The Freudenberg Vilene stand at the NEC. Whew!! Well that was a weekend! The show was on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. It was VERY busy on Sunday and then less so as the show went on. I enjoy working at the trade show. It is less frantic than the usual consumer shows that I do. There is an air of calm as all the visitors wander about the show meeting their contacts on different stands and doing deals. Everyone is very smart and tidy. My job was to demonstrate the more unusual techniques that you are all familiar with using Vilene products on the stand and also running the retailer workshops for Vilene. This involves teaching a forty five minute workshop every day for twenty retailers. The workshops were a bit manic - I think I tried to do too much . . . We were foiling on to my new loves Decovil 1 and Decovil light. We then printed onto the Decovil light with acrylics and the excellent Colourful Thoughts multi surface paints from Craftynotions. www.craftynotions.com These su

A melt in the middle chocolate pudding with vanilla ice cream and delicious chocolate sauce. It has been pointed out to me by a certain gentleman in the Portsmouth area that I have been rather remiss in my posting duties. It can be difficult to find the time and then wifi to post on the blog when I am travelling, particularly when I am doing a show. I hope this one makes up for my silence. I got back from the Manchester show yesterday after calling in on a few friends on the way. The show was held at Event City just opposite The Trafford Centre in Manchester. I haven't known SUCH a busy show for a long time. I am used to busy shows, but this one was bonkers! And they were such lovely people, I don't think they get many craft shows of the ICHF (International Craft and Hobby Fairs) calibre in that area of the country. My lectures were full every day with standing room only, I wasn't sure how busy they would be as I have never travelled to that area before. I need

 Foiled and engraved Decovil 1 cut with a Big Shot Pro die cutting machine to create a heart shaped box.   Hello, Yes! I know I have been quiet - did you enjoy the peace? I have been fighting with finishing the manuscript for my next book and getting samples made for the shows that start next week in Manchester. The manuscript is with my publishers (Hurrah!) and I have a few samples to show you. I love teaching and meeting new students - and old ones! Claire Pain was a new student last year on my Foredown Tower workshops. She was great fun and fitted in well with the usual slightly bonkers ladies that attend my workshops.  I love working with people who know how to have a good time. Decovil 1 and Decovil light pre-coloured and foiled and then engraved by Claire on her laser cutter . We were talking in class and Claire mentioned she had a laser cutting business, well, I thought I had died and gone to heaven. I have been looking for someone to work with who understood

Gorgeous new 'Blingy Bitz' from Craftynotions. That's enough about the weather. I know it is blowing a hooley out there but at some stage we all need a bit of colour and sparkle. I have been bullying poor David at Craftynotions.com to come up with a name for the gorgeous little colourful squares I have been playing with on my latest workshops; occasionally allowing my students to use them, but only if they are VERY good. Think of a square sequin without a hole in and you will know what I mean. I took these images with my phone and they aren't the best. 'Blingy Bitz' will be available from the end of next month in eight to ten colours yet to be decided. I couldn't wait until then to tell you about them. They put a fabulous sparkle onto your work. I iron them onto painted Bondaweb. Yep! I appreciate that will come as a great surprise. Not only but also - (Yes! I have had a glass of wine). There will also be the new 'Blingy Glitz'

Even my fish sculpture is covered in snow. It started snowing last Friday at about 8am, by 9am I was in my local Asda supermarket, not so much panic buying as 'I'm going to be stuck in the house for a while' buying. I have lived in Brighton for thirty odd years now, and only in the last three winters have we had so much snow. It was unusual as we are close to the sea and apparently the salt in the air stops the snow - not any more . We had about five inches the first day and then three more inches the next day . Living on top of hill I get trapped as soon as the buses stop running up our road .  Having been caught out with very little food last year, as soon as it started to snow, I was off to do 'the big shop'. I was not alone - by 9.30am the queues were six people deep. It was like Christmas all over again. Everyone else obviously got stuck in their houses as well last year. We still have loads of snow but most of us in Brighton can get out and abou

Claire's wonderful zingy ginger cookies.  The weekend was fast and furious and started on Friday night with The Old Needle Works Christmas/New Year party. It was great to see everyone again - it had been quite a while since we had all been together. There was lots of excited chat and of course fabulous food created by The Crafty Cafe. Our wonderful leader - my dear friend Brenda Killigrew.     The wonderful Linda Lavin who does her best to keep the office (and Brenda) under control.     The seemingly inexhaustible Sharon of The Crafty Cafe,     . . .  and the lovely Joan who does more than anyone realises for everyone else - she is a STAR!!!  The party finished at a reasonably sensible time as we all had a busy weekend ahead with several classes due in. The Old Needle Works like many thousands of businesses was flooded not once but twice - the second time just after the the floors had been made good from the first flood. This has been