RAIN RAIN GO AWAY!!!!

I am so sorry that I have been scarce of late and not blogging and commenting. A couple of weeks ago I had a fall outside in the garden. I thought I had broken my ribs but my GP said that I had muscular damage and bruising (still feels like they are bloody well broken!) as I also have the Rheumatoid Arthritis it has made everything flare up as well which doesn't help. Thankfully I have been able to schedule posts when I have felt good enough but not been able to get much creating done. 

Even my poor Bertie bear has been in the wars as I found an abscess under his chin last week. He was whizzed straight off to the vet and prescribed antibiotics and painkillers but poor sausage developed a lesion on his neck from the injections so I am also treating him for that. Thank fully the abscess burst (eewww!!!!) so he is much more comfortable and the lesion is healing. Back to the vet on Friday to hopefully give him the all clear. 

I made this card for one of my beautiful friends who's Birthday I was late for so thought I would share it. 

The gorgeous stamps and paper are from LOTV. Flowers from Wild Orchid and rose lace ribbon from Ebay.

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges;

LILI OF THE VALLEY THURSDAY CHALLENGE - Anything goes
TUESDAY THROWDOWN - Layer's
MOVING ALONG WITH THE TIMES - Lets go dotty
CRAFT PUNKED - Best friends
JOANNA SHEEN - Anything goes excluding Christmas

Well I am wondering just how much more rain we are going to have. I feel so sorry for those poor people around the country who are flooded. My garden looks like a swinning pool but thankfully is not indoors. Hope everyone of my friends are safe and out of the danger zones.

Will be back very soon with more shares.

Big hugs Clare xxxx

ANY DIE WILL DO

Hello my lovelies, well it is Friday again and another week closer to Christmas. I have done no Christmas shopping as yet, even though I promise each year that I will start early!!!!. Thankfully one thing that I am doing fairly well with is Christmas cards. 

Over at Polka Doodles this week we have a brand new challenge with the theme "any die will do". Very happy with this as got to use my new Marianne poinsettia die!!!!. Here is what I made.

The scrummy paper's are from Studio 12 Picknix Collection 2 "Gingerbread Twist" CD. The gorgeous bear image is from Polka Doodles Sundae of Seasons CD. The sentiment is from the Here Comes Christmas CD. I have used Turquoise Doodle Dew Drops for the centre of the poinsettia and diamond Stickles on the petals. The poinsettia die is by Marianne Designs. I have used circle nestibilities and the scallop circle is by Craftwork Cards. The gorgeous ribbon is from one of my lovely friends ETSY shop which you can purchase here at The Little Boutique. Patricia has some beautiful stash to embellish your creations, go check it out!!!!.

Hope that you will all go pop over to the Polka Doodles blog and check out all of the girls DT makes and also take part in the challenge!!!!. 

Have a great and safe weekend everybody.

Love & hugs Clare xxxx

BRIGHT FESTIVE COLOURS!!!!

Hello everyone, hope you are all well on this cold Monday evening. I have finally got my Christmas Card Club challenge card done (was due Sunday, ooops!). It was the lovely Hazel's turn to pick the challenge this fortnight and her theme was to make a card using bright colours. 

And bright colours Hazel got!!!!. I brought this lovely funky Christmas tree paper from my local craft store. The only problem is there is nothing on the paper to indicate the company who made it. I have used blue, white & pink Bazzill card, an LOTV sentiment stamp, circle/scallop Nestabilities and ribbon, eyelets and bling from stash. 

I am really hating these dark early nights. It seems to make the day go so much faster. It's crap if you need to take a photo too!!!!. Ho hum, soon be Summer again!!!!.

Thank you for stopping by and big hugs to all.

Love Clare xxxx

EMMA CANNING FLAT FRIENDS CHALLENGE!!!!

My beautiful friend Emma Canning has started a new challenge BLOG featuring her wonderful Flat Friends digi images!!!!. You can buy Emma's images over at the Polka Doodles store HERE. There is an amazing assortment of these gorgeous digi's at only £1.25 each. 

This is the second challenge and this month the theme is "spots & stripes". This is what I made using the "Merry Maison" image.

The polka dot paper is from the Polka Doodles Here Comes Christmas CD. The sentiment is a Little Claire's stamp. The red Berry Dew Drops are also from the Polka Doodles store. Red and white linen card & red ribbon from stash. I have used Promarkers to colour in the image and finished off with diamond Stickles. 

