Happy Birthday - Sweet Stampers!

Good morning blogland!

An unexpected post today, yes it is Saturday and yes it is time for a new challenge over at Sweet Stampin' but it's not my Teams turn!  So to explain: both Teams were invited to play along this week because today the Sweet Stampin' Challenge Blog celebrates a birthday - we turn 15 years old!

I must admit I'm surprised and yet not surprised it's been 15 years!  It sometimes feels like Sweet Stampin' started only a short time ago, but I can still remember joining in with the challenges (before I joined the DT and then after I had left) when TTT was only little and she turned 17 this year!

I'm going to sound so old lady like here - but doesn't time fly!

Anyways it's great that Sweet Stampin' is still going strong and in celebration of still going strong this fortnights' challenge celebrates 'Birthdays'.  As always this is a 'for fun' challenge, so no prize other then the pride of being a Top 3, and there are only two rules which are follow the theme and use a stamp (rubber or digital) somewhere on your project.

So the card I've used for this challenge is, for once, one I made for a specific person! Arabella is the daughter of the colleague who went off on maternity leave (and the reason I have this job!).  Another, my goodness moment - has it really been that long!

Stamps used:

Mo's Digital Pencil - One

coloured with my Copics

The sentiment was created in Publisher

Dies:

Pretty Pink Posh - Scallop Borders 1

Creative Expressions - Noble Collection: Double Stitched Squares

Paper:

echo park paper co. - sweet girl

Anything else:

self-adhesive flat back gems

And that's it folks.  While this post is posting I should be happily doing gentle weights, safely ensconced in our still new home gym and being glad I don't have to leave the house in the rough weather we've had, and are having, at the moment.

See you soon,

Sarah

Very late!

 Morning blogland,

It's just dawned on me that I haven't posted my card made for this month's All Dressed Up new release! There are two drops of New Releases per month and I'm with the 7th of the month crew - just look at the date today! I'm 13 days late with this post / card!

So, without further ado, here's my take on my image for the November New Release from ADU:

Supplies used:

Digital stamp:

All Dressed Up - Skater

coloured with my Copics

Rubber stamp:

Creative Expressions - Festive Wishes

Dies:

My Favorite Things - Fishtail Foundations

Memory Box - Snowflake Corner

un=branded stitched rectangles

Anything else:

random piece of patterned paper

flat backed gems

I'm not going to bang on, seeing as I'm incredibly late with this post, but I will say I did disappear off into the new home gym yesterday and, by gum, I'm feeling it today.  My legs are feeling 18months of lack of work!!  I remember this feeling from when I first started on my fitness journey 5 years ago and all I can say is - bring on 18 months time future me when it doesn't ache so much!!

See you soon,

Sarah

Challenge time!

Good morning blogland,

It's rolled around another week, who would believe it!, to another Tuesday and so here I am with my Design Team post for Passion for Markers blog challenge.

This week we are sponsored by Dr Digi's and our lovely Teamie Marlene has picked the theme of 'Dry Embossing'. As always it's two very simple rules to join in the fun, use your markers and follow the theme.  If you do that you are in the prize draw for a great prize from our sponsor.

This is what I came up with:

Supplies used:

Digital Stamp:

Dr Digi's House of Stamps - Homebrew Herman

coloured with my Copics (what else!)

Rubber stamp:

taylored expressions - Simple Strips: Man, Myth, Legend

Dies:

Creative Expressions - Noble Collection: Double Stitched Squares

My Favorite Things - In & Out Stitched Circle

Embossing folders:
Lisa Horton Crafts - 3D Embossing Folder: Numerical

indentz - A6 Embossing Folder: Ellipse

And that's it folks - a simple, monochromatic, masculine birthday card.  It's the first time I'd used the Lisa Horton embossing folder, must say it gives a very definite impression! I wondered though why call it 3D? Isn't that the same as any embossing folder? Am I missing something very simple here? I'm not surprised if I am, I usually do!!

Right I'm off now, my new home gym is calling and, after around 18months out, I need to answer the call!

See you soon.

