Designed it. Made it. Taught it.

2011-12-26T17:26:00.001Z

All Things White!

This Christmas we, being Leanne and myself decided that everything decorated would be white. Charlie the cat was a bit hit and miss as he has a lot of white patches but too many other patches so we decided just a bit of white on his collar would suffice the decorating there. The theme was very folk-arty, with wood tree decorations and of course a few red ones too. Every time I went out shopping I would be on the look out for white decorations.

Think Charlie was on the look out too! Possibly in the wrong place though!

He is often more of a hinder than a help as they say. He's a nosey cat.

We had some lovely white wooden reindeer, white birds on white bells, white baubles and a white star to sit on the top of the christmas tree.

We picked up some large alphabet letters from Hobbycraft that are made of papier mache and painted them white too, they had quite a few coats of Gesso and Leanne made a few white flowers to attach to the "N" for decorations They looked very good when they all stood together to make the word NOEL.

White/red potpourrie was there in the window in white bowl to finish the display, and to smell nice too.

What was so nice was, that because it has been quite mild weather of late, we had a few beautiful white roses out in the garden so it was a shame not to take a picture of one of the unopened ones. Can you believe that in December we would have roses out?! This one is a Princess Diana rose that came out after she had died, and it is still flowering, perhaps not quite at the right time this year though, but still lovely to see, and keeping with our white theme.

Another of our white decorations, besides the Father christmas beard, was an Advent candle which I decided to light while watching tv, then went up to my craft room to make a few cards, as you do, forgetting the candle, only to come downstairs to find it had burned down from 1 to 18, with a nice heap of candle wax on my marbled fireplace. Could have been worse or do I mean disastrous, what's that I can hear myself and everyone else saying, 'never leave a candle burning when not in the room!' Luckily it didn't mark the fireplace. Think I may have had problems with candles in the past, melting onto the carpet, exploding glass ones that also melted the carpet, you would think I would have learnt something by now wouldn't you...

Put a little sneak-peek in of the snowman I made a few years ago at Aunt Jemimas, a great place for sewing, but it's the card in front that I'm showing off, what Leanne made me for christmas, and what you can't see is that it is full of little beads on the leaves on the tree. She made some lovely cards this year.

The very last thing with a white theme I thought I should add is the white socks Charlie wears everyday.

And now for something completely different as Leanne would say, my next card classes are as follows:

Sat.14th Jan. - VintageTheme FULL

Sat. 21st Jan.- Vintage Theme

Sat. 11th Feb.- Fairy Theme

Sat. 3rd March- Fresh and Fruity

The samples below are for the Vintage theme and I am making each card a different colour. The first has been stamped using denim blue Adirondack ink pad.

The 2nd card is usind a few different textures with white and milled Lavender distress ink(wanted to write MULLED must be thinking of the wine,not that I drink, and I honestly don't).

Thirdly I have used tattered rose distress ink and a vintage sepia with pinks and mulberry papers. Hope you like them! Got another three to enjoy doing and have got my colours nicely worked out.

All the classes are at St.Cuthberts church, Douglas Hall, Lytham Rd, Fulwood, Preston. and start at 10.30am-3pm - £23.00 including everything except your lunch.

If you would like to take part in any of the classes just contact me via an email : craftyhearts@hotmail.co.uk

I will update the next blog when I have made the samples for the next classes - until then thankyou for all your support through 2011 and hope you all have a peaceful 2012.

Happy New Year all.

Jennifer and Leanne x

2011-10-30T16:52:00.000Z

Hello campers I'm here again trying my best to blog, still not as straight forward as I would like it to be,but because I have written a list of what to do nextI am getting better, apart from when I can't read my own writing. Leanne sat next to me again tutting now and then as if to say have you not remembered that bit. Anyway this is another of the Christmas samples belonging to the Christmas class of 19th Nov, repeated 26th Nov, using some of the Molly Bloom stamps, of which this is one of them. I've used traditional colours red and green in both the samples shown (with spotted as the theme), but I'm also using black spotted paper and a penguin stamp.

If anyone is interested I have a class on Sat. Dec. 3rd where I have made a Christmas wallhanging and a Christmas cracker using a diecut cracker. There is plenty of stamping cutting and glueing.

I have always loved making Christmas decorations and try to make something every year that is different for my sisters.As you know my sister Susan is a crafter too and comes along to the classes, so it is sometimes hard to make something for her, using papers etc.that she hasn't seen before.(We are often out and about on our travels, via the craft shops looking for new crafting goodies.) Susan always has an advantage, as at this time of year she goes off to America to see her son and his family, so gets to look at the craft shops over there. My other sister Joanne although not a crafter is an excellent baker.(Some of you will have tasted her cakes when we had the open evenings at the shop).

So here's hoping that Susan doesn't see the blog and I can make her a wallhanging similar, perhaps using different colours and that Joanne doesn't go on the blog and I can give her the cracker. Hope you like them, let me know via an email if you want to come along and make. craftyhearts@hotmail.co.uk

Better close now as Stephens in charge of dinner,not may I add something he does often, and at the moment he has hurt his foot, which seem to stop his hands working, but who am I to complain, he is making an effort. Hope the chicken tastes as good as it smells....

To be continued......

Happy crafting all.
Jennifer x

Christmas is a-coming, sooner than we think.

2011-10-09T16:03:00.000+01:00

Good afternoon all!
At last I have managed to do a little updating on the blog. I love sorting out the pictures and writing something alongside, but, it's not as easy as I would like it to be. Lovely, patient Leanne (sometimes not so) is trying her best to give me step-by-step instructions, and I am following and writing it down at the same time, so that hopefully I will have no trouble the next time I'm trying to blog.

Just put a couple of pictures of the things we made previously on the Autumn class, to give people a few ideas if you have to make any Autumn birthday cards. Alternatively, as the scarecrow picture shows, we cut him out and attached him to a wooden stirring stick we acquired from the coffee shops.(Two coffees,three sticks.) Hoping there isn't a shortage now. It's a nice idea to put it into a plantpot and give as a present.
The stamp we used was a Molly Bloom.

Another Autumn card we made using
Magenta stamps and Sissix embossing
folder and gently sanded the Core-dinations card to reveal the birds and flowers.

The first of the two Christmas classes using Craftwork Cards papers etc. is on the Sat 22nd October (FULL) and Friday 4th November 2011

Here's a sneak preview of the cards coming up on the next Christmas classes.

Craftwork Cards shaped cards have been used on this sample and I have stamped the tree several times, coloured with Pro-markers then layered up the separate pieces.

People often ask me where I get my ideas from, and for this card I saw a similar birthday card with presents on and it gave me the idea of cutting the card away to reveal the presents. It's a great way of using up the scraps of card and papers we seem to accumulate.

The next Christmas classes using Magnolia

stamps and Molly Bloom stamps are as

follows:

Sat. 19th Nov. 2011

Sat. 26th Nov. 2011

of which there are limited spaces, but,

for the ladies that have booked in advance

I have just one sample at the moment, but

will put a couple more on as and when I

have completed them.

Lovely Magnolia stamp, whose girl is sitting clutching a

heart bauble on a background of embossed,

and distressed holly. Oh so cute.

Last but not least, Leanne has been busy making her Christmas cards too.She has been stamping and as you know Leanne's favourite thing is cutting out, so she has been a busy girl cutting out stars and reindeers.

And finally to everybody out there who follow the blog and all the lovely ladies that attend the classes, I wish to thank you all for your kind words and support. Leanne is improving slowly and feels much better herself and is looking forward to the day when she can come along to the classes and help cut out all the small things we challenge you with.

Kind regards to you all and happy crafting.

Jennifer x

"Oh so cute" and "Sewing and stitching"

2011-08-06T18:12:00.007+01:00

First of all I must say 'Hello' to everybody who takes a peak at this page and appologise as it has been such a long time since I last blogged. Blogging doesn't come natural to me as you know, it means using the computer much more than just sending or receiving emails. Again I look to Leanne for help,poor lass isn't feeling at her best today, but hopefully I will press the right buttons and all will be well.

Took me a little while to get back into the swing of actually sitting down(or if I am stamping, standing up) and making cards again for a class, but it never takes long to get back into it as it's a hobby I love.

On the "Oh so cute" class I have made cards that are suitable for baby/children/adults using Molly Bloom, of which I need more (that sounds like a typical crafter) Magnolia and Stamposaurus stamps. If any of you ladies watch Create and Craft on the Tv, they had the very stamps I have used on the baby cards, oh so cute elephants. All the cards have different shades of gingham or spotted papers.

"Oh so cute" Sat. 13th August ---- FULL

I have just added a couple of cards from the sewing and stitching class, this is on Sat. 20th August. Usual time start 10.30am - 3pm.
I have on this class stamped a flower image onto calico to let you all have a go at stamping on material, which is something I like doing. Luckily I have yards of calico if there are any mistakes, ha! ha! Lace is very popular at the moment so I have included that too.

My next date for the card classes will be September 24th and hopefully I should have that titled soon. I have all my classes booked right up to December so will let you know of them soon too.

No doubt I will be onto the Christmas ones before long, I have a lovely Molly Bloom stamp waiting in the wings.

Just a last note, Leanne would like to thank all the people that made her 21st cards and presents and to thank everybody for their best wishes too. As soon as she is able to blog herself (hope that's very soon) she is going to put all her handcrafted cards on.

I look forward to seeing all you crafting ladies soon, take care Jennifer

Taster of Saturdays Summer cards....and ten days to 21

2011-06-22T14:56:00.004+01:00

Now you may not believe this, but this is Jennifer writing and constructing a whole blog post! Yes, I have been instructed as to how this blog lark works still haven't a clue what I am doing and I am sure I won't be able to do it again off the top of my head. Below are a few of the cards we will be making on Saturday though be it a bit late as have been waiting for instructions from the chief blogger. She has also been waiting for me the chief crafter to get myself organised,( think I am in need of a holiday.)
Leanne wants to thank everybody for their good wishes and is enjoying the cards that are slowly coming in for her big birthday event. It's great when we get cards from other crafters and to see all their ideas of which we can pinch and swop as us crafters love to do.

Saturdays class is the last of the month (don't know where the time goes) and July I am having a break to get organised and refreshed.

Sat. 13th Aug - " Oh so cute" is the theme.
We will be making cards using stamped images with Magnolia, Molly Bloom etc.
Cards for baby,children and adults.

Sat. 20th Aug. - " Sewing" is the theme.
Showing you how to incorporate fabric, lace, sewing stamps and sewing traditions (running stitches etc.) into your cards.

The last two are to be held in the larger hall inside St. Cuthberts as they are having some building work done in the Douglas Hall. Will let everybody know before the day if there are any changes.

I have yet to make a date for the gathering because of the building work but will keep those crafters informed.

Happy crafting all and happy summer hols.
Jennifer

Card sneak peaks for the manly card class

2011-05-27T12:39:00.008+01:00

For the ladies on the next course, on the 4th June, which is 'Five men and a lady' card-making class, here are sneak peaks of three of the cards! Sorry to anyone who couldn't get on it; it is now full. Hope you're all well!
I better go get head-crafter (i.e. the mother) to check if this is spelt right, as I have been given some medication of late that is very helpful, but makes me a bit dodgy on the concentration front. You know the sort: they say 'avoid driving and using heavy machinery'. What a shame, I'll have to give up the quad biking and tractor racing, and i was soo looking forward to them ;P Anyhow, I've been told that once I've taken it, i go all relaxed and slurr a bit, and the words in my head and the ones that come out of my mouth aren't always the same...requires occasional charades to get across my meaning...bit unhelpful really...

Love, Craftybird x

P.S not sure if I mentioned in my last post, that I've started soapmaking, and that first attempt went well, and it's been 'curing' (becoming soapworthy) for nearly 3 weeks now wooop :D
And the cat is having a mid-life crisis: despite never ever collecting birds (he's not normally fast enough), and being frightened of our resident blackbirds (they swoop at him), he decided to catch a blue tit.We made him spit it out...
P.S.S Thank you for the lovely comments! To Claire: I might not be there in June, but I'm sorting myself out to be ready and better in future. Much love and have missed your chats, and sneaking a look at what you're scrapbooking, while you're at gathering!
To Yvonne, thanks for reading, hope you're well too! I'm not too well at all, but finally getting help in slow batches over next few weeks, which will be nice :) Happy crafting! xx
To Sheila, and Pam: THANK YOU for the gorgeous Spring/Easter cards. They're sitting proudly on the windowsill, and are beautiful :) xx
And to all the other lovely friends on the classes, thanks for your kind sent-on wishes, I miss you all! xx

Preview of Bugs and Butterflies cards

2011-05-06T14:10:00.008+01:00

Before I begin, I am putting a list down the right hand side of this blog, showing upcoming workshop dates, so that it's easier to see what's going on, and because there are a few new dates!

