Accidental midwife...

I DELIVERED A BABY!!!!!!!

As most of you know already my sister-in-law Kirsty was pregnant & 3 days past her due date...well, I got a call at 06:57 this morning from my brother Jobie to say that Kirsty had started to feel a few pains in the early hours of the morning, we'd already pre-arranged that I'd do the hospital run so I casually got up & dressed thinking i'd be spending the day at the hospital. At 07:16 my brother called me back to say that things had sped up a LOT & that I needed to rush, so I jumped in the car & head over to their house, en-route I received another call from him, he was panicking this time. it was now just 7:32. I arrived at his house just moments later to find Kirsty in full labour & starting to push!! Jobie was one the phone to 999 who were calmly talking him through what to do - I washed my hands, grabbed a few towels & got down the business end just in time to see the head start to emerge!!...3 pushes later the baby was out!!!! I held the baby up,cleaned it's face & rubbed it's back to get it to start breathing while Jobie untangled the umbilical cord from around it's neck (scary!!)..a couple of minutes later at 7:42 the paramedics arrived by this time it was all over & we had a perfectly healthy baby BOY!!

Bringing a beautiful new life into this world was a truly amazing experience & certainly something I will never forget  :) 

Here's a quick pic I took on my phone of the proud Daddy Jobie, big sister Rosa & the tiny baby boy who is yet to be named...

WELCOME LITTLE ONE

xxx

Birthday gift...

Hi guys..another handmade gift to share with you today..

Ok, so obviously I didn't actually make the teddy!! :) but a friend of mine Freja collects these Me to you  bears so I thought it would make a nice birthday gift to personalise one for her. 

Really simple to do I just printed out the wording onto Stampin up's pretty in pink cardstock, cut it to the shape of a banner & added flowers..simples!!!

If you like Me to you bears too, here's a FREE printable I've put together for you...

Print & enjoy!!!
They make really sweet little card toppers :)

Clair

xxx

Photo-inspiration card..

Here's the card I made for our very first Photo-inspiration challenge..

All products are Stampin up apart from the sentiment which I printed :)

I'm looking forward to seeing how the photo inspired you...

Clair

xxx

Challenge card..

Hi Guys.. I hope you're having a lovely weekend. The weather is not quite so great here today so we're having a bit of a lazy one :)

I've just been in the craftroom to make a couple of cards - the first one below fits into 3 different challenges..

the original Lili's little faries challenge - Lace  (I used a lacy edge border punch at the top)

the new Lili of the valley challenge - Boy oh Boy

& the Papertake weekly challenge - sketch

I used LOTV stamp 'Fun birthday'

Stampin up cardstock - tempting turquoise & Lucky limeade

Patterned papers - My minds eye

I hope it inspires you!

the second card I made is for my Photo-inspiration challenge, it'll be up on here tomorrow :)

Clair

xxx

PHOTO-INSPIRATION CHALLENGE...

A few of you have been asking me to start up the monthly challenges again, so I decided I would - coz I'm kind like that :) -  BUT this time we're going to try something a little different. 

Your challenge will be to create a card taking inspiration from one of my photos.

So without further ado, here's MAY'S photo-inspiration...

You have until the end of May to create a card & then leave a comment on this post with a link so I know where to head over to see your creation. If you don't have a blog you can take a photo of your card & email it to me valentines.cards@btinternet.com

no prizes just yet - this is just for fun!! :)

I hope that all makes sense.. HAVE FUN!!!

Clair

xxx

Workshop project 02.05.13..

At workshop this week we're using a Penny Black stamp..we've not used a PB for ages so I thought it'd be fun to give this little bear an inking up :)

The stampin up colours for this card are Calypso Coral & Bashful Blue.

& the Copics i've used are..

E50 (I would've used E30 but mine's died) - E31 - E33 - E35 - R22 - R14 - R17.

Don't forget to bring yours! 

I hope you like the card & I'll see you Thursday.

p.s...I've added this card into this months Penny Black Challenge :)

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Sharni & I are heading to Champneys tonight for a VIP event, i'm not really sure what to expect..I'm kind of excited about the make-up workshops & demos but I just hope it's not too 'salesy'!?!..

Clair

xxx

Personalised birthday gifts..

I've made a few more gifts for friends....

Cindy loves Owls..

This cute digi stamp reminded me of Jennys cat Oscar..

& Sandie just loves anything girly & pretty :)

I hope you like your little gifts ladies 

See you soon

Clair

xxx

Birthday gift..& chicken pox...

I've decided this year to try & make as many gifts as I can for my friends. A few weeks ago my good friend Kay celebrated her birthday so I made this..

