Happy New Year!

Best wishes to you all for 2012.

Happy Crafting!!

Pre-stock take 3 day SALE starts TODAY111

Come and help us with the STOCK TAKE!!

20% OFF OF ALL STOCK

40% OFF OF ALL CHRISTMAS STOCK

Help make the girls life easier......stop them having to count too much!!

Also - Today (Thursday), join 11 'til 3 for an open Craft Get Away

(as in 'get away from the kids, the hubby, the washing, the vaccum etc)

See you there.

Lynn xx

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Hi Everybody

This really, truely is the very last newsletter for 2011!! And I promise I am not going to drool on for too long.

I just wanted to wish you all one final Merry Christmas. I also wanted to congratulate Kath Clouston for winning the little competition that I set in the last newsletter. Kath has won a voucher for workshop, well done!!

Just to let you know that I typed Christmas 10 times!!!

The shop is now shut and I am sitting with my feet up. I currently have a cup of tea in my hand, but I will probably be having something a little bit stronger once I have finished typing this (that will guarantee that I won't talk for too long!!).

We will be re-opening on Thursday morning (29th December) 10 'til 3pm. Thursday will be the first day of our pre-stocktake sale. We will be having 20% off of all purchases across both shops with 40% off of Christmas stock.

Also, on Thursday we will be having an Get Away Craft Day. If you fancy a break from the housework, the kids and the hubby - if you want to give them a chance to watch the tv and play their computer games, why don't you come and join us. Knit and natter, scrap and chat, daub and dawdle, bead and banter, make and mutter. If you got any craft goodies for Christmas and want help or would just like to sit and play, come and join us. 11am 'til 3pm. Pop in for 10mins or stay all day.

Now, I did not manage to get the new website live - anybody know how to get someone in Thus/Demon to understand human speech?!?!? But, thanks to Joanna, we have got the new workshop brochure completed. If you would like a copy, please email me at lynn@flutterbycrafts.co.uk and I will send it to you.

Well that is it. Have a great Christmas and a Happy New Year. We will see you next week for the sale and the Get Away Craft Day.

With love from

Lynn and the Girls. xx

PS: here are our opening times over the Christmas period:

24th December - 10am 'til 12.30

25th December til 28th December - Closed

29th December - 10.30am 'til 3pm

30th December - 10.30am 'til 3pm

31st December - 10am 'til 12.30

1st January - 4th January - Closed for Stock Take

Re-open 5th Janaury times as normal

Have a great holiday. xx

Die Cut Christmas Tree Card

Here is a die cut card above designed by Nicky Hayden

These die cut cards are available in the shop. 

When the card is shut it is 5.5" x 5.5" and comes in plain white textured card ready for you to decorate with your favourite Christmas papers.

Nicky has used an assortment of papers coordinated with a few embellishments. 

This is what the card looks like open!

Nicky has used some rhinestones with ribbon, and beads from the bead shop which can be used as embellishments for your cards too!

Templates by Colour My World

Nicky used some templates recently by Colour My World to make this adorable card below.

Here, she has used some Snow Writer to create dimensional snow effect which has been sprinkled with glitter on the roof.

Nicky has handwritten the sentiment cut out from 

We  R Memory Keepers - Holly Jolly double sided paper.

There are a range of templates in the shop and for this gorgeous House Card she has used the Georgie Porgie template.  This particular kit contains 6 fabulous templates, ideas sheet and come stored in a handbag, which you can use as a box/envelope template.

The template bags make perfect Christmas gifts to a fellow crafty friend or relative!

Using up leftovers!

Using up leftovers! 

No, I am not talking turkey but crafty bits and bobs.

Nicky Hayden set a challenge recently to make up some cards using leftovers and 

papers from her crafty stash!

Here is one of the cards that she designed.....

She used papers from We R Memory Keepers - Holly Jolly 12 x 12 double sided paper found here on-line.

The Holly punch for the wreath is from Woodware and the Deer is a paper motif  

from a one of the Kars Paper Pads in the shop.

Beads from the Bead shop have been used to embellish the card with a dab of  

Jo Sonja's Opal Dust on the Holly Wreath.

Newsletter - December 2011

Merry Christmas

and a

Happy New Year!!

