Class challenge

Hi all

Back again!

Sorry I haven't posted this week, but I have had a very busy week. Two hour interview Monday, which unfortunately still didn't land me the job. Another interview for a contract landed Tuesday afternoon and the same happened Wednesday, one of which I am still waiting for an answer for (Here's hoping!) Then Thursday I picked up a day contracting. Phew!! I had forgotton how tiring it was to work!! Then today it was supposed to be a nice day of relaxing, card making with some lovely ladies down at The Glitter Pot. It didn't quite end up that way as we made three cards and five toppers in less than 4 hours! Trust me that is very quick for me!

All the cards are made using various stamps from Art Impressions range, the great Xmas word set from Woodware some polar white Flowersoft and a splash of Stickles.  I have made all of the toppers into cards now, but am too pooped to do anything else tonight.

Time for a bit of Jungle action now me thinks!!  (thats 'I'm a celebrity get me out of here' to those not from the UK)

Ciao

Sara xx

Winter Blues

Hi All

OMG what a windy day has been today, it doesn't seem to have stopped blowing all day & as a consequnce I haven't set foot out the door yet!! I have been busy on a little crafty project I am working on and also preping for an interview &  presentation I have on Monday (big gulps!!). Any way I did manage to squeeze a little bit of card making in between and have made another little gorjuss card!

I have managed to combine three more challenges again today (I know, I'm a little tinker!). Firstly the sketch over at Friday Sketchers was so lovely and simple it really cried out for some lush papers so I used some of the lovely KARS X-mas collection. The colour scheme was Blue, Silver & White to cover off the brief at Colour Create, which also asked for some winter and glitter (glitter? me!!), which I also added. The colour way also went with the Totally Gorjuss challenge which was 'Christmas Blues' which then dictated the stamp. This is such fun!

A close up of this little Gorjuss girl who I coloured with Copics today. Her hair is silver (not grey!!) to go with the colour scheme.

Finally I had another play with the acetate and twinklets, but this time paired it with some vellum

Recipe: 218/365 Stamps: Gorjuss girls - Sitting coloured with copics, Snowflake from Penny Black Crystalline collection. Paper: X-mas Collection from KARS, Nesties - Create a snowflake. Twicklets, stickles spacers and bling from stash

Right off to brave the weather now as my brother is having a birthday dinner tonight. If I don't post tomorrow I was obviously blown away!! LOL

Thanks for looking
Hugs

Sara xx

Snow much fun

Hi all

What horrid weather today! Its been gloomy and rainy all day, but now the wind has really whipped itself into a real freenzy and the news is saying we are due to be hit by the worst storms this year. Lovely!

Oh well I had some great news today, I have won my first blog challenge which was over at Totally Gorjuss - how apt the theme was 'bling'!

So onwards and upwards to my next card I had to use another of my recent purchases for the NEC, which was this very cute snowman and once again I managed to combine a few challenges. The sketch is from the very very talented Mina over at Just Magnolia, the theme is based on create a scene from A spoonful of sugar, and also managed to squeeze in some snow (hard that when you are using snowmen.... LOL!!) for the Cupcake Craft challenge & finally unusually for me I used a liberal sprinkle of glitter which qualified it for Cute card Thursday which was 'glitter me silly'!

As has been typical all week the photo is not the best.... of course  its the light rather than my rubbish photography!! It is tricky to see all of the glitter, but trust me its everywhere & the swowflakes have been covered in Twicklets which really make them sparkle.

The close up shows the snowy glitter highlights on top of the image, which has been coloured in distressed inks.

The snowflakes were made by punching and die-cutting snowflakes in acetate which were then covered in glossy accents and then sprinkled with the twinklets. Twicklets are made of finely ground glass so really do twinkle if you excuse the jokelet! I picked these up at Crafts U Love a couple of weeks ago going and was dying to use them. I have coloured the back of some of the snowflakes with a copic pen to give them a bit of depth.

