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)

Hearts and (or) flowers

 Good morning blogland

This is a rather late post for the current challenge over in the Facebook Group for All Dressed Up stamps.

Currently the February challenge is live and - obviously - runs until the end of February so you do have a few days to get an entry in, if you feel like it.

The theme is 'Hearts and/or flowers' and there are really very minimal rules - you do have to join the group, use an ADU digi and follow the theme but that's it.  Also if you do pop in an entry you are in with a chance of winning a lovely ADU digi stamp prize.

At the point this challenge launched I'd had enough of making cards with either red, or love, or any combination of the above and so I made a card concentrating solely on the flowers part of the challenge.

This is what I made:

Supplies used:

Digital Stamp:

All Dressed Up Stamps - Jam Jars with flowers

coloured with my Copics

Rubber Stamp:

PaperRose - Hello 4x6" stamp set

taylored expressions - Simple Strips: Friendship

Dies:

taylored expressions - Simple Strips: asymmetrical

un-branded stitched rectangles

anything else:

spotty card

self-adhesive gems

If you don't 'do' Facebook there's always a challenge going on over at the ADU blog - I'd have to check if it is the same theme, but it will be the same rules, follow the theme and use ADU stamps.  Well worth a look, even if I do say so myself.

And that's it from me for a bit folks, I'll be back but probably not for a week (I think that's when the next challenge is).  I seriously am going to have to think about making a card for no reason - I used to do that, but haven't in ages!

See you soon,

Sarah

Challenge/s:

Krafty Chicks Challenge - CaS (Clean and Simple) week Hello - I'm not actually sure if you would class this as CaS (to me it's more clean lines) so feel free to disregard my entry if it's too busy for you.

Crafty Catz: #707 - Anything Goes

Fab 'n' Funky Challenges: #631 - Dies or Punches

More newness

Morning blogland

And with the start of a New Year comes another 1st of January 2026 - the 1st challenge over at Crafty Calendar Challenge.

So this first challenge of 2026 sees us asking for you to use something 'new' - now that new could be a card for something 'new' - New Year / New Baby / New Job / New Home, etc - or using something 'new' - new craft stash, new piece of craft equipment, it doesn't matter, we just need 'new'.  

As always there is only one simple rule to enter - follow the theme, the only other conditions, which are to be fair to all, is that we restrict entries to a maximum of 3 per person and don't allow backlinking.

Finally the prize this month for one lucky winner is from the wonderful Polkadoodles and finally, finally here is my inspiration card:

Supplies used:

Digtial stamp:

Transvectors - Floral Frames (these are an etsy seller 

the images are my 'new')

Rubber stamp and die set:

Creative Expressions - Bold Shadowed Sentiments: because

Dies:

un branded stitched rectangle set

I printed the floral frames twice onto white Copic friendly paper, die-cut one set out with my rectangles and coloured the background flowers.  With the other printed image I coloured the front flowers only, then cut them out, popped them onto some foam squares and mounted them onto the matching flowers on the same image that I had previously die-cut. I thought this gave what could be a bit of a simple, or boring, image a bit of a pop! Other than that, the card is self-explanatory - I think. 

So am looking forward to seeing what you do with the 'new' theme and, as 2025 has been a bit of a rollercoaster for us - I'm also really hoping 2026 is happier and easier going!

See you soon.

Sarah

Life in bloom

 Morning blogland,

Time for a new challenge over at Passion for Markers with this week sponsored by Clearly Besotted Stamps and a theme set by Marie.

The theme is 'Make it bloom' so anything floral - along with using your markers! The prize for one lucky winner is a £15.00 voucher to spend over at our sponsors web-site.

Without any further ado, here's my floral offering:

Supplies used:

Digital Stamp:

DreamFlare Studios - there isn't a name for this it's a selection of 30 'line-art' wildflower files

coloured with my Copics

Rubber stamp:

Taylored Expressions - Simply Strips: Background

Dies:

Taylored Expressions - Simply Strips: well-rounded

un-branded stitched rectangle die

Anything else:

white paint

paintbrush (for the splatters)

I have to say I don't colour flowers very often but I'm not too unhappy with how this one turned out.  I didn't let the splatters dry before I started mounting the panel, so they are a little more squashed than splattered - but not too noticeable, I hope anyways!

And that's about it folks - please pop on by the challenge blog, there are some fabulous floral cards on show.

See you soon,

Sarah

A little flowery today

 Morning blogland,

Well technically it's evening because I'm typing this on Friday evening to schedule it for Saturday when the challenge actually starts because I don't think I'm going to see much of my computer this weekend!

So reason for card first, then reason for no computer.  Reason for card - it's time for a new challenge over at Sweet Stampin' and this fortnight Team Wends has the theme of 'Flowers'.  As always this is a 'for fun' challenge and the only rules are to stamp (digital or rubber) somewhere on your creation, follow the theme and have fun!

