I told you I liked Butterflies - Home decor.

Something different to a card today!

One day I wanted to make some thing different to a card, and so using papercrafts on nylon lampshades came into my life.

Most of these flowers started their life on my Silhouette Cameo machine. I cut the flowers in different sizes from patterned paper which instantly gave them life, them inked the edges and added shape and pearls to really make them 'breathe'. I also cut leaves and stems from Co'ordinations cardstock, and of course had to use butterflies in different sizes. My Love for Butterflies continued.

The lampshades I used are nylon, they are more expensive than paper ones (but not not considerably more) and being nylon I knew they would be more robust and hardwearing. They would withstand the use of hot glue to fix the flowers onto the shade and also last a lot longer.

These items weren't a quick make, the flowers took quite a while, but I would cut a lot of flowers stems and butterflies in different sizes and then ink, shape and build at the same time, I then had a bank of flowers to use whenever I needed some. Nad if course if ever I needed flowers for a 3D card they were there for that too.

I really hope you like these lampshades. Perfect for a little girl's room I hope you'll agree.

Join me again for another make soon.

Off to the Emerald Isle...

I really can't wait - now that all the hard work has been done, I'm high on life at the thought of travelling to the Emerald Isle for a two day demo at David Walsh School and Office Supplies in Dungarvan, Ireland. Apparently it's a beautiful place and I can't wait to see it - and to meet all the avid crafters that David has told me all about. I'm off with Sheila Halliwell, me bezzy - who is also demoing, so we're sure to have a scream of a time. It will be great to see Cliona too!I'll be sure to take lots of photos.

Well, I'll leave you now with something I made a while ago.

When I travel for work I have to record my mileage, and I usually forget - leaving me wondering where I've been etc! So, when I had that time off work I zsushed up this little notebook to keep in my car so I can write down all the details. All the supplies are We R Memory Keepers.

When I showed it to David, he couldn't stop laughing! When I asked him why he was laughing so much he said - Goodness you can tell you're a crafter, anyone else would have a plain book!

Rather be embellished than plain!

Well, better set off for Sheila's house, don't want to miss the plane!

Post it Note Holder Tutorial

Can you believe it...I know....don't keel over on me. Two posts in 24 hours. That must be some kind of record for me!


Well, tonight I thought I would show you how those little post it note holders from yesterdays post came into being. Of course, if you know how, please turn away now. I'll shout you when were finished!


Firstly, before the lowly post it note was turned into a princess by the fairy godmother (ie me!) it was but a piece of cardstock measuring approximately 17 x 8.5cm. As you can see on the photo, I have also made a score line, about the thickness of the post it note pad. Now, of course you will need to adjust the measurements of your base card to reflect the size of the post it note pad, but I think they are all pretty standard, just check afore ye cut. The cardstock I have used here is white core'dinations cardstock, but on other post it note holders I have made, I have changed the colour to complement the papers and even the post it notes!

Now I have turned over onto the textured side of the card and cut two squares of patterned paper (this paper is We R Memory Keepers Tiffany Collection). Isn't this paper just gorgeous? Well I call it paper, but really it's double sided paper - almost cardstock, complete with glittered areas! I have cut these squares leaving a small border of white card around the edge.

Then I have turned the card over again (are you dizzy yet!) and attached ribbon to the centre of the edge of the card on each side. I used about 18 cm of ribbon each side, making sure there was about 14cm hanging over the edge. I use the markings on my craft mat to make sure the ribbons match up on each side. As you can see I have nicked David's electrical tape to fix the ribbon as it's strong and won't be seen by the time I've finished! I've had this tape for about 6 months and David still hasn't noticed - what does that tell you about David and his D.I.Y habits!

Now I made two squares of white core'dinations cardstock to fit the two panels exactly, and stuck them over the inside of the folder. Simples!

Finally, I stuck the post it note pad to the left hand side of the card, which not becomes the bottom. For heavy things, or when I want to be sure that something will stay stuck, I use a hot glue gun. Then I went ahead and decorated the outside of the holder!

