MR BLOGGER IS HAPPY .. .. YAY!

Hi Everyone

A quick share of a "quick card" ahead of me at last being able to show you the favourite labels my playmates made on Sunday!

Mr Blogger must have finished writing his Christmas cards as he was happy to oblige today and was super fast in uploading my pictures .. .. thank you Mr Blogger.

Here is my quick make:

This used:

Backing Papers:  GCD Studios "Ella Blue"
Image:  Pink Petticoat
Sentiment:  Elzybells

Nestabilities: Standard Circles Large and Classic Scalloped Circles Large
Martha Stewart Punch:  Frond
Woodware Punch:  Flowers medium and small
ProMarkers
Diamond Stickles
Brads, ribbon and cord from the stash box

I am loving this paper stack from GCD Studios and have done so much with it.  I shall be really sad when it is all used up.  I bought it originally from Dunelm and nipped in on the off chance they had another one .. .. only to find that all of the paper stacks had disappeared off their shelves .. eekkk!!!  Wonder if they are going to stop doing craft stuff??????

Anyway, now (at long last) I am able to share the labels my lovely family made on Sunday when we had our "label day".

At the end of the day everyone chose their favourite creation for posting here.  They are all being posted in order of the age of the maker .. .. just to save them arguing over who is first and last LOL!!

 





This one was made by my Little Sis!
She makes a label every year that
uses this stamp .. .. it is one she bought from
the NEC years ago.
I could never see the attraction of it and
every year she tries to make it look more
attractive than the year before .. .. can't believe
she chose it as her favourite!!  LOL!!!

This label was made by my Sister's chappies Son



This is the favourite of my
Sister's eldest Daughter

Then this picture shows some of the
makes of my Sister's youngest Daughter.
These were "ALL" her favourites ...  she couldn't
choose between them and it was becoming
too much torture for her so she
went with three  LOL!!

Then after a laughing session about the
postbox stamp the young lady
who showed her three favourite labels
decided she would have a try with it.

I must admit she has made it look quite
attractive don't you think with all
her layering.  (I bet Sis will do that
next year now!!!  LOL!!!).

So there we go everyone .. .. the share is at last done.  Now the label day show-offs are interested to know which is your favourite?  Just so someone is able to brag I think.  LOL!!

I am not sure why the first label is in a box on its own and the others are all grouped together in another .. .. and I don't have time to play and find out why so we will just say that my Sis is special and deserves a box of her own LOL!!!

I am well chuffed.  Today I have written just about all of my Christmas cards.  Woo hoo!!!  I am determined to be ahead of the game this year!!

Catch you again tomorrow.

Love

THERE WAS LOTS TO SHARE TODAY!!!

Hi Everyone

Sorry I am late today .. .. it has taken me a lifetime to up-load my photographs.  Perhaps Mr Blogger is busy writing his Christmas cards!!!  Of course he would choose to write them on the day I want to up-load lots and lots of pictures!!!!

I have been on a huge clear up campaign after the excitement and mess we made yesterday.  We all had a lovely day - but then again we always do when we are together.

The House of Hearts looked like a bomb had hit it when I came downstairs this morning .. .. so I have spent the day cleaning, clearing and putting things away.

If only it could stay this straight until Christmas .. .. but I know there is no way that will happen!!!

Anyway,  I might be late but I have lots to share.

Firstly, my creation of the day.  I made this card using a sketch from over at Mojo Monday.  It is only for fun .. .. but I love the sketch very much.



This used:

Image:  Hero Art "F5158" Heart Winged Butterfly
Sentiment:  Woodware Clear Stamps "FRCL 167" Pretty Labels
Backing Papers:  All Papermania Exquisite Paper Collection
Josy Rose:  Nail Heads
Diamond Stickles
Ribbon from the stash box

Here is the sketch that I followed (I will definitely be using this one again!! ) :



Now I am supposed to be sharing some pictures of the labels my playmates made yesterday.  Each chose their favourite for me to post on here.  

Sorry playmates .. Mr Blogger is taking so long to up-load the pictures that I am giving in for today.  It was taking longer to up-load them than it took me to make my card at the start of this post.

