And finally....

For my little run of cards

Good evening blogland

I'm writing this post much later than I was expecting - been an upside down sort of day.  TTT got her Covid booster at school during last week and, as happened last time, she has now got cold symptoms and didn't feel well enough to go to school today.  As part of feeling unwell she also slept very poorly - so guess who was up at 2.30am getting her an Ibuprofen and glass of milk and then who couldn't get back to sleep properly themselves.  Oh yes, that would be me!

Of course that meant I slept in (as did she) and so today was very lazy day.  I didn't even get to my gym this morning - very bad! That's something, as well as colouring, that soothes the soul. Anyways, she's much better this evening and tomorrow is another day which will, hopefully, be back to normal.

Now onto final card of this little flurry:

Supplies used:

Digital stamp:

SheepSki Designs - Goth Girl (image number - 167)

coloured with my Copics

Rubber stamp:

Taylored Expresssion - Simple Strips : Birthday

Dies:

Taylored Expression - Simple Strips : Well Rounded

Un-branded rectangle stitched die set

un-branded stitched tag set

Anything else?

Glitz paper pack - Pretty in Pink

I don't know what they are called (or where I got them as they are so old!) some moulded paper dots

black card

white gel pen

What I did:

Re-sized, printed then coloured in the digital stamp with my Copics and fussy cut out.

Used the rectangle stitched die set to cut base black matt and base patterned paper, then glued them together and to the card base.

Used the tag dies to cut a black matt and piece of patterned paper, glued them together and them as the next layer.

Cut more patterned paper and black card, layered it up and glued that as the next layer.

Realised the edges of that layer were hanging off the card and chopped them off!

Added the 3d paper dots and sentiment on 3d foam as the next layer.

Finally popped the image onto 3d foam and she went on the very top layer.

et voila, job done!

So today, other than feeling tired, I've been mostly looking at what is worn in Iceland on a walking holiday in September.  TTT is going on a school expedition for her Geography GCSE in September and I'm researching it!  Mostly I was wishing I could go as I'd love to see the Northern Lights!  But this is more of a fact finding exercise to see what a teenager who reckons she doesn't feel the cold can get away with wearing as an absolute minimum of layers. On-going project!!

Signing off now,

See you soon,

Sarah

Challenge/s:

Fab'n'Funky Challenges: Challenge #543 - 2 or more patterned papers

The Paper Players: PPP576 - Tic-Tac-Toe (mine is a diagonal line : die-cut - flower - birthday  (assuming flower is ok on the paper)).

Crafty Catz: challenge #580 - Anything Goes (optional twist - flowers). I did attempt the twist - flowers on the patterned papers.

So sparkly!

Good morning, again, blogland,

I'm back, as promised!

This time I'm here because there is a new challenge for Team Wends over at Sweet Stampin' today.  The theme is 'Mardis Gras', so along with some stamping (as we are a stamping challenge) we'd like to see your sparkly, glittery, shiny makes please!

It has to be said this theme rather stumped me, as know nothing about Mardis Gras other than it's in New Orleans! After Googling Mardis Gras and having Venetian masks come up a lot, I thought I'd try and find something to do with Venetian masks - well that drew a big blank! Then I had a dig through my digis and stamps and found this image in my very old rubber stamps. I thought she looked like she might well join in a parade and that I could sparkle the image up a bit.

This is what I ended up making:

2nd picture - trying to show you the glitter:

The papers are lovely and glittery in real-life as well but it really hasn't shown up in the photos - although I think the glitter on her feathers seems to be there.

Supplies used:

Rubber stamps:

Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps - Vivienne

coloured with my Copics

Taylored Expressions - Simple Strips : Well Rounded

Dies:

Creative Expressions - Noble Collection : Double stitched squares

My Favorite Things - Stitched rectangle stax

Poppy Stamps - Scalloped Stitch Frames

Taylored Expressions - Simple Strips : Well rounded

Anything else?

First Edition Paper - New Bloom

Hobby House - Rhinestones

Martha Stewart - Essential colours glitter set

What I did

Stamped the image onto Copic friendly paper and fussy cut her out.

Then added glue to her headpiece and shook glitter over it.

Die cut out a piece of linen card with the MFT die, then a piece of cream card with the Poppy Stamps frames die.

Stamped and die-cut out the sentiment.

Used the Creative Expressions die to cut out a piece of patterned paper and stuck it to the 5x5 card blank.

Trimmed a panel from a different piece of patterned paper from the pack and glued it to the already glued down paper.

