SUNDAY SNIPPETS

Hi Everyone

Happy Sunday

Well no hacking out of old grout for me today, I confined myself to the indoors as there were lots of indoor tasks needing to be done and I am determined to get back into the swing of my Sunday snippet makes .. .. one of which really does need to start being a Christmas card.  I haven't made a single one yet this year!! Eeekkk!!

I have also decided that in order to learn how to use my Serif Craft Artist programme more I am going to design a few sketches of my own .. .. and today's snippet makes use my very first one.  I know it leaves a bit (OK a lot) to be desired but I have to start somewhere LOL!!

So here is my very first sketch:

 

and here are my snippet makes for today including my very first Christmas card of 2015  .. .. yippee!

So there we are .. .. all finished ready for taking over to Pixie's Snippets Playground Challenge where we are encouraged to use up all our offcuts of .. .. well anything .. .. and as normal when playing with my snippet makes I don't list my ingredients as the cards are more often than not a mixture of lots of different papers all mingled together!

If anyone likes the look of any of the sketches I create then please feel free to use them .. .. and if you do then please let me know as I would love to see what you make.  I just need to work out how to put them onto a separate tab here on my blog so that I can keep referring back to them and use them again (and again, and again LOL!!).

Enjoy what is left of the weekend .. .. and I am pleased to report that I still have some cards stacked up ready to share whilst I am beavering away at the wedding work.  Woo hoo!!

Catch you soon

Love

CONSTELLATIONS

Hi Everyone

I hope you are all having a good weekend.

Bet you thought I was a "no show" today!  Well I have to admit that I nearly was.

The morning was spent on wedding work and meeting up with a bride who called to collect some extra invitations she needed .. .. and she also gave me a lovely catch up on all her wedding plans.  She was so excited and "shining like the sun".  I was so happy for her.

Once my bride had left I very generously (or very stupidly) offered to give Mr Heart a hand with the patio work!  To be fair he did try to persuade me to "just get on with what I needed to do" but I felt a bit sorry for him and said I would do an hour with him.  So a quick change into scruffy clothes and off I go.  But of course once you get started an hour turns into two or more, .. .. .. and then you need a bath .. .. ..  and then suddenly the afternoon has gone as well!!

But I was determined to try and get a creation together .. .. and this is what I came up with:

This used:

Image:  Penny Black "3867K" Constellations

Sentiment:  Pink Petticoat (sadly no longer available)

Backing Papers:  First Edition "Botanical Notes"

WOW! Embossing Powder:  Metallic Platinum

Marvy le Plume Pen:  Wisteria

Josy Rose:  Nail Heads

My Trusty Sewing Machine

Ribbon from My Crafty Stash Box

and that is me for today.

Enjoy your evening everyone ahead of what I hope will be a lovely Sunday.

Love

DO MORE OF WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY

Hi Everyone

Happy Friday!

What a fast week this has been!

A quick share with you today which uses a new download from Pink Petticoat.  I get super excited when I get an email plinging in saying "new designs have been added to the boutique".  I love Liz's style so much that I  just know they will be great before I even look.  LOL!!

So here we go:

This used:

Image and sentiment:  Pink Petticoat "Beach Cottage"
Backing Papers:  Pink Petticoat "Shanty Chic" (on offer until Sunday)
Nestabilities:  Classic Circle and Scalloped Circle
X-Cut:  Combined Corner Rounder and Corner Inverted Punch
ProMarkers
My Trusty Sewing Machine
Dew drops and Ribbon from My Crafty Stash Box

So that is me for today.

Just need to stop singing "I do like to be beside the seaside" now because I am fed up with it, so I know Mr Heart must be LOL!!

Enjoy your Friday and the weekend .. .. I hope you get to do more of what makes you happy.

Love

PENNY BLACK SATURDAY CHALLENGE - JULY

Hi Everyone

Thursday already!!

I hope everyone is having a good week.

