my favourite keeps changing LOL!!
To decorate this one I stamped the image onto cream card
using a clear versamark ink pad and clear embossing powder.
Once heated and cooled I then distressed the whole piece
of card using distress ink and then stamped one of
the smaller images using a second distress ink

and here is my finished little box
loaded up with all the little notelets and envelopes

This project was made using the following stamp set .. .. but because I haven't actually used the whole of either of the larger stamps on my project I thought I would show you them here .. .. they are so lovely and are selling out as quickly as they come back in stock.

aren't they gorgeous .. .. .. and they stamp beautifully too!

I hope you like my Christmas break project.

There was a prize giveaway on my blog during the break too .. .. . celebrating single Promarkers being available at Handy Hippo. Lots of you entered the prize draw and I wonder who the lucky winner will be?

Kerry, my lovely playmate at Handy Hippo, will be choosing a winner at random later today and I will post the name of the winner on my blog tomorrow. Then that lucky person can be working out which twenty colours they would like to receive!! Woo hoo!!!

Have a good Monday everyone and I will catch you again tomorrow.

Love

and all the lovely friendly people at Handy Hippo

PIXIE'S CRAFTY SNIPPETS - CHALLENGE 2

2012-01-08T19:36:00.000Z

Hi Everyone

Just in case anyone missed it over Christmas / New Year the keys to the snippet playground have now passed over to my lovely blog buddy Di.

My year of the snippet challenge was complete and rather than let is disappear Di very kindly offered to keep it going .. . woo hoo .. .. good news for me because I still have lots of snippets to use up!!

My make today is for Di's challenge .. .. but it turned into a double challenge.

Baby boy came for his evening meal and whilst here asked if I had a card suitable for his friend .. .. of course my boxes are nearly empty due to Christmas and wedding work so I just knew I needed to make one. Note to self .. .. get those boxes filled!!!

So a snippet card suitable for a 30+ year old male who is into music as much as my Son.

Well here we go:

This used:

Image: Inkadinkado "98693" Rock Star
Sentiment: Computer Generated
Backing Paper: DCWV "Rock Star"
Sizzix Die: Stars #2 (I don't know why I bother putting this away as it is always out)
White and black Gel Pens
Cord from the Stash Box

Thankfully my Son was happy and hopefully "Miss Di" will be happy too!!! LOL!!!

So this card is being entered into Pixie's Crafty Snippets Challenge No. 2 ... .. if you fancy playing along it is great fun. The idea being to use up your leftovers (ie snippets). No cutting into fresh sheets of card .. use those pesky bits that get let that are too good to throw away.

No prizes .. .. just the satisfaction of using up those leftover pieces.

I'll be back again tomorrow bright and early as Happy Handy Hippo Day returns after the Christmas break. Quite a nice project to show you tomorrow .. .. even if I say so myself.

Don't forget the ProMarker giveaway from Handy Hippo ends at midnight tonight. If you want to try your luck then you need to get your skates on .. .. .. the post you need is here.

See you tomorrow and enjoy what is left of the evening.

Love

WIN 20 PROMARKERS FROM HANDY HIPPO

2012-01-08T08:00:00.000Z

THIS IS A STICKY POST

- MORE RECENT POSTS ARE BELOW

Hi Everyone

How do you fancy increasing your stocks of Promarkers?

"Oh, yes please" I hear you cry.

Well .. .. even better than increasing your stocks .. .. .. how about choosing which colours you would like to add to your Promarker collection?

To celebrate single Promarkers now being available to buy from Handy Hippo you now have the chance to win a fantastic prize .. .. .. ..

20 SINGLE PROMARKERS OF YOUR CHOICE

Yes that's right .. .. you choose your own 20 colours !!!

Woo hoo!!!

but please note this prize draw is only open to UK residents (sorry!)

To win this fabulous prize there are just three simple steps

1. Post about this fabulous prize on your blog, along with a picture of the prize,

and link to my post here so that others get the chance to enter too.

2. Put the Handy Hippo Banner below on your sidebar and link it to http://www.handyhippo.co.uk/

3. Leave me a comment on this post to let me know you have done the above and then keep those fingers crossed!!

If you already have the banner on your sidebar from the previous prize draw then you have even less work to do LOL!!!

Entries close at midnight on Sunday 8th January 2012.

My lovely playmate Kerry from Handy Hippo will randomly choose a winner on Monday 9th and I will announce that lucky person here on Tuesday 10th January. But you need to have done steps 1, 2 and 3 above to be eligible to win the prize.

Love

and all the lovely friendly people at Handy Hippo

AGAPANTHUS CLUSTER

2012-01-07T18:43:00.001Z

Hi Everyone

I hope your day has been good.

Mine has been full of "happy couples" making decisions and choices on their wedding stationery .. .. it is so lovely to meet up with them and hear all their exciting plans.

There was just time for a quick make in between appointments and here it is:

This used:

Image: Stampendous! "P107" Agapanthus Cluster

Sentiment: Penny Black "Critter Party" Clear Stamp Set

Backing Papers: Pink Petticoat

Distress Ink: Bundled Sage

Woodware Circle Punch

My Trusty Sewing Machine

Cord and buttons from the Stash Box

So that is me for today.

If you are struggling to find the heart on today's card then just give me a shout LOL!!!

I cleared the dining room table of all things crafty today ahead of my first couple arriving only to find that there is still a Christmas table cloth gracing the table!! As it is past twelfth night does that mean I have to leave it on all year now? Oh I hope not!!

A table cloth with tiny holly leaves and berries looks lovely in December but will look a little strange come the spring LOL!!!

Have a great evening everyone.

Don't forget the ProMarker giveaway from Handy Hippo ends at midnight tomorrow. If you want to try your luck then the post you need is here.

Love

HAVE YOU HAD A PURRFECT DAY?

2012-01-06T21:17:00.002Z

Hi Everyone

Friday is here .. .. hurray!!!

I think it is always nice to get to the weekend after the Christmas break .. .. but at least it will have been a "short week" for most.

The weather has been much nicer here today and we even saw a bit of sunshine and I have sat at the dining room table all day making wedding invitations .. .. so for me a purrfect day!!

But before you all think I can't spell the word "perfect" I had better show you my share of the day. A quick and simple card that is ideal for anyone who loves cats.

This used:

Image: Great Impressions "G268"

Sentiment: Woodware Clear Stamp Set "FRCL124" Groovy Cats

Backing Papers: Nitwits

ProMarkers

Josy Rose: Nail Heads

Cord from the Stash Box

I was right yesterday by the way. Mum rang me this morning and said that there was "a load of paper" in with her Quick Cards magazine. "Was it any good to me?" .. .. so of course I told her to keep it until I see her again as I would use it on my cards LOL!!! Another lovely stack coming my way .. .. woo hoo!!

Mum had been shopping at the supermarket "again" this morning .. .. bless her she goes every day which I think at 81 is really good .. .. and whilst there she told me that she arranged the magazines to make sure the Quick Cards ones were at the front. LOL!!! I think she might be just a little bit proud!

If you are here to find the ProMarker give away then you need to click here. There is still time to enter.

I'll catch you all again tomorrow and welcome to my new followers.

Love

PARTY ANIMALS

2012-01-05T20:18:00.002Z

Hi Everyone

I would like to start today's post by saying a very big

THANK YOU

for all of the lovely comments that were left on my blog post of yesterday and also "thank you" to all of those who took the trouble to send me personal emails too. I was really touched by them .. what a lovely friendly place blogland is!! I am so pleased I am a part of it and have met so many fabby people.

I was so excited when I went to bed that it took me ages to get to sleep.

As promised yesterday, my share today uses the free paper stack that came with the Quick Cards Made Easy Magazine.

I love the colours and patterns .. .. and it dawned on me whilst I was taking pages from the stack that I will have another one to play with too!! My Mum will want to keep her magazine but I will get to play with the papers .. .. oh .. .. and another thought .. .. I might get another set off my lovely Sis too .. .. tee hee!!!

