LAYERED OR FLAT FOR AS YOU LIKE IT

Hi Everyone

I hope your week has been going well.

Many thanks for the lovely wishes for Mum's birthday .. .. I started writing this post earlier today whilst I was with her, and can't believe that her birthday cards are still on display.  

Five days of birthday cards!   Must be a world record!  LOL!!!

It has all been very busy in the home of hearts and I feel like I am yet again meeting myself coming backwards.  But I have managed a bit of time in my little craft pod to chill and relax which has been super lovely and this is one of the creations I made.

This used:

Image:  Penny Black "2062K" Fish are Jumpin
Sentiment:  Computer Generated
Backing Papers:  Pink Petticoat (Sadly no longer trading)
ProMarkers
Corner Rounding Punch
Diamond Stickles for a bit of sparkle on the water .. .. but not showing up on the photograph
My Trusty Sewing Machine

I am taking this over to the "As You Like It" Challenge" where they would like to know what our favourite is:  Layered or Flat Cards (and why)?

No prizes for guessing that I love layered cards .. .. ..  mainly I think because I like to incorporate lots different layers so I can stitch them (but I do try to keep them postage friendly, unless the card is able to be given in person).  

Plus the layers help to reduce my mountain of paper and card snippets.

Enjoy the rest of the week .. .. .. where are all of these days disappearing to?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MUM

Hi Everyone

I hope you have all enjoyed a good week - it has been a super busy one here .. .. hence being a bit of a blogland stranger.  

Every day is special, but today is extra special and I will be heading to Mum to celebrate her birthday. She is a whole 95 today!  

She shared with me the other day that she was born in a thunderstorm .. .. .. which was weird because we have had thunderstorms this week.  Must be natures way of celebrating her birthday!  LOL!!

I love making cards for her and try to make each one special as I have now reached a stage where deep down I can’t help but wonder if it will be the last one I will get to make for her .. .. but thankfully she is still managing to clock up the years .. .. and long may that continue.

This is my offering for birthday number 95 (which will no doubt be in the bin come Monday) because she gets fed up with things cluttering the place up!  LOL!!  No soppy keepsake boxes in Mum’s world.

This used:

Apple Blossom Designs Die Set:  Perfect Puzzles "Heart"
Backing Papers:  All from Snippet Mountains (this die gobbles them up so nicely)
Sentiment Computer generated and die cut using an old die set from The Works
Ribbon and twine
Corner Rounding Punch
and of course My Trusty Sewing Machine

and that is me for today.  Off to see the birthday girl soon!

Have a good weekend everyone.

TEENY, TINY TUESDAY TIME

Hi Everyone

I hope you are all having a happy Tuesday.

I was up bright and early today and got all of the "quiet" chores done super quickly so I could enjoy an early guilt free session in my little craft pod before Mr Heart surfaced - and this was the outcome made using a couple of my Teeny Tiny card blanks which measure a whole 9cm square.   

These used:

Image:  Penny Black "2995F" Stocking!
Sentiment:  Computer Generated
Card and Backing Papers:  From the snippet box (which is getting a bit too full but to be fair cards of this size don't make much of a difference) - even if I do make two LOL!!!!!!!
ProMarkers

Spellbinders:  Circle and Scalloped Circle Dies

Crystal Glamour Dust

Xmas Red Stickles
My Trusty Sewing Machine

So that is me for today with two more Christmas cards added to the box and hoping to return to the craft pod later to enjoy a bit more crafty time.  There are never enough hours in a day for me to achieve everything I want too that's for sure - no matter how early I get up and start !!!

Hope you are lucky enough to have a bit of crafty time today too.

SUNDAY SNIPPETS

Hi Everyone

I hope you have all had a good weekend.

Some of mine has been spent in the craft pod .. .. .. and part of that time was dedicated to making a snippet card for taking over to the Snippets Playground Challenge.  No theme to follow other than to use up some of your leftovers in your creation.

