STARTING TO WORK ON MY "RASH PROMISES"

Hi Everyone

Well, now Christmas has been packed away it is time to start working on some of those rash promises I made (otherwise known as new year resolutions). 

"One" of the "many" rash promises this year is to design and add a new sketch to my collection each week.  One which I feel should be easy to keep. 

I do love sketches and find they speed up the cardmaking process immensely, and as my rectangular library is the one that is lagging behind in the number stakes, they will probably be my main focus for a little while.  (For anyone new to my blog, all of my sketches - square and rectangular are on a tab at the top of my blog .. .. please feel free to use them if you like the look of any of them).

So this is my new sketch for this week: 

and this is how I have used it

This used:

Image:  Penny Black "3741K" Filigree Tree
Sentiment:  Jande Summer via Etsy Merry Christmas and Heart Text
Design Papers:  All from snippet mountain (which is all I am going to have left to play with soon)
Spellbinders:  Circle and Scalloped Circle Dies
Gems
Snowflake from my snowflake box
ProMarkers (well one .. .. for adding a bit of colour to that fabby tree)
My Trusty Sewing Machine

I am making no apologies for posting a Christmas card so soon after the festive season has ended because another rash promise I have made is to make "at least one" Christmas card each week (and if I can keep this promise then it will be wonderful as I will have at least 50 cards come December - woo hoo!)

This particular card fits into a challenge I haven't had chance to play along with for quite some time (sorry Jo) .. .. The Christmas Kickstart Challenge .. .. .. which this time is calling for "The Midas Touch" .. .. .. which simply means include some gold on your creation.

Enjoy the weekend everyone.  We had a cold and frosty start today and judging by the number of people who are walking up and down our road, quite a few have resolved to be more active!!!  Not something I need to worry about doing .. .. I probably need to do the opposite and slow down a bit!!    LOL!!!

It is now back to more sorting and packing ready for our move, but not until I have put an insert into today's Christmas card "straight away" .. .. another resolution I need to work on.  

OUT WITH THE OLD AND IN WITH THE NEW

Hi Everyone

Happy 2024 .. .. .. before the first day of the year disappears!

Here's hoping it is going to be a brilliant year for us all and that everyone has recovered from the new year celebrations.

I love the excitement a new year brings.

Of course the impending house move is our main focus at the moment, but we don't have any dates or timescales and so far it has been "clearing out and passing on" .. .. .. and surprisingly we found this quite easy once we got into the swing of it .. .. .. but it has also been very time consuming and physical hard work at times.

The hardest part of the move for me is going to be packing my craft goodies away.  I do get serious withdrawal symptoms when I can't do any crafting.  Even when we have been away for long weekends in the past I have got a bit depressed about leaving my craft goodies behind .. .. .. and sneak a bit of colouring into my packing so I can have a "quick fix" at least.

I do feel I am a bit obsessed with "making things" and if I can't physically be making things then my brain is thinking about it and planning, or I watch other people crafting on You Tube, and look for new things to try on Pinterest.  There is just so much I want to do / make / try.  Oh, I hope I never lose that feeling of wanting to improve and experiment with new techniques.

I have started looking around my craft room and packing some things away .. .. .. but I know full well that whatever I pack then within the blink of an eye I will want to use it and will be rummaging back in the boxes!  LOL!!!

Might just have to limit what I leave out to play with!!

But one thing has already become obvious in my attempts to start packing.  No more buying of design pads or ribbon until what I already have has reduced by at least three quarters!!!  LOL!!!

So a quick share of my favourite make of last year (not that there were that many to be honest .. .. sorry) .. .. .. you wouldn't believe how many different versions of this card I have made over the last few weeks .. .. .. and I have enjoyed making every one.  

I haven't yet done a "new baby" or a "new home" version though.

Hopefully catch you again soon and again, I wish everyone the very best for 2024!

HAPPY WEDNESDAY

Hi Everyone

Happy Wednesday!  Has anyone else lost track of the days .. .. or is that just me?  LOL!!

Christmas has been lovely here .. .. and I hope that yours has been too.

As much as I love Christmas and the excitement it brings, I also enjoy the calmness that seems to descend straight afterwards .. .. .. when all the rushing about and last minute panics all disappear into thin air .. .. .. and you make those rash promises to be more organised next year, so that everything isn't so stressful next time December comes around!  