So here we go with my share of the day

This used:

Image: Penny Black "3689K" Party Animals

Sentiment: Studio G "Party Time"

Backing Papers: "Let's fly away!" free with Quick Cards made easy this month

Sizzix Die: Stars #2

Josy Rose: Nail Heads

ProMarkers

Diamond Stickles

Glossy Accents

and that is it!!

This is my lovely Sister's favourite Penny Black image of all time.

The image was certainly a bit easy to colour this time round thanks to Di (xx) and her lovely present of some of the fine nibs to put on my Promarkers!! Though I have to confess to not being able to remove one now I have pushed it on!! The others I don't have any trouble with but the one I put on my red pen seems to be there for the duration LOL!!!

So bath time next whilst hubby is at his football meeting and then favour boxes for me .. .. .. just the boxes for now .. .. the yummy fillings and ribbons/decorations will be sorted later once the treats for the inside have been delivered.

Take care everyone .. .. especially if driving in this horrible wind and rain.

I'll catch you again tomorrow.

Ooops .. .. nearly forgot to say that if you are here to find the ProMarker give away then you need to click here. Still plenty of time to enter. Good luck everyone.

Love

MY EXCITING NEWS IS OUT !!

2012-01-04T19:39:00.001Z

Hi Everyone

Today has been a very wet and very windy day .. .. .. but also a very exciting one!!!

One of my dreams has come true!!

I have been featured in this month's copy of Quick Cards Made Easy .. .. .. and today managed to get my sticky mitts on a copy at the supermarket .. .. .. woo hoo!! I think I might have been smirking all day!!

This is the front cover:

That is my Sunday name in the middle .. .. Julie Gibbs

My Mum is so chuffed and rang me early today .. .. I think she has been visiting her local supermarket every day for weeks waiting for it to make an appearance .. .. even though I told her roughly what date it would be available. Patience isn't one of her virtues. LOL!!

So now the world has seen my "ugly mug" I thought I might change my profile to show my face too.

I was going to do it tonight but Mr Blogger is saying I have exceeded my photo upload quota .. .. eeekkk!! .. .. what does all that mean? Have I been blogging too much?

I hope it doesn't mean I can't post any more pictures!!! Panic!!!

Edited to say .. .. panic over .. .. the picture I was trying to upload was too big so I have resized it in "web re-sizer" and now you can see me.

So am I older than you thought or younger? Probably old enough to be your Mother or Grandmother!!! .. .. but I am only old on the outside. Inside I am about 14!! LOL!!!

There was a fabby free paper stack with the magazine .. .. might have to play with that tomorrow and "hopefully" show you the results!!!

Have a great evening everyone.

Love

HOPE YOU HAVEN'T ALL BLOWN AWAY!!!

2012-01-03T18:20:00.000Z

Hi Everyone

Crikey heck folks .. .. how wet and windy has today been?

The pictures on the news at lunchtime were making awful watching. I hope that you are all safe and warm with all your house and garden contents in tact!!

The weather here has given us lots of rain as opposed to strong wind so that is something to be grateful for I suppose .. .. note to self .. .. go and check the water butts down the garden .. .. they must be full to overflowing by now!!!! Eeekkk!!!

Anyway, round to my share for today:

This used:

Image: Lili of the Valley "ST145" Pom Pom

Sentiment: Digistamp Boutique (beware there is 30% off everything until the 7th Jan)

Backing Papers: Wild Rose Studio "Lilac Mist"

Woodware Punches: Inverted Corner and Daisies

Leone Em Pty Punch: Ash Branch

Nestabilities: Classic Circles Large and Scalloped Circles Large

ProMarkers

Glamour Dust

Crystal Stickles

Self Adhesive Pearls

Pinking Shears

All the Christmas decorations are put away and the tree has been stripped and is waiting to be dismantled into the various numbered carrier bags the branches are put into prior to being squashed into the box.

Christmas really has gone now :-(

Never mind .. .. I liked everyone's positive attitute yesterday in trying to cheer me up. I can just look forward to next Christmas (and it is a day nearer now LOL!!).

The last couple of days has seen lots of people walking and running past our house. Clearly new year resolutions being put into action. I haven't seen anyone today though so they didn't last long did they .. . that or the weather put everyone off!!

Have a good evening everyone and if you are here to find the ProMarker give away then you need to click here. Still plenty of time to enter. Good luck everyone.

Love

I'M HAVING A BIT OF A SULK :-(

2012-01-02T15:50:00.001Z

Hi Everyone

I am starting to sulk a little!! As I always do at this time of year.

We have started to put the Christmas things away .. .. and I don't want too :-(

It is mainly the Christmas tree I don't want to put away. So that will stay up a little longer.

Anway, enough of my sulkiness .. .. here is a little share of a card I made today which sums up my day quite well.

The weather has been so lovely today I have been doing washing, washing and more washing (although I haven't noticed any cats swinging about alongside the shirts and towels LOL!!!).

This used:

Image: Penny Black "1469" Clothesline Cat
Sentiment: Pink Petticoat
Backing Papers: Raspberry Road
Martha Stewart Punch: Doily Lace
X-Cut Punch: Small Flower
Josy Rose: Nail Heads
ProMarkersSo
Chalk
Crystal Stickles
Ribbon from the Stash Box
and a bit of silver peel off .. .. .. how many bits of this do I have? I need them all used up and out of the way!!!!

So that is me for today.

Back to packing away a bit more of Christmas and then wedding stationery duties for me.

I hope you are all having a great Bank Holiday Monday. I will catch you again tomorrow and if you are here to win the 20 promarkers Handy Hippo are offering you will find that post here.

Love

JULES' CRAFTY SNIPPET CHALLENGE - WEEK 52

2012-01-01T16:35:00.000Z

Hi Everyone

Well here it is .. .. my landmark post .. .. my year of the snippet challenge has come to an end :-(

Part of me is sad to see my year end as I have had such fun with the challenge and met some lovely blog buddies through it .. .. but another part of me is excited to be handing it over to Di and seeing what she does with it.

I know everything will be in good and caring hands and of course I will still be taking part because .. .. .. believe it or not .. .. .. I still have snippets left in my collection LOL!!!.

The Challenge started out as a personal mission to use up all the leftover bits of card and paper that were slowly taking over my craft space and to begin with was simply called my "scrap day". People slowly started to join in and eventually it became quite a busy little challenge and it got re-named.

Here you can see the extent of my snippets as my mission began. I did set myself some quite strict rules in that I wasn't allowed to colour any images just to crack on and use up as much paper as possible and I did stick to that all year.

This has worked quite well but I must admit going forward I think I will allow myself to use images that are coloured and sitting in my "coloured and ready to be used drawer" .. .. as this is getting a little full now too LOL!!! (I take colouring to my Mum's with me and I colour whilst we put the world to rights. But it is surprising how your stocks can quickly build up).

So you have seen the extent of my snippets this time last year .. .. .. what do they look like now?

Well here are a couple of photographs I took yesterday.

Now you might think that this is one almighty failure on my part .. .. but actually it is far from it as you have to take into consideration the fact that I craft 24/7 and am constantly making more snippets.

I only have to spend a day cutting out favour boxes and mats for wedding stationery to have produced a whole new mountain of snippets .. .. and they are far too gorgeous to simply throw away!!

OK so the little drawers are still full .. .. but at least they close now .. .. and the big drawer has definitely reduced. My hope was that the big drawer was going to slowly make its way into the small drawers and eventually be empty .. .. but there is a long way to go before that will happen.

But my mission is going to continue and I have taught myself a really good new habit .. .. I always go to my snippet drawers first now to see if there is something I can use there before I attack a fresh sheet of card.

So the lovely Di, is the new keeper of the playground keys and has kicked us all off today with a lovely make .. .. I can just tell she is going to be a much more organised leader than I was .. .. she has already posted and had two playmates show their creations .. .. and I am still writing up the register LOL!!!

