I'm seeing spots....

or is it dots?  I can never tell.

So how are we this fine morning, my bloggy friends?

I'm here again so quickly as it's a new challenge over at Divas by Design, it's Team A's turn and the theme this week is: Spots and/or Stripes and I went with spots (or is it dots - see above!).

Our wonderful sponsor this week is:

Meljen's Designs is a lovely stamp company owned and illustrated by Melissa Jenkins. She illustrates whimsical rubber and digital images inspired by her kids and family. Meljen's Designs has new releases along with a new challenge every Thursday, freebies every Monday and a Guest Designer each month at the Meljen's Designs Blog. Please visit the Meljen's Designs line of stamps at the STORE to browse and enjoy Melissa's wonderful images!

This is my little creation:

Front shot:

Detail of image:

 So I used:

Meljens stamp: Topsy Turvy Cake - coloured with my Prisma pencils and a touch of Stickles.

No idea who the paper is by, it's been in my stuff for at least 5 years and I've finally used some of it!

Fiskars border punch

Flowers and brad from my stuff.

Craftwork Cards - card blank and sentiment.

Hope that you can find time to pop over to see the other Divas wonderful creations and join in the fun this week yourself.

Cheerio for now,

Sarah

A challenge, or two:

Crafty Boots Challenges: Food Glorious Food

Addicted to Stamps: Birthday card with dots

Totally Gorjuss: Challenge 120 - Yummy!

Hmmmm,

well it's slowly returning, the old inspiration / mojo thingy!  It's still not playing ball altogether, but am slowly getting there.

Thanks to everyone who left a comment, it is so reassuring to know that other people have the same problem.  Jayne - nice suggestion about dancing to music, but my dancing is about as good as my singing and I frighten cats with that!!!

So this is what I produced today, what do you think?  It's not my normal style of card - tho to be honest I don't think I really have a normal style.  I seem to waver from pure and simple stamping on a card blank, to loading it up with embellishments (tho I've not been that extreme for a while!).

Ha, and it's the first time I've got that blooming butterfly die to work.  It finally clicked in the walnut that I call a brain that I could use the shims I use for my Cheery Lynn die with the butterfly die that won't cut properly - bingo, one properly cut butterfly.  Of course then I had to get it out of the die - ping, ping, ping (that's the sound of all the fiddly little bits of card pinging all over the dining room).

I almost didn't make this card - it's mainly for the Saturated Canary challenge which is no squares or rectangles and I wasn't sure it fitted the theme.  Also the ladies who enter that challenge (and create the DT cards) create the most fantastic cards and stuff and it some times depresses me looking over there.  But I decided what the hell, why not - I'm learning and, I hope, getting better so keep going there Sarah!  And I didn't want it to be Lili of the Valley all over again - stopped doing those challenges as the cards they picked were sooooo good that it really, really, really depressed me and I stopped joining in!  Oh I am so depressing sometimes, good job I got a healthy sense of the ridiculous with my make up, eh!!!!

Front shot: hmmm looks wonky, promise it's not in real life

 Close up of image:

So I used:

Sugar Nellie stamp: Simply Sassy - Hippy Chick, coloured with my Promarkers.  Die-cut with, and mounted onto, a nestie.

Card blank, and layers, cut with a Go-Kreate die.  The layers were then embossed with D'vine Swirl and Swiss Dots embossing folders.

Cheery Lynn Fanciful Flourish (on no I just went and looked at Dies to Die for - playing havoc with my stash diet!!!!!)

Marianne Creatable butterfly die.

White flowers and the tiny pink ones from Wild Orchid Crafts, red flower has a story behind it.  It's mine from the ones that I saved from my wedding.  This means it, and a batch of others, have been sitting around for 9 years, look out for more of them appearing.

Pearls from my stuff.

Right OK, well that was serious waffling wasn't it.  Am off now to inflict my waffle on everyone else's blogs.

Look out blogworld, here I come!

Sarah

A Challenge, or two:

Saturated Canary challenge: Challenge #11 - anything but square or rectangle, hope this is OK ladies.

The Cutie Pie challenge: Flowers

Die-Ing for A Challenge: #1 - Anything Goes, best of luck with the new challenge blog!

