Sugar Nellie

Diary of a crafter

Hello from a slightly colder than comfortable, Sunday afternoon in Scotland.

It's almost time to close the web site, I just have to collect all the images and store them. I'm not looking forward to that but once x3 close, so do all their web sights.

Cookies still have not been made 🙄

I do still enjoy working with MDF and have stock piled some Christmas lines ready to do later.
This led to felt flowers which I have spent a great time making and teaching. I struggled with getting wording on to plaques and then discovered Chalk Couture & Magnolia Design Co. I'm not so patiently waiting for those to arrive, that's something completely new to me. I have three original cricuts but never really used them, I'm very hesitant to buy a new machine for that same reason, I'm too lazy to take hours to learn how to cut SVG files. In America they use the bigger negative piece and paint the words through the stencil but in the UK it's more the positive that is just stuck on. I'm happy to play with both because I ain't learning to had write on plaques .

I'm struggling to thread up my sewing machine, I have great plans to create an army of gnomes. I have been a busy crafter and collected up all the supplies required and made my own pattern , one day these may join the shelfs of other "kits" I have designed for sale on etsy.

There's no pressure right now to be productive for anyone besides me. I'm liking it.

I post the odd picture of the things I have finished over on IG - sugar Nellie , but that's about it.
Social media is clearly a full time job for some but I missed that boat long ago. Come follow me if you please, I'm not selling anything, just enjoying crafting like the good old days when it was all fun and no pressure.

Two years later

Wow, what a two years those turned out to be.

Without turning into a script for a documentary, things took a sharp turn, and this year I can say that I'm back one the road looking for sign posts to guide me on which way to turn?

I know that Sugar Nellie will not be making any new stamps, that world faces so many hurdles, I ain't fit to jump them anymore.
But I just have to take a look at an old stamp catalog and it's easy to remember how much I loved those stamps, and personally, I have a slightly large collection. I will always love crafting and this year I need to start all over again.

But where to start, I suppose right back at the beginning, teaching. Craft classes and get togetherness, being social with like minding folks who all understand the love of being creative.

I had a quick look at the top crafting sites in the UK, it shows more wood and vinyl sites, but Stamping Up demonstrators are still going strong. Are people still making cards as trends do come and go.

Personally I have been playing with wreaths, something the UK really has not taken too. There are next to no supplies available here but my trips to see the Grandsons allows me to shop for as much as I can fit in my case.
Sugar Cookies, well I might have cutters and sprinkles but not one cookie has been baked YET!
MDF, I have missed that trend but I'm excited to take up the challenge and will be working with that as soon as my studio is warm enough to work in.

But other things have changed in the last dozen or so years. Blogger, face book, Instagram and all the other social media formats, can I even tackle them?

So here I am, back to blogger, requested a reminder of my password and I'm in.

If anyone's out there still, tell me what's been going on these last few years, what are crafter excited about and do you agree or are you even crafting?

I'd love to hear from you, I might be talking to an empty room, is there anyone reading blogger anymore?

Karen

the beginning of the end

Those of you who are part of the face book groups already know that I had made the hard decision to close Sugar Nellie.

For a variety of reasons we have not added any new art work and without which we were going no where.

This has had a knock on effect at www.funkykits.co.uk as they are our online partner who sold all our new releases world wide for the last 9 years.

My life has changed as have my priorities, its time to let this one go.
Its been a lot of fun, many amazing people, much excitement and a lot of learning along the way. Thank you for joining me on this journey, your support and encouragement has been unmeasurable.

There is also a lot of rubber to find loving homes for and the sale of Sugar Nellie rubber stamps is underway.

Other brands that Funkykits stock will also be added over time.

Heartfelt thanks for all your support and love. Karen