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

It's all grey here

 Good morning blogland

I'm here today with the new challenge over at Passion for Markers and we are sponsored by Dies to Die For with a fabulous prize for one lucky winner.

It was my turn to pick the challenge theme this week and I've gone for 'Monochromatic' - which means an image, object or palette composed of one colour.  It doesn't mean only using black and white - although you can - it's making sure that you pick one colour and then use shades / hues of the colour. 

I did debate which colour to go with but, looking at the image I'd picked, decided in the end to go with the classic black and white scheme.  I would normally have still done a skin tone for the skin on this image, but I decided to push myself a little and try to go totally black & white.  You'll have to tell me if it worked!

This is my card:

Supplies used:

Digital stamp:

Mo's Digital Pencil - Tori

coloured with my Copics

Rubber Stamp:

taylored expressions - It's your day

Dies:

un-branded stitched rectangles

I'm not sure of the tab - it's an old one and I can't remember where I got it

Anything else:

Craftwork Cards - Allsorts paper pack

crystals under the sentiment

And that's it folks - not sure how my first challenge pick is going to go over at PfM, hoping I get a good few entries, but who knows!

See you soon,

Sarah

More Hearts!

Good morning blogland,

Here I am again and with more hearts and red! This time I'm sharing a card for the new challenge at Passion for Markers where the theme this week is 'Use red and/or hearts'. We are sponsored by Dies to Die For with a great prize of a £15.00 voucher for the lucky winner.

For my card I turned to one of my favourite designers - Mo Manning - and dug out this sneaky heart thief image that I had brought years ago and never used. I do love Mo's images, they are such fun to colour!

Supplies Used:

Digital stamp:

Mo's Digital Pencil - Stole my Heart

coloured with my Copics

I made the sentiment myself in Publisher

Dies:

Pretty Pink Posh - Scallop Borders 1

Patterned Papers:

echo park - Be Mine

Anything else:

flat backed pearls

So I hope to see lots of red and hearts on all your entries - quite appropriate with Valentines coming up!

See you soon,

Sarah

Challenge/s:

Cupcake Inspirations: #587 - red/pink/white

Dream Valley Challenges: #309 - Add a Sentiment

Aud Sentiments Challenges: #310 - use dies and/or Love/Wedding/Anniversary + a sentiment

The Paper Players: PP675 - 'Love'

Finally sharing

Hello blogland

It's all ridiculously quiet here at the moment.  We are getting ever closer to TTT's big GCSE moment, which she seems to be facing by spending longer and longer in bed! It was close to 2pm before we saw her yesterday!  Other than that, we are plodding on with life, and, to be honest, I'm almost counting down until she starts 6th Form (or whatever) so we get some sort of routine back.  I've not done my regular weights or aerobics for weeks and boy can I tell!

Anyways, while I was thinking of TTT I realised, that though I shared her Prom pictures, I never actually shared her birthday cards.  As regular readers of my waffle will know I make her two cards for birthdays and Christmases - there's only the three of us and it always seems a little sad that she has one lonely card from family for her birthday. So she gets two!

This is the one that I gave to him indoors to give to her.  The other one I'll share another day when I've not managed to make anything new, again! 

Supplies used:

Digital image:

Mo's Digital Pencil - Eliza

coloured with my Copics

Rubber stamps:

'Daughter' from a very old 'relatives' set for which I no longer have the packaging, but I think was Do-crafts

Kaiser Craft - 'Today' (it's a longer sentiment I used just the 'today' from it)

Woodware - Word Fragments by Jane Gill

Autumn Leaves - Swirls v.2

Dies:

un-branded stitched rectangle set

Anything Else:

American Crafts - Thickers (for the 16)

She really liked the dress on this image - and said the card was 'OK' - I'm told that if you could buy this dress she would.  But maybe not in this colour!

So I'm off again now, got sourdough cooking and it's about time to take it out the oven.

See you soon,

Sarah

Challenge/s:

Passion for Markers: Week 703 - Let's Celebrate

Krafty Chicks Challenge: #677 - CAS week

Di's Digi Stamps Challenge: Use a digital element (the stamp)

I love ProMarkers Challenge: #541 - Anything Goes / Lavender and Lace (well I had the Lavender but not the lace!) As you can see I love markers but I moved away from ProMarkers many years ago and am a total Copic addict! Glad to see a marker colouring challenge opening up to the markers I use. :-)

  

All square here

Morning blogland

We are in the home straight of GCSE's at Chez Sarah now! TTT is in school today for two exams but she is also officially on 'study leave' which I don't remember being a thing from my days at school. Maybe it's such a long time ago I just can't remember! Basically 'study leave' means she only has to go in when there is an exam on. Not a problem - she says!

