HAPPY NEW HOME

I've moved!!!

You can now find me here over on my new website!

Have a great day!

Clare  x

Jennifer Grace's Focus Your Craft and Soul Blog Hop

Hi hello and welcome to our blog hop!

You should have arrived from DAPHNE'S blog and if you have only arrived at my blog then you need to go back to the beginning at JENNIFER'S blog.

The lovely Jennifer who I meet for the first time at the CHA Creative Exchanges in Coventry asked me if I would like to take part in her hop, of course I said yes! When she said the theme was FOCUS I smiled because it pretty much sums up my life right now and I'm calling it fate!!

It also ties in nicely with a calendar project I had to make for the Sarah Hurley inspiration 365 blog page. Every month I design it around how I'm feeling or a little reminder to me (it's proudly pinned on my notice board) and FOCUS seem perfect...again fate!!

But that is not all, this happened too!While I was down in Coventry I won a bag of goodies and inside were camera/photograph themed stencils designed by Ronda Palarazzi. Again fate!!

blog hop prize!

Jennifer Grace is giving away a WRMK Insta Album kit

The giveaway closes on Sunday the 24th May at 10pm BST and is open internationally.

 Enter by commenting on all the blogs in the Focus Your Craft & Soul hop.

Here's my FOCUS project and here's how it was made.

Now you have to hop on over to CLAIRE'S blog.

If you have gotten a little lost here's the list of blogs in order of the hop....

JENNIFER

SHEENA

SANDIE

LOUISE

LESLIE

K

JO

JACKY

FURRYPIG

DAPHNE

CLARE

ANNIE

Happy blog hopping

 and 

Goodluck!!

And don't forget to leave a comment on ALL the blogs.

Clare x

Sarah Hurley Inspiration 365 - Stenciling fun

Hello how are you?

Last week I decided to hang up my playleader uniform to focus more on my design work so I now have a new badge! Well if I'm honest it's not exactly an actual real life badge but if I did have one it would say Clare Brown Designer. How scary but exciting is that?  I've swapped crafting with 30 children and their carers to just with me and a cat, sometimes two for company lol. So you could say it's a lot quieter than I'm used too, well up until my two little little monkeys come home from school ha ha. 

Lots of exciting things happened this week, worked my little socks off to get a project finished ahead of time, preparing for a blog hop that the lovely Jennifer Grace asked me to join. It starts tomorrow so please come back so you too can join in. 

It's also that time again when I create a calendar for the Sarah Hurley 365 blog. Here's a little sneak peek!

 Although it's been an awesome day it's been a head down and get on with kind of day too. I'm also just back from a 7 mile run so my bed is calling, after a shower of course lol

If I don't see you over on the Sarah Hurley blog I hope you can join in the blog hop tomorrow but for now hope you have a great day whatever you have planned.

Clare x

Sarah Hurley 365 Inspiration - Doodle Doll Felt Bookmark

Hi there how are you?

Plans are coming along great here and I've also managed to create some pretty cool projects over the bank holiday weekend. I'm still working my way through my notes from CHA but progress is good and I can see results already which makes me smile, a lot!

Today I'll be showing you a sneak peek of a felt project I made for the Sarah Hurley Inspiration blog. It was so easy to make and it would be an ideal activity for the children too.

Can you take a guess at what it could be?

PRIZE GIVEAWAY

I have decided I'm going to do something a little different, this month you have the opportunity to win this project, cool eh?

To enter all you have to do is leave a comment on my felt blog post over on the Sarah Hurley 365 inspiration page

 The winner will be drawn and announced at the end of the month ( 31st May ). 

Goodluck and thanks for stopping by.

Clare x

IndigoBlu workshop at CHA Creative Exchanges

Hi how are you?

I can't believe it's been over a week since #creativeexchanges, I've been busy playing catchup and going over my notes, which I can tell you there are pages and pages lol The next stage was to make a plan of action and act upon it, seeing instant improvements makes me very happy! Others will take a bit longer but that makes me happy too as it's a step in the right direction.

So tonight I'll be sharing my amzing time during a workshop demonstrated by the lovely and very talented Sara Naumann, on behalf of IndigoBlu. Sara is such an inspiration and I have learned so much from her throughout the event.

I have never attended a workshop before never-mind an IndigoBlu one so you can forgive for being a bit nervous but there really was no need. It was also my first ever experience using paints and Mega-flakes but it won't be my last. I embraced this new and exciting experience and lived in hope of doing these amazing products justice, I think I passed....

I love this picture of my amazing friend Jaine and what a way to start a workshop lol

Below is my first card that I created using the FlutterGlu starter kit with Mega-Flakes (winter dawn) following Sara's instructions. I'll warn you, there's a little stopper on the FlutterGlu bottle that you need to pull out carefully, else it will fly everywhere!

I really love the vintage style of this card.

Next up was playing with the English Cottage Artists Acrylic paints eeeeeep! and the Limor Circles stamp set. Being a pink kind of girl I was eager to try out the vibrant pink colour but tonight was all about getting out of my comfort zone so instead I opted for the green called Emerald city, what a fabulous name! It was amazing and you wouldn't believe how quickly the paint dried, I'm still in shock! No grabbing the heat tool or waiting hours for it dry. So guess what my next purchase will be hee hee.

I love the effect of the metallic paint and the shimmering colours of the Mega-Flakes, it's a magpies heaven.

and a close up....

