Saturday 26 May 2012

A typical Crafty day.. Jo Austin


When I was first approached by Debbi to do a little write up of my Create and Craft life, I thought it a little strange… I mean.. who wants to know about my little escapades running up and down the country? So, I thought instead, I would share some of my day to day crafting life, and also tell you about my time at Create and Craft throughout a typical day.

So. Firstly. Who am i?

Well, I’m Jo, and I’m a freelance designer with Docrafts. I demonstrate their products in store (mainly on a weekend) and share a little of my knowledge and gain more knowledge from the lovely crafters that come to see me.

I have been with Docrafts now for quite a few years, and thoroughly enjoy the challenge that is usually handed to me every month or so, with projects for Creativity magazine, Creativity TV video filming, demonstrations and TV appearances.

So where to start. Well, I will start with my demo’s as these make up the majority of my work on a day to day basis. We usually get our kit a little earlier than it arrives in the stores, so we get to play with new products before they are available. This is because we are out in the stores demonstrating from the first day they are available. The majority of demos are usually held on a weekend, and can be in any Creativity store. We make up our projects using the kit sent and try to include as many techniques as we can. Our demo days are usually from 10am to 4pm.

Creativity magazine also comes out every two months to coincide with the launch of the new loop of products. So, therefore, every two months is also a busy time doing the projects and cards, write ups and steps to making each of the projects included.

Creativity TV is currently being filmed at the studios in Bath. This is a really fun filled day – just me, the camera guy and a couple of visitors throughout the day. Alun is a really lovely chap who makes the whole day pass really quickly. It is a lot of fun.

Create and Craft is something that I’ve been doing more regularly since February. I’ve done a few Pick of the Weeks, a Pick of the Day with Sheila, Four day deals and one off shows. I am currently doing the Pick of the Week – Best of British. Cute forever friends bears with London themed embellishments. The whole collection is really lovely.

A typical time for preparing for Create and Craft usually starts around two weeks before the show goes out. I will get a call asking if I can do the times requested and if I can, a kit is usually sent out to me to work with. The week before, a call is made from the Guest Liaison to confirm show times, demo’s etc, and on the day, you are requested to be there two hours earlier than the show.

So, for example, on Friday, the Pick of the Week launch is at 12pm, so I need to be there for around 10am, so I leave home around 7.45am.

When you arrive at the Ideal House, you sign in, collect your pass and go to the Green Room. (which incidentally is a cream and brown colourway). You can make a drink, eat biscuits and watch TV.. generally chill out until you get called through to the studio to set up your samples.
Once the samples are set up and the set is dressed, it will look really lovely, as this shot from Friday shows
you.

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It’s then just a wait until around 20 minutes before you go on air. In between arriving and airing, you will chat with the producer and director about products, demonstrations and in which order you are going to do things, then the presenter will sometimes come to see you too.

When it’s time to go on air, you are taken through to the studio by the Floor Manager for the show. This photo is me, Dave Bradford and Tony, the floor manager for the show I was doing on this day.

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And here I am with Tilly.. another floor manager. So, therefore another Magic Hands! The thing I love about the folks down at Create and Craft is they are all so welcoming. They always remember you, and always make you feel welcome – one Big Happy Family!

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The guys on the camera are also worthy of a mention, and here’s Joe.. who was on Camera Two.

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A little collection of Floor managers for you – from the left…. Emma, Adie and Kirsty.

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And what is the studio like? Well.. here’s a shot across the studio when another show was filming. Its really busy in there, but always a bit on the chilly side.

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When filming, there are always three cameras pointing at you, and a couple of TV screens down on the floor.. Cameras are for wide angles, close ups and front shots, and each camera is set for something different.

The screens on the floor show us what you can see on your TV, and the other is for what is being shot a couple of seconds before you see it.

It’s all very interesting eh?

It is really lovely to receive your emails though when you are on air.. it makes you realise you actually are not alone in there talking to no one.. lol.. and it’s nice to get feedback of what you think of the product we’re showing. I do try to read all the emails, even if they’re not read out on air.

So, at the end of the show, everyone breathes a sigh of relief when the sound of ‘ok, mikes out, two minutes on the floor’.. and you can pack up your things, go out of the studios, sign out in reception and drive off home. The following days are filled with unpacking, sample making, repacking, sorting and straightening, before I set off on another adventure.

