One for my Great Niece...

Hello Friends

My Nephew and his wife recently had a beautiful little girl who they named Autumn Rose. So here is my little card I made to celebrate..... 

I cut the onesies and washing line with my Silhouette.  Background stripey paper was from the Snippets drawer.  The white background is plain card which I punched on both edges with my EK Success punch and I added a strip of washi tape, which is actually pink, I could not resist adding a little teddy button to the bottom corner and instead of the little flowers that were included in the Silhouette cut I added some little heart embellies.  I also added the little wooden pegs.

Off to the Snippets Playground with this one after I have put it in a plastic bag as it is still very wet here.  Got my wellies and souwester on too!!  At least the ducks will be happy!

Now what time is the rehearsal for the Nativity Play again?  Where is my tea towel......

Hettie

March Rudolph Day....just...

Hello There!

I am very nearly out of time to join in with the March Rudolph Day and am getting in there with a sideways slide and crash!!  Things have been a bit hectic at Chez Hettie and wonderfully topped off with our internet failing us.  Apparantly BT think it is quite acceptable for the internet to be dropped and out of action up to 5 times in a day with the result that our internet is unavailable for 23 out of 24 hours!!!!  So I hope they don’t mind if I reduce their payment to 23/24^ths this month!!  I think not!

So here we go. 

Last week I received this NBUS stamp from Lawn Fawn.  It “fell into my basket” whilst I was buying another die and stamp set that my friend Darnell MADE me buy.  These are my first Lawn Fawn products and so far I likie.  I have not found many retailers in the UK and the one I did find only had the stamps I wanted…no die.  So I wandered to their site and discovered you can order direct and what’s more I could use Paypal so no setting up an account for which I will forget which email I have used and what password.  Result! They were very quick and I was able to make three cards to join in with the Challenge. 

I can see this die being use a lot this year. 

All the papers came out of my Christmas Snippets basket so that is a little less stuff in there! It also means I can join in with the Easter Egg Hunt at the Snippets Playground this week.

Stamps used are Tim Holtz and Hero Arts and I used WOW Sparkling Snow embossing powder with Versamark.  The Bakers Twine is Papermania and so is the paper - VOS.   Punch is EK Success.

Phew!  Glad I got that in in time.  Thanks for calling by.  Don’t forget to stick some lead in your shoes to stop you from blowing away.  It is very windy in the UK right now.  My Girls are not happy about the wind, I can tell you!

Be safe!

Hettie

On the First Day of December......A New Christmas Album for 2014

Hello there!

Happy 1st December to you all.  Can you believe we are here already?  Where did the last 11 months go then?

As my lovely Friends and Followers may remember, for the last few years I have made Christmas Albums into which I post either a photograph or journalling for each day of December.  This year is no exception....

Here are the front covers of my 2014 Christmas Album.  I have used a pattern from Paper Phenomonon which I purchased around 3 years ago with the intention of making up into an album and so this year this is what I used.  The metal corners are Tim Holtz.

The main papers are MME which I had at a bargain price from Hobbycraft some time last year.  There was a pack and a few odd sheets with no price on.  I asked the assistant how much they were and surprisingly she asked me how much I would be willing to pay.  I told her £5 off the cuff and the Supervisor agreed to my offer!  There were around 12 sheets of doublesided, glittered card, a sheet of tags etc and previously I had paid around £1.50 a sheet!  Tee Hee!

Next I had to think about a closure.  Whilst racking my brain and looking around I remembered I had some clasps from Zutter.  I sprayed the leather with a mix of Red Pepper and Plum Ranger Colourwash, inked around it with some Vintage Stain DI and run it through my B/S with a Tonic embossing folder.  Job done!

The ribbon I bought some time ago from a store in my local town.  It is straight and even only every time I open and shut the album it moves.  I didn't want it stuck down until the front is finished, when I know it will not move!

Now for the inside....

This is the centre of the front with six flap pockets which hold tags.  You will notice that they are not overly decorated yet.  This is because I want to embellish as I go along depending on the photographs/journalling that occur.

Left front inside cover.  A flap which when opened there is another set of pockets.

Right side inside front cover.

Left flap opened which shows the pockets.  Also you can see some of the other papers I have used such as Stampin Up, Basic Gray and Bazzill.  Some of which are Snippets from previous albums.

And here is the central panel...

Punched around with a Martha Stewart punch.  I do hope we get some snow.  The 2014 is a decoration which I have bought and hope to incorporate, but not sure how yet.

And with the flap lifted, more space on which to journal and add photographs on.  