I think I've lost something

and that something would be my inspiration or mojo or whatever you want to call it - anyone found it wandering loose anywhere?

I had a whole day to myself yesterday - Peter went off down to Essex and took Emily with him (a whole 12 hours on their own - and they survived it!) I sat here shuffled my stuff around on my 'desk'.

Surfed the 'net, shuffled some more.

Went and watched daytime rubbish telly, shuffled some more.

Went and watched loads of Dr Who (David Tennant era, that made me happy!), shuffled some more.

Gave up, had my dinner and then watched more Dr Who.

Wasted day - in total two images part coloured and tried a new skin combo for my Promarkers that I didn't even feel went together so well.  I do wish I could get the shading right on faces!

So what's the solution then, anyone got one?  All comments gratefully received.

Otherwise I might just give up and sell the lot!!!!  Yeah, right!!!

Sarah

We've gone all boy-ey!!

As my Emily would say!

It's Saturday and that means a new challenge over at Sweet Stampin' and this week we're looking for your masculine cards.

Our regular monthly sponsor is:

with the prize being a £10 voucher for one lucky person.

The weekly sponsor this time is:

who are also offering one lucky person a £10 voucher.

So masculine cards, eh!  Not really my strong point, cards for men / boys.  I struggled along making one card - wonderful image, terrible colouring - couldn't decide how to lay it out - did something very boring!  This is the result:

 No close up on image as I hated the way the cushions came out!  And, Abi, I really couldn't do paper piecing - I can't cut out detail, really I can't I'm just rubbish at it.  Depend completely on my nesties!!!

I used:

TeddyBo & Co digi stamp: Teddybo_053 - Just resting my eyes; coloured with my Promarkers
Papers are all from a Papermania pad - Henbury Lane
Sentiment from Craftwork Cards

So I had another go and this I prefer - it's still not brilliant, but I am happier with it:

I used:

Lili of the Valley stamp: Lazy Afternoon; coloured with my Promarkers and cut / mounted with nesties.  Date stamp is also from Lili of the Valley and, again, cut out with a circular nestie.
The papers are all Basic Grey: Archaic pad (one of my fav masculine paper pads and I'm running out them - arrrggghhh!!).
The brads are from Basic Grey.
Paper string from my stuff.

So there you go - this one was really a challenge for me!  Not for my team-mates though, you should pop over to the blog and see the wonderful cards they came up with.

Am sure it won't be a struggle for you either - looking forward to seeing all your wonderful masculine cards.

See you again soon,
Sarah

PS - The deliberate mistake on my card in the previous post?  The only people who got it were Anita and Helen - I accidentally put the patterned paper on upside down!  Hopefully if you didn't notice my friend and her daughter won't either!!!

A challenge, or two:

Hotshot Craft blog: Challenge #4 one for the boys

Moving Along with the Times: Lots of layers - my second card

Truly Scrumptious: Challenge 74 - All creatures great and small - my 1st card

Here come the Boys: #21 Vintage feel - hope my 2nd card is OK for the theme!

Anyone still there?

Hellooooo is anyone left out there?

I wouldn't be surprised if I'm calling out in an empty hall here - been ages hasn't it!  Don't think it's been the longest gap between my posts, but it's getting pretty close!

All I can say is that life has been hectic at home the last few days, quieter as Emily has gone back to school but house was a bit of a state and I've been running around trying to generally catch up with myself.  Add onto that our internet connection broke down and for a few days we only had a very minimal connection and you can see why I've not been very active on the internet just lately.

I've also not made any cards for over a week and, to be honest, I feel that I've lost a bit of my inspiration.  It's taking me awhile to get back into the swing of things.  I think tomorrow I might just sit and colour for a bit, see where it takes me.

Anyway - waffle, waffle, as per usual!  One thing not as per usual though, another card made for a purpose and sent today.  Made this for my friends' little girl who will be 10 tomorrow.  I wasn't really quite sure what sort of card to make for her, I mean when I was 10 I was still pretty much a babyish sort of kid, but they aren't now are they?  More like teenagers, from what I can see of the kids I know of that age.

