New Christmas challenge at CCW

Good morning!

 

I hope by now those of you dealing with the terrible snow storms are over the worst of it.

We've been very fortunate here with just a little sprinkling of snow.

 

I'm back today to tell you about a new monthly challenge over at Creative Craft World.

For those of you who want to get a head start on your Christmas cards this will be perfect for you.

The challenge is called BtCR (Beat the Christmas Rush) and the idea is to create some Christmas cards each month and add them to the linky HERE.

By the time 25th November comes round you could have all your cards ready in time for posting in December!

 

This is a card I made as a Christmas thank you.

The image is a digi stamp from Tiddly Inks.

 

I coloured it with Copics and tied some twine around the centre to look like a present.

I stamped the sentiment (Stampin' Up) and punched it out with the Tiny Tags punch.

To add a little sparkle I outlined parts of the image with Stickles glitter glue.

 

Thank you so much for visiting today.

And to all my followers thank you for sticking with me.

I haven't been able to blog lately with my health playing up and other things having to take priority

but I hope to be back soon when everything settles down.

 

Hope you have a lovely day,

Take care.

Sarah xx

Jingle Bells, clean & simple Christmas card

Good morning everyone!

That's another weekend over...I hope you had a good one :)

 

We are continuing with the Christmas Countdown at Creative Craft World

(the DT have made festive projects for every day of November)

and it's my turn today.

 

I have made a clean & simple Christmas card which is based on the theme at Less is More this week.

It's to use 'hardware' on your card.

 

 

 

I bought the little bells from Meiflower at the craft show on Thursday and couldn't resist using them on my card today.

I cut and scored a white card blank and then cut another piece of white card and embossed it with snow dots embossing folder (not sure of the proper name but it's by Cuttlebug!)

Then I pierced holes on each side of this card for the brads.

 

 

I made jump rings from silver wire, put them on the bells and threaded them on the beaded string.

I tied the 'string' around the brads and then inserted them in the holes securing at the back.

The sentiment is computer generated using MTF Sweet Cheeks font, which I cut into a tag and tied a bow at the top.

I then layered it all on the base card with foam pads.

 

I hope you're enjoying our festive projects and I hope you'll come back tomorrow

when I'll have the link to Lou's blog for her project.

 

Thanks so much for popping in!

I hope you have a lovely Monday :)

Take care,

Sarah xx

Edited to add: I'm over the moon that the super talented Lisa M has chosen this project as her pick of the week at MIM!! I love my cabinet and it's nice that someone else does too :)

Edited to add again: I've just discovered that Lalkygirl has chosen this project as her pick of the week!! Do check out her beautiful cards and projects here :)

I am so happy today :)

 

I'd like to enter this card in MIM ~ linky party

 

Envelope Pocket mini book

Hello everyone,

My project today is one I was asked to make for my friend who retired from teaching this year.

We met through crafting and she has been so good to me...like a second Mum!

Her daughters' asked me to make something that would hold notes/tags from people who had written

little anecdotes about their Mum.

 

I decided to go with a pocket book made from envelopes.

....this was my 2nd attempt....the 1st ended up in the bin....

 

I hardly know where to start to explain how I made it....lol

 

It's made with 5 pieces of chipboard - the front, bottom, back, top and flap.

I covered the pieces with My Mind's Eye 'Wild Asparagus' paper

leaving a 5mm gap between the joins.

The front flap was cut using a Tim Holtz 'on the edge bracket die' and I added

a magnetic closure on the inside of the flap and on the outside of the front before covering with paper.

 

 

The inside is made with envelopes joined together accordian style.

I took nine kraft envelopes (I find PaperMill luxury C6 really good quality) sealed them and then cut off one end.  Then with a circle punch, cut a large notch out of the cut end.

I inked around the edges with vintage photo distress ink and let dry.

Then taped the envelopes one on top of each other with DS tape.

 

 

I added the lace around the front of the album before taping the envelopes

to the inside on the back and front.

The flowers are Prima and the metal corners are from Forgetmenot Papercrafts in Belfast.

I added two little pins and a sprinkling of adhesive pearls around the flowers.

 

 

I printed the word 'memories' on matching paper and added it to the metal (Tim Holtz) frame.

I put the brads through the chipboard before covering the inside so the metal pieces wouldn't show.

If the book is now filled with the tags, I'll see if I can get a photo to show it finished!

 

I found it a challenge to make....on my first attempt the paper kept splitting at the joins.

I think the paper was just too wet and I was stretching it too much.

Apart from all that, I was pleased with it when I had it finished and I know that my friend loves it too and that's the main thing!

................................................

Christmas Countdown at Creative Craft World.

And now for the link to the next project.

It's day 13 and Lou has a gorgeous Christmas journal to share.

We only have a sneak peek and I'm dying to see inside.

You can find it HERE

 

 

Thank you for visiting today and a big 'hello' to welcome my new followers!

Tomorrow I'll have a link to Trish's Christmas project

 and maybe even have something of my own too :)

 

Have a lovely day,

Take care,

Sarah xx

 

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

MIM ~ anything goes

Lady Anne's Challenges ~ anything goes

Love to Create ~ fancy edges

Stamp & Create ~ lace

Stamps & Fun = creativity ~ anything goes

Tuesday Alchemy ~ anything goes

Oldie but a Goodie ~ anything but Christmas (all except the flowers are more than 6 months old)

Papertake Weekly ~ flower power

Mini kit projects

Happy weekend everyone!

