Glitter, glitter, glitter, everywhere...

some of it even made it onto the card!!

Hello blogworld,

Long time no see.  Been a busy week here at chez Sarah and so no time for blogging.  Have been to the beach, swimming, a kids theme park, essential food shopping and then a day at home tidying up.  Making the most of the last couple weeks of the school hols, only a week and a half left now.

Talking of only a week and a half left - I'm arranging a little candy, as thank you for bearing with the non-blogging I've been doing the last six weeks.  Parcels, various, are currently winging their way to chez Sarah and within a week I should have a little something arranged.

So the reason for this post, apart from all the waffle, is the new challenge over at Sweet Stampin which this week is 'out of the frame', which, in all honesty until someone explained it, I had no idea what that meant!!  Turns out, if you take the run-of-the-mill explanation, is something that I do a lot - where you cut your image out with your nestie (or whatever) but leave part of the image outside of the die when you cut.  Terrible explanation, better to see the card that explains better.

Our sponsor this week is:

Our monthly sponsor:

And this is what I made:
Font shot:

Detail of image:

Arty farty, glittery, flittery shot:

I used:

Digi image:

Saturated Canary - Ava ( I think she might have been a freebie, either that or I need new glasses as I can't find her in the shop!).

Coloured with my Pro and Flexmarkers.

Dies (yes, finally!)

Circle nesties

Memory Box - Macarena corner

Papers:

Papermania - Blueberry Hill

Anything else?

Craftwork cards - cardblank and sentiment

Mei Flowers hearts from My Crafty Heart - such great service (next day delivery pretty much!!)

Glamour dust and Stickles glitter glue for the glittery bits.

So there we go, hope you get the idea from the pictures more than my explanation and pop over to the blog to see even better examples than mine.

Counting down the days now to school starts - partly with relief, partly with apprehension I do hope she likes Year 1. 

See you soon, 

Sarah

A challenge, or two:

Saturated Canary Challenge: Challenge 24 - Photo Inspiration

Cute Card Thursday: Challenge 231 - Bling it up

Sketch n Stash: Challenge 94 - Julie's Sketch (my old stash are the papers - I've had them for at least a couple of years; my new are the hearts, they only arrived last week)

A bit more like it!

Hello blogworld

Ah yes, lots of surprise at twice in two days (now, now I know the way your minds are going and we will stop that right now, please) - post and cards that is.

This time I'm here for The Cutie Pies and the challenge this week is 'Borders and Frames'.  Our sponsor is the absolute cuteness that is Pink Gem Designs.  The DT were allowed to pick images for this challenge and I finally settled on this cutie.

I have to admit to scratching my head a bit (though nowhere near as much as for my last card) over this one and this is what I ended up with - a shaker card.  My goodness, I can't remember the last time I made a shaker card, Emily was fascinated!!

Ah, and a deliberate mistake here - you might notice.  Frame - tick; border, oh dear I am such a numpty - no border.


Front shot:

Trying to get the glitter on the wings:

Arty farty side shot (yes I finally remembered this shot!):

I used:

Image:

Pink Gem - Faye with Flowers

coloured with my Promarkers and Flexmarkers

Papers:

My Mind's Eye: miss caroline - all dolled up

Wot, no dies! 

(I think I must be ill!)

Anything else?

Frame from an ancient sheet of chipboard stickers

Flowers - fabric from stash, resin from My Crafty Heart

Beads from my stuff

So there we go - if you can think of a more creative way to use a frame and border pop over to The Cutie Pies, have a look at my Teamies creations and then join in!

Cheerio for now,

Sarah

Well I'm just not sure

and I mean really, really not sure if I like this or not!

Hi blogworld

Well here I am again - ready to waffle on and on and on and on!!  So it's a new challenge over at Dream Valley and the theme this time is 'Steampunk'.  Hmmm, now I had to Google this as I've never, ever attempted a Steampunk'd card before and to be honest I don't think I will again - it's just not me!!  Saw some wonderful examples when I Googled and my Teamies have made some marvellous things, but not me!

