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Wednesday 30 March 2011

Lili of the Valley - Challenge 89 Punch It!

This is my entry for this weeks Lili of the Valley challenge - the theme is Punch It, so out came the punches of which I have a few!  That actually could have been a name for this blog - of which I have a few.  I seem to have a few of everything - that should be imagined being said with either a wink or a snigger.  I don't have a few of anything, I have loads! 

It actually made me a bit worried recently, I was looking for some patterned paper and by the time I'd got through boxes, plastic folders, pads on my table and things put away in drawers - I realised I have far too much paper.  In fact, I have loads of everything - apart from occasionally inspiration and never confidence.

Anyway on with the card.  I have used Fairies Thistledown stamp, coloured with Promarkers and highlighted with Stickles glitter.  The paper came from a free pack with one of my mags quite awhile ago now.  I made the flowers by punching out, shaping and layering two sizes of daisy punch then adding a gem in the middle.  The leaves are made with a die from Little Claire's, the border on the coloured card was using an EK success punch and the border going across was using one of my Martha Stewart deep edge punches.  The sentiment is one of Craftwork Cards.

I'm not entirely sure about the card, I think it might be the punched flowers.  I used to do this all the time and then moved onto brought flowers, so now I look at them and aren't sure, but there you go it's done now and will disappear into my box of cards.

To anyone who has read all this waffle - you deserve a prize and hope you are all having a lovely day.

Sarah

Tuesday 29 March 2011

Little Claire's - Pink and Green

Well aren't I doing well, after having neglected poor bloggy for days I am now overcompensating and am posting loads (for me anyway!). 

This post is really all about Little Claire's challenge No3 - Pink & Green.  I have made a couple of cards with the Blissful stamp, have had it for ages - probably since last year as I know I got it at Harrogate, but I didn't go there last time or the time before - and not inked it up before.  I am going to use it a lot more now, she is such a dream to colour!

Anyway on to cards, it's always the same with me I can't make one card without I have to make another.  I don't know why, it's just how I've always made cards but it does mean I have loads of them! 

So this is my first one, and the one I'm entering into the challenge.  It's slightly back to my old style, but not quite so many flowers as I don't have a lot of green flowers!  Coloured this one with my pencils, apart from her face which is with promarkers.  I don't know about you, but I can't seem to get a skin tone I like from pencils, any tips?  I have to say though that I am well chuffed with the colouring on the hair, I think its the best I've done.  Also no sentiment with it as I wasn't sure where to put it or what to use.

This is the second one is me trying Clean and Simple again, however I haven't quite got the hang of embossing squares with my scoring board.  Maybe I should invest in some Nestie squares, what do you think?  This one is coloured with my promarkers.  I made the big flower, the little ones came from Wild Orchid Crafts, sentiment is from Craftwork Cards and the stamp is from a Basic Grey set.

So this is probably going to be my last post today, as I have to get daughter from nursery soon and then we have a fun packed afternoon at a toddlers group! 

See you soon,

Sarah

Less is More

Well, after posting about this on DoCrafts and getting a lot kind comments, I decided to actually gather up my courage and post a card on the Less is More challenge.

I've said to lots of people that this isn't my first style of cardmaking, but having played along on my own blog for a couple of weeks, and finding that I'm enjoying the style I thought I would post a card and see what happens!

So this week it's a sketch and this is what I came up with, and I have to say I like it!  The stamp is from Panduro Hobby, coloured with my pencils and cut out with a circular nestie.  The border stamp is from Blonde Moments and the sentinment is a mixture of different stamps.  I think it works, although I wonder if it is too less and not enough more!



In fact I liked it so much that I did more, with different images and sentiment positioning also adding a piece of patterned paper on one card:


I am rather nervous about posting this card, but if I don't have a go how will I learn?

I suppose I should just stop waffling and do it!

Sarah

Sunday 27 March 2011

Clean and Simple Cards

So I'm like a bus - nothing for ages then two at one time! 

CAS - this is a style I'm getting into, but still not brave enough to join in with the challenge blog.  I have been doing  a lot of these cards just lately though, so thought I would show blog world, what I have been doing whilst not blogging.





The final card was inspired by one I saw on the Less is More Challenge blog, made by this blog owner http://lizyshouseofcards.blogspot.com/  Some lovely cards on the blog.

