Australian Flood Devistation - Lets Help!!!!!

I would like to appeal to all of my blog buddies!!!!

As im sure you are all well aware, the devastating floods in Australia have not only affected the citizens but also the animals, whether it be pets, cattle or wildlife. So many have lost their lives over the past few days and many have been injured or left homeless.

Guess you all know by now, i am the biggest animal lover and i would really love to do something to help as i do feel totally helpless seeing these images and speaking to all of my Aussie friends and also Helen my sister who lives in Queensland (luckily she was not in the affected areas).

I have added a link to one of the many animal charities that i support and 100% of all of the donations will go to the appeal.

THE ANIMAL RESCUE SITE

There are many more charities out there collecting for the welfare of animals for the Australian floods and i am sure each one is as good as the other and at the end of the day as long as all of the funds go to the cause to help, that is all we want.

So what am i going to do???? as many of you know i had my first round of the drug trial for my Rheumatoid on Tuesday (all went well by the way) and as a treat my friend said that we should both go have a pampering and get our nails done this coming Wednesday. It is going to cost £30 which is a lot of money to me but thought "bugger it, i deserve a treat!!!".

But NO!!! there is absolutely no way that i could sit there being pampered now knowing about all of this devistation going on out there. I am going to donate the £30 i would be spending to the THE ANIMAL RESCUE SITE which will help pay towards rescue, food, shelter, vetinary costs...........etc.

So my blogger friends, are you prepared to sacrifice something in your life for this needed cause??? even if it is £2.00 or £5.00 or £100 im sure that we can do without something which, lets face it, do we really need????.

Here are some pictures which may help you to decide;

Please, please, please help these beautiful creatures!!!

Thankyou for listening friends xxxx 

MY FIRST CHRISTMAS CARD FOR 2011!!!!

Keryn should be very proud of me!!! true to our pact i have made a Christmas card for 2011. We are trying to make a card/s every fortnight.

It really helped bagging this BoBunny kit in the sales for inspiration. I love limes, purples and blues and had my eye on this range long before Christmas but being an expensive  time of year i thought best to use what i had.  SALES ARE BAD FOR US!!!!!.

Im off for my first round of the new drug trial for my Rheumatoid tomorrow morning. Hoping & praying it helps.

Godbless and will be back again real soon.

Love Clare xxx

INGREDIENTS

CRAFTWORK CARDS BACK TO BASICS

BOBUNNY "A GIFT OF LOVE" BACK TO BACKS

BOBUNNY "WINTER WHIMSY" CARDSTOCK STICKERS

BLING FROM KARS

BUTTONS, RIBBON & EYELETS FROM STASH

TH DISTRESSED INK PADS - SHABBY SHUTTERS & DUSTY CONCORDE

HAPPY NEW YEAR & MY FIRST CARD FOR 2011!!!

Happy New Year to all of my gorgeous blog friends. Ok we are eight days into 2011 but im trying ok!!!.

I made this for my lovely friend Amanda's Birthday this week.

So did anyone get any yummy crafty stash for Christmas??? i have been surfing all of the sales on the crafty websites and have bagged some bargains with money i received. Just wish they could keep the prices down all of the time, especially with the recent VAT increase, grrr!!!.

Not sure about you but it is so nice not being pressured to make Christmas cards anymore. It is lovely just to have a play and start using all of those stamps and materials that have been neglected or unused over the past few weeks.

Saying that though me and KERYN have kind of made a pact to make Christmas cards (or card hopefully!) and put our creation on our blogs once a fortnight. That way we will be way ahead for Christmas 2011 which is bound to creep up as quickly as 2010.

Promising to get around to see your blogs everyone and make sure im HERE more often and actually taking pics of my work and posting!!!.

Bye for now, back soon.

Godbless Clare xxxxxx

INGREDIENTS

CRAFTWORKCARDS BACK TO BASICS CARD & ENVELOPE

WHITE & RED LINEN CARD

MY MINDS EYE, GARDEN PARTY LUSH BLOOMS DAISY CHAIN PP

MSE! SENTIMENTAL RUBZ

RED PRIMA FLOWERS

KAISER BLING

EYELETS

RED BUTTONS

RED RIBBON

SPELLBINDERS NESTIES LABELS ONE

TH DISTRESSED INK PADS WORN LIPSTICK & TATTERED ROSE

MY MUM

It is two years today since we lost our beautiful Mum

IM SPENDING CHRISTMAS WITH JESUS THIS YEAR

I see the countless Christmas trees

around the world below

with tiny lights, like heaven's stars,

reflecting in the snow.

The sight is so spectacular,

please wipe away that tear.

For im spending Christmas

with Jesus Christ this year.

I hear the many Christmas songs

that people hold so dear.

But the sounds of music can't compare

with the Christmas choir up here.

For i have no words to tell you

the joy their voices bring,

for it is beyond description

to hear an angel sing.

I can't tell you of the splendor,

or the peace here in this place.

Can you just imagine Christmas

with our saviour, face to face.

