Want to hear some terrible singing?

OK, here I go -

Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday dear meeeeeee, happy birthday to me!!

Hello blogworld,

Guess what today is!!  Nope?  Well I'll let you in on a secret - it's my birthday!

Thank you to all my lovely bloggy friends who sent cards (I'll get round and thank you personally asap), good wishes and even a present or two (wow that was unexpected and very touching!) - they are very much appreciated.

I've had a lovely day, got some great pressies and had a wonderful meal out at lunchtime, now I'm off to re-sort all my craft stuff and make a wish list for the birthday money I got.

Hang on a sec, re-sort my craft stuff ?  But why, dear Sarah, but why? Well this is why:

the before:

the during:

and the after:

What more could a crafty girl ask for - than a few stamps and storage!!!

Oh and while I'm here, I've made a decision.  I feel really bad that I'm hardly getting round anyone's blogs and I've got 60 odd comments waiting in my inbox for me to go and comment back on people's blogs.   Some of those comments have been waiting for weeks.

My solution to this position: not blog much at all during the holidays. That way I don't get comments on my blog that I then get behind with in replying to.

I'll not disappear altogether - I'll be here with my DT cards and I'll clear the comments that I've got waiting for a reply but not post anything for me after that.  If I get a little time I'll make a card for no reason occasionally, but you will only see me minimally until September - I feel terrible not answering all you lovely bloggy people so I'm going to do what I think is right and not get myself in the uncomfortable position I find myself in now.

I don't know quite why Emily being off on holiday impacts quite so much on my time - I mean it's not like I've got 3 or 4 children - but it does. Maybe it's something to do with not having any family at all that can look after her for me, it's either me or hubby and that's it.  So the holiday can be very hectic!!

Anyway it'll be nice for you all to have a break from the waffle and hope to see much more of you all in September.

Cheerio for now,
Sarah

Help I'm trapped in a Christmas card factory

rescue me someone!!

Hello blogworld,

I'm now having the whip cracked over me by the wonderful ladies who run the shop over at Sweet Stampin  to make another Christmas card as this week's theme is Christmas in July.

I think this must be the first time I've ever made two Christmas cards this early in the year - honestly as far as I know Christmas starts1st December no earlier.  I'm sticking to that and not making another Christmas card now until the 1st of December.

So all moaning aside we've got two fab sponsors:

For the monthly prize it's the wonderfulness that is:

For the weekly prize it's the total cuteness of:

Want to see what I came up with?  This is it:

Front shot:

Detail of image:

 Arty farty side shot:

Detail of Glamour Dust on her coat and the floor:

I used:

Digital stamp:

Di's Digi Downloads - Shopping Spree

coloured with my Promarkers

Dies:

Nestie Label

Papers:

crate paper - Peppermint collection

Anything else:

Ribbons and fabric stars

Glamour Dust

So there you go my last Christmas card for a few months!  Looking forward though to seeing all the snowy, Christmassy, beautiful creations that you make.

Cheerio

Sarah

A challenge, or two:

Crafty Catz Weekly Challenge: Challenge 143 - All that glitters

Cardmadfairy's Digi Days Challenge: Challenge 38 - Christmas in July

Happy birthday to you!

Hello blogworld

So here we are again - sun still shining, Emily still on summer holiday and it's Wednesday - which is Divas by Design day!

This week the challenge is, maybe you guessed by the title?, 'Happy Birthday' - so any birthday themed project please!  Our sponsor is One Stop Craft Shop and there is a great prize on offer, so why not pop on over and have a quick look.

Also, a big hello to my newest follower - another person to listen to my waffle, if I get many more people to brainwash with my waffle I'm well on my way to taking over the world. muahhhhhhhhahahahha (think evil laugh sound effect there!).

My little contribution to the challenge is this card:
Front shot:

Close up on image:

I used:

Stamp:

Stampin Bella - Imeldabella

(stamped in brown this time) coloured with my Promarkers

corners are Lili of the Valley grunge corners again - stamped in Distress Ink

(what no dies?!)

Papers:

First Edition - Bird Song

Anything else?

Kraft card for the base

pearls from my stuff

Craftwork Cards - sentiment

So there you go, something a little different from me this time.  And a quick question while you are here, I keep seeing non-square cards when I hop around blog-world - and this is my attempt at one, but I had to cheat and stick two pieces of Kraft together to get a tent fold DL.  The size I see is slightly wider and I don't think two pieces of card are stuck together.

Do you mind if I do a quick straw poll and ask, if you don't make a square card, what size do you use?

Thanks for any input.

So back to business - look forward to seeing you over at The Divas and all your Happy Birthday projects!

