So, so, so late!

Evening blogland,

I've just realised I haven't posted my DT card for the new (well relatively new now!) challenge over at Sweet Stampin' - such a bad, forgetful Teamie!

So without all the usual waffle, I'll just say this is a month long challenge - instead of the fortnightly ones we usually do - so it runs until early in the New Year, it's 'Christmas' themed and, as always, you have to stamp somewhere on your entry.  It doesn't have to be stamp and colour like I do, that's just because I love colouring, you can stamp and emboss, just stamp - anything really that involves either rubber and ink or a digital image.

This is my card:

Supplies used:

Rubber stamp:

Stamping Bella - Tangled Yeti

coloured with my Copics

sentiment created in Publisher and printed

Dies:

Creative Craft Products - A2 essentials landscape card die set

My Favorite Things - Fishtail Foundation

Anything else?

flat backed sparkles and pearls

And that's it folks - I could tell you that I've had a wonderful visit to the dentist (not!) for two fillings, that TTT was off sick from 6th Form last week (ear infection) and only went back today, that hopefully we should have a builder turn up sometime this week to look at our leaky door / windows and that I watched the Strictly Final on Sat, first time ever, and thoroughly enjoyed it  - but I don't know that I've got time to impart that information!! So I'll just rush on and say apologies again for the late post and see you soon!

Sarah

Gnome home

 Morning blogland,

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

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

Here's my card:

Supplies used:

Rubber stamp:

Stamping Bella - Gnome in a Tree

coloured with my Copics

(sentiment from the same set)

Dies:

Creative Craft Products - A2 essentials: portrait card die set

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

Poppy Stamps - Scalloped Stitch Frames

Anything else:

Spotty olive green light card

flat backed pearls

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

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

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

See you soon.

Sarah

Bullseye!

Good morning blogland

It's Saturday, which means it's time for a new challenge over at Sweet Stampin'.  As always this is a 'just for fun' challenge so we have no sponsors or prize, but we do have a theme and the theme this week is 'Clean and Simple (CaS)'.  The only requirements for the challenge is to follow the theme, stamp somewhere on your entry and have fun!

I like looking at CaS cards, I also like making CaS cards - it's the challenge of having so little on the card that you have to place the die/stamp/sentiment/embellishment/ etc in just the right place to balance the design out.  I have to admit they take me longer than just, print image, colour image, plonk on card base - done, but I really do enjoy the process.

I carried on theme of my Sweet Stampin' DT cards for this year of using proper rubber stamps and, this time, a very old, never inked, rubber stamp out of my 'collection'.

This is the result:

Supplies:

Rubber stamps:

Stamping Bella - Gwendolyn  LULU

coloured with my Copics

taylored expressions - Simple Strips: Birthdays

Dies:

taylored expression: Simple Strips: well rounded

un-branded stitched rectangle die

MFT - circles

This is such an old Stamping Bella stamp, that it's in the old style packaging - a little zip lock bag, with a pink paper insert and a paper sleeve.  I'm guessing it could be anything up to 15 years old and never inked! Bad Sarah! Anyways, a stamp is a stamp and here it is, finally been used. 

I've already admired all my Teamies gorgeous cards, so now I'm looking forward to seeing all the CaS entries in the challenge this fortnight.

Gotta go now,

See you later,

Sarah

A little late and very green!

Good morning blogland

I'm running even later with this post than I was with yesterday's, this was supposed to be posted yesterday, so I'll just gloss over how late I am and get on with it!

It's time for a new challenge over at Sweet Stampin' Challenge and this fortnight the theme is 'A Little Bit Irish' - now that can be interpreted as either 'make something for St. Patrick's Day' or 'use green on your project'.  As always there are no sponsors so this is a 'for fun' challenge and the only rule is that you do need to have stamping (digi or rubber) on your project somewhere.

As I don't celebrate St. Patrick's Day (anymore than I celebrate any of our other Saints days) and I don't class myself as Irish - the only reason I could even be vaguely said to be Irish is that a great (-great?)-grandfather came over to England from Ireland, I went with a green as I could get!

