Friday 25 January 2013

Could Have Been A Whole Lot...

...worse! Or better, depends which way you look at it!  So, you know I went to CHA and then to Ellen's?  I may have mentioned it several hundred times!  Well, you have all been saying how you want to see the stash I got over there.  Sadly it wasn't as much as I would have liked - believe me, I could have done some serious damage to plastic in Michael's but... I was very well behaved and restrained.  I know! A first!  And... some of the stash was gifted... but first, let me tell you about last time I went to Ellen's - when I decided to over stuff my suitcase with Studio 490 stash and ten tonnes of Cheesy Chester Cheeto's.  Well, I got to the baggage drop and the nice lady said "Ma'am, this is very heavy!"  It was... like 29.8kg heavy!  So this time I decided to travel light and therefore reduce the excess baggage cost from £60 to zero.  And then I got some Cheeto's given to me from Candy and Yvonne... and some pressies... and then I decided that if I used my brain, I could use a roll-on trolley case jobby as my handluggage, therefore increasing the weight ratio for Cheesy Chester Cheeto hauling.  Which is what I did!  I usually travel light in the hand luggage dept because I have to be careful with the old war wound.  But everyone, I mean everyone, who I flew with had the roll-on trolley cases that were stuffed full and very obviously it was the only way to go.  So Jack went to Walmart and got a roll-on case for me for $12... which I then put some of my stashly goodies into... here it is... obviously I have posed some of the things for the piccie, some were in my case I hasten to add!

The Tissue Tape Roller jobby... $2.49 reduced in Michael's.. result!!

I was incredibly lucky at CHA - I was invited with Creative Expressions' Sue Wilson and Lysanne McCallion to a private demo with Ranger - so that meant we could watch Mackie from Vintag - WOW, I NEEEEEED those Patina's, my paint heroine Claudine Hellmuth - you should just sit and watch one of her Vids - she is awesome... I loves her... and then the luscious Dyan Reaveley, how sad is this? I have never seen Dyan demo or been to one of her classes... so I travel 6000 miles to see her rofl  Oh and some bloke called Tim *snort*  OMG, watching Tim demo-ing the brand spanking new Distress Paints... be still my fluttering heart... not only does Tim just have a really special way of demo-ing, those paints... ohlalalaaaa... I was positively drooling!  And then... the generous chaps at Ranger gave us a little goodie bag!  In it were two new Paints, two Patina's, two Dyan's brand new Ink Sprays and one of Claudine's new stencils... and two new Stains and a Ranger pinny that I gave to Ellen as a thank you for putting up with my snoring in the hotel room.   Then on the Tuesday morning we went to say goodbye to everyone and Tim was only doing a stamp signing!!! So, I nabbed this set of stamps... signed!!! How chuffing excited am I!!!



And the Wonder that is Wendy Vecchi gave me some fabby Blossom Bucket embellies AND her new Gold and Silver Embossing Pastes... which I LOVE and highly recommend to everyone... you needs them!!  And then... Mr Stampers Anonymous gave me a few sets of Wendy's new Art Parts, some stamps and some new Stencils For Art.  Seriously, those guys are so generous and I am over the moon that I can make some samples with them right away!




Plus Cheesy Chester Cheeto's and Dove chocolate for Grim went into the case... and the art I had made and been given, the GORGEOUS Blossom Bucket Studio 490 pen holder that Ellen bought me and the hilarious nodding head Chester Cheetah that Jack bought me... how cool is he!!! He is so going to be on Ferdy's dashboard!  And I got some ART given to me too... Ellen made the cool canvas - see her BLOG HERE for the post where she shows how she made it.  The loverly and ever so talented Anita Houston gave me some Texas Trash (ahem, eaten it!) and this gorgeous ATC... and Terry Quinn.. bless, I got to meet her at Ellen's playdate on Saturday and she gave me this beaut of an ATC.. she is a whizz with the Gelli Plate.  And finally, Patti Parrish - check out her blog - she made me the most beautiful pendant from glass... it is around my neck so I haven't got the photo of that yet.. you will see it... a very lot.. for I am refusing to remove it!!!

