Kraft + Red + Green = Christmas!

Something about kraft card and paper that just sings out Christmas to me, Especially when teamed with traditional reds and greens.  I always want to go back to the traditional colours when it comes to Christmas crafting.  Recently I have pushed myself to try different styles and colours for Christmas, but still I always return to this.

Ok I am sure you are bored of all my tags now so I apologize as I have more to share today. I made these 3 this morning while the rest of my family where still asleep, I was quite content to sit and ink up these stamps in the peace and quiet. I love this set so much, I know Claire will bring out a fabulous new Christmas range soon and of course I shall want them all (who wouldn't?) but there are so many different uses for this particular set - especially tags!!! Have I told you I like making tags? LOL!

These were made for the Waltzingmouse Sketch challenge this week, well I think I can just about get away with it as I did use a rather loose interpretation of the sketch. All of my favourite things on these - Christmas papers, kraft, buttons, seam binding, twine and of course those fabulous stamps.

Also made these with Jules Crafty Snippets challenge in mind, plenty of snippets here, all the papers and most of the kraft and seam binding are all from the scraps box. I have a separate box for Christmas snippets. I will put these away ready for gift wrapping, I have lots more to make though so I can't promise you that I am finished sharing my tags yet..


Stamps - Around Christmas Time set - Waltzing mouse
Seam binding and button twine - Pretty Little Ribbon Shop

Thanks for visiting
Sarah x

Trim the Tree...

Later today my daughter is going to pamper me by colouring and cutting my hair which needs doing so badly! But first both my girls are off shopping for the day and my Husband is doing the London to Hastings bicycle ride so I have the house to myself for several hours.  I plan to get some crafting done and have a good tidy up.

I enjoyed  making my white on white card so much yesterday I decided to make another one for the Less Is More challenge. This one is a family Christmas card,  I added a bit of bling to the tree and a scrap of sheer elegance ribbon with a little bell attached.

My 3 combined challenges are;

week 2 - tree or flower
week 15 -  embossing
week 25 ribbon or button

I also made this card for the Winter Wonderland Challenge - Trim a Tree.

Embossing folder - Cuttlebug
sheer elegance ribbon - Pretty Little Ribbon Shop

Thanks for visiting
Sarah x

Less is More....

Busy busy busy.. I don't know where the time goes somedays!! I have been re-oiling the oak furniture in our lounge this morning, my Husband has just about finished the wallpaper and I now want to have a really good clean up in there before I start putting up my new curtains etc. 

With today being Saturday I wanted to make time for my Less is More card, this week the challenge is to 'Take 3 Challenges'. When I first looked at this I thought it would be tricky but as I started to make my card I realised it was easy to incorporate 3 past challenges. I used;

week 14 - white on white
week 15 - embossing
week 16 - butterflies

I got inspiration for this card from my team mate Jane, she put together a tutorial here, and I thought this would work well on a white on white card too. I used a few cuttlebug dies for my flowers and swirls and the rolled roses were cut with my Marianne D die. I have been struggling to make these roses look good enough for cards, but with practice I think I have at last got the hang of it. I added a few pearls to finish off.

Inside I used a large embossed square but I then realised there was nowhere to write a message so I ended up making a quick tag to write on and leaving a pocket to slide it into behind.

I'm quite pleased with the finished card, I may try a few variations of this design.
I found it really difficult to take decent photos with the card being all white, I hope they are not too dark.

I am also entering this card into Papertake Weekly challenge - Dies to die for - use die cuts.

dies and embossing folder - Cuttlebug
butterfly punch - Marth Stewart
flower -prima
ribbon - Pretty Little Ribbon Shop

Thanks for looking
Sarah xx

Three of a Kind....

Gosh I am really late posting today, we have been so busy today that I didn't get a chance to get on my computer any earlier. My husband is wallpapering in the lounge and we had  run out of food so I had to go to Tesco this morning.

Today's cards are made for my daughter to use, all of her friends  are approaching 18 so I am getting ahead of the game. I have used the same design on all 3, and used up lots of snippets of paper, felt etc.

This star stamp is one of my all time favourites I use it all the time, it makes great gift tags too. I rummaged in one of the drawers in my craftroom and found some old glitter stickers and rub-ons which I could use up too.

Stamp - Waltzingmouse
seam binding, ribbon - Pretty Little Ribbon Shop

I'm entering the first card into the following challenges;

 Crafts and Me challenge - Lace
 Craft us Crazy - Anything goes
and the other two into Jules Crafty Snippets.

Thanks for stopping by!
Sarah x

Pink Overload......

