INKSPIRATIONAL CHALLENGE

Hi Everyone

I hope that your Saturday has been a good one.  The weather here has been sunshine one minute and thrashing it down with rain the next.  No doubt the gardens have enjoyed it even if we haven't.

For my crafty playtime today I decided to join in with the Inkspiration Challenge where the theme this fortnight is the word prompt "SKETCH".  So you can follow a sketch or even sketch your own design on your project .. .. but as I can't even sketch a heart that I am happy with I decided to use Sketch Forty Nine from my sketch library

This is what I came up with

This used:

Image:  Penny Black "2615H "Buzz in the Air

Sentiment:  Polkadoodles Clear Stamp Set "PD7995" Super Sentiments

Backing Papers:  Make & Create "Once Upon a Time"

Spellbinders:  Circle and Scallop Circle Dies

Hunkydory Moonstone Dies "Fabulous Flowers"

ProMarkers

Pearls

My Trusty Sewing Machine

and this is the sketch I followed:

If anyone would like to use any of my sketches then please feel free to use them.

It should have been the wedding day of one of my "happy couples" today in Stratford Upon Avon .. ..  .. .. such a shame it hasn't been possible for it to go ahead.  But if the weather there has been anything like it has been here then they might have struggled with photographs, which would have been a shame because their venue is just stunning .. .. and perfect for some super special shots, which I know were very important to them.  Everything has been transferred over to next year so will still go ahead .. .. but that isn't going to stop them feeling sad and wishing it was today.

I'll hopefully catch you again tomorrow .. .. enjoy the rest of your weekend.

A THANK YOU SCRAPLING

Hi Everyone

I hope your day has gone well?  I thought today was supposed to be much cooler and with the possibility of mega rain and thunder storms.  Nothing yet here and definitely still very hot .. .. but there is still time for those thunder storms to kick in.

Much of my day has been taken up getting work finished and into the post .. .. so a few more "ticks" have appeared on that ever growing crafty "do list".

Then this evening I had a quick play and created this:

This used:

Background Stamp "Hero Arts" Background Thank You Dictionary Definition Stamp  (what a big title)

Sizzix Thinlits Die Set "664163" Wildflower Stems #1

LOTV Embossed Labels

Bleeding Tissue Paper

My Trusty Sewing Machine

These scrapling cards (which I trim down to measure 6.5 x 13.5cms) are building up rather quickly since I have been making my own base cards .. .. far more quickly than I am using them that's for sure.  I keep them all in a box at the back of my desk to remind me to use them .. .. even if it only for stamping small images or sentiments onto.

Tonight's card used bleeding tissue paper to create the background and once dry I stamped on it using the Hero Arts stamp.  Not sure whether that is still available, I bought it from Ebay last year.

So that is me for today.

Enjoy your weekend when it arrives .. .. .. and stay away from those beaches for a little while longer!!  I don't want to catch you sunbathing on the news reports tomorrow evening!!!  LOL!!!

GROWN UP CHRISTMAS CARD

Hi Everyone

Phew!!!  What a super hot day today has been!  Lovely that we have beautiful sunshine but I am hoping tomorrow will be a little cooler.

Here sharing another of the lovely images I bought last weekend from Power Poppy .. .. which I coloured in the garden yesterday.  Hot summer's day and I colour a Christmas wreath LOL!!

Love the image very much and for me it is just perfect for a "grown up" Christmas card,

This used:

Image and Sentiment:  Power Poppy "Beribboned Wreath"
Backing Papers:  Papermania "A Silent Night"  (a very, very old favourite)
ProMarkers
Glossy Accents
Corner Rounding Punch
Gold Gems
Gold Ribbon
My Trusty Sewing Machine

The card is for taking over to the Rudolph Days challenge where the theme is always "anything goes as long as it is Christmas".

This now completes my five Christmas cards for June.  

Halfway through the year already and a nice little collection of cards are coming together.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Hi Everyone

Another day done and dusted.

I am pleased to say that nearly all of the remaining plants have now got new places to grow in the garden (apart from just a few) but I will find somewhere to squeeze them in!

The gardening started really early before the sun became too hot and strong and later this afternoon I spent time under the garden umbrella colouring a few images.  

None of my images have been used for this card though.

I used an old paper pad from Kaisercraft that had just a few sheets remaining and thought it fitted well into Fezziwig's Festive Frolics where there is a picture for inspiration.  I have already entered once this fortnight but decided to play along again:

This used:

Paper Pad:  Kaisercraft "Silver Bells"

Silver Card

Silver Ribbon

My Trusty Sewing Machine

This is the inspiration image .. .. and I was inspired once again by the colours and felt the lovely baubles on the background paper match those in the picture really well

So that is me for today .. .. with my 4th Christmas card for June done and dusted. 

Catch you again soon.

