Workshop Thursday

These two cards were part of today's paper piecing workshop at Kraft Crazy. They aren't five minute cards because of the cutting involved, but they are quite effective, I think. I like at this stage of the year to chuck in a Christmas card; I think we all feel more in control of such things if we start early, and as you know, I am secure in my delusion! The papers on the Christmas card are from the new designer Christmas series from Papermania, and for the sheltering tree card, I used the last of a Laura Ashley pack that I bought last summer, I think. The text is stamped with a teeny alphabet, from words by Coleridge. A little culture with our hole punched tree, no bad thing!

While this morning's workshop was underway, the shop was steadily busy. The usual requests for stationery and fabric dyes (the line between paper crafts and general crafts and stationers has been forever blurred). A very nice lady had a good look around before relaxing a little and asking for a couple of things, and when she realised that we were all up for a chat, she joined us. This lady said that she did parchment craft and didn't do any other card making and probably wouldn't. Then immediately expressed interest in the workshop samples, the cuttlebug, the adhesives we used and the frequency and subject of workshops. She said that her husband was fairly confined and so she did a lot of things at home and was happy for a chance to chat; we happily agreed that our workshops are pretty much our social lives (make of that what you will!), and of course, we all had a good look at what she was going to buy. You have to do that, it's the law. Two reasons - you should always take an interst in what your crafty friends are buying because it's polite to share their excitement - and of course, there's a chance that they've picked up something that you haven't noticed and actually need. See, good manners lead to opportunities! All this from the kick off point of a workshop. I know we (I) can often be found extolling the virtues of the blogging community, and I mean every word. But really, if you can make your way to a shop for a workshop, the reality experience is every bit as good as the virtual!