I have made lots of "rash promises" (some might call them New Year Resolutions) and if just half of them could materialise into reality I will be pleased because even that will be an improvement.

My fingers have already got "itchy" after a few days of not crafting, and I had a quick play with my snippets before everyone else was awake and created this for taking over to the Snippets Playground Challenge, where they would like to see us use up those leftovers we hoard to create "anything but a Christmas card".

and these are the snippets I gathered together to use

This used:

Lots of snippets (card, paper and ribbon)
Another cheap and cheerful die from Amazon

LOTV:  Sentiment Tag Stamps
Corner Rounding Punch

Nail Heads
Eyelet and Eyelet Setter
My Trusty Sewing Machine

So there we are .. .. my crafty fingers satisfied (for two minutes) and a very, very slight reduction in snippet mountain.  Not that I used all the ones I originally grabbed to play with.

A lovely blog buddy, Pauline C, who has a very inspirational blog called Passion for Papercraft asked about the stamp I used on my Christmas Day post.  It is a Penny Black Stamp called Brush Pines and if you click here it will take you to the original blog post and all the ingredients used to create the original card.

Enjoy the rest of the Christmas break.

Hopefully catch you again very soon.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

Hi Everyone 

Just calling by with a scheduled post to wish everyone the very best Christmas you could possibly have, however you are spending it .. .. .. and re-posting one of my favourite Christmas makes from times gone by .. .. .. and one I keep meaning to repeat and haven't!

Have a good one!

HAPPY AND MERRY CHRISTMAS!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MR HEART

Hi Everyone

I hope everyone's week is off to a good start.

This time next week Christmas Day will nearly be over with again for another year..  .. .. .. which means that today is Mr Heart's birthday .. .. .. and this is the card I made for him:

This used:

Image:  Penny Black Transparent Stamp Set "30-146" Loads of Love
Image:  Computer Generated
Backing Paper:  From the snippet mountain
ProMarkers
My Trusty Sewing Machine

It didn't take him too long to find a heart!  LOL!!

Tonight .. .. .. just because we could .. .. .. we have been to "check out" just one of the "watering holes" that will be close to our future new home.  A lovely evening of celebration to round off what has been a lovely day.

Before I go.  A few of you have asked if I can remember where I got the coneflower die from that I used in my previous post  .. .. .. ..  I bought it from here: 

Coneflower Layer Metal Cutting Dies Paper Cuts Stencils Diy Scrapbooking Crafts | eBay

Lots of lovely layers make up the flower .. .. and I have used up plenty of snippets making flowerheads ready for using on future projects.

Hope you are on track for Christmas. 

Today all of our Christmas cards made their way into the post .. .. which feels like a big leap forward .. .. and just leaves the ones we hand deliver to part with now. 

FRIDAY ALREADY

Hi Everyone

Well, where has this week disappeared to?

I am convinced that the days go faster the nearer we get to the end of a year.

Just a quick share today .. ..

This used:

Coneflower Die (Unbranded from Ebay)
Papers and card from Snippet Mountain  (my battle to reduce these is continuing)
Sentiment:  LOTV Digital Stamp Block Sentiment
Spellbinder Dies:  Classic Circles and Scalloped Circles
Punch
My Trusty Sewing Machine

and that is me for today.

I hope everyone is doing well and your Christmas plans are coming together nicely.  I seem to be chasing my tail big time!!  Not helped by trying to pack the house up and now catching shingles!!  

Never a dull moment here in the House of Hearts!! 

NEW WEEK - NEW SKETCH

Hi Everyone

So did you wake up to snow yesterday?  Ours started late Saturday night .. .. and we got plenty of it!  But gradually rain has melted it away

Yesterday in order to "ring the changes" I challenged myself to learn how to draw and incorporate triangles into my sketches .. .. .. and I am happy to report that I mastered my challenge.  How sad to be happy to have drawn a simple triangle!  LOL!!  I am such a sad sack!

I used my new sketch to produce this:

This used:

Backing papers:  First Edition "Silent Night"
Sentiment:  Whimsy Stamps:  Christmas Chalkboards 1
Ribbon
My Trusty Sewing Machine

and  of course my latest sketch .. .. .. number 13 .. .. .. a number that some folk avoid as there is a saying that it is "unlucky for some" .. .. .. but it isn't for the House of Hearts so I am happy to add it to my rectangular sketch collection which you can find on the tab at the top of my blog!! 

