PPPPPP - been there....

At the workshop this morning, I met five (count them - five) people who were entirely new to card making and stamping and die cutting and our way of doing things.  Imagine!  It was magical for me..because they'll learn to do it the way I do things! I love that.  Influence.  For one whole workshop, I can say 'do it my way, or do it wrong' and they believe me.  Power.  And then they buy a magazine and realise what a crock I can talk.  But really, while it lasts.....
There are several really nice things about having newbies at a workshop...everyone gets a chance to refresh basic skills through questions that don't come up so often with experienced crafters,  and I feel compelled to do the odd technique demonstration...oh the bliss of hearing surprise and delight when you demonstrate heat embossing with gold powder.  Or explain how technically difficult it is to apply foil..and then zap some foil over a bit of scribbled glue.  Love it all.  Love getting to know the stamping characters...the precision merchants, the scared to commit to actually sticking it down merchants, the people who want to know more about the difference in fast and slow drying ink properties...like ingredients.  The people who want to know the difference between this glitter glue and that glitter glue. (The answer to that one is usually simple: choice.) And as they relax a bit and start to feel less like they're being bullied and more as if they may be enjoying things, so they ask questions about my crafting history.  I would say pedigree, but really...there's no pedigree here. At this time of year, there is always one question that I have to answer honestly.  They usually look relieved at my answer, too:
' I expect you've made all your Christmas cards, tags and lots of gifts already, Julia?'

Now really, gentle reader, collect yourself and go make something to tick off your massive Christmas 'to do' list. It's not fair to be constantly laughing at me.