Phone Case

Good morning, I hope you had a good weekend. I spent all weekend in bed, and Friday too, with a bad cold. I'm just starting to feel like me again!

I wanted to show you this beautiful phone case that my Mum made for me last week. The leather she used was recycled from an old sofa and the embroidery is done with a Brother sewing machine.

Enjoy your day and thank you for visiting my blog.

Best wishes, Clare xx

Simon Says "Card for a Child"

Good afternoon,

The new challenge at Simon Says "Card for a Child".



I've used a Lilyboo image called "Ben with Boat" and coloured it with Copic Ciaos. The papers are from Cuddly Buddly and are called "Peppy Papers".

I hope you are enjoying your day. Thank you for visiting my blog.

Best wishes, Clare x

Penny Black Saturday Challenge "Say it WITH Flowers"

Good morning to you all.

It looks like it's going to be another glorious day here and I can't wait to get out and enjoy it.

Yesterday evening I made a card for the Penny Black Saturday Challenge where the current theme is "Say it WITH Flowers".

I've used a Penny Black stamp called "Trumpet Vase" 3822K.  The sentiment is from Little Claire.

Enjoy your day!

Hugs, Clare xx

Christmas card at last

Good morning,

I bought quite a lot of Christmas Stamps straight after Christmas 2010 with the intention of making at least a card a week. Well, here we are in April, and I have well and truly fallen behind with that intention!

I've used stamps from a Hero Arts clear set "Sending Holiday Cheers" CL464. The house has been coloured with Aquamarkers and I've added glossy accents to the windows and hanging lights. The "snow" is Flowersoft Polar White, I'm not very keen on this as it has a yellow tinge in real life (and yellow snow is very offputting!), but it looks nice and white in the photo.

I almost forgot the other stamp I used for the snowflake background, it's a Hero Arts cling stamp "Snowflake Circle" CG100. I stamped the background and the sentiment with Tim Holtz Distress Ink "Spun Sugar". I don't know why I wanted a pink Christmas card, but I did!

Enjoy your day everyone, whatever you are doing.

Hugs, Clare xx

Penny Black at Allsorts

Good afternoon,

You can tell I have a free afternoon today as it's my second card of the afternoon!

I love Penny Black stamps and have more of these than probably all my others brands put together, so it's nice to take the time to enter the Penny Black at Allsorts challenge. This month the theme is:-

"Black and White plus One"

The main image is Penny Black "Portraits" 3868J which I have heat embossed with white detail powder onto glossy white cardstock. I have sponged on Memento ink in various shades of pink (4 in total!). I struggle to blend the ink onto this cardstock with my sponge but I will have to keep practicing as I have bought a bulk load of the card! To finish, I added a blob of "Black Diamond" stickles to the centre of each flower.

I wonder if I have time to make another card?!

Enjoy your day.

Clare xx

Allsorts Challenge "Blooming Blossoms"

Good afternoon!

The theme at the Allsorts challenge this week is "Blooming Blossoms".

I'm not entirely sure what I think about this one, it's a bit pink!

I am so guilty of having craft stuff that I just had to get and then forgot about immediately as I moved onto something new, so I'm going back and making the cards I promised I would at the time I wanted each particular stamp or craft item.

For this card, I masked around a rectangular area on my base card. First I stamped Hero Arts "La Lettre" K5344 in Memento London Fog, then I sponged over three colours of Memento ink - Lulu Lavender, Sweet Plum and Grape Jelly.  Next I removed the mask and stamped one of the images from the Hero Arts "Wildflower Garden" cling set CG170 using Starlight Black Brilliance Ink. Finally I added a sentiment from Stampin' Up, although I am beginning to think I should have left this off. Oops, forgot to mention that I also added seed beeds to the centre of the flower.

I hope you are enjoying your weekend. The weather has turned lovely here and my little one is playing in the garden.

