Spring Demo Day Sneak Peeks

Hi bloggers, we have less than 2 weeks until our Spring Demo event so we think it's time to start the sneak peeks!

First up is stamping Caz who will be demonstrating the Nellie Snellen Magic Card dies. If you need more excitement in your cardmaking then look no further than the Magic Card dies from Nellie Snellen. Caz will be showing you how easy they are to put together so you can achieve that 'wow' factor in your cards.

Alongside these dies, Caz will also be demonstrating the Tonic Studios Aqua Flow pens to show you how to create wonderful watercolour effects on stamped designs.

Add these two demos together and you've got yourself the perfect card.

Stay tuned over the next week for more sneak peeks on what you can expect to see at our Spring Demo Event!

Create & Take: Bird-day Wishes

Our next Create & Take that we are sharing today features another Marianne die set from the March collection and also a sentiment stamp from Kaisercraft's Wildflower collection.

So let's get started....

Products Used:

Marianne Design Petra's Circle with Bird Die Set

Kaisercraft Wildflower Clear Stamp Set

Authentique Explore 12x12 Paper - Vintage Blank Postcards

Bazzill Basics Cardstock in White, Cream and Light Fawn

Onyx Black Ink Pad

Black Pen

Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pads in Peeled Paint, Mowed Lawn, Tumbled Glass, Tea Dye and Walnut Stain.

Core'dinations King's Crown 12x12 Glitter Cardstock

Instructions:

1. Die cut and emboss the large frame from light fawn cardstock.

2. Die cut circle from white card, stamp wording onto circle with black ink and add pen detail around the edge.

3. Die cut the branch and bird from white cardstock and colour with distress inks.

4. Die cut several flowers from cream/light yellow cardstock and then punch smaller flowers from gold glitter card.

5. Cut a piece of paper 5.75 x 5.75 inches and stick to the card base.

6. Assemble the card as shown.

Create & Take: By the Pond

Hi bloggers, we are catching up with a couple of Create & Takes on the blog so we hope you will find some Spring inspiration in these cards! The first card has been designed using the Marianne Design March Collection, featuring some of the new dies and stamps.

So let's get started....

Products Used:

Marianne Design Hetty's Pond Border Stamp

Marianne Design Hetty's Frogs Stamp Set

Marianne Design Tiny's Frogs & Dragonfly Die Set

Marianne Design Tiny's Waterlily (Small)

Crealies Mesh Clear Stamp

Kaisercraft Island Escape 12 x 12 Paper - Mahalo

Watercolour Pencils

Onyx Black Ink Pad

Elizabeth Craft Karen Burniston Labels & Circles Die Set

Wink of Stella - Clear

Bazzill Basics Cardstock in white, green, blue and brown

Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pads in Green, Pink, Blue and White

Instructions:

1. Die cut a label from white cardstock and stamp the Hetty's border with black ink. Colour with watercolour pencils.

2. Die cut a small lily pad twice from green card and edge with some green distress ink, whilst also adding a bit of white ink to the centre of each lily pad. Die cut the lily flower from white card, emboss and then colour with pink distress ink.

3. Stamp the frog onto white card and colour with watercolour pencils. Cut out.

4. Cut a square piece of blue bazzill and stamp round the edges with Crealies mesh stamp using a blue distress ink pad.

5. Cut two thin strips of Maholo paper to go along the top and bottom edge.

6. Die cut the dragonfly from white card and colour with ink, cut body from brown cardstock and stick into place. Add shimmer, using the clear wink of stella brush.

7. Assemble the card as shown.

Create & Take: It's So Nice...

Hi bloggers, today we are going to share with you last week's Create & Take using the Memory Box Stitched Tulips die and some new JustRite stamps. So let's get started....

Products Used:

JustRite Stamp Set - Doodled Birds

Memory Box Stitched Tulips Die

Marianne Hearts and Cotton Lace Die Set

Watercolour Pencils

Black Onyx Versafine Ink Pad

Studio Light Sweet Romance 01 12 x 12 Paper

Instructions:

1. Take a square card blank and stamp the images onto the card using black ink. Colour with watercolour pencils. Add some grass using the watercolour pencils along the bottom of the card.

