Let's Get Technical!

I can't believe how far I've come in the last few months since I started blogging! It all started back in November last year & I was impressed with myself simply for starting a blog in the first place - a short profile & a few words. Over time I got braver & added a few links, hyper links in the text, photos & even a virtual pet.

This week's technological breakthrough is a gallery of my own. I've become a bit of a forum junkie of late & there seems to be a lot of talk of photobucket - so I popped on over & in just a couple of days I have not only a gallery, but sub galleries, plural. Finding the photos has been a task in itself...

Not being the tidiest of people (bet you couldn't have guessed that LOL) I'm afraid that my photographs are in files on the computer labelled only with the date they were uploaded. This, it seems, is a completely unhelpful way of storing info & I have spent countless hours over the last couple of days going through EVERY file of pics stored since December 2005. Some have been deleted, others moved into new sub-folders in my brand new photobucket folder and others are still there with the upload date labels - ready for the next frantic search when I need a particular photo LOL.

Predictably, as I do very little without a specific purpose, there was a very good reason for the sudden urge to start a gallery ... There is an American design team to which I want to apply (and I'm not saying which one as I don't expect I'll get it) who ask for links to online galleries as part of the submission process. I've planned on having one for a while but there are sooooo many things on my 'to do' list that I never get past the ones that need to be acted upon post haste.

So there you have it - a sense of urgency is always just the thing to make me spring into action & I like nothing better then a deadline LOL. Obviously, the gallery is in its infancy & I have so much more to upload - but if you'd like to take a peek, you'll find it here

Update on Design Team: So far, I've had a brilliant response to the DT call. I've had 3 submissions to date & lots of other enquiries. If you've not yet had a chance to find out more, there's plenty of time yet as the deadline is not until April 20. Please don't e-mail me for the details as they are posted here but do feel free to e-mail me for the address to send them too when you are ready to submit.

I can hear my bed calling - must be time to hit the hay then ;o)

Call for a design team

I'm sure I've said it before but I've accepted (for today, at least) that I am not superwoman & can't do it all by myself! The 'it' that I can't do, is supply all the layouts, class projects, member's only club projects, shop samples and gallery images to keep all our visitors entertained. And much as I'd love to keep all the yummy samples for myself (let's face it, who wouldn't) it's time to admit defeat & ask for some help.



So this is it: Crop 'Til You Drop is going to join the ever expanding number of shops that has a design team! Since we announced it first on the forum yesterday, there has been a flurry of activity, e-mails, personal messages & other related contact. It has caused more excitement than I had expected and instead of looking at it as defeat, I have to say, I'm getting quite excited too LOL.



There has been talk of bribes and thinly veiled attempts to get some inside info - all to no avail. I haven't yet decided how many team members there will be - or what exactly I'm looking for - but I want our visitors to have as wide a variety of inspiration that can be found both in store and on both galleries. So I'll be looking at all the submissions to see who will do that for me. I'm not necessarily looking for seasoned crafters, so I hope beginners will submit too & I'm not interested in age, gender, education, formal training or whether or not our team members have been published. So this call really is open to anyone.



All the details are here and I look forward to seeing all the submissions. I hope that the chosen design team members will make themselves visible - post on the forum, submit to our galleries and generally become part of the CTYD experience.



One of the things a design team will do for me, is take the pressure off. There are a couple of international design teams that I'd like to submit for but I know at the moment I just don't have the time. I've also been thinking about going back to writing for the craft press again - and I know I don't have the time. I'm also registered to do some online classes (to be taught, not to teach them) & I know I won't have the time LOL.



On thursday, for the first time in weeks, I designed a layout from scratch. I hadn't adapted one of my favourite designers' layouts, nor had the use of a sketch, but actually designed a layout from scratch ... It's soooo different to anything I have designed before & that is what I liked about designing in the first place. The opportunity to reinvent one's style each and every time - or to find a style and stick with it for a while until one is bored - the complete freedom to be whatever I want to be!

I read a thread on a forum today asking why people do not post comments on work they see & like. I know from conversations that I have, that this blog is read with interest, although I don't think I have ever had a comment posted. Perhaps if you like the layout (and even if you don't), you'd do me the honour of posting a comment - I'd like to see the feedback - but if you'd rather not, that's OK too.