Earlier in the week I told you about a Penny Black stamp that I have struggled with in the past .. .. well today uses the other stamp I eluded to that has caused problems.  Pretty happy with this one too now.

I am entering my card into the Penny Black Saturday Challenge for July where the theme this month is friendship.  Well let's face it, if you are going to be dangled by your tail from the top of a pile of plant pots you would only want a friend to be doing the "dangling"!!  LOL!!

So here we go:

This used:

Image:  Penny Black "1649K" Surprise!!

Sentiment:  Lili of the Valley "Sentiment Tags"

Backing Papers:  Craft Sensations by Grafix "Mix and Match All Time Favourites" (these are a new make to me. but I found them in The Range.  £2.99 for a 12 x 12 stack of 24 double sided design papers .. .. and not flimsy paper either .. .. a whole 250g)  Love sharing a bargain!!

Sizzix Decorative Strip:  "654468" Grass

ProMarkers

My Trusty Sewing Machine

Twine Flower made with the Crazy Daisy Flower Loom

Twine and Button from My Crafty Stash Box

and that is me for today!

Mr Heart is on holiday from work this week.  You may remember that last year he started to re-lay the patio.  Well he has just about recovered enough from the effort and boredom of doing that to start the next area now .. .. which is under the pergola .. .. and today "might" be the day he makes a start. Poor lad isn't looking forward to it .. .. but then again I don't look forward to ironing and I have to do that EVERY week!  LOL!!

Right off to link up and then it is favour box cutting time and wedding invites on my crafty work list for today.

A few folk have asked how my new website is coming along.  All I can say is .. .. "very slowly" .. .. but I will be proud of it when it is finished.

Have a great day today.  

Love

GET WELL SOON

Hi Everyone

Happy Wednesday!

I am loving having cards ready to share with you .. .. I promise to try hard and do this more often as I am loving being back in blogland. I have really missed everyone. Thank you for all the lovely comments and emails I have received - they truly are appreciated.

During my weekend crafting stint for the salon I tried to make cards that covered lots of occassions .. .. hence today's "get well" card.

This used:

Image:  Bugaboo Stamps "Mouse - Big Flower"
Sentiment:  Computer Generated using font "Cambridgeside"
Backing Paper:  Pink Petticoat
ProMarkers
My Trusty Sewing Machine
Glamour Dust

I think this cute little chappie might cheer someone up who is feeling under the weather.

Enjoy your day everyone.

Love

I MUST BE IMPROVING

Hi Everyone

Happy Tuesday!

No teeny tiny make today but a normal sized one that uses a stamp that hasn't appeared on my blog before .. .. even though it has been in my collection for quite some time.

I have tried to use this stamp so many times it is unbelievable, and never been happy with the finished look .. .. even though I have tried over and over again.

So unhappy with the stamp, and my pathetic attempts of using it successfully, it was relegated to the back of the Penny Black drawer - but over the weekend I decided it was time to "give it another go". 

AT LAST!!!  Something I am happy with .. .. my colouring must be improving and the stamp can now come to the front of the drawer for more use LOL!!  Yippee!!

This used:

Image:  Penny Black "1656K" Stitch in Time

Sentiment:  Pink Petticoat (no longer available - sorry)

Backing Papers:  Docrafts "Kraft Notes"

Martha Stewart Edge Punch:  Daisy

ProMarkers

My Trusty Sewing Machine

Ribbon from my crafty stash box

There is another Penny Black stamp in my collection that I struggle with too.  Perhaps it is time to give that one a go too and see if I have improved enough to be happy with that yet.

Enjoy your day everyone. 

I am loving having cards lined up ready for posting .. .. .. really must try and do this more often.

Love

HAPPY MONDAY

Hi Everyone

Happy Monday!

I hope everyone had a good weekend.

I really enjoyed mine, just playing with bits and pieces in the old craft pod .. .. .. I managed to get a few cards made for the salon .. .. and a few blogs visited amongst everything else that was cracking off (still loads more of you lovely visitors to catch up with but I will get there eventually I promise).

