Art Specially Show in Zeist Holland

I've not been too well (system out of sorts, not really ill just not well) since I returned from the Art Specially show in Holland where I demmed for stampattack but at last I'm feeling much better and I've managed to upload some photos of the trip. 

It was a great show and I'd love to go again just as a visitor so I could take advantage of all the workshops and Make & Takes over the two days. It was a really vibrant atmosphere, busy but spacious and for us as retailers it was non stop all weekend but the people, both stall holders and visitors were all so lovely and friendly.

Carol had the great idea that we should decorate top hats for the show, mine was Steam Punk and her's Alice in Wonderland themed. We never planned to wear them, they were just to be decorations for the stand, but when we put them on for fun it really created so much interest and people were coming to take our photograph and thus visit the shop so we left them on most of the time! I know I look daft but I'm good for a laugh!

It was so lovely to meet so many new people and make new friends.... 

here's Mariette (of Stamping Mariette) a lovely talented lady who demonstrated new stamps designed by her friend Ellie Knol on the Magenta Stand. We got along so well and I know we'll keep in touch and meet again one day.

 Tine on Hobbycompleet "De Duif" was really lovely and friendly and sharing with her work and ideas. Tine made some stunning cards using Pan Pastels really effectively.

These are so beautiful!

We met up with Michael Strong and also the lovely Hettie of craftchaos who was helping on his stand. Michael is just a lovely guy and as he was in our hotel we had breakfast with him and some good fun together.

Everyone who stopped by for our various Make & Takes seemed to have fun.

However I didn't have time to take many pics once we got going.

Here's the Art Specially stand at the entrance to the show...

All their fabulous books were on sale...

We met up with Linda of Lost Coast Stamps (and I bought more of her quirky stamps) but forgot to take photos. We did really miss seeing Mary Kay of Stamp Camp who we'd expected to be there.

So many different stands I'd never seen before....

I took the photos before the show opened and it was the only time it was quiet!

There were so many workshops and make & takes at the show that most visitors came for two days to take up everything on offer. 

There were rows of areas just like this below and the whole length of the balcony (which you can spot in this pic) had so many workshops and make & take tables. 

We met up with friends Wezz and Jan, from Belgium, for a fabulous Indo Chinese banquet in the 

Tong Ah restaurant, just a short drive from the show. 

We can certainly recommend it as, whilst the main menu was quite pricey, they had a set meal for 20 euros per person of soup, crispy wantons and spring rolls then 3 huge main dishes with fried rice or noodles. Followed by ice cream and fruit with coffee or tea.

Check out the menu here!

The waitress took the photos of us all together then insisted on taking another of me with this amazingly grotesque huge wood carving.

I think it was an excellent show and so very different to those in UK. So many more dems and workshops. I would say that the catering could have been better as the only food available was greasy fried stuff but I suppose we should have taken our own!

Before we came home we visited Giethoorn an exceptionally quaint little village of canals, with no roads, accessed only by boat! Known as the Venice of Holland. 

Photos tomorrow!

Acetate Card & Candy Wrap

So sorry I won't be playing along again for WOYWW this week but I'm rushing to get prepped for the Art Specially Show in Zeist, Holland and I still have my family here until tomorrow. I too succumbed to the sicky, yucky bug that the Curly Girlies started with on the train from London so brought up with them, and I'm luckily recovered in time for my trip. At least they can't blame my cooking!

Now I just need to catch up to get ready, packed and organised. Stay calm .... stay calm I say! I'll get there!

Just leaving you with a couple of things from my files that I made recently...

a card with an acetate front and the background is made from a scrap piece of my own coloured card which has been over stamped with swirls. The acetate is stamped (on the inner surface) with the same swirl in both white and black.

I've been making these simple candy wraps for years but they alway come in handy at times like Easter for little gifts. Once again the card I used is from offcuts of pieces I decorated for other projects, mainly with Distress inks but the centre blue one has been embossed in white. The leaf is a stencil which I swiped a Versafine pad over then embossed with white detail powder. Good idea to use a stencil instead of a stamp for the image... try it!.

