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A very warm welcome to my teeny, tiny part of the huge world of blogging. This is where I share my passion for making hand made greeting cards. So - why "Always with a Heart"? Well this is for two reasons. Firstly, it is because every card I produce carries a heart on it somewhere. This can be big and bold or small and almost hidden - the fun sometimes is just trying to find it! Secondly it is because I put my heart into everything I produce. I hope that any visitors enjoy seeing what I post. If you drop by then please leave me a comment so that I know you called. It would be nice to know that you have found my heart in what I do.

Wednesday 30 October 2013

SKETCHY SNOWPERSON

Hi Everyone

Happy Wednesday (had to think then what day it is!!).

I'm a lottle earlier today!

What makes you think I am in Christmas card mode at the moment alongside tying wedding ribbons?  LOL!!!

Today's share uses what is probably my favourite snowman .. .. I lurv him!!!




This used:

Image:  Digistamp Boutique "Sketchy Snowperson"
Sentiment:  Digistamp Boutique "Simply Christmas Greetings"
Backing Papers:  Nitwits "Winter Wishes Collection"
Hobbycraft:  Snowflake Punches
Nestabilities:  Scalloped Circles
ProMarkers
Glamour Dust
Sequins and Ribbon from my stash box

Only just in time to fly over and enter this little creation into the Digistamp Boutique Challenge for October!!

Good job I have no "happy couples" calling by today .. .. I am twinkling like a good 'un from all the glamour dust that has been flying round the craft pod!!

Have a lovely day everyone.  The sun is shining here - I hope it is where you are too!!

Love

Tuesday 29 October 2013

A THORNY AFFAIR

Hi Everyone

A late appearance from me today.  Hope you have had a good day.

The run up to Christmas wouldn't seem right without this little chappie making an appearance.  "One" of my favourite Penny Black Christmas images.




This used:

Image:  Penny Black "4092K" A Thorny Affair
Sentiment:  Computer generated using font Pupcat
Backing Paper:  Nitwit "Woodland Wishes Collection"
Josy Rose:  Nail Heads
ProMarkers
Diamond Stickles
Glossy Accents
Ribbons from my stash box

and that is me for today.  Short and sweet.

Love

Monday 28 October 2013

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS EWE!

Hi Everyone

I hope you are all safe and warm after all the storms!  What a worry and a nightmare for so many folk :-(

Anyway, I am here today as promised with my snippet make for taking over to Di's Snippet Playground this week.

Lots of snippets met their doom here including bits of ribbon.  I love it when little bits get used up.




This used:

Image and Sentiment:  A newbie from Pink Petticoat "Baa Humbug!"
Backing Papers:  Pink Petticoat "Mistletoe" and "Pinstripes"
Die-namics:  Traditional Tags STAX
Josy Rose:  Nail Heads
Glamour Dust
White Flock
ProMarkers
Sorry not sure about the snowflakes .. .. I have a box that holds lots that I have punched and cut from scraps over the year(s) LOL!!
Ribbon, cord and little bell from my stash box

and that is me for today.

I'll hopefully catch you again soon.

Love

Sunday 27 October 2013

DUCK NOEL

Hi Everyone

Happy Sunday!!

I hope you have all enjoyed your extra hour .. .. today seems to have lasted for ages LOL!!  Why can't every day be like this?  I feel like I have got lots done. 

No snippet make share after all  because Di's snippet playground gates are locked until midnight this week (no way am I hanging around outside the gates that late .. Mum wouldn't like that at all LOL!!!) .. .. so I will share my snippet make tomorrow and take it to the playground then. 

But here is today's share:




This used:

Image:  Penny Black "29851" Duck Noel
Backing Paper:  Dovecraft "Back to Basics Christmas"
Josy Rose:  Nail Heads
Spellbinders Nestabilities:  Classic Squares
ProMarkers
Glamour Dust

The Penny Black image actually comes in one long stamp but I kept masking it off so I could use it on a square card.