Some of that is because I didn't get to bed until 3.00am!! That's what celebrating a new year starting does for you!! Tee hee!!

Anyway, a quick snippet make to celebrate the keys going to a new home and also to enter into Pixie's Crafty Snippets Challenge Number 1:

This just leaves me with the task of calling my last register :-(

The first to call by the playground last week was Sally .. .. in fact Sally called by twice. The first collection of makes can be found here and the second set here. So many gorgeous makes to look at!! I know they aren't all snippet makes but they all deserve a good looking at as they are so inspirational and use lots of fabby techniques.

Irene was the next to share her snippets alongside a lovely Penny Black image. Beautiful snippets and a wonderful image that is coloured beautifully. Irene always manages to include a lovely bit of embossing with her cards .. .. great for adding an extra layer and a bit of texture!

Next to appear in the playground was my lovely Funky Hand playmate Jackie and what a fabulous array of creations she shared too. Jackie is like me and creates snippets 24/7 so has a fair few to go at LOL!! Lots of inspiration in Jackie's post!!

Next there was a super special share from the new keeper of the keys Di. Thank you Di for making such a super special make .. .. you are very kind.

Hazel was the next playmate to share two lovely snippet makes. The first you will find here and the next one here. Hazel always makes the most beautiful decorated notebooks and these two are no exception.

Then last but by no means least was the lovely Tammy who sadly is feeling a little under the weather at the moment. Tammy share a lovely thank you card she has made ... .. how super cute is this?

So that just leaves me to thank everyone who has ever, ever entered the snippet challenge and inspired me to use up my snippets and to wish each and every one of you a very, very happy new year.

I do hope you all continue to play along with the snippet challenge. I shall certainly be there with my entries.

Thank you Di for keeping the challenge going .. .. you are a star.

I will catch you again tomorrow. No Handy Hippo make .. .. I am still on the Christmas break but if you haven't done so already why not try and win the 20 promarkers Handy Hippo are offering here.

Love

MY FAVOURITE 5 CARDS OF 2011

2011-12-31T17:10:00.000Z

Hi Everyone

Well .. .. 2011 is nearly over .. .. and it has been a mixed year here in the House of Hearts.

Lots of exciting things have happened and some very worrying ones too .. .. but we have made it to the end and are ready to start another year full of anticipation and wonderment at what all of those empty pages in the diary are going to hold.

Well it's not completely empty .. .. I have lots of of "lovely couples" booked in for wedding stationery .. .. and my main dream for next year is that my little business is going to be even busier.

It is so lovely to be able to do 24/7 what I love doing most in the world. I do know I am a lucky girlie and count my blessings daily.

Anyway, round to my favourite 5 makes of 2011. This is all part of Debby's challenge - though how she managed to make her selection from all the posts on her blog I have no idea as every make Debby posts is amazing!! Thanks for your inspiration Debby and for setting this little challenge.

So in no particular order here are my favourite 5 cards of 2011:

This just leaves me to wish everyone a very happy 2012 - I hope it is a year that will be kind to you and your families.

I have made some lovely blog friends this year and would like to thank you for all your visits here and the lovely comments you leave.. .. .. and thank you for all the inspiration that your blogs ooze.

If you are here to try and win the 20 Promarkers from Handy Hippo then you need to click here. Good luck!!!

I will be spending the evening with my lovely Sis .. .. no new year celebration would seem right if we weren't together.

Love and best wishes everyone and mwah, mwah, mwah!!!

MY FIRST STEPPER CARD

2011-12-30T17:46:00.000Z

Hi Everyone

I hope your day has been good.

We have continued to have rain, rain and even more rain!!

Today it was my turn to post on the Get Funky! challenge blog where our theme this month is

"Thank You"

Can you believe this is my very first stepper card .. .. how behind the times am I? LOL!!!

I used Anice's freebie paper to make my card alongside the

"Birthday Girl" collection from the Happy Happy Birthday Papercraft Factory CD

I hope you get chance to join in and share your "thank you" creation with us .. .. remember the only rule is to use a Funky Hand product on your project .. .. and that could even be the freebie paper that Anice has supplied here. (I love this paper soooo much!!! I can't believe it is a freebie!!!!)

Enjoy your evening everyone and I will catch you all again tomorrow .. .. the last day of 2011 !!!

Love

FREQUENT FLYER

2011-12-29T21:17:00.000Z

Hi Everyone

What a miserable day weather wise .. .. but what a fabulous day for being snuggled indoors with your crafting goodies!!

Another day spent on wedding work today and then a quick play this evening .. .. it seems really weird not dipping into my Christmas stamp drawer .. .. though I have vowed to make Christmas makes all year this year. (Just like lots of other folk no doubt LOL!!).

Anyway, here is tonight's make

This used:

Image: Penny Black "2070K" Frequent Flyer
Sentiment: Penny Black "Critter Party" clear stamp set
Backing Paper: Raspberry Road (half price sale at the moment !!)
Martha Stewart Edge Punch: Daisy
Leone Em Pty Punch: Ash Branch
Woodware Punches: Flowers
Josy Rose: Nail Heads
ProMarkers
Crystal Stickles
Ribbons from the Stash Box
White Gel Pen

I hope everyone is still managing a bit of "chill time" though I know quite a few folk that are already back to work :-(

Is everyone else like me and having to work out what day of the week it is? LOL!!!

Catch you again tomorrow and don't forget the Handy Hippo Promarker giveaway here.

Love

BACK TO BUSINESS

2011-12-28T15:01:00.001Z

Hi Everyone

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas.

Mine was lovely with my family all around me .. .. what more could you ask for?

But sadly all good things have to come to an end and one by one everyone has now disappeared so the nest is back to two occupants now .. .. .. and the dining room table has quickly become covered with wedding stationery makes.

I allowed myself a few days off (and even managed to watch two films without falling asleep) but now it is time to pull my finger out and get back to it.

So here is my share of the day:

This used:

Backing Papers: Funky Hand "Happy, Happy Birthday"

Sentiment: Great Impressions "E411"

Sizzix Dies: "656079" Flower Layers #5 and "655217" Decorative Accent, Swirl

Cuttlebug Embossing Folder: Swiss Dots

Josy Rose: Nail Heads

My Trust Sewing Machine

Ribbons from the Stash Box

and whilst talking of Funky Hand .. .. just to let you know there is a massive sale on over there until the 29th December with

a massive 50% off all Funky Hand products

and 10% off all non Funky hand products

click here to be taken to the website

oh dear .. far too many good sales going on at the moment!!

But if you are looking for something that costs nothing then don't forget the Handy Hippo Promarker giveaway here.

Right .. .. time to get back to the wedding work .. .. but I didn't want you all to think I had fallen off the face of the earth.

I have a lovely blogland catch up planned for tonight .. .. I feel like I will have missed so much .. .. but deep down I am hoping everyone has just taken the chance to have as relaxing a time of things as I have. It feels so good to have charged up those old batteries!!

Catch you later.

Love

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE !!

2011-12-25T10:16:00.001Z

WISHING YOU A SPECIAL DAY!

Nothing to share that I have made today .. ..

just a gorgeous Royalty Free image I found on tinternet!!

(What a gorgeous rubber stamp it would make don't you think!!!)

Have a wonderful day everyone ..

.. .. don't eat and drink too much .. .. oh alright then .. .. if you must!! LOL!!

What is classed as the acceptable and decent time for the cook's sherry to arrive do you think?

Love and tight squeezy Christmas hugs

JULES' CRAFTY SNIPPET CHALLENGE - WEEK 51

2011-12-24T12:15:00.000Z

HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVE EVERYONE

Woo hoo!!! My favourite day!!

I was up bright and early this morning as I needed to make one last Christmas card with my snippets before starting work in the kitchen.

It is a special Christmas card for anyone and everyone who may stumble across my blog today and also for all the lovely playmates who have joined me in my snippet challenge during the course of the year.

So I "DO" need to call a register this week. Wow!!!

