Another New Year approaching.....

Where does the time go it seems like yesterday I was walking around with my Eighties perm and listening to Wham on my record player!!! Those were the days when I could daydream about romancing with George Michael and not know he would probably rather romance my husband...

Christmas was a relaxed and rather quiet affair in our house this year, just the four of us and ooodles of fattening choccies and biscuits. My pressies were all lovely and I did find a Scorpal and some lovely stamps in my stocking as well as lots of fab non- crafty gifts as well.

To be honest I haven't done much crafting over the holidays, but I made a few quick cards to keep in my cardbox for January, and I have some DT projects I am working on at the moment, so you will have to pop back some other time to see those.

Sorry the photos are dark but it seems to be night time almost 24 hours a day at the moment - not good for taking photos! These are a few of the quick cards I made using BG Urban Prairie 6x6 papers. This is my favourite BG range at the moment - lovely bright colours - I have even used yellow (I hardly ever use the colour yellow), and I have used up lots of ribbon scraps and some old blooms as well.

January is the time of the year when I have to be strict and put myself on a stash ban - this year it will last at least 2 and maybe even 3 months as I am surrounded by a huge mountain of stuff which is going to waste in my craft room. Also I am going to continue with my mission to use up my scraps of card and paper, I have found the threading water punch very useful for this as I can make thin strips of paper look a bit more appealing on a card.

Well I have to go get ready for a party - well it is New Years Eve ;o)

Sarah x

Secret santa

Here is a little tag I made for this weeks challenge on Tag You're It - The theme this week is Secret Santa. Interpret the theme anyway you like - join in if you can as Kath has donated a fab prize this week from her huge stash win for being this years Card Designer of the Year for Simply Cards and Papercraft magazine. Gosh don't I mix in famous circles!



I think this will be my last Christmas make this year as I am at last finished and I have to say I am happy about that(even though Christmas cards are my favourite to make) - time for a change now. I have lots of Birthday cards to make for the new year so that will be my next crafty job.


I really have missed joining in with some of my favourite challenge sites in the last few months, so that's my resolution for 2009 - to make sure I have time for a few more challenges! especially sketches coz I do love 'em!!!





Oh and I just wanted to say a big thank you to Becky who asked if she could feature a few of my cards on Inspirational (click on the blinkie to go to their fab blog!)








Well nearly everything is ready for Christmas here - I just have to do the last of the food shopping - a job I dread especially as I missed a delivery slot for this year and will now have to actually set foot in a supermarket! Noooooooo!!!! Think of me trying to fight my way to the brussel sprouts and parsnips with 50,000 other people! Why do people buy so much food anyway - the supermarkets are only shut for 48 hours?!!!



What are you getting for Christmas then girls? I know I have a scor-pal as I may have accidentally seen the order confirmation on my Husband's emails - not that I was being sneaky or anything ;oS



Have a great weekend


Sarah x

My last Christmas card!!!!!...

I am finished. At last. 4 months of making Christmas cards has taken its toll on me - I am even happy to put away my BG wassail papers - well what's left of them! I have a ridiculous amount of Christmas stash and next year I am going to ban myself from buying anything with even a slightly Festive theme ( well obviously if BG release a new range I may have to adapt that plan slightly) I have bought Christmas stamps this year that I didn't even open let alone ink up! I am a Christmas stash addict - there I have said it ! I will be enrolling in the SSA - Santa Stashaholics Anonymous support group directly after the January craft sales have finished.




So here is my last Christmas card for the year;





For my youngest Daughter who is a big Love Elsie fan, and I have added a few of my favourites as well - Melissa frances chipboard snowflake, Fancy pants felt -OMG this stuff is fabulous (and not included in the Christmas stash ban for next year obviously) a button and a little bit of ribbon(no card is complete without ribbon in my humble opinion, so obviously that won't be banned for next years festivities either)and some Love Elsie pp.




Now I have the huge task of putting away all this stash and clearing my craft desk. Wish me luck!

Sarah x

2 Sketches 4 You.....

Don't faint - I actually managed to complete a challenge!! It's an age since I last managed to make a card using my favourite sketch blog - 2 Sketches 4 You. I only had 2 Christmas cards left to make, one for each of my daughters so I used this weeks sketch for one of them. Pink - not very festive but very girlie so my Daughter will love it!

Lots of my favourite stash items on this card - pp from Love Elsie, Ribbon, button and Fancy Pants felt(I am in love with this product!!) from Poppicrafts, chipboard snowflake from Melissa Frances and a bell which was salvaged from an old Christmas decoration.

Right off now to find another challenge for DD2's card.

Love Sarah x

Purple onion festive wrappings..

Here are a couple of money wallets that I made for my nephews using some Purple onion Christmas stamps;

I have sealed them with velco fastenings. I have about 4 more of these to make. I need to finish them tonight so I'm off now to do just that!

Sarah x

Love is in the Air....