It was super good news to know Di is now well enough to rally us all round again after her tumble which injured her arm and hand.  The word is that she tumbled climbing up the ladder into the treehouse, but I have my suspicions that she may have been being a bit "over-zealous" on the trampoline (again) and was attempting after doing back-flips, to jump high enough to fling herself through the air straight into the entrance of the treehouse - avoiding the use of the ladder completely!  

Do we have CCTV in the playground?

Anyway, this is my offering .. .. .. 

This used:

Papers and card are all snippets .. .. .. but unfortunately I forgot to take a photograph of my "before" ingredients .. .. .. but there are remnants below which I have just dragged out of the craft pod bin or were floating round for future use. 
Sentiment: MFT Die-namics Die "Thanks"
Spellbinders Heart Die
Paper Bow:  Creative Expressions Die "Ribbons and Bows"
My Trusty Sewing Machine
The backing card and papers were already cut to size and were sitting in a box waiting to be used.

There is a tiny matching heart I managed to cut from the leftovers too.  I thought it would be nice tied to a thank you present sometime to give to someone along with my card .. .. .. .. .and that is me for today.

Off now to see if I can backflip and land in the treehouse to deliver my creation.  Wish me luck!  Always super magical in the tree house once it is dark .. .. all the fairy lights make it so magical.

Hope you all have a good week ahead.

RELAX

Hi Everyone

I hope your day has been a good one.

We have actually had some much needed rain in our neck of the woods today.  But nothing like enough to make a big deal of difference to our reservoir levels.

But what I have noticed this week is that the nights are starting to draw in now .. .. followed by a shock I got at the post office when I noticed they had tons of calendars and diaries for 2026!!!!!  Eeekkk!!!

Anyway a quick share of one of the cards I managed to make today.

This used:

Image:  Beach Hut Collection from TheMOGallery via Etsy (which when I went to link seems to have disappeared) .. .. hopefully not permanently as they had some beautiful images that print so well.
Sentiment: Computer generated
Backing papers:  Pink Petticoat (also no longer trading) plus a snippet from Snippet Mountain
Corner Rounding Punch
Hot Fix Nail Heads
Ribbon
My Trusty Sewing Machine

I am entering this into the Little Red Wagon Challenge where the theme is "for a gentleman".

Hope everyone's week is going well .. .. .. the weekend is nearly here!!

A CARD FOR TWO CHALLENGES

Hi Everyone

I hope you enjoyed your bank holiday weekend.

Quite a bit of mine was spent with Mum hence the lack of blog posts.  But I have enjoyed some crafty time today which has been lovely.

So, here tonight with a card for two challenges:

This used:

Image:  DoCrafts Forever Friends (a really old little wooden stamp that I just love colouring)

Sentiment:  Pink Petticoat (sadly no longer trading)

ProMarkers

Backing Papers from Snippet Mountain

Spellbinders Circle and Scalloped Circle

Corner Rounding Punch

Tumbled Glass Distress Ink Pad

My Trusty Sewing Machine

This is for two challenges:

1.  The As You Like it Challenge - where they want to know your favourite colouring medium (and why)

My favourite colouring medium is definitely my ProMarkers.  I love them very much and am so happy with them that I have never bothered to even try any other sort of pens.  I like that they have a big chisel tip as well as the bullet tip for those bigger areas. 

and

2.  The Red Wagon Challenge - where the challenge is "the circle of life".  So you need to include circles somewhere in your creation.

No shortage of circles .. .. .. a plain one, a scalloped one and a good few on the backing paper.

Enjoy the rest of your evening and hopefully I will be here again soon.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY LONDON KIDS

Hi Everyone

Today is a very special day in our family .. .. .. it is the Wedding Anniversary of our eldest son and his wife .. .. .. otherwise known as "the London Kids".

This is the card I made for them:

This used:

Image:  Penny Black "3338J" Long Kiss
Sentiment:  Computer Generated
Backing Papers:  A gorgeous 12 x 12 pad called "Rose Gold" by Artstudio  (The Range)
Rose Gold Metallic Card
ProMarkers

Ribbon
Corner Rounding Punch
My Trusty Sewing Machine

Sadly the rose gold doesn't photograph too well .. .. but I tried my best.

