Rubber Stamp Club

If you would like to learn some more rubber stamping techniques, come and join our monthly Rubber Stamp Club.

Rubber Stamp Club

Saturday, 17 July

2.00 - 4.00pm

(Click on image above for further details)

Whilst Nicky is away this week, Lynn will be stepping in. She will be showing you embossing techniques with your Rubber Stamps all the way through to TRIPLE embossing.

Here is a peep at some TRIPLE embossing samples for you newbies.

You are sure to have fun with these techniques as you can achieve some wonderful results which add so much dimension to your projects. So, don't hesitate to book yourself onto this Rubber Stamp Club (all about EMBOSSING) and join in the fun with Lynn.

Hubby creche - Art Stamp Show

After spending 3 days at the recent Art Stamps Show in Newbury, Lynn returned to the shop to find a delightful e-mail message from a man who had taken up the opportunity of the Hubby Creche!

While visiting Newbury craft fair on sat 3rd July with my wife, i was most pleasantly surprised to find that "Flutterby Crafts" had thought of us poor hubbies, and supplied a comfortable Hubby creche for us drivers/bag carriers!! They had supplied numerous magazines and newspapers and also ice cold drinks at no charge. This was a very thoughtful thing to do and hope that this will take off in the future. Thanks once again to Flutterby Crafts and to yourselves on another great craft fair that my wife thoroughly enjoyed.

B Williams

All that can be said is how lovely of B. Williams to take the time to send such an appreciative message . (You should have seen the smile on Lynn's face on reciept of this e-mail....it made her day!).

You see she does try to think of everything, happy husband = happy wife!

Easel Card

Recently, Lynn made this Easel card for a workshop at Flutterby Crafts. Did you notice how she supported the top half of the card by the cute button and ribbon!

When you visit the General Project Gallery you will see a side view of this lovely card.

If you would like to know how to make Easel Cards why not contact Lynn at lynn@flutterbycrafts.co.uk and she will let you know when she will be demonstrating this technique at her workshop.

Napkin Art!

The Jo Sonja stand at the Art Stamps Fair last weekend was buzzing! Lots of people where picking up and stroking the projects that were on display. The visitors were amazed at the lovely projects that had been simply made with Jo Sonja paints and Napkins.

Which leads me nicely to these simple wooden beads.........

So you might be thinking that these look like plain ordinary wooden beads.......well take a look below at how Lynn decorated these beads with Jo Sonja paints and Napkins!

I can tell you that these look absolutely stunning and Lynn has them in the shop if you would like a closer look.

It is truly amazing the things Lynn comes up with to decorate with paints and napkins with stunning results.

If you visit our new Jewellery Gallery you will see a photo of the whole necklace.

If you would like to learn more about Jo Sonja paints and the art of using napkins why not take a look at our workshop details here.

Saturday at the Art Stamp Show

I am really tired now. What a great day. I was not in the shop, which is always sad - I love my shop. But, I saw loads of our customers at the Art Stamp Show and I have met loads of new people. Fantastic!

And, loads of people visited Ruth and Karen in the shops.

Also, the Hubby Creche went down a storm at the show. A great day.

Lets hope for the same tomorrow. Lynn

Oh my gosh, yesterday I popped into the shop to catch up with the Lynn and I was tripping up over LOTS and LOTS of boxes that had just arrived with NEW goodies.!

There is so much gorgeous new stuff in the shop that I am sure the girls are wearing out their pricing guns!!!!

Well, here is the 1st of many deliveries to show you. Yes, Lynn has some Martha Stewart punches in the shop. Now, I am not quite sure if these are going to the Art Stamp Fair or they will be in the shop on Saturday, but be quick because they are sure to go quickly.

I must say that I already own a few MS punches and they punch beautifully. Here below is a lovely flower combo. There are 3 acrylic stamps hidden under the flower disc and when you have stamped your flower you can punch it out. How FANTASTIC is that!!

I know it's a difficult decision but why don't you go to the Art Stamps Fair, visit the Flutterby Crafts stand at the show and then pop along to the shop in Thatcham.......just make a day of crafting!!!!

Come and see us.....

.......at the Newbury Art Stamp Show and Papercraft Fair
held at the Newbury Racecourse,
this Saturday and Sunday.

