Super day out at...

...Ally Pally.

(grrrrrrrrrr, phew, hurumpffffffff - I know it's early-ish but blogger wont play and I can't load any piccies).

Anyway, pics not withstanding...where was I...oh yes, Ally Pally...

This Big Stamping & Scrapbooking show was much improved on the last two events. Having attended for a while, last autumn I was rather disappointed by the lack of regular names on the stands. The show only uses one of the smaller halls and it looked like they were struggling to fill the space - quite a large area set aside for ATC make & takes. The spring show wasn't much better.

Yesterday was fab. Loads more stands (or so it seemed) and PP seems to be back in favour as there was a pretty good selection available :o)

Many stands were demoing the new Cricut Expressions - super machine **wonder if I should start dropping hints for Santa???LOL**

However (go on, admit it, you knew there had to be a "but" somewhere along the way) the layout adopted for most of the stands was not very user friendly...you had to fight your way in to be able to look at the products on offer and then fight your way out again. Mum being disabled can only attend these events because she has one of those little 'pack-in-the-boot' scooters and there was no way that she could get round most of the stands. Ally Pally are very good about allowing disabled folk in half an hour early to give them a chance to have a look round in a less crowded venue but many of the stands were still setting-up.

Still, Mum said she had a good time and she was quite happy nattering to several of the demo folk.

I got some clear stamps - don't you just love these things, so easy to use cos you can see where you are placing the image - PPs (only essentials,ROFLOL) - double sided tape (usual stock-up of supplies) - Stickles and a couple of mini book kits.

I do have one very big gripe - PRICES!!!

I know it isn't cheap to have a stand at Ally Pally buuuuuuuuuuuuuuut, I don't expect to see items marked up in price to cover the cost in the way that some of the traders seem to do. Cuttlebug embossing folders that can be bought in ANY craft shop for £3.99 were priced by some at £4.50 and even £4.90 (didn't even bother to look at what was being charged for the four-pack mini folders). Patterned punches that normally retail at around £7 were being offered at £10, storage boxes that you can get from your local Staples stationery store for £6 were being sold for £10 (sorry, I musn't exagerate, £9.99...). Yes, there were a good selection of 'show prices' - the new Cricut was being offered at around £30 below RRP - but 70p for a piece of normal 12 x 12 bazzil cardstock, per-leaseeeeeeeee!

We had to leave at 1pm because it was just too packed and Mum could no longer move around easily on her scooter. We had had a good time. Bumped into several of the ladies from the Artbase crops - Bev, you might have been 'good' when we first bumped into you but I'm sure on the second occasion most of the bags being carried by the other ladies were probably yours, lol (I normally just load-up Mum on her scooter, hehe).

Got Mum home just in time for the rain to start (great fun, not, when you are trying to unload a scooter from the car). Picked up some fish & chips on the way home. All in all, a super day (not counting the weather).

I suppose I should now get stuck into the housework.............