I did all the holders as a batch, that is I cut all the card together, cut all the panels together, and stuck all the ribbon together. You can still use different patterned papers and colours, I usually spend sometime choosing my papers before hand and getting everything together before I start. You can guarantee though I'll change my mind!

Well that's it....You can look back now!!

Will I be back tomorrow? What might I have...who knows! Come back and visit again x

Love, Clare x

Not for the Want of Trying!

I've been meaning to get around to doing this for ages, writing in my blog that is...honestly, I have - but what with one thing and another time just passes me by! Take last night for example, after putting Joe to bed, I settled down with a burning laptop on my knee, (I swear it's got hotter since I got a new power cable for it!) planning to edit a couple of photographs I had taken over the weekend, when for some reason I couldn't get my photoshop to open, I even uninstalled it and re installed it and the same message came up " Invalid address' or something. So, to cut a long story short ('too late' I hear you shout) I downloaded a free editing suite called 'PhotoScape' and I really like it! It seems quite easy to navigate around, and I can pretty much still do what I did on Photoshop (I only used a teensy weensy bit of it!). However, if anyone knows why my Photoshop isn't playing ball, please let me know (although I suspect the dreaded Windows Vista might have something to do with it!)

So, what have I been up to...well, let me see. I think I'll start from last Thursday as it really isn't viable to start from last year! It was my Birthday on Thursday and it started off as a pretty dismal day, but ended up more positively. David (my hubby) was away in Russia with work, and as it was also my Wedding Anniversary, it was quite sad to be spending it without him. However, for my birthday/ Anniversary present he bought me a beautiful platinum diamond ring, to replace my engagement ring I lost two years ago (well I didn't lose the ring, rather the stone lost me - at a craft show of course! I can just imagine a crafter finding it on the floor, and taking it home to stick onto a card - goodness - how expensive would that card be!). Sheila was meant to be coming over to spend a couple of days with Joseph and I, but unfortunately she had hurt her back badly, and how did she do it I hear you ask - crafting!!! She was cutting card all day, not turning properly (tut, tut, Mrs Halliwell!) and the next day and for the following week, she seized up like a rusty old pair of pliers! So, anyway she couldn't come and I was mightily disappointed - I love Sheila so much (as a best friend you understand...nothing more) and I knew had she come it would have been one of the best Birthdays ever (apart from the one that I actually got married on, I suppose), but it wasn't to be. So, I sat around and moped for a while, the postman came and gave me a big cuddle - at the door - that will get some tongues a-wagging around here I can tell you, and then I went out in order to cheer myself up with some retail therapy. Consequently I bought myself a zoooooom lens (or telephoto lens to you photographic types out there) assistance provided by the lovely Katy Godbeeer (ie. I asked her which one to buy and she told me, they don't call her the all knowing one at Docraft towers for nothing you know!). It's not the best, but the best for what my money could buy. Needless to say I haven't used it yet as the opportunity hasn't arisen, but it willl, and soon I'm sure. Then I went around to a friends for Fish and Chips and rose wine - a fine combination!

Then, Friday was the local Christmas Fair - and I was to have a stall to raise money for such a wonderful charity - St. Andrew's Children's Hospice. I had been feverishly busy in the evenings everyday for about a month (and weekends too) trying to get enough cards and gifts together to make a pretty penny for them. I thought I would show you some of what I made (more to come in later posts).

These are some post it note holders I made, and they are so easy to do, that I made 8 altogether I think! I changed the design of each one, but still they were quick, as I did everything in batches. I choose all my colour schemes at the same time, and did all the trimming together etc. I think all together they took me about 4 hours, which I don't think is bad. Just a quick tip: If you're planning on cutting everything at the same time, make sure all your post it notes are the same thickness, it makes it easier as you can just use the same measurements each time then!

Here they are, all bagged up and ready to fly off my table! I simply used a DL sized card bag and once I had tied ribbon around a rubber band which was fixed to the top, I trimmed the top off the ribbon. They make them look much more appealing, yet cost pennies and are so quick to do.

