Jackie’s experience with paper crafting started as a hobby, going back many years, perhaps starting in the cutting and sticking craft activities she was doing with the children in her care – she was an Accredited Registered Childminder for 30 years! She found her local group of crafters, collectively known as a “crop”, and has attended regularly for years, learning different skills and techniques and making some good friends along the way. Card making and scrapbooking have been the main activities.

Through her childminding, Jackie took adult tutoring qualifications, and for ten years delivered introductory and in service training qualifications at Level 3 for childminders, working with the Local Authority, Ofsted and PACEY.

Now retired, she loves to share some of her activities with others. Jackie’s other passion is for whales and dolphins and for being out at sea. She volunteers as a Marine Mammal Surveyor for ORCA, helping to collect data on populations of whales, dolphins and porpoises on board ferries and cruise ships and this subsequently served as an introduction to the role of Craft Instructor with Saga Cruises.

Jackie’s activities are mostly around crafting with paper and card and the priority is having fun. Taking home a beautiful creation is a bonus! With limited time, the standard is fairly basic, but with scope for the more experienced to put their own slant on their work. Anyone is welcome to attend, no experience necessary. Materials and equipment are provided and passengers are free to dip in and out or to attend all sessions as they wish.

Below is a selection of some of her crafts.

Dolphin Card (1) Striped or Spotted. Make a greetings card featuring a “striped” or a “spotted” dolphin

Gift Boxes. Construct mini gift boxes suitable for small gifts such as jewellery, wedding favours, etc.

Teabag Folding (1) Angel Fish, (2) Medallion or (3) Christmas Tree. Discover the technique of Teabag Folding to create a textured greetings card.

Arctic Pop-Up Card. Create a pop up card featuring polar bears, walrus + seal

Easter Chick Pop-Up Card. Ponder which came first? The chick or the egg?

Freestyle Arctic Card. Practice what you have learned and use your imagination to design and make your own card. Samples will be available to copy if you prefer!

Iris Folding (1) Heart and (2) Whale. Learn the technique of Iris Folding to make a beautiful card to send to a loved one

Dolphin Card (2) Breaching Pod. Craft another card featuring dolphins – hopefully you may have seen some by now from the ship?

Humpback Whale Card. Look out to sea! If we are doing this activity there is a good chance you will see a real one if you keep your eyes on the ocean!

Puffin Card. Fashion a cute, colourful character who again may be spotted outside!

Library Flower Card. Fold, stick and decorate a greetings card inspired by a picture in Spirit of Adventure’s library!

Tissue Box with Roses. Construct a mini box for your pocket pack of tissues decorated with paper crafted roses.

Paper Beads/Jewellery. Make a necklace, bracelet or both. Yes! Really! Jewellery from scraps of paper!

Vase of Flowers. Fold and fluff these tissue paper flowers and make a paper vase to display them.

Envelope Mini Photo Book. Learn how to make envelopes, then how to combine them to make a mini folding photo album.

Stitched Card/Bookmark. Embroider onto card, then mounted to make a greetings card or a bookmark.

Folding Puzzle Card. Baffle your friends! A greetings card or a puzzle? Envelope included.

Circular “Card-Borne”. Fold and assemble this three dimensional piece that goes flat to post. Name derived from similarity to “Borne Sofa”.

Freestyle Cards using Punches. Practice what you have learned and use your imagination to design and make your own card. Samples will be available to copy if you prefer!

A Flotilla of Yachts Card. Or Tall Ships Card. Produce more greetings cards.