The Versatile Blogger Award

My lovely and talented friend Vee Cassidy has been awarded the Versatile Blogger Award. It could not go to a more deserving lady. 

I would love you guys to go over to visit Vee's blog HERE as she is such an inspiring cardmaker. She is a lovely lady too and so positive despite having health problems. 

Vee has decided to pass this award on to me and I feel so honoured for her to think of me. Here is the link to Vee's blog http://veecassidy.blogspot.com/ Thank you so much angel xxx

There are some conditions to follow when being given this award, these are;

1. You need to thank the person who awarded you this to you including a link to their blog

2. Select 15 blogs that you have either recently discovered or follow regularly

3. Nominate those 15 bloggers with The Versatile Blogger Award

4. Tell the person who nominated you for the award 7 things about yourself

The 15 people I would like to award are;

SYLVIE (GIBMISS)

MARGARET (DUTCHESS)

CAROL (CM DESIGN)

HAZEL (CRAFTY HAZELNUT)

ANNE (WICKED DESIGN)

DAWN (CRAFTY KITTEN)

SALLY (SCALLYWAGS)

DEANNE (THREE TREES)

TRACEY (HANDMADE WITH LOVE)

SANDRA (ROSEPETAL CREATIONS)

SQUIRREL

DEE (PAPER MISCHIEF)

JACKI (SCULLDUGGERY)

CHERYL (PASSION FOR PAPER)

CLAIRE (CRAFTY C'S CRAFTING LIBRARY)

It is soooo hard as I want to give it to all of my followers!!! I have tried to give it to everyone I have not given out awards to before. I notice that the Versatile Blogger Award is popular at the moment and some of my followers already have it lol!!!.

Ok 7 things about me are;

1. I love animals!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have my two beautiful furbabies Bert & Simone and look after wildlife throughout the year for WRAS. They include hedgehogs & squirrels. I also have a lovely semi feral cat which I feed every day and he has a kennel that I had made for him which is in my shed so that he can come & go when he pleases. I also have a regular fox who comes to eat at my place!!!. I put food out for the wildlife every night & I also have a flock of pigeons which I feed every day. Yep, gotta love animals!!!.

2. I have just started a new treatment for my Rheumatoid Arthritis. I have to inject myself every month. I am praying that it helps me.

3. I never do ironing!

4. I live in a lovely bungalow, it is my little piece of heaven and feel totally safe here.

5. I am a vegetarian and it is the best thing that I ever did. I feel a lot healthier too!

6. I lived in Australia from the ages of 9 to 17

7. My favourite colour is red and I am mad about red & white polka dots!!!

I'm sorry I know most of the things you probably know but so hard to think of things!!!.

Thank you so much again Vee for this award.

Hugs Clare xxx

SUGAR & SPICE & EVERYTHING NICE HMFMC114

Just posting my card for this fortnights Housemouse & Friends challenge, Sugar & Spice &  Everything Nice. 

INGREDIENTS

GREEN BAZZILL CARD

GREEN POLKA DOT CARD FROM HANDY HIPPO

HOUSE MOUSE STAMP

CRAFTWORK CARDS SENTIMENT

GREEN TWINE

SPELLBINDERS CIRCLE

PROMARKERS & FLEXMARKERS

Only a couple of days left to take part so best get your cards finished!!!.

Thanks for stopping by

Hugs Clare xxx

MY LOVELY LITTLE SURPRISE!!!

Ok, so in yesterday's post I promised to have a surprise for you all today. Be prepared for loads of photo's!!!.

Many of you maybe wondering what these gorgeous little creature's are??? tails too long for puppies & kittens. Have you guessed???. They are newborn SQUIRRELS!!!!!!.

My lovely buddy Monica rang me yesterday morning asking me whether we could take it in turns between us looking after them (i'm on the Sunday eve to Thursday eve shift, she is Thurs to Sunday obviously). Monica has to work at a nursery and is now unable to take her wildlife rescues in with her so she was despairing that she would no longer be able to care for them. A few weeks ago we had a chat and decided to look after them between us. Its good as it also gives me a break as all of the newborns need 3 hourly feeds. As tiring as it can be it is amazing being able to look after these gorgeous babies. It's nice to know that you have a hand in helping them to survive.

