Missing In Action !

Yes I have been missing in action for a week or so - life has been so crazy this lest few weeks. I had by 14 hours long stamp camp on Saturday which was great fun but as you can imagine takes a large amount of preparation.

Added to that - I am so very excited to have been asked by Close To My Heart to teach at our annual convention in Washington DC in July - so again there is lots of work to be done before hand so that I can show  the consultants attending some great ideas with the gorgeous new product.


And THEN - tomorrow I fly to the UK for a week to spend time with my Mum and Dad, sisters and friends. I haven't seen them for 18 months so I am so looking forward to going. My close friend Victoria is coming with me and we are going to spend 2 days in Paris. I went about 20 years ago and Victoria has never visited so as you can imagine we have loads planned.

So please be patient with me - I promise that I have some fun things to post and will try to show you some of my fun photos from 'across the pond'  Have a wonderful week while I am away and I will catch up with you when I get back.

Enjoy every moment - sunflowers (or black eyed Susan) - anyway it is Mum's birthday card.

Yep I have been at it again - I told you I loved this set - very  much an adult set of flowers - I am having so much fun playing with it.
This time I changed the cardstock color to Honey and kept the garden green accents. These could be sunflowers or the black eyed susan you see growing at the end of the summer. You decide :O)

Hope you like it :O)

You Rock - double layout

Here is a fun party/birthday double layout which uses the You Rock level 2 paper pack. This would be perfect for a teenager -  boy or girl :O)

I do like the 8 x 10 photo mat as you can put one very large or 2 4x6 photos or 4 3x5 photos on it. The tag in the pocket could be used for hidden journalling or to add another photo to the layout.
Hope you like it :O)

Enjoy every moment - lillies

I am loving this set - here is one which you could use for Easter or for a sympathy card.
Again I used the watercolor pencils for the shading.

I sand paper distressed the olive cardstock on the side. And used the corner rounder with the guard removed to form the scalloped edge of the white cardstock.
Hope you like it :O)

Enjoy every moment - Red Daisies.

This set is so easy to work with - I used the same stamp as on the earlier card but by coloring in the daisies using the cranberry and sunflower watercolor pencils - it gives it such a different look. I also stamped the image in cranberry ink on the cranberry cardstock. The paper on the left hand side of the card is from the Moon Doggie paper pack and an antique copper photo hanger and s couple of pieces of cranberry ribbon finishes it off.
Hope you like it :O)

Cherish every moment cards part 2

Yes I have carried on playing with this set LOL It is such a useful set which you will be able to use all year long.

This pretty card was made for me by Diana Veenendaal - I love the way she pleated the ribbon and held it in place with the brads.

I used hemp to stitch a zig-zag pattern on the left hand side of the card - and these large colonial white decorative brads add a fun touch.

I decided to make a Christmas invitation using the Aspen snowflake patterned paper and tying the ribbon to make it look like a present :O)

This card has a fun pull out section and I added the Twinkle brads for some 'bling :O)
Hope you like them :O)

Cherish Every Moment - May SOTM

I do love this new Stamp of the Month - very much my style as you know.  I had lots of fun playing with it.

This one has a pocket for the party information to be slid in and out.

This one is based on a card I had see made by the very talented K Brown. I decided to add the 2 paper flowers to represent the anniversary. The smallest square sparkle fits into these square absolutely perfectly :O)

This last one for today uses the new Cherry-O paper and the tulip accessories. I love the velvet ribon accent and the photo clip points to the word 'Thanks'.
Hope you like them :O)

Cherry-O Workshop on the go.

This paper is so cute - just perfect for summer days and picnics. Here are the cards made with the Wokshop on the go kit. As you remember the kit includes a level 2 paper pack, the instuction booklet, a limited edition stamp set and in this case the new tulip mini medley.

The left hand cards are made with the basic kit - the right hand cards have the optional 'upgrades' of the colonial white bigger brads added to them.

Some of the stamped images have had the edges 'rolled' in the chocolate ink - to add a distressed look.
Hope you like them :O)

May Project #1

This one of the projects we are making this month - a fun stair step card which features the stamp set Enjoy every moment along with the May stamp of the month - Cherish the moment. We are using the watercolor pencils to color in these lovely Daises.
Hope you like it :O)

My Creations Recipe Box

Welcome to May and the 1st day of our new Summer Idea Book - I know you are going to love it :O) You can view it on my website at http://sarabatkin.myctmh.com
Here is one of the new items - a cute recipe box which you can dress up however you like - I used the perfect day paper - are you surprised? LOL it is my favorite :O)

I used Modge Podge to attach the paper after I had distressed all of the corners and edges with Cocoa ink. The paper and cardstock was distressed with the same ink - that way the edges blend in and don't look so obvious.
 Sparkles and stickease added bling and added dimension . Hope you like it :O)