WELCOME BABY BOY

Hi Everyone

I hope Thursday has been kind to you.

Looks like we are at home for another three weeks at least.  Good job we have our crafty obsessions to keep us occupied isn't it?

I have spent time with the Playstation Queen today, catching up on her laundry for her and cooking us a little roast dinner .. .. something she can't be bothered to do for herself .. .. even more so now she is "deep in game mode". 

The oracle that is my Mum has also predicted that there will be a baby boom happening next due to the lock-down we are experiencing .. .. .. so as Mum is "always" right, I thought I had better get ahead of the game with this plain and simple card that uses one of my favourite baby images. 

This used:

Image:  Pink Petticoat "Baby Boy Buggy" - sadly not transferred over to The Lovely Studio

Sentiment:  Computer Generated using font "Annie BTN"

Backing Paper:  The Lovely Studio "Tiniest Lovely Little Hearts"

ProMarkers

Nail Heads

Ribbon

My Trusty Sewing Machine

and that is me for today.

Short and sweet .. .. .. and yes .. .. still with a clear and clean desk ready for tomorrow!!  LOL!!

Stay safe everyone and I will catch you again tomorrow.

TEENY TINY TUESDAY - ON A WEDNESDAY

Hi Everyone

Hopefully Wednesday has gone well for you and the sun shone nice and brightly.

My day started with that lovely clear desk  .. .. and me climbing on said desk to remove and clean the Venetian blind and the windows inside and out.  The Spring cleaning is continuing and becoming a little bit addictive .. .. which isn't a bad thing.

I also finished the teeny, tiny card I started yesterday.  They are such fun to make.  I even enjoy making the tiny envelopes that go alongside them.

For anyone new to my blog my teeny tiny cards measure a whole 3.5 inches square and this is the latest:

This used:

Background Stamp:  Hero Arts Cling Stamp "Thank You Definition"

Sentiment:  Personal Impressions Clear Stamp Set PICSA6104 "Double Sayings"

Sizzix Die "658232" Leaves and Vine

Flower:  MFT Dienamics Die:  Blueprints 14

X-Cut Embossing Folder:  Polka Hearts

Peeled Paint Embossing Powder

White and Clear Embossing Powder

Twine

My Trusty Sewing Machine

I am pleased to report that my desk is all nice and clear again this evening ready for me to start again tomorrow .. .. .. oh I do hope I am going to be able to keep this tidiness going .. .. and perhaps let the habit spread through the whole house!!!  LOL!!!

Definitely lots of other crafty corners that need the same sorting out that's for sure .. .. .. and not just in my little craft pod!!!

Stay safe everyone.  It sounds like we are going to confined to barracks for a little while longer yet.

AFTER AND BEFORE

Hi Everyone

I hope your day has been as good as it could be under the circumstances.

I spent some of my day clearing up that messy desk .. .. everything was put away I promise .. .. not just scooped into a humongous cardboard box LOL!!

This is the finished result:

and I am sure you would agree it is a definite improvement on how it looked at the weekend .. .. .. and it smells beautifully of polish too!

I am proud to say that every single stamp and die now resides in its rightful place with the exception of three teeny, tiny clear snowflake stamps and a clear sentiment stamp.  Hopefully tomorrow will see those placed where they belong too.

I am going to try and make it look like this at the end of every day .. .. how lovely it will be to start the day with a clear desk and actually have room for my Cuttlebug!

I did work on a teeny tiny card today as well but unfortunately didn't have time to finish it so I will share that tomorrow.

FESTIVE ANIMALS

Hi Everyone

I hope your Easter Monday has gone well.

Today saw me making the third of my April Christmas cards .. .. just two to go and I'm not halfway through the month yet!!  Woo hoo!!

This is for taking over to Fezziwigs Festive Frolics Challenge where the theme for this fortnight calls for "Festive Animals". 

This used:

Image:   Penny Black "1508K" Caroling Hedgehogs
Sentiment:  Kaisercraft "CS188" North Pole
Backing Papers:  From the Christmas Snippets Box
ProMarkers
Nail Heads
Ribbon
My Trusty Sewing Machine

Many thanks to everyone who has been enquiring as to how my Mum is doing.  I am pleased to say she is really well thank you.  We decided not to take her out over six weeks ago now and feel it was definitely the right thing to do.  She has however been getting quite "fed up" being "cooped up" for all of this time.  Most of all she has been missing her walks out, and being able to see such lovely sunshine and not go out in it hasn't helped.

We kept asking if there is anything she would like whilst she is "confined to barracks".  I suggested talking books but that went down like a lead balloon.  Then the other day she told my Sister she would like a Playstation!

She used to have one many years ago but parted with it when she got RSI in her thumbs through playing it too much !!!