With the tags...

And here is the reverse of the whole album,..I love how shimmery this paper is.  I have also used some Treasure Gold but will add more as I work on this album.

I have used an absolute plethora of papers both new and Snippets from previous years.  I can see some Bo Bunny paper in there too.  Punches used are EK Success (the smaller brown one is NBUS from US), Martha Stewart, Some of the MME paper is from two years ago and was 6x6 paper.  I do like the mix of sizes of the same papers. Corner chomper by We R Memory Keepers.Tan cardstock from The Art Shop and also the chipboard.  The only new thing I bought for this album are the little owl embellishments and the reindeer ones too, which I have not actually used yet, but no doubt will very soon!

Off to share this with the Playground folk as there are a plethora of Snippets used on this album.  I permanently keep a basket of Christmas Snippets so they are easy to find and ready to use.

I thank you for coming over and look forward to reading your comments.

Hettie

x

Last Rudolph Day of 2014...Tea on Tuesday..

Hello There!

I have a bit of a quandry today...it is Tuesday 25th November.  For those that have visited before you will know that I usually share my Rudolph Day cards with you as well as a Tea on Tuesday, so today is no different and I am going to share both with you.

First of all my drink.  Now I don't drink Coke very often, specially not during the day naked - the drink not me!  Occasionally in the evening with a bit of vodka in maybe but today whilst in a shop I walked past a fridge and fancied a bottle so I reached in and picked one up, as well as paying for it.  It wasn't until I got back to the office that I saw what was on the front of it.  I did smirk as this is pretty appropriate.  So here it is for Tea on Tuesday.

And now for my Rudolph Day cards....

Isn't this Penny Black stamp just the best?  He is beautiful.  This is also his first outing.  I bought him at Absolutely Everything when I was over the pond.  I walked round that shop three times just trying to take everything in and this was the first thing I put in the basket.  Stamped with Ranger Archival ink and stamped onto white card.  I then inked it with Antique Linen DI.  The 25 December was stamped and inked the same with an East of India stamp. The reindeer strips are punched using an EK Success punch.  The Washi tape are from Hobbycraft..  All the words are cut from a Penny Black die twice, adhered together then inked with Festive Berries, as with all the other red embellishments and embossed with WOW embossing powder.

The papers used on all my cards were all to be found on my desk after finishing my C Album.  I say "finished" but it is only the construction that is finished.  

Card 2 - as ordered by Sandra at Stamping for Pleasure...

Here I used some wooden reindeer that I bought from Hobbycraft.  Aren't they deer?  Sorry about the pun!!  I was trying the Coronation Street look with the three flying up the card!!  LOL!!

The star (cut on Sizzix die) was hanging around in my C Basket.   The 25 stamp was cut using my Sizzix die.

I am not sure if you can see the gold shimmer on the cards which is TH Heirloom Gold?  Some of the red backgrounds on the stamp are made with glitter card Snippets by K&Co.  Those papers were expensive but cut beautifully and I tried to get every bit out of them.

Card No. 3...as an extra...

Here I added some TH Tissue tape as well as a die cut from Memory Box which I embossed with WOW Glitter embossing powder.

And Card no 4..just cos I was on a roll...

The background papers include MME, Basic Grey and Bo Bunny.  I thought it would be easier to use the Snippets than put them in the C Basket!

I do love this stamp.

This is Sandra's last Rudolph Day and I would like to say Thank You Sandra for getting this little bit of fun off the ground and ensuring that we have a stash of Christmas cards made before the silly season strikes.  I look forward to continuing next year with Scrappy Mo and I will keep you posted. 

Right...that is enough waffle from me.  Off to join the Rudolph Day, T on Tuesday, Crafty Hazelnut Christmas Challenge and the Snippets Playground with my little makes.  See you around. 

Thanks for calling by.

Hettie

Welcome to your New Home..

Hello there

My lickle leggie pegs are still sore but getting better.  Thank you all for your kind comments.

One of my Blogging Buddies moved recently after a looooong sale of her house and I made her and her Hubby a lickle card to welcome them into their new home...

The Birdhouses were bought from a well known auction site a loooong time ago.  I was under the impression I was buying a die only to find I was buying some die CUTS!! They have stayed in my stash since and I thought it was high time I released them.

The background papers are We R Memory Keepers that came with a scrapbook album which again have been lurking in my paper stash.  I stamped them with a Tim Holtz birdies on a wire stamp.

I punched the strips down the side using some Snippets and my EK Success punch.  A little ribbon and three cards were born.  One went off to my friend and the other two are in my box for use at a later date.  