This, then, is my green as green can be card:

Supplies used:

Rubber stamps:

Stamping Bella - Imeldabella

coloured with my Copics

taylored expressions - simple strips: birthday

Dies:

Creative Expressions - A2 Essentials: Portrait card die set

taylored expressions - simple strips: well rounded

Stencil:

Honey Bee Stamps - Hexagon Layering

Anything else:

Distress Inks

blending brush

As you can see I'm still on a mission to use my older, smaller, rubber stamps on American A2 sized cards.  This stamp is really from Stamping Bella, but the packaging is totally different to the newer stamps and I think could be 10 / 15 years old! Shows how long I've been stamping and colouring for.  If I had the time I'd see if I could dig out a card I've used it on before (that's assuming I have used it - oh, the shame!) and find out just how old it is, but I don't have the time at the minute, so that will remain a mystery.

Aaand, that's it folks - see you soon,  Oh, other than to say - go over to the challenge blog, my Teamies have created the most wonderful cards, way better than this.

Sarah

That's it for this year...

 Good morning bloggers

Not 'that's it' for blogging (well probably not anyway!) but that's it for challenges over at Sweet Stampin' Challenges for this year - this is the last one of 2023.

We're seeing out this year on a Christmas themed challenge and will be back in January 2024 - my goodness where did this year go? I certainly don't know what happened to it!

As you can see it's a totally appropriate challenge for December as we are looking for all your stamped Christmas cards - I can see this being a busy one!

Here's mine:

Supplies used:

Rubber stamp:

Stamping Bella - Penguins bearing gifts

coloured with my Copics

Dies:

Un-branded DL sized stitched rectangle set

My Favorite Things - Inside & Out stitched circles

Picket Fence Studios - 'Merry Christmas' Word Topper Die

Anything else:

Docrafts embossing folder - snowflake

red card

sparkle card.

If you fancy a quick pop over to the blog you will see a wonderful array of Christmas loveliness and we are looking forward to seeing all your entries.

See you soon,

Sarah

Round, like a circle

Good evening blogland,

An unusual time for me to be posting, but I'm here for two reasons, one, to join in with a challenge and, two, to show off my TTT in her prom dress.

So the card I made this weekend, I'm still in a bit of an experimental mood and I was trying splattering again.  I've still not got the hang of it, I ended up with more 'splodge' than 'splatter'. I was also trying to  use a square stencil on a round card and I couldn't quite work out how to get it right - things kept moving and the stencil wasn't centred on the card. Hmmm, frustrations ensued! 

I also took a close up of the background, to try and catch the sparkle - not sure it worked too well!

Supplies used:

Rubber stamp:

Image:

Stamping Bella - tiny townie: Brianna the Butterfly

coloured with my Copics

Sentiment:

taylored expressions - Simple Strips: Background

Dies:

Creative Craft Products - Nestables: circles die set

taylored expressions - Simple Strips: Asymetrical

Anything else:

My Favorite Things: stencil - Sunrise Radiating Rays

Cosmic Shimmer - Pearlescent

Memento DewDrop Ink

On a personal note - I've been banging on about TTT (The Terrible Teen, otherwise known as my daughter) who took her GCSEs this year, turned 16 in June, finished her last year at Grammar School and had her Year 11 Prom this month.  These are a few pictures of her (and her friends) at the Year 11 Prom.  We are, probably, getting closer to sorting out 6th Form, but it all hinges on her exam results and the school's final decision on what courses they are going to offer. So still mildly stressed  but not totally stressed as we were in late June!

Pictures:

TTT (or Emily!) in her party dress - with her birthday balloons in the background

With her friends (some of them she went to Nursery with and has known since she was two!)

This is her before she went - fully equipped with gloves, bag and shawl

Outside the Hotel where they had their meal and party

I think that's probably enough of the pictures now, so I'll stop and leave you in peace!

Cheerio,

Sarah

Challenge/s:

Passion for Markers: Week 697 - Shaped Cards

Happy Little Stampers: HLS Stencil Challenge July - Anything Goes

Gem of a Craft Challenge: Week 14 - Anything Goes

Crafty Catz; #645 Anything Goes (optional twist - more than one fold)

Krafty Chicks Challenge: #671 - Stamp Act

It's all oval!

