First Sewing Project

I had a lovely sewing machine for Christmas but  it's been such a long time since I last used one.  I thought surely I have not lost all my sewing skills although 30 yrs  have passed (oh gosh I feel old) since I made some PJ's for my O Level Exams. I have to say my sewing skills are not what they used to be so I have booked myself some sewing lessons.  I cant wait to start them in January.

I have been experimenting and watching some YouTube Videos  and I have made a pin cushion and a glasses case.  Yes I am starting small.

I don't think I have done too bad and I love the material.  Watch this space for more projects.  I should improve once I start my lessons.


Well it's the last day of 2013 and 2014 is a few hours away. I hope 2014 is a better year and I hope I do not  see the inside of a hospital for a long time.  It was Feb 2nd when I broke my foot and now on Dec 31st after my 2nd Operation last week I am finally on the road to recovery. 

You will see some more of my projects in 2014  in the Creativity Magazine. I have just completed my February commission  which was really fun to do and I had such a gorgeous kit to work with.

Happy New Year Bloggers, I will not be blogging till next year.

Crafty Hugs

Claire x

Feeling sorry for myself.

Good Evening Crafty People, what have you all been up too this weekend?

 Well its been a stressful few days for me.

I went into hospital and had my operation on Thusday. I am now resting and have to take it easy for 2 weeks. I am not able to get out even to enjoy some Christmas fun. Still it gives me some time to craft and today I have been working on my next project for the Creativity Magazine. Sorry can't show you yet.

Crafty Blessings

Claire x

Crafty Sunday

Hi Crafty Friends

Well what awful weather we have had today in Dorset.  I have spent most of the day in my craft room finishing off the last of the Christmas Cards and taking my mind off my impending operation on my foot  this week.  Hopefully things will go ok.  I have my Creativity Project  to be getting on with while I rest my foot.

The house has  been so dark because of the bad weather so no good light to take pics of my cards.  Apologies for the pics the colors are a bit dull

 This is a card for my Hubby.  He loved this Robin stamp when I bought it. I colored Mr Robin in using watercolor pencils. I always think it is quite hard to make a masculine Christmas card so this stamp is perfect. Hubby loved the card  and it has pride of place on the mantelpiece.

Christmas Continues

Well it was an early start this morning in my craft room. I could not sleep as my brain was working overtime thinking of crafty things.I am sure you all know what I mean.

Here are some more Christmas Cards I have made.

This one  is for my Mum and Dad. 

The snowflakes are really sparkly - shame you can't see that in the photo - Oh how I love Glamor Dust.

This one is for my Sister & Brother-in-Law

 This one is for my Parents-in-Law

The white background is embossed and glittered - it is so pretty.  Shame you cant see the twinkle.   My MIL wants to frame it. 

Birthday Card for my Sister in Law

Sorry not a brilliant photo. 

It was my Sister in Law's birthday last week so I made her this sweet card.  How cute is this hedgehog? 

More Christmas Cards Coming Up

Being a crafty person everyone wants a handmade card for Christmas, so its a busy time for me in the craft room.  Think next year I will make Christmas cards throughout the year so I  will be able to relax a bit more.  Here is a cute one I made this afternoon, the images and papers are from Crafter's Companion Barkley range.  I made a few  more so will add the pics tomorrow.

Glitter Hugs

Claire xxx

Hubbys Annivesary Card

I made this for our Anniversary this year.  We got married in June 2007 and my Hubby loved the card.I really like the Boofle images - sooooo cute.  I  forgot to post it on my blog earlier in the year.  Its nice to be reminded of Summer as the cold arctic blasts are about to hit the UK shores this week.  Wrap up warm crafty friends x

I entered this card into http://scribbleandscrapcrafts.blogspot.co.uk/Ch#7 - Always Anything Goes.

My 2 Gorgeous Cats

Though you might like to see my  beautiful girls.

This is Belle

and this is Lily

For My Friend

I made this today too - my best friends Birthday is on New Years Eve.  I will not be able to give this to her in person though as she lives in Australia.  I miss her so much and would love to win the lottery and fly over with my card and surprise her.

