Tuesday not Monday

but I'm here!

Hello blogworld

Firstly hello to my new followers - hopefully you will find something interesting in my cards and waffle.  Normally more waffle than cards it has to be said!

Another early start this morning - Emily decided that 4am was a good time to wake.  Bit of a shock after 8 days of sleeping through and waking up at 6!  Looking on the good side at least we've had over a week of good sleep so maybe this is just a blip.  Fingers crossed, eh!

I did make a card yesterday but, shock of shocks, it was actually for someones birthday and I don't want to show it until I know it's arrived.

So onto card.  I, in the interests of Using it Up and having a lots of images sitting waiting to be coloured on my 'desk', decided to raid one of my boxes of 12x12 papers and try something - colour wise - out of my normal comfort zone.

This is the result:

I used:

Teddy Bo digi image: TeddyBo_076 'afternoon nap' - coloured with my Promarkers.
Papers are Basic Grey - Phoebe for the plain and Mellow for the stripes.
Grommet is from We Are Memory Keepers.
Happy Birthday is a Lili of the Valley stamp
Saying is from Fiskars
String is from my stuff

Much darker colours than I usually use and a male card to boot.  Not sure about the phrase on the bottom, but then when am I ever really happy with any card - very rarely!!  Also not sure about the quality of the picture - I made some adjustments to my camera and I think I'm going to adjust it back again!  I'll try for a better picture tomorrow and re-do it.  By the way there is supposed to be a light grey outline to the image - it just looks smudged on my screen!!!  Apologies.

I know I'm a bit behind with commenting, got to do one more thing tonight and then I'm onto commenting.

Back tomorrow with my Divas by Design Design Team card - 'cause we're a weekly challenge now, did you know that?  Hope so!

See you tomorrow then,

Sarah

A challenge, or two:

The Teddy Bo Challenge - Challenge #24; Anything Goes

Sketch N Stash - Challenge 80 - free choice.  I picked sketch No 29

Cards for men - Challenge 3 - Seeing Red

We've gone animal crazy at Sweet Stampin'

Hello blogworld

Nope you're not seeing things - I'm here again!

This time it's with my card for the new challenge at Sweet Stampin' and we've gone animal crazy!  This week we'd like to see animals featured on your project.  Don't forget there has to be stamping somewhere on your entry, whether it's a digi stamp or real rubber and ink it's still stamping required.

Our monthly sponsor is:

http://www.joannasheen.com/

Who is offering one lucky person a £10 voucher.

Our weekly sponsor is:

http://disdigidownloads.blogspot.com/

Who is also offering one lucky winner a $10 voucher.

I was very happy to be allowed to pick an image to play with from Di's for this challenge and here is my little creation:

I have to admit to not being so sure about this one - it's the flowers, I'm just not sure if it's working or not!  Looking at it now I'm not too unhappy with it, but it's not my favourite card ever.

I used:

Image; Di's Digi - Little Bunny Love, coloured with my Promarkers and Flexmarkers.

Die-cut with a Nestie and chalked while in the die to give the background.

The papers are all First Edition - Up, Up and Away pad.

Martha Stewart punch.

Card and sentiment from Craftwork Cards.

Everything else is from my craft stash - the little flowers are so old that I can't even remember where they came from!  

So there we go, I'll leave the final decision on the card up to you and hope you have a lovely weekend - see ya's Monday, probably.

Sarah

A challenge, or two:

Craft us Crazy - Valentine/Love or Animals - obviously I've gone for animals!

Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes

Truly Scrumptious - Challenge 72 - Something Forgotten - the little flowers used in the bouquet (they've been stashed away in a drawer for more years than I can think and only came across them this week)

The Cutie Pie Challenge blog - #10 Favourite Song - OK, OK I know second entry and the flowers aren't buttercups, but this image was just so cute and it's another favourite song of mine - Build Me Up Buttercup, by The Foundations.  I know the lyrics aren't the most cheerful (always being let down by someone) but I just love the song!!!

Look out there's a monster about!

Hi Blogworld

Me again!  This week has been a very crafty one as I felt so rough with the cold at the beginning of the week that I decided to take the week off - so no housework (don't worry I caught up today so the house isn't a complete mess!) and no exercise (no catching up with that one though!), instead I've spent the week making cards.  Have had (mostly) a very good time as well - Monday was probably the worse day, and yesterday the best.