Glued the linen card rectangle to these papers and then attached the image with 3d foam.

Took the double stitched frame, popped it onto 3d foam and stuck it to the linen rectangle.

Also popped the sentiment onto 3d foam and stuck it onto the patterned paper and stitched frame.

Finally added some rhinestones to the corner of the linen card.

Phew!

et voila, job done!

Right well, I think I'm probably all done for today - other than to say, why not pop over to Sweet Stampin' and have a look at the wonderful cards my Teamies have created and then link up your own creation - it'll be fun!

See you sooner than you'd think,

Signing off,

Sarah

Challenge /s:

Gem of a Craft Challenge: Challenge 3 - Anything Goes

Polkadoodles Craft Challenge: Week 5 - Anything Goes

Cardz 4 Galz: #165 - Make it Sparkle

Dad Dancing

Good morning blogland,

As promised (or threatened?) I'm back again super quick!

This post is to let you all know there's a new challenge over starting today at Colour Crazy Craft Challenge - as always the theme is Anything Goes.  Please remember though, as it's a colouring challenge, we only accept anything that has some hand colouring part to it.

This week the challenge is sponsored by Doctor Digi, who very kindly allowed us to pick an image to use.  I was very happy to be able to use Dad Dancing and isn't it a brilliant image! The Best Dad in the World in our house doesn't dance - but I'm sure if he did he'd do something like this and TTT would be doing exactly the same thing, though, probably with added rolling eyes! And you've got to use a sarcastic tone in your internal voice when you read the sentiment - TTT would certainly be doing that!

This is my make:

Supplies used:

Digital stamp:

Doctor Digi - Dad Dancing

coloured with Copics

Rubber stamp:

Taylored Expressions - Simple Strips: Birthday

Dies:

Taylored Expressions - Simple Strips: Well rounded

Un-branded stitched die rectangles

Anything else?

Computer generated sentiment (DAD The Man, The Myth, The Legend.)

Striped card

What I did:

Re-sized the digi and created a sentiment above it with Word then printed out, on Copic friendly paper, and coloured in the image.

Die-cut out the coloured image and striped card with co-ordinating dies from the set.

Glued the striped card to the card blank, then glued the coloured image to the striped card.

Finally added 3d foam to the die-cut sentiment and attached that to the coloured image.

et voila, job done!

Would love if you could find time to pop over to the challenge and join in - I love looking at other peoples cards and my Teamies have created some great inspiration to kick off the creative juices!

Right I'm off now and will be back tomorrow!

See you soon,

Signing off,

Sarah

Challenge/s:

Krafty Chicks Challenge: #596 - All Occasions

Cardz 4 Guyz: #288 - Something beginning with 'P' - mine is Polo shirt (or even, more cheekily Proper Embarrassment!)

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends Challenge: C#174 Anything Goes

Kaylee

 Good afternoon blogland,

This is the start of a flurry of posts from me over the next few days - and I'm posting at this time today as it's a busy evening for me.  

TTT's going to be home from school shortly wanting her dinner, then I'm off out jogging, when I get back it's straight into dinner for me and hubby and I, finally, get to sit down around 8ish! Tues and Thurs are jogging nights and busy!!  Rest of the time I'm twiddling my thumbs, no, really am - don't laugh! Well that's what TTT thinks anyway! :-)

I won't waffle on too much as I won't have much to say in other posts.  So, moving swiftly on, here's todays' offering:

Supplies used:

Stamps:

Digital:

Some Odd Girl - Lazy Day Kaylee

coloured with Copics

Rubber:

Taylored Expressions - Simple Strips Background

Dies:

taylored expressions - Simple Strips : Well rounded

Whimsy Stamps - Connected Rectangle

Creative Expressions - Noble Collection : Double Stitched Squares

Anything else?

Un-branded embossing folder

BoBunny - C'est La Vie Collection (patterned paper)

Distress Ink and blending tool

MDF flower.

What I did:

Re-sized and printed the digi stamp, coloured it in with my Copics and fussy cut out.

Die-cut a square of linen card, embossed with the folder and inked it with the Distress Ink. 

Die-cut the rectangle with more of the same linen card.

Attached a piece of patterned paper to the card base, glued the panel to the paper and the rectangle shape to the embossed panel.

Put 3d foam on the image and sentiment, then popped them onto the card. Finally glued on the MDF flower.

et voila, job done!

Still practicing staging my photos and using the light box - a learning curve I can tell you!

