Craft Expo 2009

On Saturday G and I went to craftexpo at the Royal Exhibition Building in the Carlton Gardens - it had been many years since I had been to this venue and I had forgotten what a truly beautiful building it was.. It was such a fitting place for this sort of event... I had stumbled across some publicity for the craftexpo and had immediately joined up online for some more info... Of course I had to have an accomplice and I 'persuaded' G to come along to try out this newest exhibition with a solemn promise that it was just to look... I wasn't sure what it would be like and I had thought that we may be there for just a short time... We weren't!!!! P kindly dropped us off there at 8.30am - we left to come on just shy of 4pm - half an hour before it closed... I could of have stayed longer but the budget had long been forgotten and I was afraid what more damage I inflict...



Of course I didn't have my camera with me so I took the following shots on my phone...


Inside the main hall looking up...

I thought this window looked like a peacock's tail....

An external shot of the side of the building...

I received the programme a couple of weeks earlier...

As we arrived we received a complimentary bag - I said to G that they now provide you with something to haul your stash away with... We also got a free magazine - probably to keep us inspired- not that we needed it!!!!

I wanted to do a class with Brenda Ryan - she is always good value with both what she teaches and the class kit... She always gives you a practise piece to have at workshop which usually goes way to fast... The photo below is the take home kit...

Next we went to a demonstration by Giggle Buttons which as it turned out to be was Sonya who was the designer of the little blue house which I stitched just recently (scroll back a couple of entries). She seems a bit of a character and is very passionate about what she does... I bought a couple of her earlier designs to 'marry' with my house'...
Ummm... well, these were two things I 'had' to have... The Prairie Schooler chart was just one of many I could have bought... The BUTTERNUT ROAD chart is the companion to the other one I already have....

Here I have a bit of a theme working - more fat quarters for my cat stash and a small cross stitch I fell in love with as soon as I saw the stitched model...

And I admit this one was sheer indulgence - I have admired this design forever and when saw it I just had to have it.... Naughty I know..


These charms were just what I was looking for - especially the garden ones....

These were just 'stock up supplies' really a bit like tea and coffee - necessary...

All in all it was a really enjoyable day and I was pleasantly surprised - I went thinking that it may be 'a bit ordinary' and came away thinking it was the best one I had been to in a long while... It may have been smaller - but there was quality rather than quantity and I think that is the answer really... There was enough diversity to satisfy everyone...

Now what should I look at first...

Until next time - seek inspiration and catch it...

Sharon xxx