Monday 28 February 2011

Blog Give Away!

Do you fancy another blog giveaway? We have got 7 packets of pearls and 2 packets of crystals for one lucky crafter, all you need to do is leave a comment on this post by midnight on Monday 7th March. The winner will be chosen at random and announced later that week. Good luck!


You still have time to enter our sketch challenge and be in with the chance of winning a £10 e-voucher to spend in the shop. All the details can be found here.

Friday 25 February 2011

Love Notes

A while ago we shared a couple of pages that Rachael had created using the Pink Pailsee Sweetness range, we have got one more to share with you.

"I really enjoyed scrapping with these papers, the large floral patterns gave me a good starting point to build the pages around. I used the Sweetest Day paper and cut out both floral corners and put them to one side to add later. I trimmed about an inch off two sides of the love letters paper making sure I kept the green letters along the bottom intact. I inked and distressed the edges of the love letters paper and stitched it onto a piece of kraft. The photo matt was created using a piece of kraft that was stamped using a script stamp. The sweetness flip notes are great for adding a bit of interest to your page especially with their note book edges and tabs. I cut up three and added them around the matted photo. The title was made up of the wording on the love letters paper that was saved earlier, I cut out each individual letter, inked them and added them to the photo. I added the two floral corners to finish my page, I stuck the straight edges flat onto the page and used some pin flair gel underneath the edges that led on top of the photo to raise them up and add some depth."


Monday 21 February 2011

Monday Class

Rachael has created this class for you using some gorgeous Echo Park Life Is Good papers.

Stash Needed...

Echo Park papers
White Bazzill
Border punch
Pizza box
Sticky tape
Brown Ink Pad
Flower sticker or flower punch

How To....

1. Cut out a scalloped shape approximately 8x8 and ink the edges.
2. Cut some strips of patterned paper giving them a decorative edge using a border punch, they don't all have to be the same width.
3. Turn the scalloped shape over so you are working on the reverse. The strips that you have cut are going to be used to pleat around the edges of the scalloped shape. To do this glue a small section at a time, stick one end of the strip down and pleat it around the shape frequently turning the paper over to check that you are happy with how much is showing and the shape that it is taking.
4. When you come to the end of a strip join in another one, join in the folded end of the new strip under the end of the old one and then pleat the rest as before.



5. Once you have gone all the way around your shape tape all the pleats down using sticky tape, just to make them extra secure and also to seal in any glue that wasn't covered by the pleated paper.
6. Cut up an old pizza box and add this to the centre of your paper, remember you are still working on the reverse of your paper. Now put this to one side.


7. Choose a coordinating piece of patterned paper and create a decorative edge using a border punch. Cut out an 8x8 square from the centre. (This is just to save the paper that will be covered to use another time so if you don't want to it won't matter.)


8. Cut a piece of white cardstock to 10x10, ink and distress the edges and stick this onto your patterned paper. I have machine stitched the cardstock into place but you could add hand stitching or draw on some fake stitching.


9. Now add your scalloped shape to the centre of your cardstock.


10. I chose a close up portrait photo so that I could cut away the background, I then matted it onto some pink patterned paper and inked the edges. I stuck the matted photo onto a piece of 6.5x6.5 piece of patterned paper, don't add glue right to the edges of the photo matt.


11. Cut a strip of paper approximately 3/4 inch wide, ink the edges and pleat it across the bottom of your photo and scalloped shape, you will probably need to join two strips to make it long enough.


12. I have added a flower sticker but you could just as easily add a punched flower, whatever you use adhere the centre to your page and under the petals nearest the scallop edge add a blob of pin flair gel or silicone glue to keep them raised off your page.


13. Decorate the centre of your flower and add a little journaling block, heart and title. Then using the same patterned paper as you have used to pleat across your page punch out lots of circles and add them around the edge of your photo after inking the edges.


14. Your finished!

We hope you enjoy the class and if you would like to share your creations then please leave a link to your page in the comments box.
Don't forget our sketch challenge, all the details can be found here. You have until Monday the 7th March to get your entry in to be in with the chance of winning a £10 e-voucher.

Saturday 19 February 2011

Sweet

Nat has been creating with the gorgeous Fancy Pants Lilac House papers and has put together this stunning page.

"I frequently feel the need to scrap but often find it hard to make the time. The Garden Gate paper from the Lilac House collection provided me with the ideal solution as I found that the lovely frame pattern was perfect for creating an almost instant page. I simply popped the a picture over the pinwheel frame design on the paper, cut the "sweet" label from the Cards paper for my title. I embellished it simply with some adhesive pearls, a heart and star from the elements stickers and a small hand stamped strip with my journaling. Simple and quick but effective!"



Thursday 17 February 2011

Sunday Market

My Little Shoe Box produce a fantastic range of fun, bright papers with coordinating embellishments including stamps, mini alphas stickers, journaling die cuts and cardstock stickers. There is a huge selection over in the shop to choose from, here are just a few to of their products to wet your appetite!



Rachel has been creating with the Sunday Market range and has produced a couple of great, eye catching pages.


 "Recently I have been looking at my really old photos that aren't stored on the computer, they aren't always the best photos but I feel they should be scrapped so that I can tell the stories before I forget. Everyone had a favourite top when they were younger and this was mine. It was the fanciest top that I owned at the time and I loved it. The My Little Shoe Box papers were a perfect match for the colours in the photo and using the dark cardstock for my background really made the papers pop off the page. I finished the page by adding some machine stitching."



"I wanted to keep this page quite simple as the background paper was very busy and the photo was very colourful. I matted the die cut paper on some pink cardstock to make the scallops stand out more. I added some lovely American Crafts glitter thickers to add a bit of sparkle to the layout."