Kays favourite colour is Lilac/Purple so I bought this hanging heart from my local garden centre & then decorated it in beautiful flowers which were cut using Stampin up flower dies & punches. I didn't have any gems in the right colour so I simply coloured clear ones with my purple Sharpie marker. 

I think it'll look lovely hanging in her craftroom :)

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I'm doing Auntie duties today looking after little Rosa who can't go to nursery as she's currently a very sorry sight & covered in chicken pox..

...bless her.

I hope you're having a good day whatever you're up to.

Clair

xxx

Workshop project 18.04.13..

Here's this weeks workshop project..

We'll be using some gorgeous Stampin up designer papers along with the lovely Papillon potpouri stamp set to make this card & matching gift box.

See you Thursday

Clair

xxx

As requested..

...I've added a birthday tab at the top, look up there ↑↑↑↑↑ so now we can all see which workshop ladies have birthdays coming up :)

Clair

xxx

Colour refresh...

Hi Guys!... I know it's been almost a week since I updates the blog, I do apologise but it's school holidays & we're busy having too much fun!!! lol!!!

I have some fun news to share with you, I'm sure you've already seen it on our crafty blogs but Stampin up have announced their colour refresh..

I remember before when they changed the colour families it was all very scary & a lot of us demo's didn't like it or couldn't get used to it, but this time I'm actually really excited for it!! I will be sad to see Pretty in pink go but I am really pleased that some of the beautiful in-colours have made it to the permanent line which means I can use them more at workshops :)

Change is good right??

I hope you're having a lovely day.

Clair

xxx

Phew!...

..what a busy day we've had here! It was Sofie's birthday party today, so we had a house full of girls, well actually there was only 7 of them but gee they were noisy!!!!!

anyway I though you might like to take a look at the invitations we made & gave out..

Sofie requested pink, so pink is what she got lol!!

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We're heading off to Heathrow first thing tomorrow (6:30am - eeek!!) to collect Sharni, she's back in the UK for a couple of months..then from the airport we're heading to Westfield for a little shopping spree :)

I hope you're having a great week whatever you're up to.

Clair

xxx

Workshop project 04.04.13..

I knew I fancied doing something weddingy this week at workshop so finally came up with this card..

this is actually the inside of the card..

& it's a gatefold card with decorated front panels. I adore the colour combo, yellow is my all time favourite colour & teamed with grey & white I just think it looks lovely!! :)

Hope you like it & i'll see you Thursday!

Clair

xxx

Happy Easter..

I hope you're all having a lovely Easter weekend we've not been up to much really just enjoying family time :)

Sofie & I made a bunch of cards to give out to her friends..

& we also made Easter bunny biscuits, they tasted good despite their rather dodgy looking eyes!!..

& we made some scrummy red velvet cupcakes with buttercream icing but they didn't hang around long enough to get their photo taken!!

I'm hopefully heading off to a carboot sale in the morning (weather permitting!) i've not been to one for ages & i'm looking forward to rummaging around for some bargains! :)

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Clair

xxx

Lili of the Valley challenge..

It's been while since I had time to play along with a card making challenge so I thought I'd head into the craftroom today & give the LOTV challenge a whirl..

I made this card using one of the new release stamps called Armfuls of daisies, cardstock is Stampin up Bashful Blue & Pink Pirouette, & the patterned papers are from a 6x6 pad by First edition papers called Spring drop which I picked up at Farnborough craft show for just £3.00 but they can be bought at The range.

I'm heading back into the craftroom now to design next weeks workshop project...I'm not sure what to make yet, but i'm feeling kinda weddingy???!!!...

I hope you're having a great day!

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Doughnuts!..

Sofie had to make some cakes to take in to school & sell for charity on Monday so we made some cake-pop doughnuts..

we popped them in cello bags & then made little tags for them.

They looked good & tasted even better!!! :)

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Workshop project 21/03/13..

I recently bought some of the beautiful Spellbinders 5x7 elegant labels four dies (from an online shop with dreadful customer services - I spent over £100 waited more than 6 weeks for my items to arrive & when I emailed for an update I got either completely ignored or very rude/blunt emails in return - I won't name & shame them on here but if you want to know where NOT to spend your pennies drop me an email!)..anyway, rant over.. They are lovely dies & I thought they'd be fun to play with at workshop this week, so I designed this very fresh & springtimey Easter card for us to make..

It looks very intricate & involved but it's actually a really easy card to make. I love the soft yellow 'so saffron' cardstock we're using it just looks gorgeous paired with the white...I can't decide if I want/need to add a few pearls to bling it up a bit, what do you think??? I'll bring them along to workshop & we'll decide then..

