Caardvarks Micro Challenge - (Sunglasses Required!!!!)...

Over on the Caardvarks blog there is a 24 hour challenge to make a card using predominantly orange. I don't think I have ever reached for orange colours when making a card before (and don't think I will be again either! :o) This is definitely not one of my favourite colours and I have to say I felt a little bit queasy by the end of the challenge! lol.

For this card I used basic grey papers (gypsy), primas , spotty button, and maya Road ribbon.

I am making a collection of cards to donate to my local hospice for their summer fayre so this will be added to that.

It's ok to take off the sunglasses now , this post is finished! ;o)

Sarah x

Little Extra ..

This weeks little extra is to use Black and ONE other colour only. We, the design team decided to be really nice to you all and allow shades of that one colour to make it really easy for you (and us...he..he...! (see aren't we nice to you ?).

FAB,FAB,FAB DARE!!!Lovin' this one!

As I am at home this week(half term) I have had time to make 2 cards this morning! The first one is for my Mum's Birthday in a few weeks and I have used black and white for this one.



pp crate avenue(gorgeous paper!) blooms and primas, ribbon and letters from stash. I used a Sakura glaze pen to add the dots to the black button( a fab tip from the super clever Lythan!)
The little tag is from making memories.


The next one is my all time favourite colour combo black and pink. Very quick, simple card made with card, blooms and ribbon. I didn't have any spotty paper so I just used a hole punch and stuck the black dots on. Ok so the button has white dots but I am lovin' this effect so much I couldn't resist! I actually need to add an embellishment to this one as it's for my daughter, I have to find a little pair of scissors to go on it( hoping that I can find something on ebay later! Maybe I can find a scissors shaped button) I will tell you why later in the week.


I could do more cards for this little extra, the colour combinations are endless. I look forward to seeing what everyone else comes up with.

Off to the Paper Mill shop now!
Sarah x

9 to 5..

I would like you to make a card using some thing that you would normally find in an office environment. Such as... staples, paperclips, paper fasteners, file folders, library cards, hole punches, lined paper etc you get the drift.

Decided to make an exam congratulation style card for my Nephew as he is taking his GCSE's at the moment, so I will be needing this soon.(not much chance of him failing as he is soooo clever, must take after his Auntie Sarah!! lol)It's a quick simple card as it is so hot in my craft room today I don't think I can stay in here too long!






pp previous SA kit, letters and paperclip - spare parts, staples and exam definition(processed on word).

Sarah x

CPS FALL - Take 3!..

This is my last card for this sketch, I wanted to make one completely different from the other two. For this one I have used muted greens(a touch of blue for contrast) for an autumnal feel rather than the more traditional rustic colours. This card is much more in my comfort zone!

pp perhaps basic grey,flower punch, brads,button and ribbon from stash, stamp from SA kits and a little bit of doodling and hand stitching.

Sarah x

Little Extra Sketch..

Another sketch card to show! This one is for the Little extra this week, and it's a really fabby sketch, thanks girls! Check it out on the Daring Cardmakers blog.

pp making memories Lauren, hero arts definition stamp(bit wonky, never mind!), primas, little tag brads, ribbon and rub ons from stash. Oh yes and 3 (yes 3 on one card!) mm crystal brads. I have been hoarding these coz they are so pretty!

Must tidy the craft room now as it's a bit messy - actually more than a bit, - actually quite a lot! :oS

Sarah x

CPS Fall - Take two!

Woke up at 5am this morning with an idea for this card in my head! Couldn't get back to sleep so I got up and started making the card before I went to work. I used some more of the HOTP papers that I had which luckily have an autumnal theme. I processed the definition on word and printed it onto the paper, then I made this shaker box out of card,acetate and paper scraps. Filled it up with some beads that I have had in my stash forever and lastly added some ribbon.

I really like this sketch it is so versatile, I will definitely use it again.

Oh and it's Tuesday which is 'little extra' day on the Daring Cardmakers blog! Another sketch!! ;o)

Sarah x

CPS Fall...

OK this card is a little different for me but I really enjoyed making it. It is for the CPS Fall sketch. The theme was anything to do with the season Autumn, so it could be Autumn colours, Halloween etc.
This is the second idea I came up with, the first one went in the bin.
I found these papers in a HOTP pack that I have had for sometime (never used them before) and they fit the theme perfectly. I also made the labels using this pack.

pp HOTP, paper twine Ikea,handstitching and chalk inks.

