Like buses....

 things come in three's don't they?

Good morning blogland,

And the reason for this rambling? It's because it's Tuesday and time for a new challenge over at Passion for Markers.  This week the theme has been set by our lovely Teamie Lorraine and now it's where the three thing comes from, she would like to see a project made where you use 'three of something'.  

As always our normal rules apply - you must use your markers (any brand); follow the theme and no backlinking. 

For this challenge we are sponsored by All Dressed Up stamps and there is a lovely prize for one lucky winner drawn at random.  Now ordinarily I would be saying that ADU also let the the Design Team use a digi - which did happen - but! I'm on the DT for ADU so I used one of the digis that I already own and, here's where the but comes in, it's no longer in the shop!!

There are, however, many other lovely images you can buy and then do a similar thing with that I've done.  Take a look at the card and I'll explain:

Supplies used:

Digital stamp:

All Dressed Up: Pool Ready

(edited to add - the digi has been restored to the shop!)

coloured with my Copics

Rubber stamp:

Concord & 9TH : Fashion Shoppe stamp set

Dies:

Catherine Pooler : fabulous

un-branded stitched rectangle

Anything else:

another rectangular die to make the 3 line corner doodles

red self-adhesive gems

Copic fineliner

So, the digi, I took the whole image which is a full length stamp of a girl ready for the pool with tote bag and then zoomed in on the upper body.  I then cropped it when I was happy with the image I'd created and then spun it but then spun it back again once I decided on placement.  I then just printed, cut and coloured as normal. Oh and for added ingenuity - the stamp I used actually has the word 'fabulous' but I masked it and added 'fabulous' as a die-cut instead.

Now there are a few digis that you can do this with if you go have a wander around the etsy shop - Play Day; any one of the girls in Winter Walks; Love to Dance or Beret Girl, to name just a few.

I suppose you could say this is the perfect example of a 'Design Team' card - the actual stamp isn't currently for sale, but the idea is a spring board.

I really am very curious to see what you will all come up with!

See you soon,

Sarah

Challenge/s:

We Love Stamping: July 26 - Summertime or AG

Crafty Catz: #718 - AG

Just Add Ink: #790 - Dies and/or Stencils - as you can see no stencils but I have used 2 dies (or three if you count that I used a die to create the corner lines)

Tic Tac Toe: no:297 - Middle Row: Any colour / free / sentiment

The children take the spotlight

 Good morning blogland

Saturdays are rolling around almost as fast as Tuesdays are - here were are with another Saturday and so another Sweet Stampin' Challenge appears as well.

This time the theme is 'For the children' and, as always, these are 'for fun' challenges so no prize but we do have 'Top 5' with a badge.  It's also a really friendly challenge with very few rules - you only need to make sure you stamp (whether that's rubber or digi), follow the theme and don't backlink.

So what did I make for a child - this card:

Supplies used:

Rubber stamp:

The Greeting Farm : OA Happy Day

coloured with my Copics

Time for Tea Designs : Bold Sentiments set

Dies:

Creative Craft Products : Stitched Nestables - Stitched Circles Set

Honey Doo Crafts - Connect the Dots nesting dies

Time for Tea Designs : Bold Sentiment Co-ordinating Dies

Paper:

Polkadoodles : oh boy!

Anything else:

Cuttlebug embossing folder : Seeing Spots

Distress Ink

That's quite a long list - for a fairly simple card - isn't it!

It was really nice pulling out my old stamps (this card and the last two CaS) and I had forgotten how quick they are to colour.  I think/hope (?) I've done both sets of images more justice now that my colouring skills have improved over the 15 to 20 years (oh my God - how long!!) since I've been colouring.

So I do hope you find time to pop on over to Sweet Stampin' and take a look-see at the lovely cards my Teamies have made.

And I will see you on the other side of my holiday - we are off to Inverness for a week.  All three of us!  That will be interesting ;-)

Sarah

Overdone the Clean and Simple

Good morning blogland,

These Tuesdays are coming and going at an alarming rate! Today we have another one and so, also, another Passion for Markers challenge.

This week I'm in the driving seat and my chosen theme is 'Clean and Simple', with our sponsor being Dies to Die For, there is a great prize for one lucky random winner who pops in an entry and sticks to the rules.  With those aforementioned rules being: use your markers; follow the theme and no backlinking.

Now, I know a lot of you will probably be groaning at Clean and Simple (CaS) and I forgive you for it! :-) I will say that, honestly, it's one of my favourite styles of card making. I will also admit that I'm not always sure my take on the style is 'pure' CaS but maybe more a paired back look, but still it's a style that I really love.

Less waffle - more card!  And to prove that I really do like CaS - I made one more card than I needed to!

