Enchanted LO sneak peek!

I thought those of you taking the 'Enchanted' workshop might like to see a little of the page we'll be doing. Its only a quarter of the design and there's lots for you to do in this class - be warned! LOL! I used a 7" x 5" landscape photo but I think a montage of smaller pics would look just as good. This is a really girlie page, very pink and floral - I've been desperate to get some girlie pages done and saved the photo of Melissa for just this kind of page!

I've had loads of deliveries, lots of gorgeousness surrounds me now and the fab Pauline has come over every day to do my pricing and packing so I can get on with some of the million and one other things that have to be done before Saturday. The Fancy Pants order came in today - beautiful chipboard, gorgeous papers, tags and rub-ons were all in the box and I don't know how I stopped myself from grabbing one of everything! Even though I have tons of stash I still get excited by the new stuff and want it all (then a little voice that sounds freakily like Pauline's says "Do you NEED it?" and so I put it down and get back to work!). We've also had a huge delivery from American Crafts - OMG, the new chipboard from them is just fab and SO cheap! I'm loving the new rub-ons (paisleys - yum!!) and the new paper designs are beautiful, not as bright and in your face as the previous lines. Well, those of you joining us for the crop on Saturday will have first dibs on all the new stock and you won't be disappointed. Anything left will go into the shop on Monday - method in my madness, hopefully this way I won't be spending forever uploading!!

Take care, Karen :o)

The 3rd crop workshop is announced!!!

The gorgeous fashions at the Oscars are the inspiration behind the choice of products for our third workshop at the all-day crop this Saturday. Its all about having the best of the best and this class using the newest products from American Crafts certainly delivers on that front! We are going 'A la Mode' with patterned papers in shades of chocloate brown and pale blue teamed with co-ordinated cardstock and a whole pack of the brand new felt Thicker stickers in brown PLUS an entire pack of brown mini-mark rub-ons. Your scrapbook page will be dressed to impress - and certainly eyecatching enough for the red carpet!!

This class is also fab value for money - the Thicker stickers and Mini-mark rub-ons retail at more than the class cost alone, not something you can say about designer finishing touches for the Oscars!! You can choose to go masculine or feminine for this workshop - whatever you decide it will definitely be classy (after all don't you know brown is the new black??!!).

I've added this workshop to the store so you can order it online to be sure that you get your place in this limited edition class!!

Keep watching here for details of our final workshop - Karen :o)

Mini books - even smaller prices!!

The deliveries are steadily turning up after the ordering frenzy I was in at Stitches last weekend - I'm surrounded by gorgeousness!! Most of the new stock won't be uploaded until after our all-day crop on Saturday but there are one or two bits I've added for those who can't make it.

I've taken a shine to the 6x6 mini scrapbook kits we have in - these are stuffed full of bits and bobs including a 6"x6" album, 12 cardstock weight patterned papers, stickers, 3d foam pads and even epoxy stickers. This is the perfect little project for a gift as the small size means you'll get it finished really quickly and the low price of only £2.50 (yes, I know!!!) won't break the bank either! Why not think about a mini album as a Mother's day gift or instead of a chocolate egg for Easter (ok - not instead of......as well as!!!). The best things come in small packages after all!

I should have the sneak peek for the 3rd workshop ready for everyone tomorrow after confirming that the delivery is on its way. It uses brand new products and lots of them!! I know I'm teasing by not saying any more but its more fun this way!

I can announce that the 7gypsies class will be taught by the fabulous Mandy Webb - a great designer and an even better friend!! Get ready to laugh your way through this class as Mandy has a way of making everything such incredible fun!

Take care, Karen :o)

Our second crop workshop is released!

I've been a busy bee and have the second workshop for our all-day crop ready to go! This is a gorgeous album using 7gypsies products and includes a naked accordion album, gaffer tape, ribbon, patterned paper, cardstock and a pack of metal tabs and plates - all by 7gypsies and all just scrummy!!! I've added the class to the shop so it can be booked now along with the 'Enchanted' class I announced yesterday.

I took some teasers along to my club last night and they loved them! There are a few who can't make the day who were desperate to have the kits but I'm saving them - if there are any left I'll open them up for sale afterwards but no promises as I only have a set number of each!!

I'm tracking the materials for the third workshop which are on their way from Canada. The parcel took off yesterday and so I should have it early next week - looks like it'll be a busy time but I'm really looking forward to the crop.

