Hello & Happy New Year!

Welcome to the first edition of The Designer/Maker Diaries - a monthly sneaky peek into the goings-on here at Claire Salisbury Studios & Creative Sparks Club HQ.

2021 didn't really start out quite as we'd hoped, we're back in full lockdown here in the UK (Lockdown 3.0)  The schools are closed again too and it'll be early March at the earliest before they re-open. Huge shout of support to  all of the parents juggling home schooling, working and all the other stuff we still need to do too! Nothing strikes fear in my heart quite like my teenager asking for help with her maths - it's so complicated, I don't even understand the question!

The live Vision Board Workshop was loads of fun and went really well, but the recording of the session corrupted right at the end so the replay of the live was lost - gutted! I re-recorded it and everything turned out absolutely fine, but I did have a 30 minute panic beofre I pulled myself together & sorted it out.

  I've been getting back into my creative groove after spending far too long out of it. I've chosen creativity as one of my Words of the Year because I realised just how much I missed making things. I've stuck the word creativity above my desk in the studio so I'm reminded to be creative all the time.

 I have to say it's working. One of the first things I put together was a birthday card for my Dad, cards were never my favourite to make (especially cards for blokes) but I really enjoyed making this one for him. I've also ordered some new photos & am looking forward to getting reaccquainted with  my scrapbooking supplies. 

Getting back to my crafty self has made me realise that creativity - of any kind - is my thing. Because of this I've decided to re focus Creative Sparks Club solely on creativity, crafts & inspiration (it feels so good to say that!).

I still really, really want to teach people how to make all kinds of things and this is going to enable me to do that. So many people tell me that they're not remotely creative, they wish they could make that or that they don't have a creative bone in their body but the reality is they just need someone to show them how to do the creative thing.

I'm going to be archiving the existing Facebook group and setting a nice new one for us. It's going to take a couple of weeks to get a few things together then we'll be good to go.

 I'm also working on improving my handlettering skills, I've decided to practice on blank 4 x 6 inch postcards, the idea was to (& still is) to practice everyday, I'm not quite there yet but I'm getting there.

I've kind of given up trying to get all my ducks in a row, my philosophy for 2021 is just to grab as many of the little fluffers as I can & make a break for it!

Take care &  see you soon