2. Die cut the Stitched Tulips onto the front of the card and then die cut the tulip heads again from pink spotty paper. 

3. Cut a square piece of green card and stick this behind the card on the inside. Position the tulip heads back inside the white card.

4. Cut a piece of green card to fit across the top of the card. Die cut using the Marianne lace border die on one side. Adhere in place on the top of the card.

5. Stamp wording onto the green card.

A beautiful card for Spring using some fabulous new stamps from JustRite which will be available to buy from our website shortly.

Pockets & Pages Sneak Peek

Hi bloggers, today Sarah is sharing a sneak peek of her next Scrapbook Club coming up this Saturday! The theme for this month's layout is Spring and the design of the layout will include a Project Life pocket page.

For the first layout, Sarah has designed a wonderful Spring layout using Tim Holtz Wildflowers die set, giving the layout a lovely garden feel about it. For this layout you will need one 4x6 inch photo and also a smaller photo, approx. 3x4 inches.

For the Project Life pocket page, Sarah has designed two different layouts, one to be a more traditional Project Life layout, whilst the other shows you how to take a normal scrapbook layout and split it into the pockets. This layout will incorporate the use of the WRMK fuse tool, adding design elements and flip pockets to show you how to make the most of your Project Life pockets. For this layout Sarah recommends to bring a variety of photos ranging from 3x4 to 6x4 inches in size.

There are still 2 spaces left on Sarah's class on Saturday, so if you fancy dabbling in a bit of scrapbooking, give us a call on 01293 863576 to book your space.

Create & Take: Pondside Thoughts

Hi bloggers, it's time to start off the week with another Create & Take card round up. This week we have used dies from the latest Marianne release, creating a feeling of Spring with this lovely 'Thinking of You' card. So let's get started.....

Products Used:

Marianne Petra's Waterlily Die Set

Marianne Tiny's Cattails Die

Marianne Mother Goose Die Set

Tim Holtz Crazy Talk Stamp Set

Green Twinkle Goosebump

Bazzill Cardstock in Hilary, Chiffon, French Vanilla, Coconut Swirl and Apricot

Maja Design Enjoying Outdoors Cardstock - Having tea in the Sun

Tim Holtz Ink Pads - Old Paper and Scattered Straw

Coloured pencils in 2 shades of brown and orange

Black Pen

Instructions:

1. Die cut Mother Goose and Her Goslings from coconut swirl and colour with Scattered Straw and Old Paper ink pads. Colour beaks and feet with orange pencil and add a small black dot for the eyes.

2. Die cut large lily pond leaf and Cattails from Hilary cardstock. Colour the ends of the cattails in 2 shades of brown pencil.

3. Die cut largest flower from French Vanilla, medium flower from Chiffon and small flower from Apricot cardstock.

4. Cut Maja paper to 4.25" x 4.25" and a strip to 1" x 4.25".

5. Cut a piece of coconut swirl to 4.5" x 4.5" and edge with inks.

6. Stamp wording onto card with black ink and assemble the card as shown.

To see more products from the latest Marianne release, click here.

Create & Take: Cheepers Amazing Egg

Morning bloggers! It's the start of another week and today we have some Easter inspiration for you from last week's Create & Take featuring Cheepers the Chicken from the Elizabeth Craft collection.

So let's get started....

Products Used:

Elizabeth Craft Design Cheepers the Chicken Die Set

Elizabeth Craft Design Easter Eggs Die Set

Marianne Banners XL Die Set

Taylored Expressions Burlap embossing folder.

Echo Park Easter Egg Hunt Cardstock

Distress Ink Pads - Picked Raspberry, Squeezed Lemonade, Scattered Straw, Cracked Pistachio

Sponge Daubers

Tim Holtz Crazy Talk Stamp Set

Double Sided Adhesive Sheets

Bazzill Cardstock - White, Green, Black

Instructions:

1. Die cut the eyes, beak, legs and detailed egg from white cardstock that has been pre-stuck onto double sided cardstock. This will make it easier to stick down.

2. Die cut Cheepers detail body from white cardstock and add Scattered Straw to edges using a dauber. Trim off the little leg parts on the main body as you will be positioning the legs in a different way.

3. Die cut the shadow of Cheepers from black cardstock and trim off crest on the head and legs.

4. Die cut solid egg from white card and colour with bright colours using a sponge dauber.

5. Die cut grass from green cardstock.

6. Cut a piece of white cardstock measuring 10cm x 10cm and emboss with burlap embossing folder and swipe edges with Scattered Straw ink.

