Happy Birthday Tracey....

Hello My Lovely Friends

I do hope you are all coping with this terrible weather we are having right now!  I drove down to Cardiff today with my friend (needed to do a reccy on my new place of work - did I tell you I have a new job?, and we popped to Ikea too!!) and the car did have a few scary moments when the wind buffeted it.  In the days when the old rear engined Skodas were the car of choice in our family, my MIL used to carry a bag of coal in the boot on days like this.  I wished I had one in my boot today!!

Anyway, enough chat, I know you wanna see what I have been up to recently!!  This card wasn't done too recently, but it is one I have not shared before.  Hope you like it...

I used my lully Penny Black poppy stamp, inked with Ranger Archival ink and then coloured in using my watercolour pencils.  Then using my TH text stamp, I made a mask of the poppy and then stamped using DI and inked around the image before mounting it onto some red card. 

This was then layered onto some left over hessian (or burlap to my US friends),  then some Papermania pp and some more red card before putting it onto the kraft card.  

Some buttons along the top and ribbon and hey presto a card was born.  

The hessian and red card were from the vast Snippets collection so I am running with my lead boots over to the Snippets Playground ready to take part in the cookery lesson and subsequent pancake race tomorrow!!  There is talk of chocolate spread, but I am an old fashioned gal who likes the lemon juice, currants and sprinkled sugar with cinnamon.  Who is with me?

Thanks for calling by.  

Hettie 

NBUS Someone Special's Birthday Card...

Hello there Folks!!

I have been doing some uploading of my photographs that were on my camera and came across lots of things I have not yet blogged - oops!!

So I thought I should shift my little butt (in my dreams!) and share them with you. 

Here is a card I made for the Queen of Snippets - Miss Di, for her birthday which was last month!! 

I remembered I had some Chinese backing papers which I had bought a VERY long time ago, but was keeping for "best".  So I dug them out and having cut it to size (5x7) I inked it up with my splatter stamp around the edge and embossed it with gold embossing powder.  I also then added some words to express the moment.

I then took a piece of white card and  I stamped with Versamark ink with a new flowery stamp and embossed with white embossing powder before inking the whole piece with Victorian Velvet and Tattered Rose DIs, I then used my favourite spritz n flick technique and stamped the sentiment and bee (NBUS - Graphic 45).  

  

I took my NBUS Lily Stamp from Sheena Douglass (well over a year old!) and stamped it up with Versamark and embossed it with gold embossing powder.  Once it was dry I then painted with DIs to colour it all in, fuzzy cut it out and ten using my pokey-things-with-balls-on-to-3D it and make some texture. You know what I mean!  I cut out the die (it was new when I did it).

Then all I had to do was layer it up and get it into the post for my friend.

As I had all the stuff out, I set about making another to go in my box for future use, which actually wasn't long.  

This time I used the Abandoned Coral ink.  Isn't it lovely?

I am going to link this up with Mrs Snippets herself so I shall see you all at the Snippets Playground.  Does anyone know if the ice-cream man is coming round still, or has he packed it all away until next year?

Thanks for calling by.

Hettie

NBUS Birthday Card

Hello there

I know, I know, I have been a very bad blogger lately.  My blog has been badly neglected, save for my Friday Funny posts.  I have visited a few of you, but time has simply been running way ahead of me lately, but hopefully the lure of working outside will not be so strong now as the nights are drawing in and it is getting a little on the cool side now.

I wanted to share my Christening cards I made recently, but I appear to have lost the photos.  Shame as they were gorgeous.  For one of the cards I used the same stamps as this card (well it seemed a shame to put them out too soon!) so I guess I can stretch the NBUS rule as this was only the second time I used them.....

The Lilies are Sheena Douglass stamps that I bought AGES ago and not used them - shame on me.  This was also the first time I used my new Abandoned Coral DI which I LOVE!!!    I inked up the stamp with Versamark and WOW white embossing powder.  I then used Abandoned Coral  and inked the background.  Spritzed and flicked some water, trimmed and adhered to the front of the card.  I needed a little white so used a MB die cut that was in the Tin of Shame.  I used some Snippets to stamp the HB and inked up again, Can you see it is different card as it is darker?  I mounted this on to a slightly larger piece of white snippet having first tied a little ribbon around the card. 

Some pearls spotted around and there you have my card.  I do love this colour and those stamps are not going to be back in their packet for long!! 

 

Right then....off to join in on the following Challenges!

 

NBUS

 

 

Addicted to Stamps Challenge

Snippets Playground

Thank you for calling by.  Please leave me a comment so I know you have been.

 

Hettie

Rudolph Day - July Already????

Hello there

 

I am baaaaack!!  Have you missed me?