Without further ado - cards:

Card one

Supplies used:

Rubber stamps:

Image

Sugar Nellie Stamps - Gorjuss: A Little Birdie Told Me

coloured with my Copics

Sentiment

Inkylicious - Hello Stamp Set

Dies:

Lawn Fawn - lawn cuts: Hello Border

Anything else:

Time for Tea Designs - circle masking stencil

Distress Oxide ink pad

blending brush

tiny, weeny, little gems

Card two:

Supplies:

Rubber stamps:

Image

Sugar Nellie: Up Up and Away

coloured with my Copics

Border

Blonde Moments: Bordering on Love

Sentiment

Whimsy Stamps: Simple Sentiment Strips

Dies:

un-branded stitched rectangles

Anything else:

Lisa Horton crafts: Cloud 9 ink pad - mermaid lagoon shimmer

blending brush

more teeny, weeny gems

All joking aside, one of the serious reasons I made two cards was because I couldn't get the bleeding stencilled circle on the first card to show properly.  I mean it does fade towards the top of the circle - and that is intentional - but you can still see it in real life.  You cannot on the picture at whatever angle I went for, it was extremely annoying!

Anyways, I am seriously finger crossed here that we get even one entry for this challenge.  Otherwise I might have to contemplate retiring the old CaS when it comes to my turn for picking themes, and that would make me sad!

I will wait with baited breath. :-)

Sees ya soon,

Sarah

Challenge/s:

Unicorn Challenge: #122 - No Designer Paper (Card 1)

Shopping Our Stash: SOS578 - Popsicle colours - Card 2 (I think it has enough of the colours to enter, but if not no worries if you delete it)

The Neglected Stuff Challenge: July 2026 -  Card 2 OK so both the stamps are old fashioned rubber and the packaging is dated 2009 - I've probably not used them since 2012! The border stamp on the 2nd card is about the same age.  The other stamps and dies are young 'uns at around 2 or 3 years old.  I'll be Instagramming the cards soon - photographic evidence will be included! :-)

Addicted to CAS: Up - Card 2

Simply Clean & Simple: July 2026 - Birthday Card 2

Bit of a shaker

Morning blogland,

This was made for the All Dressed Up stamps July new release and shared over at the All Dressed Up facebook group.  As always Wendy (the designer) has presented us with some super cute digis and my Teamies have come up with some gorgeous cards.  I really would suggest you take a peak - even if you don't particularly want any ADU stamps - the cards made with the stamps are just gorgeous.

And here's my contribution to all this loveliness! 

Supplies used:

Digital stamp:

All Dressed Up : Play Day

coloured with my Copics

Rubber Stamp:

Woodware : Word Fragments

Dies used:

un-branded stitched rectangles

My Favorite Things : Die-namics - Forever Friends

Papers:

First Edition - Blank Canvas

Extremely old piece of 12x12 patterned paper that I couldn't find a label on

Anything else:

gems and sequins for the shaker

And the ' bit of a shaker' - well I'm on a bit of a shaker maker roll at the minute, with this being the (I think) third shaker card I've made in probably three weeks.  It does come to a stop with the next one though, I got a bit pressed for time and went back to my usual clean lines style.

If you're not a Facebook fan we do also have a challenge blog where there is even more Design Team inspiration for you to take a look at.

Aaaaand I think that's about it for now folks.

Be seeing ya!

Sarah

Challenge/s:

AAA Colourful: colourboard #29

Gem of a Challenge: Challenge #7 - Anything Goes

All About Papercraft challenges: #7 All about friendship

Cardz 4 Girlz: #280 - For a friend or friendship

Happy Birthday to....

 TTT!

Good morning blogland

That the new challenge over at Crafty Calendar Challenge is a 'Happy Birthday' one is a nice coincidence for me as it was also TTT's birthday a couple of Monday's ago - just when I needed to be making a birthday card for this challenge! 

Dealing with the challenge first - we are a very easy going blog with really simple rules which are follow the theme, don't backlink and a maximum of 3 entries per person.  That's it really - doesn't have to be a card, doesn't have a to have a particular type of product or crafty item; just make something yourself and enter.

Moving onto the card:

Supplies used:

Digital stamp:

DreamFlare Studios - Mythical Creatures

coloured with my Copics

Rubber stamp:

Woodware Craft Collection - Just to Say; Birthday

Dies:

Un-branded stitched rectangle set

Catherine Pooler - Wishes

Anything else:

very old 12x12 patterned paper

Now for TTT's birthday.  Well what do I say - she turned 19! It feels so strange that this is her last year of being TTT (The Troublesome Teen).  To be totally honest her birthday was a bit of a non-event; we spent the day at home, no party, no friends, just her opening presents and then her favourite meal for dinner. Oh and homemade cake that took me ages to make and no time to eat!