Scrappy's Birthday Bash & Other Important Events

Following Fish's birthday on St Patrick's Day, was Scrappy's Birthday Bash on Mother's Day - I love it when a plan comes together (or, in fact, when all my special dates come rolling in on top of each other). Obviously, I made fish a birthday card & that was a great excuse to use one of the new decoupage sheets that have come in - I had him in mind when I first ordered them - I kept it quite simple (as he's likely to pull it apart within a fortnight) and just matted the completed picture on Gingham cardstock, adding a large 3 (guess how old he is LOL) in the same cardstock and a few alpastickers (which have all gone now & I really, really wanted the last pack!! We got him lots of crafty bits for his birthday - mostly he just likes sticking stuff on other stuff so tons of stickers was an easy choice. He particularly goes for the foam 3D ones and used a whole sheet in 5 minutes.

I received my first official mother's day card from Fish this year - & by

that I mean the one he made at nursery & not the one that daddy buys from him LOL. He is very precise with his sticking, taking care to keep the glue where it ought to be, rather than just slapping it all on. He noticed a little trickle of glue that had run down from the centre and in his attempt to remove it, he has torn a strip up that looks kinda like a curly stem. I guess there's a lesson in there ... sometimes it's better to accept a mistake rather than trying to remedy it & maybe making it worse. Perhaps we should accept more of our crafting mishaps as a quirk of the page/layout or whatever and celebrate it as the thing that makes it handmade.

I made my mother a quick card, having found my BG Undressed Monograms, and then a fabulous bag using the new stuff from decopatch this stuff is just flying out of the shop & we've had to re-order already! I filled it with various butterflies as she has a bit of a passion for them. I have to say that she was most impressed with the butterfly images that I'd cut out from vellum - she hates all the intricate cutting that we do - give her a big shot & a pile of dies though and she'll be happy for hours LOL

Scrappy's birthday was a busy event & it was lovely to see so many of his friends, old & new, who turned up to celebrate with us. The little fella couldn't be there in person but I know he was very pleased to hear how many people had come along to wish him well ;o) Scrappy's birthday coincides with the opening of Crop 'Til You Drop which was also two years old! The time has flown by and has not been without its frustrations but on the whole, we have enjoyed the journey. I thank all of you that have come along for the ride and supported me through thick and thin.

Things To Do With An Engineering Degree & A Kebab Skewer!

So the newly refurbished toilet lasted one day before I broke it! It wasn't manhandled, I didn't do anything unreasonable - merely flushed & that was it - broken again. OK so there were no classes - just me, a couple of ladies who had taken pity on me and given up their Sunday to help get the shop in order - and a newly broken toilet!

My step brother (he who is good at all things handy) was nowhere to be found and I don't DO practical. Number one son called to find out what days he is working next week & I told him my dilemma. 'Phone richard,' he said. I was dubious but he explained that richard (being a blokey bloke) will be good at that kind of thing. 'And anyway,' he continued, 'plumbing is only basic engineering & he's an engineer - so it will be a piece of cake!' I don't like to argue with him when he has faith in his conviction, so I did as instructed. Richard asked if I had a metal coathanger or similar to hand & (a bit confused) I said I had lots of paper! Within 10 minutes, he arrived with a beaming smile & a metal kebab skewer. Within another 10 the problem was fixed (although it will rust in a year or so and we'll need another skewer LOL) - another missed scrapbooking opportunity methinks!

Happily I did manage, with my willing helpers, get most of the remaining stock out and displayed. To date we haven't quite got the rest out, but all the back orders have been dispatched and we are winiing (I think!)

I still haven't got to the serious business of making up some of those new samples that I'm itching to get on to as it's been a busy couple of weeks since the shop opened - full of parcels to open & new stock to stroke LOL. Running a craft shop might seem like a dream job but it can be the most frustrating thing in the world.

