A lot of Little Occasions...

Good Morning!

I never seem to get any time to make cards for myself these days (all together now...awwww), and when I say 'for myself' I mean cards that I can freely send to people whenever I need to. I usually save all my cards just in case they are needed for another reason - a video, a kit on QVC or whatever. Usually, the time frame to make these cards is very small, and so 'back ups' are a lifesaver! I then keep them 'till I think I will no longer need to call on them, and recently I've begun selling them to raise much needed funds for a local Children's Hospice. It feels good to be able to give something back by doing something you love.

Anyhoo I'm waffling as usual, so let me get on. These cards came together very quickly, over half a day or so. Even though they are all different, the layout stayed the same, saving time on what can be the most time consuming part of the process. It was also a great way of using up my scraps of card. I just love that feeling!

I used a number of elements and greetings to make up my cards - specific greetings such as Happy Birthday or Thank you, to more generic ones such as wishing you joy or I hope you know how much I care. I kept the main card base colour and embossed panel (various Doodlebug inpressions cardstock designs) white, taking my colour scheme from the Anita's Sticky ribbon which I applied to the top and bottom of the embossed panel. Then all I had left to do was choose an embellishment which would fit with the occasion and colour scheme of the card. To keep the process enjoyable I used a number of mediums - stamped images, buttons, fabric flowers, and die cut embellishments. You should have seen my desk by the time I'd finished!

So now I have about 18 cards to keep me going for a while. Well, that's all for now!

Thanks for coming on over!

Love, Clare x

What Do You Think?

To celebrate my return to blog land, I have given my little home here a refurb, courtesy of the Cutest Blog on the Block. That site is just great - they have backgrounds and matching headers, perfect for the girl on the go. I could spend hours redesigning my own, and believe me it would take hours - I'm no photoshop expert, but you can't be a master at everything :)

Back later with something I was working on over the weekend.

Love, Clare x

Happy Birthday From All of Us!

Well, haven't I been a naughty blogger? What with one thing and another I've not been posting as often as I should. As usual, life has just got in the way! I'm going to make a concerted effort to be a good blogger from now on, so please forgive me.

I thought I would start my return to blogging with a little explanation of how I made this card which features in Clare's Corner of the September issue of Docrafts Creativity! Magazine. As you can see I took pictures at the time of making this to show you how I created it, so I suppose the thought was there!

First of all, I created the main centre panel of the card using my fantastic Quickutz (TM) Silhouette SD Machine. I used a number of images, available through the Quickutz Silhouette Website. I just LOVE my Silhouette machine, there are loads of new die cut images available every week on every conceivable subject, and I just love looking through them all as they are so inspiring!

Now for the purple panel on the left hand side of the card. As you can see it's a negative of the pink patterned part of the card. Firstly, I created an extra row of the pattern on the silhouette SD and placed it onto a panel of purple core'dinations (TM) cardstock that I previously distressed using a sanding block. Then I used the waste portions from the pattern and stuck them down using repositional adhesive and moved the row of pattern down until the whole panel was filled with the waste 'diamonds'

I then applied clear pigment ink using a Clearsnap (TM) Watermark ink pad, and then clear embossing powder.

It was then time to remove the waste 'diamonds'. You can remove the diamonds before you apply the powder, but sometimes there is a little residue adhesive left, and the powder can easily stick to it. I find that once the powder is heat set, the adhesive is easily removed. Whatever works for you! (the brown sheet is just a Teflon baking sheet which I use to protect my cutting mat from the heat from my Heat Tool.)



The powder was then heated until the powder melted. I make sure that as soon as the powder starts to melt, I move to the next area to avoid burning the powder.

This final picture is just to show you the finished look that is achieved. I love the way that even though the card has been sanded, a glossy, and almost darker look is achieved where the embossing powder is applied.

And there you have it....that wasn't as painful as I thought - my return to blogging that is. I hope you found that helpful and check in again soon to see what I've been up to. I'm going to try for at least every day from now on!

Thanks for coming by!

