Pay it forward

There are a few blogs I visit when I get the chance to and Neil's is one of those, his blog has the most amazing and inspirational creations. I hopped over this evening and he had posted about "Pay it Forward".

Basically there are some simple rules to follow; to join in I promise to post something handmade/homemade sometime in 2011 to the first five people who comment on this post, you in turn post this onto your blog and make the same commitment to 5 people who post on your blog post. What a great way of having a reason to make something specifically for someone else.... plus it will help keep that pile of creations in check, if you are anything like me you will have stacks of stuff made for challenges and nowhere to send them lol!

Once you have commented and re posted this on your blog, email me on sarahanisah@gmail.com with your blog link and snail mail address so I know where to send what I make to you sometime in 2011

Winter Wonderland

Hi all

No it is not another Christmas challenge over on Incy Wincy this week, instead it is "Winter Wonderland",. Now, here in the North West England it is still like a winter not so wonderland with fog, ice and frost over the last week so it is not too hard for me to think of winter... however, some of my poor DT teamies have really struggled imagining winter as they are suffering with sweltering temperatures of 100 degree's... do I sound jealous?? Well, that's because I am!!

We are being sponsored this week by Robyns Fetish who are very generously offering the winner 2 digis!!!

For my card I used the "My Mittens" digi, coloured in using Promarkers and then decoupaged using 3d foam pads. The papers are by Paper Cellar (Wedding collection) and the twine is from my stash, punched border is Martha Stewart doily punch.

Scrap Map at CCW

Hi all

Today sees the start of our weekly Scrap Map challenge over on Creative Craft World AKA CCW, the mega talented Sue has put together this great sketch based on a Hotel brochure!

Just a quick reminder that the Cute and Cuddly card challenge is still running over on CCW until 1/02/2010

Everyone who knows me from blogland knows I have a real phobia of scrapping, daft I know and I don't know why but I almost break out in a cold sweat just thinking about doing a layout; however this layout really inspired me, especially when I saw this weeks challenge over on The Play Date Cafe of grey, green and orange as I knew I had the perfect photo for the challenge as Yaseen is wearing orange and grey lol.

I was originally planning to cut up the photo into inchies but just couldn't bring myself to do it (I know, I know..) so I used my nesties labels die to make 6 "squares" to mat the photo onto and used Peeled Paint distress ink over a mask.. I used white Bazzil cardstock for the base and mixed up a glimmer spray using distress reinker and perfect pearls for the green, the silver splodges are from a pewter glimmer mist which has decided to stop spraying (again) so I flicked it onto the card instead! I have used Basic Grey papers and letters and journalling is written with Sakura pen. The star is a chipboard shape which has been in my stash draw for yonks which I coated with copper paint dabber, rock candy crackle paint and dried marigold and frayed burlap distress inks.

Now all I need to do is wait for daylight to take a decent picture of the layout so I can enter into the Allsorts "Male/Boy" themed challenge!!

**EDITED... there is now daylight, photo taken and added to blog!!

I hope you are proud of me Anita, finally got round to scrapping another layout lol!! It only took me about 6 months to get into gear ;-)

Cute and Cuddly

Today we launch a brand new card challenge on the CCW challenge blog. The theme for the challenge for this fortnight, it is set by your truly and is cute and cuddly, so anything from those cute people to teddys and bunnies go!!!

This fortnight we are celebrating with a brand new sponsor, Whimsie Doodles, they have some stunning digi images for you to choose from. Remember they are offering all CCW customers a 10% discount when using the code CCW10
The winner of the challenge will receive a $10 voucher to spend at their store.

I used this super cute and cuddly sheep from the sponsors store, I coloured it in with Promarkers and used Snowflake embossing powder to add some texture for the "wool".

 

I am entering this into the I love promarkers "Keep it Sweet and simple challenge"

Bears at Incy Wincy

Hi all

I have been having a forced blogging and crafting break, besides having the kids at home all Christmas and all the stress that brings i have been going cold turkey... with no Internet!!!

This weeks challenge over on Incy Wincy Designs is Bears! We all got to use one of the cute new releases created by Heather and all the DT have made some super cute cards!!

We are being sponsored by ATTCC this week and the luck winner gets a $10 voucher to spend in store.

I made this new baby card, image was coloured in using Promarkers, paper from my stash for the scallop and stamped the text using Brilliance and sentiment using Memento in sepia.

Scrap Map

Hi all

Creative Craft World is hosting the second of our new weekly Scrap Map challenges for all you scrappers out there. The great thing about the Scrap challenges is that it is great even for new scrapper or those nervous ones (like me) who have loads of photo's but don't know where to start as there is always a FAB sketch/layout to follow and some gorgeous examples from the DT!!