I'd like to say a huge thank you to IndigoBlu for giving us the starter kit to take home, I honestly can't wait to try this again, so watch this space!

Later tonight we have a Sarah Hurley design team meeting which is always so much fun hearing the latest news and what Sarah has planned for us.

Thank you for stopping and leave a comment below so I can pop by your blog and say hi.

Clare x

Filofax Planner Divider

Hello and welcome to my blog. After going to CHA Designer Creative Exchanges event I'm all fired up to get cracking on with my pages of notes I took over the two days. It was simply AMAZING so thank you to CHA for organising the event and  to all the people I meet over the course of the two days.

 I'll be sharing more of that another day, as today it's my turn to inspire you on the Sarah Hurley 365 inspiration blog. This time I decided to create a divider planner for my Filofax, decorating it is soooooo addictive lol.

Do you have a planner that you decorate?

I'll be taking this outside today, would you believe it's 19 degrees outside here in Scotland, hot hot!!

So that's all from me today thank you for stopping by, I would love to hear from you just leave a comment below with a link to your blog and I'll come and visit you :-)

Clare x

Happy Easter

Today I have a project to share and some very exciting news.

This week I reached a really big milestone in my crafting career, I opened an Etsy shop where I launched my Mini Makes range, eeeeep!!! I have had an amazing time designing my kits with other products coming soon.

Just search ClareBrownDesigns and you will find me!!  or click here!

Next I have my April calendar to share for the Sarah Hurley 365 blog, I had so much fun playing around with the stamps and distress inks. To read more hop on over here!

I have a fun filled day planned with hubby and the children, starting off with an Easter egg hunt. Got my fingers crossed I get some chocolate too!

What are your plans for today?

Clare x

Easter Celebrations

Hi how are you? Can you believe we are into Spring with Easter just around the corner. This year is whizzing past and I seem to be busier than ever, not such a bad thing though. 

So today it's my turn to inspire you over on the Sarah Hurley inspiration page with an Easter Party project. I can't begin to tell you how much fun I had creating this, cue big kid!!

Check out the blog here for more details.

Thanks for stopping by and I 'd love to hear from you, just leave a comment below.

Clare x

Filofax Fun!

Hello and welcome to my blog.

Today I have a super fun project to share with you and I have to say I loved every minute of it.

Like most people I know I lead a rather busy life which is just the way I like it. I'm a mum to two gorgeous wee boys and wife to my husband who works very hard and very long hours to support his family. For fun I love to craft obviously lol and I'm also passionate about designing my own stamps. I also run, a lot! lol This month I will be starting my marathon training for my first ever marathon race in July, eeeeeep!!

So to fit in all the things I love, everything is planned, I don't do disorganised. So this year I decided it was about time I got a filofax which had to be pink....it's my colour hee hee. It's fab but the pages I thought looked a bit blah so the crafter in me decided to bring it to life.

Here's a little sneak peek of my Filofax, doesn't it look great? If you pop on over to the Sarah Hurley 365 blog HERE you will see the rest.

Thankyou so much for visiting my blog and I would love it if you could say hi 

by leaving a comment below. 

Hope you have a great day whatever your plans.

Clare x

Be Your Own Kind Of Beautiful

Good afternoon how are you? Are you having a fab day?

I kick started my morning with a project for my post over on the Sarah Hurley 365 inspiration blog page. It's bursting with projects and a must see for all crafters.

Next I worked on some stamp designs, it wasn't the plan but when an idea pops into my head I really must grab my sketch book and start doodling or anything else that's paper like close to hand. They really do just start off as scribbles but the more I work with them the more they come to life.

Here's a close up of an art journal page I created for my March calendar. Sarah has designed a calendar template which is FREE so you too can join in the fun. I'd love to see what you create.

You will find our blog here and if you do visit we would lobe to hear from you by leaving a little comment.

I have a very busy week ahead, lots of design work and if I can I really should continue my project life. Ashamed to say I have only completed months January and February.

Thankyou for visiting my blog today, leave a comment below and I'll visit your blog too.

Clare x

You Are My Sunshine

Nothing for weeks then two posts in one week ha ha!

 I'm back with a journal page which I have decided is going to be my 'Try Something New' this year. I've been a huge admirer of journal pages for a while now, I think seeing Jaine's amazing work has a lot to do with it too. I need to be braver when it comes to my work. and this is the first step.

It's without a doubt I had thee most amazing time creating this and I've caught the journaling bug for sure. It was the perfect way to spend my chilled out Saturday afternoon and colouring in is always fun when you have these cute Charm Street stamps designed by Sarah.

So here it is my first proper attempt and breathe........ lol

As a newbie I have so much to learn but there are no rights or wrongs in art and you either like it or not and that's okay as we all see things differently.

You can check out the full post over on the Sarah Hurley 365 blog HERE.

Hope you have a great day!

Clare x

Love Is Family

Finally my first post of the year and what better way to start it than trying out something new.

I've been a huge admirer of art journalling for a while now so this year I decided this was the year. Time to face those fears and be brave eeeeep!

My first dip into new waters resulted in this layout which I made for my monthly calendar post over on the Sarah Hurley blog.

Februarys of course is all about love and love is family and friends.

There's lots going on behind the scenes, a new Valentines stamp release then Easter. And then there's a new adventure, a scary big one but more about that another day hee hee.

Thanks for stopping by and hope there is not too much snow where you are. The boys and I have a snowman to build so I better get a wiggle on!

Clare