Quickutz Silhouette SD on QVC

I'm so looking forward to Tuesday. Why? Because I'm getting to show off the wonderful Quickutz Silhouette die cutting machine on QVC! I absolutely LOVE this little gem, it sits on my desk, takes up hardly any room and it's always on call to be used at a moments notice. I also found that if you can use the very basics on a computer then you will find using the Silhouette a doddle!

I'll be on with Leonie on QVC during the 'Papercrafting with Quickutz' hour on Craft Day, Tuesday 20th October between 6 and 7pm. So, if you are thinking of getting this , tune in and learn more about what can be achieved with this amazing machine, and the fabulous offer too! You can watch live by clicking here.

Love, Clare x

What an Experience!

Good Morning all!

I'm just finishing up everything for the QVC Crafting Customer experience next week in London. It's alot of hard work getting everything ready for the two days, and once we're there it's so busy and there's much to do, but it's so wonderful seeing all the QVC customers, having a chat and sharing our love for craft.

As last year, I'll be there with my Docrafts hat on, doing Make and Takes, and we also have demos of some of our newest products to appear on QVC too - you could be the first to see these goodies! I want to keep the make and take card a secret until the Event, but I've taken a sneeky peek for you...

I'll also be taking along with me the cards and other items made with the Forever Friends (TM)Birthday and Christmas TSV's, so if you would like to come over, have a look and take some photos for inspiration, you'd be more than welcome.

So, if you've been invited to the QVC Customer Experience this year, it would be lovely if you could come over and say hello! Hope to see you there.

Please note: The QVC Customer experience is open to invited QVC customers only, I wouldn't want anyone to travel from afar and not have an invitation. Thanks!

Love, Clare x

Q...V...C!

Just a quick note to let you know that I'll be on QVC tomorrow, on Craft Day! I'll be showing the Forever Friends Christmas Wishes Kit. I'll be on strutting my stuff somewhere between 1 and 2pm and 6 and 7pm. So, if you missed out last time when the kit was part of the TSV, of you fancy treating yourself, take a look!

Love, Clare x

More Friends Forever!

Here are some more cards from the Forever Friends TSV. All of these cards have been made by the wonderful and extremely talented Sheila Halliwell. Enjoy!


Here Sheila has used decoupage from the Forever Friends Everyday Kit, and before fixing all the layers, she has inked the edges using a pink fluid chalk ink. She has also used chalks to emphasise the parcels on the embossed card blank, also included in the kit.


This card also features the embossed cards from the kit, and Sheila has again brought out the detailed embossing of this card by using chalks and the fine tip of a purple brush marker. The top of the card has been removed, purple cardstock added to the inside of the card. A frame has been created by punching out small daisies and layering them to the underside of the front of the card. Coloured image and border stickers have been added and finally doodling used to finish the card.

On this beautiful card Sheila has cut a circle from the front of an identical patterned card blank using scalloped edged scissors and layered it using 3D foam pads on top of another, adding for flowers as an embellishment (saving the card left over to use elsewhere of course!). The bear with the present from the Everyday kit has been stamped using black ink and coloured with Papermania watercolour markers. Then latte glittter flocking from the embellishment kit has been added to the bear using a fine tipped glue pen. This gives a gorgeous subtle sparkly finish! (I will try and get a close up shot for you so you can see how gorgeous the glitter flocking is!)

Sheila has used a patterned card blank for the base of this gorgeous card, and I just love the glitter cardstock from the everyday kit too! A cardstock sticker has been fixed to the centre of the card using 3D foam pads and brads have been added to the kit to finish the card off perfectly.

For this lovely card, Sheila has used clever matting and layering, using cardstock from the everyday kit to create a card with lots of interest. A decoupaged image of bear carrying gifts is the main focus of the card, with pattened paper in a positive and negative design bringing the card together. An outline sticker greeting has been added to the card, and ribbon and brads have been added to the card to finish.

Thanks for visiting - more cards coming soon!

Love, Clare x

Friends Forever

Phew, it's a busy household here at Lemon Curd Towers! Just finished my projects for the next Do Crafts Creativity! Magazine, and thought I would get my act together and get snapping the projects that were featured on the Forever friends TSV on QVC a couple of weeks ago. I've had a few e-mails about the cards, so I hope this helps you all. I will be putting a few cards on at a time, as there are over 50 cards and other projects.

Some of these cards have been made by other Designers, namely Sheila Halliwell, Beckie Dreyer and Jill Thornton. Where this is the case I have labelled the cards, as without their help and their amazing cards there would be alot less cards featured in the kit. we have such a short space of time to make the cards, so these people are superstars at pulling out all the stops!


