Manchester SCCS...

[Wellington]

...I think I may actually be going this year. I'm fairly certain that hubby said it was OK when I asked him for the 4th time the other night. I may be wrong though - I shall ask again before I pre-book my tix :D

[angela]

I went last year, don't think I'll be going this year as I've already booked all my days off, take a flask with you as the coffee was very expensive, lol

[Wellington]

Thanks for the tip :)

[Marzipan]

when is it welly?

[Wellington]

29th - 31st August - I've double checked with hubby & he says he definitely doesn't mind if I go, so I'm about to book a ticket for the Saturday...I saw from an ad in Pepercraft Inspirations I can get it for $5.50 if I quote their code...now I can't find the bliddy ad :rolleyes: I know it's lying about somewhere though

[Marzipan]

NOOOOOO im on holiday!! :( :( im off to sulk now!!!

[Wellington]

Finally booked my ticket for Saturday...if I add in the train fair this is going to cost me $15 before I even get there LOL I wonder if I'll have my allowance available for that day? Might just have got it in my account by then...

[Dips]

I bet you'll be able to get the card blanks that you're after there, Welly. As well as all the exciting stuff, shows are always a very good place to stock up on the bascis such as 3D foam pads etc (but do shop around for the best deals). Is this your first jolly to a craft show?

[Wellington]

Yup - first craft fair. I was thinking about whether I could pick up the card blanks too.

There's actually a very large chance of my not buying anything, depending on prices. Cos I do my shopping online so this is prob going to be more of a chance to have a look at products 'in the flesh', rather than a spending spree. I've just had my spending spree with FoilPlay this morning :rolleyes: :D

[Dips]

There's actually a very large chance of my not buying anything, depending on prices.

:D Yeah, right, and whilst you're "not buying anything" perhaps Lord Lucan can hold your bag and Elvis can pass you the things you want to just look at!:D

[Wellington]

Oooo - hubby has just told me that he's going to have a look at our finances tonight & see if he can let me have a bit of pocket money for SCCS :D He's obviously seriously thinking about getting a PS3 :rolleyes:

[Marzipan]

oooooooh i hope its a decant ammount welly

[nicecupoftea]

Have a good time tomorrow Welly, and remember - try to spend far too much :D

[Jeanette]

Do us Proud Welly, spend loadsssssssssssssss!

[Wellington]

:D I ain't got loads but I did get 40 squids from the joint money to add to a little put by from my own allowance. I have hubby's full permission to stay for the whole day :eek:

[Winspiration]

Have a great day, Welly! :D

[gill71]

hope you had a great day welly, let us know how you got on!!!

[Wellington]

Well that was fun :D

I have to admit to feeling a little lonely though - I didn't seem to spot many other peeps on their own, everyone seemed to have at least one other crafty mate (or bored OH/child) with them.

I watched Wendie Rhodes do a demo, listened in on Steph W (& a little later Diane) trying to explain how to use a MCS CD & was sold the new Sakura glaze pens by Amanda Bateman (demo-ing on the Art & Craft Directs stand, so yes, I lined Steph's pockets).

Had a chat with Malcolm who's surname escape me - does the CDs with Maisie Daisie's mate Hazel. I meant to pop back & get the 3D card creator CD for $12, but completely forgot - humph.

Finally found out how to use the embossing paste stuff...Watched friendly plastic being demo'd - interesting...

Ear-wigged one of the dealers agreeing with a customer about the state of service from IW. Dealer said that one of the presenters had talked about how they've basically got rid of too many staff from managers to presenters to the poor beggars who do the leg work & so IW don't have enough people to actually provide a decent service. This dealer also mentioned that only the other day someone had rung to ask about a product they'd just purchased from C&C that was apparently supplied by this dealer - except this dealer hadn't supplied this product to IW for over 2 1/2 years (it's supplied by a different company now) so it must have just been hanging about in the warehouse & someone bunged it out. I ain't naming names on an open forum so as not to get anyone into trouble...

I bought lots of little fiddly things that I'd been meaning to buy for ages but didn't want to pay p&p on :rolleyes:

The only thing that really spoiled the day was me & hubby having a massive row about how much I might be spending on my stash the night before. He was furious. And was still furious as I set off to Manchester. He tried to cover it up by kissing me on the cheek, putting on a fake bright smile & telling me to buy whatever I wanted, but it didn't work - I was miserable. He was also still angry when I got home. So everything I bought is still in the plastic bag at the side of the sofa. And that includes an Elusive Images DL themeplate. Untouched.