Best wishes to you, Clare xx

Polkadoodles Week 13 Challenge - No Printed Backing Paper

Good afternoon,

The new challenge at Polkadoodles ask you not to use any printed backing paper, although you can create your own if you wish.

I had fun creating the background for this card. I stamped Hero Arts "Magical" background stamp in Versamark Frost and then sponged over using a Big and Juicy ink pad. Next I stamped an Inkadinkado image using Memento ink.

I stamped the butterfly onto watercolour paper and coloured it with Aquamarkers, then I covered it with Versamark Frost and heat embossed it with clear embossing powder.

I am going to get ready now to go to a Mothers' Day tea at my son's nursery.

Big hugs, Clare xx

Sir Stampalot April Challenge "Women and Fashion"

Hooray! The Sir Stampalot challenge is one year old today and what a brilliant year it has been, thanks to a wonderfully generous sponsor, Sir Stampalot; an amazing team leader, Brenda; a fabulous design team (you gals are the best) and, of course, thanks to each and everyone one of you who have supported us and made the challenge the success it is.

Our theme for April has been chosen by Janice (Sir Stampalot) and is:-

"Ladies and Fashion"

As always, for one lucky winner, there is an awesome prize from sponsored by Sir Stampalot.

Because it is our birthday, we also have an extra competition for you with the chance to win three more prizes. You can find out all about it on our Challenge Blog - I am sure it will give you a bit of a laugh!

Here is my project:-

I used stamps from an AI clear stamp set called "Dress Set" to stamp the dress and the flowers down the side of the card. The sentiment is from Elzybells stamped onto a Spellbinders die cut double ended tag. I've embelished with some eyelets and pearls.

I hope you have the chance to join us this month and, if you do, I look forward to visiting your blog to view your creation.

Hugs, Clare xx

Rose and butterflies

Good afternoon,

Every time I see a challenge for "black, white and one other colour" I never seem to get round to taking part. I decided that that shouldn't stop me using the idea though.

The rose is a stamp I bought from ebay ages ago and have only just inked up and the butterly is from Crafty Individuals. The tiny bit of colouring uses Aquamarkers and Distress Inks and I've added Magenta Stickles for a touch of sparkle.

I hope you are having a good start to your week.

Best wishes, Clare xx

Houglie Bear

Good afternoon to you,

Here's my card to enter into the current challenge at "One Stitch at a Time" where the theme is "Something for the Boys".

I've used a cute "Houglie Bear" image to make a birthday card for a little boy.

Hugs, Clare xx

Simon Says Stamp Challenge "Happy Birthday"

Good afternoon!

This week's theme at Simon Says Stamp Challenge is "Happy Birthday". I would like to enter this card which is for my husband's birthday.

I know I haven't put a "Happy Birthday" sentiment on the outside, but there is one inside, I promise!

The cute image is Wee Stamps "Bird Swing" which I have coloured with copics.

Enjoy your weekend everyone!

Hugs and best wishes, Clare x

Wee Stamps - Angel Cody

Good morning,

I love these cute images from Wee Stamps. For this card I've used Angel Cody - isn't he adorable!

I'm entering this card into the current challenge at My Time to Craft where the theme is "Infants".

Thank you for visiting.

Hugs, Clare xx

Sir Stampalot March Challenge "Spring is in the Air"

Oh my goodness, I nearly forgot this post, what with February being a short month!

Today sees another monthly challenge at Sir Stampalot and this month we would like to see fresh green, yellow and/or blossom pink on your project - or all three, as I have used!

I've used a cute teddy image from Lili of the Valley and my spring papers are "Tea Party" from Stampin' Up.

I used Copic Ciaos to colour the image adding extra detail with pencils.

I hope you are able to joing us this month. As always, we have a fabulous prize, sponsored by Sir Stampalot.

I would like to enter this card into the current challenge at One Stitch at a Time where the theme is "Card for Mom".