I am going to enter this card into http://scribbleandscrapcrafts.blogspot.co.uk/Ch#7 - Always Anything Goes.

Happy December 1st

Had a lovely time today in my craft room.  Nothing like making cards on a dull grey Sunday afternoon.  I did pop out to Hobbycraft as I was running out of glue and it was packed.   Hubby came with me and he bought me a sewing machine for Christmas.  Now I never though since I did my O Level  needlework that I would ever get into sewing again but after seeing some great projects in some of  the new craft magazines out there I though I would take it up again.  I have a tiny little machine  at the moment so to have a grow up one will be perfect.

So here are a few  Xmas cards I made today.

Busy Day

Well it's been a busy day Christmas Shopping - it was hectic in Bournemouth today and I was so glad to get home and put my feet up.  I love Saturday evenings watching Strictly Come Dancing and Atlantis.

I have unpacked my craft boxes and have a small corner of the spare room on a temporary basis and have been busy making cards.  The floor is covered in glitter as one of my cats decided to push the open glitter pot over.Still my carpet looks very pretty now.

Once the work starts on our Bungalow in the Spring I will have to pack up once more.  I will eventually have a proper craft room but that will be a long way off.

I will post some pictures tomorrow.

Happy Glitter Dreams

Claire xx

Missing my Craft Room

I have been so busy these last few months and have recently moved home and started a new job.  I do not have a craft room at the moment so I am unable to make any cards.  I hope to  make a few Christmas Cards for the family once my craft boxes are unpacked so I will update my blog soon.

Hope your all getting busy with your glitter.

Happy Crafting

Claire xx

Tilly makes her debut

Well I love the new range from DoCrafts.  Tilly is gorgeous, here are a few cards I have made with this months Goody Bag.

My Favorite Fairy

Its been ages since I have blogged.  I have been very busy crafting for Docrafts so I have not been neglecting my craft room.

Here is a card I made with my favorite fairy stamp.  The stamp is from Lily of the Valley and I have colored it with water color pencils.

Been very busy

Well life is busy at the moment.  I started a new job with hours that are not the best, giving me less time to craft unfortunately.  I am still  doing commissions for  the Creativity Magazine though and I will be showing you some  things I have made soon.  There are lots of new products and Docrafs are bringing out some gorgeous things   Watch this space.

 

I just had to shae this .....

 

 

 

Another Gorguss Girl

I made a side step card to show this Gorguss Girl Off and decided to decorate two large hearts  to show all the tags and things that you can cut our from the packaging.  I used one of the XCUT border dies on the steps and finished off with a ribbon and twine.

Love and Crafty Hugs

Claire xxx

Gorjuss Girl

Now for anyone that knows me I am mad for Gorguss Girl Stuff.  I have mugs, pictures hanging on my wall, books, diary, pens just to name a few.  I have been looking for a Gorguss Girl Template for my Blog too but cant find one :-(

 When I first so this  Gorjuss Girl Kit from Papermania I was ecstatic.

I cut the butterflies and tags out from the packaging, yes that's right the packaging is full of toppers and images to cut out  and used the Vintage Notes Doily Die  in the background.  The Gorguss Girl is one of the pretty Decoupage girls from the Kit.  

Hope you like it.

Bye for Now

Claire xxx

Another Home To Nest Card

I just wanted to show you another card I made using the Home To Nest Kit form Papermania. How pretty are the flower pots and little seed packets.

 

 

Bye For Now

 

Claire xx

Home To Nest

I love the new Home To Nest Kit from Papermania.   The images from the garden look like they have been watercolored.  I made this for the project sheet for the Docrafts Goody Bag. I had so much fun making this card.  Look at the tiny little bird on the greeting - so cute.

Happy Crafting

Claire x

Forever Friends

Well I have been friends with Caroline since I was 7 yrs old and our friendship is still strong to this day.  I wanted to wish her good luck as she was starting a new job and to let her know I was thinking about her and this is what I made. Caroline emigrated when she was 13 yrs old with her family and we saw each other last year after 28 years.It was wonderful  and we had the best time in London.

