NEC Smirk card samples

As promised here are some of the Smirk card samples I made for the NEC. Smirk paper pads and Decoupage packs available here

I finished school today for a 2 week break so I hope I get the chance to use some of the goodies I managed to buy at the NEC
See you soon
Love sarah XXX

NEC update and I met Dawny P!!!!!

A very tired hello to all of you, after doing 3 of the 4 days at the NEC.
I don't know how all the regulars do it week after week. And don't forget the setting up and the dismantling at the end. I helped Sarah breakdown the stand on Sunday.with Karen. Boy is that girl strong! and she's so thin too!!!
We were rushed off our feet the moment the doors opened on Thursday. We we aisle A stand 02 so we got a load of visitors. Each day I didn't demonstrate until about lunchtime so that I could help with the sale of the Promarkers. I have NEVER seen so many Promarkers.
I had the chance to say a quick hello to friends and ladies who come to my card lessons. Hi Sarah, Manda, Lyndsey, Grace, Daisy, Gail, Jane, Debbie, Diane and anyone else I have missed.
Unfortunately I never did get to meet Bev or Kim. ( I really hoped I would meet them as I LOVE their blogs)
However Dawny P came and gave me a hug and said hello. How exciting is that !!! We had a very quick chat about Copics.  I guess she must have seen my comment on my blog about being at the show. Dawny if you are reading this Thank you for making my day. It was just like meeting crafting Royalty!!!!!( I have just been over to Dawny's blog to create and link and even more excitement for me. She mentions me on there!!!!!Goodness I can't contain my excitement.
So no cards today ( I will post tomorrow the 16 Smirk cards I did on Wednesday evening) but here a a few photos from the show. Me working!!! and Storm Troopers who were obviously there to guard all our craft goodies ( actually there was a Memorabilia show but I like my idea better)
See you

Love Sarah XXX

Totally Gorjuss challenge 23 - Hearts

Hi everyone

 I'm sorry I haven't commented on any blogs recently ( I will try and catch up on some tonight)
 but I have been so busy making more card samples for Sarah (Hotshotcrafts). I did the show at Olympia last weekend and of course this week we have the NEC. Thursday a.m. was MANIC!!!!. I have never sold so many Promarkers ever!. I didn't get the chance to do any demo's until lunchtime! And I have still had to go to school!!!!
It was lovely to see people who came to us at other shows and it was lovely to see Crystaltips too. She is one of my first followers and ALWAYS comes and says hello at the shows. Hope you had a good day Crystaltips.
Anyway I just got home and here is my card for this weeks hearts challenge. over at Totally Gorjuss. I've gone a bit dark on this one. Hope it is okay. You must check out the DT cards too. They are amazing
Love sarah XXX

Congratulations - you passed your test!

Here is a card I made for someone who works for my husband. He passed his test first time. The DP was from a DCWV stack I bought a couple of years ago in USA. The stamps I bought at Michaels in USA too and were in a sale! I was glad to be able to use both of them at last.

My husband said that Stuart liked the card.
Love sarah XXX

Passion for Promarkers GDT card

There is a new challenge at PFP today- springtime to include an animal.
For my card I have used a Penny Black stamp coloured with, of course, Promarkers. I have used Glossy accents over the plant pots. The papers are the lovely linen Victoria and Albert papers from Papermania. They really are divine. The flowers are W H Smiths
You can buy the Promarkers, Victoria and Albert papers from Papermania. and Glossy accents here
This is my last week as GDT at PFP and I have enjoyed being involvede in the challenges and doing the tutorial too. Sadly my colour combo week of Bright Green and mango turned out to be too tricky for many so that week didn't have many entries. However those that did enter were beautiful.
Thank you PFP for the chance to be on the DT
Hope you all like my final card

 The sponsors this week offering a £10 voucher are Angel crafts

Love sarah XXX

I am also entering this card for the following challenges

• Allsorts challenge - spring is in the air
• Crafty cardmakers - spring has sprung
• Crazy 4 challenges - spring
• secret crafter - Spring has sprung
• Fab and Funky challenges - use something new ( my papers)
• Incy Wincy designs - spring
• By the Cute and Girly - spring

Olympia show and more samples

Well Olympia on Saturday was HECTIC!!!! I was on the Hotshotcrafts stand and it was full on from the word go. We even had my husband, Michael, helping out!!!! ( he who hates all things crafty!!!!!)
There were 36 coaches that came to the show on Saturday too.
A big HELLO to everyone that visited us. We had several sell outs.So if any of you are attending the NEC this week, if you like what we have,  get it straight away because if you come back later, like some did, it could be gone.   YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!!!
I made up another 22 cards for Sarah last week so here are a few pics of them. There would have been a pic of me demoing on Saturday but Michael forgot!!!!! You just can't get the staff!
To be fair there was no time to think and he did work hard. Bless.
Anyway. this is my last week as GDT on Passion for Promarkers so I must go and finish my card, which I will post tomorrow.
Enjoy the rest of your day
Love Sarah XXX

p.s. can anyone tell my how I put my name across my photos like so many of you do. Thank you

NEC craft show

Just wondering if any of you are going to the NEC this week? If you are, do come over and say hello. I am on the Hotshotcrafts stand Thursday, saturday and Sunday. I would love to see you  and you can see what sarah ( the owner of Hotshotcrafts ) has to offer. It should be a great time
Love sarah XXX

Totally Gorjuss challenge - ribbon DT card

Over at Totally gorjuss we have a new challenge to include Ribbon on your project. Do check out the DT cards as they are great, as always.

