THE RETURN OF TEENY TINY TUESDAY

Hi Everyone

I hope all is well with you all.

I am definitely enjoying getting some of my crafty time back again and feel like a kid in a sweet shop at the moment now that I get to play with all the goodies that have been packed away for months and months on end with no chance or time to make use of them!  

Today sees the return of my Teeny Tiny makes, which for anyone new to my blog, measure a whole 9cm square .. .. and just to be extra good I have even used some of the snippets I had left over after Sunday's creation.

So here we go:

This used:

One of the images from an old "Backgrounds" clear stamp set from Kanban stamped onto white paper and coloured with ProMarkers.  Only a small stamp but perfect for what I needed
Then Julie Hickey goodies:
Sweet Daisy Stamp Set and corresponding Die Set
Hazel's Sentiment Medley Die Set SKU: DS-HE-1063 (loving this smaller version of some of Julie's larger statement dies).
Glamour Dust
My Trusty Sewing Machine
WeRMemory Keepers Envelope Punch Board

and that is me for today.

I will hopefully catch you again soon.

SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND ANNIVERSARY

Hi Everyone

I can hardly believe that it is a whole 13 years since I handed the snippet playground keys over to the ever wonderful Miss Di .. .. .. she has done a fantastic job in helping us to keep our snippets under control over the years.

I dread to think how many tonnes of paper/card and ribbon we have turned into little works of art over the years between us all.

The number 13 is supposed to be "unlucky for some".. .. .. .. but for us it is "super lucky" because we have definitely enjoyed many years of fun with Di and also more recently Sarn too .. .. who between them do a brilliant job of trying to keep us all from being buried under piles of snippets.  

Thank you ladies, long may the fun continue.

So to celebrate this landmark occasion I have used "just a few" of my many snippets to create an anniversary card:

This used:

Random Snippets, acetate, and a snippet of ribbon
Spellbinders Heart Die
Sentiment:  Polkadoodles PD8024 All About the Girls Sentiments (love this stamp set, it matches with others that are available for creating your own sentiments).
My Trusty Sewing Machine

These were the snippets I selected to work with (but not all made it to the final card):

As you may already know Di very kindly, and very bravely, took over the snippet challenge from me which all began in January 2011 as a way to use up some of my leftovers and I made it a one year mission to use as many of them as possible.  This is the post where it all began and it was at that stage just a personal mission .. .. it was something I did on a Sunday and I called it my Sunday Scrap Day.  A title I later abandoned for the word snippets .. .. .. .. because our snippets definitely aren't scrap are they?  

Lots of other folk seemed to have the same problem as me and were becoming overrun with snippets, so they joined in and enjoyed sending me links to what they had made and I would share them the following week by simply linking to people's blogpost.

Then once my year mission was complete this was the point at which the lovely Di took over and turned everything into a proper challenge blog, which has provided us with lots of fun, friendships and fantastic prizes too.  Many thanks Di.  You truly are a star.

So here we are all these years later .. .. .. .. and I can remember the day it all started like it was yesterday.  I still have as many snippets as I had at the beginning - but I have had lots of fun along the way and my mission to reduce them still continues!

I  hope you enjoyed my links to "memory lane" and that you get chance to break out some of your snippets to celebrate this special occasion and join in the fun at The Snippets Playground Challenge.

Take care everyone and I hope you find yourself some crafty time. 

MAKE NEW FRIENDS - BUT KEEP THE OLD

Hi Everyone

I hope your New Year has got off to a good start.

I am quite pleased with mine so far .. .. .. apart from the rather unpredictable weather!

Crafting has taken a nice little up-turn now that home renovations have slowed down, and that is making me feel super happy and creative 😊.

As part of my organisation mission I have been sorting out my image and design paper downloads and it has been quite exciting to re-visit and fall in love again with lots of digital goodies - some of which are now very, very old .. .. .. but still very, very beautiful and of course there are the sparkly new ones that are still waiting to get an airing too!

Hence the title of this post.  For as exciting as it is to come across new digital designers and their work .. .. .. I still love and miss my favourite designers from the past .. .. .. especially Pink Petticoat, who morphed into The Lovely Studio but are now nowhere to be found .. .. and of course the ever lovely DigiStamp Boutique who had the most gorgeous images but sadly stopped trading.  