So.. that’s my working day… it’s all very busy, not at all glamorous, but thoroughly enjoyable.
This week, so far, I’ve launched the Pick of the Week on Friday, been back at Create and Craft on Saturday, demonstrating in store on Sunday followed by a long drive to Bath in the evening, video shoots for Creativity TV on the Monday, followed by a drive home. Back to Peterborough today (Tuesday) and home tonight.

Tomorrow and Thursday, I have lots of sample making and demonstrations to sort out as I have four shows on Friday. Then on Saturday, I’m driving to the hotel in Bournemouth as I’m working at the Trade Event at Docrafts Head Office for the week, followed on the Friday for the very first Creativity Club event.. exciting times..

And guess what I’m doing on the Bank Holiday? Nothing! I’m just going to get my garden straight, do some tidying and cleaning, and you never know, I may even make some cards!

Friday 25 May 2012

Quick challenge reminder and my 'Inspired by...' card

Hi crafting friends,

Where has this month gone? But don't worry, there is still seven days left to enter this months challenge. The theme is:

'Inspired By...'

A bit of a different challenge, for you this month. Is there a crafter you are inspired by? They can be famous, or not so famous. Are they just one of those crafters who you just keep going back to. 
Make a project which is inspired by their style. Please state the crafter you were inspired by. And if they have a blog, website etc, please add that too.


This challenge has also been sponsored by


where the winner will win two template of their choice!!

Pop over to our challenge blog to enter



Now it's time to share my 'Inspired by...' card. and I have be inspired by a crafter called Becca Feeken. She is such a talented crafter and amazes me with the things she can do. The things she comes up with, and the way she works things out just blows me away. Ans she seems such a nice person too. 










From Drop Box

Wednesday 23 May 2012

I'm thankful for...#20

Todays Blog Prompt - 'I'm Thankful For...' and keep it craft related ;-) 


Hiya crafty friends,

It goes without saying that first and foremost I am thankful for my family, but having to keep this craft related, hmmmm now that's a bit more of a puzzler.

What am I thankful for, craft related?????


I think one thing I am thankful for is being able to make individual things for the special people in my life. Things that could never be bought in a shop as they are so personalised to that person

From Drop Box

Tuesday 22 May 2012

Cards Galore Scrapbooking DT call!!!



Hi everyone..

We have decided to start a Scrapbooking Challenge here on Cards Galore.

We are mainly looking for people that have a passion for paper scrapping. 
However we would also like to add one Digital scrapper, so please state clearly which postion you would like to apply for. 
We are looking for 3 paper scrappers and 1 digi scrapper.

Requirements:
  • You will need to submit 1 project pr month, with a set theme.
  • You must have a blog up and running where you will be required to advertise our challenge, blog and FB group along with your monthly project.
  • You must join us on Cards Galore FaceBook group and take part in the group.
  • You will be required to comment on entries for the challenges.

What you will get in return.

The chance to work with a fantastic team of talented girls.
To be part of a fun and friendly group.
To have your work and talent highlighted on our blog and FB

The term will run from 1 July - 31 dec 2012.
First project will be due 13th of julytheme anything goes.

In order to apply, e-mail Marleen, marleengallagher@yahoo.com with the following information:
  • Name
  • E-mail
  • Blog
  • Links to any other gallery you upload your work.
  • 3 pieces of your best scrapbooking work.
  • Tell me a bit about yourself and your crafting.
  • Tell me why you would like to be part of this DT.
This DT call will close on the 10th of June 2012.
We look forward to hear from you all.

Debbi & Marleen xxx

Monday 21 May 2012

Crafty Bloggers Network Challenge - Spotlight stamping

Hiya crafty friends, 

It's all systems go over at Crafty Bloggers Network for this fortnights challenge, which is now live. 
And the lucky winner will win 6 months Creativity Club membership worth £13.50 courtesy of docrafts.

This challenge is also special as we have two places available to become part of the lovely Design Team for The Crafty Bloggers Network. So this is the perfect opportunity for you to apply. When uploading your project to this challenge, simply add your name, as usual, to the linky widget but also add DT after your name so we know that your spotlight card is also a Design Team application.

Good luck and I look forward to working along side you, and I am really lookig forward to seeing everyone's projects!

So, here is my DT card for  this challenge. This is a tecjnicque I rarely us, but doing this challenge reminded me how fun and effective it is.

I started with an 8x8 scalloped card, which I cut an appature out with a Spellbinders Grand Nestibilities (Label #1), and then I embossed dots with an embossing folder.


