I'm a bus!

Morning Blogland,

Just in case anyone really thinks I'm a bus - it's the 'you wait for ages for one bus and then three turn up at once' saying I'm using here in relation to this being my third post in as many days.  I don't really think I'm a bus!!

I wasn't going to post again today - that was being saved for tomorrow to get back into Mon, Weds, Fri routine - but, again, I saw a challenge I wanted to join in with is closing in a few hours so I've got to get my skates on!

Maybe it's because I've lost a week what with it being half-term, but my goodness for me October has flown past. Having November here tomorrow has thrown me completely and am astounded December and therefore Christmas isn't too far off. Cue panic about Christmas presents!

No more chatter - card:

Supplies used:

Digital stamp:

Alex Shops Art (etsy seller)

coloured with Copics

Dies:

Pretty Pink Posh - Hey Friend (new stash!)

Pretty Pink Posh - Scallop Borders 1

Anything else:

Anna Marie Designs - striped card

Craft UK Ltd - White linen card

Black card

What I did:

Sized and printed the digital stamp on Copic friendly paper, coloured in and fussy cut out.

Trimmed a piece of striped card to fit the bottom of the card blank.

Trimmed and die-cut a piece of linen card to fit the top, stuck them together and then stuck them to the card blank.

Die-cut the sentiment out of black card and stuck that to the top of the linen card.

Popped the image on 3d foam and mounted onto the linen / striped card.

et voila, job done!

Well I think I've talked myself out over the last three days, so I'm disappearing off now. Going to wait and see if the wild weather we are having right now goes before I'm due to be vaguely supervising TTT on her Trick or Treat outing this evening.

Signing off,

Sarah 

Challenge / s:

The Cutie Pie Challenge Blog: #164 Theme - down on the farm

Crafty Catz: Challenge #570 - Anything Goes

Polkadoodles Craft Challenge: Wk 44 - Anything Goes

Colour Crazy Craft Challenge: Week 43 - Anything Goes

Krafty Chicks Challenge: KCC #583 - All Occasions

Summer Fairy, or maybe not!

Hello blogland,

Been quiet again this week on the old bloggy blog while it's been half-term in real life - I wonder if the two could be related?

All I managed craft wise was to finish off one card from last week and then made a one new one this week to join in with a couple of challenges.

I'll share the other card next week, but this one I need to get on the blog to join in with challenges that finish first.  The image is called Summer Fairy, but I thought what's in a name - she doesn't need to be a 'Summer' fairy and why not colour her in cooler 'Winter' colours.

So card:

Supplies used:

Digital stamp:

All Dressed Up - Summer Fairy

coloured with Copics

Rubber stamp:

taylored expressions - Simple Strips : Birthday

Die:

taylored expressions -  Simple Strips : Well Rounded

Anything else:

Meiflower - heart embellishments

What I did:

Printed the digi stamp on Copic friendly paper and coloured her in.

Cut the image panel to fit my DL card base and glued it down.

Glued on the heart embellishments.

Stamped and die-cut the sentiment, added 3d foam to the back of it and added to the panel.

et voila, job done!

These pictures are for my bloggy friend, and are the new 'toys' I brought at the Harrogate stamp show last weekend.  Here you go, Susan, new stash pictures!

That's it for now, will be back after the weekend - hope you all have a good one!

Signing off,

Sarah

Challenge / s:

Passion for Markers: Week 615 - Flower Power

Fab 'n' Funky Challenges: Challenge #537 - Embellish it

Watercooler Wednesday: WWC327 - All Thing's Feminine

As You Like It Challenge: Favourite: Critter or People (&why) - for me it's people, I just like colouring characters as there are so many options - skin tones, hair colours, even through to zombies / vampires and other mythical beings.

All Dressed up Challenge blog: October #122 - Anything Goes

Last minute!

Evening Blogworld

This is going to be a super fast post, so minimal chit-chat or waffle as I've only got a short while until the challenge I want to join in with closes.

I really do like Clean and Simple, even like One Layer Cards - see them as a challenge - but I really think I need a long look at an alternative range of stamps for these cards. My normal 'character stamp and colour with Copics' really doesn't work.

I'm now on a hunt for more 'artsy' stamps that can be used with different colour ink pads.  Any suggestions?

