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 Birthday Jackie...

Hello there

 

I hope you have all had a wonderful Easter weekend. The weather here at Chez Hettie has been wonderful and I have enjoyed a great weekend, involving meeting with friends and spending quality time with Mr Hettie.

 

As the weather was so nice Mr Hettie wanted to open up the hives. Mine first and they were pretty happy to let us have a good look. However when it came to us looking at Mr Hettie's bees, they decided that enough was enough and stung me through my jeans. I am sorry to say that I am still suffering with my right thigh burning, swollen and with a very large blister forming.  I had about 8 stings in that one.  Little critters!

 

Right then, onto today's post. I recently dipped my toe into the world of Brushes. My excuse is that I am going on a workshop soon where we can use them and wanted to make a card for my friend Jackie ...

I Spritzer some paper and used two blue shades of brushos and I sprayed water in my mini mister with some white perfect pearls. I hope you can see the shimmer. I then ran the paper, once dried, through my die cutter with Sizzix hexagon die, as Jackie is a quilting friend.

I used Snippets to make the tag and flowers using TH dies and flourish using Tonic die. I stamped a SU image on the tag with DI and used a McGill punch to make the little flowers.

 

Some pearls, Hero Arts HB sentiment and I was finished. Jackie was pleased with it and surprised to learn I had made it.

 

Thanks for calling by. Off to join the Snippets Playground. Hopefully there will be some chocolate left. I am also joining Cuttlebug Mania as they are looking for tags.  Have a great week.

 

Hugs

 

Hettie

Thank you for the Invite...

Hello there

I haven't been up to playing in my craft room of late but I have a few projects in the draft section that I have not shared with you before.  It is similar to the card I made for my friend Ann, that is because I made it around the same time.  I used my Tonic dies but a different set this time.  This was its first outing so an NBUS.

I covered the card base with the lilac card, chomped the corners and stamped them with Archival ink using my SU set. 

I took the pale blue card and run it through with the Tonic dies and then inked around the edges and layered it up.

I added some ribbon to the bottom....

Some butterflies and some pearls...

and a matching envelope!

I know the recipient liked it...phew!  

Sorry I have not been around much...still coughing for Wales and our internet is flaky these days.  

Simon Says Stamp is looking for things that fly this week so I am fluttering by with the butterflies.

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

Happy Birthday Ann

Hello there

I had snow this morning on the way to work!  What was THAT all about.  I knew it was forecast for the guys up north but since when has South Wales been in the northern part of the country.  Pretty cold it is too today!

Never mine ey.  It is always warm in blogland!

I wanted to share a birthday card I made for a dear friend of mine.  So often she asks for me to make cards for her to send (remember my cows wedding card)  and it was nice to make her one and a 70th one at that!  

It is quite a trick colour for the camera to get right, as with a lot of purple shades.  It was more of a purple grey and some of these cards are more blue.  The photo below is the nearest I think, though the pale blue is not quite right.  You get the drift though.

I seem to be into flowers right now and making my own.  These are quite simply Tonic petal pairs punches (some of the first punches I owned) which I then poked a brad through several layers, then spritzed them and scrunched them over to make them as compact as possible.  Once they had dried off I just pulled them out a bit to created the buds.  Simples.

The dies and embossing folder are all from a set I had before Christmas that I hadn't used so were NBUS.  I kid you not, the embossing folder is a PITA if you have not got an A4 die cutter as it is designed so that you have one background sheet.  Maybe a nice fairy will be kind and deliver the new Sizzix one that is coming out!  Yeah right!!

To compensate for the not being able to use one sheet I added some silver behind, as well as some silver Ivy and Sizzix letters.  My favourite (and only) Memory Box butterflies, a ribbon bow and a spritz of Shimmer Mist and hey presto Ann's card was done.  

I used a plethora of Snippets on here and butterflies with ribbon so I am fluttering by the Snippets Playground and Mrs A's Butterfly Challenge.

See you later folks.  Keep warm and safe.

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.

Happy Birthday Rachel...

Hello there

What a windy weekend weather we have had!  We have still to find the Girls' poop bucket, though I have seen bits of straw around which were in there!!  Ho Hum!!  I hope everyone is ok and not lost anything worse than a poop bucket!