When I was her age it would have been a big party - but it would appear she just wanted a quiet day in.  Not sure I will ever get why a 19 year old doesn't want to party, but hey, who knows maybe that will be her 20s!

I am also open to suggestions as to what she is known as once she's no longer a Teen! Maybe we go back to SheWhoMustBeObeyed (SWMbO)!

Please do pop on over to the challenge blog - my Teamies have made some lovely Birthday cards! 

See you soon,

Sarah

Challenge/s:

Crafty Catz: #717 Anything Goes

Krafty Chicks Challenge: #827 Birthday

Seize the Birthday: #329 Birthday

Fab 'n' Funky Challenge: #640 Something beginning with a 'b' - I hope 'Birthday' counts!  No problems if not.

Who's doing the driving then?

 Good morning blogland

It's time for a new challenge over at Passion for Markers with the theme (as chosen by my Teamie Sue) as 'Transport'.

As always there a few simple rules for this challenge, with those being: use your markers, follow the theme and don't backlink.  If you do that you are in with a chance at a randomly drawn prize from this week's sponsor RAM Stamps and/or a Top 5 Passionista badge for your blog.

Here's the card I made with a super cute stamp the RAM Stamps allowed the DT to use:

Supplies used:

Digital stamp:

RAM Stamps Paper boat (girl)

coloured with my Copics

Rubber stamp:

For the Love of Stamps - Autumn Harvest sentiment set

(I masked over the 'autumn' part of the 'hello Autumn' stamp)

Dies:

un-branded stitched dies

Polkadoodles - heartstrings

Stencil:

My Favorite Things - mix-ables stencils: make waves

Anything else:

Distress Ink

blending brush

spotty paper

And that's it for the challenge folks.

On a personal note however, life is hectic - a birthday just gone, a birthday coming up far too fast for my liking, work (being work), life (being life and including having a induction at a local gym) makes for a busy chez Sarah!

See you all soon.

Challenge/s:

Polkadoodles Challenge blog: Challenge 7 / Wk 1: Anything Goes

Crafty Catz: Challenge 716: Anything Goes

Cut it Up: Challenge #359 - Critters

Just us Girls: #829 - Stencil Week

As You Like It: Favourite Colour Combo (2 colours) and why: Wheeelll I think I have a few favourite combos but this one I've used here of Blue and Green is in my Top Ten.

Not birthday wishes!

 Hello blogland,

Apologies for being late with this post, Chez Sarah is in chaos mode right now. I will get business out of the way and then explain.

So, why the blog post title?  Well that's because it's time for a new challenge over at Sweet Stampin' and the theme this week is 'Anything but a birthday' - not such a bad theme, eh!  Let all the other stamps and sentiments shine for once - and that is a big part of this challenge; stamps!  To join in you must stamp somewhere on your entry, which does not have to be a card.  The stamp can be digi or rubber, sentiment or image, but it must be there somewhere.

So my card:

Supplies used:

Digi stamp:

Pollycraft (long since shut down) - Love Monster

coloured with my Copics

Rubber stamp:

Neat & Tangled - Together

Dies:

Creative Craft Expressions - Sue Noble: Double Stitched Squares

MFT - Inside & Out circles

Paper:

My Mind's Eye - Lucky in Love

Anything else:

self-adhesive pearls

So there we are - a Valentines, Love or Anniversary card, not birthday. I am looking forward to what cards people go for and it was lovely looking at my Teamies wonderful cards.

So why is Chez Sarah in chaos?  Well, as you know today is Father's Day but what you don't know is that tomorrow (Monday 22nd) is Trouble's birthday.  Her last year as a teenager is coming, no idea what nickname I'm going to give her from next year.

So Father's Day meant presents; Birthday means cards, cake, presents and the eternal question; what does a quiet only child with minimal friends want to do on her birthday!

I've been making cards since last week (in-between being interrupted by said young person  - who is home from Uni and wants company - and having to go to work), I've been baking all day today (in this heat!) and I'll not be finished until this evening.  We've still got the wrapping to do (seems almost pointless now).

Add into that we went to a concert in Lincoln Castle Thursday evening and didn't get back until early Friday morning, oh and we are going to another one next Thursday - anyone up for a Rick Astley concert! This week has been especially busy and not much time for DT cards to be made.

There's that's almost my life story and now I'm going to go decorate some cakes!

Hope to see you at the challenge,

Sarah

Birthday wishes

 Hi blogland

It's time for a new challenge over at Passion for Markers and this week it's our Teamie Marlene's choice for the the challenge, which is 'Things with Wings’. 

