A little spotty

 or stripey?

Morning blogland

Well you could call my blogging a little spotty (or even patchy) right now - to be honest it's rather low down on my list of priorities.  TTT got her A-Level results last Thursday and they were, as predicted, at a high enough grade to get her her first choice University and course.  This has really ramped up the, 'Oh my word, we've not got a lot of time left with her and so much to do' feeling.  Therefore blogging has taken a back seat.  Maybe when she's off in Halls at Uni I'll feel more like filling my time with making cards and bloggin, but right now - nope!

Anyways there's your explanation as to why the blog is quiet and now the reason for today's post.  It's Tuesday and we all know what that means - it's Passion for Markers day! This week the theme has been picked by my lovely Teamie Sue who picked a theme of 'Spots and/or Stripes' and our sponsor for this week is Polkadoodles who is offering one lucky winner a prize of 3 digi images of their choice.

So, as always, Polkadoodles always lets the DT pick some images to use and this is my card made with one of the images picked:

Supplies used:

Digi stamp:

Polkadoodles - Pile of Surprise Gifts

coloured with my Copics

Dies:

un-branded stitched rectangles

Anything else:

some very old shaped striped paper

very,very old Craftwork cards sentiment

very,very,very old glittery flower

striped background card.

Aaaaand that's it folks,

Off to not so sunny Skeg today - hitting the charity shops.  TTT is driving as well! I have to say it is a very pecuilar feeling sitting in the passenger seat with your child driving - sort of hammers home how long ago they were little kids!

Anyways, hope anyone who is left reading this blog is doing well and, if you get a chance, pop on over to the challenge we'd love to see you!

Cheers

Sarah

Hanging on in there

 Hi fellow bloggers,

It's time for a new challenge over at Passion for Markers and this week it's our Teamie Marlene who picked the theme of 'Anything Goes' for this challenge. Our sponsor this week is Lili of the Valley with one lucky person in for the chance of wining a lovely prize.  

As always a few simple rules to take part in the challenge - use your markers and follow the theme!

This is the card I made:

Supplies used:

Rubber stamps:

Lili of the Valley - Sweet Wishes

coloured with my Copics

Taylored Expressions - Simple Strips: Friendship

Dies:

Taylored Expressions -Simple Strips: Well rounded

Creative Craft Products - A2 Essentials Landscape Card Die Set

Anything else:

scrap of striped paper

self adhesive gems

Title is quite appropriate really - I'm trying very hard to hang in there with my crafting.  Unfortunately my mojo hasn't just go on it's jollies I think it's up and emigrated! Also a lot of time is being taken up keeping Emily entertained while she's on her extended holidays before she heads of to Uni.  Not that I begrudge one moment of the time I spend with her - it just means that between work, Emily and general life I really have very little time, or inclination, to craft.

Who knows when September comes (and it's the end of September not the beginning) maybe I'll get back on an even keel.  For now, I'm afraid I'm almost capsized!

Anyways, enough of my moaning, hope you find time to join in with us and look forward to wandering around checking out all of your lovely creations.

Sarah

It's always somebody's birthday somewhere!

 Hello blogland,

Well it is - isn't! However, it's also the theme at this weeks' challenge over at Passion for Markers.  So to be clear this week's challenge is sponsored by Colour of Love with a lovely prize of 3 digi stamps for one lucky winner.  The challenge theme is 'birthday', which has been picked by our lovely Teamie Marie, to enter there are two simple rules - use your markers and follow the theme.

This is my card - using a digi from our sponsors:

Supplies used:

Digital stamp:

Colour of Love - Rory's Birthday Party

coloured with my Copics

Rubber stamp:

Honey Bee Stamps - Birthday!

Anything else:

spotty light card

pink self adhesive gems

un-branded stitched rectangle dies

And that's it folks!

See you soon,

Sarah

Still going

Hi all,

Another Tuesday has rolled round - to be honest with you at the moment at chez Sarah the days are all rolling into one and the weeks are merging into months with there being no school run anymore - and it's time for a new challenge over at Passion for Markers.

