Late-ish Post for From the Heart Stamps Monthly Challenge (April)

Well I say its late (ish) but it is still the 28th of April here in the UK so I have two days left before the end of the month. I loved the image from From the Heart Stamps this month as it really spoke to me and I knew immediately that I would be using this stamp over and over again. 

The card I made is a 4x4 inch card, which I think is cute and wasn't initially intended. I used new promarkers that I received for my birthday this month and think are just beautiful. I combined some boofle paper and Hugs with Henry card kit paper to create the background and mat the stamped image. But enough explanation (because I have so much else I could talk about but would distract from the purpose of this post), here is the card I made...

I enjoyed making this tiny little card. Here's a more succinct list of supplies:

• Hugs with Henry Decoupage card kit
• Boofle paper pad
• Blank white card from unknown supplier
• Promarkers: buttercup, apple, lilac, duck egg
• From the Heart Challenge Stamp: Spring Medley

Sorry this is so short. I promise that when June comes round I will try to be on her more. I will have more time to craft and more time to blog about it all...hopefully. :)

See you all next month. 

Sara xx

Hamlet....Shakespeare or PigWit?

I struggle to understand Shakespeare at the best of times, however, when my sister told me she would be deputy stage manager for a production at our local theatre I just had to go along and have a look. I learnt a lot in the process of booking and going to watch this play, firstly that Hamlet is my boyfriends favorite piece of work by Shakespeare and secondly that I actually really want to learn more about Hamlet. :) I'm going to get myself a copy of the play at some point, with explanatory notes to help me understand the old English. I enjoyed the play so much and want to better understand the story line. :)

Anyway I waffle...I'm here to show you the card I made for the monthly challenge at From the Heart Stamps. Its a beautiful and very funny stamp this month, and I enjoyed colouring him in during a spare moment from working on my dissertation. Here is the card, which I made on a slightly longer break this evening. (I'm struggling with my analysis of my data right now and I need to find a way to calm down a bit...I'll get there eventually. :) ). 

I'm sorry he's a little blurry. 

Made using:  Anita Art Stamps, Baby Pink Card Base
                      Boofle paper pad 
                      From the Heart Stamp - Hamlet PigWit Think Spring


I think he's so cute and I will definitely be putting him into the challenge this month, even though I am constantly aware of the extremely talented people that I put my cards up next too. I'm learning slowly and I will achieve 'professional' looking cards one day. :) Anyway, I'm going to have a bit of a chill before bed. Talk to you again next month. 

Sara xx

BirdBrain Birthday Card

When I'm busy and I need to make a card I look up at all my supplies on the top of my wardrobe and find myself struggling to want to drag it all down and start. In those moments that I find time to drag it all down, I find myself easily creating a number of cards in such a short space of time that I wonder what took me so long. :)
This evening I managed to take down those supplies because I had a number of cards to prepare. A couple for my mum, who gave me a nice long list at the beginning of the year, and also a valentines card for my lovely boyfriend. I'm cutting it fine on making this one, although not as fine as I could have cut it. :P I won't show that card just yet, because he needs to see it first...but I will take photos and put it up at a later date. I'm very proud of it. 
Today's post will be dedicated to a birthday card I have made for mum and dad to give to my uncle. I love knowing  that every month there will be a beautiful image coming my way from 'From the Heart Stamps', which means that I have a reason to sit down and make sure I use the image from the current month. Motivation is a freebie, and a beautiful one at that. Thank you Faith Skrdla. :)

Here is my card and a list of the supplies used to make it: 

• From the Heart Free Stamp - 'Birthday Candle BirdBrain'
• Papermania Relations stamp set
• Make & Create 5" x 7" White card blank
• Promarkers - Honeycomb, China Blue, Mustard, Lime Zest 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  This is the inside of the card with the extra sentiments that came with the candle birdbrain image this month. This image is beautiful and the sentiments are so sweet. I really hope my uncle likes it. :) The challenge can be found here, and the shop can be found at this link. Please do go and take a look at all the beautiful cards that have been made using the beautiful image. :)
  
  Take care everyone. See you soon. 
  Sara x

Happy New Year! Make a Wish! Card

Happy New Year Everyone! 

