Happy Birthday Rachel...

Hello there Peeps!!

 

Sorry I have not been around  much, but life just seems to get in the way of things lately.  To be honest I had not been in my craft room much lately, or so I thought.  I was thinking it was about time I emptied my camera and there were more crafty photos on there  than I realised so I thought I would share one of the cards made most recently for my Buddie Rachel.

The green is quite different to what these photos show, and the text is a good match, unlike the photos.  I never quite get how some colours, green, blue and red, don't always photograph that well.  Or is it just that the weather was not good when I too, the photos?  Oh hum!!

 

These Spellbinders border dies were bought nearly a year ago and except for the initial playing when I received them, they have not seen fresh air.  Naughty me!!  I will say though that they are pesky little dies and thank goodness I had waxed paper or else they may have just ended up in the bin!!  Thanks Miss Di for that little gem!!

 

I also used a Tonic die for the flourish and Memory Box dies for the butterflies and Liquid Pearls for the dots.  The paper is Bo Bunny which was a fresh-never-been-used-before sheet.  Well Rachel is a good friend.  The butterfly and white pieces were all Snippets so I am going to sneak down to the Snippets Playground and see what is afoot.  I understand Mrs A is planning to put some of my chickens in the Nativity Play, so I want to see who else is going to be on stage!!

 

See you all for some hot chocolate!!

 

Hettie

 

 

Happy Mothering Sunday

Hello There! 

Hasn't today been a glorious day weatherwise?  I was lucky enough to spend some time with my Girls today sitting on the bench whilst they had a roam around.  It was lovely to see them enjoying the Spring sunshine and having a rootle around looking for fresh worms.  Mr Hettie kindly cleaned the coup out and just let me enjoy my time with the Girls.  We noticed that Tracey was a little slower than normal and not her usual self, although she did come to me for a cwtch and we had a long chat.  So glad we did as when I went out a little later she had toddled off over the Rainbow Bridge.  She was the last of the first set of rescue hens that we had and we are guessing 5 or 6 years old.  We had her nearly 4 years. Bon voyage Tracey.  We will miss your wonky tail feather and I will miss our cwtches.

Right onto today's post.  I wanted to share with you the Mothering Sunday cards I made for both mine and Mr Hettie's mothers last week...

I made the card using some Bazzill cardstock and then cut the filigree piece using my Silhouette.  This was a NBUS design that I downloaded.   It took me a few attempts as the cardstock was quite thick.  However, persaver is my middle name (amongst others!) and I set the cutter to double cut and it cut it perfick.  

Then I looked to find some patterned paper to cut the butterfly with...I did not want to use the one that was cut with the filigree background.  I managed to find a Snippet of Crafty Individuals card and just about squeezed two butterflies out.  I then took my NBUS Martha Stewart Butterfly punch and punched an extra butterfly for the centre.  Once it was all assembled I took the Liquid Perfect Pearls and applied liberally. 

My Mum loved it so much she asked me if I would make something similar as invitations to their BIG Anniversary later this year.  However, she wants to embroider some butterflies to add in the centre.  I will share those with you when the time comes. 

Now the sharp eyed among you will realise that I have used the same butterfly punch before, however, the punch was totally knackered dull and not cutting properly.  So I hunted around for a while trying to get a good price.  Eventually I found a brand new one on a famous auction site at a bargain price so Paypal helped me out.  I haven't got rid of the old one yet.  Thinking it would make a good paperweight.  Incidentally I have tried every possible remedy to sharpen it.  

Right, one more think I need to do now is to welcome Twinkle Toes as my latest Follower.  Thank you so much.

Off to join in the fun and frolics at the Snippets Playground as well as Darnell's Playhouse and Mrs A's Butterfly Farm.  Cor that is going to be a busy half hour!!

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

Hettie

Multipurpose Design of Cards...

Hello there

Brrrrr!  Tis a cold one here right now and I am typing this whilst huddled under a quilt..a home made one of course!  Do wrap up well and keep well!

A good friend of mine over the seas asked me if I could make some cards for her to sell at a Craft Fair that is organised by her Mom so I sent a bundle of cards which I made using Snippets left over from the Album I made for my Mum a little while ago....

I cut the Snippets into strips and laid them on the card base at an angle.  Some strips were embossed, some were stamped and others had some faux stitches.  I added some MB butterflies and flourishes made using MB and Tonic dies.

I was asked to make some Sympathy cards...I really do not like making these, and I used the same format for making these too.

I used also added some Liquid Pearls to added spots and glimmer.  It is a beautiful pearlised effect.

This was a lovely strip die which I had in my stash for some time and had not used until now. Isn't it just beautiful? 

I am taking all these down to the Snippets Playground.  Bagsie a cwtch with Parsnip!

Thanks for calling by.

Hettie.

Something I made earlier...