Have a lovely evening everyone and I'll catch you again tomorrow.

Love

Saturday 26 October 2013

RUDOLPH DAY (PLUS ONE)

Hi Everyone

I hope you are having a lovely weekend .. .. we gain an hour overnight .. .. I wonder what we will all do with it.

There was a conversation on the radio yesterday about it and under discussion came the fact that those who work through the night end up having to work an extra hour!!  I have never even considered that!  How selfish of me!!

Anyway, I am here today with a creation I made early doors for entering into Sandra's Rudolph Day Challenge for October.  




This used:

Backing Paper:  Trimcraft First Edition "Silent Night" (love the textured pages and sparkly bits in this pad)
Memory Box Die:  "98680" Grand Merry Christmas
SizzixMovers and Shapers Die:  "657493" Mini Reindeer & 25 Set
Josy Rose:  Nail Heads
Ribbon, chord, gem and charm from my stash box
My trusty sewing machine
Distress Ink and a crackle glaze stamp with a bit of silver embossing powder to make the reindeer feel special

I am pleased to report that the sun shone for my "happy couple" on Friday.  It was throwing it down with rain for a good part of the morning and I was on a "mini-depression" on their behalf .. .. but by 1.30pm it was beautiful and they will have been able to get some gorgeous photographs I am sure.  

Have a lovely evening everyone.

I'll catch you again tomorrow with my snippets.  For some reason there are a few lying around the place again LOL!!!

Love

Wednesday 23 October 2013

MID WEEK SNIPPETS

Hi Everyone

Happy .. .. whatever day it is!!!!  

My days are disappearing in a blur at the moment.  Lots and lots of wedding samples flying about the place like there is no tomorrow!! Certainly lots of interest following the wedding fayre the other week.

I have a feeling the postal delivery service is making a fortune out of me at the moment with all the sample materials that are being delivered!!  I should have bought some of those shares!! LOL!!!

Today I decided I needed a bit of a clear up campaign and so I collected all the snippets together that were around my craft pod and stacked them up to try and part with some of the smaller ones .. .. but made this with some of the larger ones that just happened to be lying around .. .. just right for running over to Di's Crafty Snippet Playground with.  (I missed last week .. .. sorry Miss Di).




This used:

Memory Box:  La Rue Heart Die
Backing Paper:  Pink Petticoat "French Script"
Sentiment:  Computer generated using font Old Script
Martha Stewart Punch:  Traditional Scallop
Glamour Dust
Double Sided Adhesive Sheet
My Trusty Sewing Machine
Josy Rose:  Nail Heads
Ribbons and flower from my stash box

and that is me.  Short and sweet but at least I managed to make a card .. .. .. and make an appearance. Better than nothing!!!

I hope everyone is keeping well and that the weather has been better with you than it has been here of late. Mega rain most days!!!  Please let it stop soon as I have a happy couple getting married on Friday and I want them to have some sunshine!

Take care.

Love

Tuesday 15 October 2013

CATCHING UP WITH MYSELF

Hi Everyone

I hope you all had a good week last week.  So sorry I didn't get chance to post anything for you to play "spot the heart" with.  It was very "full on" in the House of Hearts with wedding stationery needing to be finished for collection, orders to complete and samples needed for the wedding fayre which I did with my lovely Sis on Sunday.

It was a fabulous day on Sunday .. .. much to my surprise!  As I woke it was throwing it down with rain and my heart sank thinking it would mean a poor turn out.  But I was wrong.  I met more "happy couples" this time than I have at any wedding fayre previous and I even came away with requests for samples and then once I arrived home more interested couples got in touch during the evening and yesterday .. .. I think 2014 and 2015 are going to be busy years on the wedding front judging by the interest already being shown.  

I always seem to struggle to "stop" making new samples as my head is just full to bursting with new designs and colour combinations .. .. and for some reason I never feel I have enough .. .. until I try to fit them all on my table!  Then I realise I have plenty and wonder why I worked until midnight the night before creating more .. .. and why I got up at "daft o'clock" to make "just one more".   LOL!!

