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Friday 30 September 2011

Something different

Hello blogworld

Well for me anyway!  An easel card, I've only done one or two of these before, but a friend has asked for a special card for her sisters 40th birthday (too close for comfort for me - still not sure I like being 40!).  So I brought out the big guns and try an easel again.

This time I took inspiration from Hazel's blog and gave it a go.  I'm wondering if the base needs more or not, I even made a box for it!

So this is what I did - be warned lots of photos!

Front shot:


Bit closer in:

Side view:

This going to have to be really short as I have my daughter at home with a stomach bug and she is very upset at having to run to the loo at short notice!  Poor thing, she hasn't been at school for very long and already has missed a week and a couple of days.  She has really taken to school too.

Anyway I will go get details on the card later, but for now I know this:

Teddy Bo & Co: - TeddyBea_144, coloured with my Prismas
Patterned paper: Daisy Bucket, Whimsical Ladies - Princess Caroline
Die cut with my Go-Kreate dies
Flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts
Ribbon from my stuff
Sentiment computer generated and die cut with Shapeabilities - Fancy Tags Two.

Best wishes all,
Sarah

I'd like to join in with:

Creative Card Crew - Easel Card Challenge
Come and Get it Challenges - Easel Card Challenge

Wednesday 28 September 2011

Ooh I've news!!! and Faye - this card is for you!

Hi blogworld (and Faye ;-) )

So the news I've been having great difficulties holding in - I really, really, really, don't do secrets!! - is out.  I replied to the DT call on Sweet Stampin' Challenge and, I don't how, I got in!!!  Am so excited!

I am really surprised the lovely ladies at Sweet Stampin' even looked at my email, I've never entered the challenge and didn't really know much about them - I'm hoping to be a quick learner!

I'm going to have to go do dishes in a mo, but after that I'm going to take a look at my new team mates blogs - some I already know - and introduce myself to those I've not met before.

I wonder if they know what they've let themselves in for!!  I'd be running for the hills if it was me!!!

Now for the card.  cooooeeeee! Faye - my turn.

So this is my first attempt at a Teddy Bea - I did try Promarkers at first, but I felt they were too strong for this image so I turned instead to my Prismas.  I'm 'quite' happy at the main image, except that I think the boots run into the image a bit to my eye it looks like she's got some weird sort of ankle bracelets on (does anyone wear ankle bracelets anymore - or toe rings (or am I just showing my age here!)).

I've got another image on the go, which I hope to have finished by tomorrow.

Anyway got to go and do those dishes, back soon.

Main shot of card:

Detail shot of image:

Image is from Teddy Bo & Co - TEDDYBEA_014, coloured with Prisma pencils and wings glittered with Stickles.  Edge of die chalked for definition.
Die cut with a nestie.
Papers all from Docrafts - Tulip Linen Paper Pack
Border is CC Designs Teardrop die (one of my new toys from the lovely Tracy at Dies to Die for).
Gems from my stuff
Craftwork Cards card blank.

Sarah

I like to enter the card into the following challenge:

The Teddy Bo Challenge blog - Challenge #18 - Things with wings


Tuesday 27 September 2011

A thank you, an apology and finally a card

Hello blogworld

Firstly the thank you, well two thank you's really!  The first one is for the congrats I got for getting the Top 5 at Passion for Promarkers.  You are all very kind and the lovely comments are really appreciated, especially when I sometimes feel a bit my colour lacks something special.

The second thank you is for the comments on my previous cards (the new baby ones) I think it's the most comments I've ever had.  I obviously got something right!!  Or is it that Mo's images are just perfect and a joy to colour.  Oh and some news - my friend had her baby yesterday, a little boy!  So now she has three children under 6 - girls of 5, 3 and a new baby boy!  Doesn't it just sound a perfect little family - I am so pleased for her.

The apology is tied in with the second thank you for my previous cards - I've not managed to get back to any of you yet and for that I am sorry.  Things have been a bit hectic at home with my Father-in-Law staying but he has gone home today, so I've got my comfy chair back and 'puter time in the evenings.  Hopefully I will have caught up by the end of tomorrow.