 Hello blogland,

I'm going to be super quick with post - just to get it out there as it was supposed to go up yesterday but the gremlins got in and it didn't happen.  I didn't notice as we've been busy with house stuff - old tile floor in dining / living / family room came up and new one laid (it's been chaos!).

So this post is for the new challenge over at Crafty Calendar Challenge, the theme this month is 'Anything but square' - simples, eh! No sponsor this month either so the DT have all picked a stamp / image from their own stash but there is still a prize!

This is my card:

Supplies used:

Rubber stamp:

Stamping Bella - Oddball Cinderella

coloured with Copics 

used with matching sentiment

Dies:

Creative Craft Supplies - ovals and scalloped ovals

Papers:

Craftwork Cards

Anything else:

flat back gems

Just a quick note, I had to balance the card on a roll of washi tape because it wouldn't stand up in the lightbox - but, in real-life, it stood perfectly well on my desk!

Why not pop over to the challenge and admire all the inventive cards my Teamies have made and get your entry in at the same time?

Profuse apologies as well to my Teamies for being late with this post!

See you soon,

Sarah

Challenge/s:

Krafty Chicks Challenge : #662 - Stamp Act

Gem of a Craft Challenge : Week 9 - Anything Goes

Di's Digi Designs Challenges: Use your scraps (my scraps are the very old Designer Paper)

As You See It Challenge: #298 - My most recent additions are the dies (they arrived the day before I made this card!)

Gratitude

Good morning blogland,

It's not only Saturday morning, but also the first Saturday of the month and so time for a couple of DT cards.

I'll start with the new challenge over at Sweet Stampin' Challenge where this fortnight the challenge theme is 'Attitude of Gratitude' - which basically means we'd like to see anything that expresses thanks or gratitude, this can include Thanksgiving cards for our friends across the pond. 

I have to say that while I like all the individual elements on this card, I'm not overly happy how it all came together. I was going to make another card but ran out of time, so this one it is!

Supplies used:

Stamps:

Stamping Bella - Bundle Girl with snowdrops

Taylored Expressions - Big Thanks

random flourish stamp

Dies:

Pretty Pink Posh - Scallop Borders 1

Sunny Studio - stitched circles

Stencils and ink:

Pretty Pink Posh - Layered Hearts

Memento - Dew Drop

I do hope you have time to pop over to the challenge blog and take a look at the much better cards my Teamies made, possibly even pop your own creation in! Just remember we are a stamping challenge, so some stamping (digital or rubber) needs to be used in your entry. Look forward to seeing you there.

In the meantime I'm going to finish off the second card that I started, which was meant to replace this one, during the week and share that, don't know if that's a threat or a promise there!

See you shortly for my other DT card.

Sarah

Colouring drama!

Good evening blogworld,

I was feeling quite pleased with myself after my first attempt the other day at no-lines colouring so thought I'd have another go.

This time it's gone Hmmmm!!! I think I might've picked the wrong image for my level of non-expertise, it was blooming hard! So to help me along a bit I decided to stamp another of the same image and colour that in as well.  I'm pretty sure the paper I used to stamp my ordinary image onto, was not Copic friendly even though it was in my Copic paper folder. It did not go well! 

The no-lines image was definitely on Copic paper - it blended wonderfully, even if I was struggling with the image itself. However, the other one - my goodness it just would not go right! I struggled along but was about to bin it when TTT came home. Showed her the two images, talked about my colouring woes and she said 'but what are you worrying about - I like the one without lines the best, but they are both really good'! This from my biggest critic! So I said I'd carry on and turn them both into cards, which I finished today.

Here is the evidence for y'all to take a look at:

No-Lines

  Memento Ink pad:

Supplies used:

Rubber stamp:

Stamping Bella - Uptown Girls: Pattie and Dottie friends forever

coloured with Copics

Taylored Expressions - Simple Strips : Friendship

Dies:

Catherine Pooler - 'Bestie'

My Favorite Things - Fishtail Foundations

Pretty Pink Posh - Scallop Borders One

Taylored Expressions - Simple Strips : Asymmetrical 

Anything else:

Dotty paper

Hobbyhouse rhinestones

fineliner for the doodling

Martha Stewart - essential colours glitter set

white gel pen

I'm not going to do the 'This is what I did' bit as it's repetitive, other than to say the no-lines colouring image went on the card on a large panel of Copic paper and the Memento Ink stamped one I fussy cut out.