7. Cut a piece of patterned paper measuring 12.7cm x 12.7cm and stick onto card base.

8. Die cut banner from green cardstock and stamp 'Happy Easter' with black ink.

9. Assemble card as shown.

For more Easter inspiration make sure you check out our 'Crafting for Easter' board on Pinterest.

Create & Take: Wool Be Friends

Hi bloggers, it's the start of a new week and we want to get it going with some card inspiration from last week's Create & Take using some new Poppystamps stamps and dies.

So let's get started....

Products Used:

Poppystamps Wool Be Friends Stamp Set

Poppystamps Wool Be Friends Die Set

Marianne Grass Die Set

Karen Burniston Cloud Embossing Folder

Oval Die

Poppystamps Petal Ribbon Die

Black Ink Pad

Watercolour Pencils

Stickles Crystal Glitter Glue

Fossilised Amber Distress Ink Pad

Tumbled Glass Distress Ink Pad

Sponge Dauber

White Cardstock

Green Cardstock

Teal Cardstock

Polka Dot Cardstock

Gingham Cardstock

Instructions:

1. Cut the oval die from white cardstock and emboss using the Clouds embossing folder.

2. Gently swipe Tumbled Glass ink onto clouds using a sponge dauber.

3. Stamp the sheep onto white card and colour using watercolour pencils. Die cut the sheep using the matching dies.

4. Die cut the Petal Ribbon twice from white cardstock and once from teal cardstock. Cut the flowers out from both the white cardstock, shape and colour with Fossilised Amber ink.

5. Die cut the grass from green cardstock and position the first bit of the grass low on the oval shape and then add the second bit behind it.

6. Cut a piece of polka dot cardstock to fit the base of the card. Cut a strip of Gingham cardstock approx. 1" width x width of the card base and stick in place.

7. Assemble all the pieces as shown on the card and add some Stickles glitter glue to the centre of the flowers.

To view more dies and stamps from the new Poppystamps collection, click here.

Create & Take: Hello Bird

Happy New Year bloggers! We hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and New Year and are looking forward to a new year of new craft products, ideas and inspiration!

We are starting the New Year off with this adorable card featuring new dies from CUT-IES, a fantastic design to get you in the Spring feel of things.

So let's get started.....

Products Used:-

CUT-IES Spring Swirl Die Set

CUT-IES Spring Border, Bird & Flower Die Set

CUT-IES Spring Bird Die Set

CUT-IES Spring Flower Die Set

Marianne Banners XL Die Set

Marianne Alphabet Stamp set

Black Versafine Ink

Tumbled Glass Distress Ink Pad

Fossilized Amber Distress Ink Pad

Sponge Dauber

3D Foam Tape

Twinkle Goosebumps Light Blue

Black Pen

Bazzill Basics Lemonade Card stock

Bazzill Basics Starmist Card stock

Bazzill Basics French Vanilla Card stock

Bazzill Basics Green Card stock

Instructions:-

1. Cut a piece of Starmist card stock to measure 5" x 5".

2. Cut a piece of French Vanilla to measure 3.5" x 3.5" and edge with tumbled glass distress ink using a dauber.

3. Cut Spring Swirl and Spring Bird from Lemonade card stock and colour edges with Fossilized Amber ink.

4. Using the excess card as a template from the die cut bird, use a thin pen to add wing detail to the bird.

5. Die cut the large Spring Flower from Starmist card stock and the small Spring Flower from French Vanilla card stock.

6. Cut a piece of green card stock to measure 3.5" x 0.75" and die cut the grass border. Cut two long grass stems by hand.

7. Die cut a banner from French Vanilla card stock, score two lines at either end at 1.5" and 1.75" from each end.

8. Stamp HELLO onto banner using alphabet stamps and black ink, also stamp some hearts either side of the banner. For added detail, add some faux stitching around the edge using a black pen.

9. Assemble the card as shown above and finish by adding a goosebump gem to the center of the flower.

Remember Create & Take is on every Friday between 10am and 12pm, £3 per person including a tea/coffee.

