Papertake weekly - 26

Back again.....

Just have a card for this weeks Papertake Weekly. I am currently trying to build up my collection of Xmas cards at the moment and so plan to do a few sketches this week. This was my first one using the very lovely Miss Clause from Sugar Nellie.
I also wanted to use the new Decorative Strips - Phrase, Noel w/Holly & Frame that I bought from the Glitter Pot at the weekend and thought it would go so well with this paper from K&C0

And a close up view.

Recipe:198/365
Stamp: Miss Clause - Sugar Nellie coloured with distressed inks. Paper: K&Co - Christmas Cheer Holly Glitter Paper, Imaginisce - Polar Expressions/Warm Woolen Mittens. Die cut - Decorative Strips - Phrase, Noel w/Holly & Frame, Message from Craftwork Cards. Ribbon from stash.

Will be back very soon for my last post.......

Thanks for looking

Sara xx

October Weekend

Hi all

Thought I would quickly post the cards I made at the weekend.

194/365 - This first one was from the Make and Take at Crafts u Love on Friday. It is a very quick card using the Papermania clear sets - Deck the halls.

The base card is stamped in Versamark with one of the snowflakes. The reindeer is coloured with copics. Bit of stickles on the antlers and all finished!

This card was made at the all day class at The Glitter Pot with Jane Gill. The day was all about using her new peel Offs. As someone who doesn't really use peel-off's I thought I would see if I could add another medium to my repertoire

195/365 - This card used a whole raft of bits and pieces to 'fill' the holes of the bubble tree peel off. I mainly used peel off holographic circles, glass beads, seed beads, diamante and a few buttons.

The pot was made using some bugle beads from a new range of beads at the Glitter Pot. We also used some of the negative elements from the peel of to change the shape of the tree slightly, which means that the cards can be altered to all be unique. The card was covered with My Mind's Eye Double Sided Paper - Twirling Circles

This next card 196/365 was a gate fold card which used the ribbon peel off and was coloured with Inktense pencils. We then attached the knotted ribbon using glue and finished it off with a bow on top. Very quick and easy.

In the final card 197/365 the peel off was stuck onto acetate and coloured with peel off pens on the reverse. The side panel was stamped with a small snowflake and a bow attached to the bottom. As you can see on the top photo we all used different colour ways and they all looked exceptional together.

So thanks for looking and I will be back later with a couple of cards I have made.

Hugs

Sara xx

Sunday Sketch & Stamp - 13

Morning all

I am off to the Glitter Pot today to do a class with the lovely Jane Gill and a bunch of very lovely ladies. These days are always more about the people than necessarily going for the actual class, but Jane's technique are very inspirational so I get two for the price of one so to speak!

Whilst I am out I thought I would leave a card I have made for my neighbour Annie ( I did say I had a lot of birthday cards to make!).

I used the sketch from Sunday Sketch & Stamp, which fitted with this lovely stamp. I have used my copics again & can say I am really starting to get the hang of these, but still like my distressed inks best!

Recipe:193/365 Stamps: Miss Anya from the Greetings farm, Sentiment from Whiff Of Joy. Papers: Dovecraft - Aquamarine floral flowers & Coordinations. Flowers are die cut using the Quickutz nesting flower sets, a Martha Stewart Punch & liberal amounts of Stickles!

Have fun & don't forget the clocks go back tonight so we all get an extra hour in bed - I wish!!!! LOL

Hugs

Saraxx

Challenge weekend

Hi all
Very busy day today in my new life as a lady of leisure.......
I went down to Crafts U love this morning to participate in their make and take. I had been invited by a couple of crafty friends a few times, but not been able to fit it in. Well I didn't have that excuse any more so off I drove. It was a lovely day and the trip is pretty much all country lanes so a pleasure in itself. As I arrived I met Fizz & Jill (one arriving & one leaving) and had a fab time meeting some lovely ladies.

This afternoon I had a couple of friends over for coffee and then this evening found time to craft and enter some of this weekends challenges.

My first card was for the Penny Black Saturday Challenge, which was a sweet sketch by Nat. I don't have many long vertical stamps so decided to rotate the sketch around to accommodate a old long horizontal Penny Black stamp. This also meant I could enter this into the challenge over at Secret Crafter, which was to dig deep and use an old stamp.

Recipe 191/365 Stamps - Snowman border, Snowflakes.. Papers: Pebbles - snow fun flakes & Kars X-mas collection. White card embossed using a Cuttlebug folder - snowflakes. All coloured in copics.

