A Little Bit of Inspiration .....

Here's a little bit of inspiration for everyone from Heidi - a selection of the cards she made when she was demoing at the Make It Show at Farnborough. 

First of all, a cute card made using Elephants in Squares and also some of our gingham stickers:

Next a beautiful card using the Flowerhead stamp:



and a cute card using Chimney Sweep Bert, Georgina's Buttons and Stitching Set and one of the Little Beauties sentiments:



and finally a beautiful card using the Swirly Whirly Cats plus another of the Little Beauties sentiments:

This weekend we'll be at the Great Northern Papercraft Extravagnza at Harrogate on Saturday and Sunday 17 and 18 March - for more details click here.

We'll also be at Stitch and Craft at Olympia from 15 to 18 March - for more details click here.

Make sure you come and say hello!

Weekly Blog Project - Elephants in Squares Tag Card

This week's blog project is this gorgeous elephant tag card made by Helen R - isn't it cute?

Here's what you need to make the card:

Elephants in Squares stamp

Sentiments Mix stamps

White stamping card

Dark Brown cardstock

Patterned paper- Back to Basics II

Memento ink- Black

Purple and green baker’s twine

ProMarkers: Cool Grey 1, Cool Grey 2, ,Lavender, Lemon & Meadow Green

Small gems- purple and pale green

Tag Card

Purple ink

Nestabilities- classic & scalloped rectangles, Lacey Circles

Glue, 3D foam pads



and this is what you need to do:

1.     Using Nestabilities dies, cut out 3 scalloped rectangles of dark brown card as well as 3 rectangles of patterned paper. Cut out one Lacey circle in dark brown card too.

2.     Stamp out ‘Elephants in Squares’ image and the sentiment stamp out onto white stamping card using black memento ink. Colour 3 of parts of the elephants stamp in using ProMarkers.

3.     Cut out the coloured images and sentiment and lightly ink the edges with purple ink.

4.     Mount the patterned paper into the brown pieces and stick to the tag card. Then add the images and gems to embellish.

5.     Finally add purple and green baker’s twine to the top of each part of the tag card to finish. 

Isn't that great?!  We hope you like it as much as we do.

You may also have noticed that we have a brand new Customer Gallery page here on the blog so if you have any cards you've made with Little Claire products, e-mail a photo to helen@littleclaire.co.uk and we'll feature them on the gallery!

A Birthday Celebration .....

Just been to a special birthday lunch for my step-mother who is celebrating her 91st birthday!  Thought I'd share a photo of her with the cushion she received as a present from  her grandchildren.  Doesn't she look good for her age?!

DESIGN TEAM CALL

We're having a Design Team Call! 

We'd like to add five new people to our Design Team for an initial term of six months.  Interested?  Here's what we're looking for:

1. You need to have a blog to which you post regularly and the ability to take good, clear photos.  We would also ask that you promote Little Claire actively on your blog.

2. We will send you about six stamps each month (sometimes less) and you will need to make two sample cards with each stamp which you will then send to us.  You need to be able to include lots of different elements in your cards - different shapes, styles etc.

3. You will need to make an additional card each month for our blog challenge and also take part in commenting on entries - at the moment each Design Team member comments on roughly half the entries every month.

4. Approximately once every two months you will need to a card for our weekly project, take step by step photos and write instructions - you will then post this on the Little Claire blog.

5. From time to time, we'll ask you to make cards for magazine articles and write instructions.

6. If you live close to one of the craft shows, we may ask you to come and demo for us for which you will be paid.

In return you'll receive lots of gorgeous Little Claire stamps before everyone else and will become part of a friendly team.

If you'd like us to consider you, please e-mail info@littleclaire.co.uk with the heading 'Design Team Call' on your e-mail giving us your blog address and any other information you'd like to include.  The DT call will be open until Monday 26 March.

Have You Seen ......

... the latest issue of 'Making Cards' magazine?

