African Wedding

Hi all


I've been having a very mixed last week as it started with me becoming another victim of the recession, which was just before Ally Pally and certainly curtailed my spending -well something had to... At the weekend I was at a wedding party in Newmarket of a very old Sue who had got married a couple of weeks ago in an African safari lodge. She had her dress on again and looked absolutely fabulous. Then on Sunday I drove back via Ally Pally. Its much quieter on a Sunday, which gave me the chance to catch up with a few people.

I still managed to buy some lovely stuff including some great new stamps from Paper Artsy and some sizzix dies that I had been struggling to find. I also confess that I bought some more papers to add the the mountain of papers that I already have...... Whoops ... they are my weakness.

So whilst I am a lady of leisure (oops I mean job hunting) I am determined to get into my Xmas cards and try a few of the online challenges.


Meanwhile here is the card I made for Sue & Clive

Its not your typical wedding card, but then theirs was not a typical wedding.
This was also my first attempt at one of the popular mountain and Valley cards that everyone is using at the moment.

Recipe: 181/365

Stamps: truck;leaves;zebra print;Savannah all from the Magnolia Jungle Collection from Sir Stampalot. Ticketed from Autumn Leaves from The Glitter Pot, Celebrate by Printworks from Stamp Addicts, Swirls from Whiff of Joy
Dies: Sloppy Kiss from the Glitter Pot

All stamped in Versafine - Sepia & coloured with Distress inks all from the Glitter Pot.

I masked the wheel and then personalised it with their names.

Sue loved it......

So back to Xmas cards tomorrow...

Ciao

Sarax

Mum's the word

Hi all

I can't believe that we are nearly at the end of September already, but the good thing about that is that it also means its nearly Ally Pally - yippee. Retail therapy heaven.... I usually spend all of Saturday working my way around the place and come out with my head buzzing full of ideas and my arms laden with goodies..

This time I can't make it on the Saturday as I am at a wedding party so I am going on the Sunday which I understand is much quieter. Given that in April I could hardy move in some places this could be a good thing plus there is the added fact that somethings will of sold out so my bank manager will be much happier and my willpower less battered....

So in the mean time here is a card I made for my Mum's birthday this week. She is quite into girlie colours and so when I saw these papers lurking on my desk I knew she would love them.

I fininshed off the inside with the offcuts and a magnolia stamp, but forgot to leave enough room to sign it....Duh

Recipe: 180: 365 Stamp:Country Style from home grown range of Sugar Nellie. Plus used Bazzill Bling, Wild Blossoms & Jewelled Brads from dovecraft. Coloured using Distressed Inks & sticles - Diamond; Daisy Doodle Prima flowers all from the GlitterPot. Fiskers Punch - Crafts U Love

Ciao

Saraxx

Back on track

Hi all

I have finally got myself back up to date with my blogging and have also been busy at my craft desk. Not only have I been making cards, but I have been busy reorganising all my unmounted stamps onto stamped laminated cards & boxing them so I can find the one I want without having to search through loads of folders. Impressive eh The problem is I keep finding more and more stamps that I have not even inked up yet. So many in fact that I think I will have to try and ban any stamps from my shopping list this weekend when I am at Ally Pally (ha ha how likely is that) I will post some shots when I am finished. In the meantime here is the card I made for Dean last week he is not very keen on fancy cards so I always have to try and keep them quite simple, but definitely like this new cuttlebug folder for men's cards.

Recipe: 179/365

Stamp from Hero's Arts using Brilliance Ink in Starlight Black both from Crafts U Love, Tab punch - Stamping up. Card Candy - Humbugs and Cuttlebug Embossing Folder - Diamond Plate. Paper all from stash

Hugs

Sarax

Bella

Dear All
Final part of my catch up so I can start back in the real time tomorrow! Last weekend was not only Deans Birthday, but also the first of my dilemma weekends as it was also The Craft Barn extravaganza. This was a tricky one as Deans Birthday is September 11th, and therefore a day of quite mixed emotions as we know people who were involved that day and lost friends and family. As a consequence we always try to go away just the two us..... This year he suggested we went to the South Coast, so I casually suggested a stop off in Lingfield and he went for it....... (What a great guy!!)

The Craft Barn had really laid on a treat with not only one, bit two halls full of demo's and loads of yummy new stock in the shop. As always the credit card took quite a hit as I picked up some lovely new dreamweaver stencils & a few new stamps for Xmas (God is it really time to start Xmas cards its still so warm outside!). I had such a fab time, and really had to drag myself away to carry on our trip.
We spent the night in Dover at this fabulous B&B Hubert House, which has built itself quite a reputation over the years as a place where people stay when they are doing the cross channel swim. At breakfast we met an Australian who was waiting to do his first swim with his coach. I don't think I would fancy it, but each to their own. We spent the night in their Georgian Suite, which was very romantic with a Four Poster bed. Dover is not a place that immediately springs to mind as a weekend destination, but we had such a great time visiting Dover Castle and walking in Western Heights.
Anyway back to the cards, here is one I made for one of my work colleagues Birthday for tomorrow.