The next card was made using another old penny black stamp, but this time I used a sketch from Sketch Saturday and by using some of the BG Eskimo kisses paper managed to qualify for the Basic Grey Challenge which was a colour combo of Blue, Green & red.

Recipe: 192/365 Stamp -Penny Black - Snowy & Hedgey, Sentiment from Inkadinkado coloured in copics. Papers from Basic Grey - Eskimo Kisses. Punches - Martha Stewart. Red Pearls from Queen & co
Phew I'm pooped now and need to get my beauty sleep as I am off to the Glitter Pot tomorrow for the day.
Bye
Saraxx

Stampin for the weekend - 20

Evening all

What a lovely day its been today after all of the rain earlier this week. I managed to get out into the garden and do some of the chores that had been piling up literally!

My reward for all that hard work was an afternoon of crafting Yeah! I actually have a few birthday cards to make and to start with I needed a 21st card for my very sweet hairdresser & neighbour Emma. She loves purple so that was one easy decision & the stamp I have been saving up especially for her as the three girls look just like her and her two BF. She is quite a classy sort of girl for her age and so I used the lovely simple sketch on Stampin' for the weekend.




Recipe: 190/365 Stamp: Rubber Romance. Paper - Basic Grey - Eva. Coloured in Copics & the glasses have some glossy accents
Back later with another card... Have to dash now & make dinner.......
Saraxx

Totally Gorjuss - First Challenge

Really was a whoops missed the photo which won't now attach to the original post......

Totally Gorjuss - First Challenge x2

Whoops back again

I am not sure when the deadline is for the first ever challenge at Totally Gorjuss so I am quickly whizzing this on in the hope that I'm not too late.
The theme is totally pink so combining two favourites.....

Recipe: 189/355 Stamp - from gorjuss girls set 3 coloured in copics
Papers: craftwork cards - Candy Cane
Punches: Martha Stewart - Frond branch
Flower from stash

Really is night this time

PLEASE NOTE THAT DUE TO A TECHNICAL ERROR THE PHOTO OF THE CARD IS ON MY NEXT POST......................

Whiff of joy - Challenge 51

Evening all

Quick post tonight as I wanted to get this card in for the WOJ challenge this week, which was to use a die cut on your card.

I hate trying to photo my cards at night as I don't seem to avoid that washed out feeling. Despite that I really like this card for its simplicity

I also love this stamp and have been dying to do a monochromatic version of her ever since I saw one that the very talented Bev Rochester made last year.

Recipe: 188/365

Stamp: WOJ - Lizzie with Muff,

Paper: Pebbles - snow fun flakes, Grey pearlescent card embossed using Cuttlebug Embossing Folder - Snowflakes. Die Cuts used - Nestabilities labels 4 & Fancy tags. Finished with ribbon from stash and a liberal amount of star dust stickles

Night all

Hugs

Saraxx

Five for a Friday

Evening all

Well what a busy bunny I've been today. Not content with my multi challenge cards to date I have three cards tonight which cover 5 challenges..... How greedy is that? To be honest I am still at my parents so there is not much else to do and there were some great sketches that I really wanted to do despite my lack of stash and all my papers to hand. They are not my best attempts, but I am putting it down to the fact that I have only one small bag of crafty stuff rather than a whole room of things to draw inspiration from .................LOL. The first challenge was for the Basic Grey challenge. It was a bit tricky as I only had one pad with me, the Eskimo kisses.

Recipe: 185/365

Only two tiny stamps both from the Dashing Reindeer set from Woodware. Papers: Basic Grey - Eskimo Kisses. Mulberry Street Flowers from Petaloo, Candy dots by Pebbles & card candy by craft work cards.

The second card was for the Penny Black Saturday Challenge, but used the Simon says stamp sketch. I had to go out and buy the ribbon today & the buttons are from my Grandmothers old button tin, which has now found its way into my craft bag.... whoops. She was always thrifty and cut all the buttons off worn out clothes and put them in an old baby milk tin which has a best before date of 1st may 1950!

Recipe: 186/365

Stamps; Christmas Critters - Penny Black; Christmas Characters - Inkadinkado. Papers; Pebbles - Snow fun flakes, Sizzix card stock brights & vellum from Stash. Nestabilities - Blossom & Create a flake 1. Coloured with distressed inks plus stickles everywhere!

And at last here is my final card, which is for the Lily of the Valley challenge using the lovely sketch from Sketch Saturday. I really had a tough time with this card as I struggled firstly to cut into this gorgeous paper, but secondly trying to match my limited supply of red and green Inks and papers... Mum to the rescue with some ribbon and some snowflakes.....

