Happy birthday...

Hello All! Another cold and bright day here in Peterborough - winter has well and truly arrived! The countdown is going well, only 6 weeks and 1 day of school left before Christmas holidays!! Quiz night tonight, although I really don't think we'll do well - our brains are not working at the moment.

Today's card is for one of the cooks at work whose birthday it is tomorrow...

What I have used:

Papers - from stash

Sentiment - Woodware

Lace - Hobby House

Pearls - Cosmic Shimmer Pearl PVA

I would like to enter the following challenges please:

Creative Moments - Anything Goes/Celebration

Creative Colours Challenge - Challenge 22

Digi Sketch Challenge - Lace and Pearls

Thanks for stopping by! Please pop by again tomorrow for a fab DT challenge!

Love and light

Claire xx

New house!

Morning Bloggers!! Tuesday, and boy is it cold!! The weather has turned and I think we have moved from Summer straight into Winter here! Still, we've been lucky the warm weather has lasted this long, so, roll on Winter and wrapping up, thick duvets and hot chocolate!

I spent some time at Sir Stampalot on Saturday, and the lovely Kim Reygate was demonstrating and hosting a Q&A session for an stamping problems. She showed me a fab technique using alcohol inks, which I am dying to try, so watch this space!

Today's card is for one of our male teachers at work who moved into his own house on Friday last week. I gave him his card yesterday when we got back to work, and I'm proud to say he really loved it!

What I have used:

Papers - Seashore

Houses - Tim Holtz Townscape

Sentiment - BoBunny

Washi tape - Tim Holtz

I would like to enter the following challenges please:

Viva la Verve - sketch week 5

The Shabby Tearoom - Just Neutrals

Sketchy Colours - Green, Beige and Brown

Thank you for stopping by, see you again soon!

Love and light

Claire xx

Getting ready for Christmas...

Morning everyone! Urge, Monday, but never mind! Back at school, and the countdown to Christmas has officially begun!

It's time for another fab challenge at Dream Valley Challenges, and our theme is 'Getting ready for Christmas!' Our sponsor for this challenge is Robyn's Fetish, and the winner will receive three digital stamps!

So, this is my first Christmas card, hopefully the first of many!

What I have used:

Papers - First Edition Vintage Noël, Tim Holtz Coredinations Forest Moss and Fired Brick

Brad - Hobby House

Poinsettia - Tim Holtz Tattered Poinsettia

Sentiments - Kaisercraft and DoCraft

I would like to enter the following challenges please:

Viva la Verve - October sketch week 4

Always Something Creative - Green and Red

Thank you for stopping by - please remember to enter our fab challenge at Dream Valley!

Love and light

Claire xx

For you...

Hello again! Sunday - dreary and rainy day, but we did manage to get out for a bit this morning and also take Daisy for a walk, so all is good! Back to school tomorrow, and then the countdown to Christmas really starts! Seven week term and then break for Christmas!!

Today's card is for my sister-in-law whose birthday it is in a couple of weeks - I am actually ahead of the game for a change!!

What I have used:

Sketch - Viva la Verve

Papers - First Edition Gilded Winter

Sentiment - Woodware

Flowers and leaves - Marianne Creatables and Magnolia DooHickeys

Corner - Joy Crafts and Stampendous Frantage Antique Bronze

Lace - from stash

Pearls - Cosmic Shimmer Pearl PVA

I would like to enter the following challenges please:

Viva la Verve - October sketches Week 1

Thank you for stopping by, see you again tomorrow for another DT challenge!

Love and light

Claire xx

Favourite Colour Combination

Hello again! Well, 1st of the month, which means it's time for another fab challenge over at Eclectic Ellapu! It's my first one for quite a long while, but it feels great to be back!

This month we would like to see your favourite colour combination! I have many, but blue and brown seem to be the flavour of the month for me at the moment! This card is for a dear friend who retired from work last year, and is off gallivanting around the world! I have popped it through her letterbox so she will pick it up the next time she is home!!

What I have used:

Papers - My Mind's Eye Remarkable Day

Sentiment - Molly Blooms

Flowers - Martha Stewart punch Hydrangeas, Cosmic Shimmer Pearl PVA

I would like to enter the following challenges please:

Alphabet Challenge - S for Stitching

Double Click - Polka Dots

Thank you for stopping by, and please join in our fab challenge at Eclectic Ellapu! Looking forward to seeing what you come up with!!

Love and light

Claire xx

Time...

Hello All! Wow, two posts in two days - yes, I'm feeling great thanks!!

Last day of half term, back to school on Monday, so I'm making the most of my time and spending it in my craft room! Today's card is to send to a friend who recently retired, got the all clear from cancer, and has just found out that they are going to be grandparents! It's more of a catch-up card to say that I'm thinking of her and all her fabulous news!

I have just discovered the UnstampaBelles challenge blog, where you create things without using any stamps at all! It's always good to have cards on hand that don't have any sentiments on them, and you can always add them later if you wish - a small tag attached to a paper clip for example! Anyway, the theme this month is 'Time', so hence the inspiration for my card!