I was having a look at my draft posts and I came across this one which I have not shared with you. It was for my good buddy Rachel.  I renewed my membership of a certain Craft TV site and received the tartan papers so this was their first outing.  With my money back I bought the Tonic die set and this was their first outing also. 

The pink background is some star paper which I inked around the edges with some DI to make it deeper.  Some TH tissue tape, a sheet of my Czech book and some torn tartan paper.  I then cut the Tonic border die which I layered on some Vanilla SU card.  I used a frame which was in my Snippets tin as well as the centre piece which I stamped using SU stamps.

The flower is a SU stamp and punch which I embossed with clear embossing powder.  A Snippet of ribbon stamped with HB stamp and tied with gold thread.  .

The Penny Black Smile die was cut several times and layered up then smooshed with some DI., some SU flutterbies and hey presto Rachel's card was complete.

Off to take this over to the Snippets Playground and also Darnell's NBUS Challenge as there are both Snippets and NBUS involved in the making of this card.

Have a great week and wrap up warm with heavy shoes on..I hear we have cold wind coming our way!

Hugs

xx

I am Dreaming of a Pink Cancer Free Christmas!

Hello there

A few days ago I happened across a Challenge that was looking for pink Christmas cards by Jingle Bells.  For each card that is entered into this challenge a $4 donation will be made to the Susan G Komen cancer organisation.  Also the Sisterhood of Crafters are also looking for Pink Christmas cards for Breast Cancer.  Having a few friends that have unfortunately been through this awful disease, it is a very worthwhile cause close to my heart.

So here is my entry...

That is not a grey line down the right hand side...the sun was shining at the same time as it was pouring with rain whilst I took the photo which left a shadow down the side.

I have used some NBUS in the form of Tonic dies and embossing folder.  I used a Snippet of white card to emboss and brushed over some Versamark and sparkly embossing powder.  Unfortunately you cannot see the sparkle but believe me it is very sparkly.  The pink cardstock is Bazzill and the black is Papermania.  The baubles are cut from Spellbinders and stamped with matching Creative Expressions stamps.  I added a further swirl of Memory Box holly which was stickled with some bright pink Stickles, which I used again on the right hand side.  A little bit of clear sparkly thread and hey presto, another card in the tin ready for posting!

If you wish to join in the Jingle Bells Challenge you have until Wednesday 22nd.  The Sisterhood of Crafters challenge ends very soon.  Just getting in by the skin of my teeth!  The cause is all worthwhile no matter which country the donation is made.  

I am taking this over to the Snippets Playground too as there are Snippets involved.  Better throw my hat in first as I didn't join in the frolics and fun last week...oops - not intentionally of course!

Thanks for calling by.

Hettie

Wedding Card

Hello there!

Gosh that weekend went quick and what a beautiful weekend, weatherwise, too!  I hope this sunshine keeps up, though I do despair of the watering.  It eats into crafting time!

Today I wanted to share a card which I made for one of my work colleagues to give to a friend who was getting married in Greece.  All I got told was that it needed to include turquoise.   So out came my faithfuls...Tonic and Memory Box...

I had to cut into my last piece of my pearlised turquoise card to make this, as well as use up any Snippet I could in order to keep as much of the uncut I could.  Must find more as it was rather nice and I have no idea where I picked it up from either.  This first pic looks a bit too bluey but I was having difficulty with the lighting.

Ahh!  This is better and shows you all the layers.  The Congratulations embelly is ancient and because that was gold I decided to make the butterfly and cord gold too (didn't have the cord in silver).  I just love how the vellum worked to soften the background but allowed the background to peek through.  Those little hearts are ancient too!

Here is the verse on the inside flap, stamped in Archival with another butterfly.

And on the other side.  No idea why there is a yellow tinge...it was brown!   If you want to know what makes these stamps are please let me know.

And lastly the envelope which I printed using a Hero Arts stamp.  One of my old faithful stamps with the hearts on the wings.  

My colleague loved it and so did the Bride I understand.  

I am sharing this with the Snippets Playground...must use Snippets, as well as the Butterfly Challenge...sentiment and butterfly...as well as Darnell's 2nd NBUS - Option 4...the sentiment pack was still unopened despite the age!

