Alcohol Ink Techniques

A few pictures from Anne's alcohol inks techniques class last night. As always it was a very enjoyable evening with some stunning results.















Great, don't you think?

New class and workshop timetable

Our new class and workshop timetable is available to view here
A few of the projects which are on the timetable:

Celebration book





Tags of Texture this lovely little album is one of Dyan's projects from Heart from the Art.

We ran this workshop a few weeks ago at Craft Den in Sheffield on a week day and we have had a few request to run it again on a weekend. So if you are interested please email info@craftden.co.uk and when will arrange a Saturday or Sunday towards the end of July.






There are more workshops in the pipeline and as soon as the dates etc or finalised they will be added to the timetable.

Ava was here at the weekend and as usual they stayed for dinner. Ava is now trying solids, here she is enjoying her dinner cauli and brocolli cheese mmmmm yummy!!

Where does time go???

Just a short post tonight as I am busy working on new projects and timetable, which is very late!! sorry :-( there is just not enough hours in a day!! and I always plan to do soooo much!!

New items in stock in the shop and soon to be added to the web site:
Fiskars Scalloped Lace border punch also known as Threading Water punch which has the scalloped edge with the small holes and Weaver punch which is a slotted punch for threading ribbons through, great for card making and scrapbook pages.

Our delivery of Copic pens is due in on Monday.

We also have a few new offers starting next week, which are well worth a look some will be on the web but others will only be available in the shop.

That's all for tonight so see you all tomorrow, hopefully with the new timetable and some pictures.

Classes

We have another alcohol inks evening planned with Ann on Tuesday at Craft Den 7pm until 9pm
email info@craftden.co.uk if you would like more information or to book a place.

A few layouts from last nights scrapbooking class









Another page from last week Blonde Moments evening

Jo's double page layout.

Jo attends our all day crops. This week Jo is having a week off work and has been finishing off some craft projects. Today she has been scrapbooking and completed a double page layout of herself with her lovely little niece. The layout was one we did on our all day crop a couple of weeks ago.


Thanks Jo for sending your finished layouts for us all, I love seeing the finished pages. We all start off doing the same layout but they all end up so very different. Looking forward to see what you do on Thursday.

Jo, maybe you will find some time this week to start a blog!!

Last few days

On Thursday evening in our scrapbooking class we used Steak & Ale and Toad in the hole papers from Blonde Moments Suet Pudding range. We cut circles out scrunched, sanded and chalked them to make flowers with button centres. Here is Jo's page


Thanks for sending it to me Jo, you should join us and get yourself a little blog Jo :-)
Here is Kathryns finished page


I thought it might turn out to be an unusual day on Friday, as I woke to a pile of shoes!! Nearly all my shoes, trainers, slippers, sandals were in a pile at my side of the bed!! Later that day when I told MBH he said that Alfie our 20 month old Staffy cross, was busy collecting them and carry to the bedroom when he left that morning, so he thought he would leave him to it!! When I asked did he not wonder why he was doing it he replied he didn't know which shoes you were going to wear!! LOL that's men for you!! At least he didn't chew them!!

But it turned out to be a good day as with Marcels help we manged to track down the missing parcel of our Whiff of Joy stamps and they are being delivered to the shop on Tuesday, can't wait!! Thanks Marcel for all your help tracking them down.

On Saturday Ava came to visit, she gets more gorgeous every time I see her.
Don't you agree?? Isnt she cute?


Here she is with Daddy using the table as a drum, Granddad was sat at the other side of the table tapping it Ava watched for a few moments and then joined in!!


Today I finished off some wedding stationary. Tonight I had a nice meal with my hubby and a bottle of wine so all in all it has been a busy few day but I've enjoyed it! Hope you have all had a good weekend, see you tomorrow.

Last nights canvas class

Putting the gesso on the canvas turned out to be rather a messy job, for some more than others. lol
Although last nights class were a messy lot they were all very camera shy! So while the cleaning up was going on I managed to take this picture.


