Well.........

after 4 months
I thought it was about time I updated my poor neglected blog!
*blush*

It's been a busy few months with GCSEs (my daughter - not me!)
and then the school holidays so crafting was put on hold AGAIN!

Now that they are all back to school, I'm itching to get crafting again :)

I have missed visiting you all so much and have a lot to catch up on.

I thought over the next few days I'd share some scrapbook pages
made in March for Creative Craft World.


This one is of Caleb when he was a few months old.


I found this vellum quote in a book by K & Co that I've had for ages and I love it!

The little banner came with the kit and I cut the paper hearts with my Silhouette.
The little wooden heart is by Studio Calico.

I cut the title with the Silhouette and layered the blue card over the kraft card on the word 'loved'

I love these MME buttons and I used a matching brad to hold back the folded corner of paper.

I'll be back soon with more projects.
and I'm looking forward to visiting your blogs too.

Thank you for stopping by!
Take care :)
Sarah xx 



3-2-1 with Less is More

Good afternoon!

 

With the summer nearly over and the children returning to school on Friday

it's time for me to get back to blogging!

 

I love the Less is More challenges and Make it Monday and although I tried to get time to play along this summer it just didn't happen but on Saturday I had a little free time and this is what I made.

 

 

The challenge for LIM this week is a recipe and I used 3 words - 2 animals - 1 ribbon.

 

The base card is 14x14cms tent fold and I layered a pink 11x11cms square on top.

The little elephant is cut with a Sizzix die from an Echo Park 'hello summer' paper pad.

I inked the edges with TH antique linen distress ink and added a black brad for her eye.

The word 'sorry' is an Elzybells stamp (unfortunately not available anymore) and the 'I forgot' is part of a Personal Impressions stamp which I inked with an SU marker.

The wee bird is cut from a sheet of paper from the EP pad.

 

 I layered the elephant and bird with foam pads and I added two pads on top of each other just under the ear to prop it up a bit higher. Then I glued a strip of ric rac ribbon just underneath to 'ground' them.

 

 

When I finished that card (and making the most of my 'free time'...)

I made one for a boy.

 

The base of this one is cream card and I layered Bazzill kraft card on top.

The elephant is cut from an Echo Park 'note to self' paper pad.

My recipe this time is 3 words - 2 doodled lines - 1 animal

 

 

By this stage I should have been back to my 'mum' duties but I had been asked to make a baby card and I thought these little elephants would be perfect!

The photo is not great and the card is already away so I can't retake it but you'll get the idea :)

 

It's for twins Edward and Ruby.

 

This time it's on a 7x5" white card blank and I printed the sentiment on the computer

using 'annie use your telescope' font.

The names are stamped using Elzybells alphabet stamps with versafine black ink.

I added clear dew drops to look like bubbles.

 

That's it for today!

 but I'm going to schedule more posts for this week.

I have been doing quite a bit of sewing over the summer

and have also been to classes to make some christmas projects .

Rather than mix the papercrafts and sewing on this blog, I've created a new blog just for sewing.....Richard is laughing....

he says if I can't keep up with one blog how will I manage two!

Well, I'll just have to prove him wrong won't I!  lol
 

My new blog is dillydoodle (if anyone is interested click here!)
Here's a wee peek of my latest project...

 

 

Thank you for coming to visit today :)

See you soon

Sarah xx

 

and two weeks later....

...I'm back!

I have been so sick with a horrible bug

but thankfully today I am feeling a LOT better :)

I've even got a little bit of crafting done.

The Less is More challenge this week is for

a Baby or a Child.

I just love making baby cards so any excuse to make another one....

The teddy image is a digi from Dilly Beans and I've coloured it with Copics.

I decoupaged the bow and added a little button in the centre.

Then layered the coloured image on blue gingham card and adhered it to a 15cm card blank.

The sentiment is computer generated with a font called 'twelve weeks pregnant'!

I feel so out of the loop with not getting to visit your blogs

but I'll do my best to catch up!

Thank you so much for visiting me today

and I hope to be back tomorrow with some party boxes.

Take care :)

Sarah xx



Clean and simple baby card

Hello everyone!

The card I'm sharing today is very simple to make.

I'm on the naughty step at Less is More this week

for getting carried away and entering too many challenges with my last card :(

I hope I can redeem myself with this one :)

The card base and all the little bits and pieces are cut out using the Silhouette.

I glued the boat to the bottom circle then added the frame circle on top with foam pads.

I added a split ring to the charm and put it through the loop in the 'y'

The dots are embossed using a Cuttlebug border embossing folder.

