Busy Weekend!

The weekend just FLEW past this week! shopping, crafting, reading, writing, snuggling and then gone, Monday morning again!!

I did manage to get almost a whole day in my studio though to start some projects for Derwent and Crafty Ribbons. Here are my Derwent projects in progress.... (and a teeny sneak of a new range from Crafty Ribbons...)

I'll have some more info on all of these soon and the completed projects obviously!

I also managed a layout and a couple of cards - not bad! So here you go, my weekends work...

The witch card is coloured with Derwent Inktense pencils. The 'Thinking of You' card was coloured with Promarkers.

You will also be pleased to know that last weeks low carb nightmare ended up being worth it, wooo! So another week ahead, albeit slightly more relaxed, still no bread / pasta / potatoes though - bad food! LOL Thank you for bearing with me during my strops and temper tantrums - how my OH coped I'll never know!

Sarah x

And it's Friday!!

This week went soooo fast, think I was over-ambitious in saying I would get over half of my 'To-Do' list done, about a quarter of it gone done so you can guess what my weekend will be like!! *sigh*

My lovely pristine white empty desk I showed you last week now looks like this...

Haha, didn't stay tidy for long!!! It's not mess though, its 'work in progress' really honest it is and when I've finished it will be clean once more (whenever that is!!)

I have a couple more Letraset projects and some other bits to show including a step-by step for Derwent pencils but I'm just tooo wiped to sort the pics right now (sorry!) so that will come soon :o) Instead I'll leave you with one of the mini projects I done for Letraset - they sent me a Wooden Egg Cup - I kept taking it out the box and putting it back, wondering what I could do with it - the obvious thing would be something to do with Easter / Chickens etc... but I don't like to be too predictable so after some deliberation it turned into this little guy...

Have a throroughly lovely weekend!

Sarah x

p.s. if you are looking for the DT call, it's 3 posts down :o)

Letraset Projects

Today I can start showing you the projects I created for CHA for Letraset - all of them 3D things, they sent me a load of blank things and I had to come up with some ideas - eeek! LOL

Firstly, the wooden 'Home Sweet Home' box

I was sent this plain wooden chest type box....

which I coloured with Promarkers to make it look old and vintagey...

Then on the inside I used elements from my Woodland Whimsies CD, all coloured with Promarkers (including the strip of grass which I cut and coloured by hand) to create a 3D 'Home' scene - I love to make 'Home' themed things, probably because it's my favourite place in the whole world! :o)

and some close-ups....

I'll be back tomorrow with another one!

Sarah x

p.s. if you are looking for the DT call, it's 2 posts down :o)

Some work.....

Firstly thank you to everyone who has already sent in your application for the DT - you peeps are quick! If you haven't seen the call yet, please see below and send me an e-mail - don't be shy!

Secondly, I have to tell you I've become a complete digi-scrap convert since I started working with GallimaufryUK designs! (not that I'll ever stop loving my paper of course! LOL) Here are a few layouts I've done this week....

These are with the 'Fresh Start' kit which you can get here....

And this one is done with the new 'My Love' kit which you can get here....

I think this one was my favourite! OH doesn't like the funny faces he is pulling in the pics but I think it's cute :o)

Today I finished an illustration, sketched out the outlines for a few more, organised my pooter as I've been working so fast I hadn't put anything in folders and also I've been organising the DT work to upload to our new gallery coming soon (more details to follow!) and then I had a quick hour colouring in in my studio - bliss!

Now I have some emails to answer, letters to type, orders to print off, plan to write, designs to sketch out and then I'm going to bed!!!

Sarah x

DT Call!

I wasn't expecting to this just yet but things are moving rather faster than I expected! So I am looking for 3-4 additional DT members. if you have applied before please do apply again!

I am looking for card makers, scrapbookers and altered / mixed media artists to work with my range of CD's, Stamps, Inks, and new products coming soon. The requirements etc... are as follows:

* You must have your own blog which you contribute to regularly (once a week or more)
* You must be able to comment to our Challenge Blog, both joining in with the challenges and commenting on challenge entries
* You must be able to commit to at least a 6 month term

Please send me an email here with your blog link, a little about you and 2-3 pieces of your favourite work. Please also let me know what your speciality is - cards / scrapbooking / altered and mixed media art and / or other crafts and if you belong to any forums or have any galleries i.e. 2peas, flickr etc etc....