Sheila made this card using the Everyday Kit, it's a very quick yet effective card using Decoupage, a pre patterned card blank and a greeting. Great for when you've forgotten a card for someone and need to make a card quickly!

This one is by me! I made this on air as a very simple card. It's simple a patterned card blank, with one of the elements stickers from the Everyday Kit. A self adhesive greeting finishes the card. I also put a party popper in the bears hand to get him ready for partying!

Finally (for now anyway), this is also one I made using a card blank from the card blank kit, and elements from the Everyday Kit. I simply cut out around the top half of the circle with a craft knife, then fixed pink glitter card to the inside for a contrasting look. I stuck an elements sticker to the circle and I'm not sure whether my camera has picked it up properly, but I have also fixed a line of gorgeous irridescent shimmer dots to the bottom line of embossed circles.

Well, that's it for now. Don't forget to pop back soon for more cards from the Forever Friends TSV!

Love, Clare x

Hi Honey, I'm Home!

Arrived back from Oz a few days ago, and so far I haven't had a minute to draw breath, never mind upload my photos onto my computer to share with you. I'm soooo sorry and I'm dying to share my pics on here (and I will) but I'm a little pre-occupied with prep and planning for QVC.

I'm on there on Tuesday morning (23rd June) at Midnight, and then at numerous times throughout the day, so you don't have to be Derek Acorah to work out what that means do you? also I've taken this piccy from the Do Crafts website which will give you a clue to what we'll be demoing, need I say more?

I'm so excited, I'm practically buzzing, but there is so much still to be done. I went to London Tarn yesterday for a rehearsal and some promo filming, which is all very exciting, but tiring, especially spending 7 hours of a day too-ing and fro-ing on a train. I also had to book a hotel for two nights too, no mean feat when I realised that Wimbledon starts on Monday too and everywhere is booked up. Ah well, Lizzy Windsor has a few spare rooms in her house and she says I can have one of those, as long as I don't mind sharing with the corgis and trotting them for a walk when changing of the guards finished.

Well, better get on!

Love, Clare x

It's All Over for Another Month!

(BTW, this is posted in retrospect ‘cos I’m not paying 75 pence a minute to get on t’internet at the hotel)

Monday 19th January.

I arrived at the hotel at about 1.30pm, and very nice it is too. Dressing gowns, fluffy slippers, luxury toiletries and everything. Even a coffee percolator and this impresses me a lot seeing as it flows through my veins. No milk though, just coffee whitener, and only three sachets. Stingy. Wish I’d brought my camera so I could show you, but couldn’t fit another thing into my fit-to-burst case.

Funny thing was, I checked in and went up to my room with turquoise case and A1 portfolio carrier, and sat on the sofa, jumped on the bed and generally made use of my room, then about an hour and a half later, I left the hotel again with case and portfolio carrier(Now slightly lighter as I’d unpacked my clothes and such), and I think the doorman was a tad confused. He said “but you’ve only just arrived”. When I explained I was going to work, he said “Goodness, you take a lot of work home with you!” Ha ha ha!

Got to QVC about 3pm as I was having a rehearsal for the TSV (which now of course I can tell you was the Ultimate trimmer from Purple Cows) and who was the presenter – only Charlie Brook! I was a little surprised to see him, and I’d only just seen him on t’telly down in reception, but that’s the magic of television I suppose. I had done my very first appearance with him back in September, and it brings back great memories. Especially when he said that the sparkling trims reminded him of lingerie, and I said “Ooh Charlie, you dark horse!!” It was funny at the time. I suppose you had to be there.

After the rehearsal I got a taxi back to the hotel (there isn’t a tube station near QVC, can you believe it?) and that’s when the fun started. The taxi driver (not a black cab) said do you know where the hotel is, and he TUTTED when I said no. Did I know a street – no, another tut. Now, maybe I should have known a street name, but come on, I am a visitor in a strange city, and I would have thought taxi drivers would know the hotels. Glad I checked he was a licenced taxi driver, as I would have been down to my knuckles with worry at this point. Then, get this, he rings someone and starts asking him if he knows where it is, WHILST DRIVING. All I can think is “OMG, I hope they can find someone at short notice to do the TSV, ‘cos I’m going to be on ICU at this rate”. Then, praise the Lord, I find a postcode. Not good, as then he starts to put it in the postcode WHILST DRIVING! Then he says the postcode is from the south of the Thames (where we’ve just come from), even though I knew that the hotel was on the North Bank. He kept saying, are you sure, and all I could think was “Yes, or maybe I imagined going over that bl***y bridge. Eventually he found it, and I parted with £10 for the privilege of getting lost, being tutted at, questioned and scared out of my wits. Believe me when I tell you, he didn’t get a tip.