These little one's had been abandoned by their Mummy, she was probably scared from the nest. Luckily someone found them and took them to the rescue centre. They are about 7 days old and still have their eyes closed. In about another 7 days they should start to open their eyes up. 

I am going to give you regular updates like I do the hedgehogs each year and hope you enjoy this journey with me. I have a feeling it is going to be another busy year with casualties and orphans. A job I am blessed to be a part of.

 INSTINCTIVELY THEY ALL HUDDLE UP TOGETHER FOR WARMTH & COMFORT

 ME AND MONICA THINK THAT THEY LOOK LIKE THE PINK PANTHER WHEN THEY ARE BABIES!!!

 FEED TIME

HAD TO GET MARTIN TO HOLD THIS LITTLE ONE BUT STILL COULDN'T TAKE A CLEAR PICTURE!

LOOK AT THAT BIG TUMMY!!!

 AT THE MOMENT THEY JUST HAVE SHORT DOWNY FUR WHICH FEELS LIKE VELVET

LOOK LIKE MINIATURE SUMO WRESTLERS!!!

Thought you might like these guys, aren't they cute!!!!. By the way there are two little girls and a boy. We are trying to think of names for them so if anyone has ideas please share. 

Oh by the way can you remember these little one's???

Monica, Brian & Willow were the baby hoglets I was weaning last year at the end of Summer. I am happy to say that they are all in hibernation at the rescue centre and should be ready to be released in nearby woodland April time. 

I promise to be back next week with an update and more pic's so that you can see them grow. I'm so excited being able to share this with you as it is not everyday we get to see these babies. I have only seen baby squirrels once at the centre so this is pretty new to me as well. 

Thank you for visiting and hope it was worth the wait.

Big hugs Clare xxx

FAIRY BEST WISHES

Hello! hope everyone is well today. What a miserable bloody day it's been out there today!!! non stop rain here in Eastbourne. Just as well as I was hauled up in the craft room for the day. Have another card to share and this is for one of the little girls for the order I have nearly finished.

I found this cute little image in with a box of images I have in my stash. Only problem is I am not sure who it is by. The pretty backing paper is by Kanban. 

I will be back tomorrow with another card I made today. I also have something more exciting than a card to share with you all tomorrow!!!. Watch this space...............

Keep warm

Big hugs Clare xxxxxxxxxx

ONE OF MANY!!!

Afternoon my lovelies, hope everyone is well. I have quite a few cards to make this week and this is the first one of many. 

INGREDIENTS

WHITE LINEN CARD

GREEN POLKA DOT CARD FROM HANDY HIPPO

LOTV IMAGE

NELLIE DIE

CRAFTWORK CARDS SENTIMENT

RIBBON & BUTTONS FROM STASH

FLEXMARKERS

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

SIMON SAYS - Anything goes

PAPERTAKE WEEKLY - Anything goes

INCY WINCY DESIGNS - Something old, something new (new stamp, old ribbon)
CREATIVE INSPIRATIONS - Colour scheme (green & white)

Just want to say a really big thank you for all of the beautiful comments that you leave. It really does make my day and makes me realise how luck I am to have such wonderful friends.

Will be back soon with more cards.

Lots of love Clare xxx

TO FLORENCE WITH LOVE

Hello everyone, I'm sorry I have been so quiet this past week but have been having a big craft room overhaul. My mate Amanda (my craft buddy!) is moving her stash in with mine as she has not got a room at her place to keep it all. Every time she comes over she has to lug bags of stuff over with her which seems daft as she spends heaps of time at mine anyway. With three kids still at home getting her own craft room is looking a long way off so I have decided to share my room with her!!!!. 

We go halves in a lot of craft stuff to save money anyway so it's just been a case of combining. Boy there is soooooo much stuff!!!. It has given us the opportunity to have a good culling session too and we are going to donate a bit of stuff to the local junior school. Will have to take some pic's when it is all done.

I have only been able to make one card this week so have got quite behind with my order. I know my friend was not in a rush but really want to get the other half done this week. My latest one is made for little Florence (one of her Granddaughter's) so wanted to make it nice and cutesy for her.

