Libby's Flower

Good evening Blogland,

This time I'm not limbo-ing under the finish line to join in with some challenges, I'm actually a little early! Yay, me!

I enrolled in one of Mindy Baxter's (of My Creative Scoop) on-line Copic classes a couple of weeks ago, but had only had enough time to print out the images and look at the list of markers needed.  Well today I had a free couple of hours so started the actual colouring part of the course

After a pleasant couple of hours colouring here is the finished result.  It doesn't look 100% like Mindy's as I don't have all the colours she's used - notably the fence, grass and a middle blend for the hair.  It's much softer than how I normally colour, but I love how Mindy teaches hair - the waves / folds are brilliant and much different to my normal technique - and I'm really quite happy with the overall result.

Card:

There's no real 'supplies used' list I can put here, as the image is supplied as part of the course. I've looked but can't find who drew it, although as far as I'm aware it's not available anywhere else anyway.

The image supplied is just the girl and I've drawn in the fence, grass and sky/clouds following the instructions. Then coloured with my Copics.

The additional things I used to finish my image as a card are:

unbranded stitched rectangle die

taylored expressions - simple strips sentiment and die

flat backed pearls and gems

linen effect card and brown card

Woodware corner rounder punch

My only confusion is that I cut the image panel to the sizes she gave and she also said that you might want to trim off 1/8th of an inch (I think) for it to fit the front of your card.  What size card blanks do the Americans use? That would be tiny!!! As you can see, I've added more card around the image to make up into my (almost!) now regular card blank of 5x7 top fold. I'm obviously a total country mouse as I'd no idea the Americans made such tiny cards!! Unless, of course, which is totally possible, I've got the wrong end of the stick!  I don't think that any Americans read my blog - but if any of you are American no offence intended at all, I'm just very confused as to what size cards y'all make!

Now I'm going to be very British and comment on the horrible weather we're having - it was snowing here today!  It didn't stick and turned to hail very quickly - but snow!!  After the lovely week last week - no fair, weather - no fair at all!  I'm hoping the nice weather returns for TTT's half-term holiday - two weeks off school from 1st April. I wonder if I'll get any colouring done at all!

Right I feel I've sufficiently bombarded you now. so I'm off to join in with the challenges!

Signing off now,

See you soon,

Sarah

Challenge /s:

Passion for Markers: Week 634 - In the Garden (I interpreted the challenge quite literally - Libby is in the garden!)  

The Paper Shelter: Challenge #505 - Girl Power

Addicted to Stamps and More: Challenge #426 - Make your Mark

Wednesday's Creative Inspirations Challenge Blog: March Challenge - Spring Flowers

Crafty Gals Corner: Challenge #229 - Add a Flower

Dream Valley Challenges: Challenge #226 - Springtime

Duck, Duck, Goose, Easter

Afternoon blogworld

I'm here to join in with a few challenges with this post.  Of which some are Easter themed, I struggled with that a bit - as I'm sure you know I don't 'do' religious things. I've had a thought about how I can join in with them all without making a card which will just sit in a box forever and I think I've worked it out - for the challenges I'd like to join in with anyway.

This card, I hope, covers all bases:

Supplies used:

Digital Stamp:

Saturated Canary - Duck, Duck, Goose

coloured with my Copics (background drawn freehand)

Dies:

Un-branded stitched rectangle

Sentiment:

Created in Word and cut out then used a corner rounder punch and inked the edges.

It's Easter enough, I hope, to pass muster as a non-religious Easter card, but open enough that it can be used for other purposes.

 As an aside, I often wonder how other people manage to sell their cards and for a long time I thought it must just be my cards were under par, now I look on my hobby as art and relaxation. I don't really care any more that no-one wants the physical card! They'll get given to a charity shop at some point and hopefully be useful to raise a bit of cash.

