My little crafting world....


Hi all
I'm a complete craft addict! I have a small business called Surrey Crafts teaching craft workshops from my studio in Esher, Surrey and at venues around the country. I teach mixed media, decorative painting, card making and papercrafts, jewellery making and creative embroidery classes. If you'd like to find out more just leave a comment, or take a look at my other social media pages:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/surrey.crafts
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/surreycrafts/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/surreycrafts/
Crafty hugs & stuff
Suz

xx

Wednesday 24 February 2016

Workshop with Tim Holtz

Hi all

A quick post about the fantastic workshop I attended with the amazing Tim Holtz last weekend at the NEC Birmingham, a little bit about the new products and my finished workshop sample.

Gotta start with a pic of the great man himself.  He was very entertaining and I love this pic as the expression on his face reminds me of some of the funny stories he told, about little things likehow not to take the lid of the distress inks and the dangers of too much paint on the 'spackle brush' (long plastic bristles in the pic below). 

As well as the distress paints, we had a chance to use the beautiful 'crackle distress collage medium' which can be coloured - both as a collage glue for paper and for the texture of the fine eggshell cracks. This glue is unique in that it sticks IMMEDIATELY - no wiggle time so really great for quick makes. We used the texture paste, which is opaque even with just a fine layer, can be coloured and is great to use the new crayons over. For the metal embellies we used the matte medium as a glue, very strong and pretty quick drying. We also used the mini collage glue stick; also great for paper but Tim showed us that it was also fab to use with the foils: just add some to your work, lay the foils on top (coloured side facing up), leave to try and peel away the sheet - BEAUTIFUL hints of colour (see images).We were able to use one of the new frames, and the beautiful distress crayons. Now I have sent the crayons to a friend to play with so can't take a pic of them - they are in this pic but under the mediums in the bag. We also had a play with the new brushes (sadly had to give these back!) The soft one was beautiful. The spackle brush just needs to be handled in the right way. After his description of how far the paint can go with this brush if too much is used, and how we should be careful of the people in front of us (!!!) I had a giggle and put my coat on, turning to find Maria Simms and friends in the row behind had a little twinkle in their eyes! We all listened to the advice of just a tiny bit of paint and all went well.
 Couple of pics of me with my buddies (lol) firstly Tim, and also my lovely fellow 'Art Warrior' from our Sue Tucker 'Art Workshops' group and Ministry of Mixology Retreats, Diane Waldock.  
 Finally here are my samples, with close ups of the blue and gold foils on the frame and letters, painted and stamped letter blocks, paint splatters, crackle texture, stenciled texture and crayon colour.



Hope you like it....feel free to comment or ask any quiestions. 
Suz x