Never say that I'm afraid to share - or even over-share - warts and all!

Hope everyone's colouring (if that's what you're into) has gone better this week.

Signing off now,

See you soon,

Sarah

Challenge /s:

 Passion for Markers: Week 627 - add a sentiment

As You Like It Challenge: True Love or Fabulous Friendships. Hmmm, well as you can see it's Fabulous Friendships for me. I'm not sure I believe in 'True Love' - a divorced person here, although happily re-married now. Although having said that, also not got many friends either! Oh my goodness, makes me sound terrible doesn't it, better in real life, honest!

Digi Choosday Crafting Challenge: Week 6 - Anything Goes

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends: Always Anything Goes

Just Us Girls Challenge: #618 - Word Week

Trying something new

Absence and the heart growing fonder and all that stuff!

Good afternoon blogland,

Another absence on my behalf - again no real reason (other than busy with DT cards that I can't show yet!) but here I am now and this week I'll be here a lot more!

I felt like trying something new after all my 'work' cards were done and decided that new was no-lines colouring. I'd brought an 'Ink on 3 'Fade-out'' no line colouring ink-pad way back when I went to a craft fair last year that I'd not used, today I decided that had to change! Now I've admired no-line colouring since it was a 'new thing' way back when but not had the gumption to give it a go - today I decided to be brave and go for it.

I don't like my colouring of the rose, but other than that - wow! Love the soft almost water-coloured look that the ink disappearing gives, so pretty! I can imagine that it will be very difficult to colour more detailed stamps, but for a first go, and this stamp, I'm well impressed.

As an aside, to get the same 'no-lines' look with a digi stamp - do y'all just print the image fainter? Or is there a trick I'm missing?

I'm still getting used to the new light box - adjusting colour hue and brightness, sure I'll get there in the end!

And, so, card:

Supplies used:

Rubber stamps:

Stamping Bella - Bundle Girl with a Rose (image)

coloured with my Copics

Catherine Pooler - Note of Thanks Stamp Set (sentiment)

Dies:

Go-kreate - Frilly Frame No 2 set

Anything else?

Random scrap of patterned paper

300gsm white card - to make card base

HobbyHouse - Rhinestones

What I did:

Cut the white card with one of the dies in the set to create the card base.

Stamped the image with 'fade out' ink onto Copic friendly paper and die-cut it out, from the same set of dies - and coloured it in with my Copics.

Stamped the sentiment on the cut and coloured panel.

Die-cut out patterned paper with another die from the same set.

Glued the image to the paper and the paper to the card base, then attached some rhinestones.

et voila - job done!

Not sure if I'll get back to the blog midweek but will definitely be here end of the week - watch out for me!!

Signing off now,

See you soon,

Sarah

Challenge/s:

Passion for Markers: Week 624 - use a die

Watercooler Wednesday: WWC333 - All About Occasions

Crafty Catz: #579 - Anything Goes

As You Like It Challenge: Favourite Colouring Medium (and why) Ooooh now I wonder what do I like colouring with most????  Hmmmm, could it be, maybe, perhaps, possibly - Copics!!!! I love how they blend, love the colour range and the colouring system (colour groups, hues and intensity). Second choice would always be Prismacolor Pencils - but they rarely get a look in these days.

Not for me

 Good evening blogworld,

This is not for my anniversary - I've still got the card that I didn't give him this year put away for next year.  This purely made for fun and joining in with challenges.

So how's your week been going? Mine has been pretty quiet, which is nice really after half-term chaos last week. The biggest event in our world is that TTT's flute teacher has changed - the new lady is 'more organised and just as nice', so we're told, as the previous lady! Em's done pretty well with flute - she's quite a musical kid - and played cello and recorder at Primary School but dropped them when she moved into Secondary.  Then she chose the flute last September, in Year 9, when she picked options for GCSE and one of her choices was music for which you need an instrument.  She's just about to take her Grade 3 which to me, who enjoys music but is not musical as such, seems to have been quite quick progress. Am I right, or just a biased mum??

