Saturday 30 May 2015

Rudolph Day - May 2015

Hello there

The best laid plans and all that.......

This past month has gone at such a pace that I completely forgot about getting cards ready for 25th of the month.  So Monday afternoon I sat down and made some cards and ruled that as many of the parts had to come out of my Christmas basket of shame.  Let me tell you this basket is overflowing with Snippets, embellishments, ribbons, and all manner of Christmas things.  It really needs to be cleared and so I have made the decision that if there is anything left in there by September then I will be giving them to my neighbour for the Brownies.  Some of the stuff is so old and it is time to get rid of.

I completed seven on Monday which I thought was good going for me, and on Tuesday evening I completed another three which means that for the first time this year I managed to complete my target of ten per month!!!  Yeay!!!!!!

So here they all are....


Using Dreamweaver stencil, stencil paste and microbeads onto black cardstock (I did this last year but never used it) I then cut around the image and mounted it with a lot of glue onto the glitter cardstock Snippet (having put it under a heavy book overnight to make the glue stick).  I wrapped silver twin, tied a Snippet of recycled ribbon and tied on two bells (from Christmas crackers) and mounted it all onto a card which came from a kit from QVC many years ago.

Chipboard from chit pads used in work using Tim Holtz die borrowed from buddy and inked with Festive Berries DI, brushed with Kiwi Perfect Pearls and then stamped with Tim Holtz flourish stamp.  Snippets of patterned papers and Poinsettia cut from TH die with brad in the centre.  All mounted onto card, some faux stitching and another completed.

The background piece was made as a mock up for a Christmas Album two years ago.  I chopped it up to make this panel.  Susan Wilson (NBUS) die cut with Snippets and layered.  Some ribbon to tie a double bow.  Hero Arts stamp for the sentiment and mounted on a Snippet and pearls added.  No 2 completed.

Background paper Bo Bunny and just enough to paper two cards.  Punched the corner with Martha Stewart punch and added some faux stitching.  The Trees were stamped with Stampin Up stamp (NBUS yet had it for ages) and then punched.  The trunks and pot were from the same set.  Embossed with clear embossing powder.  Sentiment stamp is TH.  XCut die cuts, again from Snippets. All stamping is Pine Needles DI. Added some shimmery die cut stars (SSS) and a teeny bow.
Same details as above, but I chomped the corners with Memory Keepers chomper.
 
This background piece is soooo old I am not sure it was even this century when I bought it!  I found a piece of kraft card looking lonely so I cut it in half, chomped the corners and punched a hole using my SU 1/2" punch.  I took another Snippet and punched a 3/4" punch and made a hole ring thingie.  Stamped a TH stamp and then ran it through the B/S with an embossing folder.  Die cut some stars with a K&Co Snippet added it on then added schtickles.  The rosette was taken off one of my Tags and I added another punched circle.  I took my TH chit chat stickers, ribbon and another for the tin.
 
Similar to the last one, only I used a different Snippet. 
And now for the recycling of my Christmas Tags. I used a freebie piece for the background (I think it is Docrafts), chomped the corners and then added the Tag, having first of all added a TH word card underneath.  I took the original paper bow off as it had got bashed in the basket and replaced it with a punchboard bow with a button in the centre. 
 
 
I tried putting this tag onto a background piece but nothing worked.  Whatever I used didn't work so I just plonked it onto the kraft card, chomped the corners and added faux stitching.

And last but not least here is my last card for today.  Thanks for sticking with me so far.  Another I made for the Funkie Junkie Tags Challenge.  This is pretty heavy so it will be a hand-delivered to the recipient.  Only thing I have added is a Snowflake die cut from the Snippets basket and a word card from Tim Holtz.
 
I thought I would share a photo of my lickle Dobby.  Does he look comfy or what?  Bless him.  Some of you may know he has been poorly having had a fall down our stairs, but he is slowly getting better and in the last few days he has been more of his usual self.  Only thing is we now have to carry him down the stairs to save him straining his shoulder joints.
 
Right then.  That is it from me.  Thank you for sticking with me.  Off to join Mo at the Rudolph Day Challenge, Miss Di at the Snippets Playground (Miss is away at the moment on a school reunion so I am guessing there is some mischief going on behind the bike shed with the usual suspects), Cuttlebug Mania as there is plenty of bling on these, and I am joining Hazel at Hazelnuts.
 
Have a great weekend.
 
Hettie

Friday 29 May 2015

Friday Funny

SENIORS & COMPUTERS

As we [not me personally you know] Silver Surfers know, sometimes we have trouble with our computers.

Yesterday, I had a problem, so I called Georgie, the 11 year old next door, whose bedroom looks like Mission Control, and asked him to come over.

Georgie clicked a couple of buttons and solved the problem.

As he was walking away, I called after him, 'So, what was wrong?

