Hi Crafters,
I had a fabulous day at the Birmingham NEC on Thursday, very tired yesterday and just getting around to visiting your blogs today. Sorry it might be a day or two before I get to all of you as I have orders to fulfil in between.
So a quick post from me to share as promised - my crafty haul.
I try to get all my card stock from the show when I go there and some dies that I've had my eye on over the months leading up to it. Then of course there are the inevitable impulse purchases, seem to have had a few of those this time, lol. The 'Every Crafts A Pound' stand had some lovely bargains on 12 x 12 and 6 x 6 paper pads so it would have been rude to pass this one by. I found some mixed media items to play with too as I would like to try my hand at this style a little more and stocked up on some new dies and stamps too.
A lot of the regular stands were there but as has already been mentioned by others, some of the popular ones weren't and those that were had smaller stands than last year, all due to increased prices by the organisers. This is such a shame as these events are marvellous for people like me who live no where near any kind of comprehensive craft shop and have to shop online all the time. It's great to actually see and touch the items, feel and sniff the papers ha, ha, - only kidding. But seriously, I'm sure these organisers make enough money from the stall holders and car park and in-house eateries that the need to increase the fees is just being greedy.
Well I'm off to squeeze this lot in to my room somewhere :/ ...and then get to work catching up with some orders for next week.
I hope you are all well and if you went to the NEC or are going tomorrow I hope you have a fab time and look forward to seeing you again soon.
Lorraine
Wow. What a fantastic range of goodies you've got there. Xxx
ReplyDeleteWow what a fantastic bundle of goodies! Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteI am drooling with jealousy huni and looking forward to seeing what beauties you are going to create with these.
ReplyDeleteThe NEC has almost doubled their prices. We don't have any local craft shops. I had to drive for about 45 minutes to get to my 'local' craft shop and I can't do that any more, and they have closed down too. My nearest shop is Hobbycraft and they don't have a large range especially if you want specific mixed media stuff and I find what they do sell is almost twice the price of elsewhere Karen xx
Wow that's some new stash!.....looks like you had a good buy up,I didn't get this time everything conspired against getting there so I am just going to splurge online!.....look forward to seeing what you make with all those goodies xxxxx
ReplyDeleteOh my Lorraine that's some amount of yummy new stash to play with. I think you're going to be very busy.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy, hugs Erika. X
Wow, that's some haul, Lorraine - bet you have fun playing with that little lot?! It seems so many of us no longer have bricks and mortar craft shops nearby anymore, so it is nice to get a hands on feel of what things are like at the shows! When I go to a show I usually end up spending as much as I make!?!
ReplyDeleteLook forward to seeing what you make with all your new crafty stash! Hugs, Lisa x
Gorgeous goodies there and quite agree. Ally Pally for me next year, much nearer but we still enjoy an overnight stop the night before. x
ReplyDeleteA wonderful crafty haul Lorraine, I can't wait to see what you create with it all.
ReplyDeletePauline
x
You certainly did plenty of shopping Lorraine!
ReplyDeleteI was there Thurs too, glad to get home though I must admit, tired beyond belief by the time I got through the front door, but I enjoyed it though.
I say every year I'm not going to bother, I'm so lucky to be surrounded by craft shops here, I have not one, but two Hobbycrafts withing 10 minutes of me, and that's before I start on the individual little ones, lots of those in every direction, so I'm very lucky.
We have a really fab one inside a garden centre just 15 min drive from me, really like that one, has everything, often go there for a look around, but in saying that, I do still shop on line, but anyway, your haul looks fabulous, you're going to have some fun with that little lot!
What a pity we could'nt have met up whilst we were there.
Enjoy the rest of the weekend.
Hugs Jacee
Simply Paper Card Design
Fantastic haul Lorraine, your going to be very busy with it all, will look forward to seeing your creations, Kate x
ReplyDeleteLooks like a great haul there !!! Some interesting packets too. What's that in the front, 2 red packets with geometric shapes? Certainly nothing I have seen before.
ReplyDeleteI am lucky living in Sunderland as the Ross Papercraft show had 3 different venues within 5-6 miles from me. Going there on 15th and will try not to buy too much :)
Glad you enjoyed your time there
Eileen x
WOW, it looks you had a fab time Lorraine and what a fantastic stash of new goodies to play with. I went yesterday and like you don't have any craft shops in the area where I live. It was quite noticeable that some of the big names were missing which is such a shame. Mind you the ticket prices and car park charges had increased quite a bit too. Saying all that I also had a wonderful time and I'm looking forward to going to the next Craft show in February.
ReplyDeleteHugs
Gina xx
Wow Lorraine, what a lovely haul of crafting goodies. Look forward to seeing the results of a few play days. Carol x
ReplyDeletewow, that is a great haul of crafty goodies! :)
ReplyDeleteLorraine, what a wonderful stash of gorgeousness. I went on Thursday - I definitely missed some stalls - mainly because I have a dreadful sense of direction and can never remember which way I am going round the show! So glad you had good day.
ReplyDeleteSue...xxx
Wow! That's a lot of goodies. I can't wait to see what you create with it all. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThat is one lot of stash lol have fun
ReplyDeleteCarol x
Fabulous lot of goodies Lorraine, we never have enough do we. Hope you were able to squeeze it in somewhere.xxx
ReplyDeleteBrilliant card and gorgeous image coloured beautifully. Love the whole style.xx
{ aNNie}
Hi Lorraine,
ReplyDeletewhat a great haul from your visit to the NEC.
Yes you are right about the charges for the stalls.
Everyone seems to be getting very greedy, and want more and more profits.
So therefore for someone to have one of those stalls I was told it was over a thousand pounds, and that's a lot of selling before you are into profits.
As you say they do make money on the car park too.
I live in the heart of Kent, and there is no craft shop in my town, and have to do my shopping online too, but you can't beat a good rummage around a shop or somewhere like the Nec.
Lots of crafty love. Jenny L.
Gosh fab stash Lorraine,we could of past one another's I was there Saturday to,I was talking to my hubby about how it all seems a bit clicky now,if your with one chanel you can't go on the others etc,hope fully having new craft channels will shake things up a bit,because we need choice, and compertion with pricing crafty hugs Debbs x
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