We had a lovely day out yesterday in Tunbridge Wells and bought some lovely items in John Lewis home store (I love all things from John Lewis!) I managed to come away with nothing from Hobbycraft (I wasn't impressed with anything in there), so my husband has promised to take me to The Glitter Pot next week, and I know I will be able to find lots in there to buy.

So today's card is quite pink - ok it's very pink!  I cannot put these papers (MME - Lost and Found) down,  this pad is not going to last very long. The stamp is from the Waltzingmouse 'You're Lovely' set, I paper pieced it with some scraps. I'm not sure if the felt flowers work with the roses as well but they are stuck down now so it's too late to change them.

I'm entering this card into the following challenges;

Pink {Ink} Sketch Challenge - sketch

Truly Scrumptious  - Rocked Up Pink

I love Cupcakes!! .......

It's a very wet dreary day here on the south coast. This summer seems to have been very unpredictable doesn't it? On day's like this we need sweet treats to cheer us up, so how about some cupcakes?

 I have a few cupcake stamps but the one I have used for today's card is my current favourite. It is 3 separate little stamps so you can change the colours when you want and no colouring involved which is great for me as I am rubbish at colouring.  I admire crafters who can turn a stamped image into something spectacular with the help of a few copics.

This card and tag are made using some of my favourite colours, pink, kraft and white and again with snippets of paper. The flower was cut with a scrap of felt as well and finished off with a little pearl bead.  I've added

some snippets of seam binding and ric rac too.

I've made this card for a few challenges I loved the sketch at Challenges for You (there are some gorgeous cards on this blog by both the team and the entrants) and for the Cupcakes challenge at Craft Your Days Away , and lastly for Jules Crafty Snippets challenge.

You still have time to enter the Pretty Little Ribbon Shop challenge this month and be in with a chance of winning a prize HERE, we would love to see more of your creations!

Stamps - Waltzingmouse
seam binding, button twine and button - Pretty Little Ribbon Shop

Sorry the photos are so dull it's impossible to get good light on days like today.
Thanks for visiting
Sarah x

A Bit Shabby......

Yesterday was CAS now I am back to my favourite type of cards - Shabby! I treated myself to some new papers this week and they are just so gorgeous I have had trouble cutting into them to be honest. Today's card is made using My Minds Eye Lost and Found collection. I think it is easily my most favourite set of papers EVER! And I have bought a lot of paper in all my cardmaking years (haven't we all?) These are 6 x6 so perfect for cardmaking, and all double sided.

I made this card for the Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Shabby Chic and the Penny Black at Allsorts challenge - free and Easy, using an old favourite stamp Whispers.  I added some beige seam binding and a pretty button too. I saved all scraps of paper for making a tag at some stage - they were just too pretty to throw away!

Papers -MME
Seam binding - Pretty Little Ribbon Shop

Thanks for looking
Sarah x

Things that Move...

Today's challenge at Less is More is Things That Move. I had a very early start this morning doing some work on my accounts and before I knew it it was 10am  and I hadn't even looked at today's challenge. 

I made two very simple cards today, the first is a Christmas card using snowflakes (they fall from the sky so I hope this counts!). This snowflake stamp is part of the Waltzingmouse set - Very Vintage Christmas, it is crammed full of stamps and I had completely overlooked the fact that it contained a snowflake but I think it's a really delicate design and I will definitely use it lots. I finished off with my most favourite ribbon Sheer Elegance in black and a sentiment. 

My second card uses Hero Arts Antique Engravings for the butterfly and a sentiment from WM stamps again. Finished off with some pretty organza ribbon.  I'm undecided as to whether this one may be a bit to simple.

I can't seem to get very good photos today, it must be the light here.

Stamps -Waltzingmouse and Hero Arts

Ribbon - Pretty Little Ribbon Shop 

Thanks so much for visiting,

Sarah x

  

A Man/Boy Card!!!......

Oohh don't you just break out into a cold sweat when those words are mentioned?? I think male cards are my least favourite to make. Winter Wonderland  have really challenged us this week by asking for Cards For men/boys.

I couldn't get a good photo today for some reason, the papers are an olive green colour, and I used some green button twine as well. That's another Christmas card finished. 

papers - Mellissa Frances and MME
Snowman stamp - Purple Onion
Button twine - Pretty Little Ribbon Shop

Thanks for visiting
Sarah x

Flashback...