I'll ask him to light your spirit,

as i tell him of your love.

So then, pray for one another

as you lift your eyes above.

Please let your hearts be joyful,

and let your spirit sing.

For i'm spending Christmas in heaven,

and i'm walking with the king!

by Wanda Bencke



Not a single day or minute goes by where we do not think of you. We miss & love you so much. Godbless you Mum xxx

Some Hedgie Info & Pics I Would Like to Share With You All!

Hello my lovelies! i just wanted to share some information to all of you caring folk out there who have been emailing me about the hedgies. A lot of you want to know why they have not hybernated yet so thought i would fill you in on what i know.

Usually Hedgehogs hybernate between Nov/Dec to Mar/Apr. A lot depends on how cold the winter months are as to how long they are around for. The only reason they hybernate is to survive the winter as food is so scarce for them at these times. When the little guys go into hybernation mode their metobolic rate drops dramatically so they burn much less fat. This is why hedgies need to store up as much fat during the summer/autumn months as without it they will not live through winter (this is why so many do not wake up and die in their nests).

Very often the hedgies wake from their hybernation several times, especially if food is available to them (like in my garden!) and often they have more than one nest (some have up to 12!!!) which they may move to especially if their current one is under threat from preditors or the elements (not enough insulation due to the weather etc).

So now you all know why i leave food out every night of the year come hail or storm. Infact it is encouraged even during hybernation. Cat food (meat and biscuits) is the best things that humans can put down for them but usually suggested is chicken flavoured only for their digestion.

If anyone would like more info please do not be scared to ask as i love these creatures so much and would encourage anyone to do their bit to help our little endangered friends. I have added this link to the British Hedgehog Preservation Society which makes great reading with loads of facts including encouraging them into our gardens.

TAKEN BEHIND THE CONSERVATORY DOOR DURING THE FIRST HEDGIE SIGHTINGS OF 2010

Thankyou for dropping in guys. Take care and keep warm in UK and cool in OZ!!!.

Love Clare xxx

WANT TO SHARE SOME PICS!!!

Just wanting to share pics from the past week in the UK. This is mainly to benefit my Aussie mates who do not get to see snow. I am sure all of my mates in the UK are well over snow pics by now!!!.

 SOME PICS I TOOK ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT

 THURSDAY

 YEP, THAT'S COLD!

 LOOK AT THE BIRD BATH!!!

 MANAGED TO CLEAR SOME SNOW SO THE POOR BIRDS COULD EAT

 THE HEDGEHOG CABINS RESEMBLING IGLOO'S!!!

 ALL THE PROOF I NEED TO KNOW THAT I HAVE HEDGIES IN THE CABIN'S

LOOK HOW CUTE THOSE TINY LITTLE HEDGEHOG HOOF PRINTS ARE!

The snow was really handy as i now know that there are definitely hedgehogs in the two cabins. I saw all little tiny tracks leading from cabin to the food i put down every night by the conservatory doors. I could also actually see where they had burrowed out of the snow from the cabin's. The fox is also still around as i found his/her tracks and the food has always gone by morning.

Today we have had really heavy rain and the snow has completely gone now.

It was definitely beautiful while it lasted!!!.

Hope everyone is safe and well. Will be back again soon.

Big hugs Clare xxx

UPDATES!!!! Coffee morning, thankyou's, health, pics..............

I have decided my New Year Resolution is to stop being a God awful blogger!!!.

I can't believe how quickly the weeks are going by and just how busy my life has been.

I am feelin a lot more recovered from my hospital visit although it has taken a good few weeks. Off to see a specialist in a couple of weeks. Good news when i saw my Rheumatologist is that i am set for a new drug trial. I will have to spend the day in hospital one day a month to have infusions but if it is going to work it will be well worth it. I know there is no cure but to help slow it down and help with the pain will be good if it works, plus it will mean coming off the steroids. Will update you in the forthcoming weeks.

So Saturday we had the big weekend for me and Wendy with our St.Wilfred's coffee morning. I am so so happy to announce that it was a huge success and although the end figures are yet to be announced we reckon we had made near on £500! not bad for a 2 hour coffee morning hey!. Here are some pics of my table and some random shots. Bear in mind this is before everyone arrived!!!.

I would like to say a big big thankyou to all of the kind girls who have donated cards. I do hope i do not leave anyone out of my list, here goes;

Teri

Helen

Sally

Deb

Belinda

Mel
Claire
Brenda

I would also like to say a big thankyou to my lovely friend Keryn who is a constant support to me and always there for me to bend her ear and ask her advice, not only on crafty issues!!!.

I would also like to add some pics of some other sights from Saturday which really shows that winter is definitely here!.

The weather is still really bad here in the South East and not sure when it is due to improve. Hope all of my Aussie friends enjoy the pics!!!.

I am taking a well earned rest at the moment but already i am starting to get twitchy and wanting to create. I am so over doing Christmas stuff though!!!. Maybe i need to start using some stamps and bits that i have not used yet.