I really thought everyone would be far too busy to be bothered about playing with their snippets. Thank you for keeping me company playmates.

Who came to play?

Well first up, bright and early, was Sarah .. .. who shared the most gorgeous male Christmas card which Sarah made for her husband. What a lucky chap!! I love all the backing papers used here and the fabulous star!!

Irene was the next playmate to arrive .. .. with her New York Diva!! What a fantastic card Irene shared with us all. It just reminded me of one of the old Vogue sewing patterns from years ago (showing my age there!!! LOL!!)

Next up was Sandra who is well ahead of the game and thinking about her thank you cards for after Christmas!! Sandra clearly feels she has been a good girl this year and is going to receive lots of presents she needs to say thank you for!! What fabby thank you cards they are too!!

The next share came from Carol who has been having lots of work done at home and now has a craft room that needs sorting .. .. which has reduced the amount of stash Carol has available to her to only her snippet collection. But I must admit Carol managed a fabby Christmas card nonetheless with a great sketch she has produced!!

Then last but by no means least was Di who has dragged herself into the playground to share her lovely make. I say "dragged" because Di has been poorly sick all week .. .. not good in the run up to Christmas .. .. but hopefully she is now fit and well again and ready to celebrate.

So only one make from me .. .. but you realise what this means don't you? I have made my first Christmas card ready for next year .. .. woo hoo!!!

Just one more week left for me in charge of the playground and just one more register to call so the playground keys are being passed along .. .. but who is taking them over?

Well your wait is over. The keys are going to my lovely blog buddy and regular snippet maker:

from the Pixie's Crafty Workshop

here you go Di .. .. here are your keys .. .. I hope you have as much fun as I have had this last year.

Next Sunday .. I will call my last register and reveal the extent of my snippets :-( and Di will be taking over. I know you are going to have a fabulous time with Di in charge .. .. she is a fabby blogger, who makes gorgeous projects and has a wicked sense of humour. You are all in for such a treat.

I will still be playing along with the challenge as I still have snippets to use up . ... surprise, surprise LOL!!!.

It just remains for me to wish everyone a really Happy Christmas.

Have fun and make some lovely memories.

Mwah!!!!

Love

HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVE, EVE

2011-12-23T20:14:00.001Z

Hi Everyone

Well tomorrow is going to be my very favouritist (is that a real word?) day of Christmas. Woo hoo!!!

It is the day the kitchen just "has" to smell of home baking and everywhere looks (reasonably) nice and clean. Though why we bother with all the cleaning is beyond me because once the presents are opened there will be paper and labels and bits of ribbon and sellotape everywhere .. .. but of course that is all part of it.

Our Christmas Day will be a lovely quiet and relaxed one where I will try hard to flop on the settee and do nothing .. .. a little bit like the calm before the storm as Boxing Day is the day when everyone decends on us .. .. .. there will be thirteen of us in total. Definitely no relaxing this day!!!

Baby boy will already be here having slept over since Christmas Eve and big Baby Boy and his wife will be arriving Boxing Day after spending Christmas Eve and Boxing Day with my DIL's family. I love the days when we are all together.

The remainder of the visitors will be made up of my Mum and my lovely sister and her family.

There is no make to share today as the day has disappeared on cleaning, buying in the fresh goodies for the next few days and trying to put away all the wedding stationery supplies so that people can actually sleep in the spare bedroom.

Boy was the supermarket busy .. .. and those poor assistants just couldn't get more supplies on the shelves quickly enough. Have I missed something? Are stores now closing until the 3rd January or something? You would have thought so looking at people's shopping trolleys.

I love looking in other people's shopping trolleys. You have the people that clearly need to have one of everything going and others that have been shopping sensibly. Some where everything is super posh and others where you can tell they would feel they had won a major prize if the posh trolley belonged to them.

But the one I will remember belonged to an old man, shopping on his own with hardly anything in his trolley. At the time I saw him he had a couple of bananas, a ready made cottage pie, a packet of shelled walnuts and a tin of tomatoes. I hope that wasn't his Christmas dinner :-(

Anyway, I have remember that I promised to show you my Christmas tree .. .. taking a picture has been a struggle but you get the basic idea. This is the view I am going to have for a couple of days whilst I chill on my settee.

Not a brilliant photograph but it is the best I can do .. .. and yes, there are hearts on the tree .. .. in fact loads and loads of them. I even managed to find heart sprinkles for putting on top of the black cherry trifle today (I was so chuffed I found them and went rushing to find hubby to show him what I had found. I always was a cheap date LOL !!)

As you can see my tree lights have stayed in working order
after the initial problems !!! Woo hoo!!

There are quite a few lights on my tree. Some big and some small but it doesn't matter how many I put on the tree I still sit and make my eyes cross so that I see double the number and think "that is how many there should be" LOL!!

I will be back tomorrow with a special snippet Christmas card and the snippet register .. .. I cannot believe people managed to find time to take part in the run up to Christmas. What eagre beavers you all are!! Thank you for keeping me company.

Happy Christmas Eve, Eve!!!

I'll catch you tomorrow.

Love

WHISPERS

2011-12-22T21:10:00.001Z

Hi Everyone

How goes it?

It has been a world first in the House of Hearts today .. .. all the Christmas wrapping has been completed early!! Woo hoo!!!

Normally I am still wrapping Christmas Eve evening .. .. but not this year .. .. everything is all sorted and under the tree waiting for excited hands to tear them open (those Christmas labels I made had better not be thrown away !!!).

Plus amidst all the wrapping and clearing up a little bit of crafting .. .. no day would be complete without a little bit of crafting.

Here is my share for today:

This used:

Image: Penny Black "3377K" Whispers

Sentiment: Elzybells (sadly no longer trading)

Backing papers: GCD Studios "Ella Blue" (decided to use a few more of those bits up)

Josy Rose: Acrylic stone and Nail Heads

ProMarkers

Crystal Stickles

Seam Binding Ribbon from the Stash Box

So what does tomorrow hold for me?

Well, delivering a couple of parcels and cards .. .. a big clean up .. .. and shopping for some yummy ingredients for a huge cooking session on Christmas Eve (my favourite day of Christmas).

Plus dare I mention a snippet post and a bit of wedding work .. ..eeekkk!!! No lying in bed tomorrow that's for sure!!! LOL!!!

See you tomorrow.

Love

THE LAST ONE FOR GIVING AWAY

2011-12-21T21:38:00.000Z

Hi Everyone

Sorry I'm late folks. It has been a busy old day in the House of Hearts plus I spent most of the afternoon with my Mum .. .. putting the world to rights and twisting flowers into attractive shapes for some wedding stationery I am doing..

Every Christmas card for giving away is now complete (tonight's being the last one) .. .. what a world record .. .. some years I have been known to still be making them Christmas Eve LOL!!!

So here is tonight's (late) share:

This used:

Backing papers, image and sentiment: Pink Petticoat
Josy Rose: Nail Heads
Crystal Stickles and Gold Stickles
Cord from the Stash Box

So now all the cards are sorted the next part of the military attack is to have all the parcels wrapped and ready by bedtime tomorrow. To be fair most of them are done anyway so it isn't that big a deal .. .. but it will feel like a major achievement.

My parcel was delivered today too .. .. woo hoo!!! All presents now in my sticky mitts ready for wrapping. I'm pleased I don't have to think about that any more!!

Have a great evening everyone and I'll catch you again tomorrow.

Love

JUST DOTTY

2011-12-20T18:12:00.000Z

Hi Everyone

Five more sleeps!!!!

Not long to wait now .. .. .. and I just know that when I see my Mum tomorrow she will say those inevitable words .. .. "well, this time next week it will all be over with". She says it every year. In fact I expect her to say it every time we speak on the phone LOL!!!

Just a quick and simple share from me today as I am in wedding mode big time at the moment.