I really hope that my mates Mandy and Sarah can come along and support us, it'll be fab to have them there - Fairy Godmother Pauline is coming along (she grants all our wishes!!) and this time she's under orders not to work but to enjoy herself!! Best I get back to work and get the rest of these workshops sorted out!

1st sneak peek at crop workshop!!!

Ok - here it is, the first sneak peek at a workshop for the crop on the 3rd March! Its a fab kit using the gorgeous 'Enchanted' line by Rhonna farrer for Autumn Leaves. This class kit is stuffed full of goodies including a whole pack of 5 patterned ribbons, a 12x12 sheet of die-cut tags, Word Art stickers, patterned papers (all from the Enchanted line) and cardstock - over £12 in retail value and all for only £8!!! To be honest, I think you'd be mad to not take this workshop! The places in this class will be limited so you'll need to grab this one fast - I'll put it into the shop so you can book it now but only those who are booked for the crop can order it.

In total we will have four workshops during the day, all will be stuffed full of goodies and great value for money as usual for Total Papercrafts kits! I'll give everyone a peek at the second workshop tomorrow so be sure todrop by and take a look at what is coming!

I am running my Scrapaholic club tonight and have some fab new stuff in stock for everyone including the brand new 3Bugs in a Rug lines! I want them all, I really do but I think the Coco line is my absolute fav. I suppose its having a 6 year old girlie girl that has me drawn to the colours - pink, chocolate brown and a hint of lime - just gorgeous!!

Recovering from 'Stitches'

I spent Sunday at the 'Craft, Hobby & Stitch' show at the NEC - buying loads of bits for the all-day crop on Saturday 3rd March! It was a long and tiring day but loads of fun as I bumped into loads of people that I hadn't seen in ages, the craft world is really quite small you know!

I have ordered some really gorgeous stuff that won't go onto to site until after the crop - so you really need to come along to get first dibs! We have Fancy Pants, DCWV, Anna Griffin, Basic Grey, American Crafts, 3Bugs in a Rug, 7gypsies and loads more all on their way and although not all of it will arrive, lots of it should be here for the 3rd.

The bookings for the crop are going really well and I have decided on 4 workshops to be held during the day. Two will be scrapbook pages and two will be projects so there should be something to appeal to most people's style and taste. I'll put a sneak peek of the first class up on the blog tomorrow so be sure to drop in and see what will be on offer. If you haven't booked your place on the crop yet, you can do it online at www.totalpapercrafts.co.uk

Why the heart-shaped potato photo - it was in my bag of spuds this week, seems like I'm feeling the love from everywhere right now!! LOL!

Karen :o)

Happy day-after-Valentines day!

Are you feeling the love after yesterday? I know I'm still all loved up but I had a fabbo day! (A dozen red roses, diamond earrings AND dinner can't be described as anything but fabbo really!!)

Talking of love, I absolutely love the American Craft Thicker stickers I used on this Valentines layout (one of my gifts to Dave yesterday). These are made from high density foam and so they have a lot of 'oomph' without adding weight to your pages. I have them in three diferent fonts and in a gorgeous range of colours including brown, black, white, red, pink and blue. I just had to have them all as soon as they came in! PLUS - they only cost £2.99 for a huge pack with loads of letters so you'll get lots of use out of them!!

We have some great news too - we are running a Total Papercrafts all-day crop on the 3rd March!!! The venue is Istead Rise Community Centre which is a fabulous large hall with loads of space for all the bags, totes, boxes and other bits we all tend to bring with us to crops! I have ordered loads of tables so you will have tons of space to crop and I will be offering classes throughout the day so if you've lost your mojo we can help you find it again!! The price will be £10 to crop for the whole day from 10am to 5pm and we'll provide tea, coffee and even cake!!! You'll be able to book your place through the shop (under 'Crops and Classes') or you can call 01474 832814 or email sales@totalpapercrafts.co.uk - I hope you can make it!

Big News!!!

This past weekend has been the biggest of my life - Dave proposed to me!! We went out to dinner on Friday night and during our meal Dave said he had something to ask me. Now I know this would normally be a huge red flag that something big was coming but he's the kind of man who says something like that before asking to borrow the car or if I'll exchange something in town so I was completely oblivious as to what was coming!!

