Monday 28 January 2008

February's club (21st) kit

A special 'hello' to all my blog readers, especially my 'Southborough Scrappers' class members!
I have made up the kits all ready for the third Thursday's class (21st) and there is a piccie of the papers posted here. The papers are the Fancy Pants new line 'Crush' - all double-sided & lush. The cardstock is Bazill's new 'Stitch'z' range where, as you can see in the photo, holes are made for you to sew, embroider, put brads through, eyelets, the uses are endless. I have purchased a couple of the other designs (the kits contain the hearts design) and I'll, hopefully, do a couple of layouts as a demo & post them on here -- watch this space! I'm aiming to be a bit more adventurous with kits & techniques as all my members are experienced enough to cope, however, I'm not going to make them out of reach for a newbie.
Newbies are more than welcome to come & join us. Warning ----- we are a made lot!!!
I have an informal 'class' on the first Thursday - the 7th February - where members & guests are welcome to come along and scrap together, drink as much tea / coffee / fruit tea / soft drinks (sorry, no Gin!) as you want, eat sweeties and have a laugh. The emphasis on my classes is the word 'Fun'. Although, as I said, the first Thursday evening is informal bring your own, as I was too poorly to run the January technique class I shall be demonstrating it then. I shall be demonstrating hand-cutting titles. Some of us can't afford the expensive cutting systems & hand-cutting is just as useful in my eyes. There will be script, block & fancy examples. Bring along your [sharp] knives & a tile / glass tile (I use the glas form old photo frames) & learn this useful technique!!
I look forward to seeing you all!
GillXXX

Saturday 19 January 2008

Saturday 19th January

I'm so sorry to all my class members for my having to cancel at the last minute. I just could not have led a class the way I was feeling. I still don't feel 100% but, hey, what's new (as my dear husband says, bless him!). So I'll be running two classes next month - one on the first Thursday (7th) and the third Thursday (21st) of February. On the first Thursday it will still be an open crop - bring along any work you want to start or finish (I have so many unfinished layouts), but I shall be teaching the technique of hand-cutting titles, which should have been this month's technique. The February technique (shown on the 21st) will be sewing on your layouts. I have ordered some really yummy papers and the cardstock is the new Bazill 'Stitch'z & I've chosen the colour to match in with the theme of love. So, ladies, get some lovin' goin' on!!!! The colours match up with that special present we ladies can't get enough of........ chocolate!! As well as some really gorgeous papers from 'Fancy Pants', there will be some extra suprises in the kit. I think this will be my turning point and the take-off of 'Southborough Scrappers'. Let us all pray that it will be a success & we continue to have fun & laughter (oh, as well as scrapping of course!).
Bless you all for standing by me as I struggle with this illness that no-one understands but I have to endure day to day. My club night and planning the kits gives me a function in life, and I love to have you all here. I spend 99.9% of my time alone because I'm almost totally housebound, having to rely on my taxi-driver husband (he's actually a self-employed Electrician) to transport me to appointments at the Dr's & my counselling. Poor man, he works so hard and he's also my carer. He doesn't deserve it, especially when I had my 'black-out' days & I was wetting. God bless him, even if he is sharp at me sometimes & can say some hurtful things but I put that down to frustration & tiredness. I can't even stand & watch for a pan of spuds to come to the boil without having this excruciating total body pain. I'm also suffering with the Spondylitis - especially in my neck & I get toothache with it (:0 ). I'm trying to get a layout done but I've just had a text from my daughter to say she's on her way.............

Goodbye & God bless all of you who read my blog (it would be good if you could introduce yourselves) and I wish you all happy & healthy days.

Monday 7 January 2008

Happy New Year all!!

First of all I'd like to wish all the readers of my blog a very happy, healthy & prosperous 2008. Secondly, my aim for this year is to try to keep my blog more up to date than I have done in 2007. Obviously how often I post is controlled by my condition but I will endeavour to do my best.



I'm going to use my blog to communicate to all my 'Southborough Scrappers' club members so that I can show the papers & my example for that particular month. The club nites are the first Thursday of each month - this is a purely social crop where members & guests can bring their own layouts to do / finish & enjoy some company, refreshments & jelly beans (this will just be £1.50 to cover expenses etc) -- on the third Thursday we will be learning a technique & I will be making up kits for members to practise the technique, very much as before. I will be keeping the cost for this class as before (£7.50 -- which covers kit, my teaching, refreshments [as much as you want provided by my dear husband] &, of course, jelly beans!) The fun & laughter come free!!
I'm open for new members. I live near Tunbridge Wells, Kent. If you are interested or just want to see what it's all about, then contact me through this blog.

I have a huge box of un-used kits. If you wish to dip in on the first Thursday crop, you're welcome.

Right. I have been trolling through on-line scrapbooking suppliers (I cannot go out of the house so I do most, all, of my shopping on-line) & I have found some lushious papers by Bo-Bunny. It's their 'Romance' line. The kit will include 3 papers (shown right), cardstock to co-ordinate (2), brads & ribbon from the same range. I think this kit is gorgeous & I'll be doing my example asap so watch this space! The technique I'll be teaching this month is hand-cutting titles. You'll need to bring a sharp knife (or one that you snap the end off) as a blunt knife will drag the paper/card, and a tile or a glass tile (I use the glass from old frames or those clip-on ones that you can get in pound shops) - this helps the paper & knife to work together. I will have some available for use if you don't have one. I'll be printing off various titles in different fonts for you to practise on; script style, blocks & themes (eg Harry Potter). It is easier than it looks -- I promise!!!!!
Please let me know if you don't want a kit. Thanks!

Next month (February) the technique will be hand-sewing on layouts, using different embroidery stitches. For anyone who's totally phobic of hand-sewing I'll put my sewing machine out!!! Hand-sewing is one of my favourite techniques, I use it a lot on my layouts. Watch this space. I haven't decided on papers yet -- any suggestions welcome! Remember -- it's your club, I'm just a facilitator! If you have a suggestion for class techniques ----- speak up!


I'm very excited about this huge move to independance & I'm praying that it all works out and that I get support from you all, I can't do it alone.
God bless you all. You've been so supportive during my difficult times and I'm so thankful to you all for being alongside me - I couldn't do without you!!