Recipe: 217/365 Stamps: Frosty the snowman with snowflake, Winter Night background from magnolia & coloureed with distressed inks sentiment from Artifacts. Papers: Snowbank from Basic Grey & glitter card from stash. Brads, spacers & Charm from Zoe Bunny Crafts& finished off with loads of glitter and stickles!!

Thanks for looking

Hugs

Sara

Totally Gorjuss - 3

Back again!! Give the weather was so bad this afternoon I thought I would make another card and go for something really rich. I picked this fabulous flocked striped paper aas my starting point. Next it had to be the Totally Gorjuss 'bling' challenge and I thought I would have go at one of the very popular Easel cards that was on Secret Crafter and the papers I used qualified it for the Basic Grey challenge.

I'm still on the Christmas card treadmill, but with papers as gorgeous as these it makes life so easy. The bling is all over the card a little OTT, but thats me!! LOL. The stickles has been out again on the flowers, papers, charm and the image plus the pearls and card candy add another dimension. The photos don't really do the papers and colours justice, but ho hum I know!

The easel card was actually very easy to make. I went back to the trusty 6x6 size which made it a real sinch  when cut from 12 x 12 cardstock.

The close up, which shows off the lovely message on the Bobunny papers and the cut little snow flake charm .

Recipe 216/365 Stamps: Gorjuss Girl - A little birdy told me coloured with Copics Papers: Basic Grey -  Eskimo Kisses, 7 Gypsies - Savannah Flock paper Stripe, BoBunny - 12" Believe Cutout. Card candy - craftwork cards. Punch - Martha Stewart - Branch. Flowers - Poinsettia by Prima. Brads, pearls, spacers and charm from stash.

Thanks for looking

Hugs

Sara xx

In the meadow we can build a snowman

Hi all

The challenge today used the sketch on Friday Sketchers and the theme over at Penny Black Saturday, which was to base the card on a song title or lyrics. I used this great sentiment stamp of the first line of Frosty the Snowman and it seems appropriate to use this really cute stamp. The colouring looks better than the photo shows - honestly hedgey is not purple, but all this gloomy weather makes for difficult photography! Some glossy accents on the scarf and stickles on the hat and sky to finish!

Recipe: 215/365 Stamps: Snowy & Hedgey - Penny Black coloured with copics. Sentiment from Great Impressions. Papers: Winter Wonderland from Craftwork Cards. Die Cut using Sizzix Bigx snowflake and nesties circles and scallopd circles. Pearl & glitter card from stash. Card candy from Craftwork Cards. Stardust stickles and Glossy accents.

Thanks for looking

Hugs

Sara xx

LOTV - Blog hop

Hi

Just a quick post to tell you that Lily of the Valley have a new release of the mosts stunning stamps and the design team have put together a blog hop to celebrate.

The new release has some absolutely fabulous little boys that I know will be adding to my LOTV rubber pile very soon!!

Hugs

Sara

Very Distressing........

Hi all

Don't panic this is crafty distressing not anything bad.....  This weeks challenge over at Just Magnolia is to distress your card. I have to admit that this is not a technique I use often, but I thought I would have a go and when I looked at the card at the end I actually realised I could claim three ways of distressing. Firstly the standard distressing with my scissors around the edge of the card and sanding the embossed snowflakes. Secondly, I used ink to distress the edges of the image and the tag, but finally the third use of distressing was........ wait for it........ colouring with distress inks...LOL corny eh!

I used the recipe over at LOTV (3 papers, 2 stamps and one embellie), the colour way at Creative Inspirations (Black and red) and the theme over at Simon Says Stamp - Thankfulness.  I don't half pack them in don't I !! LOL

Black and red always reminds me of Santa Claus so I thought I would make a thank you card that santa might leave someone who had left him some very tasty mince pies......  I remember being left little notes when I was a child, but then maybe I the only one....

The tag pulls out to reveal a mini version of the Magnolia Santa, that I just so happened to pick up at the NEC to match the full size one I bought last year.

Recipe: 214/365 Stamps: Magnolia - Santa delivering presents large & small. Papers: Imaginisce - Polar Expressions, Flannel PJ's, Red Rose coordinations, Black Pearl card. Sentiment from Craftwork Cards. ribbon from stash and finally of course a liberal slurp of Stardust stickles...