This weeks layout was created by Sarah W and the theme is "CELEBRATION"

Don't forget there is also time to join in our new regular card challenges, the current challenge is open until midnight 18th January and the theme is ANYTHING GOES. The next card challenge starts on the 19th January.

ATC's at Incy Wincy

Hi all

This is my first post for 2011 so I would like to wish you all a very HAPPY New Year and I hope 2011 blesses you with health, wealth and happiness!!

The first challenge of 2011 set by Incy Wincy's Guest Designer, Val (who is amazingly talented, just check out her blog), is a challengeing one (lol) of making an ATC. Most people will know what an ATC (Artist Trading Card) is but in case you don't know what on earth I am on about they are mini works of art measuring 2.5" x 3.5" (or 64mm x 89mm) which you are meant to trade with other creators of ATC's (there is a monthly swap over on The Stampman - this months theme is Rhymes & Tales).

This week Aspire to Thrive Children's Charity is sponsoring our challenge and the winner gets an amazing $10 to spend in the store!!!



I have used one of the Mary Helen Sims images for this ATC, coloured it with spun sugar, frayed burlap and antique linen distress inks. The wrinkle distress background is made using tumbled glass and faded jeans.

I just need to finish off the other 2 ATC's then I will add them to The Stampman challenge.

To all my blogging buddies

I know you will all be busy celebrating with your friends and family this weekend so I just wanted to let you all know that although we are not celebrating too I will be thinking of you and hope that

Whatever is beautiful.
Whatever is meaningful.
Whatever brings you happiness.
May it be yours this holiday season
and throughout the coming year.


Enjoy and have fun!!!

Don't be square...

Hi all

Brrr it's bloody freezing here in NW England, we have had 12" of snow fall and we are currently at -9 Celsius so it is winter woollies weather!

This weeks challenge over on Incy Wincy Designs is being sponsored by Aspire to Thrive Children's Charity (ATTCC) who have donated $10 credit to the store - don't forget all sales go to the Australian based children's charity.

We have a challenge for you this week, well it was a challenge for me and some of the DT lol, it is SHAPED cards - no square or rectangular cards!!

For some reason it took me ages to come up with a shape for this one, lol so I opted to make a stocking shaped card as I am still making cards for my colleagues!



I have used an ATTCC snowman image which I coloured in using Promarkers, the papers on the stocking were free from a craft magazine ages ago and which I have hoarded ever since lol. Scallop cut with a nesties die and the button and twine are from my stash!

Don't laugh.... my first ever card, and my latest!

Hi all

Well like much of the UK we have woken up today with a deep blanket of snow, there is about a foot already and no sign of the snow stopping at the moment, will take some photo's when we go out with the kids later on - I still need to get dressed lol.

You may be wondering why on earth I have made this absolutely stunning get well card, hahaha, and why on earth I want to make myself cringe so much by taking this card out of the "embarrassing and never to be seen again" pile, well the reason is that the mad DT over on Crafty Cardmakers have challenged you to show your first (and in my case the worse) and latest creations. For some reason they think it is *fun* lol. Really it is nice to go back and look at those early creations and see how far your techniques (and stash) have grown!!!

My first card consisted of some backing paper, the flowers were cut out from another backing paper - I never had rubber stamps then. I remember they were a real faff to cut out and I never even thought of backing the paper with card to make them more sturdy. The greeting was hand written and then squiggled on. The lace I still have and does make an appearance on my cards from time to time, however I no longer have the plastic shiny butterflies, phew! After this attempt I progressed on from handmade sentiments to peel offs, might have to dig out some of those photo's later for a trip down memory lane!
On to today's card which is inspired by 2 challenges, the theme from Sir Stampalot is Travel the World and this oriental stamp by Time to Stamp fits the bill! The Play Date Cafe colour splash challenge made me realise I very rarely use yellow in my creations, not on it's own anyway. I never wear the colour yellow either as it really makes me look ill lol!

My friend Lisa Jane is celebrating her first blogoversary and is asking for your favourite Christmas image, well as I don't celebrate Christmas there are no nice picture of us around the Christmas tree or on Christmas morning but I just love this image of naughty Santa smoking a spliff not that I'd know what one is LOL, I was a student once haha!
I came across Lisa's blog a while ago now and was fortunate to have met her in person when she visited Manchester, we also went to Port Sunny together and I can safely say she is funnier and madder in real life than she is on her blog - love you Lisa!!!