This week it is my Teamie Lorraine who has picked the theme and she's chosen 'use a ribbon'.  We also have to wonderful shop Dies to Die For as our sponsor and one lucky person can win a £15 voucher to spend in the shop.  Please do remember that our main rule is to have used markers on the project you enter into the challenge, along with following the theme.

So, without further ado, here's the card I made:

Supplies used:

Digital stamp:

Lili of the Valley - Swinging 60's

coloured with my Copics

Dies used:

non-branded stitched rectangles

Creative Craft Products - Stitched circles die set

Rubber stamp and die set:

Taylored Expressions - Simple Strips: Birthday

Simple Strips: Well Rounded (die)

Papers:

Craftwork Cards - allsorts paper pack

Anything else:

ribbon

self adhesive pearls

linen effect card

I've noticed, since I took a picture of the card, that I put the stamped, coloured and die cut image at a bit of wonk on the card.  Typical that I only notice it once I've attached it, but hey maybe someone else wouldn't notice, who knows!  Also most of the things I've used are no longer available - it's just as well I've got stacks of crafting supplies - seems like there's a lot of change going on in the crafting / stamping world.

Anyways, am typing and posting this while I wait for TTT to get herself up out of bed, we are off to a local town today.  Plan is to go looking in charity shops for crockery and cutlery for Uni -we're told not to buy new stuff as a lot of it either gets broken or 'disappears'!  Heavens only knows what goes on in the accommodation - it's all new to me as I never went to University.

See you all soon,

Sarah

Men and boys

 Hello blogland

It's Tuesday and we all know what means - it's a new challenge time over at Passion for Markers, and his week we are sponsored by Doctor Digi's House of Stamps, with the theme being 'Masculine'. 

It's actually my turn to pick the theme this week, so I am fingers crossed we get some entries, bearing in mind it was Father's Day a weekend ago, I'm a little worried everyone is 'masculined' out!  Also please do remember this is a markers challenge - so use your markers otherwise you'll not be in the draw for the prize.

Doctor Digi's always lets the DT have a pick, or two, of their images to use, and this is the card I made with my pick:

Supplies used:

Digital stamp:

Doctor Digi's House of Stamps - Man about the House

coloured with my Copics

Rubber stamp:

Creative Craft Products - Funny Sentiments

Dies:

Creative Expressions - Noble Collection : Double Stitched Squares

My Favorite Things: Inside and Out Stitched Rectangles

Paper:

echo park - A Boy's Life

Finally:

a very old piece of paper twine

Please do pop on over to the blog - my Teamies have made smashing cards and while you're there you could pop in a card yourself, if you feel like it! :-)

See you soon,

Sarah

Round like a...

 circle

Hi blogland

New Tuesday, new challenge.  This week over at Passion for Markers it's Team 1 with you again and my wonderful Teamie Sue picked the challenge theme of 'use a circle'.  We also have a fabulous sponsor in the shape of RAM Stamps with a lovely prize for the winner.

Just a gentle reminder here that we are a marker challenge and to be in with a chance of winning the prize you have to use your markers (any brand) and follow the theme.

This is what I made with the digi that, as part of the DT, I was allowed to pick:

Supplies used:

Digi stamp:

RAM Stamps - 'You Can Do It'

coloured with my Copics

Dies:

un-branded stitched rectangle

I&O Stitched Circles - My Favorite Things: Die-namics

Big Hug Circle Frame - My Favorite Things: Die-namics

Anything else:

glitter

acetate

flower mdf embellishment

Phew - I am glad this card is done.  It was really more a case of 'can I do it?' rather than 'You Cand Do It'! My printer gave me gyp (to the point of swearing), then gave up the ghost.  The shaker part decided to go both wonky and dictate where I put the image as you could see the 3d foam through the acetate.  The 'Big Hugs' die just would not cut cleanly - I ended up going over it 3 times with light card to get a good impression and the flower embellishment got glue all over it!  The list of woes just goes on and on!  Still I did get there in the end.

