Exciting News! Top Drawer Autumn / Winter 2014





Today I get to share some exciting news (yay!) I am very very pleased (and a little bit nervous) to tell you that we will be exhibiting at our very first trade show this September!! I'm even more excited to tell you that the show we will be exhibiting at is the very fabulous and well respected Top Drawer!
You may remember that Lisa and I visited Top Drawer in London earlier in the year. We had no expectation that we were going to exhibit at the next one, we just thought it would be great to look around, meet some people and see how far off being ready we were. As we were walking around the show, Lisa kept saying to me 'you could totally do this, you're SO ready' I was still unsure... But as I looked around I did feel like I could fit in, that maybe I was ready.

When we got back to the office I had a little look at the website - i thought it was like any other trade show, you paid for your stand, rocked up with your stuff and Bob's your mums brother - not so! You have to apply, send over samples of your work and a panel decide if they think you're ready and if you would fit in well - the show is curated (eeek!)

I decided to apply, I thought I'd probably get turned down the first time anyway and it would be good experience and I might get some feedback (I should know better than to do stuff like this by now - ha!) Anyway... a couple of weeks later, I was at Stitches in Birmingham when I get a phone call from a lady at Top Drawer - I thought this is nice, she's letting me down gently... She was calling to confirm what size stand I wanted - they loved my products and I was IN! (double eeek!)

So now, we have just a couple of months to go before I will be launching lots of new products in front of some of the most well known buyers and press (triple eeek!) I'm so looking forward to it! We've been planning for months and now it's very nearly here!!! I hope some of you will be visiting and will come and say hello and see all of the new things.

Thank you so much for dropping by today and sharing my excitement!
Sarah x

Freebie Friday! Hello Journaling Card

This week's Freebie Friday is a 'Hello' Journaling Card...
You can download this weeks freebie over on my website right here

I'd love to see what you make with yours - leave me your blog links in the comments if you'd like to share :o)

Thank you for dropping by today!
Sarah x

CHA UK One Big Show






This time last week, I was just arriving home from the CHA UK One Big Show after having had a FAB time! I must admit, despite being on the CHA UK board, I was a bit nervous! I've not been in the craft industry for a super long time (just under 4 years) and I don't know that many people in person, usually via phone or email etc... I wondered if I'd be brave enough to talk to anyone - I needn't have worried! I was asked to do an Inspirational talk, my first ever time to do any public speaking (I know I do live TV but you don't see any people then!! lol) then another talk on Creative Blogging and then to collaborate on another talk about trends with another designer, Sara Naumann who has been in the industry for a long time, knows LOTS and someone whose work I knew and admired. I'll be honest, I was nervous, very nervous! But as some of you will know, my life motto is, if it sounds fun, if on any level you want to do it, say yes then work it out! I also don't like being scared of anything so I'll always do the things I'm scared of so I'm not any more (if that makes sense!!)
I spent days writing and refining my seminars, practicing them as much as I could (in the end, I didn't stick to the script! lol) I was as prepared as I could be! I set off on Wednesday for a Board Meeting before the networking event that evening. 
I had about an hour after the meeting to unpack, change and get back downstairs to meet people coming in.
We spent hours networking with people in the industry, meeting new people, catching up with friends and colleagues and getting involved in some of the fun Make & Takes with Coats, Stix 2 and Wilton it was FAB! More than one person (including me!) said that if that was what we came for we would have felt we got great value for money - and we still had a whole day left to go! 

Here is Michelle from Stix 2 leading a Make & Take - I've always been scared of Hot Glue Guns in case I burn myself (silly I know!) but she showed me a really fun demo so I had a go - my fear is cured! 
We also had Jenniffer Taylor from the Great British Sewing Bee on the Coats stand...
and CHA UK chairman Colin Poole with The Apprentice winner Yasmina Siadatan - now the Creative Director at Start Up Loans Company, who also gave a seminar.
The following morning I was up for a breakfast meeting before the show started (SO excited! can't wait to share the things that happened!!) Even though my seminar was one of the first, I had no time to get nervous as I went straight from that to this... (I should point out this is just a tiny portion of the massive area we were in - the atmosphere was buzzing and there were people everywhere - even those people who came alone - like me! didn't have a moment to feel left out as there was always someone to meet and talk to or something to do.
I had a little time to catch up with some people before heading in to give my Creative Blogging Seminar.  I also had time to sit on some great seminars in between my own and I learned a lot! There was also a big room of experts who you could go and ask questions to in different areas like law, publishing etc... and some companies with great special offers for members - so useful!
I came home from the show feeling braver, more confident, inspired and full of excitement at all the new things to come (I met some great people!) and super super proud to have played a small part and be part of the organisation who put on such a fab event - I can't wait for the next one!! and I hope you'll come and join us. (Click here to join CHA UK now ready for the next event, it's not to be missed!)