See you Thursday!

Clair

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Boys birthday..

My little nephew Daniel is going to his very best friends birthday party today so I was asked to make a card, I knew I wanted to use my new star shaped dies I picked up at Farnborough craft fair the other week so I came up with this..

I'm sure Owen will love the card..well in all honesty i'm sure he'll be more interested in the present that'll be given along with it!!..but hey, that's the joy of being 6 years old I guess!! :)

Have a great weekend!

Clair

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Mother's day card..

I bought this digi-stamp ages ago & with mum & I both into our photography I thought a Mother's day card would be the perfect time to use it..

very pretty don't you think? :)

FREE paper download..

Hi ladies, thanks for a lovely day yesterday..both my am & pm workshops were fab! :)

Here's the backing paper we used on the card..

click on the image to enlarge it, right click to save, then print & enjoy.

(this was a freebie download I picked up years ago..I wish I could remember where it came from to give thanks but I honestly can't..but thank you whoever you are!!)

please leave a comment so I can see how many of you download it - coz i'm curious like that!

Clair

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Workshop project 07/03/13...Mothers day...

Mother's day is fast approaching & if you've yet to pick something nice to give to your mum on Sunday then maybe this will help.

At workshop this week we're making this gorgeous 8"x 8" card..

on this card we've used, among other things, the beautiful Stampin Up 'Secret garden' Stamp set..

 & the matching Framelits cutting dies.

These can already be purchased at a special reduced 'bundle price' saving you 15%..

but i'm doing a very special deal for you guys.. if you order the secret garden bundle with me I'll give you a further 10% discount so you'll be saving a whopping 25% - This offer is only valid for the next 10 days!

email me at valentines.cards@btinternet.com to place your order.

Clair

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Lili of the Valley & Papertake weekly card..

Hi guys..how's your weekend? Mum & I went on a 'fashion & beauty' photography course yesterday which was great, we got to take pictures in a proper studio with the lighting etc all set up & had a beautiful model to work with..I've uploaded a couple of my favourite photos from the day on my photography website, click on the 'people' tab at the top if you fancy a nosey :)

& today Sofie & I have been in the craftroom to make a card for this weeks Lili of the Valley & Papertake weekly challenges..

This cute lili of the valley stamp is called Hoppy Easter, 

papers are My minds eye & cardstock is all Stampin up.

Thanks for looking!

Clair

xxx

Rock Monsters..

We've had a lovely half term week here, despite the weather being rather odd - Monday it was lovely sunshine so we went for a walk along the beach & today we're wrapped up warm indoors, it's freezing outside & even the odd snowflake is falling!!

We collected a bundle of rocks from the beach to make 'rock monsters' with which the kids enjoyed, here are our creations... 

It's amazing what you can do with just rocks, paint, a sharpie & some googly eyes!! :)

Obviously my camera joined us for our walk along the beach & here's my favourite photo of the day..

Sofie, looking rather grown-up here I think & Daniel (my nephew I childmind) looking rather cute but slightly annoyed at having to sit still while I take another photo! lol.

I hope you've had a lovely week too..

Clair

xxx

(p.s. HAPPY BIRTHDAY Josh!!)

Workshop project 21/02/13..

Hiya, I hope you're enjoying this bit of sunshine we're having at the moment, I'm just about to make the most of it & take the kiddies for a loooonnng walk along the beach as it's half term week - hopefully that'll use up some of their energy!! I wanted to pop on here quickly though to upload the pics of the cards we'll be making at workshop this week.

We're using the lovely Papaya Collage from Stampin up to make these very pretty cards..

I hope you like them :)

As the children are off school we'll have Sofie & Joshua joining us at workshop so i'll be designing a project & making up kits especially for them too.

See you Thursday

xxx

Valentines Day!!..

Hi Guys, Happy Valentines day to you all!!!.. as most of you know it's Sharni's birthday today, can you believe she turns 21 today - OMG!!! She's still over in Abu Dhabi at the moment but we did Skype earlier for a quick chat before she went off out with bf to spend the day at Ferrari world - very nice too!

Alan & I are just spending the night in, so I popped over to M&S to buy one of their special ' £20 night in for two' meal deals...romantic huh? :)

I have a layout to share with you, I made it a couple of weeks ago at crop..

I've still got to add some journalling - that's the bit I find difficult???!!!??? but the colours are pretty & work nicely with the B&W photo.

I hope you've all had a good day.

Thanks for looking

Clair

xxx