Spring has Sprung

Hi bloggers, today we want to share with you Karen's beautiful cards from the Spring Demo Day. Karen was using some of the new Memory Box dies to create these wonderful Spring cards with sentiments for lots of different occasions. With beautiful muted greens and yellows, Karen has put together some wonderful compositions. Take a closer look below.....

Products that Karen used to make these cards are listed below:

Memory Box Contempo Birds

Memory Box Finnegan Fronds

Memory Box Forest Neighbours

Memory Box Branching Out

Taylored Expressions Burlap Embossing Folder

Authentique Durable Paper Collection

Penny Black So Lucky Stamp Set

Stay tuned on the blog this week to take a look at Charry's Spring Scrapbook page from our monthly Scrapbook Club.

Spring Demo Day

Hello bloggers! We hope you have all had a lovely Easter and didn't eat too much chocolate! We are just around the corner from our Spring Demo Day so we are in full swing preparations for the big day tomorrow and the line up looks great. If you haven't had a chance to check out what's going on and who's demoing, we have a full break down in this blog post today.

The demo day will be taking place at two venues, the Crafts U Love Shop at Westcoats Farm in Charlwood and also at the Charlwood Parish Hall.

Demonstrators at the Shop: All day 10am - 4pm

Sue Millard

Sue's demo has had a last minute change of plan due to a delay in the Bloom Impression tools coming into stock so Sue will now be demoing a mixed media/altered art technique using the Stampendous Creative Palette. Sue has made some fabulous backgrounds using acrylic paints, stencils and stamps that look fab on a card, scrapbook page or home decor project! And you can bet that each example has an element of vintage thrown in!

Suzie Candlin

Well known for her demonstrations at shows and on Create and Craft, Suzie will be dmeoing all there is to know about the new Cricut Explore machine. From the basics to the advanced Cricut enthusiast, I'm sure there will be something worth watching at this Cricut demo. The Cricut Explore is the latest machine from Cricut, an electronic die cutting machine that works with the Cricut Design Space free online software to help you make polished DIY projects!

Demonstrators at Charlwood Parish Hall: All day 10am - 4pm (45 minute workshops will also be held between these times).

Stamping Caz

Caz will be having some glitterific fun using the new Elizabeth Craft Design glitters with a range of die cuts and masking techniques to make your cards come to life.

10.30am - 11.15am Workshop with Caz

Try out the new Elizabeth Craft Design glitters for yourself by making a lovely little card with Caz, with some masking and die cutting techniques. Here's a little sneak peek below....

This workshop is only £5 - to book your space call us on 01293 863576 or click here.

Karen Maccoy

Karen will be demonstrating some of the wonderful new Memory Box dies with a Spring theme in mind, using a range of beautiful papers and inks to show you how easy it is to put together beautiful cards and tags.

12pm - 12.45pm - Workshop with Karen

See how easy it is to put together your own tag by giving it a go at Karen's workshop, where you will be using some of the new Memory Box dies to create a 3D spring tag. Here's a sneak peek below....

This workshop is only £5 - to book your space call us on 01293 863576 or click here.

Jo Wojcik

Jo will be demonstrating the amazing Sospeso Transparante decoupage range. Sospeso Transparante is a volume decoupage decorative technique that allows you to make volume decorative elements for your projects in several easy steps.

1.15pm - 2pm - Workshop with Jo

Come and decorate a mini notebook with Sospeso flowers that you will learn to cut and shape to end up with a pretty notebook that you won't want to give away. Here's a little sneak peek below.....

This workshop is now FULLY BOOKED.

Alex Kamann

Come and see Alex demo some of the new Woodware stamps, specifically with a male theme in mind to show us how easy it is to design cards for men. Alex will also be demoing the new MFT gift card grooves die which turns a great card into a wonderful gift, all you need to do is buy the gift card to put in it!

2.15pm - 3pm - Workshop with Alex

Come along and make a wonderful card for the men using the new Woodware stamps and Tim Holtz distress inks. Check out the sneak peek below....

This workshop is only £5 - to book your space call us on 01293 863576 or click here.

This demo day definitely has something for everybody from cardmaking and decoupage to glitters and die cutting techniques. Pick up a new skill or just have some fun! 

There will also be a Vintage Cafe at the hall and don't forget to enter our raffle to win some fabulous crafting goodies!

We hope to see you all there!