Shop 'Til You Drop

Well it seems I'm closer to achieving the new challenge of posting every day than I was to the weekly one LOL and here is my second post in as many days. I have to tell you about all the yummy stuff I found at the trade show AND my great day with Sara Naumann of HOTP but I don't think I'll get it all into one post - so I'll leave Sara until another day - I'm sure she wouldn't mind LOL

So anyway, shopping!! Many of the companies I eventually chose to do business with were the ones where the service was good! I know I bang on about it a bit but I really, really HATE bad service!! Sometimes I accept it if it is the only way I can get a particular must-have range but the show for me was all about finding something different. Auntie Jane was my designated driver and shopping buddy for the weekend and was completely useless at reigning me in ;o)

which meant I got to buy lots of yummy stuff & AJ took care of the photos.

The new HOTP was already on order - we've known about it since before CHA- so we didn't have to worry about that. It should be coming in tomorrow & will hopefully be on the online shop within a day or two (the paypal buttons were prepared several weeks ago).

I've been wanting some new buttons for a while now and found just the thing at the show - big bags of colour themed buttons in a wonderfully eclectic mix of shapes & sizes. Just begging to be put into little bags like pick n mix sweets. I also found some brill primary coloured big buttons - marketed for children but oooh! the possibilities! AND a bunch of sweet little hearts, squares & flowers in mixed pastel colours. Then there was the gingham ones - small, round and in stacking pots just like a little cosmetic stack - sometimes the packaging does it for me. Which brings me nicely on to the randomness of a 4.5' giraffe!!

OK so this isn't necessarily something we would normally have gone for but there was this giraffe being decorated with decopatch and I HAD to have it. Donna gave me a bit of a look when I told her that we'd have to find space for it in store - but you know how it is when you can't resist - fortunately, she likes the products so I didn't get told off too much ;o)

Tim Holtz has one of those voices that you could just listen to all day. I had planned on finding a supplier for his range but was lucky enough to meet the man in person & watch him work his magic. Terrible photo of me - but then most of them are - there is a reason why I don't scrapbook photos of myself LOL. Anyway, found the supplier & have the first range coming in before opening day sadly, I couldn't run to them all so we are starting off with one range of distress inks and powders plus a few of the essential accessories. Will definitely be more to come though!

Spent a serious amount of time drooling over the new metal stuff demonstrated by Megan Darrow of Ten Second Studio. They had the most gorgeous canvases, covered journals etc all using embossed soft metals. I think I could save a fortune on metal embellishments by making my own. Sean (number one son) is really fired up about this range and can't wait to try it out. He'll be demonstrating it at the opening if it's here in time - but it's more likely to be the week after - something to look forward to ;o). And the packaging on their CD/DVD was sooo yummy that I had to have those too - just so that I can display one. I've made sure I have a spare canvas ready to have a play myself - so now it's just a case of waiting!!

We've also got fab new papers - loose, 12x12 & 6x6 stacks plus border strips in the Garden & Siesta collections coming in, Rock Hard Fairies decoupage & image sheets, ribbon spools (at a brill 99p!!) and soooo much other stuff I can't remember what I've bought now (that's the sign of a v. successful shopping trip LOL). Might have to lay off the shopping for a little while - at least until I've had some fun with this lot.

And after I got back I had a call from Rachael at David & Charles publishing - I won the champagne draw so there's a liquid freebie on it's way. Guess I'll have to go to these events more often then ;o)