CARD AND A HALF SKETCH CHALLENGE #4

Hi everyone. Hope we are all well and not freezing cold like me!!! I can't seem to get warm today, may even have to resort to my red and white polka dot hot water bottle later!!!.

Well there is only one more day left to get your card sketch in for this month's  Card and a Half challenge but there is still time. The sketch this month was designed by  Scraptherapy who are also the proud sponsors of this month's challenge.

Lee-Anne and Danny are giving away a $25 on-line gift voucher from their store and Helen has also put up a little goody prize pack.  

As well as using the sketch as a basis Lee-Anne is also asking to add texture to our cards ie, embossing, textured paper's or cardstock, glitter, gems, ribbon etc.

This is my card;

INGREDIENTS

BAZZILL BASICS WHITE DOT CARD

RED & WHITE LINEN CARD

HOUSE MOUSE BIRTHDAY'S ICE CREAM STAMP SET

CRAFTWORK CARDS SENTIMENT

RED RAFFIA LACE

BOW FROM STASH

PROMARKERS

SPELLBINDERS SCALLOP CIRCLE

Go check out the Card and a Half Blog as a new extra challenge has just gone up!!!. 

Hugs Clare xxx

A BEAR SHARE!!!

I am busy making cards at the moment for the forthcoming charity fundraiser's ahead for MacMillan Cancer and St.Wilfred's Hospice. It is good as it has given me a kick up the bum and I have a little conveyer belt of stamping images, colouring, cutting etc going on. I am trying to make at least a couple of each style card to bring the number's up. So I am going to be sharing cards with you over the coming weeks which I am going to be making for these wonderful charities.

INGREDIENTS

CRAFTWORK CARD BLANKS

WHITE & POWDER BLUE LINEN CARD

LOTV BBQ BEAR STAMP

CRAFTWORK SENTIMENT

PAPERS, RIBBON & BRADS FROM STASH

FLEXMARKER PENS

SPELLBINDERS FLORAL DOILIES

Nite, nite all xxxxxxxxxxx

Margaret's all White With Glitter Card Deadline!!!!!!

Hi All!. Hope everyone is well on this wet and windy Sunday afternoon. Hard to believe another fortnight has passed since the last Christmas Card Club challenge deadline. It was Margaret's turn and she chose an all white card with glitter. This is my take on it;

Hoping i am not breaking the rules with having a stamped image with obvious black outlining!!!!.

INGREDIENTS

WHITE LINEN CARD

LOTV POLAR BEAR STAMP

SPELLBINDER'S FLEUR DE LIS SQUARE'S NESTIES 

PRIMA JEWEL

BUTTON, RIBBON & SENTIMENT FROM STASH

My life is pretty busy at the moment as i am busy making cards for the St.Wifred's coffee morning on 1st October and in the week i was asked to help out for the MacMillan Nurses coffee morning on 24th September. 

I have found out that my operation has been scheduled for 7th October and that i have got to have the op twice as they will only do one side of the kidney at a time, great!!!. 

I still have my beautiful Murdoch the hedgehog who i am nursing. He ended up having another operation on his leg (or stump!) as it kept getting infected so the vet has now put staples in which seems to be doing the trick. I have got to look after him for another 2 weeks then he will go back to have the staples removed. Poor little bugger now has a skin infection so i am having to spray him in oil daily!!! he is not a happy hoggy at having this done and turns into a miniature rottweiler!!!. Will put up some more pic's of him shortly.

On Friday i am going to be looking after 3 baby squirrel's and possibly 3 baby newborn hedgehogs. The lady i deal with is going on holiday for 7 days and she has asked if i am up to looking after them. I am so excited guys and my camera will be doing overtime lol. It is good though as it is all keeping my mind occupied from the not so nice things happening in life. 

Ok will be back soon.

Love to you all, Clare xxxxxxxxxxxx

SYLVIE'S CCC MISTLETOE CHALLENGE

Made my first card in about a month and I am now up to date with the Christmas Card Club challenges. It was the gorgeous SYLVIE'S turn and she chose the theme of a card with mistletoe on.

I used this cute little Penny Black stamp along with a House Mouse sentiment from one of their Christmas sets. The red polka dot pp is from Echo Park and the mistletoe pp is from Do Crafts. 