We will have a stand upstairs, so just follow the signs for the Hubby Creche (yes you can drag your hubby along, to carry all your goodies!).

If you are new to the area and would like to visit our Bricks and Mortar shop click here for directions. The shop is a short 10 minute drive from the Racecourse and you will be in for a treat!

For local customers come up and say "Hi" to Lynn and the Girls, don't be shy they promise me they won't check your bags!

Newsletter 29th June

Hi Everybody

I sat down at about 8.30 this morning, with my bowl of 'Oat so Simple', to write this newsletter. I got as far as 'Hi Everybody' and that was it until now, which is ten past six in the evening and I am sitting here with my jacket potato and salad!!!!!

It has been madness here and I will tell you all about it as this newsletter goes on. I also have a story or two to tell you all. AND it has been a while since I last tapped away on the keyboard. So it might be a good idea if you made a cup of tea and put your feet up, I have a feeling this is going to be a long one!

I am going to start with the most important piece of news. Jet is three years old today! Can you believe that? How quickly that time has passed. (For those of you new to my newsletters - Jet is my gorgeous Granddaughter and her Mummy is my lovely daughter Helen). She is a proper little chatterbox now and I think her Mummy is hoping that the third birthday comes along with her passing out of the 'terrible twos'.

Helen and Jet came to stay for the weekend and Grandfa Grant took her fishing, I got to read her bedtime stories and we all enjoyed a Peppa Pig birthday party on Sunday with Great Granddad Jim and Great Nanna Dora. It was wonderful.

Jet wanted a digital radio for her birthday (she likes listening to Classical Music!! Very high brow!) and I managed to find her a PURPLE one which I blinged up with diamantes and beads. I also decorated a nest of drawers in her favourite colours, pink and yellow, and we put all sorts of treasures in the drawers. How wonderful to be only three and find such things so exciting.

The other exciting thing that has happened to the Courteney household is that our next baby has been born - this one is of the furry variety! A friend of ours has a beautiful honey coloured Labrador by the name of......Honey (funny that!) and she gave birth to 5 big strapping lads. We are going to see them next week and I know....for certain.....that we will be having one.

I am not sure how Kip, our old Labrador, will take to the puppy but Bridie will be beside her self to have a new playmate!! WHAT AM I LETTING MYSELF IN FOR?!?!?!?

So that is all the Courteney family news.....I suppose I had better get on with the shop business.

I will start with a little story. On Saturday just gone, two young ladies came into the shop to make some jewellery. Apparently they were told, by a friend, that they HAD to visit our shop to see all the delights on offer (there were then a few other compliments, but I won't mention them because they will make me blush!) and they were told to sign up for the newsletter because (and this is what they were told by the friend) they are funny and full chatter. So now I have got to make sure this one is 'funny and full of chatter', no pressure there then!

So, where shall I start? Let me begin from the last newsletter, with the Cancer Research Car Boot Sale. We had a great day with lots of new people finding us. AND we raised an amazing £313.56 which we gave to Maria, one of our regulars and she who does amazing things with wood and serviettes, and she had it double through her employers, Vodaphone. Thank you Maria and a huge big thank you to Vodaphone.

I think we may well try the Car Boot Sale again but, probably, not until next year. Too much going on this year.

Next, it is the ART STAMP show this weekend at the Racecourse. We, of course, will be there. We are taking the Jo Sonjas and some other bits. We will have some special offers and we will be running some of the workshops. I will be playing the Decor Crackle on the mirror board and Nicky will be playing with Promarkers. So look out for the workshops.

We are also going to be having a Hubby Creche! So if you HAVE to take the other half along, leave him with us. We will make sure he is watered and entertained. I have a great stack of magazines building up and I will take the newspapers.

Advance tickets are on sale in the shop. But, do remember, you are not allowed to take your credit cards or any cash with you. You are only allowed to buy something once you have spoken to us and got written permission to buy!! Apart from that, enjoy yourself.

Should you wish desperately to buy something and you cannot find it at the show, remember that the shop will still be open. Ruth and Karen will be holding the fort while Nicky and I will be on the stand at the show and Catherine will be running the Childrens Corner.

Remember that there will not be a Promarker workshop or Childrens Club this weekend.