So enough waffle, time to share a different thing - my card!

Supplies Used:

Rubber Stamps:

Stamping Bella - Lovey Gnomes

Taylored Expressions - Simple Strips : Background

Dies:

Taylored Expressions - Simple Strips : Rounded

un-branded heart

Whimsy Stamps - Zig Zag Edger Die Set

Anything else:

Papermania - Hampstead paper pack

What I did:

Stamped the image on Copic friendly paper, then coloured in with my Copics and fussy cut it out.

Used the Whimsy die to cut strips from three different patterned papers from the paper pack.

Cut the heart from some red card.

Stamped and die-cut out the sentiment.

Glued the three strips of patterned paper across the bottom third of my card blank, then glued the heart on top of the papers.

Put 3d foam on the image and sentiment and popped them on the card too.

et voila, job done!

That's me for today folks, will be back soon!

Signing off,

Sarah

Challenge / s:

Passion for Markers: Week 616 - 3 or more papers

The Male Room: Challenge #156 Gnomes

Krafty Chicks Challenge: #584 Week 1 - (Stamp Act)

AAA Cards: Game #202 - Sketch + optional twist gnomes

It's very difficult

 typing with closed eyes!

Good morning Blogworld

It's time for a new challenge over at Sweet Stampin' and this time the theme is Christmas in September! So we'd like to see all your Christmas themed makes and remember it doesn't have to be a card but it does need to have some stamping on it somewhere!

Now the meaning of my title - I'm neither a fan of Christmas starting too early in the year or of making Christmas cards.  So this actually was a proper challenge!!  To be totally honest with you, my bloggy friends, this is the first time I've made a Christmas card for 7 years, maybe nearer to 8.

Still it's a good job I'd been thinking about whether to make Christmas cards this year and had treated myself to some new themed stamps - otherwise I'd have been stumped. Or you'd have seen a re-hash of some very old ideas!

Anyways, after that big build up - here's my card for the challenge:

Supplies:

Rubber stamp:

Stamping Bella - Penguins Bearing Gifts (I only used one from the set of three)

coloured with Copics

Dies:

Un-branded alphabet die

Anything else:

E-Bosser embossing folder

Silver Miri card

What I did:

Stamped and coloured in, with Copics, one image from the set of three and then fussy cut him/her? out.

Die-cut letters from silver Mirri card.

Embossed a piece of card slightly smaller than card itself.

Arranged the die-cut letters and coloured stamp to spell 'NOEL' then attached them to the embossed panel with 3d foam.

Mounted the embossed card onto a square of Mirri card, then attached the whole lot to the card blank.

et voila, job done!

Would love you to pop over to Sweet Stampin' and see the much better job my Teamies have done! Then maybe join in with us - we're a friendly lot and would love to see what you can make.

Signing off now,

Sarah

Challenge / s:

Addicted to Stamps and More!: Challenge #414 - Any Occasion

Krafty Chicks Challenge: #578 - All Occasions

Di's Digi Challenge: Favourite Colour Combination (Reds/Blues)

Savvy Shopper

Good morning Blogworld

More long absences from Blogworld, can't account for it really other than I had DT makes to do, which I obviously can't share yet, and just life generally getting in the way.

I've also got a Birthday card to make for one of TTT's friends - whose turning 15! - and that's going to be a difficult one to pass Quality Control! So might still be a bit quiet in old Blogworld, at least until the DT make is shared.

This is the only card I made, and can share, this week - another Clean and Simple that gave me serious thoughts about what I could do. In a way I like the brain ache that comes with CaS it exercises the old grey matter! 

She's a really old stamp - one of the first I brought from Stamping Bella, and as much as I like the stamps they do now (and I really do, you should see how many I have) I still love the original stick girls!

Supplies I used:

Rubber stamps:

Image:

Stamping Bella - savvyshopperbella

coloured with Copics

Sentiment:

Taylored Expressions - Simple Strips - Birthday

Dies:

Taylored Expressions - Simple Strips - Well Rounded

My Favorite Things - Die-namics: A2 Stitch Rectangles STAX set

Anything else:

Honey Bee stamps - Hexagon Layering stencil

Tim Holtz - Distress Ink

What I did:

Stamped and coloured in, with Copics, Savvyshopperbella on Copic friendly paper, then fussy cut her out.