The following fortnight's challenge is by our lovely Margaret and the theme is white with a bit of glitter. If you click HERE you will see Margaret's stunning take on her challenge.

If anyone would like to come and take part in the Christmas Club just message any one of us girls and go check out our lovely group which is featured in my sidebar. 

Thanks for stopping by guys.

Big hugs Clare xxx

KERRY'S CHRISTMAS CARD CHALLENGE

I'm finding it really hard getting back into the swing of life at the moment. I haven't even thought about card making the past 3 weeks but I made a bit of a breakthrough tonight, I think. 

I had a little dabble and began to make one of the latest cards for The Christmas Card Club challenges. I had already made the one below but have not yet blogged it. The lovely Kerry had her chance to set the challenge which was holly, a robin and the option of a letter box. 

Well it is kind of close!!! definitely some holly, the bird could be a robin and it could be a fancy letterbox!!!. I tried anyway. I love this stamp from LOTV and one of my Christmas favourite's.

I really need to get back into lots of creating as on 1st October me and Wendy are hoping to have another coffee morning to raise money for St.Wilfred's Hospice. If anyone out there is able to spare a card or two to donate for the hospice please just email me on earlygirl1@hotmail.co.uk and I can give you further details and my address.

I will be back very soon as I need to get lots of creating going on. I will also do updates on the hedgies and my lovely painted bungalow!!!.

Lots of love to you all and remember to tell the special people in your lives how much you love them xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I AM GOING TO BE A FOSTER MUM!!!!!!!!!!!

That is a hedgehog foster Mum......The day before we lost Matthew I was asked if I would like to get more involved in looking after hedgehogs and would I be prepared to become a foster Mum to little baby orphaned hoglets. 
In the Autumn the wildlife services become over run with little babies which need to be weaned and looked after which have become orphaned. Many are too tiny and underweight to hibernate in the Winter and die and as Hedgehogs are decreasing every year we need to look after these little protected creatures. It may also mean that I will have to look after them throughout the cold winter months indoors and release them when it warms up in March/April time. 


At the moment I am looking after two amputee hedgehogs which I have found sick in my garden missing limbs. Murdoch and Billy are doing really well and hopefully in the next week or so they will be well enough to release back into the garden. 


I have just been shown how the inject antibiotics into Murdoch which I have to do on a daily basis. This wasn't too hard for me as I have to inject myself weekly lol!. 


I have managed to get hold of a double hutch and will be setting up my conservatory to look after them. I even won a big cage from EBAY today for 99p!!!. I am having some supplies from the Wildlife Services too which will be a big help and already I have another big outdoor cabin and lots of food which they have supplied recently.


I am going to leave you with a few picture's of Murdoch and Billy;

THIS IS BILLY WHO I FOUND EATING FROM THE DISHES JUST OUTSIDE THE CONSERVATORY A WEEK AGO TODAY. BILLY HAD A LOT OF TICKS ON HIM AND WHEN I EXAMINED HIM UNDERNEATH MOST OF HIS RIGHT HIND LEG WAS MISSING. I GOT HIM TO THE VET AND THEY OPERATED AND HE HAS BEEN RECOVERING AT HOME WITH ME SINCE TUESDAY & DOING SO WELL.

THIS IS BIG MURDOCH!!!! THIS GORGEOUS HOGGY HAS BEEN WITH ME FOR ABOUT 3 WEEKS NOW AND IS ON HIS THIRD LOT OF ANTIBIOTICS. AGAIN, THE SAME AS BILLY I EXAMINED MURDOCH AND REMOVED TICKS AND I COULD SMELL REALLY BAD INFECTION ON HIM AND WHEN I LOOKED HIS REAR LEFT LEG HAD BEEN CUT CLEAN OFF. THE VETS RECKON IT IS PEOPLE USING STRIMMERS WHEN CUTTING THEIR GRASS BUT I'M NOT CONVINCED. MURDOCH HAS ANOTHER 4 DAYS OF ANTIBIOTICS AND A FEW DAYS TO SEE HOW HE IS AND HOPEFULLY BACK INTO THE GARDEN.