 Today on the Moving Along with the Times Challenge blog we are encouraged to share an old project that we are proud of.  So I have had fun trawling through some old photos of my cards this morning. I didn't go back too many years (I have been making cards for a long time so no peels offs to share with you today!!!), and I decided to go with a little box I altered a few years ago for a friend.

I remember there being a lot of dust involved in this project as I sanded the edges and corners. I don't use these type of blooms anymore.

Inside I put a little paper note block which I finished off with some ribbon and another bloom. I really enjoyed looking back through some of my old projects so thanks for the challenge!

Sarah x

Eat Cake!!

That's what I'll be doing later hopefully as my daughter has a friend round today and they are happily baking cupcakes in my kitchen right now. A more accurate description could be that they are using every possible bowl, utensil and worksurface and making a bit of a mess, but it seems to be making them happy.

Today's card also features cake! I made this for todays challenge at Simons Says Stamp which is Food and Drink, and also my first entry for Jules' Crafty Snippet Challenge.

I used some really old papers in my scraps box I think they were from Making Memories but I can't remember as I have had them for years! The image was salvaged from one of my failed attempts of last Saturday's card, I wasted 3 card blanks but managed to save one of the stamped images from Waltzing Mouse so I am hoping this will also count as a snippet.. Finished off with some pretty pink organza ribbon and some more snippets this time of pink button twine.

Stamps - Waltzingmouse
Flowers from stash
Ribbon, button twine and button from Pretty Little Ribbon Shop

Thanks for looking,
Sarah x

Still raiding that Scrap box...

Yep I am still making cards using as many scraps as I can, I have been on a mission to use up a lot of my paper stash before I buy any more, but oh it's so difficult when there are so many beautiful new papers everywhere. 

So today's card is for A Spoon Full of Sugars challenge  which is Happy Birthday.  It's a simple little card using up more scraps, finished off with a rose and some lovely aqua seam binding and a couple of pins.

Right I must get back to my desk I am busy making my brother a Mini Album for his 50th Birthday, I've cut it all out now I just need to cover it and bind it all before I embellish it a bit.

Rose - Wild Orchid crafts
Seam binding, pins - Pretty Little Ribbon Shop

thanks for visiting!
Sarah x

Anything but a card....

It's nice to sometimes make something a little different don't you think?  I love making cards, it's the one thing I always want to do, it's so nice when people appreciate something you have made especially for them.  I am not a scrapbooker, I have tried in the past but I think I have a fear of all that space on a 12x12 piece of card.  I have dabbled in mini books and still occasionally make one for a gift for a special occasion. Altering things is something I love to do, I don't so much anymore but I still save anything that I think I can transform, old boxes from Christmas gifts, jars, etc.

Today's show and tell is an old picture that I have revamped, this was so quick and easy! Luckily the frame was already white,I am currently altering another one but I have to paint the frame as it's gold and I want to hang it with this one.
This frame was originally a photo frame that my daughter had in her room, she's grown up now and wanted a more modern look so this frame was going spare.  I put a new piece of white card inside carefully cutting around the inner frame and then used a scrap of kraft card and some pretty pale pearly pink buttons adhered with glossy accents with a small hydrangea flower to add some interest. It was finished in no time at all. 

Sorry the photos are not up to much, I couldn't use the flash as it reflected off the glass and it is very grey here this morning.
I am entering this into Allsorts challenge this week - Anything But A Card.

Prima flower
Card from scraps box
Buttons from Pretty Little Ribbon Shop

thanks for looking
Sarah x

Terrified.............

......of this weeks challenge over on the Less is More Challenge blog today!!! Firstly a one layer card - Yikes!!!  Secondly -  Use Ink (in a way you haven't used it before)  Yikes again!!
I had to have a go though as I am already hopelessly addicted to the LIM challenges and I have only been playing along for a few weeks. The question was how many card blanks was I going to waste in the process?? Answer - three (she says blushing profusely).

This is a new stamp set by Waltzingmouse called Eat Cake, when Claire Brennan was previewing this set she made a sample using this technique which she described as 'the kissing technique' (sounds fun doesn't it?)  you can see her tutorial  here. I didn't find it as easy as Claire managed to make it look but it is definitely a new technique to me. I think some inks work better than others, they need to be a bit juicy for the text to show through. 

Three card blanks later this is the finished result, I added a few black gems to the flowers and kept it very simple with some black Bakers twine (on special offer here) which I think works quite well with this card.

If you fancy joining in with another challenge this month I  would love to see you over at The Pretty Little Ribbon Shop blog we have our very first challenge with a lovely prize on offer. You can combine you entry with other challenges too. Please come and say hello.

