SUNDAY SNIPPETS

Hi Everyone

I hope you have had a lovely weekend .. .. the weather seems to have made a nice little U-turn here and today has felt like summer again. Yay!!!  I hope it lasts a little while as I am not ready to say hello to Autumn just yet!

There was time to play with my snippets this afternoon, which was nice, and I used quite a few on these two makes .. .. ..

Until I put the watermark onto my photographs I never actually noticed how I had arranged the background squares  .. .. it looks like I have made a Christmas card for the British Red Cross!!  LOL!!  

As regular visitors to my blog will know, on a Sunday I am lazy and do not list my ingredients but if there is anything you would like to know then please feel free to ask and I will try my best to answer.

Off to take my makes over to Pixie's Snippet Playground Challenge now and then begin my huge catch up in blogland (not that I am expecting to get everywhere tonight .. .. I have so much catching up to do it is unbelievable .. .. but I will be doing my best).

Catch you again soon.

Love

BABY HAMMOCK

Hi Everyone

Happy Saturday.

I hope you have had a good day.

The weather has been perfect for my happy couple.  No bright glaring sunshine that makes you squint for the photographs .. .. no rain .. .. no wind to blow hats about .. .. just a beautiful calm day!  How wonderful!

Time for a little play in my craft pod today .. ..

This used:

Image:  Penny Black "2073J" Baby Hammock
Sentiment:  Pink Petticoat "Tiny New Baby Sentiments"
Backing Paper:  Pink Petticoat "Gingham"
My Trusty Sewing Machine
Pinking Shears
ProMarkers
Ribbon, thread, button and charm from My Crafty Stash Box

Have a lovely evening everyone and I will catch you again tomorrow with my snippet makes.

Love

BACK ON TRACK

Hi Everyone

Happy Friday!!

Not sure where August went .. .. but I know I worked very hard and enjoyed every second of it .. .. well except for the time I had to look in the dustbin to make sure I hadn't scooped a tiny die up by accident and thrown it away.  That was a waste of time because it wasn't there .. .. and then it just appeared, out of the blue, somewhere I wouldn't have thought of looking LOL!!  At least it is back where it belongs now.

I am "pretty much" back on track again now .. ..  for a little while at least .. .. and have been busy emptying all the boxes from the weddings that are now complete and stashing away the leftovers. 

One of my happy couples will be getting married tomorrow.  At the moment it looks like the weather might be kind to them.  I hope so.  

So time now to make up for my lack of blogging during all this busyness, and share a couple of Christmas cards that use a fabby snowflake die which I have been looking forward to being able to use on my blog.

It is the free gift that will be alongside next month's Quick Cards Made Easy Magazine.  I was very lucky to be offered a commission showcasing it and I love it!!  As it has now been shown in the current issue as "a forthcoming attraction" I can use it to my heart's content .. .. so be prepared to be sick of seeing it (even well into the future when you will no longer be able to get your hands on it LOL!! )

These used:

Image:  Penny Black "4268K" Crystal Drops
Backing Papers:  Nitwit Collections "Festive Trimmings Collection"
Snowflake:   Inked and clear embossed lots of times (Next month's free gift from Quick Cards Made Easy Issue 131)
Silver and Clear Embossing Powder
Josy Rose:  Nail Heads
Glamour Dust
Diamond Stickles
My Trusty Sewing Machine
Ribbon and Gem from My Crafty Stash Box

So there we go.  Normal service is again resumed for a while on my blog, and the House of Hearts is a little more tidy and organised now that lots of wedding work has been collected and a huge clean up campaign has started (but for how long will it stay like that ?!?!  Answers on a postcard please!!)

My cards today are for sharing in Pixie's Snippet Playground Challenge where you have to use "leftovers" of one kind or another and Sandra's Rudolph Day Challenge where you need to make a minimum of two Christmas cards.  Just in time to make both challenges .. .. phew!!!

Hopefully over the weekend I will get chance to catch up with a few blogs somewhere along the line.  I am WAY BEHIND in seeing what you have all been up to.  

Have a lovely weekend.

Love

THURSDAY ALREADY!

Hi Everyone

Happy Thursday

Just calling by in the hope that everyone is having a good week.