Monday 14 February 2011

Hoopla Home Projects

Vanessa has created two stunning home projects using the gorgeous Glitz Designs Hoopla range.


"I desperately need a better filing system for all the papers I have kept from school, brownies, football, swimming etc. I had two old box files from my bank that have been gathering dust for several years. This is what the box looked like before it had a make over!"


"I used papers from the Glitz Designs Hoopla range and black paint around the edges and corners, to seal all the papers I added a layer of mod podge. You can't really see from the photo but I rubbed olive oil over one of the hoopla paper layers to make it slightly translucent, I then tore the edges and stuck it in place using a little bit of mod podge. I smoothed it all out using a piece of clean kitchen towel. I added another layer of mod podge over the top to seal the layer in and make it blend with the rest of the box.
I added a few embellishments to decorate the top, the flowers were made by cutting out three different sized circles out of black bazzill then scrunched them up and layered them. I used a Prima flower centre in the middle."


"From the pieces of left over Hoopla papers I decorated a cheap plastic photo frame. Here is the original frame."


"I sanded the plastic frame and gave it a coating of PVA glue."


"To cover the frame I ripped up little pieces of the Hoopla papers and stuck them onto the frame (don't worry about moulding them to the shape of the frame yet) Once the papers were firmly in place I watered down some more PVA glue and using a paintbrush and sponge saturated the paper and moulded it around the frame tearing off any excess bits of paper.
Once it was thoroughly dry I sanded the edges slightly and dabbed black paint around the edges of the frame using a sponge. Once all that was dry I used a spray clear sealer over the whole frame."

"I added some flowers on one corner, they were made in the same way as those on the box folder."

Thursday 10 February 2011

Sketch Challenge

As promised here is our new challenge, Lou has created this great sketch for you to use, Some of the design team have been having a play with the sketch and have come up with a few layouts to share with you..

The team have also been joined by last months winner, Gwyneth who has used the sketch to create this stunning layout. She has used some of the November kit which complimented her photos perfectly.


 Lou
 Rachel
Rachael has used MME Fine and Dandy True Blue to create this page.

Entering our challenge is very easy, all you have to do is to create a layout or card using the sketch and share your creation with us by leaving a link in the comments box or email it to us at sarah@sarahscardsltd.com by Monday 7th March. The lucky winner will be sent a £10 e-voucher to spend in the shop and be able to join the design team in creating an example layout for the April challenge which will be featured on the blog.
We are looking forward to seeing what you come up with! Enjoy.

Tuesday 8 February 2011

Challenge Winner

Time to announce the winner of our January challenge, we asked you to produce a layout documenting the highlights of your 2010 using multiple photos. We had some amazing entries but our winner is....... JimJams.
Congratulations JimJams, your page was stunning. Drop us a line and we will get your £10 e-voucher to you along with details of the March challenge.


 Check back later in the week for details of our next challenge which is a great sketch designed for you by Lou.

Friday 4 February 2011

Less Is More

You don't always have to throw lots of embellishments and papers at a page to create a stunning layout, Lou has tried something different from her usual style and created this gorgeous page.


"I loved this white box photo of my friend Jen and her step daughter Abi, and when I saw the colours and patterns of the Classic Range by American Crafts I knew I just had to scrap it!  I wanted to keep the page simple and decided to use the white card to tie in with the white background. I used the EK success double crochet lace punch to create rows of frills which added some interest but weren't too overpowering. A few subtle add ons were added here and there along with the title to finish the page."

Don't forget our January challenge, you still have until Monday to enter all the details can be found here.

Wednesday 2 February 2011

CHA is now over

CHA has finished again for another 6 months, and we have been tirelessly working to ensure our kits have the latest and best products in them for our subscribers. If you are considering taking out a subscription, here's what's in store for the next 8 months:

February - Glitz Designs - Love Nest

March - October Afternoon - Modern Homemaker
April - Echo Park - For the Record
May - My Mind's Eye - Stella Rose (Mabel)
June - Cosmo Cricket - Social Club
July - Pebbles - Happy Go Lucky
August - Pink Paislee - Hometown Summer
September - Fancy Pants - It's the Little Things

We offer alsorts of subscribers inscentives, including 10% off purchases on our website, free p&p on your kit and add ons from the exclusive add ons section for our kits and no tie in period - we just ask for 4 weeks cancellation period
 
If you are interested, you can buy your subscription here and will start with our February Kit which will go out around 20th February
 
Don't hesitate to e-mail any queries
 
xx

Tuesday 1 February 2011

Greetings from CHA

Today is the last day of the show, this time in Sunny LA. We have had a fabulous time catching up with friends, seeing the latest from our favourite manufacturers and getting some exercise pounding the halls here at CHA

Here are a few of our top picks from the show

Crate Portrait Collection
Cosmo Salt Air


Fancy Pants
 
Lily Bee (look at that alpha sheet - cute or what??!)
WRMK Family Keepsake collection
Jenni Bowlin - see those cute bows in the background??
Sassafras
Loved this display from Lily Bee
There were plenty more fabulous products but we were so busy drooling, placing orders, chatting & walking, photography, sadly, took a bit of a back seat.

Keep an eye out on the website for new collections from over 16 different manufacturers including:

  • Crate
  • My Little Shoebox
  • Bella Blvd
  • October Afternoon
  • Lily Bee
  • Sassafras
  • Pink Paislee
  • 3 Bugs in a Rug
  • Bo Bunny
  • Echo Park
  • Studio Calico *new to us*
  • Maya Road
  • Cosmo Cricket
  • Fancy Pants
  • Jillibean Soup
  • WRMK
  • American Crafts
Off for a little retail therapy of a different kind now - we've worked hard - we deserve it!