Happy Easter

Lovely sunshine here despite it still being bitterly cold but we can cope with that. As a result we are hoping the curly girlies will still be able to have their Easter Egg Hunt in the garden now that they are recovered from their sicky spell.

Here are some pics I took on my last visit down South of the Easter displays at the Baltic Trader Pottery shop in Lewes. I love their pottery and always treat myself to a new piece or two each visit.

My Easter Greetings to everyone!

Friday Smile 11

After returning from a super trip where I had quality time with my family in the Arctic climes of Germany I was happy to know that the other two curly girlies would arrive last night. To put a damper on my smiling they had a dreadful journey with the two girls being sick all the way from London and subsequently through the night. 

Still lots to smile about....

In Germany we took a walk in the snow to see the houses and gardens decorated for Easter.....

The little fraulein had alternative use for her finger puppets which really made me smile.....

The Brighton Belles are recovering. Slowly for one, still cuddled up on the sofa with a throw over her.

It may not be a smile but it's definitely and Aaawwwhhhh!!

The little'un wasn't as sick and asked for food this morning so I cautiously gave her a small piece of toast and honey which was devoured and then the plate was licked!

Yesterday afternoon a delivery van brought a basket of smiles from Annie... not only 3 quilts for the LillyBo Project but a whole bundle of mini comfort teds to do with as I wish!!!! You'll see £10 there already as my neighbour bought some to give with mini eggs for Easter treats and the money will go to CHICS. I'm buying some for my grandees and the rest will go on the counter at the hospital unit where I know they will sell in a shot to raise funds for them.

Annie sent in a gorgeous quilt along with 2 from Jo Twiglet and the day before a super one came in from Janet Fairythoughts so there'll be lots to see soon on LillyBo Blog.

For more instant smiles, much needed this weather, pop over to Annie Wipso's blog for her Friday Smiles and if you too have something to smile about... share it too.

Zig Zag Card for a Special Person

Earlier this month it was the birthday of my lovely friend Neet, of Hickydorums Blog, who many of you will know. 

I hardly ever make birthday cards these days but I had to make a special one for such a special friend so I broke into my stash of "My Minds Eye" Lost & Found papers to make this version of a Zig Zag card.

I thought it was a good idea to use a die cut circle to extend the top of the card into a more pleasing shape.

I went to town on this version adding decoration to almost every surface and really enjoyed making it.

Hope I manage to meet up with Neet soon, we've been like trains in the night this year!

Easter Bunting

I didn't manage to join in with WOYWW this week but I'll be popping in to spy on some of the posts.

Just a quicky post from me today as I've only just arrived home after my travels and as the weather really hasn't improved I hope to cheer things up with my Easter Bunting.

I did imagine, as I made it a while ago, that it would hang in the garden when the curly girlies, (who arrive tomorrow), have their Easter Egg Hunt! 

I can hope that, just as the Arctic wave arrived, it will go as fast as you like and a Spring heat wave will warm us for the weekend. Shush! I hear you laughing already!

Well, you've got to have a dream!

I was thrilled to receive parcel containing another super quilt from Janet Fairythoughts which will be posted asap on the LillyBo blog.

I'll be taking this string of pennants with me to the Art Specially Show in Zeist, next week!

Lots of die cuts made it so quick and easy to make.

Flower Pot Card

Another item from my recent dem day, this little plant pot makes a great card in it's own right.

The pot has a fold-in section which pulls out to make a base so it stands up,

but if you punch out or die cut some flowers and stick them on little sticks then add button centres......

they will pop into the top slot of the plant pot to make a super Spring or Easter Greeting.

It's also an excellent idea to give as a get well card to people who are ill as many hospitals no longer allow fresh flowers to be taken into the wards. The flowers could be tied in a bunch for the recipient to arrange into the pot.

I did also add a tag on a stick for a message but accidentally left it out of the photo.

A butterfly or two could be included but here I added a little bird.

This idea came from the slightly quirky one, below, that I made ages ago using PaperArtsy Stamps but in that one the flowers were not removable.