Thanks for looking

Hugs

Sara xx

Well now for something completely different....

As  the title suggests todays card is something a bit different as all the 'papers' and 'embellishments' have been replaced with funky foam and there is not a bit of bling in sight! How unlike me!! LOL. I thought the challenge over at Cute card Thursday to use primary colours really cried out for a boys cards and the sketch at A spoonful of sugar really fitted the bill.

The stamp is one of the absolutely gorgeous new Lily of the Valley stamps that are on release from the 11th November, (but I managed to grab mine at the NEC !)

Recipe: 213/365 Stamps: Main imgage (no name yet!)- Lily of the Valley, Happy Birthday - Penny Black. Funky foam from Hobbycraft.

Thanks for looking

Hugs

Sara xx

Stamptacular Sunday - 31

Hi all

I'm a bit late with my post today as I got a bit caught up in the third book in the Twighlight Series - Eclipse. I  only started reading the books just over 10 days ago and have become completely hooked! I can see what all of the fuss has been about and once I've finished the fourth book I will be turning to the movies to get my fix of Edward & Jacob!

Back to my card for today. The challenge over at Stamptacular Sunday was friendship and I knew straight away that I wanted to use this lovely stamp by Ladybug and friends. It was also nice to have another quick break from my Christmas card production although I have nearly finished now.  I didn't use a sketch today and the papers and colours were a complete indulgence to all that is girlie! The one surprise to me is that my only concession to bling was the little metal embellishment, not a drop of stickles in sight!! LOL

Recipe: 212/365 (209-211 tapestry cards with Jane Gill) Stamps: Hello Sunshine - Ladybug and Friends.com, Sentiment from Stamping Bella. Paper: Crate paper - Katlin Collection Heartbreaker. Embellishments: Prima daisy Doodles - Candy Pink, Brads,spacers, ribbon, metal charm from stash.

Thanks for looking

Hugs

Sara xx

NEC update

Hi all

Phew, back after my very busy couple of days.

I was at the NEC for the first time & boy was I un-prepared for the size of the show......... It was huge.. My feet are still recovering from all the walking (& my bank manager from all spending!! LOL). I even managed to pick up a couple of Christmas presents whilst I was there.  Then today I was up and out early to drive down to the Glitter Pot for another session of Rubber tapestry with Jane Gill, so no cards today, but am brimming with ideas for tomorrow.....

Catch ya then

Sara

Magnolia Goes Green

Hi all

Another quick post tonight as I have been on a course all day and have not stopped all evening as I have an early start in the morning to get to the NEC. I'm meeting my friend at 7.30 at Oxford services, but that is over an hour's drive before hand!! Eek!!

Anyway back to the task to hand. There was a monochromatic theme at Just magnolia and I thought I would go green so I could also enter this in the ABC Challenge I used the loveley sketch over at Papertake Weekly and coloured Tilda with Lantern with distressed inks to go with the lovely muted greens of the papers.

Recipe: 208/365 Stamps: Magnolia - Tilda with lamp and Christmas ticket. Paper: Papermania - Wonderful Christmas Time, glitter paper from stash. Pins from Making Memories. Ribbon and dots from Stash.

Right off to get some beauty sleep ready for the NEC or should I really say foot preparing sleep LOL!!

Thanks for looking

Hugs

Sara xx

Cocktail Hour

Hi all

Another quick post as this week seems to be disappearing so rapidly. This card is a break from all the christmas cards I have been making and uses the lovely sketch over at Sketch Saturday and follows the theme over at Cute Card Thursday.

I don't know about you, but I'm getting pretty excited about going to the NEC this week. I am going on Friday with my friend Hilary and already have a shopping list as long as my arm, let alone thinking about all the things I don't even know I want yet!! LOL. So I suppose this is quite an apt card as by the time we have driven to Brum and back I don't think I will even make it past the first martini !!

