You know the mystery box?

Well, the mystery box has been opened, and well here it is, we've been sat on this for quite a few days waiting to officially launch our new ranges to you, and it's driven us mad having to wait to actually let you all know about it, hence the teasers, I've not been able to help myself.

It's taken some tough negotiations, but we've done it for you all. And as a token of our gratitude, we're going to offer the new UK Exclusive dies at a preferential Pre-Order rate for our loyal customers who have stuck with us and being loyal to IconUK, we really appreciate all your support.

And yet more exclusive news too, we're also getting some "hot off the die press" USA Exclusives too.

We decided that missing out on the UK exclusive simply wasn't good enough for our customers; so we decided to get the USA ones in at the same time, giving you the opportunity to get your hands on these brand new dies early.

Available to pre-order here

The mystery continues ...

HHHmmmm, I wonder ....

Exclusively yours

There are times when it gets to late afternoon, and you're thinking about the end of the working day, and the journey home, and then you get an excited Boss poking his head round the door shoving bits of paper in your face shouting "We've got 'em, we've got 'em at last, quick get this on the blog now!"
And then you see what he's on about, and slowly a broad grin spreads across your face, might be a bit late home tonight, because of these brand new Exclusive dies.

Now the more observant among you will possibly already know about these, but for those who don't allow me to expand a little.

Through some tough negotiations, arm twisting, sweetie buying and cajoling, we've finally been able to get our hands on both the UK Exclusives Spellbinders releases, not only that, but USA Exclusive releases too. Below are just a few of the new dies we're getting.

These aren't actually available to the General Public, or us too for that matter, so we've reserved a few, well quite a lot really, and they will be available on the web site as a pre-release order.

I'll update more as I get to know more, prices, dates etc etc etc.

Spellbinders SCD032 - Papel Eat Cake

Spellbinders SCD033 - Papel Party

Spellbinders SCD034 - Papel Birthday

Spellbinders SCD035 - Papel Celebrate

A celebration of crafters and their imaginations.

Have you ever really sat back and thought about dies?

We've just had a delivery, and in there were quite a few architectural dies and stamps.

Poppystamps Die Gothic Arch

Poppystamps Die Gothic Window

Now these vary from Gothic windows and arches to French style doors, fireplaces, roofs and doors, including louvre windows, windows boxes and walls, diverse to say the least.

As with all dies and stamps, decoupage or anything else to do with card crafting, it certainly the case the sum is greater than the parts.

Looking at these dies individually I don't personally know where to begin, but someone passed behind me while my desk was full of the new delivery, and said "Oohh they're nice, that would go really well with this particular die to make a 3D effect card on a back ground with such a border"

Poppystamps Die Grand Madison French Doors

Poppystamps Die Grand Madison Fireplace

A crafter at work there, an amazing talent to be able to look at a collection of things, and work out in your mind what goes with what to look great, or at least have a basis of what to do, it might all look very different on paper, but no doubt once that's been done I'm positive you'd be able to turn it all round and make something great.

Poppystamps Die Madison House Set

Poppystamps Die Madison Window Set Large

So, to all crafters, thank you for your flair, skill and imagination. Please carry on, you make my/ our job all the more exciting because of you :o)

They're here NOW

Great news

We've just received the brand new Spellbinders dies and embossing folders, and happily we're the only ones in the UK who have theses available to buy right now, and not on pre-order.

Have a look here for tall the new ones

Spellbinders D-Lites - Crafty Flower 1

Spellbinders D-Lites - Crafty Flower 2

Spellbinders D-Lites - Crafty Flower 3

Spellbinders D-Lites - Crafty Flower 4

Spellbinders D-Lites - Crafty Flower 5

Spellbinders D-Lites - Crafty Flower 6

You lucky people

No, I'm not Tommy Trinder, but I do have something of a blog exclusive I'd like to share with you.

Brand new Spellbinders dies, which are currently about to leave the US, have a bit of a swim and should be with us by Thursday/ Friday this week.

These are so new, they're not even on the web site yet, Serf is franticly adding them as we speak.

S2168 - Spellbinders Crafty Flower 1 By Scrappy Cat

S2169 - Spellbinders Crafty Flower 2 By Scrappy Cat



















S2170 - Spellbinders Crafty Flower 3 By Scrappy Cat


S2171 - Spellbinders Crafty Flower 4 By Scrappy Cat



















S2172 - Spellbinders Crafty Flower 5 By Scrappy Cat

S2173 - Spellbinders Craft Flower 6 By Scrappy Cat

S4503 - Spellbinders Arched Elegance Pocket By Becca Feeken



















S4504 - Spellbinders Arched Elegance By Becca Feeken



















S4505 - Spellbinders Swirl Bliss Pocket By Becca Feeken

S4506 - Spellbinders Swirl Bliss By Becca Feeken





















S4507 - Spellbinders Adorning Accents By Becca Feeken

S4508 - Spellbinders Mini Envelope 1 By Scrappy Cat



















S4509 - Spellbinders Mini Envelope 2 By Scrappy Cat



















S4510 - Spellbinders Mini Envelope 3 By Scrappy Cat




















E3D019 - Shady Allure Spellbinders 3D Embossing Folder 5"X7"





















E3D020 - Dew Drop Delight Spellbinders 3D Embossing Folder 5"x7"





















E3DL001 - Decorative Applause Spellbinders 3D Embossing Folder 6"X6"





















E3DS006 - Need A Rope? Spellbinders 3D Embossing Folder 4.25"X5.5"





















E3DS007 - Splish Splash Spellbinders 3D Embossing Folder 4.25"X5.5"

St Patrick's day

Here it is again, St Pat chasing snakes out of Ireland, drinking Guinness and having a bit of a good time to boot, and not only that, but I've also discovered that he's also know as being the Apostle of Ireland.