This meant that I've had a card to share everyday this week (I think, anyhow) but it's got to end somewhere and this will be it!  Back to normal interrupted service next week!

So today's card is:

Front shot:

Close up of image:

Very simple compared to yesterdays card, but I sort of like overall and love the image!

I used:

Pollycraft digi stamp: Critters and Cogs - Spike; coloured with my Promarkers (no Flexmarkers this time!) then chalked while still in the die.  The sentiment is part Pollycraft as well.
Paper: echo park - Splash
Twine from stash.
And.......
those aren't brads!!
They are the covers that you get to go over screws in furniture!  Don't know what they are properly called, but I'm sure you know what I mean?  They come from the 'craft chest' that we have brought Emily (yes she has her own craft drawers now - I think this is addictive!).  It's a four drawer bit of bedroom furniture which is now living in our living room and has all her 'crafty' things in - she is well pleased with it!

She is not pleased however with the card, that caused tears.  There were wails when she saw the 'brads', but they're mine - was the general theme of it!  So card is now hidden in the hopes that she forgets all about bradgate!

Hope everyone else is well and I'll be back in the morning with my Sweet Stampin Design Team card.

See ya then,

Sarah

A challenge, or two:

Pollycraft Monday Challenge - Challenge #124 - Warm it Up

Crafting When We can - Challenge 10 - something not intended for crafting (see 'Bradgate' above)

Passion for Promarkers - Week 133 - Theme; recycling (again - 'Bradgate')

Waste Not Wednesdays

Hi blogworld

Here I am again, feeling much better now - cold has now moved onto hubby!  Who, it has to be said, is coping fairly well!!  Emily has slept through all this week so far as well, we have put a reward chart up on one of the kitchen cupboard doors, if she gets a star (for sleeping through) up till Sunday she'll get to pick a treat.  Fingers crossed, so far, so good.  So if only hubby and I could manage to get to bed before 11pm we'd get a good night too!!

So onto the important things - my card and this one I actually like, what's more I even got inky!!  Not something I do very often at all.

I'm following along with Lisa's Waste Not Wednesdays and inked up an unused stamp.  I couldn't believe that, going through my Sugar Nellie stamps, I've found more than one that are from 2008 and I've never even inked them!  I might even have brought them in 2008, tho I'm not sure, but still they've sat there for at least two years and never seen the light of day - shame on me!!!

So card:
Front shot:

Detail shot of image:

I used:

Stamp: Sugar Nellie - Leanne Ellis; Wish - coloured with Promarkers, Flexmarkers and highlighted with Stickles on the wings.
After stamping and colouring I dabbed on some Tattered Rose Distress Ink and then stamped a swirl with the Tattered Rose  (Autumn Leaves; swirls v.2 by Rhonna Farrer).
The papers are all First Edition - Isabelle pad - the paper at the back I swiped over with the Distress Ink to make it less bright white.
Flourish is half a memory box die - La Rue Flourish.
Sentiment is a Fiskars one; Make a Wish Quotes, then die-cut with Spellbinders shapeabilities - Fancy Tags Two.  That I also inked while it was in the die to get the pinky look to it.
Flowers and ribbons from my stuff.

Well, that was a list and a half wasn't it!!  I couldn't even say that I spent more time on this card than normal, but I used loads of my stuff (the dining room was even messier than normal when I finished!) and I really like the effect I got.

I've been practising really hard with my Pro and Flex markers and feel that I might actually be improving! I've never listed any of the pens that I use before, would anyone be interested if I did list them, or does it not matter?

So I will be back again tomorrow, with my Pollycraft challenge entry, but until then - tattieby!

Sarah

A challenge, or two:

Sketch Saturday - Week #191

Charisma Cardz Challenge - Challenge #3 - Pretty in Pink (it's pink and green, but not sure if it's pink enough?)

Moving Along with the Times - Challenge 133 - Blooming Marvellous

My Mum's Craft Shop Challenge - Challenge 41 - Flowers

Divas by Design DT card

Hello blogworld

Well can you believe another two weeks have flown by and here we are with a new challenge over at Divas by Design this time it's a sketch and it's been created by the boss lady, Rebekah, herself!

Our sponsor for this week is:

Di's Digi Downloads

Why not pop over there, have a look see at the wonderful things my teamies have created and give the challenge a go - would be lovely to see your entry. 

Here is what I came up with for my card:

Front shot:

 Detail shot of image:

I think this image could well become my favourite ever (of the images released so far!) even topping Nevaeh - shock horror!  

