HAPPY WEEKEND

Hi Everyone

I hope all is well with everyone and if not that things improve very very quickly!

It has been all systems go here in the House of Hearts and my feet don't seem to have touched the ground for weeks now.  Today was my first chance in ages for a nice slow relaxing start .. .. and even the opportunity for a lie-in to re-charge my batteries.  But did I manage it?  Nah!!!  I was still awake at daft o'clock! LOL!!!

I have been working super hard on lots of projects and have also completed a wedding for a lovely happy couple who got married today .. .. I do hope they have had a really lovely day.

Mum's decorating is finally finished and her new carpet was fitted on Thursday.  So all the furniture needed putting back into its rightful place.  She was so happy to escape from her bedroom .. ..  bless her!

All of the above has meant that next to no housework has been done for quite a while but I am actually going to enjoy getting our home back in order!  Who would have thought I would look forward to doing housework!!  I must need my temperature taking.

But of course there still has to be a bit of "crafting time" in every day and whenever I have been kept away from my general crafting I grab my ProMarkers and make straight for the drawer that contains my Penny Black stamps and do a "lucky dip".  No matter what stamps comes out I know I will be happy .. .. and this is what I came up with today:

This used:

Image:  Penny Black "1729K" Just Buzzin By!
Sentiment:  Penny Black Clear Stamp Set "30-105" Gratitude
Backing Papers:  Make & Create "Romantic Escape"
X-Cut Punch "Flower Doily"
ProMarkers
Crystal Glamour Dust
Nail Heads
Ribbon
My Trusty Sewing Machine

I really enjoyed my little crafty play today .. .. let's hope for a major improvement and a bit more blog activity over the next few days!!!

A FEW MAKES TO SHARE

Hi Everyone

I hope you have all had a happy Wednesday.

Just popping in to share a few projects I made weeks ago for the current issue of Papercraft Inspirations which is now on the shelves.

This first collection showcases some of my makes for a new card fold called a "blackboard gatefold card". 

Closely followed by a couple of shaped cards .. .. can't imagine why I was commissioned this one LOL!!

Then finally an up-cycled shoe box that has been turned into a seed storage box for a keen gardener.

So lots of pictures to share today.  But this last one is from the actual magazine .. .. .. much more professional than any of the ones I took!

So that is me for today.

Hopefully catch you all again soon.

SWEET WISHES

Hi Everyone

Happy Tuesday!

I hope all is good with everyone and your week has got off to a good start.

All super busy and chaotic here as Mum is having some decorating done and that has involved trying to cram everything from her living room and hallway into other places in her little flat.  It felt like we were playing a game of "furniture tetris" by the time we had finished and Mum is now living in her bedroom for a little while whilst the "make-over" happens. I have to admit to really looking forward to it all being over and done with .. .. and I am sure Mum must be too.

I spent quite a bit of yesterday with her .. .. but the only place for me, when not in the kitchen, was either on the bed .. .. or sitting on top of what is now a blanket box LOL!!  So crafting propped up on the bed it had to be .. .. though I must admit I could just have easily snuggled down and just gone to sleep!!

Anyway, a quick early doors "teeny tiny" make for me this morning before the day took hold.  For anyone new to my blog these are a a whole 3.5" square and I love making them .. .. and their tiny envelope too.  Such a great way of using up those smaller pieces of paper and card.

 This used:

Image and Sentiment "Stampin Up! "Hello Cupcake" (retired)
Backing Papers from an old Sizzix "Pastels" pad 
ProMarkers
Crystal Glamour Dust
Fine Glitter
Glossy Accents
Ribbon
My Trusty Sewing Machine

and that is me for today.  A card made early but not posted until I was once again installed at Mum's  .. .. this time on the blanket box that Dad made .. .. ages ago!!  

Lots of work to get through this week as well as sorting Mum out .. .. .. so more than enough to keep me out of mischief over the next few days!  Such a shame I need to sleep!!  

CHRISTMAS KICKSTART CHALLENGE

Hi Everyone

Happy Sunday!

I hope it is turning out to be a lovely weekend for everyone.

The Christmas Kickstart Challenge theme for this fortnight is a fun one .. .. and one where I knew exactly which image I was going to use.  The theme is "Daschsund Through the Snow" .. .. which translates into "Christmas cards featuring our canine companions" .. .. not that I have any "real life" canine companions.  I wouldn't have the foggiest idea how to care for one .. .. .. and one definitely wouldn't fit into my hectic and chaotic lifestyle that's for sure.

But here is one canine that does reside in the House of Hearts

This used:

Image:  The Lovely Studio "Festive Dachshund"
Sentiment:  Part of the Festive Dachshund Download
Backing Papers:  The Lovely Studio "Snow Flurry"
Sizzix On The Edge Die "656920" Snow Flurries
Spellbinders Nestabilites Circle Die
Nailheads
ProMarkers
Crystal Glamour Dust
Stampendous Chunky White Embossing Enamel
My Trusty Sewing Machine

I was planning on putting some kind of embellishment in the bottom left hand corner but no matter what I put there I couldn't stop thinking of the dog "cocking it leg up" and weeing on it!  So in the end I didn't bother adding anything LOL!!!

So Christmas card number 36 goes into the box.  Yippee!!

Have a lovely day everyone.  We started off with lovely bright sunshine here .. .. but of course now I have got the washing machine on overdrive it is dulling over!!  Typical!!

A SWEET BABY BOY

Hi Everyone

Happy Friday!!

Well yesterday saw a baby girl card make an appearance on my blog .. .. .. so it's only fair that a baby boy card gets a look in today.