Hi Everybody Only 1 week to go until my favourite day! Now, I can hear you thinking 'what is that woman on?  It is more than 1 week til Christmas'.  I am not mad (well, not too mad!). My favourite day in the whole year is the 21st December!!  That is the shortest day of the year (follow my thoughts, now) and the 22nd December is the first day in which the evening start to get lighter.  Brilliant. But, that does also mean that Christmas is just around the corner.  The girls and I are looking forward to a little break.  Catching up with the family and (hopefully) doing a little bit of crafting for ourselves.  So this (probably) will be the last full newsletter before the New Year.  This is an important newsletter that you must hang on to, because it will have the details of our opening times over Christmas/New Year (down the bottom of the page) AND it contains a little pressie for you for the New Year. Those of you that have already looked at the bottom of the page, will see that I am opening for a little while between the holiday weekends.  On those days I will be putting some of the stock on special offer.  There will be various bits discounted up to 40% off!!  So make sure you pop in and see what is happening. In the last newsletter I wrote 'On the Thursday, between Christmas and New Year, would any of you fancy a quick get-away?' - if you cannot remember, this link will lead you to a copy of the letter: http://networkedblogs.com/qWfKX  Now, I am still happy to organise this if anybody is interested, but I will need to have some idea if people will turn up - it would not be fair for me to ask the girls to come in if no one is going to come.  So, please, do let me know if you are interested. Remember that, as usual, we will be closed for the first couple of days in the New Year, for our annual stock take (yuk!!).  If any of you are bored on that first Tuesday and Wednesday in the New Year, come and join us counting papers & beads!!  We have quite a laugh actually. This week is the last run of the workshops until the New Year.  The classes kick off on the 7th January with the first Promarker club.  The first one will be a very special one, because we are getting in stock the Flexmarker!! If you are a dedicated Promarker user you will, no doubt, have heard about the Flexmarker Pens.  We are bringing them in to stock in singles and there are some stunning colours.  The Flexmarker works with the Promarkers - so you do not need to change, you can just add!! The new workshop brochure is in production at the moment and I will let you all know about it once it is out.  Of course, it will be published on the website and the blog - which brings me nicely into telling you about the first of some of our changes.  Our NEW WEBSITE will be up and running before Christmas!  Joanna is just checking it out to make sure that I have not made any big boo-boo's! I have built it myself and I can say quite categorically that I am very pleased with it.  I have made it so it matches the blog - but just slightly different.  Once it goes 'live' I will let you all know. The other thing is that we will be introducing a few new ideas for classes, there is going to be a Beginners Knitting Class starting in January - it is a 6 week workshop and will be run by a lovely lady called Amanda Bond. Amanda is extremely talented knitter and so good that she writes her own patterns (I am impressed!).  I am looking forward to working with her. And there will be a Thursday Craft Club - not finalised all the details yet, but watch this space for more information. Ohh! Lots to intrigue you!!  Loads to watch out for!  Exciting times.  Roll on 2012. So I am now going to leave you to enjoy yourselves continuing to prepare for the Christmas break.  You never know but I might get some organising done myself (ha! ha!).  But I will leave you with this picture and a question for you - where do you think the adult sit in our house? I can hear you all laughing!  Have a great Christmas and very best wishes for the New Year?  With love from Lynn and the Girls. xx Ps send me an email telling me how many times I have typed the word Christmas in this newsletter and I will put your name into a draw to win a workshop voucher! x

Flutterby Crafts Ltd, The Barns, Lower Henwick Farm, Turnpike Road, Thatcham, RG18 3AP opening times : Tuesday to Saturday 9.30am 'til 5pm http://www.flutterbycraftsberkshire.blogspot.com/http://www.themulberry-bush.com/    email: lynn@flutterbycrafts.co.uk   tel - 01635 860900

Christmas Opening Times 24th December - 10am 'til 12.30 25th December til 28th December - Closed 29th December - 10.30am 'til 3pm 30th December - 10.30am 'til 3pm 31st December - 10am 'til 12.30 1st January - 4th January - Closed for Stock Take Re-open 5th Janaury times as normal

Happy New Year from Flutterby Crafts Let us help kick start your New Year of Crafting with a 10% off your shopping Bring this voucher with you on your first visit for the Year. valid for the period 5th January until the 31st January 1 visit per voucher, 1 voucher per person.