I promise that i will let you know when the figures are announced for the coffee morning and will stop neglecting my blog in future, afterall i have missed everyone big time.

Big love and hugs Clare xxx

MIA But Good Excuses!!!

Hi blog friends!!! Im back in the land of the living after a mad 2 weeks. As many of my close friends know i was rushed into hospital last week with excrutiating pains in my stomach which turned out to be kidney stones and a kidney infection. I figure this passes as a good excuse for my absence!!!.

Wow what a totally awful experience that was and never experienced pain of that intensity (believe me i have had a lot of pain in my time!). It was really scary and the worst part was that i was throwing up big time with it and got dehydrated. I even managed to throw up over the doctor in emergency, i did ask for a sick bowl!!!.

So after xray's, CT scan, bloods etc and debating whether i needed an operation it was decided that i would be able to pass the stones naturally. I was so relieved and just could not wait to get home.

I have been recuperating over the past week and now getting back into cardmaking mode. I am seriously panicking as the coffee morning me and Wendy have planned is only 3 weeks away, 27th November. I am doing great guns on the card side thanks to so many kind donations, so now i am starting on gift idea's which i will keep you posted with.

Just wanted to post a card i made recently for Wendy's birthday (for her hubby to give to her, hence the wording he chose!!!) just so you know i have been producing. Sorry not great quality photography.

I used some yummy Papermania papers, Woodware owl stamp, circle Nestie and Martha Stewart leaf punch.

Thankyou so much for the kind well wishes and get well cards my friends.

Big hugs Clare xxx

THANKYOU STEVE!!!!

Take a look at this amazing painting of my furbabies, Bert & Simone that my bestie KERYN'S hubster Steve created. He is so so talented and i got really choked up and emotional when i saw it for the first time when Keryn came up and visited me from Southampton.

THESE ARE MY BABIES!!!

Had such a wonderful day. I cannot wait till the next visit!!!.

Hugs Clare xxx

St.WILFRED'S CHRISTMAS FUNDRAISER 27th NOVEMBER!!!

Yep, Wendy and i have set our Christmas fundraiser for 27th November which will be held at Wendy's house. She very kindly offered as her house is bigger than mine and she does not want me being landed with a big clean up at mine!!!! bless her. So over the next 4 weeks or so it will be all hands on deck, loads of creating and lots of preperations to be made.

So just a taster of what i have been up to!!!

 Have lots of things on the go as i want to try making a lot of handmade gifts too which i will update you all with another day.

Wendy is going to make lots of tiny Christmas cakes, marzipan and ice and will take them into the St.Wilfred's day centre and get the patients to decorate them. One of the patients is really good at making iced decorations!!!. Some of the patients also want to come to the fundraiser, health pending.

I took my sister Helen's advice and am trying to make card sets instead of trying to make every one different. I reckon thinking of the ideas sometimes takes longer than actually making the card!!!.

I would like to say a big big thankyou to debby yates who sent a beautiful box of her cards last week. Thankyou so much hun!!! please pop over to her gorgeous BLOG and check out her creations.

Thankyou to the other lovely ladies who have also emailed me about sending cards. It means so much to have such wonderful blog friends. Anyone else who is interested in donating any cards please email me at earlygirl1@hotmail.co.uk. Please could you just put down as the subject of the email as St.Wilf's or card donations, just so i know it is not spammers etc.

Finally Bert & Simone have some pictures that they would like to share with you!!!

Thanks for visiting

Big hugs

Clare xxxx

A CALL OUT TO ALL OF MY CRAFTY FRIENDS!!!!

I would like to ask all of my crafty friends if they have any handmade Christmas cards which they are able to spare. I am arranging a fundraising coffee morning at home for St.Wilfred's Hospice some time in November.

Many of you wonderful friends helped me a few weeks back for little Cameron's event and the response was amazing. I would like to repeat this by holding one myself and have already many friends wanting to get involved on the day.

As many of you know St.Wilfred's Hospice is where my beautiful Mum was looked after during her final days before she passed away there on 17th December 2008. I am now heavily involved with Wilfie's and do card classes with the patients as well as selling cards with all of the proceeds going to the hospice.

If any of you would like to help me, even by sending one Christmas card that you have in your stash to spare, email me on earlygirl1@hotmail.co.uk (if you could kindly mention CARDS for the subject so that i know it is not a dodgy email!!!).

I always advise you as the cardmaker to add your details, blog and/or contact details on your card so that you get the recognition for your creation. It is good advertising for yourself too!!!.

I will confirm the date over the next couple of weeks.

Big thanks to you all

Love Clare xxx

THE FOREVER DREAM

Hi friends!!! just wanted to share a quick card i made yesterday. Not the most exciting but hey i gotta start somewhere!!!.

I used my brayer and used my Big and Juicy Happy Birthday Ranger ink pad on glossy card for the background, the stamp is by Penny Black called the The Forever Dream, coloured with ProMarkers, Card Candy, Pebbles Inc Happy Birthday rub-on, white linen card and an oval die.

Take care xxx