Good gracious - where did April go?

Seems far too long since I've been on here.  Been very busy designing new patterns and planning what is going to happen, now that postal charges have gone up.  Also the cost of printing the patterns has risen dramatically.  I hate the idea of  putting up my charges, so its been decided that in the near future we will offer instant downloads which will be cheaper than the patterns are at present - and of course there will be no postal charges.  Its something we have been fighting against since we started selling patterns as we lose a bit of control over what happens to the pattern as a download - however, we now have to go with it!  For those who don't like buying on the internet via Paypal, there will still be the option of  paying by cheque and buying an actual pattern but I'm afraid it will cost more.  This won't all happen for a month or two as it will take a while to set up.
For anyone with a line-dancing friend, there's a new free pattern on my website, just for line-dancers.
Looking forward to the next course at Barton on Sea on May 5th.  We always have such a good time - I just hope the girls enjoy it as much as I do!  (By the way, we're quite happy to include male parchment-crafters on our courses, but they seem to be a rare breed!)

New Free Pattern for February

Finally managed to get February's free pattern on the website.  I got so involved with the Glamour Girls, the time just went.  Plus I've been asked for a bigger selection of 'New Baby' designs. Must be a 'baby boom' on at the moment!  I've started to sort out drawings for Debbie's CD featuring the Christmas Fairy.  I think she is going to be just as naughty as the fairies on the first CD!  (The Christmas Fairy, I mean - not Debbie!)

First Workshop of 2012 on 24th March

Not written much here for a week or so - finishing my next set of 'Glamour Girls' and really enjoying myself, researching the 1920's fashions.  Must start to think about the first workhop at Barton on Sea....got my first dozen people signed on for that and had a request for another 'Enchanted Garden' fairy - so that MAY be one of the patterns we work on. Recently bought  myself a Pergamano Moon Tool - my first new tool for several years!  I like to stick with just a few of the most popular perforating and embossing tools because there are just too many to afford now.  However, I was tempted by the moon tool because it is very pretty and also - if you don't have it - you can substitute the Pergamano semi-circle tool on my patterns.  I'm using it on one of my Glamour Girl patterns right now.  Almost ten thirty in the evening now - really must make a new resolution to stop 'parching' and designing and get to bed before midnight for a change.  Where does the time go when you're having fun!

Give me Parchment!!!! PLEASE!

I feel I've been in a parchment desert!  There has just been no time to get down to  serious designing since the Christmas and New Year festivities  but now the 'parchment' side of my brain has kicked into gear again. I'm really looking forward to seeing my parching buddies at our Wednesday group and I also have Alison Yeates class to look forward to in the coming week.  I've also put a new free pattern on my website. From this, you will gather that I am working on some new 'Glamour Girls' patterns.  Don't fret Debs - I'm also 'multi-tasking' on the next CD. 

Part two of 'Last Workshop for 2011"

Sorry Debs - forgot to say I was proud of you too!  In fact everyone at the workshop got in touch with their artistic side and the result was a whole flock of beautifully-painted oriental birds.  Every single one was different.  We should have had a 'show and tell' of work at the end - must remember to do that next year.

Last workshop for 2011.

I hope everyone enjoyed themselves on Saturday.  I have to say I AM SO PROUD OF CAROL!  I know how much she hates painting with felt-tips, but she gritted her teeth and persevered with not TOO much grumbling and finished up with a lovely piece of work. Looking forward now to next year's courses.  After having two more ideas for Debee's CD's, I now realise I will have to give up sleeping to get everything done - but its all so much fun I don't actually care....although I have started to drop off after lunch, completely missing 'Doctors'!

Let's all go down the pub!

Now that I've finished the artwork for DebbeesCDs, I've got inspired by my latest project -  designs based on country pub signs.  No - I really don't go from pub to pub doing research - if I did, I would never get any parching done.  Anyhow, I only drink at Christmas! There are such great pub names out there that it was difficult choosing my first six.  I'm not reproducing the actual sign, just taking inspiration from the name....but I have drawn the line at  the 'Slug and Lettuce'   That's not a REAL pub!  I hope to have these on the website during the first week in November.