But all of their hard work and images / sentiments and design papers I have accumulated over the years are timeless and I just know I will be using them always.

So as the old saying goes "make new friends, but keep the old, the new are silver but the old are gold" and today I am sharing a bit of the old:

This used:

Dandelion Clocks - Pink Petticoat (as with most things from Pink Petticoat the design came in lots of colourways which matched their patterned and plain design colour range)
Sentiment:  LOTV Embossed Labels
Corner Rounding Punch
Ribbon
My Trusty Sewing Machine
Nail Heads
Diamond Stickles

No snow here yet .. .. and hopefully it stays that way.  

ALL THE VERY BEST

 Hi Everyone

Just flying by to wish everyone "all the very best of everything" for 2025.  A little late as I spent the day with my Mum yesterday

I am very aware that quite a few people are going through some very tough times at the moment so I don't want to go overboard talking about the excitement that a new year brings, because for a lot of folk they probably can't imagine being excited or happy about anything ever again.  But I do wish them strength to battle through what they are going through.

No rash promises from me this year because I failed miserably with those over last two years after quite a short period of time .. .. but with all we have had going on I have forgiven myself LOL!!!

I have set myself some goals though and am hoping I do better with those.  A goal feels like it is less pressure than a promise!

Anyway, I am here today sharing a card I made yesterday using a Nitwits download I bought whilst it was on offer at the end of last year and I love it very much.  

This used:

Design Papers and Image:  Nitwits Well Read Collection (love the colours very much)
Sentiment:  Computer Generated (there are lots of sentiments in the download but I created my own for a book collector who is retiring)
My Trusty Sewing Machine

I have had lots of requests to share my new craft room now that is finished and in use .. .. .. .. .. so here we go (not that it is this tidy at this point in time .. .. today is "clear up day" and "putting Christmas craft goodies away for a little while".   

I am really pleased with how it has come together and am looking forward to spending many happy hours (but really I mean "years") playing in there, and I also intend using my trusty sewing machine for some actual fabric sewing projects too - but that is likely to be quite a way into the future.  It is good to dream though.  

There is also a large set of white drawers on the wall I couldn't get into the picture where I store my wooden stamps and part of my ribbon collection.  On top of the drawers is my Big Shot Pro.

I could really do with another work surface but space doesn't allow it as a permanent feature so I do have a small collapsible table that I use when I am really struggling.

Those empty wooden crates are what I used to display my wedding work in .. .. back in the days of wedding work.  A local chappie made lots of them for me and they were great for making interesting displays of my work (I miss designing and doing the wedding fayres very much, and the lovely couples I got to meet, but not all the work and pressure wedding stationery involves).

The crates are no longer empty, but full of craft goodies, along with another stack of five crates which stand on the floor next to the set of drawers on the wall you are having to imagine.

So that is me.  You can now picture where I escape to whenever other responsibilities allow it.

Take care everyone and I hope 2025 is kind to you all.

ANOTHER CHRISTMAS DONE AND DUSTED

Hi Everyone

I hope all is good in your corner of the world and you enjoyed Christmas.  Are you managing some lovely crafting/relaxation time now that the post-Christmas calm is upon us?

Personally I enjoy the days that follow Christmas as much as the "main event" .. .. .. I just love that calm feeling that appears once all of the rushing, and having to cram too much into every day, has gone and you can just relax knowing the pressure we put ourselves under is over .. .. .. well until next year anyway LOL!!

All plans came together here and we managed to get the lounge decorated and sorted in time for the big day, which now just leaves the hallway to complete .. .. .. once we can decide what we want to do with it!!!  

I really can't wait to just live in our new home, rather than be working on changing and decorating it all the time.  But the end is in sight (as are nearly all the unpacked boxes from the move).. .. .. which I am hoping means that crafting can once again become a regular occurrence, rather than it being something that just gets squeezed in here and there when I have a spare five minutes.

My crafting has certainly suffered big time with everything that has been going on, but hopefully an improvement is just around the corner.