In the meantime - card:

Supplies used:

Rubber stamps:

Catherine Pooler - Note of Thanks

HunkyDory - For the Love of Stamps (for the leaves)

Everything else:

Distress Ink

Pear colour ink pad

Versamark ink pad

What I did:

Made a DL (slimline) card base.

Masked off a strip along the centre and stamped some leaves with the pear ink pad around and over the mask.

Blended Distress Ink over the stamps and mask.

Took off the mask and stamped the sentiment, using a Versamark black ink pad, in the gap created.

et voila, job done.

Liked the technique, liked the look but next time I'd make more of the leaves by using bigger stamps and different colours of ink pad.  For now, it's a start.

I will be back tomorrow.

Signing off,

Sarah

Challenge / s:

Less is More Challenge: Challenge #454 - OLC - Autumnal

I'm soooo late!

 Hello Blogworld,

Abject apologies to my Teamies over at Sweet Stampin' for being so late with this post!

I've been to Stamperama at The Yorkshire Showground, in Harrogate - only just got back - and completely forgot it was the new challenge today!

So I won't waffle on, save that for another day, but will crack on with my inspiration card. Another week has passed at The Sweet Stampin' Challenge blog and now it's Team Wendy's turn to provide inspiration for the new challenge.  This time we'd like to see all your 'All Hallow's Eve' inspired makes.

Any make goes, but please remember we are a stamping challenge and so there must be some stamping on your project somewhere.

My card:

Supplies Used:

Digital Stamp:

Tiddly Inks - Wryn the Witch

coloured with Copics

Dies:

Un-branded alphabet

Memory Box - Modern Landscape Border

Anything else:

Tim Holtz Distress Inks

Black card

Mica spray

What I did:

Re-sized and printed Wryn onto Copic friendly paper.

Coloured her in with my Copics and fussy cut her out.

Made my DL size card blank and cut a piece of card to fit the front.

Inked the panel with two shades of Distress Ink and then die-cut 'BOO!' from the panel.

Die-cute a further two 'BOO!'s and stacked both those and 'BOO!' from the panel.

Die-cut the landscape from black card.

Mounted the panel on the front of the card, then popped 'BOO!' back in to give and eclipse look.

Glued the landscape to the front of the panel and attached Wryn with 3d foam.

et, voila! Job done.

I have to go apologies to my Teamies now, for missing the deadline! Hope they forgive me!!

Signing off,

Sarah

Challenge / s:

Passion for Markers: Week 614 - Dies and/ or punches - dies for me.

Fab 'n' Funky Challenges: Challenge #536 - Halloween

Gem of a Challenge: Challenge 22 - Anything Goes

Polkadoodles: Wk 43 - Anything Goes

My Time to Craft: Challenge 468 - Halloween or Fall Colours

What a view

 Good morning blogworld

I think I would rather have the view on my card than the one we have outside of our side windows right now.

We live in old house (built in 1904) and, as we also live in the middle of nowhere, are on a septic tank which is the same age as the house. New guidelines came in a little while ago that make our tank  illegal and hubby has spent the better part of a year waiting for a company to come and put us in a modern tank - this finally happened last week. Obviously they had to dig a very big hole in the garden, put in this big green tank, partially pipe it up and then bury it.  

Result is that part of the garden looks like it's been trampled by giants! Hubby also says no point trying to fix it now, as it's wrong time of year so we will have to live with it until spring.  I'm taking the route of - if I don't look at it, it isn't there!

I will look at the card view and - in real life - the other side of the house!

So nice view on card:

Supplies used:

Rubber stamps:

Image:

Crafty Individuals - Summer Poppy Meadow CI-276

Sentiment:

Altenew - Inked Lotus

Dies:

Poppystamps - Small Madison Arched Window

Creative Expressions - Noble Collection: Double Stitched Rectangles

Anything else:

Copic friendly paper

Copics

Red card

What I did:

Stamped the image onto Copic friendly paper through the discard from the window die and then partially coloured it in.

Di-cut it with the rectangle.

Die-cut out the window frame three times, stacked them and glued on top of the image.

Stamped the sentiment.

Mounted it onto a piece of red card.

Mounted the whole lot onto my card blank.

et, voila, job done!

