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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 20 June 2010

NOTHING BUT MY PUNCH DRAWER

Hi there

I hope everyone has had a lovely Sunday.

I appreciate it is a difficult day for some people .. .. perhaps it has been a Father's day without your Father being here .. .. but these important, well loved men will always be here .. .. in our hearts. Mine lives on in memories, dreams and also in my children. I see traces of him in both of my sons.

I love and miss my Dad so much but am grateful that he was mine and that we shared special times together. Sadly not everyone can say that.

I often think back to things we did together .. .. just the two of us. We would go fishing for hours and I would spend ages trying to dig up worms for him from our garden or would mix aniseed with bread to form little balls of bait.

Then of course there were the compulsory maggots. He used to keep them in the garden shed because Mum wouldn't let him keep them in the fridge .. .. which is where he said they should be kept to stop them "turning".

I can remember thinking Mum was cruel to not let my hero do what he wanted but now I am supposedly "grown up" I appreciate that if my hubby went fishing there is no way his maggots would go in our fridge LOL!! (Sorry Mum).

So we would sit for hours in total silence fishing .. .. content in each others company. I would only be watching .. .. I didn't have my own fishing rod and never asked for one .. .. .. but I would happily sit and play with the maggots. I would race the different colours to see if one colour was faster than another or would grab a fistfull of them and sit and let them wriggle between my fingers to find their freedom .. .. .. oh what a lovely little girl I was LOL!!!

Happy days and what wouldn't I give to have just one of them back again.

Anyway, on to my creation of the day.

This one has been made for the Sir Stampalot Challenge . The theme this month is "punch it".

I decided to take this challenge one step further than was actually requested and limited myself to only using the contents of my punch drawer (along with a pen and an old ink pad) .. .. .. everything on my project has been punched. Even the little dots in the middle of the small pink flowers at the bottom are taken from the leftovers of the border punch.

Here is my entry


This used:

Punches from Woodware, Martha Stewart, X-Cut and Fiskars

So now this is posted and done I can sit and have a good old blog hop!! I didn't get chance yesterday as my Sister was staying over and today food shopping, visiting the cemetery and making my creation has taken its toll. But not to worry .. .. I can catch up now.

Have a lovely evening everyone.

See you tomorrow.

Love Jules xx

21 comments:

brenda said...

Hi Jules

Just home, checked by dashboard - as you do - and see you at the top of my list and that's before I got mail you even, that will be shortly.

I love the creativity of your card, such a lovely summery feel to it. Thank you for joining in at Stampalot Challenge again this month.

You and I share the same happy yet sad thoughts of our Dad's today. We both miss them desperately, but as you say we do retain the memories of the times we shared together.

My Dad liked to fish as well, but his first sporting love was shooting. Althouhg I know many would not call that a sport, he was a farmer and it is a necessary part of crop protection. As young as four I used to sit with him for hours in a hide in the middle of a field and think nothing of it.

Now every bird that enters our land, pigeons and pheasants alike come for protecton as we will not allow shoots across our land. Dad used to give me a wry grin each time I told him and said I was "soft with animals". I am, but he must have taught me that kindness.

Happy memories.

B x

Jacee said...

What a delight to read about the fond memories you have of your Dad, they brought a tear to my eye, in a nice way of course. I too have been thinking of my Dad today, I lost him 35 years ago now but not a day goes by when I don't think about him in some way, I still miss him, so I know how you feel Jules. On a lighter note, my hubby got his first 'Grandad' card today which was a lovely suprise along side his 'Fathers Day' one.
On to you card, it's lovely Jules, so bright a cheery, love the detail on the pot and that little butterfly is lovely.
Hugs Jacee

Unknown said...

Hi Jules
God that took me back as well, I went fishing with my dad, and I never wanted to fish either, I use to go and pick the wild flowers to take home to Mum, the good old days,sadly I have none of my parents now. Beautiful card.
Christine x

lisa said...