Thanks for calling by.  See you over by the chicken run as they need cleaning out!  Miss Di is poorly so someone's gotta do it!  Hopefully my Mate Sandra will help me.

Hettie

50 Again!!

Hello There!

I hope you have all had a lovely weekend.  It has been lovely weather here in Wales this weekend and I had a friend visiting on Friday evening and staying the night.  A jolly evening was spent just talking and drinking one or two glasses of vino.  We then went to an Arts and Crafts Show in Caerleon before I dropped her home on Saturday afternoon.  Today has been tending to my Girls, washing while the weather was good and a little crafting.  

I thought I would share a birthday card I made for one of the girls in work recently.  Seems to be a year of Big Birthdays. 

I used my Tonic dies, some Snippets, ribbon, Quickutz dies for the 50, Memory Box butterfly and some pins in the bow. The background paper is VOS. 

I am off down to the Snippets Playground to show the play buddies.  Why not join in?

Thanks for popping in and I hope you have a good week.

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

Happy Birthday to my Buddy!

Hello there

Gosh this last weekend has flown by quickly!  I hope it was a good one for you all.  I went to a workshop yesterday with my Buddy.  Creative Journalling with Rebecca Loncraine.  I will tell you more about that in a later post.

Today I want to share with you the card I made for my Buddy Mandy for her 50th Birthday....

The background was a piece of Crafty Individuals paper, part of a pad I won some time ago.  The doily was made using my new Tonic die set that I fell in love with and could not resist buying when I saw it in my local craft shop.  I used my "crafty" money.  

I also used my Joanna Sheen Ivy die, Tonic petals dies manipulated into flowers, McGill tiny flowers and my Martha Stewart butterfly.  Some pearls and ribbon and a small discreet 50 cut from some silver cardstock using my Quickutz die cutter.

I am entering this into Mrs A's Butterfly Challenge as well as the Snippets Playground, plenty of Snippets used in here.    I am also entering it into the SOS Challenge.

Thanks for calling by and I hope you ahve a good week.

Hettie

Scrapbooking Tuesday.....T stands for Friends

Hello there!  

Yep!  It is still Tuesday so I can still (just) get in on the Tea on Tuesday malarky with my mate Elizabeth and Bleubeard!   I was going to post this at lunchtime but the sun was shining so brightly outside my office  window I just had to go an enjoy some and get some vitamin D.  Never mind I am here now.  

Today I am sharing another layout, and the last of my Wedding Album (though I may sneak some more pages in later as I have so many left!).........

Yep - four mates from school.  Helen (in the mustard dress) on the left, I first met when we went to Fairwater Comprehensive (High School), Sarah, next, is my longest friend.  We met when her family moved into the row above our house when we were just three.  Helen on my left and I met when she moved from North Wales to her cousin's house near to mine, and her cousin asked me if I would look after her.  I still correspond with Helen (mustard dress) as she lives in Yorkshire, and Sarah and I saw each other only last Sunday, but unfortunately the other Helen I have not seen for some time.

And here is my mug.  I do like Eeyore - we have the same view of life in some respects.  I am drinking my large coffee having just returned from work!

I used some more papers from the wedding album kit along with some Snippets, McCall punch, Sizzix dies, Cricut, glossy accents, Hampton Art glitter, pearls, TH stamp, Memento ink, Tonic die, vellum and button.

Can you see the vellum peeking from the top of the photo using my new (shhhh!) NBUS Tonic die.  I just love this one (Regal Circle Doily).  I can see a LOT of uses for this one!

I do like this flourish die from Sizzix - I use it so much.  A good die is worth it's weight in gold don't you think?  The layered flower is not used quite so much, yet I don't know why as it is lovely.  

Thanks for calling by and letting me waffle again!  I do hope you have found some inspiration from my post and wafflings.  Feel free to join us over at Elizabeth's for a cuppa and natter.  Also, to the Snippets Playground for a play on the virtual rides.  You may even get to feed Puggles - our new Platypus who seems to want constant feeding!  If I can get him to stay still I will try and get a photo of him to share!

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