I stamped two images, using a stamp from the Tulip Stamp set, and coloured a part of one with Promarkers. I then used a X-cut scallop circle die to cut the part of the image I wanted to use


And lined it up with the uncoloured image, using foam pads to give a bit of dimension.


Using another stamp from the Tulip set, I stuck, with foam pads, a smaller image, lightly coloured with Flex-markers, at the corner of the aperture.

I also added two small ribbon loops and two brads to finish it off.




From Drop Box

Sunday 20 May 2012

Just one word... (Creativity Club Prompt #19)

Today's Creativity Club blog prompt is 'A WORD...'
 
Using one word, describe yourself and then ask another blogger to do the same. Mention in your blog post who you will be asking to do the same and link to their blog.

Hi crafty friends,

Hmmmm, one word to describe myself....urm....*thinking*...

Worrier 

And the person I am asking to do the same is Debbi at Taylor Made Cards




From Drop Box

Saturday 19 May 2012

A day in the life of...Marleen (Creativity Club Prompt #14)

Today's blog prompt is - 
The day in the life of... This could be yourself or interview someone!! Have fun blogging and have fun discovering someone's typical day! How about getting a fellow Creativity Club member to guest post for your blog? Or do a call out for a docrafts demonstrator to write about their demonstration day?


Hi crafty friends,

I am handing today's blog over to a good friend of mine, Marleen, to tell us all about her demo. So over to you Marleen x


My Name is Marleen Gallagher. Im a stay at home mom to me 3 wonderful children and my motto is "before I'm anything else, I'm a mom". But every mom has to have a litlle slice of the cake just to herself. and for me, it's my crafting.

I started to craft when my eldest was born in 2003. I needed something quiet to do when she was sleeping as we lived in a very small bedsit at the time. Over the years, it became a "me-time" and then a passion. Now beside my family, it's my life.

I have a very busy crafting life. I work for several Design Teams, Including Debbie's Cards Galore.
But I have also been very lucky to have been offered to do craft demontrations for my local craft shop. And that is what I want to tell you about.

A Demo is planned weeks in advance. As soon as I get the goodies, the shop wants me to show case, I sit down with a cuppa and have a good look at it all. Not just with crafters eyes but with business eyes, if that makes any sense.

I'm very lucky as the shop I demo in, is an independant local business. It means my hands are a bit more free to do what I like. But bottom line is, that a demo in the shop, is for me to try and sell as much crafting goodies as I can on the day. And hopefully have them all coming back for more.
Now when I demo, thats not whats on my mind of course, cause I demo because I love to craft. But for the shop that is what I'm there for, and I have to keep that in mind when I plan my demo.

So with my cuppa in hand, I look through it all. The last demo I did, I got papers and toppers as my main items. I dont use many finished toppers personally so it was a brill challenge for me. The other main thing the shop asked me to show case was my big shot, as they sell that and dies.
So I simply sat down, made a list of what I wanted to do, with what items. It dont mean that I make the finished cards as I write them down, but it gives me a great idea of what to include. 

The hardest thing about a demo, is not the demo itself, it's all the planning that goes in before. So for this demo I decided to include some bunting, some cards made in shapes cut from the dies, and some very easy quick makes.


 
 And this is some of the samples I made for the day.

In my group of regulars, I have every level of crafters, We have everyting from a couple of girls just starting out, to girls that have been crafting longer then me, so I have to keep that in mind in my planning as well. I need to be prepare to show how to use the basic tools to something that can keep the seasoned crafters at my table.

A demo is really just me sitting at a table in the shop, crafting. I bring everything I need in my big tote so I have everything at hand. Packing the tote the night before is normally a nightmare. Trying to cover for any question, just in case.

Once Im at the table, I often start by making a scrappage. I dont plan my pages in advance, but always bring a kit so I have everything coordinating. It can be a bit slow in the shop in the morning and as scrapping takes longer, its a good start while people look around.

I then start making some cards. As this time was toppers, I whipped up a few easy onces to start with and that normally lead to questions, that lead to show a tecnics ect.

As much as I love planning my demo's and being prepared, you can never plan for it all. You can have a crowd that is really eager to see new things, asking loads of questions, or you can have a very quiet group that just wanna watch. All you can do is plan for both and hope for the best.
I can have anything from 5-6 people to 30-35 people in the shop at on time. The last demo I did, the last hour, It was only me and few of my very good crafting friends left, so we all sat and had a cuppa while we tried out a few new things.
At my first demo, I was mobbed pretty much the whole time and loads of people told me later that they had been to see me, but I was so busy I never saw them. You just never know..