Must admit I am loving having my Penny Black stamps and ProMarkers back in action.  I have missed them. 

Hope you have had a good day London Kids .. .. .. Loves ya very, very, very much!!!!

CRAFT WITH YOUR KRAFT

Hi Everyone

I hope your week is going well - my time has been spent with Mum these last few days .. .. .. but today my brother has been with Mum so I have had a whole day at home to catch up on the dreaded housework .. .. with the reward at the end being .. .. spending whatever time was left in my little craft haven.  Surprising how quickly you can fly through the housework when there is such a lovely treat at the end!

The ladies over at Little Red Wagon have set quite a simple challenge this week .. .. .."to use kraft cardstock" so no excuse for me not playing along as I love kraft card very, very much.  

Pre Covid when I used to do tons of weddings every other couple wanted kraft based stationery .. .. so I have loads of kraft snippets to delve into and have created this (which used "just one" of the bits I have available LOL!!)  .. .. .. 

This used:

Kraft Card Snippet
Patterned Snippets:  All that Glistens - First Edition Paper  (Very Old)

Sentiment:  Printed Ribbon
Spellbinders Heart Die
My Trusty Sewing Machine
Random snowflake

Don't ask me where that tiny little snowflake came from, it was lurking in my snowflake box as was the tiny little silver glitter card dot that is in the middle of it .. .. .. might have to investigate my snowflake dies because it is super cute.

To keep the finished card thin enough to go through that super narrow slot on the post office measuring gauge I actually cut a strip out of the heart and stitched it either side of the ribbon.

Off to link up now and then hopefully have little blog hopping session.

Catch you again soon.

PENNY BLACK SATURDAY CHALLENGE - GUEST DESIGNER

Hi Everyone

Happy weekend!

Today is my last inspiration card for the current Penny Black Saturday Challenge where I have had the honour of being the Guest Designer for August.  

The theme is "Embossing" or "anything goes" .. .. .. but whichever option you choose does need to use a prominent Penny Black product.

This is what I have created:

This used:

Main Image:  "Whispers" Penny Black "3377K"

Background Image:  "Winsome" Penny Black "3811J" 

Sentiment:  "Loads of Love" Penny Black Clear Stamp Set "30-146"
Die for Main Image:  "A Pocket Full" Die Set Penny Black "51-053"

Tumbled Glass Distress Ink Pad (for distressing the main image panel)
Peeled Paint Distress Ink Pad (for stamping the "Whispers" stamp)

Cuttlebug Embossing Folder "Swiss Dots" for the embossed corners and also for debossing the paper-pieced sections of the main image (after having gently rubbed a black ink pad onto the raised side first)
White Embossing Powder for embossing the Winsome stamp to the background

Small Corner Rounding Punch

ProMarkers for adding extra colour to the stamped image.

Hot Fix Nail Heads
Flat Backed Gem
My Trusty Sewing Machine 

So that just leaves me to say a huge "Thank you" to the ladies on the Penny Black Saturday Team .. .. ..  I have enjoyed my time with you very very much.  

CHRISTMAS KICKSTART CHALLENGE

Hi Everyone

Not quite so bright and beautiful here today weatherwise .. .. .. but the air is much fresher and there is a chance of some rain .. .. which isn't a bad thing really as the gardens and the reservoirs really do need it.

Sharing a card today for taking over to the Christmas Kickstart Challenge where the theme is 

"Let's Wreath it Up"

and this is what I have created:

This used:

Wreath Die:  Cheap and cheerful from Amazon here
Sentiment:  Computer generated
Backing paper I think was part of a Christmas pad from The Works ages ago 
Ribbon
Corner Rounding Punch
My Trusty Sewing Machine

A fun card to make that didn't involve me actually needing to do any die cutting at all because I had a little storage box full of leftover circles and wreath outlines from identical cards I have made previously .. .. and in a wide variety of colours.  So it was just a case of gluing the outline down and fitting the circles into the gaps. 