Mine is going really well (and fast as normal)  .. .. but unfortunately doesn't involve spending anytime in blogland :-(

But by this time next week everything should be back on a more even keel as lots of deadlines will have been met, and lots of missions will have been crossed off that work list .. .. yay!!

I certainly hope the weather is going to be sorting itself out ready for these August/September brides.  Every morning as I look at the temperature first thing it is half a degree less than the morning before!!!  Eeekk!!  At this rate the heating will be on again before we know it!!

I am still working in just about every room of the house with different projects in different rooms .. .. some which I can only work on gradually as wedding plans and guest changes make an appearance and some which are nearly finished and ready to be distributed to places new.

What I do know though is no matter how big a room I work in I always end up running out of space!!  I wonder how big a room has to be before it would be classed as "just the right size"?

But soon I should be able to have a good old tidy up everywhere and let the kitchen and dining room be used for what they should be used for .. .. well for a little while anyway LOL!!

Never a dull moment in my life.

I never thought I would see the day when I would be as excited about doing some housework as I am about my crafty exploits! LOL!!

Enjoy your day everyone.

Missing your lovely blogs!!

Love

SUNDAY SNIPPETS

Hi Everyone

Happy Sunday!  I hope you have had a good day.

My usual Sunday snippets were ready nice and early this morning but I have only just found time to post them.  I have been on order of service and place name duties today for a lovely couple who get married at the end of the month.  Lots more to do for them yet so I might be a bit of an "extra part time" blogger for a while.  Sorry!!

So here are my makes for taking over to Pixie's Snippet Playground Challenge:

As always on a Sunday I am lazy and don't list my ingredients as my papers are often too varied .. .. but just shout if there is anything you need to know and I will do my best to help.

Many thanks for your lovely comments and emails on my new profile picture.  I decided it was time for a change .. .. especially as Mr Heart and I have managed to drop some weight  with the 5 - 2 diet we started last year (which has now just become a way of life) ..  .. .. and my old picture wasn't really me anymore. LOL!!

Catch you when I do.

Love

HOW DO YOU WRAP A HUG?

Hi Everyone

Happy Saturday .. .. and happy weekend!!!

My intention was to post this card last night .. .. but it took me so long to make that it was nearly dark by the time I had finished and once that happens the electric light in my craft pod makes my work change colour .. .. so I had to wait until this morning to make sure I definitely liked it.

Things always look better in the lovely light of a sparky new day don't you think?

This used:

Image:  Penny Black "2883J" Whiskers and Fur
Sentment:  Penny Black "3459D" Wrap a Hug (the happy birthday part of this stamp was masked off)
Backing Papers:  First Edition Papers "Desert Blooms"
Sizzix Thinlits Die:  "659133" Moroccan Card Front
My Trusty Sewing Machine
ProMarkers
Twine from My Crafty Stash Box

and that is my share for today

It didn't take a long time because the card was difficult to make .. .. my problem was that my crafty stash is scattered all over the house at the moment.

Two major projects I keep unpacking to work on in the kitchen because I need lots of space to spread out. Stacks of various work in the dining room and then general crafting in my craft pod .. .. and it would seem that whatever I wanted to use was located somewhere else. Who would have thought making a card could burn off so many calories?  I ran up and down the stairs far too many times LOL!!

So I think a major clear up to get my brain in order is the next project and then I will take over the kitchen again for crafty purposes.  I can't believe we don't have sparkly sandwiches sometimes!!

I'll catch you again tomorrow with my snippets.

Have a great day .. .. and I hope you find a little bit of craft time for yourself.

Love

SKETCH AND STASH CHALLENGE

Hi Everyone

Happy Thursday!

Another scheduled post from me using the fabby sketch from over at Sketch N Stash.

This used:

Image:  Penny Black "3633K" Clusters
Sentiment:  Pink Petticoat "Happy Birthday Sentiments"
Backing Papers:  Pink Petticoat "Pink Grapefruit"
My Favorite Things:  Die-namics - Notebook Edge
ProMarkers
Diamond Stickles
Pinking Shears
My Trust Sewing Machine
Ribbon from My Crafty Stash Box

and here is the sketch I used .. .. in case you fancy playing along:

another part of the challenge is to use either new or neglected stash in your creation and let everyone know which you opted for.

