Phew! It Was Busy

... To say the least. Arrived at the Great Northern Papercraft Extravaganza in Harrogate and it was a tad cool in the hall. Not for long!
When the doors opened it was busy - and I mean busy. Barbara and I found ourselves squashed up against our tables, unable to move and just about able to demonstrate. The stand was "heaving" and stayed like that until well gone two in the afternoon. In fact it was probably more like three o'clock before we managed to take stock of our area. By which time we had probably both lost a pound in weight as it was so darned hot. What bliss when someone opened the door by the side of us to go out, albeit briefly.
Here's Barbara busy doing her sales pitch at around 3.30 pm which was the first time I managed to get out to take some photos.





My lovely bosses, Graham putting some dies back and Tracey taking a well deserved break from her demoing those lovely Cheery Lynn and Memory Box dies, but still working away on the other side of her desk. Poor Tracey had had to desert her demoing at one point to help the lads who were seeing to the needs of the customers. We were just so busy.









Here's Liam who is such a lovely lad and who I always look out for to take a cash sale or help someone take a machine out to their car.





As I said, I didn't get out until the hall was getting empty but here are a few shots of our stand (depleted stand I should say) and a shot down the hall from where we were.





I did manage to have a word with Richard at the very end as he sat in his own little booth demonstrating the Pazzles. Here he is with his delightful wife who makes the most delicious biscuits. Perhaps I can get some photos of the amazing work he does with this machine.





Hopefully after a good night's sleep I can get some more photos tomorrow and I must get one of George who spent most of the day trying to convince me he was Tom, his twin. They can't pull the wool over my eyes, especially not when I am in Yorkshire.
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Finished the Reorganisation

I cannot believe it has taken me so long to reorganise my craft room.  Does it look any different?  No, not really but it is tidier and I now have a dedicated shelf, a baby box and two tins dedicated to what I hope will be a new craft to me - sewing.  Can you have a look - no, I am saving it for WOYWW next week.

Wednesday afternoon I got to screaming pitch as I just seemed to be surrounded by all kinds of things and getting nowhere.  My craft room (which is only small) extends to a purpose built cupboard in the utility room.  Sshh!  Chas does not know it was built for that, he thinks I just moved into it gradually.  He does, however, know that one of the wall cupboards has been taken over by me also.  Then there is the piece of furniture in the lounge, not sure if he knows what is in there - craft things.  So you see, my quest for reorganisation took me to other areas and resulted in some of them being sorted too.

At last, late last night I got to do a bit of crafting.  First of the week.  I am at the Harrogate Show this weekend and I always arrive with very little to show so I set to and made a card - a Quad Easel no less.  My first attempt at one of these.  Do you want to see?

Am hoping I have done it right as it is going with me and it is going to get a lot of handling and probably criticising.  Perhaps someone will tell me I have done it wrongly.  Who knows.

Anyway, off to make some ATC's now as I must join in the swap this month over on one of the groups I am in and I need to do one for Vicky Stampers - now what was the theme - ah, Books - mmmmm.

WOYWW 145

Well, this is my workdesk as it stands this morning and has, more or less, stood for the past few days since my return from Worcester.  As you will see from earlier posts I have been busy doing other things and so crafting has had to go on the back burner.  That is going to be remedied now!  I can assure you of that - I have things to do.  At least I have had a tidy up in the drawers even if the room is in a bit of a tip and I now have somewhere to store fabric bits (snippets) as I collect.

This is the floor area.  See the big box on the floor with all the gold and silver paper on it - well that is what was dragged out of the cupboard on Monday (yes, Monday) to tidy up the contents (ie throw some out).  Somehow, don't ask, it never got touched and is still there in its virgin state.  I began looking at my AB's (to the left above) and tidied my bead drawer, my gold/silver/metallic colours cardstock drawers, progressed somehow to my sewing box (in another room).  From the two sewing boxes  I decanted contents into one, began a new "Fabric" box that used to have foam core board (now binned) in it and finally used the defunct sewing box for medicines.  We now have a tidy medicine cupboard.  BUT .. my craft room is still a mess!

I so missed, and was so miffed, last week when I discovered I could not have internet connection where we were staying and could not join in with WOYWW.  In fact we did not have mobile connection at all so contacting home was a "no  no".  Not good when one of the party was expecting to become a "Gran" that very week.  THANKS to all those of you who still visited me when I got home and put something up on my blog.

Anyway, if you scroll down to prior posts you will see we had a great time - and the view of the bottles was going to be my WOYWW last week.  (If you don't know what WOYWW means by now I suggest you click the link and head on over - visit a few desks whilst you are there, you never know what you might see).

As Bugs Bunny would say "That's All Folks!"

Come in Number Nine

Decided to do a little "spot" or "surprise" blog candy for my 40 newest followers and it was the ninth one from the beginning of the pictures that won.  So Sheena, can you contact me please.  My email addie is at the top right of my blog.  A little goody is awaiting you.

Am going to sort out some blog candy for inside the hat shortly - watch this space.

Back, Happy and Tired

Well, I am now back from my trip with girl friends.  Tired but with a head full of memories of a happy time spent in Worcester with ... me ... sewing!!"  Shock Horror!  Not quite as bad as it seems as I used to make my own clothes and also am well known for making my son a suit when he was tiny.  'Well known' because to this day he still tells people I left a pin in the short pants which pricked his leg and that his mum would not believe him.  Talk about bearing grudges - must be something he inherited from me as I remember things like that if someone hurts me.  I also made the swags and tails in our lounge (two pairs - back and front) from very very expensive material which we bought from the company who made our suite.   Took me a while to put scissors to the material I can tell you.  Anyway, this is the sewing we did, not straight up and down which I could manage but going round and wiggly and all over the place - loved it.

the back of my book cover made with Wendy

the front (spot the butterfly and flowers)

Still need to bead the butterfly - oops!