So my Sister got one on order for her and set it all up on Good Friday .. .. .. downloading some of Mum's favourite games from the past.  Mum is now in her element and hopefully her days will be a little more enjoyable when we aren't able to be with her.  Can't be bad can it .. .. at 89 years old. If you could see her with the controls I find it unbelievable .. .. she doesn't even have to look at the buttons .. .. unlike me!!  LOL!!   Hope she doesn't give herself RSI again though!!!

Anyway, take care everyone.  I hope your Easter hasn't been too bad .. .. .. we won't forget this one  in a hurry will we .. .. if ever !!!

SUNDAY SNIPPETS

Hi Everyone

I hope your Easter Sunday was enjoyable .. .. .. and you didn't eat so much chocolate that you started to feel poorly!!  LOL!!

Thank you for your lovely comments on my rather long post of yesterday.  It was lovely to hear that I am not the only one who works on a tiny square of desk surrounded by stacks of crafty goodies.

Today I attacked a box that holds lots of small design paper snippets and created this:

This used:|

A variety of snippets

Mama Elephant Clear Stamp Set "Make A Wish"

X-Cut Nesting Hexagon Die Set

Circle and Scalloped Circle Dies

Memento Dew Drop Ink Pads:  Lavender and Angel Pink

My Trusty Sewing Machine

Black Fineliner Pen

and that is me for today.

I am heading off to share in Pixie's Snippets Playground Challenge where we are encouraged to use up our leftovers.  My whole card .. .. apart from the base are remains from what were once A4 sheets.

WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS

Hi Everyone

Well nearly everywhere seems to be being totally bombarded with lemons at the moment don't they?

But we all try and cope in our own way .. .. even though it isn't easy.   

Some of us will withdraw into ourselves, some will unfortunately become nervous wrecks, and some will feel totally lost by being isolated from other people who perhaps "lift their spirits" under normal circumstances .. .. and of course there are those who believe "nothing will ever happen to them" and are convinced that any rules given can't possibly apply to them. 

Not everyone is lucky enough to have people to share their lives and home with (though some prefer that), some don't have internet access so perhaps can't talk to friends and family remotely, some don't even have a telephone!!!    How on earth are these people coping?

I have to admit to gradually becoming obsessed with everything that is going on and I have been watching and listening to far too much news for far too many days.  Each day is becoming more and more depressing.  So I am making a real effort now to try and listen just first thing in the morning and then to the up-date around tea time (and definitely not before I go to bed!!!  That was a very bad move for me last night and it took ages for my brain to settle!!). 

So I have let music take up more of my day today.  Music always lifts my spirits .. .. .. along with creating.  Not just creating cards but also creating a big mess everywhere .. .. but more about that later LOL!!!.

First I will share my creation for today which uses an image that always reminds me of the old saying "when life gives you lemons .. .. make lemonade" .. .. which Wikipedia describes as .. .. .. 

"a proverbial phrase used to encourage optimism and a positive can-do attitude in the face of adversity or misfortune.  Lemons suggest sourness or difficulty in life: making lemonade is turning them into something positive or desirable". 

Very appropriate at the moment don't you think?   For me I am trying to use this "locked in at home time"  in a productive way as I would like to get on top of my commissions, accounts and admin work.  That would be a big move forward for later in the year .. .. with the cherry on top being if I could get some spare stock made (including Christmas).  I don't want much do I?

Anyway, with lemons on my mind here is what I created to share today

This used:

Image:  Penny Black "1675K" Make Lemonade
Sentiment:  Woodware Clear Magic Singles "JWS061" Happy Birthday
Backing Papers: Etsy Jazzy Patterns "Cocktail Party" 
ProMarkers
Ribbon
Diamond Stickles
My Trusty Sewing Machine

So with my card shared .. .. I will now share how I know when my craft space needs a really good clear up .. .. as alluded to yesterday.  I loved reading how other people know when they reach this stage LOL!!!

My room has never been as messy as it is at the moment .. .. but the good thing is this means I am in hyper production mode and my brain is jumping from one idea to another.   But the bad thing is I waste time looking for something I have buried .. .. .. somewhere .. . .. .. and this needs to stop! 

So here we go .. .. 

First Clue .. .. This is the aftermath of yesterday's creations.  I can no longer access much of my work desk so you can see why I don't play along with What's on My Workspace Wednesday .. .. it would be far too embarrassing.  I need to get into the habit of clearing away as I finish the day so I can start the next day afresh.

That lovely long red tin is full of hearts, the stamps on the right are new ones I have recently gained that I won't put away until I have used them and that little space front left is where I squeeze in and create LOL!!!