But I promise to share them  -  hopefully tomorrow if Mr Blogger has finished writing his cards .. .. talking of which .. .. I still have that pleasurable task on my "get it done" list!!!

My lovely hubby has lots of holiday to use up so will finish work on Wednesday evening this week .. .. we will get nearly three lovely weeks together over Christmas.  I can't wait .. .. though I have warned him that I will have lots to do .. ..  there is only him on holiday!!  LOL!!!

This means we will be able to put the tree up together this year and do all the "run up to Christmas" things together.  It is going to be really special!

I hope everyone is ok.  I know a few blog buddies are poorly at the moment.  Please get better quickly so that you can enjoy Christmas.

Love

LABEL DAY IS GOING WELL!!

Hi Everyone

Just a quick up-date to let you know that  label day is going great guns .. .. everyone still going strong and lots of lovely creations and origami boxes have been made.

I am ready to share my favourite make but everyone else is still going strong and their favourites will be on display tomorrow when they have finished making.



This used:

Image:  Penny Black "1896C" Hollies  (stamped and cut out lots and lots of times and stuck on at various levels .. LOL!!!)
Image: Woodware Clear Stamps "JGCL529" Tipsy Tree
Sentiment:  Pink Petticoat
Nestabilities:  Classic Heart
Cuttlebug Embossing Folder:  Snow
Lace, thread and star from the stash box
Glamour dust

I am going to enter this make into the Penny Black Saturday Challenge where the theme this week is "The Holly and The Ivy".

Right back to see if anyone else is willing to hand over their favourite labels yet so I can get them pictured ready.

Hope everyone has had a good weekend.

See you again tomorrow.

Love

PREPARATION FOR "LABEL DAY"

Hi Everyone

Well where has today gone?  It seems to have flown by.

I have been getting ready for the family label day tomorrow .. .. which involves carrying downstairs around half of my craft pod and setting it all out on the dining room table (and a fold up table that comes out of the garage).

It all looks lovely and organised .. for now!! 

That organisation will last all of 20 minutes and then the day will go as it usually does with someone asking "who has got this" or "who has got that" .. .. we will all look around our little area and deny having whatever is wanted .. .. ..  and then the person who asked in the first place will be the person that had it all along!!!

Always a happy day!!!  Can't wait!!!

In preparation I have been making a few labels to give folk a few ideas.  Bearing in mind the participants only craft one day a year they do really well.

I have only made eight labels so far but I have lots of time to do more LOL!!!  I don't think Tim Holtz has anything to worry about somehow!!

Here are my eight labels:



They are a mixture of techniques as not everyone wants to do everything.  Everyone sticks to what they like doing best .. .. be this stamping and colouring, die cutting, punching or simply cutting shapes from paper with scissors.

We are also going to be super posh this year.  Normally everyone goes home with their "makes" in a little plastic sandwich bag .. .. but this year we are going to start off by making a little origami storage box and then people can take their labels home in that.

Here is the little box:



I found out about this little origami box from a very good blog buddy called Annmaree.  She has such a varied and interesting blog and if you get chance then please pop over to her and say hello and look at the lovely box that Annmaree made which inspired me.  (Thanks Annmaree xx).

But to actually make the box there is a video to follow on the Kwerner Design Blog.

I can see quite a few of these boxes being made in the House of Hearts!!!

By the way .. .. don't go looking for hearts on all of the labels.  There is only one with a heart at the moment as quite often other people will pinch my labels and don't necessarily want hearts on them (but of course if I use them myself they will get a heart added LOL!!!).

OK then .. .. time for a blog hop whilst watching X-Factor behind the times!!!

Who do I want to win?  Well I actually like them all .. .. but I couldn't listen to a whole album from Rebecca .. .. I do not find her voice exciting enough to listen for a long while.  One song is enough and even then I can get a bit bored with her.

I have a sneeky suspicion that One Direction will win because all the little girlies will be calling in to vote for them in their droves.  Bless!!

Have a good evening and a happy Sunday!!