Now, Bugs and Butterflies class - on May 14th and repeated on May 20th (though 20th is full) :)
What pretty creatures butterflies are! See below for card sneak peeks.

Here are THREE sneak peaks of cards in the class:

Now, below, are two photos from the Northern Papercrafts Extravaganza. Now, I know t'was in March, but now that we have some Craftwork Cards papers in stock, it seemed apt to pop them on here now. My mum stocks a little assortment of crafty goodies, which you can buy during her workshops and gatherings. If you live in the Preston area, we can of course pop round and deliver any items that you've ordered too.

These two photos show samples with the Botanical range of Craftwork Cards papers; there's a pack of green and blue designs, or a pack of white designs (the patterns are printed in black).

Below: a card my mum made using the Craftwork Cards Botanical papers.

And finally: I forgot where this photo had got to, when I produced my last post about the royal wedding. These were a present, made for eating while watching the wedding. Thank you Auntie Susan ;D

Craftybird x

Bells..of the royal wedding and the blue variety

2011-05-03T20:47:00.006+01:00

Happy May :)

Thank you to all the ladies who attended the tea and cake classes, I managed to reach the first one and t'was lovely to see you ladies! Thank you for the cards, and for all wishing me well, I've missed you all, I love having a chat with each of you :)The next class is Bugs and Butterflies class on the 14th May, and I believe the repeat of this class, on 20th May, is full :) Apologies to those who wanted to be on it and didn't get a place in time.

And now for a few piccies that I took over the last few days...

...for the royal wedding celebrations...(the wedding bells)...

...and the bluebells that are now blooming in local areas :)

Did you all do anything for the royal wedding? Watch it, have a party, quick pub pint?

Ciao for now, Craftybird x

Watercolouring in next class...and bloom where you're planted

2011-04-06T19:36:00.009+01:00

I forgot to mention in the last post that I saw some watercolouring on a very pretty stamped image going on in the designing of the next class, Tea and Cake cardmaking, looks very pretty. I mention it because watercolouring, be it with watercolour pencils, brush pens, paint or with distress inks, is something I've got addicted to at the mo - you know when you find something you like and then put it on all your work, without realising?! The card for mother's day being one example, below...

Distress inks used to colour her in, from my mum's workshop stash ;p

...And some planting was done today (well, except for the peas below, they are a few weeks old and have now sprouted yay)

On the road towards the Good Life! Though without a garden composed of purely mud, and car still preferred over tractor in surbiton ;p

Craftybird x

Tea and cake

2011-04-04T16:22:00.007+01:00

Good afternoon :) Hope you all had a pleasant March - I didn't blog at all in it, apologies, but I have been rather ill :-S Discovering before university that I probably have Chronic Fatigue, and then tackling university without tackling the health bit, has proved a bit too much, and I started to get more and more exhausted until eventually, I am at home. So nothing much to report in the way of interesting adventures, as I haven't been able to move very far! Just recuperating, do not want to get this bad again. Hope you are all well, and have made some interesting things. Thank goodness for the numerous sunny days that appeared in March, and allowed for seed planting, eating outside (occasionally with a jumper on - well, it's not quite Bahamas sort of sun just yet) and the odd attempt to tan arms and legs ;) I am chiefly writing to report the next lot of Crafty Hearts classes.Saturday we had a gathering, thank you to all who came :) The next class is Tea & Cake, where you make a selection of cards with this theme in mind. Three sneak peeks of these cards below. The date for this class is EITHER

Friday 15th April 2011 10.30am-3pm

OR Saturday 30th April 10.30am-3pm

Both are held at Douglas Hall within St Cuthbert's church, Lytham Rd, Preston, and each class is £23, includes all materials and tea/biscuits, etc. Just yourself and lunch to bring.If you want to join this class, email us at craftyhearts@hotmail.co.uk

Hurry, as it's filling up! If you need help with direcitons to the venue, or advice about bus numbers, parking (the church has its own car park), just ask.

Other dates (let us know if you want to join these too):

Bugs and Butterflies Card-making class

Saturday 14th May 2011

OR Friday 2oth May 2011

Five men and a lady cardmaking class (masculine cards, perfect for father's day or male birthdays)

Saturday 4th June

These two classes are also £23 each, 10.30am - 3pm, and at same venue (St Cuthbert's church)

THe date of the next crafty gathering is yet to be announced, but let us know if you're interested in joining - it's a time to gather as a group and take time out to craft, be it card-making, scrapbooking, altered art, knitting, whatever the creativity. Tea/coffee and biscuits galore as ever. £3.50 for the day.

Better be off, we're working on a new blog banner...actually, i say working, more like faffing about, trying not to sneeze for fear of blowing paper flowers everywhere! Craftybird x

Papery blooms

2011-02-19T21:23:00.004Z

Good evening, here are sneak peeks of the next class, the Paper flowers class, which is on Saturday 26th March and repeated on Wednesday 6th April! 10.30am - 3pm, £23 with materials and tea/coffee/biscuits galore included, you just have to bring your dinner and yourself. It's at St Cuthbert's hall, and if you would like to book a place on either of these days, you must email as soon as poss, email Jennifer at craftyhearts@hotmail.co.uk
...as the places seem to go rather quick.
Hope you like the cards, this is just three sneak peeks of the final set of cards, which involve making paper flowers, from punching, scissor DIY to stamping :)

Finally, this card below is NOT on the paper blooms class: it is the card I made for my mum for her birthday - pictures here as promised. No glue involved; I stitched the stamped image and an offcut of pleated fabric onto the front. The 'love' postage stamp is a Maya Road stamp set, and inside the blue spotty fabric, card and other items are stapled on. The heart punch is Martha Stewart, and I stamped the Hero Art flowery image over it once punched out. Hope you like! Also, the blue ink is Tumbled Glass Distress ink - we're a fan (sorry, that should be addicts) of Distress inks and my mum stocks some nice colours, which are stashed into the crafty automobile for each class :)

Happy crafting, love Craftybird x

A gathering, a class and first signs of flowers

2011-02-18T17:45:00.020Z

Hello there!

Wow I think this could be long, I have quite a few things stored in the mental cabinet that needs documenting :)

First of all, before I start nattering about the week, I must inform of the next class date. Now, we had the Buttons and Bows class today, as listed in the previous post. Chief teacher Jennifer is teaching a charity cardmaking class at the end of February, and there are a few things going on at our end at the start of March, so the next concrete dates are:

Paper flowers cardmaking class

Saturday 26th March 2011 10.30am - 3pm £23 St Cuthbert's church hall

Wednesday 6th April 2011 10.30am - 3pm £23 St Cuthbert's church hall

The next gathering is to be confirmed - we must check that the venue is available for the date we have in mind. I will badger the mother to give me a date, and a sample of the paper flowers class when the charity cards class and bits and bobs at this end are all in hand :)

It's amazing how time flies, how you can suddenly have so much to do! It is the middle of February already! I want to make so many things, particularly sewing related things: I like sewing fabric, buttons, felt onto cards. However, due to being at big university land, and due to my energy being a lot less than the average human, I have found that I can't craft whilst swamped in Italian history and language lessons. Everything has to be taken slooowly. So having to learn this concept, it's strange I don't know it too well - ahead..yes it's called spreading work out and being on time. What is that?! 'Last minute' and 'masterpieces' used to be more my thing.

So not a lot of crafting has been done, hence a lack of blogging, and trips i take are in slow amounts. I will put a few pics on here of London in the next few weeks :)

On my mum's part, any crafting is of the class variety, and making up class packs, and being a bit ill - sinuses, how unhelpful they can be! I'm sure this age of central heating and being more inside, and air conditioning in shops, does not help us all. She has made quite a few crafty bits, but they're for people, and the game would be given away if I posted them :P

Saturday 11th Feb was our first gathering whilst on the road, without our little shop. The sky was glorious, and in the room in St Cuthbert's hall, the windows on three sides let the light pour in. It might look sad, but I took a photo of the sky, because London has had a bit too many overcast days for my liking, and the north presented me with sky!

Thank you to all the ladies who came to the gathering, was nice to hear chatting and see smiling and nice projects :)

Now below are photos of today's class, the Buttons and Bows day. Thank you to all these ladies too :) A bit of fiddly work involved with threading ribbon into paper buttons and making bows etcetera, but lots of nice cards made, and creativity galore: it's great to see how a design can appear in many forms due to little touches added by different creative minds.

Thank ye Jacky for these pink and white delights, very tasty they were :P Well, what's crafting without tea and biscuits? Or coffee, or green tea, or hot chocolate... Err ok I think I'm a hot drink addict :)

Another thing that happened this week was Jennifer's birthday. A nice lunch out involved me buying her a Victoria sponge slice, aka a birthday cake. Only a few candles short of the number, o' course :)

And the start of February has involved a few changing sights for me:

firstly, seeing the coast of West Sussex, which I've never seen before. I absolutely love the seaside, always have (photos somewhere of moi, aged less than three, on a beach and yet in coat, scarf, hat, gloves - through hell and high water as they say). So when on the fourth of Feb, I go to see my friend who lives near the sea, I talk him into taking me to it...

These photos do not quite emphasise how thrashing the waves were, how we worried the dog would get taken by the sea as he ran into it after birds! It was galeforce wind, we look a bit blown away on the accompanying photos :) A friend said, 'you're going on the beach? In February? Brrrrr!'

Another sight was what I felt to be the first signs of spring - even though it's a month away. Gordon Square in Bloomsbury, London. A host of...purple crocuses. Absolutely beautiful.

And daffodils are out in Booths stores in the north west. New life is springing up!

I almost forgot: today there was a conversation with Jean about craft spaces, and how fairy lights are nice in them - well here are ours Jean, as talked about! Stars at the top, and this week a new shelf with lighting has been put in thanks to some DIY male assistance (I'm not saying women can't manage DIY, but why take the risk with precious crafty fingers and the precious craft wall?).

So heart lights are now on the lower shelf :)

Well that's all for now, take care and happy crafting! Craftybird x

Happy New Year!

2011-01-08T21:33:00.006Z

First of all, happy new year to you all - hope it brings health, wealth and happiness.
And nextly, thank you to the ladies who attended the class on Wednesday, as t'was a lovely day. I promised on the last post that I'd upload sneak peeks of the January birds and trees class. Well, below are the piccies: alright, so one of these classes has gone by and there is a repeat of it next week, I know we are a little behind here. But December turned out to be chaos, with Christmas cards being made by the bucket full, and crafter-in-charge came to visit me in London for a weekend, Christmas shopping had to be done, and then we have all been ill :( On my part, ill frequently, yucky yuck. I know December and winter do bring lots of germs, but there do seem to be some nasty ones going round of late! So, the cards were made after the Christmas cards, and with chief blogger i.e. moi being ill, I couldne post them. But here they are for those who are on this class, this Saturday 15th January.

And these, below, are sneak peeks of the cards for the February class, because we are now organised, not ill, and Christmas with its pretty preparations and masses of cards has gone for another year.

It's called Buttons and Bows, and the first class of it is on Friday 18th February 2011. It is 10.30am - 3pm at St Cuthbert's Church, Lytham Road, Preston. The class is £23 and includes all materials and plenty of tea and biscuits. If you would like to book a place, email us at craftyhearts@hotmail.co.uk

Look, you get to make your own buttons, stamp on them, with stamped ribbon and delicate stamp effect backgrounds...

Dot pattern punching and make your own flowers...

Plus we are starting a gathering again! At St Cuthbert's Church Hall, in the same place as the above-mentioned class. Our first one will be on Saturday 12th February 2011, 11am - 3pm, £3.50 which includes tea and biscuits.

If anyone is interested in putting their name down for this gathering, let us know,by email (further up in this post) or by commenting at the end of this post :)

We need to know who will be attending so as to have a rough idea on the numbers and amount of tables needed for crafting.

Come along and bring a crafty project, be it knitting, card-making, sewing, scrapbooking etc - every crafter welcome!

Back to the city tomorrow for me, everything packed, may need to take out the kitchen sink before I go..the packing is definitely lacking in crafty goodies, but at least have got a new book in it by Cath Kidston :) Hope everybody has had a good weekend and happy crafting!

