Sentiment cards - voting is now open!

Please vote by email. Choose three cards and write down the letters associated with the picture in order of preference - favourite first. The cardmaker with the most votes will win a free workshop.

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Good Luck everyone!

Taking it to another dimension

First up: your bird cages. And it's not just birds in cages either - hearts and fluttering butterflies too...

Next up: your cards in boxes. Lots of different occasions covered here too. Some very lucky recipients will be receiving these!

And finally: the double fold shutter cards. A very special blue one here waiting for a photo in the centre - of a first grandson. Congratulations to Val on her first grandchild.

Folded, Boxed and Caged

Our theme for our March workshop is 3D crafting. This month you have the choice of making bird cages with Kay - a lovely way to welcome in the spring! (Don't forget your Dairylea or Laughing Cow boxes!)

Or you can make a card in a box - choose your theme. Great for Spring, Easter or a special occasion.

Spring is definitely in the air - you can also choose to have a go at a tri-fold shutter card like the one below (published with kind permission from Chrissy Smith.)

This month is also the deadline for the first of our bi-monthly cardmaking challenges. Don't forget to bring your "sentimental" entries for judging on Wednesday. Your new challenge will also be announced.

Not strictly "Sentimental"...

Well we weren't all that sentimental after all on Wednesday! Some sentiment cards were created but as you can see from the photos I took, your creativity took over and you ran with other ideas too.

Die cut swing cards - with sentiments and without and with swing and without!! For instructions on how to use your Cuttlebug to create a flip card, follow this link.

Watercolour marker cards - sentiment backgrounds on some, but overall florals were favoured here! For ideas on different ways to use your watercolour markers click here.

Our next workshop is on 3D cards and bird cages. Don't forget to bring your Dairylea or Laughing Cow boxes of you have them!

Our schedule for the rest of the year currently looks like this:

March 25th - 3D cards  - card in a box, tri-fold card and decorative bird cage

April 29th - Punch art and Village Day prep - cards, keyrings, bookmarks etc

May 27th - Collage - paper collage and stamping collage backgrounds

June 24th - Pen techniques - calligraphy and Promarker techniques, also 'Bubble' stamps

July 29th - Paint techniques - mini canvases, acrylics and moulding paste

Aug. 26th - Game piece crafts  - jigsaw, Jenga, dominoes, Scrabble tiles etc

Sept. 30th - Wood techniques (tbc) - pyrography, wax paper transfer 

Oct. 28th - Marbling - marbling with oils, nail varnish, revisit shaving foam technique

Nov. 11th - Christmas wreaths - paper wreaths, fabric wreaths etc.

Nov. 25th - Christmas folding techniques - boxes, stars, tea bag tree. Charity raffle and Awards

Getting Sentimental

This month our demos will give you the chance to get ahead with your first challenge card (if you haven't already done it) which is to create a card where the sentiment is the main feature on the card. We will have lots of sentiment stamps available for you to choose from. 

My demo will focus on using watercolour markers with various different types of stamps and we will look at different ways they can be used - so not all cards are sentiment focused. (Sally you will get the chance to do the butterfly card similar to the one I pinned to Pinterest if you like!)

Michelle will focus on using Nestabilities very cleverly to create flip cards where the central panel can be used as a focus for your sentiment. She also has another clever folding idea for funny sentiment cards - see below!!!

We also plan to have a short AGM at the start of the workshop, so we will try to get started promptly. Oh and you may need your diaries.

February fever!

Obviously lots of birthdays in February as the February circles were in demand - for Valentine's Day too of course! Good to see everyone again after the Christmas break and you certainly haven't lost your crafting mojo!

And you were busy making your calendars, ready for the year ahead too.

Happy 2015!

Happy New Year to you all and it looks like it's going to be a busy one again. Lots of ideas pinned to our Pinterest board for 2015 so we have already drafted out a schedule for the year ahead. (see your email)

Our first workshop of the year will be next Wednesday 28th January. All the other dates for the year are on the side bar, but it will be the last Wednesday of the month as usual, apart from November when we have our two workshops. We then have our Christmas meal in December - usually on a Wednesday too.

Our January workshop will give you the opportunity to get a head start for the year. We will be making cards with a calendar or month theme, so you can make a card for any birthday or other occasion and tailor it to the month the event takes place.

If this doesn't appeal you will also have the chance to make a 2015 calendar to get you organised for all your important events in the year ahead!

Memberships will be due this month too. The cost of membership will remain at £15 this year and then each workshop will be £5. Non members will pay £6.50. Members will receive a craft pack and we will announce our new Challenge for 2015 on Wednesday.