And finally, (I'm sure by now you must be thinking phew, she has finally stopped wittering on!) a card.  This is for my daughters' friend who has also come down with Chicken Pox.

Front shot:


Detail shot of image:

Still not entirely sure about the blending on the skin tones, will have to try harder!

Details of card:

Image is The Greeting Farm - Anya; snuggle.
Coloured with my Promarkers and die-cut out with nesties.
Sentiment is a Lili of the Valley stamp, also die-cut out with nesties.
Martha Stewart deep edge punch.
Papers are all First Edition - Birdsong
Pearls from another one of my many boxes
Craftwork Cards card blank

Argggh, went and hit publish before I'd finished!!

So thanks for reading this long post and I will get round and reply to all your comments, promise!

Cheerio
Sarah

P.S. Faye - next card will be the Teddy Bea one - promise!

I'd like to enter this into:

Anyone for Anya - Sketch (great sketch!)

Sunday 25 September 2011

Fairies, Fairies, everywhere!

Hello blogworld

Do you ever find that you start making one type of card and you end up making a run of them?  You may remember that I made a new baby card for a friend (who is still waiting for baby to put in an appearance by the way) I then needed an extra boy one as another one of my friends, we are both friends with the same girl, asked for one of my cards to give when baby arrives.

Luckily I had an unexpected, but not unappreciated afternoon, on my own to make the cards.  Grandad is staying with us for the weekend (father-in-law) and there has been a little trip out to a scale railway which did not include me!  I asked Emily if she'd like to go with just Daddy and Grandad - and she said yes!!  I was most surprised but happy that she was willing to go without me, but it's lovely that she is is getting 'Daddy time'!

So I used the time most wisely and, along with watching last nights Dr Who, hoovering, doing the dishes, bleaching the sink and bringing in the washing I made another two baby cards.

This means I have two baby fairies to show today - one girl, one boy.

Baby girl card:

Baby boy card:

Details on cards:
They both use Stampavie: Mo Manning - Fairy Kiki (it's probably meant to be a little girl, but I thought for babies it doesn't really matter).
Coloured with promarkers and flexmarkers, with a touch of glitter on the wings.
Both die-cut with nesties.
For the baby girl card I used Prima Marketing - Sparking Spring Collection papers.
Flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts.
Card blank and sentiment from Craftwork Cards
For the baby boy card I used First Edition - Up, Up & Away papers.
Sentiment is an Elzybells stamp.
Buttons, ribbon and fluff all from my boxes.
Craftwork cards blanks.

Hopefully I should be back tomorrow with another card - one of Emily's little friends has now come down with Chicken Pox, so got to do her a get well card.  If I don't make it tomorrow it will be Tuesday.

Hope everyone has had a good weekend and be back soon.

Sarah

I'd like to enter these challenges:

The Cutie Pie Challenge - #1; Sketch -  Good luck with the new challenge blog - you are starting off with a great sketch!

Paper Sundaes - #88 - Anything Goes

Crafty Ribbons Challenge - Challenge 2 - Anything goes

Stampin for the Weekend - Challenge 17 - What a Cutie!!!


Thursday 22 September 2011

No cards - a my goodness instead!

Me again,

Two posts in one day - do ya think blogger will break?? ;-)

This is a blowing my own trumpet post - do you see the new blinkie?  I made Top 5 at Passion for Promarkers.  How did that happen, what with me banging on about how my colouring is so, so - I almost can't believe that I made the Top 5.

Am so chuffed, and with the Fizzy Moon bear card as well - when I also bang on about how I'm not a bear person.  Hmmm, wonder if I should get some of those TeddyBo digi stamps then that I've been looking at for ages and not getting - as I'm not a bear person

I wonder if that argument would work on hubby!!!!

A well chuffed

Sarah

Less is More, or is it?

Hello blogland

I used to play along with the Less is More challenge on a regular basis, but then totally lost my way with that CAS style of card - found that I wasn't happy with anything that I did - but I saw last week that Chrissie and Mandi are trying to make 1000 submissions on this weeks challenge - with the challenge being anything goes.