MATERIALS I USED

WHITE & BLUE LINEN CARD

GINGHAM PAPER FROM HANDY HIPPO

LOTV STAMP

ANITA'S RIBBON

PEEL OFF LETTERS

PROMARKERS

GLOSSY ACCENTS

SPELLBINDERS LABELS ONE

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

SIMON SAYS - Anything goes

CRAFTY CATZ - Punches & Dies

CRAFTY SENTIMENTS - Shaped but not square

I promise to be back real soon!!!!

Hugs Clare xxx

LIZZIES CHRISTMAS CARD CLUB FOLD CHALLENGE!!!!

Hello all!!! wow what a beautiful day it has been. So nice to not have the heating on and have the windows open. Only now I am starting to get a bit chilly. 

It was LIZZIE'S turn this fortnight to select the challenge for the Christmas Card Club and she chose to create a card with two or more folds. This is my card;

MATERIALS I USED

PLAIN WHITE CARD FROM THE GLITTERPOT

MY MINDS EYE "TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS" CARD

HOUSE MOUSE STAMP

RIBBON FROM STASH

HOLLY SPRIG FROM MULBERRY CRAFTS

ANITA'S SENTIMENT

PROMARKERS (BERRY RED, IVORY, BLUSH, TAN, APPLE GREEN & WARM GREY 1)

If you would like to join our expanding Christmas Card Club just send me or any of the girls an email. We make a card each fortnight and we are a group of friendly girls wanting to make a few cards before December. Go check out their cards on my side bar. 

Thanks for stopping by.

Big hugs Clare xxx

STAMPSCAPES SCENE CARD

Hope all of my lovely friends are well. Just a short post to tonight to share a card I made today.

MATERIALS I USED

CRAFTWORK CARDS CARD & ENVELOPE

BROWN BAZZILL

GLITTERPOT PLAIN WHITE CARD

STAMPSCAPES STAMPS (CATTAILS, CROOKED LIMB, LAKESIDE CABIN & ROW BOAT)

PEBBLES HAPPY BIRTHDAY RUB ON

RIBBON & EYELETS FROM STASH

DISTRESSED INK PADS (ANTIQUE LINEN & AGED MAHOGANY)

Just want to wish everyone a wonderful & safe weekend.

Big hugs Clare xxx

Kathy's Waffle February Sketch Challenge

Hi all, sorry I haven't been around for a few days but ive been a busy girl and i'm also a year older since my last post lol!!!. I had a wonderful Birthday on Tuesday and was thoroughly spoilt. I am paying for a busy few days but it was more than worth it.

I have made my card for the February challenge over at Kathy's Waffle, go check it out!!!.

MATERIALS I USED

TURQUOIS BAZZILL CARD

PLAIN WHITE CARD FROM THE GLITTER POT

DOODLE BUG POLKA DOT PAPER

STAMPENDOUS "SAILBOAT BAY" STAMP

PEBBLES HAPPY BIRTHDAY RUB ON

KAISER BLING

FLEXMARKERS
GLOSSY ACCENTS


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


INCY WINCY DESIGNS - Birthday
LADYBUGS CRAFTS - Spring is in the air
TUESDAY THROWDOWN - Winter Blue's (using blue on your project)
MOVING ALONG WITH THE TIMES - Lots of layers
CES CHALLENGES - Spots and dots
DREAM VALLEY CHALLENGES - Just for men


Thanks for stopping by and I will be back again real soon. Thank you so much for your lovely comments they really make my heart happy.


Big hugs Clare xxxxxxxxxxx

CATCHING BUTTERFLIES

Good afternoon all, hope everyone is having a good weekend. What a beautiful day it has been today. Bit nippy in the wind but so lovely to have the sun out. Making me look forward to Summer now!!!.

I have been asked to make 12 cards for a friends Grandchildren, three girls and one boy. As my friend does not live so close to them all she loves to send them little packages with cards and she also likes them personalised. So I have made a start. I have dragged a lot of my cute stamps out and even managed to get hold of some Thomas the Tank stickers to do the little boys cards (that is all he is into lol!). Here is my first card.