Hope your week is going well and no-one has ended up with sunburn.

I promise not to make my next post a Christmas one.  I know for a lot of people it is far too early to be making them, or even thinking about them .. .. .. but I just have to squeeze them in any chance I get.  

TEENY TINY TUESDAY

Hi Everyone

Happy Tuesday! 

Can't believe it if I have got the day right because all day my head has thought it is Wednesday for some reason .. .. .. I have been struggling for over a week to know what day it is.  As soon as I wake up I am racking my brains trying to work it out, and even then I change my mind a couple of times before I finally convince myself I have it right. LOL!!!

Anyway, once up and running, I decided I had better start making some cards for filling those teeny tiny envelopes I made here a little while back .. .. .. and boost my Christmas card collection into the bargain.

I decided to make a card using one of my favourite Stampin' Up! sets to create this Teeny Tiny card, which for anyone new to my blog measures a whole 9cm square:

This used:

Image and Sentiment:  Stampin' Up! "Hearts Come Home"

Heart die:  Poppystamps "Heart String"  (quite old now)

All paper and card from Snippet Mountain (not that it has reduced the pile very much LOL!!)

My Trusty Sewing Machine

Sadly only time to make one but each one counts in trying to avoid that last minute Christmas rush.

I am entering this into the challenge over at "Little Red Wagon" where the theme is "Set a Course For Home".

Short and sweet from me today as I have a lot to cram into my day (once again)!

SUNDAY SNIPPETS

Hi Everyone

Many thanks for your lovely comments on my previous post.  They are all greatly appreciated.

I was up bright and early today with my fingers itching to do some more creating, so before I left to be with Mum I managed to pull this card together for taking over to the Snippets Playground Challenge and now that I am home again I can write up my post and rush over to the playground.

This used:

Image:  Bouquet of Blooms - Julie Hickey "SKU JH1058"
Sentiment:  Spice of Life - Colorado Craft Co. "BB557"
Stamping on Butterfly:  Birthday Background Stamp - Julie Hickey "SKU JH1041"
ProMarkers
Distress Inks for the butterfly
Corner Rounding Punch
Butterfly Die Set "Wings of Elegance" Craft Addition UK
Crystal Glamour Dust for the butterfly wings .. .. but the camera hasn't really picked it up.
Small Diamond Gems
My Trusty Sewing Machine

and these were the snippets I grabbed to play with at the start of the day:

I hope that everyone has had a good weekend and if like me you have stacks of snippets that need using up why not grab them and play along.  The challenge is always a fun and a really friendly place to visit .. .. .. with lots of laughs along the way.

Take care everyone.

BACK TO THE OLD ROUTINE

Hi Everyone

Well, the London Kids have now returned to their own home .. .. .. boo hoo!! 

We had a wonderful few days together.  Lots of eating, drinking, talking, walking, catching up with people they haven't seen in a while .. .. .. laughing and joking and playing silly games on the PlayStation that we haven't played for ages (in fact so long that I had to be taught what buttons I needed to press for what all over again)!!   

Sadly all good things must come to an end  .. .. ..  but I am left with lots of lovely memories of a very special time that I will never forget.  It felt a bit like Christmas but  minus all the stress! 

The London Kids love where we have moved to and my daughter-in-law has chosen an old Tudor looking house around the corner that she wants them to move into .. .. I have to let her know when it comes up for sale LOL!!!

So now it is time to get back into my crafting routine and get cracking on filling that card stock box and catching up with those card orders .. .. alongside looking after Mum of course.  My brother and sister took over whilst our visitors were here - but we did all go to visit Mum so the London Kids could catch up with her.  

Only decision now being .. .. which of all the cards I need to make shall I start with .. .. I feel you could name just about any type of card in the world and someone is wanting one.  Except New Year, Easter and Halloween!!  LOL!!