This used:

Image: Creative Cafe "CS6143" Doodle Flowers
Sentiment: Pink Petticoat
Backing papers .. .. sorry don't know .. .. they are just dotty ones from the big snippet drawer !!
Josy Rose: Nail Heads
ProMarkers
Ribbons from the Stash Box

Has everyone received all the parcels they have ordered on line to save going out to the dreaded shops?

I am just waiting for one now .. .. but there are still a few more days to go so I'm not panicking just yet!!

Time now for me to be a domestic goddess in the kitchen and then hopefully I will be back later for a blog hop!

Have a good evening everyone.

Love

HAPPY HANDY HIPPO DAY - WEEK 16

2011-12-19T08:00:00.007Z

Good Morning Everyone

The last Handy Hippo Monday before Christmas!!! Panic!!!! LOL!!!

How near are you with all of those Christmas preparations? Are all your presents bought and wrapped and your cards written and wending their way to where they should be going?

I have just got a few parcels still to wrap and a few special cards to hand deliver and then we will be ready for the celebrations to begin .. .. and hopefully this year there will be a bit of "chill time" .. .. which is a bit of a rare occurence in the House of Hearts as I find it very difficult to just sit still and do nothing!!

So what has been happening over at Handy Hippo? Well some gorgeous new stamps have come in stock and my creation today shows off one of the lovely stamp sets. I just knew I would love using this set as soon as I saw it.

I used it to create my background and decorate the flower on my project today. It stamps beautifully. Love it!!

Below you can find the Handy Hippo magic button .. .. and if you click on it you can see all the lovely goodies I used to make this little creation. Everything I have used has been automatically added to a shopping basket and as always you can remove anything you do not need (or add anything else you can't resist).

I stamped my background onto white and coloured card for my project and also onto the front and back of my flower before curling it up.

and here I have embossed one of the stamps in silver embossing powder .. .. how scrummy does this look?

I then used my embossed piece of card to make the flower for the following little 4" x 4" thank you card. The first layer of my flower I simply punched out of the card above and the second layer used the embossed card after it has been distressed with Ranger Distress Ink Pads.

Mmm.... I am seeing lots of possibilities for this gorgeous set!!

Next Monday will be Boxing Day so I won't be here with a Happy Handy Hippo make as we are having a Christmas break until the 9th January .. .. but I will be here with the chance for you to win a special prize .. courtesy of all the lovely people at Handy Hippo!! Woo hoo!! One that I can imagine "everyone" wanting to win!!!

See you on Boxing Day . .. .. but in the meantime have a good Christmas.

Love

and all the lovely friendly people at Handy Hippo

JULES' CRAFTY SNIPPET CHALLENGE - WEEK 50

2011-12-18T17:37:00.000Z

Hi Everyone

Back again after leaving the snippet playground gates open for a whole two weeks .. .. and what a busy two weeks they have been.

Lots of "happy couples" to meet up with and lots of wedding and Christmas work .. .. plus of course the family "label day" last Sunday LOL!! What fun that was (as always). Strange how it always falls on X-Factor Final Day .. .. .. even though we don't plan it that way!!

Then today is hubby's birthday .. . thank you for all his birthday wishes. I have passed them all on and he says "thank you"!!!

So just a couple of snippet makes this week .. .. it seemed weird not going into the Christmas stamp box:

Time now to call the register of all the lovely playmates who kept me company over the last two weeks:

Irene got off to a good start and shared three lovely makes that you can find here, here and here.

Then along came Jackie who share a vast array of inspration that she had made to take to a school fayre. I hope that she sold them all and didn't have to bring them home again!!

Beryl called by the playground next with a card that carries a really gorgeous image that would be suitable for so many different type of cards .. .. male and female.

The next playmate to arrive was Sylvia who shared the most gorgeous tree .. .. along with an extra special heart!!! I don't think I have ever managed to share a heart this red and sparkly ever!!! Love it!!! Sylvia sounds mega organised for Christmas so perhaps this is an early Valentine make?!?!? LOL!!

Sarah called by next with a fantastic idea for a gift or money holder for hanging on the Christmas tree. Great use of snippets and a fantastic sentiment stamp too. There might just be time to make a few of these ahead of next week!!

Sandra was the next playmate to visit the playground carrying a lovely array of Christmas tags/labels for her presents. I am pleased to say that label day in the House of Hearts definitely reduced the snippet collection .. .. so much so that the little drawers actually close now!! Woo hoo!! Sandra put lovely ribbons on her labels .. .. we just put cord on ours .. .. I think ribbon will be making an appearance next year as Sandra's look lovely.

A very organised Elizabeth called by with lovely snippet makes next (though Elizabeth doesn't feel organised compared to me she certainly is because when these lovely creations made an appearance my tree was still in the roof space!!). Elizabeth used some of her snippets for making tree decorations .. .. very clever!! So as Elizabeth's decorations were ready she decorated her tree. But then later in the week Elizabeth called by again with even more decorations (one of them being a special button laden one). If there hasn't been serious snippet reduction in Elizabeth's craft space then there is no hope for any of us!!

So, from an organised Elizabeth to a very hyperactive Hazel .. .. who managed to make 40 Christmas cards (don't worry she hasn't share them all !!! Though it would have been nice). I am sure Hazel's snippet mountain must have reduced considerably after a mammoth crafting session like this!!

Di is the last one on my register this week with a lovely Christmas card that is just perfect for a young lady. I think I can remember having legs that long once!! I was definitely that skinny once!! What on earth happened?!?!?!? LOL!!!

I have added Mr Linky below .. .. but I am not really expecting anyone to have time to take part .. .. it is here "just in case" someone gets the snippet urge. There are far too many Christmas preparations happening in everyone's house and home I am sure.

The gates will close on Friday 23rd ahead of the Christmas celebrations and I will call the register then (if anyone had time to turn up) LOL!!!

Of course my year of snippet use is nearly complete and it is nearly time to reveal exactly how many snippets I still have in my collection .. .. and then my playground gates will be closing. My year will be complete.

But this has caused a little bit of upset in the playground and one particular playmate was so distraught that I have said I will hand the playground keys over to her. So snippets will continue!!! But who is taking the keys off me? You will have to wait and see LOL!!!

Have a great week everyone.

Hubby has requested his favourite meal of Spag Bol, Garlic Bread and Red Wine for this evening so I am off to get cracking with that now .. .. and then hopefully I will have time for a blog catch up tonight. I am mega behind!!!

Love

PLAYGROUND GATES CLOSE FOR CHRISTMAS

FRIDAY 23RD DECEMBER

HUBBY HAS A BIRTHDAY TOMORROW

2011-12-17T17:25:00.000Z

Hi Everyone

Well my Hubby has a birthday tomorrow .. .. I know he won't look at my blog today as we have friends coming round for a meal tonight .. .. so I will share his birthday card today (after all it will be snippets tomorrow!!).

I don't do A5 size cards very often as I seem to struggle to fill them and still keep them "clean" looking .. .. but with this image I didn't have that problem LOL!!!

This used:

Image: Teddy Bo
Backing Papers: Pink Petticoat
Josy Rose: Nail Heads
ProMarkers
Chalks
Distress Ink: Tumbled Glass
Cord and embellishment from the Stash Box

So lots of hearts for someone who deserves lots of love!!!

Up-date on the Christmas tree .. .. the new lights have been behaving themselves .. .. everytime I switch them on though I look at them expecting them not to work LOL!!!

I will try and get a decent picture of my tree for you to see it in all its glory. I love the sparkle and twinkly lights of Christmas .. .. .. and yes .. . .surprise, surprise there are some hearts on it!! LOL!!!

OK .. .. time to get the table laid and some parcels put into carrier bags!!

Have a great evening everyone. I hope all your preparations are going to plan.

See you tomorrow with my snippet makes.

Love

A MIGHTY STRANGE MAKE

2011-12-16T21:58:00.001Z

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

I DON'T BELIEVE IT !!

2011-12-15T21:06:00.000Z

Hi Everyone

Well can you believe that after a day of making Christmas tags on Sunday (well more like a very long half day LOL!!) .. .. I have needed to make more today!!!

