My photo
A very warm welcome to my teeny, tiny part of the huge world of blogging. This is where I share my passion for making hand made greeting cards. So - why "Always with a Heart"? Well this is for two reasons. Firstly, it is because every card I produce carries a heart on it somewhere. This can be big and bold or small and almost hidden - the fun sometimes is just trying to find it! Secondly it is because I put my heart into everything I produce. I hope that any visitors enjoy seeing what I post. If you drop by then please leave me a comment so that I know you called. It would be nice to know that you have found my heart in what I do.

Sunday, 30 August 2026

SHARING THE LOVE

Hi Everyone

Does anyone else remember these lovely characters from way back when?  They are Bo and Bea from when TeddyBo were up and running.

I thought the image would work well for the Christmas Kickstart Challenge where the theme is "Friendship".  I am pretty sure Bo and Bea are good friends because there is also another lovely image where they get married. 

This image was actually part of a tab set but I cropped it and enlarged it to use here:


This used:

Image:  TeddyBoBeaTabs (Teddy Bo are sadly no longer trading, but they might be lurking in your download file  -  my file was originally downloaded in 2011 would you believe !!!!)
Sentiment:  Computer Generated
Backing Paper:  A Snippet from Pink Petticoat (also sadly no longer trading)
ProMarkers
Chalk for the rosy cheeks
My Trusty Sewing Machine


This was one of my favourites of their images along with the one where Bo and Bea had got married.  I might use that image next as it will work with that paper stack I am currently trying to cull.

Off to link up and will hopefully catch you again soon.

Saturday, 29 August 2026

THREE OF A KIND

Hi Everyone

Happy Saturday - I am rushing in quickly in the hope of reaching the playground gates before they are locked.

Life has been rather hectic this week so I am flying by the seat of my pants with this one.

I started by making just one card but of course got left with lots of die cuts and I couldn't possibly just ditch them .. .. so I made another .. .. and then another .. .. .. then forced myself to stop before Mr Heart thought I had left home LOL!!!


These used:

Design Papers:  Papercraft House "Vintage" plus snippets of coloured card for the frames.
Die:  Pink Fresh Studio "Simply Blooms" - PFSA1620  (turned the die the other way round for the top card so the large flower was at the bottom).
Ribbon
ProMarkers as I added extra colour to some of the die cuts
Hot Fix Nail Heads
My Trusty Sewing Machine


These were the snippets I started off with .. .. .. all from the latest paper pack I am attempting to cull.  This pack is a little more challenging though because it is full of lots of A4 size sheets, but as per usual there were lots of part used sheets tucked in the back.

          

I am now off to share my makes in the Snippets Playground where we are encouraged to use up our leftovers rather than cutting into fresh sheets of card or design paper.  Loads and loads of snippets here so never short of something to play along with (other than time).

As I finished up with three finished cards I decided to share them with the Little Red Wagon Challenge where the theme is "anything times three".  

So that is me for today, huge apologies for the lack of blog posts and blog visiting.  Fingers crossed things will be a little calmer this coming week and I will be able to catch up with myself and everyone else.

Take care and enjoy the bank holiday weekend.

Sunday, 16 August 2026

THE NEXT PACK OF PAPER TO BE CULLED

Hi Everyone

I hope that your day is proving to be a good one - and things are a bit cooler for you.

My stock box is in need of a serious refill and I am trying to work on the type of cards I never seem to make unless I have been asked to make them, or I am in need of them myself.  So in an attempt to "fill the gaps" I simply closed my eyes and did lucky dip into the drawer of "paper stacks to use up" and then plumped for a "get well card". 


This used:  
Image:  -- NesaDesignCo - Pastel Floral Vase Clipart - Whimsical Flower Bouquet Bundle  
(a really lovely download that is suitable for so many different occasions.)
Sentiment:  Computer Generated
Corner Rounding Punch
Ribbon
My Trusty Sewing Machine
Backing Papers:  Paper House "Vintage" 


This was again a pack of papers I was asked to design with for a magazine commission .. .. .. and I got to keep the leftovers.  A really lovely set of papers, and I must admit I will be sorry once I have used them all, but hey ho!  It has to be done if I am going to clear that drawer and reach my "digital only" goal.

But it does mean you are going to be seeing quite a lot of it over the coming weeks as there are quite a few pages left .. .. .. as well as lots of snippets at the back LOL!!!.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend everyone.

Friday, 14 August 2026

AND IT IS FRIDAY .. .. .. AGAIN!

