hihihi some people really have too much time on their hands!

Makes for a cheap wedding dress though.

Wow, that's pretty cool. If I tried that the paper would break.

Well, I wonder if they do something to it to strengthen it, Lioness?

that would be a bit better, I still wouldn't trust it not to rip either in the process of making it or at the actual ceremony. That last one could be a bit akward.

I bet it isn't homebrand stuff they use!! It's have to be tripple ply and a brand with a cute puppy on it to stand up to the work!

Can someone tell me why on earth a large store which has a huge toy department and a large craft section would organise a day's craft workshop/demonstrations on 8th December?

Such events ought to be early autumn when people have money to spend and the prospect of the winter to come, and it is not fit weather for the beach.

Most people have far better things to spend money on at this time of year and are rushed off their feet with shopping for presents.

Not that I am complaining, far from it. An expert was flown in and the workshop/demonstrations were from 10.30am to 6pm with a short break for lunch. Two of us, the other being a woman of similar age to myself, plus for a short time a couple of other ladies (this morning) had the expert to ourselves.

This morning she was demonstrating techniques for which I already have the paints, but was waiting for some nozzles which she brought with her. I learned a great deal and will be playing later.

Then this afternoon she taught us silk painting, oh la! As it was just the two of us women we were able to ask lots of questions and to have a go at it ourselves. Later she showed us other fabric painting.

She gave us some patterns to get us started and some silk panels ready to work. She also gave us some samples of cards and other things she had demonstrated.

I went with the intention of just buying a few essentials, like the nozzles, but ended up buying all the stuff to enable me to do silk painting cards and the fabric painting.

I have finished making my Christmas cards, all seventy four of them, so now I can play with a clear conscience.

I wonder what it would have cost if we had had to pay for a seven hour course with just two people to the instructor - quite a lot I think.

wow, good fortune for you! I haven't been to many craft days but I do prefer the smaller ones but have to feel sorry for the shop owner who must prefer the place to be heaving.

The silk painting sounds interesting .. look forward to seeing what you do with that.

Sounds like you've had a very good time in there. And a fine cuddle too .

Quote:

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I went with the intention of just buying a few essentials, like the nozzles, but ended up buying all the stuff to enable me to do silk painting cards and the fabric painting.

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Bad girl! I told you to be careful and not empty all the Jersey shops .

Can't wait to see your silk paintings, I bet they are going to be stunning too, like every other craft things you've did in your favourite techniques.

This is the cuddle to which Mada refers. TW told me off for putting a photo NOT taken by me in the Photo-a-Day thread, even if it was only a link, so I had to remove it. Bad me!

I asked Santa if I could give it a tug and the naughty man said "Yes, but don't pull my beard!". Naughty! It was a real beard and mustache.

Lucky Sue (for the personalised craft lesson and getting to cuddle Father Christmas/Santa Claus too!).

We have a friend who works as a Santa every year and he has his own authentic beard and moustache. It really freaks the children when they pull his beard and find out it's real. You can see from the looks on their faces that they are wondering if perhaps this time, it really is Santa!

I have just won another $76 US worth of craft supplies! Same site as before, I feel quite guilty.

Congratulations !

No need to feel guilty at all, you are one talented and lucky lady. Happy shopping!

Ooh, that's great, Sue!

Nice one, Sue! It can be an expenisve hobby so take the goodies when you can .. guilt free!!

Just bringing this one which is for general craft chat...

Congratulations to Santana2002 for winning $50 US on the craft site which some of us belong to.

Way to go! Now all three of us have won on there.

Joanna Sheen has some nice stuff, she won't post heavier things but the lighter stuff she doesn't charge P&P - she says which items can't ship overseas.