But this is my share for tonight .. .. ..

This used:

Image:   Cute Bunnies in Glasses via Etsy
Sentiment:  Computer Generated
Backing Papers:  From that ever growing Snippet Mountain
Corner Rounding Punch
My Trusty Sewing Machine

I will hopefully catch you again soon.

PENNY BLACK SATURDAY CHALLENGE - GUEST DESIGNER

Hi Everyone

A super exciting post for me today as I have the pleasure of being Guest Designer for August with the Penny Black Saturday Challenge.  Woo hoo!!!

The theme this month is "Embossing" - or as always there is the "anything goes" option  .. .. ..  but whichever you choose your entry needs to use a prominent Penny Black product. 

Here is my creation which features heat embossing and embossing with a scoring tool:

This used:

Image:  "Social Butterfly" clear stamp set - Penny Black "30-116" (stamped onto card and heavy weight vellum and embossed then layered once the vellum layer had been fussy cut)
Sentiment:  "Gratitude" clear stamp set - Penny Black "30-105"
Background Paper:  MFT Bundles of Blossoms Pastels (very old)
Fish tail die set:  M&C Boutique from The Works (again quite old)
VersaMark Embossing Pad
Gold Embossing Powder
Heavy weight vellum
Memento Dew Drop Ink Pad - Sweet Plum
Craftelier Scoring Board (for embossing lines onto a strip of lilac card prior to rubbing over with the embossing pad, adding gold embossing powder and heat setting)
X-Cut Flower Punch
Pearls
My Trusty Sewing Machine

I have always had a "soft spot" for this challenge as it was the very first challenge I entered way back in March 2009 and it was my second ever blog post. A whole sixteen years and the stamp I used then is still being put to good use today.

I love looking back at previous posts .. .. .. even though I cringe at a lot of the things I posted .. .. .. but it does reassure me that I have hopefully improved, and also makes me realise just how old a lot of my stash is.  LOL!!!

Hope you get chance to dig out your Penny Black goodies and play along with the challenge.

In the meantime my day is going to be extra super exciting as The London Kids are coming to stay for a few days.  So very excited as we haven't been able to meet in person for ages .. .. .. only through Facetime.  So it is their first proper look at our new home.

I will catch you again soon .. .. .. if I don't burst with excitement in the meantime.

QUICK AND EASY

Morning Everyone

Just a quick and easy card today that is perfect for when you need a birthday card in a rush (especially good for when it is needed for one of those men folk we struggle with making for sometimes).

Change the papers to pretty and floral and it even works for the ladies too.

This used:

Nitwit Digital Image which is part of the Farmhouse FQB Collection (one of my favourites collections from them) 
Sentiment:  Computer Generated
Corner Rounding Punch
Backing Paper from Snippet Mountain
My Trusty Sewing Machine

Happy crafting if you are lucky enough to have some playtime on your hands.

PENNY BLACK SATURDAY CHALLENGE

Hi Everyone

I hope your week has been a good one and you have managed to find some crafty time.

My days seem to be settling into a nice routine which is giving me chance to do "a bit" more creating than I have been used to in quite a while .. .. although creations often get done one day but can't be photographed until the following day (when hopefully the sun is shining).

It is also good that all of my crafty goodies are now finally available to me .. .. .. I just need to remember where I have chosen to store everything!!!  I know exactly where everything would have been if I was still in my old house, but the same isn't yet true in our new abode.

The most exciting thing is that all of my Penny Black stamps and dies are now unpacked and ready for playing with again .. .. .. they are my favourite stamps and I have missed not having them to hand.  So as they are now patiently sitting waiting to be played with again, I am off to the current Penny Black Saturday Challenge where the theme is "On or In the water" .. .. .. .. or there is the option of "anything goes" provided it features a prominent Penny Black product.

