Welcome!

A huge big welcome to today's Demonstrator Sign ups - Marva in Bedford, Diana in Weymouth, Camille in Northampton and Johanna in Bridgend. I am really looking forward to meeting you all and doing your training. I have also got a card to share with you as I managed to sneak in a quick make in yesterday and a Christmas card no less! But unfortunately I just have not had time to take the picture! So today I was training and tonight I have a party to take in Braybrook, then a bright and early start as I am training in Weston-Super-Mare tomorrow. Right back to getting organised for tonight!

New Demonstrators!

Wow does it feel as though it is all go here at PartiCraft!

Welcome to Rebecca and Carine who signed up to be demonstrators today. It is so great to speak to so many of you and I cannot wait for your training sessions, my day has consisted of more talking than creating but I have some amazing ideas that will be shared with you all soon! I will also be demonstrating at a Party myself on Wednesday evening so I am really looking forward to that too.
Tomorrow I have my Craft Group in the morning and then I am still teaching an Intermediate Card making class in the evening. Wednesday during the day I have another training session and one on Thursday so I shall let you all know how it goes and just so you are not left out on the piccies I know Lynsay was none too happy with the last picture and we did not mention our Tea Boy Terry when I did the training in Surrey, yes Lynsay's Dad came along and was promoted to Tea Boy and he did a fantastic job in fact so good I am emailing him with all the dates of future training sessions! LOL

Updated!

I know, I know beginning to get slack already! But in my feeble attempt to give you an excuse I have actually been really busy, yesterday I was training again and today has been a major catch up on paperwork etc... etc... I have also spoken to some great people once again and yes that is what makes me love my job! So we have another three new sign-ups so welcome to Alison, Victoria and John as well as Sarah. Rebecca is another lady I Spoke to today and she was just lovely, again I am amazed at how conversations can touch you and leave you in wonder!

Next week is a busy one again I have two training days booked on Wednesday and Thursday and some major creating to do for Make It!

Training

Ok so the start was not quite as planned with the torrential rain and the traffic problems on the M25 but once we were all together it was fab and guess what..... eclairs! Oh bless Michelle for reading my blog the night before and blessing us with that little pressy - yes big smiles all round!
So with training well underway, new techniques being taught and general chat about Particraft we really got into the flow
And then Lyndsay brought out her fab coloured staples!! Ohhhh I love them and bless her she gave me some!I cannot wait to use them! Also Lyndsay is going to make some Anti-static bags - I cannot wait to see them and shall post pics of them as soon as I get them.

So thank you ladies for a fab day x

Variations

Well I liked the card I did last night so much that I taught it during my craft group today, it was fab as it meant I could cover a couple of techniques too - so I thought I would share a couple of the variations I did today
This one is a colour and slight style variation and the one below was a colour and different embellishment variation

This afternoon I have been preparing for my training session tomorrow which is taking place in Surrey, I cannot wait! I also have another training day on Thursday so it is definately all go in the PartiCraft Camp, Sheena had a training session today and she informed me she got cakes! Well I would like to state here and now if any of my Demonstrators would like to make cakes you will certainly get loads of smiles, hugs and of course mentions on my blog too! And if anyone is so inclined toffee beats cake hands down!

By all accounts her training day was a great success and she even brought back a couple of cards that Lynn had made so pop on over to her blog to take a look

Midnight Crafting

Midnight crafting? Ok well not completely but nearly - I have been creating in a different way today and it has all been computer work and it is top secret so shhhh...... (will tell you all when I can!) so I thought I would sneak in a quick card before I get to snuggle into my bed so here it isI love orange and black - it is such a striking colour combination and the slight accent of the cream really makes the detail stand out - this is a very different style of card for me but I like to push myself in other directions sometimes just to keep that creative flow going! Also I think sometimes it is great to create quick cards you know the start to finish in 10 mins kinda of card and that is all this one took - the clearing up mind, well that took a little longer!

Products used:
Black linen 12 x 12 Cardstock
Thank you unmounted rubber stamp set
2 x Cream A6 Card Blanks
My own Circle punch
Spiced Marmalade Distress Ink (love this ink pad!)
Black Archival Ink pad
Black journaling Pen

I stamped the images and made the ornage paper ribbon form the second g=cream card blank

Another New Demonstrator

A big welcome to Paula who has just become a New Demonstrator - Paula came to our workshop at Ally Pally and we are pleased to Welcome her to the team

Paper Name Plaque

Ok I know the picture is not very good and it really does not do the project justice but that is what you get when you take a picture at close to 11.00pm!
Products used:
Sophie Double Sided Paper
Bears Wizard Die
Forever yours Unmounted Stamp Set
CS White Embossing Powder
Perfect Medium
Vintage Photo Distress Ink
Lotsa Letters
I will try and get a better photo of this - but I wanted to do a Home Decor project and yes there is more coming soon

The show

The show was amazing! Loved meeting so many of you, chatting, laughing - crying..... oh yes The greatest family made me cry! In that chocked kind of heart wrenching way from sharing a story so touching and so personal that you marvel at the way some one you have just met can touch in you in such a profound way, but more about them in a mo..... We loved the whole experience, the setting up

The Chatting...