Well I went for my sparkly new Die-namics Notebook Edge Die which I was lucky enough to win the other week in Pixie's Snippet Playground Challenge.  (Thanks Di xxx).  If you haven't come across this challenge then you are in for a treat.  Lots of fabby playmates and banter .. .. and a wonderful host called Di. The idea behind the challenge being to use up all your snippets of paper/ribbon/fabric .. .. whatever you have left over after completing other projects.  

I will link up my card later but in the meantime I hope you all have a good day.  Especially one of my "happy couples" who are getting married today .. .. hopefully the sun will be shining for them and they will have a fabby day.

Love

SKETCH SATURDAY

Hi Everyone

Happy Wednesday .. . midway through another week ALREADY!!!!  Eeeekkk!!!

A scheduled post from me today so I can't even mention what the weather is doing because I haven't the faintest idea .. .. not that it would make any difference to me anyway.  I just need to be shut away in my craft pod creating this week!  

So short and sweet with a card I have made for taking over to the Sketch Saturday Challenge blog.

This used:

Image:  Penny Black "3344J" Rosy!  (again LOL!!)

Sentiment:  Computer Generated using font "Sweetheart Script Limited"

Backing Papers:  First Edition Paper "Bella Rose"

Spellbinders Nestabilities:  Deckled Rectangles

X-Cut Punch:  Flower

ProMarkers

My Trusty Sewing Machine

Diamond Stickles

Ribbon and Pearls from My Crafty Stash Box

and if you fancy playing along with the challenge then there is the sketch I used

I turned it on its side for my make.

Back later to link up .. .. but in the meantime I hope you are having a great day.

Love

TEENY TINY TUESDAY TIME AGAIN

Hi Everyone

Happy Tuesday!!

I hope your week has got off to a good start.

Mr Heart returned to work yesterday and I am in work overload mode as I try to catch up with myself again following the outdoor antics of last week!!   So much I need, and want, to do and more work landing in the "in-box" and being added to the "do-list" daily.  Lovely customers have even started talking about Christmas already!! Perhaps because I didn't have enough stock for everyone last year .. .. eeekkk!!!

Anyway, it is Tuesday and time for another of my 3.5 x 3.5 inch creations .. .. thank goodness this was ready and waiting to be posted.

This used:

Sentiment:  Stampin' Up "Lots of Thanks"

Martha Stewart Punch:  Ribbon Threader Edge Punch

Spellbinders Nestabilities:  Heart Die and Classic Square

X-Cut Palm Punch:  Tiny Daisy

My Trusty Sewing Machine  

Ribbon and Pearls from My Crafty Stash Box

and of course I used the We R Memory Keepers Envelope Board for making my matching dinky little envelope.

So that is another little cutie finished .. .. they are so handy to have ready and waiting for when needed and they also use up lots of lovely little snippets.

Talking of snippets, I was asked which dies I had used on the first of my snippet makes on Sunday.

The curved border was a Spellbinders Borderabilities Die .. .. A2 Curved Borders One (there are six different curved dies in this set and I used two of them on my card) and the circular die was from Wild Rose Studio .. .. Flower Circle

OK .. .. time to get back to work.

Place name printing and cutting next on the list .. .. and then finishing off a batch of thank you cards!  There is no rest for the wicked you know!!!!

Enjoy the rest of your day.

Catch you when I do.

Love

SUNDAY SNIPPETS

Hi Everyone

Here at last!!

I hope you have had a lovely weekend.

I was so relieved when I woke up to hear heavy rain this morning as it put paid to lots of things.  No garden work, washing, window cleaning .. or even setting foot out of the front door!

Instead I was able to grab that crafty list and start on crossing a few things off it and prepare for a week where I know my feet won't be touching the ground!

Hubby is back at work tomorrow but the patio work is far from complete.  We are just going to have to chip away at it gradually now .. .. but the hardest part is done (hopefully).

I broke myself back into crafty mode gently by having a play with my snippets and came up with these ready for sharing at Pixie's Snippet Playground:

As always I am lazy on a Sunday and do not list my ingredients but if there is anything you would like to know then you only have to ask and I will try my best to answer.

So that is me for today.  Short and sweet.

Catch you again soon.