Hi Everyone

Yes, in the blink of an eye we are back round to Friday again and another weekend will soon be with us!

They seem to come around so very quickly, but to be fair I have crammed a lot into this week, so I can't really complain.  As we all know only too well, the more we do the quicker time disappears.  


My creation today is for sharing with two challenges:

The "As You Like It Challenge" where they would like to know what your favourite colouring medium is.

This is super easy because it has to be my ProMarkers (not that I have ever tried any other kind of permanent marker).  I love the variety of colours, the way they blend and the fact that they have a fat and a thin end to them.   I do have some very fine nibs to attach to them too but for some reason they don't fit every pen, which I find a bit strange.  I wonder if the casing has altered over the years.

and also

The "Penny Black Saturday Challenge" where the theme is "things with wings" or "anything goes" provided your creation showcases Penny Black Goodies.   No wings on my creation so it is "anything goes for me this time".

This used:

Image:  Penny Black "Rosy!" 3344J
Sentiment:  Penny Black Clear Stamp Set "Gratitude" 30-105"
ProMarkers
Backing Papers:  Pink Petticoat (no longer trading)
Corner Rounding Punch
Ribbon
Hot Fix Nail Heads
My Trusty Sewing Machin
e


and that is me for today .. .. quite an early post for me.

Have a good one everyone.  I feels a little bit cooler here today .. .. fingers crossed it stays that way.

Tuesday, 11 August 2026

TEENY TINY TUESDAY

Hi Everyone

Hope your day is going well.

Just whizzing along with a teeny tiny creation I made this morning.   

For anyone new to my blog my teeny tiny creations measure a whole 9cm square.

I am now a few weeks into my "no buying any new design pads", and I haven't fallen off the wagon "yet" .. .. .. despite having seen quite a few I would have loved to have added to my collection .. .. ..  so I am not doing too badly.

But I have made a digital design paper purchase (which is allowed).

I was asked for an Art Deco style card by a customer and there was nothing paper wise in my collection that was going to fit the bill .. .. .. but I did find the most gorgeous digital papers on line and I have totally fallen in love with them.  They print so beautifully and the colours are super scrummy.

This used:

Digital design paper collection from "Digiform Studios" via Etsy called 3D Art Deco 
The background was simply a black polkadot download from Pink Petticoat printed onto thin turquoise card (sadly Pink Petticoat is no longer trading)
Memory Box Dies: "98261" Kaleidoscope Butterfly and "98262" Moonlight Butterfly
Ribbon
Glitter Card
Flat Backed Pearls
My Trusty Sewing Machine
We R Memory Keepers Envelope Score Board
Embossing Folder (which I think was a magazine freebie many, many years ago).

I am sharing this with the "Little Red Wagon Challenge" where the theme this week has been to include an envelope either alongside a card or as part of a card.  Still a few hours left if you fancy playing along.

This obviously isn't the card I made for my customer, I am simply using up some of the snippets I was left with. 

Sunday, 9 August 2026

SUNDAY SNIPPETS

Hi Everyone

I hope you have all had a lovely weekend.  

Still no rain here to report . . . . but we really do need some.

My creation today started out as just a quick play to see if an idea would work for me and by the time I had finished I was quite pleased with the finished result.  

Perhaps a little tweaking needed but nearly there.

I used an idea I had played with on a previous post here and finished up with this:

This used:

Just bits bits of paper and card that were still sitting on my desk from my previous post  
Unbranded triangle and star die 
Ribbons from "the ribbon offcut box" 
Sentiment:  Kaisercraft "North Pole"
My Trusty Sewing Machine


I am going to take this over to the snippets playground as everything on this card is a snippet of one kind or another but sadly no "before" picture as I wasn't expecting to end up with a finished project.

Enjoy your sparkly new week.

Wednesday, 5 August 2026

CUPCAKES FOR CHRISTMAS

Hi Everyone

Hope your day has been a good one.

Mine has been a rare one at home so I have been getting on top of the dreaded household chores and have also been trying to make more headway with Christmas designs for this year, and today this was my favourite .. .. .. . 

This used:

Image:  Another gorgeous download from NesaDesignCo - Christmas Cupcake (the only difficult part was deciding which of the 12 cupcake images I wanted to use as I love them  all !!!!
Backing Paper:  Pink Petticoat - sadly no longer trading
Sentiment:  Computer Generated
Corner Rounding Punch
Ribbon
Glossy Accents and Crystal Glamour Dust .. .. which as usual the camera never picks up
My Trusty Sewing

and that is me for today.