Recipe: 207/365 Stamps: Cocktail  & Bubbles- Dimension Fourth, Shaken but not stirred - Craftwork cards all coloured in Copics & cocktail glass covered with Glossy accents.  Papers: Doodlebug - Confetti, Bazzill Dotted Swiss Card - Irish Eyes & Grape Jelly. Ribbon from stash and a liitle sprinkle of stickles!

Tomorrow I am on a course so had better get on with my prep!

Thanks for looking

Ciao

Sara xx

Mojo Monday - 111

Hi all

This is a double quick post tonight as I am really pooped after a day shopping in Guildford with the girlies. We managed to pick up a few bits and pieces to start our Xmas lists, but mainly I got frustrated at the rubbish that stores seem to think they can over package and over price at this time of year in the name of Christmas. Ho hum it looks like I am going to have to get my thinking cap on and put the extra time I currently have on my hands to better use.

The card today follows the sketch over on Mojo Monday and uses the elements spots and stripes required on the Papertake Weekly challenge.

                                                                                                                                                                                     

 Recipe: 206/365 Stamp - Surprise by Elizabeth Bell for SCACD coloured with Distressed Inks. Papers: Basic Grey Wassail - Spice Tea & Noel. Sentiment from Craftwork Cards. Silk Ribbon, Diamante from stash.

As always Elizabeth Bell has designed some fab new stamps and I picked these ones from Quixotic paperie.

The other stamps will no doubt be making a show sometime very soon!

 Thanks for looking

Hugs

Sara xx

Pinch, Punch..............

Hi all

.... the first of the month. Well we have certainly closed the door on summer firmly behind us. I woke up this morning to a really blustery, rainy day, the sort that usually has you reaching for a warm mug of chocolate and an afternoon curled up on the sofa reading. So thats exactly what I did.... Dean was out with some friends and all the chores were done (well the urgent ones anyway LOL).

However, I did manage to finish off this card this morning for the Colour Create challenge, which was actually to make an all white card (with the exception of the image) and I used the sketch from Mojo Monday. The stamp was the very appropriate Snow Joy from Penny Black, which made it eligible for the Penny Black Saturday challenge of 'white on white' and all mounted on glitter paper, with  a bit of bling on the sentiment which qualified it for the Simon says stamp challenge of 'all that sparkles'.

 The image has been coloured with Copics and then the snowball was given a little wash with H2O's, but this doesn't show up too well in the photo.

Recipe: 205/365 Stamps: Penny Black - Snow Joy & ...Snow. Paper: Pearlescent & glitter card from The Glitter Pot. Cuttlebug Embossing folders - both ironicly called snowflakes! Tulle from Crafts u Love. Pins by Making Memories from the Craft Range. Diamante & Pearls from stash and last but not least a liberal dash of Star Dust stickles.

Off for a nice girly lunch in Guildford tomorrow so hoping we all have a better day tomorrow.

Thanks for looking

Sara xx

Sketch & Stamp - 13

Hi all

Quick post today as I am off to a Halloween Party shortly and I wanted to show the card that I made for the challenge on Sketch and stamp. This was a very simple sketch, so it shows this very sweet stamp from Ladybug entitled Birthday surprise off very nicely. Everything else is from my stash.

Happy spooking everyone.

Thanks for looking

Sara xx

Friday Sketchers - 75

Hi all

Well the Indian summer weather the weather forecasters had been harping on about all week manged to find its way to Cobham in Surrey today, which is typical now that my central heating is all fixed!

I shouldn't moan as I managed to take some great shots of the beautiful autumn foliage today (who needs to be in Vermont when you can have it all in leafy Surrey LOL!)
I also manged to quickly snap this tiny cute beetle that landed on my car, just as I was about to get in it to go grocery shopping (proof that any little thing will distract me from my chores......!). He was very tricky to capture as he refused to pose for the camera and was moving pretty fast so focusing was pretty tricky, but you have to agree with colouring like this it was worth a go.


So onto my card for today which used a sketch from Friday sketchers. I was obviously inspired by the beetle as the colours seems to have been translated into the colouring and my choice of papers.
After yesterdays traditional colours it was refrshing to use a more modern Christmas palette & this paper from Kaisercraft certainly fitted the bill. Although I have to say that I went into a bit of a sweat when I had to start cutting into it! Why is it that certain papers can send you that way or is that just me!
The cute stamp from Impression Obsession was so easy to colour and I'm sure you will see this again soon....

