Tuesday, September 8, 2026

Not a cat person?

Then probably best to look away for this post!

Morning blogland,

It's Tuesday and so time for a new challenge over at Passion for Markers challenge, this week our Teamie Sue picked the theme and she's chosen 'Lots of layers'.  This weeks' sponsor is Clearly Besotted and there is a great prize on offer for one lucky, randomly chosen winner.

As always you do have to follow the rules to be in with a chance of winning the prize or being picked as a Top 5 Pasionista and those rules are : use your markers (any brand); follow the theme and don't backlink

As for the 'cat person' bit - well once you've looked at the card, I think you'll understand!

Said card:


Supplies used:

Digi stamp:
Polkadoodles - Cat Naps - Honeypie
coloured with my Copics

Rubber stamp:
Taylored Expressions: Simple Strips - Meow

Dies:
Taylored Expressions: Simple Strips - Well Rounded
un-branded stitched rectangle
MFT - Die-namics: Blueprints - 1
Polkadoodles - Big Hello sentiment die set

Paper:
Dovecraft - Sugar & Spice

Anything else:
Indentz : Swirls embossing folder
sequins for the shaker
red card for matting

To be totally honest - I was more a dog person when I met 'Im Indoors but, with him being allergic to dog fur and so having always had cats as pets, I've turned into a cat/dog person. 

I'd really love to have the sort of dog we had in my childhood - a wonderfully daft Golden Lab or big shaggy Alsatian or (with our wonderful Sola) an Alsatian/Irish Wolfhound mix, but every time I mention it said 'Im Indoors asks me if I really would enjoy living on my own! 

Also TTT threatens to disown me if I get a dog, she's not frightened of dogs by any means but 100% prefers a cat. So I'm, by default, because of family commitments, a servant of cats.

Anyways - there's my many layered card and the story behind the meaning of the sentiment.  I hope you all have as much fun with the theme as I did, and I look forward to seeing your entries.

See you soon,
Sarah

Saturday, September 5, 2026

Splish, Splash

 Good morning blogland,

It's challenge time!  Crafty Calendar Challenge is back from our Summer holidays and a new challenge starts today.  

Even though it's officially the start of Autumn we are still holding onto those Summer vibes at CCC and so the theme this month is 'Summer', as always this is a very easy going challenge.  We only have a few rules, which are : follow the theme, no backlinking and a maximum of 3 entries per person.

As always everyone who enters and follows the rules is entered into a prize draw, with a randomly drawn winner and this time the prize is from Lili of the Valley.  We do also have Top 3 Picks chosen from all the entries by the Design Team.

Onto the card I made for this challenge:



Supplies used:

Digital stamp:
Saturated Canary - Snorkelling
coloured with my copics

Polkadoodles - Coral Mermaid
for the sentiment

Dies:
un-branded stitched rectangles

Paper:
Papermania - Retro Florals paper pack

Anything else:
distress inks and blending brushes for the panel behind the image
vellum for the layer above the image
red and blue lightweight card for matting
self-adhesive gems

A much more layered card than I normally make but, from its start as a very clean and simple card, it just seemed to evolve into this!

On a personal note, did I tell anyone that I got a Cricut Joy Xtra for my birthday? It's something I'd thought about for a very long time, then saw a 2nd hand one on ebay for a very reasonable price and told 'Im Indoors that that was my birthday present.  I'm finding it a little erratic - not the machine itself, that works fine, but how the overall Design Space programme works and the results I then get.  

I do one thing that I think will get me 'that' and instead it seems to give me 'this' - I've still not worked out what it is I'm doing wrong. However, for this card, it gave me exactly what I wanted!  A nicely fussy cut out digi stamp (I'm a very messy fussy cutter!) and the sentiment looking like it had been cut with a die. 

I am also determined to not let it beat me!  I will learn!

So there, that's my little bit of sharing of a Summer event - now I'm looking forward to seeing all the left over Summer vibes that your projects conjure up!

See you soon,
Sarah

Challenge/s:

Krafty Chicks Challenge: #836 - Birthsday

Creative Knockouts: #578 - Lots of Layers

Tic Tac Toe Challenge: TTTC300 - Bottom Row: Die-cut/Punch \ Patterned Paper \ Bright Colours




Crafty Gals Corner: #279 - AG / optional Summer Vibes

Tuesday, August 25, 2026

Not my normal

 Good morning blogland,

It's time for a new challenge over at Passion for Markers, this week it's our Teamie Marlene's turn to pick the challenge theme.  Marlene has gone for 'Ribbons and/or bows' - we don't mind if it's one or the other or both - there just needs to be some ribbon or a bow or two there, along with using your markers of course!

We are sponsored this week by Uniko Stamps, who are offering one lucky, randomly drawn, person 1 product of their choice from the website as a prize.  Please remember to follow the rules when you enter the challenge; those rules being use your markers, follow the theme and don't backlink - else you won't be entered for the draw.

So, moving on - this is the card I made for this challenge.  Now I know you are going to say - oh, that's nothing like your normal card style, but the thing is this used to be my normal!  It just hasn't been since I re-entered the crafting world.  This card was made to actually be handed over in person for a specific occasion to a specific person - so I went 'old school' and loaded up the embellishments.

Here you go, take a peek and you will see what I mean:


Supplies used:

Digital stamp:
coloured with my Copics

Dies:
Creative Craft Products: Stitched Nestables - Circle
Creative Craft Products: A2 essentials - everyday sentiments

Paper:
Melissa Frances - 5th Avenue
piece of dotty light card

Anything else:
piece of ribbon
pre-made bow
flowers
acetate, sequins and glitter - for the shaker

And that's it folks - I hope you liked the throwback card and I hope to see you in our challenge this week!

Sarah

challenge/s:

Unicorn Challenge Blog: #123 - Layer it up

The Neglected Stuff Challenge: August 2026 - Confession time - the only new thing on that card is the digi stamp! The flowers are more like 10 / 12 years old; the designer paper pad I can't even tell you when I bought that but maybe 10 years ago? The ribbon and pre-made ribbon bow, probably also over 12 years old - seriously the circle and sentiments dies would be the newest and they are most likely 3 to 5 years old.  I went really deep into my stash for this one!

Gem of a Challenge: Challenge #8 - AG

Just Add Ink: Challenge #792 - Choose two or more: circles / flowers / sequins (in the shaker element of the card)