So I thought I'd re-visit the style and see if I could do anything that I liked.  I've already entered one card, don't think it was strictly CAS, but it was quite simple.  These however are even simpler - so hopefully more appropriate?

I've just re- read this and wonder that I've waffled on too much!  What I was trying to say is that now I wonder if I've gone to far and just made boring cards, especially the second one, rather than CAS cards.  Whichever, no one could call me shy of sharing! So there, I've made them, they're in the box and I'm sure someone will like them, but maybe not me.

I've got more on the go, will try to get them done in time to enter.

Anyway here we go with the first card:

Details are:
Panduro stamp, from the Tilda range - coloured with my Promarkers and Flexmarkers (my new love!).
Die-cut with a nestie and chalked while the image was still in the die for definition.
Martha Stewart punch.
Elzybells sentiment stamp
Craftwork Cards card blank.

and the second:

The Stamp Barn stamp (can't see a stamp name) coloured with my Promarkers and Flexmarkers
Martha Stewart punch along the bottom of the piece of pearl card
On a DL card blank
ric-rac from my box

Both of them were stamped with Rich Cocoa Memento ink pad instead of my usual Tuxedo Black - something I liked the look of Rebekahs blog.  Thanks for the inspiration Rebekah.

Sarah

Wednesday 21 September 2011

Divas by Design - Challenge 11: A sketch

Good morning blogland

Can you believe it another fortnight has passed and it's time for a new challenge over at Divas by Design!

This time it's a sketch, now have I mentioned before that I love sketches?! No, well I will let you into a little secret - I LOVE sketches!  A long time ago I didn't love sketches - but then I was looking at my cards one time and realised that, on the whole, I was doing the same layout pretty much every time.  Now I'm not the most artistic of people and thought, what can I do to make my cards look different occasionally and I re-discovered sketches - I saw the error of my ways and was hooked.

Our sponsor this time is StitchyBear Digital Stamps and, my word, they have a huge array of digi stamps.  Something for everyone and they have very kindly provided some images for the Design Team to work with.
So this time the challenge is just up my street - altho you might have difficulty actually spotting the sketch in my card!  So here is the sketch:


And here is the card, front view:


Detail shot on the image:


Details of card:

StitchyBear Digi Stamp - Who me, coloured with my Prisma Pencils and a bit of Glamour Dust on her wings (well fairies have to be glittery, don't they?)
The papers are all Prima - Sparkling Spring collection paper  pad.
The image has been die-cut with nesties.
The flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts
The bit of fluff is off a ball of wool which I got from a local shop - £1.50 for a huge ball!!
Card blank and sentiment from Craftwork Cards

So please pop over to the challenge blog, it's a lovely place and the other DT members are such brilliant creative girlies - you will be amazed at what they produce.

Cheerio for now

Sarah

Found a challenge to enter the card into:

Crafty Creations Challenges - #136 Fabulous Fairies

Monday 19 September 2011

Oh so quiet!

Good morning blogland,

One daughter off to school, one mummy getting some computer time, one daddy putting the washing on - isn't that how it should be?

It does seem so weird that a few weeks ago I was agonising over Emily going to school and now after she was home for a week with the Chicken Pox, I'm appreciating the quiet that comes with her being at school.  I'm still not sure about school, I think I'd be happier with her going to Nursery but they have to grow, I know that, and I have to grow as well into accepting that she is no longer a 'baby' - some good things do come out of it.  Getting back some 'me' time being one of them, more time for housework not being one of them!

Waffle over.

Today's card is, maybe, for a friend who is 5 days overdue her baby - I have a few new baby girl cards but no new baby boy.  She doesn't know if it's a girl or boy (it will be her third child and the other two are girls - so what are the odds for a boy?) so I thought I'd best get this one done quick as it's late already!