Please feel free to use any of them if you fancy a play.

Project Downsize finds me trying really hard to use up some of my older design pads/papers, especially where there are only a few odd pages left .. .. .. so some antique papers might be making their way onto my blog over the next few weeks (and there are a few to go at - both of the Christmas and general variety).  

There is a very small care home just around the corner from us and ever since Covid happened I have been putting boxes of crafting goodies together for them to play with.  Be these full of wool for their "knit and natter" sessions, flowers and ribbons for making Easter bonnets, or card bases, envelopes, punches/stamps/stickers and papers for the cards they make. 

They create things to sell at their fayres to raise funds for entertainment.  It sounds like they have fun creating the things they sell, really enjoy the actual fayre days and of course when the entertainment happens .. .. .. be these trips out or events planned within the home .. .. so hopefully I am helping to bring some enjoyment to their lives in a number of ways. 

Right, time to hit the ground running .. .. .. I have lots to cram into today.

Hopefully catch you again soon.  Stay safe and warm and I hope you all have a good start to your week.

BACK ON TRACK - I HOPE

Hi Everyone

I hope you have had a good Saturday .. .. .. although for some reason all week my brain has been one day ahead .. .. so today I keep thinking it is Sunday!!  That's good though isn't it, because it is like I have gained an extra day in my week to play with LOL!!!

It has been another very hectic week here, but I am super happy to say that the house of hearts is sold again .. .. and our fingers are crossed that everything goes through smoothly this time.  Project downsize is back on track .. .. yay!!!!.  It must have been all of those good luck comments and messages I received from so many of you working their magic .. .. thank you for those.  Mwah! 

Christmas makes are still very much needed, alongside everything else that needs to be done here .. .. .. and the cold and frosty start we had today certainly got me in the right frame of mind and made me think of this lovely stamp that never gets to come out and play very often.  

So here we go .. .. .. 

This used:

Image:  Penny Black "3231K" Snowy Park
Sentiment:  Inkylicious "Walking Winter Wonderland"
Backing Paper:  The Works

DecoArt Crystal Glamour Dust
Double Sided Adhesive Sheet
Ribbon and Metallic Cord

Brad and Charm

My Trusty Sewing Machine

I attached the double sided adhesive sheet to the stamped image, removed the second covering and covered it with Crystal Glamour Dust.

It is super sparkly in real life .. .. .. but it didn't want to show off in front of the camera unfortunately.

Hope everyone is having a good weekend and you are managing to keep warm.  We have a yellow weather warning for snow and ice at the moment.   Eeeekkk!!!!

TEENY TINY TUESDAY TRIO

Hi Everyone

I hope you have all had a good Tuesday.  Another trio of teeny tiny Christmas cards from me today .. .. .. which are a whole 9cm square.

Still in Christmas mode here .. .. and still lots more to make.   This time next month my Mum will be saying "ah well, that's that over and done with for another year!" LOL!!

These were made using:

MFT Blueprints 6 Tag Builder
Snowflake - Amazon

Digital Papers from The Lovely Studio (sadly no longer trading)

Glitter Effect Wallpaper

LOTV Digital Christmas Sentiment Tags

Ribbon and Metallic Cord

Eyelet and Brad

My Trusty Sewing Machine

I didn't trust the snowflakes to stay glued to my glitter wallpaper so stitched those in place .. .. .. I do believe I am finally getting somewhere with my new sewing machine.

So a teeny tiny blog post for my teeny tiny makes.

I hope everyone is further ahead with their Christmas preparations than I am.  Far too much happening here at the moment .. .. I could do with December not appearing for another 3 months .. .. at least !!

SUNDAY SNIPPETS AND A NEW SKETCH

Hi Everyone

I hope you are all doing well and are having a good weekend.

All super busy and manic here in the House of Hearts, which means my "blogland comeback" hasn't been quite how I imagined .. .. .. but never mind .. .. .. I am enjoying what I am managing to do .. .. .. which is the main thing.  

Sadly our buyer had to pull out of our house sale this week due to their circumstances changing and it meant that we were back to hosting house viewings again yesterday. 

