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

Happy Birthday Mo...

Hello 

Gosh did you hear that noise last night?  It was a loud whoosh as the weekend just skated past!!  It was a good weekend at Chez Hettie but very quick.  Anyone know where that shiny thing in the sky has gone?

I have been meaning to share this card I made a little while ago for a certain friend of mine.  It took a fair while to get to the recipient so didn't share when I meant to.  

Background was made from swooshing some DIs onto my craft mat (can't for the life of me remember what colours exactly but if you need to know I will try and remember a little harder).  Then I sprayed some water and dabbed the card into it drying, and repeating.  

After the background was dry I took one of the colours and my favourite Tim Holtz stamp and stamped it.  The Sentiment is Hero Arts and was NBUS at the time!

Next flowers.  Now I know this person really likes flowers so cut several layers using a Sizzix die.  Coloured with more DIs before drawing "veins" in with Copics.   The camera has made the veins look quite stark but IRL they were a little muted.  

Out came my moulding mat and I set about making three different flowers just by moulding them differently in each  case.  I liked the look, though the card tried to split into layers so I must remember not to use that particular card again for this.  Some leaves which I coloured again with DI (Mowed Lawn - funny how I remember this one!) and then set about adhering the flowers to the background.

One envelope to match and I was ready to post the card over the water.

I used Snippets on this card so off to join the Snippets Playground.  

Have a great week, and if anyone sees the yellow shiny thing please put it back in the sky.

Thanks for calling by.

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

Happy Anniversary...

Hello there

I am just about up and able now after the last 2 weeks or so of feeling quite feeble and poorly.  I finally went in my craft room on the weekend and just gasped at the mess in there!!  I have quite literally in the last month been going in, doing what I have to and then leaving all the mess and debris there!  Tonight I will don apron and duster to give it a bit of a spruce up!

So today I thought I would share an Anniversary card I made for a very loving couple that I know.  The anniversary was last month but I am only just sharing.  

I made the tent style card to fit some envelopes I was given.  Then I took a Snippet of card, stamped it with clear versamark and embossed it with clear embossing powder.  I then took Peacock Feathers, Broken China and Stormy Sea DIs and smooshed over the top until I liked the colour.  

I then took the iron out and ironed off the embossing powder.  This is one of the only times I actually like ironing!!  I trimmed the card to fit and adhered to the background.  I stamped a NBUS Hero Arts HA sentiment (I should have stamped it with Archival first on a scrap piece to prime the stamp!) The M&B sentiment is part of a SU set I acquired recently.

Then it was a case of attaching some ribbon, which is much more silvery IRL and was attached to a Christmas present that the recipient of this card gave me!!  A little bit of silver twine and some hearts, chomp the corners and hey presto the card was done.

The couple loved it.  

Off to share this with the Snippets Playground (card and ribbon).  I am hoping the fire is lit as I could do with a warm up!

Thank you Sue for becoming my latest Follower.  

Thanks for calling by.   Hopefully now that I am feeling a bit better I will feel up to a little more blogging now.  Oh, and if BT gives us our internet back!  Grrr!

Hugs

Tour de Chook II - Birthday Cards

Hello There!

Wow another weekend is coming to a close and it is back to work tomorrow.  I am sure they are getting quicker these days.  I hear a little birdie earlier telling me there is only 4 Fridays left until Christmas!  Don't worry I shot it!  We cannot have birdies spreading vicious little rumours like that now can we?

Rightio.  On to today's post.  A friend of mine who I made a Chikkin card earlier this year asked me to make some more for her as she liked them so much so here there are....

A mixture of papers used, most of which were from the Snippets drawer.  I used some leftover from my Mum's Album K&Co on the top card.  The embossed white card was leftover from some cards I made earlier in the year.  I do love this Penny Black stamp which I colour in with my Copics.

These papers I printed on my Silhouette for another project and these bits were waiting in the drawer.  

The Happy Birthday stamp is Hero Arts and the Banner and Flags are Stampin Up.  The Border punch is EK Success.  I hate to think how old the brads are - VOS indeed.

Right then, I am off over to the Snippets Playground to see what everyone has been up to this weekend, if anyone is still up that is.

