Just One More Sleep....

...'till the mammoth journey to Australia begins! I'm rather excited, but whenever I'm going any place further than my back door I tend to worry that I've forgotten anything, until the age old phrase that my mum says jumps into my mind..." As long as you've got your passport, tickets and bank card - you can buy everything else"...and that settles me for a while, well at least until I take another breath.

Just before I turn off my laptop for the next two weeks, I wanted to share a few cards with you that I have been prepping for the show in Brisbane. I don't know whether I'll be bringing them back with me, so I have taken pictures of them now.

For the cards and scrapbook pages - I know, me - a scrapbook page!) I have used the Papermania Touch of Teal and Touch of Pink kits. Can you guess which one is which?

On this card I have used the Touch of Teal kit, and added soome black organza ribbon and brads.

I've kept this card very simple and only added brads to the kit.

I really enjoyed creating this scrapbook page. The Statue of liberty is one of my most favourite monuments, and I thought these black and white photographs worked well on the teal colour scheme. the skyline was vut from my quickutz Silhouette SD. LOVIN' that machine!

This one is from the Touch of Pink Kit (you don't say!) I added some Anita's black grossgrain ribbon, and the greeting is from the Clare Curd Ssignature Range Sentiments Stamp Set. I created the black scalloped edge by using small punched circles.

I think this card shows the beautiful papers included within the pack, which also includes double sided cardstock. Also there are beautiful stickers and other embellishments. I've added a greeting from the CCSR sentiments stamp set, which finishes the card off nicely.

The main rose embellishment on this card was cut from a gorgeous sheet of patterned cardstock, and I decoupaged using silicone glue. The greeting is from the Daisy and Dandelion Message Set.

My final offering to you tonight is this scrapbook page, which again I had so much fun putting together. Who would have thought it eh? The gorgeous frame around the photograph was cut from...yes, you guessed it - the Silhouette SD! The cute lettering is all included within the lit, and I tarted up the lettering with Anit's 3D clear gloss. I love that stuff! it really brings out the glitter already present on the letters.

Anyhoo, I'd better spend some time with my much neglected but cherished Husband. Have a wonderful couple of weeks, and hopefully I will get to blog over in Oz!

Stay safe and keep well!

Love, Clare x

Shop 'till you Drop!

How much can a girl need for a trip!

I mean, it's not like I never go anywhere, and just sit in my jogger bottoms and an old t-shirt in the house on a daily basis (okay, well it is like that, but still). I have shopped for England today, seriously, if it was an Olympic sport, the British Olympic Committe could do worse than to put me on their team.

Today I have managed to get my hands on: three pairs of trousers/cropped trousers, about three tops, a pair of smart flip floppy sandals, a small bag, a flight bag, a passport holder, a travel document holder, numerous toiletries, including pro plus (positively essential when travelling to the other side of the world), travel sized shampoo, conditioner, shower gel (for usage whilst mid travel) travel insurance, plug adaptor, a new lens cap and filter for my camera (my old one broke), ....and I just know there is more but I just can't think!

Whilst shopping, a very embarrassing thing happened too. I was stood, minding my own business choosing a shower gel from a shelf in Boots, when the whole (top) shelf collapsed and thus caused a cascade of shower gels to fall at my feel. I stood there, not quite knowing what to do, trying to hold the shelf up whilst still grasping for dear life onto the shower gel of choice. The racket that that the shower gels falling to the floor made brought a good few people to my aid, luckily one being an assistant who swooped into action, and a number of kind hearted people who just stopped what they were doing to come and help. It's kind gestures such as these that restore my faith in the Human Race. And a number of people gathered around also helps to disguise who was the guilty party.

Anyhoo, off to have a little relax after all that excitement before I go to bed. There is a new challenge tomorrow on the Stampin' Chic blog, so why not have a look and see if it takes your fancy?

Love, Clare x

Do You Live in a Land Down Under?

Then as the song says " you'd better run, you'd better take cover!"

What, I hear you ask are you talking about - have you gone completely Bodmin (can you tell I'm watching my Doc Martin DVD as I type this?)

I have had the most wonderful honour bestowed upon me, and I'm bursting with excitement and trepidation.

Do Crafts are starting to supply all their wonderful products to Australia, and I've been asked go to Australia and, amongst other things, demonstrate at the Brisbane Scrapbook and Papercrafts Expo! How exciting is that!!! This job sometimes takes up all my time, but I wouldn't have it any other way, and I thank my lucky stars to be doing a job that I love.

I fly out next Thursday and arrive in Sydney on Saturday, and then I have three days of sight seeing. apparently the hotel is right by Sydney harbour! Then the work begins, when a couple of my colleagues will join me and we travel to Brisbane.