 

I have decided it is about time I take a hold of my mojo and give him a stern talking to and when that did not work then a bar or two of chocolate and he decided to return and do his job!! Well, you didn't think I would miss out on Rudolph Day did you?  I cannot believe it is July already!!  I got a flurry of paperclips thrown at me today when I dared to mention that it was only four more pay days until the Big Day!!

 

So then, onto my Rudolph Day card....

 

 I was given a bunch of envelopes that are a different size to standard so I bought some card from the local Art shop in order to cut my own.

 I do wish you could see it IRL as it is brimming with Perfect Pearls shimmer.

The main image is Penny Black which stamp I bought in Absolutely Everything last year stamped with Archival Potting Soil.  I mounted this onto a Snippet of gold cardstock and then dark brown cardstock and tied with a piece of ribbon.  I stamped the Tim Holtz text stamp on the main card with Frayed Burlap and then sprinkled Perfect Pearls over before stamping again with the Tim Holtz Christmas stamp.  I mounted the PB image and added a little Poinsettia which I cut using Snippets and edged with gold embossing powder, finishing off with a little glossy accents and gold micro beads.  Another one for my box.

 

Thanks for calling by.  Off to see what has been going on down at the Snippets Playground. Also off to join Mo with the Rudolph Day of course.

 

Thanks for calling by.

 

Hettie

 

Happy Birthday ...NBUS Lavinia Stamps

Hello
 
Did ya miss me?  I took a week off blogging to play catch up with things as well as to see if my headaches that I have been having lately are computer related.  I was working all day on the computer and then again for a lot of the evenings so I decided it was time to ease off.  I am going to limit myself to just a few evenings a week while the summer is here so I can do some jobs that are required outside.

I hope you have all had a good weekend.  Mine was fab, having met up with a Playground friend of mine.  We took a trip to Hay on Wye and had a lovely time wandering round in the light showers that were taking place.   Such a shame as driving down the Capel y Ffin is not as good in the mist.  Ho hum!

Right then onto today's share with you.  I made this card some time ago and am only now getting round to sharing it with you.  The stars stamp was new at the time I made it. 

I masked off a panel in order to ink the green panel with Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint DIs.  Once dried I stamped the Lavinia Flower Fairy with Archival Ink as was the Penny Black HB. 

As mentioned previously, the stars stamp was new.  I was lucky enough to win a voucher for the Craft Barn where I bought this stamp (amongst a few other things!)  I stamped it with Versamark ink and embossed with WOW Sparkling Snow embossing powder.

 

I am entering this into the That's Crafty Challenge...they are looking for glittery cards and the stars do sparkle. 

Thanks for calling by.  I look forward to receiving your comments.

 

Hugs

 

Hettie

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

Happy Birthday Mandy...Retake on a Card!

Hello

 

Where did last week/weekend go then?  But wasn't it a lovely week weatherwise?  Enjoy it while it is hear as according to the weather app on my phone we are due for some wet stuff at the end of the week!

 

Today I want to share with you a remake of a card I made some time ago HERE . Good grief that was October 2011!!

 

This time I used my latest plaything....Brushos...to make the background....

 

I used just two colours both NBUS on watercolour paper.  I sprayed my water with some white Perfect Pearls in the spritzer which gives the Brushos a lovely shimmer.   I meant to cut the top off , but I decided I liked the notepad look!

 

I stamped the Penny Black stamp with white ink and WOW white embossing powder.  Keeping the previous card in mind I added some faux stitching around the edges and some string and button. 

 

I stamped the sentiment from Paperartsy over another Snippet piece of watercolour paper which had been Brusho'd as above.

 

The base card is a Snippet left over from my Christmas Album, which I will be sharing some time soon I promise!

 

I am going to share this with the Snippets Playground as well as Penny Black who are looking for Birthday...as mentioned in the title...this is Mandy's Birthday card which she loved!!

 

Thanks for calling by and please leave me a message so I know you have been.

 

Hettie

xx

 

Happy Birthday Patti

Hello there

 

Thank you all for your kind comments on Tracey 's passing. I appreciated them all. A farmer friend of mine told me that Warren hens usually average four years so I guess nearly six was very good😊

 

Onto my post today which is a card I made for my friend Patti's Birthday.

I  made my own card so that it could be top folding and perfectly fitted one of the plethora of envelopes I seem to have. Then I took a snippet of white card and stamped it using my SU stamp and Versamark and embossed with white WOW embossing powder. I then used Distress Inks and inked the background.  I took a Snippet of black cardstock and ran it through the B/S with SU embossing folder. I trimmed the papers to fit the card, diecut several Smiles using Penny Black die and stacked them but needed something else. I remembered a video I had seen and pinned to make bows using the Memory Keepers envelope board so set to. A button on top of a punched circle SU punch NBUS and I was happy.

 

So with Snippets and two NBU S (punch and bow technique) I am off to join the parties at the Playground and Playhouse.

