A quick catch up

Hope you're enjoying the wonderful weather we are having at the moment, it looks all set to be a fantastic weekend too.
A quick round up of a few recent makes, firstly a peek at a craft class where it gave the ladies a chance to experiment and have a play with distress oxides.
Then we decorated some bags and made some cards, we did get messy but hey, it was great fun and delicious cake as always and a great catch up too.
Here's a glimpse of what was going on

Next there's another sample I did at one of my last Docrafts demo's, it uses the new mini Peacock feather and Folk bird dies along with the new Floral Alphabet dies and script die sets.
I really love these mini dies, they are so useful and versatile and now in the next kit we have the storage folder and sleeves that's absolutely ideal for keeping them all safe.

My next lot of kit has arrived and is awaiting my attention when I return from a weekend away this weekend. I will be working on this for my July demo's...

I've been busy prepping and packing for One Big Show AT Ricoh arena this weekend.

Last year I met some wonderful people who have become amazing friends and together we made excellent networking contacts so there's lots of exciting things happening. 

We got the opportunity to visit Frankfurt with them earlier this year too which has led to great opportunities.

So I have the fantastic opportunity to showcase my work this weekend at the event and I'm all packed and ready to go as we are also helping set up tomorrow before the show starts on Sun and Mon.

Can't wait to see everyone and have a great weekend.

Well I must dash and get myself ready.

Hope you have a lovely weekend 

Love and crafty hugs xKx

Crafty Bags

Next craft class project

Fun with Fairies, Gelli and Lavinia

Morning all,

Hope you had a good weekend.

Well yesterday at our jubilant Jubilee Hall we had a super day.

We revisited my first workshop from two years ago where we a great time using the Gelli plate, a Tando Cuckoo clock kit and Lavinia stamps.

Here's my samples and the fantastic results from the lovely ladies who attended the class in Oct '13.

Having seen these our groups ladies decided they wanted to play too.

So putting a different spin on things this time we revisited some of the techniques and used them to decorate Tando Faery Door kits.

Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the day, thank you for the wonderful feedback.

We had mum's and daughters (of all ages!) crafting together and some of our usual group were joined by another two brand new crafter's.

Oh my! They took one look at the project sample and thought they couldn't reproduce anything to resemble it.

I just love seeing their faces when things come together.

We did laugh so much through the day and I think yet again the cake my daughter made was a big hit!

When I demo the techniques I just know who's going to be thinking "Oh my word, I can't do that!"

We have such a giggle at these challenges.

Apart from crafting we chatted about out Christmas Crafting Extravaganza on the 6th Dec and our plans for 2016.

So many ideas and enthusiasm for the crafting times ahead.

I'm always left extremely proud by everyone's achievements, honestly, and yesterday was no exception.

This for me is what it's all about, a super day with so many lovely friends having a great fun time
crafting and when they produce results like this I'm left on cloud 9!

Feeling deliriously happy and contented, thank you all so much.
Hope your Monday is good and I'll be back soon.
Warm thanks for following and reading my blog.
Much love and crafty hugs xKx

Shaving foam fun!

Evening all,
I can't believe I've neglected my blog for so long!
Last time I blogged I was off to a Bridal Shower for my daughters friend she's being Bridesmaid to.
It was a really lovely occasion and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.
During half term week I hosted a children's make & take session at The Meeting Place.
We made Advent clocks (non mechanical), foam pictures and did lots of colouring, which was entered into a colouring competition.
The competition was for adults and children and seperated into age groups with the winner of each group receiving a reading book.
The make & take sessions along with a host of other activities have helped to encourage more people into the Meeting Place coffee shop and library and the great news is they now have funding until April next year.

I've also made time to meet up with my brother for lunch and have a good catch up.
Last week's session at The Meeting Place welcomed more new faces as we played with Brusho's and got very messy!

Then we spent the weekend in Hampshire, by the sea for my friend and her husbands joint 60th birthday party.
It was a really special time, wonderful happy memories!
Oh and my bright crafty hair under the hat!

This week I've been prepping for this weekend's workshop and today's make and take session was using shaving foam.
We used this in two ways firstly to create a background for stamping then using through stencils.
We were again joined by new ladies and some relatively new or completely new to crafting.
I just loved the reaction when I lifted the stencil off the demonstration project it was an "Oh wow!" moment!
We used up all the shaving foam and laughed so much about what the local shops might think to the sudden increase in sales!
I've had a few requests for a tutorial so next week I'll blog this for you.

Well that's me all caught up again with what's been going on.

Tomorrow I'm off to the shop where I sell my clocks before I finish my weekend prep and start on my next crafty jobs.

Hope the rest of your week goes well.