After all the cleaning up was done and the canvases had been put to one side to dry we set about making our tiles. The tiles we are using are a mixture of stampboard, greyboard and fragments. Alcohol ink was used to colour the stampboard and fragments followed by stamping. The greyboard tiles were painted with dabbers and then stamped these will then be triple embossed. We only have a two hour class on a Wednesday evening so the canvas is being made over two weeks. We do try and fit a lot into our craft evening and we certainly cover a lot of new techniques.

Tonight's class

Just a short post tonight and apologies as I have not taken any more photographs of the cards I made yesterday, but I will...

Tonight was the start of our new alcohol ink class. Ann has been helping me in the studio and she took this evenings class. Thank you Ann, it was a great evening and everyone enjoyed it.

Ann showed different techniques of using alcohol inks. First using glossy card then acetate and fragments which were then finished off with a bit of rubber stamping. Everyone picked there favourite piece and made it in to a card, and guess what? I forgot to take photos!! LOL So I now need to take piccys of Mondays cards and to nights.... I know I need the practice!! LOL

We have a few places left tomorrow night on week one of the canvas and there are just couple of places left on next weeks Tuesday evening alcohol inks class.

Click here for more details.
Sorry folks it won't let me put any links in!! :-( I will try again tomorrow.

What a great weekend!!

Had a great weekend. On Friday we had a delivery of Blonde Moments goodies, papers, stamps, pigment pearls, ultra thick embossing powders.....

On Saturday my lovely Grand Daughter Ava came to visit, she now makes lovely little noises when you talk to her as if she is answering you, she is sooo cute!!

Sunday was a bright sunny day so we spent some time in the garden with the dogs. Ike laid in the shade but Alfie wanted to play ball. It did matter how many times we threw the ball he just kept bringing it back!!

I even managed to fit a little bit of crafting in too!! I opened some of the Blonde Moments goodies and had a play with those!! The pearls are sooo yummy and the ultra thick is to die for!! I made a couple of cards and decorated a lunch tin. I did take some some picture earlier but they are not very good, worse than usual!! What is that saying you get better with practice? well I get worse!! lol I will have another go tomorrow and I will also take some of the layouts from Saturdays crop.

Canvas

Every Wednesday night is craft night at Craft Den each week we try out new crafts and techniques. Next week we are starting to make this lovely canvas. It is a two week class starting on Wednesday 6th May.

Tonights layout and thank you

Tonight's layout was red, black and cream, we cut out stamped flower images, shaped the petals and layered them added red liquid pearls and fine black glitter to create the centres. Using a glue pad we stamped black textured card stock and added fine black glitter and glamour dust for a bit of sparkle. The edges of the paper were torn inked and stitched together using red thread and cross stitch.


A big thank you to everyone who has sent cards for our 1st anniversary, yes we have received some more!! I have some of them to show you tonight. I think there might even be a slight improvement with the qaulity of the pictures too, only slight!! lol

Thank you to Sandra for this one, love the colours.


The next one is from Su & Mo and came with a chocolate cake!!! Which we shared at craft night, sorry no picture it all got eaten!! lol.
Thank you soooo much ladies you both are very kind.


This one is from Jane


Just look at that cake, it looks good enough to eat, doesn't it just make your mouth water? Thanks Jane it is lovely.



This one arrived in the post this morning from Julz, thanks I love it and thank you for all your help over the past year.


During my 1st year I have met so many lovely people and made lots of new crafting buddies!! Thank you to all of you for your support and for making it a very enjoyable year. We have had lots of laughs along the way and I hope we have many more. Our craft nights have been educational in many ways too say the least!!! lol

Craft Night

More on this later..........

Todays cards

For todays card, yes I have made another card!! lol I have got the card making bug now, there is no doubt about it!! lol I have used Daisy Bucket papers 'Ella' from the In the Meadow collection. Ella is a lovely brown and white floral design and I have also used my favourite dotted swiss cardstock from Bazzill to layer my image on and a few flowers and brads from my stash.


I only got to take one photograph from this mornings card class :-( This one was made by Joyce. A shop window using the Helping Hands twin windows template.