Thank you for dropping by today!
Sarah x

Making Cards Magazine Cover Mount!





This month there is another Sarah Hurley cover mount on the front of Making Cards magazine!
This time, a cute bunny stamp! Here is one of the projects I made with mine...
I'd love to see what you make with your stamp, please leave me your links or post them over on my Facebook Page or Making Cards Magazine Facebook page

Thank you for dropping by today!
Sarah x

Freebie Friday! Insta Camera Digi Stamp

This week's Freebie Friday is an Insta Camera Digi Stamp...
You can download this weeks freebie over on my website right here

I'd love to see what you make with yours - leave me your blog links in the comments if you'd like to share :o)

Thank you for dropping by today!
Sarah x

Hurley HQ Behind the Scenes - Meet the Team! - Clare





Today, we're meeting another member of Team Hurley, this time Clare Brown, the longest serving member of my Design Team, (she's been with me from the very beginning!) Special Editions stamp designer and all round good egg (she bought me a mug with Nessie on it last time she visited, how fab is that???!)
Here is a little more about Clare...


The 5 words that best describe you?
Vertically Challenged, Always Smiling, Perfectionist, Organised

Celebrity Crush
Spiderman, and yes he is real! lol

Favourite Colour
Pink, just like my craft room

Guilty Pleasure
Dancing and singing with the children in the kitchen (most days!)

Craft Supply you couldn't live without?
Sizzix Big Shot

Favourite Song / Book
Song: Angels - Sarah McLachlan
Book: The Far Away Tree - Enid Blyton

Your Best Feature
Eyes

Something weird or funny about you
For someone who is so small, I take up most of the bed whilst sleeping! lol

Favourite snack while crafting?
I never snack but I do drink copious amounts of tea, unless it's a Sarah Hurley Team night then it's cocktails or a glass or two of wine!

If you could have any superpower what would it be?
The ability to stop time...never seem to have enough of it when doing the things I love

Favourite Place
Falkirk Park Run - had to mention running somewhere!

Favourite Season
Summer - the world always seems a happier place

Early Worm or Night Owl?
Early worm - I'm a get up and go person!

5 Dream Dinner Party Guests
Brian Cox, Spiderman, Kevin Bridges, Michale Buble, Jessica Innes

Tell us a secret!
When I was 14, I had a hairstyle exactly like Brian May!


I hope you enjoyed meeting Clare, we'll be back to introduce you to another member of the team very soon.

Thank you for dropping by today!
Sarah x

Freebie Friday! Mason Jar Die Cuts

This week's Freebie Friday is a Mason Jar Die Cutting file...
You can download this weeks freebie over on my website right here

I'd love to see what you make with yours - leave me your blog links in the comments if you'd like to share :o)

Thank you for dropping by today!
Sarah x

A Little Inspiration - Follow Your Dream...





Yesterday, my lovely friend Diane, shared this video on Facebook, I very rarely click on shared stuff if I'm honest but I clicked on this, I watched the little one minute video and had one of those moments where you just want to shout YES! this is true! I had to share...


I'm grateful every single day that I 'failed' at what I chose to do out of practicality, the thing I thought would be secure, pay the bills etc... (it seemed like the end of the world at the time!) now I do what I LOVE, what I knew I really should be doing all along and I've never been happier (or more secure since I only depend on me!) We all have to do things out of practicality at times, jobs we hate (trust me, I've been there! I've squeezed shoes on to smelly feet in a shoe shop, lugged boxes, shooed rats out of a warehouse, packed shelves, been yelled at, cried myself to sleep and even contemplated falling down some stairs so I didn't have to go in that day! madness...) But just because we are doing those things doesn't mean we can't keep taking small steps towards our dream - I never envisioned being lucky enough to do what I do, not ever, but still I never stopped creating, never stopped drawing, never stopped writing, never stopped imagining, because thats what I love to do and eventually - at a point where I had nothing left to lose, I went for it and it happened!

I hope you love this little clip as much as I do and it gives you a little inspiration wherever you are on the path to your dream (don't give up!)

Thank you for dropping by today!
Sarah x

World of Imagination Launch!






I'm so excited to tell you that the World of Imagination range is now officially LAUNCHED!!

Please come and have a look around and tell us what you think

I'm off for a lay down with a slice of birthday cake now - what a day! :o)

Thank you for dropping by today!
Sarah x

World of Imagination Launch Blog Hop!





Today I'm super excited to be leading my team on a fun blog hop to celebrate the launch of my brand new World of Imagination range tomorrow (eeek!) This is a range of products I've been working on for over a year and I'm finally ready to start sharing by launching the first ones tomorrow - there are SO many more to come and I can't wait to show you everything we have in store!

Today each of us is going to show you one of the products from tomorrows reveal in greater detail and at the end there is a chance for you to be entered into a draw to win your favourite out of all of them!