Have a look at pages 26 and 27 and you'll see a gorgeous concertina tag card made using our 'Garden Set' by Design Team member Helen R plus step by step instructions to make the card.

Here's a closer look at the card:

Isn't it gorgeous?!

You can find our exclusive concertina tag cards here in the 'the card that we use' section of the website and the stamp set here.

We'll be back tomorrow with a great new blog project!

Some Cards from Our Talented Customers ....

We love receiving photos of cards from our very talented customers and today we'd like to share some of the gorgeous creations that have been sent to us recently - we know you'll love them too!

First of all, here's a beautiful tag card from Tracy using some of our die cut Cutie Patootie designs.  You can find the tag cards here and the die cuts here on the website:

and using the Cutie Patootie stamps (which you can find here on the website), here are two gorgeous door hangers made by Marianne:

Next some beautiful bunting made by Angela using two of our new Flossie stamps which you can find here on the website:

and here's a beautiful card made by Stef using our 'Butterfly' stamp which you can find here on the website:

next some great men's designs starting with a fabulous card made by Nichola using 'Drive My Car' which you can find here on the website:

and finally, another fabulous card from Kay using one of our very versatile outline stickers which you can find here on the website:

Thank you all for your great cards - its so good to see different ways of using them and we hope everyone else enjoys seeing them too.  If you have any photos of cards you'd like to send to us, please e-mail them to helen@littleclaire.co.uk 

Brand New Class Dates!

We've just added two more dates to the website for classes here on the Wirral.

First of all on Saturday 19 May we'll have two classes:

Garden and Flowers - a selection of beautiful cards using our brand new 'Garden Collection'

The Best of Little Claire - a selection of gorgeous cards using our favourite Little Claire stamps

Then on Saturday 30 June we'll have two more great classes for you - further details to follow but you can be sure of gorgeous cards and quality products!

On each of the days the classes will run between 9.00am and 12.00pm and then 1.00pm and 4.00pm.  Everything is provided for you (including tea and coffee) but if you're staying all day, you'll need to bring some lunch.  The price is £20 per class or £35 if you're staying for the day.

For more details, please have a look at the website here or give us a ring on 0151 342 5715.

Here are some more of the cards we made at our 'Butterfly Tree' class last Saturday:

first of all, a card designed by Heidi:

and then three cards designed by Helen N:



And we also still have places left on our workshop days in Kent and Crawley in May - have a look at the top of the blog for more details.  Gill has some places left on the breakfast workshops at the Great Northern Papercrafts Extravaganza - again see the top of the blog for more details.

Blog Project - Later, Later

Just perfect for a warm, sunny afternoon - a great card made by Georgina with our 'Later, Later' stamp!  You can find the stamp here on the Little Claire website.

Here's what you'll need to make the project:

'Later, Later' stamp

14.8 x 14.8cm white card blank

Tuxedo Black Memento ink pad

light brown ink pad

Little Beauties Die Cut Tag Sentiments

black card

smooth white card

black ribbon

silver nailhead stickers

silver gel pen

foam pads

ProMarkers – Blush, Pastel Blue, Denim Blue, Petrol Blue, Powder Blue, Cyan, Azure, Tan, Caramel, Cocoa, Henna, Gold, Vanilla, Pastel Yellow.

And here's what you need to do:

1.    Stamp the Later, Later stamp onto smooth white card using a Tuxedo Black ink pad.

2.    Cut three panels of white card sized – 12.5x12.5cm, 4x14.8cm and 14.8x3cm. Stamp the Later, Later stamp all over these panels using the Tuxedo Black ink pad:

3.    Colour the stamped images using ProMarkers. Colour the aerial of the main image with a silver gel pen. Cut main image panel to 6x9cm but cut round the aerial of the radio:

4.    Using a light brown ink pad stamp the Later, Later stamp all over the front of the square card blank.

5.    Cut four panels of black card sized – 5x14.8cm, 13x13cm, 7x10cm and 14.8x4cm

6.    Layer the coloured stamped panels onto the blank card panels. On the main 7x10cm panel attached a strip of black ribbon across the bottom right hand corner before adding this to the card with foam pads.