Back soon,

Sarah

A challenge, or two:

Papertake Weekly: Make your own - I made my own card blank (see my cheats confession above)

Fashionista Challenge: #5 - Baby or Birthday - my card is for a birthday

My Mum's Craft Shop Challenges: Birthday Girls

No sooner than the sun comes out

than it's time for Christmas!!

Hi blogworld

Well as you will know, if you've been putting up with my waffle for any length of time, I'm not a Christmas should be started early sort of gal.  Christmas, as far as I'm concerned, starts 1st December and not a minute before.

However, I was coerced by my bosses at The Cutie Pies to go get my Christmas boxes, sneeze through the dust and make a Christmas card as this time the challenge over at the Cuties is 'Christmas in July'.

Our sponsor is Digi Doodle Shop and there is a fab prize on offer!

So without further ado, here is the card I made:

Front shot:

Detail of image and trying to show the glitter on hat:

I used:

Stamp:

Stampavie - Gillian Roberts: Kitten

coloured with my Promarkers

Die:

Nestie oval

Paper:

Daisy Bucket - Wrapped wishes

Anything else?

Bit of a feather

very, very, very old snowflake button (which I don't think works anyway)

ditto to the Craftwork sentiment

Ribbon from my box

Glamour Dust

So come on then, join in, dig out those Christmas themed products and lets pretend it's snowing!!!

See you at The Cutie Pies,

Sarah

PS - Do you think piccies of the kittens in Santa hats would work as well????

A challenge, or two:

Ladybug Crafts Ink TLT Challenge blog: Christmas in July

Lollipop Crafts: Challenge #84 - Christmas in July

Addicted to Stamps: Challenge #35 - Christmas in July

At last the sun!!

Hello blogworld,

At last, something seems to have worked and we now have had a day's worth of sun!!  Maybe, finally, all the summery challenges have worked their magic and speaking of summery challenges - that's the reason I'm here.  It's a new challenge over at Dream Valley Challenges and the theme this fortnight is 'Summer'.

Our sponsor this time is the fab Squiggle Stamps, so why not pop on over to the blog take a look-see at my teamies wonderful work, a peek at the prize and pop an entry in while you are there.

And to get you thinking, this is what I came up with - the final 'Thank you' card from Emily.  This one went to one of her Teaching Assistants.  I thought it was appropriate for the challenge as it's the start of summer kind of occasion, she's holding a Sunflower and there are butterflies in the paper!  Hope you agree!!

Font shot:

Detail of image:

I used:

Stamps:

C.C. Designs - Swiss Pixie Birgitta

coloured with my Promarkers

Lili of the Valley - Grunge corners (but they don't appear to be on the web-site)

Sentiment - a combination of a very old 'Thank you' stamp and part of a Lili of the Valley sentiment set

Dies:

circular Nestie

Memory Box - Picket Fence

Die-namics - Decorative Doily

Papers:

My Mind's Eye - miss caroline

Anything else?

Only Stickles on her wings

Craftwork Cards - Card blank and Kraft paper

Hope everyone is having a good weekend and see you soon!

Sarah

Oh, and we now have kittens with open eyes!!!  As soon as I have pictures I will share.

A challenge or two:

Totally Gorjuss: Leaf it in! - Ok, it's only the leaf on the Sunflower but I hope it counts?

I love Promarkers: #126 - Sparkle, sparkles are on her wings

Let's Ink It Up: All Girl

Stamptacular Sunday Challenge: Challenge #173 - To DIE for

All done

Hello blogworld

So that's it Year Reception all over and done and dusted for my little Emily - now we have the summer holidays before I have to think about her going on up to Year 1, properly 'at school' not learning through play anymore!

She was very good, up until bedtime anyway!!  Poor thing was tripped up by her best friend yesterday and sent home early from school with a lump the size of an egg on her forehead and managed to bash it again when I was washing her hair tonight.  Such wailing!  School told us how the accident happened, but she wouldn't drop her friend in it at all - absolutely insisted that he had nothing to do with it!

Right I'm aiming on an early night so I'll pop up the card and the final version of the flower bouquet then I'm off to bed.

I know I've got loads of comments to reply to, I'm catching up on my DT comments and then starting on personal comments - so I should be round to visit you all before the end of the weekend.  Thanks for all your patience and hopefully I'll be better soon.  


Oh and hello to my newest follower - thanks for following and hope you see something you like!

So card:
Front shot:

Close up of image:

Arty farty side shot:

I used:

Stamp:

Lili of the Valley - Milly Flower Power coloured with my Promarkers and Flexmarkers

Sentiment - combination of Lili of the Valley and Blonde Moments

Papers:

First Edition - Boho Chic

Anything else?:

Buttons and pearls from stash

Shock horror - no dies!!!