Hope all is well in your worlds and be back soon,

Signing off,

Sarah

Challenge / s:

Passion for Markers: Week 625 - embossing

Gem of a Challenge: Challenge 2 - Anything Goes

Addicted to Stamps and more: Challenge #421 - Make your mark

Use Your Stuff - #440 - embossing

Seize the Birthday: #230 - embossing

Trying something new

Absence and the heart growing fonder and all that stuff!

Good afternoon blogland,

Another absence on my behalf - again no real reason (other than busy with DT cards that I can't show yet!) but here I am now and this week I'll be here a lot more!

I felt like trying something new after all my 'work' cards were done and decided that new was no-lines colouring. I'd brought an 'Ink on 3 'Fade-out'' no line colouring ink-pad way back when I went to a craft fair last year that I'd not used, today I decided that had to change! Now I've admired no-line colouring since it was a 'new thing' way back when but not had the gumption to give it a go - today I decided to be brave and go for it.

I don't like my colouring of the rose, but other than that - wow! Love the soft almost water-coloured look that the ink disappearing gives, so pretty! I can imagine that it will be very difficult to colour more detailed stamps, but for a first go, and this stamp, I'm well impressed.

As an aside, to get the same 'no-lines' look with a digi stamp - do y'all just print the image fainter? Or is there a trick I'm missing?

I'm still getting used to the new light box - adjusting colour hue and brightness, sure I'll get there in the end!

And, so, card:

Supplies used:

Rubber stamps:

Stamping Bella - Bundle Girl with a Rose (image)

coloured with my Copics

Catherine Pooler - Note of Thanks Stamp Set (sentiment)

Dies:

Go-kreate - Frilly Frame No 2 set

Anything else?

Random scrap of patterned paper

300gsm white card - to make card base

HobbyHouse - Rhinestones

What I did:

Cut the white card with one of the dies in the set to create the card base.

Stamped the image with 'fade out' ink onto Copic friendly paper and die-cut it out, from the same set of dies - and coloured it in with my Copics.

Stamped the sentiment on the cut and coloured panel.

Die-cut out patterned paper with another die from the same set.

Glued the image to the paper and the paper to the card base, then attached some rhinestones.

et voila - job done!

Not sure if I'll get back to the blog midweek but will definitely be here end of the week - watch out for me!!

Signing off now,

See you soon,

Sarah

Challenge/s:

Passion for Markers: Week 624 - use a die

Watercooler Wednesday: WWC333 - All About Occasions

Crafty Catz: #579 - Anything Goes

As You Like It Challenge: Favourite Colouring Medium (and why) Ooooh now I wonder what do I like colouring with most????  Hmmmm, could it be, maybe, perhaps, possibly - Copics!!!! I love how they blend, love the colour range and the colouring system (colour groups, hues and intensity). Second choice would always be Prismacolor Pencils - but they rarely get a look in these days.

May all your wishes

 Good morning blogworld,

I'm here with purpose today - not just waffle!

It's time for a new challenge over at Colour Crazy Craft Challenge as always it's Anything Goes, but as it is a colouring challenge whatever you make has to have some element of colouring included.

This time were are sponsored by Ching-Chou Kuik Digital Stamps.  This is a new company to me - I've seen the digis about but not got any myself, so I was very pleased that the DT were provided with a digi or two to use!  This is my card:

Supplies used:

Digital stamp:

Ching-Chou Kuik - Green Clover

coloured with Copics

Rubber stamp:

Taylored Expressions - Simple Strips: Birthday

Dies:

Time for Tea - Standalone Dies : Layering Dies

Taylored Expressions - Simple Strips: Well Rounded

Elizabeth Craft Designs - Leafy Branch

Anything else:

Patterned Paper: Prima Inc - Fairy Flora

What I did:

Re-sized and printed out the image on Copic friendly paper, then coloured her in. 

After colouring in I cut out the image with the Time for Tea die and the cut out a matt from blue card with the next size up die.

I used a piece of the patterned paper to cover the 5x5" card blank, then added 3d foam to the image and attached it to the card.

I then glued the leafy branch over the image and added the sentiment on top with 3d foam pads.

et voila, job done!

Why not colour something up, wander by the blog and link up - you could win a great prize! Even better, you never know I could pass your way and waffle on at you! Personally I know which I'd rather happen (and it's not the waffle!!).

Signing off now,

See you soon,

Sarah

Challenge /s:

Aud Sentiments Challenge Blog: #290 - Anything Goes + sentiment

The Paper Shelter: Challenge #494 - Colour it

Digi Choosday Craft Challenge: Wk 2 - Anything Goes

Dream Valley Challenges: Challenge #261 - Anything New (the image and Company are new to me and the branch die is new as well).