The call is open to UK and International applicants and will close at midnight GMT on 15th February - the new DT members will be notified approximately one week later. If you have any questions please ask via email.

So come on, don't be shy!!!

Sarah x

A new week....

...and a new 'To-Do' list and, as ever, it's a MONSTER! LOL lots of the things are little things though so I'm confident I'll get over half done, and I've made a good start today! Despite the fact that I'm starting a sugar / carb detox today and my head is banging and I want sugar RIGHT NOW! seriously, I think I'd swap my shoe collection for a square of chocolate, actually no, maybe not!!! But still day 1 is the hardest, tomorrow I will be on FIRE! (ha!)

Today I've been surrounded by sketchbooks (I keep one for each thing that I'm working on to stay organised!) starting sketches and finalising designs for some fab new things, I'm so excited about what this year will bring :o)

I won't ramble too long today, I really need to go and scream into a pillow (quietly so I don't hurt my head - why do I do these crazy things?!) but I did just want to ask for the help of my crafty friends and readers. My friend Michelle has recently become involved with the Childrens Charity Post Pals after her nephew sadly died. This is a fantastic cause and brings a smile to the faces of some very very ill children, so please spare just one or two of your lovely creations, write a little note and send to a sick child, you could make their whole week!

I'm off to snuggle with Fuzzybutt now (who smells lush and is super fluffy after a big bath yesterday) she's not to happy with me as she had to have a Pawdicure yesterday (claw trim!) and she hates her claws touched so she's still giving me that injured puppy dog look while flouncing around sighing, a cuddle may help!

Sarah x

Time to Scrap....

I keep saying it but not really getting around to it, but I really want to spend more time creating things! I have actually been making lots of things the last few weeks but all for clients, so today I took a quick half an hour to make a layout 'just because'! I'm sure you know by now my love affair with October Afternoon and I've had these Campfire papers for a while now but not really found any pics to go with them (I'm not really an 'outdoorsy' kind of girl so I probably don't have any!) but I came across this one my parents had sent me of my little sisters in a tree and it seemed perfect!

Over the weekend I may have a go with the 'Modern Homemaker' collection, I think it's my favourite ever line and I haven't had the heart to actually cut any of it yet!

Off to watch the rest of QVC Craft Day now and snuggle with Fuzzybutt - I have some sketching to do so I can do that from my 'sofa office' :o)

Sarah x

Crazy Days....

Today was totally manic, up early to run some errands (which I only just got done in the nick of time) before meeting up with my lovely friend Karen from ScrapShed who I haven't seen in FAR too long!! With one thing and another a few months (months!!!) had passed - crazy, we live 20 mins apart! Anywhooo, we met up for a spot of shopping, some junk shop rifling, love these 2 vintage books I found, one dictionary and one hymn / music book - they won't be staying whole for long!!

I can't wait to chop them up and get them all inky and painty..... The dictionary had the cutest sentiment in it...

'Make Friends with Words' how lovely... Both books have fab pages, here's a little glimpse before they ripped up and inked to make them even more vintagey looking, I feel a collage coming on....

The a quick half hour for posh coffee in a little place obssessed with grilling EVERYTHING! It seems we always find these places who insist on serving everything warm and toasted - bagels are supposed to be cold and anything with salad in it grilled is just plain WRONG! I also picked up the newest issue of Popular Crafts as they featured my blog this month (woo!)so I wanted to have a look. Then home for not so posh coffee and some catching up on emails - amazing what builds up when you go out for one morning, I'll still be catching up tomorrow *sigh* All done while dealing with excruciating joint pain - ouchie!

Now I'm off to swoon at the Crate blog for a bit, they just posted their CHA sneaks and I'm in love already - MUST have!

Sarah x

Fun with Ribbon

A very very quick post from me today as I am SUPER tired, all of my CHA projects are done and gone though - woo! Pics as soon as I'm allowed, LOL

Today when I was finishing one of them up I added a bit of twill ribbon from Crafty Ribbons, as I mentioned previously it can be coloured with Promarkers and the colours even blend! Check this out....

White, Red, Red into orange and then yellow..... see how the colour bleeds in the red only picture - that helps the colours to blend perfectly, I just went slightly over each edge withthe lighter colour - lush! multi-coloured ribbons will be adorning every project from now on!!!

Today, as you can probably guess, I spent all day in my studio again (LOVE!) before a quickie trip to the library and a quick run into the supermarket for some food, thought us and the pooch should probably eat!! LOL. Now to catch up with all my e-mails and finish up an illustration proposal for a client, then maybe some sleep! I wonder what tomorrow will bring......