I'll make a template for the card, if anyone can't just figure it out, but it will have to be after I get home next week.

Friday Smile 10 is a Little Drummer Girl

It's Friday Smile time again thanks to Annie Wipso's idea to join her and start the weekend feeling happy.

Most of you know that I'm smiling because I am enjoying special time with one of my favourite little curly girlies, in snow clad Germany, and when I return home the other two curly girlies, the Brighton Belles, will be visiting my house for Easter. 

It hasn't stopped snowing here since I arrived but it never seems to get any deeper and all the pavements and roads are completely clear so it's no problem whatsoever to get around. Unlike England where 10 flakes fall and the whole country grinds to a halt.

Here's my Friday Smile,

Our little fraulein has an alternative way of playing the drums!

For a few more funny moments pop over Here to Annie's place. Hope to see you there!

For another smile, Tilly's 3 new quilts are now on the LillyBo blog ready for a peek!

Spring Hanging but where is Spring?

I'll be away braving the snow, visiting my family in Germany for a week, so I am not joining in with WOYWW this time round as I probably won't be able to pay many visits (but I will try to nosey in on as many as I can).

In the mean time here's another of my samples from Saturday from the Easter Egg-Stravaganza.

It's a really easy way to make a seasonal hanging and use up some of those offcuts of background cards you have created. It's just a shame that the Season doesn't know it should be bright and cheery by now!

The backgrounds were made using a variety of Distress ink pads and Dylusions Sprays, sponged and stencilled. I particularly like the birds die cut from random areas of the decorated card.

Do hop over to LillyBo Quilts to see the latest makes and don't miss the chance of blog candy with a prize for stitchers as well as followers (and you don't have to have made a quilt to join in). If you pop in now and then to see the progress of the Super Star Stitchers, why not join as a follower.

Easter Egg-Stravaganza

Last Saturday I enjoyed a super day demonstrating at Card-io in Wigan and the day was themed with lots of fun and ideas for Easter decorations, cards and gifts. 

Here's an acetate card featuring Wendy's favourite rabbit stamp from her Easter range.

It was lovely to see everyone especially Tilly (WOYWW) pictured here... 

Me, Wendy, and Tilly 

Tilly only intended to pop in for a quick visit and ended up staying all afternoon with her friend Sue.

I made lots of mini baskets and containers to hold mini chocolate eggs.

some were made from the background techniques that I demonstrated and some made from printed papers.

These cones will hold mini eggs or the larger Cream Eggs

All the little offcuts of decorated background papers were handy to punch or die cut co-ordinating flowers just like these on the cone below.

As I made the items I gave them to the customers with a few mini eggs inside and I was so thrilled to have over £53 pounds donated to help CHICS (cancer support group). Everyone was so lovely and friendly and really seemed to enjoy themselves. 

A big thanks so much to all who came and made it a such a super day.

There are quite a few more items from my samples from the day to post over the next few days so please call in again so you don't miss any ideas.

Friday Smile No 9 with Bat Girl

It's Friday Smile time again, No 9 in fact, thanks to Annie Wipso's idea to start off the weekend in Happy Mode!

Here's my 5 year old Brighton Belle grandee all ready to go to a fancy dress party as Bat Girl. Doesn't she look the part striking that pose!?!

In case you are wondering... behind her is a mural on her bedroom wall of a Swiss mountain scene!

but wait for it.....

Her outfit didn't have a mask and her Mummy had no time to make one so .....

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She used face paint and painted a super one directly on to her face.......

it was good to go........but...

 here's how Bat Girl arrived home after the party........

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Hope it gave you a grin!

If you'd like to see a few more happy pics got over to Annie's blog for her Friday Smiles

WOYWW 197

My desk has spread to the floor this week as I prep for a dem day on Saturday. When I am prepping, I tend to put completed items in groups, as I make them, and then add the necessary materials to the piles before I check off my list.

I am not generally a very organised person but amazingly I can be extremely organised when I have to be. I use a master check list of all I could need, which I compiled years ago, then I check off all the items I do need for each event and occasionally have to add the odd special item.