And here is a close up of a little tag I made. These were pre-cut tags, although of course you could die cut or punch your own. I stamped a large flower design with colorbox cat's eye dune pigment ink, and also inked around the edge with the same colour, then stamped the 'to' and 'from' wording with merlot ink (probably my most favourite colour!). They were so quick yet so sophisticated, I had to hold myself back from making loads!

This post it note features my free downloadable papers available here from the docrafts website! I printed them onto white core'dinations cardstock to give them a gorgeous texture. There is also a little bit of doodlebug glitter card on there (this project is great for using up your leftovers!) and a die cut butterfly. I think I have some photos somewhere of how I made these, so I will post them another night!

Finally, I wanted to share with you this absolutely scrummy photograph of Joseph with his bestest 'gurl'friend! Don't they just look so gorgeous together? It was taken on Sunday at a local garden centre where we went to see Father Christmas.

I wonder whether one day in the future she will be my daughter in law? After all, Joseph says he wants to marry her - although to Joe 'marry' probably just means sharing your chocolate buttons. Oh well, stranger things have happened - you only have to watch Jeremy Kyle to know that!

Oh yeah, and just in case your interested, episode 4 of Creativity! TV is available to watch now for one week! Look here!

I'd better skid addle,

Love, Clare x

Snicky, Snacky Snoo!

Good Morning everyone!

Today I wanted to share this gift that I made for Joseph's Scool. They collect donations towards the snacks they have in the mornings and the box that they use was getting a bit tatty and torn.

I found an old coffee tin that was still in the cupboard and full of coffee. Unfortunately the coffee had gone out of date, so at least the tin didn't get wasted. I covered it with striped paper and cut a circle to cover the plastic lid. It was quite easy to cut a slit in the lid too. I was hoping that would be the case!

I stamped the orange panel with a gorgeous stamp from a Fancy Pants set (sorry, I'm not sure which one), and I was going to appply some adhesive stones, but I know they wouldn't last long in the hands of little ones! The lettering is Papermania; some old, some new.

I'm giving it to school today, so I really hope they like it!

Love, Clare x

Not Long Now!

I'm more or less sorted now for Q-Day tomorrow, and now everything is sorted I'm really looking forward to it. I suppose because I've done it once before I kinda know what to expect, but it's going to be a long day tomorrow because we're setting off at 9am so arrive with lots of time for something to go wrong (so of course it won't, but now I've said that it probably will!) Sheila is coming with me to help and to provide support and a friendly face. Not that people aren't friendly at QVC, they are all incredibly welcoming and helpful, but you know what I mean. Oh dear, I'm waffling now. Must be my brain going at 1000 miles an hour.

It really would be lovely if any of you would like to call in and speak to me or send in a text (so I know someone is watching at such an hour!). I hopefully will get a print out of any texts sent in even they don't get showed, and they will be greatly appreciated, let me tell you.

Before I go and collapse in front of more crafting work, I just wanted to share this little gift that I made for my friend Dawn, ready to give her tomorrow. I got the inspiration to decorate a candle from Beckie Dreyer's blog, and thought I would put one together too. I've used BasicGrey Offbeat papers and Core'dination cardstock, which I put though my paper crimper. If you are doing this remember to cut your card a little longer than you need it, as it will shrink a tad when its crimped. How do you think I know that? Yup, cut the card strip too short first off! The wide organza ribbon is from my stash. I used my favourite paper piercing around the edge of the offbeat paper too for some decoration.


The box/bag is made from a 9 x 9 inch square of core'dinations. I divided it up into nine 3 inch squares and scored the corner squares on the diagonal. I then folded on the diagonal and straight score lines to form the box. The sides are secured with a large eyelet. The brown ribbon is from the packaging of clothes I think. The scallop punch and stamp is Stampin'up. Hopefully you can understand the way I made the box, as I'm no good at drawing illustrations on the computer, and I don't have a scanner. The box could have done to be a little bit bigger, as the candle is making it bulge a little, but it fits the purpose.

Hope you like it! Well, better get back to it! Hopefully, I'll kinda 'see' you tomorrow!

Love, Clare x