I'm Back

I can't actually believe it has been so long since I last posted on here.  I'm not sure where all the time has gone although life has been pretty hectic.  I've started teaching again 3 days a week and I have to say I love it.  Due to the nature of supply work, it means I can do the bit of the job I love without all the stresses of targets, marking and scrutiny.  I really believed this time last year that I would never go back into a classroom - how wrong I was.  I'm back at it and I'm enjoying teaching again.

It also means that I also have plenty of time for family fun as well as getting into my craft room. It really is my sanctuary (although a very chaotic, messy sanctuary at times) and I can lose myself in creating new samples.  I was very busy before Christmas as I had a couple of craft parties and actually went out to a Christmas Fayre.  Although it wasn't the most successful experience it did show me that people liked my cards and that there is a market for them (if I can get the setting and prices right)

 

I had lots of orders from family and friends and it kept me out of mischief during those long Winter evenings.

 

I've also been continuing to make samples for Tattered Lace that have been on TV, on their Pinterest site and also on Crafting.co.uk as examples of what can be made with the dies.  It really has been so rewarding.  I have loved getting these dies and embossing folders before anyone else and really being able to play with them.  It is such a thrill to see the hours you put into your work being appreciated and used by the company.  It's something I hope to keep doing (obviously as long as they want me to) as I really feel like I am doing something with my crafting.

 

 

It still astonishes me how far I've come from my little bag of embellishments and one paper pad that I started with 4 years ago.  As people begin to start talking about the Rio Olympics it takes me back to those first evenings, watching the London Olympics with a glass of wine and my new found hobby.  I've gone from there to an entire spare and it's more of an obsession these days.  I start every week telling myself not to buy anymore crafty goodies and have usually been shopping by Tuesday.  I had a big sort out of my dies a couple of weeks ago (I'm terrible for not putting things back where they belong until I can no longer find anything) and I could not believe how many dies I actually had.  I try not to think about how much I've spent on them in just under 4 years because it is what I love.

 

 

Well I'm off back to it now.  Got some new panel dies I've been experimenting with.  Hoping the results will be good.  Determined to post on here more now, despite being busier than I was before, and I hope you will continue to have a read.

 

Bye for now