What I have used:

Papers - My Mind's Eye (Unforgettable 'Story' Tale Paper), Tim Holtz Coredinations Pine Needles and Broken China

Clock - Tim Holtz Weathered Clock, Stampendous Aged Silver Frantage

Lace and brad - Hobby House

Flowers and leaves - Marianne Creatables, Magnolia DooHickeys and Joy Crafts

Pearls - Ranger Liquid Pearls

I would like to enter the following challenges please:

UnstampaBelles - Time with shabby chic twist

Fantastic Tuesday - Monochrome

Crafty Card Makers - Cut it out

Thank you for stopping bye - DT challenge tomorrow!!

Love and light

Claire xx

I'm back - take two!!

Hello All! Well, trying again with the coming back thing, and think I may actually have cracked it this time! It's half term at the moment, and aside from getting over the flu, I have actually been into my craft room and made some cards!! It feels really good to be back in the saddle - just hope I can remain there!

I have had a catch up with making some cards for my DT commitments, and they will be going on this weekend when the challenges go live, but for the time being here is a card I made for a friend just to say hello! I have used the latest sketch from Deconstructing Jen - I think these sketches are fab as you can take them in any direction and they always look fab!

What I have used:

Spellbinders - Shapeabilities Parisian Motifs

Sentiment - Woodware

Ribbon - from stash

Papers - First Edition Rose Garden, Tim Holtz Coredinations Victorian Velvet

I would like to enter the following challenges please:

Deconstructing Jen - sketch 175

Aud Sentiments Challenge - two or three word sentiment

Creative Card Crew - Bows

Thank you for stopping by - please pop in over the weekend to see some of my DT makes!

Love and light

Claire xx

I'm back!!

Hello Everyone! Well, I'm eventually back! I have had a few months off, and think I may have my mojo back, so now raring to go!

So, for my first card! This is a birthday card for one of the lovely ladies at school whose birthday it is today, although she will only get her card tomorrow as it's a Bank Holiday here in the UK today!

What I have used:

Sketch - Friday Sketch Challenge

Papers - Dovecrafts

Sentiment - Verve Stamps

Rose - Spellbinders

Brads and Pearls - The Hobby House

I would like to enter the following challenges please:

Friday Sketch Challenge - Sketch #68

Sugar Creek Hollow - Tic Tac Toe (flowers, pearls, die cut)

Chocolate, Coffee and Cards - Circles and Squares

Thank you for stopping by, and please pop back again soon!

Love and light

Claire xx

Unscripted Buttons!

Hello All! It's been a while since I last blogged, and have a few projects that I've made for different DTs to catch you up on, which I will do during this next week! I'm running a bit late posting my make for the latest challenge over at Unscripted Sketches, so here goes...

We have a fab sketch to follow again, and this is what I did...

And this is the sketch we had to follow:

What I have used:

Papers - First Edition Boho Chic

Sentiment - Verve Stamps

Buttons, twine and burlap from stash

I would like to enter the following challenges please:

Stamplorations - Stamp and Stitch

YNS - Sketch and Inspiration photo (I have used the photo as inspiration)

Aud Sentiments - Bingo (top line - monochrome, two word sentiment, texture)

Thank you for stopping by, I will be back later with another DT make!

Love and light

Claire xx

Unscripted...

Hello Everyone! What a fab weekend - absolutely nothing pressing to do, all the housework and laundry done and up to date, shopping done - absolute bliss!! I've been out to Sir Stampalot this afternoon to pick up some bargains in their post-Christmas sale, and been in my craft room making a card, and will be heading back in there when I have finished blogging!

So Saturday, which means it's time for another fab sketch at Unscripted Sketches!

And this is the sketch we had to follow...

What I have used:

Papers - First Edition

Flowers - Marianne Creatables

Leaves - Magnolia DooHickeys and Joy Crafts

Film Strip - Tim Holtz

Label - Spellbinders

Sentiment - Verve Stamps

I would like to enter the following challenges please:

Charisma Cards - Birthday

Crafting by Design - Birthdays

Stampin' Royalty - Birthday

Thank you for stopping by! Please remember to pop over to Unscripted Sketches to see what the rest of the DT have created, and join in our fab challenge!

Love and Light

Claire xx

Fab sketch time!

Hello again! Second post of the day, and this time we have a fab sketch at Try Stampin on Tuesday to follow! The twist on the theme is Polka Dots, so let's see what you can do!

Yet again, it's another thank you card...

What I have used:

Papers - First Edition Silent Night

Flowers - Marianne dies

Leaves - Cheery Lynn, Magnolia DooHickeys

Sentiment - Hero Arts

Pearls - The Hobby House

Ribbon - from stash

I would like to enter the following challenges please:

Just Inspirational - Girly

Incy Wincy - 3 favourite embellishments (pearls, flowers and ribbon)

Simon says Stamp - Blues

Victorine Stamps - 3 layers

Whoopsiedaisy - Make it Girly

Thank you for stopping by, and please remember to pop by the blogs and join in the challenges!!

Love and Light

Claire xx

Clean and Simple

Hello Everyone! First post of the day, and this one is for Top Tip on Tuesday! Our theme this week is Clean and Simple, and we are being sponsored by the lovely Sweet Stamp Store.

The lovely Deneen has created a fabulous tutorial on how to make a paper bow - please pop over to the blog to see how she does it and have a go!

Right, onto my card, and another thank you card for my stash...

I would like to enter the following challenges please:

The Pink Elephant - Thank you

The Hobby House - Ribbons

Thank you for stopping by, I'll be back again in a bit with my second post of the day!!

Love and Light

Claire xx