My main beef with this card is that the image panel is not the same shape as the card blank - it looks off to me.  My problem is that I don't use American sized cards and I just cannot seem to find the right sized stitched rectangle and square dies to give both a base that fits the card blank (whether my 5x5 or DL or top folded blanks) well and leaves a very small border with the next size up die.  I get the feeling I'm never going to find the right die to give the look I'm after. Any suggestions, blogworld?

Anyway, that's it for today folks, be back soon,

Signing off,

Sarah

Challenge/s:

CASology - Week 396: View

Retro Rubber Challenge: Challenge #169 - Anything Goes - the stamp used for the view has got to be over 10 years old but I don't know the exact date as it doesn't say.  I can remember buying it at a Stamping Exhibition and I haven't been to one of those in at least seven years!

Hello there

Hello Blogland

Did you notice there was a short transmission break there? I felt very low what with proper Autumn coming in and the start of short dull dreich days and longer nights. It always make me feel pretty miserable so I took a short break until I acclimatised. 

Pleased to report I'm now well on the way to getting used to the dullness, so I'm back and with a card to share!

I used:

Digital Stamp:

Lee Holland Designs  - Teddy Celebration

coloured with Copics

Rubber Stamps:

Catherine Pooler - Happy Birthday Many Ways

Taylored Expressions - Simple Strips : Birthdays

Dies:

My Favorite Things - Die-namics : Fishtail Foundations

Taylored Expressions - Simple Strips : Well Rounded

Anything Else:

Tim Holtz - Distress Ink

Black card

What I did:

Re-sized and printed the digital stamp onto Copic friendly paper then coloured it in.

Swished some Distress Ink over the bottom of the image. 

Then cut the panel to fit the DL (Slimline) card base I'd made.

I then mounted the panel onto some black card - again cut to fit the card blank.

Attached the stamped and die-cut 'happy birthday' to the image with 3d foam.

Inked the 'let the celebrations begin' stamped and die-cut sentiment with Distress Inks and glued it to the image.

Glued the whole panel and card to the card blank.

et voila, job done!

I'm not too sure about the colouring in the teddy - I was following along with a Kit and Clowder colouring video but I think I need more practice.  To me the teddy looks more like a Highland Cow than a teddy bear!

Signing off now,

Sarah

Challenge / s:

Passion for Markers: Week 613 - Make it cute

Colour Crazy Craft Challenge: Week 40 - Anything Goes

Gem of a Craft Challenge: Challenge 21 - Anything Goes

The Paper Players: PP563 - Clean and Simple Challenge

AAA Birthday: Game #30 - A Slimline Card

Not Friday?

 Good morning blogland,

Well my plan of posting on Friday evening didn't happen, did it! So here we are back to mornings (but not that early!) and it's Saturday!

I think this card maybe a complete first for me - I can't remember ever making a CAS coloured with Copics only flowers image card before.  I'm very much a character (and more often a cute character) than a floral colouring person. 

I keep telling myself it's good to try new things, that I'm not having an angst ridden, mid-life, crisis of  'just what is my style' moment! I wonder if I will ever settle into a particular 'style' that someone can point at and say, oh yes that's a 'These I Made' card'!! 😀

Anyhooo, card:

Supples used:

Rubber stamps:

Flowers: My Favorite Things - Corner Blooms

coloured with Copics

Sentiment: Taylored Expressions - Simple Strips : Birthday

Corners: Now I think those are a Lili of the Valley stamp set, but I'm not sure as they are very old and I've lost the packaging. So don't take my word for that!

Dies:

Creative Expressions - Noble Collection: Double Stitched Squares

Taylored Expression - Simple Strips : Well Rounded

Anything else:

Copic Fine liner

What I did:

Cut a square of Copic friendly paper with the square die.

Stamped (twice) the Corner Blooms and coloured them in with my Copics.

Stamped the decorative corners in the corners and then drew lines with a fine-liner to make a border,

Took a stamped and cut sentiment added some 3d foam to it and popped it on the image.

Glued the whole lot to a top folded 5x5 square card.

et, voila - job done!