Well said, Jules. I'm with you on all you said about your Dad. Sadly mine is no longer with us either but I have many happy memories of chasing Steam trains all over Yorkshire and beyond, sitting on draughty stations because someone said the Sir something or other was due!!! Everytime I see one now I'm always reminded of Dad and ask him whether he's looking from up there, I'm sure he is!!
Your punched card is very clever, just goes to show what you can do with limited resources doesn't it. That butterfly punch is definitely on my wish list, but will have to wait, I've spent all my pennies on stamps some lady told me about!!!!
Have a great Monday.
Hugs Lisax

pinky said...

Ah lovely memories Jules, something no one can take from you. This card is absolutely gorgeous, very creative with your punches mrs.
Thanks for sharing at Sir Stampalot this month.
Pinky

Cardarian said...

Beautiful card, amazing stuff made with punches! Thank you for sharing!
Hugs,
Cardarian

Julie said...

Such lovely memories here Jules!! Very poignant!! Brill card and what a fab idea to only use punches - and the result is fabulous!! Juliexx

Lynn said...

Very creative card, well done, You managed to get a lot of hearts on it too.

Lynn x

Grenouille Greetings said...

Hi Jules, what lovely shared memories! You are right, our Dad's live on in our hearts always! You made me laugh about maggots in the fridge - and maggot races. Do they come in different colours? Gosh!

Fab punched card. The effect of just punches is really neat! You must have the patience of Job to have stuck on the dots (that came from the border punch).

Wishing you continuing happy memories and sweet dreams, Lesley

Tracy said...

Awww Jules, what wonderful memories, I used to go fishing with my Dad, but i'm lucky I still have my Dad here, even after a massive heart attack and a quadruple Bypass.
Thank you for joining the Sir Stampalot challenge with this gorgeous, creative card.
Happy crafting
Tracy x

Lynne K said...

Thank you for sharing your memories, Jules, they brought back lots of mine too. My dad and mum both went fishing. I will never forget the time we went on holiday to Scotland, and had an overnight stop at a B & B on the way up. During the night, the lid on the maggot tin had somehow come loose, and when we went to put the suitcases back in the car next morning, there were maggots crawling all over the boot! I doubt the landlady would have forgotten us either! We picked up as many as we could find, but for weeks afterwards flies would suddenly appear and buzz around inside the car. Happy times.

Great card, very clever. You must be pleased as punch with it ;-) xx

chris said...

Hi Jules, just read all your lovely comments, you have given us all a touch of nostalgia today, Tracys comment, you would think I had written it about the bypass and that,Dads are special to us girls theres no doubt about that.
Anyway your card is fabulous, thanks for joining us in the sir stampalot chalenge.
hugs chris xx

craftimamma said...

How clever you are Jules! This is a beautiful card and such a beautiful post. Bet your Dad is smiling!!!

Hugs
Lesley Xx

Anonymous said...

I really love this, I think you did awesome with punches !!!

coops said...

beautiful card jules, i love how you have used your punches and thankyou for sharing your wonderful memories of your dear dad.thanks so much for all your lovely comments on my blog.luv coops.xxx

Juls said...

wow wow wow!!!! Love the creativity of this, I love how you have managed to create a whole scene by only using your punches!! Just gorgeous! Hugs Juls

Nikbee said...

A wonderful card Jules. Very clever to just use punches to create the design.

Nikki x

Shell Shearer Swinscoe said...

Really nice to read about your memories of your dad hun.
Gorgeous card, fab flowers
hugs shell xx

Pop's Cards said...

Oh wow hun this is so very beautiful!
Such gorgeous colours and your flowes are absolutely adorable!
Fabulous creation!
hugs Pops x x x

Sally H said...

Wonderful, wonderful card! All those punches and so beautifully created. I loved reading about your memories too. They are always in our hearts. Thanks for sharing with us at Sir stampalot and good luck!

Francesca said...

A wonderful card , I love the colours . thanks for joining us at Sir Stampalot and good luck!
Hugs
Francesca