There are all these yummy new goodies and I just don't have time to play. I treated myself to a copy of the first Tim Holtz DVD (yes I know it's been out forever) as I finally got around to ordering a small selection of the distress inks and powders at the trade show last week - and now I need alcohol inks (the domino diary is to die for), memory glass, spritzer bottles and LOADS more - and that's before I even start on the other DVDs and books I collected for other new product ranges LOL

We've had our first classes in the new premises & Iwas a little bit nervous - there was some confusion as to where the samples were stored so I wasn't able to prepare materials - so it was another mad rush on the first morning. Sadly, due to time constraints I've not had much time for designing and had to resort to adapting some of my favourite designers' magazine projects instead. But the classes were as jolly as usual and most of all, we had fun.

A local artist approached me offering to do our signage - well it would be rude not to LOL. Check it out!! None of that mass produced sticky plastic - just a freehand painted version of our logo - just yummy. Turns out the guy is a friend of a friend of number 3 son and favours do still exist. I am so grateful to have got it done without any fuss and those that have seen it are impressed (mainly that we have signage at all - never happened in the last place - but let's not go there!)

Made a yummy card for my mum (for mother's day). It so isn't what I expected it to be and the combination of papers are a bit out there. I can post it here without ruining the surprise as mum doesn't have internet access - so long as you all promise not to tell her about it ;o) This photo has done the rounds a bit - it's posted on our NEW gallery, uploaded today but has already had it's first submissions - which really pleased us LOL.

And I've also posted it on the Design Collective's new challenge/classes site that promises to be my scrapper's block saviour ;o)

It is baby fish's 3rd birthday tomorrow - so I'm off to wrap presents now - then it's off to bed. Scrappy's Birthday Bash on Sunday - so it's parties and cake all weekend! Have a great St Patrick's Day - and Mother's day too ;o)

Open At Last!

We finally have made it! An open shop with lots of yummy new treats, champagne (the real stuff, mind) flowing, make n takes, demonstrations, hourly prize draw, free chocolates, balloons and a completely exhausted & frazzled me!! We opened at 10am and it was absolutely manic for the first couple of hours. The sensible me had suggested that the opening should be postponed but the stubborn me, who always gets the final say, wasn't having any of it.

There were some very good reasons why we weren't as organised as I'd have liked. As usual, nothing had gone to plan... Until March 1st we had no water and until March 2nd no flushing toilet (it's still a bit temperamental so I'll have to be nice to my step brother, who did most of the decorating, and ask him to fit a new cystern). Without water, not only could I not drink the copious amounts of tea that are part of my daily routine but cleaning was somewhat difficult. And with no toilet facilities we lost half an hour every time we needed to use the ones at the local shopping centre. A couple of deliveries were late as the drivers spotted the boarded up building (we didn't have windows until Tuesday) and drove off without trying to deliver. Shame that, as if they'd got a bit closer they'd have seen the notice on the door telling them that we were there for deliveries between 10-4!!

So we worked all hours to get everything ready and were almost there in time for the opening - and would you believe it - I didn't take a single photograph! So having learned how to put images in a post - I've none to share with you. The signage hasn't gone up yet and the outside of the building needs a bit more painting.

The day itself wasn't without its challenges - much of the stock was not displayed but piled in the stock room until there's time to sort it out (that's tomorrow's job allocated then), prices were missing & price lists tucked into inaccessible cupboards, the demo tables wouldn't all fit into the designated spaces so we had to drop one (just as well we hadn't advertised the actual content LOL), there were no class timetables and I couldn't remember when any of them were (drew a complete blank on that one!).

But open we did & everyone seemed to have a good time. In between wishing I'd retired when I had the chance and turning down offers of valium, it all became very clear why I do this & how much I've missed it. The make n takes & demonstrations, although late, went off without a hitch & the feedback was entirely positive. So overall, the only thing I can say is I'm soooo glad we are back ;o)

Shop 'Til You Drop

Well it seems I'm closer to achieving the new challenge of posting every day than I was to the weekly one LOL and here is my second post in as many days. I have to tell you about all the yummy stuff I found at the trade show AND my great day with Sara Naumann of HOTP but I don't think I'll get it all into one post - so I'll leave Sara until another day - I'm sure she wouldn't mind LOL

So anyway, shopping!! Many of the companies I eventually chose to do business with were the ones where the service was good! I know I bang on about it a bit but I really, really HATE bad service!! Sometimes I accept it if it is the only way I can get a particular must-have range but the show for me was all about finding something different. Auntie Jane was my designated driver and shopping buddy for the weekend and was completely useless at reigning me in ;o)

which meant I got to buy lots of yummy stuff & AJ took care of the photos.

