Wednesday, May 18, 2011

The ferry, Port Sunlight, the stamps, the friends and a card!

Last Thursday we travelled up from the south coast to the Wirral, four and a half hours or so up north so I could demo Stampotique and Paperbag Studios stamps (links on the right)on the Happy Daze stand at the Happy Stampers show at Port Sunlight.



On the Friday morning (whilst all the merchandise was in transit from Yorkshire) my husband, little lad and I went on a FERRRRRRRR-RYYYYYYYY 'CROSS THE MERRRRR-SEEEEEEYYY.
Had to be done.
Can't travel for hours and not do the touristy stuff lol.



It was a tad nippy with a fair ol' fresh breeze (read "blinkin freezin" as I've become a softy southerner when it comes to weather having lived there for the last 25 years).

The afternoon was spent unpacking a huge amount of stock and then looking at the available space...and our stand looked like we'd been raided by the Tazmanian Devil at the end of the session and we left exhausted.

On the day of the show (the Saturday), Joanne Wardle, Karen Cass and Julie Dandy joined Moira, Claire and I for a 'frenzied finish presenting and reshuffling the stock' session at 8am and then we were ready!

Here's Joanne Wardle (standing) and lil ol' me before the mad rush began. Joanne and I have known each other online for about 8 years and this was the first time we had met in real life. This was a bit of a 'ohhhhhhhh nooooooooo' in a Zilly voice from Stop The Pigeon moment as it was taken minutes before the show started.



Here's Karen and Julie...



Joanne at the helm!



And off we go....










I managed to only take a few photos at the beginning as after then it was soooooooooooo busy!!!!!!! My husband took quite a few of these (thank yooou) when dropping in before the doors opened which was lucky. Wish I'd have managed to get photos of all the people that stopped by to say hello that I know online. Here I managed to capture Ann chatting to Happy Daze owner Moira(dressed in teal) in the distance, Claire at the till and that might be Mel on the left? Difficult to tell. Please let me know if you recognise yourself or anyone.
Hi to Chris, Sheila (She), Judith (PoppyCottage), Sid, Kath, Vix, Ann, Corina (travelled from The Netherlands!)Lorraine, and all those people I chatted with on the stands that I'd known for ages or just met and on my breaks. Thanks too for the wonderful artwork from Mary and Karen.

Here's Joanne in full swing. The crowd was so big I had weave my way back through and hold my camera forward in the air to take a photo.



It was an exhausting day. I've certainly never made that many cards and tags in one day in my stamping career. They were quickmakes, very quickmakes, but lots of fun. Everyone was so friendly it was great!

Thanks goes most of all from me to my husband Dave for driving for 10 hours in total so I could do the show and coping with the nightmare of the rear tyre blowing out on us on the central reservation on the motorway on the way home. eeeek!, and to my boys.

*If anyone ever fancies a card swap I have lots of more detailed work that I've made in the past and I'm happy to exchange. I would love to hear from you if you the idea. My work just sits in a box going no where mostly, and I would be great to receive a card or whatever you may fancy swapping in exchange.

Whilst I was at the show I managed to grab a bit of spending time and headed off to the Stamp Camp to track down a stamp I used to own (can't find it anywhere, you know how it goes) and it never reappeared after we moved house. Stamp Camp had travelled all the way from the States and I was hoping THE stamp had travelled with them. YEP!!! THERE SHE WAS!! The little girl in the hat watching the sunset aka #SD103 Beach Girl. So pleased I have her again. She reminds me of my childhood. A real chillout stamp image. Very relaxing to stamp with at the moment.I paired it up with #SD117 'One must Live'.




As it happens the The Cheerful Stamp Pad challenge this week is COLOUR MY WORLD and so this I feel fits in rather well I think :0) . I used a combination of Jenni Bowlin ink pads (the ones I demoed with on the stand )and coloured pencils to colour this one layer card.

