Hello!
This was supposed to be my 2nd post yesterday but to be honest I just ran out of steam.
I wanted to tell you all about my couple of days in the North East because it was so enjoyable.
I was booked a while ago by Susan & Tom from Suzicrafts to do a couple of Stamping Workshops, the plan was to drive up at the crack of dawn but my lovely friends Annette & Mike Lee suggested that I go up the night before and stay with them (about 30 miles from Suzicrafts) also I could take Amber with me and she could spend some time with Charlotte-already super talented at 16 by the way!
So between talking to Susan & Tom and Annette & Mike, Amber & I trotted off on Friday arriving at Suzicrafts in plenty of time to start prepping ready for morning, actually we ended up spending most of the afternoon playing with Tom's 'new baby' the fantastic SPLODGE AWAY blending mat.
This is a seriously cool bit of kit!
It is a solvent resistant polymer blending mat with sooo many plus points that I need to do a separate review to do it justice, so watch out for more info on that, in the meantime there are several YouTube clips here, have a look.
There are currently 2 sizes available, 8x8 and 12x12.
I have brought 20 of the 12x12s' home with me for my workshop gang to play with, and I have my own of course!
So when Susan and Amber finally managed to drag Tom and I away from messy play, we went off to a great Italian restuarant where Tom & Susan treated us to a lovely dinner, Amber loves Italian grub!
The very busy workshops the following day went very well I think, the crafters-including some lads Im pleased to say, were all just the nicest nicest people and made me feel very at home with them. Everybody regardless of crafting experience produced an impressive project, so well done to you all!
Now, you know you cant go to a craft shop without shopping can you, so at the end of the day there was just enough time for me to SHOP SHOP SHOP! And there was a fantastic selection to lead me astray, too many fave brands to mention-and that was just in one of the two rooms! I was particularly happy to get my hands on the new Creatables Butterfly cutting die which seems to be sold out everywhere else, I also grabbed a couple of packs of Mushroomy coloured card that I have not seen elsewhere and some seriously lush Chocolate/Goldrush card,should have got more of both of those.
I want to tell you the thing about Suzicrafts that stuck out the most to me though, the strong friendship and loyalty between Susan & Tom and the Customers, they very clearly all care about each other-how many shops do you know where they put the kettle on when you walk in and nothing is too much trouble???
Read the shop sign!
I could talk all day about these lovely folks but I will just say this, If your ANYWHERE in the North East get yourselves over to Suzicrafts to shop or to one of their classes or free craft clubs, you wont regret it!
Check out the website for a list of events.
Thank you sooo much Susan & Tom for inviting me along.
Congratulations on the success of your shop & long may it continue!
Right, I have woffled enough, Im headed back into my workroom,see you soon.
really does sound like you had a fab time xx
ReplyDeleteAfternoon Marie the new mat soun ds fab cant wait to see it in action. xx hazel
ReplyDeleteHi Marie, looks like a fab time you had and l like the sign its really welcoming:)x
ReplyDeleteHi Maria,
ReplyDeleteIs there room in your craft bag(s) for me please? sounds like you had fab time and there's nothing more uplifting than craft play.
Sonia xx
glad you had a great North Eastern welcome, they say you can take the girl out of the North East, but you cann't take the North East out of the girl and it's true. I've lived in Norfolk for 37years but North East is still 'home'.
ReplyDeleteHi Maria,
ReplyDeleteso pleased you had a wonderful time and it is so lovely to hear that everyone at Suzicraft made you so welcome. Crafters are the best people on the whole, but as you say it is so nice when you find such genuinely good people at a shop.
Your shopping sounds very worthwhile and the mats look good, will have a look at YouTube for them.
Have a great day Linda x
Hi Maria,
ReplyDeletethis shop sound really great. It's a pity there is not one decent craft shop in Ashford Kent. The ones that were here have all shut down. We have a few places where you can buy odds and ends of the basic kind, but nothing that stocks up to date fab items. So I have to buy from the TV or the internet. But you really can't beet browsing in a craft shop now can you.
Lots of crafty love. Jenny L.
sounds brilliant might have to get my sister to pop along for me as she lives in the north east .. now if only they had an internet site so us people down south can get hold of these lovely goodies where there is a severe lack of craft outlets..
ReplyDelete