I hate exercise

Did you see the Jonathan Ross show a few weeks ago? The one with Lorraine Kelly and John Barrowman on the horse riding machine (ijoy ride). I watched it with tears of laughter streaming down my face. Someone has put the clips from the show together on YouTube here.

I have been wanting one of these machines for about a year but I thought it was a little too pricey. I'm not known for keeping up with any excercise routine and have tried many machines over the years but it never lasts long so I didn't want to waste too much money on something that might end up being a clothes horse!

Well, whilst Vicky & I were at the trade show my wonderful husband managed to buy one on a famous auction site and then he travelled the 4 hour round trip to collect it.

I absolutely love it - it is fabulous. If you have no idea what I am talking about then watch this video, it is taken from a US shopping channel but the manufacturers video is too boring.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPn_V3PP-8Q

Stamperama

Sunday 28th February is our Stamperama show in Stevenage Arts & Leisure Centre which we are busily getting ready for now (well possibly not right at this very moment, depending on when you are reading this).

This show is open 10am-4pm but if you have bought tickets you might be able to get in from 9.30am.

We have some new exhibitors for you this year and we also have 3 Make & Take tables around the hall so you can try out some different products.

I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

Trade Show @ NEC

We were so lucky to be surrounded by such great people at the trade show. Obviously we had Joris & Daan, and we had the enviable task of having to look at them all day every day as they were directly opposite us.

On one side we had the Once Upon a Stamp team, if you know them you know they are an absolute scream.
Liz Welch was nearby doing amazing things with Friendly Plastic and she managed to incorporate our Clay Squishers.
And only a few feet away were Jenny & Chris from Hobby Art.
I have to say a big thank you to all our customers that voted for us in the Origin awards as on Sunday night at the awards ceremony we collected the award for East Anglia Retailer of the Year, and to top off a good night when we got back to the hotel we discovered someone had organised a disco for all show attendees.

We didn't make it to the disco until about 10pm but we stayed and danced (well, I did most of the dancing as Vicky & Emma were relectant dance partners) until 12.30. I really did not want to get up on Monday morning, so not used to staying up late and dancing. I absolutely love dancing and music, most kinds but never get the opportunity to dance. Except very occasionally around the living room but then the kids join in and everything falls to pieces.

Emma is from Time To Sow, a lovely young lady (ooh get me!) and so much fun to be with. She managed to put up with my dancing more than Vicky did but she did escape off the dance floor a couple of times.

But you know you get those moments in life where you suddenly feel old - well, Emma presented me with one of these on Sunday night.

We were sitting, I was waiting until they were ready to get back on the dance floor, when The Communards song 'Don't leave me this way' starting playing. I am singing along and dancing in my seat and Emma gives me this quizzical look - 'what is this? I've never heard it', she has never heard of the song or the group - how come? I hear you ask - because Emma was born in the mid eighties!!!!!!

How old did I feel, never mind I maybe the eldest of the three but I managed to out dance the pair of them and thoroughly enjoy myself.

Names

Hello, I'm Yours . . . . . . . what an opening line!

This weekend Vicky and I were at the NEC Hobby trade show and on the stand next to us were 2 guys from The Netherlands, Joris & Daan. Joris is pronounced Yours (well almost!) so he is being totally honest when he says 'Hello, I'm Yours'. Daan also had a great surname 'Daan de Groof'. These are the guys below . . .

They had this fabulous gadget for fusing glass in the microwave - the microwave HotPot. It's not really that tall, there are 2 stacked underneath it.
Trade shows are a lot quieter and slower than the shows you normally see us at, so the guys kept us entertained, they were so much fun, I haven't laughed this much in ages. A lot of it was down to the language differences, their English was brilliant but there were still lots of words we had to explain, it certainly makes you think about the words you use.

I did get to make a necklace in the HotPot and am very tempted to get one for myself as I love jewellery and being able to make it in my favourite colours. Joris did make me a couple of beautiful pieces but Joris if you are reading this I am still waiting for the purple one!

New Website

Have you seen our new website? You can check it out here.

Hopefully you'll find it easier to navigate.

Let me know what you think

New Stamps Arriving

We have a very busy time coming up, starting this weekend, so I've been preparing for these events and have neglected my blog a little.

We have also been testing the new website to see what problems we could find before it goes live, it is looking really good and I've got everything crossed for going live before the weekend.

We have a trade show this weekend but on Sunday 28th Feb is Stamperama in Stevenage. I have just received notification that 2 new stamp ranges should be arriving in time for us to take to Stamperama and more exciting news about Stamperama - 3 Make & Takes have been added to the show. We will have one as well as Dragonfly Designs and Simply Stamps. I know the Simply Stamps M&T will be using the new Penny Black stamps, ours we have yet to decide on.

Receive a FREE Stamp

Have you signed up to the Stamp Addicts email list?

Next week we will be sending out an email to collect a FREE Limited Edition Rubber Stamp at Stamperama on 28th February.
But you have to have the email to receive one.

Sign up here.

Mini Baskets

I think I may have forgotten to mention these during our new product week - we had so many new products they just got overlooked. Bushel Basket, Berry Box & Picnic Basket

These are the new templates from Hot Of The Press, great for Easter baskets, wedding and party favours and I'm sure many other things.
Sorry, they haven't yet made it on to the website - soon, I promise!

The last of the new DeNami

E120 Big Umbrella chickie, J122 Medium Thank You Circle, F183 Double Circle, N109 Polka Dot Border, A88 Mini Polka Dot.

G145 Rosebud Trio, Pf27 Whimsical Garden (set of 4 stamps), F171 Sending You Love.

I55 Leafy Tree, G140 Leafy Vine, D108 Leafy Sprig, J117 Medium Birthday Circle.

The brand new DeNami Design catalogue should be with us very soon so if you would like to reserve your copy please call us.

More DeNami Design Artwork

C71 Small Side-View Sheep, PF25 Barnyard Animals Stamp Set, E119 Fence.

D121 Best Friend Chickies, F167 For You Circle, F183 Double Circle.

G145 Rosebod Trio, J127 Butterfly Daisy Circle.

More DeNami

N127 Mimi in the Rain, E126 Small Umbrella, A93 Mini Swiss Dot.

J135 Large Open Umbrella, J133 Decorative Flourish.

A98 Single Tweety Bird, D123 Small Stitched Circle, A97 Small Tweety Bird Circle, A96 Tweety Bird Footprints, N130 Stitched Border.

New DeNami Artwork

DeNami Design very kindly sent us this artwork with our delivery of new stamps. N130 Stitched Border, I57 Congratulations Circle, E128 Graduation Owl.

J129 Birthday Chickies Circle.

E125 Tweety Birds with Heart, A97 Small Tweety Bird Circle, I59 Anniversary Circle, A94 Mini Heart.

I60 Large Chickie, F188 A Little Birdie Told Me, D123 Small Stitched Circle.

More tomorrow.

Wednesday Project Club

This is the card everyone made in our monthly project club yesterday.
This is using the new DeNami stamps E124 Decorative Love and J131 Heart Flower Trio Circle.