Just to let you know when I can release these little guys I will mark them so I know exactly who is who whenever I see them outside. Nail varnish is one of the safest and best things to use and stays on their spikes. Just another good reason to buy loads of different funky colours!!!!. 

Matthew was amazed by all of our little creatures when he came over for a holiday 5 years ago and I think he would have happily snuck them into his suitcase!!! Matthew has always loved animals and reckon he would be giving me a big thumbs up.

Thank you for stopping by.

Love and hugs Clare xxx   

A VERY BIG THANKYOU

I would like to say a really big thank you to everyone for all of the love and support that they are showing with the recent loss of Matthew. Your cards, phone calls, emails and texts have really helped and are definitely getting us through this tragedy.

Helen and the boys amaze me on a daily basis at their strength and courage to move forward in life. I know they will get through this with the help of everyone around her and with Helen's positive outlook in life this will get her and the boys through anything.

The main thing Helen wants is for life to go on as Matthew was the biggest go-getter around and would never want her to fall apart and stop doing things that she loves. With this in mind i am also going to do this and continue with happy stuff on my blog which i love to share with all of my beautiful friends.

My next post is going to kind of be a tribute to Matthew as i know he would be so pleased with the latest venture in my life. I just feel sad i did not get to tell him but i know he is up there looking over us all with approval. 

Thank you again everyone and i love you all very much xxxx

FAREWELL MATTHEW

I woke up early this morning and started lighting candles around my house as today was the day that my beautiful Sister Helen and darling Nephews put Matthew to rest. 

The funeral took place at 3.30pm which was 6.30am UK time. I sat and prayed and then thought about all of the wonderful memories and the priveledge i had in knowing Matthew and being able to call him my Brother.

I try to console myself that Matthew was meant for better things than this life but i cannot believe that there was anything better for him than Helen, Jacob and Braiden. I guess we will not know until it is our time to depart this earth. 

I do know that Matthew will be up there with Mum, my Brother and all of the other dear one's lost, all of whom will be looking over Helen, the boy's, family and friends guiding and protecting and trying to help us all come to terms with this tragedy. 

They have been looking after my Sister Carolyn who has just text me to let me know she has just landed safely in Sydney. In a few more hours after her connecting flight to Cairn's she will at last be with Helen and the boys and be able to hold them and cry with them and look after them as we all wish we could here at home. 

Farewell and Godbless Matthew, i know one day we will all be together again xxxxxxx

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR BEAUTIFUL MESSAGES, EMAILS, TEXTS AND CARDS. THEY HAVE MEANT SO MUCH TO ME AND DAD XXX

REST IN PEACE MY DARLING BROTHER-IN-LAW

I HAVE THE HEAVIEST OF HEARTS RIGHT NOW. MY BEAUTIFUL SISTER HELEN AND HER TWO BOYS JACOB AND BRAIDEN LOST THEIR DARLIN HUSBAND AND DAD IN A TERRIBLE MOTOR ACCIDENT YESTERDAY.  

I CANNOT BEGIN TO GET MY HEAD AROUND ALL OF THIS, THE WHY'S, THE HOW'S, THE WTF'S??? I WILL NEVER EVER UNDERSTAND ANY OF THIS BUT FOR NOW ALL I CAN DO IS BE A SISTER AND AN AUNTIE AND DO ALL I CAN TO GET THIS BEAUTIFUL BROKEN FAMILY THROUGH THIS.

IF YOU ARE OF THE PRAYING KIND THEN PLEASE SEND PLENTY IN THEIR DIRECTION.

REST IN PEACE MY GORGEOUS BROTHER-IN-LAW, YOU ARE NOW WITH MUM AND AMONST THE ANGELS XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Two Cards One Stamp

Ok im a bit too hot today guys. I know i shouldn't moan but really feeling it today and not in a good way. I used my Methotrexate injection today so that probably hasn't really helped. Right whinging over!!! hope everyone is well and that YOU are enjoying the heat.

I made a couple of Christmas cards at the weekend using the same Lily of the Valley stamp. It is one of my favourite's and find it really flexible with papers and card.

Atleast my Christmas stash is increasing although i still want to make plenty more before December. So glad that we have the Christmas Club going (see on my sidebar) which is so inspiring and a lovely group of girls. If you are interested and want more information on the group just send me a comment and i will email you. 