One crafty project that I did manage to complete though was one I always take great pleasure in .. .. .. and that is making a Christmas card for my Mum.  I make it whilst thanking my lucky stars that I am able to share this special time of year with her .. .. .. even though all my life she has been glad to see the back of Christmas and says "thank goodness that's over with".  I am convinced that Boxing Day to my Mum means "box everything up and store it away out of sight again" LOL!!!.    Bless her.

Anyway, this was this year's offering:

This used:

Memory Box Die:  98944 "Clairmont ornaments"
Sentiment:  Computer Generated
Lots of snippets from snippet mountain
and of course .. .. my trusty sewing machine

and that just leaves me to thank everyone who has messaged, emailed, sent me beautiful cards and continued to keep in touch with me despite my crafty quietness.  I appreciate you all, and your support, very, very much.

Take care and enjoy what remains of 2024!

LEST WE FORGET

 Hi Everyone

Many thanks for all your lovely comments on my previous post, you are all so very kind.  

I desperately need to get some Christmas cards under my belt, but the first card today was about remembering those who lost their lives, or had their lives changed for ever, whilst in conflict.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them

and here is my card to say thank you to all of those who have fought so bravely for our country .. .. ..

 This used:

Image:  Sunset Poppy Fields Clipart from TheClipArtStudioX (via Etsy)
Backing Papers:  Honeysuckle Collection:  Crafters Companion and polkadot paper from the snippet box!
Sentiment: LOTV Embossed Labels (via Etsy)
Corner Rounding Punch
My Trusty Sewing Machine

I hope the coming week is kind to everyone and I will catch you again soon .. ... fingers crossed!

BIRTHDAY LOVE

Hi Everyone

Once again huge apologies for being such a bad blog owner, and many thanks for all the enquiries as to whether all is OK in the New Home of Hearts .. .. you are all so very kind.

Life here has been (and still is) very hectic on many fronts and has seen me wearing many, many, many hats .. .. .. not many of which have involved the sheer pleasure I get from crafting/creating. 

I have to admit that I have never known life to be so busy, worrying, stressful, disorganised and yet exciting all at the same time!  

My new little crafty pod is now completed, at long last, and I am really happy with it.  Mr Heart has  constructed IKEA furniture for me whilst I have been busy with Mum.  I am now trying to get all my craft treasures organised (and then remember where I have put everything .. .. which is the hardest part).  

Progress has been mega slow in reaching this point though, mainly because Mum has needed me more. I have been spending a lot of my time with her, including spending three weeks camping on her settee .. .. .. due to a mixture of her not being well with a chest infection and her emergency alert call system not working! 

But let’s face it, in the grand scheme of things, she is way more important than anything else.  Decorating, housework, crafting and organising will always be around, but my Mum won't .. .. .. so I need to make the most of spending time with her while I can.  She was a whole 94 a few weeks ago and this was the card I managed to make for her .. .. amongst all the chaos.

This used:

Digital Download:  Floral Alphabet : AmeliaDigiArts
A snippet of pinstripe design paper
ProMarkers
Snippet of Ribbon
Gems for the daisy flowers and a big sparkly button

Things are progressing really well with me and everyone is telling me I am looking much better recently.  So that is good news, and my appetite is returning which will please my Oncologist. Not many people are encouraged to have what has been described to me as a "see food diet" .. .. .. "see food and eat it .. .. whatever it is!!"  LOL!! 

I am desperate to get back to some serious crafting, but dread to think how far away those days actually are.  But with Christmas looming at super fast speed I am going to have to really get a wriggle on there!!

The exciting news though is that we have finally got our bedroom decorated, carpeted and furnished .. .. .. (so we are no longer sleeping in the living room LOL!!), and in an ideal world the living room will be sorted by Christmas, fingers crossed. 

As everything but the base card and button on my card came from my snippet collection I am heading over to the Snippets Playground Challenge where we are encouraged to use up all those odds and ends of creative materials we all squirrel away. 

Take care everyone.  I sincerely hope that everything is running smoothly for you all .. .. .. and you have more Christmas cards made than I have! 

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

Hi everyone

Happy Friday .. .. .. .. 