Richard was passing by as I was taking the photo and asked 'Oh is that a porthole?' lol

That wasn't my intention ....

I'm off now to light the fire,

it's freezing in the house today.

Thankfully no more leaks though :)

Thank you for visiting today!

Have a lovely day and take care.

Sarah xx

Babies.....

Hello again :)

The card I'm sharing today is for my new little niece in Australia.

I cut the petal shaped card with the Cameo and used Echo Park ~ Little Girl papers to decorate it.

The gorgeous little image is from Ladybug Crafts Ink .

(I treated myself using the voucher I won in their craft challenge last month!)

I coloured her with Copics and added Glamour dust to the top of the blanket.

The stamp is by Studio G and is stamped with Chocolate Chip SU ink.
I tied a double bow in the seam binding ribbon and attached it with glue dots.

 I cut the image out after it was coloured and layered it with foam pads.  I didn't have time to colour the image underneath but I don't think anyone will notice...

Fish and Chip babies in Africa

When I was browsing through blogs on Monday I came across Dawny's blog and I was in tears by the story she told ~ please read it here.

I have lots of wool left over from previous knitting projects so Richard got it down from the attic and I made this hat and jumper.

The pattern is very easy to follow and you only need basic knitting skills to make it.

Lydia (my 15 year old) is halfway through one already and she's only just learning to knit.

Please help if you can :)

I tried them on Phoebe's doll just to see how they fit but I didn't let her see,
or she'd only want to keep them !

Thanks for visiting!

Take care

Sarah xx

I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Ladybug Crafts Ink #58 ~ shapes (was too late for the spots and stripes last week!)

Top Tip Tuesday #74 ~ spotty/dotty

Craft your Passion #105 ~ shaped cards

Kaboodle Doodles #114 ~ celebrate new life

My Grafico #125 ~ buttons and bows
Paper Pretties ~ use lots of layers/3 or more
TSG151 ~ ribbon time

CAS Baby card

Another quick card today....it's all I've had time for lately!

The white card base is 12x12cms and I printed the sentiment using Delius font.

I used a square acrylic shape as a template and pierced holes around it.

Then threaded bakers twine through them and finished with a bow.

The button is by Fancy Pants and is attached with glue dots.

Before adding the button, I embossed a square just inside the stitched lines

using a Martha Stewart scoring board.

Just a quick post today....

Phoebe is off school again with a sore throat and this time she is losing her voice....

...and she is croaking with great effect to get sympathy!

Thank you for visiting today :)

See you tomorrow!

Sarah xx

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:

Less is More - Recipe (2nd entry) - wk1 pink/black/white, wk17 pick a square, wk25 button or ribbon

CAS-ual Fridays - pastels and black

Make it Monday #82 - anything goes

Little Duck ~ Baby Boy Card

I was too late to enter the pun challenge with my last card at CAS-ual Fridays but I'm pleased to say the challenge this week is right up my street. The theme is 'hey baby' and I just happened to make this card yesterday!

 The duck is by Stamposaurus and is inked with Memento black ink.   The sentiment is an Elzybells stamp. The blue circles were punched with the Cinch and flattened before being stuck on the card ~ you could always use your cropadile too.

 I coloured the image with Copics:

Yellow Duck - Y00, Y02, Y08, Y11, Y17

Beak/Legs - YR07, YR16

Blue Duck - B00, B12, B32

I added a little white pin tied with ribbon, to the sentiment.

Thank goodness it's Friday!

The weather has turned very cold here but I'm sitting in front of a roaring fire and the warmth is lovely.

Just perfect for doing some hand quilting after I get the children settled in bed :)

I hope you all have a great weekend and if you get a chance, do join me tomorrow

for the March scrap map challenge at Creative Craft World.

Thank you for visiting!

Sarah xx

I'd also like to enter this card in:

Squiggle Stamps ~ white space

Gingham baby girl card

Good afternoon!

Thank you for all your good wishes on Saturday, we had a delicious meal and birthday cake :)

I have a little baby card today made with gingham card I bought in Forgetmenot Papercrafts in Belfast. 

I'd like to enter it in the Less is More challenge again but if it's not CAS enough just let me know!

I was poking through my scraps box again and found this baby paper ~ I think it's DCWV Nana's nursery and I cut some circles from it. I punched a scalloped border from white scrap card and added it along the top and a thin plain strip along the bottom too. The sentiment is inked with Certainly Celery and Regal Rose Stampin' Up markers and the stamp is from Elzybells (sadly closed) The little hearts were punched with a mini xcut punch. The tulle and ribbon are scraps as well.

Thanks for visiting today!

