Sir Stampalot February challenge

Good morning,

It's time for another challenge at Sir Stampalot and the theme for this month is "In the Garden". I liked this theme so much I decided to make two items.

For this card I used an image from Magenta called " Lovely Meadow". I stamped it with black Versafine ink and then heat embossed with clear embossing powder. I used alcohol markers and chalks to colour it. The paper is from Echo Park's "Country Drive' paper pack, the colour wasn't quite right so I swiped yellow distress ink over it and then stamped around the edges using one of my all time favourite stamps "Leaf Flourish" by Hero Arts (F5042). 

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 My second project is a bookmark. I stamped Hero Arts "Wildflower Garden" CG170 in "Frayed Burlap" distress ink onto Claudine Hellmuth sticky back canvas and then painted over using Claudine Hellmuth Studio Line acrylic paints.I love this bookmark because of the texture of the canvas and the paints.

I hope you can join us this month.

Hugs and best wishes, Clare x

Penny Black and More at Allsorts - February Challenge

Good morning,

It's a white morning here in Warwickshire and I can see the sledge that Santa accidentally left behind at Christmas when he delivered the presents is going to be put to good use today.

It's also the first Sunday of the month which means it is time for another challenge from Penny Black and More at Allsorts. 

We have a colour bingo theme for you this month:-

I chose yellow/white/black for my card.

I have used two Penny Black stamps, one for flower and background called "Sundial" 4159K and the sentiment called "Special Time" 4174H. The butterfly is cut and embossed using a Cuttlebug set. I've sprayed "Pearl" Glimmer Mist over the flower and butterfly and finally I added pearls from my stamps and some SU ribbon.

We had an amazing number of entries last month, thank you to everyone for your support. I hope you can join us this month.

Hugs and best wishes, Clare xx

Ready-Teddy-Go February Challenge

Good morning!

It's time for another challenge at Ready-Teddy-Go. This month our theme is "I'm in Stitches".

I've made a little birthday book, with a page for each month. The stitches alongside the image are from a Hero Arts clear stamp set called "Stitched Frame" CL527. The image is from Cuddly Buddly and I've coloured it will pencils and added some holographic heat embossing powder to the rose.

Thank you for all the fabulous entries to our challenge last month and I hope you can join us this month.

Hugs and best wishes, Clare xx

p.s. RUNNING UPDATE. Yes, I'm still getting out there and am on target with my "easy" training plan (I'm on week 5 already!). I can't believe how much I am enjoying it, I thought the cold would put me off but once I get going I am nice and warm.

I would like to say a big THANK YOU to Steph and Enfys for sponsoring me to run three miles in support of Sports Relief on 25th March. Your support means a lot and has really helped me on those days when I haven't wanted to put my on running shoes.

http://my.sportrelief.com/sponsor/clarepinks

Flutter By Wednesday

There is an open theme at Flutter By Wednesday this week.

Here's my entry:-

Hugs and best wishes, Clare xx

Polka Doodles challenge Vintage/Retro

Good morning,

It's time for another challenge from Polka Doodles Team B.  Our theme this week has been chosen by Fliss and is "Vintage/Retro".

I've chosen a Retro theme for my card.  The papers are from the Polka Doodles "Candy Doodles" CD, the flowers are black and white stampies from the "Sugar Birdies" CD and the image is a rubber stamp called "Meeshelle" from the Fairy Flutterfly collection, which I have coloured with alcohol markers. I also coloured the flowers with alcohol markers and added some glossy accents to the centres.

Hugs and best wishes, Clare xx

Simon Says "Spots and/or Stripes"

Good morning,

Here's my entry for the Simons Says Challenge this week. Their theme is "Spots and/or Stripes". I guess you can tell which element I chose!

The papers are My Mind's Eye Lime Twist "Out of the Blue" and the image is by Penny Black called "Birthday Balloons" 3968K. The sentiment is by Lily of the Valley from a set called "Calendars" ST133.

I've coloured the image with a mix of alcohol markers and pencils.

Thank you for visiting.

Hugs and best wishes, Clare xx

Blog hijack!

Good morning,

I apologise in advance that this is a non-crafting post. Please feel free to stop reading at this point.

Some of you may have read my New Year's Resolutions in an earlier post. One of my resolutions was to start running. I decided I needed to get fit when I began to get out of puff just walking to the top of the staircase.

My lovely hubby has bought me some running gear and I have a willing running parter (see photo).

All I need to do now is stick at it and put the work in. I've chosen a really easy (well it looks easy on paper!) training plan which should build me up to running 5k (3 miles) in ten week's time.  The picture shows me and my best girlie Sophie after finishing Day 2 of our training.