He replied, 'It was an ID ten T error.'
 
I didn't want to appear stupid, but nonetheless inquired, 'An, ID ten T error? What's that? In case I need to fix it again.'

Georgie grinned..'Haven't you ever heard of an ID ten T error before?

'No,' I replied.

'Write it down,' he said, 'and I think you'll figure it out.'

So I wrote down:
 
ID10T

I used to like Georgie, the little s***head.

If you're not a Senior yet, then share this with someone who is - like I just did!
As usual I am sharing this with my buddie Annie!

Wednesday 27 May 2015

WOYWW Happy 6th Anniversary!!!!

Hello all

Today is the sixth anniversary of the fun and madness known as WOYWW.

I am sat in Costa trying to use my tablet on my dongle and would you believe it, I cannot get it to work. Dear!! Never mind phone to the rescue!! Edit.....taking too long and my lunch break is running out of time so Plan B....post tonight when I get home. 
 
Here is my desk as of yesterday evening...
 
Bit of a mess innit!! 
 
So just for the occasion and cos I knew you were coming, I had a bit of a tidy up....
 
So then.  I have stuck with Miss Julia's request of keeping my post short.  Now I have shown you my desk,  show me yours.
 
But before I go... Well Done to Miss Julia and a huge congratulations on its success.  I have made some fabulous lifelong friends as a result of you and have even met some too.  I have you to thank for making me take the plunge into blogging so from the bottom of my heart - Thank you and MWAH.  Also thank you to all my Followers for passing by my blog as you do.  Some days, no most days, it makes me all warm and fuzzy to read your comments!
 
Hugs
xxx
 

Monday 25 May 2015

Get Well Hammy!

Hello there
 
Well, that bank holiday weekend went quickly, but it was a good one for me.  Hope yours was too.
 
Saturday saw me at our monthly quilting meeting.  When I got home Mr Hettie was pottering outside so I had a sneaky hour working on my Amsterdam album!!  Well, why not?
 
Sunday was spent pottering in the garden, painting the love seat with my usual feathered supervisors on standby.  Today I put another coat of paint on the underside of the seat and started prepping my Adirondack chair ready for it to be painted.  Spent the afternoon making some Christmas cards for Rudolph Day.  I will share them later in the week.
 
Right then.  Onto today's post. 
 
A very good fellow Snippets Playmate had some lovely stamps and dies from Lawn Fawn that I fell in love with.  You see there is a family story about a hamster called Hammy that lived on the bookcase (in his cage of course!), at the bottom of our stairs.  I was too little to have anything to do with it, and he belonged to my big Sister and Brother.  Apparently they were not very good at looking after him, and he had been dead for two weeks before they noticed!!!  Hence I was never allowed to have my rabbit and had to wait until I was married!! 
 
So onto this stamp set and dies.  I knew I wanted to get hold of it, searched UK retailers but no luck.  So I went directly to Lawn Fawn and blow me, I could order it and pay using Paypal without having to set up yet another account and in super quick time it arrived!!  So I had to use it....
 
 
My poor friend was not very well, and in one of the texts she sent me, she told me that her glands were swollen and that she looked like a hamster....hence a card was born!!
 
 Here it is with the envelope.  All coloured in with Copics.  I used Snippets of card to stamp and die cut.  Rachel loved the card or was it the Carte D'or Eaton Mess ice-cream I took up, for medicinal purposes only.
 
I also wanted to show you how my package was sent...
The papers were free and that bakers twine is gorgeous.  There was even a small stamp enclosed.
I would definitely order from Lawn Fawn again...their prices are very reasonable, great quality and postage from US to UK was very good. 
 
Off to play in the Snippets Playground to see what has been occurring over the weekend.
 
Thanks for calling by.
 
Hettie 

Friday 22 May 2015

Friday Funny


The New 2015 Ford


Renault and Ford have joined forces to create the perfect small car for women.

Mixing the Renault 'Clio' and the Ford 'Taurus' they have designed the ‘Clitaurus'.


It comes in pink, and the average male car thief won't be able to find it - let alone turn it on - even if someone tells him where it is and how to do it.

Rumour has it though, it can be a real bitch to start in the morning!


Some have reported that on cold winter mornings, when you really need it, you can't get it to turn over.

New models are initially fun to own, but very costly to maintain, and horribly expensive to get rid of.


Used models may initially appear to have curb appeal and a low price, but eventually have an increased appetite for fuel, and the curb weight typically increases with age.


Manufacturers are baffled as to how the size of the boot increases, but say that the paint may just make it LOOK bigger.

This model is NOT expected to reach collector status. Most owners find it is best to lease one, and replace when it becomes troublesome.


Hope this gave you a giggle on a Friday!!


Joining up with my friend Annie for Friday Smiles!! 

Wednesday 20 May 2015

WOYWW 211 - Didn't We Have a Lovely Time......