 

 

 

Thanks for calling by.

 

Hettie

Rudolph Day

Hello there

Gosh 25th February has come round quick...or is it me?  It is time for the Rudolph Day gathering over at Scrappy Mo's place so here is my card to throw into the pile...

I took a Snippet of card and inked it up with Shaded Lilac, Dusty Concord, Chipped Sapphire and Black Soot DIs and just swooshed the colours all over.  Once dried I inked up my lovely TH snowflake stamp with some Versamark ink and then embossed it with white WOW powder before heating it with my heat gun.  I cut the top edge with a Tonic die but unfortunately it didn't turn out quite as I planned so I trimmed it down (I did the first die too close to the edge...oops!) and actually liked the curved shape.  So I cut out the MB Snowflake that I currently have on loan from Kath - thank you again.Then back to the drawing board as the piece was a lot smaller than planned.

Cue a NBUS stamp that I bought in US as part of a set that came with a large Poinsettia.  It was a Stampenduous stamp set reduced to $2.  I could not leave it there now could I?  So I inked it up with Versamark and embossed it with silver ink.

On both the card base and the inked piece I used my little splodge stamp, Shaded Lilac on the base card and Silver embossing on the inked piece.  Some silver twine round the inked piece, a tag cut from a Snippet, VOS brad and a Noel cut with my Penny Black die and hey presto another card for the box.

Off to link this with Scrappy Mo and the Snippets Playground.  You have until Saturday to join in on the Rudolph Day...short month this month being February.

Thanks for calling by.

Hettie

Winter Birthdays....

Hello There

Brrrrr!  I have just come back in from Dancing where we held a "bit of a do for Rabbie".  In other words, some nibbles, some Robbie Burns poetry, a Highland Fling and a toast to the Birthday Boy.  Coming home it was mighty cold with some sleet which got to be more snow than sleet by the time I got home!!!  Wrap up warm and that advice goes to my blogging friends across the pond.  I can hardly believe what New England is going through only a few months after our visit there.  

Right then onto tonight's post.  

Last week I had a flurry of birthdays, including 3 on Friday alone!  So I decided to make some wintery birthday cards, one of which was for a Playground friend who had kindly let me borrow her MB Snowflake die after I was drooling over my laptop at her cards.  So here is my card...

 

Isn't that die just wonderful?  And typical of MB dies, it cuts so well too.  So how did I make  it?  I took a piece of white cardstock (some of them from the Snippets drawer) and inked it with Broken China, Faded Jeans, Tumbled Glass and Shaded Lilac (NBUS) DIs.  Then I used my favourite technique of spritz n flick by spraying some water into my hand and flicking over the card, leave it a few seconds then dab the excess water.  Once this was dry I then took a TH snowflake stamp, versamark and my new favourite WOW embossing powder and randomly stamped some snowflakes on the card.

Then out with the NBUS MB Happy Birthday die and cut this out then I used the visiting MB Snowflake die.  Unfortunately one of them got a little scuff when I peeled the tape off.  Never mind...out came the PB Smile die and a Snippet of blue metallic and I covered the blemish.  I liked the idea so much I decided to use it on all of them!

Last job was to layer up the two layers onto the card and hey presto cards were completed.  I sent a photo of the first one to Hubster who was in work and his reply was "its a bit Frozen"!  Typical man ey!

I hope you like it.  Expect to see some similar ones now for Christmas any time soon!  This die has now been pushed up the Wish List now I have used it.  Thanks Matey for letting me borrow it.  

Off to the Playground as some of these elements were made from Snippets.  I hope there is plenty of hot chocolate and plenty of room in front of the fire!

Hettie

My Favourite Five Christmas Cards

Hello There!

I know I am a day or so late, but Seasons Greetings to you all.  I hope your Christmas has been  jolly and fun. 

I was just wandering around in Blogland and came across a certain Mistress of the Keys of the Snippets Playground's post where she shared five of her favourite cards with Debby of A Scrapjourney.  So I thought I would join in with this one as I have shared one or two Christmas cards with you over the year. (I have some more which are still on the camera but I will get to those in the next week or so).

So here they are in no particular order...

This owl is adorable and was stamped for me by Miss Di when we were at the WOYWW Crop all those months ago.

This was made using my Spellbinders Bauble die and matching stamps which I bought when I won a voucher from a certain Darnell Lady on her inaugural NBUS Challenge.

Made as part of the Funkie Junkie 12 Tags of Christmas Challenge which were going so well until I fell victim to the nasty Sinus Infection and then horrid cold straight after!

This one was made using my lovely new Penny Black stamp I bought on my Jolly Holiday over the pond.  

And I could not resist popping this one in, again made using my bauble dies and Tim Holtz stamp which was a NBUS despite having it for several ahem! years!!

