Latest News

Hi Everyone, this is for my lovely followers who are not on Facebook.  Our latest workshop was yesterday and it was a great day.  We made three lovely cards and had another two samples to show the versatility of the stamps and dies.  I have loaded the images for you to see.

You may notice the website is looking a little sad.  I am in the process of resorting it to make it easier to find items and as soon as that is finished I will be loading new stock on.  Please bear with me while I do it.  Thank you.  Meanwhile I hope you are enjoying this lovely weekend.

Gosh it is sometime since I last blogged.  So sorry seem to get caught up on Facebook and forget to then post the details on here. There are some cards I would like to show you from The Joycraft range of clear stamps. The baby card was made in pink and blue design using a Marianne shoe die and also one of the new Tonic border dies. I would also like to tell you we have our first Scrapbook class this year on Friday 2nd of May.  I have two spaces left if you would like to join us.  However here are the cards and I hope you like them.

January 2014

Hi everyone.  It is sometime since my last blog here although I do regularly post on the shop Facebook page.  It has been a busy month preparing for the new workshops and replenishing stock with new seasons stamps, paper, inks and dies.  They are all slowly coming in.  New Penny Black stamps are on the way as are the Spellbinders January releases and I am pleased to say Tattered Lace dies will be with us shortly.  Woodware have released some really lovely stamps with which I have managed to complete some samples from one or two of my favourites. Our  Craft Trade Show is on the middle of next month and so looking forward to seeing what's new. I will keep you posted as an when stock arrives.  I am in the process of revamping the website to make it easier to navigate around but it is taking me longer than anticipated.  Nevertheless  I will get there. I am expecting a consignment of Tonic dies in shortly as well. I am just as excited as you. In the meanwhile here are two cards made with two of the Woodware stamps.

Well that's all for now folks. Will post some photos on tomorrow after the next workshop. Have a great weekend. The Cricklade Christmas light switch on is tomorrow evening.  The road will be closed at 4.00pm until 7.00pm so please park at the Town Hall if you are visiting in the afternoon.

Coming up to Christmas

Hi everyone, well it feels ages since I blogged here. I do keep forgetting not everyone is on Facebook.  So sorry. Have loads of photos to show you but first here are the cards from a previous workshop. The stamp used was a Stampendous Train Postcard. Such a lovely stamp.  You may well remember the cottage one last year.
Also here are the photos of the first christmas workshop last week.  We did have a lovely time, so much we are doing it again tomorrow. The cards are here too.  Last but not least a picture of the Christmas Window.  Howard made the fireplace and helped me set it up in the window.  It lights up at night along with the Christmas Tree and there are also lights on the mantelpiece.

Hi everyone, another weekend for those that are lucky to have it off. Hopefully the weather stays as good as it was to day. Some sunshine and not too cold.
This last week has been extremely busy for me. Parcels arriving everyday with christmas stock and also some lovely new dies from Tonic.  Howard came to the shop and put up some extra hanging panels for me to display the dies.  Keep running out of space for all the new crafty items coming in. I spent some time putting in a Halloween window for the kids this week. Such a fun thing to do.  It reminded me of the times I used to sit with my mum and sister making pumpkins and spiders when we were children.
Here are three cards made this week. Two by Sue using a Snowflake Border Die and one I made today to show you a way to use some of the dies from the Tonic Verso Die,  Bows. Hope you like have a great weekend.

Back Home.

Hi everyone, just back this week from our holiday in France.  We had a lovely time although weather was not very good but hey oh it did not stop us enjoying ourselves.  We stayed with some friends in their French farmhouse in a place called Poursac in the Charente region.  I found a craft shop quite a bit away but unfortunately it was closed for two weeks holiday.  We then found a lovely gift shop with a tearoom owned by an English couple. We stopped and had coffee and lovely homemade cakes.
It's such a big country that to get anywhere it could take you quite sometime.  I enjoyed visiting a number of French Chateaus and a particularly poignant visit was to Oradour-sur-Glane.  It was a town that was obliterated on the 10th June 1944 after D Day by the Germans. It has been left just as the tragedy happened as a living memory for people to see.  We spent about 4 hours going around the town and visited the cemetery where all the remains of the inhabitants are situated.  It was extremely sad to see so much devastation.  I bought a book which accounts for all that happened to destroy the town on this date.  As we both came out we felt as if we carried out some of their sorrow.  Whole families including many children died on this day. It is worth reading about it and I am sure there will be details of it on the internet somewhere.
However on a lighter note the workshop on Saturday was enjoyed by everyone and here are a couple of cards made by Claire.  Also I will post a photograph of Saint Malo which is a very pretty port in France.