CARD RECIPE

WHITE, PASTEL BLUE & OCEAN BLUE BAZZILL CARD

LOTV BEAR IMAGE

FLOWERS FROM MULBERRY CRAFTS

SPELLBINDERS LABELS EIGHT

NELLIES MULTI FRAMES

BRADS FROM STASH

FLEXMARKERS & PROMARKERS

STICKLES (DIAMOND & EUCALYPTUS)

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

LADYBUG CRAFTS - Spring is in the air

CRAFTY CREATIONS - Warm & cuddly teddy bears

CRAFTY CATZ - My favourite things (stamps & flowers)

Will be back again soon with more cards to show.

Thank you for stopping by and I really appreciate all of your beautiful comments.

Big hugs Clare xxxxxxxxx

MAKE WISHES COME TRUE (HMFMC113)

Hope everyone has had a Happy Valentine's Day and have managed to clear all of the many cards from their letter boxes!!!. 

I have managed to get the HOUSE MOUSE & FRIENDS challenge (HMFMC113) done nice and early this week. The theme is "make wishes come true" so I had the perfect stamp to use. Here is my card;

MATERIALS I USED

CRAFTWORK CARDS WHITE CARD

PINK HAMMER CARD 

WHITE LINEN CARD

HOUSE MOUSE STAMP

KARS HAT PIN

KAISERCRAFT BRADS

sentiment & TWINE FROM STASH

FLEXMARKERS & PROMARKERS

SPELLBINDERS FANCY TAGS

SPELLBINDERS FLEUR DE LIS SQUARES

It is a little hard to see from the photo but I have lifted the fleur de lis square onto foam pads to give the image shape and I ended up liking the effect of the inner pattern of the Fleur de lis frame instead of squaring it off with a plain nestie. 

Blimey can you imagine having a cake that big lol!!!!!.

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

MY TIME TO CRAFT - Bring on the cake

TUESDAY THROWDOWN - use twine on your card

MOVING ALONG WITH THE TIMES - Cute critters
BUNNY ZOES CRAFTS - Celebrations

Thanks for dropping by and have a wonderful evening whatever you are doing!!!

Hugs Clare xxxxxxxxxxxx

HOUSE MOUSE & FRIENDS LOVE BLOG HOP CHALLENGE #112

HOUSE MOUSE & FRIENDS are having their first blog hop challenge of 2012. The theme IS "love" and has to contain more than one heart on the card.

This is the first time I have taken part in a blog hop and can't believe all of the giveaways that are going on!!!. Here is my card;

INGREDIENTS I USED

RED SHIMMER CARD

GLITTER POT PLAIN WHITE 300gsm CARD

RED & WHITE POLKA DOT CARD BY DAISY BUCKET

HOUSE MOUSE STAMP "LOVE" CHOCOLATE HEART SET

PRIMA FLOWERS & SAY IT IN PEARLS

COUNTRY COMPANIONS HEART BLING

CARD CRAFT SUPPLIES FILIGREE SILVER CORNER & CREAM JUTE

PROMARKERS (IVORY, BLUSH, TAN, BERRY, WARM GREY 1, CARAMEL & SANDSTONE)

"I LOVE YOU" PEEL OFF FROM STASH

Right best get off to post my card as the deadline is looming!!!.

Big hugs Clare xxx

SYLVIE'S CHRISTMAS CARD CLUB CHALLENGE!!!

Hello everyone, hope you are keeping warm. Not sure about you but we had a lot of snow here in Eastbourne this morning. I have been struggling to keep warm today, even though the heating is cranked up. Not having a good day with the Rheumatoid today either and hoping the steroid injection the Rheumy gave me Thursday will kick in soon. He is starting me on a new drug shortly which is monthly and I can inject myself at home which is good. It is called SIMPONI (for my fellow RA sufferer's & medical bloggy friends out there!). So hoping that it helps as this will be the 7th drug trial I have been on.

Anyway onto the gorgeous SYLVIE (GIBMISS) Christmas Card Club challenge which was to make a card featuring snowflakes.