So 'things with wings' this is anything with a wing - fairies, butterflies, bees, birds, aeroplanes; anything this has a wing (and I suppose doesn't even have to fly as long as it has wings)!  

This week we are sponsored by LeAnn's World 101, with a lovely prize for one lucky randomly drawn winner.  To be in with a chance to win, you do have to follow the rules, and use your markers most importantly, but you don't have to make a card.

Having said that - here is my card!

Supplies used:

Digital stamp:

LeAnn's World 101 - Angeline

coloured with my Copics

Dies used:

un-branded stitched rectangle

TimeforTea Designs - Big Birthday Wishes

Craftaddiction UK - Rectangle Inverted Scallop Frames

Patterned paper:

Anything else:

acetate for the shaker

sequins

yellow spotted light card

I just realised that I didn't make a note of the paper, so I'll be back with that shortly.

Otherwise looking forward to seeing all the entries to the challenge, and having a wander around and looking at all the lovely flying things.

See you soon,

Sarah

Challenge/s:

Try it on Tuesday: Flying High - does a fairy work?  Hope it does, but not to worry if not.

Cupcake Inspirations: #638 - Anything Goes

Wedding Season

 Hello blogland,

It's new release day (or it was a couple of days ago!) for All Dressed Up Stamps and this month there is a lovely wedding couple image - just perfect for the Wedding Season coming up.

You can see the images here in the etsy shop and here is the card I made with it:

Supplies used:

Digital stamp:

All Dressed Up - The Big Day

coloured with my Copics

Rubber stamp:

Impression Obsession - Special

Dies used:

un-branded stitched rectangles set

Stencil:

Creative Expressions - Scattered Hearts

Paper:

Papermania Signature - Blueberry Hill

Anything else:

Distress Ink

Pearlescent Mister

blending brushes

And that's pretty much it folks.  There are more images that have been released and, if you Facebook, you can pop over to the Group and see the marvellous samples my Teamies have made.

See you soon,

Sarah

Challenge/s:

Girlz & The Art of Letters: Challenge 28 - Letter B: for Bride

Polkadoodles Crafting: Challenge 6 - Wk2: Anything Goes

Crafty Catz: Challenge #715: Anything Goes

Just Add Ink: Challenge #787 Choose Two or More - so mine are Patterned Paper / People / Shadows (hopefully you can see the shadows I've given the Bride and Groom (below their feet and down their sides)

More of 'em

Those tricky men that is!

Good morning blogland,

It's the first Saturday of the month (who would believe we are in June already!) and so it's time for a new challenge over at Crafty Calendar Challenge and this month the challenge theme is 'All about the men or boys'.

As always we are a very easy going challenge - just follow the theme, don't backlink and a maximum entry of 3 per person.

This is my boy's card:

Supplies used:

Digital stamp:

Saturated Canary - gamer

coloured with my Copics

Dies:

un-branded stitched rectangles

Lisa Horton Crafts - Bold Phrases

Whimsy Stamps - Frame

Stencil:

Honey Doo Crafts - Funky Lines Stencil

Anything else:

Distress Ink

Lisa Horton Crafts - Cloud 9 dye/pigment ink

And that's it folks!  Not the most exciting of cards, but I really wanted to try out the stencil and new ink pad, very happy with how it turned out too.

Hopefully see you over at the challenge?

Sarah

Challenge/s:

Girlz Makes Guyz Cards: Challenge 40 No Squares

Krafty Chicks Challenge: #823 Birthday

Creative Knockouts: #572 4 June - Die-cuts/Stencils/Punches

Tic Tac Toe Challenge: TTTC#294 - Middle column (Gold/Back / Free / Stencil) - Hoping that I've read it right and the gold/black part is gold or black not gold and black.  If I've got it wrong, no problems with you deleting my entry,

It's Summertime.....

 or is it?

Good morning blogland,

It's new challenge time over at Passion for Markers and the theme chosen this week by my Teamie Marie is 'Summertime'.  We are sponsored for this challenge by ColourofLove Digis with a lovely randomly drawn prize for one lucky winner.

As always to be in with a chance to win the prize we do ask that you follow the simple rules - use your markers (any brand), follow the theme and don't backlink.

Now even a few days ago this theme would have been very relevant - as most of the UK has been basking in an early heatwave - that broke for us today.  Currently it is pelting it down here in not so sunny Lincolnshire, so lets cheer ourselves up by looking at this nice summery card I made!

Supplies used:

Digital stamp:

ColourofLove - Rory's Summer Fun

coloured with my Copics

Rubber stamp:

Daisy Bucket Designs - Happy Thoughts

Dies:

un-branded stitched rectangle

Anything else:

spotty card to matt

And that's it folks - it was a lot of colouring for this digi image, so the actual card I kept it really simple and just layered onto a matt and done!

