Saturday 30 June 2012

Quick post - Craft Barn

Had a lovely day today at the Craft Barn in Lingfield, Surrey at their annual Extravanganza, where they invite - this year 28! - demonstrators to delight us.

I got soaked on the walk to the station here in Sutton but after that it was ok and the sun (as usual for this day in the calendar) came out!  I met some ladies at East Croydon who I often see, up from the Isle of Wight and we chatted on the train.

Once I got to Lingfield, I headed to the shop..... oh dear! Well most of it was on my list!!! Knowing from previous years just how busy the shop gets once the demonstrations get going, I shopped first... sometimes a mistake because you "want" loads of other stuff later.... here it is!

 there is also some grungepaper and grungeboard which I was running low on, and wondertape...


Had lunch with Anna and Kirsten who I had arranged to meet (we are twitter friends already - although I'd met Anna at Ally Pally and are both lovely) and sat outside in the sunshine... which was lovely after the earlier rain. Anna brought some gorgeously wonderful chocolate brownies.. yum yum yum!

The demos were all fabulous.  Early on , I found Lin Brown and settled in.... she surprised me with this beautiful gift for my birthday earlier this week. How cool is this?!!!Those poppies on the front are a fab Memory Box die (now on my wish list!)
This is the inside... note the H for Helen and the number - for my age which I announced to the world on twitter and my blog, for some reason, lol!!

Anyhow Lin, it is fantastic, thank you SO much.

It was lovely to meet Kay and Alison again, too. Also nice to finally meet Neil Walker (of Neelz Expressions) and Jo F-y.  Leandra was also there in fine form with paint and wonderful techniques.



Right. off to whack a pizza in the oven and then it's Andy Murray at Wimbledon in the tennis... laters!!

Will be playing with some of my new stuff tomorrow!!

12 comments:

Gez Butterworth said...

Sounds like the perfect day ♥

Have a nice evening..xx

Hels Sheridan said...

Corrrrr, you got yourself a lovely haul there Helen... and how gorgeous is that work of art from Lin... a treasure indeedily... enjoy the tennis, I shall be ignoring it and getting inky instead lol

sam21ski said...

WOW Helen, sounds like you had a wonderful day, 28 demonstrators, wowser, bet you didn't know where to turn first!!!

Great stash too and I'm sure it was ALL on your list!!! Well needs must - lol

Sam xxx

Sue from Oregon said...

Oh your gifty is totally awesome Helen...what a lucky girl!

...the yorkshire fox... said...

...loVely stash you grabbed yourself Helen...I was up there myself today for the first time, I did wear my WOYWW badge but didn't spot any other badges, but I did get to meet the loVely Alison & Mark though...saw Neil working but it was to crowded round his desk to say Hi, did get to meet Andy Skinner, amazing talent!...Mel :)

Hettie said...

Weren't you a lucky bunny then? Did you leave any stash for others Helen?
Fancy some company at Ally Pally in September? You always get the good stuff!
x

Inkypinkycraft said...

some great stash and a lovely gift..looks liek you had a great day..cannot wait to see what you make with the new goodies!!trace x

Angie said...

What a gorgeous gift ...and it sounds as though you had an amazing day. Reading the names Sutton and East Croydon brought back memories ... so often I stood on East Croydon station waiting to go somewhere as it was my nearest main line station ...and I worked in Croydon for 18 years at Allders when it was the flagship of an amazing retail empire.I hear that Croydon ...the last store ...has finally closed....sad ... it was the bosses of the late 1990's that started the demise when they wanted to change things.

Gabrielle said...

Ooh! Stash envy - you have bought some really lovely things! Happy to share if you can't store it all!!!
L.O.V.E. Lin's gift - truly personal and really very, very beautiful! I know you will treasure it forever.
Sorry I wasn't able to join you all - I thoughts about you all day - hoping to catch up in person again soon xxx

Anonymous said...

It was great to meet you too. I love your gift from Lin, it's even more beautiful in real life.

Silvia(Barnie) said...

A wonderful creation, looks fab.

Netty said...

Again you have bought some awesome goodies and loving your gorgeous present from Lin. Annette x