OK now this is going to sound very odd, but do you ever wonder about the images as you colour them? Not exactly making stories up about them, but more why.  Firstly, why did I feel that her hair had to be pink?  That was explained when I went back to Krista's etsy shop and saw she had given her pink hair - that explains that, subconsciously I'd decided pink hair as I'd seen it already.  

But then the name of the stamp - Bunny the Magician?  The girl's name or because there is a bunny rabbit in the hat? So I was making a sort of back story for her, Bunny is her name and she has been putting on her favourite dressing up outfit and her favourite toy in the hat then doing her best magic trick to the applause of her family.  Hubby then came in and totally ruined my little fantasy world - how?  He said - that dress would give an interesting view from behind, wouldn't it!  Pah to hubby's they ruin my little happy, pink, fluffy world that I inhabit when I make cards.  I might even start a campaign to ban them from dining rooms when creating is happening!

Oh dear I've really waffled there haven't I, so moving quickly on!

I used:

Saturated Canary image: Bunny the Magician and coloured with my Promarkers, Flexmarkers with highlighting using a white gel pen.  Also Glamour Dusted her underskirt, bunny tail and heart on the ear.

Go-Kreate die to cut out the image and then chalked while in the die for the background.

Papers are : Craftwork Cards-Shabby Vintage and Prima-Sparkling Spring.

Martha Stewart punch.

Flowers are various Prima.

Pearls, corner edges, button from my stuff.

Craftwork cards for card blank and sentiment.

Looking forward to seeing all the entries,

bye for now!

Sarah

A challenge, or two (or 4, my goodness I'm getting brave at this entering challenges lark!):

Saturated Canary Challenge; #9 - Dies/Punches

My Time To Craft Challenge: Challenge 171 - Your favourite embellishment - flowers

The Cutie Pie Challenge Blog: Challenge #20 - Favourite Song - A Kind of Magic (Queen) and even better from one of my favourite films ever - Highlander!

Dream Valley Challenges: Challenge 24 - Animals

Free digi

To all you Saturated Canary fans out there - look at Krista's blog there is a free digi on offer - if you sign up to her newsletter and blog!

You really should, they are lovely digis but be warned they are also addictive!!

Sarah

Mind went ages ago.....

body's going now!

Boy this cold / sore throat / ear infection (whatever!) has really thrown me.  I felt so rough this morning that hubby had to take Emily to school and then go get her as well.  I've also missed bedtime, I fell asleep on the sofa after dinner and only woke up an hour ago!

I took the day off from housework and played cards instead, but I'm not sure whether I would've been better off just doing nothing.  Had a bit of a frustrating day of it!!  Ah, one good thing - I made banana choc-chip bread.  Tho maybe that's not a good thing - it's going to play havoc with my diet.  No-one else will eat it! Wondering, by the way, why is it called bread?  Apart from being cooked in bread tins, it's a cake!

Anyhows, that's enough of my moaning and groaning (tho I'm surprised you can't hear me coughing from here!) and onto my card:

I'm practising really hard with my Promarkers and Flexmarkers - I see soo much perfect colouring out there that I really want to up my game a bit and have been studying various YouTube videos, staring at people's blogs and trying to work out what they are doing and then practising, practising, practising!  Special thanks here to Coops for telling me what colours she uses for skin tones, I think I'm happier with those then the ones I was using before.

Not too upset with this image, not as defined a colour as I've seen - but now I'm trying to go lighter to darker shades - I've always done darker to lighter.  Feels a bit strange and it bleeds out of the images something terrible!

Anyway have a look and see what you think:

I used:

Sugar Nellie - Simply Sassy stamp: Delicious - coloured with Promarkers and Flexmarkers, bit of stickles as well.
Diecut with a nestie and then chalked while in the die.
Distressed all the edges and then inked with a Tim Holtz distressing ink pad.
Papers are all from a freebie pack that came with a magazine ages ago.
Gems from my stuff.
Papermania sentiment.
Added a bit of faux stitching with a black pen.
Craftworks cards card blank.

So am off now to blog hop - say hello to my bloggyfriends and then stare some more at gorgeous images, wonderfully coloured and wonder how on earth they do it!!!

See's ya soon,
Sarah

A challenge, or two:

The Sugar Bowl - Challenge 75 - Erika's Sketch (optional birthday theme)

Secret Crafter - Challenge #169 - food and drink

Make it Monday - Linky party for inspiration

And the winner is ................