Another bit of exciting news, our online shop is now up and running. Check out http://www.themulberry-bush.com/ . It is very new, only been live for a couple of weeks. But it does mean that if you cannot get to the shop, you now have the opportunity still to get your fix.

The website is being run by Catherine, who you will know from the shop on a Saturday morning. Catherine got married last year to the lovely Rob and she has recently had a beautiful baby girl, Freyja. So with Rob, Freyja and Max (her 9 year old son) Catherine has her hands full - yet she (stupidly) decided to join forces with me in setting up this site.

We are busy loading goodies whenever we can and we are gradually getting everything on there. If we are too slow for you, just drop us an email telling us what you would like and we will sort it.

Talking of websites, have any of you looked at the gallery that Joanna has built on the http://www.flutterbycrafts.co.uk/Flutterby_Crafts_Gallery.asp website? It is looking superb. Joanna has also been doing massess of work on the blogsite: http://www.flutterbycraftsberkshire.blogspot.com/ , so sign up or make comments or do something so that we all know it is worthwhile - it makes us all so very happy when someone leaves a comment on one of the entries.

And talking of Joanna, we must congratulate her on becoming a member of The Cutting Cafe design team. Well done, Joanna.

Ummm...what else? We have all the new Wild Rose Studio stamps for men (check out http://www.themulberry-bush.com/ for pictures and to order) and we also have the paper packs to go with the stamps. Dulcie, from Wild Rose, will be here in early September for the day. Watch out for the details.

We have some new albums - there is a beautiful one with a Teddy Bear on the front - templates from Colour My World, lovely resin embellishment packs and loads of new rubber stamps. All of which are in the shop and they will be on the website very soon.

Do you know, I have spent a week or more mentally writing this newsletter and I know that there is a lot more to say, but I cannot think of it. What an idiot I am (DO NOT say anything to that one!).

The plans for the retreat are coming on well. We have worked out what each of us is going to be doing - after a fashion. Just need to pick the papers, stamps and other bits and pieces. I am hoping that we will be getting some more info on the website soon. If you are still thinking about coming, let me know because places are filling fast.

The bead shop is looking good. Plenty of colour in there and the Toho Seed Beads are doing very well. Look out for a new order of them sometime very soon.

The new workshop brochure for the Autumn will (hopefully) be out in the next couple of weeks and we should have the details published in next week of the Childrens workshops for the Summer holidays. Can you believe that it is nearly that time again?

Well, it is now 8.10 in the evening and I think it is time I stopped writing. I am sure you have all finished your cup of tea by now. It is a good thing that the reading of this is a lot quicker than the writing!!

Have a good evening/day. Enjoy the Art Stamp Show - come and see me when you are there. Come and see us in the shop as well, otherwise we will feel very unloved!

Keep smiling, keep crafting, keep cool.

With love from

Lynn and the Girls.

Wild Rose Studio stamps

Nicky has made this lovely card using the Wild Rose Studio Japan papers and Kira stamp coloured in with ProMarkers.

There has been a delivery of lots of NEW Wild Rose Studio stamps and papers available at Flutterby Crafts so pop down and see us!

Coming up on Saturday, 26 June

Click on the poster above for more details.

Jewellery Drop In Session

Anyone interested or wants to learn about Jewellery making should take a look at the Jewellery classes running during the week at your local Flutterby Crafts. Just click on the links below for more details.........

Jewellery Making and Beading (Tues/Thurs pm)

Jewellery with Lynn (Friday am)

Jewellery Drop in Sessions (Saturday pm)

For example take a look at these gorgeous Mother of Pearl Shells........

and look below at the ring that Lynn made recently out of these Mother of Pearl Shells and Seed Beads, how stunning!

If you go to the Flutterby Project Gallery in the Jewellery section you can see a necklace made with the same Mother of Pearl Beads. Please let us know what you think.

So, don't hesitate and come and join Ruth this Saturday, 26th June at our Jewellery Drop In session and see what she has in store for you to make!!

New Templates!

We have some lovely Colour My World Stencil Templates in stock and Nicky has been playing!

There are loads of templates to choose from and there are some lovely designs. If you go to our NEW GALLERY, then click on General Project Gallery you will see some more of Nicky's cards featuring Colour My World templates.

