I DON'T BELIEVE IT !!

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

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

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

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!!

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 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

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 !!!

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

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 !!

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

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?

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

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.

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 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

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

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