Monday 28 April 2014

LOVE BIRDS ENGAGED


Hi All and Happy Monday

I've been at work today so not had much time to craft but just posting 2 cards I've made this evening.

This one is to enter the Less is More Challenge, which is a sketch this week and I've changed the shape from a circle to a bird cage so hoping that still counts. The colour combo is from this week's Dynamic Duos so I'm off over there too. My cousin and his girlfriend have just got engaged and a couple of cards from Jen and Anne at LIM inspired me. Anne with her birds and Jen with the Congrats word die from Clearly Besotted (CBS).


There seems to be a lot of 'shaker' cards on blogland and I used to make loads of these years ago so quite surprised they seem to have come back into fashion! The bird cage die is from the Love Birds set from CBS and I've layered it up 5 times to add some depth. The birds are also CBS Paired up stamp set. The sequins are from Doodlebug and the little hearts in the cage are from the die cut itself. The 'congrats' word die has been embossed with a silver opaque embossing powder to make it glisten a little bit. 


      
A Cheeky edit to this post: Just after posting and checking through blogland I noticed, quite by chance, that there's a Sequin Shaker Card Blog Hop at Pretty Pink Posh so I'm going to slip across with my card. If you can get a shaker card made quickly there's loads of fabulous prizes.

My next card is to enter the ColourQ Challenge and I can't decide whether I love or hate this one. I saw a stamping technique here by Jennifer Maguire and Ren-yi at Uniko has also 'cased' it here. Both looked stunning so decided to have a go but not sure I've quite achieved the same effect.




The cute little flowers on the bonnet in the photo inspiration made me want to use my new Uniko stamp set (Background Builders - Vines) plus a swirly happy birthday sentiment from Clearly Besotted which has been embossed in a silver sparkle embossing powder. The backing paper is Doodlebug and I've added winks of Stella to the flowers ... even went a bit OTT and stamped the envelope.



Ok just going to link these up and off to catch up on some TV.

Thanks again for stopping by.


Sarah

Saturday 26 April 2014

STARS AND BUTTERFLIES X 2


Back again with another quick post to enter a few more challenges; some being double entries to the same challenges as the previous post.

So here's the card


Yes it's those Clearly Besotted Elegant Butterflies sneaking in again! Can't resist 'em!

I'm heading over to the following challenges with this card:

CASology - Garden theme
Papertake Weekly - White + 1 other colour

Card Recipe:

Image & Sentiment: Clearly Besotted (Elegant Butterflies & Fresh Flowers)
Papers: from my stash
Tools: MFT Die-namics sentiment strips & Darice embossing folder
Gems and twine from my stash
PLUS a good drizzle of Wink of Stella to add some subtle dazzle!

  Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Blog

Ok catch you again soon. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy your evening.


Sarah

STARS AND BUTTERFLIES


Happy Weekend

Had a little bit of crafty time so I've 2 quick posts to enter a couple of challenges so first up is my 'stars' card. I'm always short on masculine cards so when I saw the sketch at Sketch Saturday and the colours at Colour Me card challenge this week I decided to combine the two.

I'm also heading across to Papertake Weekly where the theme is White & 1 other colour or shades of that colour plus Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge where it's a 'Keep it CAS' week.


Just realised I used tonnes of snippety bits on this card so as soon as the gates open at Pixies Playground I'm going to drop this in there too.

Card Recipe:

Papers: From my stash plus Papermania textured cardstock
Sentiment: Clearly Besotted
Stars: Memory Box

    Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Blog

Sarah


Tuesday 22 April 2014

BLOOMIN' GORGEOUS


Today I've gone mad for Blooms with a triple post and as it's late and I'm at work in the morning I'm going to have to type pretty quick - sorry for the rush.

First up is my entry for this week's CAS(E) This Sketch which is combined with a Runaway Inspired Challenge photo:



Materials Used:
Image & Sentiment: Uniko Studio - Beautiful Blooms & A Gift for You
Tools: Lattice embossing folder 
From my stash: Stampin' up gems and a healthy drizzle of Wink of Stella to the blooms which are raised on 3d foam for added dimension.


Next up the Muse challenge which I rarely enter - only because my imagination doesn't come up with anything worth creating BUT today I had a play with some watercolour pencils (in preparation for a watercolour painting course I'm attending in a couple of weeks ... yikes!)

I've embossed the image from Clearly Besotted's Fresh Flowers set with white embossing powder before colouring with the watercolour pencils. I've added some ink daubing for the sky and a couple of gems to the centre of the flowers. I can't decide what sentiment to use so I've left it blank the same as the inspiration photo.



If I've still time I'm going to drop this in at Clearly Besotted's 'Spring' themed challenge too as I quite like how it turned out.

   


And last but by no means least is my entry for the current Uniko Challenge 'Spring' colour challenge. Apologies for the photo; it was taken at the same time as the others but darkness must have fallen!!!

I've used the sketch from this week's Retro Sketches so I'll be heading over there too.


Materials Used:
Image, Background Image & Sentiment: Uniko Studio - Beautiful Blooms, Background Builders: Vines & A Gift for You
Sequins and Enamel dot are Doodlebug from Craft Mojo and there's another healthy drizzle of Wink of Stella to the beautiful blooms. 

      

Ok just going to post these at the various challenges then off to bed for me.

I've had a lovely Afternoon Tea with friends today (at 3pm) and just realised I've not eaten since ... must be stuffed full of cake. It was a great catch up and despite the miserable rain we had a lovely view over the shores of Lake Windermere.

Bye for now.