So this is what I came up with:
Front shot:

 Detail shot of image:

Ahh, and I wonder if anyone will spot the deliberate mistake?

I used:
Lili of the Valley stamp: Cake Glorious Cake, coloured with my Promarkers and highlighted with Glamour Dust and Stickles.
Cut out with a nestie and chalked while still in the die.
The papers are all First Edition: Up, Up and Away
Flourish is a Memory Box Die: Valerian Flourish
Silver corner from my stuff (only one left now!).
Cardblank and sentiment from Craftwork Cards.

Will be around all your blogs in the next few days, trying to catch up.

See you soon.

Sarah

A challenge, or two:

My Time To Craft: Challenge 173 - Bring on the cake

Aud Sentiments Challenge: A sentiment with the word 'happy' on it

and just for fun;
Linking up with Lisa at Wishcraft - this stamp is relatively new (probably less than 6 mths), but still inking it up for the first time.

For sale!

Hi blogworld

Here I am again, having survived a whole day in Skegness Pier!  As said spent the morning in adventure play area - well the kids did.  Me and my friend sat and chatted while they charged around behind the mesh.  Emily did get a bit annoyed with her friend at one point - she went down a very big slide with the promise that he was coming down right behind her, then he scarpered!!!  You could hear her from the other side of the room going - that's not fair, come back here Ryan, come back here!!!

Afternoon was spent bowling and they loved it!  Not sure the staff appreciated all the thumps there were when I kept dropping the blooming balls.  Been near on 20 years since I last went bowling and I used to be, note used to be!, quite good at it!  Oh the years have not been kind ;-)

Today we had a quiet day in, still not done any housework tho!  Been getting the holiday cottage ready, it's let for a week from tomorrow and as it's the first let this year it needed a good clean and dust.  Oh and made an Apple Danish pastry - very nice.

So card this time, seeing all the mini cards appearing in blogworld I thought I'd have a go as well.  This is the result.  Another card made for a reason and sent - get me!!  Sorry it's a bit wonky, for once it's not the picture - it's something I got wrong when I popped the image on so the card ended up being at a slant!  Oh well, know for next time.

I used:

Stampin Bella - Izzy has a Daisy, coloured with my Promarkers and Flexmarkers.
The card was made with my largest nestie scalloped circle and paper and image cut with various size circle nesties.
Paper is a scrap - think it's from one of the First Edition paper pads, but not sure which one.
Flowers are Prima (had 'em ages) and gems from my stuff.

And finally, why the post title?  Well as we put Emily to bed tonight, I said something mumsy (can't remember exactly what) and she said that I can't mustn't say that and that if I keep on she would put me up for sale!!!!!  So what do you think you would get for a (ahem!) slightly plump, over the hill, out of MOT product of the 70's?  Made hubby laugh anyway - he told Em that he'd been trying to sell me for ages, but couldn't get anyone to buy me!  She did say when I was tucking her into bed, that she is sure she won't have to sell me as I'm going to be good now!

So off I toddle to bed again!

Hope you are all well, and not being put up for sale.

Sarah

A challenge, or two:

Craft us Crazy: Challenge #21 - Favourites - my favourites are patterned papers and flowers

Cute Card Thursday: Challenge 204 - Flower power

Busy, busy, busy

Hello blogworld

As always, when it's half-term, am very busy keeping missy entertained (and struggling with a cold, again!).

So this is going to be a quick post and then I'm heading off to bed as am off out all day tomorrow.  We are off to Skeg-vegas - soft play in the morning (altho by the time they get to nearly 5 is one of those climbing, sliding, ball pool things called soft play or is it something else?) lunch out and then 10 pin bowling in the afternoon.  Oh what a busy life I lead!!

So here is my card, made it last week for a monthly friendship swap on the Do-Crafts forum.  So, oh shock horror, another card made and sent!  Know it's arrived now, so can post it here:

Front shot of card:

Detail shot of image:

I used:
Tiddly Inks: Fairy Fae, hair and base colour I used my Promarkers and then wings, flowers and shading I used my Prisma pencils.
The papers are scraps from my box.
Paper string from my stuff.
Craftwork cards: card blank and sentiment

Hopefully will find time to post again before the weekend, but you never know!  Back to normal next week.

