During this session, you will be making a pocket-sized travel journal using traditional book-making techniques.

The pages include slots for luggage tags to be inserted that can be decorated and somewhere to add extra text. You could also slip in ephemera such as ticket stubs.

You’ll have the opportunity to add some background colour and stamped elements to your pages. We’ll also have a look at image transfer techniques to get photos into your book and I’ll give you some ideas as to what to include in your journaling.

You will leave with a ready-to-fill book, 8.5cm x 13cm x 1.2cm, with 7 blank luggage tags and 15 spreads.

If you’re looking for a different way to remember your adventures or other events, then creating these mini-suitcase memory boxes would be ideal.

You’ll start with two papier-mâché suitcases to which you will add paint effects to colour and age them authentically. Journaling and photos can be added to flip out elements and there is room to store some small ephemera or mementos too.

You will need to bring:
Small mementos/ephemera;
photos to fit 4×3″/10×7.5cm (L) or 3×2″/7.5x5cm (S) – there will be space for 6-8, and you could also lay them in the bottom of the box as well as on the flip out bits. If you prefer, you can fill the box with your photos/memories once you get home.

If you want help getting the photos the right size, I can do that for an extra charge of £5 per person, subject to a week’s notice and you emailing digital pics through to me for editing and printing.

Large box: 14 x 11 x 5cm
Small box: 11.5 x 8 x 4.2cm

Artist’s Trading Cards are around the same size as a standard business card (2.5×3.5″). Because of their size, they are quick to decorate and embellish and so can be reproduced easily to share with fellow artists as a swap. They’re great for trying out new techniques and media.

During the session, you will have lots of different ATCs to look at and take inspiration from. For complete beginners, there will be some prompts, guides and introductions to media and techniques. For the more experienced, go for it! There will be suitable media and bits and bobs to create your cards with.

You will be supplied with as many cards as you need in various styles and materials, some spares to take home and a handy tin for storing your masterpieces in. If you’re keen, you’ll also be able to swap some of your creations with other participants (that is, after all, the point!).

Make a unique home decor project, recording memories, families, places – whatever you like really!

You’ll use new bottle caps to frame photos behind a domed layer of resin-type material, before mounting them on stand-offs from the backing piece. All this goes into a white or black coloured deep frame, approx. 23cm square, for a full 3D effect.

You will need to bring:
A selection of photos that can be cropped to an inch/2.5cm diameter circle. Ideally these should be printed out onto plain paper using a colour laser printer.

The number of photos required depends on the number of letters you wish to include. More instructions are available after booking. If you need help with preparing the photos, I will assist for an extra £5 per person on receipt of digital photos prior to the session.

This is a great introduction to basic scrapbooking. Decorate the front of your tin and then carry the theme through to a concertina double-sided fold out that will feature your photos and journaling. Mixed media techniques will be explained and available for your project.

You need to bring:
Several (up to 10) 2×3″/5×7.5cm sized photos, a theme and ideas for what you’d like to write. If you have a colour palette in mind, that would be great.

Tin: 13.5cm square x 1.2cm
Pages: 12.3cm square

Scrapbooking has fallen out of fashion at the moment, but is a timeless way of recording events, memories, travels and family. Combining imagery, writing and colour, pages are built up in layers for design and interest. I add in a smidge of mixed media magic too.

During the session you will make a 12×12″ scrapbook page featuring a single photo, some journaling and custom lettering. Various techniques for making a background and decoration will be explored as I walk you through the project step-by-step.

You will need to bring:
A 4×6″/10x15cm photograph for your main focal point.

The custom lettering for the headline/title will be discussed with each participant and designed and cut out during the session.

These home decor pieces lend themselves to 3D layering of elements and ephemera. Though the examples are Christmas-themed, any theme or style could be used.

Themed kits are available, or make your own from the bits ‘n’ pieces available on the day.

You will need to be confident with measuring and cutting (either with scissors or a knife) to complete this project.

If you’d like to include any photos, bring them with you ready to trim to fit the tray slots.

Finished piece is 5×7″ / 12.7×17.8cm, not including the height of the stand.

Using a papier mâché dress form and a foam board stand, you’ll be constructing a papercraft dress with a fitted bodice and skirt. Depending on time, you can accessorise with a coordinating bag and beaded necklace as well.

A pattern and instructions will be supplied. On arrival, you will be asked to choose your paper design and the pieces will then be cut out for you ready to fold and construct. While this is being done, you will construct the stand.

From experience, I advise keeping your finished piece out of direct sunlight…

Some of the folding is fiddly and there are small pieces to handle.

Finished project is approximately 12″/30cm high and 4″/10cm diameter.

Friendly Plastic was a craze in the early noughties and is unfortunately no longer manufactured. However, deep in my stash I have found some and can offer you a chance to see what the fuss was about!

Strips of brightly coloured/metallic Friendly Plastic are arranged and softened on a hotplate before being combed, swirled or layered and then cooled. On cooling they can be trimmed, shaped, layered again and stuck down.

During the workshop, you will be given a short safety briefing and then introduced to the techniques you will need to create a jewellery set (pendant and earrings) and a mosaic to attach to an A6 sketchbook cover. All materials for your pieces will be supplied.

You will have time to experiment and then use the best pieces to develop into your final projects.