Quote of the Week.....

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts"
Winston Churchill






Wednesday 25 November 2009

Christmas Card's for Moi.

Good Evening everyone,

After designing Christmas Cards for workshops, residential weekends and Magazine Articles, you would have thought that I would be sick of them........ but no I have really enjoyed designing my own Christmas Cards for this year.
Here is one of the designs.
It's using Penny Black's Fantasy tree stamp as the focal image, stamped using Mellow Moss ink and textured card from Stampin Up! The background is Hero Arts Holly Swirl design block, again using Mello Moss Ink and card, the patterned paper is from Making Memories, red bazzil punched using Stampin Up's scalloped edger punch, and finally a touch of green satin ribbon from my collection.
I will be uploading the video of this card on to you tube some stage this week.

Dinner time now so catch you later,

Sarah xxx

Monday 23 November 2009

And breath…………………. & Making Cards Magazine

I went back to work today for a rest, after the hectic but fun weekend residential with Dawn and the team.
It was just great, we had a ball and I am sure everyone who attended had a great time too?

Working the weekend after a busy week in my “real” with the NHS can sometimes be hard and very tiring, but working with a nice bunch of people makes it a joy! Although the rest of Dawn's Team worked flat out all week to help get things preped and organised before the weekend!

I was working alongside the lovely Amy Shaw (Dawn’s Niece wwwsimplicityinscrapping.blogspot.com) on Saturday which I thoroughly enjoyed and next to Gill and the fabulous Lindsay Mason on Sunday!

Always a pleasure to meet up with the delicious Paula Pascual, any opportunity to have a chin wag and swap crafting tips and Ideas!!!

This is the card I designed for the technique day on Sunday, using my favourite Hero Art’s Stamps.

Mixed with Nestabilities Labels 8 to make the card base and paper matt.
Products available at the Dawn Bibby Design Studio, or check out the “Personal Impressions” website for stockists near you!

I met some really great people during the weekend, Julie Hickey who designs for Craftwork Cards, was one of the tutors for the weekend, and guess who else turned up and did a bit of crafting with us……………… Craig Rowe, presenter from QVC and his lovely friend Angel joined us and had a lovely time.

As well as new friends like Melanie Marsh, Tina, Nicola, Miriam and Hilli, I was so happy to see many familiar faces too, Sylvie and Amanda, Sue Brown x 2, and many, many more……

Now then on to some great news for me I have just had my very first article published in Making Cards Magazine, December 2009 issue.
The cards in the article I designed quite a while ago now, but they are really lovely yet so simple to make.
Please look out for some really beautiful designs soon to be published in the next edition of Making Cards.

I haven’t forgotten about some blog candy, I will get photos and blog again later tonight.

Also later this week I am going to run a Ink Pad Tutorial, (my suggestions and preferences) so if your new to stamping or just wanted some hints and tips about certain types or brands of ink pads, check out later.
If you have any questions please leave a comment on here and I will add to my tutorial.

Take care, Love Sarah xxx


Wednesday 18 November 2009

Dawn Bibby's Residential Weekend

Hello Blogger's,
Wow the days are just whizzing by, no sooner have I just had my November Workshop than I'm getting ready for Dawn's BIG residential weekend.
It's this Saturday and Sunday at the Dunkenhalgh Hotel, 72 crafters will be along sampling the delights that dawn and her team have come up with.
On Sunday it's make and take day, where all the tutors have their own designed project to teach. My design is using one of the new Hero Arts Cling stamps, Basic Grey Papers, Inks and gems.
Looking forward to seeing some of the ladies from last time, I know Sylvie is coming, now I wonder if Baby giraffe from Dublin will be attending too? (Hope so)
We'll have a smashing time. Will take my camera and take some great snaps to post on here!
Anyway lots to do.
Oh watch out for a Blog Candy give away starting this weekend!!!!
See you soon
Love Sarah xxx

Friday 13 November 2009

So much to tell you, so little time..... Workshops in Ireland

Good Morning Everyone,
And what a nice crisp morning it is too?

Just back from holiday had a lovely time and had a fab birthday, Ewan treated me to a Pandora bracelet with 4 beads, I really love the Mariano class beads.
Ewan's Mum, Carol trimmed the house with girly pink balloons and banners and we had Chocolate Cake!!!
On Monday evening last week we payed a visit to Mary McAnally who lives just outside St Johnstone, (Co. Donegal Ireland) and has a nice cuppa and a show round her beautiful and FULL craft room, what a nice lady!
Back to work and back to planning this Sunday's workshop.
I have really enjoyed using some vintage style Christmas papers from the new Making Memory's Christmas line, it's so cute with tiny little birds, also a fab new stamp from Hero Arts Holly Swirls Design Block (of course one of my classes would not be complete without the obligatory Hero Arts stamp now would it???)

Also in my class is a little triple embossing, Nestabilities and lots of fun and cake!

Will post a photo or two later today.

Also if there are any blogging peeps over in the Donegal area of Eire I am planning to do a two day workshop at the St Johnstone Resource Centre early spring 2010, at this stage it is only in the planning, but please drop me a line if you would like to register interest. More details comming soon....

See you soon,

Love Sarah xxx

Sunday 1 November 2009

Making Smiles on Faces Award

Well I have been passed this on from Lindsay Mason, I will pass on to 5 other blogger and tell you 5 interesting faces about me! (although I am not the most interesting person in the world)

1. I was taught to play Tennis by non other than Fred Perry himself and attended his 80th (or was is 70th) birthday party as his guest in Berlin!

2. I have lived in Germany and Cyprus as a child, and only moved to England when I was 13 years old, while I lived in Berlin I attended a School trip to witness the Wall coming down !!!

3. I was first introduced into card making in 2004 by mother-in-law Carol McCrossan.

4. I played Badminton for Lancashire as a teenager and attended trials for the England under 21 team, but did not make it!

5. I was in the Army Cadets and was the best markswoman in 1996 for Lancashire again under 21's!

All rather boring stuff I know, but hey all true!

Now for passing them on......
1. Jan Bloomfield - PI
2. Mandy Carter, a great friend of mine
3. Eily McCrossan, one of my sisters in-Law
4.Est http://crafti-n-est.blogspot.com/
5. My darling Ewan, he always make me smile!

Take Care
Love Sarah (packing I have just upped the anti) xxx

The Demo Day,


Good Evening All,
Here are some of the photos from my demo day yesterday at the DB design studio.

We had a great day, I was working with the new Christmas Cuttlebug embossing folders and the New Christmas collections from Craftworkcards.


I was set next to the fantastic and very talented Jane, who was working with the Melt pot, UTEE and Crafty Individuals stamps, right behind me was the lovey Lindsay Mason, who was up to her usual "tricks" with Ranger Inks, and some of Tim's new stamps.
Jane
UTEE
Lindsay Mason
some of the Lovely Lindsay's samples.................... yum yum!!

Also on our table was the fabulous Jo who was working with some clear stamps, Stamp and Bond and gilding flakes.
It was so lovely to meet a few of you and have a good old natter for a change.
Anyway better get a move on, we are on holiday from tomorrow and will be with Ewan's Mum and Dad in Ireland for a week (not even packed yet) and I have a magazine article deadline to meet for first thing tomorrow too - eck!
So good night everyone,
Take care
Love Sarah xxx