Another quick play was squeezed into yesterday and allowed me to create this card which I was quite pleased with and can see being made for lots of different occasions and in different colours:

This used:

Heart Border Die:  Amazon unbranded 

Sentiment:  Mama Elephant "Bountiful Blessings" (stamped using Brilliance Pearlescent Beige ink) - may no longer be available as the set it came from is quite old now

Backing Papers:  The Works "Vintage Romance" (just love the colours in this pad so much)

My Trusty Sewing Machine

Sadly my Nail Heads haven't made an appearance yet so I had to resort to die cutting some little circles and I just added some Crystal Glamour Dust to them.

I am a bit ashamed to say that despite having packed and transported loads of design papers (and having that rather large box of snippets) I still ended up succumbing to "yet another" pad from The Works last week.  I tried really hard to walk past and did manage to on my way "into town", but was weak "on the way back"!!  LOL!!! 

But in my defence, I only bought one pad .. .. .. not the three I originally picked up!!

The floor is now done in the future craft room so time to limber up for some decorating over the next few days.

Make the most of the weekend when arrives everyone and many thanks for calling by.

I haven't forgotten my rash promises on the "Christmas" and "sketch" front and will be making amends for my absence soon.

SNIPPET TIME

Hi everyone

I hope you have all had a really good start to your week and have managed to squeeze in a bit of crafty time.

Not much actual "physical crafting" happening here since our move .. .. .. but amongst all the things we have to do I have been cracking on with the very enjoyable task of "organising a make-shift craft area". 

So I now have access to a table, a chair, a working printer, a limited supply of crafting goodies and my trusty sewing machine .. .. .. .. .. all nestled amongst piles of boxes that cannot be unpacked yet.  But that's OK - as long as I get a crafty fix somewhere along the line then all is good.

Just a very quick play today .. .. .. but even so it was enjoyable, and I intend to run over to the snippet playground challenge with the outcome.  

Recently, though I seem to spend longer trying to find the things I want to use than doing the actual making! LOL!!!

But my misplaced cutting plates turned up so I am at least able to let some of my dies see some action.

and these were the small pieces I started off with / cut into.. .. .. ..

This used:

A snippet of digital patterned design paper

Black, white and smooth silver glitter card snippets (originally A4 in size)

Julie Hickey "Happy" and "Birthday" sentiment and backing dies

Star Dies
My Trusty Sewing Machine

So in my previous post I eluded to all my patterned snippets now being condensed into one box.  Well here it is .. .. .. .. ..

and I am determined to try really hard to get this box greatly reduced .. .. but I know only too well that even though I will use what is stored in this box I will also be adding to it!  So it will no doubt still be like the Forth Bridge.

The majority of the contents are patterned papers, both digital printed ones and some from design pads.  There might be a small smattering of plain card in there as well, but the majority of my plain coloured card snippets are stored elsewhere in a much more organised manner, sorted by colour.  Mostly offcuts left over from wedding stationery orders in the past.

Yesterday saw what will be my new crafty space have a screed added to the floor ahead of it being laminated (hopefully) tomorrow or Thursday.  Then it will be out with the sandpaper, paintbrushes and rollers!

Anyway, that is me for now.

I hope you are all keeping well and apologies for being a stranger.

ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT!

Hi Everyone

Well it might have been very quiet on my blog for the last few weeks, but life itself has been anything but .. .. .. mainly because things suddenly moved very quickly on the house selling front and a special truck at long last pulled onto our driveway and moved Mr Heart and I to our new adventure!  Woo hoo!!

The removal men were so fast .. .. and so strong!!  

I had been worried that some of the boxes (especially the craft ones) might be too heavy, but they could even carry those  .. .. ..  two at a time!!

By mid afternoon the monies had all been transferred and we were allowed to pick the keys up and escape to our new abode. 

Everyone keeps asking if we were sad to be leaving what has been our home for the last nearly 33 years .. .. .. but the answer is "definitely not"!   It had become far too big for us to cope with (especially the huge garden) and as we no longer know what the future holds for us (who does?) we know we are doing the right thing in "future proofing" ourselves for all eventualities while we are still in a position to do so. 

Don't get me wrong, our old home has been a fantastic place for us and we have been very very happy there .. .. especially when the lads were still at home .. .. but we didn't need to remain there just because of that.  The memories of those wonderful happy years spent in what we will call "the family home" will live with us always  .. .. memories to us aren't held in bricks and mortar or even belongings .. .. they are held in our hearts!  