Emma would love you to stop by for some inspiration and to have a play. There is still plenty of time to enter and Emma is offering her gorgeous digi's for prizes!!!!. 

Hope everyone is having a good day!!!

Big hugs Clare xxxx

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE MEECE!!!!

Hi all, hope you have all had a super weekend. Just got a card to share. It was for my lovely friend Wendy who's Birthday it was last week. 

Haven't played with my gorgeous meece for a little while so they have made an appearance. They are from the Ice Cream Birthday's set. I have used pink and brown Bazzill card, a Craftwork Cards sentiment and buttons and twine from my stash. The lovely ribbon trim is a Stampin Up punch. I used Promarkers to colour and aged mahogany Distressed Ink Pad. I used some brown glitter for the ice cream!!!!.

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges;

DREAM VALLEY CHALLENGES - Anything goes
ROBYNS FETISH - Anything goes
SCRAPPERS DELIGHTS CHALLENGES - Anything Goes
ONE STOP CRAFT - Anything goes
SWEET STAMPIN CHALLENGE - Anything goes
CLEARLY INSPIRED - Critters
CRAFTY CATZ - Anything goes
PAPER CRAFTING JOURNEY - Anything Goes
LOVES RUBBER STAMPS - Anything goes
PAPELITOS STAMPS - Anything goes
PAPERTAKE WEEKLY - Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by.

Big hugs Clare xxxx

IT'S PARTY TIME!!!!

Hello my lovelies!!!!. Well it's Friday and that means another challenge over at Polka Doodles and we are in a party mood!!!. This weeks theme was to make a Christmas party invitation and here is what I made.

I have used images and paper's from the fabulous Here Come Christmas CD and Studio 12 Picknix 2 Gingerbread twist CD. The bunting is a Stampin Up punch. Everything else is from my stash.

It's been a big week at Polka Doodles as Nikky has recruited 11 new international member's to the design team. I am so looking forward to getting to know the new girls and seeing their creations. Make sure you stop over and meet them!!!!. 

Another bit of excitement is there is a mega sale over at the Polka Doodles shop running from Thursday 8th to Monday 12th with huge savings on CD's!!!!. 

Hope that you can go check it out and bag yourselves some bargains!!!!

Thank you for stopping by and make sure that you have a wonderful and safe weekend.

Big hugs Clare xxxx

SUGAR & SPICE & ALL THINGS NICE

Hi my lovelies, hope that all of my friends are well and keeping warm. I am finding it so cold and it's making my joints really painful. Never mind though as it is that time of year!!!!. 

I am a few days late in posting this card which was due on Sunday. The Christmas Card Club only has another three challenges left for the year. Cannot believe how quickly it has gone. This week it was the lovely Zoe's turn to choose the theme which was "sugar & spice & all things nice". I have been itching to use this gorgeous House Mouse stamp. Here is what I made. 

INGREDIENTS

CRAFTWORK CARDS 8X8 PLAIN WHITE CARDS

RED & WHITE BAZZILL CARD

PAPER MANIA PATTERNED PAPER & BOW "HOME FOR CHRISTMAS" RANGE

HOUSE MOUSE STAMPS FROM "GINGERBREAD HOUSE" SET

POLKA DOODLES RED DEW DROPS

WILD ORCHID HOLLY LEAVES & BERRIES

PEBBLES CHALKS

PROMARKERS

RIBBON FROM EBAY

I brought these rather large 8X8 cards ages ago and have a felt little bit intimidated by them worrying I would not be able to fill the card out!!!. Definitely needs a bit of layering and I think these lovely House Mouse stamps fill them out quite well. I am trying to make bigger cards for family as they will not need to be posted. I really hate having to think about the pennies when it comes to postage and get so narky with the increasing price rise of stamps. There that's my moan for the evening lol!!!!.

If you are interested in joining the Christmas Card Club either now or in the New Year just email me any time. We are just a small group of friends who make Christmas cards every fortnight to a challenge. Just helps to have a few cards made before December 1st!!!. The girls blogs are listed on my side bar and would love you to go check out their creations.

Right must try being a bit more creative before bed time, seriously can't believe we are in November.

Big hugs Clare xxxx