Have a great week and thanks for calling by.

Hettie

Birthday wishes...

Hello Friends

First I want to say a huge Thank you for all your messages after my little close inspection of the driveway at the end of last week.  They are truly appreciated.  I just love that rabbit picture so had to share it with you all.

The cut leg is healing nicely...well as nicely as a tear can and my right leg is colouring up nicely.  I am playing a game with myself as to what new Distress Ink colour I can see each day!!  I kid you not!!  Very ouchie but no doubt I will soon be running around the Playground rather than hobbling.

I want to share some cards I made in true Snippet style at the end of September, just before Mr Hettie and I went away.  Two were for my niece and friend whose birthdays were whilst we were away hence my not sharing before...

The background pieces are K&Co which were left over from an album I made some time ago.  Very convenient sizing there on my part.  I mounted these onto some dark brown card, though one is cream card which I inked with DI.  I used a mixture of Stampin Up, Penny Black and Hero Arts stamps

All the flags were stamped on the reverse of Snippets with my SU stamp, then cut out and layered.  The hearts are cut from a Sizzix die and them embossed with a folder which I cannot for the life of me think which make.  Do forgive me for not running upstairs to find which one! I also brushed over some Treasure Gold wax.  The star braid is ancient and has been in my stash forever.  Some pearls dotted here and there and I was happy with the look.

I also made a non birthday version to send to a dear friend.

There we have three cards made and an extra for the box and my Snippets mountain reduced for a wee while! Yeah right!

I am taking these over to the Snippets Playground.  The girls over there, and Parsnip of course, are all keeping me topped up with hot chocolate and cuddles whilst I lay up in the Treehouse.  

Thank you all for calling by.

Hugs

Hettie

Damson Jelly Anyone...

Hello there

A few weeks ago I was given some damsons by a friend of mine so I set to and made some jelly ready for roasts and toast!  

Of course I needed some labels so I raided the Snippets drawer and die cut some tags with my TH die.   Well the damsons themselves are kinda Snippets aren't they?

A little bit of stamping and hey presto, some jelly in the cupboard and I know what flavour they are!  Believe me I have had to sniff and taste test before now!

Off to the Playground to share like a good girl!

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

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

Red Snippets for Tracey...

Hello Helloo!

How y'all doing?  Another beautiful weekend has just whizzed by.  I hope you had a good one.  Mine was quite exciting as Hubby took me to a Chicken Farm which is about 10 miles from Chez Hettie and I got to choose two new Babies yesterday.  So my flock is now back up to 7.  One original Sussex Ziva, four recycled ex-batts Tracey, Mrs A, Miss Di and Caitlin and now a black speckled Maran called Hinge and a Black Rock called....yep!  Bracket!  Hubby came up with the names and as he bought them he could choose the names.

We then went up to Hereford for a little shopping session and then to a local Hostelry for my Birthday Dinner.

Now.  Enough waffle and on to the point of todays post... A few days before mine, one of my friends in work has a birthday and she is SIX days older than me.  I like to remind her of that as often as I can!  Bit like someone else I know who was born the same year as me. 

Everything on this came out of the Snippets drawer except the string.  That was a recent purchase.  Shhhh!  Don't tell anyone - I have been on a stash ban recently due to up coming holiday.  But a little bit of string will not hurt anyone will it?

The plain red was in with the Christmas stash, and punched with MS punch.  The stripey was left over from a layout which I did many moons ago. I flipped it over to punch the left side.  The flowers, all Memory Box were cut and then I added some glossy accents and sprinkled them with some glitter.

The sentiment was stamped and punched with SU labels and Hero Arts stamp.  Three VOS pearls and a card was born.  

I have a large stock of of envelopes with no cards so I am making my own cards to fit and use them all up and this was one of them.

Right, I am taking this down to the Snippets Playground to show the Girlies and to tell them about the New Kids on the Block Hinge and Bracket.  I will share photos just as soon as I can get Mr Hettie's camera off him.

I am also going to take this over to Darnell's NBUS challenge seeing as there is some new stuff on it!

My friend Alison has just reminded me that I may enter this into the Red Challenge over at Artistic Outpost.  Thanks Alison!

Thanks for calling by and have a great week.

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