Ok Christmas is soooooo last week in the crafting world girls( we have all been making festive things for far too long), onto the next celebration - Valentine's Day and all things to do with hearts and luuuurve!

So - romance doesn't come naturally to me - I think it' s all a bit embarrassing and silly really - but when Michelle sent me the new SPLENDID range from Fancy Pants I came over all mushy and just had to make a few bits for Valentines and all things of a romantic nature.

This is one of my all time favourite projects - the love nest. I bought this an age ago from Woolworths ( soon to be no more :o( ) and decided that now was the time to have a go at altering it. I covered it with the papers and cut out a few hearts to embellish it - isn't it cute??

I also made a few cards with the range using the 12x12 sheet of tags ( you can make loads of cards with this one sheet!).

These papers are seriously lush - and for a couple more days Poppicrafts have a sale on all Fancy Pants stock - grab them while you can.

Sarah x

A colour Challenge...

Brown and Aqua is the colour challenge this week for Tag You're it! It was my turn to choose and I thought I had better not make another Festive tag.

I chose to use BG Offbeat papers for this tag this is my favourite sheet in the whole range actually and I have now used every last piece of it! I think I may have cheated a bit with the colour Aqua as this is a little bit darker I suppose. Also some ribbon scraps and a few buttons along with a Penny Black sentiment ( I just love these stamps).

Well I am not showing any Christmas makes today but I would love to know if you have all finished your cards? I have a few more to do but they will have to wait until next week, we have the tree up now and most of the presents are bought and wrapped.

Have a great weekend!

Sarah x

A card for my Mum..

Last night while watching TV I cut out all the pieces for my Mum's card and this morning I put them all together - I am really pleased with this card and I think Mum will be too.

I have used BG Wassail (loving these papers) and some more of these hinges from Poppicrafts this time in black. I just had enough left over to make a money/gift card holder for one of her pressies too.

It's a very cold day - wrap up warm!

Sarah x

Whoops - It's December already!....

And I am now getting seriously behind on my target of finishing my Christmas cards by December - Well actually I have failed completely 'coz it's already the 6th and I am nowhere near finished. It's the weekend and I should be finishing them off - but no - I am going shopping instead :0) Seriously though a girl needs a bit of retail therapy to lift her spirits every now and then.

ok what can I show you today?? I have been making some projects with some lovely new stash but I won't be able to share those with you until after all the festivities are over so for now here are a few recent makes;


A couple of Birthday cards using my favourite brads and some scrummy ribbon;






and a thank you card







Ribbon, brads and blooms from Poppicrafts


Oooh I managed a whole post without posting a Christmas project!!!
Enjoy your weekend.

Sarah x

Friday's Lesson of the day - Geometry......

Today's lesson - the triangle.....

A three sided shape ........(I'm a mathematical genius!!!!)

and also the theme for this weeks challenge on Tag You're It! Now triangles would not be a first choice for tags usually but Carole thought she would stretch your imagination a bit this week! Well OMG I've only gone and done another Christmas tag..... Stop yawning ladies the festive season will soon be over and then I will have to start using some other celebration.

Here is my tag -

I've used the Woodware bubble tree stamp for this as it is a bit of a triangular shape so fits well on the tag - a pink theme so that I can use this on one of my daughter's pressies. I 've also used loads more old gems which I have had since I first started crafting ( shame I can't find a use for the funky foam and mirror card!!!!!) And this lovely ribbon came in some wonderful blog candy I won from Paula (AKA Bettyboo).

Next week I set the challenge and guess what - it won't be a Christmas tag (I can hear you all sigh with relief!!)

The team would love it if you popped over and joined in with the challenge this week!

Oh - if you like fancy Pants products, Michelle at Poppicrafts has some bargains, the felt is to die for ;o)

Sarah x

Snow is falling...

Well actually it's not here but that is this weeks challenge on Tag You're It!

I made this tag with a stamp I had forgotten I bought, luckily I found it while sorting out a box of stash the other night. I'm not sure about the colours on this tag though, I thought I would try something different. The snowflake is from Heidi Swapp, BG Waissal paper and everything else from my stash. Apologies for the bad photo , I took this at night so the light was pants.

I have a busy weekend planned - I am determined to finish my Christmas cards and get some wrapping up done too. Wish me luck as I still have quite a few to do!

Enjoy your weekend,

Sarah x

Baby It's cold outside......

Actually it's cold inside as well so I have just put my heating back on. I have been out today for a lovely day with a friend, shopping and a scrummy lunch - a little treat for her Birthday. Lots of people about doing their Christmas shopping, I must get a move on and finish mine now , I planned to be done by the beginning of December but I think I will fail miserably there!

I 've been making my Christmas wish list to give hubby and my girls a few ideas - top of my list is a scor-pal this year and a few other items of stash of course. My colleagues think I am mad, they all ask for perfume or jewellery and I ask for cardboard and paper! Oh well they don't know what they're missing do they girls?