TEENY TINY TUESDAY

Hi Everyone

Today is one of the days I am at home all day, and my Sister goes to Mum, so I spent most of the morning putting some of the plants we have grown into the garden.  I have the same to do again tomorrow and then I will be able to wait and see how big they all grow .. .. .. and whether I have planted them in the right places.  I normally end up with a huge one right at the front hiding little ones behind  LOL!!!

So with my gardening mission and everything else that has been cracking off there has only been time for a "teeny tiny" craft session for my blog today .. .. .. resulting in a "teeny tiny card" which for anyone new to my blog is a whole 3.5 inches square.

This used:

Sentiment:  Woodware Clear Stamp Set "JGS581" It's The Little Things
Card and Papers:  All a Mish Mash from my Snippet Mountain 
Circle and Scallop Circle Dies
My Trusty Sewing Machine

.. .. a tiny list of ingredients, a tiny card and a tiny post!!  LOL!!

But in comparison there are HUGE changes afoot regarding our lock-down and we are going to be allowed to do lots more soon  .. .. .. not sure I will be rushing to do any of them in a hurry.

Hopefully catch you again tomorrow

SUNDAY SNIPPETS

Hi Everyone

I hope everyone's Sunday has gone well .. .. especially for all those Dad's out there.  I hope you have all been spoilt .. .. more than you normally are.   How convenient that football has returned to the TV screen to help you enjoy your special weekend even more! LOL!!!

Like most people, I am aware of quite a few folk who are not 100% themselves at the moment.  Some are just a bit "off colour", some that haven't been well but are thankfully on the road to recovery, and sadly some who are very, very poorly.

Not all of these people are folk I have ever met, some are people I have come into contact with via my blog and we have become "cyber buddies". 

So today I have made a card for dedicating to anyone who is suffering at the moment in one way or another:

 This used:  

Image:  Power Poppy "Flowering Branches" 

Sentiment:  Computer Generated using font "Dragonfly Pro Regular"

ProMarkers

Glossy Accents

Tumbled Glass Distress Ink

Papers from my ever increasing snippet mountain

I have the lovely Meg to thank for pointing me in the direction of Power Poppy after seeing this lovely creation on her blog .. .. .. and I was even happier to see that when I checked them out there was a sale happening .. .. .. so I was able to indulge a little more than I normally would.  

The images are so beautifully drawn, and there is so much inspiration showing how to use the images that I think I may have to pop back before the sale ends!!  Tee hee!!!  

So that is me for today.

I'll catch you again soon.

FURRY EMBRACE

Hi Everyone

Well Friday is here .. .. .. the day Mr Heart does all the cooking (and clearing up afterwards) .. .. yay!!  He does his fish, chips and mushy peas speciality and I get to have an extended crafting session LOL!!!

So whilst the man of the house slaved over a hot stove  (poor chap LOL!!!) I decided to make a card for taking over to the As You Like It Challenge where the theme choice this fortnight is "digital or rubber".  You use whichever you prefer and state why it was your choice.

This was quite a hard decision for me and as you will see below each for me have their own merits.  

I have to admit that when I first started crafting I felt that digi images were "cheating" but I am pleased to say I have since grown out of that.  

I find the versatility of a well drawn digi image so amazing (and a well coloured one a life-saver at times).  I love that I can re-size them so I can use them on my "normal cards" .. .. or shrink them right down to fit on my "teeny tiny" cards.  I also like the fact that they don't take up any room in my tiny craft pod and that they are usually instantly available once you have parted with your pennies .. .. .. and the majority have good angel policies.  

Digi images are also good if you want to make a special card for someone with a quirky hobby or theme.  You can usually pick them up fairly cheaply and not worry too much whether you use it again or not.  

But then there are my rubber stamps .. .. ..  

All the ones I own have been carefully considered purchases and are only bought if I know I will get lots of use out of them.  I love that I can heat emboss with them, mask them and combine lots of different ones to make a completely new image.

So to make my decision I put myself in the horrible position of only being able to use one or the other for the rest of my crafty life .. .. .. .. and the "actual stamps" won.

I could never turn my back on my "actual stamp" collection.  If I have a few odd minutes to do a bit of crafting the first drawer I open is my Penny Black drawer and I know that no matter which one I lay my hands on first I will be happy to use it  .. .. ..  so that was it .. .. deliberation over and this is what I came up with:

This used:

Image:  Penny Black "2288K" Furry Embrace

Sentiment:  Computer Generated using Font Aracne Condensed Regular

Backing Papers:  First Edition Paper "Bella Rose"

X-Cut - Extra Large Circle Dies

Crafter's Companion "Die'sire Dies" Scalloped Tags

ProMarkers

Nail Heads

Ribbon and Metallic Cord

My Trusty Sewing Machine

and that is me for today.  All done just in time to tuck into a rather late fish and chip supper.

Enjoy your weekend when it arrives.

THURSDAY SNIPPETS

Hi Everyone

Well, Thursday has just about come and gone .. .. .. and yet again it has been a day containing lots more rain!  I think we are going to have to empty the water butts a little at this rate.  I am keeping my fingers crossed it will clear up a bit for the weekend.