Yesterday was spent ordering materials for samples, answering emails and trying to put the house back in order.  Every room in the house had been taken over with samples, machines, and crafty stash .. . apart from the bathroom.  That was the only safe haven.  Even the kitchen had embossing machines and guillotines lined up on the work tops.  The perfect height for me to work on!

So there I was thinking I would be catching up with a few much needed "general makes" this week but instead I have two new "happy couples" who saw my work at previous wedding fayres who want to discuss their wedding stationery, samples to make for people I met on Sunday and a table plan to put together for a couple whose journey with me has nearly ended :-(

Just cleared all the ironing so next on the list is the table plan.

But before I go, just so you have a heart to find, I will share one of the cards I made to showcase the free gift from Quick Cards Made Easy this month (Issue 119).  The gift is a gorgeous Christmas stamp, vellum and a snowflake embossing board.  I just love the stamp and did another sample with it embossed in silver!! I will definitely be using it on my Christmas makes this year!


and here are some of the other fabby makes inside too from myself and other designers:


If you buy the magazine and use the free gift then the magazine would love to see what you do with it.  There is a special email address to send your pictures to on page 7.

So there we go.  Now you know what is happening in the House of Hearts and where I have been and what I have been up to.  All super exciting!!!

Can you believe it has taken me two days to write this post!  LOL!!!!

Have a good day everyone.  I hope it is a good one for you.

Love

Sunday 6 October 2013

PIXIE'S SNIPPET PLAYGROUND

Hi Everyone

Happy Sunday!!!

The weather has been beautiful here today .. .. more dreaded washing on the line .. .. but as instructed by the lovely Eve I am going to try and "fold my clothes VERY carefully" .. .. then I might not need to iron them LOL!!!

Anyway lots happening in the old House of Hearts at the moment so a quick run into Pixie's Snippet Playground with a quick share which used up a  few of my snippets.  I don't think anyone will have any problems finding the heart today!!




As always on a Sunday I give myself the day off from listing my ingredients .. .. .. but I know this stamp will be getting lots of airing this Christmas so you will soon know its name and reference number off by heart LOL!!!

I have the longest "do list" ever as I start this week so my blog posts might be a bit "hit and miss" or even non-existent and I know I definitely won't have time for blog visits  -  sorry :-(

It is the wedding fayre next Sunday and I have so many new ideas I want to pull together and exhibit including a new table plan.  I always have three on display and make sure that one of them is a brand new design.  So wedding fayre work, alongside my other commissions and orders means bloghopping has to be banned for a little while.  But I will try and post the odd make if I can.

Whilst at my Mum's on Friday evening along with my lovely Sis and nieces my Mum mentioned something about "Pippa Dee" where she used to work many, many years ago.  My nieces had never heard of Pippa Dee and thought it was the name of someone Mum used to work alongside .. .. we all had a good laugh .. .. and then afterwards decided that Pippa Dee should become a guest name on my next table plan.  I wonder how long it will take my Sis to spot her next Sunday LOL!!

Anyway, for now I need to go and scrub the distress ink off my fingers and finish some invitations ready for collection by a "happy couple" later this week.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend and have a good week everyone.

Sorry I am a rubbish blog buddy!

Love

Saturday 5 October 2013

THE STAMP THAT HASN'T BEEN USED ENOUGH

Hi Everyone

Happy Saturday!  

WARNING!!!

Sunglasses may be needed before you go any further LOL!!!

I hope you have all had a lovely start to your weekend.

Some of mine has been spent putting to use a stamp that just hasn't been used enough .. .. but I suppose we all have some of those in our collection don't we?!?!?!?