I definiately am not hoping that the overly hot weather comes back but I wouldn't mind a little less rain and a little more sun again!

Hope everyone everywhere has got the weather they enjoy - and that you all wander over to the challenge and, if colouring is your thing, pop an entry in! 

See you again soon,

Sarah

Going in circles

Good evening blogland

Genuinely I am such a dimwit!  For the first time in absolutely ages I was invited to GDT on a challenge blog and guess what - I only went and got the days wrong in my head!

How on earth I got a Try it on Tuesday challenge in my head for a date that was a Friday I'll never know.  So all I can do is offer a genuine apology to the whole Team and get my card up as soon as possible, 

The theme of the challenge is use circles on you project and this is the card I made:

Supplies used:

Rubber stamps (and matching dies):

My Favorite Things: JB Monkey Around Duo

coloured with my Copics

Dies:

Pretty Pink Posh: Scallop Borders 1

MFT: Die-namics - I&O stitched circles

un-branded stitched rectangles

Anything else:

various very old designer papers

Time for Tea: Sweet Summer enamel dots

OK, so I will apologise one more time to all the lovely crafters over at Try it on Tuesday and go away to hide in my shame for being so incredibly late posting this!

Cheerio for now,

Sarah

Challenge/s:

Alphabet Challenge: C is for Circles

Krafty Chicks Challenge: #822 Masculine Week

Inkspirational: #368 For the Guys

Digi Choosday: Challenge 6 / Wk 1

Seize the Birthday: #327 - Anything Goes option

Flowers in bloom

 Good morning blogland,

New Saturday - new challenge and this week it's time for a new challenge over at Sweet Stampin' with the theme this fortnight being 'Flowers'.  As always there are no prizes on offer but the joy is in the taking part and also being awarded a Top 3 pick.  The rules are very simple - you must stamp (rubber or digital is fine), no backlinking and follow the theme and, other than that, we are a very easy going challenge so what you enter is entirely up to you.

Now me and flower stamps don't really get along that well - every time I try using proper flower stamps something always goes wrong. Generally when the theme of a challenge is 'flowers' I would go down the route of flowers on the paper, flower embellishments or the stamp I use being a person with flowers.  This time I thought, nah I'll try for proper flowers again - disaster!

I'll show you the cards first:

Card one:

Card Two:

Supplies used:

Rubber stamp:

My Favorite Things - Magnolia Blossoms

coloured with my Copics

Sentiments:

Card one - Taylored Expressions (a matching sentiment set and die from Simple Strips)

'Happy Birthday' and 'well-rounded'

Card Two - a very, very, very old pre-printed/pre-cut sentiment from Craftwork Cards

Dies:

Card one: Honey Doo Crafts - Triple Dots and Dies & Polkadoodles Botanical Foilage Dies

Card two: Honey Doo Crafts - Connect the Dots & un-branded stitched dies

Backgrounds:

Card one: Distress Ink and blender brush

Card two: Cosmic Shimmer Airless Mister and spattered Distress Ink

Anything else:

Card one: self-adhesive gems

How much can you take of my tale of woe with the first card I wonder?  Well, I mis-cut the die and had to do it again, and didn't get it quite right (the bad bit is hidden!), my glue dispenser bottle was very low -- so I filled it and, obviously, made a complete mess of my work mat and the bottle.  The fine nibs for the differing glues I tried (I was trying to get glue on the back of those delicate dies) were bunged and took me ages to wash them out and get them working again.  I used a pre-cut matt for the card and I do not like it - I really miss the stitched edge and, finally, the Distress Inking went wrong.  I was going for a particular look and I completely got it wrong. I do not like that card.

Feeling empowered that I could push through - I made card two.  So much relief - I made it and liked it!  Yay! 😂

I am not touching flower stamps again for a good long time! 😂

I know my Teamies cards are really wonderfully flowery as well, not nearly as traumatic as mine, so please pop on over and take a gander, we'd appreciate it.

Until next time,

Sarah

Challenge/s:

Allsorts challenge: Challenge 850 - Anything Goes

Cut it Up: #356 - Flowers

Krafty Chicks Challenge: #821 - CAS (I'd like to enter card two)

I love Promarkers challenge: #607 - Special Occasions (Card one is more specifically birthday, so I'd like to enter that one)

It's anniversary time!

 Morning blogland,

It's Tuesday and time for a new challenge over at Passion for Markers and normally you wouldn't see me there this week but it's a special one and so both Teams are involved!

And why is it special I might hear you asking - well it's because it's Passion for Markers 17th Anniversary!  I do actually remember the blog challenge starting - and it being a ProMarker challenge blog, I might even have entered, I can't remember but I probably did.  