Recipe: 187/365 Stamps: Christmas Bunnies - Stocking from Lily of the Valley coloured using distressed inks. Papers Making Memories - Icon stripe Mistletoe, Ruby Bazzill & Bazzill Dotted Swiss Card - Clover Leaf. Sentiment from Craftwork cards. Embossed using Cuttlebug Embossing Folder - Holly With Berries & candy cane stripe. Ribbon and snowflakes from my mums stash (thanks!). Finished off with some star dust stickles.

I think these new stamps from Lily of the Valley are just so cute & the great news is
they are bringing out some more in two weeks at the NEC.

Well its off to bed now to conserve my strength for a fun packed day of shopping. Samuel Taylor have their 60th Birthday celebration demos this weekend so we are off to Embsay tomorrow and it would be just so rude not to drop into the Stampman on the way back, especially when we can have a fab lunch in Skipton.

Catch you later

Sara xx

Have a hoot

Hi all

This week I am up at my parents in the north of England, which is great as I always get spoiled rotten and as my mum is a fellow crafter I get to spend quite a bit of crafting and not worrying about chores...........

So today I am have been busy making Xmas cards (which I will put up on a slide show at the end of the week) and made a card for my brother for his birthday next month which just so happens to have a flying owl (ABC challenge), makes reference to family (Creative Inspirations), includes autumn colours (Secret Crafter) and uses a sketch (Just Magnolia). Phew I believe that covers 4 challenges.....

I had received these stamps in my order from the new Magnolia spooky range, but as we don't really celebrate Halloween I wanted to make a card that used the stamps a bit differently and men's cards are always a tough one for me.

So without further ado.....

Recipe: 184/365
Stamps: Magnolia - So Spooky; spooky moon and tree branch, flying owl. Kelly Panacci - Twit Twoo. Papers My minds eye - Andrea Victoria; Golden Beads & Sizzix little sizzles card stock neutrals. Embossed with Cuttlebug- Forest Branches. E line by Prima. Peel off from stash. Coloured with distressed inks.
OMG look at the time I must fly (LOL)
Hugs
Sarax

Take Boooooo

Hi all

I'm back with another go at a challenge. This time it's only for two Mojo Monday & Simon Says Stamp. I really like all these challenges as they give me a place to start. I don't have issues with coming up with ideas, its more a question of too many ideas and always trying to doeverything at once......... So using the sketch from Mojo Monday and the Spooky theme from Simon Says stamp I whipped up this little number....

I just love this little witch she does look so cute. I have raised the hat and her arm slightly although its tricky to see on the photo and coloured her in using distressed inks finished off with some stickles for a bit of bling on her hat and dress and some on the candy tots in the corners. I have had a further play with the embossing folder since yesterday and used a purple coordination paper, which I think has come out much better.
Recipe: 183/365
Little Witch with Broom by Belles & Whistles from Zoe Bunny crafts. Purple Coordination card, Black pearlized card and patterned paper - Daisy & Dandelion trick or treat & cuttlebug embossing folder - Spider web all from the Glitter Pot. Candy Dots & ribbon from stash. Punches MS - Cornice edger & EK Success - spots.
Any way have to dash I am off to a ball tonight so best get my glad rags on.....
Hugs
Sarax

First Challenge

Hi All

Where does all the time go. I'm not even working, but still seem to have no time what with one thing or another..... Still I have another first today and a triple. Confused..... all will be revealed.


This card is to cover three challenges
Just Magnolia; A spoonful of sugar
& Papertake Weekly. Not bad for my first go eh....
Unfortunately in the photograph the colours are quite washed out. If anyone has any tips........?

Recipe: 182/365 Stamps from the latest Spooky Magnolia release from Sir Stampalot. All coloured in with distressed inks. The black coordinations paper has been put through the cuttlebug embossing folder and the left over bits used to make the flowers using a quickutz nesting flowers cookie cutter die from Crafts U Love. The pattern paper is from the Daisy & Dandelion trick or treat paper pack - from the Glitter Pot.


You won't believe it but I will have another one for you tomorrow.....
Right off to have a lie down to get over the shock

Saraxx

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

AWOL

More candy and no postings.......

I know I'm rubbish, but I have been really busy with work in the week and we have been following the Ashes cricket around the country at the weekends. So with all the normal chores to fit in as well I have been neglecting my crafting time. No worries I have been making some cards and I will post them soon.

In the meantime check out the candy on Rach's site. here

I just love Martha Stewart punches and don't have these so here's hoping.....!

and the lovely Marlene here who has just got back from CHA

Over and out for now....

Sara x