Die Cut Dreams "Summer"

Good morning.

All back to normal after the long weekend. I didn't do much but had a relaxing time.

The theme at Die Cut Dreams this week is "Summer". Well summer makes me think of flowers so here is my card with "pretty flowers all in a row".

The flower stamp is from the SU! "Seeing Spots" set (thanks Emma!). I stamped the flowers using Whispers pens and drew on the stems. I made the leaves by cutting the petals off punched daisies (using an X-cut small daisy punch). I have run around the edge of the card with a Scor-bug, but this photo isn't great and it doesn't show (if you want a closer look you can click on the picture to enlarge it). The sentiment I have used is from Elzybells.

Thank you for visiting my blog today and taking a look at this card.

Have a great week!

Clare xx

Stamptacular Sunday - "Scallop Mania"

Good morning everyone,

I do love a bank holiday! For all you bloggers who are lucky enough to be enjoying one today - have a great time!

The challenge at Stamptacular Sunday this week is "Scallop Mania". When I was browsing through Lauren Meaden's tutorials on her blog, I came across this basket and when I saw what the challenge was I thought it was a perfect reason to make it.

I added an card "inner" to give this basket more stabilitiy.

Here's what I used to make it:-

Stamp: from SU! "Fine Prints" - this reads "A friendship grows forever"
Ink: Brilliance - white
Cardstock: red and white from my stash
Tools: Spellbinders "Large Scallop" nestabilities, Flower Creations 2 and "Labels"; Martha Stewart "Doily Lace" punch (yes, I succumbed and got one!); X-Cut small daisy punch, Scor-Pal, "Floral Fantasy" Cuttlebug embossing folder
Accessories: Sakura white pen; spacer from jewellery section in Dunelm Mill

The white ink hasn't given a very good coverage (as usual it looks better in real life!), but I notice that Elyzbells has brought out a new white ink which is supposed to give a good coverage so I think I might be trying that out soon.

Thank you for visiting my blog today and for any comments you may leave (good or bad - say what you think!). I love to read them and they brighten up my day.

Clare xx

Allsorts "No Rubber"

Hello everyone,

I came across a tutorial from Lauren Meaden to make this gorgeous "Onesie" card or, for us in the UK, a "babygro card". I thought it was so cute I just had to have a go at making one myself.

Mine is a little different as I didn't have the tools Lauren used but I'm very pleased with it. Although now I've photographed it I can see I need to get my glue out again for some more sticking (top right hand corner) - isn't it funny how things show up on the photographs that you don't notice otherwise?

I am entering it in this week's Allsorts Challenge where you are banned from using rubber.

I hope someone has a baby girl soon!

Here's what I used to make this card:-

Cardstock: pink is Bazzil Basics
Tools: circle punches, plain and scalloped circle nestabilities, swiss dots Cuttlebug embossing folder, Spellbinders die (teddy)
Accessories: Papermania heart gems.

Thank you for visiting my blog and taking a look, I hope you are all having a lovely weekend.

Clare xx

Stamp Something "Animal Somethings"

Good afternoon everyone.

The challenge this week at Stamp Something is "Animal Somethings". It just happens that yesterday the postman delivered a lovely set of SU! Polar Bear stamps that I bought from ebay and, of course, I had to colour them up immediately, so I was all set for the challenge.

Here's what I used to make this card:-

Card base: printed from Bearly Mine Designs Creative Fusion Christmas dvd's (there are so many backing papers on these discs but I am loving the snowflakes!)
Mirri card: Craft Planet
Image: from Stampin Up! Polar Bear set (I think this image is so cute)
Coloured with: Copic Ciaos
Tools: Label and Scalloped Rectangle nestabilities, Martha Stewart Snowflake punch, Fiskars Threading Water border punch, Sakura white pen
Accessories: Snowflake brad (Papermania I think), Kanban gems

I'm really getting ahead with my Christmas cards this year and that is a first for me!

