New blog

Hi bloggers

Just a quick post to let you know I am back in blogland but having a fresh start and set up a new blog Simply Cards by Sarah

Would love it if you could pop over and join me, in need of friendly followers :)

Many thanks

Sarah

A little challenge

One of the lovely ladies on the Oyster Stamps DT is running a little challenge, if you pop over to Suzanne's Cards you will see a some lovely cards but her challenge is to make one of the double diamond cards as shown with her very first tutorial. One lucky person may even win a prize :) Here's my card and it really is easy, Suzanne's instructions were spot on I have used one of my very first and favourite Lili of the Valley images, I think it might even have been one of my first rubber stamps! Anyway I've coloured it with Promarkers and must say love how it's come out. Another favourite is the sentiment "Precious and few are friends like you!" unfortunately I can't remember the make but know I bought it from Quixotic Paperie. Kraft cardstock and Making Memories papers with some gorgeous Wild Orchid Flowers. Why not pop over and try something a bit different to the usual square card lol I'm sure Suzanne would love to see your creations.

Alpha Challenge - C

It's the second letter of The Craft Barn's alphabet challenge but not as we know it. The next letter is C so I have chosen Clock as my word, having just purchased some lovely Docrafts Chronoloy stuff.

I stuck my piece of dictionary page to my ATC and using distress stains in Fired Brick, Rusty Hinge, Vintage Photo and Antique Linen over some punchinella (not that you can tell now) coloured the background. It was then embossed with a Tri Boss folder (love how much detail are in these), inked over with Vintage Photo then embossed with clear embossing powder, added charms and sentiment which has glossy accents on. The word of my choice seemed to have vanished as it all came out a bit darker than I planned, but think I managed to resucue it by distressing with a craft knife and stripping back some of the layers. Hope you like it, I'm really enjoying these. I might even do a set of tags as well.

Creative Moments #9 "Neutral"

Over at Creative Moments today we have a new challenge and the theme is "Neutral" so we want to see cards with subtle colours or scenes of nature whatever your interpretation of neutral is. Here's my card, using a gorgeous image from our Sponsor. This is another card design I saw on From My Craft Room, it's a gatefold with a window which is an easy card fold with a twist. I used the gorgeous Marieanne scalloped circle inside with my circle nestie, image coloured with Promarkers, Papermania Capsule papers and Prima flowers. The sentiment is by Whiff of Joy.

Please pop over and join in, we'd love to see your creations.

Some recent creations

Well here we are again Sunday evening, where does the weekend go? Whilst my attempts at creating and spending have returned, my blogging is still terrible, don't think I'll ever be the greatest blogger. I have made a few cards, we are also decorating the hall, stairs and landing so does that count as papercrafting? My first card was requested by my Mum for her friend, she wanted a sewing theme. I opted for something a bit different than a cute image (basically because I didn't have one lol).

The papers were from a Making Memories stack and I used the Tim Holtz Sewing Room die with the fabulous Kraft Resist paper. Inked with Fired Brick and Barn Door. I added lots of lovely embellishments. Mum loved it and I hope her friend did too. Next we have a trial run of a card design that was taken from this wonderful blog My Craft Room by a lady called Norma who has kindly added lots of brilliant easy to follow tutorials.

The papers are from a K&Co stack I've had forever, one of my favourite Tilda's coloured with Promarkers which I am slowly getting the hang of using again, LoV sentiment and Wild Orchid flowers and a bit of lace and few pearls to finnish. Thanks for looking, see you all soon

Alphabet Challenge

First of all I'd like to thank Sandy at Sweet Sands and Crafts for telling me about this challenge, as you all know I'm trying to get my creative juices flowing again. This is a fabulous new challenge for the year by The Craft Barn. You need to alter a dictionary in some shape or form. It can be the book itself, a page from the book made into another book or a snippet from the dictionary used on a tag or atc. They will choose a random letter every fortnight and you must pick a word to use as your theme. There may also be a twist to the letter to avoid future planning! I decided to do ATC's firstly they are quick and easy and secondly I've been meaning to get back into them and a complete set of the alphabet would be fabulous. So without further ado, the first letter is V for Vehicle

I used distress inks to colour the section of dictionary masking the word of my choice to highlight it, followed by marker. I used the Tim Holtz mini embossing folder with the vintage car and inked this in a darker ink and added some destination postmarks and spritzed with pearl mist. An acetate overlay was attached with the stamped words "Enjoy the Journey" and a chipboard letter V to finnish. Looking forward to the next letter.