Main picture:



Detail of image:

Details of card:
Fizzy Moon - Wish upon a star stamp, stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black ink and coloured with my ProMarkers (with a tiny bit of help on the yellow ribbon from daughter!)
Die cut onto nestie shapes.
Papers: Die-cuts with a View - The Glitter Stack, for the pattern: Dovecrafts  - Back to Basics with the spots.
Lili of the Valley sentiment stamp
Buttons and twine from my stuff
Craftwork Cards card blank

I just wanted to say as well, thank you all for your encouraging comments on my improvements in colouring.  I'm very grateful for all the support, as much as hubby comments nicely (without menaces!) on my cards, it's such a confidence boost to have other cardmakers also giving encouraging views.

So cheerio for the mo, but not for too long now (I hope, unless there are any other major incidents!!).

Sarah

Challenges I'd like to enter:

Passion for ProMarkers - Week 117 - 'beary special'
Sketch n Stash - Challenge 70 - Free Choice, I picked sketch number 21 my stash are the papers, really don't know how long I've had the patterned paper for, far to long to say the least!  Did I mention I'm addicted to paper?
Whoops, forgot to post pic of sketch - fixing that now.



Creative Card Crew - Babies
Make it Monday - Linky Party

Sunday 18 September 2011

Practice makes?

Hello there

Long post and lots of pictures warning - please ignore post if you don't want to listen to my waffle - I wonder if I've mentioned I talk a lot!!!

Well I'm doing better than I thought - I've got another card made, but I've had to sacrifice a couple of images to keep little one happy while I've been colouring and making!  I've also had to closely supervise the placement of 3d foam squares - otherwise they would've been on the front of the image not the back!  But I'm there and I've got another card to share.

I was sorting out my boxes of made cards yesterday afternoon - some of the cards with bigger embelishments on were getting sadly crushed - and I came across a card that I made with my first Simply Sassy image (Hippy Chick) and thought ahah I remember you, I will stamp you and make you feel less ignored!  I also then thought I wonder if I can improve on the last time I stamped you - so here is the result.  I've posted the original card as well so that, rather than me assuring you that I've improved, you can judge for yourselves.

Front shot:

Detail shot of image:

So the details are: Sugar Nellie; Simply Sassy - Hippie Chick stamp coloured with Promarkers.  Cut out the image and mounted onto a couple of nestie die-cuts.  The embossing is with a Cuttlebug folder (think it's Daises).  
Craftwork Cards card blank and sentiment.
Very simple this time.
The original card:



I wonder can you see the improvement - or is it just me?  

Also do you want to play a game of spot the non-card thing in the picture? 


She said, I just want you to take my picture with the card mummy, it's such a beautiful card and I helped!! How can you resist that?

Anyway enough waffle, am off now to link to challenges.

Normality tomorrow - she's back at school - yaayy!  Now I never thought I'd be saying that a few months ago!

Cheerio all,

Sarah

Challenge entered - again! -

The Sugar Bowl - Challenge 67 - Erika's sketch (what can I say, I love a sketch!) the scraps are the shimmery paper.

For the first time for ages I'm entering the Less is More challenge - which is anything goes week 33 trying to reach 1000 submissions.  Ladies, I'm not sure if it is enough Less for you?  Feel free to delete if it's too much.

Totally Paper Crafts - Challenge 84, Clean and Simples

Thursday 15 September 2011

Managed one!

Hi blogland

This is going to be a really quick post - I've left Emily upstairs playing with her toys and she is already calling me!

So I managed to make a card - have been colouring the image in stages for about 3 days and put it together last night.  Of course it had to go completely wrong the first time and so this is my second set of patterned papers!

Anyway card:
Front shot:

Trying to get the detail on the lifted panels (but don't think it worked!):

Card details:
Image: Funky Kits - Simply Sassy; 5th Avenue (one of the ones I treated myself to after looking at them longingly on Coops blog (coops you are a bad influence!- not that I need one really!!!)).  Coloured with my Promarkers - still not happy with the colouring on the face, I really need to work on the blending - and die-cut with a nestie.
The papers are: backing paper - Making Memories; Boho Chic and panels - Blonde Moments; Sugar Dumping.
The sentiment and card blank are from Craftwork Cards (altho the sentiment has been cut down from the original size).

