Sorry i am Making Changes to my Blog Layout!!!!

Please bear with me guys but i am doing maintenance on my bloggy so may look a bit scewiff!!! it will be looking fine in no time!

Big hugs, Clare xxx

Sophisticats Weekly Challenge

This week over at Sophisticats we are on to challenge 28. The theme is "raining cats & dogs" and is running over 2 weeks. The theme is to be interpreted in our own way whether it be to do with rain, cats, dogs however we want to look at it.

I think that you can probably guess the way i was going to interpret it!!!

Have been itching to use this beautiful new cat stamp by Crafty Individuals. As  the challenge is running for two weeks & we can enter up to two pieces of work i may have to try out some more appropriate stamps for the occasion!!!

Thankyou for popping by!

Lots of love & hugs Clare xxx

Go pop over to Sophisticats & check out their challenges!!!

Just a Little Card to Show!!!

Hi everyone, i do hope that you are all having a wonderful weekend wherever you are in the world.

I have managed to have a bit of time today playing with one of my new stamps. It is by Simply Stamps and is actually called Winter Scene but thought i would try to adapt it to a nice summery scene as it has been a bit of a cold one today!!!

 I found some of that lovely ivy in the local craft store last week and have been itching to use that too so thought i would blend it in around the frame. I used my Promarkers for the colouring of the scene. I am really pleased with how it turned out.

Sorry i haven't put many creations up the last couple of weeks but all of the cards i have been working on have gone out to family & friends. I like to show them once they have seen them as they all look at my blog, kind of takes the suprise out of receiving it!!!

Will be back soon with more. Thankyou for stopping by!

Big hugs Clare xxx

Imaginisce March Challenge

Now that i have managed to get hold of some Imaginisce products i can finally play along with their Monthly Sketch Challenges. This month's sketch is by Erin Bassett;

The challenge is to create a card or layout using Imaginisce products and using Erin's sketch as inspiration by 25th March. This is what i came up with using the "Lucy Bird" range.

I you would like to play along to be in with a chance of winning an I-top Tool Package or a $75 prize pack click HERE!!!!

Thankyou for stopping by
Hugs Clare xxx

Yummy Imaginisce!!!

I managed to finally get my hands on some Imaginisce paper's Lucy Bird range. This is one of my favourite brands but boy is it hard to get hold of in the UK. I had a look on the Glitterpot website & nearly fell off the chair when i saw it!!! They literally only supplied the papers there though, no accessories like rub-on's, brads, ribbon, stickers etc so i had to improvise & had loads of cutting out on my hands. I got atleast 3 sheets of each in the range just for this purpose. I had a play last night and made a card, a really quick one & i loved making it.

Now i just need to go out my other Imaginisce Twitterpated range!!!

Thanks for popping by, hugs Clare xxx

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY MUM

Happy Mother's Day to my beautiful Mum. I miss you each and every day but i know that you are still around me and guiding me in my life. I know that you are never far away so i have put some fresh flowers, a hedgehog ornament & a card that is hanging on your tree above your memorial.

Godbless you Mum xxx

LOVE YOU MUM XXX

CLARE, MARTIN, BERT & SIMONE

Sending love to everyone else who has also lost their Mum xxx

Scrapville February Card Sketch Challenge

This is the first challenge that i have taken part in this new & awesome Aussie blog. Janet is the owner of "Scrapville", a shop front business for scrapbooking, cardmaking & papercraft. My gorgeous friend Melinda Spinks is on the design team for Scrapville & she introduced me to the fun & games.

I have taken part in the February Card Sketch Challenge which was designed by Melinda as well as a scrapbook layout. This is both of the fab sketches;

So i decided to do the card sketch and this is what i came up with;

I have used white & blue linen cardstock,  Pocket Full of Posies Stack pp, Prima flowers, Martha Stewart Doily Lace border punch & Stylized Flowers CB embossing folder.

I have made my card for my Mum, although she passed a year ago, she may not be with us physically but i know that she is still around me and i will be putting it on her memorial over in Dad's garden on Sunday along with a gift. I will never stop doing this & helps me get through these tough days.

ralia

I guess it will seem weird doing a Mother's Day card in Australia as they celebrate it a different time of year to us in England, hope this is ok!!!