Hi all

Sorry for the slight delay in doing this draw - am starting to feel better, but am not 100% yet!  Still sniffing, blowing and coughing everywhere, but at least I'm not wiping my nose on my sleeve.  That is one thing that I cannot seem to get through to Emily - there are such things as tissues!!!!!

So I did the draw and the winner of my little bit of candy is

Julie

Well done you - it's so nice that your name came out of the hat (well tin!) - you've certainly deserve some sort of prize for bearing with my waffle for so long!!!

Want to email me -    sarah{at}vintagecoach{dot}com   and we'll sort out getting your candy to you.

Best wishes

Sarah

Life gets in the way

Hi all

Just to let you know that I'm running a bit late with drawing my 100 followers candy.  I don't know if the bad sleeping from Emily was a little clue as to what was to come, but she now has a stinking cold (happily passed onto me so far!) and so is still sleeping very badly - so I haven't got round to putting names in a hat yet.  Been doing lots of running around with drinks and medicine and stopping her from wiping her nose on her sleeve instead!

Will do it tomorrow or Monday and post right after.

Hope everyone else is fine.

Sarah

Catch a falling star

and put it in your pocket, never let it fade away.

Great song that one - been going round in my head (and probably yours now) since I started making this card this morning.  But enough singing from me, I'm scaring the cats!!

Well hello blogworld

Want an update on little miss boss?  OK she was in bed for 7pm last night, but then spent from 1am to 3am awake, on and off, in our bed - in her bed - then a trip to the bathroom - then standing in the hallway once I'd put her back to bed again, and so on.  Oh it took me back to when she was little!  She's never been what you could call a good sleeper, but last night was a doozy!  At one point, just before I did get her to go to sleep (at 3am) she is sitting up in bed saying that as daddy has gone downstairs (he ended up sleeping on the sofa) she wants to go down too and play as 'my body just isn't tired mummy'!

Needless to say I was tired today, hubby was tired and she was in fine fettle!  I should've been going swimming this afternoon - part of a new trying to get rid of some of this fat routine - but was so pooped I feel asleep on the sofa!  Luckily Peter was awake and went and picked her up for me!!

Anyhows, enough of my waffle and onto card:

Only the one picture as I thought I made a good job for once of taking the photo!!  The only problem with it is that I used my Prisma pencils to try and get a good colour match for the papers - as I couldn't think what colour Promakers to use, hmmmm didn't get that one right!

It's one of the things I struggle with the most - colour matching.  I'm not colour blind, but I certainly couldn't name you colours or shades and sometimes I get in a right pickle trying to colour match - there that's my moan for the day!

Card is:

I used:

Pollycraft stamp: Sharing Sherbet - Catch A Falling Star; coloured with a little bit with my Promarkers but mostly Prisma pencils: Sherbet Words for the sentiment.
I inked the edge of the die-cut as otherwise I felt it got lost a bit.
Stickles on the stars and flowers.
First Edition paper pad - Isabelle
Memory Box die - Valerian Flourish
Shapeabilities - Fancy Tags for the greeting
Flowers and pins from my stuff.

So there you go, I'm still not sure about whether the one paper is too close in colour to the other - does it get lost a bit?  That's what I think, anyway.

Hope everyone else is well, back soon,

Sarah

A challenge, or two:

Pollycraft Monday Challenges - Challenge #123; Bingo (Die cuts, Pollycraft image, flowers - were my choice)

Totally Gorjuss - Challenge 114 - be a star!

One of those days!

Hello everyone

Firstly I'd like to say hello to my new followers - it's lovely that you feel you would like to listen to my ramblings and look at my little creations.  Hope you're not disappointed!!

Anyhows onto today - well it has been one of those days.  All day to make one card, ages to pick image (with Lisa's Waste Not Wednesdays in mind), ages - in-between housework and baking - to colour and, oh silly me, decided to use a colour combo that I haven't used before then - super daft me - also decided to cut around the image rather than cutting it out with a die.

Guess what - I didn't like the colour, I'm rubbish (are you allowed to swear on blogger?  I do hope not, otherwise my posts would be blue!) at cutting and it looked dreadful, so then - lightbulb moment - decided to go round the outline with black Promarker.  What happened - I smudged it!

I think you can guess where that image ended up - oooh yes filed under 'b' for bin!!