The workshops....

and then let's not forget the wonderful people including what has now been decided as the Greatest Family ever, I cannot even begin to explain how adorable they were and the great news is that Lyndsay also signed up as a new Demonstrator too!

I would also like to say Hi to Deborah who popped along to say she is an avid reader of the blog! Wow so many great people and so many people that we will be contacting back about becoming a Demonstrator as well as those of you who requested to host a party, but for now...... I am going to bed!!!!

Check..... Check.... Check.......

Samples... Check, Sample Boards... Check, Inks, radiant rain, Cosmic Shimmer, Acrylic Block, Stamps, Scrapbook Papers, Wow I think I must have written list upon list of all the items I needed to take with me to Ally Pally - above is a pic of a fraction of items - oh yes - once I go on over to HQ to pick up Lois and all the forms, catalogues etc... my Galaxy will be full to the brim. I am getting so excited, I am really looking forward to meeting many of you and it is so nice that a lot of you have called to say you are coming over and some have also booked on the workshop so I shall look forward to seeing you there too. I will of course be taking my camera so many of you will be snapped on our stand! We are hoping to add the pics to a gallery on the site. Right well I had better finish getting organised!

Get well Sheena

My partner in crime is poorly :( In fact so poorly that she might not make it too Ally Pally :( :(

I know Sheena is gutted and not only suffering but also feeling worse that she may miss out on an event that she has prepared for and looked forward to immensely. So pop on over to Sheena's blog and wish her well. Sheena I send you loads of get well wishes as well as big hugs x

Gift Bags

I am loving these bags and the best news about them is they are going to be available for you to peruse on the PartiCraft website as a video tutorial - they are so cute and the perfect gift bag or indeed just as a gift in their own right! I adore them and will be making a couple at Ally Pally so make sure you stop on by to come and take a gander. And on mentioning Ally Pally I spent a rare few hours at HQ with Lois, packing all the demonstrators manuals and paperwork into our swanky new Carrier bags - even Kiesha came to help as it is half term so it was definately all hands on deck!

Mini Book

Well you know me - I LOVE making mini books especially when they are then turned into Mini albums - so here is my latest project

This little mini album is all about the shows we saw at Zoo Marine in Albufiera in Portugal in Aug 2006
It seemed to suit this occasion perfectly and gave me the chance to reminisce on our last holiday

(SIGH) oh happy days

Creatin!

Oh lucky me - I actually got time to make a couple of projects today so I made a card and a LO and loved every minute of it! These projects will be available as project sheets for our demonstrators along with a host of other crafting projects.

Heart Card

Sometimes colours just fall together perfectly; as if they were just waiting for you, well that is exactly how this card came together
I used:
Fancy Pants Dessert Paper
Ivory Card stock
Cranberry Adirondack Ink Pad
Shabby Shutters Distress Ink Pad
Key Lime Ribbon Pack

Forever Yours Unmounted Rubber Stamp Set

The Cranberry and Shabby shutters inks went perfectly with the stamps, papers and the Key Lime Ribbon - and after the card was done Cranberry Adirondack ran away with Shabber Shutters and got united , let's hope they do not live to regret that decision for I am sure future ink unisons will prove to be just as good if not better.........

Designer/Organiser Tip

Here is a designer tip for you or just as a more organised approach to your crafting - it is difficult to be able to have all of your papers on show; so make up a swatch book, especially with the your most popular plain card stock, I have made a 4"x4" swatch book of the plain card stock and then cut a 12"x12" sheet in half for the Fancy Pants range, when I bound the patterned papers together I have the front first and then the back behind. This is because when I am designing I do not want to have to keep flipping the pad to see if my colours will match.

I will be taking these swatch books to Ally Pally so you are more than welcome to come and have a flip through to see all the amazing papers we have and feel the quality for yourself!

Don't forget if you haven't booked on our Workshop yet then you will need to be quick click here to book your place for the Saturday and click here to book your place for the Sunday