I'm writing this nine days into 2014, but still I haven't had anything to put up here in a little while. I'm all settled back in after a trip home for Christmas and ready for Uni to restart again. I need some routine! It's got so bad I don't even know what day it is half the time. lol. :P 

Anyway, I've set myself a card making challenge this year. I asked my Mum to give me a list of the cards she would need throughout the year and I am challenging myself to make sure that I make all the cards that my Mum needs in 2014. So far I'm doing well, and I'm even finding time to fit in an extra card here or there. 

I am planning on entering this months From the Heart Free Monthly Stamp Challenge again this month, and have already made two cards with the beautiful image that Faith has given us this month. The first card is one I made for my sisters 18th birthday so I won't be able to show you all that one until after January 20th, but I couldn't wait that long to put a card up on the challenge blog post...so I made a second card. 

Here is my Make a Wish! Card:

 This card was made using:

• Jennifer Ellory, Hazy Days paper pad
• Boofle Red Ink
• Jennifer Ellory, Bake a Cake stamp
• From the Heart Free Stamp - 'Caught your Heart' 
• Make & Create 5" x 7" White card blank
• Promarkers - Berry Red, Sandstone, Pear Green, Honeycomb, China Blue, Black (fineliner)

 
 I love this card, although not quite as much as I love the other cards I made in the last few days...none of which can be put up here until after the 22nd January as they are birthday cards that I don't want to risk being seen by accident. 

I love the From the Heart stamps and encourage anyone who reads my posts to go and have a look at their website and all the amazing things they have available. Just click here to take a look.  Oh and do check out the shop too! :P

I'm going to go and relax before bedtime now. See you all again next month. Take care. 

Sara xx

Christmas Time Card

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all!

Now I know that its not quite Christmas yet, but I won't get a chance to say it to you all if I don't say it in this blog post. :) I have been very very busy with Uni work and my Diploma dissertation at the moment, so it was nice yesterday to finally be able to give myself some time to do some crafting. After a lovely day with the boyfriend, I commandeered the living room in my shared housing and settled in to do some card making. 

It was fantastic, I had all my papers and embellishments, card and adhesive laid out all around the coffee table and spent a good eight hours playing happily with it all. :) I did have a hour in the middle where my parents and I had tea, but for the most part it was crafting all the way. I managed to make eleven cards yesterday, including my boyfriends birthday card as that day is fast approaching. :P 

One of the cards I made was for the From the Hearts Stamp of the Month Challenge, and also for the i {heart} sketches Sketch045 challenge. For the Stamp of the Month Challenge this month, there was a choice of image from two amazing images (follow the link and take a look :)). I picked the 'For the Birds' image with a snowman feeding the birds, because I already have a large number of little girl images which was what the other image was, 'Candy Cane Anneke'. 

Here's the card I made:

 This card was made using:

• Gingerbread Lane Papers from Jennier Ellory (a freebie with papercraft inspirations magazine)
• Gingerbread Lane Stickers from Jennifer Ellory (also a freebie with papercraft inspirations magazine)
• Make & Create 5" x 5" Red Greeting Card Base
• From the Heart Stamp of the Month - 'For the Birds'
• Promarkers - Honeycomb, Sandstone, Berry Red, Pear Green, Lime Zest
• White Card Stock -Manufacture Unknown

Isn't he beautiful with his little bird friends? :) I love these images so much and the fact that the From the Heart Stamp of the Month Challenge always makes me want to find time to do so crafting, even if its just the one card. Yesterday was the most crafting I've done in months and I'm excited to say that it left me feeling good. Thing is though, it also left me dreaming of a nice big craft room where I can just leave everything out when I have more to do on a project. :) Guess I'll just have to manage with the pile of crafting items on my desk for now. 

Ah yes, before I forget here is the Sketch Number 45 that was the inspiration for the layout of the card:

Anyway I have at least six more Christmas cards to make, so I plan on making them tomorrow afternoon when I get back from Uni. At least then I'll be already for Christmas. Hope you all have a good one. 

Take care. Talk soon.