I do have another card which would also count as a favourite but I haven't shared it yet as I only finished it on Christmas Eve to give to my Honeybun but I will share that probably tomorrow.

Thanks Debby for hosting this one.  I have enjoyed looking back at my cards again.  No doubt I will pick some of these ideas and recreate for Christmas 2015!!

If I don't see you before may I wish all of you a Happy and Healthy 2015! (I have given up with the "prosperous" bit as we are all crafters who like to buy new toys!!)  Thank you for being a visitor whether it be regular or irregular, or as a Follower.  It has been lovely to read all your comments.  I greatly appreciate them.

Hugs

Hettie

Choo Choo

Hello there

Not long now until the Jolly Fella in a red suit pays a visit to all of the good Girls and Boys in the World.  Guess I am getting coal again!  Yippee!!

I am so sorry I have not been around much the last few days.  I have been a little under the weather with a sinus infection and a little problem with my war wound so spent most of Friday, Saturday and Sunday in bed or on the settee in front of the fire!  Before you ask, yes Hubby was with me, but NO as he had flu also!  I also managed to burst a blood vessel in my eye which was a little irritating so was not wishing to look at laptop. 

Anyhoo we are both on the road to recovery helped by Mr Jack Daniels, antibiotics and good old paracetamol and rest!  I am finding that after finishing work I am only fit to collapse and my poor craft room is feeling a little cold and neglected right now.  Not to worry...Hubby's card hasn't been thought of yet alone made so it wont be long until I am back in there.

I thought I would share a few cards I made to send to family and friends...

All roughly the same but different.  Can you believe I bought that Stampenduous stamp in US for ....wait for it....$1.50!!!!!!  I had thought about buying the same one to take to my host Kim but figured she might have it as I knew she had a previous one.  It was in my basket at £13.50!!!  Bargain ey and I love it as it is great for men through the year if you don't colour the holly in!  BTW I used my green wink of stella pen, which I bought as an error....loving it now!  The red is stickles.  The little Santa and Snowman clay charms I have had for ever so are VOS.  I hope they have survived the post.

Right then.  Off to catch up in the antics of the Playground with these.  Hopefully my understudy in the Nativity play has not run away with the idea that she has my part for good. I shall just sneeze on her if she won't give it back!

Let me know if you want to know how or what I did to create these cards.

Thanks for calling by.

Hettie

On the Fourth Day of December...Day Two of 12 Cards Funkie Junkie Style...

Hello there.

Brr it is mighty cold today in Santa's Workshop!  It is much more seasonal than it has been of late and a bit of a shock to the system after the warm Autumn we experienced.

So on to today's post.  Have you noticed I have a bit of a theme this month yet?  Maybe a big Christian celebration that is coming very soon?  Today I am sharing Tag 2 of Linda at the Funkie Junkie, only mine is a card.....

And this is Linda's tag.which I used for inspiration...

Isn't it gorgeous?  I loved the colours and the idea of a stencil background so I used my TH holly stencil and inked it with Pine Needles DI.  I then stamped a Fa La La La stamp from Hobbycraft (bargain at £3 for the set) with Festive Berries DI.  Rather than mask the berries on I added Liquid Pearls to make the berries 3D.

The bottom of the card was masked off from the stencil and I stamped my Wendi Vecchi stamp with FB DI (the only WV stamp set I own!).  I also used the star stamps from the same WV set.and embossed with gold. Then I had a bit of a dis-arster moment  The card was curling a little and so I decided to give it a little press, only had the iron too hot and the embossing powder melted onto the mat a little.  I quickly added more embossing powder only for it to smudge around the stamped image.  I was going to throw it away then had an Aha moment. I set to and die cut some SSS stars with some gold cardstock and scattered them around.  If I wasn't happy with this I was going to bin it but I actually liked this as it gave the card some depth and layers.  Happy Accidents - gotta love them.  Once this was done I then stamped around the edge with my TH snowflake stamp.  I can see this stamp is going to be well used!

 

I then set to  to finish the card off. I die cut a TH Poinsettia and a PB Believe word (I just used the inner leaves of the Poinsettia and two cut of the larger one).  I then inked with FB DI and embossed with clear embossing powder.  I adhered some holly ribbon where the two designs met, attached the Poinsettia and leaves, Believe and all the stars before deciding it needed something on the corners.

A Eureka moment arrived right on queue and I took some Snippets of the gold card and cut corners with my We R Memory Keepers corner chomper to make photo mounts. You can see the snowflakes here.  Love that stamp.

Right then that is all on this little post.  Thanks for calling by.  Remember that if you wish to join in with Linda's 12 Tags of Christmas click HERE for details.  You have until 21st to get them all complete and it is being sponsored by the Funkie Junkie Boutique.  I am sharing this with the Snippets Playground too as there are Snippety Snippets used here!

Hettie

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