Friday 7 October 2016

Coventry Capers!

I know a few of you are quite curious about the escapades of Kim, ValeryAnne and myself in Coventry - as well as more about what we made. Here goes!

First of all, Kim travelled up by rail and - as usual - I drove Miss Daisy up on Thursday afternoon. We'd booked different hotels (Premier Inns) so the first evening saw ValeryAnne and I scoffing in a very nice restaurant next door to where we were staying - and Kim, wisely, opting for a nice bath and an early night in her hotel!

Friday dawned bright and sunny and off we trotted to the venue by taxi, hauling our bags of 'required tools' for the workshops. Ha, quite a few of those weren't actually even needed - but hey, ho! Met up with Kim at around 9am and did four workshops over the day, with a break in the middle for the included lunch.

First workshop was to make this double sided caddy:
Looks pretty innocuous I know, but we started out with a piece of material, scissors, book binding glue and 14 pre-cut thick cardboard shapes to cover and glue together. I don't think any of us actually finished the project before it was time to move onto the next workshop.

The next workshop was the box/easel card I showed HERE the other day - again, a real rush and I finished it off at home. Made some boo-boos in the rush of the class but those are all fixed now.

Break for lunch - and a much needed respite from the pressure.

After lunch it was covering MDF pieces to make a jigsaw 'frame' and I enjoyed that very much. It was a bit messy but the plus was that there was a good selection of products to play with - so long as you trotted round the room and found out who was playing with what! Need to do more work on that so for now it's 'under wraps'.

And the final session was using Powertex (which is best described here as thin moulding custard really!)- yay! General opinion is that it was the best of all the workshops, not too rushed, plenty of helpers and we each came away with a piece of finished work. We all made a small 4" x 4" canvas using Powertex, bit and pieces such as hessian, snippets of ric rac, slivers of shaped card, little torn pieces of corrugated cardboard - and even a wooden toothpick! After moulding the bits and bobs onto the canvas- Kim had thought ahead and brought some paper clay moulded bits so I have a butterfly as well as an almost hidden face (top left) - they were then sprayed with colour and dried with hair driers by the helpers. Final touch was to add some coppery highlights using a sort of mica powder with a drop of varnish to mix it up.

And this is the result:
Shame the coppery highlights don't show up so well in the photo. This is destined to go in the centre of the jigsaw frame instead of the small mirror we were given - hence the need for some more work on the frame just to gently tie the colours together a little bit more.

When the day finished the three of us piled into a taxi and just spent the evening having an M&S picnic with some vino in my room.

Loads of things happened that had us rolling round in near hysterics over the weekend. I managed to lose that caddy TWICE, but still ended up bringing it home, sigh.

After Saturday's adventures around the stalls we bade farewell to Kim and headed back to the car to do the whole palaver in reverse - only this time loaded down with shopping of course. Got all the way back to the hotel and realised I'd only left the caddy in a bag in left luggage (long story, Kim and I got ours mixed up the previous day and had done a swop back on Saturday morning!). So back we went yet again - but this time I shot us through the main gate so at least it was a quick round trip!

On Sunday we played safe and once again left the car at the hotel after loading it with all our stuff ready for the drive home. And guess what? Sunday is actually a much quieter day and folk were parked on the main site on hard standing!

The highlight of the day was meeting Barb from the Snippets Playground, and her lovely friend Wendy. What a delight that was and Barb is absolutely as you'd expect her to be - warm, very sweet and up for lots of excited hugs too!

So that's it in a nutshell - I've had to leave a lot out but it was a real blast from start to finish!

My big regret is forgetting to take any photos while we were with Barb! All the more reason to meet up again though.

But, I did at least remember to take a photo of my 'partners in crime' - so I'll let them have the last word!

Kim and ValeryAnne:

You'll just have to believe I was actually there :)

In fact, there are some photos of all three of us on the GBCF website now, beavering away with Powertex but am not sure about copyright. That's MY excuse anyhow.




30 comments:

  1. We did indeed have fun and I can confirm that Miss Di was behind the camera. Your powertex piece is lovely with gorgeous colours. Just taken mine out of the plastic bag it came home in to find its all gone soft and soggy. Eek!! Need to let it dry out methinks. How we never got chucked out of the hotel is a mystery. Never had such fun in my life or cried with laughter soooo much.
    Thanks for being such a brilliant partner in crime. When are we off again?
    hugs Mrs A.