Finally, you may have noticed the righthand side of my blog is looking a little less crowded. I've decided that now is perhaps a good time to concentrate on artwork for myself and for publishing (magazine and my book which is almost done) so needed to step away from the regular commitment of the design teams I belonged to (will miss chatting with the girls on the teams!), but it's not to say I won't be still working with all those fabulous images of course!!

Watch this space!!!

37 comments:

ScrappyDandyDoo said...

Glad you had a good time -ooooo on the tyre - thats nasty!!!!
It was lovely to meet you at long last and I only wish I could have spent more time withyou and at least watch you demo a full card LOL :D
Julie xx

judith@poppy cottage said...

Hi Jo, it was lovely to meet you at the Show, and to chat for a bit. Sorry to hear about your blow out on the way home, scary!
I would love to exchange a card with you.
Your Stamp Camp card is beautiful, what a lovely stamp, I spent quite a bit of time at that stand too!
Glad that you are home safe and sound, Judith xx

Craft Addicts - Tracy Evans said...

I so wanted to go to the show on Saturday, maybe next time. So glad you had a good show, your sample is fabulous. Exciting news about your book, well done, hope it all goes well. Tracy x

Marja's Stamp Addiction en Marja's Creativity said...

What a experiences you have had Jo. And your card is marvelous. It was a pleasure to read your story.
Gr. Marja

thekathrynwheel said...

Looks like a fab show ... and it's great to see some pics of you :-) Sorry to see that you won't be doing some of your DT work as you'll be missed but looking forward to seeing what you will be doing in the future x

Vicki G said...

Love your pics, your card and isn't it fun to meet our online friends IRL?

have a great day,

Vicki

Helen said...

What I noticed first about your blog was your new profile picture!! From the outfit you're wearing it was obviously taken at the weekend! I will miss seeing your DT 'stuff' but it sounds like you'll be plenty busy. So pleased to see lots of photos from the show, to see what I missed.
Also, more so, glad you weren't hurt following the blow out. scary indeed.
I would be up for a swap if you think anything of mine would be remotely interesting to you! it may have to be put on a back burner for a while as my brother and I are having to take some hard decisions about care for my Mum who is ailing at the moment, now I know you understand that one!!

Chris said...

Jo, it was absolutely fantastic to meet you after only chatting to you on line for so long.

I love your card. The colouring is stunning. I couldn't get near the Stamp Camp stand so missed her stamps.

flutterbycrafter said...

What a beautiful, serene card, just wonderful. It was lovely to meet with you and chat and how awful about the tyre blow out, glad that no one was hurt. The show was such a success, I loved it. Would love to do a swap with you anytime. xx

PetraB said...

It sounds like you had a great time, wish it wouldn't be so far from the South of England ... and it is brilliant that you got the stamp - the card and the colouring is just superb! Thank you for playing along with the Cheerful Stamp Pad.

Netty said...

Its sounds as if you had a great time at the show, although am sure you ended up frazzled.... Loving your new card with such a fab stamp. Wishing you joy and success in all your new ventures. Annette x

Siobhan Brignull said...

wow that looks a fab day, but you've changed your piccie, Im so confused I was expecting to meet blonde bob Jo next month, not long haired Jo, just too confused LOL

Siobhan Brignull said...

forgot to say would love to own a bit of Jo Capper-Sandon art, or two if you are offering LOL :)

theboelemas@aol.com said...

Looks like you had a fab time.

Just love your new/old stamp it is truly stunning!

Looking forward to seeing you on 22/6.

Claire x

Lynne said...

Sounds like you all had a fab time. Sorry I missed it. x

Sid said...

Thanks so much for the mention Jo, lovely to meet you at last........some fab stuff was crafted on the day !

Elaine said...

Jo, great to see this post. I so wish I could have been there with my Crafty Quartet friends. I am so sad I missed Stamp camp, there was one stamp I really wanted from them. I adore your sunset card, such gorgeous colours. I would love to swap a card if you have spares. Elaine x

joanne wardle said...

Now I wish I got that stamp too!! if you ever find the missing one, you know where to send it. the card is gorgeous.
you know it was brilliant to meet you and everyone. was a surreal experiencee!
brilliant photos, as for the weather, you southern softie, it was tropical for us northerners!! lol

Carol said...