Found a scrap of card, same as the card blank, which is slightly textured, and inked through the stencil with my Distress Ink then die-cut it out.

Added 3d foam to the back of the image, popped that onto the inked panel. Added 3d foam to the back of the inked panel and popped all the layers onto the card front.

Stamped and die-cut out the sentiment.

Added 3d foam to the sentiment and popped that onto the card front underneath the main panel.

et voila, job done!

Also, while I'm here, I thought I'd mention that TTT is teaching me how to take better selfies and a walk / jog / roller skate on the Prom yesterday evening presented a lovely opportunity for more practicing. So being totally self-indulgent (even more than normal!) here's me and TTT (aka The Troublesome Teen - aka Emily!!).

That's it for now folks,

Signing off,

Sarah

Challenge /s:

Less is More: #452 Hexagons

Colour Crazy Craft Challenge: Week 37 - Anything Goes

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends: C #`166 - Anything Goes

It's gnome time!

 Hello blogworld,

Well, that was a busy Saturday which I obviously can't cope with anymore - as Sunday was an extremely quiet day!

As said TTT was asked to be a local Carnival Princess / Maid of Honour by the incoming Carnival Queen and we had a very busy week in the run up to Saturday, with dress fitting, panic tiara buying, working out how to fit the tiara and rehearsals daytime Sat for the main events Sat evening.  Main events being a crowning, turning on the summer lights and starting off fireworks - phew! Oh, and it was my birthday last week as well, not that I'm telling what I turned, suffice it to say I'm not 21!

But that's not what you came to my blog for, I'm sure. Onto cards, I've struggled this week to carve out time for me - so this very simple card is all I managed.

Card:

I used:

Stamp (rubber):

Stamping Bella - Flowery Gnomes eb800

coloured with Copics

Dies:

My Favorite Things - Die-namics: Inside and Out Stitch Circle

Anything else:

Cuttlebug embossing folder - Thanks

blue chalk (to bring out the embossing - though I'm not sure now it needed it)

You can't see so well in the photo but the embossed panel is stuck flat to the card, while the die-cut panel and fussy cut gnome are popped on with 3d foam.

Just a proud mummy moment - TTT in 2018 (on our cruise around the Med):

To a very grown up 14 year old Carnival Maid of Honour:

So proud of her! But, my goodness, where has time (and my little 'un!) gone!!

Be back soon,

Signing off,

Sarah

Challenge / s:

Passion for Markers: Week 602 - Make it Bloom

Allsorts Challenge Blog: Anything Goes (with option of roses) - well I managed flowers but even with my small knowledge of flowers, I know they ain't roses!

Gem of a Craft Challenge: Challenge 16 - Anything Goes

It's Sweetie Time!

Hello blogworld,

Hope everyone is doing well.

Can you believe it's already time for another challenge over at Sweet Stampin' Challenge Blog! This time it's Team Wendy's turn, so I'm officially taking part, and the theme is Gingham / Plaid. 

We'd like to see a sea of gingham or plaid papers / patterns / stamps / used in images - anything you can think of to do with gingham or plaid. For me this was a proper challenge, I've no idea why but I really struggle to know what to do with gingham. You'd think I'd just use it like any other patterned paper, but I have a real block!

I eventually gave up and went really simple - this is the result:

My card:

Supplies:

Stamp (rubber):

Stamping Bella - Uptown Girl Lucille sends her love

coloured with Copics and a white pen for the polka dots

Dies:

Die-versions Whispers Torn Notebook Edge

Anything else:

Gingham paper

'moments' 3d embellishment

What I did:

Stamped the image onto marker friendly paper, coloured it with my Copics and added polka dots with a white artists pen.

Cut the coloured image out to form a large panel then die-cut the edge detail on that panel.

Cut a panel of gingham paper to fit onto my 6x6" card blank, mounted the image onto that panel and then mounted all that onto the front of the card.