The old wedding list work got added to over the course of the weekend too, so even more to keep me out of mischief!

But I am quite chuffed to have a few cards under my belt to share with you over the course of this week and this first creation uses a stamp which was purchased very early in my crafty stamping life (not sure it is still available .. .. but I hope it is because it is so versatile .. .. even though it doesn't look it.

So here we go:

This used:

Image:  Stampendous "N130" Dream Block Trio

Sentiment:  Computer Generated using font "Georgia"

Backing Papers:  Pink Petticoat French Country "Tea Rose Classic Design Pack" 

Stampin' Up Punch:  Word Window 

Spellbinders:  Classic Heart

Cuttlebug Embossing Folder "Swiss Dots"

My Trusty Sewing Machine

Distress Ink:  Worn Lipstick

Ribbon, lace and flower from my crafty stash box

Have a lovely day today.   The weather looks like it might be kind .. .. at the moment.

Love

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY

Hi Everyone

Happy Saturday and Happy 4th of July to all my American blog pals!

A super rare day here in the House of Hearts .. .. lots on the crafty do list but nothing is mega urgent so I am going to spend the day making "whatever takes my fancy" for putting into my lovely Sister's salon. The racks there are looking VERY SPARSE so I am hoping to get a few creations together for her .. .. which in turn means I will at long last have a few cards to share with you over the next few days.

I felt a good start would be to see what the sketch was for this week over at Sketch Saturday and to use up some of my pesky snippets and run like the wind to Pixie's Snippets Playground before the gates close at 11.00am !!  Eeekkk!!

Best get on with it .. ..

This used:

Image:  Bugaboo Stamps - Mouse Candle (half price sale on over there at the mo!!)

Backing Papers:  Stampin' Up "Patio Party"

Sentiment:  Computer generated using font "Chauncy"

Josy Rose:  Nail Heads

ProMarkers

My Trusty Sewing Machine

and here is the sketch I used in case you fancy playing along (I turned it on it's side)

OK - best dash and get linked up .. .. deadlines are a looming!!!

Have a fabby weekend everyone.

Love

TEENY, TINY TUESDAY .. .. AGAIN !

Hi Everyone

Happy Tuesday!  

Hands up anyone who has been trying to make the most of the gorgeous weather and done far too much washing these last couple of days and now has a HUGE pile of ironing!   Hope it cools down a little so I feel brave enough to face it soon LOL!!

Also a little time to create one of my teeny tiny 3.5" square cards amongst everything else that has been cracking off today.  I can't believe how popular these are .. .. and with having a blank insert they get sent for lots of different reasons.  Some people even use them to put on gifts they are giving away.

This is my share for this Tuesday:

This used:

Sentiment:  Docrafts Me to You "With Love"

Backing papers:  Pink Petticoat (lots and lots of different leftovers).

Nestabilities:  Classic Circle and Scalloped Circle

My Trusty Sewing Machine

Button and Ribbon from My Crafty Stash Box
and of course the We R Memory Keepers envelope board.

The technique used is a Starburst or Sunburst Card and was one of the commissions I did for the recently released issue of  Quick Cards Made Easy magazine.

The London Kids came home for the weekend and my Son challenged me to use the technique on one of my tiny cards .. .. so there we go.  Challenge complete.

I have used the technique on quite a few cards recently and really enjoy it.

This was my favourite Starburst card from the magazine 

and I also worked on a new cascade card base commission .. .. and this was my favourite from this set:

Plus I was also asked to work with the free gift of stamps and quilling papers and this was my favourite there:

There are flower stamps alongside the gift if you don't like the idea of using the quilling papers.

So that is me for today.  Photograph overload!!

Time to go and get some more washing in off the line :-(  

I really need to be strong and keep the washing machine door well and truly closed tomorrow .. .. but I know I won't!!  LOL!!