Craftybird x

November's Christmas Class, home comforts and..the next workshop

2010-11-20T16:06:00.009Z

November. Suddenly it has all gone a bit chilly, and the scarves and gloves are out, with a perfect excuse for a nice new coat. What have all you crafters been up to since we last saw you? Anyone been making Christmas cards, knitting masterpieces or scrapbooking delights?
Last Saturday was the last Christmas class, thank you to all the ladies who came and crafted.
We arrived at St Cuthbert's church at 9.15am-ish to start setting everything out, and I don't know what the weather was like for everyone else, but while we were safely inside it went from cloudy to rain to serious hailstone to blue sky and sun to rain! It's true, that saying: Britain doesn't have a climate, it has weather. Just the sort of day when you're glad you're inside arranging paper and stamping :)

Now, we are having a class on Wednesday 5th January 2011, which will be repeated on Saturday 15th January. Both classes are 10.30am - 3pm at St Cuthbert's Church, Lytham Rd, Preston. It is on the subject of birds and leaves and a general nature with a mix of winter. The class is being designed, and when designs have been made I will post them on here, as well as price. However, places are filling up, so if you would like to book a place on either of these dates, drop an email to Jennifer, craftyhearts@hotmail.co.uk
Also, if you book a place and would like directions about how to get to the church, email too. We will happily give you directions. The church has a car park and a bus route from Preston city centre stops nearby.

Here are piccies of some of the cards that were made last Saturday...

...And am very glad to be making a few of these; I got so used to making half a dozen cups of tea at a time, and cleaning the cups afterwards, that when I am in the shared kitchen here at bookland (university), I offer to make passers-by into the kitchen a cup of tea. I'm not used to making just one!

I am being a bit naughty, I've put a pic on of the class, I hope nobody minds, I made it a small piccie so as to be only slightly cheeky...

Finally, I have not yet put photos on of the little new home (this is due to shameful lack of blogging). New home contains the Body Shop lemony products, cards, pink pen and lovely blackcurrant jam that were all presents from crafty friends - you know who you are, thank ye!

New home also contains applique cushion, furry rug and patterned things to make it feel homely. There's a modern-vintage style floral duvet cover and throw, and the handmade bunting that was a present, and the spotty bag (well, you need a pretty bag to take your laundry to laundry room, a crafty must!).

And a pretty bucket for cleaning things..

Oh, and there are some of these too, have to read a few while here in bookland...

...And this cheeky characters is keeper of the keys, so I can't lose them.

Happy weekend everyone, and thank you for the comments!

Craftybird x

P.S Did anybody go see Harry Potter yesterday, on the day it opened? Not to name-drop, but we went to see it at midnight last night at Leicester Square. It's the biggest cinema in the country, so I've heard, and the film was AmAAAZing. The atmosphere was fab, everyone laughing and cheering. I recommend it!x

The Craftybird is back and blogging :)

2010-11-10T19:56:00.005Z

I am ashamed. I have not blogged for...three, yes three months. Serious bloggage is required, as lots of things have happened.
So, what has happened in three months...
August was the last full month in our beloved shop, Crafty Hearts. Our last classes were of the Christmas variety (you know how it is with crafters; Christmas in August, etc), and we were madly repricing stock and everybody thankfully popped in for tea and a chat before we closed on Friday 3rd September. Then chaos began, as I (Craftybird, the sidekick in the Crafty Hearts duo) relocated to London in the third week of September, while also we were having to remove everything from our shop into our house.
So, my room was summer-cleaned, and I quietly packed my mountains of stuff and put the boxes in the other room...and then got home one day to discover these boxes had been put back into my room, because the spare room was needed for several big shop items! My room was short of space before the towels, new books and wok. I'd like to point out here that the spare room is no longer spare, it has been sneakily made into a craft room!
The Crafty Hearts duo are now 'on the road': my mum (Jennifer) is on the road in a sense that she is continuing teaching craft workshops, but in different premises. An adventure :) And I am literally sometimes on the road: I am studying in London, and have popped back to the good old North this week :)
I planned to start blogging the moment I got to London, but didn't realise how chaotic it would be! It's a bit of a distracting place :D I'm only just starting to get a routine, where I can have a time of the day where I sit and blog, or do a bit of email chatting (or ring the mother - that requires a good hour of course).
I haven't popped any photos of the Christmas class that Jennifer taught in the middle of October, and is repeating this Saturday, because it sold out straight away! It was a case of people telling us to put them down on the next class she was doing - even though she hadn't yet designed it! Thank ye all for the faith :)
Now, we are planning a class at the very beginning of January, and I will post on here the date and the samples as soon as they are available. The plan is for it to be a bird, owl, leaves and trees vibe, as we didn't get chance to do an autumnal class, and those sort of colours might brighten up a chilly January day. And I will blog about mine and chief crafter's travels until then :)
I'll be back soon for a natter,
Craftybird
x

Christmas in August

2010-08-11T20:28:00.004+01:00

Good evening :) Here are photos of the cards for the Christmas class on Saturday (being repeated on Sat 21st Aug too). Sadly there are no places left on this class, but for those who are already booked on it, it's a chance to have a look at what you'll be making. Hope you like! It feels weird making Christmas cards in the middle of summer, but not as crazy as Selfridges selling Christmas baubles at the beginning of August!
Plus check out the shop at the moment, as it's full of bargains to be had - EVERYTHING is priced down; I've managed to put a bit on the website, but there's plenty more within the shop.
x
P.S If anybody is interested in buying plastic trays (the ones that fit 12x12 scrapbook papers), email or comment to let us know...they're £2.50 a tray or 10 for £20. :)

F is for Folding, Flutterbies...and Frustration and Fizzy Wine!

2010-08-09T21:40:00.004+01:00

The beginning of August has seen two rounds of our 'F' class: F is for Folding and Flutterbies. The following piccies are from our first 'F' class; thank you to Sheila for bringing in a surprise bottle of Perry (low volume, might I add- so everyone can still cut their cards in straight lines and then drive home ok :)). It was to celebrate, and to commemorate, our classes this year in the classroom above our lovely little shop. Although we have Christmas classes and a last Crafty Gathering still to come, it felt like the beginning of the end of an era - after September we will no longer be able to run (I say run, I leave that to mum and Meg! Ambling is allowed) up the stairs to the dotty spotty tables in our classroom and get everybody crafting. We will be teachers on the road, teaching here and there.
I hope the ladies don't mind that I added a photo of the class, but it seemed daft to just put the photo of the wine and not the celebration!

As well as F for Fizzy wine, there were also a few other Fs floating about, as we had everybody measuring and thinking, as they attempted a step card, a card with a fold-back window, and another with a big raised fold. But all in all, both that f class and the F class on this-Saturday-just-gone were very nice :) Thank you all who attended :)
P.S I will post here photos of the cards for the Christmas class very soon, although sadly no places left on it - it booked up before we even made the cards!
And a newsletter is on its way this week, via email: sadly t'will be the last one, but I'll try pack it full.
Happy crafting!
Craftybird x

Blog neglection! and chaotic open evening times

2010-08-02T16:07:00.007+01:00

Woah, I feel bad that I have not blogged in more than three weeks, but it is starting to seem like a good plan, to blog post once or twice a month, as I now have plenty to mention :) Plenty being...a very understated word!

Now, what with the sad news on my last post, about us shutting our little shop (:-o) , we've spent July having to tell all our regulars. It's been a difficult thing to say - I managed to spread the news to many via blog and email, but there were still lots to tell outside via word of mouth ;( Many have offered to do volunteer work, a few hours a week, in order to keep the shop running. To all those who offered, both via email, post comment and whilst chatting in the shop: first of all, thank you, it's all very kind and flattering of you all. We had thought of it, but it's the hefty responsibility, that made us decide to end our shop days. It would be chaotic, organising everybody, teaching everyone how to give crafty advice (most customers ask at least one question when in). We won't miss having to continuously buy stock to keep up with the fast craft market (and never being able to get all the stock, as some brands are now so mass sold, the suppliers don't send you all in one go, or it's out of stock, aaarghh, etc etc). The idea of travelling round, teaching workshops, every one gathering together for crafty days, sounds easier, and there's the opportunity of carrying products such as stamp ranges that we might be demonstrating that month. But still a big THANK YOU for all you generous ladies who offered to volunteer.

Sooo, to begin the task of emptying our shop of all its crafty goodies, we had an open evening last Wednesday night. From that evening, all products are 20% off, even sale items (plenty of bargains :)). You never know how many people are going to turn up: not everybody you tell may be able to make it. But we were not expecting what happened: it was like the crafty equivalent of a packed out night club! The shop was packed, I suddenly turned to find there was a huge queue at the tills. Thank you to everybody who came, it was great seeing you all, and thanks to Steph for taking the photos! Just one thing: Steph, you didn't get someone to take a photo with you in it!

I must do a post showing some of the samples we made for the open evening.
I also must put do a post about Saturday's Alphabet 'F' class, but I left my camera at work, with the photos relating to my planned 'F' post :S Scatterbrain!
I noticed on Craftybeast's blog that she made a list of crafty things to do. I sooo need to do that too! I empathised so much with her post, when she said she has lists of lists, I have those too, then I lose my list and at the top of the next list is 'Find list'! How sad am I hehe.

We're currently working on the Christmas classes. Christmas is in August at Crafty Hearts- the Christmas card-making class is on Sat 14th August, repeat class on 21st August. Email if you'd like to join, but be quick - both classes are nearly full. We're also having our (*wails*) last Crafty Gathering on Saturday 28th August. 11am - 3pm, £3 inc tea and biscuits, bring a crafty project and join us (email if you're coming though, so we know the numbers).

Also, since I last did a post, I have finally begun driving lessons. I wish i could get a photo of this event, in order to scrapbook, but I am in no way a good enough driver to take a photo too! Terrified when I hit a 40mph limit road, but addicted :)

Finally (I know, this post is novel-sized), a few posts back I mentioned that my mum was making a handmade present for me for my birthday, and I would post it when I finally found out what it was. Well, t'was bunting! Handmade, with Cath Kidston fabric! Wow did she do a good job, it's really neat, and cute. It is for when I go to university, to decorate my room. But couldn't resist putting it up at the mo, too nice to just leave it in its wrapping.

Thanks for reading,
Craftybird x

E is for embossing, open evening and...sad news :(

2010-07-09T21:11:00.010+01:00

I've neglected the art of blogging for more than two weeks :( A few family birthdays (including my own woo!) cropped up within these weeks, plus stock taking, D is for Die-cuts classes, Mint Choc class and experimenting with ideas for the next classes. Whenever I've had a free space to blog, I quickly realised that I hadn't finished projects to put on the blog, or cards had been posted off without photographs taken :S

Before I show photos of the next class, E is for Embossing, and once I've told you that the next crafty gathering is Saturday 24th July (let us know if you want to come, it's 11am-3pm, £3 tea and biscuits inc, bring crafty projects and craft away lol)...we have some sad news. It has taken much thought over the last few weeks, but we have finally decided that Crafty Hearts, our little shop, is closing by end of August/early September. I am off to university, making it harder for my mum to manage everything on her own. But even if I wasn't going, we have been starting to find we are 'meeting ourselves coming back', trying to run the shop, teach classes, make sample, advertise, blog, maintain a website, newsletter-write.....if we had plenty of pennies to pay little helpers to do each of these tasks while we just designed and taught classes, t'would be simple...but sadly not!
My mum is not sure whether she will go mobile in the future, and teach classes in local halls, or be at craft fairs. I think a holiday is on the cards first. But should she decide to go back to teaching, I will contact all those lovely ladies whose emails we have.

Sooooo, there will still be card-making classes and crafty gatherings throughout July and August.

We will also be having an Open Evening on Wednesday 28th July, 5pm-9pm. It's free, with tea and cake and demonstrations, and plenty of inspiration and bargains to be had. We're not entirely sure of our final closing date: either last day of August or early September, whenever all the craft products have gone (oh dear, it sounds sad to say it like that :-O). Come in and see us, all of you, before we go, we will miss you!

On a lighter note, here below are the samples of our next class, E is for Embossing, with techniques including embossing with clear ink, coloured ink, coloured and clear powders, resist embossing.

E is for Embossing Card-making class: Saturday 17th July

10.30am - 3pm £20 inc materials & tea & biscuits

Left us know if you would like to join (email or ring the shop, details on right-hand side).