Going dotty

 Good evening blogland

Looks like I'm doing the evening posting thing again! 

Still just plodding along here, getting on with life and nothing exciting happening so not much waffle to waffle on with.  TTT is steadily working through her exams and says most of them have been 'ok', a couple have been 'quite good' and then we had 'oh, that was easy!'. Arrrrrgh, I see more arguments over revision in our future!

Moving onto crafting - I'm having quite a lot of fun on Instagram looking at how people present their makes.  Everything from lots of props (dies, stamps, flowers, pieces of wood!) to the simplest of no background at all.  Well I've done the no background when I first started making cards, I've been doing the brick looking background and now I'm trying props! It's made more fun with my new light box as I can adjust the colour of the light, from warm to cool, and brightness, Expect to see a range of different items in the pictures as I play around. So far I quite like putting my Copics in, but not sure about other props. Hmmmm!

Here's my card:

Supplies used:

Digital stamp:

Some Odd Girl - Big Pressie Tia

coloured with Copics

Rubber Stamp:

Taylored Exressions - Simple Strips : Birthday

Dies:

Pretty Pink Posh - Scallop Borders 2

Un-branded stitched rectangle

Taylored Expressions - Simple Strips ; Well Rounded

Anything else:

Cuttlebug - Swiss Dots embossing folder

Pink Distress Ink

White gel pen

black card

What I did:

Re-sized and printed off the image on Copic friendly paper, then coloured in with my Copics. I added white dots with the gel pen on her dress and shoes.

I then die-cut the image out with the rectangle and used the border die to trim off one edge of the panel. I also used the rectangle to cut another piece of white card, embossed it and then inked with the Distress Ink.

Glued the embossed panel to the card blank, then added the image panel with 3d foam pads. 

Finally glued the sentiment to the image panel and base with glue and 3d foam pads.

et voila, job done!

You'll have to let me know what you think of my attempts at an 'arty' picture - both this one and all future ones as well.  I'd honestly be interested to know!

See you soon,

Signing off now,

Sarah

Challenge/s:

Passion for Markers: Week 623 - Going Dotty

The Cutie Pie Challenge Blog: Challenge #167 - Simple Starts (CAS)

AAA Birthday: Game #33- Two Favourite Colours (Green and Pink (at the moment anyway!))

Happy Little Stampers: January CAS Challenge

Fantabulous friend!

 Good evening blogland,

I know, not the usual time for me to post, but I really wanted to join in with the first challenge of the year from Passion for Markers so I've put non-crafting life on-hold this afternoon and spent time crafting instead. How lazy is that!

Not much has happened since my last post, so I'm not going to waffle on loads - the main thing in our lives right now is TTT's got tests this week and next at school.  Not GCSE's - she's still only Yr10 - these are exams that her school does every other year at the beginning of a year (calendar not academic) to check how they are doing and make sure every thing they've been taught has actually landed. TTT feels fairly confident about them, her dad and I are not so sure - considering the tiny bit of revision it feels like she's done! We will wait and see who turns out to be right.  If it's TTT - the adults are in for a bumpy ride as she will be even more super confident that she's perfect than she already is! Teenagers - sigh!

Anyways - card! Can you see I'm playing around with the lightbox I got for Christmas? Trying to make my pictures look more 'professional' or 'Instagram-able' maybe.  Or just maybe I'm heading down a dead end and should go back to simple pictures - no idea, but it's fun playing about!

Supplies used:

Digital Stamp:

Lili of the Valley - Jasmine Music

coloured with Copics (can you see the hint!?)

Rubber stamp:

Whimsy Stamps - Fantabulous

Anything else?

Distress Inks and Oxides for the background

Un-branded stitched rectangle die for the matt.

What I did:

Re-sized and printed out, on Copic friendly paper, the digi stamp. 

Coloured in with Copics and fussy cut it out.

Die-cut out a panel from my usual Copic friendly paper and inked with the Distress Inks and Oxides to create a background.

Stamped the sentiment.

Added 3d foam to the back of the image and attached to the panel.

Added 3d foam to the back of the panel and attached to the card base.

et voila, job done!

I suppose I should say the only other thing I did was add some white gel pen and Copic fineliner to her eyes as she looked quite moody to me - but I think I mucked it up so (shhhhhh!) I'm keeping that quiet!!! :-)

Be back soon,

Signing off,

Sarah

Challenge/s:

Passion for Markers: Week 622 - January blues

Watercooler Wednesday: WWC332 - All Things Feminine

Game on!