Nicky has made this card up with one of the templates and some of the new Core'dinations Colorcore cardstock...how cute is this?

Rubber Stamp Club

Are you new to crafting? Would you like to learn different techniques when using your rubber stamps? Well, why don't you come and join in our Rubber Stamp Club on Saturday, 19th June when Nicky Hayden will show you lots of ways to use your rubber stamps.

Beginners' Welcome

Click on the image above and find out more about our
Rubber Stamp Club.

Napkin Art and Glass Bowls!

Look what the ladies at the Jo Sonja Craft Club
decorated with napkins!

Well, did we have fun yesterday afternoon in the Jo Sonja's craft club. Everybody had a G&T - only yesterday afternoon that stood for Glass & Tile Medium. There was torn serviettes all over the place, but the results were stunning. The photos were taken by Joanna part way through the afternoon, before the bowls were dried and cleaned up, but you can see what a wonderful job the ladies did.

Mind you there is always one that is slower than everybody else (it's alright Erica, I won't say who it is!!) hence the fact that everybody is sitting back with arms folded watching the hard work of one person.

Ladies at our Jo Sonja Craft Club.

Why not go and check out more projects in our Photo Gallery in the Jo Sonja and Napkin Art gallery.

Jo Sonja Craft Club

Do you want to join Lynn at our popular Jo Sonja Craft Club coming up this Saturday, 12 June?

She will be demonstrating how to decorate plain glass bowls into stunning decorative bowls with Jo Sonja paints and Napkins.

Just click the IMAGE below for more details.

To secure your place, all you have to do is e-mail lynn@flutterbycrafts.co.uk. or telephone 01635 860900 and look forward to an enjoyable 2hours crafting!

NEW Project Galleries

Click on the image of the camera above to take
you to the Photo Galleries.

I have been hard at work compiling a few galleries showing the various projects that the girls at Flutterby Crafts have made over the last few months.

In future, photographs of projects will be shown on the blog and from time to time, additional photographs which will be shown in the galleries under these various topics:-

ProMarker and Rubber Stamping Gallery

Jo Sonja Paints & Napkin Art Gallery

Jewellery Gallery

General Project Gallery

Scrapbook Gallery

If you are inspired by any of the samples and you missed a workshop, just let the girls in the shop know and they will let you know when a relevant workshop may be rescheduled.

Jo Sonja Craft Club

Look what I found in the shop the other day............

While Lynn is at a show in Edinburgh this weekend I have taken a photograph of this lovely jug for you to all take a look at. But, I must remember to replace it back on the shelf before she notices it's gone!!!!!

Lynn decorated this ordinary household, plain white jug and transformed it using Jo Sonja paints and napkins.

Just a little reminder that the Jo Sonja Craft Club will be held next Saturday, 12th June. A little bird told me that Lynn will be decorating glass bowls.

So, if you want to join in you will need to book your place and choose a glass bowl to decorate as soon as possible.

ProMarker Club - 5th June

Just a reminder that our next ProMarker Club is on this Saturday, 5th June. If you would like more details and perhaps join us on Saturday just click the poster above.

At the last ProMarker Club Nicky gave everyone several stamped images of the lovely Whiff of Joy stamp (Wedding Carriage). This is the card that Nicky came up with for the class.....isn't it adorable?

If you would like to see the entries for the monthly ProMarker Challenge Club why not click here........please vote as the ladies have done so well with this challenge.

Jewellery Display Boards

Have you seen the new Jewellery display boards around the Jewellery shop? We think they look much better for displaying the jewellery samples, what do you think?

If any of you sell your handmade jewellery and would be interested in purchasing some of our Jewellery display boards, why not pop into the shop and have a word with Ruth.

ProMarker Challenge Club - Please vote!

by Rita Ward

Surprise, Rita you are the winner of the last ProMarker Challenge. The challenge was to make a monochromatic card. Well done, when you are next visiting the shop please don't forget to collect your ProMarker pens as your prize.

So, that brings us to the latest ProMarker challenge using this adorable Whiff of Joy Wedding stamp. Now we have had a fantastic response, so thank you ladies for getting into the spirit of the ProMarker Challenge Club. I think this month it is going to be tricky to choose a winner so, take a look at the entries below and please vote leaving a comment below leaving your name at the end of the entry.

