Saturday 24 September 2011

Well, the weather just can't make up it's mind, can it?  It has been a really great day here.  Ginny and I have been planning next Saturdays all day workshop and we are really excited about the projects we are going to make.  We still have 2 places left so if you are within travelling distance of the Church Hall at Middle Rasen, Lincs. then get in touch and I can tell you all about it.

We had a really useful team meeting at Zoe's home in the week, it was great to meet Linda again, a new recruit from the Grimsby area.  We had good fun using some of the new punches and getting ideas from that super publication "Impressions"!!

We really are going from strength to strength at the moment as I would like to welcome Dawn to my team.  She is so enthusiastic, it is a pleasure just to discuss ideas with her.  Thank you for coming on board, Dawn, I look forward to lots of crafting together.  My new recruit also gives me a promotion to Silver 1 and, as a consequence, it has contributed to our upliner, Zoe ticking all the boxes for a trip to Vienna.  A good result all round.

One of the swaps from Leeds inspired my main project at our class last week.  It was by Sara Rayner and made using Blushing Bride and Early Expresso cardstockwith Rose Red ribbon.  We made ours using Crumb Cake and Pacific Point.....I think I was 'drunk' when I stuck the ribbon on mine!!!  Thank you , Sara for the great idea. 



                                                                                 
                                                                                
                                                                                  


What a good idea swaps are.  I loved them all, and was especially pleased to see Ginny making a great contribution with her "Dasher" swap.  It was her first training experience and like me, she found it really useful and inspirational.  So thank you to everyone we swapped with...they really do give us great ideas.


We also made some Christmas cards using the last of the Jolly Holiday paper.  What a pity it has disappeared from the new catalogue, but then there are lots of super new papers to get hooked on!!

That is all for now, hope to see some of you at our launch on Saturday
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HAPPY CRAFTING

Mandy

Monday 12 September 2011


Good morning,
Is it very windy where you are? It is not too bad here I'm pleased to say. Probably worse on Saturday when I decided to tidy up the garden and put things away that were likely to blow about!!

Last weekend I went off with Ginny, Emma and Zoe to Leeds for a training day.  I really enjoyed it, met some friendly crafters and learned a lot, too.  It is really useful to put faces to the names that crop up on the website and on blogs.  Thanks to Julie Kettlewell for some great tips, and thanks to all the lovely ladies who swapped with me.....what imaginations some people have.  The new catalogue is really super and I can't wait to share it with my friends and customers.  The 'sneak peak' doesn't do it justice!

Thursday evening I did a demonstration at a Holton cum Beckering Church and was surprised by the number of people who turned up, fortunately I had prepared a lot of kits for them to take home and make.  The card inspired by Amanda Burditt's Coventry swap really went down very well.   Thanks to Janet for inviting me.



 
 Friday found me doing a workshop at a local craft group in Wragby run by a very enthusiastic leader, Lynn Henry.  The group, who were very appreciative and seemed to enjoy the session, were already talented crafters and some of their efforts can be seen below.


After a quiet weekend I am off this afternoon to the U3A craft group where we will be making a box.  For those of you who have never heard of U3A, it is an association of slightly older people(50 plus) who get together and facilitate learning groups drawing on 'in-house' knowledge and expertise.  We have groups that learn languages, groups that walk, groups that play chess, scrabble, bridge,ma jong,etc.  Why not google U3A, there is bound to be one near you?

Have a great week.  Happy crafting..

Hugs  Mandy