Clark Bars - Nomnomnomnomnom

Anyways... as well as getting a few embellies at Michael's, we had to go to Bath & Body Works for some smellies... I LOVE their Sweet Pea and Secret Wonderland goodies.  Now, whilst browsing said store, the shop girls came over and asked me to talk dirty to them!  Well, actually, they wanted to know a rude word in English... so I told them all about the word "chuff" and how I use it all the time in place of any kind of swear word... they were enamoured with said word!  And I made my purchases and pleaded with the God of the Overweight Suitcase to be kind.  Uh-oh!  When we got to the bag drop at Baltimore Airport the lady was putting the luggage tab onto the case and she said "Oh Ma'am, your case is too heavy, take something out"   YIKES!!! The cunningness of the plan had backfired!!!   So, alas, I had to jetison some Cheesy Chester Cheeto's :O(  I know! I only managed to bring back about 10 packets (albeit, some big and some ickle) so Ellen said she will box up the remaining ones and send them on!  Result!!!  So, there you have it.  I didn't buy much and was incredibly lucky to be gifted so much fabulousness... including my new Gelli Plate that was a Xmas pressie from Ellen... as you know I was playing with it the other day... and I Facebooked this photo but I shall share it with you here... it is ...erm... a smidge rude but, as God is my witness, this is how the paint went when I started to Brayer it... TRUE!  I also have Ellen, Patti and Connie as my witnesses too!  I think it looks a bit like a carrot and a couple of tomatoes... ahem... quite!  






Oh and I meant to show you this the other day... so I went up to my room the other night to get my phone... and I found JoeCat Vargo on the phone to his British Cousin AlfieCat... they were most definitely plotting something.... I can see World Domination in his eyes lol


 
As quick as you could blink, he went back to looking cute!!!




Right, I shall away... I have given up trying to get back into UK time.  Well, Grim is on nights and today when he gets home he has finished for the weekend so I figure that he will go to bed first thing in the morning and get up about mid-day... so I can do that too and then we can be nightowls together... so it is a late one for me tonight (I am writing this on Thursday night... if that makes sense... don't try to suss it out... it hurt my brain doing that lol)   Thanks for looking... TTFN!

Hels x

36 comments:

Denize said...

LOVE that pic of you hels ..... It's definitely you!!! It's brilliant. Looks like you had a great time :) xxx

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

BAHAHAHAHAA!!!! I can't get over the gelli phallic symbol !!!! BAHAHAHAHAHA!!! AN accident...I am so sure! Clark Bars...nom nom nom nom foo sure...love pb and choco!!!

Claudine said...

Love the story and all the goodies, wowza!!! Lucky girl!! You made out of the US like a bandit!! Haha!!!! Ummm, me thinks you gelli plate is making obscene gestures haha!!!! THAT'S SO FUNNY!!! I can't wait to see what you make with your new goodies. :)

Cheryl Grigsby said...

Score!! I love all the goodies you took home because I know you will turn them into supergoodies. Can't wait to see what you'll do with them. Miss you! CU in 2014!

Hlora said...

wow! Very nice story)) lol))
Great photos!

http://blog.timetocreate.com.au/ said...

ALmost as good as being there. What a shipload of treasure you got. I can now imagine that sleeping will be very difficult until you have opened and had a little explore of everything!

Neil said...

I trying not to turn green.... Such lovely stash, seeing all those lovely people again, and new stuff too. Love the stamps.
Glad you had a wonderful time.

Inkypinkycraft said...

Glad you had a fab time!! Wow what yummy goodies..not just every so slightly envious!! Have funHels, I am sure you will make amazing things! The gelli plate! Accidental?really?!! Lol hugstrace x

Helen said...

What a great pile of goodies, and how cool of those generous folk to gift them to you! Hope you get back on time track soon!

Jenny Marples said...

You may be a little interested in my entry for Sunday Stampers this week from what you've just said about Vintaj! So impressed you were restrained and organised. Hugs, Jenny x

Carole Z said...

Wow! Wow! Wow! look at all those goodies you brought back..can't wait to see what wonderful goodies you will turn them into...loved your story! Carole Z X

Netrix said...

*cough cough choke cough choke
So nice to see the stash, tis lovely. I did notice the very clever charactature - soz can't spell it, nice memory to keep from your travels.
Alfie is such a clever kitty and yes, I agree looks to be plotting!
Your gelli plate, what can I say, I'm still catching my breath!
Thanks for sharing Hels, looked like a whole lotta fun
Jeanette xx

Patricia Howarth said...