Jo Sonja workshop with napkins

Well, if you popped into the shop on Saturday you will have seen a flurry of activity.  Lynn could not run the last Jo Sonja class (of the year)  in the workshop so she ran it downstairs in the shop.

You should have seen what the ladies were making....some gorgeous gifts for Christmas using 

Jo Sonja's paints and mediums with napkins.

I warn you there are lots of photos (and the lighting is not great) but I wanted to share with you the lovely decorated items that Pauline, Hannah, Jackie, Mel, Corrine and Effie made on Saturday under the guidance of Lynn. 

The photos are of projects that they were working on whilst I popped in and are not completed.

I think Lynn enjoyed the afternoon as much as the ladies, even though she didn't get a cuppa all afternoon!

Here are the ladies in the shop busy, busy!

Jackie made this lovely Christmas Bauble for her DAD using napkins and Jo Sonja's paints.  

Jackie also decorated this candle using napkins and some
Jo Sonja's Opal Dust to give the sparkly effect.

She also started to decorate this glass tray.
Click here to see our choice of napkins on-line and lots more in the shop.

Hannah decorated 3 polystyrene stars with napkins and ribbons.

Hannah said she was going to make a garland out of her handmade stars.

Corrine decorated this 'Home' monologue, which she said she had made for herself!

Pauline decorated a wooden Christmas Tree and used some of the new Artemio wooden shapes.

This was Effie's first time to a Jo Sonja's workshop and she decorated
this stunning bauble using napkins.

Here is Effie, proud as punch to share with you her (unfinished) glass tray.

The phrase "Didn't they do well" comes to my mind!

Please click on the links below to find the items used to make the above gifts :-

Wooden Items

Napkins

Glass Items

Jo Sonja's Paints and Mediums

Look out for lots of NEW Jo Sonja's classes during 2012 with Lynn and Liz Black.

Christmas Gift Wallet

How about making this Christmas gift wallet to place your gift vouchers in, for a perfect gift?

Select your favourite papers and card stock for the look you would like to create.  Just change the papers and these wallets could be for any occasion......birthday, Mother's Day, Father's Day etc.  

 You will also need some foam strips and an acetate sheet for the window.

The front of the wallet can be embellished how you wish but this gorgeous rich Christmas paper does it all!

Nicky (Hayden) has just added a foiled die-cut sentiment to the front of the wallet.  

This makes a gorgeous gift.......far nicer than those shop bought voucher envelopes.

A velcro spot and brad just finish off the clasp.

If you don't know what to buy your crafting friends or family members, I am sure they would love to receive some Flutterby gift vouchers for Christmas, enclosed in this handmade wallet!

If your crafting friends don't live near by to Flutterby Crafts you can always buy them a gift voucher from our on-line shop here.

Christmas Gift Bag

The design for this bag made by Nicky Hayden was inspired by Lori Pachkowsky who is on the Design Team for Whiff of Joy Stamps.

Festive papers from the shop have been used for this simple box together with Festive embellishments arranged on the front of the box.

I love how Nicky has tied the tartan bow to the scalloped handle with such attention to detail.

All boxed up ready with goodies inside to give as a perfect gift!

Newsletter - December 2011

22 sleeps  

No pressure then!!