Love

FRIDAY SKETCHERS #132

Hi Everyone

Well all of the snow in my neck of the woods has just about melted .. .. .. so suddenly what seemed like the whole of our little town took to the roads today!!!  Queues of traffic everywhere .. .. oh the shops are going to start being awful from this weekend onward no doubt  :-(

As part of my creativity today I used a great sketch that is over at Friday Sketchers this week. 

Here is my make

This used:

Image:  Penny Black "3687K" Light the Night
Sentiment:  Elzybells
Backing Papers:  Cuddly Buddly - Little Miss Daisy Spring2

Woodware Punches:  Flowers  medium and small

Promarkers

Diamond Stickles

Brads and ribbon from the stash box

Here is the sketch .. .. just in case you fancy a go.

This card also acts as a reminder about the Penny Black at Allsorts Challenge where the theme this month is "Beauty is in the Eye Of The Beholder".  I certainly think that this young lady is a definite beauty!!!

Now tomorrow I have a special share to show you.

Those of you who have followed my blog for a while will know that each year we have what we call "label day" in the House of Hearts.  This day is where my lovely Sis and myself .. .. along with as many members of our families that can get .. .. all gather together to make labels for the Christmas presents we are going to give.

I need to make a little "ideas" board for everyone and I will give you a peek at that tomorrow. 

Apparently Tim Holtz is very worried I might outshine him this weekend (not)!!!   Does Mr H use peel offs I wonder?!?!?!?   I somehow doubt it LOL!!!

See you tomorrow .. .. thanks for calling by and have a lovely evening and a brilliant weekend.

Love

MORE SILHOUETTE GRASS

Hi Everyone

Well I think it has been a bit warmer today .. .. the snow has certainly been melting a little.  I think we get another warmer day tomorrow and then cold again come the weekend.  Oh well!!

My favourite make today involves the silhouette grass again .. .. I really love this stamp.  When I bought it I did wonder if I would get my use out of it .. .. but I do!!!  What's more it also helps my spelling as I can now spell "silhouette" LOL!!!!!

So here we go:



This used:

Image:  Hero Arts "S5316" Silhouette Grass
Image:  Hero Arts "CL338" Be Yourself  (I just stamped the leaves from the set with distress ink and cut around them)
Sentiment:  Papermania "Stamping for Him"
Backing Paper:  Plain cream card and a piece of green scrap
Fiskars Punch:  Threading Water
Sizzix Die:  Dragongly #3 and Buckles
Josy Rose:  Nail Heads
Distress Ink:  Old Paper
Shrink Plastic
Dressmakers Tracing Wheel
Glamour Dust
Ribbon from the stash box coloured with promarkers

So that is my share for today - I hope you like it!

Just time for a quick bath ahead of Corrie.

Have a good evening everyone.

Love

TODAY'S SHARE

Hi Everyone

Hope you are all well. 

I started off this morning with a bit of a clear up in the craft pod .. .. I packed away most of the Christmas stash and have started the "big clear up" that I so desperately need.  Not finished yet but at least I have made a start.

I could have cleared away and re-organised all day .. .. but I have too much to do to allow myself that luxury.

It seemed really weird today as I didn't make a single Christmas card !!! 

Here is my favourite make of the day



This used:

Image:  Stampendous "P091" Beaded Bodice

Backing Paper:  Hot Off The Press "7235" Classic Creative Pack  (love this pack very much)

Sentiment:  Computer Generated

Josy Rose:  Nail Heads

Adirondack Ink Pad:  "Pebble"

Diamond Stickles

Ribbon roses, stamens, cord and feathers from the stash box

Sadly you can't see all of the sparkle on the bodice but you can catch some of it.

So are you all hooked on Coronation Street .. .. ...  have you decided who is going to written out?  I think they are putting on quite a good week of viewing.  The only part that doesn't seem quite right is where the firefighters keep answering random questions from the people just standing by .. .. .. plus it is always the same fireman.  LOL!!!

Then later we are on to The Apprentice.  Not sure who I want to win now.  My money was on Liz or Jamie but both let me down last week.  I don't think I would want to hire anyone from this bunch.