Hello there

Gosh 3 July already.  How did that happen?  I am sure this summer is trying to whizz past us in a hurry to winter again.  NOOOOooooooooo!  Let us enjoy the summer!

I was having a little rummage through my blog posts and I came across this post in draft and had never published so I thought I had better rectify the situation...

I made all these cards when my new Memory Box dies arrived.  I was sent a vulture for Christmas by a very kind crafty friend and by about May I decided it was about time I used them or else risk losing them.  So I bought the flower, border and top butterfly die (I already had the base butterfly die) and had a jolly old play with them using bits and pieces out of the Snippets drawers.

As you may gather from recent posts, I very much like these Memory Box dies.  In fact I have not seen a MB die I don't like!  Papers include Boofle and Crate Paper (I think).

We must have been short of sunshine at the time as I have left in the shadows through the window!  I normally like to keep the shadows off.

Some of these papers and embellies are VOS too.  Those sparkly spots are positively ancient!  And the Best Wishes stamps were free with something.  The Thank U is a SU stamp.

Well that is all from me Folks!  Thanks for calling by.  See you by the swings as I am popping over to the Snippets Playground as these were all made using Snippets, even the ribbons were from the basket.  Anything less than 1/2 yard go in the basket as they don't stay on the pegs very well.

Hugs

Hettie

Happy Mother's Day

Hello

What a glorious day we have had here in Sunny Wales.  Quite warm too!

Happy Mother's Day to all Mothers whether you be "mother" to people or the fur and feather kind.  I had some lovely flowers in a jug, a new Boofle and a card from Dobby and the Girls.  Funny, not sure who wrote the card, but the writing looked familiar!  I popped down to see my Mum and Dad today along with my homemade "card".  Not exactly a card but a box.  A match box recycled....

And here is a close up.....

I well and truly hit the Snippets Box to make this.  The large white flowers and the small "peony/roses" were made using Sizzix dies. I don't mind telling you that the roses were a bit of a PITA!  Each petal is cut individually and has to be shaped and attached individually!  

And a longways shot.

I also made one for MIL who just rung me to say thanks.  I had to giggle as she asked why Mr Hettie was going to work so early.  I then reminded her that she ought to put her clock forward!  

The butterflies are K&Co and the little paper flowers with yellow dots are all Hero Arts and are VOS indeed.  I used Tonic dies as well as Signature Dies - Ivy.  Some Snippets of lace, a Papermania stamp, Liquid Pearls and Cordinations card, Tim Holtz Adore ticket and knob for the drawer. 

  

As I mentioned earlier this contains Snippets so I am popping into the Snippets Playground.  The Butterfly Challenge this week is for Yellow so I am fluttering by there too!

Thanks for calling by.  I am hoping now the pressure is off to get my quilt finished I can get around to seeing you more often now.

Hugs

Hettie

Snippets A-Plenty...

Hello There

I don't know about where you are but we have a little unexpected sunshine today.  It is so lovely to have it streaming through my window right now, and I will NOT be complaining about the fact that I cannot see my screen very well!

Yeay!  It is getting closer to the weekend!  I hope you all have nice things to look forward to.Me, I have my quilting group and I will be taking my latest project as I only have a few short weeks in which to finish it, having lost a lot of time being poorly!

Right, on to day's little show'n'tell!  I was having a little rummage through my Tin of Shame earlier in the week, with the intention of reducing its contents, as well as that of my Snippets drawer.  So first we have this......

The stamping was sent to me by a Special Friend some time ago.  I have coloured it in using Copics, punched some flowers using a Snippet and adhered them and spotted the centres with Liquid Pearls. I used two pieces of Snippets on the card and cut some "lace" from a third.  A little TH tag and SU stamp, with some embroidery cotton and one card complete.

Well, almost complete.  I decided to add some glossy accents to two of the balloons just to give them some shine.

Card 2.......

Another stamping sent to me by the same Special Friend.  Notice a theme?  Again coloured with Copics and then I came across a little piece of MME card left from making my Cousin's mini album.  I added two buttons, recycled from a card.  Oh and some doodling sewing too.

 As I had a teeny tiny piece left, I stamped some banners on and cut them out, to place in the inside!  Can't let nice paper go to waste now can we?

Off to join in the fun and frolics of the Snippets Playground.  Hopefully it will be a little drier than it has of late and there might be some hunky men having a Diet Coke break (other canned drinks are available!)!!  In my dreams I think!

TTFN and thanks for calling by!

Hettie

PS I just learnt that the GB Girls won their bronze medal in the Curling!  Well done!!  Now then Miss, when is our curling rink being installed?  I am sure I have some old curlers somewhere! 

Christmas cards III - Recycling and Snippets again!

Hello Again!!

Has anyone had enough of Christmas yet?  No - me neither!! 