See you all soon, and looking forward to seeing the ladies on the D is for Die-cuts class tomorrow :)

Gathering and new magazine issue

2010-06-22T19:18:00.002+01:00

A little post here, to say that the latest Creativity Cardmaking issue, issue 17, arrived today in our shop. It's got some lovely projects in it, complete with free Craftwork Cards papers and die-cut tags.
Also, our next gathering is this Saturday (26th), for all who would like to come along. It starts at 11am, ends at 3pm and is £3, includes tea, coffee and biscuits, and use of the tools in our airy upstairs classroom. Just bring along your latest project, be it scrapbooking, card-making, altered art, stamping, sewing, knitting...and sit and make and chat and sip tea :)

Ciao for now,

Craftybird x

Diecuts, papers and meadow flowers

2010-06-18T21:18:00.005+01:00

I've decided to blog while England are playing, because nobody's scoring, or doing anything dramatic. On either side! I find it easier just supporting some of the other teams, because at least then there's no presenters or commentators going on about England being ready to win it, have to win this, win that. Aye aye aye :-S

Moving on, here are photos of the samples for the D is for Die-cuts class (on fri 2nd july or sat 10th july)...

It involves Bo Bunny Kitchen Spice papers (we love this range's summery burnt orange and sky blue). Instead of the main features being stamps or stickers/images, or sentiments, the focal-points are die-cuts. These are shapes, made using punches, corner punches, border punches, Quickutz, Cuttlebug and Spellbinders dies on a die-cutting machine.

It was a challenge, as we're addicted to stamping, and we had to focus more on shapes instead, but it was great! Every card takes on a different shape and layout.

Ooh, and these are small sneak peeks of just a few of the So Sophie papers, one of the latest ranges from My Mind's Eye. I think I need some of these, I'm trying to think if they've gone on my birthday wish list, I better check..

And these beautiful flowers belong to a row of foxgloves at the allotments. We nipped there to water plants in the greenhouse. On the little track that runs through the allotments, there was a line of foxgloves, daisies, forget-me-nots, soo pretty. I love meadow flowers, they're not all pristine and cloned like shop flowers (not that shop flowers aren't pretty, the rows of little colourful buds are a nice welcome sight when you walk in shops). I don't care that my nose tickles a bit with hayfever, or that people might be wondering what on earth I'm doing, flitting from one side of the track to the other, leaning on the ground, madly photo-taking. It's worth it.

Can you see the bee in one of the bells?

The first newsletter of June was released yesterday: if you want to join the newsletter mailing list, just click on the top right blog icon, and let us know.

Happy crafting!

Craftybird x

Mint chocolate class and an elegant class

2010-06-09T22:14:00.006+01:00

Just a quick post to show piccies of the 17th June Elegance Cards class with Kath, and an addition to the June/July class schedule: the Mint Chocolate Cards class, which is on Friday 25th June, 1o.30am - 3pm. If you'd like to join either of these classes, just email or ring us at the shop, using the details on the right hand side.
Here are snippets of the elegance cards class with Kath...

These are the Mint Chocolate cards...turquoise and dark brown papers, card candy, ink and parenthesis rectangles (bracket shaped rectangles). This Mint Chocolate range of products are Craftwork Cards goodies.

Some close-ups/sneak peeks........

Coincidentally, I am about to go finish off some Thornton's Dark Chocolate with Mint. I HIGHLY recommend it. I once read that if you have dark chocolate, just a piece, and put it on your tongue and let it melt, there are enough endorphins in it to make you feel good and not feel the need to eat any more for that day. Well, I keep trying, but I end up eating it instead, and having to go back for another piece :)

Thick Embossing Powder...tips

2010-06-02T21:31:00.005+01:00

When I sent out the latest recipe newsletter, I promised to make a post about ultra thick embossing powder. I haven't actually got photos of thick embossing powder in action to pop with the following tips...blog posting without photos oof that's an uncolourful sight, it doesn't feel natural! I have no photos because the most recent thick embossing I did - well, I forgot to photograph it! Even though the camera was nearby. I got engrossed in watching it as it melted all metallicky.
I felt it needed to be made as a post subject, because I did some thick embossing in the newsletter, and I did it in a way that isn't normally done (see tip three).
Tip ONE..I know this sounds like I'm sell sell selling, but honestly as a crafter, I like the ultra thick embossing powders we have in the shop. They're metallicky and shimmery once they're melted, we have a sample of a wooden box covered in melted powder to check out too. So tip one is: if you're going to thick emboss, you gotta get some opaque metallic colourful powders. We sell Blonde Moments they're yum.

Tip TWO...always ink your surface-to-be-embossed first. Otherwise the powder won't stick. With opaque coloured powder, any colour is fine, but Versamark works best, as it's particularly sticky.

Tip THREE...Once you've applied the first layer, tipped off excess, and melted it, normally most tell you to pour the next layer on while it's still melted. But these are thick crystals, and trying to get 'em to stick onto the previous layer is difficult. Sections often cool and you don't cover all your shape. So, we have discovered it's easier to let the first layer cool fully, then re-ink your shape with Versamark. Really inked, therefore really sticky, it's easier to get a full coat of powder.

Tip FOUR...At least three layers is needed if you're planning to press a stamp into this melted powder. Otherwise, however few or as many layers as you like.

Tip FIVE...Ink your stamp ready, about the time you are going to heat your last layer. No ink on stamp, stamp sticks into powder. Damaging stamps is a sad sight! It's an unspoken rule amongst stampers, stamps must be respected :)

Tip SIX...A little carton/tray nearby to sit your shape in while you pour powder over is a good plan. As embossing powder does make a sandy beach out of your work top, if spillage happens.

Tip SEVEN....Two powders on the same shape looks real good.

tip EIGHT...stamp into a melted powdered shape while last layer is still hot and squishy. And then, piece de resistance, brush Blonde Moments Pigment Powder (it's like colourful eyeshadow, shimmery too! And watercolour possible if you want it to) into the indented stamped bit. The powder sticks to the ink you used. Especially if it was Versamark.

That's enough chinwagging for one night, I'll leave you in peace :)
Happy crafting, see you soon x

Late May recipes and pop-up book class

2010-06-01T18:56:00.005+01:00

The following photo is a sneak peek of one of the recipes on our late May newsletter, the most recent of our recipe newsletters. This is the vintagey recipe, there's a bright, rainbow-like recipe to contrast it.

The next photos are of the pop-up minibook class, on Saturday 19th June. Email or ring the shop if you'd like to join this class. It's 11.30am - 2pm, £20 inc materials and tea/coffee/biscuits.

What a May it's been, hope June is better! I have been quite ill througohut, just waiting now to find out what's making me ill. Had to leave my mum to teach Saturday afternoon on her own - she did it brilliantly, but felt really bad that I was not there to be her assistant! It makes it much easier, having an assistant, to help people, cut things out if anyone's not a fan of cutting out, or help solve any happy accidents (accidental slips of cutting through the wrong paper or image ;)).

So looking forward to feeling well, I miss that feeling :). It makes you appreciate things though, and realise there are lots of people out there who have lots of things wrong, who suffer from illnesses that make you think, 'wow, how do they cope with that?'.

On to lighter notes...next gatherings are friday 11th june and saturday 26th june.

Each are 11am - 3pm, £3 and inc tea/coffee/biscuits and you can use the tools in the classroom. Bring a project, whether you are a scrapbooker, cardmaker, knitter, altered artist...whatever craft. Sit and make and chat and relax.

The C classes are going on at the moment - that is, C is for Colour. They're all booked up, but the next class in our alphabet series is D is for Diecuts. That is on Friday 2nd July 10.30am - 3pm (£20 everything inc except lunch and yourself). There's a repeat of this class on Saturday 10th July,same time and price. We haven't made any samples for this class yet, as we are looking at potential new papers for it, but when we've done the samples, they'll be posted on here :)

Hope everybody's had a good Bank Holiday, what have you all been up to? I could say we've done all sorts, but that would be telling fibs ;) A walk to the shops is as exotic as I got! And lots of chilling out.
Must dash, need to check up on my mum, see if she's having any luck finding a copy of 'Eclipse' (from the Twilight saga). She kindly offered to look for it on her trip out. Well, if it's going to be a while before I get better, might as well read through the mountain of books on my 'to read' list. Anybody got any good recommendations, of must-read books?

Take care x

Saturday Gathering, Craft Stamper & Apples

2010-05-21T20:33:00.005+01:00

Now, first things first (and second things second): tomorrow we have a crafty gathering, so if you want to carry on with a craft project, have tea and biscuits, and chat, come and gather with us :) Cardmaking, scrapbooking, knitting, crocheting, stamping, altered art...whatever you like.

We now finally stock Craft Stamper, in addition to the usual Creative Cardmaking and Creativity!Life we normally stock. There's some really creativ projects in the current Craft Stamper issue - as ever, I flick through it and think 'ooh, I want to have a go making that! ooh and that!'...you know what I mean?! The same goes with scrapbooking and sewing mags, so many post-it notes get placed throughout the mag to indicate things you want to try. One day I actually want to do allthe things I put post-it notes on, in a mag!

We just made samples with the papers for issue 15 of Creative Cardmaking, and then the next issue (16) arrived today. But anyway, here are the samples we made withissue 15 free papers:

Jennifer's card

My (Leanne) samples:

The papers are vintage-y, like they've been sanded. I sanded them even more around the edges. I like the vintage postage stamps and postcards, and the quirky newspaper-esque letters. Totally different to what we normally make.

We've also begun making samples this week for Father's Day and teacher/graduation cards. Working ahead of yourself all the time, always one festival ahead, means we kinda forget what month we're in, what day it is, etc!
Here are two cards I made for 'thank you teacher' theme. The stamps and papers we have in-store - it is a Stampendous! stamp set, with pencil, pen, ruler, and book as well as the stamped image used. The paper is from My Mind's Eye's Quite Contrary collection, it's nice and bright, and weather-orientated (raindrops, umbrellas, flowers, butterflies, gingham).

As ever, I tend to do quite simplistic designs, I just can't seem to get myself to mat and layer in excess or embellish like crazy. Although, don't get me wrong, the list of embellishments in the shop that I really want is not short...Papermania diamantes, i could stretch to a few o them, K &Co Handmade embellies, ribbons...I just like to use them carefully, not all at once. Save them and admire them!
Have a good weekend everybody, back soon x

Newsletters and Colour classes

2010-05-18T21:05:00.005+01:00

What a sunny day it has been today - in our neck of the woods, at least. Thank you to the ladies who attended the men's cards class today, it was a shame we couldn't have taken the class outside! But due to lack of green space around the shop, perhaps crafting is better indoors than on the pavement :)

I have neglected this little blog these last two weeks, due to being quite poorly, but I'm much brighter (like the weather), so blogging has recommenced, hooray.

Below is a sneak peek of the first newsletter for May...

And the following three photos are of the samples for the C is for Colour card-making class. 6 cards, 10.30 am-3pm, £20 and it includes all the materials and tea/coffee/biscuits. The first date, Saturday 29th May, is full, but the second date still has places:
Saturday 5th June.

Comment, or better still, email, if you'd like to book a place. It's centred around colour, and how to incorporate it when stamping. Lots of ladies say they don't stamp because they're really bad at colouring in, but we want to show how you don't need to be a renowned watercolour artist to liven a stamped image, be it using coloured pens (Memento in our case), ink, watercolour pencils plus water, paper, as well as other pattern stamps...the ideas are endless.

Have a good week everybody x

Backgrounds class, lacy daisy and lush green trees

2010-05-01T22:17:00.011+01:00

Thursday was our first of two Backgrounds classes - the 'B' in our Alphabet classes. Thank you to all the ladies who attended, t'was fab,and I even taught a bit myself, was quite proud if i do confess so myself! Teaching is not something I'm at ease with, I prefer to let my mum teach, she is so patient and explains everything so well. I usually assist - I prefer to help people. But I taught a bit more, as a few cards were mine and t'was easier to explain them if I was doing the explaining. And I really enjoyed it! This will not be the end, of this teaching lark, I think I will don the gauntlet again soon.

The two cards above are some of the cards that were made on the Backgrounds class, but the following are some that were inspired by the class. We had a week where we made the cards for the class and were just totally background obsessed. One such test sample exploring all things background-stamping-related was this experiment with a Hero Arts Lace Background stamp. The left card I think was stamped with Versacolor Turquoise ink - but I may be wrong, as we've been using 4 different turquoise shades of ink at the mo! The one on the right uses Adirondack Brights Ink Pad in Watermelon flavour. Such an unusual shade, truly watermelon as it's a mixture of pink, orange and red.