Crafty Hugs xKx 

All about Advent

Monday has rolled around again...
Hope you had a nice weekend, we were lucky with good weather here in Kent.
A couple of sunny, bright and colourful Autumn days.
To start the week here's a round up of our crafty day yesterday.
Our hall is called Jubilee Hall and we're known as the "Jubilee Crafter's"
Sounds about right as our crafty days are always special events!
So to get a head start on Christmas we made Advent Calendars.
We used the fabulous Tando Creative Advent Kit.
There's a few mini's left which are great additions to the kits,mill check the stock and add these to the site later today.
It was just perfect with lovely ladies and we welcomed five new members to our day of fun.
A warm welcome to Angela, Sandra B, Sandra H, Lola and our newest young crafter Roxi, who's one to watch with her amazing talent!
All the ladies did a wonderful job with personalising their Advents and each one is so different!
That's what I love at the end of the session, how creative everyone's been and how different the makes all look.
We were so spoilt and everyone went home with very full tummies after eating lots of cake!
Maureen and Pat treated us to homemade mini apple pies and bakewell tarts and Pat also presented me with a beautiful gift she'd decorated, the gorgeous candle. How kind and thoughtful is that.
Honestly ladies I couldn't be happier you are such a wonderful group and I'm so proud of what you achieve each session.
A super group of friends, thank you.
Here's a round up of the day in pictures.
Thank you for stopping by my blog today, I always appreciate you visiting.
Have a good day and I'll be back soon.
Much love and crafty hugs xxxx

What's coming up next and some reminiscing

Morning all,
You know those times when you feel like you're chasing your tail?
Well I'm coming to the end of a very busy spell but can't sit still just yet!

Today's post has changed slightly from what I'd planned, I was going to write last night and schedule it for this morning but sleep beckoned instead...

So that gave me the opportunity for this reflection, I happened to see a "memory" pop up this morning on my Facebook timeline.
I don't normally bother with all that but this was a memory from two years ago when I hosted my first workshop here in Kent.
I'd been pondering it for a while and at the request from others to hold a clock workshop I decided to take the plunge.
Oh my word how nerve wracking! You see I'm not naturally a confident person and it took an enormous amount of overcoming these confidence issues for me to be able to do this.
However, all the ladies that attended were wonderfully supportive and so happy to be making their clocks.
We had a wonderful day, Paul helped me set up as he always does and my daughter was "tea girl" for the day and even made a lovely Victoria sponge, which went down very well.
For this first workshop we used lovely Lavinia Stamps and a Tando Cuckoo clock kit along with  Gelli Plate techniques.
Here's a link to some of the wonderful works in progress and results  produced on the day -
Clock Workshop
Anyhow what I want to do is to sincerely thank each and everyone of you who has supported and attended one of my workshops and encouraged me to develop further by sharing our ideas and talents
at these workshops.
I still have a lack of confidence and doubt that will ever disappear completely but your truly wonderful support is why I keep doing what I'm doing, THANK YOU.
Blimey what a sermon this is turning out to be all thanks to a Facebook memory pop up!

So I'll end by saying here's what's coming up next in the diary and a quick pattern building make, more of this to follow...
I first used these stamps (Card-io) many years ago, they were established in 2003 and I was fascinated by a demo I watched at a show.
The pattern building card used Card-io clear stamp sets, Summer Wreath and Christmas Scenery 2 which I have in stock but not online as yet. They are selling fast!
If you've read all this, thank you, if you're still awake better still!
I'll bid you a good day and here's to much more happy crafting!
Love n Hugs as always xKx

Flowers from a friend and a peek at Christmas

Morning all,

Yay it's the weekend!

I'm so pleased as its been such a busy week, now some time to chill and catch up with family.

Have you anything nice planned?

Earlier in the week I caught up with my Bestie for lunch and she surprised me with beautiful flowers!

Now please forgive me for talking Christmas but it's now time to share...

I'm determined to crack the whip and get the ladies organised! Lol

In October we are making our Christmas project at the Kent workshop and I've already shared the sample pictures and info with our ladies.

We're doing an Advent Calendar and for my sample I wanted to show a more adult grown up or older child theme.

I thoroughly enjoyed preparing this and I know the ladies are excited to get started now.
So I'll leave you with pictures and wish you a good weekend.
Thanks ever so for popping in, I really appreciate your visit.
Crafty Hugs xKx

Home from Home

A very good morning to you all,
I hope this finds you well and having a good week so far...
Today I am bringing a photo round up of a fabulous weekend I spent with Ali and Iain from
Ali Craft.
They worked enormously hard to organise the craft retreat at The Daventry Court Hotel.
I drove there after picking up a friend from my local workshops, Maureen. Apart from Ali and Iain, I knew only one other crafty friend on arrival.
From the minute we arrived we were instantly made to feel right at home as part of the group and everyone was so friendly and welcoming.
Everything was laid on for the event and apart from crafting the time revolved around food!
Whether it be breakfast, lunch, dinner or every snack in between, we certainly didn't go hungry!
The project on Saturday was from DecoArt and the class was hosted by Barbara, as this post is very photo heavy I'll add my photo's from this in a separate post.
Ali asked me to design a new project for the Sunday workshop and here's what I came up with below.
I'm sure we'll see many more interpretations of this in the weeks to follow, it's such great fun to do.
Along with a round up of the class day in photo's, a couple of pics of the hotel and as I was away from my Nespresso coffee machine at home, the next best thing! The craft rooms all singing, all dancing drink as much as you like machine!
I was truly in my element and a big thank you to Ali and Iain for inviting me and all the lovely ladies I met who made me feel so welcome.
We had such a fabulous time and fun from start to finish.
Enjoy the rest of your week and as always a big thank you for popping in today.
Much love and crafty hugs xKx