Stamperama at Stevenage

Got home a little while ago from the Stamperama stamp show at Stevenage... Great to catch up with some friends, but the show wasn't as good  big as it's been in the past, and some companies were missing who should have been there....

Still good to see Paperartsy of course, where I started with a make and take using infusions and distress oxides..

 taken by Racquel (standing)  and using her stamps for Paperartsy  - great to catch up with Miriam and Wendy who were both there, we grabbed the first make and take session. (tag in stash photo later on)

 Lin and I stopped for an early cuppa and Lin had breakfast, couldn't believe how empty it was - this was about 10.30 ish, normally it's really busy first thing..

 back to Paperartsy for some quality demos and chat, Leandra experimenting trying to seal the Oxides to make them permanent... sort of worked!  I'll leave it to her to share her secret some time!

 Realised I hadn't taken many photos...so snapped a few quickly.... Lauren was also on the demo stand with Leandra, was great to catch up with Claire (red tshirt) Alison in her fab crochet top, and Miriam watching Leandra...

 backs of people deliberately not turning round...great to also catch up with Jo V (with the ponytail)

 and great to see Lucy too, even if only towards the end before I left

and a very small stash haul... although I have already got the Prima modelling paste, I was hoping to get the Golden one we'd used on the fabric workshop but Leandra had taken the Prima stuff instead and I didn't realise I had it already... some beads for the book and some lacy trims for the book...
No-one had a big gelli plate there so am about to go order one online!

Trip to Liverpool - part three - the Happy Stampers show!

So, Saturday dawned damp... turned much wetter

After a cooked breakfast to set us up for the day, we walked the short distance from our Hotel, the Bridge Inn, to the Hulme Hall where the show is held.  in the drizzle... stood and queued for a few minutes...  I was hoping to meet some PAtwits and some WOYWW deskers...

 First up, deskers...

I have known Neet as long as I have been blogging, but Saturday was  the first time I have ever got to meet her in the flesh... here she is with Shaz.

 Neet hasn't been too well lately, so I was thrilled she was able to come, and it is always lovely to see Shaz (and Doug, who carries the shopping so well... he seems to have evaded the photo...)

 Leandra demonstrating...

 Sam, Chris and Lin

 Alison, ready to demo... much better pose than some I've got of you lately, Alison, eh?!

 Sarah Anderson, Neet and Shaz again, and Chris.

Leandra busy demoing

 and Sam, looking at some Seth stamps, trying to work out if they were what she wanted..

 Chris Sam and Sarah

 Alison in action..

 time for tea and cake again... Chris came too this time!  Had Victoria sponge this time, with fresh cream..  oh yummy yummy again!

back to the show, got soaking wet on the way... Sam  and Emma, watching Alison, and Claire watching Leandra... as I decided I'd cut Sam in half with the stand supports...

we decided to prove it!

don't have any more pictures but Sam has a lovely review here too




and some stash... well, I wasn't going to come all this way without buying something...



but not as much as usual!

After a freshen up we headed down to dinner in the pub restaurant, and whilst we were waiting for our meals to come, I happened to see Alison posting on facebook that she was in the bar of the hotel waiting for her husband to pick her up, so Sam went and got her and she joined us.   In the end, when Graham arrived he came in too and they ended up having dinner with us.
so, by being anti social and checking my phone at dinner, we ended up having a good evening with them.

the blog title says part three -  parts one and two are here and here 

Crafting at Ally Pally - always a good day out

Just got home from a fab day stalking the Paperartsy stand at Ally Pally - a great day out as always and wonderful to catch up with people- though sadly not as many as normal..

straight to Paperartsy of course...
Leanda and Emma on demo duty

 Leandra using some fabulous Donna Downey stencils

 the water extraction technique from Seth's workshop, between us we remembered what we were doing!

 Leandra adding watered down paint to her background

 had a quick wander, Alison (Craftytrog) doing a make and take for That's Crafty

 Kim Dellow doing make and takes for Paperartsy..

 Lucy came to do some infusion demos for Paperartsy while Leandra had a break

 Emma was rocking the backgrounds, she made loads!

 then moved into her journal

 some great infusion work here too

 Lauren on make and take duty at That's Crafty

 Met Chris (Pearshapedchris) a WOYWWer who was down in London for a few days and popped along.  Will be meeting her again at Port Sunny in another couple of weeks!

 a trio of Franich's!!

 Leandra back demoing, the new Fresco's over a crazing gel (Tim's)

 Alison came over and was persuaded to get painty again with a gelli plate demo

so much so that I bought a small one!

 these action shots are really to remind me what to do....

 a quick all round shot, it was nearly closing time so getting empty!

not quite sure what was happening here...

 some of Alison's gelli tags

 and Leandra did a rusting powder demo - we had to search high and low for some vinegar to get this going.. the light doesn't help but it was working by the time we fiished!

 and of course, we decamped to the bar for a swift drink after the show!
Mark, Emma and Leandra, and I've cut off  the other Emma..

 here she is, with Kim and Lauren

 and Alison and Courtney.

and some shopping... not much today, I was very good - you didn't believe I could do it!
Mainly stencils