Some paper ruffling with the flower, and some paper ribbon weaving too.

We are currently playing around with Bo Bunny die-cuts - this being one of them. You stick a quarter of the 12x12 Persuasion Forever die-cut onto a square card, and cut around the edge, leaving some of the inside of the card exposed. Some Wild Berry Red Dot paper can then be stuck on the inside, so it shows on the outside. Punch a circle out of the same Red Dot paper, and using your fingers, turn and flattern the edge. And Craftwork Cards oval messages and card candy add nicely too. All available instore, and Bo Bunny and Hero Arts are on the website :)

And finally, as we left the shop on Thursday after the class, I couldn't resist taking this photo. It's just past our shop and the other line of shops, down one of the side streets. The avenue trees are just so lush and lovely.

Happy weekend everybody x

P.S Scrapbooking tomorrow, have started scrapbooking again! Only done one page so far, very minimalistic (less is more philosophy). But planning more. Want to do some scrapbooking on the Gatherings on 14th and 22nd May, instead of just watching everybody else make cards or scrap!

Recipe Newsletter Issue Twoooo..sneak peek

2010-04-28T22:37:00.003+01:00

I've just sent out the second issue of our recipe newsletter. Thank you to everyone who sent praising replies with regards to the first one, much appreciated! Here's a sneak peek for this second one...

...singin' in the rain springs to mind! April Showers is the theme. Just get in touch via the top right hand corner of this blog if you'd like to subscribe to our recipe newsletter, it's out twice a month.

Happy crafting x

P.S

2010-04-27T21:10:00.003+01:00

P.S I forgot to add this, and say there's still a few places on the Altered Art Class on Saturday (1st May) if you'd like to book. 1pm - 4pm, you make this Altered Notice-Board. It involves spritzing and ageing book-paper with Distress Ink Pads and Adirondack Ink Pads, and completely transforming a plain-looking notice-board. With a collage of notebook, envelope, ephemera/trinkets, and transport shapes form masculine Graphic 45 papers.

Email us if you'd like to join.
x

Pretty Paisley

2010-04-27T20:42:00.006+01:00

Looks a bit weird, doesn't it?

It's a 'mini paisley texture wooden cube'. Such a big name for a little thing - I didn't measure it, but I'd say it's a bit less than 2 inches. It has four stamps on it, and Jennifer decided to have a see what she could create with it. Four cards appeared from this experimenting, and they're below. By the way, the stampy cube is available here.

Paper curling. We're quite taken by this paper curling lark at the mo. Just roll up the edge of your patterned paper, and then push it and crease it and use a sanding block against the edge to add a worn look, if you wish.

Pastel inks, with clear embossing powder on top to add clarity and vibrancy to the stamped image.

This card has a big pleat in its background paper, which the stamped images then sit on. And the decorative edge is made using the Martha Stewart Scallop Dot Punch. And the pink paper is Bo Bunny Tutu Dot Paper.

A black and white, window-like alternative.

The stamped image squares are raised on foam pads. The decorative edges have been created using Martha Stewart Embossed Zigzag Punch.

This stamp from the cube is nice to colour in.

And all the oval sentiments are Craftwork Cards products, and are available in our little shop too.
Ciao for now, off to attempt the beginning of my art journal :)

The After

2010-04-26T12:16:00.006+01:00

About two weeks ago, I did a post about a set of craft drawers I have in my work space, that are really plain. I had seen a photo of a friend's craft space, with paper-covered drawers and patterned letters on the shelves. So, inspired, I did 'the before' post, with the forlorn looking plain pink drawers, and now, finally, here is 'the after'! I've had these drawers nearly ten years, and I think they've been painted nearly every colour of the rainbow. As I covered them, I could see remnants of yellow, lime, blue, purple and red paint.
Paper makes such a difference though, such a different look.
The cloudy and flower papers are from a stall at a papercrafts fair. Even though we own a craft shop, we still visit other shops as customers, because it is impossible for any craft shop to stock everything; there are so many brands and new craft innovations out there. So inevitably, I have a lot of paper that I can't use easily, because if I put it on samples I'd be asked if we had it in stock. So, an opportunity to use it as drawer 'wallpaper' :)
The striped paper is ours, however - it's from the K&Co Margo collection, and in our sale section, absolute gem. Full of pretty floral stripes, matches the current fashion trend of pretty, pastelly, lacy.

Can't believe it took me two weeks to get them
done, that's ridiculous! If you don't get these sort of home decor things done straight away, something else crops up and the paint and paper gets tidied away. Woops.

Another make recently was this house. Not my make, my mum's, the head crafter. This sample is hung up in the shop, and is made from three My Mind's Eye Papers that we have in store at the mo: the gingham, green spotty, and the flowers. The flowers are on a striped paper, with other strips on it including a strip of birds in a row. It's so pretty.
The 'Home Sweet Home' is from Doodlebug rub-ons, a classic product. So adaptable, there's lots of letters on the rub-on sheet, plus lots of letters can be adapted into other letters, if you run out.

The scallop edge on the bottom of the roof is from one of our Woodware Chippies sets, with Ranger Shabby Shutters Crackle Paint on top of it.
And the handle to hold it up is red wire, with raffia wrapped around it, then little pieces of ribbon tied around. All in store.

Had to show it, I love these paper, and it just looks so cheerful.

Back soon with more!

Happy Crafting, looking forward to seeing the ladies for the stamping class on Thursday x

A gathering, and an ultra quick post

2010-04-22T21:19:00.002+01:00

Oh dear,I've neglected my little blog these last 2 weeks, I really must finish my unfinished craft projects and photo things at work and get posting! I confess I've had an artistic block these last few days- 'blocks' are onlyever attributed to writers, but 'tis just as unhelpful as a crafter. And so many items at work - patterned paper and stamps being the main culprits - to distract you on to some new idea. Not to mention the copy of New Moon, the next Twilight book, that I purchased - seriously addictive, I need to read it quick so I can get back to the world of doing-other-stuff-other-than-reading!
Anyhow, a really quick post to say there is a crafty gathering on Saturday, t'is £3, bring along your latest scrapbooking, cardmaking, altered art, knitting, crocheting...whatever craft you're involved in...and sit and craft and chat. And drink tea. And eat biscuits and cake. Nam nam. Oh and it's between 11am and 3pm.
Ciao for now,happy crafting, and I'll be back! (Ok, I know, it's Schwarzenegger's line, but mine for the mo).

The Before

2010-04-11T23:06:00.004+01:00

A Sunny Weekend. Miracle, can't remember the last time 'sunny' and

'weekend' were mentioned together. And you could even smell it in the air, that summery smell (maybe that sounds daft, but it's smellable, honest!).

These photos were taken yesterday, lines of daffodils along the park, like along strand of yellow ribbon.

I love this one, where there is suddenly a mass of their little yellow heads, you can barely pick out one from another.

And the spring watering can was out today :)

The reason for this post being called 'The Before' is down to this photo below: as promised in my last post, I plan to decorate these plain boxes with some patterned paper. After I saw a photo of a friend's craft room. Her storage is an all pretty pink patterned affair. So I'm going to make mine more cheerful. Here's the before...

And the newsletter has been emailed out, I managed to condense it, hooray :) Next one will be near the end of April.

Happy Crafting, from a Craftybirrd

Next Altered Class and little ramblings

2010-04-08T22:46:00.005+01:00

I can't believe that, despite the little Easter holiday, I've not blogged. Normally, free time means there's an opportunity for posting. But it has been a few days of no crafting or blogging, though plenty of working on a recipe newsletter. Some have received it, some haven't - I'm amending it so that the file is smaller, so everyone can receive it easily. So anyone who hasn't received it and is on our list, thanks for being patient, I'll get it to you soon. It's a newsletter with card recipes, showing new products in-store, or even classic products with a twist. And not just card recips, as, being a papercrafts shop, there are no boundaries. If you'd like to receive one (two newsletters a month) but are not on our emailing list, click the box at the top right side of this blog and join.

Because of the lack of crafting over Easter, I've not had chance to say THANK YOU to all who attended our second Grey and Grape class last Thursday. You were all fabulous, t'was a lovely day.

And, most of all, the picture you see is the class sample for the next Altered Art class, taught by Angela. It will be taught on

Saturday 1st May Afternoon.

If you'd like to join this class, simply ring the shop, or email us at info@craftyhearts.co.uk

Ooh, and I forgot to mention: on the Grey and Grape class I was shown a photo of a very inspiring craft room, with paper-covered drawers and paper-covered amazing big letters. The owner knows who she is *nudge nudge wink wink* and has inspired me! I'm going to post a photo of my lacklustre drawers (wooden craft ones! no pun intended lol) and my fairy lights around my craft space, and then it's a motivation to improve them. Like a before and after.

Best wishes everybody, hope you all had a good easter,

Craftybird :)

B is for Backgrounds

2010-03-30T18:18:00.004+01:00

On Thursday 29th April, or Saturday 8th May, we're doing our second class in the Alphabet series (the first one is A is for Apple Making Day on Fri 16th April, it includes a recipe book make, places are still available, should you wish to partake in it).
Our 'B' Class is B for Backgrounds. Sample sneak peaks are below. 6 cards will be made, involving using background stamps, or creating backgrounds. It is 10.30am - 3pm and will be taught by Jennifer and Leanne (me!).
Hope you like! Happy crafting.

New goodies

2010-03-24T23:38:00.006Z

Some new goodies arrived in today - a few essentials, that are not so interesting,but among the acrylic blocks and sticky ink pads, I delved straight for the box of embossing powders. My mum and I are very much clear embossing powder people - we tell people that in thick embossing powder the Blonde Moments colours are fab (they really appeal to the girly girl in me), but for normal powder, clear is fine; coloured ink is the essential with it. Until we saw the new 5-powder kits from Stampendous!.....

....on their website, it directed to their blog and there were videos showing how to colour images and backgrounds using these sets of powder. New computers, ipods, iphones? Naah, embossing powder's the new toy at the mo!

We have three colour options: Merlot, Rich&Rugged and Pastel Party. Available here.

My favourite is the Merlot:

...We also got some Stampendous! stamps in, available here. I am really tempted by this Ranunculus Field (I know, what a mouthful!) cling rubber stamp...

...but not sure whether to get this Spring Sprigs Cling (another tongue-twister!) instead...a sample and a bit of stamping play beckons.

Finally, I've been meaning to take a photo and upload these pretties for a couple of weeks now. They are the handiwork of the Boss (no, not Bruce Springsteen, Jennifer! The Crafty Heart herself).

This card is all made from the Persuasion paper from the Bo Bunny Persuasion Collection. We love papers that you can cut an embellishment from, and get your background from them at the same time.

These two below are from the Birdie Die Cut Paper in the Bo Bunny Love Bandit Collection. The Die Cut paper is really handy to make cards from; each corner can be used to make an interesting shaped card. On the first card is some Bazzill Basics double dashed ribbon, available in-store. It's a fab duck-egg-meets-turquoise colour, yumminess.
And on the second card Jennifer has used Love Bird stamps, and Martha Stewart Scallop Dot punch. It's now getting difficult to make a card without putting at least a bit of a Martha Stewart border on it :) Once you have a new stamp, paper, punch, it seems to get used on everything in sight :)
Ciao for now, happy crafting x

Mary Mary Quite Contrary

2010-03-23T22:13:00.005Z

Before I begin, I must first say thank you to all who attended our Grey and Grape Class last Thurs. T'was the first round, there is still another of this class, but to the first attendees, you were great, and was a lovely day. And you all did fabulously, even though some of you confessed to being beginners :) You could have said you were serial cardmakers, we'd have never noticed! It makes the job all the more worth it, when everyone is smiling, and concentrating hard, and leaves saying how much they enjoyed the day :)

Quite Contrary. The name of the new My Mind's Eye Collection of papers and embellies. There are little branches off it, called Jack and Jill, Mary Mary...so cute! We have some in the shop, and here are some quick samples we made, to have a taste of it. We combined them with new Hero Arts stamps, I am soo addicted to Hero Arts stamps (and stamps in general..stamp addict anonymous eat your crafty heart out)....

...both these cards below are made by cutting an a4 sheet of card lengthways, then taking one of the lengths and folding it in half. It is a5, but a thin rather than meaty one.

