Brrr! Snippets Challenge

Good Afternoon Peeps

I hope you are all keeping warm and cosy out there.  It is a cold one this weekend and it has been snowing here on and off (more on though!) since about 10 oclock this morning.  However, it keeps changing how heavy or light it is going so am never sure whether to ring Hubby to get him to come home!  He is driving a trusty ole Skoda so he should be ok, though the engine is in the wrong place!! 

I have to apologise to you all for not being around much this week.  But firstly I have a problem with a very flaky internet and secondly as the weather is so cold, by the time I come home from work of an evening and light the fire and get the tea done, when I get into my room it is absolutely freezing in here as there is no heating in here until I switch the oil heater on and then it takes a while. to warm up.  Hence not much crafting being done, though my jumper is coming on a treat!!

As a result of my not coming up here I have almost missed out on the Snippets Challenge with the Lovely Di but miss out I won't!   So here is my card today......

 

The image and sentiment are from my Buddy Sandra which she sent to me a few weeks ago and I have coloured them in with DIs and Copic pens, and made into a card for my Big Sister whose birthday is on Friday.  Thanks Sandra xx

The papers are a mixture of MME,Daisy Bucket and Basic Grey.  The Daisy Bucket paper is about 4 years old and was from one of the first Crops I ever went to!!  I am like my father (a Virgo) who collects and keeps absolutely everything "just in case"!

Right then.  Off to check on the fire, make a cuppa - herbal tea me finks, and then on with my Grungy Monday Challenge - late as well!!

Don't forget to call by Di's blog and see what the others in the Playground are up to.  I will call by later once I can sit downstairs in the warm with my laptop!!

TTFN and Keep Warm and Cosy!!

Hettie

Liebster Blog Award

Hello there Peeps - Look what I have been awarded with.  The lovely Jan at Handmade by Picto has been a Follower of mine for a while and she decided I deserved this Liebster Blog Award.  Aw!  So kind of you Jan.  Fankoo xxx

Now down to the nitty gritty of the Award.  You don't think I can just sit on my laurels do you?

The origins of the Leibster Blog Award are not clearcut but generally it is thought that it it originated in Germany where Leibster means "dearest" or "favourite".  The idea of the Award is to highlight up and coming blogs. The Rules are simple:-

1 - Choose Five up and coming blogs with less than 200 followers to award the Liebster Award to.

2 - Put their links on your blog and let them know you have done this.

3 - Show your thanks to the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them.

4 - Post the award on your blog.

So here are my choices for this Award in no particular order:-

1  Bella of Bella's Scrapping Space - click HERE to go to Bella's blog.  Bella does some awesome artwork with Tim Holtz products and teaches too.  Unfortunately she lives in South Africa otherwise I would be attending one of her classes.

2  Kim of Kim's Creations - click HERE to go to Kim's blog.  Kim and I "met" through Julia Dunnitt's wonderful WOYWW.  On the two year anniversary of WOYWW we all made a PiF gift and Kim sent me an absolutely gorgeous piece of art and we have been Buddies ever since.  I am hoping to get to New York in the next couple of years and it is hoped that Kim and I will get to meet up - unless Kim comes over to the UK first!!

3  Jan of Lunch Lady Jan's Fabric Frenzy - click HERE to go to Jan's blog.  Another blogger I met through WOYWW.  Jan makes beautiful creations with fabric and appeals to the Quilting side of me.  Jan is another blogger friend whom I hope to meet very soon.  Maybe when the weather is a little warmer.  

4  Elaine of A Distressed Stamper - click HERE to go to Elaine's blog.  This is one blogger I have met in the flesh.  We actually met face to face before knowing about each other's blogs.  We live not to far away and attend a Crop together occasionally, though it seems that we don't often go at the same time!!

And last but not least....... 

5   Polly at Polly Polkadot - click HERE to go to Polly's blog.  Polly is so funny and I always come away from her blog with a smile on my face.  She has the cutest kids who come up with some fantastic sayings or ideas and they must all follow their mum for that.  Polly has lots of ideas in her head and sometimes you just don't know what Polly is going to be doing or writing about next. Hilarious!

Well then Peeps.  Nothing more for me to do than say a huge Thank You to Jan for awarding me this Award.  

TTFN

Hettie

WOYWW 139 - OMG it is February - What Happened to January?

Hello there Peeps

A late entry onto the desk of the lovely Julia Dunnitt today!  But I have made it...just!!  For those of you who are wondering what I am waffling on about tonight click HERE to be transported by Willy Wonka Magic to the desk of the Desk Jockey Julia for the biggest blog hop in the world (probably!) which happens every - yes every - Wednesday!!

So guys - mystery of the day - what happened to January?  One minute it was clearing up from the night before and bidding my buddies farewell, the next it was taking the decs down, then finishing off the Christmas cake and now we are in February and about to be showered with hearts in February!  Flippin' 'eck guys!!