So, I’ve had a bath, and am now sat in the aforementioned dressing gown and fluffy slippers, awaiting my moment in front of the firing squad…I mean cameras. I feel like a part of me is missing, not having Sheila with me. Just a Billy No Mates, I’ve even been talking to the telly. Need to get a grip. That’s why I’m talking to you.

So, better get my moisturiser and slap on for the grand unveiling. Hope my fishnet body stocking won’t strobe on telly (only joking, wouldn’t do that to the viewing pubic).

Funny thing to add about the midnight presentation of the TSV: Did anyone spot the look of sheer horror on my face when Sara (the presenter) started rpping off the perforated bits of the samples! I was mortified - I only had a few! Funny now, but not then.

Tuesday 20th January

Got back to the hotel last night about 2 15 am, and although I was yawning like a good ‘un in the taxi I knew I would have trouble getting to sleep. And I did. Ended up watching Jeremy Kyle, that’s how bad it got. Eventually went to sleep at about 3.15am, and then before I knew it my alarm was bleeping me into consciousness.

Arriving at QVC 7.15am is not my idea of glamour. And coupled with the fact that I had left my make up at the studios I didn’t look all that glamorous either! I just had to make sure I had my face on before I met Simon Biagi. I had been looking forward to meeting him, not least to ask him about his paranormal experiences from a show he used to present. Also I wanted to find out for sure the name of the show that he used to present about doing up a room in a house. I bet he was looking forward to the grilling!!

So, slap in place and a smile on my face (ooh that rhymes!) I met Simon and the programme was called 'Real Rooms'. Do you remember it? Apparently he did 350 shows before he hung up his golden Stanley knife. The show seemed to go very smoothly with him as presenter, he lets you say what you have to say and listens too. I'm really looking forward to working with him again (wink, wink) although I think he finds the prospect a little scary.

All the other TSV slots went well throughout the day, although I was getting more weary throughout the day and my left eye was driving me batty as it kept watering.

When Dawn finished her show at 9pm we all went back to the hotel and had a well earned drink and something to eat. Dawn and JJ very kindly treated me to a 'Strawberry bubble' concocted from Champagne and strawberry. Very Yummy!

I fell into bed at midnight, as the next day Leonie and I were going to have a couple of hours at the V & A museum before she had to go and prep for Dawns show that day. We had a gorgeous stroll through London to the museum and a good old mooch around the textiles, sculpture and and iron work. Very inspiring! That girl is sooo funny too! I had a great time.

I got home at about 7.30 pm, but nearly missed my stop on the train as I fell asleep, and only just woke up in time! What a great end to the day that would have been!

Love, Clare x

Have you seen the streets of London?

Love that song, must try and find it for my blog music player. BTW, I have taken the music player off auto play, as I was told by someone that it can put people off visiting your blog, and I certainly wouldn't want to do that! If you want to listen to some music whilst visiting, scroll to the bottom and press play!

Just travelling down to London Town for tonight on QVC. I have a rehearsal at 3pm, so hopefully my train will get me there in time. I couldn't face going in the car after last times rig-ma-role, even though I have a suitcase the weight of a small elephant, no not full of clothes, but full of make up (I jest!) and an A1 portfolio case for the mount boards.

So, who knows what the next 36 hours will hold, probably me looking extremely tired as I couldn't get to sleep last night till about 12.30 and was woken by Joe at 6.15am. I'll probably be up tonight till about 2am then I have to be back at QVC at 7am. Sooo glamorous, NOT!

The other problem I have had is clothes. I have to have a few changes of clothes, partly because i don't want to look like a pikey scrubber, and because it will make me feel better, but quite frankly I don't have that many outfits fit for an appearance on TV. I mean, I'm usually justdossing around the house in a t-shirt and my fav jogger bottoms, and I don't think they would approve of that!

Another thing I wanted to mention in passing is the sad departure from this mortal coil of Tony Hart. If you didn't see the news he died yesterday at the grand old age of 83, which I know is a good age, but still. I think he was the first person that I used to watch in awe (the other person was Rolf Harris) and probably fired up my interest in all things arty and crafty - I mean, I even wrote to Jim'll Fix It! and asked to meet him and Morph. I knew Morph wasn't real (sorry to burst your bubble) but I wanted to meet that little lump of plastescine (don't know who to spell this) all the same. Never did get to do it.

Thanks for the inspriation and memories Tony,

Love, Clare x

Q...V...C!

How are you all?

Can't believe I haven't been on here for so long, and feel as though I have really neglected you and blog, but I have been down at DO head office and in and out of meetings and filming video of the week.