I hope you are all having a fab weekend and, if you are in the UK, make the most of your Bank Holiday.

This morning we went to Toys 'R' Us and treated our boy to a new toy, there was only one thing in the whole store that he wanted (strange kid!), so he is now the owner of a Black and Decker workbench which he loves. Hopefully it will keep him busy for a while!!

Clare xx

Cute Card Thursday "New Beginnings"

Good afternoon everyone.

Thank you so much to everyone who commented on my last post. I really appreciate all your helpful advice.

I have made a card which I am entering in this week's Cute Card Thursday challenge where the theme is "New Beginnings". I've used a stamp from the SU "Fine Print" set again. You will probably see a few more as I am making up some card gift packs using all the stamps from the set.

I will be making this card in pink too.

I am so pleased it is Friday and a bank holiday weekend. As much as I love my darling son I find it quite difficult spending so much time on my own with him and love it when my partner is home too.

Have a great weekend.

Clare xx

Creative Inspirations - Friendship Card

Good morning bloggers! (I cannot type that without thinking of Hi de Hi!).

This week's challenge at Creative Inspirations is to make a Friendship Card.

I'm sorry the photograph is so poor, but it is raining today and very dull.

The stamp is an old Stampin Up one which I recently bought from ebay and the sentiment says "Friendship is a cosy shelter from life's rainy days". I think that's so sweet! (You can see it better if you click on the photo).

This card is very simple, but I like it, I hope you do too.

Here's what I used to make it:-

Cardstock: 240gsm Gloss Photo Paper http://www.photopaperdirect.com/
(I never thought of using this to make cards (other than printing digi papers) but I love it, it is heavyweight, embosses beautifully and you can stamp on it too!).
Stamp: Stampin Up from "Fine Print" set (from ebay)
Colour medium: Whispers pens (for both stamping and colouring) (from DoCrafts stockists)
Tools: Nestabilities Rectangle and Scallop Rectangle, Cuttlebug Paisley embossing folder
Accessories: Ribbon from stash.

Thank you for visiting my blog today. Please feel free to leave a message - I love to read them.

Have a great day.

Clare xx

Copic Colour Challenge 28 - Stacey's Choice BG23, E47, R85

Good afternoon everyone.

This is a big day for me as it is my first ever spot as a Guest Designer. I am delighted and honoured to be a Guest Designer for this week's Copic Colour Challenge. The challenge has been set by Stacey and the colours to use are BG23, E47 and R85.

Da, da ........................... here is my card:-

Here's what I used to make this card:-

Copic Ciaos: BG23, E47, R85 and R32, R00, R11 (I used E47 to colour one of the nestie circles and the ribbon - both were originally white)
Stamp: Elzybells Ballerina Teddy
Cardstock: Bazzil Basics Petunia and Romance, SU Whisper White
Tools: Nestabilities Circles, Scallop Circles and Ribbon Tags, X-cut flower punch, Cuttlebug Birthday and Swiss Dots embossing folders.

Thank you for visiting my blog today and I hope you have a chance to join in the Copic Colour Challenge this week.

Clare xx

Stamp Something - Birthday Something

Good afternoon.

What a gorgeous start to the weekend. Although I have been cooped up in my craft room instead of going outside to enjoy the lovely weather.

Today I have made a card for Stamp Something where the theme is "Birthday Somethings".

I have used the flower stamp from the Stampin' Up set "Playful Petals" again (I love it!).

I don't know about you but since I have started blogging I feel that I shouldn't keep using the same products over and over and I also feel pressured (all self-imposed) to use the latest products. I am beginning to get a serious craft shopping addiction and I have to stop it before it gets too out of hand!

