Juggling life through a bi-polar lens. Sometimes up, sometimes down. Mostly trying to tread water in the middle. Creating a likeness to a normal life. Whatever "normal" is...

Monday 8 April 2013

Craft Show Pic's

On Friday I went to the Creative Stitches & Hobby Craft Show at Excel, in London.

I didn't know very much in advance that I'd be going - there was an ad on TV for it and Luvbug piped up, "Would you like to go to that?" well I nearly fell off my chair, what a nice surprise!

I explained that you had to pay for a ticket, and also that I didn't think there would be a Man Creche :) but I booked a ticket online and planned to go Thursday. Luvbug said he'd go shopping at Stratford, or make his way to Covent Garden...

After a bit of a panic, during which we thought I was having a dangerously bad allergic reaction to my new meds, it was put off till Friday. After seeing the dr, we set out Friday morning, me dosed up on steroids and anti-histamines and almost asleep by the time we got there! My face and neck were red and itchy, painful and tingly, and I'm sure people must have thought I had been burned. I suppose it may be testament to how the meds are helping me mentally though, that I didn't feel too self-conscious or afraid of the crowds to go.

I didn't think the show was that big when I first got there- I'd never been to one of these shows before- but it turned out to be the perfect size, not too big or small. I was in there over three hours and nearly wore my feet off!

I only had my little phone so the photo's aren't great but will give you an idea...

Bears were there, of course!! These were hanging out on the stall of the Guild Of British Toymakers. 

This was at the end of an enormous display by knitters. It was a maritime theme and this is the head of the Loch Ness Monster!! (where there are bears, there are always dragons...)


A giant Decoupatch Cat!!!! Look at the size of him compared to the woman nearby! I should have returned to this stall to see how much their papers were, but never got back to it :( It was a popular, and very crowded one.

Giant Decoupatch Bear with Decoupatch Dinosaur behind!!! This was their main display, with a rep who was Decoupatching a fridge. Yes, I said fridge.

A display of panels by members of a stitching club...

...this is a close-up of one of my favourites in the display. The maker had printed a picture of a pier and wreck onto a cotton panel, then printed photo's of the seagulls onto chiffon, and sewn them on top. The effect was like seeing reflections of a scene in a window.

Bird panels from the same display.

Embroidered postcards from around the world. Each column is a different country.

This isn't a painting, it's all 3D stitching. I couldn't afford any of her work so I picked up some postcards instead. The artist's name was Gilda Baron.

From a quilt display- sorry it's blurred!

Large Owl and Hedgehog handbags!

Lastly, here is my haul!-


I then took the DLR to Stratford and met up again with Luvbug. We went looking at clothes for a while and I managed to to get some new jeans at last that weren't made for a giant (M&S £12.50!!). We then both admitted that our feet were killing us and, after nabbing snacks to eat on the way, made it back to the car.

We popped in on mum for a couple of hours on the way home, then I made chicken curry. We both fell asleep on sofas, worn out. LOL!

**** *** **** *** **** ***
Love, tea & cake,  
Helena

8 comments:

mrsnesbitt said...

Wow! Would have loved this event!

Julie said...

I'm so pleased you had such a wonderful day out :-) Thank you for all the photographs, I enjoyed seeing them all. The stitching group is one I belong to but I didn't make any of those journal quilts, as they're called, last year. There are some very clever people out there. Your haul looks very exciting and will keep you busy. I am really glad too that your meds seem to be helping. Well done you xxx♥xxx

Di said...

Wow, that sounds like such good fun - and great piccies too!

Now, decopatch is great fun - I find it soothing to do and you get pretty rapid results as well. Go here to take a peek:
http://www.thedecopatchplace.co.uk/

Sounds as if you also coped very well with the day - great news :)

Hugs, Di xx

Angel, Kirby and Max said...

I am so glad you ventured out to this show. It seems you had a wonderful day. A day out and doing something you enjoy is always good for the spirit.
I have not done Decoupatch for years. I use to do it with the Girl Scout troops I lead. I checked out a couple of sites and they have some very interesting ideas. We used color pictures form magazines!

Have fun creating!

Lynda (Granny K) said...

Ooh! lovely day out! So glad you enjoyed it. It all looks very interesting!

Mrs Mac said...

Mrs Nesbitt, yes, I kept thinking of my crafty friends on here, and how we'd have liked it together, and could have brought our own cakes rather than pay the silly prices I had to cos I didn't think of food :)

Julie, WOW you're a member of that group? I didn't know! Wouldn't it have been funny if you'd had a quilt there this time and I happened to spot your name! I'd have stood there with my mouth open!

Di, Thx for the link I'll have a look! Helen, Little Leon's mum sent me a cat Decoupatch set and it's great fun. I love the glue they use. I just covered an ugly photo album with newspaper and some of Beanie's printed tissue using it. it IS soothing (except for mum sitting behind me going, "oh, is that your glue I can smell?" from behind a scarf held to her face! 1...2....3......4........

Angel & Kirby, It made a lovely change. Luvbug gave me some pennies too, so I didn't even have to worry about that side of it!

Lynda, it was a nice day; I bought a programme and a cup of tea & had a sit down when I first got there, then started out going round methodically... then went spending :)

Feronia said...

Sounds like a good day, Helena! Looks a great show - love the dragon :)

Beanie Mouse said...

Oh what heaps of fun!!! I'm so pleased you went and had such a brilliant day out!!! AND my tissue paper gets recycled!!! Yippee!