Maybe if I had anything other than one image that was even vaguely Steampunk it might've helped, but I ain't and ain't likely to ever get any either - I think that's a definite from me this time.

Anyway, enough moaning - onto the good news our sponsor this time is:

and the winner will get £10 to spend in the shop.

And here is my poor example of a Steampunk card:
Front shot:

Detail of image:

Wot no arty farty - pah, the card didn't deserve no arty farty - it's been sent to the naughty step for 5 minutes to work out what it should really be!!

I used:

Stamp:

Pollycraft digi image: Luna Bitterfrost, Steampunk Rocks

coloured with my Promarkers and Flexmarkers.

The clock is a really old Do-Crafts one.

Papers:

Papermania - Hampstead

Dies / punches

Wot no?!

Anything else?

Well yes, a load of bits from hubbies bits and pieces of scrap box!!

The chain is off a length from a pull chain cord, 

circles from my sewing machine that gave up the ghost,

Flower is a brad, bottom corner thingy a button (of some description)

Wild Orchid Crafts for the metallic corner.

Hah, want to know my two bits of good news?

One is - it's still sunny!!!  We had a lovely afternoon in the garden yesterday.  A little friend of Emily's came round to play and the two had great fun on Emily's whale slide while her mummy and I chatted.

Two is - I discovered I own two sewing machines!!!  You remember the little one that I got for my birthday, well it's gone to sewing machine heaven but while I was pouting and sulking 'cause hubby wouldn't let me buy a new one from Lidl he pointed out there were two in the wardrobe in our room.

Whey-hey, there's me rushing upstairs to find out what it is that I own and I discovered a Singer Starlet and a Brother sewing machine.  I looked at them both and I'm now going to use a Singer Starlet sewing machine - it was hubby's mums' and it's only a few years younger than me!!!  No jokes now please about old machines and decrepit people!!!  So watch out for my sewing coming to a card near you soon.

There that's all my waffle done for today - watch out for me again soon!!

Cheerio

Sarah

Today we have mostly been discovering.....

that:

Kittens like to read my favourite historical romances

Emily likes nail varnish on her toes

and both our hands.

What have you discovered today?

See you soon.

Sarah

Now everyone knows..

how much I love a sketch!

Hello blogworld,

It's time for a new challenge over at Divas by Design - can't believe another week has gone by and how quickly summer is going past.  Won't be too long now before She Who Must be Obeyed goes back to school and I get my craft time back!!  Oh, and all my complaining seems to have worked - we have good weather. Finally!

So, onto the challenge - we are sponsored this week by Nitwits Digital Collections, how fab - and there is a sketch to follow!

The sketch:

The card:

Front shot:

Detail of image:

Wot no arty-farty?! Arrgghh I forgot ;-)

I used:

Stamp:

Whiff of Joy - Willow Dressing up

coloured with my Promarkers and Flexmarkers

chalked while in the die

Papers:

First Edition - Summer Breeze

Dies:

Go-Kreate

Memory Box - Meridian Border

Anything else:

Ribbon, pearls, brad - all from my stuff

Craftwork Cards - sentiment

Hope you like!  

Sarah

I've been brave

Hello blogworld (and hello new follower in particular!!)

- Lots of pictures warning -

I tried paper piecing!!!  Now you all have to say: oh, wow, Sarah - well done you!!  Hip-hip-hooray!!

These are for the new challenge over at Sweet Stampin where we would like to see 'Things with Wings'(not paper piecing I was just being brave) - and stamping!!

Our sponsor this week is:

and our monthly sponsor:

We've had my Father-in-Law staying this week which has allowed me a little time to craft as he spent one morning with Emily.  It's a bit of a mixed blessing him being here, I want to take us all out and visit places - y'know actually do something - he wants to go down the end of the garden and dig!