Here's what I used to make this card:-

Stamps: Flower from SU "Playful Petals" set; Sentiment from PB clear set
DP: My Minds Eye "Bloom and Grow"
Tools: Nestabilities "Ribbon Tag Trio"; Martha Stewart "Scallop Dot" border punch
Accessories: Papermania brad, beads from stash and SU ribbon

Thank you for visiting my blog today and thank you for all the lovely comments you have been leaving. I really enjoy reading them.

Enjoy the remainder of your weekend.

Clare x

Christmas!

Hello everyone. I hope you've all had a good day and are looking forward to the weekend. I know I am.

If you are a follower you will know that I recently won the Bearly Mine Designs Creative Fusion Christmas disks. Today I have made my first card using designs from these disks and I am entering it into three challenges:-

Our Creative Corner - "Christmas in August"
Creative Card Crew -"Christmas in August"
Simon Says - "Christmas in August"

Here's what I used to make this card:-

Digi Image and papers: Bearly Mine Designs Creative Fusion Christmas dvd's
Sentiment stamp: freebie with Creativity magazine
Tools: Spellbinders scallop square nesties and ribbon tags; X-cut snowflake punch
Accessories: Ribbon from stash; glamour dust

I hope you like this card. It's the first time I have used digi papers and toppers and I really enjoyed making it.

Thank you for visiting my blog today, your company is much appreciated.

Clare x

Mini Pizza Box

Good morning everyone.

I love Thursday mornings, my son goes to nursery and me and the dog have the place to ourselves - bliss!

I have made another mini pizza box - I love making these and I am finding them really useful for storing images that I have cut and coloured, they are just the right size. (Here is a tutorial).

I am entering this into two challenges:-

Truly Scrumptious - "Anything but a card", and
Creative Inspirations - "Spots, Dots and Circles

I am not completely happy with this box. I painted around the edge of the white circle scallop (I wanted it to match Tilda's flower), but it needs more coats which I couldn't face doing as it was so fiddly! I should have used another circle of red card instead.

Here's what I used to make this box:-

Stamp: Tilda from Magnolia Summer Kit
Colouring Medium: Derwent Aquatone pencils with water brush
Cardstock: red and white from my stash
Tools: "Bloom Dots" Cuttlebug embossing folder; Martha Stewart "Valentine Hearts" punch; Spellbinders "Flower Creations", Circle, Scallop Circle, Scallop Square, Scallop Heart nestabilities; Scor-pal; X-cut large circle punch
Accessories: Kars gem

Thank you for visiting my blog today and for any comment you may leave, I love to read them.

I hope you have a great day. I think we are in for a storm here!

See you soon.

Clare x

My good news

Hello everyone.

Sorry, no card, but two lots of good news I would like to share with you.

CANDY!

Look what Mr Postie delivered to me today!

On Saturday I took part in the Bearly Mine Crafts blog hop and visited some very talented crafters to see their creations using the brand new Bearly Mine Designer Extreme Volume III disk (which you can find here).

I was delighted to find that I was the winner of the Bearly Mine candy on Marcea's blog and these are what I won. I've spent several hours today looking at the contents of them and I am blown away by how much there is on them - I am completely sorted for Christmas now!

Thank you Donna and Marcea!

GUEST DT FOR COPIC COLOUR CHALLENGE

Recently Copic Colour Challenge had a Guest Design Team call. They decided to offer everyone who applied a slot as a Guest Designer. I got an email yesterday to say that I would be a Guest Designer for next week's challenge (26th August). Yay!!! Please pop along and see what I make for the challenge, and perhaps join in too!

I hope you are all having a lovely week and happy Wednesday to you!

Clare xx

Thank you for these awards

Good afternoon,

I have received two lovely awards (my apologies for taking so long to blog them).

This one is from Kat


and this one is from Julie

Thank you so much Kat and Julie, I truly appreciate you thinking of me and it is an honour to receive these awards.

I have already passed these awards on so I hope you don't mind if I offer them to the lovely crafters who follow my blog. Please take them, although I haven't listed you by name you know who you are.

Have a lovely day.