Card #1

Card #2


Card #3


Card #4


Card #5


Card #6

The next ProMarker Club will be held on the 1st Saturday in June so, if you would like Nicky to show you some new colouring techniques with your ProMarkers why not pop along to our friendly group (click here for details).

Newsletter 28th May

Hi Everybody

Can you believe that it is going to be June next week? Where has this year gone? AND the summer is only just starting - or has it been and gone?

Don't worry about making a cup of tea, this is just going to be a very quick one. As you can see, it is mid-morning (not middle of the night!) so I should be working hard in the shop - not writing a newsletter. But I have hidden away in the office and left Nicky to mind the shops, naughty girl aren't I?

Anyway, I just wanted to thank everybody for their efforts with the Crafters Car Boot sale the other week. Well done to everybody that came with their car boots. Thank you also to Pauline, Susan and Joanna who came with biscuits and cakes for us to sell with the cups of tea and coffee (they went down very well!). Thank you to everybody who donated something for the sale table and thank you to all who put something into the rattle tins & buckets at the entrance and by the tills. AND the weather was good - bit of a cold wind, but the sun stayed out.

It was a great success and we raised £313.56 for Cancer Research. Well done!

So now we are onto Half-term - which means, of course, that we bring Ruth out, dust her down and put her up in the playroom to entertain the little darlings. She has come up with two lovely designs for a necklace and a bracelet. As usual the classes are on Tuesday and Thursday mornings 10.30 'til 12.30 and cost £10.

Tomorrow afternoon (Saturday) there is a Necklace and Natter session in the bead shop. Come along and have a go at making a necklace with Ruth (I will be out to begin with, but should be back mid-afternoon), enjoy a cup of tea and a chatter with others. You can choose your own design and we will be on hand to help you, should you need it. The time is 2 'til 4, it costs £7.50 + the cost of the beads (all findings are included in the cost). See you there!

Then we are back to routine - ProMarker Club on the first Saturday, Jo Sonjas second Saturday etc.

You must look out for the ProMarker challenge cards that the Ladies have made (Joanna will be putting them on the blog this weekend). The Ladies have come up trumps and made some stunning cards. Please make sure you put in a vote!! Check out http://www.flutterbycraftsberkshire.blogspot.com/ or look at them in the shop.

What else? Ah, 2 things - if you are up in Edinburgh next week come and visit me at the Corn Exchange for the Art Stamp Show (I understand that the Newbury tickets will be in the shop sometime in the next week) and also watch out for exciting news about our on-line shop. More about that in the next newsletter.

Have a good weekend and I will see you in the shop.

With best wishes

Lynn & the Girls.

PS - told you it was a quick one!!!!

Saturday, 29th May

If you are interested in Jewellery and Beading, why not come and join Ruth this Saturday, 29th May at our Jewellery Drop In session and see what she has in store for you to make!!

Click on the poster below for more details.

Stair Step Card

Here is a lovely Stair Step card made by Nicky.

If you would like learn more about papercrafting techniques why not check out the latest classes in our Workshop Listings or take a look at our Workshop Calendar and treat yourself to a class.

Beaded Tiara

If you came to the Crafter's Car Boot Sale on Saturday you would have seen Lynn walking around with this Tiara on her head (check out the photos on older post).

We all know she is the Queen of Flutterby Crafts but I think she is preparing for the wedding season. Don't you think this would be stunning for a bride and her bridesmaids, change the colours of the beads to match the dress and I can already hear the organ playing the Wedding March!

If you would like to have a go at making this Tiara or one in a colour of your choice just give Lynn a call on 01635 860900, pop into the shop or e-mail her on lynn@flutterbycrafts.co.uk

Crafters Car Boot Sale

Customers busy, busy buying more crafting supplies!

Some very kind customers donated their crafting stash to raise funds for Cancer Research. Doesn't Anne look the part!

Here is Maria showing us all the amazing things you can decorate with Napkins. She came last year to a Jo Sonja workshop at Flutterby Crafts and she is now officially addicted to Napkins!

Well the sun shone - something that does not usually happen when Flutterby Crafts has an event!!!