Love

TEENY TINY TUESDAY

Hi Everyone

Happy Tuesday.  I hope you have had a good day.

Mine has been spent trying to empty out the boxes that contain the leftovers from all the weddings I have been doing this year .. .. all ready for filling again with fresh materials for new couples.  It has certainly been a very busy year and I can't believe it has taken me so long to get them emptied!!

My poor little blog and general craft stash doesn't seem to have had much of a look in at all :-( 

So as things are feeling a little calmer in the old "House of Hearts" .. .. .. well for a couple of days anyway .. .. I thought I would get one of those huge 3.5 x 3.5 inch "teeny, tiny" makes made and shared!  I love making these.

This used:

Image:  Hero Arts "CG222 Music Background"

Sentiment:  Woodware Clear Stamps "JGS902 Heart Sing Ditty" (stamped onto shrink plastic and heated up)

Distress Ink Pads:  Twisted Citron and Weathered Wood

Woodware Punches:  Daisies
Nestabilities:  Classic Heart

My Trusty Sewing Machine

Ribbon, Button and Brad from My Crafty Stash Box

We R Memory Keepers Envelope Board

and that is me for today.

Hopefully it won't be so long until I am here again!!!!

Enjoy your evening.

Love

WEDNESDAY SO SOON

Hi Everyone

Yet another week gone in the blink of an eye!!  

Quite a big week here,  which amongst other things has seen a couple of table plans disappearing out of the front door.  One of them definitely kept me VERY quiet .. .. and needed my full concentration! 

The huge concentration jobbie consisted of one top table and 27 guest tables with on average 10 guests per table!  Yikes!!!  What a lot of washing up!!  LOL!!! 

The wedding and post wedding party doesn't take place until the end of this week but you never know, perhaps at a later stage the happy couple will let me share my mammoth make with you!  They were certainly very happy and excited as they left the House of Hearts.

Today sees the next issue of Quick Cards Made Easy hit the shelves and I thought it would be nice to share a couple of my favourite makes from one of my commissions for this month.

  

These cards came from a set which featured the "bargello" technique.  Just brilliant for using up scraps of paper.

I think the first one was a favourite because it used a "non-square" card blank for a change.  I must try and get out of the "always square" rut I seem to have fallen into .. .. and I just love the colours on the second card very, very much!

So that is me for today.  I hope you are well and have some lovely sunshine in your neck of the woods.  

Have a great day and hopefully I will see you soon.

Love

TEENY TINY CREATION

Hi Everyone

I hope life is being kind to you all .. .. and if not that things improve for you "quickly".

My teeny tiny 3.5 x 3.5 inch creation was supposed to have made an appearance yesterday.  It was made and ready for posting by 8.15am.  I took my pictures and started to write my post .. .. and then the day took hold and I seemed to be jumping from one job to another all day and got no further forward with my blog share.

In fact, it wasn't until I went to close my computer down as Mr Heart and I gave in for the day that I found my half written post!!  So I deleted that and have started again today LOL!!

So here we go:

This used:

Image:  Hampton Arts "KN2436" Watermelon Bud (one of the very first stamps I bought)

Backing papers:  Mixture of leftovers that just seemed to go together

Sentiment:  Lili of the Valley

Spellbinders:  Lacey Squares and Classic Squares

ProMarkers

Glamour Dust

Ribbon and Pearls from My Crafty Stash Box

My Trusty Sewing Machine

We R Memory Keepers Envelope Board

I am going to make a very rare appearance in Pixie's Snippets Playground challenge too as all the papers and card I used were snippets from my every growing collection of "leftovers" .. .. even the trendy pink insert LOL!!

So that is me.  Off to link up in the playground and then get cracking on today!

Have a good day everyone.

Is anyone else having a panic about Christmas yet?  I haven't made a single Christmas card yet this year .. .. and this time last year I had a box three-quarters full already!!  Eeekk!!

Love