Finished version of the paper flower bouquet:

Being held in my hand, to try and give size perspective:

I ended up making three of these, but they were all the same so I didn't see the point of showing all of them. Thank you all for your suggestions they were very helpful.  As you can see, I dropped the butterfly, green tissue paper wrapping and added the green base of the flowers and used 3 blooms in the posy.  They were very well received!!

So look out for me waffling on your blogs soon!

Cheerio
Sarah

A challenge, or two:

Sketch Saturday - Week #216

Papertake Weekly - All things girlie

Quickity, quick, quick, quick

Hello blogworld,

Last day of school tomorrow, one more card to make, paper bouquets to finish, presents to wrap and I'm off to T'ai Chi shortly and I've bread rising that needs to be made into rolls. 

So no waffle today, just cards.  Oooh and kittens!  We still aren't back in the dining room, but I've managed to make the mess even messier so I could get to my stamps and Promarkers (I was just fading away without making cards, honestly I was guv'nor).  I'm working on  my mat with no space anywhere else and I'm having to carefully step over boxes and around tables to get in and out.  No worse than usual then!!!

So card:

Font shot:

Detail of image:

Of flowers (can you see that I've tried to give them dewdrops?):

Arty farty side image:

I used:

Stamps:

Lili of the Valley: Pom Pom - coloured with my Pro and Flexmarkers

Sentiment set 9 - chalked

Dies:

Nesties

Memory Box - Bubble Daisy Border

Papers:

Melissa Frances - 5th Avenue (it's beautiful, was a real struggle to cut into it!!)

Anything else?

Wild Orchid Crafts - Flowers

K & Co - tag (it was part of a 1500 piece scrapbook kit I've had for years and re-discovered when we moved everything for kittens)

Anita's 3d gloss

Glitter

Now kittens - deep breath and awwww!!!!   No eyes open yet, but sure it will be soon.

A challenge, or two (then I'm going):

Lili's Little Fairies: Pretty in Pink

Stampin' for the Weekend: Challenge 13 - Tags

Sketch N Stash - Challenge 92

Oooh takes me back!

Hi blogworld

Well it's time for a new challenge over at Sweet Stampin and this week we would like to see your projects created in the colours of your nations flag.

Our regular monthly sponsor is:

And for this weeks' prize you could win:

I say this takes me back, as due to the mess created from accommodating Miss Miss Tinker and her kittens I still can't get to my stamps, Promarkers or a lot of my embellishments and so this is a very simple card.  The sort of thing I used to make when I first set out with very few crafty things, oh so many years ago!!!

So this is what I came up with and seeing as I'm British and my flag is the Union Flag (or Union Jack) and the colours are red, white and blue:

Trying to show the bling:

I used:

Stamp:

Anita's (Do-Craft) - 'Happy Birthday' stamp, 

goodness knows how long I've had this!!

Anything else?

Martha Stewart glitter along with double sided tape to create the stripes

various mirri card and punch for the stars

pen to doodle with

Sorry it's so plain - I just can't get to most of my stamps or my working area to make something better.

I've also got a tip / lesson to pass on - leave adding the white glitter to last otherwise you'll end up contaminating it.  It's what I did and I'll know better next time!!

Looking forward to seeing your cards and I bet you come up with something better than this!!!!

Cheerio

Sarah

A challenge, or two:

Less is More: One layer week - 3.  Hi Chrissie and Mandi, been ages since I joined in and to be honest this week is a complete fluke that I'm here!  Hope the stars aren't too much for you and that the card still qualifies as a one layer.

CAS-ual Fridays: CFC61- Use strips of colour or pattern

S J Crafts: Monthly Challenge 6 - Red, White and Blue

They're here!

Hello blogworld

We have an announcement - Miss Miss Tinker has had the kittens!  A few more than we were anticipating - there are 5 of them!!!  Two arrived while we were having dinner, two an hour or so later and the last one an hour or so after that.

The middle two gave us a half hours worth of worry and a call to the vets, but they all seem to be doing fine now.  Emily is over the moon and has gone off to school with pictures of 'her' kittens and we are having to very closely supervise her as she wants to pick them up and cuddle them!!!

So pictures:

Unfortunately Miss Miss T decided that she would like to have them in the corner of the dining room and this is the resulting mess of trying to move all my craft stuff:

I'm not quite sure where I'm going to make cards at the moment!!!

See you soon
Sarah

Full on glitter!

Hi blogworld,

Firstly can I say thanks for the comments on my paper flowers - suggestions taken on board and I will post the revised bouquet when finished.  You might be interested to know as well that even though Emily got all huffy over what I'd made, she has appropriated the bouquet and not put it down yet!  I do hope I didn't give the impression that what she made wasn't any good.  It's perfect because she made it, it's just I had something completely different in my head.