Talking of stash here are a couple more projects I did for Poppicrafts this month, thank you for the lovely comments about my baby cards I appreciate each and every one of them.

I made these little candy cane holders just for fun really - one each for Michelle's little ones. My girls are nearly grown up now but they still love candy canes and insist on hanging a box full on the tree each year (much to my disgust as I like my tree to look just right!) I used some more of my favourite 25mm ribbon on these, and I just love this paper for Christmas.

This card is another take on the pink one I did a couple of weeks ago - Very time consuming but worth it, and I used up so many little old gems that I had gathering dust! Don't you just love these little fabric brads?

And lastly these two were a bit self indulgent really, a gift bag made from an envelope using my favourite stamp at the moment and the vegetable patch embellishment kit from Poppicrafts. And a little holly wreath again just for fun, I rarely use my die cutters these days so it was fun to cut out all the leaves and use more of my favourite ribbon - this time in red and team it with some red buttons.

All ribbon, blooms and buttons from Poppicrafts, eveything else from my stash mountain.

thanks for looking, I love reading your comments,

Sarah x

My favourite type of cards....

I needed a break from Christmas cards, I have been making them for so long it was lovely to have a chance to do something different and I do love making baby cards. Here are a couple I made recently for Michelle at Poppicrafts.

These cards are 2 of my favourite recent makes - look at these fabulous hinges I just love them, and have used them to hide special information about the new baby.

I think the crochet flowers are ideal for new baby cards as they are so tactile, I have teamed them with these gorgeous baby brads and some of my favourite ribbon - I have so many different colours of this - it seems to be the ribbon I always reach for.

Papers and stickers by Melissa frances, Hinges, Brads, crochet flowers and ribbons are available from Poppicrafts.

I would love to know what you think of these little hinges - It's the first time I have used them and I am now completely addicted - I have lots of ideas for different uses for them which I will show you in the near future (when I have made the last few of my Christmas cards!)

More cards to show you soon.

Sarah x

A Sketch!...

Today is Friday and that means Tag You're it Challenge day! This week we have another really fab sketch for you to use designed by our very own Anne - she is fab at these little sketches!

And what a surprise I hear you say - Sarah has done a Christmas tag again! Sorry but I wanted to use this stamp - it has been around a long time but I have only just got my hands on it and I have to say I do love this Santa. He's so traditional and I think he stamps out so well. I also had a few scraps of BG Wassail (another gorgeous Christmas range) from making some Christmas cards so I have used them up on this tag. The sentiment is from a Papertrey set - I have used this particular sentiment so much this year. Poinsettia bloom from Poppicrafts.

Pop over to the TYI blog and have a look at the fabulous creations by the other DT members. A bit of sad news for us this week, Sam has decided to take an extended break from crafting and so will not be creating for the team, particularly sad for me as she is a good friend of mine - I will sadly miss her wonderful creations and words of encouragement.

Well I hope you will come over and join in the fun this week - we do love looking at your creations.

Sarah x

Happy Birthday Little Sis!.........

Norty Blogger - that's me! I never seem to have enough hours in the day - I wish I could just craft all day long but my proper job stops me doing that - in the last 2 days I have worked 20 hours so no time for any paper antics!

I did make this card for my Little Sister, she is really girlie so the card had to be pink.

I love this paper by Imaginisce, and the fact that these blooms and brads and ribbon from Poppicrafts all match so perfectly. Look out for a few new projects I have made for Poppicrafts in the next week or two.

I'll be back tomorrow for the Tag You're It! challenge.

Sarah x

Kath's Colour Challenge...

Now Kath is a girl after my own heart 'coz she chose Red and Green for this weeks colour challenge on Tag you're It!. Anyone who follows my blog will probably have noticed that I love these 2 colours - tradition always wins for me at Christmas.



So here is my little tag - well actually it's enormous as these stamps are BIG!










I am using up my last few precious scraps of BG Fruitcake - how I love these papers even though this range is a couple of years old now it is still my festive favourite. Poinsettias are from Poppicrafts and these cute little pom poms are from Ribbon Oasis. The ribbon is from my one of my scraps jars.






So my BG fruitcake is nearly all gone but I did invest in a few sheets of the New Wassail BG papers - they are rather scrummy and I had to buy the matching brads and buttons didn't I? Look out for some cards made with these in the next few days.



Sarah x

A few Christmas projects..

I have been making a few bits for Ribbon Oasis recently - Bea sent me some festive Christmas ribbons which was great for me as I love making Christmas things!!!

This first card has used up all but a few scraps of my BG Fruitcake papers - I do love making tag cards though;

And lucky me - my husband's name is Noel - so guess who's gonna get this card?

I just had enough paper left to make this little wall hanging too;

I might have to give this one away as it would seem as bit strange hanging this up in our house.

And lastly this card - when I bought this tree stamp I didn't think about how long it would take to stick all the embellies onto it!!! I nearly lost my patience making this card! My sister will love this though as she is a bling addict.

Off to make a few more projects now!

Sarah x