That's probably it for now, I'm now off to exercise away the chocs I got brought yesterday by TTT for Mothering Sunday! Which, if celebrated, I hope went well for you. It's not really a big deal in our house, I'm happy that I know she appreciates me enough (even if it's not shown all the time) to not feel I have to make a big deal about one day a year!

Signing off now,

See you soon,

Sarah

Challenge / s:

Passion for Markers: Week 633 - Anything Spring

Crafty Catz: #588 - Anything Goes (Optional Twist - Easter)

As You Like It Challenge: Favourite non-traditional Easter character.  I did think about dragons, but I found this stamp and loved the Goose, it's just sooo sweet! I can't make up my mind if it thinks it's a Rabbit or a chick or was looking for chocolate!

We Love Stamping: March - Anything stamped Spring

Gem of a Craft Challenge: Wk 7 - Anything Goes

How old?!

 Good morning blogworld

I'm here today with my card for the new challenge over at Sweet Stampin', the theme of the challenge this fortnight is Use your older stash, so nothing too new please!  As always we accept any project but as, with the clue in the title, it's a stamping challenge so please use either rubber or digital stamps somewhere.

Now I'm sure you know I had a very long break from crafting and, although I have brought new stash since I re-joined the hobby, a lot (and I mean a lot) of my stuff is ages old - so, for me, this was a very easy challenge. I just had to decide which stamp to pick! That was helped by wanting to try and create an underwater scene, I don't think it's bad for a first attempt but does look like rain to me!!

Card:

Supplies used:

Rubber stamps:

Sugar Nellie - Oceans Gift (maybe a 2012/15? stamp something like that)

image coloured with Copics and does not come with the background - I created that freehand.

Sentiment: taylored expressions: Oh My Word - Happy Birthday

Paper:

Bo Bunny - County Garden Collection

Anything else?

HobbyHouse for the pearls

scrap of pink metallic card for the mount

Woodware corner rounder punch

So the newest thing on my list is the sentiment stamp and that's got to be either a year or 8 months old, I think - everything else is going to be at least 8 or 9 years old.  See - an easy challenge for me!!

I do hope you all get the time to dig through your older stash, stamp something, make something and come join in! It will be fun!!  My Teamies have made some fabulous inspiration cards, as always, and we're all looking forward to going through your stash collection!!

Signing off now,

See you soon,

Sarah

Krafty Chicks Challenge: #604 - All Occasions

Digi Choosday Challenge: Week 12 - Anything Goes

Polkadoodles Craft Challenge: Week 12 - Anything Goes

AAA Birthday: Game #35 - Under The Sea

The Cutie Pie Challenge Blog: #169 - Beginning with B - Bubbles,  boulder (that she's sitting on - or is it that taking it too far!?), bottom of the sea, belt

Floral Doodles

 Good morning blogland,

Here bright and early with my card for this week's challenge over at Colour Crazy Craft Challenge, with the wonderful Fred She Said Digis as our sponsor this week.

As always the theme is Anything Goes but please remember, as we are a colouring challenge, there does need to be an element of hand colouring on your project - but your project can be anything you like, it doesn't have to be only a card.

Here is my card:

Supplies used:

Digital image and Sentiment:

Fred She Said - Doodled Floral Corner 1

floral images coloured with Copics

Dies used:

Pretty Pink Posh - Lattice Background

Spellbinders - Opulent Ovals

Anything else?

Distress Inks

Chalks

 Flat backed gems

Copic fineliner

Liquid Pearls

This time I've used a side fold 5x7 Kraft card blank and decided to get inky / chalky - which I don't do often enough!  I coloured the image with my Copics then used Distress Inks on the panel behind the lattice and chalks for the background of the sentiment.

Hope you have a chance to pop over to the Challenge, as always there is fabulous inspiration from my Teamies and a great prize on offer.