It was a great day. A bit cold at times, but we buttoned up our jackets and enjoyed the fact that the sun was shining.

We had 12 car boots open (not bad for our first one!) and lots of people came out to see us. Maria, Fiona, Pam and Peter were showing off their crafts - lovely work and the others were clearing out some of their old stash.

We had some really tasty cakes and biscuits brought in by Pauline, Susan and Joanna (I fear I put on a few pounds yesterday, despite all the running around!)

Baby Freja was there enjoying a cuddle from Grandma and anybody else that could get their hands on her - I enjoyed a cuddle or two.

Joanna was with us in the morning as our official photographer, so hopefully we will have some good photos on the blog during the week.

(Lynn doesn't know that I have sneaked these photos into her blog entry.....I may be in trouble with Lynn and Nicky with this photo! - Joanna)

Look at the lady who made this event a success in her TIARA!

And the grand result was that we raised a wonderful £313.51 for Cancer Research. Thank you all very much for your donations and your efforts.

I am going to go make a cup of tea now and put my feet up for a while in readiness for spending a pleasant Sunday pottering in the garden.

Have a good day, Ladies and pat yourselves on the back.

Lynn

Newsletter 14th May 2010

Hi Everybody

I hope you are sitting down - because I have some news!! I have just checked the weather and it is (supposedly) going to be good tomorrow - sunny, no wind, no rain!

Now, those of you that have been with us for some years will know that this is not usually the case when we hold an event. We usually have wind, rain, hailstorms, flooding, you name it - maybe it is because we are not having the tents up, who knows.

Anyway, just in case you are out of the loop and do not know what I am talking about - this weekend is our CRAFTERS CAR BOOT SALE raising funds for CANCER RESEARCH.

Loads of people have booked car boot space (remember, car booters, to bring your table). Some are selling unwanted stash, some are selling finished crafts - so there will be plenty to choose from. We have had a lot of stuff donated from people who have goodies to get rid of but do not want to have a table - so we will be running that table and all money taken will be going directly to fund raising.

We have had offers of cakes & biscuits so, as I am leaving Grant and Philip at home, there will be sweet treats to buy & try.

Ladies, if anybody has offered to make cakes or give us a hand and I have not been back to you - I do apologise but, please, yes - any cakes and any help with tin rattling and selling on our stall, is very gratefully accepted.

And it will be a good day with lots of laughter, lots of fun and lots of money going to a very good cause.

Then, when that is finished, Nicky will be holding the first of her monthly Rubber Stampers Club - does your fun never end?

Last week we had the first of the Jo Sonja's workshops, check out the blog to see the results - great fun was had by all.

Well, there you go - only a quick one.

We will see you all tomorrow - no excuses, come see what is going on and help us support Cancer Research.

With best wishes

Lynn and the Girls.

Crafter's Car Boot Sale

Have you got lots of crafting goodies you never use? Do you need to have a clear out of your crafting stuff to make room for more goodies? Well why don't you book a table top for £5.00 and sell your bits and pieces at the Flutterby Crafter's Car Boot Sale on Saturday, 15th May.

Click on poster below for details.

Or you could come along and buy crafter's unwanted goodies at bargain prices from the Crafter's Table Tops held in the Flutterby Crafts car park.

On the other hand if you do not have enough crafting material to have a table top why not donate to Cancer Relief your spare crafting material. Have a quick sort out, pop it in a bag or box and hand it into Lynn.

There will be tea and cakes plus other stalls.

Come along and raise money for Cancer Relief and meet fellow crafters.

If the sun is shining it's going to be a great day.

See you all on Saturday!

Jo Sonja Craft Club - look!

Look what we made at the 1st of the Jo Sonja Craft Clubs held last Saturday. We all had such FUN! Lynn showed us how to decorate canvass bags and pumps.

Here we are concentrating on applying the base paint and napkins to our projects.

And, here are our lovely canvass shoes and canvass bags. We all chose different napkins and we all agreed how stunning they turned out!

I think Lynn may have a few people hooked and I can't wait for the next Jo Sonja Craft Club next month when we will be decorating glass bowls.

If you want to join in , hurry up and book your place because I can see this is going to be a very popular monthly workshop.