Sarah xx

Baby Gift Bag

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all well and enjoying the warm weather :) It's lovely to see our daffodils making an appearance and it'll soon be time to cut the grass ~ I love spring!

This is the baby Gift Bag I made to match the baby card here. 

To make the tag, I punched card and paper with varying sizes of Woodware circle punches and layered them together. The name Fionn - pronounced Finn (I think it's old Irish spelling) is die cut with the Cameo.  For the ribbon handles I used seam binding.

I've made a tutorial on how to make the gift bag here.

It's Richard's birthday tomorrow and I am so late making his card.......

I haven't even started it yet.....I've been putting it off for so long ~ it's his 40th and as I'm 13 weeks older than him, he has been teasing me all this time that he is still 'only' in his '30's'!!! lol

I was trying to come up with something funny/sarcastic but it's not happening!!!

Any ideas???

I think the trouble is.......it bothers me more that I'm 40 than it does him.......lol

See you soon

Sarah xx

Edited to add: I've just realised I didn't get this posted until after 12 o'clock last night ~ his birthday is today. eeeeek!

Baby boy card

Hi everyone:)

I'm a little bit later posting this than I had planned. Phoebe had a birthday party to go to this morning and we're just home.
I made this card for my sister-in-law's sister who had a baby boy, Fionn (pronounced Finn) on Valentine's day :)   I found it really hard to match the colour of the pram with the background paper but after throwing 3 in the bin, I admit defeat and this one will have to do!  The papers are imaginisce and the sentiment is computer generated.  The gorgeous little image is from DigiStamp boutique. I embossed the striped paper in the Big Shot using the Sizzix snowballs folder.

I don't think you can see it in the photo but I added glossy accents to the heart and the frills on the pram.

Thank you for visiting by my blog :)
I'll be back tomorrow with the card I made for the birthday boy today.

Have a lovely evening!
Sarah xx

I'm entering this card in the following
Delightful challenges - use your scraps
Inky Impressions challenge - use punches or dies
Digital Tuesday challenge - use your stash
Penny's paper-crafty challenge - anything goes
Incy Wincy Designs challenge - 3 embellies, 2 papers, 1 image
DigiStamp Boutique - any card made with DSB image

Supplies
Card base 15x15cms
DP- Imaginisce - baby powder
Bazzill - cocoa
Nestabilities - oval
Seam binding
Card candy
Sizzix embossing folder - snowballs
Image - DigiStamp Boutique - baby Zoe & Henry
Fonts - Stars From Our Eyes / JustDucky
Coloured with Copics

The finished baby patchwork quilt!

Well, here it is.....

from this...

to this...

 close up of the blocks - there are 42 in all (126 rectangles)

If you'd like to make this quilt, there is a fabulous tutorial here. It is very well written and so easy to follow (even for a mathmatically challenged person like me!) I'll let you in on a secret - Lydia had to work out the measurements for me (I'm that bad at maths). In the tutorial Florence used 12 fabrics but I only had 6 - it would make for easier laying out the more you have. 

Provided my sister-in-law likes it, it will be winging it's way to Australia soon.  They are expecting a little girl after having 3 boys and we are so delighted for them.

Hope you have a lovely day and thanks for visiting!

Sarah x

Ps. I should have said it was very quick to make - just 2 days!

In my haste to make it though, I sat up very late on Monday night (nearly cross-eyed) completing the top, and when I got up on Tuesday morning (5 hours later)

- oh my word -

it was like a dogs dinner, not a straight line to be seen :( ....so Mum and I ripped out all the blocks and I started again. I finished it last night but I've learnt my lesson...I won't be sewing late at night again!

Baby Boy card - a little Onesie

A baby card to share today...

Another Cameo creation.....have I said how much I love this machine??... lol

The onesie (poppered vest in the UK!) cutting file is from Silhouette America with a few wee bits of my own added on. What I love most about the Cameo is that once you have a card designed (or anything) it is so easy to cut out more in different colours, without a lot of hard work.... anything to make life easier!

A box for the baby present, made with 2 sheets of 12"x12" bazzill, dotted swiss card.  For some reason these photos make the ribbon look lilac ~ I know I definitely used baby blue ribbon!

A personalised name tag just to finish off. (layers cut with the Cameo) 

I had hoped to start the new year by joining in with the Less is More challenge this week, but the week went past too fast!  Still there's always the new challenge tomorrow.....  :)

Sarah xx



Baby girl - A Passion for Stamps digi image

After all the problems with blogger over the past couple of days, I'm finally getting this pic uploaded.  I've also had to post Thursday's card again - with all the hooha, somehow it ended up lost!

