English lil ole ladi scrum!

Decided to go up to Exeter today. There was a craft expo on, and you all know I can't go past a good craft show! Am now exhausted and, surprisingly, not a pauper. It wasn't a quilting show so much as a paper-craft and knitting show, so I didn't spend a whole lot... only a few irresistible fabric pieces and a pack of needles... honest! Oh, but I did buy a craft lamp that is supposed to help with the SAD's. That is an actual worthwhile investment that I don't feel guilty about... well, maybe a little! :)

Melbourne Craft Fair

Holy Guacamole!!! This thing was HUGE! It topped the London craft fair by a good three wearhouses. Carol and I spent something like four hours there and we were wizzing by a lot of stores.

But the quilting... Oh. My. God.

I have seen quilt shows before but not since I started quilting myself and so have previously had no understanding of the amount of work involved. I was litterally speachless. I ... gosh. A photograph just doesn't do any of the quilts justice, but I'll put some up anyway when I find room. I certainly won't be in the league of these ladies in my lifetime I can guarentee. Which is what I love about quilting really - there is so much to learn, and so many new skills to acquire that you can go on acquiring and honeing new techniques for years and years.

So, yeah. A good, a VERY good day.

Old Lady Scrum

I went to a craft fair today. It was held at London’s Exhibition centre which is known as ExCel... and may I just mention that that place is HUGE!!! I got lost. There were many exhibitions all taking place at the same time and finding one little one amongst all the rest… you had to walk for what seemed like miles to get anywhere. And the fair itself was the size of most craft fairs I’ve been too, so it wasn’t exactly small.

Anyway, due, I presume, to the expense of shop leases in central London, there are very few craft shops of the sort I frequented back in Aus. Oh, there are bead shops galore, but no needle work or patchwork shops in easy distance. I have lately felt the need to do some homely type stuff – a result of the combination of cabin fever due to the weather and the desire to have something to do when stuck at home I expect. So off I went to the fair…

This place was packed. It seemed that every crafter within the whole of greater London had turned up. They were mostly older ladies, but I wasn’t completely alone in my age bracket. Mind you, age did not stop them from elbowing and shoving each other out of the way of the best bargains by any means. It was rather amusing if slightly painful to wander around and watch their antics.

I spent a lot of money though. I now have too many cross-stitch packs to do and have started a new (and expensive) hobby: Beading. Thanks H.

*Sigh*

Ah well. I have plenty to do of an evening now. And as dearest H says – it’s all entertainment. It doesn’t matter how much it costs. If it keeps you busy and out of mischief and happy to be so occupied it’s worthwhile.