Sara xx 

November Card Challenge, Delightful Inspiration {From the Heart}

Hello 

It's Sunday evening here and I'm just settling down to watch some Youtube videos, before I sort out my bag for Uni tomorrow. I spent my morning watching TV with my boyfriend and then my afternoon making a couple of cards for birthdays I have coming up. I decided to use this months Delightful Inspiration {from the heart} image of the month, to make my best friends birthday card. Here is the result:



 
This card was made using: 

• Make & Create 4"x6" Cream Premade card

• Delightful Inspiration {from the heart} “Balloon Ride” image and sentiment

• Boofle 6x6 paper pad

• Promarkers –China Blue, Honeycomb, Ducky Rose, Sandstone, Berry Red, Lavender

• Black fineline drawing pen

I like this image, in fact I think I have a bit of a liking for image with a mouse in it. Always so so sweet. The photograph isn't fantastic and I can't work out why because I have always managed to get really good photos with this camera. Maybe its the lighting, or a shake in my hand I didn't notice. Anyway, I'm going to go and relax. Hope you all like the card. I'm going to enter it into the Delightful Inspirations Monthly Challenge.

Night All.

Sara xx

A New Cure for Feeling Poorly...

Hello Everyone, 

It has been a busy busy month as I started back to university and had to get used to my new timetable. I'm still struggling to remember the times I have to be in there, but I at least always think I'm meant to be at lectures an hour early than I actually need to be. No late awkwardness! In the last couple of days I think starting back as caught up with me and I have come down with a cold, all headaches and icky stomach aches. Some of the headaches might be due to my new glasses, but most of it is because I am ill. So tonight, after a longish day and feeling rather unwell I decided to have a bit of a break and do some crafting.
I started by taking this months image from 'From the Heart Stamps' (shop), which I printed out a week ago to work on and havent had a chance to yet, and set about making myself a card with it. Just recently I've been really struggling to get creative with my cards and crafting in general, so I decided today I would have a little more of an effort. Here is the card I ended up with...

 
This isn't the best photograph of the card, bit its the best I could do with my lighting. I do like the background compared to some of my previous photos, so I may use the floor in front of my bedroom door from now on. Anyway, as I said I wanted to make more of an effort with this card and so I took a paper pack and used a couple of patterns to create a background for the images. I also cut the whole image into three separate images so that the backing paper could be seen between the images. I like the way this card has come out, especially the colouring. :) I'm planning on doing some more crafting tonight while I'm in the mood. :) It might help ease my headache too, but we'll see. 

List of products used to make this card: 
Wilkinson's Crayons, 
Wild Rose Studio: Milton &Co Decoupage card kit, 
Make & Create 5'x5' craft coloured card, 
Harvest Medley Digital Stamp from From the Heart Stamps.

So I hope you like this card, I'm going to enter it into the 'From the Heart October Stamp of the Month' challenge.

Thank you if you made it to the bottom of this post. Take care. 

Sara xx

Bobbing for Apples Card

Hello There,

Its nearly time to go back to Uni, and I'm so excited to get started again. :) Due to being busy working on my Forensic Psychology Diploma, so that it is now nearly finished and won't affect my Uni work, and also getting ready for lectures again, I haven't had time to make this card until now. I also had to try and work out how to use this image. When I say it I had a moment where I just thought, 'What am I going to do with that?' This is because here in the UK most people do not give cards for Halloween or to celebrate autumn. I finally made the decision to just make this card a basic notelet card. :) So here it is.

This card was made using:

• Make & Create 5'x5' Green card base
• From the Heart Stamps - Bobbing for Apples 
• Colouring Pencils - Brown, Pink, Yellow, Green, Blue and Orange.

I love these images so so much, so I had to find a way to use this one so that I can continue to benefit from the generous freebie that this website gives out every month. From the Heart is so so generous with these images and they are just so beautiful. The freebie every month is fantastic and this is Septembers freebie.  You should go check it out if you haven't already. For newbies, it is just  a small one of fee for the image that is being used that month and then as long as the image is used and posted to the challenge page every month then you can receive a new freebie the following month by email.