Off to the Playground to share these cards with my Buddies and for a hug with Parsnip.  Thanks for calling by and please leave me a lickle comment so I know you been.

Hugs

Hettie

Rudolph Day August 2014 ...NBUS...Special Thank you...

Hello There!

Happy Rudolph Day and Happy Wet Bank Holiday for all you UK Peeps!  Great day for crafting don't you think?

First in today's post I would like to thank a Special Person who has been the provider of part of today's post.  You may or may not recall that I was lucky enough to be a Winner in Darnell's NBUS prize giveaway a little while ago.  Well I ponder and procraftinated as to what goodies I would buy with my vulture from Countryview Crafts for a little while.  I knew I wanted to buy something that I would be able to remember where and how they were bought so inks and paper were out as they once they were used they would be gone.  After some pondering I decided on these...

 I had seen and fancied them for some time but I hadn't bought them as I thought they were a bit spensive.  However I decided that as I didn't expect to see this money I would buy something that I rather liked.  And here is the first card I made using them.  This is Hubby's favourite...

For the background I used plain cream card and stamped a TH script die.  I cut a Snippet of green card to make the TH doily and the MB music and coloured over with Forest Moss DI.  The music was given to me by a friend.  The Sentiment is an old K&Co chipboard.  Then for the ornaments.  Inked with Versamark and embossed with gold embossing powder.  Cut out using the new SB die and then dangled with gold cord.

 And now for no. 2...

For the background I used some VOS DCWV paper.  I used the MB edge die and embossed with WOW Sparkling Snow embossing powder.  I cut out the ornaments with bright pink metallic card and then again with vellum.  I embossed two with TH embossing folder and the third I stamped with versamark and Hero Arts stamp before embossing with WOW Brilliant White powder.  The bows are VOS from Papermania and the dots are also VOS from QVC.  The ornaments are hung using some snippets of star trim - don't even ask where I got that from.  I added some VOS stars to the top right corner.

No. 3 (I love this one)...

The background is a piece of DCWV paper which I doodled around the edge.  I stamped all four of the stamps with Versamark and inked with WOW powder.  I cut the shapes and strip and then took some VOS white ink and smudged the edges, and doodled around the sentiment.  I attached the sentiment with brads and the ornaments with foam pads after using some silver cord to hang them.

 No. 4...

 The background is another piece of the above paper.  I inked the purple Snippet and then embossed with silver powder.  The ornaments are held up with silver cord and MB bows.  A little Snippet of red cardstock was cut into heart strip using EK Success punch and then embossed with clear powder.  Another strip of brown card was punched, again with EK Success punch to create the row of reindeers along the bottom.

 No. 5 (another favourite one of mine)...

 

I stamped the larger stamp with white SU embossing powder (it smells of vanilla) and cut it.  I layerd up some striped paper onto the card and embossed a piece of white with SU embossing folder.  I took a Snippet of ribbon to hang the ornament with some foilage cut from TH die and snippets.  The bow is left over from those used in Christmas Album a few years back.  The sentiment across the bottom is a Snippet of red card which I stamped with Penny Black stamp, stitching the edge and adhering.

And finally No. 6 - my outright favourite...

The paper used on the front was in a pack on the Help Yourself table at the last WOYWW Crop.  I adhered it to the front of a gatefold card and I used two Snippets to cover behind the gatefold.  (If you look close you will realise one is horizontal and the other vertical.  I didn't have enough to cut them both the same!) I then carefully cut the front of the card to make the peephole.  The rosette was in my Tin of Shame.

Open it up and here is what is inside...

The Santa stamp is a NBUS!!!  I used some other TH stamps inside.  All inking is done with Gathered Twigs DI.  There is another piece of the paperpack used on the front but I haven't taken a photo - doh!

Right then.  That is enough waffle from me.  I am off over to my Mate Sandra's blog to share this in the Rudolph Day Challenge as well as the Snippets Playground as there are snippets a-plenty used in these.  I am also going to share with Crafty Hazelnut who is looking for Mery and Bright and Extra as always Anything Goes over there.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask.  I have another project to share using these dies but later this week probably. 

Thanks for looking.

Hettie

Scrapbook Tuesday...Tea on Tuesday...T stands for Top Dog!

Hello There

Is it me or are Tuesdays coming round awful quick these days? In fact all days are coming round awful quick to me nowadays!  Does that mean I am getting old I wonder?  Don't answer that if you value our friendship!!