Hello there
 
What?  Wednesday again!!!  How did that week go so fast?  Time to join in the fun and frolics of WOYWW with the Lovely Julia.  If you want to know more about it, click HERE.
 
If you were here last week, you will know that I was looking forward to the WOYWW crop in Burbage on Saturday.  Well here we all are.....

 
Fergus came too and spent the day supervising me while I chatted and did a teeny amount of scrapbooking in my album.
Here is Helen in her natural habitat...
 
 
Cindy with her box of pwetty flowers...
 
 
Some serious chatting between Michaela and Debbie... Well, it has to be done...
 
 
And moving along the table.....can you see a theme going on here?
 
 
 
The Birthday Girl with her blue hair talking to Fiona....
 
 
And Jan in her natural habitat....behind the counter sorting a superb lunch out...
 
 
Morti looking so studious with her cross-stitch....
 
We really all had a fabulous day.  Short, but fabulous.  Thanks Julia and Jan for hosting this annual event again.  Looking forward to the next one.   Maybe in Autumn?  Hint Hint!!
 
And here is my desk at the moment.  I have quilting on Saturday and was asked if I would show how I do my double edged binding so I am making up some samples so I can show them how I do it.
 
 
I just dug some old snippets out of my basket to use.  The squares will be added to the bunting ready for our next Exhibition in 2017!!  Nowt like starting early ey!
 
 
I managed a sneaky hour on Sunday to work on my Album and unpack some of my kit from Saturday. This is how it looks as at 7 am this morning....
 
And a close up of the previous page which I did on Sunday...
 
 
Sorry this has been a loooong post but I wanted to share some WOYWW Crop photos with you all.  The top one I pinched from LLJ's FB page. 
 
Off to join Julia and the others HERE.  Thanks for staying here so long and please leave me a message so I know you have been.  I will call back to see you later today, once I have finished work!
 
Hettie

Monday 18 May 2015

Happy Birthday to Two Special People

Hello There
 
Well, that weekend went whoosh ...and then it was gone!!  Had an exciting one too as I went to the WOYWW Crop on Saturday.  I will share photos with you on Wednesday.  On Sunday I played Apprentice Beekeeper and pulled off our first small batch of honey for 2015!!
 
Tonight I want to share with you some cards I made last month for two Special People who had birthdays last month within a week of each other.  I used my very new Lavinia Snail stamp.  Well, I was ordering a stamp for one of my Special Friends, so I may as well as take advantage of justifying the postage!!
 
 
The star paper is some from Crate Paper which has been in my stash for several years. 
 
The images were all stamped using Potting Shed Archival ink and I used a selection of DIs including Brushed Corduroy, Gathered Twigs and Walnut Stain.
 
Also NBUS were the sentiment cards which I bought last year on my USA trip.  I have been hanging on to them so I thought it was about time they were used.
 
The little stars were made using my Simon says Stamp die and dark brown card used for matting were all from my Snippets box.
 
I had fun making these and I do love the snail image.
 
As I used some Snippets I shall be popping down the Snippets Playground to see what my fellow playmates have been up to.
 
Thanks for calling by.
 
Hettie

Friday 15 May 2015

Friday Funny

Unfaithful...?

At dinner one evening when the husband reached across the table, took his wife's hand in his and said, "Martha, soon we will be married 50 years, and there's something I have to know. In all of these 50 years, have you ever been unfaithful to me?"

Martha replied, "Well Henry, I have to be honest with you. Yes, I've been unfaithful to you three times during these 50 years, but always for a good reason.

Henry was obviously hurt by his wife's confession, but said, "I never suspected. Can you tell me what you mean by 'good reasons?'"

Martha said, "The first time was shortly after we were married, and we were about to lose our little house because we couldn't pay the mortgage. Do you remember that one evening I went to see the banker and the next day he notified you that the loan would be extended?"

Henry recalled the visit to the banker and said, "I can forgive you for that. You saved our home, but what about the second time?" 
 Martha asked, "And do you remember when you were so sick, but we didn't have the money to pay for the heart surgery you needed? Well, I went to see your doctor one night and, if you recall, he did the surgery at no charge."

"I recall that," said Henry. "And you did it to save my life, so of course I can forgive you for that. Now tell me about the third time."

"All right," Martha said. "So do you remember when you ran for president of your golf club, and you needed 73 more votes?



Off to share this with Annie. 

Wednesday 13 May 2015

woyww 320 - Preparations for Saturdayy's Crop

Hello there
 
It is Wednesday, I have no dancing lesson tonight, so I can join in with the Hostess Julia for her weekly nosey round the crafting blog world which is known as What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday!! Yeay!!!  Been a while since I have joined in. 
 
So I will show you my desk here......
 