The new HOTP was already on order - we've known about it since before CHA- so we didn't have to worry about that. It should be coming in tomorrow & will hopefully be on the online shop within a day or two (the paypal buttons were prepared several weeks ago).

I've been wanting some new buttons for a while now and found just the thing at the show - big bags of colour themed buttons in a wonderfully eclectic mix of shapes & sizes. Just begging to be put into little bags like pick n mix sweets. I also found some brill primary coloured big buttons - marketed for children but oooh! the possibilities! AND a bunch of sweet little hearts, squares & flowers in mixed pastel colours. Then there was the gingham ones - small, round and in stacking pots just like a little cosmetic stack - sometimes the packaging does it for me. Which brings me nicely on to the randomness of a 4.5' giraffe!!

OK so this isn't necessarily something we would normally have gone for but there was this giraffe being decorated with decopatch and I HAD to have it. Donna gave me a bit of a look when I told her that we'd have to find space for it in store - but you know how it is when you can't resist - fortunately, she likes the products so I didn't get told off too much ;o)

Tim Holtz has one of those voices that you could just listen to all day. I had planned on finding a supplier for his range but was lucky enough to meet the man in person & watch him work his magic. Terrible photo of me - but then most of them are - there is a reason why I don't scrapbook photos of myself LOL. Anyway, found the supplier & have the first range coming in before opening day sadly, I couldn't run to them all so we are starting off with one range of distress inks and powders plus a few of the essential accessories. Will definitely be more to come though!

Spent a serious amount of time drooling over the new metal stuff demonstrated by Megan Darrow of Ten Second Studio. They had the most gorgeous canvases, covered journals etc all using embossed soft metals. I think I could save a fortune on metal embellishments by making my own. Sean (number one son) is really fired up about this range and can't wait to try it out. He'll be demonstrating it at the opening if it's here in time - but it's more likely to be the week after - something to look forward to ;o). And the packaging on their CD/DVD was sooo yummy that I had to have those too - just so that I can display one. I've made sure I have a spare canvas ready to have a play myself - so now it's just a case of waiting!!

We've also got fab new papers - loose, 12x12 & 6x6 stacks plus border strips in the Garden & Siesta collections coming in, Rock Hard Fairies decoupage & image sheets, ribbon spools (at a brill 99p!!) and soooo much other stuff I can't remember what I've bought now (that's the sign of a v. successful shopping trip LOL). Might have to lay off the shopping for a little while - at least until I've had some fun with this lot.

And after I got back I had a call from Rachael at David & Charles publishing - I won the champagne draw so there's a liquid freebie on it's way. Guess I'll have to go to these events more often then ;o)

New Beginnings

Much excitement in the air at the moment. We are finally in the new shop and are busy finalising everything for our grand opening event on Saturday 3rd March - just one week to go!! It hasn't all been plain sailing (as you might have gathered) and I've not kept to a single one of my resolutions as yet.

I've not been back from the trade show in Birmingham for a week yet and all the new goodies are starting to arrive. This really is going to be a time for new beginnings - a new store, new products from our favourite suppliers (so that will be lots more HOTP then LOL), new suppliers for some exciting new goodies, big clearance offers on all our discontinued lines and it all kicks off on Saturday with a fabulous day full of offers and more freebies than you can shake a glue stick at LOL. Read all about our opening event here

Of course there is tons still to do - lots of make n takes and demo projects to organise, sample projects to make up from all the goodies collected at the show and at some point I suppose it might be a good idea to put out some stock LOL

We had a great day out at the show (well, 2 days at the show & a HOTP Retailer Training Day) but more about that next time. The highlight has to be the HOTP day & finally meeting Sara Naumann - my absolute favourite designer ever, with whom I have shared an e-mail relationship for about 6 months (and if I couldn't call it business that would probably make me a groupie - or worse, a stalker LOL). And although not photogenic I just felt the need to add a photo as proof (that I have met her & that I can add photos to my blog).

