New Create & Craft Shows!

Just a quick post from me today, I'm super pleased to tell you that a new company have asked me to do some presenting for them on Create & Craft (eeek!) My first shows for them are on the 31st January at 1pm, 3pm and 6pm - I hope you can tune in and watch, it's something a little bit different to what I've done on the tellybox before but something I really love to in my own crafting so I'm really excited to have the opportunity to show what I can do and a just a little bit nervous! I'll be telling you more about who it is and popping up some peeks just as soon as I get my product samples to play with next week.

Thank you for dropping by today and have a lovely weekend!

Sarah x

A Few of My Favourite Things... Kit Club - New Options & Changes!

Today I'm super excited to tell you about some changes to the 'A Few of My Favourite Things...' monthly kits...

We've had lots of people say they would prefer to have 12x12" papers in their kits, though a couple of you thought it would be nice to have 8x8" papers too, so here are the new kit changes and options we have put together for you!

Main Kit

The main kit will now be a 12" x 12" format - you will still receive 4 gorgeous textured double sided papers, only now they will be bigger (win!) you will also receive the usual mixture of an exclusive stamp, journaling cards and embellishments, all for the same price of £12.99 + shipping. This new format will start from your next kit, if you aren't subscribed yet, you can sign up here, there is still some time before the next kit!

Add-ons

Add-ons will now be grouped together in one kit per month, this kit will contain a mixture of some of the following each month - 12x12 or 8x8 papers, cardstock, speciality papers, a stamp, embellishments and journaling cards. The kit will be £4.99 every month (postage is free with the main kit) and will be revealed along with the main kit in your reveal email each month, if you would like the kit, please reply and I will pop you over a Paypal invoice. If you are an existing subscriber and would like the kit every month, you can subscribe here to ensure you never miss out! or if you are a new subscriber who would like to subscribe to both the kit and add on kit, you can sign up here.

New Subscription Options!

You can also choose to subscribe to the following kits or add them to your existing main kit subscription...

Documented365 Kit

We have had lots of requests for a dedicated kit for those of you who are participating in Documented365 / Project Life and similar projects so we are introducing this option from the next kit. The kit will contain an assortment of journaling cards in 4 x 6" and 3 x 4" formats (some exclusive!) a 'Snip 'n' Stick' Embellishment Sheet, an exclusive stamp and one or two other little bits and pieces as well as a sheet of printables (emailed to you after your kit has been despatched) This kit will be £8.99 + postage per month and is available to subscribe to now here if you an existing subscriber or here if you are a new subscriber (please ensure you click the correct link so as not to delay your first kit!)

Documented365 Printable Kit

This kit will contain 35 printable journaling cards in JPEG & PNG format delivered straight to your inbox each month for just £3.99 per month, available to subscribe to here

All kits will coordinate to work together

 

**Subscribe & Save!**

As always kits will be available to purchase after the shipping date for non subscribers (where stock allows) by being a subscriber however you will save £2 off the cost of the main kit (will be £14.99 to non subscribers) the Documented365 kit (will be £10.99 to non subscribers) and £1 off the Documented365 printable kit (will be £4.99 to non subscribers) you will also receive access to some exciting subscriber exclusives we have coming later in the year that won't be available anywhere else! Look out for more information on these soon.

Subscribe now to ensure you don't miss a thing!

Thank you for taking the time out to give us your feedback and help us improve your kits, we hope you love your new and improved kits!

Sarah x

Happy New Year! 2013 in Review...

Wow, the year has gone so fast and it's already 2014, I can't believe how much is different now to a year ago, I think I crammed a lot in! :o) So here is a quick recap...

2013 will be the year I remember as...

* The year I launched more new products than I ever dreamed of, including sewing kits, stamp & stitch, 'A Few of My Favourite Things...' kits, Doodle Dolls and the 'Special Editions' stamp line with Jaine and later in the year, Clare - taking me to over 400 products at last count!!
* Started to have my products stocked at Paperchase & Freckled Fawn with many more to come (I can't wait to spill some beans!!)

 

* Became one of Papercraft Inspirations magazines Crafty Experts

 

* Spent lots of time on trains between Essex and Peterborough on my way to and from Create & Craft for lots and lots of shows (picture courtesy of my friend Jen!) as much as I quite like trains I think I will be brave and retake my driving test this year!

