Kaput!

The pesky washing machine that's been messing me about for so long has finally decided to give up completely and my washing is now lovely and clean but trapped inside for eternity unless I can force the door open! It finally gave up yesterday evening after I'd been trying all afternoon to unlock the door by restarting the cycle, spinning, draining, you name it. Now the lights are on but there's just a sinister low humming that says to me that the motor has gone. I figured I'd be able to prise the door open with a few "big tools" (after unplugging first of course) but it will not budge!

It's going to have to be a new washer, so I'm not worried about breaking it now....I just want to get my clothes out! Typical for it to happen the week before I'll be going to the Stitches trade show for a few days and need to get my outfits laundered! Oh well, it's a call to the plumber after all then. Oh I really do miss David all the more at times like this...he could fix anything and he'd certainly have been able to use his "Superdave" strength to break that door.

As promised, here is a picture of the new puppet that I was working on Sunday.....

 ....he's got rather grand facial hair! It was lovely to hear the children chuckling as he (and the female character) popped up above the screen. Thankfully, I got through it with no arm aches at all as I decided that I would risk standing on a rather wobbly hassock again, even though I had to move around more than last time. It did the trick and that extra few inches of height made all the difference.  By the way, you can see my twiggy lights in the background...they really have brightened the corner of the room after taking the Christmas tree down.

I did fluff one of my lines and I interrupted poor Lynne, halfway through one of her sentences by mistake, but nobody noticed, so I got away with it. The screen also decided to try and fall apart as we were lifting it to the the front of the church too but Martin, our vicar, came to the rescue so it didn't completely collapse! The perils of being a performer...LOL!

After the service it was the parish lunch which was very enjoyable and it was good to sit down and share it with friends. So I had a pretty full day one way and another. Yesterday I finished prepping the workshops for Stitches, so I can now concentrate on getting lots more samples made for my demonstration stand...well, it's not really "mine" as I'll be sharing it with the wonderful Rachel Greig from Darkroom Door and we'll be taking turns.....I must try and keep tidy!

No more pictures of my recent makes yet I'm afraid, but I'll try and share some tomorrow. As I said, I have to keep things back for the show. I'll have lots of piccies when I come back of course!

The demonstration at High Legh garden centre, near Knutsford, on 2nd March is now confirmed (see my demo list in the sidebar) so I'll add more details of what I'll be doing there tomorrow. 

Right, time to get some dinner made now...veggie stir fry with rice noodles.... and I will try to avert my eyes from the bloomin' washing machine whilst I'm in the kitchen!

I've been Stitched up!