Oh how I wish I could have been there with you and Joanne......stamping wildly and meeting lots of new faces. Would be fun! You look beautiful and love the 'new do' on you! Hugs to you, my friend.

Gez Butterworth said...

Thanks for sharing your day online with us Jo. Amazing pics that really show the atmosphere :-) So sorry I couldn't make it with She. Glad you found your stamp at the show..it was just waiting for you! Love your card..would be great to do a swap sometime :-)
Carol is right you look gorgeous :-) & I'm loving your new avi..xx

Isabelle Norris said...

I can't believe you guys had not met yet!!
your card is stunning and it's great to see a pic of you ;)
isa

Chris Arlington said...

Great photos. Looks like you had a wonderful but tiring time. Love your new avatar pic too. Keep well.

Michele said...

your card is stunning and it really does perfectly fit our challenge -- thanks for joining the "color my world" challenge at the cheerful stamnp pad! xo

Cynthia Schelzig said...

Looks like you and Joanne had a great time. Loved reading your account of the adventure. What a wonderful sweet stamp of the girl on the beach too....just beautiful. If you are looking for a new home for one of your card creations...send one down here to Germany...I promise I´d give it a good home. I could send you some of my handmade papers in return,,,if you want that is....
Have a wonderful Thursday...

Kathleen said...

looks like fun!
too far away for me unfortunately.
thanks for hte lovely comment you left on my blog. off to find Joanne Wardle now to thank her for her inspiration!
kathleen mc xx

humel said...

Phew, not me in the photo!! (Camera-shy was a term invented to describe me.....) Glad you got home safely despite the tyre blow-out, gosh, scary! It was lovely to see you and hope we can both make the next one :) And I shall try to venture out of lurkdom more often in the mean time! xx

hazel said...

A beautiful card, the image is lovely.
xxx Hazel.

Karen said...

What a great post! I would have loved to have been there, but this was the next best thing. Some references didn't make it across the pond (Zilly? Pigeon? Central reservation?) but I certainly got the message about a swap. If you are interested, I would love to do a swap of some artwork.
Thanks for the pics and the great post!

Carol Q said...

a very happy post Jo! (apart from the blow out ... eek!) love that card. no wonder you wanted to own that stamp again. it's stunningly coloured.

Susie Campbell (Sue Smith) said...

Hi Jo,

That looks like a load of fun at the fair! So glad you found the stamp you were looking for. I've got a long lost stamp, that I think sadly is no longer available and I loaned it to someone and it never came back. If ever I come across it I'll be super happy. Anyway, enough about that! I'm super excited to hear that you've got a book coming out... I can not wait to see that!!!! Congratulations :)

Sue xx

Jayne C said...

I love your card...it's so calm and restful...just what you needed after your busy weekend! x

Dotty Jo said...

Wish I could have made it!!!! Glad you had fun, now you can put your feet up a bit!!! Jo x

Unknown said...

What an amazing post - fantastic photos and wonderful to see you all 'in the flesh' so to speak

Well done Dave - and phew scary tyre saga.

LOVE the stamp and so glad you managed to get another - it's beautiful

When I get back crafting I would love to join in your card swap.

You must feel really tired, but so exhilarated by such an amazing time.

Vicki Romaine said...

I am so glad you came to my site. Would you believe I put my computer at 200% so I could really check your card out. It is beautiful. You are a talented lady. Thanks for joining "Color My World" at the Cheerful Stamp Pad and please come back often to join in on my future challenges.

Corina Stewart said...

Jo it was an absolute pleasure to meet you at Port Sunlight, I was like a little kid a Chritmas, completely giddy with excitement. Looking forward to seeing your book and lots of submissions in the crafty magazines.
Corina

Chrissy said...

Hi Jo,

Stunning - I want to be sitting there!! Beautiful. xxx

Chrissy. xx

Jeany said...

how great to see this and you at work, ant the card at last, greatgreatgreat!!!