Second  Clue .. .. I am missing a drawer - how can you misplace a drawer!!!!  I looked for it for too long (and in the strangest places and eventually gave up).. .. then surprise, surprise I spied it downstairs on the dining room table as I had taken some work down there to do last week!!  That little bag in the gap where the drawer should be belongs "in" the drawer when it makes its way back home.

Third Clue .. .. .. I am climbing over boxes to actually get in and out of my room.  I am a health and safety hazard really and Mr Heart won't even attempt to enter. This is my "little craft pod" and is the smallest bedroom in a 1930's house and the place I feel most creative.  It really is super small but I love it sooooo much!!!

That little gap you can see is my entry point.  The crate on the floor goes up and downstairs multiple times a week and holds my ProMarkers and a box of images waiting to be coloured.  It also goes in my car everytime I go to Mum's .. .. just in case I get time to do a bit of colouring whilst I am with her.  The other box with the Christmas image on top holds my Christmas sentiment stamps and when it isn't on the floor it lives in my bedroom (nowhere is safe from my crafty goodies).  I can't believe Mr Heart never complains.

So as you can see lots of clearing and organising to do (as well as hovering that bitty floor).  Does anyone else ever get into this much mess or is it just me?  LOL!!!

Good job wedding work never happens in this room.  That has to be super organised and lives in the larger back bedroom!!  So it isn't that I am not capable of being organised .. .. I am just sometimes not capable of stopping creating.  I just want to go on and on and on instead of stopping and clearing away!!!   

Did you notice I deliberately didn't show you my collection of snippets!! LOL!!!  Must try and use some of those tomorrow.

Hope you have enjoyed looking and laughing at my crafty mess.  

APRIL CHRISTMAS MAKE NUMBER 2

Hi Everyone

Well .. .. how strange does this bank holiday feel?

Mine started with me feeling very "homely" .. .. so even before breakfast I had made cranberry muffins and potato and leek soup (not to be eaten together I hasten to add) and the day has finished with me feeling nice and Christmassy after making this little creation: 

This used:

Unbranded dies that came from a mixture of Ebay and Amazon

Backing Papers:  Make & Create "Marble Dreams"  

Sentiment:  Woodware Clear Magic "FRS771" Merry & Bright

Crystal Glamour Dust

and that is it.

I knew as soon as I saw this paper pad exactly what I was going to do with it.  The blue was immediately a sky with snow falling and the marble was ideal for a moon .. .. .. and with each sheet being 12 x 12 and two sheets of each in the pad there are going to be a lot of Christmas Cards looking like this made here in the House of Hearts (mmm... .. thinking about it perhaps the retired Mr Heart could be given responsibility for cutting out all of those dies!!  LOL!!!) 

I am taking my creation over to The Christmas Kickstart Challenge where the theme this month is "Create a Scene".

So that is me for today .. .. but I will leave with a question.  

How do you know when your craft space needs a really good clear up?  Mine definitely does and I will share with you tomorrow how I know!!

In the meantime take care and stay safe .. .. .. and enjoy the rest of the Easter break as best you can.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Hi Everyone

I hope you are all well and coping OK.

I have spent quite a while with Mum today and once home I wanted to have a play with an idea that has been running round my head for a while using a stamp set that was attached to a craft magazine I bought quite a few weeks ago now.  You know .. ..way back when you could wander aimlessly around the store, walking in any direction you want to, having your pick of the whole store without an empty shelf in sight.

Oh Memory Lane is a lovely place isn't it?  But those days will come back again .. .. and hopefully sooner rather than later!

Anywyay, this is what my playing resulted in:

This used:

Image and Sentiment:  Magazine Covergift

Memento Ink Pad:  London Fog  (but any light coloured ink pad would work)

VersaMark Ink Pad

Gold Embossing Powder

ProMarkers

Nail Heads

My Trusty Sewing Machine

I stamped the image first using the London Fog ink pad, coloured the image with ProMarkers then stamped again using the VersaMark Ink Pad and heat embossed with gold embossing powder.  

A stamping platform makes really easy work of ensuring your VersaMark Ink stamps exactly on top of the London Fog ink.  I am guessing a stamp positioner would work just as well.

So short and sweet from me today and hopefully I will be back again tomorrow.

Take care everyone and be warned .. .. .. the shops were manic again today.

CAS MIX UP

Hi Everyone

Another day full of sunshine .. .. and isolation!  It is now starting to feel like "the norm" which I suppose isn't a bad thing.  At least it is getting us all into good habits.  

I can remember the first time I gave someone a "wide berth".. .. ..  it felt really weird and a little bit rude and I thought the other person might think I was being "over the top".  But she didn't and just smiled and said "good evening".