Sarah

A challenge, or two:

Flutter By Wednesday : #190 - anything with wings

Digital Tuesday Challenge: #147 - use your stash

Not a card!

Hello blogworld,

This is going to be a short post from me - am trying to watch telly and type this and one or the other's got to go - sorry bloggyfriends it's you!  No offence, even hubby looses out to my fav telly programme!

Also very busy at home just now with Em off on half-term, but luckily she is much better (cold and behaved).

So not a card from me this time but a gift bag - inspired by the Lili of the Valley ideas to inspire blog and Bev Rochesters project there.

So, heavy on the old pictures here!

Bag looks a bit wonky in the next picture, but it isn't - it's that the flowers are hanging over the edge a bit and so it won't sit right.  Better placement next time I think!

Not so sure about the flowers on the handle, but quite like the rest.  It was actually quite easy to make, and I can see it being adapted to different sizes and shapes.

I used:
Sugar Nellie stamp: Daisy, coloured with my Promarkers and Flexmarkers.
Chalked while in the die (it was cut out with a nestie circle).
Flowers are Wild Orchid Crafts and the ones on the handle are Prima.
Brads from my stuff
The bag itself is made from long rectangular nesties and the handle a Martha Stewart punch

Hope everyone else is well.

Sarah

A challenge, or two:

The Cutie Pie Challenge: #11 Anything but a card

Sweet Stampin Saturday

Hello blogworld,

And how are we all on this chilly Saturday then?  Our snow has mostly melted, but the weather reports reckon that there is a Northerly on it's way and we are due more next week!

Reason for this post is it's Saturday and so a new challenge over at Sweet Stampin'.  This week we would like to see your Clean and Simple cards - but still with stamping on please!

Our monthly sponsor this time is:

Who are offering a £10 voucher (free postage don't forget!)

and weekly sponsor is:

£10 voucher to one lucky person.

And here is my little contribution to get the ideas flowing:
Front shot:

Detail shot of image:

I used:

The Greeting Farm: Princess Ava, coloured with my Promarkers and Flexmarkers.  The tiara has been highlighted with a little Stickles.  Die cut with a Nestie and again I chalked the image after colouring, but before taking it out of the Nestie.
The sentiment is from a Fiskars set.
Scrap of paper from my pile of scraps and a few pearls from my stuff.

Hey presto, one Clean and Simple card.

I'm having a little roll of CaS at the mo - you may have noticed - and I did make another one for the challenge, but I wasn't entirely happy with it and have ditched it!!

Why not pop over to the challenge, check out my teamies beautiful cards and while you're there join with us!   Looking forward to seeing you.

Sarah

A challenge, or two:

Paper Sundaes: Challenge #106 - Clean and Simple

Allsorts Challenge: Week 141 - Free and Easy February

A week in progress

Good morning bloggers

You find me here at an unusual time as things are going a bit pear shaped in our house with Em being off school.

I tell you what, I'll do the card first - then I'll waffle, 'cause this could be long.  Firstly tho I must say a very big thank you to Delphine who very kindly said it was OK to use a layout from one of her beautiful cards - if you haven't had a peep at her blog, you should her cards are beautiful!!!

So card and isn't this the most gorgeous image?
Font shot:

Detail shot of image:

New stash warning on this card - I brought the image this month, in my once a month digi treat spend.

I used:

Saturated Canary digi: So Sorry - die cut with a nestie and chalked while in the die.  Coloured with my Promarkers and Flexmarkers.

Paper: My Mind's Eye - Laundry Line

Bit of glamour glitter on the heart in the balloon.

Sentiment from a Fiskars set.

Pearls from my stuff.

I made the card blank.

Week in our household so far, since beginning of not at school saga:

Emily took to Drs on Wednesday, verdict conjunctivitis.  After the Drs she was allowed an art magazine as a treat (things to cut out), normally she is very good with scissors - so I left her alone with them while I came downstairs, get back upstairs - she's cut a chunk out of her hair and a hole in her leggings.  I said to her I'm getting your father, as she wouldn't give me a straight answer and needed a break from me telling her off (you've got to picture me muttering and complaining in the background), hubby tried to talk to said daughter to ask why! No straight answer given.

