HobbyCrafts - Birmingham NEC March 2010

Warning V long post!! And loads of naughty stash pics!

Yesterday Helen and I trotted off to the NEC, i got up at half six, got ready and zoomed off to pic up Helen before we joined the pot-hole riddled M6 ( I have a little thing about pot-holes and speed humps at the mo after the front spring snapping on my car last week and costing us a fourtune!) for our long awaited mega shopping trip! We save all our craft money to go to the NEC and certainly do make a day of it!
I have been poorly all week with a really grotty cold and i was not sure if i would be on true shopping form, but still spent plenty!




Helen and I had planned ahead as we really were please with the pick and mix card we got in November from Payper Box, we both make a lot of handmade boxes and gifts and it is quite hard to find nice quality and reasonably prived patterned card, we filled 2 mega boxes (almost 3 reams i would say) each and left them with the man behind the stall, we were the first at the stall and filled our boxes fast as the stall quickly filled, before we knew it the hall was filled and you just had to go with the flow, thank god we got our paper first! There is also some other pick and mix card in the pic that was from another stall.

We had a great day nipping in and out of the crouds, dodging the boney elbows of the elderly and leaping out of the way of stash laden trollies and suitcases - but it wouldn't be the same if you couldn't play count the bruises when you got home!!!



So on to the stash, i know you want to see it!



First up is punches, i was not really fussed about the martha edgers when i saw them on line but after seeing a sample of the happy birthdat edger i thought it would be fab for quick cards (watch this space!) I also brought this flower and centre, it was the first thing i brought and i am hoping it was not an impulse buy!!!



Next up Ribbon, I know it was my banned item, but i blame Helen for leaving me unattended! And smirk for bringing out this super fab ribbon for the boys! How fab is it!? And if you mooch down a bit there is matching paper! I really struccle with mens cards so these will be great!



Stickles... These were on my list as i only have one bottle and really like them just for a teeny bit of twinkle! I didn't plan on getting so many and had given myself a £1.75 max price, but found these for £1.50!



Next we have a couple of little card block and some envelopes, just basics really which seemed to be the order of the day, there were no big must have gadgets this year, in the past Helen and i have lugged cricuts, cuttlebugs and bind it alls home on the train! But this year trends seem very much back to basics which i really quite like!



Some New Nesties, saw these on TV in the week and was not v impressed but in the flesh the shapes are much nicer, Helen and i both got the green set with crumpled flowers in mind!



Some quick babe embellies as i have 2 baby books to do this week! eek!



Pins! I would have rather had pearl hearts but they only had the mixed ones but a nice little accent either way!



My Smirk paper, i LOVE it i got the 6x6 first and then found the 8x8 i really think these are the best man theamed papers i have seen in forever! I even got the decopage pad and i hate decopage!



Are you bored yet!? These are my bargains from the pound stall! oops some mme ribbon sneaked in there too...don't think Helen noticed those!



Buttons and bows...



Spacers, impossible to photograph but they will be used for flower centres and brad accents



Robo mats, V boring but needed and they are the new "extra sticky" ones hmmm we will see!

Next up a bit of an luxury buy, mme quite contrary papers, i brought 2 of each of my 7 faves and most were double sided (hence the 2 pics - back and front) but they are very me!

we had a fab time and did get a few of the same buys! It is so much better going in the car as we went back for lunch and a chat and off loaded all of our bags!

Lastly not very crafty but i just loved them! There was another show on called Memorbillia (soz if that is spelt wrong!) and these little dudes were everywhere! they looked ace and in a way watching them move about  could have been some scary flash forward to how life could be!
The pics were more to show Rob but i must admit i really took a liking to them!

Phew! I think i am off for a nap now! unbeknown to me as Helen and i did our 4th maybe 5th lap of the hall the clocks were due to go forward... I know i am meant to be an adult and aware of these things, but to be honest my mind is always buzzing with things to make and do i don't have much room for anything else! So i did go to bed a bit early, but we were up at 6.30 to have brekkie and get to the gym for 8, where i worked out for an hour and half (so proud!) and then came home to start dinner... so i am gong to pursuade Rob he needs a nap too to ease the guilt!

Tired craft hugs

Lisa xXx

Ps I have not put it all away yet!

Poorly AGAIN! But something to look forward to!

I have been poorly again :o( I am quite fed up with feeling so crappy and low lately, I don't think i have felt 100% for a single day in march so i al looking forward to April and hope it is a better month for me!