Hi everyone, well here I am again. What a lovely weekend it was.  Weather was good in Cricklade with the exception of a slight chill when the sun disappeared. We had a great workshop on Saturday with some lovely cards made by Claire. Here are some of the samples.

I just wanted to say I am sorry we are having to disappoint some of you with workshops being full.  We are adding some dates in October/November to ensure you all get in so keep checking in the store for the available dates and time.

Lovely to see Mair, Josie and Jude today.  Thanks for stopping by.

Una

Hi Everyone, well here I am back again.  You will be thinking that's quick but I did promise those photos of the christmas cards so here they are.  I made them all with a selection of dies from Tonic, Marianne, Joy and Sizzix.

Its been a long time..

Hi everyone, so so sorry I do not blog here.  I spend most of my free time on Facebook as this is where it all seems to happen.  There has been loads of card samples and items of interest on it but I know some of you dont have a facebook account so will endeavour to keep you up to date with whats happening in the store here.  Hunkdory new christmas products are in also Tonic, Spellbinder and Marianne dies.  Sizzix are on the way so will keep you posted.  Our first Christmas workshop is on Saturday and we have one space free in the afternoon due to a late cancellation through illness. We are using a Personal Impressions clear stamp set along with a Woodware set and a Spellbinders Poinsettia die set.  Really looking forward to it.

I have been making a few christmas cards recently which have been posted on Facebook, however I will post them here asap for you all to see.  The photos are on my iPad so will upload them tomorrow.

In the meantime keep enjoying crafting and  this mild weather.

Una

Hi Everyone,
I am so sorry  that I do not post as much as I should to the website blog.  I seem to get carried away on the Facebook pages and then forget here. Please accept my apologies.
We have loads of new dies in and lovely stamps from Kayser Crafts and also Imagination Crafts.  We used one on Saturday along with Gilding Flakes and Gilding Glue.  I attach them for you to see.  I also had a play with a Butterfly stamp from Imagination and made two cards in between making coffee and tea!  Ros came over yesterday and we tried out the Pan Pastels and well you guessed we got hooked!  I have not finished the cards as we had a power cut in Cricklade lasting all day.  Very difficult to craft in the dark.  Lucky we have a small window in the workshop so it afforded us some light to carry on but did not finish the cards.  I will finish them on Thursday and hopefully post for you to see  over weekend.  I do hope you are enjoying the warmer weather. It just makes you feel so much better when you see the sun.  Any how hope you like the cards.

Una

Hi Everyone,
Hope you all had a lovely Mother's day. Unfortunately the weather has not been to good and snow has been forecast for Monday/Tuesday.  I do hope not as I hate the cold it plays havoc with my bones!!

As promised here are the card samples I made at Malvern Craft Show, followed by the Saturday workshop cards, a beautiful card and book mark sent to me by Michele Pratten, and a rather pretty  bookmark made for me for by Paula.  How lucky am I ! There is also a sample card using a Sizzix new die set made by Sue who works in the store.  You can see she has used Mulberry paper to create the butterfly.  We all have some of this lovely paper in our craft stash so why not get it out and have a go.  It does show the butterfly off very well.

Our workshops are nearly all full so we have included another Saturday within the schedules.  Call the store if you want to book as I am really sorry some of you have been disappointed of late.

The Imagination stamps have proved really popular so will be ordering more shortly.  The rather lovely Poppy one will be used in a workshop next month along with gilding flakes.
Speak to you soon.