So, enough moaning, here is my desk......

Not a lot of action I know, but it is kinda the aftermath.  I went out to my Buddy's house (complete with my home made chocolate cake - be nice to the host so that they invite you back), where we were working very hard on various projects.  So this desk was cleared of all the usual paraphernalia that us crafters need, except that particular ribbon, you know the one, the one you didn't think you needed when you were packing, but is now essential when you haven't got it!!  The downside of all this is that you need to put it all away when you come home, hence this week's reason my desk is not very tidy!!!  

I did complete a layout which I will show you later this week and I also finished off this lickle book. You may remember it was on my desk some time ago!  Here is the cover, I want to wait until a nice bright day so I can take some nice photos and then I will post it for you to see.  Taa dah!! .......

Right, that is is for today. Off to join the party.  Don't forget to go to see the lovely DJ (Desk Jockey) HERE so you can join in the mass blog hop! Not before you have left me a comment as a sort of "I woz 'ere" kinda thing!

TTFN

Hettie

Rudolph Day/Snippets Challenge - Christmas in January - Angel Singing

Hello Peeps

I still cannot believe that I am making Christmas cards in January.  Part of me says it is a good idea in that I will be well ahead come November, the other part of me (and a few friends) say that I am nuts and way too organised for my own good!! What do you think?  Be nice to me now!  I blame it all on Sandra when she text me into it (I can't say "talked" me into making cards early as we did it via text!)  Rudolph Day was her idea - not mine!  Though you still have tonight and tomorrow if you wish to join in with us.  Click HERE to be whizzed over to Sandra's blog where you will find more details.   

As you may know by now, I am taking part in the lovely Di's Snippets Challenge and I am hoping this will be good enough to allow me into the Playground this week!  I do hope you like, though the card does look a little washed out because of the flash on the camera.  Trust me this is the best photo I could get.  And I tried several different places.  It is more creamy in real life.  Hope you like it anyway.

I have used lots of bits out of my waste box including cream card, MME and Basic Grey papers as well as stamps by Hero Arts, Tim Holtz, Penny Black and Crafty Individuals, punches by Martha Stewart, Brad by Basic Grey, flowers Kaisercraft as well as ribbon and lace.  Inks were all Distress Inks Pumice Stone, Aged Mahogany, Fired Brick, Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain as well as Perfect Pearls in gold and clear embossing powder.  Tools used were my lovely new Score Board and Distressing by Ranger.  

I think that is about it.  Off to have a look around Blogger and see what my Buddies have been up to, as well as linking this card up with Sandra and Di. Feel free to join me to see what the others have done.  Why not join us?  All you have to do is make a Christmas and/or rummage through your scraps and make a card, ATC, layout or anything your lickle fingers want to make.

TTFN 

Hettie

Mojo Monthly - In a Reflective kinda mood!

Hello Peeps

How are you all on this lovely weekend.  The last full weekend in January.  Nearly the first month of 2012 over with.  I had planned to show you some more of my Snippets cards in the last couple of days, but internet was not playing and was very flaky! It was too slow for me to access my e-mails and no chance of loading any photographs up to Blogger.  Grrr!

It appears to be better this evening so as I made my Mojo Monthly piece today I am going to attempt to upload it on here for you to see.  Fingers crossed ey!

This month Sarah got down to talking to Anneliese Bates.  Click HERE to see the post.  It really is worth reading about Anneliese's work and wandering around her blog.  Some stunning work on there.

Sarah asked us to make an ATC for our piece this month.  Up until this month I had only ever made one ATC which was at a make and take in Warwick at a Craft Fair.  Not my best piece of work I must say.  So I made an ATC for my Grungy Monday Challenge and now I have made a piece for my MOJO Monthly piece and do you know what?  I think I might make some more!  I really like the challenge of getting everything onto a smaller piece of art.  I hope you like what I have made.......

I have used a piece of canvas board which I had cut down to to size, I tore a page out of an old book and coloured it with Distress Stain - Peeled Paint, and adhered it to the board using Golden Gel.  I tore another piece of the book and coloured it using Mustard Seed Distress Stain and adhered it using the gel and another page using Bundled Sage.  I then adhered some masking tape to the board before puling the masking tape back off quickly so that it took the surface of the top layer off.  I did this several times so that the different layers would show.  I then added some Distress Stain over the board - Chipped Sapphire and Picket Fence as well as Vintage Photo Distress Ink.  I distressed the edges with Walnut Stain Distress Ink.  

I stamped the background and then added gold wax to give it a light shimmer.  Then I set to work on the various elements.  First off I stamped a little birdie, coloured him in, layered it and then decided it would be better suited on a landscape piece.  So.  Which stamp then?  I  stamped the tree instead using Archival Ink in Coffee, stamped the background text using Antique Linen.  I coloured in parts of the tree with my watercolour pencils, distressed the edges and layered it with Basic Grey paper and I did the same with the word Reminisce.   I stamped up a small flower and grunged it, threaded some twine in the buttons, tied some more twine around the board and then started to adhere all the elements to the board.  