But they say everything happens for a reason, so we will just go with the flow and see what happens next.

Funny how the smallest room in our house .. .. .. "my little craft pod" .. .. .. ends up being loved by people as much as I love it .. .. .. and often sparks off the loveliest of conversations.   It is the last room I show to people on our "grand tour" and I describe it as my favourite room in our house (which it is) and where I have spent many, many, many happy hours.  I also describe it as a "tardis" where a very small space holds far more than it looks on the surface .. .. not many people (other than me) see the beauty of what it contains though of course. 

Anyway, today has seen me add another new sketch to my rectangular sketch library and this is how it looks

These are the snippets I started with:

and this is how I have used the sketch and my collection of snippets.

This used:

Image:  Penny Black "2754H" Xmas Kiss 

Sentiment:  Computer Generated

ProMarkers

Spellbinder Circle Dies

X-Cut Corner Rounding Punch
All paper, card and ribbon came from Snippet Mountain
Pearls and Charm

My Trusty Sewing Machine

I am taking this along to the "snippet playground" where a new challenge has just started with more wonderful prizes, and where we are encouraged to not cut into brand new sheets of card or backing papers, but to try to use up some of our "leftovers" from previous crafty sessions.  Certainly if you are anything like me you save the smallest pieces of card thinking "I can cut a leaf, a flower, a butterfly .. .. or even a heart" from that tiny piece of card .. .. so it gets stashed away in readiness for being used at a later date!  LOL!!

Hopefully catch you again soon. 

TEENY TINY TUESDAY - AGAIN

Hi Everyone

Back round to Teeny Tiny Tuesday again (already) .. .. .. where my creations are a whole 9cms square.

After the success of managing three teeny tiny Christmas cards last week I decided I would try and do the same again this week .. .. and using exactly the same supplies as well:

These used:

Image and Die Set:  MFT Polar Bear Pals

Sentiment:  Clearly Besotted "Speaking Out"

Background Word Stamp:  Julie Hickey "JH1061" Christmas Background Stamp Set

Design Paper inside the frame:  "Snow & Ice" The Works

Christmas Tree:  Cut and Make  - Mini Christmas Dies (very old)

Frame:  MFT-926 Stitch Round Square Frame

ProMarkers

Small Star Punch

Glitter Paper

Chalk (for those little rosy cheeks)

My Trusty Sewing Machine

So basically exactly the same supplies, just a different design (what makes you think everything was still loitering on and around my desk from last week LOL!!!)?

Many thanks for all your lovely messages and comments, they are all very much appreciated and I am hoping to catch up with everyone very, very soon.

BIRTHDAY SUNDAY SNIPPETS

Hi Everyone

Here again .. .. at last .. .. after a few VERY busy days here in the House of Hearts.

Our buyer wanted to come to view again and measure up in readiness for all the plans he has once we hand the keys over  .. .. and this involved us having to make the whole house "viewable" and "accessible" again!  We had boxes and piles of stuff we were sorting out everywhere LOL!!!   

So crafting (very sadly) had to take a back seat.

But I am back again today with a birthday snippet card (just to give you a break from Christmas).

This used:

Card and papers from the snippet mountain range
Martha Stewart Edge Punch:  Daisy
Julie Hickey: Sentiment Dies
First Edition: Flower Die set
X-Cut Mini Die Button

X-Cut Corner Rounding Punch

Hot Fix Nail Heads
My Trusty Sewing Machine

Sorry, not sure what die I used for the leaves, these were already cut and sitting in a box waiting to be used .. .. .. .. and how about my tiny snippet of ribbon threaded into the die cut button! I don't think I could ever use a smaller piece do you?

I hope you are having a good weekend?  A very wet and windy one here today so I'm not planning on setting foot out of any doors if I can help it! 

PATCHWORK CHRISTMAS

Hi Everyone

Thursday already!!

Who is stealing the days this week that's what I want to know?  Time seems to be flying by super fast.  I clearly must be having far too much fun because school weeks when I was a kid used to last forever in comparison.

Today's card is a Christmas version of a card I posted here .. .. and truth be told I am a little obsessed with making them.  Firstly because it uses up the smallest pieces of backing paper and lengths of ribbon and secondly because I really enjoy doing all the stitching .. .. so a "win" on two counts.  Well three counts actually if you count having a finished card at the end.