Love

PENNY BLACK SATURDAY CHALLENGE

Hi Everyone

Happy Friday!

I hope you have had a good day.

Our garden adventure has continued .. .. all week .. .. sigh!!! 

It is going to take ages to complete our rather ambitious project.  I can't believe we thought we would be able to complete the mission in a week and perhaps have a day away somewhere?!?!  LOL!!!

All was going well to plan until I saw a tiny little root poking up in the middle of the patio.  It was the finest little root you could imagine .. .. but it had to come out.  So I lifted the piece of slab it was nestling under .. .. and you have guessed it .. .. I then had to lift the next and the next .. .. and the saga continued all across the patio .. .. but of course as we progressed across the patio the root got thicker and thicker and thicker and deeper and deeper down.  We won in the end but it took ages!!!  That was Thursday's sketch!!

Then this morning the same happened again in the opposite direction but we sorted that one much quicker!  

I did get to do my first bit of "pointing up" . .. . .. all I will say is I am better with embossing paste and a palette knife than I am with mortar and a trowel!!  

Of course hubby said I had done a good job (but I think that was only because he wants me to do some more).  In fairness it did look better this morning than it did last night!!

But my fingers were so itchy to do a bit of crafting that I just had to make something tonight .. .. and this is what I came up with for taking over to the Penny Black Saturday Challenge where the theme this month is "Floral Fantasy".  There is also a DT call there too if anyone is interested.

So here we go:

This used:

Image:  Penny Black "3344J" Rosy!

Sentiment:  Computer Generated using font "Zipty Doo"

Backing Papers:  Pink Petticoat (sadly no longer available)

My Favorite Things:  Die-namics Blueprints 14

ProMarkers

Ribbon and thread from My Crafty Stash Box

and that is me for today.

Hubby has just finished cooking the fish and chip supper so that is good timing.  Off to link up quickly before it arrives!

Not sure what tomorrow holds yet .. .. but fingers crossed it involves crossing some things off my crafty list that has more than tripled over the course of this week!!!

Enjoy your weekend everyone.

Love

THE GAZEBO HAS NEEDED AN EXTENSION

Hi Everyone

Happy Wednesday!

I hope you are having a good day.

This is the point at which you say "rather you than me"  LOL!!!

The weather hasn't been being very kind to us .. .. we have had lots of really heavy rain sessions and at one point all there was was only a dry 12" square under the gazebo!  So an extension was needed so we could carry on working .. .. and here it is .. .. with Mr Heart installed and working .. .. which worked fine until we had another rainstorm about 20 minutes after this lovely sunshine. 

But don't for one minute feel sorry for Mr Heart .. .. because he isn't the only one working hard.  I have been taking out all the old cement (and a few weeds) from between the crazy paving across the back patio .. .. and then down the side of the house leading the back door of the garage.

These pictures were taken at lunchtime .. .. but as I gave in for today I had removed everything .. .. which means tomorrow I will be getting lessons in "pointing up".  Sigh!!!  It seems such a slow job but it will hopefully be worth it.

I can't wait for it to be finished and nice again .. .. and then we can think about starting on the next area . .. the place where Mr Heart and I sometimes share a rare relaxing few minutes on the "swingy sofa".  All of those plants, the table and chimney pot don't normally live under there .. .. they have been moved from the top deck whilst we are working. 

What a mess it all looks .. .. you must be ashamed to know me .. .. but on the bright side it can only get better (hopefully).  

Perhaps I will be able to show you nice pictures one day .. .. and these will be the "before" shots.

We do have quite a large garden that is slowly being tamed.  I don't know why I can't win the lottery so we can build a lovely big workshop to take up about a quarter of it .. .. I would be well happy with that.   But then again you do have to actually buy a ticket if you want to win don't you .. ..that is probably where I am going wrong.   LOL!!

But of course all this DIY work isn't doing my crafty "do-list" any favours.  It's a good job I am well on schedule with my weddings!!

No crafty makes to share with you today I'm afraid .. .. the only thing I have made is a wedding card for my youngest Son to give away on Friday. 

I may, or may not catch you tomorrow.  It just depends how the day goes.  They have given sunshine for the day at the moment so it may be a full day outside.  I must be well topped up with Vitamin D this week!!!

Enjoy the rest of your evening.

Love