So starting with me, a few days ago I showed you the first in the 'Make Believe' kit series - the shop, and today I'm showing you another in the 'Make Believe' series - the Post Office!
This kit was actually the first thing I thought of when developing this range. When I was little I had a toy post office in a case (this one here - thank you Pinterest! lol) and I LOVED it! Actually, Loved is probably a bit of an understatement, it was one of my favourite ever things. Shortly after I saved up to buy a set of toy food and expanded my Post Office into a corner shop (seriously, I caught the business bug early! lol) so my idea for the Post Office and Shop were born! I'm so excited to be sharing them with you and I hope you and your littles love these as much I loved mine :o)

These kits are great because they have a craft element to them as there are pieces to construct yourself, an imaginative game (I think Imagination is so important and should be encouraged as much as possible!) and an educational element with little fun facts and games throughout the kits. They are also super fun for adults (Lisa and I had a great time putting together all of the samples here in the office!) Each kit also comes with a letter from the Mayor of Make Believe welcoming you to your new business (these can even be personalised and have a badge included!!) I must stop wibbling now, I'm just too excited! lol

From my blog you can hop over to Clare who will have another reveal for you. At the end of this hop, you should be at the SarahHurley365 blog where the Mayor of Make Believe will be waiting for you to hear what you think of the range! Don't forget to also pop over and like us on Facebook for more fun and behind the scenes peeks!

Thank you so much for dropping by today and I can't wait to hear what you think of everything!

Sarah x

Freebie Friday! Camera Digi Stamp

This week's Freebie Friday is a Camera Digi Stamp...
You can download this weeks freebie over on my website right here 

I'd love to see what you make with yours - leave me your blog links in the comments if you'd like to share :o)

Thank you for dropping by today!
Sarah x

You Rock Card & Guitar Template





Today I wanted to show you a card I had published at the end of last year, I thought it would be perfect inspiration if you haven't made your Father's Day card yet (and I've included the template I designed for it!)
The card is an easel card and the guitar is paper pieced from the template I drew (you can download it below)
I pierced some holes and threaded some black cotton through to make strings, it's embellished with enamel dots. I added some veneer stars and letter stickers to spell out the sentiment to the background.
The records are made from two circle punches and punched through the centre with a one hole punch.
Here is the template for the guitar, you just need to right click and save (or ctrl click on a mac) print and trace onto your choice of coloured paper! The illustration is there as a guide.
I hope you'll share if you use it to make your card!

Thank you for dropping by today
Sarah x

World of Imagination Pom Pom Pets Selfie Giveaway!





Today, we are doing a little giveaway, you could be among the first to own one of these super cute Pom Pom Pets kits from the new World of Imagination range launching next week!
We've been having tons of fun with them already, as you can see...
Which gave me the idea for this giveaway! so here is how you can win one...
We want to see your silly selfies! we'll be joining in too sharing ours, you can post them on the World of Imagination Facebook page, on Twitter using the hashtag #sarahssillyselfies (you can tag me too if you'd like @scaryhurley #sarahhurley) and on Instagram using the same hashtag (I have the same user name on there too if you want to tag me there!)

There is no restriction on how many times you can enter and we're happy to see pet selfies or toy selfies or anything else you can dream up too, they don't have to be human, we want to see them all! On the 10th June we will be picking 3 winners (mine, B's & Lisa's favourites) to win a Pom Pom Pets kit of their choice

The competition closes at 12 midnight GMT on the 9th June so you have 5 days to get your entries in - we can't wait to see them!!

Thank you for dropping by today (and look out for my silly selfie on Instagram later... )

Sarah x

Sneak Peeks! *New* World of Imagination....





Today I'm sharing super exciting news and sneak peeks (my favourite!) As I mentioned, next week we will be launching something new and super exciting, a completely new brand and product range and something I have been working on for over a year! There are a ton of exciting things and products in the works - I can't even tell you how many! but the first few will launch next week.

Here are a couple of sneak peeks I've shared over on Facebook. Firstly... here is a little look into one of the boxes delivered last week (we are literally surrounded by boxes right now and have lots and lots more on the way - eeek!)
(little clue, this probably isn't for you might think...)

Secondly, here is a look at one of the new types of packaging, what could possibly be in these cute suitcases???
(little clue, it isn't anything from the box above...)

And thirdly, here is a little sneak at what I was creating today, this is a very small part of something bigger
 (little clue, this DOES go in the box above!)

Confused yet? I hope not too much! This range is called The World of Imagination...
You can find out a little more over on the World of Imagination Facebook page (I don't normally set up new pages and things for different ranges as I like to keep everything on my main page BUT this is too big to keep it just on my page!!) and there will be a lot more sneak peeks and news over there all week long before our big launch next week - I hope you'll come and join us!!!

Thank you for dropping by today and sharing in our excitement, we hope you love it all as much as we at Hurley HQ do!

Sarah x