INGREDIENTS I USED

PLAIN WHITE CARD & BLUE LINEN CARD

SILVER MIRRI CARD

WILD ROSE STUDIO POLAR BEAR & PENGUIN STAMP

KAISERCRAFT "BE MERRY" CLEAR SENTIMENT STAMP SET

KAISER BLING

KARS ORNAMENT BOX SNOWFLAKES

SNOWFLAKE CUTTLEBUG EMBOSSING FOLDER

FLEXMARKERS

DIAMOND STICKLES

If you are interested in joining the Christmas Card Club just drop one of us girls an email. We are just a small friendly group who create a Christmas card every fortnight. The girls are listed on my sidebar so why not pop over and see their lovely cards.

Thanks for popping by and I will be back again soon.

Keep warm, love Clare xxx

HAPPY 18th BIRTHDAY!!!

It is my lovely niece Rebecca's 18th Birthday today. Just don't know where the time goes it's scary, only seems like yesterday I was cradling her in my arms after she had come home from the hospital.

Me and Dad won't get to see her until the weekend so has helped as been poorly for a few days and got behind with making her cards. 

Rebecca absolutely loves cats (just like her Auntie lol!) so thought I would make at least one of her cards with one on.

MATERIALS I USED

PLAIN IVORY CARD FOR THE EASEL 

IVORY & PINK BAZZILL CARD

MY MINDS EYE PATTERNED CARD

K&CO BROWN PAPER FOR PAPER PIECING THE CAT

HELZ CRUPPLEDITCH COCO CAT STAMP

LOTV CIRCULAR STAMP

PRIMA FLOWERS

WILD ORCHID ROSES

SPELLBINDERS CIRCULAR SCALLOP, CIRCULAR & LACY SQUARE NESTIES

HAT PIN & BOWS FROM STASH

GLOSSY ACCENTS

STICKLES (EUCALYPTUS, PINK & DIAMOND)

PROMARKERS

Just thought I would show you a picture of Miss Simone posing with the card!!!!

I would like to enter my card into these challenges;

PAPERTAKE WEEKLY - Anything goes with the addition of a heart or love theme (I have a heart on the flower pot)

SIMON SAYS - Animal antics

Hope everyone is keeping warm as it's set to get to -13 this week according to weather reports, brrrrrr!!!!.

Big hugs Clare xxxxxxxxxxxx

GORJUSS GINGHAM!!!

Hello everyone. Blimey it's freezing!!!!. Hope everyone is keeping warm and rugged up. I'm not feeling very good today, feeling all fluey but then again it is probably the Rheumatoid. Throat sore, snotty nose, headache and every joint in the body hurting. 

Oh well I guess with this weather it is to be expected.

Anyway's I have made another card using a sketch from KATHY'S WAFFLE SKETCH FILE BLOG, this is the first time that I have participated over at this fab monthly challenge blog. There is still 4 days left to have a go then the February sketch will go up. Go over and check it out.

So here is my card;

MATERIALS I USED

CRAFTWORK CARDS CARD & ENVELOPE

WHITE & MAUVE BAZZILL CARD

HANDY HIPPO MAUVE GINGHAM PAPER 

GORJUSS STAMP (IMAGE FROM A FRIEND!)

CRAFTWORK CANDY

ANITA'S RIBBON

WILD ORCHID FLOWERS

LACE SQUARE NESTIBILITIES

FLEXMARKERS & PROMARKERS

GLOSSY ACCENTS

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

CES CHALLENGES - Check it out

MY TIME TO CRAFT - "A" is for adorable

Well that's it for now. Thank you so much for your wonderful comments.

Make sure you all keep warm my friends.

Big hugs Clare xxxxxxxxxxxxx

FEELING VERY PROUD!!!!

Wow I have found out this afternoon that I was a winner's over at HOUSE MOUSE & FRIENDS for challenge #111 black & white card.

I am excited now as I was when I won Cardmaker of the Year for Craft Stamper magazine in 2010 lol!!!. This is the first ever blog challenge that I have won. I have not participated much in blog challenge sites until recently and now I definitely have the bug!!!.

I absolutely love HOUSE MOUSE & FRIENDS and I am building up quite a selection of these gorgeous stamps. You could say I'm addicted lol!!!. If you pop over HERE they are doing a blog hop with loads of lovely prizes. The theme for the next fortnights challenge #112 is "more than one heart" set by CHRISTINE.

Hope everyone is having a great Monday as I know I am despite the freezing cold weather.

Love & hugs Clare xxx