Sarah

Gnome home

 Morning blogland,

With apologies to my Sweet Stampin' Teamies for being late - life really got in the way before this challenge - I'm here to share my card for this fortnight's challenge. 

As the saying goes, better late than never and I'm here now with the card for this fortnights challenge for which the theme is 'Give a Gnome a Home'! Translated this means can we see your - stamped! - cards / projects that feature gnomes please. As always this is a 'for fun' challenge so no prizes but still it is fun so why not pop in an entry in!

Here's my card:

Supplies used:

Rubber stamp:

Stamping Bella - Gnome in a Tree

coloured with my Copics

(sentiment from the same set)

Dies:

Creative Craft Products - A2 essentials: portrait card die set

(I turned the card blank made onto it's side and into a top fold card blank)

Poppy Stamps - Scalloped Stitch Frames

Anything else:

Spotty olive green light card

flat backed pearls

I had my card in pieces on my desk but basically ran out of time to get it put together and finished before the deadline. Happens sometimes doesn't it - the idea is there, it's almost together then life comes along and - bang a card sitting in pieces on the desk! Still I get there in the end. :-)

As you can see I'm still on the use your un-inked old rubber stamps kick, so the small American sized cards are featuring.  I don't know that I'm ever going to get used, though, to how dinky they are! I'm going to have to take a picture of this month's makes and you'll see what I mean about the size difference of 'my' cards compared to American sizes.

Anyways, job done so I'm off now to do those life things that get in the way.

See you soon.

Sarah

It's getting closer

 But I'm still trying very hard to ignore it - Christmas that is!

Good morning blogland

Another Tuesday has rolled around and so it's time for a new challenge over at Passion for Markers, this week our lovely Teamie Marie has picked the theme - she went for 'Christmas', very appropriate if you are gearing up for the coming Christmas season.  Our sponsor is Polkadoodles and a lovely prize is waiting for one lucky winner!

Now I won't bang on about how I'm not that enthused either by Christmas cards or Christmas itself.  Just suffice it to say that it's a might too early to be talking about Christmas for me and you won't be seeing that many of these themed cards on my blog!

In the meantime - and in the spirit of I love colouring and will colour pretty much any digi, themed or not - this is my card made for the challenge:

Supplies used:

Digital stamp:

Polkadoodles - Santa Snowman gift

coloured with my Copics

Rubber stamp (sentiment):

Creative Expressions - Festive Wishes

Dies:

un-branded stitched rectangles

Creative Expressions - Pearly Snowflake Border

Anything else:

blue light card

flat backed glittery gems

You should really pop over to the challenge blog, my Teamies have produced some wonderful Christmas themed cards - and don't moan about Christmas either! 

And that's it folks - I'll see you next time.

Sarah

Who turned 17 then!

Well sometime ago now - but it was TTT!

Good morning blogland,

It's the first Saturday of the month, and so it's time for a new challenge over at Crafty Calendar Challenge, this month we are sponsored by Lawn Fawn with a great prize for one lucky winner!

The theme is also easy this month - we're doing 'Anything Goes', doesn't really need explaining that does it! My card is one from the recent vault - it's the second one I made for my daughter's 17th birthday that was in June and I'm sharing in November.  For me, that's actually quite quick!

And here it is:

Supplies used:

Digital stamp:

Mo Manning - Danielle with Laptop

coloured with my Copics

Rubber stamp (and matching die)

taylored expressions - Simple Strips: Birthday

die-cut with Simple Strips: asymmetrical

Anything else:

'birthday' embossing folder

Distress Inks and blending brush

glitter / sequins

largish piece of acetate to create the full front shaker

very old chipboard numbers

The image is very much my daughter - laptop always on the go and a black cat hanging around somewhere close. The only difference is we don't have a great big armchair like this one, wish we did though it looks very comfy!

It's also the first time I've tried a full front shaker card, not as hard as I'd thought to make, but my goodness the glitter I added was a beggar for escaping!

And that's it folks, it is a very easy theme and a lovely prize- my Teamies are wonderful crafters and their inspirations are fabulous. 

See you soon,

Sarah