TTT likes it - she has a really strange liking for shaker cards.  You'd think at almost 18 she'd grown out of liking to shake a card and watch the glitter move, but no that's what she does on the rare occasion I make a shaker card - shakes it!

And that's it folks, please pop on over to the challenge to admire my Teamies gorgeous cards and I'll see you back here at some point.

Cheerio

Sarah

Four legged friends

Good morning blogland,

Feels very strange to be back here again so quickly with another Passion for Markers challenge DT card but that's how it's worked out - after the excitement of the special anniversary last week it's back to regular broadcasts now!

So this week the theme for the challenge is '4 legged friends' (basically anything featuring an animal) chosen by the lovely Marlene and sponsored by Polkadoodles.  As always, as we are a challenge for those using markers, you must use your markers somewhere on your project (it doesn't have to be a card) and also follow the theme of the challenge to be in with a chance of winning the prize.

This is the card I made:

Supplies used:

Digital stamp:

Polkadoodles - Surprise Cake - Horace & Boo

coloured with my Copics

Rubber stamp:

Taylored Expressions - Simple Strips: Birthday

Dies:

Taylored Expressions - Simple Strips: Well Rounded

Pretty Pink Posh - Eyelet Borders

un-branded stitched rectangles

Paper:

First Edition - Let's Celebrate

Anything else:

linen look light card

self-adhesive pearls

And that's mostly it folks.  Other than to say in real-time (at 9am when this is scheduled to publish) TTT will be taking her driving test.  Fingers will be crossed, finger-nails bitten to the base and pacing will have been taking place!

That really is it.

See you soon,

Sarah

16 today!

Good morning blogland,

It's time for a new challenge over at Passion for Markers this week, and it's a special week as well - the challenge blog officially turns 16! 

So because this is officially a 'big thing' it's a big challenge this week - both teams are participating and there are loads of prizes on offer from lots of sponsors.  In with these wonderful prizes the challenge is very easy going and this week we'd like to see 'anything goes' but you must still use your markers.

The sponsors and their prizes are too many to list here, so pop on over to the challenge blog and have a look, while you're there take a look at the wonderful cards my Teamies have created and even, why not, enter the challenge yourself! There is a limit of 3 entries per person this week, but then who's got time to create 3 cards in one week - I know I haven't!

Speaking of cards - here's mine (and it's a total coincidence that it's for a 16th birthday!).

Supplies used:

Digital stamp:

Saturated Canary - soda shop introvert (there's no point linking to it as the etsy shop is closed, if you want to find Krista's images you have to subscribe to her Patreon account).

I coloured with my Copic markers

Rubber stamps:

Kaiser Craft - today (it's part of much bigger sentiment and I masked off the rest to get 'today')

taylored expressions - simple strips : birthday

Dies:

Poppy Stamps - scalloped stitch frames

un-branded stitched rectangle

taylored expression - simple strips: well rounded

Anything else:

scrap piece of very old scrapbook patterned paper

acetate

sprinkles

very, very, very old chipboard numbers

And that's about it folks - it's all still all go at home and very out of routine, which if I ever get to make a card 'just because' I will do an accompanying post and explain.  Unfortunately at the moment, I only make cards for challenges, as that's all the time I have - and even then I'm forever running late.

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

Pastel tones

 Good morning blogland,

It's time for another Passion for Markers challenge, with our lovely Teamie Lorraine being the person in charge.  She's picked the theme of 'Pastel colours' for this week and with our sponsor being Lili of the Valley it's a wonderful pick.

To win the prize on offer you do have to follow the rules of using your markers and following the theme, then let your imagination go!

This is my card:

Supplies used:

Digital stamp:

Lili of the Valley - Jasmine - Laptop

coloured using Copcs

Rubber stamp:

Catherine Pooler - Everybody say happy Stamp Set

I used the word 'birthday' off a larger stamp from this set.

Dies:

un-branded stitched rectangles set

Penny Black - happy edger

Paper:

First Edition - Up, up and away

Anna Marie Designs - linen effect card

anything else:

self-adhesive gems

And that's it from me, so c'mon folks get those markers out and come join in the fun!

See you soon,

Sarah

3, 2, 1, Go!