All good for the snippet reduction process though.

Part of this evening has been spent wrapping presents and I have them all lined up on the spare bed needing labels. I decided I had better get some made before I forgot which present belonged to whom (sticking a post-it note on them would be cheating tee hee!!).

So I decided my share today would be the labels I have just finished.

Don't look for the heart on the one with the holly on it. The heart is on the other side as part of the sentiment.

Making your own Christmas labels becomes a bit addictive in the end .. .. and of course once you have made one for someone you can't then stick a shop bought one on someone else's can you?

I could have shared the different coloured piles of card I have been cutting for turning into wedding invitations today .. .. or the pile of ironing I have created .. .. or even the half decorated Christmas tree .. .. but no .. .. my labels won! At this point in time they look much more attractive!

Hopefully lots of my half finished jobs will be completed in the next couple of days!!!

Love

NEARLY AT THE END OF THE CHRISTMAS MAKES

2011-12-14T20:17:00.000Z

Hi Everyone

Well the Christmas cards will soon be coming to an end .. .. and I must admit I'm not fed up with making them yet .. .. .. must be because I love Christmas LOL!!!

Tonight's card uses my favourite paper stack of all time .. .. my Ella Blue from GCD Studios.

I bought this last Christmas and it is still going strong. Love it to pieces still!!

Here is my make:

This used:

Image: Penny Black "3741K" Filigree Tree
Sentiment: Pink Petticoat
Backing Paper: GCD Studios "Ella Blue"
Martha Stewart Punch: Traditional Scallop
Nestabilities: Classic Circle and Classic Scalloped Circle
Ribbon, Cord and Self Adhesive Pearls from the Stash Box

I hope all is well with everyone and that you have managed to keep warm today. We started off with a good frost here .. .. and boy has it been cold today!!!!!

Sorry if I haven't called around your blog recently. I have a lot of wedding work to get through before the start of the Christmas break .. .. but I promise I will catch up with everyone eventually.

Love

LEAPING DEER

2011-12-13T21:38:00.000Z

Hi Everyone

Here at last with a quick and simple make today.

I haven't had too much time to play today so this has been a last minute make which will be coming in useful over the next few days LOL!!

I might add a sentiment to it and sent to our Uncle for Christmas

This used:

Image: Penny Black "3057K" Leaping Deer
Backing Paper: Pink Petticoat
White Embossing Powder
Kraft Card
Josy Rose: Nail Heads
Marianne Creatables: Snowflake
My Trust Sewing Machine
Button, Ribbon and cord from the Stash Box

I am trying really, really hard to get ready for Christmas and am hoping to be ready for this Saturday. It is going to be hard work .. .. but worth it in the end.

So far I have never yet had a Christmas that doesn't involve last minute makes and panics. I end up even working Christmas Eve night and I am determined that this year it is going to be different.

The tree and all the decorations came out of the roof tonight so it won't be long until Christmas comes to the House of Hearts!! Woo hoo!!!

Enjoy what is left of this evening.

Love

HAPPY HANDY HIPPO DAY - WEEK 15

2011-12-12T08:06:00.000Z

Good morning everyone

Another week has come and gone .. .. where are these days and weeks whizzzing off to?!?!?

December always seems to be a month of trying to cram far too much in .. .. which I think is why January seems such a relaxed time .. .. prompting us to make all of those rash promises known as "New Year Resolutions". I think I am going to give them a miss next year LOL!!!

I steered away from the Christmas images again this week for my Handy Hippo project because I simply "had" to use this lovely cling stamp. This is going to be so useful for wedding anniversaries and wedding day makes .. .. but will also come into its own for "sending love on your birthday" cards, "sending lots of love to make you feel better soon" and of course those lovely soppy valentine projects that are only just around the corner.

I didn't actually put a sentiment on the front of this one as I thought I would then be able to use it for any of the above .. .. .. either by adding a sentiment later to the front or by simply letting my insert do all the talking!!

I love the papers in this paper stack - such gorgeous colours.

This week you might have noticed that I have done a bit of silver embossing around the edge of my paper ... .. .. although the light isn't catching it too well for you to see the full effect.

I find this quite a therapeutic technique. There is just something about watching the embossing powder turn to its finished shiny state that I love.

This is how I do mine .. .. ..

First of all I gently rub around the edge of
my paper or card with my Versamark Ink Pad
(which is like a clear glue pad and is brilliant for
embossing or creating a watermark effect
on your card if left to just dry)

Here you can "just about" see the ink
on the edges of my paper

Next sprinkle embossing powder over
the Versamark ink .. .. the powder sticks to the
ink. If you feel the embossing is going to be a little
too heavy for your liking then you can simply brush
away any excess at this stage with a dry paint brush.

Next you emboss with your heat gun - but remember
the embossing will be hot for a short while .. .. ..
this is my favourite stage. I love watching the powder
change (it doesn't take much to amuse me LOL!!)

Then here it is all finished.
If you have found that your card or paper is no
longer flat then simply heat from the opposite side
to straighten everything out again.
I usually emboss from the top and even everything
out by then heating from underneath.

If you feel the finished result isn't as
embossed as you would like it to be
then you can keep repeating the steps above until
you get your desired look.

So a big week of preparing for Christmas here in The House of Hearts. There is still quite a bit to do before the magic day .. .. and I am determined to get ahead of the game this year.

I hope all you want to do is going to plan.

Have a great week and I will see you next Monday.

Don't forget that Handy Hippo have started to do Promarkers in single colours now .. .. and at a brilliant price. You can find them all here.

Love

and all the lovely friendly people at Handy Hippo

LABEL DAY IS STILL GOING STRONG

2011-12-11T20:28:00.000Z

Hi Everyone

Well .. .. label day is still going strong!!

Still more labels are needed and the creativity continues .. .. .. but this is the mess our label day creates.

I have a bride coming in the morning at 10.30am so it all needs to be cleared away by then !!! LOL!!!

Yes .. . that is gin and tonic you can see LOL!!!

Listening to the final of X-Factor and waiting for the pizza delivery man. Yummy!!!

See you tomorrow with my next Happy Handy Hippo make.

Enjoy your Sunday evening.

Love

THIS IS WHY YOU DON'T COPY SOMEONE ELSE'S WORK !!!

2011-12-10T20:35:00.002Z

Hi Everyone

Well I had a major decision to make early evening .. .. do I start to get all the crafting goodies downstairs ready for tomorrow's label day .. .. or do I make a quick card for posting on my blog? Oh decisions, decisions. Of course making a card won!!

I had seen a card I loved on the Hero Arts blog that looked like it would be nice and quick to make (and it looked gorgeous) so I decided I would do my version of that.

How wrong could I have been???!!!

I have faffed about with this card so much!! I know it was simply because I had something to compare it too .. .. .. and because of that it turned out that is wasn't quick at all!! Grrrr!!!

If I had just designed my own creation it would have taken half the time!!! LOL!!!

So here is my version:

This used:

Backing Papers: Funky Hand "Twelve Crafters Crafting" CD
Josy Rose: Nail Heads
Ribbon, cord, buttons and pearls from the stash box

Plus, now my buttons are on everything doesn't even look centralised!!!

I am beginning to wish I had just brought the craft stuff down now because I still have that to do!!

At least I managed to make a huge saucepan of homemade soup earlier ready for tomorrow .. .. .. so I am ahead of the game there at least.

If you would like to see the card I was taking my inspiration from you can find it here. You just need to scroll down a bit past all the other lovely creations. I love the Hero Arts blog. So much inspiration.

Catch you again tomorrow with our label day antics .. .. but no snippet post .. .. the gates are still open for another week before the register gets called.

Enjoy the rest of the evening everyone .. .. and don't copy anyone else's work .. .. it isn't worth it because it takes too long!!! Just be yourself .. .. .. LOL!!!