This used:

Image:  Hero Arts "K5315" Birthday Gift
Backing Papers:  Pink Petticoat "Gingham" and "Tiniest Pretty Little Hearts" (printed in black onto green card)
Martha Stewart Punch:  Traditional Scallop
X-Cut:  Tiny Daisy Punch
Josy Rose:  Nail Heads
My Trust Sewing Machine
ProMarkers
Glamour Dust
Metallic Cord from my stash box

and that is it!!!

It looks my card has a bit of dandruff now I am looking at the photographs .. .. but it is where I have brushed the glamour dust away (not very thoroughly).  Tut, tut!!!  You can't get a decent blog post around here for love nor money LOL!!!

Enjoy what is left of your evening everyone and I will catch you again tomorrow with my snippets.

Love

Thursday 3 October 2013

SKETCH SATURDAY

Hi Everyone

Happy Thursday to you all.  Thank you for your lovely comments on my creation yesterday .. .. I am almost sad to see it move from the top of my blog posts as I was quite chuffed with it.  Sorry if I caused a few crafty pennies to be spent :-(

I made today's share last night, and wrote up my post whilst having a mammoth printing session, which meant I only had to take my pictures today, add the final touches and link up.  If only I was this organised with my blog every day!!  But that will never happen!!!

For speed I used the sketch from the Sketch Saturday Challenge for this week.




This used:

Image:  Penny Black "2988H" Caroling Duck!
Sentment:  Penny Black "2764F" a Merry Xmas
Backing Paper:  Nitwits "Simple Joys Collection"
Josy Rose:  Nail Heads
Cheery Lynn Die:  "B148" Holly Flourish (but very heavily pruned .. and without a hard-hat or goggles LOL!!)
ProMarkers
Glamour Dust
Ribbon .. .. from Lidl last Christmas .. .. I hope they have some more this year.

and if you fancy playing along here is the sketch I used.


A nice and easy one this week.

OK .. .. time to go get organised.  I have a happy couple arriving soon for a table plan design session ready for their wedding later this month.

I'll hopefully catch you again soon.

Love

Wednesday 2 October 2013

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Hi Everyone

Happy Wednesday!! We are half-way through the week already?!?!?  Where is it going?

I had a lovely delivery this morning of a Memory Box die that needed putting to use straight away LOL!!!  I was persuaded to invest in it after seeing it used beautifully on Kath's lovely blog here.  Thank you for the inspiration Kath xx

I bought a  Memory Box Die to use last Christmas and got lots of use out of it .. and I  feel sure that the same is going to be happening with this one.  I love it already:




This card used:

Memory Box Die "98680" Grand Merry Christmas
Backing Papers:  Lili of the Valley "Classic Christmas"
Circa Design Punch - a tiny little snowflake punch (with no name on it)
Christmas tree just hand cut
White Gel Pen
Glamour Dust
Ribbon, pearls and gems from my stash box

Is it just me or does a Christmas card feel even more like Christmas if it has a red ribbon on it?

OK my little dinner break is nearly over .. .. sandwiches just about gone .. .. so off to play with pretty ribbons on wedding stationery (once my hands have had a good old scrub). 

Have a good day everyone.

Love

Tuesday 1 October 2013

JINGLE BELLS

Hi Everyone

Happy October to you all.

I wonder what this month is going to hold for everyone?  The making of lots of Christmas cards and new wedding stationery samples for me I hope!!!

I'm off to a good start anyway with a Christmas card from me today .. ..




This used:

Sentiment:  Pink Petticoat "Signature Christmas Too Sentiments"
Backing Paper:  Pink Petticoat "Snow Flurry" from "Christmas Selection 5 for £5" (half price at the mo!!)
Glamour Dust
Ribbon, cord and embellishments from my Stash Box

Sorry, I am flying in and out today .. .. I seem to be on a big catch up after our time away last week.  I think we both must have really enjoyed our mini break because we keep saying "this time last week .. .. and re-living what we were doing".  Most of it rather naughtily centering around food and drink .. .. hence the addition of 2lb on this week's weigh in  LOL!!!

Hopefully catch you again tomorrow.  Have a good evening everyone.

Love