Love and hugs Clare xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

ANOTHER MMI SHARE!!!

Wow what a beautiful day today! i have to admit though i am keeping cool indoors with the cats with the fans on. I went out to hang two lots of washing on the line and came back in very hot and bothered!!!.


Just wanted to share another MMI Alphabet soup range card i made for my friends Daughter Alex who has a Birthday on Saturday. Added googly eyes and that cat & penguin look like they have been on my morphine!!!.

I am very excited today as i ordered an Ottlite from Create & Craft on Friday. I have been wanting one for a long while now and they had it on flexi-pay last week so paying it in two installments. I have set it up as my bedside lamp as will be so good if i want to craft of an evening on the bed. The light is supposed to be something like 95% as close to real daylight and is amazing.

It will be so cool for colouring images with my ProMarkers as will be seeing the true colours. Very chuffed with it indeed.

Keep cool everyone.

Hugs Clare xxx

CARD SHARE

Hope everyone is well. Just wanted to share a couple of my latest makes.

Im on a bit of a My Minds Eye infatuation at the moment and love their Alphabet Soup   range. I have used their girly Zoo Animal papers in the first card and used their chipboard elements from the same range. The baby sentiment stamp is by Stamping all Day. The second card i used their Garden Party range "Lush Blooms Daisy Chain" papers, again using some of the Alphabet Soup flowers and little birdie. 

Will be back again soon. Thanks for stopping by!.

Love Clare xxx

CHRISTMAS CLUB CARDS

I am so pleased as i have managed to catch up with my Christmas Club cards after being poorly and getting behind. I have even been able to make a few other cards this week which i will blog this week.

Firstly i made this card for PINKY'S challenge which was to make a card with a teddy bear featured. I only have one teddy stamp (but lots of polar bears lol!) and dug this oldie out by Anita's. I think i have had this stamp since i started cardmaking and my sis Helen gave it to me!!!. I have used coloured stickles and glossy accents instead of ProMarkers. Definitely not the best card i've ever made but hey, we all have our off days!!!.

The second challenge was set by SALLY which was entitled "Santa Claus is coming to town" where an image of Father Christmas or an animal dressed up as Santa was required. Crazy hey! no bloody Father Christmas stamps in my whole collection!. The closest stamp i had was this little Japanese doll by Hero Arts. I think she is so cute and comes as a set of three but i kind of think she looks like a little Santa doll.

The next fortnight's challenge is set by the lovely Kerry and will be her first as she is a pretty new gal to the group. KERRY wants a card with a robin, holly with the option of a postbox. Looking forward to this one Kerry!!!.

Please go check out the other girl's Christmas cards on their lovely blog's by clicking on the list on my sidebar.

If anyone else would like to join our little Christmas group give me or any of the girls a shout. It is just a little friendly group of 13 and we want to make as many cards as we can before Christmas with these fortnightly challenges. 

Thanks for popping by!

Nite all Clare xxxxxx

Some Pictures of my Home Makeover so Far!!!

Ok you may remember back in the beginning of the year me and Dad painted the kitchen and i have given it a whole new retro look with red & white polka dot with lots of EBAY shopping and loads of bargains. 

It took me and Dad ages to paint and arrange but i am so happy with the result. Not a lot has been achieved with the rest of the bungalow so the other day Dad decided that he was going to get someone in to do it. Me and Dad struggle anyway, me with my health and Dad is 78 and he struggles with things and he calls himself a "plodder" nowadays lol!. So Gary has been coming in and so far he has completed toilet, bathroom and hall and is halfway through the sitting room. 

I promised to share some pics with you and here they are;

GOING TO GET NICE COLOURED BLIND AND A COLOURFUL SOAP DISPENSER, TOOTHBRUSH HOLDER & SOAP DISH AND SOME BOTTLES etc.......

My yummy bathroom!!!. Loads of colour!!! it's a shame though as the paint comes out too blue in the pics but it is a gorgeous turquois. Since i got into crafting i have really fallen in love with bright colours. I love this colour as you can mix it with lots of yummy coloured towels and accessories.