Love

MERRIEST CHRISTMAS WISHES

2011-12-09T18:50:00.000Z

Hi Everyone

Much earlier tonight!!

Probably not colouring an image made a difference LOL!!!

I have been loving these Pink Petticoat Christmas sentiments this year .. .. .. I have used them loads .. .. as you have probably noticed.

Just a plain and simple one tonight .. .. .. so you can have an extra photograph to make up for it!!

This used:

Sentiment and Backing Paper: Pink Petticoat

Diamond Stickles

Cord and Gems and little bells from the Stash Box

Strip of lace webbing from my lovely Sister's leftovers!!!

Baby boy is coming to sleep over tonight ahead of going to the football with his Dad tomorrow .. .. so this has involved me having to clear the double bed in the back bedroom of all my wedding samples, ribbon, gems and deliveries .. .. gosh that bed looks big now it is cleared!!!

Then once the bed was cleared the next mission was to hide his Christmas presents as I haven't wrapped them yet. It felt just like when he was little .. .. .. trying to find places he wouldn't stumble across them. LOL!!!

So, because I am a bit earlier tonight I will hopefully be able to have a good old blog catch up later (especially as it is hubby's night to spoil us with his fish and chip supper). Woo hoo!!!

Catch you again tomorrow

Love

HARDLY WORTH BOTHERING !!

2011-12-08T21:38:00.000Z

Hi Everyone

Well, what can I say?

It is hardly worth me making an appearance today .. .. where has my day gone?

I got up super early today so that I could fit lots in and still I'm not satisfied. What a hard task-master I am LOL!!!

But Christmas cards are still needed so here is another one I have just finished. Today has been all weddings apart from one other little make I can't share just yet .. .. so it was nice to get my Promarkers out and do a little colouring.

This used:

Image: Whiff of Joy "Uru and Bird"
Sentiment: Sorry I don't know who made the little date stamp. It is quite old and there is nothing on the carry sheet and I have no packaging :-(
Backing Papers: Funky Hand Download "Funky Little Christmas"
Hobbycraft Punches: Snowflake
ProMarkers
Chalks
Glamour Dust
Self Adhesive Pearls

I was daring myself to colour the background in my promarkers but was a coward and used my chalks .. .. I had already coloured my image and didn't want to ruin everything. Perhaps another time I will do the background first and just see how I get on.

Right, bathtime for me now!!

Catch you again tomorrow .. .. hopefully a little earlier!

Love

BACK TO CHRISTMAS

2011-12-07T15:33:00.000Z

Hi Everyone

What a day and what a night?

Did you have horrendous rain in the very early hours of this morning?

It was raining so heavy on our bedroom window that it woke us up twice .. .. .. and even managed to set a car alarm off!!!

Today hasn't been quite so bad but it has definitely been the sort of day where you are grateful to be tucked up in your craft pod!!

Anyway, back to a Christmas share today .. .. my other makes have been non-Christmas orders that it doesn't feel fair to post here.

This used:

Image: Digistamp Boutique
Sentiment: Cuddly Buddly
Backing Papers: Raspberry Road
Josy Rose: Nail Heads
ProMarkers
Glamour Dust
Cord from the Stash Box

Well I have to admit that I have heard the sound of a robin singing .. .. but I don't remember seeing one wearing little boots!!! LOL!!!

OK .. .. time for a bit of wedding work next.

I'll catch you again tomorrow.

Love

WHAT? NOT CHRISTMAS?

2011-12-06T20:57:00.000Z

Hi Everyone

Well, whilst I have been busy completing Christmas and Wedding makes the stocks of my general cards have been depleting and are now starting to look very sorry for themselves .. .. so time to make amends before the boxes are completely empty!!!

So, just for a change tonight there is no Christmas card LOL!!! Just a quick and simple birthday card.

This used:

Image: The Stamp Fairy

Sentiment: Woodware Stamps "Must Have Retro Words"

Backing Papers: Nitwits

Nestabilities: Lacey Squares

Josy Rose: Nail Heads

ProMarkers

Diamond Stickles (still wet on my photograph LOL!!!)

So that is me for today.

Quick and simple!!

Time now for a quick bath ahead of jacket spuds with baked beans and a sprinkling of cheese on top .. .. yummy scrummy!!!!

Catch you again tomorrow.

Love

HAPPY HANDY HIPPO DAY - WEEK 14

2011-12-05T08:00:00.005Z

Good morning everyone

I hope you have had a wonderful weekend. Have you got any further forward with your Christmas preparations?

I am trying really hard this year to be organised and ready good and early. I have never yet had a relaxing build up to Christmas and this year I really want to try hard and make it happen. But of course you know what they say about the best laid plans of mice and men LOL!!!.

Anway, this week as promised I am here with "one for the boys".

This lovely cheeky little chappie is part of a set of stamps. He features in three different activities alongside lots of other smaller images and different sentiments. I used some of the smaller images and shorter sentiments to make the background panel.

I was super brave and decided to add the "birthday boy" sentiment to this card at the very end!! That is the beauty of clear stamps .. .. you can see exactly where they are going to appear.

But the danger of doing this is that you run the risk of the stamping not working out quite as you would like it to.

Here is a quick way to rectify any stamping that has not printed out evenly.

Here a very unevenly stamped sentiment

You can try and fill in the missing areas with a pen
but quite often the colour is just not a
good enough match. How many shades of black are there?
So what I do is take a cocktail stick and roll it
on the stamp pad I have used for inking my sentiment.

I then use the inked end of the cocktail stick
to fill in the missing areas.
Of course it works just as well on missing areas
on stamped images too.

Before I go I also have a "news flash".

Handy Hippo have now started to do single promarkers
.. .. and at a fantastic price too .. .. woo hoo!!!

Time to get stocked up ahead of all those Christmas colouring sessions!!

So that is me for today. Thank you for calling by and for all the lovely comments you leave.

Have a great Monday.

Love

and all the lovely friendly people at Handy Hippo

JULES' CRAFTY SNIPPET CHALLENGE WEEKS 48 AND 49

2011-12-04T16:45:00.001Z

Hi Everyone

I hope your Sunday has gone well .. .. ours started off with beautiful weather .. .. then the rain came in .. .. but not before I managed to dry a bit of washing and make myself some ironing!!! Grrr!!!

Never mind. At least it will smell nicely of fresh air!!

So this week's snippets are going to cover two weeks .. .. which means loads of time to make your way to the snippet playground if you get chance to play along.

I know it is difficult the nearer we get to Christmas though so if you don't get to play then don't worry .. I understand.

So why are the gates open for two weeks? Well that is because next Sunday will be our annual family tradition of:

LABEL DAY

Tee hee!!! I bet Tim Holtz is quaking in his boots!!!

This is the day that my lovely Sis and her family .. .. .. and me and those of mine that can make it .. .. all get together for the day and we make Christmas labels all day long. I am hoping for a mega reduction in my snippet stocks so they had all better be hyper productive that's all I can say.

I usually put together a little inspiration board to give people a few ideas as for some this is the only day of the year they craft .. .. .. so out will come the tin of peel offs and stickers and all the Christmas stamps and embellishments we all associate with Christmas.

Next week I will allow myself to colour and paint but for this week all my little labels have been put together with just snippets.

So now round to the snippet register for last week:

First up and super eagre was Beryl who was hanging around the playground gates waiting for them to be opened! Sorry about that Beryl .. .. the caretaker let me down last week LOL!!! Beryl shared a lovely birthday card with a delicate touch of sparkle. Gorgeous.

Then Irene called by with two lovely creations. The first one you can find here and it uses a beautiful butterfly die and the most lovely border punch. The second project is a stunning card and matching gift tag which you will find here. Such gorgeous papers and colours. Who needs an image when you can make lovely creations like these without one?!?!?

Di was the next playmate to come screeching into the playground and she brought with her a gorgeous Christmas card with the most luxurious looking red ribbon. Beautiful snippets and image too.