Oh well .. .. thankfully it isn't my decision .. .. or me that is going to pay them a ridiculous salary every month!!! 

Catch you again tomorrow. 

Love

A BIT DIFFERENT FOR ME

Hi Everyone

Do you ever start a creation with something in mind and it ends up as something that is completely different? 

Well that is what happened to me with this one.

It now looks nothing like what I started out to make LOL!!  It is a bit different for me too but I like it!!  Good for using up little bits!!

So here it is



This used:

Backing papers:  All Papermania "Rose Garden"
Image:  Inkadinkado "90355"  Lace Background (but only stamped around the edge)

Sentiment:  Elzybells

Martha Stewart Punch:  Traditional Scallop

Nestabilities: Classic Scalloped Circles Large (for cutting the flower layers)
Nestabilities:  Doodle Parts

Josy Rose:  Nail Heads
Ribbon from the stash box

Not quite my usual style but fun nonetheless!!

Hope you have all had a good day.  We still have snow and ice on the ground but nothing fresh added for a few days now.  Things are supposed to be improving temperature wise towards the end of the week so I shall look forward to that.

I think that a bit of a clear up in the old craft pod is in order tomorrow now that Christmas card production is slowing down.

Have a good evening everyone and thank you for calling by.

Love

HERE AT LAST

Hi Everyone

Well did you think I had got lost in the fog?

Nasty day around and about here today.  Freezing fog for most of the day .. .. boy was I pleased to see hubby home safe and sound tonight. 

A quick share of a make today that was inspired by one of my blog buddies Beryl from Beryl's Place.    Thank you for the inspiration Beryl xx.



This used:

Image:  Delicious Doodles "Deer Fawn"

Image:  Hero Arts "S5316" Silhouette Grass
Sentiment:  Hobby Art Clear "CS016D" General Greetings

Backing Papers:  No name - part of a bundle from the NEC about 2 years ago

Josy Rose:  Nail Heads

I'm really pleased with the finished look.

I also did very well today in that I needed to post a parcel off from our local post office .. .. which is also part of a large chemist shop.   Whilst there I managed to buy three Christmas presents!!  Woo hoo!!!  Very special Christmas presents at that.

I have a friend who I buy for .. .. well for my friend and her two daughters (our children went to school together many, many years ago).  We started a thing years ago that we were only allowed to spend a pound on each present and do you know we have more fun looking for those one pound presents than we would if we were allowed to spend ten times that much.  Well chuffed to have got those.

So that is me for today.  One smug little Christmas shopper .. .. .. but still with lots to do!!  LOL!!

Enjoy the rest of your evening.

Love

BACK TO A CHRISTMAS CARD

Hi Everyone

Is all of your snow starting to disappear .. .. mine is .. . very slowly!! 

We still have lots left but it is thawing gradually.  It is still very cold though.

My share today is for two challenges.

The Bee Crafty Card Challenge.  It is a "free for all" this week where you can create whatever you want provided you are influenced by all the snow we have been seeing and you use the colour white as part of your creation.  Well there is lots of white on mine and a few snowflakes LOL!!!

I am also entering it into the Woodware USA Clear Stamp Challenge where "anything goes".



This used:

Image:  Woodware Clear Stamps "FRCL045" Christmas
Sentiment:  Computer Generated
Cuttlebug Embossing Folders:  Swiss Dots and Snowflakes

Josy Rose:  Nail Heads

Glamour Dust
Diamond Stickles
Fine red glitter and ribbon from the stash box

I stamped my image out twice.  Once onto the page with my sentiment printed on it and then again onto some scrap white card. 

The scrap piece was then put through the cuttlebug using the swiss dots embossing folder .. ..  the embossed image was then cut out and stuck this onto the first sheet with the image and sentiment.

I used my quickie glue pen to add a touch of glue to the dots on the trees and then added a bit of glamour dust to give a bit of added sparkle along with the red glitter.

Quite like the finished look of this one.

I am hoping for a good blog catch up tonight.  With being out and about the last two evenings I have a bit of ground to make up.

Have a lovely evening everyone.