As it's such a big number - it's also a big prize week.  I'm not going to repeat all the prizes on offer - best to go visit the blog for that - what I will say is it's an 'Anything Goes' themed week to make it easy for you to pop an entry in.  The rules do still apply - use your markers, don't backlink and follow the theme - but such an easy theme this week.

My card for this week is:

Supplies used:

Rubber stamp:

Kanban Crafts : Urban Belles - birthday

Catherine Pooler - Hey, Hey, Hey sentiment stamp set

as always my stamp was coloured with my Copics

Dies:

un-branded stitched rectangles

Catherine Pooler - Hey word die

Paper:

My Mind's Eye - Bloom & Grow

Limetree Craft - blue light card for the matt

Now I started out with ProMarkers and quickly found that I preferred Copics so I drifted a bit, then I stopped crafting for a number of  years and so I wouldn't have participated in every challenge over these 17 years, but I'm pretty sure I have entered a lot and I was so super proud when I was asked to be on the Design Team.  I also think it will take an Earthquake to get me to leave! Even if my crafting at the minute is restricted to 30 mins slots to take account of a DVT in my leg!

I also thought, seeing as how it was a card for a challenge that has been going for a long time - I'd also use supplies that I've had for a long time.  That would be the stamp, That has 2010 as the date printed on the packet, and the paper also looks like 2010 from a quick Google search!

See when I say I've been crafting forever I mean forever - those supplies are new, as far as I'm concerned!  The Catherine Pooler stuff is the proper newest supplies!

So there, I've waffled on for ages - I'll finish by saying both pop on over to the challenge blog there are some wonderful cards on display and - Many Happy Returns Passion for Markers and here's to another 17 years!!

Sarah

Challenge/s:

The Neglected Stuff Challenge - May 2026: The only even 'newish' thing is the 'hey' die. Everything else on the card varies from 1 year to 16 years old..

Dragonfly Dreams: May challenge - use die-cuts.

Just Us Girls: #823 - Word Week: Flowers.  Hopefully flowers on the paper is OK?

Allsorts Challenge: Challenge 849 - Monochromatic (or AG - as you can see I'm going with AG)

Those tricky, tricky,

men.

Morning blogland,

And as another Tuesday rolls around, so a new Passion for Markers challenge starts,  This week my lovely Teamie Lorraine has chosen the theme of 'Masculine'.  As always the challenge has some very simple rules that you need to stick to if you want to be in with a chance at the randomly drawn prize.  With those rules being - it doesn't make what you make but you must use your markers (any brand) on your project; to follow the theme and no back linking. Even if you don't win the prize draw you're still in with a chance at a Top 5 spot. 

So those projects made for those tricky masculine cards I know some find them difficult, personally I don't mind cards for men or boys so much.  There are some great dies and stamps and digis out there aimed at the menfolk - although it can be a bit tricky if your man or boy doesn't like 'traditional' blokey things.

Our sponsor this week - Dr Digi's House of Stamps - does have a wide range of fun images for those masculine makes.  They also allowed the DT a stamp to use for our cards and this is my make with that digital stamp:

Supplies used:

Digital stamp:

Dr Digi House of Stamps - Dad DIY

coloured with my Copics

Rubber stamp:

Taylored Expressions - Simple Strips : Man, Myth, Legend

Tonic Studio - Say it With Sentiments

Dies:

Taylored Expressions - Simple Strips : Well Rounded

un-branded stitched rectangle dies

Stencils:

Lawn Fawn - Brick stencil

Polkadoodles - Great Outdoors stencil

Anything else:

Distress Inks

blending brush

black card to matt

It was fun creating this one - the scene came together really well but, as always, I'm such a terrible self critic that I was starting to worry that picking jeans and a blue shirt made him look a little like he was wearing a jumpsuit!  They are, in real life, very different shades of blue, not so much in the picture.

As always I would encourage you to pop on over to the challenge blog, take a look at my Teamies wonderful projects and think about popping something in yourself.  It's fun, honestly!

Aaaand, if you made all the way down here, thank you for ploughing on through my waffle!

See you soon,

Sarah

Challenge/s:

Just Add Ink: #785 Stencils and Dies (or both)

Digi Choosday Challenge: Challenge 5 - Wk: Anything Goes

Stencil Fun: May 2026

Gem of a Challenge: Challenge 4

Simples

 Good morning blogland

As pretty much normal for me - I'm late with a blog post.  The only credit I will give myself is that I am marginally less late than I normally am - so I suppose you could almost say I'm on time!

So the reason for this post.  It's New Release Time (that should have been Day but, hey as I'm 3 days late with this post, it's become Time) over at All Dressed Up stamps.  This month's release is super sweet - tho to be honest when are ADU stamps not - and I got a lovely digi to colour.