Morning blogland,

Well it would appear we've spun around another week and now it's Tuesday again with a new challenge from Passion for Markers and this week it's my turn to set the theme of the week.  I chose to go with '3, 2, 1, Go!' - which is just a fancy way of saying use 3, 2 and 1 one thing on your project, but as always (as we are a marker challenge) you must use your markers in there somewhere.  For me that's always simple as I colour a stamped / digital image - but they can be used anyway you like as long as they are used.

Our generous sponsor this week is Dies to Die For who are offering one lucky winner a prize of a £15.00 voucher to spend in their online store.  

So onto my card, for which I used 3 dies, 2 patterned papers and 1 stamped image.

Supplies used:

Rubber stamp (one of)

Toni Heart Balloon - Make it Crafty Stamps

coloured with my Copics

Designer papers (two of)

echo park paper - Sweet Girl

Anna Marie Designs - striped paper

Dies (three of)

Creative Designs - A2 essentials Landscape Card Die set

(I used the base card creator and front panel dies from this set)

Creative Expressions - Nobel Collection: Double Stitched Rectangles (one die from this set)

Aaaaand that's it folks - 3 dies, 2 papers and one stamp and the card was done - plus bonus I'm pretty sure the patterned paper and the stamp came from Dies to Die For!  I figure if it needs a sentiment I'll add one if it's ever used, otherwise it'll just sit with the hundred others in a box waiting for the grand day.

My Teamies have created some wonderful cards using my recipe, please pop on over to the challenge to see them and then why not whizz up a recipe of your own and join in.  I won't promise but I would hope it would be fun! :-)

See you soon,

Sarah

Is Spring sprung?

Good morning blogland,

Am here today with my post for the new challenge starting today at Passion for Markers, the theme this week is 'Spring colours' picked by our Teamie Sue.  Our sponsor is Colour of Love and there is a great prize of 3 digi images on offer for one lucky winner. 

Please do remember to follow the theme and that this is a challenge for those of you who love your markers and so those must be used on your project.  

As the sponsor for this week's challenge Colour of Love allowed the DT to have a digi and this is my card made with that digi:

Supplies used:

Digital Stamp:

Colour of Love - Sugi Spring Blossom Dress

coloured with my Copics

Stamps used:

Taylored Expressions - Simple Strips: Friendship

Dies:

Pretty Pink Posh- Scallop Borders 1

Suny Studio Stamps - Stitched circles

Taylored Expressions - Simple Strips: well rounded

Paper:

BoBunny - Country Garden Collection

Anything else:

self-adhesive gems

And that's about it folks, do pop over to the challenge blog and admire my Teamies cards.  They've all interpreted Spring colours much better than I have (I feel I've gone a little too Summer!) and then add your own card - it's fun to join in!

See you soon,

Sarah

All dies no punches

Morning blogland

It's rolled around to Tuesday again and so it's time for my DT card at the new Passion for Markers challenge.  

This week the theme was picked by Marlene who chose 'Dies and / or Punches' and our sponsor is Dr Digi's House of Stamps who are offering one lucky winner a prize of 2 digi stamps. As always this is a colouring challenge - so anything can be made and linked but you must have used markers on your project somewhere and followed the theme.

This is my card:

Supplies used:

Digital stamp:

Dr Digi's House of Stamps - DumBell Derek

coloured with  my Copics

Rubber stamp:

Taylored Expressions: Simple Strips - Man, Myth, Legend

Dies:

Creative Expressions: Noble Collection - Double Stitched Squares

Memory Box - Trellis Border

MFT Stamp - Inside and Out stitched circles

Taylored Expressions: Simple Strips - well rounded

Paper:

echo park - A Boy's Life

Anything else:

Craftwork Cards - paper dots

some white paint and a paintbrush to splatter the black card

white gel pen for highlights

And that's it folks - there are some fabulous cards on display made by me Teamies over at the challenge and I'm looking forward to seeing everything you make too!

See you later,

Sarah

Embellish it!