This is a strip of birds from

and a rectangle of yellow spots from

My Mind's Eye Jack and Jill Colorful Umbrellas Paper (the reverse). Wrap ribbon around the strip of birds paper and tie a bow, then stick the paper down on the spotty background.

This card uses the reverse of the

My Mind's Eye Jack and Jill Blissful Paper, which is the blue raindrops. stick a little rectangle on the card. Then take a rectangle of My Mind's Eye Jack and Jill Yummy Stripes Paper, making sure rectangle is a few cms longer than your card. Take a craft knife and cut your rectangle into several pieces by cutting diagonal lines at different intervals down the paper piece. First shape: cut the edge, so it looks frilly. Stick each piece on your card, starting with the frilled piece, overlapping the blue raindrop paper piece. You are reassembling your hacked-apart stripy paper, but skew-whiff, creating quirky stripes. Stamp one of the Hero Arts Classic Messages and the Hero Arts Row Of Houses on white card, using Adirondack Denim Ink Pad. Cut out, stick on.

Last Friday we changed the seasons in the shop, in a papery fashion...

Paper daisies in the window.

Our mural wall tree got new spring leaves :) And a few little blossoms.

A branch was added behind the counter.

With Bo Bunny Love Birds stamped and perched on it.

It's Spring hooray! Happy Spring everybody x

A little London trip

2010-03-17T21:52:00.004Z

The last couple of weeks have been hectic, and now I finally have the chance to post a few photos of this hectic-ness. In each of these last two weeks, I made a trip to London (why twice? To see two different unis. They both gave out appointments on the same day, then changed it to a week apart, so made the trip twice).

The first trip I am posting photos of below. Did a bit of sightseeing. And also went to the Criterion Theatre at Piccadilly Circus and saw 39 Steps, t'was fab. I've saved the tickets and leaflet, and took photos of the theatre as I went in: the plan is to scrapbook it! I will do it...eventually :)

The second trip was more about shopping: Liberty, and all the others around Oxford Circus! The photos are still on my camera, so that will be a post on another day.

Grey and Grape Cardmaking Day tomorrow, Jennifer teaching and me assisting. Oo can't wait!

Spring is nearly upon us hooray, hope you're all having a good week.

I love the Underground...

Thank you!

2010-03-15T19:46:00.003Z

Hello everybody,
This is just a quick note to say a big thank you to everyone who came on our open evening on Thursday, t'was a success, and we enjoyed chatting to everybody, and also thank you to the cake makers! The muffins and lemon cake were lovely. Crafting and cake is a good combination :)
So thank you and again, and I will be back posting again soon - I must put up some photos of London trips made in the past few weeks, and the samples made with the new My Mind's Eye papers that are currently in-store. They are lurrrrvely papers, with birds and raindrops and umbrellas and flowers.Mmmm.
Hope you all have a good week!
Craftybird x

Not long to go now!

2010-03-08T18:45:00.004Z

Only three days 'til open evening, come join us on Thursday from 5pm 'til 9pm. Tea, cake, demonstrations, new products, free card kit with every purchase, and 10% off all product purchases. Mmm looking forward to the cake bit :) and seeing everybody of course! My mum and I have another date for a class taught by us: Friday 16th April, 10.30am - 3pm. 'Tis called 'A is for Apple' Making Day. The samples will be in the shop on open evening: a card, a recipe book and a door hanger in the shape of a cardboard apple. The recipe book is a swap book; attendees to the class each submit a recipe at least a week before the class, and we'll hand them out on the day, so everyone will go home with a recipe book filled with their recipe and 6/7 others. If you can, submit an apple-themed recipe, avoiding the typical apple pie (e.g. ours is Spiced Apple Tart yum yum). If not an apple one, then submit a favourite recipe of yours :)
My mum and I will be in London Tues and Wed this week, but the shop will still be open as usual on these days (although you may have to retain difficult craft-related questions until Thurs when we're back :D).
Hopefully see you Thursday,
Happy Crafting
Craftybird x

Blog redecorating, and a pinch of journalling

2010-02-21T19:31:00.005Z

Finally, I've redecorated the blog: I've had a half-drawn design on my desk for weeks, and now t'is the new blog title. It's a bit unusual, but that was the plan: I love art and craft blogs, whehter they belong to shops or individuals, scrapbookers or knitters, they tend to look creative, with interesting photo titles. I wanted this to be the same, and wanted to get around the fact that I'm not a dab hand at computer graphics. What I have in mind and what ends up on the screen after much scanning and camerawork is always different!

Anyhow, the blog needed 'a lick of paint'. Hope you like :)

I've also been setting to on my journal, a visual one. The aim was to journal in it often...that's a work in progress! At the beginning of the empty exercise book I bought, it says 'At this moment am I drawing to remember or to erase...' Very apt! It is a lesson: when I look at it, I remember to go put my rubber away, and actually make some art, and stop being a perfectionist.

First page: A night out. Thank you to the participants of the photo (I couldn't make the page without you lol!) And thank you to Sylvia for giving me lots of paper chandeliers, they're fab!

Been keeping them aside until the right, elegant idea came along. Here goes:

It's also supposed to have black bows and little black paper butterflies on it (the remnants of the Martha Stewart butterflies border punch), but I can't find them! Probably because they're so small, or maybe they've flown away!

Open Evening :)

2010-02-16T20:29:00.007Z

Woo, heating all revamped and working, the shop is warm and lovely again!Just to let everyone know, we're having our next open evening on
Thursday 11th March 5pm - 9pm

For those of you who've never been before, our open evenings are when our whole crafty community can get together, look around the shop, check out demonstrations and new card/scrapbooking/who-knows-what-we'll-make-next samples, whilst having free tea and cake/biscuits, browsing the next new classes, and there's also 10% off all product purchases on the evening. Plus, this next open evening, there'll be a free card kit with every purchase. I was all planned to do this for the last open evening, then things got a bit hectic and I couldn't do it, so this time I'm being...somebody catch me I'm fainting with shock...organised! I'm a last-minute-stress-motivates-me person, so this is a miracle!
Anyway where was I: free card kit with every purchase on open evening. Each kit will come with a piccie of a card we've designed, and in the kit will be all the bling to make it. So that's the folded card, envelope and all the goodies to stick on and assemble, a beautiful card at the drop of a hat, or tweak it to your own taste and let us know what you come up with! Oo I do love paper :)
Just one last thing: My piccies that I took on my trip to Ambleside...

And then this is the same photo, but next day - when I walked back the same route next day, t'was all foggy!

Very Wuthering Heights...

And this is Lake Windermere next day, foggy and misty, the hills on the other side of the Lake were no longer visible...

I was so busy watching another photographer, who was stood at the end of a jetty with his tripod, that I didn't realise all the ducks had left the water and gathered around me...I've never been surrouned by so many ducks, and one lady duck decided to try and sit on my boot...

Took my photos and then quickly walked off, eventually making a run for it, because two geese left the water and then started running after me!

Tiny tiny house in Ambleside. It's perched on a bridge, soo cute.

Thanks for looking, happy crafting x

Finally! Plus...a touch of purple

2010-02-12T20:59:00.014Z

Well, FINALLY the central heating is being mended: all day today, and tomorrow, the boiler at the shop is being changed and the heating is having a general clean and do up. It's been playing up for over six months now, but as it's not our responsibility, we could not do anything, just keep ringing up and moaning and groaning. Eventually, the system gave up and we've had no heating (aaargh) for over 2 weeks. And, being winter, this is bad timing. So, finally, we will be freezing no longer! True we had to be in today, day off day, but at least we got some crafty work done, amidst the drilling. New found appreciation for warmth, heating, and hot weather in general :)

I have a lot of piccies to put

on here, of Ambleside, Lake Windermere, and other stuff, but when I add lots of photos in one

go, the post kindly mixes them up, so I'm going to do it the easy way and post separately.

Firstly, these piccies you doth see, are of a class, the next class to be taught by my mum and I (Jennifer and Leanne). It's called Grey and Grape, because that's the name of the paper range we've used in it. The

papers are that of Craftwork Cards, as are the purple yummy card candy, butterflies, sentiments, cardstock flowers and scallop circles. We have two dates for this class:

Thursday 18th March (now FULL)

Thursday 1st April.

It's £20, 10.30am - 3pm, you make 6 cards, and all materials, tea, coffee, biscuits included.

You just bring lunch and yourself. And there's sandwich shops and plenty side street parking all around. 01772 739563 or info@craftyhearts.co.uk if you'd like to book a place :)

Right, I better be off, hope everybody had a happy love day yesterday :)

Class news

2010-02-02T09:47:00.004Z

Hello hello! Long time no type. Well, first of all, on the subject of classes, t'was the first class last Thursday that my mum (shop owner and star) and I taught :) We were very nervous, but all went fabulous! Thank you to all the ladies that attended the class, you all know who you are, and you helped make it a great first class. My mum taught, oo she did do well, and I assisted - not a fan of teaching, but I do like helping everybody, and painting, and on the whole getting messy!

We will be doing more classes soon, and I will post piccies and news on here as soon as we dream up the next class.

But onto the next classes: Angela is teaching a Beeswax cover journal class on Saturday (6th Feb) - we had this class in November, and t'was a great success, so we're doing it again for all the ladies who missed out first time round.

Also, on Saturday 6th March is Angela's Altered Wooden Box Class, using Blonde Moments Ultra Thick Embossing Powders. In this class you will first try thick embossing powder on several different chipboard shapes (samples below- crown, key, tile) and stamp into the lovely coloured powder,then you'll begin melting the different colours of thick powder onto the wooden box!

Journal class is 6th Feb, 10.30am - 3pm, £18 (all materials inc except lunch and yourself). This one's almost full!

Wooden box class is 6th March, 1pm - 4pm, £18 (all materials inc except lunch and yourself).

Right, I better go: off to the Lake District :)

Will try post again soon, and...

..happy crafting x

Blog Preston :D

2010-01-20T20:14:00.004Z

For those of you who have not checked it out yet, Blog Preston is the place to find information about Preston, with photos capturing every aspect of the city, lots of articles, and useful tips about places to visit. Not to mention links to local blogs. Well, this month Business of the Month is....drum roll... us! Woop woop. The article is here, thank you all at Blog Preston :).

'Canvassing'

2010-01-19T20:40:00.002Z

Here's a little project I made yesterday, a project I started and finished within the same day...Miracle! It's a drawstring bag to pop paper in for recycling. Paper just crams the bin so quickly, and I feel better if I recycle. Now I have a bag, there's no excuse :) I stitched a dustbin symbol and felt letters 'RECYCLE' on it.

Heart-themed making day

2010-01-17T17:25:00.004Z

On Thursday 28th January, we are having our first class! That is, the first class which my mum and I (Jennifer and Leanne) are teaching. It features two cards, a candle, a heart-shaped tin with inside paper hanging (made from 5 heart shapes), and 4 chipboard shapes to triple emboss, all within a cute gift bag. Everything has a heart shape featured, inspired by upcoming Valentine's Day. a variety of techniques are included: stamping, papercrafts, embossing, working with acetate and kraft materials, collage/altered art. Each class attendee will receive the 4 chipboard shapes, and after embossing and stamping into them, they can apply them to the gift bag design, or take them home and add to a card or other project.

Here are a few sneak peek photos :) There are a few places left - contact the shop if you would like to join (01772 739563, or info@craftyhearts.co.uk).

Oh and the technical bits: it's 10.3oam - 3pm, just yourself and lunch to bring, materials and tea/coffee/biscuits included.

Happy crafting x

Prompt #23 for Creative Type

2010-01-17T14:42:00.003Z

Wow, where did the time go this week: I have had my layout for the first Creative Type prompt of 2010 (newspaper!) on my desk for the past week and half, only, it's been in bits. String and random letters and stray newspaper slowly buried under a heap of other new projects I've started this week. So, finally, rather very very last minute, is my layout.

It's called 'Girl', because it's about my resolutions

for 2010, and the whole ethos of my little resolutions is to generally, well, be a GIRL (despite having gone all gothic with newly dyed black hair). My resolutions are:

Work Hard, play hard.

Read aplenty.

Learn to walk in high heels!

See friends.

Craft to excess.

Grow curves :)

I have included newspaper in two ways: behind

the 'GIRL' letter slogan, and I also put newspaper through a Martha Stewart doily lace punch, from our craft shop. My floor is covered in the little dots that come from the punch. It's like confetti, quite pretty really!

