ADRIFT

Hi Everyone

Happy Friday!!!

I definitely know what day it is today .. .. .. it is a day that our family has been looking forward to for a very long time and one for which I have had a post sitting and waiting in draft form for ages in readiness to add links and pictures.

So what is so special about today?

Well, as some of my "long standing" followers will know our youngest son works at our local technical college supporting students who experience learning difficulties.  His gentle, patient and caring personality making him (I feel) just perfect for the role.  But alongside this he works hard composing the most beautiful music.

His hard work and dedication has paid off and he has been signed up by Injazero Records and after lots of hard work from both sides he today sees his music released and available on vinyl and as a download.   What proud parents Mr Heart and I are today.  There is something extra special about seeing your children accomplish something they have aspired to and worked hard at for years .. .. for some reason it means more than accomplishing something yourself.

So here is the fabby album cover:

It is a dream come true for him, with the next round of excitement no doubt being when we see it physically for sale on the shelves of music stores.  I am so happy for him.

I used the album cover design to make him a card of congratulations .. .. .. and now he has opened it I can share it here with everyone. I wonder what he will do with it now?

Once finished it actually looked like it should contain a CD but my Son, like most true lovers of music, much prefers to have a piece of vinyl in his hands.  He owns what must be 100's of vinyl records  .. ..   but I am sure this one will rightly be the most precious one amongst his collection.

If you fancy a little listen to some of his work you will find it here - I find it super relaxing and often have it playing in the background whilst I am working.

So after a whirlwind of a day and a lot of rushing about .. .. Mr Heart and I found time to have a little celebration with him .. .. and now his card is opened I can share it, and the excitement of the day.

I don't know about you but my blog has, over the years, become a bit of a diary/journal and I love looking back over the years to things I have shared .. .. and quite often I end up looking back simply to find out when I actually did certain things .. .. but today's post is a fabby exciting one that's for sure.

Hopefully the special piece of vinyl will be in our hands tomorrow and will be spinning around on our turntable  .. .. ..  I can't wait.

Enjoy your bank holiday weekend everyone.  I hope you are doing something special.

WHERE IS THE YEAR DISAPPEARING TO?

Hi Everyone

Happy whatever day it is LOL!!!

Not only am I having to work out what year and date it is .. .. I don't even know what day it is recently!

Life is super exciting and busy with loads and loads of wedding work (some of which stretches into 2018 which even means I am having to double check I am working in the right year!).

I am just waiting for a bride to come and collect her order so thought I would take the opportunity to nip on here and share a few of my creations that feature in the new issue of Quick Cards Made Easy magazine.. .. which went on sale earlier this week.

This first picture uses the free cover gift .. .. I loved working with this .. .. .. a gorgeous little stamp and really pretty paper pad.

and these next  pictures comes from a "Stand Out Die" commission I worked on - I couldn't decide which I like best so to save making a decision have posted two.  I like them both for different reasons.

and my last one is for a feature where you are sent one product and you use it four different ways. This was my favourite from that collection which all featured gorgeous butterflies.

I really love my magazine and wedding work but also have itchy fingers for playing with some of the crafty goodies that have been dropping through the letter box!  Not sure when I will get to play with them but hopefully it will be soon!

My head is buzzing with things I want to make and create .. .. but no sooner does a day start than it is finishing!  But as they say "time flies when you are having fun".

Right, best get the kettle on for my bride - just in case she needs a cuppa!!  Anybody else want one whilst I am at it?!!?

HAPPY EASTER

Hi Everyone

Happy Friday ahead of what I hope is going to be a lovely Easter weekend for everyone (not that the weather has been very exciting today).

That hasn't mattered in the slightest here though, because today I have been trying to find the house ready for the London Kids arriving tomorrow!  Yay!!!  Can't wait for them to arrive.  I love it when we are all together.

Still lots to do before they land though so I will fly in and out and simply share an Easter card to wish you all a happy time!

This used:

Digital Image:  Lili of the Valley "Bunny Blooms" 

Sentiment:  Computer Generated using font "Wreath Light"

Backing Papers:  First Edition Papers "Blank Canvas"

Die-namics Dies:  Blueprints 14

Josy Rose:  Nail Heads

ProMarkers

Ribbon from my crafty stash box

Have a good break everyone .. .. and remember .. .. Easter chocolate has no calories .. .. apparently!!   How magic!  LOL!!