It is customary where I work that we have a "Girlies Chippey Do", however, as it fell to me to organise I mooted to have a Hope Lunch instead (aka Potluck Lunch or American Supper).  Most liked the idea and only two really complained that they wanted chips so we went ahead and held it today.  Apart from the fact that we couldn't have Christmas music it went down a storm.  A new tradition has been born!  Yeay!!

Right, onto the main reason we are here.....yet more Christmas cards with a mixture of Recycling, Snippets and VOS!

Can you guess I just love this MB tree?  And that bow with the star is divine, specially as they come in two sizes on the die and you can cut the stars off and use them solo!  A Twofa!!   I added some liquid pearls to the centres of the flowers - note to self - use liquid pearls more often.  A lovely Spellbinders border running down the side and some narrow spotty ribbon.

Next one is some snippets left over from my Christmas Album, recycled chipboard covered, die cut and then stamped before adding a piece of very narrow tinsel to my deer  More liquid pearls and my SU tag and stamp with sentiment by Hero Arts. Again, my MB die is out.  There is a carrot behind that star which is why the deer is trying to get it!!

Another one of my envelopes from a previous Christmas Album which has been sitting in the box.  I just replaced the sentiment and added a MB star.  Do you get the impression I like the MB star and bow die at all?

And lastly a 4x6 with a piece of cardstock left from my Christmas Album, TH lamppost with some light which has been stickled with Distress Schtickles.  The caroller is a die which my Buddy brought up and I added a teensy winsy holly decoration to her hat.  I think she likes it!  The music is one I had which I scanned and shrunk and printed.  

Right, that is all from me tonight.  Thanks for calling by.  Have you written your List for Santa and sent it yet?  I have asked for a visit from Santa's Elves to come and visit MY workshop and stock it up with all the papers, dies and stamps I NEED.  An IOU til after Christmas will be perfectly acceptable!  Gotta dream!

Off to the Snippets Playground as there is a megaplethora of Snippets used here.  I think they breed in their box when I turn the light out as the pile never goes down!!

Hugs

Hettie

Christmas Cards

Hello There

I am ba-a-a-a-a-ck!  Did ya miss me?  Did you even notice I have not been around for the last few days? No?  Don't worry about it.

I had a few days off from the grindstone of life (work) and without any intention, I managed to tear myself away from the computer screen too.

Monday Hubby and I had a very enjoyable preamble around Beautiful Bath which was lovely.  There was a flurry of work going on as they prepare for the Christmas Market which starts today!   I am going there with Fergus on Saturday.  I was going to meet some buddies but alas they are not well enough to go.  Never mind ey?  Hubby and I had a beautiful meal HERE, our favourite restaurant in Bath (as well as around the country) - other restaurants are available too!

Tuesday my Buddy Lesley came up for a bit of Christmas Crafting.  I also had two visits from Mr BT as we lost our internet and telephone line during the course of the morning.  Luckily they were visiting the area so could be diverted to our lane.  All the houses had been cut when some workmen managed to cut the line!

Yesterday Hubby and I cut, pulled, dragged, rolled and chopped wood ready for the winter.  My job was to barrow it to the storage place and neatly stack it.  Hubby is hopeless at stacking as the pile collapses as soon as you take a few logs off.  This was the first pile.  Doesn't that look lovely?

Right, I think I had better show you a few cards I have made recently.....

Made using a cut up envelope from the Christmas Album I made two years ago.  Unfortunately it was getting too thick so I had to double up on cards inside.  Well, it seemed a shame to waste them so I carefully cut the flap off the envelope and peeled off the paper from there and trimmed a little, adhered them to the card and added some extra bits including a stamping from my new AO stamps which was stamped onto Spellbinders die cuts and also a MB die cut.

This was made from a VOS card which came in a kit many moons ago, layered a piece of white embossed card which was left over from the wedding invitations I did some time ago, a snippet of Christmas paper and a piece of cardstock from inside the envelope as well as another stamping from my AO, ribbon and button.

Hey presto!  Two cards out of one envelope and some bits from my Snippets box.  There is also another card to make from the card that was on the back of the envelope.  Not bad recycling eh?

Off to the Snippets Playground to see if anyone wants to play hopscotch now!  Or whether I play alone with Fergus?

TTFN

Hettie

Snippet card for Val

Hello Friends

As the title suggests, today I am showing you a card for Valerie, entirely made from the Snippets drawers and tin! Even the stamped background was already stamped up some time ago!

Copics, distress inks, Silhouette images, Artistic Outpost stamp, Martha Stewart punch, Tim Holtz die, SU stamp and liquid pearls.

Lots of fun and several more bits and pieces gone, though I am sure Snippets breed in the boxes/tins.  I never seem to get them reduced at all!

Ho Hum!