As I put them in my trolley, I cross tick them so I can be sure I don't miss off an essential part of my class or dem. It has always worked well for me and my system may well help someone else who is as batty as me!

The dem day on Saturday will be at Cardio in Wigan and we will be having an Easter Egg-Stravaganza with lots of ideas, make & takes, decorations, Easter baskets and cards to share and chocolate eggs to pop in the make & takes too, if I don't eat them all before Saturday. It's always good fun there with such lovely friendly people so come along and join in the fun if you live close enough. I do believe I will be seeing WOYWWer Tilly there, woo hoo!

Here is the action zone with so much going on...

There on my desk you'll spy my treat that came this week from Neil Walker.

 Neil sent me this gorgeous card....

not only the card, but also, and very generously, he sent me two of his new stamps which he designed for The Artistic Stamper. I had hoped to have a play with them but I've really not managed to find time.

 I look forward to using them asap, so thanks so much Neil!

This expose of my desk and crafting is all due to our favourite blog boss, Mrs D, aka Julia of the stamping ground, and you can so easily see lots more and find out all about the "Whys" and "Wherefores" by popping over to her blog right HERE

Hope I manage to visit more of you this week but I'm meeting myself coming back at the moment.  I think I managed to reply to more than those who kindly left a message but I'll do my best to get around to even more of you this week. 

Friday Smile 7

So much to smile about today for Annie's (Wipso) Friday Smile. I returned last weekend from visiting the Beautiful Brighton Belles, (alias the curly girlies) and we had such fun. I'm usually miserable leaving them to return home but this time I'm SMILING because they are coming to visit us for the Easter Holidays.

Here they are in the fancy dress costumes I took down for them. They were so thrilled and excited getting my suitcase open and trying them out.

I made the skirt to DDs measurements but it's just as well I left a really big hem so the left one can soon be lengthened.

 I'm still SMILING because (as I posted on LillyBo blog) our gorgeous little Fraulein finished her treatment last week for leukaemia. Here she is after two long years of it, now aged three and a half, a beautiful happy little girl full of character and bright as a new button.

I'm also SMILING after delivering so many quilts to CHICS at the hospital oncology unit yesterday and seeing a little 3 year old boy receive his... pop over to LillyBo to read all about it and to see the quilts all made with love for children who are going through the same treatments as our little fraulein has just finished.

Why not join as a follower and see each quilt as it arrives? Even if you aren't stitching for LillyBo we'd love you to share what's happening. 

The Super Star Stitchers deserve every word of praise!

If you want to start your weekend with even more smiles then be sure to visit 

Annie's Friday Smile Day

WOYWW 196

Here's the biggest mess I've had in ages but it's a creative working mess. Experiments galore on my table this week as I am using every spare minute getting up to date with all I have to do. After a week away, enjoying family fun on the South Coast of England, I need to prep for a forthcoming dem day I am doing for Cardio in Wigan and also for the Art Specially show in Holland. I've also got another trip away to Germany planned before the Holland trip thus I need to get things ready in advance so there are no late panics.

Lots of ideas buzzing around my head but nothing yet complete for either but this is only the evidence of a play time before the serious craft prep begins tomorrow. 

First I am thinking all things SPRING, as the dem day is before Easter, but I want to keep away from yellows and use fresh greens and blue. 

Bear with me, I'll get there, I'm sure, and I'm having inky fun along the way.

I've tried the "photo from the heights" technique this week but it doesn't make it look any tidier. There is so much going on here and even more on all the other desks of the world. If you are curious to see the why, what and wherefores, then there'll be over 150 more at our dear Head of WOYWW for you to peruse and enjoy..... Julia can be found here at Stamping Ground but go early as there's always a rush as soon as it's opening time. You'll soon find out why!

That's it from me this week but I do want to play catch up and visit some of the desks I missed last week to see what you've all been up to. 

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A message for any LillyBo quilt makers... 

Please pop over to the blog as I need colour choices from you all, there is a button to grab, and news of some treats too.

Thanks so much!