Thank you to From the Heart for their beautiful images. I'll be hoping to find time (squeezing time in!) for next months image. :) 

Take care everyone. 

Sara xx

August Free Stamp Challenge - 'Cat's out of the Bag'

Hello Everyone, 

I know posts have been none existent on this blog page, but I am a busy bee with preparing for my final year of Uni and just life in general. I will probably just be posting up these 'Delightful Inspiration {from the heart}' challenge cards for a while and maybe some other challenges if I get time. I am in the process of trying to make some Christmas cards, getting an early start on everything here...heh. :)

Anyway, here's my card for the August Free Stamp Challenge, using the 'Cat's out of the Bag' stamp from 'From The Heart Digital Stamps'. I love this image and it was perfect for a thank you card for my boyfriends parents after they had me to stay at their house for a whole month. 



This card was made using: 

• Make & Create 5'x7' Cream Card
• Riverbank Revels Designer Paper Pack
• The sentiment is from Word and filled with medium coloured blue
• Delightful Inspirations {from the heart} - 'Cat's out of the Bag' Freebie stamp -August
• Pro Colour Pencils - Yellow, Brown, Pink, and a Pencil

Thank you for reading this short post and sorry its not more interesting. Hope you like the card. I love these digital stamps so so much, their so cute. :)

Talk to you all next month :)

Sara xxx

Summer Heat and Busy Times

Hello Everyone, 

Boy has it been hot in the last few weeks. I've been staying with my boyfriend and his family this month as I had to move out of student housing for the month. Its been lots of fun and I've spent a lot of time reading and playing games. Not much time scrapbooking or card making, but I don't mind too much as I still enjoy doing it when I go back to it. 

I've decided to make another card for the Delightful Inspiration Monthly Challenge, using their “Painting Ladybug" image. I love these images so much, and I recommend anyone else who loves them to spend that little bit of money to get the current image and then you can have a free image from Faith every month there after. All you have to do is make a project using the image and then link to the From the Heart Stamps digital stamp shop. It's well worth having a look. 

My card this month is here:

   I made this card using:
   
   - Make & Create 5' x 7' cream card,          cut in half with a top fold
   - Art Deco Thank you Stamp Set
   - Painting Ladybug from 'From The
      Heart Digital Stamps'
   - Milton and Co. Decoupage Card
      Making kit


I like the tiny notelet like style that this card ended up like. I had printed and coloured the image before I actually started to make the card and my card base was just far to big as a standard 5' x 7' so I decided to chop it down. :) I like the end result. 

Anyway, I'm going to try and make a thank you card for my boyfriend's parents at some point, so I shall try and put that up for you all to see. 

Talk to you all soon. 

Sara xx

Holidays, Moving out and Card Challenges (updated with links)

Hola! Everyone. :)

So my little break away from this blog was due to a holiday. My boyfriend and I went to Albir in Spain for a week. It was so beautiful, we went to see so many different things and I am official well rested but tired after my first every plane journeys. :) When I say tired, I just mean the kind of tired you get after a good time away from normality. I loved every second of the holiday. We just relaxed and enjoyed the amazing attractions around the area. We went to Aqualandia, Mundomar and Terra Natura. It was fantastic. 

Here's a view of the beach front at Albir: 

 This was getting on to the evening, so it doesn't look as bright as during the day. But its beautiful. We had a high of 33 degrees and the lowest was 21 degrees in the evening, with some wind which was surprising. :)

Anyway, I've been back a day and a bit now with my light tan and my holiday head still in place until the end of yesterday. Now I have to start packing again as I move out of the house I share in a matter of two days. :/ I have packed some of my stuff, and I'm excited to be staying with my boyfriend for the month. :P I have lagged with the packing though as I remembered I had some cards to make. So this morning was spent making a couple of cards for my boyfriends dad, a card for my grandad and a card for the Delightful Inspiration {from the heart} monthly challenge, hosted by From the Heart Stamps.