That is to say that Stitches is over for another year and I'm now in the relaxed, slightly tired (!) state of mind that always follows the show. It's such a busy few days that it flies by every time and, after all the hard work that everyone does to make it such a great event, it's always hard to believe that it can go so fast. It was such a whirlwind that I hardly even took any photos this year.
I travelled down to the NEC on Saturday morning and spent an hour or so helping the Personal Impressions team to get set up....well, I say "helping", but they have it down to such a fine art that I usually feel that I'm more of a hindrance! Here's our stand on Saturday afternoon...it always astounds me how it goes from looking as though it will never be ready to looking pristine by the start of the show the next morning. This year we had a new bright aqua shade along with the classic PI colour, so the stand really did "stand" out even more than usual - groan! I then scurried along to the Ranger workshop which I was really looking forward to - a chance to try new products and to be on the other side of the table for a change! In the first session, with Tim, we made a really neat little hanger based on two teeny canvasses and using various TH products. In the second session, with Dyan (Reaveley) we made a journalling page using the new Dylusions inks and masks. Just check out these hands after the second session! This is me with the lovely Dot, from the Stamp Hut in Bury St Edmunds and the ladies from Two Cats Crafts !It was then time to go back to the hotel for a bite to eat and a catch up with everyone from PI before getting a good sleep in preparation for the busy day ahead. First job for me was to get my demonstartion area ready and put samples up. This was my extraordinarily long counter - the whole stand had been revamped and there was much more room for working on - I needed elasticated arms really! Just to the left, on the wall, you can see the boards showing new PI stamp designs. Next to them are Gorjuss designs, Hero Arts and then Petaloo flowers. I took this photo on Saturday night - hence the ladders in the background! I then had to hightail it up to the workshop area to get everything ready for my first class of the show at 9.30am. I had some help getting ready as the turn around is so fast at the show - one person clearing up after a class whilst the next one is itching to get in and get prepped! My workshop was using the Build a Scene stamps and we did lots of masking and colouring - a gentle start to the show.
Then it was back to the stand where I was demonstrating for the rest of the day. Joanne was at the show as I had given her one of my tickets as a thank you for helping me with samples. I think she enjoyed herself! Here she is posing by Tim's demo area and looking very glam! I managed to get some shots of Joanne with Mario and Rachel Grieg which I'm emailing to her so I'm sure they'll be up on her blog quite soon. On Sunday night, after the show, it was our traditional meal out at the Wing Wah. This is always a fun evening with the whole PI and Ranger team as well as any other overseas guests we have on the stand. This year Alex from Martha Stewart as well as the Spellbinders team joined us. I did take some pics there but they haven't come out well enough to share. Then it was back to the hotel for a few hours in the bar lounge (no rabble rousing though!) before another good sleep - comfy beds!
Monday brought another workshop which I was teaching along with Andy Skinner This time it was focussing on Martha Stewart paints. We were merrily setting up the class until we realised that we couldn't find the canvasses that were pretty integral to the whole thing! Panic stations ensued and I was reminded of Basil Fawlty looking for the missing roast duck inside the trifle! The PI team searched everywhere back on the stand and the canvasses eventually turned up in a cupboard which they had somehow found their way into! So, ten minutes late we got started and, thankfully, everyone was very understanding and all went smoothly (if a little rushed!) from there. Could do without that kind of excitement though!
That afternoon team Ranger were off down to QVC for the launch of the TSV that night, but I did get a quick pic with Tim and the lovely Rachel from Darkroom Door. What a titch I look! Rachel has designed lots more beautiful stamp sets, so I'll be looking forward to working with those soon. All too soon it was the final day and I spent my time demonstrating, arranging new dates for the coming year for various stores and I had a final stamping workshop at the end of the day. Then it was time to pull the stand down which takes hardly any time compared with setting it up! I always find it really sad - a bit like taking the Christmas decorations down in January. Then it was time for goodbye's and the trek home which took me five hours due to points problems at Birmingham New Street station.
As always, we worked hard and played hard! I didn't get much chance to look round the other stands but there were lots of wonderful products and samples everywhere I looked as I rushed through the aisles to the workshops etc. I think the craft appetite will be catered for for another year! Must sign off now as I have to get some new samples made in readiness for the craft show at Leigh at the beginning of March. I am going to do some gentle colouring in to start with after all the heavy schedule of the last few weeks!

Sofa day!

Hello all, and firstly, apologies for not being able to post my nightly reports from Stitches as I had promised to do. Unfortunately, the hotel blocked any free wireless internet signals and, apart from a free half hour on the first night, I just wasn't able to log on unless I paid a small fortune. So...this may be a rather long post!
I'm sorry that my pictures aren't able to be enlarged as they can be on most blogs - David has explained the reason (though my computer technically challenged brain can't really follow it all!) and I believe that if you do the right clicky thing that he posted on my comments section you may well be able to see bigger images. Meanwhile, I'll post larger images of those that I think you may like a closer look at.
So, it's a sofa day today after the manic last few days. The PI team will all be back at work as normal today, but I don't feel guilty as I'll be working at the weekend. I'll be spending tomorrow making last minute extra samples for my day at The Art Shop in Darlington on Saturday, so hope to see you there....Beverley, I'll be looking out for you, so make sure you let me know when you arrive so I can put a face to the name!

