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)



Tuesday, August 18, 2026

I'm so late with this one!

 Hi Blogland,

This is going to be super short - just to get the card up - as this is my post about it being new challenge that started over at Sweet Stampin' Challenge but it started Saturday just gone (15th)!

I will probably go into the weekend woes at some point that meant I had next to no time to craft, but not now.

So this fortnight's challenge theme is 'Summer Fun!' - anything you associate with happening in the Summer.  This is a 'for fun' challenge so no prizes and the rules are really simple: you have to stamp, you have to follow the theme and no backlinking but it really doesn't have to be a card you enter. Just stamp!

Having said that - here's my card!


Supplies used:

Digital stamp:
coloured with my Copics

Rubber stamp:
Tonic Studios: Say it with Sentiments

Dies:
un-branded stitched rectangles
Creative Craft Products - Stitched Nestables

Anything else:
Distress Inks
blending brushes
Scrap of designer paper from BoBunny 'Surprise' collection
homemade cloud stencil
white pen
And that's about it folks!

Again absolute grovelling apologies to my Teamies and 'The Bosses' at Sweet Stampin' for being so super late with this card and post.

See you soon,
Sarah

Challenge/s:

Retro Rubber: Challenge #278 - Off to the tropics.  I've asked for the entry to be removed - I hadn't realised it was tropical flowers not colours, apologies

Try it on Tuesday: Inspired by a Song - In the Summertime (by Mungo Jerry).  It's one of my favourite Summer songs, tho I doubt it would be approved by my daughter today!

As You Like It: Favourite colouring medium (and why?) Can you guess, no go on really - I hardly ever mention what I like to colour with the most!! :-) Did you guess? It's Copic markers - they are just such fun and you get a great look from them and I love them and I will use them for ever! Seriously though, once you've got the hang of them they are wonderful marker pens, they blend so well, so many colours and just a wonderful finish.  I was swayed by Polychromos pencils for a while (and I do still have my box of them) but I still went back to Copics.

Cardz 4 Galz: #282 Blue Skies - Is the stencilled panel enough blue sky?  No problems if it doesn't 100% fit your theme.

Tuesday, August 11, 2026

It's a kind of

 magic!

Good morning blogland

It's also a kind of Tuesday as well! It feels to me like this year is particularly flying by - early August already - TTTs' been home for nearly two months now and goes back to Uni end of Sept.  

But I digress, the proper reason for this post is that, as it is another Tuesday already, it's time for a new challenge over at Passion for Markers and this week it's my Teamie Marie's turn to pick the theme.  Her choice is 'Dies and/or Punches' - with the sponsor this week being Colour of Love Digis who are offering a prize for one lucky, randomly drawn, winner. As always the rules are simple - follow the theme; don't backlink and use your markers.  

I can't see there being any problems with this theme - who doesn't use dies or punches?  I have to admit I've long moved on from punches and now my die cutting machine - a good old Big Shot - is used every single time I make a card!

And this is the card I made with my trusty Big Shot and dies:


Supplies used:

Digital stamp:
Colour of Love - The Sorcerer Mouse
coloured with my Copics

Rubber stamp:
Concord & 9th - Kristina Werner: Big Day Birthday stamps

Dies:
un-branded stitched rectangles
Concord & 9th - Kristina Werner: Big Day Birthday dies

Anything else:
gel pens
scrap of designer paper

This card is one of those ones where part of it I like and part of it I look at and think what did I do! The mouse didn't colour up very well, but I really do like the effect of the dies / stamp combo. There you go I'm digressing again! 

I am actually really looking forward to see what everyone makes this time - does anyone out there still use punches?  Or are we only going to see a mass of makes using dies?  

By the way, I do still have my punches - they are boxed up waiting for Him 'indoors to get round to putting them up for sale, personally I don't think anyone will buy them.  But he's determined to try!

See you soon,
Sarah 

Challenge/s:

Cut It Up: #362 Add a sentiment

Digichooseday: Challenge 8 - wks : Anything Goes