Sunday 25 June 2017

AAA CAS Card Challenge #93


Hello there friends, it's time for another challenge over at AAA CAS Cards and I hope you enjoyed all of our birthday party winners on the main blog last week. I was thrilled with the number of people who answered my question about their favourite crafting tool and if you read on to the end I've added a resume of the answers provided.

First up let's introduce our theme for the next fortnight which is 'Words Take Centre Stage' and our sponsor for this challenge is Uniko. I couldn't resist using one of the new sets 'Explosion - Additions' to create my 'masculine-style congrats/encouragement card' The images are stamped using Altenew Inks and I've quickly covered the 'WOW' word with clear embossing powder to add some extra shine. The 'UR' are die-cut letters by My Favourite Things Die-Namics with a Basic Stitched Edge die also by MFT to separate the black and white sections of the card front. 


As always there's plenty more super CAS creations by my fellow teamies, with links to their blogs on the AAA Cards blog HERE and here's our photo inspiration card too ...


We are delighted to welcome another previous winner of AAA Cards challenges and our guest designer for this current one ... it's Nonni! If you've never visited Nonni's blog before you are definitely missing a treat as she's a whizz at CAS cards and creates the most fabulous cheery designs. I'm slightly biased as she's one of my fellow teamies over at Less is More but I do hope you'll pop along and leave her some wonderful comments this week. 

As promised here's the results of my 'nosey' question for our birthday challenge ...

"What's your favourite crafting tool that you use every time 
and simply couldn't live without and why?"


In total I received 50 responses and basically the majority just can't live without a Misti! It's certainly made a stampers life so much easier with the ability to re-stamp and line images up perfectly each time. So the Misti received 16 nominations followed by Paper Trimmers/Guillotines with 8, Die-cutting machines with 7, Heat Guns 3. The remaining items receiving 1 or 2 nominations and in alphabetical order ... Absorbent chamois, Acrylic blocks, Brushos, Coloured Pencils, Craft Mats, Embossing Machine / Powders, Exacto Knife, Pokey / Quilling Tools, Scissors, Scor-pal, Tape Runners and Tweezers. So I'm guessing most of us have all of these items in our stash and it's just a matter of prioritising their individual importance to us.

I found this a really fun investigation if only to prove what I already thought but it's here in black and white and hope you found it useful too. Thanks to all who played along with the birthday challenge and left me such fun messages. 

If you missed the winners post at AAA Cards then I chose JulyeB and here's her comment

Pretty card and love the sentiment too and the curve gives an unusual look. Happy birthday to AAA cards. My go to tool would have to be my pokey tool, I use it for all sorts from lifting the edge on double sided tape ,positioning small bits that have glue on them, stomping down small additions to apply pressure and make them stick ,holding and placing peel-offs, picking up small die cuts or gems etc the list seems endless. I made the mistake one summer if using it for some paper piercing whist sat on our decking and sat it on a pile of paper, the breeze blew and it dropped down between two planks never to be seen again, I was gutted and lost until I was able to go out and buy another. Hubby said he might take up the decking when we redo the garden so I'm looking forward to finding my old long lost friend."

Julye's reasons behind her favourite tool had me laughing, giggling and almost crying at the same time as I imagined the scenario. Crafting outside never works for me but at least she tried and I felt her immense pain in losing her special piece of kit! Thanks so much Julye and I hope you enjoy your prize and the rediscovery of your long last tool when the time arrives!

As always thanks for calling by my blog today and I hope you feel inspired and will play along with us!

Sarah

Saturday 24 June 2017

Less is More #334


Hi there, can you believe another week has just zipped by and it's time to announce our latest weekly challenge at Less is More - these weeks need to slow down as I can't keep up!!!

So on to the challenge and it's time for a sketch this week, I've got a few examples for you and I've got to admit I was pretty pleased with myself having made a Christmas card during the hottest week so far this year! I was desperate to use the CBS landscape die but having photographed my card and popped it on the Less is More blog I'm not sure it adheres to our sketch quite as much as it should so here's a few more examples .... but first up the sketch!