I think Mary might go from X-Factor today .. .. does just one person go today?   Not sure!! 

See you again tomorrow.

Love 

PENNY BLACK SATURDAY CHALLENGE

Hi Everyone

Well I had a lovely night out last night .. .. a really magical evening.

We went out with my Auntie and Uncle for our annual special Christmas celebration.  It was extra special last night because as we travelled to the restaurant it started to snow.  During the course of the evening it continued to snow, and snow, and snow and snow!!  We sat eating our meal with the Christmas tree, Christmas decorations and lights with loads and loads of huge snowflakes falling .. .. .. which we could see through the windows. 

Of course reality hit when we had to leave .. .. I couldn't believe how much had fallen during the course of the evening.

Just before we left most guests were looking out of the patio doors in wonderment at the huge expanse of fresh unspoilt snow with Christmas lights shining on it.  One young chap was daring himself to go outside and make a snow angel .. .. I egged him on a bit and said "if you don't, you daren't" .. . .. he laughed and replied "please don't dare me .. I am weak where dares are concerned".  But he never did it .. .. after all he was wearing his best clothes!!  LOL!!

Anyway, here I am with my entry for this week's Penny Black Saturday Challenge where this week they want to see you stamp on anything but white card.

I promise I have played by the rules .. .. my card is a creamy ivory colour and not white .. .. but my photograph isn't doing me many favours.

Here are my pictures

HOPEFULLY YOU LOVELY PENNY BLACK LADIES
CAN SEE FROM THIS PICCY THAT
MY BASE CARD IS WHITE
AND MY  CARD FOR MY IMAGE ISN'T ..... LOL!!!

My creation used:

Image:  Penny Black "3947K" Day-dreams

Sentiment:  Penny Black "2908F" ...To You

Backing Paper:  Funky Hand CD "Colour Me Happy"

Martha Stewart Punch:  Valentine Lace

Leone Em Pty Punch: "CP30" Ash Branch

Woodware Punches:  Daisy

Distress Ink:  Old Paper

Josy Rose:  Nail Heads

Glossy Accents

Stardust Stickles

ProMarkers

Raffia from the stash box

A little bit of exciting news .. .. Funky Hand have a download sale this weekend.  25% off all downloads (including the Christmas ones if you haven't done your Christmas cards yet).  You can see them all here.  They are all lovely of course but my personal favourites are Salt and Pepper and Hearts and Flowers.

Then to add to the fun there are huge discounts on the Funky Hand "Original CDs"  .. .. ..   can you believe up to 50% !!!  You can see these here. 

Big clear out ready for new goodies in the new year .. .. .. including clear stamps, ribbons, buttons and a new CD!!!  Woo hoo!! 

OK time to link up my creation and get ready for going out again ....  

You can tell December is here.  Hide the scales I don't want to weigh myself!!!  December is for fun!!!

Have a great evening everyone.

Catch you all soon

Love

OUT AND ABOUT

Hi Everyone

Sorry no share today .. .. everything is only half finished .. .. or not able to be shared!!

But I did manage to track down the awards I was so kindly given before my internet problems all started.  I have felt really bad for not acknowledging them.

This was my first award



and I received this from the lovely Gemma from Gem's Little Creations Blog.  She makes the most beautiful cards.

and my second award



This one came from lovely Dawn over at Dawnies Den.  Another very talented crafter.

Please take time to visit them both if you can .. .. they have gorgeous blogs and create the most gorgeous projects.

Thank you so much ladies for thinking of me and I again apologise for it taking me so long to do something with them!!

As always I am breaking the rules and not passing the awards on .. .. but if anyone would like to take it then please do .. ..  all of my visitors have fantastic blogs.

I am off out on the town tonight with my lovely hubby and my Auntie and Uncle for a special Christmas meal so time is very short.  I need as much time as possible to try and make myself look respectable so must fly as my day just seems to have disappeared.  It has been one of those "blink and you miss it" days.  A bit like my year really LOL!!!

I promise to catch up with you tomorrow with a finished share.

No fresh snow today but it did take me an hour to find my car and make it fit and safe to drive today!!!