Thanks, Sue, and sorry for (once again) posting in the wrong thread. I had fogotten about the 'general' craft thread

Okay ya'll, I've a question for you. Your photos of cards is starting to get under my skin. Like maybe I need to try a hand at it. More specifically Sue, those cards you use to make with a burnishing tool. (?) They are gorgeous. My friend looks at me askance (yes, *askance*) and wonders - rightfully so - "when are you going to have time to do that!" No problemo - I'll just fit it in between quilting, laundry, work, quilting, ironing, quilting, etc. You get the idea. But I think I'd really like to try.

June

Do you mean my parchment cards? When I use coloured pencils on them I use a wax pencil to burnish and blend the colours. Sometimes I just do white on white.

For the cards I use several techniques, there is the 'embossing', and then there is the 'gridwork'. The former produces the white designs, the later produces the lace effect. I start with a piece of 'parchment' paper, this is translucent and normally white although you can get colours. Then I trace a design, unless it is gridwork, then working with various special tools I emboss or shade. I use different tools and pressure to achieve different shades of white.

The gridwork involves pricking the paper then cutting out, very time consuming.

The longest I have spent making a card is about three days, I often spend a couple of days.

Send me a PM with your postal details and I will send you a card, it might not be yet as I am about to go away for a few days. Let me know if you want one with colours, whitework or 'lace' - or I suppose a mixture!

I mentioned it in the photo thread but know I should have said it here but today, Saturday the fourth is world card making day I've already made some this morning. If I find a design I like I usually make four of them. Actually don't ahve many original ideas I usually pinch them off others.

World card making day? Isn't every day a card making day?

I will need to investigate then get busy.

How did your mum's shopping trip in the US go? Did you get lots of craft goodies?

sigh - I'm sure her shopping trip went well - it just didn't include much for me! I dont' think she really understands how hard it is to get some of the stuff here and how much more expensive it can be :shock:

Poor Jillian, did you get your watercolour pencils?

Nah, got nothing like that. Bought some myself from a stamping company. I'd never used them before but really like the effect of them and I coudln't paint normally to save my life so it's a good way to get the wishywashy effect of them.

You see some such amazing things that people do with crafts and have to wonder how much time they have on their hands or that they got more of one of the creative gene

I was going to suggest to you, Sue, to look into Stampin Up! cause I know they started in the UK last year but it doesn't seem that they service Jersey though. Doesn't seem fair really - are you considered UK only when it's convienient?

Some of the companies accept me as UK but not all. They get upset when they normally use a courier delivery service instead of post. Our sales taxes are different too, strictly speaking they ought to not charge me VAT when sending goods but unless it is a significant amount I don't normally argue. I just bought loads of metallic card and 500 envelopes (bargain price) and got a message from the supplier saying the £3.50 P&P would now be £11 as they couldn't use the courier but as a bonus they removed the sales tax. Imported goods don't attract the local tax unless they are worth more than £300 as it costs too much to collect the tax.

I don't know if you have looked at Joanna Sheen, she sends worldwide postage free, but not for paper and card as that is too heavy. Rubber stamps would be P&P free to Australia.

I came across this crafting site for children for Thanksgiving and the stuff does not seem too gross.
http://holidays.kaboose.com/thanksgiving/

Well ladies, I was in the UK last week to attend a funeral and since the airfare is an arm and a leg when you book close to the date of travel, like next day, I decided to spend a week there. I arranged to meet a woman from a craft forum site that I use and we hit two craft shops.

I spent too much in the first shop, I bought a couple of sheets of stamps which ate a chuck of plastic, then a few new Cuttlebug folders ate some more.

When we went to the second shop I was very restrained, just bought a few sheets of peeloffs and some cheap metallic card, it was about 5p per sheet for silver mirriboard and silver matt metallic board. Then on the way out we spotted some paper trimmers with changeable cutters. The woman demonstrated it to us and we both resisted temptation.

A couple of days later I was looking on the internet and Googled the trimmer and found one so ordered it, I couldn't resist it. Oooer, it is lovely, about eight different cuts.

Don't tell me you're having purple cows now?

Oh such fun, new stash. Your paper trimmer sounds interesting ... (can you pm me a link so I can be curious and see what it does?)