On the upside what it meant was that, until Emily got bored with digging, I had the house to myself.  But, oh dear, I've lost it!  My carding edge, not my sanity (that went ages ago - according to hubby) and I'm not sure about either of these.  But, there you go - they are done now and here.

Card one:
Front shot:

Detail of image (and paper piecing)

Obligatory arty-farty:

 Card two:

Close up of image:

The arty-farty:

 

Look another arty-farty - this time trying to get the glitter on her wings:

I used:

Stamp:

Sugar Nellie - Gorgeous Girls: Bumble Bee

Coloured with my Promarkers and then edged with Distress Ink

Dies / Punches:

Nesties

Memory Box - Cherish Border and Arboscello Tree

Butterfly punch

Papers:

First Edition - Desert Blooms

Anything else?

Ribbon, buttons and sentiment from my stuff

Glamour Dust on wings

3d gloss on hair embellishment

I'm off now to stick my hand down the back of the sofa, maybe my edge is there?  Who knows, but it's where I find all my money!

Looking forward to seeing your entries to this week's challenge.

Cheerio

Sarah

A challenge, or two,:

The Sugar Bowl: Challenge 89 - Marie Therese's sketch - I followed the sketch with the first card.  Although I might have gone overboard with the extras, hope you can still see the sketch!

The Poodles Parlour: Die-cuts - either card, they both have die-cuts on them

Cute Card Thursday: Challenge 229 - Tag You're It! - first card

My Heart Pieces Digital Stamp Challenge: Use Designer Papers

All together now........

Awwww!  4 weeks old today. Curious George, Ewok, Worried, Black Toe, Sleepy

Walking, playing, fighting - but not eating solids yet.

Hubby has nearly decided that we need to keep all five. I've not.

Catch ya laters

Sarah

PS - They are blooming difficult to take a pic of - evidence is about 150 blurred pictures of them!!

OK, seriously who

stole Summer?

Hello blogworld

Well we went to the circus yesterday and it rained, rained, rained and rained then nature threw in some thunder for good measure!  Made for a lovely accompaniment for the music the show people were playing!!

Weather aside, we had a great time and the kids (went with a couple of friends) were transfixed - Emily has now decided that she doesn't want to be in the Olympics - she now wants to be a Trapeeze artist!

Anyway, again, I'm not here really to waffle about my life, but to let you know that there is a new challenge over at The Cutie Pies and we would like to see your creations with 'Spots and Stripes'.

We have two fab sponsors - Bugaboo Digital Stamps and Stamp and Create - pop on over to the blog to see what great prizes are on offer.

The DT were allowed to pick an image to use for this challenge and this is what I came up with -

Front shot:

Close up of image:

Arty farty side shot:

Trying to show the glitter on the wings (nice arty shot don't ya think!):

I used:

Stamp:

Bugaboo Digi stamp - Brats Bugs - Girl Ladybug

coloured with Promarkers

Papers:

D'you know I'm not sure!  They are both scraps - I will see if I can find some details!

What no dies?!

Anything else?

Ribbon and button - from my stuff

Glamour dust on wings

Craftwork cards - card blank and sentiment

Oh and a bit of Distress Ink

That's all folks - hope you all had a lovely weekend are thinking of popping over to the Cuties and joining us in the fun!

Cheerio,

Sarah

A challenge, or two:

I love Promarkers: Challenge 128 - Spots and Stripes

Great Impressions : Walk on the Wild Side (animals) - I hope the ladybirds qualify?

That Craft Place Challenge: Things with wings

Ha, is it Summer or what!

Hi blogworld

Still busy, busy, busy at chez Sarah - even in the few days since last I wrote!  I've completely messed up my craft stuff getting it into the birthday storage and filled the storage to the gills - there is now more on the way!  Then I will have a final sort and, hopefully, move out of the dining room and into the computer room.

Emily has been to holiday club at school, then went on and had a picnic in the park (accompanied by umbrellas and eating with coats on!) after with some of her friends, had same friends over our house to play and she's been to the last disco dancing lesson before the summer holidays.  Then today we off to the circus!!  Busy, moi, never!