Love, Clare x

Clare's Craft Club Postponed

Hi there everyone,

This is just a quick message to let you know that the craft club information/enrolment night being held on the 9th September that I had spoken in person to some of you about has had to be postponed indefinitely. I will be away with work, and this couldn't be changed. I am very disappointed about this as I was so looking forward to it, but this is a postponement and I will be arranging a date in the near furure.

I'm sorry I couldn't contact each of you personally, but I have lost the book that all your details were written in and despite my best efforts I cannot locate it anywhere. I truly do hope you get this message saving a wasted journey.

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

Oh, What a Night!

Well, I got back from Dorset in the nick of time. I had set off at 1.30, needing to be home for 7.30pm, thinking I would arrive with time to spare. However, not taking Friday rush hour traffic around the M25 and the Nottingham roadworks (when will that ever be finished?), how wrong could I be. And there's nothing more infuriating than sitting in a traffic jam knowing you need to be somewhere. As it was I didn't do too badly - as I pulled in the drive at 7.40pm (the car still looks as though it was joy riden into it's parking space!) and ran in the house.

The reason for this urgency - We were having an all extravaganza 'Michael Jackson Live in Bucharest' Party! My friend Michelle and her two daughters were coming round and we were going to strut our stuff (and probably sob a few tears) to the King of Pop! David and Joseph had vacated the building (Joseph would have loved it, but David has no taste, and the MJ thing is not him. Oh well, I suppose people have to have some faults!)

So they arrived and the fun started. It was wonderful to see the two young girls absolutely mezmerized by Michael and his moves, and the sheer spectacle of him in concert. Charlotte - the youngest (at 7 years old) kept saying "I wish I could have really seen him live". What's happened is so sad for me - I just can't tell you. even now after 7 weeks I still cry every day. I know you think I'm probably mad for admitting this, but he WAS my life when I was in my teenage years, and I can't help how I feel.

Anyhoo, as you can see from the photos we bopped till we dropped! Then through "Heal the World" we got out the candles and did out thang.

Thanks for a wonderful night Girls, and Michael of course!

Love, Clare x

New Poll on the Side Bar!

This post has been fixed to the top 'till the 7th August. Please scroll down for most recent blog posts.

I have put a poll onto my blog concerning those dreaded mens cards! I would be really grateful if you would let me know your opinion. all it takes is a little click, and every vote counts!

Thanks for your help!

Love, Clare x

Sending Flowery Hugs!

Oh my word! it feels like an age since I put a card of my own on here! Since OZ, then QVC, then going to Dorset to do more videos I've not had a minute to make a card just to make a card (IYKWIM). Well, I've had a little break from work this week, and it's been great just to be able to take a breather and have a bit of a sort out at home. Already I've packed a big bag of clothes ready for the Red Cross, and I'm in the process of parting with some old crafting stuff for the car boot sale. It's helping me actually set foot into my craft room, seeing as at the beginning of the week I couldn't physically get in there due to all the stuff!

Todays card is for the Sketch Challenge over on the Stampin' Chic Blog. Why not go take a look at the sketch and have a play - there's a prize up for grabs on sketch challenge week? I used the flowers from the Papermania (TM) CCSR Doodle Stamp Set and stamped onto Doodlebug (TM) spotty paper. I also used New Doodlebug (TM) papers to cover the cardblank and for the laters too. The greeting is from the Papermania (TM) CCSR Sentiments Stamp Set. I finished off the sketch with some cute little butterflies from the Doodlebug (TM) icons cardstock sticker sheet.

Products Used: Stamps: Papermania(TM) CCSR Doodles, Sentiments. Paper and Cardstock: Doodlebug( TM) Cherry Cobbler (2125), Pink Lemonade Plaid (2121), Strawberry Dot glitter cardstock (2147), Stickers: Doodlebug (TM) Icon Stickers Cherries Jubilee (2173) Embellishments: Papermania (TM) permanent Pens, white buttons, black ink, black fine line pen.

Hope you like it! Hopefully I can keep up with making some more cards this week too. I have to sort out a pension this week, so as you can imagine, that will be riviting!

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