So for today she's in all day as she has English and French exams, but then she's in and out like a Jack-in-the-box! Half day here, not in there, full day other days - we've got her exam schedule up on the wall to keep track of who needs to be where to pick her up when for the next fortnight!

Phew, well after that little ramble, moving onto more interesting stuff - I made a card, which wasn't a DT inspiration! It was for an actual real person and was delivered yesterday. 

 not sure my photographic skills were good enough to pick up the sparkly dots I put on her dress - so here's her close-up.

Supplies used:

Digital stamp:

Mo's Digital Pencil - Zelda

coloured with my Copics

Rubber stamp:

taylored expressions - 'It's your day'

Dies:

Creative Expressions - Noble Collection: Stitched Squares

Spellbinders - squares / scalloped square

Whimsy Stamps - OMG! word die set

un-branded alphabet set

Anything else:

Allsorts paper pad

mixed up beads/glitter/brads (for the shaker part of the card)

acetate

red card

Hopefully I'm going to be getting more time and inclination to be going into my craft room soon - I do feel like it's been mildly neglected for probably the last 6 months or so!

That's it from me folks,

Hope everyone is well,

Sarah

Challenge/s:

Passion for Markers - Week 692: make it square

Krafty Chicks Challenge - #666: week 1 (stamp act)

As You Like It Challenge - Favourite: Pastels or Brights. I think you might guess from this card (and a quick look back at previous cards) I go for Brights.  Pastels are not really my thing, I do dabble occasionally, but I always return to Bright colours.

Happy Little Stampers Birthday Challenge - June challenge

Di's Digi Designs Challenge - Birthdays

Anything new

Happy New Year blogland!

I'm back after taking a deliberate Christmas / New Year break from blogging with my card for the first challenge of the new year over at Sweet Stampin' - it's not my Teams challenge, but I'm sure I joined in last year and thought why not make a new habit! So the theme this fortnight is simply New - which can be Happy New Year, new home, new baby, new job. new stash, the range is really quite wide!

I went with new stash (plus new habit!) as it's hubby's birthday on 29th December so I always get a new digi for his card.  This year it was a new digi and new stencil. Here's the card I made:

Supplies used:

Digital stamp:

Mo's Digital Pencil - yeehaw

coloured with my Copics

Sentiment:

Mo's Digital Pencil - Flippin Fairy

Dies:

un-branded stitched rectangle

Pretty Pink Posh - Scallop borders

Anything else:

Julie Hickey stencil - 'birthday'

blending brush

Distress Ink

Glitter

I know the image and sentiment might not look like they go together, but for me they work! I knew hubby wouldn't be keen on the image (he's trying very hard not to notice his age!) and I thought he'd probably appreciate the idea that he can stay awake and plot revenge on me for this card. :-)

Hope everyone had a good Christmas and New Year - not much to say about ours as it's just us three in our little family so it's always quiet.

Look forward to seeing your entries to the challenge and see you again soon,

Sarah

Challenge/s:

Boo Two!

Morning Blogland

Well, this year does seem to be completely running away with me - I've just realised that I've not posted in over a week, but it only seems like yesterday that I did. I hadn't realised how quick time is passing!

This post is for the new challenge that started today over at Sweet Stampin' with the challenge of 'Halloween / colours of Halloween' - as always please remember this is a stamping challenge so there does need to be some element of stamping in your entry, whether digital or rubber.

I'm sure I might have mentioned (along with that I don't 'do' Christmas) I don't 'do' Halloween. I mean, I understand the concept and I understand the original reason for it, but I don't 'do' this commercialised version of it.  In all honesty it really just passes me by, TTT did use to go 'trick or treating' as she was desperate to do what her friends do, but other than the occasional pumpkin we don't decorate or make a fuss.

However, having said that - I was colouring something else, had this image on the desk and, following a WhatsApp conversation with TTT who was on a school trip to Iceland at the time, this image was coloured, and this card produced. I had great fun turning the doll into a zombie!

Supplies used:

Digital stamp:

Mo's Digital Pencil - Dolly

coloured with Copics

Dies:

Un-branded stitched rectangle dies

un-branded alphabet

Paper:

echo park - Chillingsworth Manor

Annnd that's about it folks,

I'll try my hardest not to leave it so long in-between posts next time,

See you all soon,

Sarah

Challenge/s:

Krafty Chicks Challenge: #634 CaS

Crafty Catz: #611 - Anything Goes (optional use twine or ribbon)

Cupcake Inspirations: #555 Halloween Fun

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

Another throw back

Good morning blogland,

Another card I made earlier this year but haven't got round to blogging, this time for the wedding of the parent of a friend of TTT's.  When I realised it was time for a new challenge over at Colour Crazy Craft Challenge and there was no sponsor for this challenge, I decided to pop this card up as it was free choice of image and Mo's are, I believe, some of the best out there.