I think I've probably waffled on enough at the beginning of the post, so I'm wandering off now.  Got a day's worth of washing and cleaning to get on with! Oh, and some encouraging 'do your homework, now!" to be done as TTT is off for a postponed days ice-skating trip with a friend tomorrow.

See you soon,

Signing off,

Sarah

Challenge / s:

Passion for Markers - Week 612 - use red

Colour Crazy Craft Challenge: Week 40 - Anything Goes

Crafty Catz: Challenge #567 - Anything Goes (optional twist - Girly)

Krafty Chicks Challenge: Challenge #580 Week 1 (Stamp Act)

Still here!

 Hello Blogland

Yes, I'm still here and making cards - still not managing to get to the blog as often as I would like though!

I will be making more of an effort and wonder if I'm better off posting in the evenings, now it's getting darker - when all there is to do is sit in front of the TV and do nothing! I am by nature a morning person - but my mornings can be busy and I run out of time to sit and work on the lappy.  

Anyway, ramble, ramble - moving on.

These aren't the newest cards I've made (that post is for Friday) but they show how my mojo is having an identity crisis.  I wanted to make a CAS card for a specific blog challenge.  First card is how I started - second card how I finished.  I just felt the first one wasn't really CAS - right colours and idea but too much background.

See what you think:

Card one:

Card two:

Supplies used:

Rubber stamp:
Catherine Pooler - Note of Thanks Stamp Set

Die:

Memory Box - Arboscello Tree

Anything else:

1st card only - nuvo Mica Mist - Antique Gold

Tim Holtz - Distress Ink: fired brick

fine liner to create the flying birds

5"x5" card blanks

What I did:

First card:

Die cut the tree from brown card.

Inked up a card front with the Distress Ink - heavy at the bottom, softer as rising.

Sprayed it with Mica, waited for it to dry, inked and stamped the sentiment on the bottom of the panel.

Glued the die to the panel and drew on some birds.

Mounted the panel on the card front with 3d foam squares.

Done

Second card - OLC:

Die cut the tree from brown card.

Made a circle stencil from scrap card and a circle die, taped that down to the card blank with artist tape and taped off the bottom half of the circle.

Inked through the circle with the Distress Ink, when I took the stencil away I thought it looked too sharp so smoothed out the bottom.

Stamped the sentiment at the bottom of the card.

Glued the tree between the inked panel and sentiment.

Drew on the birds.

et viola, job done

Let me know which you think is the more Clean and Simple card - or even just if you prefer one to t'other! All comments and constructive criticism welcome!

Signing off now,

Sarah

Challenge / s:

 Addicted to CAS: Challenge #207 - Autumn (It's card two I'm entering in the challenge - I felt card one was too much to be CAS).

Addicted to Stamps and More: Challenge #415 - Die cuts and / or stencils - 1st card is just die-cut and the 2nd both. 

Watercooler Wednesday: WWC326 - Helen's Challenge: All About Occasions

Time to get spooky!

Good morning blogland,

Can you believe it's the first weekend in October already! As it is the first Saturday of the month I'm here to share my make for the new challenge over at Crafty Calendar Challenge - and this month the theme is Halloween, so all your spooky makes if you please!

Our sponsor for this challenge is:

The Design Team were allowed to pick images from the shop and this is my make with two of the images that were chosen:

Supplies used:

Digital Stamps:

Creepy Cute Big Eye Zombie Girl

and

Creepy Cute Whimsical Haunted Halloween House

Coloured with Copics

What I did:

Re-sized and printed the digi stamps onto Copic friendly paper.

I drew around a lid to give me the outline of a moon, then coloured in the two images with my Copics. 

Next I coloured the sky and ground and used my white pen to create the stars (which Hubby thought was snow!).

Finally I mounted the panel onto some red card and then onto the card blank.

I'm not too unhappy with how it all turned out, although I feel I could've blended the colours around the moon a little better.  Even TTT was impressed when she saw it - she couldn't quite believe the her mother had created a whole scene!

So, why not pop over to the Challenge - have a look at what my Teamies have created and enter something yourself! We would love to see you!

Signing off,

Sarah 

Challenge /s:

Colour Crazy Craft Challenge: Week 39 - Anything Goes

Gem of A Craft Challenge: Challenge 20 - Anything Goes

Krafty Chicks Challenge: #579 - Week 5 (ATG)