This gorgeous little special delivery digi image is from A Passion for Stamps and I coloured it with copics and koh-i-noor pencils.
The circles (plain & scalloped) are cut with nestabilities dies.
To make the flowers - punch them out with a daisy punch, turn them over and score lines from the centre of the flower to the end of each petal.  Then gently fold the sides together (without creating a definite crease mark). Turn over again.
Layer 2 daisies together and another smaller punched flower and finish with a pink gem.
The leaves are made with a McGill pine leaf punch.
The sentiment is computer generated using Splendid 66 & Worstveldsling fonts (dafont.com).
The tulle ribbon and button are from my stash - I think I got the ribbon reel from Crafts U Love.

I'm off now to have a look at the Less is More blog to see what the challenge is for this week - mind you, I still have birthday cards to make for my triplet nephews for tomorrow so I might be better doing that first......I might get too distracted otherwise :)

Thanks for taking the time to visit today, see you soon!
Sarah x

I'm going to enter this card to the following challenges
Simon Says Stamp - baby card
Papertake Weekly - Use punches or die cuts
My Mum's Craft Shop - To die for
I hope I've done it right.....!

Baby congratulations

A little baby card today!
I've decided to take the plunge and join in the Less Is More challenge blog - I hope it is CAS enough...! The theme is Thank you or Congratulations.

I started with a blue base card 12x12cms when folded.

Then I cut white card 10x10cms and printed Congratulations using 'the girl next door font', and glued it to the base card.

I punched a circle from brown card and cut it in half, then put it through a paper crimper.
I cut two different sized triangles from gingham card for the sails and a thin sliver of brown for the mast.
Then punched the sun from yellow card but I can't remember what the punch is called or the make of it - sorry!
I cut the ric rac strip with this Sizzix die that my friend lent me.
I assembled it all together, added a tiny button on the boat and some doodling with white and black pens.
Looking at the photo, I think I should have moved the 'congratulations' a bit more to the right...but it'll have to do now!

Close up of sails and sun raised on foam pads

Thank you for visiting today, and I hope you all have a lovely bank holiday tomorrow :)

Sarah xx

Supplies

Blue, White, Brown, Yellow card

Gingham paper

Button

Paper crimper

White & Black pens

Font - the girl next door

Baby Boy Photo Album

I made this for Mum to give as a baby gift but she didn't like the lower case 'd'!  I don't have capital letters for this set of Sizzix dies so I cut a capital 'D' from the Cuttlebug 'Groovy Chick' dies and put it on instead.  (I didn't have time to take a photo - but I think I prefer it with the lower case anyway ;)

I made the chipboard buttons by cutting just the circle of the question mark on this Sizzix die.  Then punched two 1/8" holes in it with the cropadile and tied some embroidery thread through it.

The elephant is another Sizzix die, cut from chipboard and paper pieced.  His eye is a white pearl, coloured with a black copic marker.  I added green thread behind his trunk to look like water spraying.......but it looks more like grass. lol

The children are going to Bible Club this week so I will have 3 whole hours to myself every morning!  Lots of craft time and I hope to make the most of it and get some mini books finished :)

Thanks for stopping by today.
Sarah xx

Supplies
DP - DCWV Nana's Nursery , Boy
White chipboard
Dies - Sizzix: go slim, elephant, dingbats #1
Punch - Martha Stewart, Zig Zag
Green Embroidery Thread
Black pen

Photo album covered in My Mind's Eye papers

This is another of the covered photo albums for a baby girl.  I absolutely love the My Mind's Eye Quite Contrary collection of papers.  They are excellent quality for covering these albums.  At the end of the post I have a picture of the album before it was covered.  The name 'Hannah' was cut from chipboard using the Cuttlebug and the 'Olivia' dies and inked with rose red versacolor ink.  The butterfly, hearts and swirl are all chipboard, cut with Sizzix dies.

The flower is cut using a Cuttlebug die (I can't remember which one) and I cut it out with patterned paper, again with pink shimmer card and lastly with green card. I replaced the inner petals with the pink shimmer card and the centre with green.  The hearts were inked with versacolor rose red ink and covered with glossy accents.  While that was wet I spinkled them lightly with DecoArt glamour dust.

For the butterfly I covered chipboard with the stripe paper and cut it out with a Sizzix die.  Then cut it again with pink shimmer card.  I cut out just the body of the pink shimmer butterfly and glued it on top of the stripe butterfly.  I doodled some hearts and dots on it with permanent black pen. 

This is the album I started with.  I just took it all apart, covered it inside and out and then glued it back together again.  Hope you enjoy and thanks for stopping by today :)

Sarah xx