Anyway - the glitter (and bling, should have been more of that!) is as it's a new challenge over at The Cutie Pies and this time we would love to see your cute creations with glitter and bling on them.

Our sponsor this time is the wonderful Dig Darla Designs, pop over to the blog to get the full details on the prize!

So, my cute glittery blingy card is this effort:

Front shot:

Detail of image:

The arty farty side shot:

Sideways trying to show the glittered bubbles and candle flame:

I used:

Stamp:

The Greeting Farm - Me Time Anya

coloured with my Promarkers and Flexmarkers

then the background chalked 

Dies:
Go-Kreate

Papers:

My Mind's Eye - miss caroline: the backing paper

Craftwork Cards: the spotty paper

Anything else?

Flowers and faux pearls - stash

My Crafty Heart - resin flower (seriously get yourself some - they are just beautiful!)

Wild Orchid Crafts - the silver corner

Craftwork cards - card blank and sentiment

Glamour Dust

So does anyone out there have a cute image and lots of glitter in their stash - the get yourself off to The Cutie Pies!

See you soon,

Sarah

PS - You may notice I've stitched, I had another go at my mini sewing machine but there is a technical phrase for what's wrong with it - the clean version is it's broke!!  The needle puts the holes in, but no thread.  So I then hand stitched, me stitching - I should've taken a picture to prove it, my hubby almost had a fit when he saw me with a needle and thread in hand!!!!!

A challenge, or two:

Sketch n Stash: Challenge 91 - Gemma's Sketch

Oldie But A Goodie Challenge: Flower Power - the oldie could be the stamp or the flowers - both at least a year old (the flowers at least 2 yrs!) and it's the first time I've used the stamp!

And Lisa's Waste not Wednesday - Hi Lisa, same explanation as above - stamp/s or flowers.  

Not square?

Hi blogworld,

How unusual, eh!  A card that isn't a square and it's all because for the new challenge over at Dream Valley we're looking for your anything but square creations.

We're sponsored this fortnight by these two fab companies:

and

where the winner will 4 images as their prize.

My not square, well this is it - whatd'ya think then?

Front shot:

Detail shot of image:

Arty farty side shot - really needed this time I think!

I used:

Stamp:

The Greeting Farm - Miss Anya collection

coloured, as always, with my Promarkers and Flexmarkers

Dies:

Nesties - circle and label

Go-Kreate

Memory Box die - Elegant Scrollwork

Paper:

Unknown - it's from my scrap pile

Anything else:

Flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts

Sentiment from Lili of the Valley

Martha Stewart punch and stamp for the butterfly

I don't know if you noticed the bo-bo, but I tried using Viva Decor Pearl pen on the butterflies and it didn't work!!  All splodgie instead, but by that time the glue had dried and I couldn't pull them off. Blogger it!!!

Looking forward to seeing what you come up with for your not square - see you at the valley.

Cheerio

Sarah

A challenge, or two:

Di's DigiDesigns Challenges: Pile on the flowers

Fussy and Fancy Friday Challenge: Fancy Folds

The Paper Shelter: Flower Power

a question and a possible prototype

Hello blogworld

I know, I know, I'm behind with commenting again!  I will catch up but things are still busy and it's sort of connected to why I'm posting.

It's coming to the end of the school year here - we've got two weeks left - and Emily will be moving up into Year 1 in September.  So it's all change with teachers, I asked her what she wanted to give her current teachers as leaving presents and she said she wanted to make flowers for them.

Now what I thought of as flowers and what she thought are, it would seem, two totally different concepts!  She did not like what I made and I couldn't see any flowers on what she made - it looked like a fancy telescope!!!  Brilliant that she made something, but not flowers from what I could see and my living room looked like it had been snowing there was so much tissue paper on the floor.

Daddy had a word, before world war three broke out, and she now is grudgingly accepting of the bouquet I made but I'm not sure if what I've made is silly or not.

Would you mind giving your opinions please?  Good or bad - I don't mind, honestly.  And please remember this is a prototype - maybe more blooms needed?  Certainly I need to get that butterfly to cut better!!

Would you give something like this to a teacher?  I'm, obviously, going to get other presents as well, it's just that Em really wanted to make flowers for them.

So here we go, pictures:

Trying to get perspective for you here - you can see it's only posy size.

So I think the things that are wrong are:

Needs a better ribbon - I'm so mean with my ribbon that I'm always cutting it too short and then it looks pathetic!!  So it's going to be changed to florists ribbon and I'm happy to use loads of that!

Are more blooms needed?

Better wrapping with the green tissue

Butterfly cut badly and needs to be a different colour to stand out - maybe even more of them?

Looking forward to hearing what others think.

Hope you are all having a good weekend.

Sarah

PS - This is not going to the teachers - he's just curious!!