I'm putting this on my blog because if I make it public I am more likely to keep on going and not give up so I hope you don't mind if I keep updating my progress every now and then.

To make extra sure I stick to the programme I have set my self a goal and signed up to run 3 miles for Sports Relief. The race takes place on 25th March, so I've got plenty of time to get prepared. If you would like to sponsor me you can find my giving page here. Or you can enter yourself with a choice of 1, 3 or 6 miles.

If you fancy getting your running shoes on, here's the schedule for week 1:-

Mon:- Run 1 minute, Walk 3 minutes (repeat 4 times for 16 mins in total)
Tues:- Rest
Wed:-Run 1 minute, Walk 3 minutes (repeat 4 times for 16 mins in total)
Thur:- Rest
Fri:- Run 1 minute, Walk 3 minutes (repeat 4 times for 16 mins in total)
Sat:- Rest
Sun: Brisk walk for half hour

Edited: Here's a link to the training plan I'm using http://www.zest.co.uk/running/train-for-a-5k-run/14-2.html

Wish me luck!

Hugs and best wishes, Clare xx

Sir Stampalot January Challenge "Monochromatic"

Good morning,

It's the first Sunday of the month and time for a new challenge from Sir Stampalot. Our theme this month is

"MONOCHROMATIC"

I've made a matching tag and card.

Both panels started out white and I inked them with three different blue Distress Inks - "Stormy Sky", "Chipped Sapphire" and "Broken Glass". Next I sprayed them with "Dazzling Diamonds" glimmer mist so in real life they have a lovely shimmer. Once they were dry I stamped the Hero Arts images on top using "Chipped Sapphire" distress ink. Both stamps are from the Hero Arts "Delicate Blossoms" clear stamp set CL449.

Have you made any New Year's resolutions? I don't usually make them, but this year I have.

1. Buy less crafting goodies and use what I already have (although I did put a small order in at Sir Stampalot - I couldn't ignore their sale!).

2. Start running!!!!!!! My lovely hubby has already bought me some running gear as an early birthday present so I will have to get out there and use it or I will feel too guilty.

3. Learn how to take better photographs of my cards when it's winter.

I wonder if I will stick to any of these resolutions? I hope you stick to yours if you have made any.

Hugs and best wishes, Clare xx

Penny Black and More - Love and Hearts

Good morning,

It's time for our January challenge at Penny Black and More @ Allsorts and our theme this month is:_

"Love and Hearts"

Here's the ingredients I used for this card:-

Main Image:- Penny Black "Imagine" 3694K

"love" sentiment:- Penny Black clear stamp set "Hugs" 30-020

Heart Spellbinder Nestabilities dies

"Lady Bug" memento ink

Pearlecent card

Embroidery thread

Coloured pencils

I hope Hubby doesn't come looking at my blog as I'm hoping to give him this card for Valentine's day. 

Happy New Year!

Hugs and best wishes, Clare xx

Ready-Teddy-Go January Challenge "In the Pink"

Good morning and a Very Happy New Year to you!

I hope you have all enjoyed the festive season and that many of you have new crafting goodies to play with!

I had a lovely break and a rest from crafting but now I'm raring to go again!

I will be posting three DT challenge pieces today and not one of them is Christmas themed. I have a sneaky feeling that I am going to miss making Christmas cards.

My first card is for the new Ready-Teddy-Go challenge. Our theme for January is

"In the Pink"

I've made a "New Baby" card. I don't make cards to sell but occasionally someone will ask me for a card and more often than not it is for a new baby, so I thought I had better stock up.

I've used a Forever Friends stamp and the sentiments are from a Stampin' Up! set called "Congrats".
The paper, flowers and card candy are all from Craftwork Cards from one of their Goody Bags. I've coloured the image with alcohol markers and inked "Spun Sugar" distress inks around the white card to tone down the brightness.

Thank you to everyone who joined our challenge last month, and look forward to visiting this month's entries.

Hugs and best wishes, Clare xx

New challenge for 16's and under

Good morning,

I've more exciting news from Polkadoodles. Nikky has started up a new challenge especially for the younger crafters aged 16 and under.

Click on the image to go to the challenge.

Happy New Year!

Hugs and best wishes, Clare xx

Pen and Paper Circle from Polka Doodles

To find out more about the brand new Polkadoodles stamping club - the Pen & Paper Circle - click HERE.

Treasure!

Well, they say that one man's rubbish is another man's treasure and this is certainly true with regard to these beauties.

My lovely husband rescued them from work as they were about to be thrown away. He's going to give them a good clean up and a coat of spray paint so they should look as good as new. It's hard to tell how big they are from the photo but the volume of each drawer is slightly larger than a ream of A4 paper. I can't wait to store my crafty goodies in them.