Back to the drawing board and second attempt is below, still not 100% happy but happier.  I just can't seem to get back into the creating groove at the moment, everything is a hard slog.  I don't know maybe it's just the winter blues.

I also am not going into the temper tantrums we've had from little boss this evening, suffice to say (apart from being a good girl and eating all her dinner) she has gone to bed early!  Hubby and I are very grateful that she is now sound asleep and hoping that she spends the next 12 hours blissfully asleep - fat chance!!!

So my card:
Front shot:

Detail of image:

I used:
Kratin' Kimmie - Angry Ballerina; coloured with my Promarkers and Flexmarkers.  I Glamour Dusted her underskirt for a bit of sparkle and chalked around the image whilst in the die.  The sentiment came with the stamp.
Papers are all First Edition - Bird Song.
I'm rather pleased the 'kraft' backing paper - it's the inside of Christmas wrapping paper, got to be inventive if I'm not buying and I don't think it looks too bad.
Martha Stewart punch
Brad, gems and ribbon all from stuff.

So enough waffle from me (hope I haven't put the new followers off!).  Am off now to spend an hour or two before bed savouring the peace and quiet!

Hope everyone is keeping well and see you soon,

Sarah

A challenge or two:

Sketch Saturday - Week #190

Passion for Promarkers - Week 132; Theme - Humour

I love Promarkers - Challenge #100 - Anything Goes

My Mum's Craft Shop Challenge - Challenge 40 - Favourite Colour Combo - well it does change a lot, but I do seem to go back to Pink and Green quite a lot, so I'm picking that!

This feels like going naked in public!

Hello blogworld

I did tell you the run of regular postings wouldn't carry on, didn't I!  And this is not even a cards post - it's a reply to Abi's post about her boxes - and I quite agree with you Abi I don't know whether to be ashamed or proud about my stuff either!

Right, well you will really have to bear with me on this one.  It is very, very picture heavy!  It does also really feel like I'm baring my soul in public, but well I promised and here I go.

These are pictures of what used to be my dining room but where I now 'play' stamps and cards - hubby has promised me that one day I'll get a corner of the computer room, but no idea when that day will be.  So in the meantime, we have to put up with this:

My 'desk' which allows us just enough room to sit at the other end of the table for dinner: you might just be able to make out the lappy on the kitchen table through the door - thats where I am right now!

My flowers, cuttlebug, dies, papers, cards and general mess:

Ribbons, card blanks, envelopes (in the boxes), light cube, stamps:

My unmounted stamps:

 close up of boxes:

Mounted stamps, each tray is double layered as shown:

Books (I read a lot!), MS punches, glitters, various bits and bobs:

More papers, flowers, pens, pencils and assorted stuff:

So this is why I'm Using it Up - nearly 10 years worth of buying and not enough using!

Abi, for you!!!  And I'm posting before I turn chicken.

Sarah

Not a card!

Hello blogworld

Well what a noisy day we had yesterday, one of Emily's friends came over for a large chunk of the day and the noise they made!  It was deafening - and it made it very difficult to hear the little girls mum during our nice girlie chat!!

Of course Emily had a wonderful time, and her friend didn't want to go home - so happy girlies make for happy mummies!

And talking of happy mummies - a very proud mummy moment here.  Emily has just read a Oxford Reading Tree phonics book all the way through and all I had to do was help out with maybe 3 words!  I am so proud of her and it's so weird hearing her read - don't think I'll ever get over the things my marvellous little girl can do.

And so onto the craft - I've made a gift bag!  Now I used to cross stitch and then took up cards and the cross stitch went by the wayside.  I've dabbled in scrapbooks, bragbooks, boxes and even a keyring or two but never tried making a bag before.

Found a wonderful tutorial here from Googling and here is my attempt.  I know the join is a bit ropey, but overall not too bad, I thought.

Front shot:

Sideways on:

 Detail shot of image:

I used:
Pollycrafts digi image: Sonnys Party coloured with my Flexmakers and Promarkers.
Cut out and matted onto Nestie shapes.
The paper, ribbons, patterned paper, feather are all from my stuff
Sentiment is a Lili of the Valley stamp, again cut and mounted with/on Nestie.

Hope everyone else is having a good weekend (and this run of regular posting must end soon).

Sarah

A challenge, or two:

Pollycraft Monday Challenge - Challenge #122; Anything but a card

A Gem of a Challenge - #37 - a photo inspiration

Can you see it?

