Wednesday 30 January 2013

New workshop list out now ...


Hello and Happy Wednesday.  Did you catch the sunshine today?  It's been almost tropical here!

As promised to all those of you who I have spoken to in the shop this week, here is the new workshop list for March and April (click on image above for the link).  

We have the usual Card Craft Days.  March is booking up already and is taking the place of the 'Mothers Day Craft Day' this year because of the date that it falls on.  We have decided that we will keep the price the same as the usual Card Craft Day but at the end we will give away flowers and chocolates for you all to take home just as we would have done with the 'Mothers Day' workshop.

As well as the usual card making workshops we have another watercolour workshop, this time themed around simple farm animals.  All of the designs will be card size but the techniques could easily be transferred onto your watercolour paintings at home.  If you would like to pop into the workshop to see the sort of paintings that I produce then feel free!

Look out for the new  'Coffee, Cake, Craft and Demo day' which is going to run every Wednesday  (10am - 1pm) from March.  This only costs £2.50 and is as much a social occasion as a craft session.  There will be a demo for the first half an hour of the session but from then there is free time to do your own thing or to have some help and inspiration with projects that you are working on.  The £2.50 will include coffee, tea and cake.

Finally look out for our new felt workshop and our new series of upcycling workshops.  

You might have noticed that our half day workshops are now 3 hours instead of 2.  We always aim to offer the best value for money and the cost of the new 3 hour workshops is still £10.  We have introduced lunch on more of our full day workshops which usually cost just £25.  We think that by doing this we are able to offer you the best value for money that we can.  Please check the details for each workshop to see if lunch is included in the workshop that you are interested in.

Put the kettle on ... make a cup of tea and enjoy browsing!  

xx

P.S. Paper copies of the list will be available to collect in the shop from Saturday 2 Feb

Monday 28 January 2013

Winter Sale ends Sunday 3rd Feb ...



I'm convinced that Spring is around the corner (wishful thinking!).  Just in case you had forgotten what blue skies and bright sunny days looked like here is a little acrylic painting on canvas that I completed a while ago.

As Spring is almost here that means that our Winter Sale is almost at an end. 
The Sale ends on Sunday 3rd February. 

The new workshop list will be out by Saturday 2nd February and will cover 
Workshops in March and April.  

Finally don't forget that there is still time to enter our £100 gift voucher prize draw (ends 28th February 2013).  For every £15 spent either in the shop or on line before the end of February we will enter you into a draw to win gift vouchers to spend on either craft items or homeware/furniture.  Good Luck ...

Friday 25 January 2013

Back to normal ...



We're back from the Furniture show ... The shop is open as usual and orders are shipping on a same day dispatch again.    We had a lovely time and the snow was kind to us. We saw some wonderful products which will fit in with the 'new look Philpotts' and which will be coming into stock very soon!  I am looking forward to sharing the new items with you over the next few weeks.

It's still cold around here and we are due more snow today ... We are keeping warm as we are busy making space for our beautiful new painted furniture which is due to arrive around the middle of February and which is going into a showroom behind the craft shop and workshop.  We have been waiting for this furniture for about 4 months as each piece has been painted especially for us.  When we placed the order I must admit that I thought 4 months was such a long time to wait but gosh the time has just flown.  

I hope you are still enjoying the cold weather.  Hopefully it's all going to change soon and we will start to get some sunshine.  I can't wait to see all the lovely VW vans which come out of hibernation in the Spring to start the first of many journeys on the motorways!

Tuesday 22 January 2013

We're back ... and we're not ...


Happy Tuesday ... Are you all still enjoying the snow?

The girls school is open today so it is all back to normal at Philpott HQ.

I am sat in the warehouse office with a hot cup of coffee trying to tell myself that my fingers are not numb and  that they will work properly today so that I can work.  I'm also looking out of the window with every car that goes past just to make sure that they do not skid into our car that is parked outside the front door ... Yes all perfectly normal at Philpott HQ!

Mr. P. has decided that as we are not due any more snow now for a few days we should try to make it to the Furniture show at the NEC.  The last day is tomorrow so if we don't try we will miss it for a whole year.

Please could you note that tomorrow (Wednesday 23rd Jan) the shop/warehouse will be closed and orders placed on line will be shipped on Thursday instead.  Sorry about this, I know that we have not been around much for the past few days because of the weather but hopefully we should be back to normal again very soon!

Until we return I am sending you a picture of a hot cup of tea and a slice of cake or two just to keep you company whilst you craft!






Saturday 19 January 2013

Snow, snow go away ...

Gosh it is cold today!

We did not stay at the warehouse yesterday as we left early to fetch the girls from school.  We made the decision not to go into the warehouse today either as we felt that it would be so difficult to keep the warehouse warm and it was doubtful whether anyone would visit anyway as the roads were so bad.  

