'Stitches' CHA 2016

Yesterday I visited the 'Stitches' trade show in Birmingham - a really inspiring place to see all the latest products that the craft companies have to offer.. this was one of the Creativ displays opposite the PaperArtsy stand..

This company has a fantastic range of substrates on offer ready to be painted and decorated - I really liked how it was displayed on a dark blue background - really sets off the wood items... I mentally added the hexagonal box to the left of the photo to my shopping list!
All the stands have really picked up their game in how they display products which makes it all the more interesting and inspiring.

The PaperArtsy stand looked VERY fine indeed but I forgot to photograph it (but its hard to do that anyway as there are always people on the stand!)... but I did Periscope! - this is my first 'action/reporting' periscope so please excuse any sound/camera issues! lol... but it captures the stand with all its lovely samples and stamp releases... enjoy!


I demo'd on the stand while Leandra & Lin were teaching - thanks to everyone who stopped at the stand and watched my demo, asked questions, liked the new products - its good to see you all and get feedback.

So here are my samples - I mixed up the ranges on each sample...

 'Dream' and spots are from Emma Godfrey EEG18, flowerheads are Kay Carley EKC02, bud stems and loopy border are JOFY42.... paints are Coral, Chalk and White Fire.. word is stamped in Plum.

 Lovely blended background of Bougainvillea and Coral washed and lifted off with Chalk.  Numbers (JOFY22), flower heads as before - this is a new favourite stamp!!

Dusty Teal and Hint of Mind background, numbers are Hot Picks 1604 (in Chalk),flowerheads & loops as before - loops stamped in Dusty Teal to give tone on tone.

and finally here is 'Skid' - so called because of his mismatched feet - he always skids to a stop!  The background is Slate & Antarctic, the numbers (Hot Picks 1604) are stamped in a paler version of the same.  Skid, nuts and bolts and words are from JOFY44.

And I've saved the best 'til last - the VERY new, very exciting & very lovely product from PaperArtsy...INFUSIONS - these are little bottles of stain powder in fabulous colours - you 'NEED' them all.. seriously, you do.... the eagle-eyed of you may have spotted the little bottles in a 'crate' on the sample table during my periscope... these are such an interesting addition to the PaperArtsy range.. sprinkle them on to your project spritz lightly with water and release the 'colour' as listed on the bottle.. spritz liberally and Walnut Stain brown is released.. Lin Brown was making a lovely sample with the powders, and Emma has created a great colour chart - photos of which I hope will come your way soon! Add these to your shopping lists for Stamperama and your local PaperArtsy stockists.

(nb names are still works in progress so for now just sit back and enjoy the colours!!)

I only went to Stitches for the day - wish I'd gone for longer - there is a lot to see, lots to take in.. I went to a seminar by Sara Neumann on (diy)videos - really informative - if she is giving a seminar at a show you're visiting then go and watch it - really interesting.

That is my (very) mini report from Stitches... key points - lots of wool, fabrics sewing and haberdashery making a come back - not a bad thing at all!... stencils and paints still popular... sparkly things (again, not a bad thing!)... stamps still strong in the market... all good and very creative!

(note to self - next year go for 2 days!!)