Using Distress inks in Blueprint Sketch, Mermaid Lagoon and Faded Jeans I've created a loose watercolour effect in the shape of the sketch - a little tricky when the ink wants to run beyond the 'lines'! Once dry I splattered some water on top for extra interest then stamped the magnolia blooms by Altenew, added a die-cut sentiment from Impression Obsessions. 

I was inspired by the photo challenge over at Inkspirational this week so I'd like to pop this card in there as well as Addicted to Stamps and More, where they're celebrating a massive 5 years worth of challenges with a 'Make Your Mark' challenge and lastly, another entry to this month's Flower Challenge where it's 'Anything Goes'






Next up and using some striking and vibrant design papers from Doodlebug plus their sprinkles too I've created 2 cards, as close as possible to the sketch, but flipped on the second one. 


This one uses another 'on the line' die-cut sentiment from Impression Obsessions and I'd like to pop this one in at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge where it's 'Use Design Paper' and they are featuring products by Doodlebug! Pretty fortunate seen as I love their papers and accessories. 

Simon Wednesday Challenge Blog Logo



Another set of papers from Doodlebug and this time accessorised with a die-cut sentiment by Waffle Flower and the 'your birthday' from Uniko: Simply Said


... and last but not least my 'dubious' make from the Less is More blog with a distress inky blended skyline, white gel pen snow drops plus some added glitter sparkles to the sky too and to finish a festive sentiment from Uniko: Most Wonderful.


As always thanks for calling by my blog today and I hope you feel inspired to join in with our sketch challenge this week. There's loads of fab makes from by fellow teamies at Less is More so don't forget to pay them a visit and the links to their blogs can be found HERE


Sarah

Saturday 17 June 2017

Less is More #333

Hi there crafty friends, are you ready for this week's challenge at Less is More and it's another fun one so hope you feel inspired to join us and play along. I've 3 cards for you today, with a couple of family birthdays coming up soon and several friends also it seemed the perfect opportunity to get ahead of myself.


I'm on a bit of a shaker roll at the moment and loving this curly 'friend' die-cut sentiment from Paper Smooches, which certainly works a treat in glitter cardstock and adhered directly on to the acetate window. Having tried brushos with cling wrap I was fascinated to see a video by the fabulous Jennifer McGuire HERE using watercolours with cling wrap. I need to get a little more practice in to make them as vibrant as JM's but for a first attempt I was pretty impressed and I've used a piece as the background to my shaker window. I used a stitched circle die from Simon Says Stamp for the window and the sprinkles from Little Things by Lucy.

It's an 'Anything Goes' week over at Addicted to Stamps and More so I'd like to head across there with this one.



... here's the family ones!


First up for my niece followed by her mum's below. Their birthdays fall on consecutive days next month. The images are from Clearly Besotted: Time to Party and Laugh Out Loud, plus the Basic Alphabet also by CBS. For a change I used my Memento dew drop inks, that have been neglected of late but I'm loving the colours and they were easy to blend for the 3 matching stripes behind the balloon panel.


Another example using Jennifer McGuire's Watercolour 'cling wrap' technique inside a die-cut heart shaped aperture from WPlus9. The inlaid 'sister' word die is from Clearly Besotted and 'Happy Birthday' by Avery Elle.


Ooooh! before I forget ... here's our Cue Card for the Less is More challenge and there's still time to be in with a chance of a prize from our generous sponsor for this month, STAMPlorations.



Don't forget to check out the fabulous designs from my fellow teamies over on the main blog HERE 

Hope you'll play along and have some fun and thanks for calling by and I'll be back soon!



Sarah

Tuesday 13 June 2017

A Little Tuesday Flower Power!

Hi friends, I've a card to share today  and would you believe this card was started last summer at the HLS retreat in Swindon when my buddy Anita let me borrow this stunning bloom. I stamped and heat embossed it ... and it has remained in that state until this week!!!