I also found out that I will be presenting the TSV on QVC on Tuesday 20th January, so that is exciting but also hard work, we have all samples to do with less than 72 hours so do it in. All I can say is thank you to Jenny Pearce, Sheila Halliwell, and Beckie Dreyer for all the last minute help you have given.

I will be on at 12 midnight, 1am, 9am, 12 midday, 3pm, and 7pm, so if you can join me I will be on either at the beginning or the end of the hour. Goodness knows I'm a little stressed right now, so going to have a little G & T to see if that helps me wind down before bed.

Love to you all, I promise normal will resolve normal service as soon as possible!

Clare x

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas!

Oh, it's great to be here again! I've missed typing my daily comings and goings, so I'm sorry but you're in for a long one here!

Sheila and I travelled down to London on Monday for QVC, and I don't really know why but it took us about 7 hours to get to the hotel! The traffic was bad going into London, and I think we came across an accident as well, but the most infuriating thing was that David's Dad's SatNav couldn't find Westminster Abbey! I mean, it's not like it's just been built is it? We started off trying the address of the hotel, then the postcode, then the shortened postcode, then places of interest around the hotel such at The Tate Gallery (on the same street) and the Houses of Parliament. No Luck.

Then once we'd arrived at the hotel, checked in and had a cup of tea, we set off to the QVC studios only to find that it didn't know where that was either. The same set of circumstances happened again! In the end we had to go into a petrol station and ask. How mad is that!

We had loads of time though, and were getting all set up from about 6pm. Again, I loved doing the show, although I was shattered seeing as I had been up since 6 am, and we didn't crawl into bed until 2am. To top it all off, the bar was closed when we got back - so we couldn't even have a night cap!

It was lovely to see Dawn, JJ, and the lovely, lovely Leonie again (waving vigourously!), and it sounded as though they had had a good but busy day. I think the next time I will be down will be in February, so it will be great to see them again soon.

Then the next day, Shaila and I hit Oxford Street for a spot of retail therapy, rushing around trying to catch up on Christmas shopping before going the see Wicked! Sheila had bought me the tickets for my birthday, and I have the soundtrack and absolutely love this musical, so I was near to hysteria by the time the orchestra started. When we first walked in, we were taken aback by the stage set.
The show was amazing the acting and singing was spectacular and brought a few tears to my eyes. Even Sheila said that she was thinking of buying the CD as we left. I told you she'd be connverted! I treated myself to a t-shirt, a keyring, a mug, a programme and the most fantastic umbrella you've ever seen. I'll post a piccy of it as soon as I can!

Then Christmas Eve was here before I could blink. Joseph scattered magic reindeer food outside on Nannan and Grandad's garden and left milk and a carrot for Rudolf and whisky and battenburg cake for Santa (Joseph thought he might fancy something different to a mince pie!), then he went to bed and slept until 8 am! His favourite presents were his Dalek head (he hadn't stopped asking about this since October, even though he's never seen Doctor Who), a Go Kart, which was a complete surprise from Nannan and Grandad, and his big city garage from his Nannie and Grandad. I was also very happy with my Wii fit, so by the next time you see me, a near miracle will have occured and I will be a size 6. Ha ha.


I just want to tell you a really funny thing that happened on Christmas Day night. as my mum and dad were leaving after having tea at David's mum and Dad's everyone was trying to give a kiss and a hug to Joe, and he still had his Dalek head on. As he wouldn't take it off, he just said to everyone "Kiss my Knob", meaning the eye stalk on the Darlek. laugh? I nearly wet myself!

I have quite alot of Commissions for magazine work over the next few days but I will try my best to make some cards to post here - Oh, just thought I could post the cards that I did for QVC. Great!

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

Stressed? Me? Never!

It all started last night when I woke up at 3 am with terrible abdominal pain (women's problems I think. Let's not say anymore) I was up for an hour and so when I woke up this morning I was zombie-fied! Then Joe's new bed panel and headboard was delivered ( his first had broken, and was only 9 months old). Then I began cracking on with work. The came the straw that broke the camels back. Changes to the content of the Papermania Hour on QVC at 10 pm. Now it is all sorted, and Sheila and I are furiously making extra cards for the new kits. But, as they say, all will get done, and no one will have got hurt. I must say though, my wobbly santa that sits on my desk nearly bought it at one point. it was the nearest thing to hand.

So, this is a plea (I'm not ashamed to beg) - if you can find it in your heart, I would love for you to join me at 10 pm on Monday 22nd December for the Papermania hour on QVC. You can watch live online at http://www.qvcuk.com/ if you need to.

Because of all the prep for QVC I don't know when I'll get to blog again, but please don't desert me, I'll be back before you know it!

Love, Clare x