Now I'm not really a flowers sort of person - real or stamped - I don't know what it is when I stamp flower images they just generally look 'meah' to me and other people's flowers always look so elegant.  I always wonder why I can't achieve that - maybe I need to practice!

Anyways, here the card:

Supplies Used:

Rubber stamps:

My Favorite Things - Peony Perfection

coloured with Copics

taylored expressions - Simple Strips: Friendship

Dies:

un-branded stitched rectangle die set

taylored expressions - Simple Strips: asymetrical

Anything else:

grey card for the frame

gel pens to make the spotted background (which I'm not sure you can really see anyway!)

Now for the reason I'm going to be nowhere near the computer this weekend - TTT turns 17 today - Saturday 22nd! Can hardly believe I'm the mother of a 17 year old - it makes me feel even older than when I was the mother of a one year old, or a 7 year old or a 10 year old, or even when she became a teenager!  We've a lot packed into the birthday weekend - which is why no computer time.  She's got a friend staying over from Sat morning into Sunday evening and we are: on the birthday itself going bowling; to an escape room and having home-made pizza then spending all of Sunday at Alton Towers - phew!

So here's hoping everyone else has a great weekend and, if you have time, stick in a card for the challenge - it's fun and my Teamies have made some great examples of floral cards, so much better than mine!

See you later,

Sarah

Pinkly pretty

Afternoon blogland,

Another missed post from me that should have gone up this morning! However, I was busy going from my weights / gym session, to getting ready to taking TTT for her hair appt, to actually going to this hair appt that I didn't get a chance to do the post.

Still better late than never, eh, and I'm here now.

To get on - this post is to let you all know there's a new challenge started today over at Sweet Stampin' Challenge. As always this is a 'just for fun' challenge, lasts for a fortnight and is all about the stamping - be it digital or old fashioned rubber stamp. The challenge theme this time is 'Pretty in Pink'. So anything with pink in it, on it or covered in it!! :-)

Now pink is not my favourite colour (give me blues / purples / greens any day) but I had thought it would be a good opportunity to get one of my 'girlie' stamps out. Well, it ended up not.  This is the card I made:

Supplies used:

Digital stamp:

Alex Syberia - Full Bloom

coloured with my Copics

Rubber stamp:

taylored expressions - Simple Strips: Background

Dies:

taylored expressions - Simple Strips: Well Rounded

Creative Expressions - Noble Collection: double stitched squares

Aaaand that's it folks, I'm off again!

See you soon,

Sarah

Challenge/s:

Crafty Catz: #641 Anything Goes (optional use pink and purple). I got half the optional theme - there's pink in there!

Gem of a Craft Challenge: Wk 12 - Anything Goes

Beautiful Blossoms Challenge: Anything Flowers Goes (optional mood board #5)

Creations in Pink: Challenge #58 - Anything Goes - as long as it's pink

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

A bit of CaS and update

 Good evening blogland

I'm making a late evening dash into blogland, with a very Clean and Simple card I made a while ago and an update on the craft/spare room - I've been shopping!

I wanted to post this card to join in with the first challenge of the year and a birthday post over at Less Is More - 11 years of challenges! I remember the challenge starting and loving the look of CAS, and I still love the look and style of CAS cards. Love doing them, they just make my brain ache, as I feel they have to be 'just so'! Also I do love stamping and colouring but many CAS cards seem to rely on die-cuts and I'd have to go out and buy a whole new ream of dies if I was to try that.  As I'm trying to cut-down not buy more, that's not happening.

So card:

Supplies used:

Stamps:

DoCrafts - Papermania: Henbury Lane

Taylored Expressions - Simple Strips: Birthday

Die:

Taylored Expressions - Simple Strips: Rounded

Anything else?

Woodware corner rounder punch

What I did

Took a 6x6" square card blank and rounded the edges.

Stamped the image off centre.

Stamped and die-cut the sentiment, added to the card with 3d foam for a bit of interest (didn't think it would look right glued directly onto the blank).

et voila, job done!

More news on craft/spare room, as said above went shopping today! There's an office furniture and supplies shop in our nearest town and as I had a dentist appointment in town today we decided to pop in and look at desks. Upshot is I've a second-hand desk being delivered on Monday! Also brought home with a sort of cubbyhole unit, a bit like the IKEA stuff that loads of people use - but it's in a wood look and has a back.  Not quite sure yet what I'm going to put in it but I'll find something! I'll share pictures once they are both in place and the room has been cleared a little more! Presently there's a lot of dust / dirt / cobwebs and junk in there - I'd be embarrassed to show anyone!!