Hello bloworld

How amazing am I at the moment, regular blog posts - am astounding myself as well!  I'll run out of things to say - no wait, it's Sarah here so that'll never happen!

So this post is all about the new challenge over at Sweet Stampin' and this time we'd like to see your Glittery / Shiney / Blingy creations please!

Our sponsor for this month is the wonderful place that is Joanna Sheen and a £10 voucher is up for grabs.  Can you guess I've shopped there more than once!

The sponsor for this challenge is Emerald Faeries and the prize is two digis.

The Design Team were lucky enough to be given images to work with - have to say this is the first time I've used one of these digis and loved it!  So easy to colour and so sweet and without further ado here is my card and the reason for the post title.

I added glitter to most of the spots on the backing paper and the faeries wings, but not sure you can spot it - so can you?  Oh and the flower is glittery: glitter - tick, now I come to think of it the grommet is shiny - tick, but no bling, oh well!  Two out of three ain't bad - hmmm wonder if that would make a good song lyric!

So front shot of card:

Detail shot of image:

 Trying to show the glitter:

I used:

Emeral Faeries image: Ashee, coloured with my Promarkers and Flexmarkers.

Nestie for matting and layering.

Glamour dust on wings and 3d gloss on mushroom.

CC Designs die for border - teardrop

Flower, patterned paper and grommet from my stash (Using It Up!)

So why not pop over to the challenge and join in, we'd love to see you!  Oh and there is a Design Team call going on at the mo as well - go on give it a go, you could get to work with a bunch of lovely creative ladies and moi!

Sarah

A challenge, or two:

Sketch N Stash - challenge 78 - Michelle's Sketch

Flutter By Wednesday's - #185 - bright colours - I know there is a lot of pastel, but hopefully the mushroom and flower qualify?  Feel free to remove if not.

Stampin' for the Weekend - Challenge 24 - out with the old - my 'olds' are the paper, flower and grommit

Here it is - draw closed.

Me again,

My goodness you must be sick of me by now!  But this time it's something different - my 100 followers candy I promised you.

So what do you think to this?

It consists of:
Magnolia Stamp - Ballerina Tilda
Three reels of ribbon
A packet of ribbon bows
A set of Basic Grey fibres
A packet of sticky back flat gems
Assorted flowers (from Wild Orchid Crafts)
K&Co 6x6 paper pad - Amy Butler, Belle

Very simple rules for this candy - it's a thank you to all the people who have been following my blog - so I'm not looking for people to publicise it or looking for new followers so no need for you to add it to sidebars or post about it.  Though I won't stop you if you want to!

You MUST be a follower of this blog to enter for it.

I will post overseas and also send it recorded delivery so that I, and you, know that it was posted.

Just pop a comment on this post and I'll leave it open until next week (Friday 20th January) then do a draw and announce a winner.

Good luck and thank you for following my blog.  I am constantly surprised that people want to look at my averagey cards and listen to my insane waffle - you are a lovely bunch of crafters!

Hugs and snugs
Sarah

Just a quickie

Hi Blogworld

I've been deserted!  Daughter at school and hubby going to get her - daughter insisted that it was daddy's turn to collect her - so as she owns this house (as she so often tells us!) when she says jump we say how high and off daddy trots to collect her from school.

I'm just hoping that he doesn't get fed up with the parking around school and think that the school bus is an even better idea!  By the way, thanks for all your comments on yesterday's dilemma,  the bus trip isn't as bad as it sounds.  Emily goes to a fairly small school (160ish pupils for the whole school) and it takes us 7 minutes to drive there (it's been timed!) so the bus journey wouldn't be too bad.  It's just I don't think she's ready (let alone me!) to do that yet, nice to know I'm not the only voice in the wilderness.

Anyhows, as I've time on my own I thought I'd do blogging and share my latest card.

Front shot of card:

Detail shot of image:

I don't know how the pics look your screens, but on mine it looks very washed out.  Please excuse if the real cuteness of this card is not coming through, put it down to operator error ;-)

I used:
Wild Rose Studio Stamp: Cherry Cupcake - Mia with Teddy, coloured with my Promarkers and Flexmarker.  With Stickles for added sparkles.
Cut out with a Nestie and for the first time, I coloured the background of the stamp while it was in the die.  Doesn't look too bad I'm thinking.
Papers are all Pink Petticoat: Vintage Rose Collection (a freebie pack that came with a mag)
Ribbon, flowers, butterfly, sentiment all from stash.
Martha Stewart punch to create the border.

