Christmas Comes Early ...

What a fab weekend we've just all had. It was the Sir Stampalot Christmas Launch weekend and we had 2 days of demos from 4 very talented ladies.

Saturday we were entertained by Gina with her watercolouring techniques using the Art Impressions range of stamps including the new Shoppe windows that have just arrived:

Gina also decorated some little metallic plant pots with paints, alcohol inks and stamped images, and used them as sweetie pots and also to hold the lovely give-away bookmarks she'd been preparing one night when she couldn't sleep - bless!

We were also blessed with the presence of Kim Reygate:

Kim was demo'ing all sorts of techniques including the wonderful versamagic chalky inkpads, sticky embossing and anything asked of her - thanks kim.

We've been very lucky to have Kim staying up here for the past week and she's helped enormously getting things ready for this weekend along with our other daily tasks - not much of a holiday, I'm afraid Kim but very much appreciated and hopefully we haven't put you off and you'll come back again!!

And the weekend fun didn't stop there, on Sunday, we had the creative duo Crafty Lou and Chris keeping us completely enthralled with their demos of shrink plastic, stamping, inking, colouring etc. As Brigitte put it so lovely on her blog A Stamp for All Seasons, "that Chris and Lou were a double treat" and that, they truly were.

Both Chris and Lou have been busily preparing for Sunday's demo for weeks. They've been creating a festive banner using the latest papers and stamp designs that will adorn the instore Christmas Stamp Shelves. They've also created tree ornaments for the twiggy tree, card samples and display boards for the store. They are true stars. And also thanks to Jo James for helping Chris as Chris has not been too well recently and was nearly not able to come yesterday but I'm so pleased she was able to make it - hopefully not in too much agony today because of it.

Here's Chris in action, note the banner at the front of her table, one of the display boards on the left hand side of the photo, in front of the twiggy tree.

here's the twiggy tree, with the brilliant tags, miniature works of art and shrink plastic creations dangling:

Here's Craft Lou in action, again, with her fantastically created banner at the front of the table along with loads of samples and ideas she was sharing.

The girls were very thoughtful and created hand-made projects for a charity fund raising game.

Chris has a pail full of ribbons. If you guessed how many pieces of ribbon were in her pail and you were the closest guesser, you won some reels of ribbon from me and a beautifully created festive notelet holder and 3 Christmas Thank You Notelets, made with inchies from inkadinkadoo.

Louise Roache from Spalding was the closest guesser. Her lucky number 96 was only 2 away from the actual quantity of 98 pieces, well done Louise - she is one of the ribbon queens of Spalding and obviously has an eye for these things!


Crafty Lou's button jar was the subject of the 'guess how many buttons' game.

Sue Watson from Peterborough had a lucky guess with 2012 (picked as the date of the next Olympics) and was only 4 buttons out from the actual quantity of 2016 (I'm glad I didn't have to count all them to get the actual figure!!).

Sue has won herself, a tilda present stamp from me and Craft Lou has created a stunning notebook using a tilda stamp, swirly stamp from Autumn Leaves and a greeting word stamp from Printworks.


(close up of Chris' project and Lou's one will follow in another blog update).

It was only 50p for a guess on both games and we raised £123.50 towards MS Research. Thanks everyone who took part and big thanks to the girls for their brilliant projects.

We were so busy at the till (thank you my very loyal and lovely customers) that unfortunately i didn't get to watch the demo's. However, the card samples, projects and festive banner from the weekend, have remained at Sir Stampalot and will be on display around the store for you all to see and admire on your next visit.


Here's a couple of pics of the 'Christmas Stamp Wall' at Sir Stampalot, WITHOUT the festive banner made by Lou and Chris:

In my next blog, I'll get another pic of these shelves with the festive banner, once I've put the shop back together tomorrow (should have been done today but we've decided to stay home for some R&R - I'm currently typing this and Andy is snoring next to me on the sofa!)

Right then, time for a cuppa, and search the cupboards for some food!

Happy crafting one and all.
- janice

Demo Day with Crafty Lou

I can't believe it was a week ago and it's taken me this long to tell you all the fun we had at the demo day last Saturday. The fabulous Louise Molesworth (Crafty Lou) was demonstrating her unique style of inking and stamping techniques. She really is a wonder to watch. For those who couldn't make it into Sir Stampalot to see her demo's first hand, I just had to share with you some of the artwork she created (Just realised the photos have come out an awful colour this time, sorry guys, best check my camera setting for the next post).