So here is my offering:

This used:

Image:  Bubbles 'n Squeak - Penny Black "1684K"
Sentiment:  Part of Critter Party Clear Stamp Set - Penny Black "30-013"
Backing Papers:  Pink Petticoat (sadly no longer trading)
ProMarkers
Corner Rounding Punch
Ribbon
Hot Fix Nail Heads
Diamond Stickles (for the bubbles)
and of course .. .. My Trusty Sewing Machine

Enjoy your weekend when it arrives - they certainly seem to be coming round very quickly these days!!!

MID WEEK SNIPPETS

Hi Everyone

I hope you are all doing well. 

The weather has certainly changed over the last few days here, but at least we have gained some much needed water and the air is fresher. 

I am happy to report that I have managed a little crafty time with my snippets and came up with this creation for taking over to the Snippets Playground Challenge. 

This used:

Flower Floral Loveheart Die via Etsy   (I have waited for ages to get my hands on this beauty)
Sentiment:  Computer Generated
My Trusty Sewing Machine
Snippets from snippet mountain

these are the snippets I created my card from:

July, August and September are always super busy for me on the Wedding Anniversary front .. .. they must be the three most popular months for "tying the knot".  No doubt planned in the hope of enjoying good weather on "the special day".

Enjoy the rest of your week and I hope you manage to find some crafty time to enjoy too.

THAT CONEFLOWER AGAIN

Hi Everyone

Friday is suddenly here again .. .. .. where are these weeks disappearing to?

I am here today with a little creation I made this morning before heading to Mum.  Not for any challenges, just simply to go in my stock box .. .. .. which is still far too empty!!!

This used

Coneflower Die unbranded from Ebay  (these flower heads are something else I sit and put together on a lap tray and have a collection of .. .. sitting ready and waiting to be used)

Happy Birthday Die unbranded from Amazon  

Heart Punch

My Trusty Sewing Machine

All card and paper has come from snippet mountain

and that is me for today.

Enjoy your weekend when it arrives.

AS YOU LIKE IT CHALLENGE

Hi Everyone

I hope everyone is OK .. .. and that your week is moving along nicely.  

The challenge this fortnight with the ladies over at the As You Like It Challenge is to showcase your favourite kind of "Non- Card Crafting Project" .. .. and say why.

Quite an easy one for me as another thing I love to make .. .. other than actual cards .. .. are small envelopes for my teeny tiny cards.  For anyone new to my blog my teeny tiny cards measure just 9cms square and I love making the envelopes for them as much as the actual cards themselves.  Sad I know!!! LOL!!!

I find both the cards and the envelopes a great way of using up odd bits of either plain paper or design papers and love that I can sit and make them on a lap tray on my knee.  

I particularly love using up design papers that are plain on one side and patterned on the other.  As there are quite often papers in design pads that are just too busy or garish for my taste but at least I get to use them up if I have the pattern inside a little envelope and the plain on the outside.   

The envelopes I have created here are for putting to one side ready for my teeny tiny Christmas makes and I stole the idea from the lovely Hilary Jane (of Fiddling About) after seeing she had done some wonderful embossing on a beautiful card she had made, and on the flap of the envelope too.  I really loved the look of what she had made and did mention in the comment I left that I would like to steal that idea for my Christmas makes this year.  But now I have embossed on my Christmas envelopes, I have a feeling it might migrate to other cards as well  -  perhaps with stamping on the envelope front too LOL!!  Oh dear Hilary, what have you started!! LOL!!

So, round to today's little collection.  

All have the same Pink Petticoat design on the inside with "dashing through the snow" wording.

I embossed just one of the flaps on the first four envelopes but on the last one embossed all the flaps before sticking it all together - I quite like both versions, but the OCD streak in me is struggling with the fact that the snowflakes don't match up with all the flaps embossed .. .. .. as if that really matters.  The envelope will only be ripped open anyway.

These were made using:

Pink Petticoat Digital Design Paper - Sadly no longer trading
WeRMemory Keepers Envelope Punch Board
Dovecraft Snowflake Embossing Folder
Red Line Adhesive Tape

That now just leaves me with the cards to make to put inside.  But as I have offcuts of the envelope paper they will do nicely for my teeny tiny card makes.