I finally decided to add some yummy blue tones with an inky blend of Distress inks over the top, a splatter of water with perfect pearls and to finish a little bit of sparkle with some sequins. It's such a beautiful and detailed stamp that I can't even remember which company makes it ... Anita can you help out with that??? The sentiment is by WPlus9: Ranunculus

I'd like to link this one up at The Flower Challenge with a massive apology as it's one of those challenges I really should enter every month, especially because I own so many floral stamps and they really are my favourite image on cards. So here at last ...


Thanks for calling by my blog today and I hope you're enjoying a crafty week!


Sarah

Sunday 11 June 2017

Uniko Revisit Originally Organics & Additions - June 2017

Hello there fellow crafters it's a REVIST month over at Uniko where Bev askes us to 'dig out', dust down and bring a previously released set back into the spotlight! 

This month it's the Originally Organics and Additions sets that she's asked us to revisit. What's more she's recently brought out matching dies for the first set so I've been playing around with those to create my cards ... in fact I've gone a little bit mad but hope you like my cards. I've teamed them with the recently released BG Block too; Horizontal Stripes.







As is the tradition there's a blog hop giveaway; the prize being the featured set or a gift card to the same value if you already own the set and here's the order to hop!


You'll find all the details including the links to to my teamies blogs and a sneaky peek at what they've created with this set over at Uniko HERE

Before I leave you to hop here's the image of the sets and as always thanks for visiting my blog today and I wish you lots of luck on the hop!


Sarah

AAA CAS Cards Challenge #92

Hello there friends, I'm back again this weekend and this time it's to introduce the latest challenge for this coming fortnight over at AAA CAS Cards

... but first of all we are also introducing some wonderful new teamies to our little challenge blog and I'm sure they'd love to receive a visit from you if you have the time to pop along and leave some love and encouragement. Our newbies aren't new to the world of blogging but just in case you haven't 'met' them before here's their names, with links to their blogs: 

Asa of Scrapatheltenkelt, Cheryl of Cards and Clutter, Elaine of Craft-e-place
Lucie of Luciegcards, Maaike of Cards by Maaike and Tracie of Tracie Pond Designs

Alongside the original Design Team and our special and super talented Guest Designer; Jasleen of Happily Eva Crafter our newbies have worked their magic with our latest technique themed challenge




Here's my card and for this challenge ... we are being sponsored by Happy Little Stampers and I simply had to use their gorgeous 'Butterfly Birthday' set as it's my favourite and works perfectly with a resist technique. I've stamped the butterflies in Versamark ink before heat embossing then blended distress inks over the top. To add a little interest to the card front I've used a stitched landscape border die from Mama Elephant, with a sentiment and sparkly gems from Happy Little Stampers.




As always thanks for calling by my blog today and I hope you feel inspired to play along with us!

Have fun and happy crafting!

Sarah

Saturday 10 June 2017

Less is More #332



Morning friends, another week has zipped by and it's time to introduce this week's challenge over at Less is More and it's that 'dreaded' one. The ONE layer card week but hopefully we've picked a popular theme that you'll enjoy.

Here's the Cue card followed by my examples and don't forget my fellow teamies have some fantastic inspiration over on the main blog HERE as well as on their personal blogs so do hop along and pay them a visit if you get the chance this week!

So 2 fruity themed 'sweet' cards from me; both using the Simply Scrumptious set from Clearly Besotted, with a sentiment from Altenew Simple Fruits on the first one and images inked with Altenew inks throughout. To add a little extra detail on this first one I've hand drawn a border to my focal square panel which was masked with post it tape prior to stamping.






I'm also sharing a little Design Team inspiration over at Uniko this morning HERE and I've a sneaky peek at my card below. I couldn't resist playing with 'sweet' Uniko set which works at Less is More too. Quite by accident it looks like I've still got that Neapolitan ice-cream on the brain!!! 




I hope you'll play along with us this week and have some crafty fun too!

