CRAFT CITY!

So, today I have been to the Big Stamp and Scrapbooking show at Alexandra Palace. I have been going for a number of years now and it changes all the time. Absolutely heaving with people, stickers, embellishments, paper, card, boxes, stamps, glitter and all things crafty for paper. There was a creative memories stand. If you don't know about creative memories, take a look at their website: www.creativememories.co.uk. I am a lapsed consultant! Just couldn't fit it in with the day job but I met a gal on the stand who has been a consultanta for 18 months and absolutely loves it! She runs her own business in engraving too! She had some lovely albums out for people to see - very inspiring.

And I think that is what is so neat about these shows. They are INSPIRING! If you can resist the temptation to buy, you can pick up so many tips and techniques to help you try new things at home in your cardmaking or scrapbooking. So many of the exhibitors have someone doing demo at their stand. There didn't seem to be a particular theme this year but obviously the Christmas stuff was out - stamps, embellishments etc

So what did I buy? Well, a great stand I have loved in the past and which was there this time too was Art from the Heart. A sort of altered art, stamping outfit and the demonstrator was showing how to daub acrylic paint on cut wooden shapes and alter them with stamps etc. It was a really nice finish so I bought some wooden heart cut out shapes to try. Some of the samples were also covered in gorgeous paper and made into little books - great idea for Christmas. Let's see how we go with these first.

I'm off to a conference for three days with the day job! Asked to speak and lead a workshop when I was only going to introduce it so 8.00 - 9.15pm will have it's challenges buy hey ho!

So this is NEW!

I have been thinking about starting a blog for a good while now and trying to curb the addictive urge to sneek a peek at many a crafty blog or two.

What strikes me is that there are so many many creative people out there and that blogging has provided a space and means for community in a way nothing else has to date. Where else could you share someone's love of quilting or crochet who is the other side of the world without knowing them first?

It's quite strange to actually write not knowing who might read this but I guess you have to start somewhere.
My quote for the week is this:

""I hope you'll hear what I'm about to tell you. I hope you'll hear it all the way down to your toes. When you're waiting, you're not doing nothing. You're doing the most important something there is. You're allowing your soul to grow up. If you can't be still and wait, you can't become what God created you to be." --"When the Heart Waits" by Sue Monk Kidd

Waiting isn't easy. We live in a world that rewards activity, speed and sometimes crazy living. I am having to wait just now and as someone who likes to know what is next around the corner, it is uncomfortable at times. But I am learning to be still, to override the discomfort, to stop the frenetic activity of the last xx years and to let the layers of 'have-tos', 'shoulds', 'musts' and 'oughts' be peeled away.

The pics are some birthday cards I made using alcohol inks. September is a very heavy month for family and friends' birthdays so I had fun experimenting with these and was pleased with the result.