So I say "Ok, what is it?", he gets a serious look on his face and says "I really, really want to marry you, do you want to get engaged?" I was completely stunned and said something like "You don't have to you know, I'm happy as I am" and then went on about how we were always going to wait until our respective divorces were finally sorted out before we made any decisions like this. Dave became very nervous and said "But I love you and I've changed my mind, I want to do this now", I was still in shock and went on about how just because it was Valentines day he didn't have to do anything like this. Poor Dave admits now that he was beginning to think that I was about to say "No". So he explained that it wasn't actually Valentines day for almost 2 weeks yet and that he just wanted to marry me so much. My eyes filled with tears as I looked at him and I knew so clearly what I wanted and I said "Yes!!".

I was fit to burst from there after, I wanted to phone everyone I knew and tell them!! We decided to wait until we had chosen a ring and then we would tell everyone but I had a really restless night - I just wanted the world to know! LOL! We had work to do together all day Saturday which kept my mind occupied and I had no trouble sleeping after we finally got home at 1.30am but on Sunday morning Dave asked me if I'd like to go and choose my ring. That was it!! I was desperate to get out and choose it!!

I saw a ring I liked in the window and asked for a selection of rings in that style and after 10 rings it came down to my original choice and another one - but this one was practically double the price of the first!! It was stunning and I loved it but I felt awful asking for something so expensive but Dave knows me so well and realised how much I wanted it, so that was what I got!! It looks very similar to this picture but the shoulders are 2 fine bands of brilliant cut diamonds - it sparkles so much (Dave reckons its a bit Essex and that it must be rubbing off!! LOL!!) I had to have it specially made but it should be here in about 4 weeks - I can't wait!

We phoned our parents yesterday afternoon to tell them and they were really happy for us. I called my girlfriends immediately after and everyone was so pleased - Mandy's comments really touched Dave, she said that she wasn't at all surprised and that in her mind it was obvious that we were perfect for each other. He was so good for me that it was just a matter of time before we got married!

I have a big bubble of happy inside me and probably won't get much in the way of work done today!! But I just had to share my news!!

What inspires you?

I managed to sneak another 5mins today to have a flick through the latest book from Creating Keepsakes and I really love it! 'Easy Patterns for Scrapbooking' is geared to help you to create more with less - faster pages with less waste, what a fab idea! The book follows on from a new feature in Creating Keepsakes that shows you exactly how to cut your cardstock and patterned paper to create a number of papercraft projects. You are given precise measurements and each piece is labelled just as on a sewing pattern so it can be used later. The first pattern I turned to in this jam-packed book created 3 double page scrapbook layouts, a gift bag and a card using just 7 sheets of cardstock and 3 sheets of patterned paper - now thats going some!!

I have to admit to being inspired by my quick flick and now I just need someone to help me squeeze a few extra hours into my day so I have the time to do something! Books and mags always get me inspired, what does it for you? Do you browse galleries on internet sites, are you inspired by interior decor or do your photos themselves inspire you to get out your toolkit and get on with something? If you are stuck for ideas or just want to learn how to do more with what you have, you can't really go wrong with this great book. You can find 'Easy Patterns for Scrapbooking' at www.totalpapercrafts.co.uk

Have a great Friday!
Karen :o)

Simple Scrapbooks - or not!

I managed to snatch 5 minutes today before getting stuck into the mountain of shop orders to flick through the latest Simple Scrapbooks (they arrived with yesterday's delivery!) and was struck by how clean and simple but really beautiful many of the scrapbook pages in this issue were. I would really love to be happy to design a clean, simple page that can be made up really fast and be put straight into an album but I have to be honest, thats just not me! I have to stamp on it, paint on it, ink it, chalk it - practically set fire to it before I'm happy with the finished page and as a result my layouts can take hours to complete! I'd love to simplify what I do but I think we all have to be true to type and accept that we are who we are - and I'm an arty-farty type who likes to put everything but the kitchen sink onto a page!

I found myself getting a bit clucky as this Simple Scrapbooks is a baby issue with 55 baby layouts in it. My friend Tracey has just had a baby girl and I am desperate to design some girlie baby pages for her and hopefully get her back into scrapbooking. I feel a bit of scraplifting coming on......!!! I might just curl up on the sofa after dinner and get some inspiration!

You can find the current issue of Simple Scrapbooks at www.totalpapercrafts.co.uk - grab one and get inspired too!

Karen :o)