Not feeling well :(

Sorry I've no cards to post the last two days.  I have unfortunately come down with Jon's bug and am feeling pretty rotten at the mo!  I don't know if it's because I suffer from IBS but whenever I get a virus, it always affects my tummy too which makes me feel even worse, so I'm currently sipping some ginger ale too to try and help settle it down.

I feel so lousy that I don't even feel like colouring any images up!  I hope to be back with a card in a couple of days.

I would also like to say a BIG thank you for all the lovely comments I have received on my recent cards, they have been a HUGE confidence booster to me! You guys are the best!

I had better go as Bozzy is trying to walk across my laptop and I've already had to delete a few of his "words!"

xx :0)

Sunday for Santa's

This is my 2nd post today, please scroll down to see my 1st.

I know, shock horror!!  Two post's in 1 day, it's almost unheard of from me. 

I have another card to show you today and it's for a group called Sunday for Santa's that the wonderful Pops has set up on Facebook.  There's a small group of us that are trying to get ahead with those dreaded Christmas cards and not leave it until the last minute!  I hate to admit it but some of the cards I gave last year were shop bought and I don't want that to happen again this year!

Our 1st Challenge was All That Glitters.  This was a great one for me as I'm still loving my Glamour Dust!  I also got the chance to use my Snowy Penny Black stamp for the first time since I got him in November!

Supplies

Stamps: Snowy - Penny Black, Twas the Night Before Xmas - Stamp Addicts

Medium: Copics; Cardstock: Real Red - Stampin Up!

Tools: Rectangle Nestie, Snow Dots Embossing Folder, Glacial Snowflake MS punch

Embellishments: Real Red Grosgrain Ribbon - Stampin Up!, Gemstone, Glamour Dust

I get all of my Stampin Up goodies from the lovely Jules and they arrive so quickly. 

This card is also eligible for The Sweet Stop Challenge as I have used their fabulous sketch this week.  I'm getting good at this after being scared of them for so long!  It will definitely be one that I use again.

Thank you for stopping by and for any comments you may leave, they are greatly appreciated.

xx :0)

New Beginnings

Good afternoon, how's your Sunday going?  Whilst Sunday's are nice relaxing days, I also feel a bit sad as it means the weekend is almost over.

Yesterday I said that I'd made a couple of cards so today I would like to show you the second card.  Being the start of a new year, there are a number of challenges with a theme of New Beginnings and this gave me the perfect opportunity to use my Bundle of Joy set which I've ashamedly had since April but not used!  The papers are also from an old DCWV pad - Nana's Nursery which I think I've had for nearly 2 years and not used a single piece!

 Supplies:

Stamp: Bundle of joy - Penny Black; Medium: Copics

Cardstock & Paper: Core'dinations & DCWV; Tools: Circle & Scallop Nesties

Embellishments: Ribbon - Papermania Capsule Collection, CWC Sentiment Oval

 I wish now that I'd put some Diamond Glaze on the bottle to make it stand out, I might actually do that a bit later on!

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:

Penny Black Saturday - New Beginnings
Ellephantastic Challenges - New Beginnings
Fairy Fun Fridays - New Beginnings
Stampin For The Weekend - New & Blue
Creative Card Crew - New Beginnings
AiFactory - New Beginnings
Cute Card Thursday - Out With The Old (papers)
Dutch Dare - New Beginnings
Simon Says Stamp - New Beginnings
Sketch & Stash - Sketch & Neglected stash is DCWV papers and stamp.

Thank you for stopping by and for any comments you may leave, they are greatly appreciated.

xx :0)

Snowflake Wishes

Good evening, I hope your Saturday has been enjoyable so far.  I've been making a couple of cards whilst listening to my team, Reading, beat West Brom in the 3rd round of the FA Cup.  There's something magical about 3rd round weekend, when all the underdogs dream of beating those top teams and getting to Wembley.

One of the cards I have made is for the Lili of the Valley Challenge which was great sketch.  I had a number of James Bear images already coloured so I thought I would get a head start on those Christmas as it will be here before we know it lol!! 
One of my craft related resolutions is to use up some old stash before I even consider treating myself to anything new.  The papers are from an old Forever Friends pad that I think was from 2009, the border punch I've had well over a year and I think it's only the second time I've used it and the corners are from an old sizzix die that was just shoved in the draw!  I wonder how long I stick to this resolution?!

Stamp: Lili of the Valley; Medium: Copics

Cardstock & Paper: Core'dinations & Forever Friends

Tools: Circle & Scallop Nesties, Fiskars border punch, Snow Dots embossing Folder, Sizzix Corner Die

Embellishments: CWC sentiment oval, Glamour Dust, Gemstones

I didn't take a close up of the image, but the fur trim, snowflakes and ground is all coated with Glamour Dust.  I really love this stuff at the moment!