Clare x

More brown wrapping paper!

Good afternoon to you. What a lovely sunny day, a perfect summer Sunday.

Today I have a card to fit two challenges:-

Secret Crafter - "Fancy Corners", and

Stamptacular Sunday - "Beary Special"

Here's what I used to make this card:

Stamp: from Elzybells

CS: Brown wrapping paper and basic white cardstock

Colour Medium: Polychromos and Sansador

Ribbon: SU

Tools: Various nestabilities, pricking tool and "Bow Easy"

Thank you for visiting today and taking a look at my card

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Lucky me and thank you

Hello everyone!

I have been very lucky recently and won some fabulous blog candy. I would like to take this opportunity to say:-

a very big thank you to Emma "Devotion to the Dream" for the amazing blog candy which I received yesterday.

I can't wait to get playing with these fabulous goodies.

and a very big thank you to Lorraine "Welcome to Crafty Coo" for the gorgeous MME "Wild Asparagus" papers - they are just so beautiful and I will have to force myself to cut into them!

I am going to have so much fun with my new crafting supplies. Thank you ladies for your kindness and generosity.

Big Hugs, Clare xx

Hanging Treat Box

Good morning!

I thought crafting was supposed to be a stress buster. I am so stressed after making this hanging treat box. I took my lap top to my craft room so I could follow the instructions to make the box, but this took up so much room I hardly had any left to craft and got in a complete mess! Oh well, I'm happy now it's finished.

I am entering it into two challenges:-

Project Tuesday - "Hanging Treat Box" and
Creative Insipirations - "Gift"

(my apologies for the poor pictures today).

I made this so it could be given to a male or a female. I haven't added any treats but there is space to put small chocolate bars or similar. I didn't have a bottle of wine either so it's being modelled by some white wine vinegar!

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog and look at this project.

Happy Thursday to you.

Thank you for these awards

Hello! (this is my second post today, please scroll down for the first post).

I have very kindly been given another two awards. I am so chuffed that Linda and Kat thought of me when passing them on. I feel extremely honoured.

Thank you Linda for this award.



I would like to pass this on to
Ann
Brenda
Lisa
Liza
Tab

Thank you Kat for this award.



This award comes with instructions:-

1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award.
2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog
3. Link the person who nominated you for this award
4. Name seven things about yourself that people might find interesting
5. Nominate seven Kreativ Bloggers
6. Post links to the seven blogs you nominate
7. Leave comments on all seven blogs letting them know you nominated them.

No. 1 is easy - THANK YOU KAT!
2 and 3 easy too - http://lilackat.blogspot.com/
4. not easy at all!! My mind has gone blank, but here goes
1) My star sign is Capricorn, but I really don't take an interest in astrology and never read my stars.
2) I love horse-riding but have given up since having a child.
3) I am enjoying getting older
4) I love animals
5) Crafting keeps me sane (I think)
6) I never thought I had an addictive personality until I discovered crafting
7) I'm just not very interesting!

I would like to pass this award on to:-

Danielle
Emma
Jacilynn
Linda
Liz
Lorraine
Sam

I find it so hard to have to keep to the numbers as there are so many lovely and talented bloggers who I would love to pass these on to.

Princess for two Challenges

Good morning!

I have made another little bag which I am entering into two challenges:-

Creative Card Crew "Princess Party", and
Simon Says Challenge "Anything but a card"

I've used one of the gorgeous Diane Duda images from Sugar Nellie. Isn't the cat cute? I've coloured them with Distress inks and added Glamour Dust to their wings.

I hope you enjoy your day and thank you for visiting me.

Crafty Creations - Buttons

Good morning everyone. Well I finally got my ironing done this morning and boy does that pile grow when I'm not looking!

I started this card last night and had time for the finishing touches this morning. Can you guess which is my favourite new stamp? I love this flower set (it's great for using up scraps of DP). I am entering this card in the Crafty Creations challenge where the theme is "Buttons".