There is just too much to tell you all that I couldn't possibly fit it all into one post - so my new challenge, having failed spectacularly on the posting weekly challenge, is to post DAILY - so wish me luck!

Cover Me With Shades Of Disbelief ...

And while we are on the subject of Talk Talk (Geddit?) it seems my broadband is not already live, my new modem will not be delivered within 48 hours, or indeed 7 days, as promised by the very polite but, it seems, not entirely honest people at the call centre. Now I'm told, the new go live date is February 9th - three months from ordering and going by previous experience not a guarantee!

Not surprisingly, I have now had enough. One quick call to NTL & I have a connection date booked for a fortnight's time, confirmation of that appointment in writing within 48 hours and a couple of guys to lay the outside cable 5 days before connection is due. I have but a few short days to see whether NTL can deliver where others (or one other at least) cannot. The only problem is that my telephone number has to change - this is not an NTL problem it seems but rather when one takes a BT number to Talk Talk, they don't let you take it with you should you wish to change supplier. Oh well, you live & learn.

Other than that, a busy couple of weeks again. The new premises were viewed and snapped up the same day. Heads of terms are with the solicitors and we expect to see the paperwork next week. There's a little bit of decorating to do and the timing is not great! I'm away at the NEC, Brimingham for the trade show in a couple of weeks so February 24th is looking good for the grand opening (to be confirmed). Before that, we have to decorate, refit and restock - but then we moved and reopened in 48 hours last time!

I now have the first 4 parts of 'Get knitting' and have completed all the squares so far. I was particularly impressed that I managed to knit the last one! It has a small blue diamond in the middle of a white square, with a garter stitch border. It might not sound much but it means that I knitted in pattern AND added colour without messing the pattern up or having a load of holes around the colour changes, which is what happened last time I attempted colour changes. Granted, that was about 12 years ago - it was one of the Teenage Mutant Hero Turtle picture knits (in 4 ply wool) that were popular back in the 80's that I knitted for my eldest son (then about 5). I had to sew up the holes around the colour changes but he loved it & it fitted him for about 3 years - so I guess it was OK really.

Made a gorgeous altered book this week, with a secret drawer. I used the HOTP Earth's Palette Cardmaker's Creative Pack but, predictably, used the mauve & blue shades. I'm a bit obsessed with purple - from the palest lilacs to the deepest, almost black shades - I love them all & probably use them far too often. But it's what I like & I was very pleased with the results. It also gave me a chance to use the HOTP Artsy Collage metal collection (I wanted a lock & key) all I needed to add was a few fibres, blue glass beads and a black ink cube (is there a crafter anywhere that doesn't have a black ink pad of some description).

My only other make this week is a wintry layout for Saturday's class project. The great thing about scrapbooking is that, although it allows me to create something beautiful with all those old photographs, it also reminds me to take the photographs that I might otherwise forget. This is particularly poignant with my youngest (almost three now!) With the older boys, I tend to have only school, holiday, birthday & christmas photos. I take lousy photos anyway and didn't used to bother much.

And now the boys are older I wish I'd taken more pictures of them. So fish (the baby) has his every move recorded for prosperity. Last week we had snow. For one day only. Fish went out to investigate with his dad & together they built a snow cat (there wasn't enough for the whole snowman). Fish beamed while I took pictures of him throwing snow at the neighbours and with the finished snow cat.

So I had to do a snow cat layout & I know alot of my class ladies will have taken snowy snaps too, so it's a 2 birds, 1 stone sort of solution. I picked some yummy pastel pink and powder blue papers, ultra fine glitter (you could hear the cat sigh as he looked for somewhere glitter free to sleep!) and loads of die cuts as we've got some brilliant deals on Sizzix & Ellison dies this month - I've just treated myself to a new die cut alphabet set - which cuts chipboard beautifully. The easiest way to cover chipboard die cuts with papers is to cut a second die cut from the paper and just stick it on. You can then ink, paint or sand the edges - lovely!

I just wish I could load some photos here - and from next time it should be possible!