The card I made  for the monthly challenge is below: 

Made using: 

•  Make & Create 4'x6' Cream Card
• Paper Cellar Ltd, 6x6 Patterned Papers, Men 2
• Delightful Inspiration {from the heart} “Sea Turtle Beach.” image and sentiment
• Promarkers: Amethyst, Lavender, Pear Green, Honeycomb, Mustard, Dusky Rose, Sandstone and China Blue

I like this image, its so sweet and I also like the bucket and spade image that comes with the set also. Its very summery indeed and I will be trying to use it again before the summer ends. It's not truly summer weather here as it has been raining, which is something I did not get in Spain. :) I like being back though as I have lots of things to look forward to and keep me busy now. 

Thanks for reading. I'll talk to you all again soon. 

Sara xx

Little Update

Hi There, 

Well I've been a busy bee since the end of the exam period and its only been a few weeks. I keep having moments when I remember I should probably write on here, but I'm not too sure what to write. Tonight I'm watching youtube videos on how to write a journal and found myself feeling a little guilty for not writing here, then I found myself thinking 'well no ones commented in a while so maybe the topics are just boring'... Oh so much thinking going on. I should just stop thinking. :)

I made a couple of fathers day cards, which I can't put up until after the day so thats something to look forward to. I did manage to finish my first mini album, although it has no front or back cover and it not bound...heh. I will get it photographed for you when I remember to charge my camera. 

At the moment I'm getting ready for a number of different things, I have a holiday coming up which I'm very excited about and I'm adding to my volunteering with Young Potential so its all coming at once. I've also spent a little bit of time looking at my Independant study for next year and my Forensic Pyshcology Diploma too. Oh its endless. lol.

I spent Sunday and Monday this week at home with my family. Went to see my Grandad in hospital for the first time since he went in. I'm glad I went as it was good to see him, and I am going to try and go back very soon. It was also good spending time with Mum, Dad and Emma for a couple of days. I spent all of Monday scanning old photos for scrapbooking, and I have to go back at some point to scan the rest of the thousands of boxes that Mum has emalgamated over the years. I love these little trips down memory lane. 

I have a busy day tomorrow, with three appointments, the post office to nip too and I'm going to see if I can find some cheap 'composition' books (if that's even what there called here in the UK). Then I can head up to see my boyfriend, for a lovely evening and some relaxing before we both start early the following day. 

There's something about the summer holidays between the years of my education. I spend most of the latter half of my educational year wishing for the holidays to arrive so I can relax and do nothing...then my holidays are always busier than the rest of my year. Guess I just have so many things I want to try and fit into my life. :) I wouldn't change anything about it. :) 

Thank you for reading this if you've made it this far. Sorry about the moaning and the dullness. :P I'll see you all again soon with something a bit more crafty. 

Bye for now. 

Sara xx

Frogs, Corsets and Birthday Cakes

Hey Everyone. :)

I've got a few cards for you. These are cards that I made a while back but never got a chance to put up on my blog. I decided I'd pop them up because I ran out of adhesive...which means the mini album I was making has had to be put on hold... Damn. :( 

Anyway, here we are. Three cards for you. :)

Card One:

This card was made using: 

•  Make & Create 5’x7’ White Card
•   Make & Create Green Pearlescent Card
•   Country Companions – Sunshine Meadows Stamp set
• cArt-us Oval dies
• Promarkers- Berry Red, Honeycomb, Pear Green, Dusky Rose, Cornflower

Card Two:

This card was made using: 

• Make & Create 5’x7’ White Card
•   Birthday Bash image – The Stamping Chef  Digital Stamp
• Woodware, Kid’s Birthday Stamp Set
• Black fineline drawing pen
• Promarkers – Pear Green, China Blue, Honeycomb, Ducky Rose, Mustard, Sandstone, Amethyst

Card Three:


This card was made using:

• Make and Create 4’x6’ Cream card
• Woodware – Kid’s Birthday stamp set
• cArt-us So Sweet Gertie and Kim stamp set
• Springtime Papers – Freebie from Papercraft Inspirations Issue 111
• Boofle 6x6 Paper Pack

I know there are fewer images for each card this time, but my camera is 'dead' and so I can't upload the detail images. 

When I have my first mini album all done, I'll upload some photos of that. I'm really excited about it actually. :) 

Hope you are all having a lovely Friday. Enjoy the weekend and I will talk to you soon. 