Still a few more chores to do but hopefully I will get chance for a bit of blog hopping later to see what everyone has been up to.

Tuesday, 4 August 2026

ONE THING!

Hi Everyone

Lots cracking off as usual here in the home of hearts but today I got chance for a little crafty play for taking to The Little Red Wagon Challenge where they would like to see “one thing”.

My share has lots of ‘ones’ really, but I am happy to just focus on ‘one heart’ as per usual. .. which I am sure everyone will find very easily 😊

This used:

Lots of snippets that I created when playing in the Snippets Playground Challenge .. .. .. so yes, for those of you who wondered .. .. .. .. I was sad enough to keep the leftover snippets LOL!  and also created a few more in the process too so more to use on another little make

Papers:  KaiserCraft Frosted Design Papers - plus other random snippets
Sentiment:  Computer Generated
Sizzix Thinlits Die "Moroccan Card Front"
My Trusty Sewing Machine
We R Memory Keepers Envelope Punch Board
KaiserCraft Embossing Folder:  Stained Glass

Hopefully catch you again soon.

Sunday, 26 July 2026

SUNDAY SNIPPETS

Hi Everyone

Hope your weekend is going well.

Here with my homework for taking over to the Snippets Playground where we are encouraged to use up some of those mountains of snippets we all squirrel away.

Following on from my last post .. .. the design pad I am currently emptying has had another hammering, and this time I used up the "part used" pages that were stored in the back.  In fact there are probably only a couple of full pages left now.

So I used a Sizzix die to cut the background from a scrap of white card and then lots of the infill shapes from various scraps in the pad, along with a toning metallic snippet.

I ended up with this:

This used:

Image and die Set:  MFT Polar Bear Pals
Sentiment:  Penny Black Clear Stamp Set 30-316 - Season's Gifts
KaiserCraft Frosted Design Papers
ProMarkers
Sizzix Thinlits Die "Moroccan Card Front"
My Trusty Sewing Machine

But now look what I am left with .. .. ..  yet another box of useful bits for future cards LOL!!


Enjoy your Sunday!  Hope you manage a bit of crafty time.

Thursday, 23 July 2026

CHRISTMAS IN JULY

Hi Everyone

Many thanks for your comments on my previous post.  Very much appreciated.

Today I am playing along with the Little Red Wagon Challenge who want to see Christmas in July .. .. and as the more Christmas makes I can get under my belt the better .. .. .. .. I came up with this:

This used:

Image:  Winter Teddy Bear Clipart Bundle from NesaDesignCo .. via Etsy (just one of 23 cute images in the set so plenty of Christmas options to play with there)
Sentiment:  Computer Generated
Corner Rounding Punch
Ribbon
My Trusty Sewing Machine 
and the next Design Pad I am going to completely empty after it lurking in my Christmas Paper Pad collection for a very long time   .. .. .. 

Although the collection is called "Frosted" not all of the pages and bits and pieces I have left are necessarily Christmas /Winter related so I am not totally limited as to what I can do with it.

Catch you again soon .. .. hopefully.

Tuesday, 21 July 2026

SEASON'S TWEETINGS

Hi Everyone

Apologies for the absence (again) .. .. .. it has been a manic time here in the home of hearts.  All centred around Mum which has involved days of paperwork alongside visits to see if she is hopefully awake and will eat or drink for us (the biggest treat of all being if she will chat, which just occasionally happens - not that she always knows who I am).  She once asked me what country I am from, and I said I have always lived here in England.  She expressed surprise that I hadn't been evacuated  to which I said "I was lucky, I was just old enough to be allowed to stay".  She was pleased for me 😊  

I could write a book on the things she has said over the years.  But we agreed when all this began that we as a family live in Mum's world, we don't ever let her think she is wrong with the things she says.
 
Anything involving paperwork is always a real challenge because Mum has been for many, many years a serial shredder .. .. .. despite us setting up files for her to put them in and telling her we will need the information later.  We eventually deliberately blocked the shredder so she couldn't use it any more and I slowly started to bring any paperwork I could get my hands on home with me .. .. .. but of course that didn't stop her ripping things up. 

Then to add to the fun the latest Windows Up-date has caused problem with my computer .. .. .. .. sometimes it opens in "bios mode" and other times it behaves itself.

Why can't life just be straightforward?  All I want to do is go to visit Mum and then come home and sit and make cards!!!  Surely that isn't too much to ask is it?

Anyway today the computer wants to play so I am making hay while the sun shines and sharing a Teeny Tiny Christmas card which measures a whole 9cm square.