On the technical front - I've now learned how to resize photographs to put into my newsletters. I can't actually load them (a long and boring story involving some software that I can't download without broadband - trust me, you don't want to know) but I can get them in the body of an e-mail (one at a time) over to Gandalf the Crafty (my webmaster). I must say, I'm rather pleased every time I discover something new that I can do. I don't suppose I'll ever become a technical whizz-kid but it is nice to be a bit less phobic. Gandalf really helps with that I ask how to do something and an idiot proof e-mail with instructions or a useful link usually follows.

Happily, the improvements to the company I use for the HTML newsletters were just that! lots of great new facilities for me to use. I'm much more confident with it all now. So much so that I've decided to use it for the Member's Only Club monthly newsletter and I'm planning to start a regular one for the Personal Shopper subscribers/HOTP fans too! I know the next PS kits are due in v. soon - I can't wait to get mine. And if you've no idea what I'm talking about, pop over to www.ilovehotoffthepress.co.uk & click on the personal shopper link. There's also some brilliant images of the cardmaker's kits in the gallery ;o)

I guess I'd better stop burning the midnight oil (it 2 am so I don't suppose there'd be much oil left anyway LOL) and get some sleep before tomorrow's class. And where can you buy candles that burn at both ends??

And So The Search Continues ...

A bit of a mixed bag, this last couple of weeks. It looks like the new shop has fallen through and so tomorrow I'm back to viewing properties. There's a couple of likely suspects and a possibility that we could be up and running in a few short weeks (so look out for that grand opening I promised months ago). But still, it's been really frustrating getting so close and then having it snatched away.

My broadband is still proving somewhat elusive - so no images for this post either. The provider promised faithfully (as much as a call centre in India can do) that the new modem would be delivered within 48 hours and would be live at the same time. 48 hours later the new promise is for delivery within 7 days and an assurance that the connection is already live - just waiting for the modem then! So maybe next week we'll have lots of images on this very blog - but I'm not holding my breath.

I've not managed to do that bit of crafting every day that I'd resolved for the new year - but I have made a few new cards and a couple of layouts. Largely to justify the few new treats that I HAD to have. Nothing too extravagant - A sizzix paddlepunch kit (plus 22 extra punches) and Die Cuts With A View sticker paper - this is a brilliant invention - 12 x 2" sheets of textured cardstock with a self adhesive backing. Suddenly using die cut letters has become less of a chore and I'm probably saving a fortune (not to mention loads of time) and all the tiniest alphabets, such as the Ellison Extended Cuts alphas really come into their own. I've used the sticker paper on everything I've made in the last week and I'm coming up with all these new ideas that I might have ignored before because they would have been too time consuming.

The inverse of die cut letters are also great for creating a second alphabet. I don't worry too much about getting the squares straight - odd edges give a 'ransom note' effect that can look quite funky. You can either stick them straight on to the background or onto a contrasting paper for a different infill.

As for the paddle punches, they are so great for adding decorative apertures where a traditional paper punch cannot reach. Again, you can back the aperture for a contrasting infill or even create tiny iris folds. Although it might take a bit longer to punch a shape with them, they have a good variety of shapes and look great just punched from textured cardstock (or sticker paper). I'm trying to think of some interesting designs to use the ribbon slots on next.

So far, I've not managed to keep to a single resolution, the cat and sofa are still fairly glitter free but the baby sparkles somewhat on occasions; this blog is more fortnightly than weekly; I'm not crafting daily and my class samples are generally done the day before; I've already bought a few new craft bits so that only leaves making my own cards and gifts - and there's nothing coming up until february so there's still time (to make or break it!!)

The first of the new HTML newsletters went out last week and the feedback was so positive that it seems worth my while spending the time to learn how to use it. Although they are now improving the system so I might have to learn all over again! If you are not already signed up for the newsletter and you'd like to get it, pop over to www.ilovehotoffthepress.co.uk and click on the sign up button on the right.

Talking of learning new things, I've had a look at the new knitting partwork and picked up the first issue. I'm not a complete beginner and have been known to make knitted toys and bits for my babies when they were small but I never really progressed from the basics. So I thought it might be good to start from scratch and learn a new stitch or technique each week. Although these partworks do tend to work out expensive for the cost of the item you make (a remote control car, dolls house or whatever at £400 or something equally mad) I'm looking at it more as a home study class - for which it is a reasonable price (and the knitted throw completed in just 90 weeks I'll look at as coursework LOL) And if I claim it as one of my crafting sessions maybe I'll get a bit closer to fulfilling one of those broken resolutions after all.