Okay then, here are loads of pictures for your enjoyment and amusement! Firstly, here are two more close up shots of the ATC display which I put together for my demonstration stand with the help of my friends who made lots of the ATC's for me using some of my new stamp designs. Each tier was put together seperately, with the cards being stuck together round decreasingly smaller circular bases and more ATC's stuck flat around the top. I could then place each tier inside a larger one for easy transportation. A few people at the show were sure it would come cascading down as they thought I had simply stacked it like a house of cards! So, thank you again to my lovely friends for all your help - your efforts helped to make a really eyecatching display that brought many "ooohs" and "aaahs" from both customers and exhibitors. I was also busy making other samples (photos to follow in a few days) for the show and one was this configurations box which Dawn asked me to make for the Tim Holtz hours on QVC this week...we thought it would be nice to have a more girlie version! I had such fun making this, though it did take just about all day, rooting about for little treasures to include. If you fancy having a go at making one of these (though it won't be the same of course, as every one is different) then check out my dates at the left where you'll find details of my "Shadow Box" workshop. Next is a closer picture of the three canvasses which I made on the Ranger/Personal Impressions workshop on Saturday. It was so lovely to be sat down making something for a change instead of being the one doing the teaching! We made the centre canvas first with Tim, using his new Distress Stains (coming soon and they are just brilliant) as well as various dies, grungeboard and Ideaology items. The stains were just great for using over the wings which had been painted with Rock Candy crackle paint...the ink just sank into the cracks beautifully. The left hand canvas was designed by Dyan Reavely who had printed out the main design onto sticky backed canvas. We painted the edges of the box canvas with the new inproved paint dabbers....so much easier to use now, with softer bottles and an improved cap. On the right is the third canvas we made, again with Tim, who had designed this one in Claudine Helmuth's style using her paints and new stamps. They look great don't they? I'll try to bring at least one with me to my demonstrations! Here's me and Tim after the class...the annual picture! Next is a shot of the side of the Ranger demonstration area on the PI stand. You can just see the gorgeous rose ribbons that have been stained to match the mannequin dies (canvas) and tags using Distress Stains. And on the counter you can just see the printer's tray which was just crammed with all sorts of new Idealogy pieces. Tim was demonstrating his latest products all day on Sunday - not that I got much chance to see what he was up to as I was too busy! Here is the view of the side and back of my demonstration booth, with new stamp designs on the wall as well as two giant Gorjuss girls! More on them later! Sunday was the first day of the show itself, and I was demonstrating until about 2.30pm, when Dyan took over my area to demonstrate her new Dylusions stamps and Andy Skinner and myself went off to do the first of our workshops together. It was great to be teaching the class together, especially as we try to cram a lot into a 45 minute class...not very long by the time all the introductions have been made. There is a very fast turnaround of workshops at the show, so there is only fifteen minutes to clear up and let the next person come in to set up before the next class starts....whew! I'll post pictures of the project we did, but you can check them out in Andy's blog (look at my blog list at the left). Andy is extremely talented and his new stamp designs will be a must have for those of you who love to create collaged or grungy styles.Here's a closer look at the new designs from myself, Andy Skinner, Paula Pascual, Marion Emberson and Sue Dix to name a few. As you can see, I have designed six new sets of fairy silhouettes, along with other new designs which I will post larger pictures of as soon as I can.Here's the front of my booth...posh eh?! I have a tall bar stool to perch on whilst demonstrating and I could have done with some step ladders to get up there I think....let's just say it probably wasn't the most elegant sight! Also demonstrating on the PI stand was my buddy Rachel Greig who is the owner of, and talent behind, Darkroom Door. You'll know from previous posts that I'm a huge fan of Rachel's designs and, as well as being super talented, she's also one of the loveliest, smiliest people I know. Such a shame that we only get to see Rachel once a year!Of course, Sunday night was the annual PI trip to the Wing Wah Chinese restaurant which has become a real highlight of the show week. We always have a lot of fun and it's a chance to relax after a busy couple of days before the next two begin. Here's Rachel, Richard, who works on the stamps and website (amongst other things) and is one of the loveliest men that I know, next is my mate Jan who is the area manager for Scotland, next is Elaine who seems to organise just about everything at PI! She's a lovely, lovely lady and became a great auntie while we were at the show! On the right is Monica who represents the north of England for PI and she keeps me busy with lots of demonstrations! Who'se this? Tim and Rachel taking photos of themselves between bouts of hysterical laughter at the expressions they were pulling! Andy made reference to Tim doing a "magic trick" that evening, so here is a snap of Jan having the "fluence" put on her! Rachel and myself have experienced this in previous years, and I can't explain what Tim actually does, but Jan nearly jumped out of her skin at the sensation which shot through her hand!So, it was time to go back to the hotel for an early-ish night before the long day ahead of demonstrating and teaching on Monday. We also said cheerio for another year to Tim, Mario and Alain as they set off down to London for Tim's midnight TSV launch. Elaine had been saying throughout the show that I was the image of the Gorguss Girl characters......mmmmmm, long hair yes, but that's the only resemblance I can see! It became a running gag though, and a few customers that I know came up to me saying "Oh you are so like the Gorjuss Girl!"....of course, they had been primed by Elaine! Well, what do you reckon? Gosh...we could be twins! Lol! And look who came along to say hello to us all from the Sizzix stand.... .....the lovely Paula. (Note to self....try not to stand next to Paula on photos....she's far too pretty!). This picture was taken on the final day, Tuesday, when I was demonstrating for the whole day. Rachel taught a class in the morning and took over Tim's booth in the afternoon making beautiful cards with her stamps and phot images. David arrived in the afternoon and, amazingly, managed to park quite near the loading area.....very often there is such a snarl up of traffic at the NEC so this was quite something and, after the hard work at the show it was great to be close by. All too soon it was time to pull down the stand and pack away. Isn't it odd that it takes days and hours to set up but hardly any time to tear it all down! It's always sad to see the beautiful displays being pulled down and packed away. So, I'll finish with a picture of the whole team looking far less tired than we all felt! We are missing Jayne though, as she went down to QVC with the Ranger team. From the left, Jan, Ray, Monica, yours truly, Malcolm, Kathy, Billy, Elaine, Leanne, Richard, Steve and John. Not long after David took this photo we all said our goodbyes and were homeward bound. You can see why I enjoy the show so much, catching up with friends from home and abroad, meeting customers, using new products and having great fun. It does leave one cream crackered though!!!