I wanted to use Kraft card but as I don't have any I made my own by gluing brown wrapping paper to card. If you look closely you can see where it has buckled a bit - oops!

I've stamped the flowers and leaves using Brilliance inks and heat embossed them with holographic embossing powder, I've also heat embossed the button on the flower - this doesn't show too well but if you want to see it better you can click on the picture to enlarge it.

Here's what I used to make this card:

Stamps from SU set "Playful Petals"
Pink, lilac and green Brilliance dew drop ink pads
Heat it Up embossing powders "Holographic" and "Enchanted Gold"
Spellbinders largest long scalloped rectangle
Brown wrapping paper
DCWV DP and CS
Buttons and thread from stash

Thank you so much calling by to see my cards. I love to know that you have visited and your comments make my day.

Happy Tuesday!

Crafty Cardmakers - Challenge 1 "Flowers"

Good afternoon!

Today I have a very simple card. It is a flower for a special friend and I am entering it into a brand new card challenge called Crafty Cardmakers.

I hope you like it, even though it's quite plain.

Thank you for visiting and taking a look.

Thank you for these wonderful awards

Good morning! It's Monday again, my weekend was busy and flew by! I hope you all had good weekends too.

Last week I received some lovely awards and would like to thank two very kind ladies for thinking of me.

I received this award from Kimmi at Poppy Petal Designs.

Thank you so much Kimmi. If you haven't visited Kimmi's blog you can find it here, she is a very talented crafter and has just been chosen as a guest designer for La-la Land Crafts. Congratulations Kimmi!

I would also like to thank the lovely Lainy of Lainy's Little Blog for three amazing awards. Thank you for thinking of me Lainy. I love Lainy's style of card making and it's always a pleasure for me to visit her blog which you can find here.

I can't tell you how honoured I am that I have been given these awards - they mean so much to me. I have already passed these on, so today I would like to give them to all the lovely people who take the time to visit me and leave me such wonderful comments, as my way of saying thank you.

A Spoonful of Sugar - Floral Fantasy

Good evening! Wow, what a fab day - the sun shone and shone all day.

My apologies for not getting out and about in blogland and seeing your wonderful creations, but I've been out and about with my family making the most of our time together and the lovely weather. I will catch up with you soon, I promise.

I did however take a bit of time to nip to my craft room to try out some new goodies (you have to don't you?)

Here's what I came up with.

I'm entering this in the challenge at A Spoonful of Sugar where the theme is Floral Fantasy.

Thank you for visiting my blog. I look forward to visiting yours.

Copic Colour Challenge 25

Good morning. It's sunny! Hippity hip hooray! The dog is happy because it means I can leave the back door open all day. My dog is like a yo-yo, in and out of the house all day, it drives me nuts when I am constantly opening and shutting the door for her - today she can come and go as she pleases.

However, back to the main purpose of the post which is this week's Copic Colour Challenge. The colours to use are YO6, B12 and RV02. For once I have all the colours and I've kept it simple and just used these three, one for each butterfly. I've covered each butterfly in Glamour Dust which as usual you can't see (unless you click on the pictures to enlarge them).

I was shown how to make this bag by Katrina from Whimsical Wishes a couple of weeks ago and love to make them - they are such fun! (see here for details - thanks Julie for the link to this tutorial).
Here's what I used to make this bag:

DP: Brenda Pinnick
Stamp: Elusive Images "Butterly Poppy" plate; sentiment Papermania "Clare Curd Signature Range"
Colouring Medium: Copic Ciaos YO6, B12 and RV02
Tools: Cropadile (for hole for ribbon), Scor-pal
Accessories: Ribbon (from QVC kit); Pearls from ebay, Glamour Dust (again!), "Heat it Up" holographic embossing powder (for sentiment).

Thank you so much for visiting me today.

Right, I'm off to hang the washing out before the sun skoots off again.