Some Sepia Glossy Accents on the tree and flower and that was me finished.  I am now contemplating having a go at framing it using my mitre block, but that will have to wait until another day as Hubby is getting me a G Clamp in order that it can be fastened to a desk. It moves too much if it isn't strapped down as I found out the other day!!

Don't forget to pop over to Sarah's blog to see some of the other wonderful work that is there.  And of course don't forget to pop over to Anneliese's blog too!

TTFN and have a great remainder of the weekend.  I have a day of scrapbooking with my Buddy tomorrow - really looking forward to it.  Expect to see some stuff soon!

Hettie

WOYWW 138 - Happy Burns Night

Hello Peeps

Yeay it is Wednesday!! So for anyone who is celebrating.........

Happy WOYWW Day!

Happy Hump Day!

Happy Rudolph Day!

Happy Burns' Night

Happy WOYWW Day

Click HERE to be transported by Haggis Magic over to the lovely Julia's Blog to join in the biggest Blog Hop that happens EVERY Wednesday.  So without further ado - here is my desk...

What you can see on my desk is my December album.  Yes I know it is January.  But unfortunately I was up to my naughty bits during December and though I made a good start on the album, it had to be put to one side to be finished during January.  To be fair it is not far from finishing and hopefully by next Wednesday I will able to show you the finished article.

Here is a basket full of fabrics which I stood and cut on the weekend ready to start putting my quilt together.  Hubby will be working nights shortly so I will be able to stay up until the wee hours putting it together to my heart's content.

Happy Hump Day

Tomorrow is Thursday......

Then it is Friday..........

Yeay - then it is the weekend!!!!  

Happy Rudolph Day

My Blogging Buddy Sandra calls the 25th of the month "Rudolph Day" and for every 25th of the month she makes a Christmas card or two.  Somehow I started to join her!!   So here are my Rudolph Day cards......

And........

And as they are made using my Snippets, so I am also entering them into Di's Snippets Challenge.  I know I said I was going to make 10 cards for Christmas each month and I only now have four, but I still have until next Tuesday to make the other six and at least I have four more cards than I had this time last year!!  That can only be good ey?!

Happy Burns' Night

For my Scottish Friends that may read my blog (if you haven't fallen asleep by now) Happy Burns' Night to you.  I am not even going to attempt to recite (or type) any of Burns' work to you but I will show you an extremely rare photograph of my very old and VERY shy Wild Haggis!  I think this is the only photo I have of my pet Haggis.  He came from the Western part of Scotland some 20 25 30  35  a long time ago!

And for those of you who know my lovely Fergus, here is a photo of him enjoying Cornwall last September!  He will be brushing his fur and his quiff tonight to go dancing, where we will be having a lickle bit of a "do" in honour of Rabbie Burns.  I shall be doing a lickle solo number - probably Flora McDonald's Fancy!!

Right, I think I have all occasions and celebrations covered for tonight, and whatever you are celebrating, enjoy it!  Don't forget to leave me a comment and "white screen syndrome" allowing I will be along to view your blogs later.  I apologise to all you lovely peeps who I have visited but have been unable to leave comments because of the white screen syndrome.  I have seen a few other peeps saying they have the same problem and it has been suggested they try using Google Chrome which is what I am now trying.  Fingers crossed ey!!

Don't forget to pop on over to Julia's too!

TTFN

Hettie, Fergus and Haggis!!

Love - Layout - Rome 2011 - Trevi Fountain

Hello Peeps

I thought I would show you another layout I have completed this month.  It was a kit which I purchased from Scrapbus - the Crop which runs once a month in Newport, South Wales.  I have unfortunately missed a few lately due to life getting in the way, but I have decided that this year I will make an effort to scrapbook much more than I did in the last four months of last year.

The papers are by one of my favourite companies. My Minds Eye, hence why I bought the kit.  I have made a few small changes to the layout such as adding red embossing powder to the bunting at the top of the photo as alot of the glitter had come off.

I also added a journalling spot behind the piece on the left.  I do find that alot of scrapbooking kits and layouts do not allow for journalling which to my mind is a little daft as there is nowhere for you to tell the story.  I also jiggled it so that the bird on the left showed too!

The eagle eyed amongst you may remember that I have scrapbooked this photograph before.  When I set out to scrapbook on this occasion, I had a different photograph which I was going to scrap (me in fact at the Coliseum) but when I saw this kit in the box where I keep my favourite papers I just had to do the layout and change the photograph.  Never mind ey!  It is one of my favourite recent photos of my Hubby so why can't I scrapbook it twice.  At least the two layouts are different colours and the photos are different sizes!!

If you live anywhere near Newport, why not pop along to Scrapbus.  I have linked their site HERE and you can get access to their blog from there, as well as other kits available for sale.

TTFN

Hettie