Affixed the embellishment onto the top right hand side.

et voila!

Why not pop over and see what my very talented teamies have made - they are much more talented with gingham and plaid than I am! You never know, you might even fancy joining in too and I'd look forward to seeing your creation!

Still hoping to get a bit more crafting and blogging 'me' time in the near future, but who knows! This weekend is very busy is as TTT has become a local Carnival Princess and the handover from the current Carnival Queen to the new Queen and entourage is Saturday.  It involves a ceremony, turning lights on and setting off fireworks! If I can get pictures I will and post them up here.

Signing off now, 

See you soon,

Sarah 

Challenge / s:

Polkadoodles Craft Challenge: Wk 31 - Anything Goes

Colour Crazy Craft Challenge: Week 30 - Anything Goes

Cardz 4 Galz: Challenge #152 - Dies and/or Punches

For you

 Good morning Blogworld,

Two warnings - long rambling post (the heat has got to me) and lots of pictures!

As much as I'm a heat loving person this little heatwave is just about starting to be too much. I've dropped exercising the last two days in favour of hiding indoors and crafting - and a walk replaced my regular Tues evening jog. Am missing my jumping about and weights more than I thought I would! I've become a gym bunny!!

I do hope the temp drops slightly soon and I can get back into my normal exercise / craft routine.  Which in itself is going to be interrupted as TTT breaks for summer holidays today - so chaos ensues from Thursday!! Cannot believe she will go back in September in Year 10, edging ever closer to exam years - frightening how time flies.

Anyways, while hiding in house I've been crafting - and more eclipse technique cards have emerged. I even brought an alphabet die specifically to have a proper go at this technique, but after 'testing' the dies hubby confiscated them to form part of my birthday present.  I only managed to get two cards done before they were wrestled from me!!

I did debate turning this into two posts but the cards are so similar I decided just to do the two in one post.

And so, without further ado, cards:

(here come the pictures)

Card number one:

Card number two:

I set the die too low on card one and the 'Y' of 'YOU' was lost so I had to outline it in white - higher on card two but still debating if it should be outlined as well. Insufficient definition of  stamped and cut panel on card one, which was fixed on card two.  Then I preferred the sentiment on card one to card two. How do you pick favourites between two favourites??

I used:

Stamp (rubber):

Stamping Bella - Teeny Tiny Townie with a bouquet

coloured with Copics

Dies:

Go Kreate - Half XXL Square Frames: Frilly #1

Anything else:

rub-ons

gems

And done! After inflicting a lot of waffle and pictures on you - I'm running!

Stay safe, stay cool, and see you all soon,

Signing off,

Sarah

Challenge/s:

Colour Crazy Craft Challenge: Week 28 - Anything Goes

Allsorts challenge blog: Week 633/4 - Feminine / For a lady

Crafty Catz: #560 - Anything Goes (optional twist - Christmas in July)

As You Like it Challenge: Favourite non-square / rectangle shaped card base - I could've gone for an easel card, but to be honest these Go-Kreate dies are my out and out favourites.  Had them years, used them loads,  they fit into 'ordinary' sized envelopes but still are a little bit different to an 'ordinary' square.  I hope they fit the challenge theme!

Dancing in the rain

 Hello blogworld,

More like running in the rain for me - although I enjoy dancing I wouldn't really want anyone watching me make an idiot of myself (much the same as with singing). As for gardening, well, nope, I am not a good gardener - I pull up weeds! 

Running, though, that I can do through most weather, apart from wild winds as that blows sand into face which is not a nice experience!

Anyways, the point of this ramble is - there is no point, it was just started off due to the card I made. Again experimenting with colouring my own backgrounds.  I know it's going to take practice, but I'm actually enjoying the process. Also this one was made specifically to a challenge theme - haven't paper pieced in ages and fancied giving it a go.