Ah and also, while I'm here, I should say I'm having problems with seeing everyones updates to their blogs.  I seem not to be getting updates to some peoples blogs - don't know why, but I'm not!  So if I've not been round your blog lately to say hello, it's because as far as my computer knows the blog isn't being updated!

I'm aiming tonight to go through my list of blogs that I follow and say hi, so watch out for waffle (that's warned you, hasn't it - go hide!).

And I will be back later tonight - I've sorted out my 100 follower candy, finally!!

See's ya later,
Sarah

A challenge, or two:

Sketch Saturday - Week #189

The Cutie Pie Challenge Blog - Week 9: Ribbons and Lace (hope only ribbon is OK - I've used up all my lace and not buying more due to stash ban!)

I love Promarkers - Challenge #99: Cute and Cuddly

And here I am again!

Hello blogworld

I'm being a fluke again and posting on a regular basis!  And I'm back to waffling, daughter has been in bed since 7pm, dishes done, adult bottoms happily parked in various chairs in the living room and lappy attached to lap (ha, that's why they are called lappys isn't it!).  Plus one cat now also squashed onto lap with lappy - making it difficult for me to type!

So dilemma of the day, is a school bus journey for daughter.  We've just found out that a friend of Emily's who lives fairly close is getting the school bus home.  This has put ideas into hubby's head!  Personally I think she is too young (at 4 1/2) to get the bus home on her own, even if it is a mini bus instead of a proper double decker.  Problem is that Emily is keen as well!  I fear I am a lone voice in the wilderness, I think I will insist tho on waiting until she is 5 and in Year 1.

Anyway, that's my problem of the day over with - now for card of the day.

This one was actually for someone and has been posted and received - I made a card I used!  So weird, eh.

Here is front shot of card:

 Detail shot of image:

I used:

Kraftin Kimmie - Charlotte stamp; coloured with Promarkers.  A little bit of Glamour Dust highlighting her choker and underskirt,
Die-cut with a Nestie and chalked while in die for the background.
Papers are unknown - Using It Up while digging through my big box of 12x12 papers.
Ribbon and gems from stuff.
Fanciful Flourish die
Sentiment computer generated and cut with a Shapeabilites die.

Maybe see you tomorrow?

Sarah

A challenge, or two:

Passion for Promarkers - Week 131 - Theme; "inspired by a song"; my song is Queens "Friends will be Friends" Great song, one of my favourites!

Cute Card Thursday - Challenge 199; You're having a laugh! (well I thought my card was funny, maybe weird funny - but still funny!)

Moving along with the times - Challenge 130; Spots/Stripes

My Mum's Craft Shop Challenge - Challenge 39; Here come the girls

No waffle, so difficult!

Hi Blogworld

Well it's not often you see me posting twice in one day, and if you are looking for my Divas by Design post please scroll down, but I realised earlier that The Sugar Bowl closes in a little while and I wanted to join in, so no waffle just card!  Will waffle another day - bet you are are sooo sorry no waffle aren't you  ;-)

I did one card to follow the optional theme (no patterned paper) and then had a go with colouring using stronger colours - not something I'm used to - and patterned papers.

So, card following theme:
Front shot:

 Detail shot of image:

Card not following optional theme but still following sketch:

Detail shot of image:

I used:
Sugar Nellie image: Manga Girl #2 - coloured with my Promarkers and Flexmarkers
Will be back later with rest of details - am in the middle of daughters bath and bed routine, so no time.

 Am still being good and have not brought anything, but am using up my stuff.  I was also following along with Lisa and using a stamp I think I've only ever inked once before!

It was like going shopping making the second card - I'd coloured it before I choose the papers, so had a long wander around the (ahem) many (substitute - hundreds!) of 12x12 papers that I own!

Hope you are all well,
Sarah

A challenge, or two:

The Sugar Bowl - Challenge 74 - Maria Therese's Sketch

The Divas are back!

Hello blogworld

Well our extended hols over at Divas by Design are now over and it's officially the start of a New Year and our first challenge for 2012.

I have loved looking through all your Christmassy projects and am sure the new challenge will get your creative juices flowing.  So for challenge number 18 we'd like to see your projects for either New Beginnings or Thanks and our sponsor this time is:

http://www.craftyemmasstore.co.uk/

I went for a Thank you theme as my card, as I needed some to send out for Emily's Christmas presents.  