The stamp and papers are from Little Claires and I made the cloud template and used pan pastels for the sky colour.  Hope you like it.

Love and Light

Claire xxx

Teddy Bear Card

I was asked by a neighbour to make a very simple card with a bear on.  This is what I came up with and there is not a flower in sight - I surprised myself.

The papers and ribbon are from Papermania.  I embossed the papers with a Sizzix Embossing folder to add texture and stamped the bear in brown ink to give a softer look. The verse is from Stampin Up.  I love the colours of this card.  It makes a real change for me.

Gnash Bash The Cat

Well it's been ages since I blogged.  Lots been going on, been in hospital to have operation on my foot, lost my job due to redundancy -(I got a new one straight away) but I have been crafting though.  I have been busy these last 2 weeks with the July issue of the Creativity magazine.  I have had some lovely things to craft with  and wait til you see Tilly she is just the cutest character.

Though I would share a scrapbook page I did a few years ago before our old cat who passed away.

Gnasher or Gnash-bash as she was known was not the most loving of cats and she would lash out at you for no reason.  She did have personality though and she lived  for 20 years.   I now have 2 young cats who are so loving, the complete opposite to old Gnash-Bash bless her.

The papers and embellishments are all from Hot Off The Press.

Love and Light

Claire

Another Easter Card

I made another Easter Card using some of the lovely new embossing folders from Crafters Companion.  The image is colored in with my watercolor pencils and blended with baby oil, my favorite new technique. I find then much easier to use then my alcohol markers and already have a lovely selection of colors as I was lucky enough to have a large box of Faber Castell pencils for my birthday.

Bye for now

Claire xxx

Easter Card

Hi crafty friends.

Hope you all had a lovely Easter and your all enjoying your chocolate.

It was my Birthday on  Good Friday but unfortunately I was unable to do what I really wanted due to my broken foot.  It is still healing after the operation but getting better day by day.  I did have some lovely meals out and hubby got me a Grand Caliber and some lovely Gorguss Girl things so  I was very happy.

This is a card I made for Easter and  I colored the image in with watercolor pencils  and I have blended with baby oil.  This is the first time I have tried this technique and I am thrilled at the result. Thanks Jo Austin for the inspiration.

I am now addicted to colored pencils.

Bye for now

Claire

I have been a bit quiet

Sorry that I have not been around much and not been commenting on your blogs.  I have been in hospital for an operation on my broken foot.  I now have a titanium plate and screws holding it together. I was feeling so ill after the anesthetic that I have not been up to doing any crafting until today so I have been making some projects for the May Creativity Magazine with products from the Goody Bag. I really enjoyed going back into my craft room and getting my head back in the place I like to be.I will show you my projects in May.

Bye for now

Claire x

Mothers Day

Good Evening Crafty Friends

I am lucky enough to have a  dear Mum and Mum in Law who are are both wonderful.

Me and Mum are very close and we speak to each other every day. I don't get to see her often as we live miles apart. I miss her so much and cannot wait for my broken foot to heal so I can jump on the train and head back to Wales.

With Mothers Day approaching I have been busy toady getting my cards ready and of course making sure the flowers and chocolates are ordered.

Here are the cards I have made.

 Claire xx

My new Button Jar

I am loving the new Gorjuss Girl  collection from Docrafts.

I had so many jars in the recycling so I decide to have a rummage  to see  if there were any I could alter for storage jars in my craft room.

This is my new button jar.

Claire xx

Creativity is out

Hi Everyone

Pinch Punch first of the month and of course it is St David's Day. I remember my Mum getting my Welsh Costume ready the night before and going off to school the next morning all dressed up and feeling the bees knees.  We would have a half day back then and Mum would collect me from school and take me into Swansea where she could show me off with all the other Mums showing off.