Hopefully I should be back tomorrow with my attempt at the sketch on the Less is More challenge website, it's getting a bit late now and am off to bed soon.

Cheerio

Sarah

My poor neglected blog!

I'm a bad blog owner, haven't been anywhere near for a few days.  The only excuse I have is that I have been busy not only with Father-in-Law staying but also actually making some cards!  All the cards I have made lately have been posted in my DoCrafts gallery, and I am going to post some here tonight - assuming I don't get side-tracked by something else.

Just thought I'd come over to blog land, and let bloggy know I'm not totally neglecting her (It's got to be a her with the background I picked!).

Sarah

Wednesday 23 March 2011

Lili of the Valley - Challenge 88

Well I decided to enter the Lili of the Valley challenge again, I really like working from sketches.  They help me to stop dithering over placement on my cards, so all I'm left to do then is hunt through boxes and boxes of paper to pick what I'm going to use!  This time, as I remembered about the challenge, I have actually managed to make a card in plenty of time.



I've used It's my Party, coloured her with promarkers, cut with a circular nestie and chalked round the edge for some definition.  All the papers and the sentiment are from Craftwork cards - don't ask me what the papers are though I've had them for ages and can't remember!  The flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts and my stock (of which I have loads of flowers).  The lace is also from Wild Orchid Crafts and ribbon from stock.  Am a bit dissapointed that the ribbon moved when I stuck it down, as it's not even now.

I still show my cards to hubby, although I swear everytime after I've done it I'm not going to do it again.  His comment this time?  "That's going to cost a fortune to post" - not the point I reply.  Can you see now why I set up this blog, I like talking to myself, I get the right answers.  Show card - correct response is "Oooh, how lovely aren't you clever". Pat on back ;-)

Anyway, I'll stop waffling now, may well be back later with more cards depends on how much time I have. 

Cheerio

Sarah

Monday 21 March 2011

How my cards evolve

I am really struck by the clean and simple cards on the Less Is More blog challenge and decided to do a card along with their theme for this week.  Once I saw what their theme is though, I almost chickened!  It's masculine and I really don't do masculine cards.  I struggle so hard with them, it is really about the only time I don't enjoy my hobby.

Anyway, I thought stop being a wimp and do it - I don't have to enter the challenge do I.  So I had a couple of thoughts about what I would do, and settled on this one.  I'm going to do this in classic awards style and do the card I like best first and the ones that I thought weren't so good last!

And the winner is:


And the winner is!
Although I'm not entirely happy with the placing of the embossed circle on the card, I like the overall idea.  I used the punched out bit from one of my first attempts as the 3d bird as I'd decided I like the colour combo. 

My first attempt wasn't too bad, but then I realised that you can't emboss a nestie once you've put the 3d part of the card on!  So this was embossed by hand with the nestie - not a success!


3rd place goes to: my first attempt

Next time I embossed the card blank first, then stamped, then layered, then did the greeting.  Again not too bad, but I still thought not too sure.

2nd place goes to: my 2nd attempt
I was trying to place the brown bird somewhere on the above card, and it just wasn't working.  I had a lightbulb moment, do it again with a green branch and brown bird.  New card blank, embossed, stamped, 3d bird ,changed the greeting and hey presto - my winning card.

I am so glad I'm joining in with the Less is More challenge (even if it is only on my own blog), it's really making me challenge what I do on my cards, and isn't that the point of a challenge?

I will be back soon with more cards in a style I'm more comfortable with.  Am off to do the dreaded housework, then play cards!

Huge congrats if you've managed to get to the end of this mammoth post - next time will be shorter I promise!

Sarah

Sunday 20 March 2011

Thank you Kate

Hi everyone,

No cards today, not because I haven't made any but because I only did them this evening and I don't know about everyone else but I am really rubbish at taking pictures with a flash.  So the cards will have to wait until tomorrow.

This post is a thank you to Kate, http://kates-krafty-korner.blogspot.com/, a friend on the DoCrafts forum who has kindly passed on an award to me.  It asks that I pass it on to another 7 people but, me being new an' all to this, I don't know that many other bloggers!  So I will post it here and say thank you to Kate - it was lovely of you to think of me.