Did you also know that whilst it's a public holiday on The Republic & Northern Ireland, but also in Newfoundland & Labrador in Canada ( No I didn't either)
Source here

And of course the day is celebrated around the world with each Countries spin on things.

How shall be be celebrating? Well be having a quiet cup of tea, couple of biccies and putting our feet up, it falls on a Tuesday, and we're working Wednesday, well we're working everyday at IconUK

Sláinte cairde!

Mothers Day

This Sunday is of course Mothering Sunday, well in the UK. In the UK & Ireland it ties in with Lent, the rest of the world seems to be based on something I can't work out, have a look at other dates here.

Anyway, to all Mothers, thank you :o) if it wasn't for you we wouldn't be here, we wouldn't be loved, cherished, spoilt, adored and cared for.

My kids are excited for this Mothers Day (same as every year really) because their Mother, my Wife is well, an incredible person. 

She is unfortunately working this Sunday, so the cherubs and I have a 4 hour window to make a special Sunday lunch, which will undoubtedly involve a leg of lamb and all the trimmings, but here is our problem, we like food, we enjoy the whole cooking process and of course eating it, the problem is this, what to have for desert?

Now that we have the Mothers eulogy sorted, I'd like to mention a few other holidays and important dates, and this is the only way I can tie in something to do with the shop and web site.

Easter isn't too far away, we have lots of dies here and here

Also spring seems to be peeking it's head to see us, we recently received a thank you card with a spring theme on it, ideas for dies here

And of course, in the not too distant future, but in the spirit of getting in early there is of course Fathers Day and naturally we have appropriate dies here and here.

Only thing left for me to say is, have a great weekend, and to all Mothers, I hope you all get spoilt rotten and have a great day.

Mark

Today at IconUK HQ

I was thinking about our team, many of you have called, e-mailed or left a message on here, and no doubt you've dealt with a different member of our team.

Let me introduce our team.

*Serf: The boss shaped man and senior tea lad.

Tracy: Shop manager, card maker, deeply knowledgeable about all our dies and mender of broken orders

Carol: 2nd in Command, deals with customers in the shop and on the phone, another card maker and equally as knowledgeable, Carol is small feisty and funny.

Shaun: Is the man in the know for our dispatch dept., no I do him a disservice HE IS THE DISPATCH DEPT. We'd be lost without him. He has an uncanny knack of being able to look at a package and know to the penny how much it'll cost, and how best to send it.

Mark (Me) I sit in the office drinking coffee listening to the radiom feet on the desk  trying to work the back end stuff and help out anyone who has technical issue on the site, reply to e-mails, and look after the social media things.

And that Ladies and Gents is our small team who run all of IconUK.

* If you'r wondering why Serf, well it's a throw back to older days when we had a blog called "Idiot Web Master" a Customer left a review which called me, an idiot web master, the name stuck, and japes and adventures we had.

Gin and Tonic

We've just had a huge delivery of Tonic Studio dies, we've now over 200 dies in available and in stock.

And, there's more on the way too

Have a look at our extensive range here.

Happy Holi

This is a new one on me I must admit, and I thought I knew quite a few different festivals, Holi a festival of colours or of love. Read more about the festival here.

Which got me thinking, colours (I sense a colour theme developing on Fridays) it's spring, there for new shoots from bulbs emerging from a cold winter underground showing us their little flashes of daffodil yellow, the snowdrops, crocuses and all the others just climbing out blinking their petals towards the sun.

Now the point of this post, what makes you decided the colours you use in cards or any craft project you're doing? Is it the celebration, Mothers Day, Easter etc, or is it guided as you create your project?

I know we've been quiet this week, we've been busy with sourcing new dies, trying to get our heads around a demo of our new site and till system, as well as the usual matters we do on a daily basis.

Aswell as wondering what this big yellow thing in the sky was, this large fiery ball drew us from the inner sanctum of the shop to point and look in awe at it, then someone pointed out what it was.

Anyway, have a great weekend, take good care and happy crafting :o)

Oh Monday morning, you're back I see

Monday morning brings snow and a heap of contact e-mails, and not a single one of them a complaint. This is why I/ we love our customers, if there's any problem let us know, and we'll do our best to sort it out, and I am absolutely overwhelmed by the kindness of our customers in what they say, I/ we are are in a very envious position, we have YOU LOT!!! as our customers, so thank you :o)

Oh and seeing how quickly this page is growing too, astonishing, the power to social media, and I absolutely love the fact that you lot are now string to add info about local groups and chatting with each other, carry on, lets grow this page, and remember it's not just IconUK it's IconUK Customers, and what now feels like friends :o)

Again, thank you for all your contributions, kind words and compliments (we love compliments by the way, you can definitely keep those coming)

Just a little post today, trying to get caught up with all the contacts.

Have a great day!