* Grew my company by over 500% and took on an assistant to help me manage the craziness that I hadn't planned for just yet!
* Said "How did THAT happen???!" about 1,574,634 times - it's my new motto ;o)
* Started to share this...

 

* and gave you a little peek at this...

 

* and signed this...  (more about all of those in 2014!)

* I learned from my friend Di that it's OK to be open, not hold back so much, that sharing is a good thing and started to share a little more of my story - It's not something that I find easy, even with my friends, I was raised to keep things very private and not share personal things (which I know can sometimes come across as aloof or stuck up) but now I've started to open up and realised that Di is right, I've had so much support, so many lovely comments and emails and lots of people saying they can relate to things I've shared, if I can help or encourage or inspire one person by sharing then it's totally worth it!

* Was proud of myself for the very first time

* Learned a lot about forgiveness and letting go as I was reunited with my biological dad and discovered I had another sister and a nephew I knew nothing about! Some things can never be repaired but you can try and build something new and I've enjoyed my year getting to know my new family and trying to find my place in it

* I also enjoyed my first Christmas at home (couldn't leave that furry face out of my round up now, could I!)

This year I laughed a lot, cried a little, slept even less and pretty much had one of the best years of my life! and for 2014, I intend to carry on doing this...

A big 'Thank You' to my Mother in Law who bought me this for Christmas to go in my office - I know she doesn't always understand why I work so hard and thinks I should get off the pooter and do a nice spot of hoovering or make B a nice dinner, but she is unwavering in her help and support nonetheless and even works for me part time now - what a doll!

Last year my word for the year was 'Sparkle' and I think I well and truly achieved what I set out to when I picked it, so although I've wracked my brain trying to think of something more suitable for this year, I can't come up with anything I'd rather do than Sparkle again!

This year I resolve to let nothing and noone dull my sparkle once again, choose to focus on the positive and continue to follow the glitter along the path ahead seeing what lies in store, I'm already excited to have some big news to share with you next week and in February - can't wait!! - may it be even more shiny than last year!

I hope 2014 brings you everything you wish for and I hope you'll sparkle along with me all year long.

Thank you for dropping by today!

Sarah x

October Afternoon & Personal Impressions Christmas Cards

Today I'm sharing two cards you may have seen recently in Making Cards magazine. For these I used one of my favourite ever Christmas lines by October Afternoon (Holiday Style) with my Christmas stamps for Personal Impressions...

This first card uses the Christmas Tags stamp set, stamped in Staz On ink and distressed with Distress Ink in tea dye to make them more vintage looking to match the papers...

This second one uses the Christmas Postcards stamps, again stamped and distressed...

I kept these ones very quick and simple but they are still some of my favourite makes of the year!

Thank you for dropping by today!
Sarah x

Paint Resist Christmas Cards

Today I'm sharing two Christmas cards I made using Tim Holtz Christmas Blueprint stamps and Tim Holtz / Ranger Distress Paint dabbers. Both cards I've kept very simple but I love the alternative colour scheme!

For this first card I uses the Snowflake stamp from the set, I stamped it onto a luggage tag using Perfect Medium and embossed it in clear embossing powder. While that cooled I cut a kraft card mat for my card blank, covered it in frosted film and rounded the corners.

Once my embossing was cool, I misted the tag lightly with water and took Paint Dabbers in Broken China, Picked Raspberry and Mustard Seed (I know it looks like more than 3 colours, I overlapped and mixed them onto the tag!) I Started with the Picked Raspberry down the edge and then blended the blue and yellow in from the other side.

I allowed the colours to overlap as I went before taking some kitchen towel and wiping the excess off in a circular motion to blend the colours even more. once it was completely dry I added some vintage style glass glitter from Stampin Up on part of the edge (Glossy Accents works perfectly for adhering this!) and some dots of Liquid Pearl to embellish

This card uses the Christmas Tree from the same set but using the exact same technique, here is a little close up...

I love working with these paints and the colours are gorgeous!!

I hope you like my alternative Christmas cards and I hope your preparations are nearly done, as I'm at Create & Craft for the next two days I finished mine today (eek!) I'm so relieved we have everything and I even got to stroke a pony on the way out of the supermarket (the local riding school was raising funds outside) I'm starting to feel very Christmassy :o)

Than you for dropping by today!
Sarah x

New Create & Craft Show Dates & Times!