 Morning blogland,

It's Tuesday and therefore time for a new challenge over at Passion for Markers and (as you might have guessed) the theme this week is 'Embellish it'. It's our lovely Teamie Marie who picked this theme, and I can see it being popular, with our Sponsor being Di's Digi Stamps with a great prize for the lucky winner.

Now some years ago I would've loved this challenge and used any of the flowers, gems, twine, butchers string, lace, gems, etc that I regularly used and loaded the card up.  These days I'm more of a 'striped back' sort of crafter - so the gems are there, and a die-cut, but not much else really.  I look back, sometimes, at the cards I made 10 / 15 years ago and wonder where did the desire to bung so much on a card go!

Anyways - here's my card.  Please remember this is a markers challenge - the brand doesn't matter, but you do need to use markers somewhere on your project and follow the theme to be in with a chance at the prize.

Supplies used:

Rubber stamp:

Lili of the Valley - Birthday Penguins

coloured with my Copics

Anything else:

Scrap of die cut patterned paper

scrap of die-cut white card

scrap of die-cut bunting

Distress Ink and blending brush

Craftwork cards pre-cut sentiment

flat backed gems

I knew when I was making this card it was using up various scraps that were sitting on my desk, but I didn't realise it was using quite so many!

And that's it folks, my Teamies have made some lovely embellished cards, you should really take a wander over and have a look!

See you soon,

Sarah

Seeing red...

 (or pink!)

Morning blogland

It's new challenge morning for Team 1 over at Passion for Markers and this week the challenge theme is 'use red and/or pink' with our sponsor being SheepSki Designs.

The D.T. were very kindly allowed to pick a digi stamp to use - if they wanted - this is my make with my pick:

Digital Stamp:

SheepSki Designs - Sleep Tight

coloured with my Copics

Rubber stamp:

Tonic Studios - Say it with Sentiments

Dies:

un-branded stitched rectangle set

Whimsy Stamps - Big Hugs die set

Anything else:

some light pink card

My goodness I had a few problems with this card - how is it some come together perfectly and others just fight you all the way!  The pink linen effect card wasn't pink in some lights, the 'hugs' die was lovely to use but I decided to try cutting it along with some 3d foam (rather than cutting x3 sets of the die out and gluing it together) and it just stuck to everything! Then I ended up with glue everywhere as I didn't like to piece of card that was the top layer of the die and decided to change it.  Finally the sentiment is one stamp - I masked it to make it work how I wanted and I got rather inky, luckily, though, only on me not the card! Also those are supposed to be freckles on her face - not the measles! Phew - got there in the end and not too bad a card, even if I do say so myself - other than the measly freckles!

Anyways enough about me, pop on over to the challenge blog - my Teamies cards are lovely and I bet were made with less drama than mine!

See you soon,

Sarah

Walk on the wild side

 Good morning blogland

This is my Passion for Markers DT blog post and this week the theme is 'Birthdays', with the sponsor being RAM Stamps and a prize of a £10.00 voucher on offer.

As always you must use your markers somewhere on your project and follow the theme, but your project doesn't have to be a card.

The DT were very kindly allowed to use a Digi from RAM and this is my make with one of those digis:

Supplies used:

Digi stamp:

RAM Stamps - Safari Friends: Wild & Wonderful

coloured with my Copics

Dies:

un-branded stitched rectangles

Poppy Stamps - Scalloped Stitch frames

Anything else:

Distress Inks

Blending Brushes

flat backed gems

So the background for this card is an ink blended piece of the paper I use to colour on and, although I liked the idea, I don't think the actual card stands up to what I had in my mind.  I really feel like either the background colour is wrong, or the pink elephant didn't really work or it should have been a shaker card. Ho-hum, win some / lose some, and this is definitely a 'lose some' - moving on then and lesson learned.

So I would suggest you pop on over to the challenge blog and see the lovely cards  my Teamies have made, they have managed much better cards than mine!

See you soon,

Sarah

All things girly

Morning blogland,

This post is for the new challenge starting today over at Passion for Markers and this week the theme is 'For the Girls'. I do hope you'll play along - the theme was my pick this week - eeek!

