Spooky Time will soon be here!!

Hi everyone, hope the weekend was good for you all.  The weather was so nice, and now we have the rain. Yuck!  I got soaked coming home tonight.  Left my umbrella in the car so just had to make a dash for it.  By the time I got to the car park my hair was was dripping and the water was running down my back.  Needless to say when I got home I had to strip off and have  a quick shower to warm me up and a nice hot drink.  I am so scared I get a chill and lose my voice again!

I hope you are all prepared for Halloween with toffee apples at the ready for all the kids doing Trick or Treet. At our local chemist the girls have all been busy making little beaded spiders to give away with raffle tickets costing 50p.  They are collecting for a good cause so if you are down our way call in and buy a ticket.  Even if you don't win you will get one of these cute little spiders to keep!  There are loads of parties planned around Cricklade, I am sure many of them are for the grown ups who don't miss a chance to celebrate.  I have some cute masks in ready to decorate with feathers, ribbons and gems for those of you going to one of the fancy dress balls on 5th November.

Stamps are in for weekend workshop and I am busy preparing samples for the following week workshop. Using some stamps from Hero Arts and possibly Kanban.  Had a play with the new Urban rubber stamps being released from Docrafts beginning of November.  They are really nice and will work well with distress inks and cardstock.  Hopefully I will have some samples ready by the time they come into stock.

Speak with you all soon.

Una

Sorry for no post Saturday but was sooo! tired after the hectic day, just had to go home and relax.  It was another lovely inspiring day with Claire using a great stamp set from Hobby Art.  I attach a sample of  the window card and what a great idea.  Looking forward to the second  workshop using the same set to create Autumn and Men's cards.

It was great to see Mabel who travelled up from Bath for the workshop.  She has bought herself a BigShot and some Framelits and Embossing templates.  I am sure she will have some fun with them all.  Thank you Mabel for taking the time to join us and thanks so much for the Choc's.  I must say I had a few on Saturday whilst watching Strictly Come Dancing!

Doreen joined us as well for the first time and it was her birthday, won't say which one but hope you had a lovely weekend.

Looking forward to seeing the "Parchment" girls this coming Saturday.

Will catch up with you all later in the week with details of some new products coming in and also the other cards from the workshop will be on the card gallery later on this week.

Take care Una 

Oh! The Excitement

Hi Everyone, the new Framelits & Stamp sets by Sizzix & Hero Arts have arrived in and now on the website.  I just love them and can't wait to try them out.  Now which one will be first I wonder! There are also some new Textured Embossing sets and they are all rather special as well.  The Authentique  6x6 pads are also now shown on the website.  The quality is exceptional and the patterns all very usable on small projects.  I have also received the new collections from Glitz designs and Prima.- Beautiful Dreamer, Pixie Glen and Romantique.  It is worth popping over if you can  to see these lovely papers otherwise take a look on the website.  The 6x6 bundle of Authentique shown here is called  Uncommon and Michelle has used it for some projects coming out in  a magazine later on this year.

Also have had a delivery of some Christmas gift items but I promise you I will not put on sale until the end of the month!

Looking forward to seeing you all on Saturday for the workshop.  Will catch up with you all soon.

Una

An Amazing Day - Thank You

What an amazing day it was with Kirsty and her demo's of the ProMarkers and AquaMarkers.  Thank you so much to everyone who came along and supported us.  She could not believe how busy we were. Kirsty thought you were all wonderful and of course I said so too.  I do hope she helped you with your shading and blending techniques and also any other issues you had with them.  I think the main one was what type of ink is best used for stamping images with both types of pens.

I could see she was very tired when she left this evening and wished her well on her journey back home.  I have put a note in the diary to contact her before the end of the year to arrange a date in the early part of the year for a return visit.

I left the shop for home around 6.00.p.m. and Howard had the TV on for Strictly Come Dancing, a glass of my favourite wine, my comfy slippers and Jim Jams ready for me.  I relaxed, chilled out and enjoyed the show.  Looking forward to a lazy day  tomorrow.

Oh! and wasn't it lovely to see Michelle today, travelling all the way from her home in Windsor just to see us.  Can't wait until her workshop in November it is going to be good!

Speak with you all soon!
Una

Midweek News

Hi everyone, well hasn't the weather changed.  Was at the hairdressers this afternoon, had my hair cut and felt quite chilly after it.  It does feel a lot tidier now and it was badly needing a bit of TLC.  Did any of you watch QVC this afternoon at 2.00p.m as Kirsty was on it and I thought her presentation skills were excellent.  So looking forward to Saturday when she is in the shop doing her ProMarker demos.

I meant to let you all see this lovely tea towel last week which  Liz brought me back for the shop kitchen from her holidays in Kefalonia, Greece.  So pretty I decided to take it home with me!!!  I am naughty but I really liked it and did not want to get it dirty.

I also have news of some new items on there way to me from Sizzix who have teamed up with Hero Arts to produce stamps and Die sets.  This one is item 657774 Framelits Die and Stamp Set, the  cost is £16.99.  As soon as I have them priced I will put them on sale in the store and on the website.  Just thought I would give you a preview of one.

Hopefully I will have them by Saturday so many of you will see them then.

Una 

Oh Happy Days!

What a lovely day it was to day.  The sun just makes you feel so much better.  I bet loads of you headed for the beaches to catch the last of the lovely weather.  I am afraid I was a bit lazy today and just put my feet up in the garden. (after I did the weekend usual chores!)