I'll be back at Create & Craft next week (yay!) guest presenting my first ever sale shows, I'm told they are fast and furious and very very fun so I'm super excited to see what happens! I have no idea what products will be on the show but I'll do my very best to give you lots of hints and tips as we go so I hope you can tune in and grab a bargain!! Dates and times are as follows:

Monday 23rd December

9am - Create & Craft Sale
4pm - Miss it Miss Out Sale
5pm - Create & Craft Sale
7pm - Create & Craft Sale

Tuesday 24th December

2pm - Miss Out Miss Out Sale
4pm - Create & Craft Sale

Thank you for dropping by today and I'll see you Monday! :o)
Sarah x

The Lookbook Magazine Christmas Special!

My lovely Design Team have been very hard at work making lovely Christmas projects for a Special Edition of the Lookbook magazine, I'm so pleased to share with you today, our Christmas Special!

I hope you love this issue as much as I do, as well as projects there is a little word from each of my Design Team to give you a little behind the scenes insight.

We would love to hear what you think of the issue. All of the products used in the projects shown are available here in my shop.

As ever, a massive thank you to my lovely design team who made such fabulous projects for this issue, without them, none of this would be possible! We look forward to your comments and feedback.

Submissions for volume 5 are now open! To have your Sarah Hurley project considered for inclusion, please send us a photo of your project here.

Thank you for dropping by today
Sarah x 

Documenting December

Following on from my previous posts, here and here, today I have another couple of pages to share with you from my first week of December...

I've been following my prompt book again, although I have mixed the order up slightly, here is the left page close up...

and the right...

I realised I didn't have some of the holiday stamps / stickers I would have liked, I wanted one saying Holiday and one saying 'Making a List' and I didn't have either - note made for next years Christmas collections! :o) so instead I dug out my Dymo label maker and used that to make some text labels - I forgot how much I love it, it's staying out now!

I think this is my favourite card, I edited one of my personalised letters to Santa to make it naughty and left it out for B to find, I think he totally would have believed if I hadn't been giggling stupidly ;o) it still makes me laugh to remember it

here are a few more close ups (you can click each one to see it bigger)

On the right side I used this square block page protector and cut squares of paper from the kit to fit - these held my little Selphy pictures perfectly and left the other side for some journaling along with some of the square elements from the kit. it was a great quick and easy way to sum up the week and include all the little things that maybe aren't quite as important but that I still wanted to remember.

On this side I included things like despatching a record number of orders, the crate of christmas decorations and some new Christmas products I'd finished up, not major things, but all little events I would want to remember that led up to the big day.

I'll be back later in the week with some more pages, I hope this helps you to follow my process a little bit. I'd love to see how you're doing yours if you'd like to share your links.

Thank you for dropping by today!
Sarah x

Papercraft Inspirations Cover!

I was so thrilled to hear from my editor that my project had made the cover of Papercraft Inspirations for the January issue (what a fab way to start the new year!!) but I was even more thrilled to walk into Sainsburys yesterday and see it in real life, eeek! No matter how many times I'm published, it's just as exciting every single time!

I loved making this set of cards using Penny Black stamps with Derwent Inktense pencils and blocks, Sizzix dies and DCWV papers, and I'm so pleased it made the cover! I hope you can pick up a copy, there are so many fantastic projects this issue, it's one not to be missed :o)

It's been a crazy busy week here at Hurley HQ, we've despatched a record number of orders over the last couple of weeks as well as finalising lots of new products and working on other projects and plans for the new year - I'm very lucky to have B and Lisa (my lovely new creative assistant) to help me (and Fuzzybutt for reassuring hugs and woofs throughout the day of course) my Design Team have pulled together the most fantastic projects for something we have planned for you for next week too, I can't wait to show you more! I thought this year had been busy, but with everything we have planned for next year, I think we better hang on to our hats!! So excited...

I'll be back over the weekend to share some more of my December Daily album with you, I hope you can pop back to check it out.

Thank you for dropping by today!
Sarah x

Documenting December...

If you saw my earlier post here, you'll know this is my first year to document December, so far I'm loving the process (and all the Christmas preparation!) today I'm sharing my first page...

Because I used a shaped page for my intro page, it peeks through a little bit which I love!

I'm using journaling cards from my Documented365 December Documented kit and the November 'A Few of My Favourite Things...' kit

I kept the embellishments pretty simple, just a glittery number, some washi tape and enamel dots, because I'm doing Project Life as well and in full Christmas rush I don't have time to make things really complicated.