I will make sure I show you a photo once they have been scrubbed up.

Hugs and best wishes, Clare xx

Lilyboo "Safari" samples

Good afternoon,

Here are two cards I made using four of the new release Lilyboo "Safari" stamps (available from Cuddly Buddly).

Hugs and best wishes, Clare xx

Polka Doodles Week 49 "Quick Christmas Card"

Good morning,

Quick Christmas Cards.  You've suddenly realised that there is only two weeks to the big day and you still need to make a load of Xmas cards, so this week we want to see simple cards, not too many layers or embellishments, easy enough to make lots in a couple of hours.

That's the challenge Collette has set at Polka Doodles this week.

This challenge was ideal for me as I needed lots of quick cards for school. I selected a pre-coloured topper from the Magical Winter 1 CD and added a customised greeting for each child, I printed these four to a page and added glitter to all the snow once they were printed (these are only some of them and, all told, I think I spent less than one hour making them all).


The winner of this challenge will win a £10 gift voucher for the Polka Doodles shop. I hope you can join us!


Hugs and best wishes, Clare xx


p.s. Granddad's funeral took place yesterday. He was buried in his village churchyard in the same plot as my Grandmother was buried almost 15 years ago. The lovely thing about it was that the day of his funeral was the same date as my Grandmother's birthday. 

Penny Black and More at Allsorts "Happy Birthday" challenge

Good morning!

It's the first Sunday of the month and time for another challenge at Penny Black and More. Thank you to everyone who joined us during November, we were overwhelmed by all the fabulous entries.

This month our theme is "Happy Birthday". I've been so buy making Christmas cards that I found making this card a nice change.

The Penny Black image I have used is called "Crossing Bridges!" 3206J and the sentiment is also by Penny Black from the clear set called "Critter Party" 30-013.

I hope you can join us this month.

Hugs and best wishes, Clare xx

p.s. Thank you for all the kind comments regarding my Grandfather. I truly appreciate them all.

Sir Stampalot Challenge "Let's Play Bingo!"

Good morning,

We're having a game of Bingo at the Sir Stampalot challenge this month.

I wasn't satisfied with playing once, I had to have two games:-

Brads, Flowers, Ribbon

Pearls, Flowers, Punch

As always, we have a brilliant prize from Sir Stampalot:-

2 glimmer mists

2 sets of glitter pee wees

Glimmer glass by tattered angels

Kaisercraft tags

Iridescent ribbons

Stickers

Kaisercraft wooden designs

Kaisercraft brads

Hero Arts self-adhesive gems

Metal tacks

Embossing powder

Junkitz Flat Pinz

Junkitz metal frames

Eyelets

Lasting Impressions Buttons

Little baggies

Heart Crystal

Making Memories big box of buttons and matching flowers

Keepsake Kit of co-ordinating papers, felt pieces, ribbons and other goodies

I hope you can play too!

Hugs and best wishes, Clare x

Ready-Teddy-Go December Challenge

Good morning,

It's the first of December and time for a new challenge at Ready-Teddy-Go.

Our theme this month is:-

"Anything Goes"

I decided to make another Christmas card. I'm still worried that I haven't got enough. I really ought to sit down and make a list so I know EXACTLY how many cards I need!

The image I have used is an old one from Stampin' Up! I love these cute Polar Bears and they are very quick and easy to colour (I've used Letraset markers for the colouring). The scalloped mat has been cut from white card and the edges are coloured with the same purple Promarker that I used on one of the scarves. I've blinged up the card with Glamour Dust and gems. The sentiment is by Hero Arts.

Very many thanks to everyone who joined our Easel challenge last month, please check the challenge blog to see if you are a winner.

I hope you can join us this month.

Hugs and best wishes, Clare xx

Goodbye Granddad

My lovely Grandfather, Frank Tayler, passed away in his sleep at home this morning. He was 94 years old.

If you watched the three part series "The Long March to Freedom" which was shown on the "Yesterday" channel earlier this month, you would have seen him talking about his experiences during World War II.

I am very sad that my Grandfather has gone but I know that he was ready and it was what he wanted.

Milton Christmas Cards

Good morning,

I recently bought a card making magazine (Papercraft Essentials 73) and with it came a free paper pack from Wild Rose Studios called "Milton & Co Christmas Paper Pack".

Here are some cards I made using the pack:-

 I've teamed the papers and images up with Penny Black sentiments stamps, base cards from Craftwork Cards and Marianne Poinsettia dies and snowflake dies. As, with most of my Christmas cards, I've added lots of Glamour Dust too.

Have a great week!

Hugs and best wishes, Clare xx