Have a good Thursday!  Nearly Friday!  What you got planned?  Me, I am off for a little shopping on Saturday, cook a huge South African pot of Babotie (or something like that - gorgeous and if you want the recipe, drop me a line) in the afternoon and a day of crafting with Buddies on Sunday!  Perfick!

Hugs

Hettie

Funkie Junkie Tag 3 - Hey Mr Frosty

On the Third Day of Christmas I will bring to you........

                                                                        .........Tag No. 3 of the Funkie Junkie Challenge......

Sorry I could not resist that!  I am indeed bringing you the Third Tag of the Funkie Junkie Challenge which is being hosted by Linda and sponsored by thefunkiejunkie.com

As usual I will show you Linda's tag first......

Now I have had to think a little laterally on this tag (big word I know) as I do not have the Pewter Distress Stain so I put my finkin' cap on and had a eureka moment!  I placed Picket Fence DS and Chipped Sapphire on my craft mat.  Then I sprinkled some Pewter Perfect Pearls into the mixture and then swooshed my tag made with the TH tag die and SU Vanilla cardstock.  Here is the effect I got which I love and can see me using again!  Whilst the ink was on the craft mat I also swooshed Mr Frosty and the snowflakes through too.

So a little jiggery pokery with the background and Mr Frosty next by stamping TH snowflakes using Ranger Medium and added more Pewter PP.  At the top right of the tag I placed a new mask and swooshed some silver Treasure Gold wax and then buffed it (love this stuff!).  

Mr Frosty and the snowflakes were die cuts that a friend of mine had given to me - Thank You! I cut a flourish out of a Snippet of kraft cardstock and I painted one of the wooden hearts with Liquid Pearls and when dry I adhered a Chit Chat word.  Mr Frosty had a smoosh of Rock Candy Distress Crackle paint.

I then added a little Tissue Tape, Making Memories Embellishment, snowflake charm and sparkles in the heart centres all topped of with some ribbon and fluffy fibres.  

Another chit chat word and some more sparkles on the flourish and now I have finished.  

If you wish to join in with this Challenge you have until 17th December so 14 days (yikes!).  There is a fabulous prize on offer and I know that this week's tag (the last one) is absolutely wonderful.  Click HERE to see it.

Thanks for popping by and please leave me a comment so I know you have been.

TTFN

Hettie

First Visit to the Playground this week

Hello Friends

Here we are on Monday morning, the start to another working week.  It is too dark to know what the weather has in store for us, but the forecast was good!

Here I am showing you a card I made recently for my friend Debbie's Birthday, which was made using Snippets, Liquid pearls, Stampin Up, EK Success and Martha Stewart punches, a sentiment which I have had for eons and a stamping from House Mouse coloured in with Copics.

 And  here you can see some stickles which I painted on the ribbon.

Off to play in the Playground with this now.  

I wonder if Teacher has chosen what colour the inside of the Treehouse will be painted yet? No doubt it will be some shade of pink!

Have a good week.

TTFN

Hettie

Rudolph Day and Snippets!

Hello Peeps! 

Phew made it!!  Ever have those evenings (or days) when nothing seems to be "with" you?  Well I have had one this evening. 

I desperately wanted to get my Rudolph Day cards on my blog tonight and when I saw my Buddy Sandra's post this morning I was relieved to find I only needed six cards as I was trying to get 12 ready!  When you see them you will realise why!  Nothing went right for me this evening, but I did finally manage to get in my room and finish six cards, photograph them and I can now show them to you. 

Here they are.....

Do you remember last month I said I wanted to make a set for a raffle prize?  Well here are the first six!!  I will hopefully finish the rest later this week!

Don't forget that you can play along too so why not make six Rudolph Day cards (not allowed to mention the "C" word!) to enter the challenge and link your post to Sandra here.  The Lovely Di, our Playground Leader,  has given a prize for those that link up and take part in the challenge.  Also, as I have used all Snippets I can also link my cards up to the Snippets Playground.  This is a great way of reducing the Snippets mountain!!

Thanks for looking and please leave me a comment so I can pop and see what you are up to.

Hugs

Hettie

Friday Snippets - I can do non-inkey!

Good Evening Peeps and Happy Friday!

Time for my Friday Snippets with the Lovely Di in the Playground this week.  I am afraid I only have the one this week to show you.  This card is for my good friend Stephanie whose birthday it was on Monday.  Hope you approve.  Stephanie liked it....

This card came about thanks to a friend of mine who plays in the Playground who, when we were talking about a card workshop that was coming up told me that it "probably wouldn't be inky enough 4 u anyway"!! You know who you are!  So that set me off thinking and this is what I came up with .  The only bit of inking is on the tag which is a stamp.  All the rest are leftovers from a layout I did on the retreat.

Why not head over to Di's and join in the Snippets Challenge.  Come on, we know you have snippets which are collecting dust in the corner now.

See you by the go-kart shed!

Have a great crafting weekend.

Hugs

Hettie

xxx