I did spend ages going through lots of different options for this card, put on layers / a frame / contemplated turning it into a shaker card / various patterned paper.  But, in the end, we went with what does seem to be my 'normal' style - not quite Clean and Simple but what I like to call ' Clean Lines'.

The only thing that bugs me about this card, is that it just wouldn't photograph properly.  I'll explain after you've seen the picture:

Supplies used:

Digital stamp:

All Dressed Up - Whimsical Day

coloured with my Copics

Rubber stamp:

Taylored Expressions - Simple Strips: Birthday

Dies:

unbranded stitched rectangle

Taylored Expressions - Simple Strips: well rounded

Anything else:

embossing board - to get the embossed lines

self-adhesive gems

And therein lies the problem - the embossed lines.  There actually six embossed lines on this card, 3 across the top and 3 down the side, but would the damn camera pick up the embossed lines down the right-hand side?  No it blooming well would not!  

I tried so many different angles and it only shows them really faintly, they only properly show up in real life.  And, as happy as I would be for everyone to pop over for a cup of tea and a 'look-see' at the card, that's not really going to work now, is it?

OK, so I think that's probably enough moaning from me now and, anyways, I do actually like how this card turned out.  It's the picture of it I don't!

With that I will wander off to do Sunday type stuff and just leave you with the request that you pop on over to either the Facebook Group, the blog or even, if you feel like it, the Etsy shop and have a look at the lovely examples of what can be done with these images. I disclaim all responsibility for any shopping spree I might set off! 😀

See you soon,

Sarah

Challenge/s:

Crafty Catz: #713 Anything Goes

Simply Clean & Simple: May 2026 Anything Goes (option - Things That Fly)

Krafty Chicks Challenge: #819 Birthday

As You Like It: Favourite sketch/layout and why.  Goodness this takes me back - when I very first started cardmaking I was really into layering and embellishments and had a little notebook that I kept all my favourite sketches in - because that allowed me to use some of the papers and embellishments that I was stockpiling!  Fast forward to today and I don't have a favourite sketch anymore - nor do I heap papers and embellies on a card - instead I have a favourite layout.  Which is: a top fold 5x7 card; large focal digi (or rubber stamp) on my Copic friendly paper; die-cut that out; matt onto another piece of coloured (or spotty or stripy) card; matt that onto the card front.  Finish with sentiment and maybe some gems/pearls as embellishment.  Sometimes add a couple of strips of patterned card at the top of the card.  If you look back at my most recent cards (not all of them because this isn't a set rule, it's just my comfort zone) you will see a double layer of matted card with a large Copic coloured digi as the top layer.  Long story short - that's my favourite layout.  I like colouring and it allows me to colour and spotlight the digi - that's why it's my favourite layout.

It's all white

 Good morning blogland

So it's the first Saturday of a new month which means it's also time for a new challenge over at Crafty Calendar Challenge. This month the theme is 'All White' - so all your white on white layers will be most welcome!  

As always this is a very easy going challenge, with simple rules which are: follow the theme, don't backlink and a maximum of 3 entries per person. There is a lovely randomly drawn prize on offer and Top 3 picks as well at the end of the month when the challenge ends.

So this is my 'All white' card I made for the challenge:

Supplies used:

Dies:

Polkadoodles Crafts: - 

Pretty Anemone Flowers

Botanical Foliage

Big Hello Sentiment

Pretty Pink Posh - Lattice Background Die

Creative Craft Products - A2 Essentials Landscape Card Die set

Anything else:

White Linen effect light card

white card

Feels very strange to have not stamped at all or to have done any colouring with my Copics - but a change is as good as a rest, eh!  I do also really like how this one came out - for once quite pleased with a card I made!

My Teamies have made some fabulous cards as well - why take a wander over to the blog and have a gander - you'll be pleased you did!

See you soon,

Sarah

Challenge/s:

Polkadoodles Challenge: Challenge 5 Wk2 - Anything Goes

NBUS: #86 - This card is pretty much all never used before!  The only thing I 100% know I have used before is the die set that I use to make the card blank.  Everything from Polkadoodles is new, and unopened, the Pretty Pink Posh die is not new - but I don't think I've used it before (it's difficult to remember it is a rather old die).

Just Us Girls Challenge: #821 - CASE a DT week - It's Bobby's card that mine takes inspiration from - the flowers on the card (whilst mine is only one flower) and the sentiment across the bottom of the card.  Also I dispensed with the colour on Bobby's card and gone down the WOW route for mine.