Sarah x

What Am I Up To Now??!

Today I had a lovely and very productive day in my newly revamped studio finishing off samples for CHA - thanks to everyone for the comments yesterday! It is definitely much more enjoyable with its current layout - I was starting to feel uninspired in the old space.

Today I have another bit of news, I am now working on the creative and marketing side of a fab Digi-Scrapbooking company!

GallimaufryUK is run by the lovely Penni, a very talented digi designer who makes lovely digi-scrapbooking kits. I must say I've never been that excited by digi scrapping until now! I am also helping her out with getting the marketing side of her business organised, something I've taken a step back into recently - nice to have some diversity in your work!

She has also very kindly agreed to sponsor one of our challenges over at the Challenge Blog in the near future so keep an eye out for that!

I will be posting some of my digi layouts very very soon, as well as some hybrid stuff, you know me, I need the feel of paper still! LOL - in the meantime you can buy Penni's kits over at Scrapdish - her new 'My Love' Valentine kit was only released today - I havent even had chance to look at it properly!

Thats all from me today, I need to go and scrub the Promarker off my hands before dinner, I have a very green hand (I will show you why when I can...!)

Sarah x

My Revamped Studio!

I mentioned last week I was tidying and rearranging my studio, I made about 3 floor plans (yes, I like to do these things properly and I am qualified as an interior designer - bet you didn't know that!!) went back and forth trying to decide if I needed / could fit in more furniture and finally settled on just a new desk using my old desk for storage - though I may replace this with an Ikea storage unit at some point (when I can be bothered to move everything again!!!) So here it is.....

The new desk and my old desk, now used as storage, shelves full of boxes of paper (eeek!)

The other end of the room with the magic built in cupboard that hides all of my shoeboxes full of buttons / ribbons / embellies etc etc and boxes of past work and samples for various things... it's like Narnia in there - don't go near the back!!!

My little reading area - somewhere to spend some quiet time when OH watches the footie at stadium volume *sigh* - those are my craft mags piled up behind the sofa - yes I do have a bit of a problem.... LOL

The top of my shelving unit with some of my fave things, mostly things I've made and my favourite Living Dead Doll

realised today how many sprays I have (ooops!) most of them are my own brand though and I need them for demo-ing etc....

The wall behing the new desk is a bit bare so will have to make something to go there but so far I love it!!! so much more room rather than being constantly surrounded by bits - I need a completely clear surface when I start crafting and I never got that before as I didn't have enough surfaces!!!

Today I just wanted to look at it so no crafting in it as yet but tomorrow I have CHA samples to finish off and a couple of projects to do so it will start to be used - can't wait :o)

Sarah x

Free Download

I completely forgot to mention in yesterdays post that the picture of Alice is a free download! If you click on her you can download the larger file by right clicking and saving!

Of course if you want the rest of the characters and the digi stamp versions you can get hold of the 'Wonderland' CD in my shop!

I hope you will play along with the Alice in Wonderland Challenge over on the Challenge Blog :o)

Sarah x

New Challenge!

Just a very very quick post today as I have a banging headache! Please pop over and check out the challenge blog - it was my turn this week and I chose a theme of 'Alice in Wonderland'

I hope you will come and join us!!

Sarah x

A Card!!!

Surprised? I am, its been soooooo long since I done any crafting and this was made in a bit of a rush at 6am before my day really got started, but still I made it, its the first thing I've made with my 'Wonderland' CD that I have been dying to use since I started designing it so I'm happy!

I also received this gorgeous Cosmo Cricket fabric in the post - YUM-MY! as well as some lovely October Afternoon goodies that I cant wait to have a play with.

I NEED some crafting time soon! First though I have to finish my studio - it's mid 'clear up and organise' so looks great one side and like a tornado went through the other side *sigh* it's definitely being done in the next 24 hours, If I don't get some pretty paper time I will fall into a pit of despair!

A couple of other things I completely forgotten to mention are:

I have a sale on at the moment with free shipping using the code 'FREESHIP' at checkout - see here for barginous bargains galore!

This is the last week to submit your links if you are a mixed media artist / art journaler to try a fabby new product - go here or email me if you arent a facebooker

I just want to say a big thank you for all the lovely comments the last few days :o)

Thats all folks!

Sarah x