Home Sweet Home......

The new Polka Doodles challenge theme for this week is "New Home". I was so happy as my Niece has just moved into her first home and was going to make her a card. This is what I made;

I absolutely love this image from the Pickix Collection 1 CD along with cute sentiment. I also used Red Berry Doodle Dew Drops and Stickles Glitter Glue to decorate the image. The embossing folder was by Stampin Up and ribbon and card from stash.

At the moment our Nikky Hall is running a 10% off sale on many of her products in the shop. Get check it out HERE. There are also heaps of new items in the shop including Graph It markers and Pan Pastels.You will find the new products HERE.

I hope that you will all be able to take part in this weeks challenge. There are some yummy prizes that Nikky is giving away!!!.

Thanks for stopping by and wishing everyone a wonderful weekend.

Love & hugs Clare xxxx

MEET FREDERICKA AND FRIENDS!!!!

Fredericka is the brand new mini collection CD from Polka Doodles. The CD was launched on Create & Craft on 12th April which mean't the design team getting busy with samples!!!!. I just wanted to show you the cards that I made for you to see how gorgeous the images, paper's and sentiments are.

I really love the character's on the CD as they look more grown up but still cater for any ages, they are ideal for teenagers too. At the moment Nikky is having a 10% off sale and the Polka Doodles shop and this awesome CD is currently £10.79 (RRP £11.99). The sale is on for a limited time on many products so go grab yourself a bargain today!!!. Go check out the shop for loads more products and more info on this awesome CD. 

I just want to apologise for not being around very much lately and not commenting. I am having a bit of a break from Blogging and have cut down on creating for a little while. I do hope that all of my friends understand and hopefully I will be back in full swing very soon. 

Love and hugs Clare xxxx

LOOK WHO VISITED ME TODAY........!!!!!!!!!

Not a card today but I had some very beautiful little visitors today and wanted to share some pic's with all of my lovely friends!!!. They are 3 baby fox cubs. They are approx 2 weeks old and there is a little girl name Rosa and two little boys Raul and Rafael. My lovely friend Monica is looking after them at the moment as she broke her ankle 3 weeks ago so is off work for a few weeks so she is so happy to be looking after them. 

The babies were found abandoned in a garden and we are not sure whether Mum was killed or frightened off whilst she was transporting babies to a safer den. So lucky the cubs were found alive. So sad for their Mum.

Hope everyone is having a good week.

Love to you all xxxx

HAPPY EASTER!!!!

Just wanting to wish all of my beautiful friends a Happy Easter!!!!

Hoping your Easter is filled with plenty of chocolate, happiness and love!!!

Big hugs Clare, Bert, Simone & Blackie xxxx

JUST A LITTLE FRIENDSHIP.......

Hello my lovelies. I just wanted to post my card for the latest Emma Cannings Flat Friends Challenge Blog. The theme is friendship and I have used an image from the amazing Polka Doodles "Digistamp Heaven" featuring our lovely Emma Canning's designs. I really love this image with the little boy opening his pressie to find a little furry friend puppy!!!!. There are some amazing images on the CD covering so many celebration themes. Here is my card!!!.

I kept it fairy simple using backing paper from the Polka Doodles Pretty Tough CD. The gorgeous banner and image is of course from the Digistamp Heaven CD. I have coloured my images with Flexmarkers and added some Stickles Glitter Glue on the pressie box. I have shaded around the image with Pebbles chalks and finished off with Kaisercraft blue bling. 

If you want to get your hands on this amazing CD at just £9.99 just pop over to the Polka Doodles shop. To play along with the lovely Emma Canning challenges just click HERE!!!!

Thank you for stopping by my lovely friends.

Big hugs Clare xxxx

EMBOSSING AT POLKA DOODLES

Happy Friday everyone!!!. Hope you are looking forward to the weekend. Well it is time for another challenge over at the Polka Doodles BLOG and the theme for this week is embossing. I decided to make a flowerpot card and am quite happy with how it has turned out. 

INGREDIENTS

Kraft card

Polka Doodles All Around & Everywhere CD

Stampin Up embossing folder

Distress Ink Pad Brushed Corduroy

Buttons & twine from stash

I would love to see your creations over at the Polka Doodles Blog. Remember you do not have to use Polka Doodles stash to be able to enter although we would love to see your makes if you do. Don't forget to go check out the shop for new goodies HERE!!!!.

Thank you for stopping by and have a super weekend whatever you are doing.

Big hugs to you all Clare xxxx

DIGISTAMP HEAVEN!!!!