Thursday, hubby thought it would be a good idea to let her downstairs on her own when she woke up, thinking he and I would get a lie-in - not a good idea, didn't know what she was up to.  There goes my lie-in.  I got a nap in the afternoon when hubby took her to the beach for a walk - she fell over and bashed her knee poor Em!!  (Then she was good for rest of day - yay!!)

This morning, she got up at 6 and Peter was up at 6.30, I was up at 7.45 (a lie-in, yay!) but then an argument ensues over her getting dressed at 8.30!! - ends up with me walking away and Emily (mostly) getting herself dressed.  Been good now for a couple of hours!

There, told you it would be a saga - award yourself a star if you made it this far.

Hopefully normality will be restored very soon and I will be happy, calm, composed, self-confident, happy with my lot and a perfect mother.  And if you believe that - you're a better man than me (to very badly mis-quote Rudyard Kipling).

Signing off
Sarah (attempting calm thoughts as I type)

A challenge, or two:

Saturated Canary: Challenge #10 Red, Pink and White

Crafts and Me challenge: #68 Use a new image

Snowing again!

Hi blogworld

Gotta be quick want to get in at Totally Gorjuss, but guess what it's snowing and it's been snowing since before 3pm this evening!!

I did want to tell you all about Emily being off school as she has conjunctivitis, her chopping a chunk out of her hair and leggings, about me getting rather irate and hubby having to come in and soothe us all down - but I ain't got time!  So will leave that for another day, tomorrow probably.

But am joining in with Lisa again at Wishcraft and her Waste not Wednesday (one day I may well post this on the Wednesday!).

So double quick time card:

I used:

The Greeting Farm - Miss Anya (Dressy Collection), coloured with my Promarkers and Flexmarkers.
Patterned paper: My Mind's Eye, Bloom & Grow.
Cheery Lynn die: Fancy Flourish.
Ribbon from my stuff.
Card blank and sentiment from Craftwork cards.

Hope everyone is keeping safe and warm and will be back later to chat properly!

Cheerio
Sarah

A challenge, or two:

Totally Gorjuss; Challenge 117 - its a sketch

Crafty Sentiments; Lets get girly

Papertake Weekly; Anything Goes

Love is in the air

Over at Divas by Design and generally in blogland if all the Valentines cards I've seen are anything to go by!  I think there must be a little hint out there that Valentines is on the way!

So hello blogworld,

How do you feel about making one more card to celebrate love then?  If you do fancy making one more, why not and then pop it in the challenge over at the Divas!  There is a fab prize on offer from out sponsor this week who is:

www.craftyemmasstore.co.uk

My teamies have made some wonderful cards for this challenge, and this is my contribution to the general feeling of luuurve!

Front shot:

 Side view:

I used:

Pollycraft digi image: 'I only have eyes for you' - coloured with my Promarkers.  Then cut out and popped onto foam squares for dimension, I drew the string of the balloon back in by hand.

The stamp is ages old and no longer in it's packet so I don't know who it's by.

Card blank cut out with my largest Go-Kreate die.

I couldn't decide which angle I preferred on this card - so you're getting both shots!  Now do you remember how I told you I'm rubbish at cutting out?  Yes, well here is a brilliant example of it.  This image is supposed to have an extra pair of eyes on stalks coming out of his head - not on my monster he doesn't I performed an unscheduled operation (along with much swearing) and chopped them off!!  Poor monster!  

This card is for hubby and I've just got to think of something witty to put inside now - suggestions anyone?   Normally I would do something a bit more traditional, but I had no ideas this year and this is the result!

Hope to see you over at the Divas,

Tatty bye for now,

Sarah

A challenge, or two:

Deep Ocean Challenge : Challenge #18 - Love you!

Ladybug Crafts Ink TLT challenge: Challenge #53 - Loves me, loves me not

Moving along with the times:  Challenge 134 - Have a Heart

My Mum's Craft Shop: It must be love

I love Promarkers: Challenge #103 - Love is in the Air

Crafting when we Can: Challenge 11 - Valentine / Love

February UiU progress report

Hello blogworld

No cards this time, just a Use It Up progress report.