Have a good evening everyone.

Love

WEANING MYSELF OFF CHRISTMAS CARDS

Hi Everyone

Well I am starting to wean myself off the Christmas cards (you will be pleased to hear) .. .. but not the sparkle!! LOL!!

Here is a little creation I have put together today that I thought would be nice to share.



This used:

Papers:  All DCWV "Latte Stack"

Nestabilities:  Labels Two
Sizzix:  "656640" Tattered Florals
Cuttlebug Embossing Folder:  Swiss Dots

Martha Stewart Punch:  Valentine Lace

X-Cut Punch:  Butterfly

Woodware Punch:  Circle

Glamour Dust
Wire and self adhesive pearls

So there we go on the creation front.

Lots of snow here in my neck of the woods today .. .. .. it has been snowing pretty much all day. 

It stopped for about an hour and is just starting again!!!  But now it is those big fluffy flakes that seem to take a lifetime to actually land.  They are floating and swirling about everywhere before settling.

Beautiful when you are inside but not when you are outside or driving about .. .. .. a little girl has not long passed my craft room window and she reminded me of myself as a child.  She was walking along with her head tipped back and her tongue sticking out catching the snowflakes.  Bless.   

Have a good evening and take it steady if you are out and about in the elements.

Love

DOUBLE DOSE TODAY

Hi Everyone

Well December is here again (already) .. .. .. pinch and a punch first day of the month .. . and white rabbits!!

They will be very white rabbits if they have been playing around in my garden as they are likely to be covered in all the fresh snow that fell during the night. 

As promised yesterday I am here to share the new challenges that are being launched for Funky Hand's "Get Funky!" Challenge and the Penny Black at Allsorts Challenge.

The December challenge for Penny Black at Allsorts is "Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder" .. .. .. so we are looking forward to seeing what you find beautiful.

Of course it was easy peasy for me .. .. but my finished card is not necessarily beautiful to everyone .. .. it is however beautiful to me. 

Firstly because if features one of my favourite Penny Black stamps .. ..a gorgeous heart stamp.  There is a bit of sewing from my trusty machine, dark colours (which I know not everyone likes), a couple of handmade flowers and those lovely swirls.

Here it is in all its glory LOL!!



This used:

Image:  Penny Black "4023K" Love is the Message
Backing Paper:  All GCD Studios "Ella Blue"
Cricut Cartridge:  Home Accents (for the swirls)
Leone Em Pty Punch: "CP30" Ash Branch
Scrap fabric for the flowers
Brads and self adhesive pearls

So there it is  -  my idea of beauty.  I love the way that the image has also shown up the texture of the base card. 

I hope you get chance to pop over and see where my fellow DT members have found beauty and that you also get chance to play along.  We had a record number of entrants last month.  I love seeing what everyone does with their Penny Black images.

Next ... ... the Get Funky! Challenge for December

This month Anice chose our theme .. .. and she has used a sketch by Kathy (one of my fellow DT mates) who has her own sketch blog.   You will have to pop over there later.  Kathy has some wonderful sketches and inspiration to share.

Here is the sketch we all worked from

and here is my interpretation (which I "super-sized" LOL!!)
 
 

This used:

Backing Papers:  All from the Funky Hand CD "Funky Seasons"
Sentiment:  Computer Generated
Glitter Snowflakes:  Cut from Craftime Glitter Sheets
Martha Stewart Punch:  Embossed Zig Zag
Hobbycraft Punch:  Large and small snowflake
Josy Rose:  Nail Heads
Cord from the stash box

Lots of exciting things happening at Funky Hand.  Not sure how much Anice is sharing at this point so you will have to check later.  But you can check what my fellow DT mates did with the sketch here .. .. there are some very clever interpretations!!

So those are my shares for the day. 

We got the snow we were promised overnight and are having a good snow shower now too .. .. .. the weather forecast saying that we are going to be getting more heavy snow showers during the course of the day.

Yes, it looks lovely, and the kids enjoy it, but the radio is talking of accident after accident .. .. .. scary, scary!!  Stay safe and warm everyone.

Love