[Winspiration]

Sounds like you had a great day, Welly :D

Must admit, I don't mind going to that sort of thing on my own, as you get round quicker and concentrate on the stuff you want, although its good to have company too :)

What a shame about the row though :( Hope you sort things out (and start stroking your stash!) soon.

[nicecupoftea]

Glad you didn't get discouraged by hubby and still got some good stuff. Hubby used to come with me at first to craft fairs which really annoyed me. Firstly I used to think it was a waste of money for him to buy a ticket and would have rather had the money to buy stuff with. But mainly he had a habit of walking one pace behind me all of time looking at all the stuff I was looking at. I then used to tell him to go and get a drink but then within ten minutes he would be ringing me asking if I had finished yet. :( So I used to end up buying just a couple of sheets of decoupage and some scrapbooking papers and he say it was wasn't really worth me coming just for that! :mad:

Anyway I seem to manage to ditch him now and end up running round like a headless chicken checking which stall has got what and forgeting to go back and get it...:rolleyes:

[Dips]

Agree with Wins, solo is definitely more efficient in terms of getting to see (and stroke) what you want!

Perhaps if you stroked hubby before and/or after stroking stash, things may improve on the OH front :D!

[gill71]

Sounds like you had an interesting day Welly, I don't mind going to these things on my own - you can browse at your own pace then.
Please don't be too upset about your OH, sending you a big hug.

[Wellington]

SIL very nearly came with me - this is the mate who has made cards with me on odd occaisions & has now started knitting, so she probably would have quite enjoyed herself. I must admit when she first mentioned it last Wednesday I wasn't so sure cos I like the freedom of spending as long as I want browsing or going returning to different dealers without having to take into account someone else's feelings. But having now been on my own, I think it would have been more fun - we could have split up for a bit - plus she has a little understanding of my addiction LOL And is always sympathetic to how hubby behaves towards me about it.

BTW, why did no-one give me the tip of taking my own (large) shopping bag! As I was walking up to Manchester Central I could see groups of (mostly) ladies with empty bags going in the same direction. It suddenly dawned that they'd all come prepared!!

I only had a small handbag & ended up with all my stash being shoved in a small plastic bag that I got with one of my purchases - fair cut into my fingers by the end of the day :D

[kriskros]

Some people take shopping trolly's which for them must be great if you are buying alot, but because of there being lots of people about you don't spot them until you have tripped over them, some pull them along behind them without thinking about other people not being aware that they have got them. Not really moaning!! but must remember to take bags with me when I go the NEC in November.

[gill71]

In the past I have been with my sister to the one at Gmex - I enjoyed the company really but went on my own to the big fair at the Reebok stadium - you want to go to that next time Welly as it's a lot bigger. I haven't been to any this year as I knew how much I would spend there.
I think it's good to see presenters in the flesh. Dawn Bibby, I thought was prettier in real life and was very polite, Stephanie was also prettier and thinner but still talked for England (she also looked like she'd been crying - felt slightly sorry for her). Both women were surrounded by 'adoring fans'!

[Anne]

Sorry to hear about the row with your hubby Welly.

The only craft shows I've been to have been the local one here in Worthing which happens twice a year and has about 22-24 stands, but I really love going and I go on my own even though my mil is a crafter. I wander around all over the place and compare prices of things - backwards and forwards I go - shall I have this stamp or this one? A psychologist would have a field day with all my toings and froings. I think if I were travelling a fair distance it would be nicer to have someone to go with though.

[Spendsloads]

Sorry to hear about your row Welly. I hope your crafting mojo comes back soon. I usually go to craft events with a very good friend of mine who also happens to enjoy crafts (we both love cross stitching, but with very different tastes, though I am more fond of papercrafting than she is) and we are happy to spend as much time as the other one needs to look at whatever they are interested in and take joy in each other's bargains. We might split up whilst we are rummaging through one stand, but we generally meet up again before we move on. I have been on my own once or twice, but it hasn't been as much fun. I have sometimes been to other events at Earl's Court/Olympia in bigger groups and that's always a bit of a challenge trying to keep track of where everyone is.

[lovepaperstroking2]

Sorry to hear about your row Welly.
But glad to hear you enjoyed the day.