A quick card today that I pulled together once I got home from Mum's this evening .. .. .. grabbing my box of images which I colour and store for using later .. .. .. "one" of the boxes that contain backing paper snippets and a stray length of ribbon. .. .. in fact everything used for this card was a snippet except for the card base, which makes it perfect for taking over to Pixie's Snippets Playground.

This used:

Image:  Penny Black "2863J" Lovin' & Huggin'

Sentiment:  DigiStamp Boutique (sadly no longer trading .. boo hoo!!)

Backing Papers:  Mish Mash from the snippet box

Snippet of leftover ribbon

ProMarkers

Corner Rounding Punch

My Trusty Sewing Machine

and that is me for today.

Sorry folks, I have fallen a bit behind with my commenting .. .. things are a little hectic here at the moment  .. .. but I will catch up eventually.  

Catch you again soon.

LOOK HARD FOR THE HEART(S)

Hi Everyone

Sorry for the "no show" yesterday .. .. .. the time I had allocated for making and posting my teeny tiny creation yesterday got eaten up by my "not so trusty sewing machine"!

Yesterday it got "delusions of grandeur" and decided it just didn't want to sew my snippets together and it totally jammed.  That then ended up with me spending nearly an hour taking the shuttle casing apart to reveal how much dust, fluff and glitter?!?!!  Mr Heart couldn't believe his eyes!!  LOL!!

I gave it all a good clean and then queried as to whether I should be oiling it.  Mr Heart went on line to get the instructions for my machine and it said it should "never" be oiled!  That surprised me.  But it did say that the shuttle casing area should be cleaned after completing each garment .. .. .. no mention of how many finished cards for some reason!   So I think I had better take it apart a little more often in future.

It definitely behaved itself on my creation tonight though which is for taking over to Fezziwig's Festive Frolic Challenge.  This fortnight it is a picture inspiration challenge and this is what I came up with:

This used:

Image:  Woodware Clear Magic Singles "FRS357" Trimming the Tree

Backing Papers:  Magazine Cover Gift years ago

ProMarkers

Gold Glamour Dust

My Trusty Sewing Machine

and this is the inspiration picture

My tree isn't as lush as this one but does incorporate the colours and general theme.

So that is me for today and Christmas card number three for June is in the box!  Yay!!

How did you do?  Did you manage to find a heart?

WITH LOVE X

Hi Everyone

Popping in quickly with a card that uses some of my favourite colours.

This used:

Image:  Crafter's Companion "Botanical Butterfly"
Sentiment:  LOTV "Embossed Labels"
Backing Paper:  Make and Create "Once Upon a Time"
Butterfly Backing:  A page from a paperback sprayed with Distress Spray Stains (Peacock Feathers and Seedless Preserves)
White Embossing Powder
Ribbon
My Trusty Sewing Machine

and that is me for today.  Super short and sweet .. .. for a change.

Hoping to be here with a teeny, tiny make tomorrow.

PENNY BLACK SATURDAY CHALLENGE

Hi Everyone

Another weekend for us to enjoy - thankfully the sunshine made an appearance which was so lovely as the weather has been quite disappointing here recently.  Although all the rain has made the garden, lawn and water butts much happier.

Lock-down is definitely easier when the weather is being kind don't you think?

Anyway, here with a card I have made for the Penny Black Saturday Challenge where the theme for the month is always "anything goes as long as it includes Penny Black goodies" but with an optional twist this time of adding "spots and/or stripes".

This used:

Image:  Penny Black "2358J" Song for You (now discontinued)

Sentiment:  Computer Generated

Backing Papers:  First Edition Paper "Blank Canvas"

Music Notes used a stamp set from The Works

ProMarkers

Ribbon

My Trusty Sewing Machine

and that is me for today.

Enjoy your Sunday when it arrives.

A PRECIOUS BABY BOY

Hi Everyone

So late getting my card onto my blog that I am already round to Thursday (who stole Wednesday?!?!?)  LOL!!

There is still a need for more baby boy cards here in the House of Hearts, so I decided to head in that direction today, and at the same time utilise the sketch that The Male Room challenge would like us to play with.

Here is my offering:

This used:

Image:  DoCrafts "Forever Friends"

Sentiment:  Pink Petticoat

Backing Papers:  Forever Friends "New Arrival" (another really old one that I am trying to use up)

Stampin' Up!:  Sentiment Punch (not sure they do this one any more)

X-Cut Flower Punch (another discontinued one)
Pennant Dies:  Unbranded from Amazon

Circle Die

Nail Heads

ProMarkers

Twine

My Trusty Sewing Machine

I am beginning to think that over three quarters of my crafty stash is discontinued!  It will be starting to have antique value soon!  LOL!!

So this is the sketch

Catch you again soon everyone.

Hope your week is going well.