Krafty Chicks Challenge: #818 ATG - with a twist (mine is without the twist)

(Super)Heroes

 Good morning blogland

Time for another Passion for Markers challenge and this weeks' sponsor is the always fabulous Dies to Die For - a shop I'm rather familiar with! - and there is a lovely prize for one lucky randomly drawn winner. Really simple rules to be in with a chance to win the prize - follow the theme, use your markers (and tell us which ones you've used) and don't backlink.  You don't have to enter a card - any project you make and use markers on can be entered.

Now, onto the theme and I'm the one who picked it this week.  When themes were being chosen I was trying to come up with something and failing so I Googled 28th April and discovered that it's Superhero day - who knew! I doubt very much everyone everyone across the Country has taken the day off to celebrate their favourite superhero but it did give me an idea for the theme.

So this week's theme is 'Superhero' - this doesn't have to be your 'classic' superhero it could be anyone who you think highly of.  I was thinking everything from fictional superheroes to a family member / friend or really anyone you think of as heroic.

So here is my card:

Supplies used:

Digital stamp:

an etsy seller LDKZdesigns

coloured with my Copics

Rubber stamp:

Time for Tea Designs - City Break Stamp set

Dies:

un-branded stitched rectangles

Whimsy Stamps - OMG! Word die set

My Favorite Things - Die-namics : fishtail foundations

Anything else:

Polkadoodles crafts - Fluffy Clouds stencils/masks

distress inks

blending brush

sentiment created in Publisher

spotty light card

Phew! again a long list of supplies for this card - you wouldn't think to look at it, would you?

Before I go, I realise pretty much nobody reads my blog (I am terrible at promoting myself) but here follows a public service announcement.  Please, please, please make sure you read the descriptions of etsy sellers and their 'clip art'.  

Every single seller I've ever brought from on etsy - and there's been a few - have always sold their digi stamps as either  .jpg or .png files.  I mean half of them don't call them digi stamps, but whatever they call the file there's been a .jpg or .png in with many other types of files.  This particular seller only sells them as SVG, it's something I didn't notice and (as I don't use SVGs) caused me no end of problems trying to open the damn things.

There was a link to a free graphics creator pack or they said you could use Canva - but I am always wary of 'free' this or that and my goodness Canva was not the most beginner friendly programme.  So it took me ages to get the files converted into something I could use.  I was tearing my hair out there for a little while, once I did manage to get them converted it was plain sailing, but for a bit I really regretted my purchase.

There that's my little tale of woe - and a warning to other mildly technologically challenged people out there.  Make sure you check what you are buying!

And on that happy note 😁I'm off to see what entries we get for my (Super)heroes challenge!

See you soon,

Sarah

Shopping Our Stash: SOS572 - Up, up and away. Hopefully a Superhero counts as something you can see in the sky?  The only new thing on the card is the digi stamp - everything else is from my stash and the Distress Inks I used to blend the sky - more like 8 to 10 years!

Unicorn Challenge: #119 - Use dies

Allsorts challenge: #848 - Anything but square - a bit boring I know but it is a rectangle not a square.

Polkadoodles Challenge: Challenge 5, wk1 - Anything Goes

What, when, how?

 Good morning blogland,

So it's a Saturday and time for a new challenge over at Sweet Stampin' but that's about the only thing that feels right about today.  Have you seen what theme we have to work with this time?

'Christmas in April'

Noooooooooo! Not a good theme for poor old moi - I don't like Christmas cards at the best of times and I thought I'd be safe from them for at least another couple of months. Maybe July, when some bright spark thinks, I know let's have a 'Christmas in July' theme! Then I'd do one card and put all supplies away again until it's actually nearly Christmas. Bah, humbug!

So now I've got that out of my system.  This is the theme for this fortnight and so, if you want to pop in any entry, it's what you've got to make! It doesn't have to be a Christmas card, but it does have to have stamping on it somewhere and be Christmas themed.

This is what I made:

Supplies used:

Stamp:

Stamping Bella - Bundle girl and penguin baking a cake (I used the stamp and sentiment)

coloured with my Copics

Dies:

Memory Box - Bianca Snowflake and Crystal Snowflake

Creative Craft Products - DL Card Builder die set

Paper:

Crafwork Cards - Sorbet Souffle foiled paper

Anything else:

self-adhesive gems

My first (and last for a very long time) Christmas card of 2026.

I'm sure there are lots of you out there who love making Christmas cards and this challenge will be very popular.  Just don't tell me about it!! 😁

See you all soon,

Sarah

Challenge/s:

Crafty Catz: challenge #712 - anything goes

As You Like It: Brights or Pastels - Oh bright colours definitely. I do try pastels sometimes (or those 'wishy-washy' colours as my Mum used to call them) but I never seem to get them right, they always end up being the bright side of pastel!