Have a great day!

Uber Amazing Blog Award

A few days ago I was delighted and honoured to receive this fabulous award from Bastel_fee. Thank you!

Bastel-fee makes some incredibly beautiful cards and I love to visit her blog.

I would like to pass this award on to Debby at A Scrapjourney. Debby knows that I am in awe of her amazing talent. I'm sure you have visited her blog, but if you haven't it will be well worth your time.

Have a great afternoon.

Personalised stamp

Good morning. It was another bright and early 6 am start for me. I love the peace and quiet when I get up early - at least an hour of bliss!

I've seen that some of you have some great personalised stamps, so after a quick search on ebay I came across a shop that has loads of styles of stamps to choose from. This is the one I chose - I can't wait for it to arrive. It might take a while as it is coming from Malaysia.

There is a sale on these stamps at the moment - this one including postage all that distance was around £4.50 - not bad! You can find the ebay shop here.

I am in no way affiliated with the supplier, I just thought they were great and wanted to pass on the details just in case anyone else is interested.

Have a happy day!

Our Creative Corner - Purple

Good morning, it's an early one for me, I just couldn't get back to sleep, so I've been surfing for a while waiting for the boys to wake up.

Here's a card I made yesterday afternoon to enter into this week's challenge at Our Creative Corner where the theme is Purple. For some reason I'm not particularly drawn to purple (I prefer orange!) but I thought I would give it a go and I'm pleased with the result.

Here's what i used to make this card:

Stamp: from Elzybells Art Stamps
Colouring Medium: Prismacolour Premier Pencils
Tools: Nestabilities "Labels" and "Scallop Rectangles"; EK Success "Corner Adorner" punch; Cuttlebug "Swiss Dots" embossing folder
Other: Glamour Dust (love the stuff!)

Well the household appears to be waking up so I had better get started with my day.

Thank you for stopping by my blog and taking a look and thank you to everyone who has left me such wonderful comments recently - I love to read them and they make me so happy.

Penny Black "Summer"

Good morning everyone. After a trip to the dentist for my son and I to have our teeth counted, I needed a bit of sunshine in my life (no good looking outside for this) so I have made a card for this week's Penny Black challenge where the theme is "Summer".

I know this is very similar to the cherry card a few posts ago, but I'm enjoying making these circle cards, although I think I may have gone a bit OTT with the beads!

Here's what I used to make this card.

Stamp: Penny Black from clear set "Garden Friends"
CS: Die Cuts with a View and white from stash
Colouring Medium: Copic Ciaos:
Tools: Scallop and plain circle nesties; "Bloom Dots" Cuttlebug embossing folder
Accessories: Lots of beads from The Range

Well that weekend flew by and here we are at the start of another week, at this rate it will soon be Christmas.

Wishing you all a happy Monday and thank you for stopping by my blog.

Copic Colour Challenge

Good morning fellow bloggers. After the awful weather yesterday the sun is shining brightly today and it looks like it's going to stay.

Here is a card I have made for the current Copic Colour Challenge. The colours to use this week are BG02, RV02 and YG03. I don't have BG02 so I've used BG01 instead.

Here's what I used to make this card:

Image: Digi stamp from Pink Petticoat
DP and Ribbon: K&Co Amy Butler "Belle"
Tools: Nestabilities Long Scallop Rectangle and Flower Creations 1, EK Success Corner Adorner punch
Accessories: Pearl (from ebay), Glamour Dust

Thank you for visiting my blog.

Happy Sunday!

A Wonderful Award

Hello everyone.

I am delighted to have received this fabulous award from Linda (Linda's Crafty Creations). Linda is a wonderful person and I am honoured to be one of her blogging friends. Please hop on over to Linda's blog and check out her fantastic cards.

THANKS LINDA!

I would like to pass this award on to my followers. I appreciate you all more than you can know. Thank you so much for supporting me and my blog.