Hello to all of my friends. Just would like to apologise for my lack of blogging of late. It's the usual thing with my RA so I won't go on about it. I have actually been quite busy behind the scenes as well but I have not been able to share some of my DT work up until now. I just wanted to share 3 cards with you made with the newly released Polka Doodles CD Digistamp Heaven featuring the very talented Emma Canning. The CD has been released at the GNPE at Harrogate show this weekend and is going down a storm. The CD features over 150 black & white digi images by Emma Canning who has been working alongside Polka Doodles for the last 6 months. 

There are so many designs on the CD for all types of occasions and include lots of sentiments too. If you want more information or would like to buy your copy go to the shop link HERE. You will also get to see all of the things that Nikky has going on right now including her events diary and new products available in the shop!!!!. 

Thank you so much for stopping by my friends. Again I am so sorry that I have been such a bad blogger of late.

Big hugs Clare xxxx

DISTRESSED!!!!

No not me but that is the theme for this weeks Polka Doodles challenge. We were asked to add distressing to our projects and this was what I came up with this week using the gorgeous Back to Nature CD.

FRONT OF MY CARD

INSIDE MY CARD

For my card base I used Kraft card which I love to use for distressing. I used my Tim Holts distressing tool around the edges of my card and where I have layered edges. I have used Antique Linen Distress Ink Pad and Stickles Glitter Glue to spruce up my card. 

Don't forget Nikky still has her CD sale going on at the Polka Doodles Store. There are brand new stamps and also a list of Nikky's classes throughout March to May. Check it all out HERE.

Hope everyone of my friends are keeping well. Thank you for stopping by!!!!

Big hugs Clare xxxx

CHRISTMAS TRI-FOLD CARD

Hi my lovelies. Hope everyone is keeping warm and not getting too much snow. We have had some flurries the past couple of days but not settling.

Well it was the gorgeous Debi's turn to choose the challenge this week at the Christmas Card Club and her theme was to make a tri-fold card using traditional Christmas colours. I ended up making a card that I have not attempted before as there are so many variations of a tri-fold. This is what I made!!!!

I really like how it opens up in 3 stages. I have used my favourite Christmas range by Stampin Up. I have cut out some of the images to 3D but is a bit difficult to photograph. Will certainly be making a lot more creations with this beautiful card range.

If you are interested in joining the Christmas Card Club just leave a comment or email me. We are currently a group of 22 and we make a Christmas card to a theme every fortnight. We are not a proper challenge site it is just a private blog. Everyone is really lovely and friendly and a very relaxed place to craft.

I would like to also enter my card into CRAFTY HAZELNUTS CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE which is a monthly challenge blog and is always "anything goes".

Take care everyone and thank you for visiting.

Big hugs Clare xxxx

FANTASY AT POLKA DOODLES

Well it's that time of the week again with a brand new challenge over at Polka Doodles and we have a fantasy/fairytale theme. This is what I came up with using some of my gorgeous Polka Doodles stash!!!.

The gorgeous images are from the Sugarplum Daisy CD. I have used plain and scallop circle Nestabilities. To finish off my card I have embellished with Liquorice Doodle Dewdrops and Stickles Glitter Glue.

If you want to come over and join in the fun at the Polka Doodles challenge blog we would love to see you there. Remember, although we love seeing you using Polka Doodles products you do not have to to take part in the challenges. 

Don't forget that Nikky is selling all of her CD's for only £9.99 in the "Fabulous February"  sale but you will need to hurry as the offer will be ending soon. There are lots of new products in too which you may want to go check out!!!!.

Hope to see all of my lovely friends playing along!!!.

Take care and big hugs xxxx

IT'S ONLY WORDS..........

Yes this is the theme of Dawn's challenge for the Christmas Card Club this week. I really enjoyed making my card and surprised how quickly I got it made not having to use an image. Here is my card.

The gorgeous snowflake patterned card is from Imaginisce. I am not 100% but I think the sentiment stamp is by Clarity Stamps. Now those gorgeous yummy berries are available at the Polka Doodles shop. The holly leaves are from Wild Orchid. I have used circular nesties for the sentiment and the red pearls are from my stash.

If anyone would like to join the Christmas Card Club just leave me a message. We are a friendly bunch of girls who make Christmas cards every fortnight to a challenge. Feel   free to contact me for more information.

Thank you for stopping by.

Hugs Clare xxx

VALENTINE LOVE

Hello everyone. Hope you are all keeping nice and warm. It's another challenge over at Polka Doodles and the theme is Valentine. I had a go at making my first telescopic card.