Kym called by twice as well this week. The first of Kym's creations you will find here and the second one is here. Both are such lovely Christmas cards. The first one using colours you wouldn't normally associate with Christmas and yet they work really well .. .. and the second using a snowman that would be just right for me .. .. as he has a lovely little heart on his hat!! LOL!!!

Helen was next to arrive and used a wide variety of snippets to make the most wonderful patchwork background for her fabby Penny Black image. What could be better than snippets and a Penny Black stamp ?

Another fabulous Christmas card was next shared by Tammy .. .. who has Santa all dressed in blue. I think someone once told me that Santa used to wear blue or green in the very early days .. .. not sure if it is true but he certainly looks great in the outfit Tammy has him dressed in. Beautiful snippets too!!

A brilliant snippet make was brought to the playground next by Elizabeth. Not only is it a lovely easel card but it has a beautiful matching bookmark tucked inside it too .. .. very clever and very pretty! Love it!! Elizabeth has been playing "nurse maid" this week to her hubby who unfortunately took a tumble and needed to visit A&E .. .. hope things are progressing well Mr & Mrs!!

Then last but by no means least was Hazel who has been being a little party animal this week as it was her Mum's 90th birthday .. .. belated special birthday wishes to Hazel's Mum from the snippet playground!!! Hazel shared a lovely Christmas card that featured a really cute image and great snippets!

So that ends the world of snippets for another week.

I will leave the playground gates open for two weeks but will still pop by next Sunday with some pictures of our label day makes .. .. and hopefully a report of mega snippet reduction.

Is getting the family in to help cheating?

If so I will just have to do a detention for bad behaviour!! LOL!!!

Have a lovely week everyone and I will catch you again tomorrow for Happy Handy Hippo Monday!!

Love

PLAYGROUND GATES ARE OPEN FOR TWO WEEKS .. ..

CLOSING MIDNIGHT 17.12.11

A CHRISTMAS THANK YOU

2011-12-03T21:17:00.001Z

Hi Everyone

I hope you have had a good day.

Mine has been a very enjoyable one and included seeing one of my "lovely couples" this afternoon followed by a Christmas shopping session .. .. and I have made major in-roads!! Woo hoo!!!

The shopping was great fun because this year we have agreed major cutbacks which has resulted in some presents being capped at £5 or even £1 !!!!!! It was far more enjoyable shopping with a £5 budget .. than if I could have spent whatever I wanted. The presents were certainly far more imaginative that's for sure.

So shopping over and everything unpacked I just had time to make a card to send to my Auntie and Uncle to say "thank you" for our lovely meal last night.

It was as wonderful as I had hoped it would be (except there was no snow). The evening flew by far too quickly .. .. but I knew it would .. .. special nights always do.

So here is my share for today:

This used:

Sentiment: Pink Petticoat
Josy Rose: Nail Heads
Self adhesive gems
Ribbon and Cord from the Stash Box
Snowflakes from the snowflake box .. .. .. yes I have a box that is just full of different kinds of snowflakes LOL!!!

A super quick and simple make .. .. but one that is jam packed full of love and thanks.

So that is me for today.

Time now for a late evening meal and a catch up with X-Factor.

I will be back tomorrow with my snippet makes (which I know are going to use up very little in the way of snippets .. .. .. but snippet makes they will be nonetheless).

Enjoy what remains of today.

Love

HENRY MOUSE WITH HIS CHRISTMAS WREATH

2011-12-02T17:34:00.001Z

Hi Everyone

Bright and early today as Christmas starts today in the House of Hearts.

My Auntie and Uncle always take us out for a lovely meal at the start of December as our Christmas present. It is always wonderful and I look forward to tonight all year round!!!

We always say that this special meal is "The Start of Christmas".

When we went last year the ground was thick with snow and it was snowing as were eating. That was super magical.

So to mark the start of Christmas what better than a Christmas card

This used:

Image: Henry Mouse with Christmas Wreath
Sentiment: Cuddly Buddly
Backing Paper: Nitwits
Nestabilities: Classic Circles and Scalloped Circles
Martha Stewart Punch: Traditional Scallop
Josy Rose: Nail Heads
Glossy Accents (not that you can see it in the photograph)
Glamour Dust
Cord from the Stash Box

I have had this little image for probably three Christmas's now .. .. and this is the first time I have managed to make it look half decent .. .. so for being good I might give him another coat of ink before he goes back into his little storage box with his other brothers (all called Henry!!). I do love him (and think I may have told you that before LOL!!).

Right time to go and find something decent to wear and make myself look presentable .. .. it takes longer every year!!

Now what did I wear last year? Well if I can't remember I doubt anyone else will LOL!!!

Have a lovely evening and a great weekend everyone.

Love

READY COLOURED IMAGE DRAWER TO THE RESCUE

2011-12-01T21:22:00.001Z

Hi Everyone

Here at last!!!

I seem to be meeting myself coming backwards today .. .. .. hopefully tomorrow will not be quite so much hustle and bustle. I get to meet one of my lovely brides in the morning so that will definitely be nice!!

So for today's share it has had to be a case of "quick .. grab the drawer that has all the images in that I sit and colour when I visit my Mum" LOL!!!

It is quite a handy drawer to have actually and perhaps I should look in it more often as there are quite a few images sitting in there now!!

This used:

Image: Digistamp Boutique
Sentiment: Hobby Art Clear Stamps "Christmas Greeting Set"
Backing Papers: Nitwits
Martha Stewart Punch: Traditional Scallop
Josy Rose: Nail Heads and Acryllic Stone
ProMarkers
Glamour Dust
Wooden Snowflake - embossed with white embossing powder and sprinkled with glitter
Cord from the Stash Box

and that is it!!!

So what is happening near you? Have you suddenly seen lots and lots of Christmas trees and decorations appear in people's houses?

I am convinced that all the kids that didn't go to school yesterday because of the strikes were busying themselves by getting everywhere decorated because "it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas". Ooooo... I'm getting excited!!

Right time to clear this dining room table ready for my lovely bride tomorrow.

Catch you again soon.

Love

A WORLD RECORD ?

2011-11-30T16:52:00.000Z

Hi Everyone

Hope you have had a good day.

The weather has been much kinder here today .. . I hope is has been where you live too.

I think my little creation today is going to be a world record for me.

I have just made this, posted it here and am shortly going to be delivering it (along with a couple of Christmas presents) to a very special lady who is going away for Christmas next week. So we need to catch up with her good and early!!

Has there ever been such a quick turn around in the House of Hearts? I think not LOL!!!

So here is my world record Christmas card:

This used:

Sentiment: Pink Petticoat
Cuttlebug Die: Snowflake
Josy Rose: Nail Heads
Glamour Dust
Ribbon, dinky bit of cord and button from the Stash Box
My trusty sewing machine

So I am off now to wrap my first two presents of Christmas so I can deliver them alongside my world record card.

Oh I do hope I can get ahead of myself this Christmas .. .. that would be a world first too!!

Have a good evening everyone

Love

TWO SHARES TODAY

2011-11-29T17:42:00.000Z

Hi Everyone

I hope you have had a good day.

How has the weather been with you? It has been dull, wet and very windy in my neck of the woods. Thank goodness I didn't need to go out in it that's all I can say.

Today it was my turn to post my projects over at Get Funky! in line with the theme set by my lovely Funky Playmate, Jackie.

A Christmas project using "Traditional colours"
meaning red, green, gold, silver etc

"AND"

A non Christmas card or project using Christmas papers

So here are my creations, both made using the Twelve Crafters Crafting CD.

We don't post all our creations at the same time over at Get Funky! but instead each Funkette posts every two or three days so that you get a whole month of inspiration for using Anice's downloads and CDs.

I must admit after a few weeks on mainly Christmas card makes it was quite a refreshing change to make a non-Christmas one!!

So that is me for today .. .. back now to wedding stationery duties and hopefully a blog catch up later if all goes to plan (and my eyes stay open) LOL!!!

Have a great evening everyone.

Love