I so enjoyed this session as it was my first journey into sewing 'haphazardly' and catching lots of bits and bobs (snippets) onto the background.

Then we made silk paper with Annie and this cover feels so good

I just love the stamping on it

My sample book (when I get a machine)

Wednesday morning saw us working with Mary.  This is when I did something I have always wanted to do - burn holes in fabric.  This is the front of my book with my fabulous cord I made from Vilene and threads.

Increasing my stash I am now on the lookout for lots of bits and bobs to call "my snippets" so that I too can have colour co-ordinated packs of fabric and fibres.  Now which room can I take over in our bungalow?

Next we did etching with Adrienne but I am afraid mine did not work out as we first used Stazon and it did not etch.   You can see some peel off ones that Liz made because they came out really really good on her blog.

Then it was my session on Thursday morning when we made beads from Polymer Clay.  I taught them a Skinner blend and Mica Shift but Liz took to it so much that she produced some lovely canes as well.  You can see them on the next photographs.  I was so busy I never thought to take photographs.

Finally we made little Friendly Plastic Books with Liz.  I only finished one because I so wanted to make a particular fastening but I did bring covers home for a second (green this time) one ready to make another corner for.

sorry about the glare on the glaze

Here's the happy bunch

L to R Annie, Liz, Me, Wendy, Mary and Adrienne

This is a photo of our essential supplies

Lots went back home, honestly

Adrienne, Wendy and Liz contemplating sewing

Adrienne could always be found in this little corner

Now what is Wendy thinking?

Mary busy sewing away

and some lovely work

Showcasing Liz's lovely caning which she had off to a T - note the Mica Shift Buttons

Mary made buttons with her Mica Shift

All in all a great time and most of us will meet up again soon for another few days of laughter and play.

Today was also my birthday so here is a bird's eye view of my birthday cards sitting in the window sill (family ones are on the tv so not shown)

I'll try to upload them one by one at a later date but for now I am going to bed.  Thank you to all the wonderful family and friends who sent me cards today and made it so special for me.

Busy and Away

Well, life has been busy busy busy since I last posted.  I have been getting ready for a week away with some girl-friends in Worcester. Am travelling down part way by train and then a friend is meeting me and taking me to our final destination ...  for a week of crafting! Watch this space. I might be able to blog and then I might not, depending on how they wear me out LOL.

I worked all weekend at a lovely show in Leigh.  It has been such a successful show that Tracey and Graham decided to make it a two day event this time and both days were busy.  Had a great time, lots of banter and good laughs and I sold lots of Grand Caliburs.  Yippee!

Nothing to show you from Leigh as I gave most of my cards away, Tracey made a joke of it at the end that everyone buying a Calibur would get a "signed card from Neet".  The Calibur was smoking! I had lots to do. No cards but I do have something to show you.

I made this pendant and wore it on Sunday - a combination of Vintaj and Graphic 45 (courtesy of Oyster Stamps and Ali-Craft.

Hopefully more jewellery to come next time I am working again, which is only in a couple of weeks.  Yeah, roll on!

On Saturday it was DIL's birthday and I was really stuck what to get her so I made her an easel card with drawers and put money in each of the four little drawers and then bought her a tiny gift to open. That way she can either put the money towards something else or just go and get something she really wants.

Here it is

As taught by the lovely Alison

Right, will leave it there as I must get on and schedule this post for Monday morning when I, hopefully, will be on the train heading for Nottingham.  Be good whilst I am away.  Perhaps I can check in during the week.

WOYWW

Am doing a scheduled post for WOYWW because there is no way I am going to do one in the early hours of the morning when I go for a little walk - or two.  Besides which it won't change overnight unless some little fairies come in and magic it all clean and tidy.  Wonder how many other faithful followers of Ms Julia are doing one too?  So who are these people who feel they have to share the nosiness enquiring minds of others? Pop over by following my link and see.

Here it is:

Almost an overhead shot, being tall I stood on my tippy toes and took this one.  Pasta machine is out because next week I am on a girly retreat. More about that next week but that is the reason for my pasta machine being in bits and waiting for me to find some means of wrapping it up as I "love" my machine and do not want anything to happen to it.  I am doing a little half day session making clay beads (we are all doing a half day session teaching something to one another).  To the left are some envelopes which I sat slitting earlier as I am saving them to use the insides for one of those Annette dolls. That's what I call them because she showed me how to do them.  Behind them are my 7 Gypsies stamps, a lovely gift from a very dear friend, as I have an idea I want to try using them and next to them the Girlfriend stamps I bought in America.  If I get time I will use them later this week.  The green flowery bit at the very forefront is my canvas bag.

Below is a peek into my bag - I just knew you wanted to know what was in.  Well, it is my clay supplies ready to take with me.  Heavens knows how I am going to get on the train with all this lot.

So that's it for what is on my desk this week.  Wonder what my desk will be next week?  Don't forget to tune in to see where I am.  But, before you go here is a card which is just a bit further down my room, well, you need to see something crafty don't you?

A long overdue Get Well Card

ps in case you are wondering about those suitcases I was doing - well, they nearly ended up being thrown through the window.  I need a break from them but in a couple of weeks when sanity has returned I will get on with them.  The damned Grungepaper straps broke or had the brads out of line.  DOH!!!