So that's it from me folks, until my next DT share,

Signing off,

See you soon,

Sarah

Challenge / s:

 Less is More: Challenge #458 - Birthdays (Happy Birthday ladies - I've loved playing along with your fabulous challenge and hope there's another 11 years to go (at least!!).

The Paper Players: PP579 - A Clean and Simple Challenge from Ann : Wild About Wildlife

AAA Cards: Game #209 - 1/9th and Favourite Animal.  I know the flowers and butterfly is in the top right corner square of the card, but does it count that the sentiment overlaps? Apologies if it breaks the rules of this challenge, I wasn't sure so thought I'd take a chance and enter!

Gone floral

Good afternoon blogland

Still living on the edge and blogging at odd times! I'm sure I'll get back to early morning blogging soon, but at the minute it's all over the shop.

No interesting life to waffle on about at the minute - things seem very quiet, ooh except that TTT went back to school, yay! Only one day of disruptions! Also got some things ordered for her GCSE Geography trip to Iceland in September. Pleased about that. 

Now a question for UK people I've finally almost ran out of plain black card - I had a huge pile of A4 card now that's down to a couple of sheets.  Where does everyone buy their plain card (I tend to use either 300 / 340 gsm)? It's probably going to have to be brought on-line as there are no card shops near me, so postage needs to be taken into account.  Hit me with your recommendations!

Oooh and while I'm here, I might as well post the card I made! 😂

For some reason I went floral, not my usual thing at all! Here's the evidence:

Supplies used:

Digital stamp (image):

Alex Syberia Design - Spring Bouquet

coloured with Copics

Rubber stamp (sentiment):

Taylored Expressions - Simple Strips: Birthday

Dies:

Taylored Expressions - Simple Strips: Aysmmetrical

Un-branded rectangle stitched die

What I did:

Printed the digital image onto Copic friendly paper (re-sized to my 5x7 card blank) and printed out.

Coloured the image in with my Copics.

Die-cut out the image with the stitched dies, to create a base and frame.

Glued the inner panel to card blank, added 3d foam to the outer panel lined it up with the base panel and stuck it down.

Added 3d foam to previously stamped and die-cut sentiment and added it to the card over both the raised frame and flat image.

et voila, job done!

 So as I've waffled on (after saying there was nothing to waffle on about) at length above, I'll just say cheerio for now here, and see you later.

Signing off,

Sarah

Passion for Markers: Week 626 - Spring Colours

Crafty Catz: #580 - Anything Goes (optional twist add flowers) This is my second entry as I thought I could do better than flowers on the patterned paper, which was my previous entry! 

Cupcake Inspirations: Inspiration #536 - Pink and Mint.  I'm entering but I'm not sure if my 2nd flowers are more blue than mint.  No worries if I don't qualify for the prize.

Digi Chooseday Craft Challenge: Week 5 - Anything Goes

Not Friday?

 Good morning blogland,

Well my plan of posting on Friday evening didn't happen, did it! So here we are back to mornings (but not that early!) and it's Saturday!

I think this card maybe a complete first for me - I can't remember ever making a CAS coloured with Copics only flowers image card before.  I'm very much a character (and more often a cute character) than a floral colouring person. 

I keep telling myself it's good to try new things, that I'm not having an angst ridden, mid-life, crisis of  'just what is my style' moment! I wonder if I will ever settle into a particular 'style' that someone can point at and say, oh yes that's a 'These I Made' card'!! 😀

Anyhooo, card:

Supples used:

Rubber stamps:

Flowers: My Favorite Things - Corner Blooms

coloured with Copics

Sentiment: Taylored Expressions - Simple Strips : Birthday

Corners: Now I think those are a Lili of the Valley stamp set, but I'm not sure as they are very old and I've lost the packaging. So don't take my word for that!

Dies:

Creative Expressions - Noble Collection: Double Stitched Squares

Taylored Expression - Simple Strips : Well Rounded

Anything else:

Copic Fine liner

What I did:

Cut a square of Copic friendly paper with the square die.

Stamped (twice) the Corner Blooms and coloured them in with my Copics.

Stamped the decorative corners in the corners and then drew lines with a fine-liner to make a border,

Took a stamped and cut sentiment added some 3d foam to it and popped it on the image.

Glued the whole lot to a top folded 5x5 square card.

et, voila - job done!

I think I've probably waffled on enough at the beginning of the post, so I'm wandering off now.  Got a day's worth of washing and cleaning to get on with! Oh, and some encouraging 'do your homework, now!" to be done as TTT is off for a postponed days ice-skating trip with a friend tomorrow.

See you soon,

Signing off,

Sarah

Challenge / s:

Passion for Markers - Week 612 - use red

Colour Crazy Craft Challenge: Week 40 - Anything Goes

Crafty Catz: Challenge #567 - Anything Goes (optional twist - Girly)

Krafty Chicks Challenge: Challenge #580 Week 1 (Stamp Act)