After all the sunshine, we have now been declared as being in a drought area, but thankfully for the gardens, today it is raining.  But no doubt it needs to rain for quite a few days to make a difference.

As for my email problems.  It turns out it is a problem with Microsoft and they are working on a fix! But in the meantime Mr Heart has come to my rescue (once again) and has downloaded a free email programme for me to use in the meantime.  A lot of the communication involved with caring for Mum, and the various things I have to deal with on her behalf, involve endless emails, and I certainly couldn't manage without them!!  Super scary that we rely almost totally on technology for communicating nowadays.

Hopefully catch you again soon.

Take care everyone.

CHRISTMAS KICKSTART CHALLENGE - 100

Hi Everyone

Well July is now well upon us .. .. .. the weather is super warm .. .. .. so the time has come when I try to start pulling Christmas makes into the equation .. .. .. and with the help of the Christmas Kickstart Challenge there is no excuse for lacking inspiration!

The challenge this time is a super special one as Jo has reached the giddy heights of challenge number 100 - well done Jo!!

The theme this time is "Merry Go Round".  At first I thought that meant a Christmas fairground ride .. .. .. but no .. .. .. it is much easier than that .. .. they want to see spots, dots and circles on our creations.  

I am sure we can all manage that!

So here we

This used:

Image Die:  "Merry Christmas Ball" by Craft Discovery via Ebay (free second class delivery)

Backing Papers:  From The Works post Christmas sale
Gold Mirror Card
Snowflake punch

Crystal Glamour Dust
Hot Fix Nail Heads

My Trusty Sewing Machine

For some reason my emails are out of action at the moment - you don't realise just how much you rely on them until they aren't working.  

Enjoy your weekend when it arrives and keep slapping on that sun cream.

PURPLE AND BLACK .. .. .. FOREVER?

Hi Everyone

I hope all is good with you all and the sun is shining for you.

The As You Like it Challenge for this fortnight is to use your favourite two colour combination on your creation. 

I don't know about you but my colour fads change from week to week .. .. .. but if push came to shove and I was told I could only ever use two colours for the rest of my crafty life it would have to be shades of black and purple (assuming that white would always be allowed).  But don't tell Mr Heart or he would expect me to downsize my coloured card collection LOL!!!

So here is my black and purple creation:

This used:

Backing Papers:  First Edition Paper Pad "Wild Flower"  (another very old pad I am using up)

Sentiment:  Clearly Besotted "Mini Calligraphy"

First Edition Nesting Stamp Dies - FEDIE012 (from way back in the day when First Edition Crafts were flooding all the craft stores we were lucky enough to be able to visit)
Dragonfly Metal Cutting Die - Amazon

Woodware Punches
Ribbon 
Gems
Hot Fix Nail Heads

My Trusty Sewing Machine

In fact I liked the layout so much I turned it into my next Rectangular Sketch (you can find the others on the tab at the top of my blog .. .. .. feel free to use them if any take your fancy)..  

So, I wonder what this week is going to hold.  Let's hope for only good things as last week was another challenging one due to Mum sitting on the edge of her bed and slipping off it .. .. .. and at the grand old age of 94 not being able to get back up again.  Thankfully we have cameras set up in strategic places so we can check all is well with her, and I was able to rush to her and get the paramedics to the rescue.  Without the cameras she would have been there for ages and ages because even though she has a call pendant she could easily have pressed .. .. she didn't.  Sigh!

Thankfully she didn't suffer any injuries "other than to her pride" and a few bruises have since appeared, but it did involve another night on the settee for me as the medics didn't want her to be alone for the next 24 hours just in case of a delayed reaction. 

It has now become a bit of a joke with her though and every night as we facetime to say goodnight to each other I say "and stay on that bed"!!!  