I have used the gorgeous papers and images from Cherryblosson Lane. I have coloured with Flexmarkers. I have used Spellbinders Nestibilities scallop and plain circles for the telescopic shape.

Nikky Hall is doing an amazing CD sale at the Polka Doodles shop and they have all been marked down to £9.99!!!. Better hurry though as won't last long.

Hope you can all join in with this weeks challenge. Remember you do not have to use Polka Doodles products for the challenges but do love to see Polka Doodles creations!!!.

Hope you have a super weekend.

Love & hugs Clare xxxx

FOR MY BEAUTIFUL FRIEND JO.....

I made this card for one of my beautiful friends. Last week she sent me a parcel filled with 8 jars of Flower Soft, a DVD and some templates. I couldn't believe it when I opened it!!!!. I wanted to make Jo a special card to show her just how much she is appreciated.

INGREDIENTS

WHITE & PURPLE LINEN CARD 

SENTIMENT STAMP BY PAPER MAKEUP

GORGEOUS EMBOSSING FOLDER FROM STAMPIN UP

FLOWERS, HAT PIN & SILVER METAL CORNERS FROM WILD ORCHID

STRING OF FAUX PEARLS FROM EBAY

CRUSHED PURPLE RIBBON FROM THE LITTLE BOUTIQUE ON ETSY

I would like to show you what an amazingly talented lady Jo is by sharing with you some of her work. This is an extract from Jo's blog;

"I have been sewing since a child and love to craft and create, mainly using fabrics (but I do like to dabble!).

I make my own patterns (often through trial and error!) and love to make my items using a mixture of modern and vintage fabrics, both new and recycled, which, I feel, compliment any shabby chic / country cottage interior.

Here are some examples of my creations: 

Jo sells her beautiful design's on EBAY & FOLKSY and you can find out more through Jo's blog "MILLIE AND ME" & through "MILLY AND ME" FACEBOOK. You can also email Jo on millyandme@googlemail.com. There are so many more designs so go check out the links above. Jo truly is an amazing lady and I have lots of her gorgeous makes here at home, I think I may be slightly addicted to her gorgeous designs!!!!. 

I would also like to say a big thank you for everyone's kind messages, texts and emails wishing me well. I am so lucky to have such a caring bunch of friends and you all keep me going when things get rough. 

Big hugs Clare xxxx

MIRACLES ARE EVERYWHERE.....

Hello friends. Hope you are all keeping well and nice and warm. Just made this little card to send out to a friend. 

The blue polka dot card is from Handy Hippo. The sentiment stamp is LOTV. The cream flowers are Prima and roses are Wild Orchid. The lace ribbon is from my stash.

Thank you for stopping by!

Love & hugs Clare xxxx

BEST WISHES

I would like to share a card that I have made for a special friend who's Birthday it was recently. It is the first card that I had made in a while as I have been in really bad health since Christmas. It is my usual Rheumatoid problems but made worse with colds, cough's etc. I had to have a steroid infusion a couple of weeks ago but has not made a big difference and I have also had to have a few tests as Dr.Sam is not happy about the amount of pain that I am in. Thank fully though he is keeping me on my drug trial for the time being.

Anyway here is my card.

I am really annoyed with myself as I cannot remember who the beautiful blue & cream patterned card is from. The sentiment stamp is by LOTV. The gorgeous turquoise brads are Prima and the metal corners & hat pin is Wild Orchid. The card is Bazzill and I have used Spellbinders nesties. The gorgeous ribbon is from The Little Boutique on Etsy.

Thank you for visiting and stopping by even when I haven't blogged for a little while. I am so lucky to have such beautiful friends.

Big hugs Clare xxxx

TUNE IN TO CREATE & CRAFT!!!!

Our Nikky Hall is on the Create & Craft channel (Sky 671, Freeview 36 or Freesat 813) today at 10am and again at 4pm. She is bringing us lots of yummy goodies to get hold of and doing lots of demo's. 

Here is the link to the web page for Create & Craft HERE.

The Polka Doodles store has lots of new goodies in this week including 16 brand new coloured Flexmarkers!!!. Pre-orders are also being taken for clear character stamps from the awesome new Cherryblossom Lane CD. 

I have a couple of samples to share with you from the Cherryblossom Lane CD. I absolutely love this whimsical style CD and the characters are so cute!!!!.

This is one of the cards that I made using the very cute little Maisie. 

This is a little bookmark using the very adorable Noah!!!!

Hope you get to tune in and bag yourself some wonderful stash!!!.

Big hugs Clare xxxx