Hi Everybody
This is the third time that I have started this newsletter!! If you received a blank email from me that was the first time - I pressed the wrong button and sent instead of saving, der!!! The second time I lost power and lost the newsletter, no I had not saved what I had done!! Hopefully, this is third time lucky.
I am going to start with a big whinge about the rain. My heart is going out to all the people around the country who are being affected by the floods. I cannot believe how much rain has fallen over the past week or so and it looks like it is going to carry on for a while yet.
Although we have had lots of rain, we have be lucky because we have not been affected by the flooding - although the high winds did give us some fun last weekend.
We were very lucky last Saturday to have the lovely Michelle from Stix2 and she arrived at the shop just as we had a big power cut!! We could not greet her with a cup of tea, the temperature dropped like a stone because the electric radiators could not work and she was having to demonstrate in the dark (glittering by feel!!). It was very late morning before the power came back on. But she did a wonderful job showing all of us how to get the best from our sticky stuff and she demonstrated the new Stix2 photo canvass (check it out in the shop, I made a canvass with a photo of my favourite little girl on it!). Thank you, Michelle - hopefully we will see you again soon.
Talking of my favourite little girl, can you believe that she is old enough to have started nursery school!! Now her life is full of glitter & glue (that's Nanna's girl!!), sand pits and friends. Too much to do and not enough time to do it in.
And, while I am on the subject of the family, here is a quick update on Katie (I keep being asked how she is getting on - we are missing her visits to the shop). Katie is doing very well at her new job and her first designs will be in 'New Look' within the next week or two and, so I understand, she has some designs going into River Island in the new year. Knowing Katie all you have to look for is a ribbon bow to know which designs are hers. God bless her!!
Also, my little sis (Vivien) is having a good time down under in New Zealand. She gets a bit homesick now and again, but they are beginning to go into their summer (lucky so and so's) and I think that helps. She still has not got her finger out and set up a blog, but I will be giving her a nag next time I speak to her.
So, that is the family news out of the way and now I will get on with the important business of the shop.
The details are up on the website about the Christmas Gift workshops next weekend (shh, don't tell Joanna, but I have activated the page on the website!). The idea behind the weekend is to make quick, last minute gifts - check out the handbag & mobile phone charms and the bell flower pots. Tracy will be helping you to make something special - check out the notelet set & the desk calendar. And, if you give money or vouchers, check out Nickys money pouch & voucher card (perfect for the itune gift cards).
We are going to be running all three workshops three times during the day (confused, we will be!) so no excuse for not getting on the workshop that you want and there is a wonderful Christmas present for those that attend the whole weekend. Check out the details here then contact us to book your place.
This will be the last chance to make Christmas gifts with us this year, so make the most of it.
We are coming to the end of the listed workshops on our brochure and I am hoping to start preparing the one for next term sometime this week. I will be discussing it with Joanna when I see her next week (sorry, Joanna, I should have mentioned it BEFORE I announced it in the newsletter). So watch out for the new brochure soon.
It has been a very busy term with workshops and we have introduced some new groups which are going very well. The Friday morning Craft Club and Jewellery mornings are beginning to develop very well and there have been some great things made.
Ruth's Tuesday evening beading class is doing very well (this week we will be making a Peyote stitch bracelet) and the Thursday night jewellery class has not suffered too much from me taking over from the lovely Katie!!
Nicky has been making some gorgeous cards with the Tuesday afternoon ladies and the Wednesday evening group and the ProMarker club is going great guns (well done to Rose Hogg for winning the first ProMarker challenge).
Talking of the ProMarker challenge, we have the latest challenge entries up in the shop - so remember to vote when you are in the shop.
Have I remembered everything? Probably not, you know what I am like. But I think this has been long enough.
Oh, I know. For those of you that love your rubber stamps I have some good news and some sad news. I am going to start with the sad news.
If you know Mike & Jill from Stamps Unlimited, it is a with sadness that I have to let you know that they have closed their premises in Kings Road. We are waiting to find out what will happen to the manufacturing side, Mike is hoping that he will find someone that will take that over. In the meantime, I am sure you will join me in wishing them well. Hopefully Mike is going to take it easy and enjoy some retirement time (he will still be organising the Art Stamp Shows, so you will see him next July at the Racecourse.).
So, that is the sad news - what is the good news? We are bringing in a new range of rubber stamps (well, new to our shop). Check out the Whiff of Joy range. Absolutely beautiful - my favourite one is 'Willow holding the baby' and look at the wedding carriage. They should be in stock before the end of next week, but as Tracy is arriving on Friday I don't think there will be much left by Saturday (Tracy and Nicky are addicted to Whiff of Joy).
Remember that the best way to keep up to date with events in the shop is to watch the website www.flutterbycrafts.co.uk and the blog www.flutterbycraftsberkshire.blogspot.com. Joanna is doing a great job keeping the blog updated with photos and news, it is a great place to get inspiration and your comments are always welcomed.
Now, I think that really is that. Come and join us next week for the Christmas Gift workshops - it will be great fun and the tea-urn needs a reason to boil. Contact us and book your place now.
Have a good weekend and keep dry.
With best wishes from
Lynn and the girls.
PS, today I have seen the new Dovecraft range. Watch out for them in January, the stamps & decoupage pad are gorgeous. Tempt, tempt!!! xx
Also, just arrived are the new Christmas stamp collection from Craft UK which features traditional nativity images - just right for that special card.