It's not my 'normal' style at all - so be prepared for something different! It was a wedding and I thought it needed to be a bit more bling than my usual pared back style.

As always the challenge theme is Anything Goes but it has to have some element of hand colouring in there.

Hope you like!

Supplies used:

Digital stamp:

Mo Manning - Mo's Digital Pencil - Wedding Couple

coloured with Copics

Digital sentiment

From a selection brought off of an Etsy seller

Dies:

Memory Box - Hearts

Pretty Pink Posh - Scallop

Anything else?

I can't remember remember whose the paper is made by

Flowers from my stash

Hobby House for the pearls

See you soon,

Sarah

Challenge/s:

Krafty Chicks Challenge: #622 - All Occasions

Cardz 4 Galz: #178 - Black + White + 1 other colour. It's blue for me, hope it meets your criteria

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends: #186 - The Paper Shelter sponsor

Gem of a Craft Challenge: Week 16 - Anything Goes

Everyone's growing up!

Good morning blogland

Well here I am again, this time with a card that I made for TTT to give to one of her 'friend group' - all of whom have been (or will be) turning 15 this year.  It started in March and will stop in August and then the group of 5 girls will be 15! 

It's so strange, not that they get older once a year (who doesn't!) but that I remember most of them from toddling about, to becoming Nursery kids then Primary kids and finally the big leap to Grammar school and now most of them are talking about their GCSE's and then Sixth Form. 

It's just so weird and I get told off that I still talk to them all as if they are still kids not the 'Young Adults' that they are! I reply that they aren't quite there yet and I'm sure I will always talk to them as if they are kids - isn't that what mothers (and the mothers' of friends) do?!

Anyways, enough of my waffling on, here's the card:

Then an alternative shot, as the embossing wasn't playing ball and although it was obvious in real life it wouldn't show in the picture (please excuse fingers!):

Supplies used:

Digital image:

Mo's Digital Pencil - Video Girl

coloured with my Copics

Sentiment:

taylored expression - Simple Strips: Birthday

Dies:

taylored expressions - Simple Strips; well rounded

Whimsy Stamps - zig zag 

un branded die for the stitched rectangles

Anything else?

Cuttlebug - Happy Birthday embossing folder

Papers - BoBunny: Surprise

This particular friends birthday coincided with a school trip for the Upper School to Alton Towers (which if you are not aware is a very large theme park in the UK) and it would appear was thoroughly enjoyable! Even though they had their coach break on them on the way and there was a delay until a replacement came out and they only had two rides because "it was soooo big and the queues were huge"! Oh the joys of youth!

That's me done for now,

See you later,

Signing off,

Sarah

Challenge /s:

Passion for Markers: Week 648 - Bingo board: I took the top row - patterned paper, die-cuts, embossing

Krafty Chicks Challenge: #619 - Week 1 (Stamp Act)

The Paper Shelter: Challenge #519 - Going Digital

Addicted to Stamps and more: Challenge #433 - Birthdays

Somebody turned 15!

Good morning blogland

Another flying visit, whilst I wait for the oven to warm to cook enough home-made pizza to feed two adults, two 15 year olds and a 14 year old! Guess who turned 15 on Wednesday! Yep, The Troublesome Teen! 

This is TTT's big weekend of besties sleepover, which involves second hand clothing shops shopping, home-made pizza to eat and a film of their choice to watch in the cinema room on our big screen. Cinema room sounds posh-er than it is - our house is old (built in 1904) and has two reception rooms, when we re-decorated we turned one from a dining room into 2nd living room with seats looking at a blank wall and a projector to project the TV/video/internet onto said blank wall.  It doesn't have proper cinema chairs or a steady supply of popcorn or an usher to show you to your seat! But it works for us!

So now you know my fun weekend - shepherding 3 teenage girls around a town that has a lot of  charity shops and cooking! It will be fun for TTT and that's what counts, eh when it's your birthday celebrations! 

So card - this I made for hubby to give to said TTT.  I'll share the one I made from me during the week.

Supplies used:

Digital stamp:

Mo's Digital Pencil - The Birthday Girl

coloured with Copics

Rubber stamps:

Catherine Pooler - Happy Birthday Many Ways (sentiment)

taylored expressions - simple strips : birthday (die-cut sentiment)

Dies:

taylored expressions - simple strips : asymmetrical 

un-branded stitched rectangle die set

Anything else?

stripy card

extremely old number rub-on

home-made cloud stencil

Distress Ink - milled lavender

And, just for fun, this is a picture of TTT herself - normal expression now whenever I try and take a picture of her! That face, eh - even though we went out for a meal! I'll share picture of the cake I made her when I share the next card.

