I love a good show

Hello crafty friends I hope you are enjoying this bank holiday weekend. We had the Oyster Papercraft Show yesterday at Forest Pines which is a golf resort not far from where I live here in Lincolnshire. I had never been before and it was reported to be only a small or mini show so I didn't have high hopes but thought well I need a few more distress oxides so I`ll pick them up there. Well it was a fabulous day, I picked my sister up nice and early and off we went on an adventure as I was driving and I don't normally do that when I haven't been before. 

The venue was absolutely beautiful with plenty of parking and inside it was a function room which was split into two, half filled with stalls selling all kinds of crafty goodies and the other half full of tables for make and takes which were free. I didn't bother to do a make and take as I was blown away by the variety of things the sellers had brought and I kept going round and round not wanting to have missed any thing. 

 

Here is a photo of one of the craft stalls which was mostly selling card and embellishments, my sister is the lady in the middle of the picture wearing glasses and I am the lady with blond hair and a hair band stood with my back to the lady in pink. It was only £2 entry fee on the door but we booked in advance so it was £1 for us, this is very reasonable for a craft show.

 

 

 

These are some of the goodies that I bought, I said to Pauline when we were having a drink in the bar later that I would get home and think I "I wish I`d bought" but at that moment I didn't think I wanted any thing else. Sure enough I was sat at home last night and thought I wonder how those gelli plates work that I had seen on one of the stands? I had a look on YouTube and now I wish I had bought one, they do amazing things. That's the thing though because if I hadn`t seen a gelli plate at the show I wouldn't have looked on YouTube so even though I didn`t do a make and take I did take the beginnings of a crafty idea home with me.

If you have never been to a craft show like this one where you can buy craft making goodies I really urge you to go as the products are usually cheaper than you might find in a shop and the stall holders and crafty people there are always full of knowledge and willing to share it. I love looking at the cards on display at the stalls and get lots of inspiration from them, even though I make cards for display at craft fairs for Little Claire I am always in awe of the cards that other people have made.

 

 

 

Admin notice

Hello crafty friends, this post today is to make you aware that the law about data protection (GDPR) begins today and as a result I have added a page to my blog explaining what this means and how it affects you when you visit this blog or leave a comment on this blog. I just want to add that I never share information (personal or other wise) left on this blog with third parties but of course third parties are free to read any comments that may be left. I do really appreciate that any one would be interested enough to read or leave a comment on my blog so please keep doing so, it means such a lot to me.
If however you do not wish to receive my blog any more please leave a comment to say as much and I will remove you from my mailing list.

Now that's the legal red tape done and I would just like to say a BIG thank you to my fellow blogger friend Marianne Fisher for letting me copy the legal terms from her blog which is Mariannes Craft Room and well worth a visit.

 

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I am very busy at the moment with DT work and have just finished some cards which are to feature in the Simply Cards and Papercraft magazine which will be on sale on 26th July. I have also got some new dies to play with from Crafters Companion and stamps from Little Claire so my bank holiday is going to be spent mostly in the craft room. I am so excited to be going to the Oyster Paper Crafts show and demo day on Sunday so I will try to take some photos to post on here. I love paper craft shows because the sample cards on display are really good for inspiration and to see the products demonstrated is fabulous, however the down side is it costs me a fortune.

A busy end to April

I feel like I`m a bit late to the party but after my friend on the Crafters Companion DT had a crafty clear out and sold some of her stash I have become aware of crafting de clutter sites on FB. I haven't bought any thing from these sites yet but what a fantastic idea to organize your craft stash and make a bit of money for your next purchase.
Any how as I mentioned my friend was selling off her unloved stash and I bought this rather cute Penny Black Hedgehog stamp from her and I knew straight away who was going to receive the card I made with it.

 

I made this simple little card for Stuart who had his birthday last Thursday.

 

The Hedgie stamp as I mentioned is a wood mounted Penny Black stamp and the sentiment is a much loved and used Woodware clear cling stamp. I coloured the image using water pens, distress inks and a fine tip water brush. The bakers twine is thick  bakers twine.

 

Poor Stuart doesn't always get a home made card from me and I felt really guilty last year when he was 70 and I didn`t have time to make his card and just stuck the numbers on a shop bought one.

 

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It was my birthday on Sunday and although Stu and me are only three days apart with our birthdays we are eighteen years apart with our age, but age is just a number and aren`t all men just boys at heart. I received some fantastic hand made cards from my family and I will show them to you when I`ve had time to photograph them. I got a voucher from my eldest sister and have just been online and bought another set of Brushos. I do love my Brushos but I felt a bit limited with the colours I already had, so when the new box arrives I cant wait to have a play.