Friday 20 March 2009

NEC visit and Neil's Birthday



This first photo to share is Livvy looking for bugs on a lovely walk we took on Tuesday, St Patrick's Day and also Neil's Birthday!  What gorgeous weather it has been, and to take advantage we did a walk after having a lovely lunch out.  The walk took us along the estuary at Oldbury and past a lovely old church.  We followed a route from the 'Kiddiwalks in Bristol' book we got recently and I thoroughly recommend this book if you have small children and want to do a trek that's suitable for little legs!  We have a backpack for her but she is pretty heavy so, Neil gets a good workout when her legs get tired (well they are tiny legs, bless!)
Tea party later with cake and candles, bigger children (& young adults!) and Grandparents! A lovely day all in all.
Second photo is a card I made a couple of weeks ago for my friend Debbie's 40th, it doesn't have 40 on it as I feel us ladies are a tad sensitive about these things (save the big number cards for men!!) so the words 'Fabulous' say it all.  I used my One Four Zero petal stamps (which are fab btw!) rub ons, the butterfly paper was more like card (I think it was 'Paper Adventure' but i will check!
Well last weekend after a very rocky few days health wise for both myself & Olivia, I managed to get to the NEC in Birmingham for the Hobbycrafts show.  I met up with some other bloggers which was really nice and had a great day.  I went by train which is always a bit of a treat for me as I get to sit and do some thinking and planning so I always have my little notebook to jot them into. Strangely I have much more productive thought on the train!!! There were soooooo many exhibitors it was difficult to know where to start, but Clare, Emma & Katy had already been to some of the stands and pointed me in the direction of some of the ones I was looking forward to seeing.
Some hi-lights for me: seeing the lovely Julie hickey at the Craftwork Cards stand (love their stuff) the colours their were to die for, they always make me want everything - which we all know is good............but bad!!
Sissix wow every die imaginable and stunning samples!
Stamposaurus - love their stuff, stamps are so cute, but didn't buy any love their gallery on their website, their cards are amazing!
Little Clare- lovely stamps again, soooo cute and some nice male designs, like motorcycles & cars.  Managed to get the skintone promarkers here that I have wanted for ages!
Paper Cellar - brill cardstock some really gorgeous colours and cheap to buy by the box, but heavy to carry - should have got it just before I left and not on arrival doh!
There were lots of hi-lights meeting the girls being one of the best bits.  Chatting to Clare really took me back that lovely Welsh accent reminds me of my home in Wales many years ago and all my friends & family!  I am quite sad my accent has disappeared but at the time I arrived in Bristol I was a teenager who wanted to blend in, and so.............it was lost!  
I came home Saturday sounding more Welsh though so thanks Clare you helped me reminisce!
Belinda x

1 comment:

clare said...

what a gorge ous pic of Livvy..glad to hear she feeling better now.

OMG..what a great day we had up the show..its was so lovely to meet up with you..and help you spend..lol
and glad to help you with your welsh accent..lol
hope your all well and enjoying this gorgeous weather??
im off back to work now..but will email you later to fill you in on bits.
sending welsh hugs clarex