So what are we now 7th February 2012, and so far this year I have spent the grand total of just over £12 on craft things.  Those 'things' being Saturated Canary digis - I knew if I didn't get some sort of treat over the next few months I wouldn't be able to keep going, so digis are my treat.  I set myself a limit of £10 and overspent by £2 - I'm not beating myself up over that as I would have probably added  another 0 on that total most months last year.  I'm particularly pleased that I'm avoiding magazines - normally I say no more and then go buy another one!  Not one mag this year - yay me!!

I know there are little 100% UiU badges out there but - as I aim to make pretty much everything out of my current stuff - I'm more likely to put a new product warning on a post!!

Now only March, April and most of May to go before I treat myself.  Then when I do treat myself it will be with a list of things that I've run out of - not just randomly buying things because they are 'pretty'.

My biggest temptation has been seeing a couple of stamp companies that I normally buy from having sales - have had to turn away very quickly from that!

Hope everyone else is on track,

See you next month,
Sarah

So did you get snow?

We did!

 It's still on the ground now, but not so bad.  Hope nobody was caught out in it or had it make life difficult for you!  We slipped and slid on the way to school, but got there in the end - not too bad really compared to last year.

And the real reason for this post - another card!

I used:

Stamping Bella stamp : Christy Coll - Izzie has a Prezzie, coloured with my Promarkers and Flexmarkers.
Die-cut and mounted onto nestie shapes.
Papers are My Mind's Eye - wild asparagus.
Dies - Memory Box for the flourish - Whimsy Circle
Die-namics scallop border
Flowers, pearls and brad from my stash
Craftwork Cards sentiment

Keep warm and see you soon,

Sarah

A challenge, or two:

Birthday Sundaes - Birthday card with sentiment

allsorts challenge - Week #140; Free and easy February

The Poodles Parlour - Anything Goes

Wanna laugh?

Ok, I know loads of posts in one day - I'm off to bed soon and will stop bothering you all.

But I'm indulging myself by looking back at old pics I took of my old phone yesterday and thought I'd share, then I'm off to bed.

Expecting, ooooh I got soooooo big!

Emily (when she was almost Kathleen Emily, not Emily Kathleen)

Oh dear!

No hair!

Yuk me!! Awww Em!

Mucky pup!

Awwww!

There I'm all welling up now - can't believe the last 4 / 5 years have gone so fast - she looks so grown up now and I look soooooo old!!!!!!!!

Nighty, nighty

Simple

Hello blogworld

Well after a little sleep this afternoon - I feel somewhat better.  Not got much to say though and probably wouldn't have posted again today, but I realised Totally Gorjuss finishes soon and I wanted to get an entry in.

Front shot:

Detail of image:

I used:
Saturated Canary digi: Alice - coloured with my Pro and Flexmarkers
Cuttlebug embossing folder (D'vine swirl I think) - image background and embossing chalked
Papermania sentiment stamp
Strip of ribbon and gems from stash

Done

See's ya soon,
Sarah

A challenge, or two:

Totally Gorjuss: Challenge 116 - K.I.S.S.

Stampin for the Weekend: Challenge 2 - embossing

Warts and all!

Hi all

What lovely people you are my bloggyfriends!!!

I just wanted to say thank you for all the kind comments you've been leaving on my last post - I wasn't blogging this time last year so you didn't get your annual dose of Sarah Winter Blues and this will be the last time you see it as well!

Unfortunately I do get a bit down during the winter, I'm naturally a glass half-empty sort of person and the long dark evenings get to me.  Always been easy to start crying and feeling a little sorry for myself.

I won't go into my life history - you would be truly bored! - but I've had a few setbacks in life (particularly an abusive marriage - not this one I hasten to add!!  my previous hubby!) which have affected my confidence and I am still a very shy, unsure sort of person and that does fight it's way to the top when I'm feeling particularly fed up!  And especially when I start comparing myself to other people;  whether it's cards - looks - lifestyle, I'm sure you know what I mean.

