Crafting With Craig: A5 glaze gel pen flower strip stamp card

So again, it's been a while since I have last blogged a full post so thought it was about time i wrote one up.

Just under 2 weeks ago I was lucky enough to be invited by Hunkydory Crafts to work along side the team at their GBCF - Great British Craft Festival where I was assisting all weekend in the workshops. I had a blast, on the Friday I was working the full day with the truly gorgeous and talented Christine from Pinflair Crafts. In her work shop she was teaching the class how to make a wee fabric fold up pocket where you could store long items such as scissors, bone folders, embossing tools etc. it was interesting to see and of course one I had to get my head round the way it works and assembly I was excited to help and show others how it would come together. I was darting about so much because with Christine being the ledgened she is, I wanted to make sure she had everything she needed and for her to do as little as possible - after all that was what I was there for.

On the Saturday morning I was with the equal gorgeous and talented Anne-Marie Cottrell where in her workshop they were making the butterfly note let box. That was fun, not only being in Anne-Marie's companies but I was in my comfort zone - Hunkydory products. We had a laugh and giggle got to chat all Hunkydory talk with the Hubkydory fans. I thought I may of slipped up with information regarding the then up and coming Hunkydory 4 Day Deal on Create and Craft. Thankfully, photos had already been show on fb - phew!

On the Saturday afternoon and most of Sunday I was with yeah you guessed it, the gorgeous and talented Ruth where we make the Boutique Chic shop front concept project. This was slightly harder for many to get their heads around but a lot of laughs were had.

This was one I had to get my head round quick because I hadn't actually made one. Like usual when it comes to concept cards, we're don't usually make them, we on the design team have to come up with something different. I think many had the enjoyment of watching me figure it out.

THEN, my 2nd lass class of the day I was very excited about, I was with Francoire Read where she was teaching colouring with Sakura gell pens. Well I was fascinated to say the least. I had gone all weekend with everyone either shouting my name or saying excusing me to all of a sudden be in the lovely calming room where everyone was all zoned out and concentrating on their colouring. Not only was I fascinated by this but I was full of enjoyment of listening to Francoire explaination and demonstration. So much so after the class I was ready to run out and buy the products used. Francoire was very kind and gifted me a set of the pens she used in the workshop. I had already bought some Woodware stamps the day before but I still went out after the class abought some more aswell as the bauble stamp she used in her workshop. Below you will see my creations using Francoires techniques used in the workshop.

Finally the last work shop of the day and the weekend I was with the lovely Sarah McCrossan in her mdf workshop where they were making these lovely 3D Christmas trees. I wasn't assisting much in this class because I had to clear the room from the previous class with Francoire but I did enjoy watching Sarah aswell as everyone come up with these gorgeous creations.

Now that I'm home I have been having a play with the gel pens aswell as the stamp sets I bought. I used the same techniques that Francoire used in her workshop which was blending the 2 inks together. The blending I only done on the petals and the buds. The background was made by using a yellow brush pen and then going round the edges in a green brush pen. The out line border is simply just a squiggle that Iv drawn free hand using the 0.4 black fine liner pen. It's been matted onto a piece of black card from Papermill Direct. I attached to card base using 3D foam pads, make sure you give a good coverage, if you don't then it will dip in the centre. The patterned paper layer is from DCWV - Die Cut With a View and is layered into white linen card and again onto black card, both from Papermill Direct. The A5 card blank is a piece of white plain card from Papermill Direct, folded in half to create the card blank. I added a sentiment that came with the stamp and matted it on to black card. I added a few pearls to the corner to finish the card off.