Now though almost everyone (when you actually meet someone) is automatically keeping their distance and they are actually saying "thank you" if you moved for them.  Likewise I no longer feel silly wearing latex gloves when I go out food shopping and I am washing my hands what feels like constantly .. .. .. .. which means I am getting through rather a lot of hand cream too!  I don't want any of those silly bits of rough skin forming or they will snag my ribbons!!!

Anyway, I am trying slowly to enter all of the CAS challenges this month.  Something I always intend to do but it never happens .. .. mainly because of all the wedding work.  But as things are nice and quiet on that front I am hoping this month will be the first time I manage it.  

So today I had a try at the CAS Mix Up Card Challenge where the theme this month is "bleaching" (no not our hands .. .. our artwork) and this is what I came up with using:

Bleaching, Stamping, Ink Blending, Heat Embossing, Die Cutting & Sewing

This used:

Image:  Funstamps "FQ14" Butterfly

Distress Oxide Ink Pads: Peeled Paint, Faded Jeans and Broken China

Onyx Black Versafine Ink Pad 

Clear Embossing Powder

Bleach and Fine Paintbrush

Go Kreate Die Set:  Frilly Square #3

My Trusty Sewing Machine

I really enjoyed this technique and will definitely be trying it again.  It was certainly easier bleaching Distress Inks than trying to bleach plain coloured card .. .. which is what I have tended to do in the past.

If you don't fancy messing about with bleach then you can always use plain water and a paintbrush to remove some of the distress ink, using tissue to dab the water and ink away.  This will remove the colour but not leave a pure white finish .. .. which is what I wanted.

Thank you ladies for a great challenge.

No sentiment for this card.  I am trying to get a stack together without any so that I can add what feels appropriate at a later date.

Stay safe everyone and I will catch you again soon.

TEENY TINY TUESDAY

Hi Everyone

I hope you are all well and staying sane whilst in lockdown .. .. .. at least we have had some lovely sunshine to lift the spirits.

I have been to the washing line a couple of times today and saw a few of these little fellows flying about and they inspired me to make this teeny tiny card:

This used:

Image:  Cart-Us Clear Stamp .. .. no name or reference number (very, very old)
Sentiment:  Computer Generated using font "Aracne Condensed Regular"
Backing Paper:  The Lovely Studio "Honeycomb"
Poppy Stamps Die Set:  Stitched Market Tag
Circle Die Set
My Trusty Sewing Machine
Twine
Gems

for anyone new to my blog my teeny tiny cards are a whole 3.5 inches square.

I will catch you again tomorrow all being well.

Stay safe and thank you for all your visits and comments.  All very much appreciated.

JUST TO SAY

Hi Everyone

I hope you are all as good as you can be under the circumstances.

Just a quick share from me this evening that has used up papers that were left on the back of my desk after making a very similar card last week.

This used:

Image and sentiment:  Digistamp Boutique "A4 Quick Print Colour Sheet - Butterflies" (very sadly no longer trading boo hoo!!)

Backing Papers:  Not sure which pads they came from .. .. .. but they were from The Works - when they were allowed to be open.

Circle and Scallop Circle Dies

Ribbon and Cord

Eyelet and Eyelet Setter

My Trusty Sewing Machine

So that is me for today.  Short and sweet.

I'll hopefully catch you again tomorrow.

  

CAS STENCIL

Hi Everyone

I hope you have managed to enjoy some of the lovely sunshine we had today. 

We spent some of our time outdoors doing some much needed work in the garden .. .. .. plenty to keep us out of mischief out there that's for sure .. .. .. with the downside being there are no brown bin collections at the moment..

The greenhouse needs to be emptied and washed down ready for us to start some seeds off.  We doubt that the nurseries are going to be open for buying plants so had better get a wriggle on and start growing our own.

I did have a little crafty session too and played along with the CAS Stencil Challenge which this month wants us to use gilding flakes with our stencils

Here is my offering:

This used:

Stencil:  From the front of a magazine

Gold Gilding Flakes

Flower:  MFT Dienamics Die:  Blueprints 14

Sentiment:  MFT Dienamics Die:  Thanks

My Trusty Sewing Machine

Gold Thread

and that is me for today.

CAS CHRISTMAS

Hi Everyone

I hope you are all coping OK and you have managed to keep yourself amused.

I played along with the CAS Christmas Challenge today to help me get a start on my April Christmas makes and the theme for this month is "Christmas Song".

This used:

Image:  Penny Black "2988H" Caroling Duck!
Sentiment:  Hero Arts "DC170" Merry Stamp and Cut
ProMarkers
Snowflakes:  Memory Box Snowflake Heart
Crystals Glamour Dust
Gems
My Trusty Sewing Machine

and that is me for today with April Christmas card number 1 complete .. .. 4 to go!.

Take care everyone and stay safe.