Rudolph Day - August - What Already??

Hello there fellow Bloggers

 

Now how on earth did we get to August Rudolph Day so quickly??

 

Only three more until the Big One!!!!  Aaaaaaarrrrrgggghhhhh!  Better get a jimmy on!!!  Not enough cards made yet.

 

So here are this month's offerings....

 

 

I got out my Artistic Stamper stamps and stamped a background with the pinecone using with Potting Soil Archival ink then smooshing the background with Gathered Twigs DI.  I then took more white cardstock and stamped the cottage image and the sentiment with the same Archival Ink and smooshed the outer edge with DI. 

 

 

Then I went on a good rummage in my plain Snippets Box to layer the stamped pieces.  Don't look too close as there are actually two shades of green, but I added a little Forest Moss DI to try and even them out!! The background piece is a VOS piece of K&Co.  Final  flourish is a little wooden snowflake.

 

Off to link this with my Buddy Mo's Rudolph Day and also my buddies at the Snippets Playground.  Have fun and don't forget to let me know you have been!!

 

Hettie

 

 

 

On the Ninth day of December....an Alteration for Bran Tub pressie!

Hello there

Is it me or is December just chomping along at a fast rate of knots?

On a previous post I mentioned that I was at our quilting Hope Lunch and that we traditionally have a Bran Tub.  Well, it has got around that I usually make something and so couldn't let them down this time.  I had bought some ribbon and some needle threader/cutters and now I just needed to "present" them some way...

 Take one tin that has been hanging around in your craft room for several years waiting for a project.

 Take some chipboard that has previously been on the back of a notepad in work.

 Take some VOS K&Company paper and cover said tin, find some Snippets and TH and Paperartsy stamps, half of a dummy torso that you had left over from a previous project, some buttons and flowers... jumble it up a bit and you get this...

 Do you like it?  I know Elaine did.  So glad she got it as she does love owls.

And the side didn't get ignored...

 Nor the base.  I was sent these stamps from a very kind blogging pal and this was their first time out.  Do you like my Handmade stamp too?  Only just received it from Etsy.  Love it!

 And here is inside the lid...

 Inside the box...

 Oh yes...I added some more ribbons.  The cards were also cut from the TH die and inked up with DI ink.  Some bells, buttons and pretty pins too.

Thanks for calling by and please let me know what you think.  Off to share this with the Pirate Cap'n Miss Di and her parrot called Parsnip as there are oodles of Snippets used in this project. ....last seen looking for another tin to make one for Mum for Christmas....

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

Rudolph Day Playing with New Toys...

Hello there!!

Happy Rudolph Day to y'all!  I do hope you have a great weekend in store.  The weather outside Hettie Towers looks set to be a lovely Autumn Day.

As you my lovely followers will know, the 25th of every month is known as Rudolph Day on which I share two or more Christmas Cards with you and join in with my Buddy Sandra's challenge.  Yes, you may have noticed that I have said the full C word...CHRISTMAS!!  As far as creating things is concerned I now think it is ok to use the Christmas word.  As for shops and things I still think it is a little too early to have started in August and that maybe mid November is ample soon enough.  

OK!  I have stepped down from my soap box now.  Here are some cards on which I have used some new toys NBUS which I bought on my recent trip over the Pond...

I just fell in love with the Penny Black die, though I must say that if you are using anything less than cardstock it is a little trying to get it to cut.  This mirri card works like a dream though.  I took a cream card, stamped it with Archival ink with a TH text stamp.  Then attached the PB die cut.  Out of two Snippets I cut the red X Cut shape and also a cream.  The MC is another new TH stamp which I rather like, again stamped with Archival and embossed with clear embossing powder.  

I had a little rummage in the Christmas basket and found the very last K&Co rosette (had them so long I know I won't find again, though it doesn't stop me looking), the ribbon was in the Ribbon Snippets basket and the pine leaves were from the Tin of Shame.  

Next...

