Set up day at 5 Lakes

Just a quick post today, I've just got in from setting up our stand at the Creative Stitch and Craft show at 5 Lakes resort near Maldon in Essex. I've added a couple of pictures of Niki and myself about halfway through.

This is how we left it, we couldn't finish it because we left one of the stamp racks behind, but I will add some more photo's when I get back tomorrow night showing it in all it's glory. If you are visiting the show, please drop by and say Hi, we are on stand A8.

New Arrivals

 

I've been a busy little bee lately and I've designed some new additions to the Acid Drop family. Your favourite characters, just smaller! I now have a range of key rings and fridge magnets available featuring our best selling images and quotes. The key rings are £1.99 and the fridge magnets are £2.25. They will be released at the 5 Lakes show from Thursday and are currently available only at our shows and exhibitions. If you would like more details and can't get to the shows just email me at; karenosborne99@gmail.com I've added a picture of a few of the designs but there are more available. Please let me know what you think, are there any other products such as mugs or bags that you would like to see? 

I hope this post finds you all well if not warm.  It's a frantic time at the moment, our first show is coming up next week at 5 Lakes Resort in Maldon, setting up is the same day as the class and runs from Thursday to Saturday, the day after the show closes we are of to Birmingham for the Trades, and the magazine has just doubled the amount of projects they want before the end of the month.  At least I won't be bored!

 

I promised an easier class this week and lo, no acetate in sight. I've designed these 4 cards to be quick, simple, in both construction and style and to bring a hint of spring into a cold soggy February. This being me 'though, I have included a few design tricks to add to your repertoire that should come in handy when designing your own cards at home. Brown kraft card is a very hot look right now and I've been wanting to use this embossed kraft card for ages so I couldn't resist designing a card with it any longer. The cards are suitable for all skill levels including beginners.

 

The class takes place as always at The Old Fire Station in Hockley, Essex and runs from 7pm to 9.30 ish. Included in the class are all the materials needed to make the 4 cards, full colour printed step by step instructions, use of our tools and of course  refreshments. The cost of the class is still only £10. If you haven't put our name down already and would like to come, or you fancy giving us a try for the first time, just drop me an email and I'll add you to the list.

Some One To Love You

As It's getting near to Valentines day and I wanted to post some samples, I thought I would choose a set that at least had love in the title. 

 Easy so far,then I realised that being the cynic I am my humour tends to be on the dark side, (there's a reason I'm still single!

But what the heck, here are the samples anyway, although they do strike a bit close to home, (I'm happy to say that I'm  mouldering into mature eccentricity to the embarrassment of my younger relatives,) they are not in the least autobiographical.

Yes my eyebrows are getting longer, ditto my eyesight and gravity is getting more tenacious, can I hear any violins playing yet? It was my birthday last week and I'm feeling it!

Thinking of Valentines day brings back a really nice memory. I was in America at the CHA show, it must be about 10 years ago now and I was on a stand placing an order and chatting to the sales lady. She was pointing out all the valentines items and I made a passing comment that I wasn't really into it and had never had a Valentines card. Thinking nothing  more of it, I came home got on with running the business, and just before Valentines day a card arrived and it was a Valentines card from the owner of the stand who had overheard my conversation with his sale lady. It was a lovely card and a wonderful gesture that I still remember to this day. Maybe I'm not such a cynic after all.

To see more samples just visit our web site at www.aciddropsandwhatnots.co.uk and check out the sample gallery.

This card was sent in be Kate. She's used one of my favourite sets, 'Setting a Good Example'. I like the way stripes on the background paper enhance the design of the card and helps harmonise the layout. Kate's husband also caste the deciding vote on her name, So ladies and gentleman meet Marsha, a woman very much after my own heart! To see more of Kate's work visit her blog  at www.cuilliesocks.blogspot.co.uk 

Please keep sending your samples in and I'll get them up onto the blog. I love to see different interpretations of our stamp images it's great to see such a variety of styles. 

I've just rummaged around the archive and came up with this little beauty. It was taken on the set of a TV show from the late 80's called Hanney which starred Robert Powell. Yes, he was as gorgeous as he looked on screen, although I may have been a little punch drunk as I had just come off a 12 hour night shoot of Jack the ripper where I spent hours getting Killed. Oh the Glamour! It was taken at Hoxton Hall in the east end of London one of the few remaining original music halls remaining, I once had the pleasure of singing music hall there and my grandfather was a gallery boy there back in the day. It's funny How history repeats itself. Under the lovely line of the coat hides 3 different corsets, an Edwardian 's' bend, another that goes over the bust and then something that strapped on over the backside to give the weird 'S' bend shape. At least they held be upright while I was gently sliding into sleep halfway through the shoot!

Projects for class 30.1.12

Well it didn't take long for me to get behind again, what with the snow and the on again off again scheduling of my bit on the television. After a snowy delay it finally went ahead on Tuesday in pretty Barnes, in South West London. It was great fun, quite like old times. I met a group of lovely ladies and spent the afternoon discussing books, I quite forgot that there were a couple of cameras on me, Although doing a solo interview was a bit strange.

But back to teacher mode! Here are the details for the next class. In this class you will make 3 cards all featuring acetate as the main design element. Its hard to see all the details of the designs in the photograph as the way the light hits it and the bounce back effect of the acetate but here goes. The first card is a concertina card, and covers how to hinge acetate sheets in a way that can be incorporated into the design. Each panel is decorated with tiny holographic butterflies and dragon so that when the card is displayed they appear to be flying right off into the distance.

The second card deals with using acetate in frames and features a very pretty flower fairy gold etched peel off over acetate, and deals with utilising different coloured frames layered to create an elegant seamless design.  Finally, as we are heading towards Valentine's day, this card is for the love of you life. The idea behind this card, is again using layers but on both sides of the acetate to give you a card that looks as good inside as it does out. I've used made full use off the versatility of double sided card stock and what goes on behind the acetate is as important as what goes on in front of it, especially when it comes to the order in which you assemble it. The techniques that you learn in this class will be very useful when designing your own cards at home.

The class is as usual at The Old Fire Station, Hockley in Essex, it starts at 7pm and goes on 'til 9.30pm. The cost is unchanged at £10 an includes all the products needed to complete the class, use of our tools, full colour printed instructions and of course tea/coffer and biscuits. If I don't already have your name or fancy giving us a try or haven't been for a while but fancy a crafty night out, just drop me an email and I'll add you to the list. I'll also bring along a range of embellishments, ribbons, brads etc and continue the 25% discount on them for this class.

Hope to see you all soon