 This is an album I am making of Mr Hettie and my trip to Amsterdam.  Isn't that paper just divine?  It is Graphic 45 that I have been saving to use for some time.  I want to get it to the stage where all the tags are made and I can just fiddle and faddle on Saturday for the Annual Crop.  Are you going?  I have all my ATCs ready for the PIF which is coming up real soon, but don't try and strain your eyes to see them....I made sure they were well out of sight!! 
 
 Here are some of the offcuts which I have acquired from making the pages and tags.  I will no doubt use most of them throughout the album.
And those stamps you can see leaning up against my twirly-whirly are from Penny Black. I was lucky enough to be picked last month in their monthly challenge.  Aren't they adorable.
 
Now then.  I have shown you my desk, please leave a comment and I will come and look at yours, and don't forget to stop and call by Miss Julia's desk too. 
 
Thanks for calling by.
 
Hettie

Friday 8 May 2015

Friday Funny


Have you ever been guilty of looking at someone your own age and thinking 'surely I can't look that old ?' Well...........then you'll love this !!!!!!

MY NAME IS ALICE SMITH AND I WAS SITTING IN THE WAITING ROOM FOR MY FIRST APPOINTMENT WITH A NEW DENTIST. I NOTICED HIS DENTAL DIPLOMA, WHICH BORE HIS FULL NAME..

SUDDENLY, I REMEMBERED A TALL, HANDSOME, DARK HAIRED BOY WITH THE SAME NAME HAD BEEN IN MY SECONDARY SCHOOL CLASS SOME 30-ODD YEARS AGO.

COULD HE BE THE SAME BOY THAT I HAD A SECRET CRUSH ON, WAY BACK THEN?

UPON SEEING HIM, HOWEVER, I QUICKLY DISCARDED ANY SUCH THOUGHT.

THIS BALDING, GREY HAIRED MAN WITH THE DEEPLY LINED FACE WAS FAR TOO OLD TO HAVE BEEN MY CLASSMATE.

AFTER HE EXAMINED MY TEETH, I ASKED HIM IF HE HAD ATTENDED MORGAN PARK SECONDARY SCHOOL ...

'YES, YES I DID. I'M A MORGANNER! 'HE BEAMED WITH PRIDE.

'WHEN DID YOU LEAVE TO GO TO UNIVERSITY ?' I ASKED

'IN 1965' HE ANSWERED 'WHY DO YOU ASK?'

'YOU WERE IN MY CLASS!' I EXCLAIMED.

HE LOOKED AT ME CLOSELY.

THEN THE UGLY,

OLD,

BALD,

WRINKLED,

FAT ARSED,

GREY HAIRED,

DECREPIT,

B*****D ASKED.........................


























'WHAT DID YOU TEACH?'

Tee Hee!!  Off to share this with Annie.









Tuesday 5 May 2015

Scrapbook Tuesday...WaTer on Tuesday...

Hello
 
Yikes!  I better get a shuffle on while it is still Tuesday!  As we had a Bank Holiday last weekend, I planned to catch up on some sleep and have a play in my room.
 
I am not showing you the evidence of my sleep catch up but I will show you what I made in my room....

It has been ages since I did a scrapbook layout and I really enjoyed this one...
 
Aren't these die cut flowers darling?  This is a NBUS  Poppystamps die and was bought for me by a Special Friend.  You know who you are.  Now you know for sure that I love it.  I coloured them with Picked Raspberry, Mowed Lawn, Abandoned Coral (NBUS), Spiced Marmalade, Peeled Paint, and Pine Needles DIs.  I also cut some MB flowers used with the gutted piece of background.  Some of the flowers to the left of the photo are Prima, some punched card and manipulated and one is layered paper flowers, spritzed, scrunched over a brad and prayed with Brushos when dry.  Things I do for a layout ey!!
These pink flowers are ancient.  Heidi Swapp bought from a craft show many moons ago.  The corner is a Susan Wilson die.
The papers are MME and ...oh darn I forgot.  There are also lots of Snippets used.  This butterfly was "borrowed!" at a retreat several years ago and has been nestling in my Tin of Shame. 
The letters were cut on the Cricut.  I glossy accented them and sprinkled some micro beads on them, as well as the centres of my die cut flowers.
This red flower is a brad by Tilda (NBUS again) which I bought when I saw them in a shop in Prague.  I really didn't expect to see brads in a fabric shop in Prague!!!!
 
 
Right, it is still Tuesday so I am joining Elizabeth for her T on Tuesday, though I am upping my water intake for May as I am conscious I don't drink enough.  Joining the Girlies on the swings at the Snippets Playground too.
 
If you think you may have seen this photo before, you are right.  I scrapped the same some time ago.  However, last year I entered it into my work's Wildlife Photography Competition and it won!! Well, I had to scrap it again as it was a shame to waste the photograph. 
 
Thanks for calling by.
 
Hugs
xx