Technophobe? Not Me!!

There is soooo much more to owning a craft business than a bit of cutting & sticking or a love of pretty paper. In fact the cutting & sticking is more cut & paste and the pretty papers are more virtual than actual. What, you may wonder, does she mean by that?

Well this last week or two have been a technological revelation as I've discovered the world of ranking sites, ping sites, e-mail management systems and campaigns - and got a bit more involved in the construction of my own websites. Many is the time that I've had to go away & find a comforting bit of paper to stroke!!

But I survived and even managed to add a bit of HTML code to this site (check out the 'crafty blogs' ranking at the bottom of the page - cool huh?). Sadly, grappling with the finer points of a technology that I'll use but have no inclination to understand has left little time for crafting.

However, the last few days have seen me back in the safety of my classes, first scrapbooking on Saturday and today, cardmaking - and not a Christmas theme in site!! Today's cards were so well received that even my brother wants to take some of my designs into work - he says the girls there will love them!! Sadly I'm still on dinosaur dial up and can't get my images here - it just freaks out and cuts me off!!

The broadband connection was due to go live on 9th December but there's still no sign of it - the company (who I won't name & shame just yet) wouldn't give me a new estimated date but are talking about perhaps another three weeks - two months in total! Obviously unacceptable so I'll give them another chance to be reasonable tomorrow and if there is no satisfaction perhaps I'll just cancel altogether and find a company that can deliver what they promise - it's not too much to ask is it? The one thing I've learned above all other since I opened my shop is that customer service is king!

Other than these few minor blips chucked in, I assume, to keep me on my toes , life is good! I'm busy making lots of plans for the new shop: new & exciting classes, brilliant new product ranges (and that's before I spy all the goodies at the Feb trade show LOL) and some exciting new partnerships to keep things fresh and interesting - all I need now are the premises to put it in!

In the meantime it's back to those paypal buttons, writing the new content for the website - and a bit of crafting just to keep me sane ;o)

Come Craft With Me, The Best Is Yet To Be.

Christmas was such a brilliant excuse to take that quality craft time that I've been after for months!! I handmade about 75 cards (cheating and using many class examples once I'd finished the classes); scrapped an altered bag for my 17 year old niece as a gift from my mother - pink and girly with a photo of her at my brother's wedding (the 3rd time she has been a bridesmaid) and a fantastic excuse to crack open the Citrus Embellish-abilities from HOTP; made two small Sarabinders - one for my mother in vintage Sarapapers as a scrapper's journal (she recently caught the scrapping bug and now there's no stopping her!) and the other in retro 8x8 papers - pink, duck egg blue and v. girly as a filofax (does anyone remember them?) for the aforementioned niece; two 12x12 albums, one each for my eldest and youngest sons - big cheating again here as I had many of their layouts displayed in the last shop and I'll be starting in the new premises with a completely new batch. The other two boys will have to wait a little bit longer as I need to make about 10 layouts for each of them to fill their albums!!

So that was it for my handmade christmas and, as always, I've resolved to do more next time.

So a new year is upon us full of new challenges (and lots more new craft products!!) Already I've made a start on cards for the first classes (a great excuse to use my new Sizzix dies and Ellison alphabet!) and there was the Member's only club project to make - a great little gift box mini album to display a typical Todd family christmas - lots of photos of number one son with beer then!!

I've even managed to finish all the projects in the HOTP Cardmaker's kit and half a dozen extra cards from the scraps. But with a couple of Scrapbook kits still waiting in the wings I'm not going to get bored any time soon!!

It's Behind You!!

Panto season is upon us again & I was lucky to score some free tickets to Dick Whittington at the Orchard Theatre (Oh no you didn't - Oh yes I did!!). It was the baby's first panto (at the tender age of two and a half) and we had a great time. He was a bit nervous during the first half, what with the noise and the dark, both of which he hates. But after the interval he was singing and dancing, booing and cheering - and clapping madly.
As with most theatres, photography is not allowed so I just got a couple of shots in the interval of fish (we call the baby fish - but that's another story) sitting in his seat. I think this is going to be a single standard size photograph as I've lots of memorabilia to add to the page: flyer, programme, ticket stubs etc. Now all I need is the time to create!!