First ever 12x12 Scrapbook pages

I have always wanted to try scrapbooking but it frightened me lol, having decided making cards was a bit pointless at times I bit the bullet and bought the gorgeous Forever Friends New Arrival scrapbook. If I didn't do it now with a new baby I never would. Well today I've finally done my first two pages and think I've found my feet.

I can't wait to do some more, hope you like them.

Some crafty news

I am thrilled to be able to say I have been asked to join the Design Team for Creative Moments (and not so pleased to see my scheduled post didn't work lol) this is a fairly new blog and runs alongside Crafting with Attitude over on Facebook. Please pop over for a nosey, become a follower and play along. The theme this week is Monochrome and I have used digital images by The Cutting Café one of our fab sponsors.

The digi images are from a set called Social Butterfly, I cropped and flipped the butterfly branches and added the 3d butterfly with lots of bling and the fabulous sentiment means it doesn't have be a birthday card it can be an any day card. Look forward to seeing you over there.

A-tish-oo

It's my craft club meeting on Tuesday so I had to come up with a project for the ladies, a friend led me to the instructions for these sweet little boxes for tissues, what with all the coughs and sneezes at the moment they will come in handy.

It's made from one piece of A4 card and really easy. It was a quick sample so just grabbed nearest patterned paper and a Lili of the Valley topper, added some gorgeous flowers to finnish. You can find the instructions here

White on White with a hint of pink

I'm on a roll this week, the next creation is for the Crafting with Attitude nightly challenge on facebook - the theme being white on white. I love these but must admit to feeling out my comfort zone.

I used the swiss dots embossing folder, my favourite and most used, along with some new Sizzix dies the Ornate Plate and centre dies from the nesting Damask frames, I added some swirls too, all inked in Spun Sugar distress ink, added a bit of bling and gorgeous flowers to finnish.

Tim Holtz 12 Tags of 2013

I admired this challenge last year and saw some amazing creations, I had previously joined in with the 12 days of Christmas challenge which I loved so thought this year I would have a go. It's been a while since I've done anything "inky" so this was a good way to get back into it. You can find the details here

I didn't have some of the required components but improvised - I have since bought a Chronology stash!

Hope you like it.

Lost mojo been found

unfortunately it's in Christmas mode but beggars can't be choosers lol. I decided to try and find some challenges to help me out but it looks like most of them are due to restart later this week. I found the Sketch and Stash challenge - a layout always helps.

and also Fussy and Fancy with the theme Furry Friends, not sure about hedgies being furry but the teddy certainly is.

The Penny Black stamps I've used are new ones from the Sirstampalot sale, coloured with Promarkers and Papermania papers. It's a night in for us, no change there an as the TV is so rubbish I may well do some more crafting. Wishing you all a happy and healthy new year xx

OMG it's still here, it may be covered in dust and cobwebs, what am I talking about - my blog of course! I have just joined a Facebook group called Crafting with Attitude and it's sister group Creative Moments on Bloggers Network so thought I better see if mine was still there. I made a feeble attempt at Christmas cards this year, making about 2 dozen and cheating using Lili of the Valley coloured toppers, as lovely as they are I felt really guilty. On the otherhand I've been juggling my gorgeous 6 month old Daughter who seems to have stolen my craft mojo.

I have actually made a card tonight - hopefully the first of 52 for the Crafting with Attitude one a week challenge.

I used Docraft papers and Penny Black stamps bought in the sale at Sirstampalot coloured with Promarkers. If all goes to plan I should be back next week with another Christmas card at least. I'm going to try scrapbooking too, just waiting for the postie to bring the Forever Friends New Arrival one - guess who for! Wishing you all a happy and healthy new year.

Here again at last with some brayering!

Well I said it would be a while and it has! Finding it hard to fit in crafting, but the mojo is slowly returning, the spending certainly is lol. A while ago I saw Barbara Grey using the Splodge Away mat on Create and Craft and she was raving about it. Well never being able to master brayering I thought if she says it's good it must be, so I ordered one (direct from the company I might add) Anyway when it arrived I was very sceptical it didn't look any different to the usual inky craft mat. I eventually got round to have a play and was amazed, I don't know what the secret to it is but it works! Having only had a quick play I decided to get inky last week, I watched a tutorial on You Tube and this is what I came up with, for a first attempt I was really pleased.