I also used a crafter's 'newspaper' perspective: I used some old book pages. I put them through my mum's cuttlebug for the tags, and stuck a piece below the letters. From a 1928 children's annual, so I suppose it is a 'news' sort of book, and also recycling. and kept the recycling vibe with some added string.

Thanks for looking! :-X

Pigsty

2009-12-28T17:49:00.003Z

Oh dear. I cannot craft at all, in any shape or form (especially attempt to use a sewing machine), because my craft space looks like it's experienced an earthquake. I had no room before Christmas presents arrived, now it's filled. I am trying to put off the task of sorting out every box, so as to actually achieve decent, craft storage. Then I might no longer live in a pigsty :)

I write this post because I am intrigued: what do everybody else's craft spaces look like????

x x x

Get your skates on

2009-12-26T21:13:00.002Z

The snow in Preston is slithering away, and today, all the pavements that were days ago filled with compact pretty snow have now turned to ice. The whole place is like glass. Very winter wonderland, but horrendously dangerous. Take care everybody who lives here.
I own a pair of ice skates, but they often live in a box in my wardrobe, but today got them out ;)
Ice skated in the street...well, with help (otherwise would have done some damage due to falling in the snowy bits).

A very crafty affair

2009-12-26T19:58:00.011Z

The whole of December, as is for many crafters (although, alot of other crafters are more organised and have sorted by November), has been spent making Christmas cards. Since July, we have been making Christmas cards as samples in the shop, but by the end of November I decided I really must start with my own. T'was hard at first, all Christmassed out from doing shop samples, but then I was off. I've only just uploaded snaps of cards, gifts and the shop, and there are still more to upload. But thought I ought to add some piccies. After all, this is a craft blog! Hmm, New Year's resolution, do more regular blogging!I tried a bit of knitting on a card, my newly found skill :) Next stop a jumper! I love this stamp, so elegant - one of our main Christmas stamps in the shop this year. It looks good in so many colours, my favourite was Adirondack Cranberry (above).I used quite a bit of Blonde Moments Colour-Yourself Christmas paper, where these trees came from. I inked them with Mustard Seed and Peeled Paint Distress Ink Pads to get nice aged trees.

Starting to have a go at making my own backgrounds, and experiment with aging and distressing, plenty of ink and paint! Above, I used Cut'n'Dry foam and baby wipes to rub lots of different inks onto the card, the last being Fired Brick Distress ink. Then, I used the Hero Arts Giving Tree stamp over the top - not always re-inking the stamp, so that some of the trees fade into the background.

Did a few cards involving figure stamps - stamp the figure several times on different patterned paper, and cut out different parts, to get patterned dress, socks, etc.

Happy Christmas to you all

2009-12-24T17:17:00.004Z

We'd just like to wish you all a lovely Christmas and a prosperous New Year. We're putting together a list of classes, which will be sent out at the weekend, and I'll put a list of them on here (down the side of the blog) and on our website. The website will also be having a revamp, as it's been put aside amidst all the preparations for our birthday in November and then Christmas!

Looking forward to seeing you all in the New Year. But before I leave you, just got to add a few piccies of the snow! Cannot remember a time, ever in my lifetime, when it's snowed this much in Preston, and actually STAYED for days! It's a miracle, and we might just have a white Christmas..hope you do too.

Open Day and Happy Birthday to us....

2009-11-20T20:36:00.006Z

Just a quick note to say that tomorrow (Saturday 21st November) our little shop will have been open exactly one year. So, to celebrate, we are having an open day (to follow the great success of our first open evening, in September). There'll be free tea and cake, some demos and new products, including some new products from Prima Marketing Inc, a brand new to our little shop. Oh and there'll be 10% off all product purchases. A nice community gathering :) So feel free everybody to come see! I shall be back soon to do some proper blogging ;)
x x x

P.S We haven't sorted out our Class dates in cardmaking and altered art and craft gatherings for January-February yet - both of us and teachers are buried in Christmassyness still. But for anybody that would like a class list the moment we sort one out, just email your details or ring the shop and I can email a list, or pop one in the post no probs.
Shop number is 01772 739563
Email: craftyhearts.shop@btinternet.com

Merci beaucoup X

Prompt #21 Negative Space

2009-11-08T13:15:00.004Z

A tad last minute, but here is my entry for Creative Type's current prompt, Number 21: Negative Space. Mine is entitled 'Time to Detox', and is within my little 7 and half inch square journal. How it got to be 7 and half and not 8 inches, I'm still not so sure. Anyways, the photos (one main one, one on a tag which you pull out from under the main one) are of me, falling asleep on arty, crafty work. At the moment my health isn't quite up to normal levels, I keep feeling drowsy and tired in the day. So this week I decided twas 'Time to Detox', and so am eating more rabbity (green veg and berries) and doing lots of stuff so I can actually get to sleep early. It's slowly working, and I've not fallen asleep at work, yay!

Normally the negative space is filled with writing on my layouts, then I get annoyed that my writing doesn't look pretty and match the pretty paper. So this time, I left the outside blank and hid the writing on the tag that pulls out :) Thanks for reading! Now, off to attempt to knit....

I think let's tinker with ink!

2009-11-07T18:59:00.003Z

Wow what a busy day! The Graphic 45 Mini Journal class was today, and thank you to all the ladies who attended. Twas fab, and every one went out with inky fingers, so they must have done plenty of work! I didn't get to see everyone's work, but the ones I did see were all different, all lovely - all this creativeness is inspiring me to get out some ink and make something! But first, pizza and relaxxxx.

First Birthday Party ;D

2009-11-06T22:46:00.004Z

On Saturday 21st November 2009 we're having a birthday party here at Crafty Hearts, because we will have been open for one year :) The party will be all day, in the shop, from 10am till 4.30pm. There'll be tea and plenty of cake,and demonstrations (free of course), and details of upcoming classes, and 10% off all product purchases. And the theme around the shop will be cake, and sweet treats, so there'll be new samples to give ideas and inspiration. Come join us!

P.S Next class (after tomorrow's Graphic 45 mini journal class) is
Christmas Tree Advent Calendar Workshop. Saturday 28th November 2009
£25 all materials included, plus tea/coffee/biscuits, just need to bring lunch.

x x x

Fifth of November part deux

2009-11-05T20:46:00.007Z

Also today I made a Blonde Moments card sample in the shop :) A Christmassy one, which feels odd, seeing as it's Bonfire Night, but haven't found an excuse yet to make Bonfire Night cards!

I have used quite a few items to make it, but they're the sort of items you could experiment with and make lots of other different items out of, as well as a card like this. We have just got Blonde Moments Ultra Thick Embossing powders in, nine types to be precise, plus some extra pearl pigments that are a bit Christmassy. I don't normally do pink Christmas cards (a red and green fan I am), but the shade of Ultra Thick in my stash is Plum, so I decided to be a 'rebel' and try pink.

So take three rectangles of card, one large and two small. With each one, ink the card with Versamark, slap on some Plum Ultra Thick

Embossing Powder, and melt it with a heat tool. While powder's still hot, add another powder layer, heat and melt again, add another layer (triple's the plan), and while this is still hot, press a pre-inked (with Versamark) stamp into the melted layers. Hold the stamp into it for a little while. Release, and you should have a debossed image. If your layers are a bit bubbly and not so smooth, reheat, and add more powder, and melt it. The stamp I've used on all three rectangles is the tree from Papermania Floral & Fauna stamp duo. Now that you have three funky pink rectangles, take a Blonde Moments Spring Grass Lustre Pearl Pigment. It's like powder eye shadow (only, don't put it on your eyelids!). Take a thin brush and brush a little bit of powder onto the stamped images. Then you get a green tree :)

On an A6 card, add a rectangle of patterned paper from the Blonde Moments 6x6 Sugar Dumpling paper pad. Stick your large debossed rectangle onto this, with the smaller rectangles at the side. Take a little rectangle of Sugar Dumpling Paper, stamp onto it 'Season's Greetings' (this stamp is from Papermania Home For Christmas stamp set) using a black ink pad, and then make snips around this rectangle using scissors. So it looks frilly. Stick on, job done, pink Christmas!

Fifth of November

2009-11-05T20:26:00.004Z

It's such a shame that over the last few days there's been virtually no fireworks to be heard! Maybe it's because of the naff weather, maybe there's going to be loads of displays at the weekend. I hope so. All week I have spent journeys to and from work splashing in big puddles (or being splashed, o car-drivers aren't you lovely?!). But today was the icing on the cake: the clouds just couldn't keep themselves to themselves and they let rip on the way to work. Enter shop, a drowned rat. And so many people have visited our shop this week despite the weather - I admire you all, as it feels like the sort of weather you'd rather avoid and stay by the fire!

Anyway, thank you for braving the weather, and here's some more piccies of pumpkins - thank you cousin Ryan, and Jordan, for sending them,they're fab! The first two are their masterpieces from this year's Halloween and the two after are last year's pieces de resistances. I know that pumpkins aren't crafty, and this is a crafty blog, but, well, they're creative, and that's what crafters are :)

Treat :)

2009-11-02T17:25:00.004Z

You can't have Halloween without some Pumpkin innovation...

And this is the Hero Arts Big Owl stamp, once it's had a bit of jujjing up. You can layer up the eyes, and stamp his feathers up a few times, and he comes out a treat :)

Trick or Treat!

2009-11-02T16:19:00.012Z

Ok, so it was Halloween two days ago, and I really should have added this post several days before that, but my excuse is my little laptop has been with our website designer all week. And all my photos are on it, so no blogging without laptop. Can't believe how lost I've been without laptop, how sad is that?! Just shows how much of daily life can easily be spent on checking emails (junk emails are realllllly starting to drive me maddd), sorting website, sorting photographs, blogging, f-booking....
So now I have little laptop back, and I can add piccies of Halloween projects that have been completed recently....
These little kraft gift bags have been in the shop a little while now, and I've been itching to make samples with them, but haven't had any ideas. Then a Halloween idea came along. Its wording is taken from 'THe Owl and the Pussycat' poem - hence I've added an Owl and a Pussycat! The Cat is chipboard, they live in one of the jars in our shop's pick-and-mix section. Versafine black ink on it, then triple-embossed with clear powder, and stamped in while still hot. The Owl is from a Papermania stamp set called Secret Garden. The 'moons' are cut from Pink Paislee Moon Pie paper (I'm addicted to cutting moons outta that paper and sticking them on everything lol). The tree- I drew it, cut it out, and got carried away with Distress-inking it. Weathered Wood then Peeled Paint ink, I think.

This is one of my Halloween cards - it is made using the reverse side of My Mind's Eye Frightful Friends paper. The star is embossed chipboard (stamped in, whilst still hot), and the poem is an Ian McMillan poem: Ten Things Found in a Wizard's Pocket.

Another card, this time made from the front side of the My Mind's Eye Frightful Friends paper.Such cute paper :) Oh, and the background was created with the help of some Cut-and-Dry foam, used to rub on Kaleidacolor Orange ink, Red Brick Distress ink and Weathered Wood Distress ink. All on top of each other, makes a dirty orange.

I Love Halloween!

Thank you card

2009-10-06T20:11:00.004+01:00

First card of the week: a thank you card. I am really into cutting shapes out of cards and artwork using a craft knife. Maybe you could describe it as stencil-like, or a doily effect. Lots of scrapbooking brands seem to be making paper that is laser die-cut in the same way, but I like to do some myself, as you can choose your own pattern. Here, I have drawn the word 'thanks', then carefully cut it out with a craft knife. 'Tis fiddly, but worth it. The edge of each cut letter is coloured with an orange ink marker, just to draw your attention from any 'fuzzy' cut edges. I then stuck a piece of Nutmeg paper from the Bo Bunny Kitchen Spice collection beneath the word, and hand stitched sheer chocolate ribbon onto the card. The flower/leaf embellishment is cut from Moon Pie paper (Pink Paislee's Vintage Moon collection), and is raised on foam pads. On the other side of the card, I stuck another piece of the (check) Nutmeg paper behind the word 'thanks', but on foam pads, so that you can see the word is cut out.

And now back to work mode!

2009-10-06T20:05:00.001+01:00

I have only just got round to putting a few piccies on here of Cambridge - we took a much-awaited
week off in September to aforementioned place, and only this week, 3 weeks after our holiday, have we finally got a little back into work mode :P So it's serious card-making and sample-making and kit-making and wedsite-updating week this week!

2009-10-06T19:51:00.002+01:00

We were on these a lot a lot! And couldn't resist taking a photo of this lily - so pretty, never seen one that colour before!