Hope you had a good weekend!

Sarah x

Back to Basics... (edited to include Leah's card)

Friday is dare day!! Also it's my day off so I had all afternoon to make a card!

For this weeks dare, I dare you to "start from scratch" I want to you design a card with NO purchased/pre-assembled embellishments - that means no blooms unless you cut them yourself, no buttons, brads etc etc. I guess how easy this is depends on your usual style.

This dare couldn't have come at a better time as I just got this fabby new retro flower punch so I got to use it today.

Whale of a punch - retro flower, small circle punch, ric rac, paper and card from April's SA kit, stamp also from SA, and some hand stitching.

Leah also made a card which is really fab considering she is only 13! She loved the card that Allison sent me so she made her own template and made this super duper card with it! She cut the flower from the papers to use as her embellishment.

Don't you just love it when your kids raid your stash and use your basic grey gypsy papers and ribbon! This template would make fab party invites ( must write note on calendar - lock up all basic grey papers before Leah's next Birthday)

Enjoy the weekend,

Sarah x

CPS 13..

I received my latest SA kit the other day with quite a few sale items that I ordered as well. I bought 2 previous kits (absolute bargain £5.50 for both of them!) some pp and some brads. If you order extras and have them delivered with your monthly kit you dont have to pay any extra postage. So if you haven't succumbed to the SA kits yet you really should check them out, they really are fab! And great value too!

I made this little get well card with one of the extra kits I ordered using the latest CPS sketch.

Sarah x

Love is in the air...

Seem to be making lots of wedding and anniversary cards at the moment. The little extra was to make an Anniversary card this week, Life is very stressful here at the moment so I wanted to make a card just for indulgence(not made with anyone in mind or for any particular reason), and I felt much better afterwards!

So this card is not made in my usual style, I tried making a new card shape I haven't used before and I stamped the surface(I know, bizarre- no patterned paper!!) and do you know what- it was fun!! I think I might go to a few card making lessons at my local craft store for a bit of 'me time' just to try some new techniques (I have never tried heat embossing, don't even have a heat gun!)

cardstock, red chalk ink, cheapo rubber stamp from The Paper Mill Shop, ribbon,eyelets and brad from stash, small scalloped scissors. What I like about this card is the coloured section inside.

I made another one in pink for a birthday.


Off now to have a look what everyone else has come up with, that's the great thing about cardmaking, one theme and everyone comes up with something totally different!
Sarah x

Food, Glorious Food...

The challenge this week for the Daring Cardmakers was to make a card with food on it.

This week it's me (Kathy) setting the dare and I'd like you to make a card with a theme of FOOD!
So let's mull this one over.......You could make an invitation to a barbecue, dinner party, picnic, kids party etcIt could feature a recipe, ingredients, utensils, cookery quotations, poems or rhymes....It could have food depicted on it eg cupcake, CHOCOLATE, bowl of fruit , CHOCOLATE, sausages, CHOCOLATE,.....birthday cake....

I had a really good idea for making a card with Marie Antoinette on it with the quote "Let them eat cake". Searched Google for images, found hundreds but I was unsure about copyrights so gave up on that idea!

So opted for the totally safe option of a wedding cake (sorry boring I know).



PP unknown,vellum,metal words and embellishments mm, brads and eyelet from stash.
Not one of my better ideas as the card came out really bland. I have layered the paper and vellum but I dont think it shows up in the photo too well.

Look what my postie brought me this morning! This is my blog candy from Allison! She has made me the cutest little card as well. I haven't seen this stamp anywhere here in the UK so I am thrilled to bits with this. Thanks Allison.

These are my very first ATCS! I made these with some scraps of my favourite paper. I don't really know anything about ATCs but Di Hickman had some really good information about them on her blog this week, so I thought I would give them a go. They are not vintage( I love the vintage ones but have no vintage style stash), they are just made in my crafting style.
Apparently you give them away or 'trade'. I have 4 to give away, anybody want one?

Enjoy the weekend(looks like lots of rain here!),
Sarah x

CPS 12 and Sketch This cards...

A couple of cards to share, the first one was made for the latest CPS sketch;

I love these papers for men's cards, I have used this style of tag lots as it is nice and quick to make!
Sa kit papers,eyelets and brads from stash, metal greeting from mm.