Well today the new Creativity Magazine came out.  It is another fabulous issue and I can finally share what I made with you over the weekend. Check out the Gorjuss Girl projects by Becky James, they are amazing, and of course my Forever Friends article.

Here is the new magazine.

Have a lovely crafty weekend

Claire xx

Well what a Wasted Day !!!!

Today I had to stay in bed as my broken foot was very sore and the bruising seems to be getting worse. I hated every minute of it and not being able to craft made it even worse.  I will not be doing that again.  Tomorrow I intend to craft away as I have Mothers Day Cards to make, an 80th Birthday Card and some  Wedding Invite Samples to do.

I am off to have crafty dreams now so night night

Claire xx

Been a Busy Bee

Well I have been  a busy bee and have been creating non stop for  the May issue of Creativity Magazine.  I have made some lovely things with the Gorjuss Girl Collection which is so amazing. I will show you what I made after the issue is published.  I also had to make some things for a baby shower using the New Arrival Forever Friends Collection which is so cute.

Next week the March issue of Creativity is released and you can see my cute  makes with some more Forever Friends.  This is a new collection called Just a Note and I am sure your going to love it as much as I did.

Its getting quite late now so I will say Good Night my crafty friends.

Claire xx

Valentines Card for my Hubby

Thought I would show you the card I made for Hubby for Valentines Day.

I used  Me to You papers and cut the heart out with an xcut nesting die. To add texture to the heart I embossed it and added some bakers twine and a button,  The sentiment is from Lili of Valley.

Hubby loved the card.

Bye for now

Claire xx

Shabby Chic

I have entered this card into the Shabby Chic Happy Campers Challenge - http://happycamperscc.blogspot.co.uk/

I wanted to make a very Shabby Chic Card so I distressed the edges of my papers and inked them.  To add even more texture to the card I added glossy accents to my flowers and the heart.  This style is a little different to what I  normally do but I really enjoyed making this card and I will defiantly be trying out some other Shabby Chic Techniques.

 

Lots of crafty hugs

 

Claire xx

Friend

Well I have got to say the Papermania Vintage Notes Collection  is one of my favourite.The colours are soft but burst with texture and I love the fresh twist on the shabby chic look

I made this card for my friend's 35th Birthday and added the butterflies which are cut with a spellbinders die.I also made the envelope, just look how pretty the papers are.

You're the Greatest

I wanted to make a card for my hubby as he is the Greatest. He has so much patience, and has looked after me so well since my accident .He has put up with my moans and groans and my frustration with the crutches.

I downloaded the papers from the  Docrafts Creativity Club and added the boat paper from the Forever Friends Retro Collection along with the découpage and sentiment from the same kit.  I finished off with some bright red ribbon  and blue buttons. What a cute card  and hubby loved it.

Bye for now

Claire xx

Fairy Card

Well while I have been at home nursing my broken foot I have managed to get on with some card making.  I made this card for a friend with one of  my favorite Lili of the Valley Stamps.  The papers are printed from one of the many papers I have stored on my computer. I have colored the fairy with promarkers and have layered her onto a scalloped circle die from Spellbinders. The sentiment is also from Lili of the Valley.  I have finished of the card with ribbon and sparkly gems.  I will be submitting this card for my Craft Qualification Unit 1 test.

Broken Foot

Well the day started off great, I went to see Becky James today doing her Demo's in Poole.  I picked up some great tips and I loved the cards that Becky made.  On my way back to my car I was just going up some steps when some kids behind me were messing around and one fell into me and I went flying. I have a broken foot in 3 places.  I am in plaster now.  I an not a happy bunny and have to go back to hospital on 7th Feb to see if they need to operate.

Saturday 2nd Feb

I am off to see Becky James tomorrow who will be at the Martket Gallery in Poole to Demo some great Docarfts products.  I cannot wait to see what Becky will be making.  I will tell you all about it when I get back.

Steampunk

 

 

I think the new Chronology Range from Papermania is fabulous.

It is perfect for inking and layering.

This is my first attempt and the man in my life loves it.

Been a bit hectic

 Its  all go here,  new cards coming soon ........