I am also entering this card into the following challenges:

Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - Lots of Texture (Glamour Dust, embossing and gemstones)

Winter Wonderland - Lets go Dotty - (embossing)

Christmas Cards All Year Round - Anything Goes

Fuzzy Wuzzy - Anything Goes

Cute Card Thursday - Out With The Old  (Papers, Corner Die, Sentiment Oval, Border Punch)

ABC Christmas Challenge - A is for Anything Christmas

I'm off to do some blog hopping now, if the cat will let me! Thank you for stopping by and for any comments you may leave, they are greatly appreciated.

xx :0)

Teddy Stampers #27 - Celebration!

Good morning all, sorry I've not been around the last couple of days but I've been looking after my poor hubby.  I was very concerned yesterday that he might have swine flu so got the doctors to call him and apparently he just has a very nasty virus that seems to be affecting a lot of people in our village.  He's not one of your typical "man-flu" guys and I've not seen him look this poorly in the 8 years we've been together. I'm over-cautious about all this because I'm asthmatic and only had my jab last Thursday which was 48 hours before Jon became unwell again.

Anyway, it's my first challenge with the wonderful Teddy Stampers gang and I'm so excited!!  Our first challenge for the New Year is Celebrations and we're being sponsored by the wonderful Whimsy Stamps!

We've all been provided with some digi stamps to showcase for this challenge and this is my first foray into the world of digi stamping.  I know many of you have been using these for quite a while, so I'm a late starter! Whilst I did enjoy using my image, I don't think you can beat that feeling of holding a rubber stamp in your hand and stamping away to your hearts content. 

I used the Baby's 1st Christmas image and coloured it with copics before cutting out with my label nesties. The fur trim and bobbles have been glittered with Glamour Dust.  The CS is Real Red SU and the papers are from an old Forever Friends Christmas pad. I finished off with two MS punched snowflakes and gems and the sentiment is from a Personal Impressions set that I have.

I am also entering this into the following challenges:

ABC Christmas - Anything Goes

Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes

A Spoonful of Sugar - Christmas

Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes

The Pink Elephant - Winter Wonderland

Christmas Cards All Year Round - Anything Goes



I really hope that you'll join us for our 1st Challenge of the year as I love visiting your blogs to see your interpretations.  Just remember it must include either a stamped or digi teddy!! Please check out the rest of the DT's amazing creations.

Thanks for stopping by and for any comments you may leave, the are greatly appreciated.

xx :0) 

Stamp Organisation?!?

Afternoon everyone, I can't believe that the 10 days off work have all but gone and we go back tomorrow! How hard is it going to be getting up at 5:30 tomorrow morning after all those lie-ins?!?

Enough mopping! My reason for posting is to ask how everyone organises their rubber stamps?  I have so many stamps, many that have not been inked up since they were purchased!  I want to try and ensure that I use more of my stamps and show you that I do own more than cute teddy bears.  You may be surprised to hear, but I do own a few Magnolia's and Miss Anya stamps, among the many others that are scattered all over my room.  The majority are cute animals, including a HUGE collection of Penny Black stamps.

Do you have a specific way of organising them or have you catalogued them maybe by stamping them all up and putting them in a folder?

I would love to hear your suggestions.

Sarah xx :0)

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone!  I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and Santa brought you everything you wanted.  I also hope that 2011 will be a happy and healthy year for you all.

On a personal note, I aim to not let things that I have no control over get me down this year and to concentrate on all the good things that I have in my life, not the the negatives.  If it looks as if I'm starting to go down hill, you have my permission to tell me off!

As a family we had wonderful cause for celebration over the festive season when my sister got engaged to her lovely boyfriend Phil on Christmas Eve!  As we were all going to be spending New Years Eve together I obviously had to have a Congratulations card to give to the happy couple.

Apologies for the darkness of the photo, I will be so glad to have those long, sunny evenings back!  I've had this adorable Penny Black stamp since April's Ally Pally show so it was about time that it was introduced to an ink pad. I remember being very lucky to get this at half price!  It's been coloured with copics before being cut out and mounted onto Real Red CS cardstock.  The base panel was embossed with the Love Language CB folder.  Unfortunately I realised only after I'd stuck the ribbon down that it was the wrong way so the hearts are sideways!  I've had these heart ribbon sliders for so long and I only remember them when it's too late, but I was prepared this time.  The sentiment is a CWC oval.  The heart has been covered with Glossy Accents that you can just see with the shine on the top half.

I am entering this card into this months Penny Black at Allsorts challenge which is All You Need is Love
I don't want to list my personal goals that I am trying to set myself this year craft wise as I have done that in past years and have not managed to fulfill them.  However, I do know what that I are and will do what I can to achieve them.

Thank you for continuing to stop by and support me, even with the lack of response in return.  I do really appreciate each and every one of your comments.

xx :0)