Well, I'll post pictures of new stamps and card samples in more detail as soon as I can and will see some of you this weekend I hope. Lindsay

The wanderer returns

Not that I've been wandering! Quite the opposite really - I feel a little bit like a hedgehog that's reluctant to come out of hibernation! Christmas was quite a stress filled week and I've been taking some time out to catch up with some much needed sleep and a little R & R too. I've still been working away at home, with new designs and magazine projects. The picture below is of part of a set of matching pieces that I made which are in the February (current) issue of Crafts Beautiful. We'll be doing something in a similar vein on my first workshop of this year in a couple of weeks. These particular examples are made using the lovely Rachel Grieg's Darkroom Door stamps - gorgeous images. I'm looking forward to seeing Rachel again in February when she visits the UK for Stitches and workshops at Dawn's studio. Looks like the sun was shining when I took the photograph.....mmmmm, not much sign of it today. It's a very dull, dour day today.Well, it seems a little tardy now, but I hope that most of you had a lovely Christmas - I say 'most of you' because I know that a few people had a fairly depressing time. Let's all hope that this year can be a fresh beginning and that we have more positive things happening.

Apologies to those who never did receive their Christmas cards from me....that's apologies from the post office I think really! Thank you to everyone who sent cards to David and me, they were much appreciated, beautiful and it was difficult to take them down after the twelve days were up!

Well, I shall be back into the travelling about mode next weekend! I have enjoyed the novelty of being at home at the weekends, it feels quite decadent! So, I'll be up at Dainty Supplies in Washington, Tyne & Wear next Saturday. I'm going to be demonstrating stamping and stencilling with the new Ranger Perfect Pearls Mists and Crafter's Workshop stencils. I'll be using Darkroom Door stamps too, so, if you are around the area, do pop in and bag a set - they are top quality and come in snazzy tins to keep them safe and for easy storage.

The weekend after that I'll be at Card-Io in Wigan - I'll have more details next week about exactly what I'll be demonstrating. Then I'll be busy with workshops at Dawn's Studio at the beginning of February. These will be stamping (cards), making jewellery with Ranger products and an all day Art Journalling class. I've had a few email queries as to whether the workshops are still going ahead, as you will have no doubt read/heard that Dawn and her family have taken the decision to sell the shop. I can reassure you that, yes, all the advertised workshops are going to be running. Dawn will keep everyone posted as to any more classes that may be added after these. I know that many of you will be very sad, including myself, at the news, and I know that it was a difficult decision for everyone involved and that we all wish them well.

I'll try to catch up with any emails that I'm still late in replying to and the next thing I know it will be Stitches time again, so lots and lots of samples to be made. That's my favourite few days in my working year, when I get to catch up with everyone - including Tim of course...think I shall have to warn him about some of you who are going to his workshops in February!!!

So, I'll sign off for now...I feel as if I have almost forgotten how to blog after all this time! Will be back with more photos soon. Lindsay

PS Please do check out my rant blog, or go to http://www.fishfight.net/ to find out about a very important campaign, if you haven't been watching the Channel 4 programmes on the state of the fishing industry. This is one of those times when the general public can really help to get things done!

Trade show, telly and time flies!