Signing off now,

See you soon,

Sarah

Challenge/s:

Cardz 4 Galz: #169 Spring Flowers for Mother's Day or Spring Flowers

Addicted to Stamps and More!: Challenge #425 - Die Cuts and/or Stencils.  I have die-cuts, I also used a die-cut as a stencil (for the sentiment) but I don't think that's shown very well in the photo.

Crafty Cals Corner: Challenge #229 - Add a flower

Digi Choosday Craft Challenge: Week 11 - Anything Goes

Fancy that!

Good afternoon blogland,

Another flying by the seat of my pants post to join in with a challenge!

Card:

Supplies used:

Stamps:

Digital - Saturated Canary : Fancy

Rubber sentiment: Lili of the Valley - not named set of sentiments

colouring done with my Copics

Dies:

Pretty Pink Posh - Eyelet Borders

Anything else?

Scraps of red card and patterned paper

And done!

It's been an odd week chez Sarah - we went to a wedding reception first weekend in March, first evening we've been out with a lot of other people in nearly two years and, yes you guessed it, TTT caught Covid!

Do not panic, friendly blogland, she's been (mostly) fine!  She went to school the week after the reception with just a little sniffle, by the end of the week she was complaining of tiredness, headache and stomach pains. To be honest, as we've managed nearly two years avoiding it, I thought she was faking it a bit (swinging the lead as my Mum used to say to me when I wanted a day off school!). So she missed one day and then went back, however I was out on the Saturday and thought best we all do a test - and she only went and tested positive. The Best Dad and I, however, did not and still haven't! We've been testing for nearly a fortnight now and she stayed positive until Sat, he and I have dodged a bullet!  

All three of us have had all the jabs we are supposed to and the only difference is, as far as I can see, is that he and I didn't mingle that much at the reception, whereas she did. Oh, and we've heard from the Bride that pretty much everyone came away with an unexpected present of Covid. Hmmm, not sure how I feel about that!!

Anyways, that's my exciting news, it has thrown me out of routine again, but I'm coping better this time which I put down to keeping my morning alarm going the whole week she's been off school. No lazing around until 9am for me, lay-in until 7.30 and then on with! 

And I'm off now to link up to my challenge/s.

Signing off

See you soon,

Sarah

Challenge/s:

Passion for Markers: Week 632 - birthstone inspiration (I'm an end of July baby so mine was Ruby, hence all the red!)

Allsorts challenge blog: Week 668: Feminine

Gem of a challenge: Week 6: Anything Goes

Krafty Chicks Challenge: #603 - CAS

Misty this morning!

Not in the real world, you understand, but here in my blog!

Good morning blogland,

I'm here today to let you know about the new challenge over at Colour Crazy Craft Challenge as always it's an Anything Goes theme but, as we are a colouring challenge, there must be some hand colouring on your project.

Our Sponsor this week is Ching-Chou Kuik Digital Stamps and the DT were kindly allowed an image, or two, to choose from.  I chose to use the simply gorgeous image Misty Allure, which I coloured with my Copics. I couldn't decide what the card for, so I just added a bit of bling and left off a sentiment.

Here's my card:

Supplies used:

Digital image:

Ching-Chou Kuik - Misty Allure

coloured with Copics

Dies used:

Un-branded rectangle die set

Whimsy Stamps - Slimline Zig Zag Edger die set

Anything else?

DCWV - Garden Party pad

rhinestone flourish

dotted paper

I hope those of you who enjoy colouring, can find some time to pop over to the challenge - both to see the fabulous things my Teamies have made and also to enter the challenge yourselves as well.

Signing off now,

See you soon,

Sarah

Challenge/s:

Fab 'n' Funky Challenges: #547 - Hand Coloured Image

Crafty Catz: Challenge 587 - Anything Goes - option: sparkle or glitter (bit of sparkle on my card!)

little red wagon: Challenge #645 - Die cuts

World Wide Open Design Team Challenge: Challenge #03 - Anything Goes

Unicorn Challenge: Challenge #74 - Dots and/or stripes

Progress pictures

Hello blogland

Fair warning - this is going to be a picture heavy post!

