Friday, 25 January 2013

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

Saturday, 5 January 2013

A New Year and a new scrap map at Creative Craft World

Good Morning!
 
Happy New Year to you all...a bit late I know...
I have quite a lot of catching up to do with everyone!
 
Today we have a new scrap map at Creative Craft World
and this is the page I've made.
It's been 3 weeks since I put paper and glue together so my mojo is a bit rusty.

 
The Christmas words are on a vellum sheet which I layered over white dotted Bazzill card.
The baubles are cut with the Silhouette and the top of the large bauble comes out to reveal a journaling spot (no photo of it yet)

The photo was taken 9 days before Christmas Eve when the children went to see
 Santa at a National Trust event.
I took a lot of photos of their adventure so I made a little book (adhered to the large bauble)
to put all the photos in to complete the story.

The night started with a story from Ma Christmas in the tea rooms (while having juice & a treat).
Then they walked to the elves' house and made magic reindeer food.
When they finished that, they were picked up by horse and carriage and taken to the 'big' house to meet Santa.
His sleigh was parked outside and you can just imagine the excitement as the children saw it!
Inside the large hall they could just see Santa in the distance sleeping in his chair so they were allowed to creep up and wake him.
He had a list with all their names and had a chat with them before giving them their presents.
It was a truly magical night (for us 'big' ones as well!)

I do apologise for neglecting my blog for so long
but with the children back to school next week I should be back here again too :)

Thank you for stopping by today and do take a minute to visit
CCW and see all the gorgeous pages the rest of the DT have made.
Here is the sketch for this month and you can enter the challenge by using the sketch as your starting point for a page and then link it up to the blog here.
If you win you'll get a fabulous scrapbook kit, a generous discount instore and a Guest Design spot.
 


and that's it!
See you soon,
Sarah xx
 


Friday, 30 November 2012

The final day!

Good morning!
 
Well I can hardly believe it....November has just flown by and here we are
with our last project of the Christmas Countdown at Creative Craft World.
Mel has made a lovely 3D project and if you pop over to her blog
you'll find all the details here.
I hope you've enjoyed the projects the Design Team have made this month
and maybe even been inspired to try some of them yourself!
 
I will be back with some more of my own projects very soon
but this morning I'm off to take Lydia to her music exam.
Here's hoping it goes well!
 
Thanks for stopping by,
Sarah xx

Thursday, 29 November 2012

Day 29 ~ Gift boxes

Hi everyone,
 
Today for the Christmas Countdown at CCW
Sue has made some fabulous cube boxes from one sheet of A4 card.
 
Check them out here!

Tomorrow is the final day of the countdown
so if you come back tomorrow, I'll have the link to Mel's blog
for her gorgeous 3D decoration.
 
Thanks for visiting :)
Take care.
Sarah xx

 
 
 


Wednesday, 28 November 2012

Sparkle with LIM

Hello everyone,
I've been trying to get time since Saturday to play in the Less Is More
challenge this week and I finally managed it this morning :)
Chrissie & Jen are looking to see Glamour & Glitz!
 
I love glitter and all sorts of sparkly things so I couldn't miss this one :)
I have made a quick little Christmas card.

I love using kraft card for Christmas cards and this one is 12x12cms.
I stamped a little Elzybells robin, coloured him with copics and added Glamour dust underneath him
and a few dots of it around him. I also added white dots (inkessentials pen) around the frame.
The stamp is from a little clear set by Hampton Art.

-------------
 
Keeping with the Christmas theme, we are down to our last few projects over at
Creative Craft World....November has flown by!
Today Lou has a bottle tag and gift carton to share.
Here's a little peek and you can find out how to make them here.
 
Thanks for popping in today
and I'll be back tomorrow with a link to Sue's project.
I have a couple of birthday cards to share soon but I have to wait in case they see them on my blog!
Take care,
Sarah xx

Tuesday, 27 November 2012

Vintage Birthday Card

Hello everyone,
 
I don't have a card of my own to share today but I thought you
would enjoy seeing this card that my friend Freda gave me for my birthday yesterday.
 
I'm trying to persuade her to start a blog of her own so we can see the fabulous things she makes :)
 It has lots of texture and it even has a tiny charm hanging from the umbrella.
The photo really doesn't do it justice.
----------------------------------
 
I also have the link to Susi's blog where, as part of CCW's Christmas Countdown
she has made some really useful pocket handwarmers.
Just the thing for this cold weather!
To find out all about them click here.
 
 
I'm still in the process of catching up with your blogs,
I just wish there were more hours in the day sometimes!
See you soon :)
Sarah xx 

Monday, 26 November 2012

Christmas Mini Envelope Book Tutorial

Hello everyone,
 
I hope your weekend went well, mine went far too quickly!
Well today is day 26 of the Christmas Countdown at Creative Craft World
and it's a special day for me as it's my birthday :)
 
I have a tutorial today for a little mini album made with envelopes.
I haven't it fully decorated inside but maybe it's just as well as this post
has a lot of photos already.
 