We will drive past our "family home" many times, as we have only moved about 3 miles up the same main road, and will no doubt look and smile at our old home every time we drive by. But the fun and excitement has now started in creating our next home, where we have lots to do .. .. room by room.

It will be quite a while before all the work is done and we are still surrounded by loads of boxes that it is pointless unpacking at this stage.  But as a clue to the chaos we are currently enjoying .. .. .. we have our bed set up in the living room and just flop into that every night.  I jokingly say we are like John and Yoko at the moment (if you are old enough to remember them).

We loved our new home immediately and feel like we are on holiday .. .. .. we moved on the 15th April .. .. .. and when we have driven past our old home we feel like it is ages ago we used to live there.

But despite all the chaos and work we are doing, my brain and hands still want desperately to craft - so I have begun creating a temporary crafty area in the corner of what one day will be our bedroom!  I packed knowing I would “need” to have “crafty fixes” and have condensed lots of patterned paper snippets into one single box - so let’s see how long it takes me to empty that!!!!! Years by the look of it!  But more about that another time because at the moment I can't find everything for even basic crafty sessions.  Three die cutting machines but no cutting plates to be found .. .. yet .. .. LOL!  Clearly bad planning and last minute panic packing on my part.

So for now I will just kick-start my blog again with a card I made prior to packing everything away

This used:

Image:  Purple and Gold Butterflies Watercolour Clipart Bundle WondersArtist (via Etsy) 
Sentiment:  Computer Generated
Backing Papers:  Pink Petticoat/The Lovely Studio (sadly no longer trading)
Die-Namics Blueprints 14 Die Set - My Favorite Things
Ribbon
My Trusty Sewing Machine

so back today to more lovely sorting and organising.

Hopefully it won't be too long before I am able to make use of my temporary crafty corner and post something new.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend everyone.

HAPPY EASTER WISHES

Hi Everyone

Oh dear .. .. .. how manic is my life?!?!?!?  LOL!!!

Big apologies for the lack of blog visits and posts from me over the last week .. .. ..  but life has gone up a gear on a few levels.  More about all that when I next post.

For now I am here with my sketch for this week though.  Another for adding to my square sketch collection which you will find at the top of my blog.

This used

Image:  Penny Black "1927K" Bunny Friends
Sentiment:  Computer Generated
Backing Papers:  My Lovely Studio "sadly no longer trading"
ProMarkers

Corner Rounding Punch

Nail Heads

A teeny tiny flower from my die cut flower box (I have small boxes that contain just random die cut flowers, another for butterflies, another for leaves, another for snowflakes.  I just cut and add them to the various boxes from offcuts as I go along to dip into later)

My Trusty Sewing Machine

and my sketch for this week .. .. number Fifty Seven

So a new sketch done .. .. tick!

I have also been playing truant from the snippets playground .. .. which will never do.  

But hopefully the lovely ladies in the playground office will appreciate what I have done with some of my offcuts this week.

We have got very friendly with a local charity store whilst doing our house clearance, and when dropping things off to them on Friday, for some reason physical price tags came into the conversation .. .. they make their own when they get chance using a craft punch.  But because I have all this time on my hands (LOL!!!) I volunteered to make them some. 

So here is my little collection for dropping off to them on our next visit.  I don't know how long this amount will keep them going, probably not long because they are always very, very busy, but I will definitely be making them more in the hope of making a little difference

1.  To the charity store

and

2.  To snippet mountain 

Here is the finished result ... .. and yes .. .. there is a heart tag included (just the one) .. .. can you spot it?

... ... and here are the snippets I used with the help of a die set that  I purchased from The Works many years ago!

Sadly no time for a Christmas card this week though .. .. .. .. .. my rash new year promise is broken and I am only three months in .. .. .. boo hoo!! .. .. .. but I will rescue it by imposing a forfeit on myself later when life calms down again.  I am determined to have 52 made by the time December is upon us!

Hopefully catch you again soon and fingers crossed the Easter bunny called by to leave you a treat.