Hopefully back tomorrow with cards.

Sarah

Friday 18 March 2011

I was inspired!

Well here I am again, blogging away!  I've visited so many blogs over the last few days that my brain is spinning with all the ideas and cards that I've seen.

I wanted to say thank you to all the lovely people who have become my followers, many thanks for listening to the ramblings of this card / stamp obssessed, getting over the hill, slightly dippy woman (can't call myself girl anymore!).

One of the sites I visited, via a fellow DoCrafters' blog, is a challenge blog called Less is More and I was inspired!  I'm not normally a simple kind of card person, but the entries on there are just brilliant!  Every one.  So I thought I'd have a go too.  Now my cards are not up to the standard of those on the blog, but these are my attempts at Less is More - off the page.

first attempt
I wasn't too sure with this one, whether I had done too much.  So this is my second attempt:

Second attempt at less is more
It feels very free, in a way, not to worry about papers and embelishments but on the other hand - its terrifying!  I haven't stamped directly onto my cards for years, I'd forgotten how heart stopping it is when you lift the stamp to see if it's smuged or not, and being so careful with the colouring. 

But overall I think I'm pleased, it's certainly something I'd try again.  Soon!  I will also definately be watching the blog.

Thats me finished now, off to get lunch and then a busy afternoon ahead.

Cheerio all,

Sarah

Wednesday 16 March 2011

Now for a challenge

Ok so I've posted a post, I've posted a picture - now I wonder if I can join in a challenge?  Of course, me being me, only looked at Lili of the Valleys challenge blog 10mins ago while I was doing dinner and realised that the theme this time was 'Say it with flowers' and it closes in 30mins, and I would have to upload a card, and I've never joined in a challenge before!  Not one for half measures me!

Ok so lets see if I can do it.  The card was one that I entered into a Docrafts LoTV challenge, the theme being pink and girlify it.  I went rather over the top!  Want to see for yourselves? This is the card:

LoTV card made for Docrafts challenge
The stamp is Lili of the Valley: Fairies - Bouquet coloured with promarkers. 
Papers are Basic Grey, Papermania, Blonde Moments.  Felt and sparkles are Papermania.  Flowers are combination from my stock and Joanna Sheens website.

The competion is this  Lili of the Valley Thursday Challenge

Now can I do it? Lets see.

Edited to add: I did it, with 10mins to spare!  Wheyhay, wot a clever little thing I is!

Sarah

Tuesday 15 March 2011

Floral challenge cards

So that post went well, I'm now attempting to post pictures.

I'm a member of Docrafts forum, which is also a new thing for me, and one of the challenges I took part in recently was to make a card which featured a handmade flower.  I ended up making two cards as the first tutorial I found I wasn't successful in making the flowers.

So this is the card I made and entered into the challenge:


Card made for Docrafts floral challenge
I found the tutorial to make the flower in Youtube, the lady in the video used punched flower shapes, I don't have any punches so used Nestability scallop circles instead and cut them on my Cuttlebug.  Then spritz with water, fold up tightly, unfold, pile up, make a hole and put a brad through.  Scrunch up again and then gently fold out, hey presto you have a flower.  I also inked the edges before spritizing and glittered them after. 

The card blank is from Craftwork Cards, the sentiment from Elzybells, stamped onto and then layered on nestie shapes.  I can't remember where I got the bit of bling, it's been hanging around for ages.

It is not at all like my normal cards (I like stamps, patterned paper and flowers) but once I had made the flower it was so big, I didn't know what else to add.  I ended up keeping everything else very simple.

So to get back to the other tutorial I found on Youtube.

Hopefully this will give you the link to the tutorial.

This is the card I made using the flower.



Close up of flower
I used a CC Designs Love Lolita Butterfly stamp, coloured with promarkers.  The papers are from a Die Cuts With a View paperstack.  I also used a Martha Stewart punch, Craftwork Cards sentiment and ribbon and charm from my stuff.

I will stop talking to myself now and publish this.  I wonder what it will look like?

First post on my new blog

So I've taken the plunge and have started a blog.  This is all very new to me so please bear with me while I get used to how it all works.  Of course, at the moment, I'm talking to myself so it doesn't really matter!

Hopefully one day I may talk to someone else as well!