This used:

Image:  Lili of the Valley Digi Image "Baby with Bunny"

Sentiment:  Computer Generated using fonts "Aracne Condensed Regular" and "Sweetheart Script"

Backing Papers:  The Lovely Studio (previously Pink Petticoat)

ProMarkers

Ribbon
Nail Heads
Heart Punch
Pinking Shears

My Trusty Sewing Machine

and that is me for now.

Enjoy your weekend when it arrives.  Let's hope this rain gives in for a while and we get a bit of sunshine!!

PRECIOUS BABY GIRL

Hi Everyone

Happy Thursday.

I am trying hard to get myself into some more good habits .. .. one being to get back to making a card for my blog first thing in a morning before I get sucked into the day.   I try to keep a box of images I have already coloured stashed away, which means half of the work has been done already .. .. .. so no excuse really.

Baby cards are always in demand and are something that never stay in my stock box for more than two minutes .. .. so today I have opted for a baby girl card.

This used:

Image:  Digital image from Lili of the Valley "Cosy Pram"

Sentiment:  Computer generated using fonts "Aracne Condensed Regular" and  "Sweetheart Script"

Backing Papers:  The Lovely Studio (used to be called Pink Petticoat)

ProMarkers

Quickie Glue Pen and Crystal Glamour Dust

Ribbon and Metallic Cord

Little heart charm .. .. I was given a little jam jar full of them at the Christmas table one year .. .. sadly the jar is slowly emptying.  Boo hoo!!

Nail Heads

My Trusty Sewing Machine

and that is me for today.

Time to get the production line going for completing a set of place names for a bride who is now getting very excited that her special day will soon be here!

Take care everyone and have a good day.

ONE FOR THE NATURE LOVERS

Hi Everyone

Happy Tuesday!

No teeny, tiny card to share today .. .. .. but instead a scheduled post to share some projects I worked on for the current issue of Cardmaking and Papercraft magazine which has just made its way to the supermarket shelves.

I was super happy to be asked to work with the cover gift for this month and below are the samples I put together using the gorgeous stamps, embossing folder and design papers .. .. .. all using those beautiful shades that autumn brings.  Such a nice change to use images that are not of the cute cartoon style variety (not that I don't love those too .. .. my blog is full of them LOL!!). 

A little picture heavy but I thought it would be nice to share them

I really enjoyed myself with this stamp set  .. .. ..  colouring, masking and inking to show a few different ways the set could be used.  But of course there are lots and lots of other ways too. 

So there we go.  

As this post goes live (and if the world is being kind to me) I should have my head down and be well into production mode on other projects .. .. .. ..  I have a few deadlines looming which need some seriously long time slots devoting to them. 

Anyway, I'll catch you again soon.

Hope you have a great day and manage to find a little bit of crafting time for yourself somewhere along the line.

CHRISTMAS KICKSTART CHALLENGE

Hi Everyone

I hope Sunday has been a good day for you.

It has flown by in the blink of an eye for me .. .. just like the whole weekend has in fact!

Part of my day has involved making a couple of cards for entering into the Christmas Kickstart Challenge for this fortnight where the theme is Christmas Card, Christmas Card - Christmas Tree.  

The lovely Darnell is Jo's little elf helper this fortnight and as some of you will know Darnell runs a couple of challenges .. .. one of which is called a "Twofer" Challenge  where you make two "different" cards with the same stamp or die.  Sadly I have never had chance to enter .. .. even though at the start of the challenge I will put what I want to use to one side in the hope of entering.  Sorry Darnell, hopefully I will get there one day!!

Anyway, Darnell's theme has come along to the Christmas Kickstart Challenge and we are asked to make two Christmas Cards using the same Christmas tree.  Mine is a die but it could also have been a stamp or even a peel-off I guess. 

Anyway this is what I came up with:

These used:

Christmas Tree Die:  My Favorite Things "MFT-1429" Christmas Tree Window

Sentiments:  Lili of the Valley Christmas Sentiment Tags and Washi Tape

Backing Papers:  From the Works and The Range

GlitterCard

My Trusty Sewing Machine

Ribbon

Tiny Pom-poms

Nail Heads

There is still one day to enter if anyone else fancies playing along  , ,,, but for me this means that Christmas cards 34 and 35 go into the box!!  Yay!!

Catch you again soon

BEST FISHES

Hi Everyone

Happy Saturday and happy weekend!!  Not that the weather is looking very promising.

I hope you are all well and life is being kind to you.

Once again my poor little blog has suffered from lack of activity .. .. .. but we will blame Mr Heart for that LOL!!  He has been on annual leave which always throws my little world into chaos.

But hopefully things are about to return to some sense of normality .. .. well as normal as things ever get around here.

Lots of general cards needed here so I thought I would use the Penny Black Saturday Challenge as inspiration for my first make of the day.  Every month their theme is "anything goes" (as long as it features Penny Black goodies of course) .. .. and with an additional theme this month of "water" or "watercolour".

I was also determined to use up some of my ever increasing mountain of snippets so that I could make an appearance at Pixie's Snippets Playground where we are encouraged to use up our leftovers.

Edited to say that the lovely Kath has let me know that my card will also fit into the Penny Black and More Challenge this week where the theme is "For Boys or Men".  Thanks Kath xx

So here is what I came up with:

This used:

Image:  Penny Black "2062K" Fish are Jumpin
Sentiment:  Computer Generated using font Aracne Condensed Regular
Backing Papers:  Pink Petticoat 
ProMarkers
Glossy Accents
Diamond Stickles
Nail Heads
My Trusty Sewing Machine

and that is me for today.

Before I go though I would just like to thank everyone for your lovely comments on my previous post .. .. but I do need to point out that I didn't actually colour the image myself (wish I could colour like that!!!). The image was precoloured by Polkadoodles.

Catch you again soon.