This used:
Image:  Just Rite Clear Stamp Set "CR-05030" Doodled Birds  (love this set - it is years old)
Trees:  Cardio "Mini Tall Trees"
Sentiments:  Clearly Besotted "Rockin' Robin"
Backing Paper:  Pink Petticoat (sadly no longer trading) and snippets for the paper piecing
Dovecraft snowflake embossing folder.
WeRMemory Keepers Envelope Punch Board
My Trusty Sewing Machine
and a couple of ProMarkers

Hope your days have been calmer than mine.

Saturday, 11 July 2026

TIME TO CELEBRATE

Hi Playmates

Hope you are all enjoying your day.

I have had a bit of playtime in the craft pod today, alongside numerous trips to and from the washing line!  My craft time being more enjoyable because I have ended up with a finished card .. .. whereas my trips to the washing line have now culminated in a pile of ironing (which won't be done today!).

So this is my finished card .. .. 


This used:
Image:  Penny Black "1657K" Ode to Joy
Sentiment:  Clearly Besotted "CBSM1012" Mini Calligraphy
Backing Paper:  Nitwits "Melodious"
ProMarkers
Ribbon
Corner Rounding Punch
My Trusty Sewing Machine

I am taking this to two challenges:

The Little Red Wagon Challenge where the theme is "Piano Man" (anything music related)

and

The Penny Black Saturday Challenge where the theme is "Moving" (transport) or anything goes as long as it uses Penny Black Goodies.  I am covered with the "anything goes" option.

My post title was "Time to Celebrate" .. ..  I wonder if we will be celebrating after the football tonight?

Friday, 10 July 2026

MAKE TIME TO SMELL THE FLOWERS

Hi Playmates

Happy Friday everyone.

I hope your week has been a good one .. .. .. and you are all looking forward to that weekend which is just peeping around the corner.

Sharing a card today using a digital image from an Etsy store that is fast becoming a firm favourite here in the house of hearts.. .. .. so many gorgeous images and this is just one of quite a few that I have fallen in love with .. .. .. and an image that would work for lots of different types of cards, not just birthdays:


Sentiment:  Computer Generated
Backing Paper:  From snippet mountain.  I know it was from a download a long while ago and now I need to find out where .. .. ..  because I want to use it again!
Corner Rounding Punch
Ribbon
Hot Fix Nail Heads
My Trusty Sewing Machine

According to Copilot the title of my post today means : 

"slow down, pause, and intentionally enjoy the small, beautiful moments in life — rather than rushing through them in pursuit of goals or tasks"

Something we should all do .. .. .. but definitely me!!!  I am far too hyper for my own good!

Thursday, 9 July 2026

WALL TO WALL SUNSHINE

Hi Everyone

I hope you are having a good week and haven't melted in the heat!

Whenever the sun shines my brain always goes into yellow mode which is a colour I don't really use very often as a dominant colour.

This used:

Image:  LOTV Digital "You are My Sunshine" via Etsy
Sentiment:  LOTV Digital "Everythings Better Sentiments" via Etsy
ProMarkers
Design Papers from the Snippet Box
Floral Cotton Ribbon
My Trusty Sewing Machine

Will hopefully catch you again soon .. .. keep slapping on that suncream!

Tuesday, 7 July 2026

TEENY, TINY TUESDAY FOR THE SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND

Hi Everyone

I hope your week is going well.

Today I have a teeny tiny creation for taking over to The Snippet Playground Challenge which is where we are encouraged to use up our leftovers from previous projects .. .. .. and if you are anything like me you have masses of these squirrelled away in various forms .. .. .. design papers, various types of card, acetate, vellum, ribbon, fabric, lace, twine  .. .. ..   oh the list is endless .. .. .. culminating in soooo many snippets LOL!!! 

Anyway, this little creation uses up just a few of my many snippets  .. .. ..


This used:

Design paper for the card and envelope:  Pink Petticoat
Snippet of Glitter Card
Sentiment:  Penny Black Clear Stamps "Sentiment Collection" 30-350
Teeny Tiny Butterfly:Flutters 2 Inkylicious 4110
ProMarkers
A solitary little gem for the butterfly's body
Die Cut Frame: Unbranded
WeRMemory Keepers Envelope Punch Board
Embossing Folder for the envelope flap
My Trusty Sewing Machine

and these were my snippets


Unfortunately Miss Di is out of commission in the playground at the moment, so Sarn and Dudley are in charge.  Hope you recover nice and quickly Di.  I am sure we will all "try" and behave ourselves in your absence.