Morning Hels, WOW what a stash, all those lovely goodies, you were such a lucky, lucky girl. I noticed the 'moustached man' stamps, I absolutely love those. Ellen is such a lovely lady, parcelling up your excess stash of cheesy chester cheeto's and sending them by post for you.
Please tell me what is a gelli plate ??? I'll have to google it !!
Lots of love from Patricia xx

Patricia Howarth said...

Forgot to mention, Ellen's kitty is gorgeous xx

Unknown said...

I have so enjoyed reading all your posts. What an amazing treasure trove! Can't wait to see what you create with them. That's the first time I have seen something phallic on a gelli plate. Keep warm.
Carol.x

Anonymous said...

Love all the stories. You sure do have an exciting life.

Off to the UK today to visit my son. V excited. See you in a couple of weeks.

Val in Spain xxx

Kirsten said...

That is a serious amount of gorgeous goodies - I'm amazed you got it through as hand luggage!! - and I can't wait to see what you do with it all.
Love the Gelli plate print, it definitely looks like a carrot & two tomatoes. Not. :)

Marleine said...


Hi Hels,

Wow! Have I missed your chat! You tell great stories. What a brilliant lot of stash. Bet your itching to get at it. Your excitement is infectious. X

Elaine said...

Sounds like you had a great time....may I suggest an even bigger suitcase next year or leave some stuff with Mario to ship on!!

nannapat said...

What lovely pressies to receive, you lucky girl. Some accident with the gelli plate I'm sure!! Have a great weekend. Pat x

Redanne said...

Hi Hels, fabulous stash both bought and gifted, I can see you having sooo much fun with that lot! Love the stamps, need the stamps and paints. I did want a Gelli plate too.....yours is hilarious..... Hope you get some rest. Hugs, Anne x

EmmaT said...

Morning Hels, sounds like fun, all those lovely goodies to play with, loved hearing about it all. I once did a painting which turned out to have a phallic symbol in it that i didn't notice until i stood back and looked at it. Emma

The Hardy Stamper said...

Wow - you have been very lucky indeed! Is there space in the room of stash for that haul? If not, I'd be happy to do you a favour and take some off your hands! Trust you to have the only "X" rated Gelli plate!

Joanne said...

I've just had a good nosey at all your stash and even touched some of it - like the Tim stamps!!!! The paints are in the UK now, just waiting for a few more shops to get them so I can compare prices. Well done planning the suitcase and hello to JoeCat. Is he on fb like Alfie? Enjoy a well earned weekend with your lovely man. Can I tell your followers that you are a GDT today at ATCs with Attitude. Thank you once more lovely lady.
xxx

snazzyoriginal said...

A splendiferous haul, can't wait to see what you make with them espesh that Timmy stamp, my fave from the new releases xx

Artyjen said...

Mmmm the gelli plate image is a corker! ROFL ;) Sounds like fun all round.
xoxo Sioux

Fuchsia said...

Wow Lovely stash Hels !
LOL gelli plate !
I havent seen those yet
cant wait to see your latest art x

Dee in N.H. said...

How fun! I am green with envy looking at all the beautiful stash you got! I can't wait to see what you do with the paint. I will be giggling all day with the image of your gelli plate stuck in my head! Too funny!!

rachel said...

wow Hels - you are such a lucky lady - everything looks amazing - glad you didn't have to leave any crafting stash! Big Hugs rachel xx

whyducks said...

Love the cartoons of you both! What exciting goodies you have. Looking forward to seeing what else you do with your Gelli plate.

Debby said...

Wow so glad you had fun. Love reading your comments as they always crack me up! Have to remember that word chuff. I swear way too much so will have to sub that for naughty words. Love the pics of the kitties too. They do want to take over the world don't they???

Karen Petitt said...

Fab pictures, the carricature thingy is good, even though you do look a little bit like 'Meanie Spice' lol! Me wanting one of those Gelli plates - they look like much fun and inkyness Karen x

Shazza said...

sounds like you had a fabulous time Hels, what a gorgeous loda of goodies xx

Elizabeth Johnson said...

Thanks for sharing all about your adventures and treasures. Makes me feel like I've been somewhere. Ha!

Kate said...

Wow that is one hell of a haul! We need to know all about Distress Paint immediately. Break out the bottles and get playing!

Can you define the difference between a Cheeto and a Wotsit, just for the curious?

** Kate **

Nan G said...

LOL with tears! Woke my girls up with my cackling. :D
You sure made out if here with a nice haul. So glad Ellen is going to ship the rest of the Chester goodness to you. My fave by the way. :)

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