I've got to the point now where I'm happy to share progress on the 'craft room' ! You have to bear in mind this is still a work in progress - not only for my area of it, but the rest of the room as well.  Eventually other people's stuff will be removed and we'll have one wardrobe, bedside table, chair and an IKEA day bed (really want one of those!) and then it will be how I want it.

For now I have a space in a very untidy spare room, but what I do have is coming together. I still have some shelves to put up, once I decide where I want them! I will also be 're-jigging' for ages I know! 

So pictures:

Lots of crafting things laid out in the hallway, while I sort!

 Nearly empty units (spot the non-crafting bit!):

Sorting:

All labelled up and done for now:

Bonus picture - view out of my window:

There you go, normal service will be resumed probably tomorrow.  I have a card to share!

Signing off for now,

see you soon,

Sarah

KISS with Chester!

Good morning blogland,

Today I am stepping over onto Team Susan - a big wave and hello Team Susan! - at Sweet Stampin' as I loved their challenge theme for this fortnight and really wanted to join in!

So what's the theme for the challenge that I liked so much? Well it's KISS -Keep It Sweet & Simple (CaS - Clean and Simple) makes. Now you I'm sure by now you know how much I like my CAS cards, so I couldn't help but join in! I also used one of my all time favourite digital stamps from one of my all time favourite digital stamp companies - very sadly no longer in business.

As always, as we are a stamping challenge, some stamping (digital or rubber) on your make is a must but other than that - follow the challenge theme and let go! 

This is my Chester make, and all together now - lets say 'awwwww':

Supplies used:

Digital stamp:

Pollycraft - Call me Chester (sadly no longer available)

coloured with my Copics

Rubber stamp (sentiment):

Neat and Tangled - Hello there

Dies:

Pretty Pink Posh - hello friend

un-branded stitched rectangle die

Anything else:

Copic fineliner

Hobby House - flat backed gem

DL (slimline) card base

You really should pop over to the blog and check out what Team Susan have made this week - they are fabulous! Then go ahead, challenge yourself and why not join in our KISS challenge!

Signing off now,

see you soon,

Sarah

Challenge / s:

Cardz 4 Galz: #168 Zoo/Safari Animals

Time Out Challenges: Challenge 209 - Cute

Addicted to Stamps and More: Challenge #424 - Any Occasion

Crafty Catz: #586 - Anything Goes (option - Spring colours)

Digi Choosday Challenge: Week 9 - Anything Goes

Hmmm, not sure!

 Good afternoon blogland

Just a quick flyer from me today - I wanted to join in with the current Less is More Challenge but didn't realise until I just went and looked that it only had hours until it finished!

I had two ideas in my head, I don't think this one worked so well and will have to try the other another time, when I have more time!

There's something about this card that doesn't sit right, the placement of the sentiment, the colouring (awful!) I don't know, but something about it doesn't gel for me.

Anyways - you know me, total overshare!, so here you go and I'm happy for constructive criticism.

Supplies used:

Rubber stamps:

Anita's -image (no design name)

Autumn Leaves - 'love'

Prismacolor pencils for the shading

Nothing else to say really, off to link up!

Signing off,

See you soon,

Sarah

OK, I'm a perfectionist! Just done Version Part The Two - like it better but still not brilliant, really got to go now - I've got dinner to make! Look no light box - no staging - no nothing!!  Rush, rush, rush!

Challenge/s:

Less is More: #459 - One Layer Card - Just One Word

Nearly there!

Good evening blogland,

Bit of a pause on colouring / crafting / card making there while the spare room slowly turned into a craft room. There is still a lot of (other people's) junk that needs clearing out - and some furniture - but I now have half of the room and am pretty much set up to craft.  I just need to tweak a bit (will probably be tweaking forever) and then live with it and see if I've put things in the right place.