Here's the dunny!!! the same colour as the bathroom but again the colour looks too blue. I have managed to find a close match to the paint colour below.

Here is a quick pic of the hallway colour but it is looking a bit bare at the moment so just a snippet and more pics to follow;

Thought i would keep the hallway a fresh guava green as the wrong shade would make it look too dark and dank.

So there we go a few pics and will post more as updated. I know the colours may not be everyone's taste but me and the kitties love it!!!!!.

Thanks for taking a peek.

Lots of love Clare xxx

Hello!!!

Hello, im back at last!!! it has been a busy two weeks that has passed and one where not a great deal of crafting has gone on.

To start with i am having my little bungalow painted. Dad and i managed to get the kitchen done earlier in the year but due to bad health on both our parts not a lot more had been done so my lovely Dad has decided to get someone in to do it recommended by his next door neighbour. So far the bathroom, toilet, hallway and half of the sitting room has been done. It is looking lovely and as soon as all is done i will be putting up pics. My favourite part is buying some nice bits to show off the new rooms! doing a lot of EBAY shopping at the moment and got some lovely bathroom bits from NEXT this week. 

Healthwise i have had another kidney stone flare up two Saturdays ago. I still do not have a date for the op but my specialists secretary contacted me to have a chat, find out how i am and to give me contacts for her etc. Got to have some tests before the op so that is all in hand.

I started my new Rheumatoid injections last Tuesday, Methotrexate. A nurse came in to train me and it all went really good. Dad wanted to learn too as if im not well or he needs to do it for me he will know what to do. It was just as well he was there as i have to inject the tops of my legs and my arms. Normally it would be legs and stomach but i have loads of scars on my tummy so it is not an option. So i did my leg last week and yesterday Dad did the top of my arm. I feel so proud of him as he is 78 and prepared to do this for me. I am very lucky though as i have had a lot of friends offering to do it too and Martin is already trained to do it anyway from the past home injections i had to have. 

Apart from a bit of nausea and feeling really tired the side effects are tolerable. It can take a few weeks to notice any difference so only time will tell. The main important thing is that i am on some sort of drug that will hopefully help and slow down the progression of the disease. It is not a cure but just got to take what you can until such times.

Righteo then my lovelies. I will be back tomorrow with some cards and maybe a sneeky peek of some of the painting!!!.

Thanks for stopping by and promise to pop by everyone's blogs over the week.

Lots of love Clare xxxxxcxxxxxx

A STASH CARD!!!!

This is a card where literally everything i used was from my stash with no names!!!!.

Coloured this gorgeous image with ProMarkers and decided to compliment it with this lovely piece of ribbon my beautiful Aussie friend DEB gave me many moons ago but have wanted to save it for a special card.

See you all soon

Big hugs Clare xxx

CARD AND A HALF MONTHLY SKETCH CHALLENGE #2

Good afternoon everyone, hope everyone is well on this fine Monday afternoon. Well i have managed to finish off my card for the CARD AND A HALF MONTHLY SKETCH CHALLENGE #2. I missed the deadline for the first one so wasn't taking any chances this month. There are still 4 days left so go pop over there and check out all the fun!!!!.

This is the sketch and the wonderful card sample and monthly prize is supplied by the lovely Carol Mead. Go check out her beautiful blog and ETSY store here at TATTERED INSPIRATIONS  &  http://www.etsy.com/shop/Tatteredinspirations.

And here is my card;

INGREDIENTS

CREAM HAMMER CARD

DOODLEBUG STRAWBERRY BLOSSOMS PP

LILI OF THE VALLEY INSPIRATIONAL SENTIMENT STAMP

PRIMA FLOWERS

WILD ORCHID GYPS

KAISER RIBBON

BUNNY ZOE CRAFTS HATPIN AND STOP

th DISTRESSED INK PAD "ANTIQUE LINEN"

Thankyou for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your Monday!!!

Big hugs Clare xxxxxxxxxxx

CARD AND A HALF EXTRA CHALLENGE #2

Hello everyone, i do hope you are all having a good Saturday. Thank goodness the rain has stopped and have been able to get some washing out.

I have made this card for the CARD AND A HALF EXTRA CHALLENGE #2 which still has 4 days left for you to submit your cards. There is also the monthly challenge running so please go check them out!!!. Helen is doing so so well with her new blog and receiving so much wonderful support.