DOUBLE WHAMMY DAY

Hi Everyone

I hope you have all had a good weekend. 

Mine was super exciting because I have had my first proper haircut today since my hair grew back .. .. .. woo hoo!!  I feel another happy step nearer to normality!

Not much crafting time at all this week so today I needed to meet my rash new year promises and use  my new sketch for this week to make Christmas card number 17 .. .. and this is what it looks like

This used:

Sentiment:  Christmas Ornaments SVG Bundle - Italica Studio via Etsy
Backing Papers:  An old Christmas pad from The Works
Die Cut Snowflakes
Corner Rounding Punch
Gems
Ribbon
My Trust Sewing Machine

and New Rectangular Sketch Number Twenty Three

Things are hotting up on the house move front.  The searches came through for our buyers last week, which is earlier than originally predicted so we might be getting close to actually setting a date for moving soon!  Then the fun will start!

Have a good week everyone .. .. .. .. .. .. ..  I think mine will see me making very best friends with my Mr Dyson, Mr Muscle and Mr Sheen products (and my Marigolds of course).

CATCH THAT TIME THIEF

Hi Everyone

Flying in very quickly .. .. .. unfortunately the time thief struck this weekend and stole so much time it is unbelievable!  

But I am here at last with my Christmas card for this week.  2024 Christmas card number 16! 

This used:

Image:  LOTV Digital Image "A Little Gift"
Sentiment:  Computer Generated
Backing Papers:  From Snippet Mountain
ProMarkers
My Trusty Sewing Machine

and that is as good as it gets!

Short and sweet tonight and hoping that the time thief gets caught smartish and the forthcoming week is a nice slow one where I can get lots achieved. 

RASH PROMISE TICKED

Hi Everyone

Happy weekend eve!

Just flying by with my new sketch for this week.

I am back to a rectangular one .. .. although to be fair even my rectangular ones can be adapted to work as square ones.  Just make them fatter!  LOL!!

This used:

A wide variety of card and design paper snippets
Sentiment:  Computer generated
MFT Dienamics Die:  Blueprint 14 for the flower
Ribbon and Thread

Nail Heads

X-Cut Corner Rounding Punch

My Trusty Sewing Machine

and my new sketch .. .. Rectangular Sketch Twenty Two

I am taking my creation over to The Snippets Playground where we are encouraged to use up our offcuts rather than cut into fresh new sheets of card/paper etc.

Sorting my crafty goodies ahead of our move has seen all of my snippets come together into one place.. .. and boy there are tons and tons of the little blighters!  My blog could be easily be renamed as "Always with a Heart, A Stitch and a Snippet or two!"  LOL!!

Some of the mountain comprises of offcuts of design papers, but I also have lots of offcuts of plain card and paper from all the weddings I have done over the years .. .. .. so I need to think of ways to use all of those too!  I shall enjoy that!

Sadly I didn't take a "before" picture of my snippets (sorry ladies) I was far too busy just delving into the box and changing my mind about what to use .. .. but my whole card (other than the card base and the length of ribbon) came from my mountain of snippets. 

Have a good weekend when it arrives everyone.  Won't be long now!

ALL THINGS GROW BETTER WITH LOVE

Hi Everyone

I hope all is as good as it can be with you.

I have been spending time with Mum these last couple of days but snatched crafty sessions, alongside crafty packing, saw me finish and photograph the following before heading out to her:

Yep, I am still on the postage die obsession .. .. LOL!!

This used:

Postage Layout Die and Accessory Dies from Amazon
Images and Backing Paper from Snippet Mountain

Sentiment:  LOTV Digital "Stamp Block Sentiment"
Spellbinders:   Petite Circle and Petite Scalloped Circle Dies

Ribbon

My Trusty Sewing Machine

All of the little image rectangles were cut from one snippet of design paper that featured lots of small foliage images  .. .. .. just perfect for this little make .. .. .. but I have no idea where it came from.  Sorry.

I also created myself a stencil using a scrap of thin plastic using the main postage die with the corresponding rectangle dies .. .. .. so that will be a play session another day .. .. .. road testing that!

Enjoy the rest of your evening everyone.

If all goes to plan I am hoping for a good blog catch up later to see what you have all been up to.