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    1. My Powertex piece went soggy in the hotel in the little poly bag so I took it out on Saturday morning and took a while to dry and become hard again. xx

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  2. It sounds like you all had one heck of a fun time, and I'm happy for you all! Your projects are great, and I never heard of powertex before, but it looks like it was messy and fun to create with! Laughter - it's good for the soul :)

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  3. Oh what a fun weekend--wish I'd been with you guys--except not for the muddy walk--haha! I'm so slow I never get things done correctly in workshops or classes, so maybe it's just as well I don't have any to go to now. Your projects are incredible, Ms Di--amazingly beautiful & artistic canvas!

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  4. It sounds like brilliant fun Di..... so much laughter and your projects are gorgeous. I've been quite interested in Powertex for a while...your canvas is brilliant. I'm glad you didn't disappear into the mud...what a palaver for parking. Nearly the weekend again, hugs xx

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  5. Sounds like you had a blast. The workshops sound interesting, if a little rushed, but you got TERRIFIC results. I am particularly enamoured with the Powertex piece which looks AMAZING. Top marks Missus.

    Only YOU could run around muddy fields in FLIP FLOPS in the rain!!! What a nutcase you are, but that's what i love about you! !!

    Hugs, Sarn xxx

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  6. What a fun read Di and I will never look at a cow pat in the same way again and I could say welcome to my world with the sodden field, but there again I do have wellies !!

    Great makes and a fun time by the sounds of it anyhow.

    B x

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  7. It all sounds brilliant - well apart from getting from the car park to the bus stop! And I love, love LOVE your Powertex piece. But I hope you realise that if you ever again say you can't do messy, collagey stuff we will all refer you back to this post!
    Jane

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  8. That certainly sounds like a hilarious adventure and shared with crafty friends - what better.

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  9. So enjoyed reading about your adventures with the girls, I have been laughing a lot! Love what you made and the photos are cool too! xxx

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  10. That sounds like a very busy but fun weekend away - had to laugh at your antics in the muddy field. Exactly the kind of thing I would do!! Xx

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  11. Sounds like a fantastic weekend was had by all, apart from getting wet and muddy of course. Your caddy look beautiful and I love the powertex canvas.

    Sue xx

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  12. Wow what fun sounds like an amazing weekend ......your creation Di is absolutely beautiful you should be so proud of yourself !totally stunning! flip flops not the best walking through the muddy mud now l now where the plastic carrier bags came from...lol xx

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  13. Sound fab! Love your creations.
    Hugs,
    Em xxx

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  14. You all have had a fabulous weekend!!! Really full of interesting workshops and meeting! Great time!
    You have made amazing creations there!!! Love the canvas, but expecially that double sided caddy!! So lovely and also useful!

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  15. It sounds fab - saga and all! I think I might have stayed in that hotel myself with the M&S at the petrol station over the road? I couldn't resist going to the GBCF website and seeing you for myself - you look very elegant will being so messy! Love the look of the jigsaw - wouldn't mind one of those if I knew where to get one. Great makes you've shared so far.Lynn x

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  16. It sounds like you all have a great time - love your creations too
    Kath x

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  17. Di two great projects there, sounds like you've had a ball! Lots of giggles, good food, fun and games and crafting. Heaven, that's what that is!
    Good to hear you enjoyed your crafty getaway and three super projects to show for it too.

    Hugs Erika. x

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  18. Crafting and mud wallowing all one day, so much fun! It sounds like a fun day. Those types of crafting events wear me out to no end but they always produce fond memories.

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  19. It's good to see what you made Di. The caddy looks pretty and looks quite useful and the Powertex piece is lovely and lots of fun. Lovely photos. It was great to meet up with you and Mrs. A Barbxx

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  20. Great post Di and Kim reminds me of Hettie. They look tricky creations and I think I would have curled up in a ball rather than attempt to make those, but you have done an excellent job, very well done.

    Kath x

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  21. Sounds like you had a great time together, thanks for sharing your stories?
    Janice x

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  22. What a fun time for you. I wish you had taken a picture of your toes after walking through the grass and Mrs. A's legs! That looks like an intense workshop with lovely things to make. It is so much fun to do those kinds of things with friends.

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  23. What a great time you had. Keep the good memories of this event alive!!
    Lia xx

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  24. Sounds like a riot! Are you sure that you three should be let out together :-)
    Glad you had a great time.
    xxx

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  25. It sounds like you all have great time, thank you for sharing :))), great caddy and canvas!

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  26. You obviously had a blast and made some great things. It sounds like lots of fun, can we all come next time?

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    1. Now that's a good idea! Can you imagine, a Playground full of terrors let loose :) xx

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  27. Looks like you had a great few days out, Di. Mixed Media watch out... Di might fall in love with you yet!
    Thanks for sharing your crafty exploits with us all. Great makes :)

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