Bet you thought I'd forgotten you!

Hello blogworld,

Nope, I haven't forgotten you! Just as predicted not much time for crafting or blogging or Instagram-ing either come to that! I've got an unexpected quiet moment before the rest of the little family starts moving for the day and I thought I'd pop on, re-assure you all that I've not fallen off the face of the Earth, and share a card.

This one was made for the current Facebook All Dressed Up group monthly challenge - 'Make it Square'. So a creation with any squares anywhere - square card, squares on the paper, square dies - I think you get the picture! If you do Facebook, and like ADU stamps, I would really encourage you to come along and pop in an entry, it's a lovely supportive group and you will be made very welcome. This challenge finishes at the end of August, but there is one every month for you to enter.

Supplies Used:

Digital Stamp:

All Dressed Up - Daydreaming

coloured with my Copics

Rubber stamp:

Rare Earth - Inspirational

Dies:

Creative Expressions - Double Stitched Squares

(also used a die as a template for the Fineline drawn square)

Anything else:

Self-adhesive rhinestones for the dots in the 'i's

Annnnd, that's it really, folks! Rest assured I'm still here and still getting on with the Summer school holidays.  As much as I like having TTT home, I'm also looking forward to September when routine is restored!

I'll be back when I can,

Signing off for now,

Sarah

Challenge/s:

Krafty Chicks Challenge: #625: CAS

Gem of a Craft Challenge: Wk 17 - Anything Goes

Di's Digis Challenge: Add a Sentiment

Tic Tac Toe Challenge: No:175 - I choose the diagonal row - Square / Die-cuts / Turquoise

White rabbit alike!

Good morning blogland,

I'ma flying through here - I ran out of time to schedule this post yesterday as TTT has a couple of friends here for a sleepover, went out for the day yesterday (Friday) and stayed up into the early hours to watch a meteorite storm, and in that rush I completely forgot to do my Sweet Stampin' post. So now I'm imitating the White Rabbit and shouting, 'I'm late, I'm late'.  Also one of the girls is getting picked up anytime now and then us and the other friend are off out to a performance of the Community Orchestra they play in. So a busy day again.

Right deep breath and post -

It's Saturday, again!, so it's time for a new challenge over at Sweet Stampin' and the theme this fortnight is 'Firsts'.  Please remember that we are a stamping challenge, your entry doesn't need to be a card - or even have colouring on it - but you do need to have either used a rubber or digital stamp to be in with a chance of being Top Pick!

So Firsts eh! Now this one really pickled my already aging brain.  I did one card, didn't like it, stewed on it and (as I'm a bit of a control freak) did another card.  Here comes the show and tell.

Card one: very simple 'First' - baby's First birthday.

Supplies used:

Digital stamp - Image:

Pollycraft - Superstar 2

coloured with Copics

(unfortunately Pollycraft no longer exists and so I can't link to the shop)

Dies:

un-branded stitched rectangles

Anything else:

Extremely old chipboard number one

Glitter Kiss glitter on the star (hard to see in the photo)

And done, but not liked.

Card number two - this is a play on the 'If at first you don't succeed.....' quote, I guess you could give it to someone who is doing an exam of some sort? Maybe 1st driving test or 1st interview?  I dunno, but loved the Mo Manning image when I saw one of my Teamies use it earlier this year and, yes you guessed it, I went and brought it (plus others - I mean, who doesn't do that). I'm a potty mouth and have quite a sharp sense of humour (a standing joke in our house is that I tell hubby I'll be a very merry widow as I'm sure I'm going to outlive a man who is 9 1/2 years older than me!) and I would have put a swear word instead of 'beggars' and hexing those 'beggars' appealed to me.  I cleaned up the naughty word and this is card two:

Also fully glittered but hard to see in the photo - so her close up:

Supplies used:

Digital stamp:

Mo's Digital Pencil - Flippin Fairy

coloured with Copics

Sentiment created in Publisher

Dies:

Pretty Pink Posh - Scallop Borders 1

Un-branded stitched rectangle set

Anything else:

Honey Bee - Hexagon layering stencil

Memento Dew Drop Ink pad

stencilling brush

linen printed card

Glitter Kiss 

('cause it was left out from previous card and a girl can be glittery while not being pink!)

And done!

Tell me which one do you prefer?

Why not pop on over to the challenge blog and see what wonderful cards my Teamies have created - they are an amazing bunch of ladies and have created an amazing array of cards!

Right and I'm off, got things to do.

Will be back later to link to some challenges.