This could be a loooong post! Lots of pictures to share, well, a few of them anyway, and tales from the trade show and the telly studios. The time just flew by and it all seemed to be over as fast as it began. As this is the one time of the year that I get to meet colleagues and friends I always hope the time will go by slowly, but it always races faster than ever. So, the first picture is of some of the samples that I made for the shows, all piled up and ready to pack. There are cards, boxes, candles, chocolates and more! This was the first time that I had to prep QVC samples at the same time as those for Stitches, so it was a slog to get everything made.

David drove me down to Birmingham and checked me into the hotel where we met my good friend and colleague, Jan, who is Personal Impressions area manager for Scotland and North England. We then went to the NEC where the PI team were already very busy setting up the stand which is one of the biggest in the show. David and I said goodbye and then Jan and I began helping to get things ready....or so we thought! Ranger and PI had collaberated in two half day workshops for our customers and there were just two places available as the ladies who had booked had not been able to get there. So Jan and I were able to go along and enjoy the three hour afternoon session. Did we feel guilty about leaving everyone else to set up?.....er....no!! The first hour was with Suze Weinberg using the Melt Pot and we made a selection of UTEE pieces. Next was Claudine Hellmuth and we used her new range of acrylic paints, mediums and sticky backed canvas. Lastly was Tim Holtz with alcohol inks and the new yummy Distress ink pad colours. We inked, painted, melted, glued and distressed and ended up with a stack of samples which we then attached to framed mirrors which we had colour washed. As you can see, the results were fabulous and this little beauty will be accompanying me to my Ranger demonstrations. The great thing is that, even though I am a "certified Ranger educator" (no clever remarks please!) and demonstrate the products regularly, I still picked up new ideas and had my enthusiasm tweaked up a few more notches! On a more serious note, I had been concerned about a magazine project which I saw somewhere, some time ago, and have noticed people on various forums saying that they were going to try the technique themselves .....this was using alcohol inks to tint UTEE in the Melt Pot. I asked Suze about this and she confirmed that this is a complete no no. So, please, if anyone is thinking of using the Melt Pot, you must only use To Dye For inks to tint the UTEE as they have been specially formulated for the purpose. Even if other inks appear to "work" in the Melt Pot, fumes are invisible and could cause problems. Okay - back to the fun now!
Here is one of the cards I made using some of my new stamp designs - this is a quirky bird from the "Knotty & Friends" clear set, and there is another set of them called, wait for it....."Trotty Lotty Botty"! I should explain - when I design I give working titles to each drawing and sometimes the names are used but often they are given new ones. When I did the birdies I started using rhyming names and was running out by the last couple, so we ended up with the above! I like it that PI have a sense of humour though, and it was a talking point at the show! The background for this card was made with Ink Potion no 9, gloss card and dye re inkers. Lovely bright shades. I was teaching versions of this card in my workshops on Sunday and Monday and demonstrating for the rest of the time. It's when I get to see all the retailers from all over the country, and overseas, in the one place, so a lot of catching up goes on as you may imagine! yOn Sunday night was our traditional, annual night out at the Wing Wah Chinese restaurant. It's always a real hoot with around twenty five or so of us having a great buffet meal, chatting, laughing and hopefully not talking shop too much! One of the traditions is the "initiation" of any new guests at our tables...a nice, if slightly embarrassing initiation! There is a sudden burst of the Happy Birthday tune and then the waiters approach the newbie with a large ice swan filled with ice cream, surrounded by fruit and topped with a giant sparkler. Everyone joins in with singing and clapping as the recipient sits there, rather surprised as it isn't their birthday of course. Daft, but fun! This year it was Claudine (Helmuth) who was our newbie....that's me behind the sparkler! Claudine loved the surprise - I think! At our table we chatted about our pets, present and past, and Claudine and I found that we both have nightmares about our long tresses being cut off! Next day it was back to work with workshops, demonstrations and business meetings. Most of us went without lunch after the big meal and then a good breakfast, but ny 4pm we were all beginning to feel ravenous and the show goes on till 6pm. So, it was time for me to break open the emergency cupcakes! (I had made one of my boxes featuring cup cake images and there was a cake inside it, so I brought extras with me in case that one got pinched. Here are Elaine from PI and Joella who had come over from Pergamano to be with us on the stand.both tucking into a tiny cupcake each. Elaine is one of the most wonderful people I have been lucky enough to know, an absolute treasure.
Here are two ladies that you will instantly recognise! Suze, Claudine and Tim were all demonstrating on our stand throughout the weekend, but I really didn't get much time to watch them. Managed to snap this though just as Suze was packing her things away. What dazzling smiles they both have and they are two really individual ladies.In the afternoon, as I was demonstrating, there was a hand on my shoulder and there was Tim with a gift for me....a full set of the new Distress ink pads! Can't wait until they are in all the stores so I can use them on my demonstrations