The card:

I used:

Stamp:

(rubber) Stamping Bella - Uptown girl Lolly and her brolly

(both image and sentiment)

coloured with Copics

Dies:

Whimsy Stamps - Slimline Zig Zag Edger 

Patterned Paper:

Allsorts - spotty paper

not sure for the raincoat - it was a scrap

Anything else:

Green cardstock

And that's nearly it folks! Got a week left of school term making the most of the peace, as after school breaks who knows what will happen :-)

Signing off,
Sarah

Challenge/s:

Passion for Markers: Challenge 600 - dies or punches

The Cutie Pie Challenge: #161 - Paper Piece It

Crafty Sentiments Challenge: Anything Goes

A cuddle of cats

 Good morning Blogworld,

And how are we doing this morning, all good I hope! Life is plodding on in chez Sarah, finally back into a good routine after the excesses of TTT birthday - and I include exercise in that as, obviously, baking and eating copious amounts of cake then not getting my exercise does nothing for the old waist line! Back on the waggon, or more accurately up on my feet!

Of course, we've now only got a couple of weeks to school hols and then my own birthday - so it could all de-rail again at any time, arrrgggh!

I think that's enough of my waffling, lets do cards!

This is TTT's birthday card from her dad.  I said before we get her two cards as there's just the three of us, so if we didn't do that she'd only have one card before she got the ones from her friends and I always feel a single card sitting on the side looks a little sorry!

Card:

Supplies:

Stamps:

Main image: 

Stamping Bella - tiny townie Courtney loves kitties

coloured with Copics

Sentiments: 

Catherine Pooler - All Around Wishes

unknown stamp set for 'daughter' but probably Do-Craft

Dies:

Memory Box - heart ensemble

Other supplies:

Anna Marie Designs - striped paper

card and numbers from my stuff

And that's it folks!

Gotta go now, as am taking my bike off for a service and hubby is waiting for some assistance to get it into the car! Will be nice to be out on the bike again, I'm very much a fair weather rider but I do enjoy cycling.

See you soon,

signing off,

Sarah

Challenge / s:

Fab 'n' Funky Challenges: Challenge #531 - Anything Goes

Polkadoodles Craft Challenge: Week 27 - Anything Goes

Addicted to Stamps and More: Challenge #409 - Any Occasion

Dream Valley Challenges: Challenge #251 - All Occasions

Best Dad ever!

 Hello blogworld,

Well I guess that most people think their Dad is the best Dad ever - but TTT (The Troublesome Teen also known as our Emily) thinks hers is the best Dad ever.  That is until she's being told off about something or other - then we're the meanest meanies ever!! Sounds about right with kids, am I right?

Card today is her's to give to Peter for Father's Day.  I asked if she wanted to help, but nope - the little flatterer said I had good taste and she would be happy with what ever I made.  In the end she did have some input, picking the silver/black combo for the backing card, but everything else are my picks.

So today's card:

I used:

Stamps / Digis:

Stamping Bella - Daddy's Girl

Background and sentiment - LoTV : Watercolour Pastels and Grunge Stamp Sentiment

Image coloured with Copics

Anything else:

Black and silver card

That's is for today folks, be back at the end of the week.
Signing off for now,
Sarah

Challenge/s:

Always fun Challenges: Challenge #218 - I love my Dad

A Bit More Time To Craft: #142 - Anything Goes

The Male Room: Challenge #151 - Dads and Grandads

Digi Chooseday: Wk 24 - Anything Goes

Let's Party!

 Morning world,

I think I need a new system to log which cards I have or haven't blogged - this one fell through the net. I'm thinking  'blogged' and 'not blogged' folders will be simple enough for me to understand!

Not much has happened since my last post, other than I got soaked doing a 5km jog, came home like a drowned rat! Also my blisters are slowly going away, blooming awkward place to try and put a plaster though, back of heel, they keep falling off.

Let's move onto my not blogged card: 

I used:

Stamps: Stamping Bella - Ava loves to celebrate; Sentiment - Lili of the Valley

Coloured with copics

Dies: La La Land - Heart Banner

Everything else: My endless craft supplies

That's all from me for now,

Signing off,

Sarah

Challenge / s:

Passion for Markers : Week 592 - spots and/or stripes. It's really nice to know you are still going and now accept any markers - I used to regularly play along before I took my blogger break and used Pro-markers only. 

Dream Valley Challenges : #248 - use your favourite colours. Mine are - greens, blues and shades of pink/red

Addicted to Stamps and More: #405 Die cuts and/or stencils.