Stitch and Craft Show 2009

So, this last weekend was my big moment, my chance to see my name in lights... well, on laminated card anyway. It was the Stitch and Craft Show 2009 at Olympia 2 in London, and the Best of British Scrapbooking 2008 winning layouts were to be exhibited. That'll be mine then! Well, along with five other far more fabulously talented people, Michelle Jackson-Mogford, Julie Kirk, Jo-Anne Cavanagh, Jane Knight and the overall winner, Kim Tomlinson.

Needless to say, I was very excited! I managed to arrange to meet up with a couple of the other winners who were also going, and we got together for a photo or two. I also got to meet the very lovely (and dinky) Rosie Waddicor, the editor of Scrapbook Inspirations - the magazine that ran the competition.

I went with all intentions of splurging on loads of stash, but managed to only buy knitting-related products. Not quite sure how that happened, but hey ho. All is good!

Right now though, I'm really wanting this wallpaper - it's fabulously decadent!

I also got to meet up with one of my "Pay It Forward" giftees, Tinkersdamn, and handed her a little cute something that I hope will be useful. The 6 spots are now filled, though I will be having a 1000 (!!!) visitor giveaway at some point very soon, so keep your eyes peeled. Suffice to say, I've had lots of fun fiddling with felt, and think I might have to make all sorts with the stuff.

So, tell me, is scrapbooking your only craft, or like me do you have crafty fingers in too many pies?

Q52 update - it's been a loooong while!

Ok so I admit. My plan to do one a week of these somewhat fell by the wayside around my last assignment deadline, and I got a little behind. 6 weeks behind.

But I'm all caught up, so here they are:

Q6 - If I could do it all again, would I change anything?

Q7 - What would I do if I knew I could not fail?

Q8 - What was the last thing that made you laugh out loud?

Q9 - What was the last brave thing I did?

Q11 - What keeps you awake at night?

Those eagle-eyed people may well spot that Q10 is missing. It was "name 5 movies that inspire you creatively." I am hard-pushed to name even one movie, so I may just do 5 things (people, music, objects, situations) that inspire me creatively instead. THAT list is endless...

My answer to Q7 may seem mercenary, but I'm already doing everything else I've ever dreamed of, and if I fail, then hey - it was meant to be. I'm one of those people who can ALWAYS find a silver lining. And I figure, if I win the lottery, then I have a list of lovely things I could do for other people with the money :)

Pay It forward Update

It's not been that long since I posted this, but already I have received my gorgeous gift from Sophie. A beautiful card wallet, complete with four cards and envelopes! The fabric is just wonderful, and I want more :) Thank you very much Sophie!

And so, this has spurred me on to get a move on with my PIF items. So far, I am sending Steph, Lisa, Eleanor, Sarah and Sophie a little something. All I can tell you is that it involves some of this:

from here - http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Pixie-Rose-Crafts - any more than that would give the game away. It's a new craft for me, so the results could be VERY interesting. So, watch this space, or your letterbox if you're one of the commenters (oh, and I've still got one left, so feel free to read and comment on the original "Pay It Forward" post here if you want to join in the fun!)

Scrap your Day February 2009

Well, it soon came round again. After last month's astounding start to this project (see this post if you're curious), I was hoping for a fairly low-key day on February 25. Thankfully, I got it. The replacement carpet for DD's bedroom did arrive, but other than that it was a fairly uneventful day. That is, unless you count the first appearance of tree pollen, which is never a good day in my sniffy, red-eyed book.

I'm really enjoying the way my pages (and cards) are evolving as I make them at the moment. I start with the bare essentials, and the ideas are just popping in to my head. It's this aspect of crafting that really cheers me up. Liking the end product helps, but it's the process that I find most therapeutic!

What's your favourite bit, why do you craft? Is it for the end product, or just the sheer joy of making something?