Vicky Stampers ...

... is really called "Victoria Stampers" because we used to meet upstairs in a pub called "The Victoria".  We changed venue recently because the stairs had got too much for a few of our members lugging their crop bags up them.  We now meet at Padgate Community Centre, Padgate, Warrington, on the first Saturday of the month and we have a workshop each time.  Last month it was Lorraine's turn to show us how to use embossing paste.

Lorraine brought along, gold, silver, black, white and a glittery white paste for us to try.  Most of us had our own brass stencils and some had those thin plastic ones so there was plenty to do.  Normally we share our things but I didn't borrow anyones stencil because I only used two or three of my own.

You saw the Three Wise Men I did a couple of days ago - well here are some of Lorraine's gorgeous samples:

Isn't that Peacock gorgeous?

And these are some by Helen (below)

and Shelia

My tree

One with Palette Pad and Foil Flakes

and Finally

Versamark & Perfect Pearls

Now I am going to get killed for this - but here is Lorraine doing a 'one to one' with Helen

And here is our oldest member who comes without fail every month - Joyce who will be 82 later this month.  Err ... no, the dogs are not members - but they are well-behaved and we were dog-sitting that day too.

As well as the workshop we had our "Dinner Lady" celebrating her upcoming birthday (this is the closest meeting we have to the actual date).  She is not really a "dinner lady" but she does organise the Lunches when we order from outside and she always brings the tea and coffee.

Anyway, we gave her a Jacob's Join buffet (all bring something) which had been carefully co-ordinated by me(???)  and which got totally out of hand as the day approached in that we had enough to feed the 5,000 at the end.  Just look at the table:

And the cake which I had carefully chosen (from Morrisons) for its closeness to a stamped image

and here is the Birthday Girl herself

with her daughter who had made the decorations for the wall

As none of us smoke who were there that day we had no means of lighting candles and had never thought about it.  So Jayne and Lynne set off to find some - won't tell you where the lighter came from or how it came about that they got it - wasn't illegal though!

Below is the Birthday Girl cutting her cake

That's it for now!

Just one thing - here is the lineup of those of us who came dressed in the t-shirts we did the month before with Lynne.  Hopefully next month we can get some of the others to wear them - they are all going mad on this t-shirt printing.

On 1st October we are having an "open Morning" with Make & Takes, Displays of Work and Tea/Coffee/Biscuits (no charge)

The rest of the day will be spent making Butterflies for the Holocaust Appeal which is something I have wanted to support since reading about it on Suze's blog.  If you live in the vicinity please pop along and see us  and if you want to join us we still have one or two places (we have to restrict numbers to the size of the room to be comfortable when crafting), due to members moving from the area.   
My email address is in the right hand column (very top) and if you do come along you can be sure of a warm welcome as we are a friendly bunch.