I did get a bit of that quality crafting in though. An entire 12x12 album (20 pages) in 48 hours. It did involve a bit of insomniac scrapping at 3 am but I enjoyed every minute. A friend asked me to put some resize some family photos and just stick them into an album for her mother's birthday but the urge to create was too much and so a gorgeous new album was born.
The best bit was just having completely free reign to use any colours, textures and accents that I wanted - no rules and no worrying about whether I have enough for a whole class. That's what I call scrapping heaven.

I've not yet started on my christmas crafting, other than sample cards that I made for the shop displays and for class samples (about 50). I'm planning alot of handmade gifts but as I write I can hear the countdown to Christmas ticking out loud. I've got to wonder whether I'll make it!!

The move from our old shop was not without its trials but then, things have a habit of working out in the end!! I am currently in a lounge full of boxes, my long-suffering eldest son has a room full of boxes and my mother has both boxes and a whole room full of shop fittings. We had a record number of breakages but my sanity is still partially intact.

The telephone company (who shall remain nameless) did not divert our calls but cut us off instead. Fortunately, most of our mail order enquiries come through one supplier, who is much more efficient and the calls are still coming.

For the first time in eighteen months, today I worked from home. The last day off I had was Boxing Day 2005 (I kid you not!!) Bliss! I schlepped about in PJs but stayed focussed and tackled lots of outstanding tasks.

The magazine article due in tomorrow was written and mailed by lunchtime, the product descriptions for the CTYD online shop were mailed within an hour before getting down to the serious business of creating 'buy it' buttons for the new online shop. Being a complete technophobe, my good friend and web administrator for I Love Hot Off The Press, Gandalf the Crafty, had sent me idiot proof tutorials, so the whole process was relatively painless and was only lengthy due to my current position on last century dial up.

I've not yet managed to get round to the quality crafting time I've promised myself but it is on the list. I'm thinking I might get some of those handmade gifts started soon as I've heard a nasty rumour that Christmas is just a month away. I'm known for getting things done at the eleventh hour so I guess there's still plenty of time yet.

Just now I'm having fun looking at new suppliers and planning that grand opening. I think we'll be looking at early January - just when the anti-climax of Christmas takes hold and we all need a bit of a lift. I suppose this is a time that should be fairly bleak but I'm really quite excited about what the future will bring.

Forward Planning - The Guvnor's Way

So I was feeling brave and everone else is doing it so I thought it might be time I had a blog of my own. As I'm still on dinosaur dial up I suppose the pictures and stuff will have to wait but no matter - it's just 3 short weeks until I join the rest of civilised society and broadband goes live (yay!)

Until then it's just my ramblings on life, the universe & everything.

So what's happening in my life right now? A mixed bag really. The new shop won't be ready when my license expires on the current one so I'm trying to find a cupboard to work from in the interim. On the plus side, when we do move in I'll be able to stay put for fifteen wonderful years so I'll finally be able to put down some roots. But what to do now?

Pack up & try to find some space for the entire contents of the shop, while running the classes from my mother's house and trying to fit in a bit of quality crafting at the same time. Needless to say the stress levels are pretty high right now and I could explode at any moment (we could have saved a fortune on fireworks had this all blown up a fortnight ago. LOL)

They (the staff, my family and most people I come in to contact with) think I'm a little bit mad. All this is going on and I keep smiling. I just keep saying 'it'll either be alright or it won't - not much you can do about it'. Of course there's lots we are doing about it behind the scenes but the outcome will be whatever it will be - no point worrying about it.

So the last trading day in the current shop is this Friday and the last classes there are on Saturday. After that we are on the next part of the roller coaster ride and it's too late to get off!
But I like a challenge and I'm almost excited to see what new paths I might tread next.

I'm looking at maybe doing a few craft fairs next year, having the shop website completely rebuilt, finding a couple of new suppliers, starting up the craft parties again and planning the biggest shop opening event that Dartford has ever seen. Then there's that quality crafting I spoke about!!

And with a bit of time off I might even get to make my Christmas cards before the new year!!