Hi there and a huge welcome to the Gotta Craft Shop Blog. Now I ask you please to bear with me as I'm new to his whole blogging culture.

Over time I hope to keep you entertained with challenges, competitions, classes and general shop chit chat. You'll be the first to know and get sneaky peaks of kits and the odd surprise kits – but also don't forget we do have a whole site packed full of goodies and new products arriving all the time. So keep checking back and any comments gratefully received.

As you may know, I'm very lucky that Gotta Craft has a fabulous Design Team, and I'd like them to introduce themselves to you. I'll start the ball rolling;

My name is Sandra, and on forums it's usually Gottacraft … surprise, surprise. Anyway, I am the proud owner of Gotta Craft, my pride and joy. I live in Epsom and most days can be found either on the computer or at Starbucks. I am happily married to Simon and been for 20 years now, which is strange as I always tell people, I'm only 23 LOL. We part own a thug of a dog called Eddie, who lives with my parents most of the time. But we also seem to run a half way house for an local passing cat, that wants a nap on a sofa. I've been crafting for ages, and got into scrapbooking about 7 years ago, and like anyone else who's come across it, I was well and truly hooked. My other passions are mainly house related, I'm a true homebody, love sorting and tidying up, gardening and baking … happily making endless lists. Oh yes, and Christmas …. HUGE, HUGE fan.

Pat Couder
My name is Pat alias PinkFairy and I have been a member of Gotta Crafts design team from the start of the fabulous monthly kits. I am 45 (gasp already) live in Bromley, Kent, work part time and am married with two children. I love getting the DT kit to play with. Its like christmas when the postman brings a pizza box stuffed with goodies!! Ive been scrapbooking for about three years and also enjoy getting messy with altered art and mixed media. I also am a keen on photography and spend time togging with fellow enthusiasts.

Tracey Jackson
Hi my name is Tracey, I am married to my childhood sweetheart and I am mum to three children and a very willful Westie. I have been scrapbooking since the summer of 2005 and have since dabbled in card making and altered art. I am a total product junkie, aiming to create lots of texture and dimension in my work and I love to play with patterned papers and flowers firmly believing in the philosophy that 'more is more'. I am excited to be on the Gotta Craft design team working with Sandra's fun kits and products.

Clare Naris
My name is Clare, married with 2 lovely kiddies. We live in Kent and share our home with 2 cats, and our garden with 3 slightly daft chickens. Scrapbooking is my passion followed closely by card making, which is how I got into the whole paper crafting world in the first place. I first came across scrap booking 5 years ago on a visit to the US, these days I'm glad to say the choice of products available in the UK has increased hugely which is fantastic! Other ways I like to relax after a hectic day at work include spending time attempting to tame my garden or rustling up something tasty in the kitchen for my family.

Claire Prince
Hi I'm Claire aka feline, tormentor and joker amongst the group. I'm married to Jason and have two boys who feature in many a layout and I'm also a slave to Lacie, a pretty moggy. I've been scrapbooking for four years and have always had an interest in anything craft related. I'm very proud of my Art O'level (I do have others lol) and I can knit, crochet, cross stitch and embrioder but would rather throw a shirt away than sew a button back on!! My love of scrapbooking developed through photography and I'm always striving to view everyday objects from a different vantage point and I'm nearly always found behind the lens or sniper mode if I'm after the cat! As a night-owl most of my layouts are constructed at night when the house is quiet and still apart from me shuffling papers back and forth and the occasional hammering. Any spare time is spent playing with my boys, gardening, gaming or reading and more often than not tidying up the mess my husband and kids have created, apparently its all art!!