Saturday, July 18, 2026

The children take the spotlight

 Good morning blogland

Saturdays are rolling around almost as fast as Tuesdays are - here were are with another Saturday and so another Sweet Stampin' Challenge appears as well.

This time the theme is 'For the children' and, as always, these are 'for fun' challenges so no prize but we do have 'Top 5' with a badge.  It's also a really friendly challenge with very few rules - you only need to make sure you stamp (whether that's rubber or digi), follow the theme and don't backlink.

So what did I make for a child - this card:


Supplies used:

Rubber stamp:
The Greeting Farm : OA Happy Day
coloured with my Copics
Time for Tea Designs : Bold Sentiments set

Dies:
Creative Craft Products : Stitched Nestables - Stitched Circles Set
Honey Doo Crafts - Connect the Dots nesting dies
Time for Tea Designs : Bold Sentiment Co-ordinating Dies

Paper:
Polkadoodles : oh boy!

Anything else:
Cuttlebug embossing folder : Seeing Spots
Distress Ink

That's quite a long list - for a fairly simple card - isn't it!

It was really nice pulling out my old stamps (this card and the last two CaS) and I had forgotten how quick they are to colour.  I think/hope (?) I've done both sets of images more justice now that my colouring skills have improved over the 15 to 20 years (oh my God - how long!!) since I've been colouring.

So I do hope you find time to pop on over to Sweet Stampin' and take a look-see at the lovely cards my Teamies have made.

And I will see you on the other side of my holiday - we are off to Inverness for a week.  All three of us!  That will be interesting ;-)

Sarah


Tuesday, July 14, 2026

Overdone the Clean and Simple

Good morning blogland,

These Tuesdays are coming and going at an alarming rate! Today we have another one and so, also, another Passion for Markers challenge.

This week I'm in the driving seat and my chosen theme is 'Clean and Simple', with our sponsor being Dies to Die For, there is a great prize for one lucky random winner who pops in an entry and sticks to the rules.  With those aforementioned rules being: use your markers; follow the theme and no backlinking.

Now, I know a lot of you will probably be groaning at Clean and Simple (CaS) and I forgive you for it! :-) I will say that, honestly, it's one of my favourite styles of card making. I will also admit that I'm not always sure my take on the style is 'pure' CaS but maybe more a paired back look, but still it's a style that I really love.

Less waffle - more card!  And to prove that I really do like CaS - I made one more card than I needed to!

Without further ado - cards:

Card one


Supplies used:

Rubber stamps:
Image
Sugar Nellie Stamps - Gorjuss: A Little Birdie Told Me
coloured with my Copics
Sentiment
Inkylicious - Hello Stamp Set

Dies:
Lawn Fawn - lawn cuts: Hello Border

Anything else:
Time for Tea Designs - circle masking stencil
Distress Oxide ink pad
blending brush
tiny, weeny, little gems

Card two:

Supplies:

Rubber stamps:
Image
Sugar Nellie: Up Up and Away
coloured with my Copics
Border
Blonde Moments: Bordering on Love
Sentiment
Whimsy Stamps: Simple Sentiment Strips

Dies:
un-branded stitched rectangles

Anything else:
Lisa Horton crafts: Cloud 9 ink pad - mermaid lagoon shimmer
blending brush
more teeny, weeny gems

All joking aside, one of the serious reasons I made two cards was because I couldn't get the bleeding stencilled circle on the first card to show properly.  I mean it does fade towards the top of the circle - and that is intentional - but you can still see it in real life.  You cannot on the picture at whatever angle I went for, it was extremely annoying!

Anyways, I am seriously finger crossed here that we get even one entry for this challenge.  Otherwise I might have to contemplate retiring the old CaS when it comes to my turn for picking themes, and that would make me sad!

I will wait with baited breath. :-)

Sees ya soon,
Sarah

Challenge/s:

Unicorn Challenge: #122 - No Designer Paper (Card 1)

Shopping Our Stash: SOS578 - Popsicle colours - Card 2 (I think it has enough of the colours to enter, but if not no worries if you delete it)

The Neglected Stuff Challenge: July 2026 -  Card 2 OK so both the stamps are old fashioned rubber and the packaging is dated 2009 - I've probably not used them since 2012! The border stamp on the 2nd card is about the same age.  The other stamps and dies are young 'uns at around 2 or 3 years old.  I'll be Instagramming the cards soon - photographic evidence will be included! :-)

Addicted to CAS: Up - Card 2

Simply Clean & Simple: July 2026 - Birthday Card 2




Sunday, July 12, 2026

Bit of a shaker


Morning blogland,

This was made for the All Dressed Up stamps July new release and shared over at the All Dressed Up facebook group.  As always Wendy (the designer) has presented us with some super cute digis and my Teamies have come up with some gorgeous cards.  I really would suggest you take a peak - even if you don't particularly want any ADU stamps - the cards made with the stamps are just gorgeous.

And here's my contribution to all this loveliness! 


Supplies used:

Digital stamp:
All Dressed Up : Play Day
coloured with my Copics

Rubber Stamp:
Woodware : Word Fragments

Dies used:
un-branded stitched rectangles
My Favorite Things : Die-namics - Forever Friends

Papers:
First Edition - Blank Canvas
Extremely old piece of 12x12 patterned paper that I couldn't find a label on

Anything else:
gems and sequins for the shaker

And the ' bit of a shaker' - well I'm on a bit of a shaker maker roll at the minute, with this being the (I think) third shaker card I've made in probably three weeks.  It does come to a stop with the next one though, I got a bit pressed for time and went back to my usual clean lines style.

If you're not a Facebook fan we do also have a challenge blog where there is even more Design Team inspiration for you to take a look at.

Aaaaand I think that's about it for now folks.

Be seeing ya!

Sarah

Challenge/s:

AAA Colourful: colourboard #29

Gem of a Challenge: Challenge #7 - Anything Goes

All About Papercraft challenges: #7 All about friendship

Cardz 4 Girlz: #280 - For a friend or friendship