I did set out thinking that this blog wouldn't be just about cards - it's a sort of online diary.  I'd been looking at people's blogs long before I did my own and always found the ones that shared a bit of themselves much more interesting than just - here is my card and this is how I made it.  I'd decided that if I did my own blog (and for a long time I wasn't going to!) that it would be warts and all - so yesterday you had the warts!  Later normal service will be resumed, I promise.

Well done if you got to the end of this saga and thank you for listening.

Sarah

Now it's Thursday but it should be Wednesday

Hello blogworld

This is going to be awkward to type - I have a cat laying over one hand and he really doesn't want my hand to be moving!  At this precise moment he is purrring and squinting at me trying to make me stop moving!

Hope you are all well?  You find me today with quite bad backache and feeling in a bit of funk!  My New Year exercise regime has gone to pot, I'm sitting here eating choc biccies (so there goes the diet) and I have been surfing looking at people's cards and am feeling quite inadequate.  I don't know how many people say on their blogs "and I've been making cards now for 5 (or 3 or 2) years" and their cards are exquisite - I've been cardmaking for more years than I care to remember and mine are still only adequate.  Pah!

Maybe tomorrow I'll be feeling happier with myself but for now I'm going to share the card and go away before I get really fed up.

But before I go, I should also say that I'm joining in with Lisa and her Waste Not Wednesdays - another stamp inked for the first time, when I've had it for a couple of years.  More blue funk warning.

So card:

And close up of image:

How strange, on the first picture the paper looks yellow but in the second pink, it is actually pink!

I used:

Lili of the Valley stamp: Baby Christening, coloured with my Promarkers and Flexmarkers.
Die cut and mounted with nesties.
Paper is from my large pile of pieces - so I've no idea whose it is.
The ribbon (which was originally white, I coloured with my Promarker to tie in with the colours), buttons and little stamp are from my large amount of stash.

I'm off now before I depress everyone else as well.

See you tomorrow.

Sarah

A challenge, or two:

I love Promarkers - Challenge #102; Photo inspiration - I thought of the buttons themselves rather than the colours

Passion for Promarkers - Week 134; Theme - New Beginnings

My Time to Craft - Challenge 172: 'A' is for Adorable

It's official

Hello blogworld

Its challenge time at Divas by Design and we are now a weekly challenge blog! With a brand new look as well - isn't it shiveringly gorgeous!

From this week there are now three teams and I'm one of Team A.  It will seem strange not joining in on every challenge and to be honest I couldn't even remember which Team I was on originally!  I just felt like a Diva - oooh how hubby would agree with that statement!

One last time, though, for joining in when I'm not supposed to!  This is officially Team C week, but to celebrate us now being weekly, I thought I'd join in the party.

Our sponsors this week are:

www.craftie-charlie.co.uk

and

www.tickledpinkstamps.com.au

To make it an easy first week on everyone this time the challenge is Anything Goes and here is my contribution:

I dug out one of my long term favourite stamp ranges, but I'm so bad - I think I'd only ever inked it once!!!  Soooo badddddd!!!

Anyway here are the details:

Stamp is Sugar Nellie: Leanne Ellis; Pick Me - coloured with my Flexmarkers and Promarkers.

I then inked the background of the image with a pear colour ink pad and stamped, with the same inkpad, a swirl on it (will have to go dig out which swirl I used).

Bit of Stickles on the flower.

Papers are all First Edition pad - Up, Up and Away

Swirly buckle is a Memory Box Die - Seville Buckle

Gems and ribbon from my stuff

Craftwork cards sentiment.

There you go - I've shown you mine, now show us yours!  Why not pop over and see the gorgeous cards my fellow Divas have created.  Looking forward to seeing yours!

Sarah

A challenge, or two:

The Sugar Bowl - Challenge 76; Gayle's Sketch (sorry not followed the paper piecing - you really, really don't want to see my rubbish cutting out skills - and I thought the stamp background looked so much like the paper that I could cheat!!!)

Stamptacular Sunday Challenge - Challenge #149; Diamonds or Pearls - well diamonds, of course, aren't they a girls best friend!