Anyhow the main reason for this post is not to waffle on about my life but to say there is a new challenge over at Dream Valley and the theme this time is 'Punches and Dies' so dig out those dies and pounce on the punches and get making!  Our sponsors are fabulous, as always, and full details can be found on the blog.

This is what I came up with for the theme this time:  I choose this image as it's how I felt (wish it was how I looked - think more drowned podgy rat!) the other day after getting caught in a downpour - so c'mon whose nicked summer then????

Front shot:

Detail of image:

Detail of flowers:

 I used:

Digi Stamp:

Saturated Canary - Enjoy the rain

coloured with my Promarkers and chalked while in the die

Dies / Punches

Nestie for the image

Whiff of Joy for the banner

punch for the butterflies

Paper:

First Edition - Boho Chic

Anything else?

Wild Orchid Crafts - for the flowers and leaves

My Crafty Heart - resin flowers (seriously get some they are just gorgeous!!)

Viva Decor pen (again from my Crafty Heart) for the pearls

other flowers, pins, lace, brad and gems - from my stuff

Y'know you haven't seen a Saturated Canary image from me for ages - I sort of lost it a bit with them.  Felt intimidated by the perfect colouring I see out and about in blogworld and the hair and pleats - so I sat down and worked hard at it.  Not sure that's it's anything like the standard that I see out there, but am happy(-ish!) when am I ever truly happy! and felt like I'd got somewhere for once!

Also an acknowledgement to Coops for the gem in the hand for the raindrop - as always Nic, I love your cards and thanks for the inspiration.

So come on then - lets see those punches and dies!

See you soon,

Sarah

A challenge, or two:

Cupcake Craft Challenges: 203 - The Great Outdoors, ummm being outside and getting soaked - does that count?

Moving Along with The Times: Challenge 157 - Summer.  See above that's what my summer has been like.  Picnic in the rain, anyone?  Seriously though, if the image isn't right I don't mind if you want to take my card off.

Saturated Canary Challenges: Challenge #23 - The Great Outdoors - see above!!

Here I am again!

Hi blogworld

First off - thank you all soo much for your very kind words on my birthday / not going to blog for awhile post, what a wonderful bunch of ladies you all are!!  Makes me feel much better knowing that I'm not the only one struggling with time constrictions and that you don't mind if I'm not super quick at replying to comments!

Anyway, after having said I'm not going to post I then go and do two in two days!  Well this one was not supposed to be here, but I was left all alone on Sat morning while hubby took daughter to do the annual lets buy mummy her birthday present trip and what is a girl to do, other than craft?

I decided to make a card for this weeks' challenge at Divas by Design, even though it's not my official turn.  The theme this week is 'Flowers' so any sort of flowers on your entry (flowers themselves, in image, on paper, whatever) and we are sponsored by:

And this is my card:

Front shot, and please don't laugh at my feeble attempt at pleats - it's the first time I've done this and I don't know what she looks like she's wearing!  Not a skirt that's for sure!!!

Close up of image - arrghh, even worse for the pleats -

Arty farty side shot:

I used:

Stamp:

Lili of the Valley - On the Garden Wall

Paper:

First Edition - Spring Breeze

Dies:

Nestie circle and scalloped circle

Shapeabilities - fancy tags

C.C. Designs - teardrop border

Memory Box - Prim poppies

Anything else?

Corner from Wild Orchid Crafts

Pearls from stuff

bow is soooo old - it might even have come from Lakeland when they did craft stuff!!!

So there we go, hope you find time to pop an entry in the challenge over at the Divas, I'd love to see it.

That will definitely be the last time you see me now until the weekend - hope you all have a great week.

Cheerio

Sarah

A challenge, or two:

Lili's Little Fairies: A Touch of Romance

Sketch Saturday: Week #218

Totally Gorjuss: Challenge 142 - Pearls