Sara xxx

Finally Free!...Maybe not... :P

Long time no 'see'. 

I've been a busy bee, revising away, taking exams and the like. I have finally finished today, at 12pm, which was fantastic. I am now a lot lighter, but still very tired. :) Now I can officially call it Summer....although it has rained buckets here nearly all morning. :/ 

Anyway, I am now in my Summer and looking forward to the things I have planned and the free time I will have. I have made a decision to do most of the work for my Independent Study over the Summer, and I have my Forensic Psychology Diploma to get going on...but I also want to spend some time card making....and scrapbooking . :P

Yes I found another hobby, I'm just full of creativity me...I have to find lots of ways to let it flow out. lol. :) I was looking at card makers on Youtube and came across, 'Shimelle Laine' on the Two Peas in a Bucket channel. She does lots of videos on scrapbooking layouts and the like, which are so cute. :) I also re-found lots of videos on how to make scrapbook albums, so I spent my down time during revision looking at those and decided to start myself a little scrapbook about me and my family, favorites, boyfriend etc...I also want to do a December Daily album, but we'll see about that. lol.

Last night after I'd finished revising for my last exam, I spent some time relaxing and looking for freebie pages to create my diary for next year at Uni. Well I came across a freebie worksheet website, that is actually for primary school children really...but I really liked a lot of the worksheets. So...I made a journal. A very basic journal, just the worksheets, a inside page (Simple Stories Freebie) and a cardboard back and front cover; all hole punched and tied together with ribbon.  Here's my journal - I'm going to decorate it eventually. 

 

And here's an image of one of the worksheets. 

I really love the idea of these worksheets, the basic premise being to get kids to use their imagination to create a story from the picture. There are prompt words too, which is just so sweet. 
So as my first ever handmade journal, I'm going to create a story every day for 25 pictures. I've started today, and my first one is about Grandpa Tree and Little Tree watching the Kites.  :)

I don't plan on uploading each story, but if you'd like to see an update at some point...or every story....please tell me and I will try and do that for you. 

I'd love to hear what you all think about it. :) I will be putting up a post or two on some cards soon, and I have Fathers Day cards to make in the coming weeks. Lots to keep me busy during what looks to be a cold Summer ahead. Hopefully we'll get some more sunny days, when I'm actually able to go out and enjoy them. 
 Maybe my week away in Albir will be all the sun I manage to get this Summer. lol. 

Take care. :)

Sara xxx

Geekie Girl! :P

Hey Everyone! 

Hope you are all well. I'm not sure when I last posted up (and I'm feeling too lazy to go and find out when I did :/), but it feels like a long time so I thought I would do so. :) I have a card I want to show you all. I spent my Sunday morning having a bit of a crafting session. I did this mainly because I had requested a freebie image from The Stamping Chef, and if I don't get a card put into the folder before Monday morning I won't be able to request the image for next week. :( Freebies are always a bonus, so I like to try and make sure I can get them when possible. So as I needed a card for the TSC challenge, I made this card....

 This card was made using:

• Papermania '5x'7 White Card
• Purple Cardstock - Unknown Brand
• Make and Create Ribbon
• Printed Sentiments - MS Reference Sans Serif - Size 20
• The Stamping Chef Freebie Image - Keep Calm and Be Geekie
• Promarkers - Amethyst, Lavender, Berry Red, Sandstone, Pear Green, Honeycomb, China Blue, Black (fineliner)

 


I love this image so so much, because minus the piercings this is me all over. :P I loved colouring her in, it was very theraputic actually, and I really want to give her a try in different colours when I get a chance. 

This card has been put in the 'The Stamping Chef Facebook Challenge'. which ends tomorrow (Monday 20th May). Fingers crossed this time. I'm so proud of her. :)

Here is a look at the inside of the card. I've never using computer printed sentiments before, but I like how its come out. I prefer using stamps though, but as my stamp collection is still very small I will have to make do sometimes. :)


This wasn't the only card I made today, but as the other one was made with a recipient in mind I won't put that one up until it has been recieved. 

Thank you for popping by. I'll talk to you again soon. 

Sara xx