This time I stamped the background with some versamark using a snowflake stamp from the same new TH set and embossed with some sparkling snow WOW embossing powder.  I then stamped the pine needles with Pine Needles DI and touched it up with my Wink of Stella pen.  Now I didn't know that you could get coloured Wink pens.  I have only ever seen them clear.  So when in Absolutely Everything I gayly picked up a pen not realising until we were back at our accomodation that it was green.   However, now that I have tried it I LOVE IT.  See!  You can really have "happy accidents".  I adhered a small piece of the PB die cut to one side and found some more ribbon to go down the centre.  Then I stamped another of the TH set with Archival and embossed with clear embossing powder.

Last one for today...

This was the third attempt at cutting a thinner card using the PD die.  It was not very nice trying to cut it.  I used a red card and stamped it with my favourite TH swirl stamp and embossed with gold.  I then took a piece of cream cardstock cut to the same size as the PB die cut and stamped with the TH text stamp.  I adhered the die cut over the top and stickled each interlocking section.  I cut out a TH Poinsettie with cream card and stamped with the text stamp.  On another piece of cream card I stamped the Merry Christmas and die cut with my X Cut die as well as a piece of vellum which I tucked behind.  With a piece of ribbon laid across the bottom I then layered the poinsettie and stickled the centre.  

Hey presto three cards made in one afternoon, all of which I am pleased with and  I hope you like them too!  Just sorry about the photographs having sunshine and shade.  It is getting harder to take photos in the morning now being so dark.

Right, off to take this over to Sandra and the Snippets Playground, before the gates are shut.  Why not join in and make a minimum of two Christmas cards by the end of the month and you may win a prize.  I am also entering these into the CHNC as they are a little bit Christmas themed!

If you are ever anywhere near Topsfield, do go along to Absolutely Everything.  The shop is amazing.  I walked around it three times before I could put anything in the basket as I just did not know where to start and the staff are lovely.  They haven't asked me to promote them, this is just me telling ya!  It is no wonder it is my Buddy Kim's favourite shop.

Thanks for calling by.  Have a great weekend.

Hugs

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

The Mayflower...Mini Album...

Hello there

Well that weekend went like a flash and ended with a crash bang wallop didn't it?  We had beautiful weather yesterday and Hubby and I were able to do a little more work on my little Trabbi called Hilda before it absolutely tipped it down and has remained so most of today.   Never mind ey!  It gave me chance to have a play in my Craft Room today.

Now some of you know from a previous post that myself, Sandra, Debs and Miss had a meet up in Southampton for lunch.  We all had to be on our best behaviour!  Debs kindly volunteered to pick myself and Sandra up from the train station, however there was an hour between our trains so Debs offered to take me to the Mayflower monument whilst we waited for Sandra's train.  Whilst there we met a gentleman and his wife, and he told us that he was a direct descendant of one of the people named on the monument.  

Of course I had my trusty camera with me and snapped some shots.

Debs had made is all a little W or M (depending what hemisphere you reside in) mini album and I decided I would print my photos out on my Pogo printer (a bit like the old instamatic photos which measure about 2x3") and put them into this album.  The little anchor on the front is my addition.

On the left is the main plaque on the monument which is on the right. Surprisingly there are no signs to let people know this monument is here.

Some close ups of the monument.  The little words are from some VOS K&Co paper which I have cut from a Snippet.

The photo on the left is the view over Southampton from the monument.  I suspect that this looks very much different from that day in 1620 when they embarked on the journey.  The tall ship on the right was passing just as we were walking back to Debs' car.  

This building is where the voyagers would have passed through in order to board the ships.  Yes, there were two....The Mayflower and The Speedwell.  Unfortunately The Speedwell didn't get any further than Plymouth.

The little tags in the album I have used to put factoids on including the date, crew and cargo as well as the firstborn on American soil.

If you are interested about the voyage of The Mayflower there is a book available on Kindle HERE which I very much enjoyed. 

Hopefully the next time I share this little album I will have completed an item on my bucket list which has been near the top for a very long time.  I have wanted to see Plymouth Rock and surrounding area since we studied the Mayflower when I were a lass!  

I am off to take this down to the Snippets Playground as I have been using lots of little Snippets in this book.  I hear Debs is poorly so hopefully knowing I have used her little book may cheer her up a little.