So here is my patchwork Christmas card

This used:

Papers:  Nitwits Collection "Yuletide Cheer"
Sentiment:  Julie Hickey "DS-HE-1020 Christmas Border A6 Stamp Set
White Embossing Powder
Spellbinders:  Classic Circle and Scalloped Circle Dies
Ribbon
Fabric Puffy Metallic Snowflake Embellishment
My Trusty Sewing Machine

I'm not sure where the puffy metallic snowflake came from originally .. .. .. I have had a collection of them for quite a while because I used to use them as decorations at the wedding fayres alongside my Christmas themed wedding stationery.  

But weddings are no longer part of my life .. .. ..  that boat has now had to sail of into the sunset as I cannot commit to them any longer.  

All of my weddings are now finished .. .. .. with venue stationery for the very last one being completed by a lovely fellow exhibitor who I met at the wedding fayres.  We hit it off straight away and became good friends and she was my first port of call .. .. .. .. doing a brilliant job for me "and" the happy couple.

So the remainder of my wedding stash is available for general use now, which gives me even more card, ribbon, lace, gems and embellishments to play with!   Unless I open a little on-line shop?  Now there's a thought! 

Not sure how I am going to store everything when we move .. .. .. but bless him Mr Heart hasn't once said "exactly how much stuff have you got?"  LOL!!!

Enjoy the rest of today and I will hopefully catch you again soon.  

TEENY TINY POLAR BEARS

Hi Everyone

I hope your Tuesday has been a good one.

I am here with my Teeny Tiny creation for today .. .. ..  a card that is a whole 9cms square.

This used:

Image and Die Set:  MFT Polar Bear Pals
Sentiment:  Clearly Besotted "Speaking Out"
Background Word Stamp:  Julie Hickey "JH1061" Christmas Background Stamp Set
Design Paper inside the frame:  "Snow & Ice" The Works
Christmas Tree:  Cut and Make  - Mini Christmas Dies (very old)
Frame:  MFT-926 Stitch Round Square Frame
ProMarkers
Small Star Punch
Glitter Paper
Chalk (for those little rosy cheeks)
My Trusty Sewing Machine

and whilst making one I actually made three .. ..

I will hopefully catch you again soon but in the meantime many thanks for your visits and lovely comments .. .. I am enjoying being back in blogland so very much and am not looking forward to having to pack away all my crafty goodies when we finally move!  My little craft pod will be the last room to be boxed up and emptied!  LOL!!

ACROSS THE MILES

Hi Everyone

I hope your week is off to a good start.

The weather is definitely very Autumnal here with the wind swirling a multitude of different coloured leaves all along the roads!  Not my most favourite season I must admit.  I love the colours but not the dark evenings or the thought of worrying winter weather looming.  

My share for today is a Christmas card which uses another of the cute images from the download I purchased on Friday .. .. .. I just knew this was the next character I "needed" to use.  I love the outfit so much that I would love a jumper just like it!  LOL!! 

This used:

Image and Sentiment:  Amanda Jayne Designs "Ultimate Christmas Bundle"

Backing Papers:  Buddly Craft - Kim MacFarlane - Silent Night Digi Papers
Memory Box Die:  Snowflake Heart
ProMarkers
Diamond Stickles

Glossy Accents

My Trusty Sewing Machine

I am trying really hard to make "at least" one card every day and will hopefully be here again tomorrow with a Teeny Tiny Tuesday creation.

But each card needs to be created alongside us working on what we are calling "project downsize" .. .. .. .. where we are sorting out our house ready for moving to pastures new.   Not an easy project!  We have lived here for 32 years and have accumulated far too much. We are all sold and have found our next nest .. .. .. but can't take everything with us! 

Various local charities are doing well out of us, and anything that we don't need which will help someone else is being passed along.  I just wish I could be given £1 for each time one or other of us has said "why on earth did we keep this?" LOL!!!

We have moved house a few times during our very happy marriage, and a couple of times the saying "new house, new baby" has turned out to be true .. .. .. but there is no chance of that anymore (unfortunately).  Those days are long gone.

Anyway, enjoy what is left of today and I hope the week is a good one for you.