Tomorrows workshop is a tag album using Connemara from the Laura Ashley range and in the evening we are making pendants with stampboard, alcohol inks and clear UTEE.

Lots of cards to show tonight!!

Thank you to everybody who has sent kind messages and best wishes for our 1st anniversary and thank you to Janet for this great card and apologies for making it look very grey and dark, my photography skills have not improved even with a new camera!! lol Lots more practice required!


I have got back into my card making again after a long spell of not making any I have made lots and thought I would share them with you all. The first one I have made using Giggle stripe from Sandylion with some of my favourite dotted swiss card and some lovely Bo Bunny flowers with Dove Craft brad centres.


These papers are from the Daisy Bucket Nantucket range I have used my favorite retro punch for the flower.


Daisy Bucket Little Black Dress paper collection


I have also been colouring some downloads from Cute Daisy May these are two of my favorites I think she is a real cutie. I have used more papers from the Daisy Bucket Nantucket range.
I have not put a greeting on this one as it is going in my card box for when I need a card in a hurry, which is very often with me!! lol


Chanelle has made the next couple of cards. The first one is the going places stamp, which is ideal for a congtas on passing your driving test card.


I just love the colours in these Daisy Bucket Posh Posie papers, so yummy!! lol



Don't forget Net is our guest tutor in the studio tomorrow.

One Today!!

Where has the time gone?? Craft Den is one year old already!! It is one year today since our first craft taster session when the studio was born!! The shop came a few months later, perhaps there will be more celebrations later in the year to mark the opening of the shop!! well you can never have to many celebrations, can you?

This week we have Annette visiting the studio on Tuesday. In the morning making cards using the Helping Hands twin window template and in the afternoon a workshop using the Dolls House CD.

On Wednesday we have an all day workshop with Ann making a gorgeous tag book. Wednesday evening is our weekely craft evening and this week we are making pendants with mountboard and Thursday evening is our scrapbooking night.

Please see our web site to view the rest of the timetable, we have lots more great classes and workshops in the pipe line. If you would like to receive our timetable every month it is available both by email and snail mail or you can pick up a copy in the studio.

Celebration Bear

Today is the start of our birthday week, and what better way to kick of the celebrations than with Bev making a Fimo Celebration Bear.

1st Birthday celebrations

Craft Den is fast approaching it 1st birthday!! It will be one year next week since the very first taster sessions before the craft classes and workshops started.
To celebrate we are having a birthday week with lots of different classes and workshops planned and some visiting guest tutors and demonstrators. 'Fimo' Bev will be visiting the studio on Saturday 25th April 1pm -3pm making a 'Celebration Bear' character which would also be suitable for a cake decoration. There are still some place left on this class, if you would like to book on please email info@craftden.co.uk.

There will also be some in store offers starting on Saturday 25th April and running through out the week or while stocks last!! So pop in and grab yourself a bargain!:-)
There might even be some blog candy up for grabs!!!

The rest of the weeks timetable can be viewed here.

Lots to tell & share!!

After I last blogged saying my Internet connection was fixed, which was absolutely days ago, it went down again!!! So after not having been able to post for several days I have lots to tell you.

I will start with today and tell you about my visitors, Maddy, Rachel and Calvin at the Craft Den and guess who was with them? Yes, Calvin mouse Crafter and Superstar and his friend Rotty Rat.
Although I am not too sure if that friendship is wearing abit thin!!
Calvin mouse has been to the shop once before and he was quiet well behaved, apart from eating toooo many chocolate doughnuts and making himself ill, oh and going missing when it was time to go home... Anyway today Rotty rat got himself into a bit of a mess and Calvin mouse was just loving that!
We were all sat chatting away over a cup of coffee when we heard this little voice calling "Maddy come and look what Rotty's doing, he's going to be in big trouble now"
Maddy went over to where the voice was coming from to find Calvin mouse and Rotty in the ribbons. According to Calvin mouse Rotty had been playing in the ribbons and got himself all knotted up!! Maddy wasn't very pleased at all!! and Calvin mouse was just loving Rotty getting in trouble!! LOL

I am sure Maddy would have something to say to them when she got home!! LOL
On Saturday Ava came to visit she is 14 weeks old today, hasn't that gone fast? Although I see her every week she changes every time I see her.