Hugs, Clare xx

Cards for Men - Water

I recently bought a stamp kit from Little Claire Designs. The kit came with a stamp set, papers and ribbons, with a nautical theme.

The current challenge at Cards for Men gave me the perfect reason to use them because the theme is "Water".

Thank you for visiting.

Hugs, Clare xx

Allsorts "Inspired by Nature" Challenge

Good afternoon,

Here's my card for this week's Allsorts challenge where the theme is "Inspired by Nature".

I've used a gorgeous stamp by Magenta called "Lovely Meadow" (41017K). This stamp always inpsires me and certainly makes me think of nature.

I coloured the image and then used "Stamp and Bond" to cover it with Glamour Dust. At first this went on so thickly I could hardly see the image through it but after lots and lots of brushing I had an image I was happy with - so hard to photograph though!

Have a great weekend. I've recently started work as a part-time postwoman so I have an early start in the morning.

Hugs, Clare x

Allsorts Challenge

Good afternoon!

Here's a card I have made for this week's Allsorts Challenge where the theme is "It's All About the Sentiment".

I had fun with some Hero Arts background stamps, "Magical" and "Dots & Flowers", and some Distress Inks, "Spun Sugar", "Worn Lipstick and "Weathered Wood". The background has been oversprayed with "Pearl" glimmer mist but, sadly, this doesn't show up in the photograph.

The main sentiment is from a Stampin' Up set called "Vintage Vogue".

Thank you for visiting today.

Hugs, Clare xx

By The Cute and Girly "Red is all around us"

Good afternoon,

I am entering my Valentine's card for hubby into this month's challenge at By the Cute and Girly where they want you to 'Use red + any other colour` on your project. I've used red and black.

Thanks for dropping by and taking a look.
 
Hugs, Clare x

p.s. The wreath stamp is Penny Black "Adornment" (3996J) and the background stamp is Hero Arts "Large Canvas Stripes" (S5433)

Allsorts Challenge - Saving Nature

Good afternoon,

The challenge at Allsorts this week is "Saving Nature" with the idea being to use something on your project that isn't intended for crafting and that you've saved to "use later".

I have a pot where I keep the tags from new clothing. Quite often they come with ribbon, cord, tiny safety pins and chipboard tags, so it seems a real shame to throw them away.

I have made a birthday card for my son who is four this month.

I used a round, chipboard clothing tag, which I covered in card to mount the "4" onto and used a cord from another clothing tag to put through it.

The image is a Molly Blooms "Fishing George". I've coloured him with Copics and highlighted some areas with a clear glaze pen. I've also heat embossed the glass jar with clear embossing powder. I made the little fish on the hook with modelling clay.

Thank you for visiting my blog today and may I wish you a happy weekend.

Clare x

Cupcake Craft Challenges "Old MacDonald had a Farm"

Good afternoon,

The cupcake craft challenge this week asks to see creations incorporating something you would find on a farm.

I have opted for a chick as something you would find on a farm.

I've used a Toby Tumble image called "Easter Surprise" which I have coloured using Copic Ciao pens. You can find Toby Tumble at Cuddly Buddly in either rubber, digi or 3d format.

Thank you for visiting my blog.

Clare x

Sir Stampalot February Challenge - DT card

Good morning.

It's time for another Sir Stampalot challenge and this month we have the theme:-

"All Creatures Great and Small"

I've used two Penny Black stamps for my card, "Before the Snow" (3993K) and "Mystical" (4001K).  I stamped the tree and the deer onto the card and ran it through a Cuttlebug folder "Swiss Dots". I then stamped another image of the deer which I coloured with Copics and cut out, bar the tricky antlers, before sticking it to the card.

The sentiment is from Papertrey Ink "Mega Mixed Messages".  Other tools I have used are a Martha Stewart corner punch, an Stampin Up! oval punch and a Scor-pal. 

As always, we have a fantastic prize for the winner donated from our wonderful sponsors, Sir Stampalot.

I do hope you join us this month.

Clare x