Thanks for calling by and I'll be back soon!


Sarah

Saturday 3 June 2017

Less is More #331


Morning friends, are you ready for this week's challenge at Less is More and can you believe that's another month ticked off! Summer is almost here! So the first week of the month signals our COLOUR challenge, new sponsor and guest designer.

We're delighted to welcome Shery of STAMPlorations as our Sponsor and Guest Designer and to get you into that summer mood we've chosen some popular ice-cream colours; Strawberry, Chocolate and Vanilla (otherwise known as Neapolitan) as our challenge.

Here's the Cue Card



Hopefully that won't cause too many issues and here's my cards. Going with the ice-cream theme I've stamped an ice-cream cone from a discontinued Clearly Besotted set called, So Sweet. The blobs of ice-cream are stencilled using a STAMPlorations 'splatters' stencil, with a strip of washi tape to the right and a sentiment from Avery Elle: Pick and Mix running along the tape. 


This next one uses the Neat & Tangled Every Day Circles set and teamed with a border stamp from Uniko: Background Builders Triangulate. 




Don't forget to check out the fabulous designs from my fellow teamies over on the main blog HERE 

Hope you'll play along and have some fun and thanks for calling by and I'll be back soon!


Sarah

Friday 2 June 2017

Happy Little Stampers June 2017 - CAS Challenge

Hi there, it's time for this month's challenge over at Happy Little Stampers CAS Challenge and here's our cue card with the theme. It's a slightly messy one but hope you'll enjoy it. 



Here's my card and if you follow my blog regularly you might notice I do like to get messy with inks and watercolours now and again. Distress inks are my go to favourite and whenever I've got some pigment left on my craft sheet I like to 'dab it up' by smooshing it onto some watercolour card. I've now a never-ending supply of smooshy backgrounds and here's one with a little bit of perfect pearls mixed with the water to add some shimmer.


Supplies used:
Dies: Simon Says Stamp: Sketched Heart & My Favourite Things: Pierced Rectangle Stax
Stamps: Happy Little Stampers - Wish You Were Here sentiment
Sparkly sprinkles from HLS and Distress inks to create my smooshed background.

Our challenge is sponsored by HLS and one lucky person will win a prize so why not join in - there's a whole month to do so!


You might even like to link up to some of the other Happy Little Stampers challenges and all the details are on the blog HERE

Ok I hope you feel inspired to play along with us and don't forget to pop along to the CAS Challenge blog HERE where you'll find all the links and designs by fellow teamies ... you're in for a treat!



Thanks as always for visiting my blog today and catch up soon!

Sarah

Uniko Challenge #41 - Reminder

Hi there, I'm back with a little reminder about our current challenge over at Uniko. It's an easy one and as we're fast approaching Father's Day here in the UK it's a perfect opportunity to create a masculine card for that very occasion. It's Masculine with a twist on Father's Day and I've created 2 cards using some of the Background Builders sets by Uniko which I think always come in handy for those guys!


This one uses the Round in Circles BG Builder, with the second one using BG Builder - Triangulate. I've inked all the images with Altenew Inks and added a 'Father's Day' sentiment from the Simply Said II set. The die-cut Celebrate above is by Waffle Flower and the 'Cheers' one, below is by Lawn Fawn. Both of these are mounted on 3 pieces of cardstock to create some added dimension.



I hope you feel inspired to play along and as always there's plenty of fantastic creations by my fellow teamies, so why not head over to the Uniko blog HERE to check out the links and pay them a visit! I'm sure they'd appreciate it!


Once again we are joined by the wonderful Hannelie AKA Desert Diva, one of our previous Uniko Challenge winners and guest designing for us this month. Do pop along and visit her blog and leave a friendly word and some love.

You have until Friday, 23rd June to link up to the challenge and all the details you need about prizes and how to play can be found over at Uniko HERE

As always thanks for calling by my blog today and I hope you feel inspired and will play along with us!


Sarah