This is what I came up with:

Front shot:

Detail of image:

Took me blooming ages to work out what I was up to but looks very simple and, I hope, elegant.

I used:

Saturated Canary: digi image Thank You, coloured with my Flexmarkers and Promarkers.

Image die-cut with a Nestie.

The bottom half is a Inkadinkado flourish stamped across the card.

The sentiment is one I've had for ages.

Scallop is a Die-namics die.

Pearls are from my stuff (Using it Up!!)

So, why not pop over and join in - we'd love to see your creations.

Sarah

PS - I can see I'm over a 100 followers now by the numbers, but I can't see your images!  So hello and welcome to my blog - I hope you find something you like here.  I know I also have to do the candy and I will, promise!

A challenge, or two:

Saturated Canary Challenge - #8; Clean and Simple

Dream Valley Challenges - Challenge 23; Anything Goes

How difficult can it be to make a card!

Hello blogworld

My goodness this card has been a hard slog - I only have 8 thank you cards to make but they are proving very difficult.  Only two done, one which I can't share just yet and this one.

Had a whole day yesterday card making, supposedly anyway but all I did was faff around with images and papers and ended up with one card, one image coloured and another part coloured - pah!

This is what the coloured in image turned into:

Front shot:

Detail shot of image:

Love the image, colouring not too bad not too sure about the faux stitching!

I used:

Saturated Canary digi - Thank you; coloured with my Flexmarkers (oooh my last purchase of the year was the new colours - on their way - not pah!!).
Die cut with a Go-Kreate die and chalked while in the die.
Papers are all Papermania - Blueberry Hill
Swirl is a Marianne die
Buttons and lace from stash

The worse part of the whole thing - this was the last little bit of lace I had.  No more lace and not allowing myself to buy anymore!  Pah and double pah - no more challenges with lace for me then!!

Hope everyone else has had a better couple of days.

Oooh, just remembered - I'm up to 100 followers!  Hello to the new peeps, this means I am now officially sorting out a bit of something to offer as candy.  Should have that arranged by the middle of the week.

Sarah

A challenge, or two:

TotallyPaperCrafts - sketch

The Poodles Parlour - Button Up

I love Promarkers - #98; Buttons and Lace

Well would you look at that!

I was just having  a sneaky surf (am waiting for little 'un to come upstairs for her bath - she is watching telly and eating cake with daddy at the mo - so very healthy, eh!) and realised that I've got 99 followers!!

I've no idea how that happened and a very big welcome to all you lovely peeps who want to listen to my waffle and look at my cards.

I tell you what - I'll be back later and officially do this candy thingy for if I get one more follower to make it to 100!!

Sees you later.

Sarah

My favourite cards of 2011

Hello blogworld

Today was back to school day, and (on the whole) it went well.  We have had an increase in screaming just lately when the little lady decides she doesn't like something (i.e. mummy getting her dressed!) and we had a little bit of that this morning, but I think she was as happy to go back to school as we were to have her there.  I wouldn't have thought this time last year that I would be happy to see her go to school, but (as much as I miss her) she genuinely enjoys school - like she did nursery - misses her friends when she isn't there and so I swallow my feelings and make it all happy that school is back on.

We also put Christmas away in the loft today and the house looks all sparkly and clean!  Took the opportunity to move the furniture around in the living room and it does make it look a little bigger - I've also now got the prime spot in front of the fire and telly, so I'm happy!

So onto to point of this post - I've seen a fair number of people joining in with Debby's top 5 Christmas cards of 2011 and then favourite cards of 2011.  I didn't join in with the Christmas cards - didn't have time - but I'd like to join in with the favourites of 2011.  However I can't pick just 5 so I've increased it to 10 - hope that's OK.

I think I've waffled on enough, so I'm not going into reams of details of these cards - and without further ado here they are:

My absolute favourite:

Then the others in no particular order:

My daughter's 4th birthday card:

 

I liked the sketch so much at Less Is More for this one that I got a bit carried away!

I had to have one Christmas card - as I didn't join in with the Top 5 Christmas cards

Ok, Ok so I went to 13 - but I count the Less is More ones as 1 - that brings it down to 12, then take off the Christmas card that brings it down to 11!  So one more than I said.

My goodness the wind has been howling here while I've been typing this!  It's blowing a gale down our chimney sounds awful out there!  I do hope we don't loose the chimney!!!!

Hopefully I'll be back soon with a new card or two.

See you soon,
Sarah