This is the gorgeous new stamp that i recently bid for & won off EBAY from a lovely lady called Sandra. Not only have i gained a stamp but a beautiful new bloggy friend. This is Sandra's blog ROSE PETAL CREATIONS please go check out her lovely blog as her work is stunning.

INGREDIENTS

WHITE LINEN CARD

BROWN & GREEN BAZZILL CARD

HOUSE MOUSE STAMP

EYELETS, SENTIMENT & BROWN & GREEN THREAD FROM STASH

TH DISTRESSED INK PAD "ANTIQUE LINEN"

PROMARKERS (POPPY, MEADOW GREEN, WARM GREY 1 & 2, ALMOND, TAN, SANDSTONE, IVORY & BLENDER PEN)

Thankyou for stopping by and your comments mean the world to me!!!.

Lots of love Clare xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

CHRISTMAS CLUB CHALLENGE

Hi all! hope everyone is ok today. Did anyone else log on this morning to their blog to a new look dashboard???. Took me ages to realise there wasn't a problem with Blogger (yeah makes a change!). Everything is different and harder to get around and i hate it!!!!. Im a bit of a creature of habit im afraid. Anyone else got an opinion???.

Right i am finally up to date with the Christmas Club challenges and now working on our current fortnight. The last challenge was set by the lovely LIZZIE. We had to make a card without using patterned papers, although we could make our own prints with stamps.

I decided to add my image direct to my card without backing it onto any layers, instead i used the sentiment as the focal point. Don't you just love the beautiful words?. I love this cute House Mouse image too, it is one from my new Christmas set. Ive been a bit of a bugger lately spending and gone a bit HM mad. I just love them soooooo much!!!.

INGREDIENTS

WHITE LINEN CARD

RED & GREEN BAZZILL CARD

HOUSE MOUSE STAMP "WINTER CANDLE" SET

STAMPING ALL DAY SENTIMENT STAMP

ICICLE PEEL OFF'S

BLING

PROMARKERS (POPPY, SANDSTONE, TAN, IVORY, BLUSH,  MEADOW GREEN & WARM GREY 1)

Will be back tomorrow to share another card!

Big hugs

Clare xxx

HEDGEVILLE UPDATE!

Well this is the 3rd year now that i have been looking after these little critters and i have had the hardest so far this year. So far there has been 4 casualties and only 1 out of those 4 have so far survived.

I have a very heavy heart today after finding out about my lastest little poorly hog that i called Willow. He turned up on Sunday evening and i noticed he had lots of ticks on him. I brought him in and managed to remove 6. On further examination i noticed he had a massive laceration/abscess on his tummy which was very badly infected. Poor little thing must have been in a lot of pain but just seemed so sprightly considering. He spent the night being well looked after in the cosy indoor cabin with plenty of food and water. First thing Monday i took him straight down to the vet and we all thought his prospects seemed good.

When the vet sedated Willow the damage was a lot worse and the infection had spread deep into tissue and into the muscle, going right into his bladder. They would have had to remove so much tissue that he would not have been able to do a wee so it was best to let him go. I know that everything was done for him as they have to try to keep these little hoggies alive as they are decreasing at an alarming rate.

I really though that Willow was going to be a survivor but sometimes the damage can be too bad and they would suffer so much.

RIP LITTLE WILLOW

I love these little creatures so much and as hard as it is losing them i just have to say to myself that i am making a difference and by feeding them and looking after them it may make their lives a little easier. The vet said to me that the sick one's i have found would be suffering so much out there on their own and would have a very  painful & slow death so by putting them to sleep really is helping them when they are that sick.

One thing i always notice when i have looked after a hedgehog is that when i go into the conservatory to clean up i always find a little white feather. This to me is a lovely sign.

Last night when i took the nightly food out i was met with a hedgehog trotting around the lawn waiting for his food!!! that is what keeps me going when i feel sad about losing one. He looked up at me when i shone the torch down on him and he looked up at me as if knowing it was "food time". Last night i saw seperate hoggies so i know there are still plenty around in my garden.

Thanks for listening.

Hugs Clare xxx