I do have something to look forward to though, tomorrow is mine and Helens twice yearly pilgrimage to the NEC in Birmingham for the Hobbycrafts show, We save and talk about it in the run up with such excitement and once it is over we moan that we have not used what we have brought yet and tell each other that we must not impulse buy! We often tell each other not to let the other buy a certain thing, this time around my banned buy is ribbon and helen is not buying anymore stamps!!!

So why the strange photo of the dorky bag i hear you ask?!

Dorky it may be but i fell in love with this when i saw it in a cheap homestore a few months back, i brought it purely for my trip to the NEC as i thought it had a great patterned paper feel to it!!!

So if you see me wandering round with it tomorrow - prob bursting with goodies, give me a prod and say hi!

Its an early night for me tonight as i have not been sleeping well and will need my energy for tomorrow!

Hugs

Lisa xxx

Happy Mothers Day!

I know I am a day late, but I am still not very well!
Due to feeling poorly I was in need of a quick mothers day card that i could make 2 of without feeling sick or tired!

And here is the end result and to be honest, probably the quickest card ever but oh so pretty, much prettier in real life!!



The butterfly is a de-constructed Primark necklace and it is mounted on some stunning cards that I found in Ikea!!! They were not cheap £1.99 for 6 but come with a matching pearl envelope and handmade paper insert too so they are a true touch of luxury!!



There were 3 sizes in Ikea, large square, C6 and a smaller pack, i used the small size for this card



I would just like to end with a thank you to everyone who has sent me get well wishes! I ended up in A&E last tuesday night / wednesday morning as i was in so much pain with my kidney (if you were in New Cross Hospital at about 2.30am wednesday morning and had to witness the ordeal of me in my nightie and fluffy grey slippers screaming and moaning in pain - i am truely sorry!) They gave me some pain killers (which did nothing and made me wait for the doctor to see me, after what felt like forever i was given a bed and waited for the doctor who then sent me for x-rays. The x-rays did not show kidney stones which is what they think i have so they gave me several more pain killers - 2 more tablets, and injection in my leg and 2 things up my bottom! That shows how much pain i was in!!!! By about 5am the paid had subsided into more of an ache and they let me go shortly after with antibiotics and a letter for my doctor! The doc gave me pain killers and a week off work and had also requested i have a scan on my kidneys too!
So all in all an eventful week! I have only really started to feel like me again today and felt up to blogging, hope there are some of you out there still reading as i have been a very bad blogger lately!

Hugs

Lisa xXx

FOR SALE :: Cricut Create Machine With Extras

I am going to sell my little cricut create machine, it is only 4 months old and has only been used a handfull of times for cutting letters, I do love it but after moving craft rooms i now have room for an expression so would rather sell it sooner while it is new and save for an expression!

Included with the create machine are, the current blade, the current mat plus 2 packs of mats (4 unused mats) (RRP £16.00), the user guide, power cord all in original box - there are no cartridges supplied as i am upgrading machines

For the complete bundle i would like £175 including signed for delivery (machine cost £260 new and is still in new condition)

If you are interested please email me lisa@craftfairies.com

Hugs

Lisa xXx

Off the Radar!

Hey Bloggers!

Just a quick post tonight to let you know i am still here! It has been a really tough week for me mind you!
Monday was injection D-day, it was a horrible day!

Rob came with me to the hospital, we were there just over an hour, i met my diabetic nurse and she skipped over what i had to do with my injection!
I left quite dazed really not fully knowing what i had to do! But they way i thought it worked was that the injection was like a pen, you pressed it against the skin, pressed the button on the end and the needle popped into my tummy to dispense the medicine. WRONG!!!

Once i got home and has a good look for myself it turns out that you have to screw a needle onto the end of the pen (the needle was about 2cm long) you then have to push the needle into your tummy and then press the end to dispense the solution. I could cope with the idea of not seeing the needle, but having to watch it go into my tummy really distressed me!
It took me an hour to do it, and lots of sobbing! What a mess!!! And a wimp some would say!

So i have now been injecting since monday evening twice a day, I had a panic attack in the night on monday and a terrrible pain in my kidney which turns out to be a water infection but the doc has said i need to relax, i don't relax very easily but i am trying, it is hard though as the injections make me feel really sick at times! I have taken a couple of days off work - doc wanted me to have a week but i think that would just lead to more stress!

I have nothing to show you though i am afraid as i just have not felt like crafting!

Hope i feel better for a crafting sunday!

Hugs (and thanks for all the kind messages xxx)

Lisa xXx