Today I need to take her to the GPs for a blood test and then we will have a little wander into town and have a bite to eat if she fancies that.  It feels good to get her out because on a normal day she just wants to stay at home and refuses to go anywhere, no matter how many times I offer.  The only down side of going out being the dementia side of things means she remembers and wants to go to the shops and places that she remembers being around years and years ago - and she doesn't understand where they have all gone and why I can't take her to them.  She then ends up being more confused than ever!  

My Mum certainly knows how to keep me on my toes bless her.

FOR CAROLE EATON

Hi Carole

Many thanks for your lovely comment on my blog.

Sorry to be contacting you via a blog post but I do not have any contact details for you.

The stamp you are looking for is available as a cling stamp through EBay with free postage - or through buddlycrafts.com 

Hope this helps.

Love and hugs

Jules xx💕

JUST FOR YOU - WITH LOVE

Hi Everyone

Firstly a very big thank you for all the comments and kind messages on my previous post, they are very much appreciated .. .. .. so here is a card that is especially for you ......  mwah!!

I am still on a mission to fill my nearly empty stock box and today's offering is also for entering into the Penny Black Saturday Challenge where the theme is either "stitching" or "anything goes" .. .. .. .. provided you use "Penny Black Goodies" somewhere on your creation of course.

I went for "one" of my many favourite Penny Black Stamps where those cute mice are busy stitching .. .. .. and of course it wouldn't be me if I didn't add some stitching of my own too.

This used:

Image:  Penny Black Wooden Stamp "1656K" Stitch in Time
Sentiment:  Penny Black Clear Stamp Set "30-524" Happy Hugs
Backing Papers:  From snippet mountain - Buddly Crafts "Eline's House - Roses are Red" and
                            Pink Petticoat "Swiss Dots" (Sadly no longer trading)
ProMarkers
Corner Rounding Punch
Ribbon
My Trusty Sewing Machine

and that is me for today.  There are still three days left on the challenge if you want to play along.

Take care everyone. 

THE WANDERER RETURNS

Hi Everyone 

Well, it has been quite some time since my last post.

Lots of things have been happening in my world.  Some very sad, but some happy things too.

My lovely Sis took a week off work and very kindly offered to take care of Mum so that Mr Heart and I could go away and re-charge our batteries.. .. .. and it was lovely .. .. but it was tinged with sadness as my fabby brother called me to say his wife had been taken seriously ill with a stroke and sadly after a few days she unfortunately passed away.

We have been going through quite a lot as a family over the last few years ... .. .. but each good (or bad) thing that has happened has made us even stronger and closer as a family unit.  Everyone is always there to give help and support whenever it is needed .. .. .. how lucky we all are to be part of such a wonderful family!!. 

Anyway .. .. .. 

Whilst we were away we ate somewhere that displayed lots a fabulous pictures on the walls and they reminded me of creations I had made in the past using old paperback books.

So once home that was what I wanted my first creation to be .. .. and here it is

This used:

Image:  Be Happy Stamp Set "SKU: JH1031" Julie Hickey
Backing paper:  Lovelytocu - Seamless Script Papers (better to colour on than porous book pages)
Sentiment:  Digistamp Boutique (sadly no longer trading)
Spellbinder Circle and Scalloped Circle Dies
ProMarkers
My Trusty Sewing Machine
and my "unusual snippet" of "a bobbin of yellow cotton with hardly any thread left on it"   (I decided that always using white to stitch with was getting a bit boring and wasn't reducing my cotton spool collection)  But I still used white on the shuttle as I didn't think there would be enough to use yellow top and bottom.

These were my snippets

and as always I cut extra shapes where I can (especially the little tags for the charity shop to use).

So off I go now to share my snippet make with the playmates over in the snippets playground challenge - and have a peep at what other ingenious ways the playmates have found to rid themselves of those snippets we all hoard and have hanging around.  I wonder if the paddling pool will still be out for a cooling down dip?

Hope all has been good with everyone in my absence.

Fingers crossed I will be back again soon because my card stock box is looking VERY depleted and that will never do!