More Kay's

Although it is a little early for April showers we are loving these new DeNami umbrellas.

All the stamps can be found in the new products section.

Kay's Artwork

If you visited Stamperama you might have seen some of these cards by Kay Carley using the new DeNami Design stamps.

We have been out of stock of a couple of these stamps but a delivery is due next Tuesday.

Ranger Class

A few weeks ago Vicky and Lesley attended a workshop hosted by Ranger and featuring Tim Holtz, Suze Weinberg and Claudine Helmuth.
Above is Vicky's finished article using some of the new Distress inkpads, UTEE and the melt pot, Claudine's paints and many other things.
This is on display in our store if you would like to see it.

Wednesday Project Club

This month in our project club we made variations on the following cards. I made the above card by firstly stamping the images with White Stazon onto black card. Once dry I then coloured with Polycolour pencils by dipping the pencil into Zest-It and then applying to the image. With the Polycolour pencils you can put down a layer of colour and then build up with other colours and then finally go back to your original light colour to highlight. To finish the card I highlighted parts of the image with a white pen.

Vicky made this card using the same technique as above. Vicky has outlined the entire cat with the white pen.

You might have seen this technique featured in this months Craft Stamper magazine.

Martha Stewart Punches

As you can see we are loving the Martha Stewart Deep Edge Punches. The above card features some of the new Stamps by Judith stamps.

This is the Stamps by Judith Mr Hare and the new basket of eggs.

The rag doll and flowers are from Stamps by Judith and the frame is from Printworks.

These punches have not yet made it onto our website as they sell out very soon after they arrive. If you are interested in any please call us.

All artwork by Lesley.

Curious By Design

If you weren't able to make Lesley's recent class using the Curious By Design stamp sets then here is a look at what she created:

All these images have been coloured with Distress Inkpads. The above image was stamped with Archival Coffee inkpad.

Glasgow

Now that Stamperama is over we can concentrate on the Glasgow Hobbycrafts shows. We are leaving on Wednesday so we don't have long.

It will only be Vicky and myself in Glasgow so if you are able stop by and get Vicky a cup of tea I'm sure she would be most grateful (apparently I'm the weird one because I only drink water, absolutely nothing else just water). As there is only the 2 of us we won't be able leave the stand so she might just have to suffer with water all day if no one takes pity on her.

The show is on 4th-7th March in the SECC 9.30am-5pm, our stand is no. B11.

We haven't been up to Scotland for a while so we hope you will come and visit us.

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.