I'll be back soon,

Signing off for now,

Sarah

challenge /s:

Passion for Markers: week 646 - celebrations!

As You Like it Challenge: Fave Feminine or Masculine (and why). Well to be honest I like making both types of cards - it's just I need more feminine than masculine as I mostly make cards for my daughter's friends and they are mostly girls! So feminine out of practicality but I don't really mind either.  (As an aside - you didn't do redheads last week!!!  Poor neglected redheads - I would've joined in if that was an option!!  :-) )

Krafty Chicks Challenge: KCCC #617 - All Occasions Week

Cardz 4 Galz #175 - Die-cuts and or Punches

Seize the Birthday: #241 - Summer Activities - Picnicking in the park! 

 

A little bit of sparkle

Good evening blogland,

Wandering by with a card made just because I fancied colouring in the image - Ms Mojo was sadly lacking this week so sitting down and colouring anything was a bit of an achievement! 

No particular reason for Ms Mojo going on her jollies, I just didn't feel in the right frame of mind to sit and colour. When that happens I find reminding myself what digis I have sparks a bit of creativity. This was the case today - had a mooch around my digis and plumped for this really cute Mo Manning image and everything flowed from there!

Here's the final creation:

Supplies used:

Digital stamp:

Mo's Digital Pencil - Janny Texting

coloured with my Copics

Rubber stamps:

'Birthday' - Taylored Expressions

'Happy' from a very old set that I've no idea who made!

Dies:

un-branded stitched rectangles

Pretty Pink Posh - Eyelet Borders

Anything else:

Striped and dotty paper - Anna Marie Designs

self-adhesive rhinestones

And that's it folks! Got a busy week next week - it was last day of school today leading to half-term holidays next week.  Got lots of things in the diary - not least a trip to the dentist to have a very large filling taken out and new one put in - oh happy days!! At least there's a shopping trip to Lincoln on Friday - now that's better!

Hope everyone is well,

Signing off now,

See you next week,

Sarah

Passion for Markers: Week 642 (special anniversary) - spots and/or stripes.  Congrats as well on your 13th anniversary! My goodness it only seems like yesterday I remember the challenge starting and entering with colouring with my ProMarkers - looong time ago!!

Crafty Catz: Challenge #597 - Anything Goes - Optional Twist - all about the girls

Krafty Chicks Challenge: #613 - All Occasions 

The Paper Shelter: Challenge #513 - Embellishments

Addicted to Stamps and More: Challenge #430 - Die cuts and/or stencils - just die cuts for me!

Cupcake Inspirations: #544 - Stripes

Teenagers!

Good evening blogland,

So who can guess what's happened in our household the last week?  Yep, that's it - School Holidays! One week in and one week to go.  As always the first thing to be dropped at these times is my crafting, so no blogging either.

Still I did make two cards as it was TTTs boyfriend's (still can't believe that is a thing) birthday end of last week. One card was rejected - I got his hair colour wrong - and had to be made again, this one was accepted no problems, as 'it's not too obvious you got his hair colour wrong again'!

Accepted card:

Supplies used:

Digital stamp:

Mo's Digital Pencil - Aiden

coloured with my Copics

Rubber stamp (sentiment)

taylored expressions - Birthday

Dies:

Die-namics - Stitched rectangle STAX

taylored expressions - Aysmmetrical

Paper:

Basic Grey - archaic

Anything else:

indentz embossing folder

Basic Grey - chipboard numbers

That's about it folks, hopefully I'll manage to post before another week has gone by - but you never know when it's school holidays!

Signing off now,

see you soon,

Sarah 

Challenge/s:

Fab 'n' Funky Challenges: #548 masculine

Crafty Catz: #590 -  Anything Goes

As You Like It Challenge: To Recycle or Buy New - Hmmm well now, I used to keep loads of 'bits' to use on my cards - bits of ribbon off of clothes, bits of packaging, bits of other cards -  soo many 'bits'! Then chucked them all when I realised I'd kept most of them for over 10 years and not used them! However I don't buy much new either (other than digis and dies) and I do use lots of scraps - paper and card.  So what am I? I'm not sure - not really a recycler nor a big buyer of new.  Maybe I tip towards buy new - but I think there must be a new word out there for me! Scrooge-er??!

Dream Valley Challenges: #267 Anything Goes

Krafty Chicks Challenge: #606 - Week 1, Stamp Act