Recipe Newsletter Issue Twoooo..sneak peek

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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 :)