CHA Mega Show 2015! - Part One

Today I want to tell you all about my recent trip to L.A. for the CHA Mega Show. As there is so much to tell and so many pics, I've divided it into two halves, here is part one...

 

 

This was my first visit so I was VERY excited, but I was also going alone and doing a seminar so I was also VERY nervous! After an 11 hour flight, I arrived late in the evening, the block party was in full swing but after a long flight and shuttle ride to my hotel I was just too tired - I climbed into bed with a pack of Fig Newtons and a big glass of water and went to sleep - bliss! The following morning I awoke to the sun shining on this beautiful view...

I had a quick breakfast with my friend and fellow CHA UK Board Director Mark (look how HUGE this plate of French Toast was!! I just about managed one slice!) 

Then we headed off to my first day at the show - this was my walk each morning to the convention centre - it was a lovely start to the day! 

 

 Crowds had already started to gather, even about 40 minutes before the show opened!

 

As well as lots of meetings I had planned I was acting reporter for Papercraft Inspirations magazine so I took a quick circuit around the show to snap some pictures of the new releases for them. Here are a few of my faves - the Heidi Swapp booth was glittery, shiny, gorgeous...

I fell in love with these acetate journaling cards at WRMK...

I spent the longest time with the lovely people at American Crafts being shown the new lines for American Crafts / Crate Paper... 

 

Before being shown the new Project Life kits including this one 'Inspire' that I just can't stop thinking about - I NEED it NOW! (may have stamped my foot... lol) 

Then I headed off to speak to the lovely Heidi of Chickaniddy - she gets better with every range and this was no different, gorgeous papers, lovely foil paper that die cuts perfectly and the most amazing stamps and enamel shapes - gimme gimme gimme!!

 

 

Thats all for today, please check back tomorrow for part 2, some of my favourite parts of the trip and some exciting news I get to (kind of!) share...

Thanks for dropping by today!
Sarah x

Sister Scrapbooking with American Crafts

Today I'm sharing a page I made a couple of weeks ago using some lovely American Crafts collections, most of the papers used are from the Dear Lizzy 'Lucky Charm' collection (love this one!)...

I used white Bazzill cardstock for the background, topped with this strong floral pattern - it was too much for me as a whole sheet so I added the watercolour wash paper to the top. I then layered up lots of scraps from previous projects (probably the most layering I've ever done!)

The picture is an Instagram print from Printed.com I added one of my Chipboard frames (available here in my shop) which I coloured with a neon pink Hero Arts dauber (how did I live without these??) and then gold glitter stickles to match the glitter thickers used in the title. The 'Grateful for this Day' stamp is also from one of my stamp sets as are the butterflies!

I finished with some splashes of ink from Studio Calico and more neon pink dabs from the Hero Arts dauber, some sequins and enamel dots and a wooden arrow from the lovely Freckled Fawn, also painted neon pink with the dauber.

You can definitely see my gold / neon pink obsession coming through again can't you?!

Today I gave a little peek at a new product I've been working on, coming in 2-3 weeks over on my Facebook page, if you'd like to pop by and take a look, I'll post it on my blog later in the week :o)

Now, I must get back to work, a very busy and exciting week here at Hurley HQ this week - watch this space!!

Thank you for dropping by today!
Sarah x

Hot Foiling with Letraset

Today I'm sharing one of the scrapbook pages you may have seen in my recent Create & Craft shows, this one features lots and lots of foiling!

I've foiled onto tracing paper (as an alternative to vellum, I ran out!) to create the chevron backing paper. The title scrabble tiles are also all foiled and attached with Pinflair so I could layer them over each other. I've used a splatter of My Hueys white ink spray on my background paper (from American Crafts) and accented with gold foiled stars, enamel dots and gold sequins. The gold journaling card is one of my own designs and also foiled (you can get this in the freebie kit I posted last week) here are a couple of close ups...

 

Now I'm off, I'm leaving the hairy peeps to their own devices for two days and paying a flying visit to my 'rents and sisters, I will of course be tweeting still - you don't get rid of me that easily! ;o)

Thank you for dropping by today!
Sarah x

p.s. if you'd like to see my latest stamp release, pop over to my Facebook page to see the full line up!