Going back to Saturday, thank you to all of you who made the workshop really great.  I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.  I am sorry if I made you work really hard on your measuring and layering.  I felt it was much better for the learning process rather than having the pieces all measured out ready for sticking down, and you managed to make 2 cards, a gift card holder and a Snowman Poop Bag!  I think you should give yourselves a pat on the back!

I do hope I see all of you and many more for the ProMarker Demo Day with Kirsty Wiseman next Saturday. It will give you an opportunity to ask her about the FlexMarker pens now you have used them and especially the new pastel colours.

Hi Lesley, good luck in your new job and hope the office move was completed successfully without you on Saturday.  With your sunny smile and pleasant personality everyone will enjoy working with you.

I am off to organise some dinner for us now before Downton Abbey starts, I just love it.
Take care and speak with you all soon!
Una

Happiness is a stamp and an Ink pad!

How sad am I!  This week I have been preparing cards for the workshop on Saturday and as usual I get carried away with a particular stamp.  This week it has been three.  A lovely Dog Rose Wreath from Woodware which can be used for loads of occasions not just at Christmas. Christmas Squares from Franscoise which can be used as it is or cut up into little squares to make smaller cards and also a Gift Card/Money folder.  I particularly love Penguin Star from Stampendous.  I have made a cute little Candy Holder with a Penguin Poop message, I am sure the kids will love this.  All these stamps are perfect for heat embossing.  Something we don't do so much of now but when you find the perfect stamp for it I think it does it justice.  Anyway I hope you will pop in and see them, however if not after the workshop they will be on the gallery.

This was week 2 in my walking Friday group and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you to Liz for the company during the walk and the coffee! I managed to complete my daily step target very quickly and felt very refreshed when I returned to the shop.  Should sleep well tonight!

Just a reminder that next Saturday is the ProMarker Demonstration day with Kirsty Wiseman.  I had a lovely chat to Kirsty on the phone this morning and look forward to meeting her.  She has loads planned for the day so try your best to come and meet her.  She will be able to answer all your problems with the pens.  I did not realise how an accomplished photographer she is and runs one to ones in learning about your camera and how to create the best shots.  Her blog is very good too.  I must ask her for a link to make it easier for you to catch up with her news.  There are loads of video clips on ProMarkers and AquaMarkers.

Look forward to seeing some of you tomorrow and hopefully many of you next week.

Take care and enjoy a sunshine fuelled weekend.  "Get the Barbie out Sheila!"
Una

My Friend Joan

Joan and her husband Tom were down from Scotland for two weeks on holiday and before they  left on Friday they brought me these lovely flowers.  I was so overwhelmed by their kindness to me that I just had to show you a picture of them.  They are called Alstromeria's and smell gorgeous.  Joan as I told you previously makes the most incredible jewellery pieces which are all unique in their own way.  She takes particular care in choosing the clasps as she says they are as important as the beads used in their making.

I do hope your journey back today was okay and look forward to seeing you both sometime next year and thank you once again for choosing me as a friend and for your kindness.

Today's Workshop

Hi everyone, just a short note for now about today's lovely class with Claire.  I attach a photo to show you one of the Cards and decorated Candle that was made.  They also completed a lovely set of tags and holder but it seems to have gone amiss, but here I show you a card which has the tag set on it.  I will email Claire and see if she packed it a way in her craft box by mistake and if so will  let you see it next week.  There will also be more pictures of samples posted on the workshop gallery tomorrow.  The candle and tags were ideas for those who do little Craft Fairs at this time of the year.  Our favourite product Safmat was stamped with  a snowflake stamp and also printed with Season's Greetings, then cut out around image and wording with  backing carefully removed then placed on candle.  Wrapped beautifully in a polyprop clear card bag and tied with ribbon and a stamped gift tag.  I can see these as a centre piece  displayed together on a craft table, with a selection of gift tags scattered around.  Thanks to Claire for all the hard work she put in doing the samples and also for the great workshop.

To Liz and Pam, have a great day at Ali Pali and come back with some great ideas.

Off to bed now to relax and read my latest book and will speak with you all soon.

Una

Walk For Life

Well ladies today I joined the Cricklade group of walkers and we did our first walk around Cricklade.  What a lovely hour we had and the weather was so good. On our way back we stopped in at the United Church for a coffee and it was lovely to meet up with some of the ladies there who all do a great job.  They were surprised to see me as normally I am in the shop.  I decided to join the group because although I feel fit and walk, I don't get enough fresh air due to always being in the shop.  I came back feeling so refreshed and on a high.  I would encourage all of you to join if there is a walking group in your town or village.  I found lots of inspiration on the way for my crafting and I am sure you will be the same.  Not only are you getting the fresh air and excercise you meet loads of people and a great deal of them are crafters of one sort or another. Janet if you are reading this, join the Chippenham group or come to Cricklade on a Friday and join us you will really enjoy it.

I have had such a busy day on my return pricing and putting out new stock,showing the new FlexMarkers and the wonderful results you get using them, making coffee and now setting up for Saturday's workshop.  Can't wait to see the examples Claire has produced with the Woodware and Personal Impressions clear stamps. 

I said cheerio to my friend Joan and her husband from Scotland who makes the most incredible jewellery pieces,and has been down on holiday here for 2 weeks.  Joan is such  a lovely lady and great fun to be around.  She has loved meeting so many of you and says she can't wait until her next visit.  Her husband Tam says he would love to live here in our beautiful town, we are all so friendly and the weather is much better than home.  We did not think that way last winter when we were snowed in for a few days did we!!!!

Speak to you over the weekend and enjoy the sunshine tomorrow it is supposed to continue!
Una