Got lots to sort out for the trip, including card samples for the booth and then there's sorting out my luggage (I need new) and ordering dollars etc.

See you later!

Love, Clare x

Doc Martin, I presume?

Well, what a lovely week it's been! I'm on the last day of a lovely week's holiday, we went down to Cornwall and stayed in a caravan in Perranporth, which was lovely, although windy at times (being on top of a hill by the sea in a glorified tin can)There were moments when I preyed the chains holding down the caravan would hold on, or we would have flying through the air like Dorothy's house in the Wizard of Oz.

Of course, David and Joesph were wax lyrical about the fact that Saturday was definitely the best day weather wise, how they'd sat on the beach and built sandcastles and generally frolicked. I missed that day of the holiday, being at the Glitter Pot, but I also had a wonderful day, covered in craft goodies (and maybe taking a few home with me too ;).

We packed in quite a lot over the week, and mostly the weather was kind to us, I only think it spotted down with rain for about ten minutes once, and that can't be bad for a British Holiday in May. However, without a doubt in my mind, the highlight - the shining moment for me was visiting the sleepy, but utterly stunning little by the sea village of Post Isaac. I have wanted to visit this part of Cornwall for some time now, and I got my chance. In fact, sad as it may sound for a village that's about the size of a football field, with only a scattering of quaint little boutiques and nick nacky stores, I visited twice - once with David and Joseph - and again on my own (I knew David couldn't hold back that look of boredom for a second time).

The Harbour at Port Isaac

Look at that gorgeous sea!

So why was there a uncontrollable magnetising force to visit this unspoilt sea side haven, you may ask? well apart for it being utterly beautiful etc etc, it's also where one of my favourite programmes of all time - Doc Martin is filmed. And Guess What. They were there. Filming. While we were there. OMG.

Doc Martins House/Surgery

Hellooo Doc, are you there?

View from Doc Martins Surgery (I know he's not real, but he's a lucky beggar all the same.)

Okay, so I didn't get to see anything, as they were filming inside at the rear of Miss Glasson's house, but we could see the filming lights and we heard them shout 'CUT!' And I didn't get to see Martin Clunes (who, by the way I find dead droppingly gorgeous as the Doc), but just the thought that he may have walked round the corner and given me one of his grumpy looks was enough for me. That's probably why (well, okay - it IS) the reason I went back; to try and catch a glimpse of the Doc in the flesh so to speak, and maybe even have a photograph with him, and a bit of a chat...but when I went on the second visit, even thought the weather was better than the first day there, there were no signs of filming movement at all.

'Cup Cakes' Cafe

We had lunch in a gorgeous little cafe called 'Cup Cakes', which we found tucked down a windy little side street. and it was heaven just walking around the narrow paths and streets, taking in the laid back lifestyle away from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the tourist traps. To say this place is on TV, it was surprisingly quiet - however, this is the start of the summer season, and I can imagine it a lot busier at the height of summer.

It really made my holiday to visit Port Isaac (can you tell?), and I can't seem to get the memory of it out of my head. You know when you have a impression of a place, but when you get there, you're let down, well, this was completely the opposite for me. If you ever do get the chance to visit, please do take it- you will not be disappointed. I will definitely be visiting again, and maybe next time I'll get a chance to meet the Doc and touch him - for real (I think I've lost it!).

Be back later - hope you enjoyed looking a the photos!

Love, Clare x

Fun at the Glitter Pot.

Things certainly do sparkle at the Glitter Pot!

I had such a great day at the Glitter Pot today! I arrived nice and early, just so I would have a chance to have a looky-looky around. I visited the Gllitter Pot a couple of years ago, and it was a gem of a shop then, but since they have expended the shop by about two thirds and now - well, it's the Crown Jewels!

My demo table was in between kay Carley and Stamping Caz! Wow! What an honour. After I'd set up I had a good look around and I couldn't wait until I could get out my purse and spend, spend, spend! Then Paula Pascual arrived, and it was really lovely to see her again. Julie Hickey was also demoing at the event, and she was truely an inspiration to me when I was new to crafting and now, so it was lovely to be working along side one of my crafting idols.

The day was very busy, and it was lovely to have a good old natter about all things crafty and hopefully pass on some tips and little tricks. I was demoing the Daisy and Dandelion Stamps which are exclusive to the Glitter Pot, and they proved very popular!

This is one of the cards that I created using the exclusive stamps. I've simply masked the centre rabbit image, and then stamped dandelion and bubbles to overlap. When the mask is removed it appears that the are standing behind the rabbit. As a Meerkat would say... "Simples"!

The paper and velvet spotted cardstock is Doodlebug.

Well, better get back to watching Dodgeball, and then get some shut eye for tomorrows demos. Thanks for visiting, have a great Sunday and Bank Holiday!

love, Clare x