Recipe: 203/365 Stamp: Lamb awaiting - Impression obsession coloured with distressed inks, sentiment from stamps away. Papers: Kaisercraft, Wish upon - Twinkle & Star bright. Nesties: Labels one and nesting stars. Ribbon from Ribbon Oasis plus my usual sprinkle of stickles!

Back to some more traditional colours tomorrow.

Thanks for looking

Hugs

Sara xx

Cute Card Thursday - 83

Hi all

Today's card is keeping with the Xmas theme - I still have a few to make !! However once again I have combined a couple of challenges, firstly Cute Card Thursday to include candy corns and I also used the sketch from Just magnolia.

The two papers both have candy themes within them and this cute little Tilda just fitted the bill. (I didn't realise until I was half way throught the post, that the flower had popped up in the middle so looks a bit odd - oops but I have now corrected!! )
A close up (without flower LOL) .........

Recipe: 202/365 Stamps: Tilda with Ornament & Christmas Tag, Magnolia coloured with distressed inks. Papers: Imaginisce - Polar Expressions Flannel PJ's, Basic Grey - Eskimo kisses. Flowers & Holly from Woodware Punch covered with stickles & ribbon from stash.
Thanks for looking
Hugs
Sara xx

Totally Gorjuss - 2

Just a quick addition of this sweet little card for the Totally Gorjuss challenge, which was to make a card, which was not a square or a rectangle. I actually this when I was stayingat my parents a couple of weeks ago, but hadn't posted yet so when I saw this challenge I thought it fitted the bill perfectly.......


Here is a close up of the Gorjuss girl coloured with Copics



Recipe: Card 201/365 - make using Sizzix bigz album scallop circle. Cut two then trimmed off loop to make bottom, scored approx 15mm down, then glued together at the top above the score line. Stamps: Gorjuss Girl - Set 2, Christmas Sentiments from Woodware, Pearls from Stash.
Thanks for looking
Hugs
Sara xx

Simon Says stamp - Get well soon

Hi all

Another card this time for the Simon says Stamp challenge which was to make a get well soon card. I ended up thinking this was rather apt as I have spent all day freezing in the house as the supposed Indian Summer has not arrived at Cobham & my central heating has broken down.... aaahhh. I may need to send this to myself at this rate as British Gas can't come out until tomorrow...

This card used the sketch over at Truely Scrumptious and I used a couple of stamps from Stamps by Judith to create the image, coloured it with watercolour pencils and covered it with glossy accents

Here is a close up - he doesn't look well does he!

Recipe: 200/365 Stamps: Stamps by Judith, Sentiment from Rubberneckers. Paper: Doodlebug & Bazzill bling. Ribbon from stash
Thanks for looking
Sara xx

It started as one!

Back for my last post. Originally I intended to do a very quick challenge using the sketch at A Spoonful of Sugar and to ink up the 'Spooky' stamp set I had from Penny Black to fulfil the Halloween brief at Penny Black Saturday & to all intents and purposes it was, as it only took 20 minutes to make........


However, when I came to post the card I found that I was able to enter quite a few more challenges as follows:
Creative Inspirations - challenge 32 - Halloween
Stamping for the Weekend - Challenge 21 - Halloween
Secret Crafter - challenge 55 - Orange & one other colour (in my case black)
Stamptacular Sunday - Challenge 30 - Its Fall y'all (using traditional fall colours)
Hurrah - makes my life so much easier...
Here is a close up...

Recipe: 199/365 Stamps:Penny Black clear stamp set - Spooky coloured with Copics. Paper: Basic Grey - Indian Summer (quite apt given this weeks weather forecast !) Orange Bazzill Bling, Black Coordinations card. Cuttlebug Embossing Folder - Skeleton Scroll & Pumpkin Harvest. Bit of stickles on the hat!
That really is me finished for today so thanks for looking
Hugs
Sara xx