Have a great week.  I am hoping that BT will have sorted our t'internet out so I can visit blogs better this week.

Hettie

Scrapbook Tuesday...Tea on Tuesday...T is for Awesome!

Hello there

It is Tuesday and time to share a cuppa with you at Elizabeth and Bleubeard's as well as a scrapbook page which I did on the weekend.

Now just to prove that I do own cups and saucers...

Isn't this cup and saucer just adorable?  It is bone china and quintessentially British in design and make.  It was part of a set which we had for a wedding present from a friend of my FIL's called Fritz.  He was a very gentle and quietly spoken Austrian gentleman.  I only ever met him twice and he bought us this set of cups, saucers, tea plate and cream & sugar bowl!  A few years later, quite by chance, we managed to buy the teapot too in Hereford.  As soon as I saw it I had to have it.  It shocked Hubby yesterday to see me having my morning brew in it!

And on to my layout...

I joined a Facebook Scrapbook group and they had set a sketch.  I still had some pieces of paper out from my Journal, which I have only just finished so yet to share with you, and so I just set too and used those...well it beats putting them away.  Sorry I just realised the flash was on.

I could not get over the sheer size of the Colosseum when we were there.  The films don't do it justice.

I cut the letters and numbers on the trusty Cricut.  The little "spot" (NBUS - technique) is actually a disc from my medication that I covered in card then sanded down the edges before placing a Cavallini sticker on.  The main paper is MME.

An arrow from the Tin of Shame over some Tim Holtz filmstrip held down by some VOS brads.

Here it is again without the flash.  The papers are a mix of Tim Holtz, Papermania and K&Co, all pretty old.

The letters and other elements have had a brush (my finger actually) of Treasure Gold in Pewter rubbed over them.  I spent a little while looking for a Romanesque quote to add in, just printed out and then stamped over with TH stamp.

And here is my little journalling card.  I actually made it for my Journal but decided I needed more space on the card so discarded this one and made one with a narrower edging.  However, it is just right for this project.

So off to join some friends having a Tea on Tuesday as well as the Snippets Playground, only the 12x12 piece isn't a Snippet!

Thanks for calling by.  I shall pop along and see you this evening after I finish work.

Hettie

Rudolph Day in July...Already!!!!!!

Hello there Peeps

It is 25th of July and so time for Rudolph Day with my mate Sandra.  This month seems to have come round sooo quick...or is it me?

Without further ado here are my cards...

I used a piece of stripey DCWV paper for the backround which I found loitering in the Christmas Snippets basket, some red bazzill, a little snippet of silver card and then topped with a stamping of my NBUS Penny Black stamp that a Special Friend bought me for my birthday last month!  I coloured it in with Copics..

And some more...

I stamped the image twice, once onto white card and again on the VOS background paper.  The stampings on white card I coloured in with Copics again, cut them out and then using the stamping on the background paper, I adhered them using foam pads.  The turquoise glitter card which I used to cut the MB music and Sizzix corners is the last of the K&Co paper I had.  Such a shame as it cut beautifully.  The bronze glitter is another make, but again Snippets.  The little rosettes are also K& Co which are all gone now.  A little doodling round the edge and hey presto four more cards in the tin.

So.  You know what you need to do now don't you?  Leave a comment in the box below then go and make two Christmas cards and join in with the Rudolph Day Challenge and if you use Snippets you get to join in with the Snippets Playground.  We have a virtual playground and a little smallholding with chickens.  Oh yes and a pond!

I am also going to join in with Craftyhazelnut's Anything Goes! 

One more thing...to the Special person who bought me this stamp...Thank You once again!  You know me so well that I would like a Christmas stamp for my birthday in June!

Have a great weekend everyone and thanks for popping over.

Hettie

Scrapbook Tuesday...Tea on Tuesday...T is for CwTch!

Hello there!

We have another bootiful day here in South Wales with temperatures very warm and sticky.  I spent a few hours this morning at the hospital where it was too hot in that waiting room.  Never mind ey!