Am entering this card into:

The Sugar Bowl - Challenge 67 - Erika's Sketch, Theme use scraps - the hearts on the panels are scraps.
Stampin' for the Weekend - Challenge 16 - Tickled Pink

Sorry it's such a rush, got to go!

Sarah

Tuesday 13 September 2011

Oh dear!

Hello again

Not the best of weeks so far!   After all the fuss about Emily going to big school, she's made one week and then come down with Chicken Pox - so no school for her! Hopefully she will be back there next week.  It does mean that, once again, my crafting time is almost non-existent.  Thankfully she has very few spots and is feeling fine, but that's almost what makes her being off so odd.  I could understand if she was feeling ill, but she isn't she is as bouncy as she always is - it's probably me that's going to go a bit stir-crazy being stuck inside.

So I will blog as much as I can, but it won't be as regular as I would hope and, again, I'm missing challenges that I would like to join in with - bah!!

So that's the end of my whinging and onto the one card I've managed to make this week which I had meant to enter into the Totally Gorjuss challenge, but I've just gone over there and I've missed it - again! Double bah!!

Oh well, here's the card anyway:

The image is a Stampin Bella - Christy Croll stamp : Alice coloured with my promarkers (I'm not too impressed with what I managed on the face, but I think the rest isn't too bad).
Die-cut onto Go-Kreate die.
Papers are First Edition - Up, Up and Away paper pad.
Gems and bit of fluff - from my stuff.
Card blank and sentiment from Craftwork cards.

So I'm not sure when I'll be logging on again this week - hopefully I'll get some time to make a card this week!  Otherwise I will try at the weekend.

I'm going to join in with Make it Monday again this week - so enjoyed looking all the entries last week!

Cheerio

Sarah

Saturday 10 September 2011

It's like buses

Hello blogfriends

Nothing for hours and then three turn up at once.

I'm talking about my cards - although you've missed the buses this time, I made these cards for last week and am only posting them here now.  I'm feeling a bit guilty that I've ignored dear bloggy again and for, oh no! real life so thought I'd best share something!!!

You have to imagine me chained to the kitchen sink (or hob in reality) making loads and loads of Plum chutney, Plum jam, Plum conserve and anything else you can think of Plum related - before the blooming things go furry and only the wasps want them!  I've got one more tray to get through and then about a dozen trays of apples plus more on the tree, plus all these runner beans to freeze as well.

We even got an extra freezer to cope with them all - can you believe it got delivered on our wedding anniversary and Peter said it's a present for you!  I responded by going out for an evening meal with some of my friends!!  Sounds terrible I know, but none of it was meant and it's how we deal with each other.

I think I shocked one of my friends once by telling her that I'll enjoy my early widowhood as Peter is nearly 10 years older than me so he'll be going first!  It isn't meant and he knows it!  Anyway after 13 years I think we are allowed a little leeway with the humour.

Anyway onto my cards these were made for Emilys' friends who started at the same school on the same day.  Ryan is her best friend, Skyla we met through Ryan's mum and Jessica we met at Nursery.

So here are pictures:




I'm sure I followed sketches when I made these cards, I probably even meant to enter them into challenges but I never made it that far.  So, once again, they are just being shared for the sake of sharing.

All the images are Lili of the Valley and coloured with Prismas.
Die-cute with my Go-Kreate dies and a Martha Stewart punch for the loops, the stars were handcut.
The papers on the girls cards, I got as a birthday present and, I think, are called Sugar and Spice.
I used scraps on the boys card and, to be honest, haven't got a clue whose they are!
Ribbon from one of my boxes, sentiments computer generated.
Card blanks from Craftwork cards.

Thanks for reading and am off to have a little wander around blogland, before beddie-byes.

Sarah

Wednesday 7 September 2011

Divas by Design - Challenge No 10 : Back to school

Hello blogland

This is going to be a really, really quick post - I've been out with some girlfriends and it's waaaay past my bedtime, so no waffle tonight.

This is my DT card for the new Divas by Design challenge, with the theme of Back to School.  Our sponsor this time is Crafty Sentiments Designs - you really should pop over there, they have some gorgeous images.