Stamp - Gorjuss Girl

Paper - DCWV

colouring. - Promarkers

Ribbon

Part 2 of tutorial: Promarkers on shrink plastic

Digital image on Shrink plastic and coloured with Promarkers.

1. I have also printed the image directly on to Shrink plastic. Be careful when handling this though as the ink stays wet.

2. Colour in the image taking care not to touch the print as it will smudge. Your colouring with Promarkers doesn't have to be good here! Don't use very dark colours as the colours you use intensify when the image is shrunk. Punch a hole in the Shrink plastic if you wish to attach it to your project with a brad or to thread ribbon through.

3. Finally shrink it with a Heat gun. You now have a small "tile" to attach to your project

Decoupage with a digital image

I recently did a tutorial for Passion for Promarkers. 
If you never saw it on their blog you can catch it here. I will post the second part of the tutorial tomorrow.
Decoupage using a Digital image

Decoupage is still very popular and can be done easily with rubber stamps. You can also decoupage with Digital images. This tutorial will show you how to do it easily.
The image I have used is Whimsical Girl Heart Garden from Bee Crafty.
 
1. First I printed the image 4 times using Photo Printing Wizard onto good quality white cardstock ( about 250 gsm)

2. I then coloured one image with my Promarkers. My 2 main colours are Mango and Bright Green. This isn't necessary as this is the base image which will be layered but I think it gives a more professional look.


3. I then cut out the image, in this case  using a Nestability die.

4. I have then coloured and cut out various parts of the  image from the remaining 3 images.

4. Here is a close up of the cut out images.

5. If you don't have many Promarkers and want to use shading on your images you can go over your colouring with the same colour to deepen it. In this case I have gone over the Mango with the same Mango pen on the left side of the image. I have done the same with the Bright Green. This will give the shaded effect

6. I have layered the pieces on top of each other with foam pads.

7. Next I have used Glossy accents over the heart shape flowers and sprinkled tiny yellow accent beads. The Glossy accents is clear and will act as a glue to hold the beads in place.

And there you have a decoupaged image made from a digital image.

I would love to read any comments you may have
Love Sarah XXX

Passion for Promarkers challenge - a sketch by Debbi

 Thank you to everyone who entered last weeks challenge which was my colour combo Bright Green and mango.It was obviously a hard challenge as not many entered. To those who did there were some gorgeous entries. Now I just have to pick my top 5!!

This week is a sketch challenge by Debbi and the sponsors are Letraset

I had this great Hanglar image which I coloured with Promarkers which you can buy here.  The border is MS and the papers are DCWV
I hope you like it.
Love sarah XXX

Simon Says challenge - sketch

There's a fab sketch at Simon Says Challenge

This is my second post today
Please scroll down to see my previous entry for Totally Gorjuss

I hope I am in time with this entry. The sketch was lovely to follow. I used a Tilda stamp coloured with Promarkers. The flowers are Prima and the papers Papermania.
Do hope you like this one and would love to read your comments
Love sarah XXX

Totally Gorjuss DT card

Sorry I am late with this. I am fit and well now and, hopefully, back on track.
This week at Totally Gorjuss the theme is SWEET so it will be interesting to see how you interpret it. The DT have done some great cards.

I have coloured Tilda with Promarkers which you can buy here.
I have also added Glossy Accents to the flowers and the ice lolly. My papers are Papermania Signature collection and the flowers from my stash.
I do hope you like her
Love Sarah XXX

Papertake Weekly #36 and some more sad news

My mum rang me yesterday to say that my dads best friend had died yesterday morning. It was very sudden and unexpected. It was a shock to them as they had all been out shopping the day before and he seemed in fine spirits. My parents came to England in 1963 and made friends with Uncle Michael and his wife Pauline straight away. Dad and Uncle Michael  were like brothers and I have fond memories as a child going to their house for tea and playing Scrabble. Mum said dad has taken it very bad and cried for a long time. He has to mourn the loss of his dear friend. Dad is nearly 85 and suffers severe asthma so we are all concerned about his health at the moment. We are going to visit them tomorrow and hopefully dad will be feeling a bit better.
When these sad things happen we need to take the time to appreciate family and friends who are still with us as we don't know what tomorrow will bring! This is the card I will send to Aunty Pauline.

On a cheerier note
At last I have had chance to enter a challenge. This is my entry for Papertake Weekly - a sketch.

I have used one of my new Instyle stamps. I really love these stamps. They remind me of the cartoon part of Samantha from Bewitched. Goodness I am showing my age. |I was a little girl at the time! I have coloured her with Promarkers  which you can buy here

Love sarah XXX