Finally got to sit and make a card over the weekend and a couple more today. The one at the weekend was for a wedding (we went to the evening do) and then today's were for fun and a DT.

I'm sharing the 'for fun' one here:

Supplies used:

Digital stamp:

Lili of the Valley - Oliver texting

coloured with Copics

Rubber stamp:

My Favorite Things - All the Encouragement

Dies:

Un-branded stitched rectangle

Anything else:

Lawn Fawn - brick stencil

Distress Ink

Black card to make (slimline) DL card blank

I have taken pictures of the craft room progress and I will share them very soon. Don't expect one of those wonderful rooms you see on Pinterest / YouTube though - I don't have an IKEA anywhere near me and all my things are either 2nd hand or well old!  It is my craft room though, I've never had one before and I'm more than happy!

One last thing before I go, I'm acutely aware of what's going on in the world and can't believe that it can happen in the 21st century. I feel so bad for the poor people caught up in the machinations of what appears to be egomaniacal leader. However, I'm going to try and keep the blog free of too much world news as I'm finding it all rather scary.

Signing off for now,

See you soon,

Sarah

Challenge/s:

Passion for Markers: Week 631 - CAS

Cardz 4 Guyz: #291 Slimline Card

little red wagon: Challenge #644 - CAS

Fab 'n' Funky Challenge: Challenge #546 - Dies and Stencils

Happy Little Stampers: HLS March stencil challenge

Spots / Stripes / Easter

Hello Blogland,

I'm here today with my DT make for the new challenge over at Crafty Calendar Challenge, this month the theme is 'Spots / Stripes / Easter'.  Our lovely sponsor this time is Digi Doodles and the Design Team were provided with some super cute images to use - this is my card with one of those images.

As said before, and probably enough to bore you, I don't 'do' religious celebrations so my make focuses on the 'spots / stripes' part of the challenge. Here's the card:

Supplies used:

Digital Image:

Digi Doodles - Daisy May and Sweet Pea

coloured with my Copics 

(I hand coloured the background - the image doesn't come with clouds)

Rubber stamp:

Taylored Expressions - Simple Strips: Backgrounds

Dies:

Taylored Expressions - Simple Strips: Asymmetrical

un-branded stitched rectangle die

Any thing else?

My Minds Eye free Spring paper pad

Normally I would do a 'This is what I did' bit here, but while floating about the many groups I belong to on Facebook I read a post saying from someone starting a blog who wondered if it was old-fashioned to do an explanation of how the card was created. Lots of people said they appreciated knowing what was used, but didn't need a step by step 'how to' guide. Hmmm, appears I maybe old fashioned then! So I thought I'd leave that bit off for now. I figure my pictures of my cards are very clear (I hope!) and probably people can figure out from them and the list of what I use how I make my cards.

Please do pop over to Crafty Calendar where you'll find my Teamies have made some stunning cards - as always! I look forward to seeing your entry as well!

On the craft room front, I'm almost there. Just got a few more drawers to move about, a lot of labelling to do and then tweaks as I work with it all - to see if I've got things in the right places, so should be back to normal cardmaking next week.

Signing off now,

See you soon,

Sarah

Challenge/s:

Passion for Markers: Week 630 - feminine

As You Like It Challenge: Favourite Interactive or Not (and why!) Ahhh now as much as I love looking at interactive cards, I've never actually tried one - oooooh confession time there! I'm not the most technical of people and I wonder if trying to make something move / wobble / pop would work for me. I gave up making my own card blanks as I couldn't get a straight edge on any of 'em! Also I take agggeeess to colour and place things 'just so', if I tried to add any other elements I'd be doing one card a year - so long story short, not!!

Polkadoodles Craft Challenge: Wk 9 - Anything Goes

Krafty Chicks Challenge: #601 - Stamp Act

Critter Crazy Challenges: Challenge #60 - Anything Goes