I'm following the Documented365 prompt book to structure my album a little but I'll be mixing them up a little bit.

I'll be back later in the week with some more pages, I hope this helps you to follow my process a little bit. I'd love to see how you're doing yours if you'd like to share your links.

Thank you for dropping by today!
Sarah x

Feeling Proud...

This wasn't actually something I was going to share on my blog, I posted it on my Facebook page and I've had such a huge response to it that I thought I really should share it here, I know some of you aren't on Facebook but have been with me since the beginning of my journey and this, I think, is a big part of it! (apologies if you are on facebook and have already seen this, I will be posting up something shiny new tomorrow :o) )

around 3 years ago, a friend was telling me how proud she was after having a baby, she asked me what I was most proud of, and do you know, despite having some fab jobs, travelling a bit, getting married (and subsequently escaping an abusive relationship that had lasted most of my adult life and making a new start for myself) I couldn't think of anything, not one single thing, I just cried... 

Today, 3 years on from that, after watching my business grow 500% in the last 7 months, growing my product range from 2 products to over 400 (with about another 400 to come - so far!) working 18 hour+ days 7 days a week, growing my little team to 20 people and doing all the things I ever dreamed of, drawing, writing, creating, being able to share, on TV and in magazines, planning huge things for the coming year and having my best ever month in anything I've done, this November, (all with the help of some wonderful people of course) I am, dare I say it, for quite possibly the first time in my adult life, a tiny bit proud of myself...


Thank you for dropping by today
Sarah x

UK Scrappers Sponsor Blog Hop - Starting to Document December...

Today I'm taking part in the UK Scrappers sponsor blog hop! All month long, some of the fab UKS sponsors will be sharing their projects with you, all you need to do is comment on each one and then pop back to the UK Scrappers site at the end, find the blog hop post and leave a comment and one lucky winner will be picked to win a gift certificate for some new crafty goodies - won't that be a fab start to the new year?!

To start things off, I'm sharing the first look at my December Documented album. This will be my first December album as usually I go to my parents for Christmas so there is nothing to to journal about! but this year we are staying home for our first ever Christmas, I'm super excited and I'll be recording everything as I go!

I'm using the Documented365 December Documented kit for my album, this comes with lots of papers, journaling cards, stamps and embellishments and even a prompt and inspiration book download for if you get stuck! You can find the kit here. I've used a Basic Grey 'Capture' album with my kit as I wanted something smaller than 12x12 and the kraft goes perfectly with the kit colours...

I started by decorating the cover, I thought about painting the cover mint green (it's an obsession, I know!) but decided against it, I thought I'd end up feeling like it was messy and not want to carry on, so instead, I kept it simple, making a panel for the front and using some thick washi tape and gold glitter tape along the side...

I used the woodgrain and teal snowflake papers from the kit to cut the pieces for panel, the teal paper I punched with a Fiskars notebook punch along the top and I layered some matching washi tape in the middle of the two layers (this was from a Freckled Fawn 'Oh Deer Me' kit) Here are a couple of close ups...

The little tab is from the 'Snip 'n' Stick' embellishment sheet in the kit and I used it with a Dear Lizzy date stamp

The resin frame was from a previous 'A Few of My Favourite Things...' kit, I'd been saving it for something special! I stamped the '25' stamp in the middle in gold and added the frame and acrylic star with pinflair glue, I also used a word strip, a little more glitter tape and some enamel dots to finish it. 

This album comes with lots of shaped pages which I loved! so I used one of them to make my first page, I wanted to be able to see a peek of my first page behind it...

I used the doily and a journaling card from the kit along with one of the stamps to make the '24' on the card read the number of days until Christmas and added some journaling at the bottom about why I decided to do the album this year.

This was embellished with some more glitter tape, enamel dots and a gold sequin - I think there will be lots of gold in this album!

 

The first prompt in the book starts on the 1st and I already have a plan of what my page will look like. I will be sharing my first few pages in a couple of days time, I hope you'll pop back to take a look :o)

If you do decide to pick up the kit and follow the same prompts in the book, don't forget to share your links with me here or on Facebook or Twitter, I'd love to see your progress!

Thank you so much for dropping by today and taking part in the UK Scrappers blog hop!

Sarah x