Today is Tuesday and today I have a scrapbook layout to share with you along with my cuppa.  It is Elizabeth and Bleubeard's Tea on Tuesday today too.  I now have good 'ole Glengettie!  Our local Waitrose hasn't had any for a week or so and I had to revert to some alternative tea but yesterday Hubby managed to snaffle some Glengettie.  Phew!  The last stuff was not good!

It has been a little while since I have shared a scrapbook page mainly as I have been doing some sewing as well as making a journal for our upcoming trip later this year.  I will share that with you just as soon as I finish it.  I decided after spending most of Saturday at my friend's playing with the journal that I could have a change and do a layout...

I just love this photo.  It is my nephew and his wife and their lovely little boy...my first Great-Nephew who was born earlier this year.  The photo was taken by my nephew's other God Mother who is a photographer and when he shared it on Facebook I just couldn't resist downloading it.  

Here is my cup and some close ups of the elements on my page.  The papers are a mix of Kaisercraft (one of my favourites), Cordinations, K&Co and some Snippets.  Snippets being the tag above the photo, the rosette, the tag to the right of the photo and the tag behind the photo.  The creamy piece at the bottom of the photo with the sentiment on is the last of a well used and well loved K&Co pad.  Doubt I will be able to replace that one!

That rosette has been sat in my Tin of Shame for a little while.  I wanted to pick some of the yellow in the paper so I masked the photo with some, a yellow button and the rosette.    The written sentiment was typed and printed on my puter.

I used a mix of Tim Holtz and Hero Arts stamps and Brushed Corduroy DI.  You may just see two small pins in the tag and the buttons are from a mix of pots.  I just rummaged through until I found what I wanted.  The brad is ancient too and I no longer remember where it came from.

That Love is ancient but yet NBUS. 

So there you have it.  I text this layout over to my nephew and got a thumbs up, so I know he approves. Now I am going to link up with Tea on Tuesday and the Snippets Playground.  Feel free to join us with your cuppa or snippets.  Thank you for calling by.

Hettie

WOYWW 266 Sandra look away NOW!

Hello There!

Happy Wednesday to y'all!  Today is WOYWW which I am sure you are all aware of already.  Click HERE if you really need to read the whys and wherefores!

Now Sandra and all those with a nervous disposition please turn away now.  I will let you know when you can look again! 

My desk looking pretty messy after a fun hour playing with my gelli plate last night.  I haven't really got to grips with it yet, but that could be 'cos I don't seem to be able to have "fun" time lately.  I am not saying that my crafting isn't fun right now, but I seem to be always making for a purpose and not just for the hell of it!  I have cleared and cleaned the gelli plate and all the paints (except the yellow one hiding on the right) but these are the stencils and roller on their way downstairs.  Just to the left of the pot you can see a ghost printing which I actually quite like.  I can see another pant hiding on the far left too!  Oops!

You can look back now.  I have had two more ATCs recently...

A lovely purpley gothic one from Ike.

And another purple one (does anyone guess I like purple?) from Darnell.  She spells sctuff the way I do too!  Tee Hee!  

Now what have I done with all the ATCs I hear you ask.  Well, I sat down on Saturday afternoon and made myself a new ATC book in the style of the previous two years' so that they are all tucked in safely...

K&Co papers, Tim Holtz on the edge dies, along with my lovely new Moroccan die which a special friend sent me for my birthday.

I even managed to find a Snippet of ribbon to tie the book closed.  I shall be taking this down to the Snippets Playground too!  And here are some shots of the inside.  The ATC on the left is from my PIF friend and the others are from lovely peeps.

I need to finish this off with some doodling and stamping, and maybe some tags (though I am not sure as it is mighty thick now) but my priority was to put them somewhere safe so they didn't wander.

Due to a cock up error I managed to make too many pages so if anyone still has some spare ATCs they wanna swap, I would love a couple more?  I cannot count these days.

Right.  That is me done.   I do hope I haven't given anyone the heebeegeebies by the mess on my desk.  Thank goodness I didn't show you the floor too!

Click HERE to whizz over to the lovely Mistress of the Desk's desk and join in the madness that is WOYWW.  If you leave a message I shall call by either later today or tomorrow after I finish work.

Hettie