This is the cover the local news paper did after my last demo. 

I love doing my demo's and would really love to do more. When my children are older I want to expand to do classes as well, but for now, I take things slow. It takes a lot of time to get ready for a demo, but I love every moment. I have meet so many fantastic people in my area, that I would never had meet otherwise. One day I would like to work full time with crafting, one way or another, but for now I enjoy my 5 min of fame now and again at my demo's.

I hope you enjoyed my story, and if you wish to see more of my work you can come and visit me on my blog : http://www.marleens-crafty-space.blogspot.com/. Also, you can join me on Facebook here.


BIG Hugs, Marleen xxx


From Drop Box

Friday 18 May 2012

A cheerful dedication... (Creativity Club Promp #17)

Today's Prompt... #17
Create a cheerful card and blog about it. Dedicate it to someone special and write about your dedication. 


Hiya crafty friends,


I was in the need of a cheerful card today, feeling two degrees under, so this prompt came at the right time. 
I love this stamp! It was a freebie on a magazine, but I love it!!


The flower borders were stamped after I had masked out the area I wanted to leave plain, and I masked out the reverse on the inside. It is very simple to do, but it very effective.


My dedication is very simple to decide...


"To my mum and dad, who are always there when I need them xxx"






From Drop Box

Thursday 17 May 2012

To scrap, or not to scrap and some exciting news (Creativity Club Prompt #16)

Today's blog prompt - 
touches on the subject of scrapbooking. I would love to know if you DO and why you DO IT and if you DON'T why DON'T YOU? 

Hi crafty friends,

Scrapbooking...now that is something that has never come easy to me.  I don't know why that is. I can card-make, papercraft and all, which comes to me fairly easily, but scrapbooking, I really have to work at. 

I have scrapbooked in the past, but not that often. I would really love to scrapbook as there are hundreds of wonderful photographs I would love to scrapbook. But I just never get round to doing it.

I must admit, I did enjoy doing the Digital Scrap page in a earlier prompt, so I think that maybe a good way to start my scrapbook journey.

I did do a layout some time ago at a craft class I use to got to, but unfortunately it wasn't covered any further.

Here is my craft group double page layout of when I was a 'ickle baby :)



NEWS FLASH

Talking of scrapbooking...in the very near future, Cards Galore will be running a monthly scrapbook challenge, run by our lovely design team member and wonderful scrapbooker Marleen


If you would like to register your interest in this, please leave a comment and we will post on our Facebook group when it will be starting

From Drop Box

Tuesday 15 May 2012

My Guilty Pleasures. Shhhhh, keep it to yourself # 15

Today's blog prompt is 'My Guilty Pleasure...'
Now you can make this craft themed or you can simply share a recipe (We love cakes here at docrafts) or a crafty project with us. It may even be stalking your favourite crafter and having to check their website or blog before your day begins.



Hi crafy friends,

It's confession time. Today's Creativity Club prompt is all about Guilty Pleasures. Hmmm, do I really want to tell the whole world about mine. Well, we all have them don't we. So here you go, here are a few of my guilty pleasure, but shhhhhh, don't tell anybody. It's just between you and me ;)

Crafting Guilty Pleasures
Craft magazines - 
I haven't got much self control when it comes to these, esp if there is a good freebie with it...lol! :) 

Food Guilty Pleasure
Chocolate -
Hmmmmmmm, I love it!!!! I daren't have it in the house, as it wouldn't hang around very long

Film Guilty Pleasure
Anything with Johnny Depp in it!
I don't think this one really needs a explaination ;)

Drink Guilty Pleasure
Cherry Coke - 
Owww, the hard stuff..lol!


Well, I've confessed guys, now it's your time. What are your guilty pleasures. Come on, I won't tell anybody...I promise :)

From Drop Box

Dies to die for - Creativity Club Prompt #13

Today's blog prompt is to write about your favourite craft product.
It would be great to show us a few cards that you have made using your favourite product too!


Hiya crafty friends,


Hmmmm, my favourite craft product...there are so many!!! 





Though I do love die cutting and embossing, and thanks to my lovely family and a birthday, I am now a proud new owner of a Spellbinder Grand Calibur. I love how versatile it is and has enabled me to do even the simplest things I have wanted to do, but haven't been able to i.e. embossing a flap of an envelope







For this project I used the Grand Nestibilities - Grand Label One





Some of my favourite dies and embossing folder I use regularly are:







From Drop Box