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Hi Everyone

Happy Friday ahead of what is promising to be a lovely weekend weatherwise!

Many thanks for your lovely comments on my Distress Oxide experimental pieces.  You are all very kind.

It has been a super busy week here so unfortunately no more "play time"for me .. .. it has been weddings all the way!  So many happy and excited couples in my life at the moment.

But I can share some of the creations I made for the current issue of Quick Cards Made Easy Magazine which has hit the shops.

This first card is from a collection called Batik Effects

 and this one is from a Paper Piecing Collection .. .. one of my favourite techniques

and that is all I can share at the moment.

Sorry if I haven't called to your blog recently .. .. I will catch up eventually .. .. once all these brides are married and living their happy ever afters!  LOL!!

Have a great day and a lovely weekend when it arrives.

TEENY, TINY TUESDAY .. .. TIMES TWO!

Hi Everyone

I hope you have had a happy Tuesday!

Sorry for being late getting here .. .. it's a bit much when you have the cards made and can't even find the time to post them!!  Stll need to make the envelopes too!

But as promised here are my first creations using those scrummy Distress Oxide Ink Pads that landed at the weekend.  Both are a teeny tiny 3.5" square and were a perfect size for just playing with ideas.

I sat and tried quite a few different ways of using the ink pads and wasn't disappointed with anything I created (apart from the ones where I didn't like the mix of colours I chose). They certainly do blend a lot easier than the normal distress inks .. .. but I am not showing you any blended creations today.  I am showing you the creations I am most pleased with .. .. though they are perhaps an acquired taste.

I know a few of my customers certainly won't like this first one LOL!

This was made using the inks on black card and also used:

Script Stamp: Memory Box "G1838" Vintage Dreams
Paper Smooches Die Set: Birthday Words
Distress Oxide Ink Pads (please don't ask me the colours I used LOL!!)
First Edition:  Butterfly Dies
X-Cut Embossing Folder:   Tiny Polka Hearts
White Embossing Powder
My Trusty Sewing Machine
Pearls from my crafty stash box

My second card shows the inks used directly onto kraft card .. .. love this look very much.  I then coloured over the chalky looking petals where they met the centre with a soft crayon to add a little shading, though I could have used another stamp from the set and another colour of Oxide Ink.

This used:
Image:  Stampin Up! Garden in Bloom
Sentiment:  My Favorite Things - All Occasion Sentiments
Distress Oxide Ink Pads (Worn Lipstick, China Blue, Peeled Paint, Walnut Stain and a tiny bit of Fossilized Amber)
My Trusty Sewing Machine
Button and ribbon from my crafty stash box

Once these inks get wet they seem to "pop" and look "chalk like".  You can see the difference on this last card.  I wet the decorative border but not the sentiment. .. .. . so two colours and effects from one ink pad!  Can't be bad.

Quite pleased with these for my first attempt .. .. .. but that is me for today.

Enjoy the rest of your evening.

MONDAY'S MALE

Hi Everyone

Happy Monday!

I hope you had a lovely weekend and the sun has been shining for you.

It is still all systems go here in the House of Hearts .. .. but as always the busier I am the more excited about everything I get.

Saturday saw the delivery of my lovely Distress Oxide Ink Pads .. .. oh boy are they yummy scrummy!  But Saturday also saw lovely happy couples knocking on my door, which meant there was no crafty playtime.  Completed work left the house .. .. and lots more was added to my list .. .. and the inks remained unwrapped .. .. not even chance to sniff the pads to see what they smelt like. (Does anyone else have to sniff anything new that  makes its way into their hands LOL!!).

So it was Sunday before I got to play with my new acquisitions and I can't wait to share my first creation using them .. .. but that will happen tomorrow.  

Today is my Monday's Male card.  Baby boy cards seem to be in big demand at the moment, so whilst making one for a customer at the weekend I made two whilst I was at it. I should really do this more often but it rarely seems to happen.  

 This used:

Image:  Digistamp Boutique "Baby Dan"

Sentiment:  Computer generated using font "Baa Book"

Backing Papers:  Pink Petticoat

Woodware Heart Punch

Josy Rose:  Nail Heads

ProMarkers

My Trusty Sewing Machine

and that is me for today.

I'll catch you again tomorrow with my Teeny Tiny Distress Oxide card!