Coming to a craft shop near you.....

I'm often asked by my crafting friends on Facebook if I know of any demos happening up and down the country. Well I've put together a quick list of a few I know that are taking part this weekend. All the ladies doing the demonstrations come very highly recommended and if you can go along even for half an hour you are sure to pick up some great ideas. If I hear of any more I will edit this post and add them at the bottom so don't forget to keep checking my blog for updates! x

Saturday 13th September


Sycamore Park Garden Centre, Chester Road, Great Sutton, Cheshire IndigoBlu

High Legh Garden Centre, High Legh, Knutsford, Cheshire (IndigoBlu)

Strikes Garden Centre, London Road North, Poynton, Stockport (IndigoBlu)

Crab Apple Crafts, Lady Hayes Craft Centre, Kingsley Rd, Frodsham, Cheshire Crafter's Companion UK)

Crafts 4 U 2 Do, Greenfield Road, Denton's Green, St Helen's. (Crafter's Companion)

Daisy's Jewels & Crafts, Unit 3 Bryant Road, Exhall, Coventry (Chloe's Stamps)

Woodward PDA Limited, Unit 3-4, Cromford Road Industrial Estate Cromford Road, Langley Mill, Nottingham (Stix2 / Woodware)

Crab Apple Crafts, Lady Heyes Craft Centre, Kingsley Road, Cheshire (Stix2 / Woodware)

PoppyCraft 36 St Martin’s Street Wallingford, Oxon (Stix2 / Woodware)


Keep On Crafting, 98a Risbygate Street Bury St Edmunds (Stix2 / Woodware)


Saturday 13th AND Sunday 14th September

King's Church at Indbuild, Colburn Business Park, Catterick Garrison (Claritystamp Tickets £5.00 payable on door)

It's a cracker!

As promised at my demo yesterday, here are the details on how to make the cracker. As you can see the one pictured here was made using a good quality 12 x 12 paper, I think the weight was about 150gsm and it worked perfectly. 

So I started off with a piece of 12 x 12 patterned paper and cut it so it measured 12 x 10. 

With the long edge at the top of my Ultimate Pro I scored at 2", 4", 8" and 10"

Turning the paper round so the shorter edge was at the top I scored at 2", 4", 6" and 8".

Using the bone folder I creased all the score lines to give a nice finish.

I then cut a triangle out of the first edge (see diagram below)

Top tip: I used the first triangle I cut as a template for all the other triangles so they were more or less the same size and it's easier to fold the inner panels over to cut your triangles, cut up one side then flip the cracker over and cut up to meet the first cut.

Now with the patterned side facing you, apply DS tape along all the panels on the bottom edge. You are then going to attach this to the inside of the top panels to make the basic shape for your cracker. 

Once you have assembled the cracker push the two ends in, this will make the parts where you have cut the triangles from fold in nicely. 

Pull the ends back out and tie a bit of ribbon around the parts where you have cut out, remember to fill the cracker first though!

Once your cracker is assembled you can decorate it as you please. I also cut triangle out of my ends to make them a little fancier.