Memory File Scrapbooking - Sister Style

Yesterday, I had a bit of a stressful day, I was feeling really icky, so I decided to lock myself in my studio for a couple of hours and just make something because I wanted to, and I wasn't going to stop until I got my sparkle back - as I went to bed at 3am with gold stickles in my hair, I think it worked!! and here is what I made, my first dabble into Heidi Swapp's Memory File scrapping, and I LOVED them, I need more more more of these! They are fancier than a layout but less pressure than a mini album, perfect for me!

Here is the front of my folder (I used the smaller size one as I was only scrapping one photo)

 

I covered the front with a Kaisercraft paper (one of the best I have bought, mint and woodgrain, two of my favourite things!) and added a flower made using Sizzix / Tim Holtz's Tattered Rose die with Coffee filter paper, layered together with pinflair glue and finished with Stickles and Glass Glitter. Then my title in gold glitter thickers and October Afternoon Mini Market alphabet stickers. Here is a little close up of that rose - the pinflair really helps to give the coffee filter paper some structure, where its so thin it would just flop flat otherwise!

On the inside I used a mixture of American Crafts Dear Lizzy Papers from one of the pads I picked up in Hobbycraft the other day, the stickers are also American Crafts and the letters are some very very old ones from Sassafrass that I've been hoarding for a long long time (I still love them!)

The wood chip arrows I've covered with gold stickles (and resisted poking them to see if they were dry, how good am I! lol) I attached them with glossy accents. Here are a couple of close ups... (you can click to make them bigger)

 

The journaling card is one of my own and I left a little pocket behind one of the papers to tuck it into with a tiny bit of washi tape to pull it out with to see the hidden journaling. The 'Seriously?' stamp is from Pink Paislee's portfolio stamps, and I think you'll agree, it definitely fits this picture!

and the bit I know you're all waiting for, here is a close up of *that* picture, my sister and I and our fabulous fashion choices, circa 1990 - look how proud we are of those outfits! I'm wearing what appears to be a girdle (why?) while Taz is in a puffy sleeved satin number, we always were trend setters... *sigh*

I'm going to make another one for Taz this weekend, same journaling but maybe different papers to suit her style, this is one of our favourite pics so it will be nice for us both to have a fancy record of it, I will share her one once I've sent it to her.

Thank you for dropping by today!
Sarah x

Scrapbooking with American Crafts & new Create & Craft TV Show dates!

First up, I want to share a LO I made the other night, since my studio has been moved around and I have more space, I've re-found my mojo and I'm loving it! I've been colouring, card making, scrapping and art journaling my little socks off every night for at least an hour before I head off to bed! This is the page I made the other night...

The paper is from the new Dear Lizzy line for American crafts, I just fell in love with it and didn't want to cover it all up, so I used one instagram pic of B and Fuzzybutt, and layered with some more Dear Lizzy and Amy Tangerine papers, I also added some stitching, foil thickers (love!!) and I made a bow from glitter tape - I'm having a bit of a gold moment recently, it goes with both my neutrals and neons which is what I seem to be working with mostly at the moment. Here are a few close ups...

I love using American Crafts products, everything is such great quality and nearly everything they produce is totally my style! Everything used in this layout was from Sarah's Cards (thats not me by the way, another Sarah!)

I also have two new show dates for you today! I will be back on your screens, next Friday (bank holiday - yay!) 29th at 10am and 2pm with some new Promarker sets and demos, I hope you can tune in!

Thank you for dropping by today!

Sarah x

p.s. the 'A Few of My Favourite Things...' kit reveals went out yesterday, so check your inboxes!!

Dear Lizzy... (and Phil!)

Last week was one of my super talented friends birthdays - Phil makes amazing Canvases, Clocks, Cards, Cakes and other lovely stuff - check out his website here. As a fellow designer I knew he would be judging me harshly! so I had to make him a card that was good, not just 'OK' or he would be talking about me for years to come! So I dug out the gorgeous 'Dear Lizzy' range from American Crafts which I had been saving for just such an occasion and got to work! And here is the finished card....

This range is so lovely to work with, its one I will be restocking immediately and keeping in my supplies!

Happy Birthday Phil! x