Thankyou for this wonderful challenge.

Hugs Clare xxx

Come check out Scrapville HERE

Seasonal Scrapper Card Challenge

I have got behind with my LSBS weekly challenge (infact with most of my challenges!) because of having treatment over past couple of weeks. I managed to get week #5 done which was a summery themed card challenge set by Deanne & had to produce a set of three cards. I had been itching to use my new Doodlebug Purple Passion pp which i think is beautiful & summery. I also used white hammer card, green  & mauve Bazzill card, Craftwork sentiments, Prima flowers & my yummy Martha Stewart lace border punch.

Here is what i came up with;

If you want to go check out the Seasonal Scrapper challenges pop over to LSBS. Now just got to complete challenges #4 & #6 then i am caught up.

Thanks for popping by!!!

Hugs Clare xxx

Crafty Catz Weekly Challenge

This weeks Crafty Catz Challenge #22 is all about shades of green with the added option of St.Patricks Day (for all of the Irish Folk out there). I actually love green shades when card making & don't use it as much as i should, think i will be using it more often in future!!!!

Here is what i came up with;

I have used my gorgeous little House Mouse Grape Dreams stamp, white linen card, green Bazzill card, KI Memories Stars Sublime Lace card, Shabby Shutters Distress Ink Pad, Textile CB folder, Petite Scallop Circle Nestibilities, Martha Stewart  Lace border punch, Prima flowers & GCS sentiments.

Thanks for visiting. Hugs Clare xxx

Click here to play along!!!

So Happy!!!

I am so happy because i have a card published in this months Craft Stamper magazine!!! it is my Gossamer Pink card which was one of three cards i entered in the Stamper of 2009 competition which i won the card entry with my flowerpot card. Katy Fox, the editor asked my permission to run a page in Reader Submissions (page 71) which is a step by step on how to create the card.

It has totally made my day as i was in hospital having treatment all day yesterday so it has perked me up no end!!!

The magazine is officially out tomorrow but you can see details on the upcoming magazine here. Also i am adding a sneaky peak of the page but you will have to go buy the mag for the details.

Thanks for stopping by!!! big hugs Clare xxx

Thankyou my Darlin Friend Deb!!!

My beautiful Aussie friend Deb has just passed on this beautiful blog award which has brightened up my day.  She is one of the most thoughtful friends a girl could ever ask for and even though we are at other sides of the world we are always in contact by phone or email & send little packages of craftiness back & forward.

Thankyou my darlin friend, Love you heaps. Hugs Clare xxx

Go pop over to Deb's lovely blog, she is a very talented lady!!!

Cards for Charity

I am currently making loads of cards for St.Wilfred's Hospice to help raise funds towards a 10,000 freefall skydive which my hubby Martin is doing on 1st May.

Martin wants to take part in honour of my Mum who passed away at the hospice on 17th December 2008. It is something he has always wanted to do but even more so now after seeing the wonderful love & care that was given to Mum in her last days of life. The incredible dedication the staff give to their patients & the aftercare which is given to the families left behind is something that people never forget & does make the experience of bereavement & loss a little easier to bear.

One of my beautiful neighbours who works at the hospice & looked after Mum asked me a few weeks ago if i would like to make some cards for her to take in to one of the daycare centres for St.Wilf's she helps to run every week. I made a box of cards a couple of weeks ago & they all sold within a couple of days so i have been busy making more. All of the money that is raised will go towards Martin's skydive which will end up in donation to St.Wilfred's.

My neighbour has also asked me if i will go to the day centre one week with her to meet the patients/families & do some little demo's & talk about what i do etc, maybe get some more people interested in cardmaking. I would be totally honoured to do that.I have got my second round of treatment on Wednesday (yuck!) so maybe after a couple of weeks i will feel up to doing this. I will keep you all posted!!!

Just some cards i made over the weekend, hugs Clare xxx

Thanks for looking xxx