Second card is for a friend of my Daughters (hence the pink overkill!) This was made using Sketch this ;


pp latest SA kit,bloom, primas and May arts ribbon.

Sarah x

Recipe for love...

The little extra for this week over on Daring Cardmakers was a recipe;

Here are your 3 ingredients: 1 stamp, 1 piece of chipboard (bought or "faux") , 1 piece of metal.

Love metal on cards and love chipboard, only problem is I seem to want to hoard any chipboard I have! I know it's silly, I obviously buy it to put on my cards, its just so lovely I want to keep hold of it!

I need a couple of anniversary cards soon and I have these lovely Heidi Swapp chipboard hearts so decided to use one. This is what I came up with;



pp from Basic Grey and 7 gypsies, Rhonna Farrer Swirls stamp,Heidi Swapp heart, metal 'love' embellishment byMaking Memories ribbon from stash and a bit of handstitching.

Oops the photo is a bit crooked! :oS
Sarah x

Seeing Stars - Caardvarks Challenge...

Another tag card to share, this one is for my friends's son. It also fits the bill for the Caardvarks challenge at the moment;

This challenge is to use a charm on your card front! Metal, paper, shrink plastic -- whatever -- just attach them on your card fronts.

Cardstock from stash, mm pp and ribbon, Bazzill chip toppers and chipboard, cuttlebug stars die, mm brads and little silver star charm.


This next card is a commissioned one, I was limited in materials I could use as the customer asked for Aubergine/plum colours( to match her Daughter's front room!) Found a bloom that was suitable, some basic grey papers and May arts ribbon.

I am on another stash diet(boo!) my craft room is overflowing at the moment! I have been spending too much time on ebay! I have a few parcels that should arrive this week sometime and that's my lot for a while. Here is a little piccie of my ribbon to show you what I mean;

I cannot fit anymore in the box, the lid will not fit!

Bank holiday today, so I'm off to Ikea, just hope the traffic isn't too bad!

Sarah x

Wings....

Had a bit of time this morning to make a card for the Daring cardmakers challenge this week;

WINGS!
You can pick any subject, any colour but the card has to incorporate WINGS of some sort-so you can do - butterflies, angels, fairies, insects,birds........anything basically if it has wings!

Hmmm..... I have a couple of butterfly dies, but whatever I do with them they always look pants! I did consider using some Pheobe paper with birds on but that would have meant cutting into a new sheet.

Rummaged through a box of old bits and pieces that I save from various sources(usually packaging from gifts, old xmas cards etc) and found this little resin butterfly.




PP BG Pheobe, primas, eyelets(have resolved to use more eyelets, as I have thousands of them and hardly ever use them) ribbon, birthday stamp and some hand stitching.
Not too keen on this,butterflies are not really my thing. Another card to donate to the local hospice I think.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend.
Sarah x

Di Hickman Sketch..

Not much time to make cards this week, Yesterday was my day off, and I went out with my friend for a spot of shopping and a lovely lunch(Italian, Yum, Yum!). I may be one of the only people who eats at our local Italian restaurant but does not like pasta or pizza. Luckily for me they do wicked salads!

I made this card using the Di Hickman sketch this week.

PP are from BG blush, felt flower, ribbons free with a magazine and birthday definition stamp.

Beautiful....

The little extra over on the Daring Cardmaker's Blog this week was to make a card inspired by the word 'beautiful'.
It's my eldest Daughter Lauren's(I call her Lolly) birthday soon so I thought I would use this opportunity to make her card. It's a tag card, I saw something similar in one of my magazines a while ago and thought it would make a nice keepsake for her. I think she is beautiful ( all Mum's think their children are beautiful!!!) so she is my inspiration for the little extra!!



Really enjoyed making this card, but it did take all afternoon. The first picture of her was taken on her first Birthday, and the other one is fairly recent, although her hair is much darker now(She changes her hairstyle and colour every few weeks!)



The last photo is to show that I have included the word 'beautiful' on the card. I found it really hard to get a picture without the light reflecting off the tab. It's a Heidi Swapp tab, you get tons of different words to choose from in a range of colours.

Bits used; cardstock, paper from current SA kit,Heidi Swapp chipboard numbers, doodlebug rub ons, primas, chalk ink, brads, ribbon and bling from stash.

Sorry this is a bit of a long post, it was difficult to photograph this card in one go!
Sarah x