 
 

 I used 3 DL size envelopes and I like to use PaperMill Direct ones but any good quality ones will do.
To start you score each envelope down the middle.
 
Then fold in half (with the flap to the inside)with a bone folder to get a good crease line.
 
 Take a piece of scrap card and trace the outline of the flap.
This will make a template for cutting patterned paper for the flap as you decorate.
 
 Take one envelope for the front cover and lay it flap side down.
Add a strip of double sided tape from left to right approximately halfway down.
Take approx. 1m of ribbon, find the centre and adhere to the tape.
This is your ribbon closure.
 
Now you can decorate the back and front of the envelopes.
 
The paper I used for the front and back cover is Jillibean soup.
I inked all the edges of each envelope with 'Barn Door' distress ink.
 
Measure 1.5 cms in from the spine and 2.5cms from the top and bottom
and mark with a pencil.
Using the large hole in the cropadile punch through the folded envelope.
Using this envelope as a guide, mark the holes in the other 2 envelopes and punch. 
 
Layer the envelopes together and tie ribbon through the holes.
I left one end longer so I can loosen the ribbon if the book becomes a little bulky after decorating.
You can dab some wet glue on the ends to stop the ribbon from fraying. 
 
Before I decorate a book I always gather up as many matching embellishments as I can.
(A great chance to use up that hoarded stash...)
It really does make decorating a book a lot quicker if everything is at hand.
 
This is the first page of the book, I have tags to make for journaling on the left hand side
and I'll probably add more bits and pieces as I go along :) 
 
The second page is a pic of the family (except me...) enjoying the first snowfall one winter.
I still have to complete the journaling on the left hand side.
You can use the flap of the envelope for tucking in tags and little bits and pieces inside. 
 

When I get the book completely finished I'll post all the photos of the inside
so you will have a better idea of how it all comes together.
 
If you made it to the end of this very long post
THANK YOU!
I hope I have inspired you to have a go at your own little book
and if you do, please post a link in the comments section below - I'd love to see it :)
 
Don't forget to pop back tomorrow for a link to Susi's blog
where she has made some handwarmers.
These are great little things, I've made some for the craft fair coming up
and I've had to hide them because all the family want one :)
 
Take care,
Sarah xx

Edited to add: Rene from Simply Cute has used my tutorial to make a fabulous calendar.  You really must check it out!!!
Click HERE to see it. 

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
MIM ~ linky party
Challenges 4 Everybody #8 ~ anything goes
Corrosive Challenges ~ anything goes
CI Paints ~ anything goes
The Squirrel & The Fox ~ anything goes 

Sunday, 25 November 2012

Christmas Countdown Days 24 & 25

Good Morning!
 
My internet connection has been terrible the past couple of days
so I'm hoping it lasts long enough to get this posted!
 
Yesterday and today we have 2 projects from Sarah W
for Creative Craft World's Christmas Coundown.
She has made loads of gorgeous inky tags and a layout.
If you pop over to her blog you'll see them here.
 
 
Tomorrow it's my turn again and I'll be posting a tutorial
for a mini envelope book
Here's a wee sneak peek...
 
 
I hope you're all enjoying your weekend
and all being well...I'll see you tomorrow :)
Take care
Sarah xx

Friday, 23 November 2012

Day 23 Christmas Countdown at Creative Craft World

Hello again!
 
I was busy all day yesterday making some hot/cold bags for the craft fair.
They're small little bags that you heat in the microwave and put in your pockets to keep your hands warm or you can keep them in the fridge ready to put on knocks and bumps that little ones
(or even big ones!) can have.  I'll upload some pics soon.
 
I have a link today to Ali's blog where she has a Christmas tree project
for the Christmas Countdown at Creative Craft World.
You can see all the pictures and her tutorial here.
 
 
Thanks for popping in today and I hope to have something of my own to share tomorrow!
I'll also have a link to some Christmas tags.
See you soon,
Sarah xx

Thursday, 22 November 2012

Yummy Christmas Treats!

Hello everyone!
It's day 22 of our Christmas Countdown at Creative Craft World
and it's Susi's turn to make a project and she has
made some delicious looking truffles.
 
You'll find all the details on how to make them here.
 
That's it from me today....I haven't a project of my own because I've agreed to do a craft stall
at the children's primary school and I've just 2 weeks to get some things made!!
Any tips on what I could make would be greatly appreciated :D
 
I'm still catching up on commenting so if I haven't been to see you yet
I will soon!
Take care,
Sarah xx