We have a lovely prize on offer by the always fabulous Paper Shelter and they also allowed the DT to pick a digital stamp to use for our makes.

So this is my card with that stamp:

Supplies used:

Digital stamp:

The Paper Shelter - Vintage Amy

coloured with my Copics

Rubber stamp:

Woodware - Word Fragments 2

Dies:

My Favorite Things - Fishtal Foundations + Inside and Out circles

un-branded stitched rectangles

Paper:

First Edition - Love Letters

I find it odd how cards go together sometimes - sometimes I know exactly what I want to do, but others I surf and surf and surf, think I've found an idea but then it ends up not really looking like the that idea at all.  Then I find a scrap of paper (as with the striped bit on this card) or a discarded die-cut and 'boom' that's exactly what I wanted! Strange old world.

Anyways, enough rambling from me - pop on over to the challenge, why don't you - you'll find some wonderful cards and a great prize on offer.

Aaand that's it from me folks - I'll catch you next time I'm in blogland!

Sarah

Half=way!

Good morning,

The half-way is in reference to the Mega Christmas challenge over at Passion for Markers  - not half-way to Christmas.  I'm sure you good people in blogland probably know we are much closer to Christmas than half-way, I'm darn sure I know!

Anyways it's basically the DT at PfM have been given December off, but to keep all you lovely colourers busy there's a mega Christmas 'Anything Goes' themed challenge running for the whole of December.  Team 2 posted their cards last fortnight - it's Team 1's turn this and here's my card!

Supplies used:

Digital Stamp:

PoppyLane Digital - Cute Coffee Cat

coloured with my Copics

Rubber stamp:

Taylored Expressions - Simple Strips: Man, Myth, Legend

Dies:

Whimsy Stamp - OMG

Taylored Expressions - Simple Strips: Well Rounded

un-branded stitched rectangle set

Pop over to the challenge and you'll be able to see all the prizes on offer - too many to list here! - and so we're restricting you to 3 entries per person.

Right that's it from me, gotta run - got things to do!

See you soon,

Sarah

What a Whopper!

Good morning blogland,

No cards to share today - just a 'heads up' that Passion for Markers has now opened their special 'Mega Christmas challenge' which runs for the whole of December 2024 and into early January 2025.

There's a whole raft of prizes on offer and with a theme of 'Anything goes', you don't even need to keep it to Christmas!  I could list all the prizes on offer, but it would be a long list - so what I'll say is pop on over to the blog and have a look at all the prizes on offer. Just remember that the unbreakable rule is use your markers!

It's Team 1's turn this week to show off their cards and then Team 2 - that's my Team - takes their turn next week - look out for that post.

In the meantime, I'm heading back to my leaky house and last minute cards.

See you soon,

Sarah

Creeping ever closer

 to 'that' time of the Year!

Good morning blogland,

And here we are in December and, yes, creeping ever closer to Christmas! However you don't have to go all Christmas-y over at this weeks' Passion for Markers challenge, if you don't want. I mean you could, seeing as the theme is 'Presents - at least one!' but you don't have to. 

It's a great theme chosen by our Teamie Sue, as it's open to some interpretation - Christmas presents, birthday presents - you choose just as long as there is at least one present there somewhere! To be in with a chance at the prize there are two rules to observe - follow the theme and use your markers.  Talking of fab prizes, our Sponsor this week is The Paper Shelter - with a prize of three digi images for the lucky winner.

As this weeks' sponsors The Paper Shelter also very kindly gave the DT a digi stamp to work with and this is my make with that digi:

Supplies used:

Digital Stamp:

The Paper Shelter - Merry Christmas my dear

coloured with Copics

Rubber Stamp:

Creative Expression - Festive Wishes

Dies:

Whimsy Stamps - OMG! word die set

un-branded stitched rectangles

Anything else:

red wood effect card

white Sakura gel pen

And that's about it folks! I do hope you take a wander over to the challenge and take a look at my Teamies cards - fabulous every one! - then, as you are there, why not pop in a make of your own!

Until the next time,

Sees ya!

Sarah