 

Today I have some projects I made using the October mini kit from Creative Craft World that

Lou very kindly sent me.

It is a mix of beautiful turquoise and orange from the Teresa Collins 'Tell your story' collection
~ you can see (and buy) the kit HERE.

 

 

All four projects and I still have lots left over to make more!

 

In the kit there are lots of beautiful die cut flowers.  I took the largest of them and sewed messy stitches around the petals with my sewing machine.

The image is a stamp from Crafter's Companion which I coloured with Copics and I took another of the large flowers and paper pieced her dress with it. The pearls are also included in the kit and the ribbon is from my stash.

The sentiment is stamped and was a freebie with a magazine(from last year I think).

 

close up of the layers on the card

 

 This card is very simple to make. I embossed the bottom of the card with a Cuttlebug 'swirls' embossing folder and added a strip of paper and a strip of glitter card from the kit.

I shaped the die cut flowers, layered them together and adhered them to the card with foam pads.

The sentiment is by Papermania and is stamped with a Stampin' Up marker.

 

 This mini carton was cut out with the Cameo and covered with paper from the kit. I then added stickers and gems which are also included in the kit.

I haven't put anything in the box yet but it would make a lovely little treat box filled with sweets or a scented candle.

 

...and lastly I made a tag, which I cut out with the Cameo.

I added a layer of patterned paper and a hexagon sticker (from the sticker sheet also in the kit) and a clear adhesive gem.

 

To enter the challenge, all you have to do is make a project with bling on it and make it smaller than 12x12".

The winner will be chosen by the Design Team and the prize is a fab mini kit, a generous discount at

Creative Craft World and a Guest Design Team spot.

So why not get creating!

 

Thanks so much for joining me today

and I'll be back soon with more.

Take care and enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Sarah xx

 

I'd like to enter the following challenges:

Make it Monday ~ anything goes

Stampavie #179 ~ stitches (1st card)

Perfect Sentiments ~ happy birthday/anniversary (1st card)

Lady Anne's challenges ~ anything goes (1st card)

Inky Impressions ~ anything but a card (Mini carton)

 

The colour YELLOW!

Hello again!

I'm back with my 2nd post today for the Less is More challenge this week.

I couldn't believe it yesterday when I was showCASed for my little baby card.

Thank you so much Chrissie and Mandi!

It's only sinking in this morning and I'll tell you why at the end of the post ;)

The challenge this week is to use yellow on your card!

I love yellow as it's such a happy colour.

 The mug image is from DigiStamp Boutique

and I paper pieced it using Echo Park summertime paper.

The little tea bag tag is made using print and cut with the Silhouette.

I folded it in half and punched a tiny hole for the string with an SU punch.

I can't remember the size of it but it is really teeny and perfect for mini tags :)

I also made tiny holes in an oval shape with the Silhouette

for threading yellow baker's twine through. 

I have been overwhelmed by the lovely comments and emails you have been sending me.

Thank you so much ~ it really means a lot!

I haven't been round to visit you all yet, but I will catch up with you later tonight :)

I think I better explain my absence yesterday.....

As some of you know, I've been having problems with pins and needles down my arms and into my hands (not great for crafting)

so while we're waiting for the results of my MRI scan to come back

my Doctor suggested I try a new tablet to try and ease my symptoms.

The only thing is, he said, they may make me feel a little hungover in the morning.

Well, nothing ventured, nothing gained.....

I took one at 10pm on Thursday night and when Friday morning came,

I could hardly open my eyes!

By dinner time I still could hardly stand!

By 11pm last night I was beginning to feel half normal having spent most of the day in a blur.

I know I've sent emails but I imagine they're all gobbledy gook!

Suffice to say I didn't repeat the performance last night.

On the plus side ~ I didn't have any pins and needles....... :)

Thank you for visiting :D

I hope you're all having a lovely weekend.

I better go now and catch up with the horrible housework :p

See you soon,

Sarah xx

I'd also like to enter this in the DigiStamp Boutique monthly challenge.

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 - 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



Tag book using Tim Holtz inks

This is the tag book I made at a class in Forgetmenot Papercrafts in Belfast a couple of weeks ago.  It was a really fun class with lots of inking and stamping and we had very messy hands afterwards.  Some of the pages are a bit of a disaster but I have learned loads of new techniques and will be having a go at making some more tags soon.

It's a bit of a change for me as I tend to make 'clean' cards and am always sanding rough edges....lol

Thanks for visiting and have a great weekend
Sarah x

Lydia's 13th Birthday Cards

I can't quite believe that Lydia is a teenager today! 

I was last minute as usual making her cards, I finished the one from Caleb and Phoebe in the early hours of this morning..... Inspired by my cousin Vicky's Blog, I blew the dust off my sewing machine and got a bit carried away sewing everything!  I made a matching bag for Lydia's present and sewed it too.  I do love the way the card turned out and I think I'll be using stitching on a few more projects.

It's funny how times have changed, for my 13th birthday I got my sewing machine :) but in those days we did 'Needlework' at school.  I think it's sad that those skills are not taught now......I'm beginning to feel ancient!! lol.

Close up of pleating

The card from Caleb and Phoebe - image is a Unity stamp which I paper pieced.

I also made this little bag to hold her present

This is what she asked for - lots of sparkle!

Thanks for visiting!

Sarah x