Sarah

Fan-tastic

Good morning blogland,

It's Friday, which means it's time for a new challenge over at Colour Crazy Craft Challenges.  This week the Challenge is sponsored by Angie Blom Digital Designs.  As always the theme is Anything Goes, and your entry doesn't have to be a card, but as we are primarily a colouring challenge there does have to be some hand colouring somewhere.

The Design Team were very kindly given some digi stamps to pick from, this is my card from the image I chose - Biggest Fan.  I have to admit it's not the image I would naturally go for, I am a character person at heart, but it was nice to colour something different from my usual style, however, as always, I used my Copics to colour.  I thought, though, the image suited a classic Clean and Simple style, maybe a more masculine style as well?

I used a piece of linen card for the front of the card and printed the sentiment straight onto it, as well embossing a stitched square in the centre of the white card.  I then separately printed the image onto Copic friendly paper, coloured it in and fussy cut it out, then used 3d foam squares to mount it onto the embossed square on the linen card. It looks very good in real life but unfortunately the embossing doesn't show up very well in my pictures.

A close up of the embossed square:

Supplies used:

Digital image and sentiment:

Angie Blom Digital Designs - Biggest Fan

coloured with Copics

Dies:

un-branded stitched rectangle

Creative Expressions - Double Stitched squares

Why not pop over to the challenge, check put my Teamies creations, they are wonderful cards, and you could always join in yourself - you never know you could win the prize!

Signing off now,

See you soon,

Sarah

This is a scheduled post so will be back later to link up to some challenges.   I'm off to a local farm park with TTT and a couple of her friends.

New release time!

 Good morning blogland

This post is all about All Dressed Up's new digi stamp release - you can read all about it at the Blog or on the Facebook post.

As part of the Facebook Design Team I'm in the lucky position to be able to play with an image before it's released to create an 'inspiration' card - now I'm not saying my cards are inspirational but those images are super cute and great fun to colour, so I'm more than happy to have a lot of fun creating. 

The new release image I used is Time to Cool Off, something I could do with at the moment! It's got really hot again in my part of the UK and it's not pleasant! I'm going to have to get up at some ridiculous time soon to avoid the heat, I've just had to stop my weightlifting session as it's too hot for me at 9.30am and jogging in the evening is like jogging at lunch time - far too hot! Unheard of!

Here's the card:

Supplies used:

Digital image:

All Dressed Up - Time to Cool Off

coloured with Copics

Sentiment stamp:

A random bottom of bargain bin one I got at a craft fair, so no packaging!

Dies:

Un-branded stitched rectangles

Pretty Pink Posh - Scallop Borders 1

Papers:

echo park - Splash!

Anything else:

Distress Ink and home-made stencil for the clouds

I hope you'll agree Wendy has played another blinder with this release!

See you soon,

Sarah

Challenge/s:

Crafty Friends Challenge: 158 - August: Summer Colours

Digi Choosday: Wk 31 - Anything Goes

Shopping Our Stash: SOS476 - She Sells Seashells - although the image is new, the rest is very old! The Distress Inks will be over 10 years old and the patterned paper about the same!

An old technique

Good morning blogland,

As it's the first Saturday of the month, can you believe it's August already!, we have a new challenge over at Crafty Calendar Challenge. This month our Sponsor is the super cute Paper Nest Dolls and our theme is a super easy 'Anything Goes'. 

The Design Team were very kindly allowed to pick a digi from the shop and this is my make with the image I chose. I also decided to do something different, for me anyway, a shaker card. I've haven't made one of these in the longest time - maybe something like 10 years. This is my second attempt as I made the silly basic mistake of gluing the acetate and the 3d foam on in the wrong order - made a basket not a frame and nowhere to put my beads!  Duh!! 

Here is attempt number two. Looking at it now I think I could've put more beads in but hey-ho, I'll know better next time!

Supplies used:

Digital Stamp:

Paper Nest Dolls - Cupcake Emma

coloured with my Copics

Rubber stamp:

Taylored Expressions - Oh My Word: Happy Birthday

Dies:

Poppy Stamp - Scalloped Stitched Frames

Creative Expressions - Double stitched square frame

Papers:

First Edition - Let's Celebrate

I would strongly suggest you pop over to the blog and take a look at my Teamies work, they have made some stunning cards - I know you'll be super impressed, I was.  While you're there you could link up your latest project and be in with the chance to win a lovely prize!

Annnnd, that's all from me folks, I'll be back but it may not be soon!

See you around,

Sarah

Challenges:

Passion for Markers: Week 652 - Dies and/or punches

Krafty Chicks Challenge: #623 - Week 1: Stamp Act

Di's Digi Challenge: Die cuts and/or Punches

Tic Tac Toe Challenge: TTTC - 173 Middle row down: Frame It, Birthday, Free