 Good morning blogland!

Oh my, I've neglected you for a week - I'm so sorry! It's not that I wasn't interested in crafting but the first week of TTT going back to school always ends up being full of catching up on all the things (mostly housework!) that were neglected while she's on holidays so I don't get much crafting time. I'm all caught up now, so you can expect normal service to resume.

Talking of normal service, it's time for the first challenge of 2022 for Crafty Calendar Challenge and to start the year off we have a super easy Anything Goes theme.  The Design Team were given digital stamps to use from the wonderful All Dressed Up Stamps and my pick was Gaming Boy.

This is my card:

Supplies Used:

Digital Stamp:

All Dressed Up - Gaming Boy

coloured with Copics

Anything else:

My Favorite Things - Die-namics Stacking Stars

Un-branded stitched rectangle dies

Anna Marie Designs - dotty card

What I did:

Re-sized the stamp and added a sentiment in Word then printed on Copic friendly paper, coloured the image in with my Copics and then die-cut him out with one of the un-branded dies.

I then cut another rectangle and stacking stars die from the dotty card.

Mounted the image onto the dotty card, then arranged the stars in a pattern I liked and added the whole panel, with 3d foam squares, onto a Kraft card blank.

et voila, job done!

Why not pop over to the blog and have a look at the lovely cards my Teamies have made, you won't be disappointed!  You'll no doubt find me popping up on some of your blogs as well having a look at your entries to the challenge!

Signing off now,

See you soon,

Sarah

Challenge/s:

Fab'n'Funky Challenges: #542 - Keep It Simple

Crafty Catz Challenge: #577 - Anything Goes - optional twist CAS

Happy Little Stampers: Anything Goes with dies - January challenge

Di's Digi Challenge: Try/use something new - the stamp is new

Krafty Chicks Challenge: #593 - Week 1 (stamp act) 

The Male Room: #158 - For a Teenager

It's all new!

Good morning blogland and Happy New Year!

Anyone aware it's the 1st of January 2022? I bet there's one or two who know and I hope there aren't too many sore heads from last night's parties! I'm not a late night person so I'm sure I'll be in bed long before the bells ring in the New Year. However, with being an early to bed person, I'm also an early to rise person - so while this scheduled post appears I'll no doubt be at the beach going for my first jog of 2022!

Now onto the reason for this post - as well as it being the 1st day of the New Year it's also the first challenge of the year for Sweet Stampin'! The theme this challenge is 'New' - so either new goodies - stamps/pens/papers, anything! Or there's always a card to celebrate the New Year, a new baby, new house or any other 'new' happening.

For my contribution I've used a new digi, new sentiment stamp and celebrated 'a' new year - not The New Year - hubby's birthday, which is also a new decade (which he's a bit touchy about!).

This is my card:

I used:

Digi stamp:

Dr. Digi's - Napping Neville (new!)

coloured with my Copics

Rubber stamps (sentiments)

Rare Earth - Inspirational (new!)

Catherine Pooler - All Around Wishes (for Happy Birthday)

Anything else:

Anna Marie Designs - striped paper

Creative Expressions - Noble collection: double stitched squares

What I did:

Re-sized and printed the digi onto Copic friendly paper, coloured in with my Copics and fussy cut out.

Stamped the sentiments onto some linen card and die-cut it out with the stitched die. Also die-cut a piece of stripy paper with the same die, then tore off the top edge.

Stuck the paper to the panel, then used 3d foam to add it to the card blank,

Finally added 3d foam to the image and added that to the top of everything.

et voila, job done!

Am so hoping that 2022 is much better than the last couple years - we've been incredibly lucky not (so far) to have been made ill by Covid-19 but, my goodness, the isolation and being unable to go anywhere is really getting to me now.  Anyhoo, enough being miserable.

On a happier note my Teamies have made some really gorgeous cards for this challenge, please pop over and take a look. I also really like wandering about everyone's blogs and seeing what you talented lot come up with for our themes - just remember, as it's a stamping challenge, there has to be stamping on your project somewhere! 

Signing off now,

See you soon,

Sarah

Challenge/s:

Passion for Markers: Week 621 - Christmas Mega Challenge (2nd entry)

Gem of a Challenge: Anything Goes - Challenge 1

Polkadoodles Craft Challenge: Wk 1 - Anything Goes

Krafty Chicks Challenge: Challenge #592 - Anything Goes