Firstly, good ole Tilda with Bird, I've mentioned before, this is the first Tilda stamp I remember Louise buying so it has a special place in my heart :)

Cream shrink plastic was used for the Tilda Tag message:

A small punched out circle created an aperture for the Birthday Wishes stamped greeting from Hero Arts. Nicely finished off with a heart brad in the centre of the motif.

Here's the inside of the card, with pattern paper by Daisy Bucket and the Nestabilities Labels Two die set.

Here's another card, this one uses the Tilda Hen (usually makes an appearance on Louises card in shrink plastic mode) but on this occasion sitting proudly on the Tilda fence - TV adverts of the kellog's symbol comes to mind!!

Don't be afraid to shrink Tilda's - look at this little cutie (Spring Tilda) perched on top of a greetings motif. The circular greeting used here is from one of the most popular Woodware Clear Magic sets, currently. Funnily enough, it's called Circular Greetings and consists of 6 different circular sayings, some flowers and accents that can all mix and match together. Fantastic results when used with the EK nesting circle punches - both plain and scalloped.

The turquoise background scalloped circle has been embossed with the Happy Birthday cuttlebug embossing folder, gently wipe an inkpad over the raised embossed words to make them really pop out. Louise has then included the Tilda Present stamped image and attached some matching swirly organza ribbon to finish the card off.

That's just a taster to get your juices flowing, i'll post more of these gorgeous Tilda cards in the next day or two. I promise i won't leave it so long next time!


==============

Charity Update: The charity box of cards instore for Brenda's MS Cause, is growing all the time. Thanks everyone who's been able to spare a card or two. Brenda is collecting cards for a fund raising event on 28th June in aid of MS Research. You can send cards into myself (Sir Stampalot), Brenda or Stamp Addicts.

A big thanks to two lovely ladies, Mrs McMullan from the Netherlands who sent in this brilliant set of cards for the charity event:

And Louise from Spalding who popped instore and donated these superb cards (check out Louise's awesome blog):

Thanks guys.

Here Come the Girls

Last Saturday's class here at Sir Stampalot was lots of fun. Anne Hunt was teaching a class called "Here come the Girls", using the Hanna range of stamps and Crafter's Companion CD's for the backing papers.

There was a quick and easy card, using Hanna playing in the rain:

Then a couple of more complex cards:

Interesting effects using accordion fold paper to create a canopy for a shop window with Hanna out shopping. And also using a brayer to create a mirror image for glamorous "dress up" Hanna.

Then, the really involved masterpiece:

Front cover:

First double page:

Second double page:

Using various techniques including good old fantasy fiber for the sensational dress, and self adhesive gems for the cute ear-rings and necklace:

Doesn't she look a stunner?

Although glamour Hanna is now sold out due to interest from the class, she will be back in stock again hopefully within the fortnight.

Thanks for a great class Anne.

================================

Well done to all those submitting cards for Brenda's MS cause, as mentioned in my last post. There's still plenty of time to send in cards to myself (Sir Stampalot), Brenda or Stamp Addicts, the fund raising event is being held on 28th June.

I just had to share with you all, the generosity of one of our lovely followers. This beautiful pile of cards was delivered by the postie the other day. Thanks Thelma from (Stoke-on-Trent).

Presenting....

Some of you may recall a couple of card samples sent in by a lovely lady Val Donohue early last month. Well, she's come up top trumps again. Here's a fab card sample using Guitar Edwin from Magnolia.
I love the introduction, by way of the card front:

and with the admission tickets on it too:

Then, the big drum roll.........

And here he is:

Isn't it fab?
Thanks for sharing your creative ideas with us Val.

===================

If you are creating cards for England and have more cards than you could possibly know what to do with, then have a look at Brenda's Blog - she's initiating a card collection to raise funds for MS research, which is a cause very close to her heart. There'll be a collection box at Sir Stampalot if you are popping instore at any time, otherwise you can contact Brenda directly. Well done Brenda, we wish you all the best in your fund raising.