Stamps used - Waltzingmouse
Bakers twine - Pretty Little Ribbon Shop

 Thank you so much for taking the time to visit and for all the wonderful comments I appreciate each and every one of them.

Sarah x

Distressed....

England seems to have lost summer, it's wet and drizzly again here. Today's card is another to add to the card box for my daughters to use when they have a friend's birthday. They both love bunting and more of a shabby style to cards so this week's challenge at Charisma Cardz - Distressing was perfect for me.  I have been distressing the edges of my cards for years so I dread to think how much card dust I have inhaled!!

There is something about kraft card with red that I love. I made these little pennants with some scraps of Kaiserkraft paper which I really love using, I must get some more as I have nearly used it all now. I cut the hearts with my nesties and added these cute little tiny buttons to finish with. What do you think of the red button twine? I thought I would only use it for Christmas cards but I think it works on this card too. Fininshed off with a sentiment from Waltzingmouse Say it Loud set (have I mentioned that I love this set??)

I am also entering this card into the Craft us Crazy challenge which is Anything goes and Craft Your Days Away challenge - Birthdays.

I also made a few tags last night while I had the scraps box to hand, I found these old chipboard butterflies so I sanded then lightly with sandpaper to distress them a bit and inked the white one as well. I love making tags, great for using up those tiny little scraps you just can't bear to throw away.

Stamps - Waltzingmouse

Red Button Twine and seam binding - Pretty Little Ribbon Shop

Papers from my scraps box

 Thanks for taking the time to visit,

Sarah x

Simple...

Today's card is a really quick and simple make I'm afraid. I had no time yesterday to join in with any challenges but my daughter wanted a new home card for a friend and she gave me about 10 minutes to make it!  I always find these cards quite hard to make, I don't get inspired at all by new home cards. I have a stamp by Hero Arts that I sometimes use but this time I just raided the scraps box and made a quick little house with paper piecings and added a scrap of felt cut into a heart with a teeny tiny button. I found a pack of Mellisa Frances rub ons which I have had forever I though this was a sweet little sentiment for a couple who have just bought their first home together. 



I'll be back tomorrow with a challenge card.
Thanks for looking
Sarah x

Roses in Bloom....

 Good Morning lovely Bloggers,

I do hope that everyone had a peaceful night last night, we have seen some really shocking scenes on the news in the past few days haven't we?

More roses on offer today, as this card was made for Papertake Weekly's challenge which is Grow Your Own (make a flower/s for your card) and also Lollipop Crafts which is Monochromatic. Well that gave me a chance to get out the Spellbinders Rose Creations dies again and make another rose.  I used shades of pale blue for the card with a touch of white for the rose. I have just realised I will have to make a lot of boxes to put all these cards in as they will not fit into an envelope.

Stamps by Waltzingmouse.
Papers from my scraps box.

Thanks for Looking.
Sarah x

Red and Spotty....

No I haven't got the measles!  But my card for today is red and has spots. Have you ever bought a stamp set that you really liked the look of but then found you never use it and when you do you are not happy with the result? I have several of those sets and today's card is made using one of them.  I bought Papertrey Ink's Believe set several years ago and have only ever used a couple of the sentiments  in it. So I thought I would have a go at using one of the images, and this Santa seemed perfect for today's card.  Somehow though I don't seem to be able to do poor Santa justice as I am not very good at colouring with promarkers.
  

Oh well I guess this set will go back on the shelf and not be used for a few more years.  I made this card for a couple of challenges, Allsorts challenge this week is Red and Stamping for the Weekend's challenge is Spots and Dots.

Stamps - Papertrey Ink
Bakers Twine - Pretty Little Ribbon Shop

Thanks for stopping by,
Sarah x

Pretty Little Ribbon Shop's First Challenge!

This is a very exciting day for me as it's the very first monthly challenge at The Pretty Little Ribbon Shop Blog today. The design team have worked really hard and made some fantastic creations for you to gain some inspiration from.  We really hope you will want to join us and play along, you never know you may even win yourself some pretty ribbons!

This month the challenge is;

 Ribbons - use some pretty ribbon on your project!

Well it couldn't really be any other theme to start off with could it? So here is my card;

I have used gorgeous wired silky crush ribbon in champagne for the flower, these are very easy to make you just pull the wire on one side of the ribbon to gather it up and then shape into a flower and secure with a few stitches. I also used some beige seam binding and a cream hat pin to finish off, all available at the Pretty Little Ribbon Shop.

So are you up for the challenge???  Please pop over to see the rest of the teams work, you can join in with the fun HERE

Sarah x