Here is a not very good picture of the Ranger gang getting ready to head down to QVC on Monday afternoon. Tim was launching his TSV at midnight, so we all promised we would saty up to watch that night and wished them all well. By the way, Mario (Tim's wonderful assistant) was actually wearing long jeans as opposed to his trademark knee length shorts....mind you, we did have 4" of snow in Birmingham!Monday evening was spent having a quiet (ish!) meal at the hotel and then lots of telling of stories and laughter to keep us going until we could watch Tim on QVC at midnight. We all huddled round a laptop as they couldn't change the channel on the big tv in the hotel bar. Hope we didn't make too much noise as we were cheering for Tim of course! Not that he needed our good wishes as, of course, his products had been so long awaited! Below is a picture from Tuesday morning which shows Malcolm, and a huuuge cake that was given to him as it was his 40th anniversary with PI! Dawn mentioned him on air and it was announced at the show too! I made a card which we all signed of course. Next to Malcolm is Kathy and behind her is one of my best friends, Jan. We are like the terrible twins when we get together! Here are snaps of a couple of the cards I made with some of my new stamps. I'll post more new images of these as and when! Thoughts of an exotic summer amidst all the snow here! On Tuesday afternoon myself, Rachel Grieg, Shari Carole and her husband Tom all set off on the train for London and QVC. Rachel and Shari were snapping away as we drove through London in the cab! Look who was in the Green room when we arrived - Tim was relaxing before going back on air. We had to sort out all our samples and get organised ready for the "All Star Stamping " show at 7pm. Here is Amy - with frog slippers! - taking my picture taking hers. I liked the way that she matched the collage on the wall! Amy is another of my favourite people - supportive, funny, kind and also a really great mum.Next you can see Shari and Rachel setting up their demonstrations very quietly! If you can imagine, there were about seven of us all, including Paula and me, setting up in silence as we were in the live studio - well, trying to anyway! As you can see, there wasn't much room!All too soon we were trying to get ready to go on air, slapping make up on....not even time to do my nails after all the inkiness of the weekend....getting changed an miked up. I was up first and, though I felt fine all day I have to admit that I did feel rather disorientated once I was on! It was a combination of the small demonstration area, everyone else being in the studio watching me, having Dawn on one side and Debbie Flint on my other side....oh well, I know I'll be able to take whatever is thrown at me next time! Thankfully all my stamps and the inks and glitters that I was using just about sold out, so that made me feel better! Dawn is absolutely fantastic as she can find the word that has mysteriously escaped one's brain, fill in the silences that you may experience and generally guide you through. I don't think that everyone appreciates how very hard Dawn works and what a lot of pressure is on her to make everything flow smoothly. This craft day was her first without Jj to help her for seven years, so it was even more stressful than usual. I know that we all were amazed at how she keeps going for a whole craft day and Tim and Mario were very complimentary about what a star she had been.

The gorgeous Paula was on after me and she had no time even to demonstrate as her stamps sold so fast. I was thrilled as these were Paula's first stamps on air, and I know how it feels when people love them. Paula primped my hair for me too just before I went on - thanks Paula! Next came Shari from Hero Arts, who was on TV for the first time...who would have guessed? And finally Rachel, from Darkroom Door who was also a TV first timer and sailed through as if she had been doing it for years! It was over very, very quickly and then we went back to the Green room to watch Tim's final show. After that we helped to clear the studio and got chance to snap a few more photos. So, here are Mario, Dawn and Tim - doing his pirate face - very sultry! And now me with Dawn and Tim.When we had all cleared up we left Dawn, Amy and Paula to carry on the hard work and the Ranger boys took Shari, Tom, Rachel and me out for a truly delicious Italian meal. We were there for so long that we had to ring the hotel to make sure that they held our rooms for us and we disn't check in until 12.40am! Well, you have to make the most of the good times and it was a great ending to a very busy few days. I'll post more sample pics as soon as I can, but I have another busy weekend coming up in Chorley and Cockermouth so have to make some more cards tomorrow. Hope to see you at one of the venues! Lindsay