Hi Everybody Well, I am sitting here with a cup of tea and a choccy biscuit so, I guess, you had better do the same - not sure how much rambling I am going to be able to do!! How sad is it that we are already onto the final few weeks of countdown to Christmas?  And how many of you ar ready for it?  'Cos I know that I am not anywhere near ready!! But, I will tell you something that will surprise you all (so I hope you are sitting down!!) I had a week off!!  A holiday, a break!!  Did not do much just cleaned the kitchen, sorted out some cupboards and had some fun.  We had a day out to met Helen and Jet at the Bristol Aquarium, it was brilliant.  So lovely to see them.            And the we had a house full of dogs - couldn't say that was brilliant.  Manic - yes, brilliant? probably not! But it was fun.  Honey (Mum of Buzz & Kite) came to stay with Poppy (Kites Sister).  So we had Kip (miserable old boy), Bridie (on speed!), Honey (4 years old but still feeling like a puppy), Buzz (15 months old and still considers himself a puppy), Kite and Poppy (14 weeks old and definitely puppies!!).  Oh, boy!  Feeding time was fun! This picture shows Honey being ambushed by her three hooligan children!!  I tried taking lots of pictures, but they kept moving before the camera clicked!!   So, anyway - I have come back this week for a well earned rest, yes I know I am supposed to GO for a rest not come back for a rest!!  Ho hum.  And we are into December, countdown to that most manic time of the year which will leave us exhausted and wondering what all the fuss was about!! How miserable and cynical that sounded!! Ba, humbug!  Sorry. But we have got some things happening to take us up to that magical time! Tomorrow is Knit'n'Natter day - 10 'til 4 in the Bead'n'Bits shop.  Come for a short time, come for all day - it is up to you!  It does not cost anything, but we do ask for donations to our chosen charity for the teas & biscuits!! And then, in the afternoon, it is Promarker Club.  2 'til 4 (or there abouts) - the last one before the end of the year, how sad is that.  Not sure what Nicky has up her sleeve, but she doesn't usually let you down!! Saturday, the 10th will be the last Jo Sonja's of the year (sob!), so if you have in mind to do the napkin art on any Christmas pressies, this will be your last opportunity. If you have youngsters that fancy having a go at a bit of crafting, the 19th is the day for you.  We will be helping them to make some lush Chrissy pressies perfect for Mum or Dad, Nan or Grandad.  It will be for 7 years upwards and there will be two tables (Gift for Her and Gift for Him) and it will cost £7.50 per gift, each gift taking around an hour!!!  Please book your youngster in as places will be limited. I tell you what, I should be the size of a house (not comments!), I am eating choccy biscuits like fury while typing this!! The 19th will be the last of our workshops for this year, but I have something for you all to ponder. On the Thursday, between Christmas and New Year, would any of you fancy a quick get-away?  The idea is that we will have the tables out in the shop and you can bring your crafting stuff - especially if you got some new gear for Christmas and need some inspiration with it.  It will be a turkey & pudding free zone!  Not a Christmas cracker in sight!  Nicky will be here to help if you have received some stamps & are not sure what to do with them.  Catherine will be here to help kick start the scrap-booking.  Ruth & I will be here with the answer to Jewellery & Knitting. If you think it would be a good idea, please let me know and I will continue with the arrangements.  I will be looking to have it running from 11 'til 3pm and, of course, you will probably get permission to leave the house so that hubby can veg in front of the tv & have a good snore!! Well, I have run out of choccy biscuits so I am going to call it a day there. Only to add that we have a load of new beads in the shop.  Watch out for changes to the demo area - we can feel a make-over coming up.  And the new workshop brochure should be out very soon, with some exciting news about additional classes. We will see you tomorrow at the Knit'n'Natter With best regards Lynn and the Girls. xx ps Remember to watch the blog for all the latest information and, if you cannot get in here but need some supplies, check out the online shop!

Woodware Patchwork Dove Card

On a previous post here I showed you how Nicky Hayden had decorated a card using the same Woodware Patchwork Dove Stamp.

Here, Nicky has a totally different look to the card.  She has used different papers and used the colours from the papers to colour the dove with her watercolour pencils.

She has used some gorgeous pink ribbon and a chunky button with some twine to bring a lovely delicate touch to the card.

Nicky has used one of the Wild Rose Studio Christmas Circle Sentiment stamps and some glossy accents (which does not show up very well on the photo.....apologies!)

We would love to hear your comments on which is your favourite card out of the two!

Flat Wooden Hearts by Artemio

I am loving these wooden hearts from Artemio.

This Christmas Tree has been decorated with a mixture of flat (see below) wooden hearts and rustic hearts shown on a previous blog post here.

I just can't wait to see these decorated with Jo Sonja's paints and napkins........

Come and see me at Watford

Hi Everybody

Just to let you know that Liz and I will be at this show this coming Sunday.  We will have Make'n'Takes and mini workshops and all sorts.  If you are in the area, pop in!!

Lynn x

Patchwork Dove Stamp by Woodware

Nicky Hayden has decoupaged this Patchwork Dove stamp by Woodware. 

There is a large selection of Christmas paper pads and single sheets in the shop 

or found on line here.

This photo shows the decoupaged parts of the dove adding dimension to the patchwork stamp. 

With the addition of the large chunky button tied with some coloured hemp this card 

makes a delightful Christmas card.