The standard of entries to the Divas challenges never ceases to amaze me and I love looking at the blogs and your creations.

I made this card for Emily on her first day at Big School, and I think she even liked it!  She certainly said it was her on the card.


Details;
Lili of the Valley stamp, coloured with my Prisma pencils.
The papers are all a First Edition paper pad (I'm not sure of it's name, I'll check and update in the morning)
Martha Stewart punch
Buttons from button box and sentiment computer generated.

That's all from me, of the stairs I trot.

See you,

Sarah

P.S. I've scheduled this, I do hope it works as I'm using the new Blogger interface and I'm not that sure about it!, It worked! and so onto linking to challenges.

I'd like to enter this into:

Sketch n Stash Challenge 69 - The image is my neglected stash, it's the first time I've used it since I got it a year ago - naughty me!

Clear it out challenge - Back to school

Make it Monday - Only just found you, but really like the idea of a linky party!



Monday 5 September 2011

Rush, rush!

Hello me bloggy friends

Well another successful mission - small child happily off to first full day at 'big school' and one mummy off home without any tears!

Got to go rush, rush, rush, as have runner beans to trim, blanch and freeze; shopping to get and child to collect from school.

However really wanted to join in again with Passion for Promarkers and have made an anniversary card for tomorrow - its me and hubby's anniversary - I know Passion closes later today and wanted to post before it closes.  Also saw Sketch Saturdays sketch this week and it's great - so three birds with one stone.

Onto card:
Normal view:

Detail shot of colouring:


After my moaning about not using the Promarkers - I made the effort to get them out yesterday (while it howled down with rain!) and try to colour something in carefully!  Not too upset with the results - even let Emily have a go at colouring - hmmm, did you know little girls in pictures really love stripy dresses!  That's what I was told when I queried darling daughters colouring!

So I used:

Lili of the Valley - Together Forever, coloured with me Promarkers.
Sentiment is another Lili of the Valley but it came from a different stamp set.
Both die-cut with nesties, the sentiment was inked with a Distress Ink pad before I took it out of the nestie.
Craftwork Cards card blank and Card Candy.
Papers were free with a mag - someone has told me what there are, but I can't remember - so unknown papers!

I keep looking at my cards and thinking my style is changing.  I have loads of flowers and embellies, and hardly use any of them, I seem to be doing much less cluttered cards at the mo.  Wonder if that will change back when I have more time to faff over a card!

Best wishes to all and hope everyone is well.  Off now to trim and blanch!

Sarah

I would like to enter this card into:

Passion for Promarkers - Week 115: Theme
Sketch Saturday - Week #171
I love Promarkers - Challenge 81 - anything goes


Friday 2 September 2011

'S' day is here!

Hi blogland

So sorry I've been missing nearly the whole of last week!  Been a last minute rush in the build up to 'big school'.  I don't know if other schools do this, but Reception class went in on their own today for a few hours before starting school proper next week.

So I spent the last week getting a few last minute things together before 'S' day - do you know how much school shoes cost?!  I decided to get good quality shoes for Emily and ended up spending £30 on them.

I have made cards - 3 of 'em - but I'm hanging on before posting them.  So instead here are a couple of pictures of my big girl.

The sensible picture:

More typical of my Emily:

Of course I have loads more pictures of her, but they have some of her friends in and I don't feel right posting them here.

Luckily after saying for most of the summer holidays that she doesn't want to go to big school, she went without a peep today!  She was really quite tired when we collected her, so what she will be like on Monday for a full day is anyone's guess!

Sorry for no cards today, there will be next time I post and once the first week has gone I will be back into my little routines and posts and cards will appear on a more regular basis.

On the whole today has been much less painful than I ever thought and no tears from either of us!  I had those on our last swimming session yesterday.  Isn't it odd the driving to the pool listening to a child's CD and realising that this was my last daytime swimming session with her would set me crying, but it did!

Right then, enough waffle from me and I promise that my posts will not be so 'mumsy' now I am getting used to the idea that my baby is now my big girl!

So thanks for listening to me and promise cards on next post.

Sarah