Chanelle, Net and Julie also called in on Saturday so Ava got lots of cuddles!! lol
Sorry Ann and Linnie you both called too early and missed out on the cuddles!! lol
Here one of Ava opening an Easter pressies last week.


A couple of quick cards I made last week. The first one is using the new clear cowboy stamp set from Woodware, which made a real change for me instead of sport or DIY which is what I would usually use to make a mans card. I like the little cactus stamp in this set! lol


For my second card I used a Sugar Nellie stamp, Luca playing football and the papers are from Daisy Bucket Broadwalk range which I use alot for male cards.


So hopefully I will be able to blog again sooooon, fingers crossed!! lol

Back up and running!!

Internet problems sorted at last!! I can now get on with putting the rest of the new stock on the website and I can also go blog hoping again too! It has been so frustrating, sitting inputting stock and then it either would not save or it would not upload.

I have spent the last few days crafting!! I have really enjoyed myself. Ever since I started my new venture which is getting close to a year ago, I have had less time to craft!! I was starting to get bogged down with all sorts of boring stuff!! LOL

I will post pictures later of all the stuff that has been keeping me busy, the camera battery is just on charge!!

Lots of yummy new stock now in!!

I have spent the last three hours putting all the new stock that has arrived today onto the website and now it won't upload!!

So just a quick post to give you an idea of what has arrived.

The new Spellbinder dies including: Nestabilities, Impressabilities, Borders and Frames.

Grunge paper, D rings and mini masks from Ranger.

K & Co Madeline collection: 12 x 12 papers, pads and albums. We also in have 8x8 albums and boxes of lovely chipboard butterflies.

Tattered Angels albums and the masks and glimmer sprays are now back in stock.

The new Craft Stamper magazine has also arrived.

If you are wanting to place an order while the website is acting up we do accept orders by phone.

Scrapbooking Weekend

Once a month we have a scrapbooking weekend at Craft Den. I design 3 layouts and choose the papers and then it is up to the individual to add photos and adapt the layout to suit if desired.The 1st page was using papers from the Bo Bunny's My Darling collection with a couple skeleton leaves, brads, buttons, gems and a few inches of lace to finish it off.
This is Jo's interpretation of my layout. Jo used 3 pictures of her lovely little niece on the swing and used the pink side of the paper and below Chanelle has used the brown spotted paper and used one black and white photo of her Nan. Two great pages and two very different looks.

Chanelles page
If you hop over to AngelWhipers blog you can see the rest of Chanelles pages.

I was slightly puzzled when Norma pulled her Granddaughter's 1st pair of shoes out of the bag!! Jo took a picture of them and I printed it off and they matched the colours perfectly!! the finished layout will be posted on Wednesday.


More pictures later.

No more drillling and hammering!!

If you you have called passed the shop over the last few days you will be pleased to know that you can now shop in peace and not have to put your fngers in your ears while browsing!!! LOL

At last we have nearly finished putting everything back. On Saturday we packed stock up ready for the slat wall to be fitted and it seems to have taken ages to get it all unpacked!! I have spent hours dusting, yes, me dusting!! unpacking, displaying items then moving them and then moving them again!! The shop is looking good now so it was worth all the hardwork, although it is still not finished. Here are a few pics of how things are looking now with new slat wall and display stands.


The new Copics display stand, which I can never keep stocked up!!! I wonder why? LOL
Is that a packet of pampers I see peeping from behind the Copics stand? lol Yes, little Ava still popped in with Mum and Dad during all the work, and managed to sleep through, nothing disturbs her when she is ready for a nap!


The wall of paper, more dynamic displays yet to come!! and more paper still to arrive which we ordered at the trade show.


Lots of new stock arriving daily, which we have not had time to put on the website yet. Where does time go? So if you can't find what you are looking for on the site, give us a shout or even better pop in for a browse. We are open Mon - Fri - 10am - 4pm and during classes and workshops.