Happy Crafting
 Una x

Hi everyone, gosh it has been a busy week.  The show is going well with only one day to go.  It has been great meeting up with our customers in and around Malvern.  Thank you to all the new customers as well for supporting us.  We hope to see you in the store sometime soon.  Here is a photo of the stand all set up and ready to go.  Howard has been brilliant at demoing  the BigShot and some of the border punches.  We had a lovely lady from Ireland just before closing today who was fascinated with stamping and punching the borders.  I told her if she started she would have to be prepared to be "hooked" on crafting and want everything she sees.  She does Woodturning which is quite an art and of course because this is a hobby of Howard's they had loads to talk about.  Anyway she went away happy with a border punch, glue and card.  Somehow I think she may be back tomorrow!!

Oops forgot this one and really like it!

Hi Everyone, Just thought I would give you an update and show you some new card samples made this week.  I really enjoyed using a few Woodware Clear Stamps from their Spring/Summer Collection.  I am off to Birmingham to our annual Craft Trade Show this weekend where I will see some of  my suppliers and their new craft products.  I will also be searching for  new products to add to our every increasing range.  Will give you all an update on my return.

Just also want to remind you that I will be at The Malvern Craft Show at the end of of the month and look forward to seeing a number of you there.

Keep crafting and enjoy your weekend.

Una

Hi Everyone, hope you are all well and coping okay with this horrible weather.  I have just loaded some Woodware and Stampendous stamps on the website.  A great addition to your crafting stash.  Will be using a number of them in our forthcoming workshops.  Michelle from Stix2 and Woodware will be visiting the store on Saturday 4th May to demo all the latest products from these two companies.  I am sure she will have some great samples and ideas to show us.

Here are a few cards samples from last weeks workshop where we used Tonic Dies and clear stamps.  Hope you like them.

I am off to the Craft Trade Fair this weekend where I will see all the latest products coming out from my suppliers.  Quite a few of the American companies will be there and I am so excited to be able to see and buy products to have in the store.Watch this space for new lines becoming available over the next few months.  It is exciting.  Have a great week.
Una

Hi Everyone.  Brrr! are you enjoying this weather.  It has been snowing again here in Cricklade and the sun is shining now.  I have been out feeding the birds as they are so hungry.  Unable to get to the berries on the bushes they are crying out for food.  Here is a picture of our garden and also two card samples from the workshop yesterday.  Thank you to those than managed to make it to the workshop and hope you enjoyed it.  It is being repeated next week with one space available if any of you wish to come.  The stamps used are the Tonic Pick of the bunch Fuschia and also Tonic Window Die.

Hello Everyone, So sorry I have not written very much to you on this personal blog.  I have been using Facebook more on both the shop page and my personal page.  However I wanted to wish you all a lovely Christmas.  Thank you for your friendship, loyal custom and most of all the laughs and good cheer over the year.  Thank you so much for the wonderful cards and really thoughtful gifts.  I was overwhelmed by them when I opened them on Christmas morning.  I do hope you are all having a super time and may the new year be " craftier" than ever for you.

Before closing on Christmas Eve the new Do Crafts magazine arrived - love the free stamps and also their new release of dies.

Hope you also like the picture of the Christmas shop window.

Take good care and see you all in the new year.

Una

Here are some card samples from the recent class.  Hope those of you that were on the class enjoyed it and also the ones joining us on Saturday enjoy using them also

Hi Everyone, Sorry long time since I posted something No excuses really with the exception as always I have been busy.  I also lost a very dear friend recently and it has hit me quite badly.  On the surface I have been okay but when on my own I keep thinking about her.  She had a very rare illness, one I had not heard off before but is very rare.  I do miss her popping in to the shop or on the phone chatting to me.  I know she would not want me to be sad as she was an extremely cheerful lady in spite of her illness.  You always know when someone touches your heart that they are going to be a friend forever and that is how I felt about her.

There is a Woodware Sketch Challenge for you all to try.  There is a prize up for grabs so here is the details.

  Also take  look at their blog it is always full of great ideas