I improvised with distress inks, stamps used were Kanban dandelion, Stampscapes Oak branch and Clarity bird and scored the criss cross background using the Stampin Up diagonal plate. My next card was Hubby's Anniversary card which was on Thursday - 15 years, how time flies. I am over the moon with this card and cannot believe how well it came out, hope I can do it again! Having acquired the inky bug I've stocked up on Adirondack inks (lots more needed!) the gorgeous image is from Stampscapes UK

Just as well I was pleased with my card as Hubby didn't show much enthusiasm lol. Right as everyone's in bed I think it's time for a play, I've done enough browsing this weekend and spent a fortune on Memory Box dies. Have a good week and hope to see you soon x

Long time no see

Wow I can't believe how long it is since I posted on here, may be a while before I post again lol.

For those of you that don't know, the latest addition to our family "Isobel Amber" or Izzy, arrived 8 weeks ago after a long 12 days of being overdue and having to be induced. All was well in the end and she is the apple of everyone's eye.



Needless to say I have had little time for crafting let alone the mojo, but today I decided to shape myself as it's craft club next week and needed to come up with something to make. I've gone for an easy option of Clean and Simple.

My first one was made to fit in with the challenge no 79 over at Less is More "Blue and Green"



I used Distress Inks and Markers in Crushed Olive, Bundled Sage and Stormy Sky, the stamps are Hero Art.

Here's two more I made





I think I'll be making a lot more of these in the future if I am to carry on crafting.

See you soon

Woo hoo - got them all but one!

I've finally got my hands on all the Distress Markers, apart from Picket Fence that is. I'm not too bothered about that one.

It's probably cost me over the odds buying them in three lots of separate colours rather than waiting for the full set but I'm so impatient and I recycled some craft stash to buy them so don't feel guilty about buying yet more pens.

I've not had chance to play with them all apart from scribbling on the colour chart, but I love them.



I did have a quick go at colouring directly onto a stamp using a Penny Black collage, here it is, just need to make it up into a card.



Hopefully going to have a play this afternoon.

Colouring with distress markers

I have been waiting for the full set but gave up and cancelled my order and ordered some loose ones instead.



I have had a couple of attempts at colouring with them (I am certainly no expert at water or distress colouring).





I used watercolour paper and wet the area first then applied pen to paper and tried to blend with brush, it was hard work, the pens didn't seem to like touching the wet paper (I suppose like when you take wet brush to ink pad - which you're not supposed to do).

They do however work well in the normal way by scribbling on acrylic block then applying with brush to wet image.

I wanted them for the fact they are a more portable option for craft club than all the inkpads, plus I will use them in the Tim Holtz way ie inking stamp with them.

The fine end is great for journalling and doodling and the fiddly bits (like the lines on the petticoat) that are too small to get to with a paintbrush.

With lots of practise, think I will like them.

I'll try and get these made up into cards later today, glad to see the sun is back.

Hope you all have a lovely day.

Trip to Ikea

I finally got a trip to Ikea yesterday! Needed some drawers for the baby stuff and was running out of places to look so Hubby said we'd go for a look at Ikea. Although it's not far away, it means motorway (which I don't do lol) and is on a nighmare retail park. We reckoned the last time we went was when we got our first dining room table 15 years ago!

Anyway mission accomplished, found some drawers and I also got some of the rails I've been longing for seen on other people's blogs for craft storage. Got some nifty spice jars too. Wish I'd known we were going and I could have planned better what to buy, as it's not the best place to go with impatient Husbands.

After lots of debating where to put them and clearing space Hubby kindly set to with the drill and put them up for me. Took me until 1am this morning to get straight!





I did get more of the pink tubs intending to put my pens in, but because I've so many they wouldn't all fit. Luckily I bought the plastic hooks and my existing bathroom tubs had holes in to accomodate them!

Lili's Little Fairies - Peaches n Cream

It's been so long since I've entered any challenges apart from the last two House Mouses so I thought I'd pop over to the Lili of the Valley challenge site Lili's Little Fairies. I bought some of the new releases and had yet to use them, the theme is Peaches n Cream.

I've been busy doing trial runs of these tealight cards, as they are going to be the project for my craft club this month. I made my own square version which was really easy (i've got a thing about square cards). Used Kraft cardstock for the base, K&Co papers and the cute girl on a branch image coloured with copics.

I did also think you could put chocolates in instead of candles but have yet to find the perfect fit - needless to say I've been eating lots of chocolate!

Hope you all have a great weekend.