178:365
Stamp: Stamping Bella - Presentahbella
Other: H2O's, papers, flowers and dots all from Craftwork cards

Have fun

Sarax

Catch up

Hi Again

I was too tired to to post last night following another fun packed day in the workhouse. I suppose I really shouldn't moan as at least I have a job.

So back to what I have been up to to in last few weeks. The first weekend in September saw the Glitterpots Birthday Bash so of course I had to go and support one of my favourite craft shops with a little retail therapy. It was also a significant Birthday for Kay Carley one of my fav demonstrators so knowing how strange I found crossing over into a new decade last year I thought I would bring her a little treat along. My BF's & work colleagues did this for me last year and I really appreciated it so I thought I would pass the thought along. I made a chocci cake and a card and delivered them to her in a quiet moment between demos'.

Here is the card, which had to contain lilac as it is Kay's fav colour and I wanted something feminine which is also a departure for me.

recipe 177/365

Stamps: Inkadinkado - Mindscape

Others: Craftwork cards, scalloped card, prima flowers, stickles, liquid pearls, paper from stash.

Needless to say I had a good spend and bought the two other boxes of copics to complete the range. So it looks like I really will have to get to grips with these now I have invested in the whole lot!!

Off to bed now

Toodle Pip

Sarax

Metal magic

Evening

I'm still playing catch up with all my antics so I thought I would tell you about my recent foray into using metals, a medium I have never really used before. The Craft Barn stocks an extensive range of 10 second studio metal tools and metal sheets. In order to understand what each tool does I enlisted on a beginners workshop with Carol Cann. In the morning we made a sampler using all of the tools, a variety of different types of metals and techniques.

In the afternoon we were given a large Cooks Match box and let loose with all our newly learnt techniques. Here is my take with a twist...

The sides have been stamped using the Paper Artsy stamps - Bricks and Mortar 2 and distressed inks the inner section has been glimmer misted in reds and gold.
I was so inspired that when my neighbour asked me to make a birthday card with the infamous Chanel 2.55 bag I knew exactly what I was going to do and boy did I have fun with this...
I used some black metal which once distressed showed the silver underneath and created a bit of a leather look, by using a paper stump on the other side of the metal I was able to create the appearance of the quilting, which I thought was actually pretty effective and I don't think I would have been able to create with paper.

I mounted the metal onto gold card using pinflair glue and on the inside used a Rubber Romance Stamp decorated with diamante.


I was thoroughly pleased with the result and the recipient Katherine has framed it to take back to College. What more of a complement could you get. Unfortunately the photos were a little fuzzy as I was in a hurry to hand them over.

Another catch up tomorrow

Ciao

Sarax

I'm Back!

Hi all

Well the mad period seems to be over and I have well and truely got my mojo back over the last couple of weeks. Firstly it was my birthday on the bank holiday so what did I do? Booked a class with the lovely Jane of course! All the usual suspects were there and it was great to catch up with all the news. Jane has just had a new batch of designs released on Woodware for Xmas, which she had worked her usual magic to create 4 cards for us to make. I thought it was a bit early for Xmas, but it appears that I am behind the times because everyone else in blogland have been busy for weeks!

Well see for yourself....

Are they not just so lovely...

Recipe: 171-174/365


All the stamps are from two sets from Woodware: Xmas pud & Dashing Reindeer
Papers from My Mind's Eye Double Sided Paper - Colourful Christmas - Winter Wonderland
Everything is from The Glitterpot

Anyway I then dashed off to spend the rest of the weekend on a narrow boat with my best friend Hilary and the weather managed to just about hang on to make it a fab time. There is nothing quite like getting on a narrow boat to make you relax. Well you can't do much else when you are travelling at 4 miles an hour!! Got back Monday night just in time to dash off my last ode to the summer! Drum roll please ..... I have also unleashed the copics... I did struggle with the shading and her face looks like it needs a bit more time in the sun, but hey ho it was my first attempt.

Recipe: 175/365

Stamps: CCDesigns - Beach Sentiments, Amy R Stamps; Surfer Emma from Dies to Die for

Papers: Bobunny - Mango Luau - Lime,dot, slang a bits of Bazzill Bling from my stash.

Other: MS punches and Nesties

More tomorrow

So over and out for now

Sara