Neil Wittaker-Flowers and More Flowers

Hi All

Sorry I have not updated my blog for quite some time,but you now how it is with life!
As I have said before there never seems enough hours in the day, and just how do you mange the time you do have?

Well today I had some time to myself, and had a brilliant day out with my friend Lynn.
As some of you may know I have been into floristry for many years now.

I love updating my ideas and I find that watching live demonstrations the best way to do this.
I am a visual learner so I was in my element watching all the demonstrations.
I noticed that my local floristry wholesalers where having a floral demonstration on today, and the very talented award winning florist Neil Wittaker was showing off his amazing talents.

Well what a show it was,it didn't go with a bang ,but more of a gust of wind ,and my word horrifc gusts of wind...........
We both arrived expecting the demonstration to be held in the wholesalers itself ,but "OH NO", low and behold, a large Marquee was set up outside.We ventured inside and there where just 5 of us, and lots of empty seats,we where shivering,there was a small heater ,but it was not doing anything as the flaps of the marquee kept on opening up.I think our cold, and snowy, icy weather had put many people off attending as they are usually so well attended.

We all looked like eskimos, all done up in our boots,hats scaves and gloves ,and what made me giggle when Neil had completed a demonstration  we all applauded ,yes, the 5 of us ,but we where all laughing as we all had gloves on ,and you could just hear a faint echo of a clap due to our gloves muffling the sound.

The demonstrations where fantastic, and we both learnt so much from Neil ,lots of hints and tips.We watched for 2 lots of one hour sessions and after that we where just too cold to watch the last demonstration.

We bought a number of bits and pieces to make displays ,we where both really very good and did not spend too much.You could spend ,spend and spend in there.They have such a fantastic assortment of floristry items as well as a full array of of crafting items,including ribbons and more ribbons and stunning home decor items. 

By this time we where cold,hungry and thirsty,so off we went to the family pub across the road to treat ourselves to lunch.We talked and talked and talked as we always do,my other half says when I start talking I can speak forever.Slight exageration ,but I do know what he means haaa haaa.........

So thank you to my friend Lynn for such a lovely day ,and cannot wait for our next meetup.

Below are some pictures for you all of the demonstrations with Neil Wittaker.

As you can see the arrangements where focused on the Easter theme ,but of course the tecniques could easliy be adapted for all sorts of occasions.

Well I am off to get my hot chocolate and to watch the tv in bed, as I am so tired and maybe read some of my new crafting magazines,thats of course if I can keep my eyes open long enough......


Hope you all have a wonderful week, and if you are local to Warrington,don't forget the craft meetup is this Wednesday the 27th March.
Even if you are not local ,you would be most welcome to come along you would be made very welcome.

Take Care
Jackie

Nearly Vintage Craft Magazine (2004 Practical Crafts Mag)

Hello Friends new and old   (Jackie here)

Thought I would give you all a bit of a chuckle ,especially as it is nearly a new year.As you may have read I have been crafting for many years now, and have been seriously papercrafting from abput 2004.

This was the year that I thought I would have a go at stamping and heat embossing.Well how things have moved on since then,I used to heat set my powders over the gas ring as I had never heard of heat guns at that point.Where they around then ,I would love to know?

I suppose I am a bit of a hoarder,and have kept the very first craft magazine that I bought in 2004 ,all in tact even with the FREEBIE still attached to the front. I know I am a bit sad ,but I always keep anything to do with crafting.
Below is the magazine itself ,not too sure when it stopped being printed will have to do some research on that one in the next couple of days.

It was the November edition so I suppose I must have bought it for ideas,I am always on the look out for new ideas.How styles have changed from the decorations themselves to the style and the layout of the magazine.

I love the paper cut trees ,I know paper cuts are very much back in at the moment for all special occasions and are very popular for wedding invites.This would have been all done by hand,now all the new cutting cutting machines could do this in a minute or two.How times have moved on in eight years.

Hope you have enjoyed a little bit of nostalgia from the crafting world.I thought this was appropriate with the new year not many hours away.I wonder what the new year holds for the crafting year of 2013.
What do you think will be trendy ,I would love to hear your ideas so why not leave them in the comments box for us to have a look at.

TTFN
And all the very best for 2013 and look forward to chatting soon.

Off to have a go at one of my new cricut cartridges that I got for Christmas ,will post my makes once they are completed.