7.    Add a sentiment tag onto the ribbon. Tie a bow with the black ribbon and add this to the card. To finish add silver nailheads to the corners as show in the photo:

Don't forget this weekend to come and see us at the Sincerely Yours Show at Leigh.  If you want some help making up your shopping list, we now have a catalogue available for you to download as a PDF - have a look at the front page of our website here and click on the purple button half way down the page to access the catalogue.

 Isn't that a great card?! We hope you like it as much as we do!

New March Club Set - Man Squares!

Our brand new club stamp set for March has just been added to the website today - have a look here to see the great 'Man Squares'.  The set is made up of four images in squares - a mug, a shirt and tie, a wine bottle and glass and a radio - plus a circular sentiment with the definition of 'man'!  It's a very versatile set - the squares can be used together or separately - and the sentiment can be used with the other stamps or again could be used on its own.

So what is the club all about?  You'll receive a new Little Claire stamp (or set, we vary every month), pre-cut materials & colour project ideas etc each month.  Take delivery of your first pack and decide whether you wish to join or not - if you do wish to join, just contact us (0151 342 5715)with your credit/debit card details and we can sign you up.  Payment is made monthly once your pack is ready to be sent out.

You will be given your own unique, Little Claire membership number which will entitle you to 10% discount from all your purchases with us either online, by phone or at shows (whilst a member).

We will also send you a written newsletter each month together with your project; simply add this stamp to your basket, you will receive your first pack and contact us if you wish to join.

If you like the sound of it, either give us a ring or order the 'Man Squares' pack online.

Here's some inspiration from the Design Team for this month's stamp:

from Maxine:

from Helen R:

from Helen N (this is the card that you will receive instructions and materials for this month):

from Heidi who has used 'Georgina's Stitching and Buttons Stamp Set' to make matching buttons and to add some cross stitch:

from Gaynor:

from Georgina:

and finally from Donna:

Don't forget this weekend we'll be at the 'Sincerely Yours' Show at Leigh so make sure you come and say hello!

Made for Men - Cards from Our Class Last Weekend

Before we tell you about our class last Saturday, we need to announce the last two lucky winners from Friday's Flossie Showcase!

First of all, the winner of 'Flossie and Butterflies' is:

Angela

who said: "Yet more lovely stamps.it would be great to win them.Thanks for all the great ideas on how they might be used."

and the winner of 'Flossie Daisychain' is:

Monnie

who said "Another set of amazing stamps Little Claire, congratulations DT, it is hard to choose a favourite from all your fantastic creations but I do now have a favourite.... FLOSSIE daisychain ....she reminds me so much of my childhood and I can't wait to make cards for my grandchildren with this stamp also will be making daisychains with them when the weather gets better, xx"

Congratulations Angela and Monnie - please e-mail helen@littleclaire.co.uk with your full name and address so we can post your stamps out to you!

On Saturday last weekend we hosted a wonderful day of card making here on the Wirral with a group of lovely ladies! We had two classes - 'Made for Men' and 'Butterfly Tree' and today we'd like to show you the cards that the ladies made on the 'Made for Men' class with Helen N.

First of all, two cards made with our 'Oh Man' set:Next a tag card made with 'Seascape':

Then we used two of the new stamps from the Claire's Super Six Collection. First of all DIY:

then 'Going Out':

and finally a card made with one of the images from the new A4 Die Cut sheets:

We'll show you the cards made on the 'Butterfly Tree' class later in the week and we'll have lots more class dates coming up very soon so keep an eye on the blog and the website.

This coming weekend (3 and 4 March) we'll be at the Sincerely Yours Show at Leigh so make sure you come and say hello if you're there shopping - you can find further details here on the Sincerely Yours website.