And finally, there were a lot of these vehicles in Cambridge - so many times we had reassured ourselves that there were no buses, cars, vans coming along, then as we stepped out we nearly had our faces whipped off by bicyclists :)

Graphic 45 Mini Book Class

2009-09-29T22:36:00.004+01:00

We're having a Graphic 45 Journal Mini Book Workshop on Saturday 7th November 2009!

Where: Crafty Hearts papercrafts shop, upstairs classroom

Time: 11am - 3pm

Price: £15

Includes: All materials, tea,coffee, biscuits. Just need to bring yourself and lunch!

Ring 01772 739563 (our shop number) between 10am and 4.30pm Tuesday to Saturday if you want to book a place!

WARNING: ONLY A FEW PLACES LEFT

Item of The Week

2009-09-29T22:23:00.002+01:00

Have just added to the website an item of the week (tis an item I reaally want, and in my head have justified its purchase, as I'm doing a travel journal lol!).

It's a set of K and Company clear stamps, called Happy Trails.

Apologies for the blurredness; a couple of mins prior to taking the photo I dropped my camera! Well really!

Anyhow, click here if you would like to purchase this stamp set for yourself :)

Thank-you-ness

2009-09-11T17:32:00.004+01:00

First things first (and second things second):
Last night was our open evening here at Crafty Hearts in Preston and we just wanted to say a BIG thank you to everyone who came: thank you for all of your support, twas much appreciated and the night went really well, it put big smiles on our faces :D
I've realised that I have not added a post for over a month, how depressing - I did try a couple of times to add one, but the useful post icons like 'add image' disappear from time to time, so i had to wait. But no excuses after that: I need to blog more! To be honest, August was very unorganised for me, I normally journal (in a minibook) about my days, and I haven't managed that either. And so many images to add on here, and things to mention! My autumn resolution: learn how to be organised.
This week we have been so occupied with getting the shop ready for open evening (a lot of moving stock around - now I haven't a clue where anything is, even though I helped move it), that I didn't really get chance to look at all our new products properly. So today I did: and there's quite a few items I realllly want! A disadvantage of assisting running a craft shop, there's so many items to tempt....
Thank you again to everybody!
x x

Altered Art class 22nd Aug

2009-08-04T19:38:00.006+01:00

Good Evening, just a quick note to say this is the sample for the next Altered Art workshop. Giant jigsaw piece hanging, with Banana Frog stamps, textures, Blonde Moments pearly paints and powders, and flowery layering. Apologies for the bad pictures; the light wasn't too good, the jigsaw piece backgrounds are actually black, not the brown that my camera came up with!

P.S If you want to book on this class, email
craftyhearts.shop@btinternet.com asap!
The class is £15 all materials included (except lunch) and it starts at 11am, sat 22nd aug.

x x

Our Online shop is up and running!

2009-07-27T19:52:00.002+01:00

Shock horror, pinch myself, at last our website is all shipshape and Bristol fashion, you can order from it and everything! It has taken much faffing, and altering, and avoiding (making cards and scrapbooking is much easier than figuring out a website, call me old-fashioned), but at last it is up...phew.
It hasn't got nearly so much items in it as our physical shop in Preston, Lancs, has, but bare with me: I shall add a little bit each day! So keep looking, you never know what you might find.

Happy shopping,

Leanne......a Craftybirrrd
x

Dust off that sewing machine

2009-07-12T15:14:00.004+01:00

My photos for last Sunday were of a card I made for my cousin, for his birthday.

I haven't used my sewing machine in ages, such a shame.

But it came out from its hiding place this week. For my cousin I stitched a bike and made a little newspaper bag (as he delivers these :P). Also, I used my machine to make Fabric ATCs for the swap I joined on UKScrappers. But I won't put a piccie on yet of those, I'll wait a tad longer and put a post up next week :)

Hello Hello

2009-07-12T14:18:00.009+01:00

Wow, can't believe how long it has been since my last post! I have been so disorganised, and what with classes, then general hecticness, lots of hot weather (I feel bad being on computer on sunny days as British sun seems so elusive!), lots of birthdays, and last week I was ill ; blog seems to have been neglected!

Lots of projects that are unfinished I do not post, as I think they ought to be finished before I take a piccie of them, but finally decided to do the 365 photo-a-day challenge that so many UKScrappers members seem to be doing. I love taking photos, even though many are rather amateurish, but at least now I have an excuse for the photos I take of my journey to work, new goodies that arrive at work, and all my UFO's i.e. unfinished objects!

I have been doing this photo challenge for 2 weeks now, and some are not brilliant, and sometimes I forget, so aim is to have taken at least 7 by end of each week :)

So here goes, here are bits from my first week of photos.

I bought a red vintage suitcase from Oxfam Vintage. So excited by it, probably sounds quite sad, but I like vintage things :) I had to then carry it round as I went shopping, but proudly carried it.

An unknown flower that has sprung up at my family's allotment. The flowers look so pretty; maybe would like nice in stitch.

I keep taking photos of the daisies in the back garden, before they suffer the weekly mow.

In the week I started this photo-taking promise, twas my birthday. Guess my age, can you guess?!

Altered Art workshop 6th June

2009-05-19T19:42:00.004+01:00

Our next Altered Art workshop is 6th June 2009, 10.30am till 2pm, £15 all materials included except lunch.

First half of the workshop is Distress techniques tags (for those who attended our first class, these tags have new, interesting media techniques - not the same as the first ones).

Second half of the workshop is an acrylic frame, which you decorate with mixed media on the insides before sticking together. Frame could be hung up, or could be threaded to

other media items of your choice - art is very flexible o' course :)

Here is an example, but as always, if you attend the course, the colours and images can be whatever you choose! If you're interested, please email me (address on the right) or PM me on UkScrappers (my name is Craftybird)

Hurry up as places are being booked up quickly!

Happy altering x x

Recipe Book

2009-05-19T19:34:00.004+01:00

Been making a Recipe book this week - was simply dying to use some of the Jenni Bowlin' papers we got in not long ago, and when I saw the Cherry Pie paper, with cute cherries all over it, I thought of food! My plan is to make it into a journal, but instead of daily occurrences, t'will be filled with recipes that I use often, that friends use, or that customers have mentioned...so if anybody has a recipe they want to contribute, when you're next in the shop bring a copy o' the recipe in, and maybe a piccie of what the recipe turns into, or a memory that goes with it!

First page...flapjack :) And a few customers have mentioned recipes they like doing...I'm hungry already :)

Happy crafting x x x

Crafty Hearts on Etsy.com coming soon

2009-05-06T17:41:00.003+01:00

Hopefully by the end of this week I should have written the boring terms and conditions for our shop profile on Etsy.com and it will be up and running to buy from! Seeing as our own website is still under construction :(

We're planning to do kits via the Etsy shop profile, or little groups of items with themes. Just to make it interesting. For the first kit (Enchanted Wood), I've made an example, hooray! Twas a way of getting myself into the swing of this online shop lark...

Below is what will be in our very first kit on Etsy - the list of what's actually in the kit will be in our Etsy shop. www.craftyhearts.etsy.com fingers crossed ready by end of this week!

Craftybird x x

Love you, St. George

2009-04-23T21:15:00.003+01:00

We got some more Doodlebug bits and bobs on Tuesday, opening the delivery box was like stepping into a rainbow! Simply Sweet Alphabet Cardstock Stickers (think I need sunglasses in the morning when I look at the pink alphabet), and rainbow of Paper Frills.

But most importantly, Swiss Dot 12x12 Paper in Ladybug (St. George's sort of red) and Blue Jean, with matching frills and rub-on letters and alphabet stickers. Great for love, boy,anniversary, anything really - I want a dress in that blue dot pattern! But it all looks prettyful for our St.George section o' the shop.

Happy Crafting x

New Scrapbook

2009-04-23T21:04:00.004+01:00

I'm new to scrapbooking - I have always done visual journals and mini books (I suppose you could call them scrapbooks) before now. I have had a 12x12 K&Co Life's Journey Scrapbook sat on a shelf for several years, and being at the shop has inspired me to use it. This is my first page (it's a scrapbook about friends)....

I've told a few people in the shop about it, because they mentioned their difficulties with how to get lots of photos onto one page and still have room for all the 'goodies'. I took from our shop a piece of Bazzill Basics Wildberry Scalloped Square to use as my inspiration. Cut it into quarters, and use 2 of the quarters as flaps. Use thin rectangles, scored down the middle, as hinges. Add one flap, with the hinge to the left, and another flap on top, with the hinge at the top. Hopefully the photos make sense of it all:

Twinchie Swap :)

2009-04-23T20:56:00.003+01:00

I joined the Twinchie swap on UKScrappers - my first ever swap, maybe it sounds sad but I was so excited making them. It was also my first proper go at using Distress Ink Pads - we've owned a few for ages and never used them except a touch of embossing, but since the 1st Altered Art Workshop in the shop a few weeks ago, I gained a tiny bit of know-how to start me off. Still not great at it, but onwards&upwards! I was a bit on-the-last minute sending them (I always try and send post on a Sunday, when will I ever learn?!). Here's a pic o' them :) Looking forward to the swaps! Theme is 'woman of mystery'.

Card class sample piccies!

2009-04-01T10:19:00.004+01:00

Helloo, these are the samples for Julie's card class - there are 2 dates for this:

Wednesday 6th May 2009 10am -4pm £22

Saturday 16th May 2009 10am - 4pm £22

Price includes all materials and tool-use, plus tea, coffee, biscuits :) Lunch not included, but plenty o' places to buy nearby. Ring, email or comment if interested!

Happy crafting,

Craftybird x

Altered Art workshop sample piccies!

2009-04-01T10:05:00.003+01:00

Here are the piccies of the sample tag book, which is the first half of the class this Saturday. Each tag inside is for a different distress technique; here are pics of a few o' the tag pages x

Altered Art workshop details

2009-03-24T21:41:00.002Z

Helloo!

Have all the details about our first Altered Art workshop now, and a picture of the sample make will be coming soon.

The workshop is Saturday 4th April 2009, 10.30am - 3pm, £15
All materials included, plus tea/coffee/biscuits

It will be an introduction to distressing techniques using plenty of inks and acrylic and crackle paints. The first part will be a little tag book, and on each tag a different technique will be tried out. Then the next part of the class will be a little mini book layered with vintage book pages and requiring plenty of stamping and painting. An introduction to what should hopefully be regular altered art classes at Crafty Hearts.
You can either bring your own lunch, or there are several cafes and a bakery, all a stone's throw from the shop. Plenty of parking along many streets surrounding shop too. Either ring, comment or email if you're interested in attending!

Thank you,
Craftybird x

Mini book workshop 21st March

2009-03-16T21:42:00.004Z

Hello! Here is a sample of the mini book which is the make of the workshop (our first workshop, hooray) on Saturday 21st March 09. 10.30 - 1.30pm, £10, 50% deposit required prior to the class. Bring along your own photos and any extra bits and bobs such as buttons and ribbons, to add to the book. Yours doesn't have to say beach on the front; feel free whilst in the class to add your own style to your make.

Let us know, anybody who wants to take part.

Happy Crafting!

Craftybird x

Altered Art workshop

2009-03-12T10:44:00.002Z

Our first Altered Art worskhop (yay!) is going to be on Saturday 4th April 2009. 'T'will be about 4hours, and not fully sorted what's going to be made and the price. That'll be another post.
Off to work now
x x

2009-03-07T19:59:00.002Z

Would anybody be interested in altered art workshops?
We'd like to do altered art workshops in the shop from April, but we want to see if anybody would like to come first! The sort where mini flag, tag and chipboard books are involved, plus plenty of paint, Distress Inks/Pads, and stamping o' course. Comment if you think it'd be the sort o' thing you'd like to come to.

Happy altering :)

First Post

2009-03-06T19:16:00.000Z

Hello

Well, our little shop website isn't live yet, and was looking for a way to start creating scrapbook kits from the shop for anyone to buy, and have noticed so many people on UkScrappers have pretty blog pages, so decided to give it a go!

Our shop has been open since November 2008, and finally we are starting to sort classes out. The first one is on Saturday 21st March, and is a mod scrapbooking workshop with Liz. Details about makes etc will be coming soon, contact Crafty Hearts central (i.e. shop) if anyone is interested.

And the next one after that is a beginner's cardmaking class on Tuesday 24th March, 10.30-3pm £12 with Kath, so all good fun. Sorting out more for the not-too-distant future, will post on here when I have more details.

Happy crafting

Craftybird x