Sarah


WHOOPS ANOTHER FORGOTTEN CHALLENGE

Not sure why this little one slipped through the net and didn't get posted the other day ... holiday brain!!!

Sadly it's back to work tomorrow :-( but hopefully I'll get some crafting in at the weekend.

So here's a card to enter the Seize the Sketch Challenge and I made it at the weekend along with my LIM card. It's another turtle digi stamp from Pink Petticoat and being short on little boy or big boy cards I did this extra one ... although not suitable for the CAS requirements over at Less is More.





Card Recipe:

Image: Pink Petticoat
Papers: Pink Petticoat and Studio Calico
Sentiment: Clearly Besotted - In the Frame set
Tools: Clearly Besotted - Landscape Die, Sizzix Framelits Tag & Star dies & Promarkers

Back in a minute with a couple of quick makes from today.


Sarah


Monday 21 April 2014

FORGOTTEN CHALLENGES


Hi there

I've tried to get some crafting in this afternoon seen as the weather dulled over a little and my mind is swimming with ideas but can't get them down on paper (or card) before I forget ... any tips!

Here's 2 cards I've made for challenges that had 'gone under my radar' so before they finish I thought I'd get making:

I've used more Clearly Besotted products! This time the Fancy Florals stamps and dies (one of my first CBS sets) plus a new 'Congrats' word die. I've added Doodlebug sequins and paper from Echo Park.


I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

A Gem of A Challenge - 'Spring is in the Air'
Addicted to Stamps and More - 'Anything Goes'



Next up is a card using a pre-coloured digi image from Pollycraft and it's to enter The Card Concept Challenge where the requirement is 'Use an Umbrella'. (I'm thinking Free Style collage for my make). I printed 2 copies of the image then fussy cut the umbrella and added the second one on 3d adhesive to add some extra dimension. 


The sentiment is computer generated with the 'sending' stamped using Clearly Besotted Happy Days set. The papers and sequins are both Doodlebug from Craft Mojo.

I'm also going to pop another entry in over at Simon Says Stamp where their theme this week is 'Animal Antics'

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Blog  


Ok off to make tea now. Enjoy your evenings. 


Sarah


Saturday 19 April 2014

SUNGLASSES 2

Back again with another bright one and again it's to enter Less is More 'Make me / you Smile' and Simon Says Stamp 'Animal Antics'

The image and sentiment are digi images From the Heart Digi Stamps and the long-legged chickens just crease me up and remind me of a night out with the girls.

I've used the sketch from Sketch Saturday so heading over there and it's coloured with promarkers and accessorised with a couple of enamel dots and papers from Doodlebug at Craft Mojo, glossy accents and a wink of stella.





   Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Blog
Sarah


A COUPLE OF SUNGLASSES WORTHY CARDS!


Ok so the sun comes out and almost sub-consciously I delve for the brightest colours! Why?

I've 2 mega quick posts to type up as we are heading out to the in-laws shortly and they are both to combine challenges so takes a little more thinking about.

First up is my entry for this week's Less is More challenge where the theme is 'Make me / you Smile' so this one reminds me of my little 3 year old nephew who has a thing for hats and it's usually back to front! I thought this would be right up his street and definitely makes me smile. I've also used a hap-hazard layout to add to the 'cool' image.



I'm also entering this over at Simon Says Stamp where this week's theme is 'Animal Antics' and I've used the colour palette from ColourQ so I'll be heading there too.

Materials Used:

Image & Turtle sentiment - Pink Petticoat
Birthday sentiment - Clearly Besotted: In the Frame set
Enamel Dots are Doodlebug from Craft Mojo
Promarkers


Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Blog   

Back in a minute with one more.


Sarah




Thursday 17 April 2014

PLAYING WITH NEW STUFF


Happy start of Bank Holiday Weekend! Whoopie!

I've been playing with some of my new crafty bits this afternoon to enter a few challenges so here's what I've come up with.

First up I've had another go at sponge daubing to make a very dull and cloudy sky BUT it's to fit in with the CAS Colours and Sketches Challenge and when you check out the colour palate below you'll understand why.  I've combined it with the sketch from Sketch Saturday and the CAS on Sunday Challenge where it's 'A birthday to die for' (using a die cut).



CAS On Sunday Challenge          

Card Recipe:

Die Cuts: Sizzix Framelits & X-cut circles
Memory Box - Cloud dies as a template for the sky & Clearly Besotted - Going Places stamp & die set
Sentiment: Clearly Besotted - Brand new set 'Design a Tree'
Dotted Road: Uniko Studio - Background Circles
Candy dots: Stampin Up with black pearls from my stash
X-cut - corner punch


Next up is to enter the Freshly Made Sketches Challenge with the colour palate from Paper Players. Although I've used the sentiment from Clearly Besotted - Design a Tree set on other cards this is the first time I've used the other stamps and I thought the colours and stamps made for a good anniversary card. The sentiment is from another Clearly Besotted set - Paired up.

I've used my X-cut corner punch again - it was on my desk from the other card, MFT Die-namics Fish tail stax, a Darice woodgrain embossing folder and scalloped border die from Clearly Besotted. Finally the backing paper is from a new pack I recently purchased by Doodlebug (Kraft in Colour) from Craft Mojo.




   

Ok I'm off to catch up with some TV and I hope I'll get down to some crafting over the weekend although I've had my parents staying this week and my Dad has been passing on tips from his hobby (watercolour painting) so I've had to get myself fixed up with some materials and now I'm torn between what to do first!!! My aim is to combine the two and colour images on my cards with watercolour paint but will see how it goes!

Enjoy the bank holiday.

Sarah