As usual on a Tuesday I am going to share a cuppa with you along with my friend from over the water Elizabeth and her cat Bleubeard.  I am sharing with you a cat mug in fact.  Now anyone who knows me knows that I am not a cat kinda gal.  I am more of a dog lover...careful!   But this mug is kinda special as it was bought for me by Hubby's Aunt who seemed to think I like cats.  It even has my name on it just inside the rim.  Now the desk you can see is in work, as this is my work mug.  However, I have used it for so long I have noticed the glaze is starting to go a little crazy inside so before anything bad happens I thought I should share it with you.  In it is some gorgeous Blackberry and Nettle tea by Twinings.  I don't drink many fruity teas as they tend to smell better than they taste but this one is different.  

Now whilst I may not actually scrapbook at this desk, I quite often doodle scrapbook layouts when I am sitting typing.  It is amazing that sometimes when on a long typing job your mind can wander and think of something else whilst you are typing something work related.  Honest Gov!  So here is the layout I kinda planned out in work...

The little dog is our Sputnik.  She was found in a skip in Cardiff on 30th December 1989.  She was taken to an animal sanctuary where my MIL used to make donations of food.  Hubby and I had collected some too with our shopping so I got coaxed into helping MIL take some over.  And Sputnik came home!

The Christmas season was still with us and we used to call her our little "Christmas Cracker".  She really did rule the roost!  The letters have been cut out of Bazzill using my Cricut.  They were then stamped with Hero Arts holly stamp and embossed with VOS embossing powder...in fact the first one I ever bought!  The rosettes were made using TH dies, and again the spots in the centres were embossed.

The surrounding pieces were from a snippet which I just managed to squeeze all of them out, before deciding to cut into a fresh sheet for the rosettes and letters!  The hearts at the top and bottom are EKSuccess punch.  All inking is DI Gathered Twigs.

The journal says "You came in our lives on 30th December 1989 and left your paw prints on our hearts forever".  The background paper and journal card were MME.  They were an absolute bargain at Hobbycraft...not very often you hear that!  There was no price marked on there so the assistant said name a price.  I said £5 and she agreed it!  It was worth at least double that as there were 12 sheets of pp and a sheet of die cut embellishments!  I have previously paid £1.50 for each sheet!  Shhhhh!  Our secret right?

We should have known here how forceful she would be as she would never look at the camera for you!  The paper for these stars were snippets too from my Christmas album from a year or so ago.  Nearly time to start this year's album!

Well.  That is enough of this layout for you.  My tea is now cold.  Time to think about getting back to working on my desk instead of gassing with you all.

Just enough time to link this post with Elizabeth and the Snippets Playground.  I hope you like the mug Bleubeard.

Thanks for calling by and see ya all later.

Hettie

What? A Wedding Card with Chikkins and Cows? You are not Serious!!

Hello there!

Whoosh that is another weekend just flown by.  I am sure weekend hours  go quicker than workday hours or is it me?  I hope you all had a good one.  I managed to do a mix of crafting, housework, gardening, injuring myself and a lickle more crafting, so not a bad one for me.

Now down to business.  A friend of mine asked me to make a wedding card for a member of her family who was a farmer.  My lickle brain went working overtime trying to think of something to do that would fit the brief. 

Penny Black to the rescue...

A little bit of masking with post-its was required along with thorough cleaning of stamp in between stamps. I also had to get the stamper-ma-jiggey fing.   This was the second attempt.  The first attempt left me with two girls...not good for a straight marriage! LOL!  The image was coloured using Copics.

I cut some ivy, shaped it, attached it and then used some Distress Stickles to give it a lickle sparkle.  The border is made using some of the papers left over from my wedding album, and punched using my EK Success punch, and finished with pearls.

It is an easel card.  Been a while since I made one of these  The wedding bells were also from my Wedding Album papers.  The heart strip punched using EK Success. 

Here is some detail of the bottom layer.  Doilies cut using Tonic die.  The "Celebrate" was given to me by one of the girls in work who thought I may like to use it.  I hung on to it waiting for the right project.  Be assured the blue band is straight but the photo is slightly wonkey!

And here is the envelope.  I had to make the whole card as it is slightly too long to use standard sized cards which meant I had to make an envelope to fit.  

Ann was very pleased with my card.  She said something really nice that the reason she likes my cards is that they are nothing like the ones in the shops.  I think she got that right on this one!  Let's hope the happy couple like it too.

I am off down the Snippets Playground now to see what is occuring.  Have a great week everyone. 

I am also linking this up with Penny Black as they are looking for punches and die cuts this month!  Woo hoo!

Hettie