As I said earlier in the week we were supposed to be visiting the Furniture show at the NEC tomorrow but having looked at all of the weather reports we have decided to not travel and stay in the warm instead.  Mr P. is not particularly happy that we cannot go as this show is one of the largest of its kind and only happens once a year.  As well as getting to see new furniture designs it is a chance for him to catch up with old friends  and others in the industry.  It is a shame but we know that to try and make the journey would not be sensible in the circumstances.

So today, Saturday we are all spending a day in the warm.

The chickens are not so lucky ... they are desperate to find bits and pieces to eat.  I keep throwing cabbage and lettuce as well as some warm porridge out for them but they still look sorry for themselves.  It always amazes me how such a small little thing can withstand temperatures overnight that would send us to our grave.




 The dogs and cat are all a little more lucky and are sharing the same bed in the kitchen by the warm radiator.  The girls are creating weather reports with the video camera and Mr. P. has been loading new stock onto the website and contacting those people who are ordering online and need 24 hour delivery.  He has had to explain that realistically we will not get orders out until Monday or Tuesday now.



 I have been making another Christmas cake as our first cake has already gone.  Mr P. loves his cake so much and I promised that I would make him another one as I had given most of the first cake away this year to guests and ladies on our workshops.

So today I thought I would make it.  I followed the same Christmas cake recipe from my Mum that I follow every year but I have had to make do with the dried fruit that I had in the cupboard instead of buying the exact ingredients.  The only part that really matters anyway is that it has sufficient brandy in it to sink the titanic and will be covered with inch thick layers of marzipan and icing.  I did suggest that we just eat it as a fruit cake but needless to say that suggestion did not go down very well!

This afternoon I'm making a chocolate and beetroot cake as I have too much beetroot in the fridge this week.

 ***************************************


As I have mainly been thinking about cakes today and drinking lots of tea I thought I would have some themed 'tea and cake' card suggestions for you.  They make great birthday cards but could also be used as notelets to say hello or for party invitations.


The cake stamp is from Woodware and is stamped onto different patterned papers which are then trimmed to create the finished cake in its wrapper.


Here the same cake stamp from Woodware is used.


The wedding cake is created by tearing strips of paper in decreasing sizes.  Once stuck to the card a little doodling has been added around the edges for definition and a heart has been added to the top of the cake.


And finally after all of that baking and crafting time for a cup of tea I think!


Thursday 17 January 2013

Just a little note ...

Hope you are all staying safe and warm during this awful weather.  We are supposed to be visiting the furniture show up at the NEC on Sunday.  We check the weather reports daily in the hope that the snow is going to miss us but I think that it is looking more unlikely.    

If you are planning to visit us on Friday or Saturday of this week it might be best to phone or e-mail first just to make sure that the shop is open!

If you are lucky enough to be inside crafting by the fire then here is a card made with spellbinders dies for you to have a go at...


The aperture was created using the classic-scalloped circle die set. I used the largest die in the set to create the cut for the  Lilybee orange spotty paper and the next size down for the actual aperture in the card.



 The flowers were created using the Rose Creations set.  To make one flower cut out 5 rose shapes of increasing size,  ink a little around the edges with a beige ink pad and attach together with a gemstone brad.  You may need to twist the flowers so that the petals are not all sitting over the top of one another.  Once you are happy with the position of the petals, pinch the ends of each petal to create dimension.



Here is a view of the card open so that you can see the aperture.  

*********************************

I am thinking of adding videos to the projects that I post.  Would you like to see a video tutorial for the projects as well as pictures and notes here?  Leave a comment if you would like to see a little video so I know whether to give it some more thought!

Happy Crafting!

Tuesday 15 January 2013

Win £100 worth of Gift Vouchers


COMPETITION NOW CLOSED



Needle Felted Workshop - New Date ...


Happy Tuesday to you .... hope that it isn't snowing too much where you are!

Over the past couple of months some of you have asked whether I would be repeating the felted mouse workshop.  I have finally managed to look at the diary and have arranged a date  for Saturday 16th February.  If you would like to join in you will be able to book the workshop on line later this afternoon.  Please remember that places on the felt workshops are always limited so book early if you do want to join in  as we will not be making the mice again this year.



Don't forget that our £100 prize draw runs until the end of February.  

You will receive one entry into the prize draw for every £15 spent (excluding carriage charges).  The draw ends on 28th February and the winner will be notified via e-mail shortly afterwards.  The winner will receive £100 worth of gift vouchers to spend either on line or in store. 

Enjoy the rest of the day!

Thursday 3 January 2013

Happy New Year!

We're back!  I hope you all had a super Christmas and have an absolutely wonderful 2013.

How quickly did Christmas come and go in the end.  All of those preparations and before you know it ... whoosh ... it's all over for another year.

The next big occasion for us here at Philpotts is Valentines so here are a few ideas to get the ball rolling ...



 


Don't forget that we have some FREE Valentines workshops running if you fancy coming along to make a Valentines card this year.  You do need to book.  The workshop is completely free and includes a cup of coffee and a biscuit.