Tuesday 9 April 2013

Back from Paris

I'm back from Paris and a fabulous time was had by all. I need to say a big thank you to Mr & Mrs PaperArtsy for taking me along to be part of the PaparArtsy team, it's hard work with long days but it's soooo much fun and Mark and Leandra always make sure that everyone is very well looked after.

It really is a team effort which is of course headed by Mark and Leandra. There's me, who after helping set up the stand gets to play for three and a half days. Paul the die man is chief re-stocker, making sure that the shelves remain full throughout the duration of the show and I can assure you that is not an easy task!!! My dear friend Missie Sally is bi-lingual and she is a key part of the team, handling lots of translation for demos and also in Leandra's classes. Dounia (i hope I have spelt her name correctly!) is a lovely French student who also happens to be bi-lingual and she was in charge of the Make & Take table this year. And last but by no means least, Audrey who is one of Mark and Leandra's French friends and does a sterling job manning one of the tills alongside Mark.

An enormous amount of preparation goes into any show but the extra work involved in exhibiting at an international show is mind blowing. Mark and Leandra have been working hard behind the scenes for ages to make sure that everything is in place. Things like organising signage in French, making sure the till is programmed correctly for the currency conversion, ensuring that the credit card terminal is geared up for accepted payment outside the UK.......the list is long and those guys deserve medals for the amount of time they invested in this show.

I have to admit, I was pretty bad at taking photos of the show and stand this year, we were so busy, it simply didn't cross my mind but I would like to share with you the pictures that I do have.

The show starts for us at 7am....Yes, I did mean AM, on Thursday morning when we arrive at the venue to begin building the stand. At this point, it is Mark, Leandra and myself with Paul, Sally and Dounia arriving throughout the morning. We spend all day building the stand, setting up the demo desks, Make & Take table, till area, putting up all the artwork and making sure that we have a good system for restocking. This is a very time consuming process but we do have a giggle along the way, usually at someones expense, for example, the moment that Leandra managed to get her coat jammed in a packing tape gun was really quite funny! Think I may be in danger of being killed for posting this but it really was very amusing!!!


Sadly, fool that I am, I didn't take any pictures of the PaperArtsy stand (I'm sure that Mark did, so I'm certain Leandra will post them on her blog when she has time) but I did take a photo of the stand opposite us. This is my favourite stand at the show, they have an amazing eye for design, the stand is simply but so very effective. I love all the globes on the top shelf, illuminated by lights inside them.....just fabulous. The company is called Scrap Buttons and the sell the most beautiful buttons and badges which they make themselves.

 
And now for pics of some of my samples. They are all focused on ways of using Fresco Finish paint, Grunge Paste, Treasure Gold, dies and of course PaperArtsy stamps. Some of them have Tando Creative embellies too.

 
A close up, in the hope that you can see the texture.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
As you can see, I was a busy girl and had loads of fun making these samples and sharing the techniques. These are just a few of the samples I made.....there are many, many more and if you are coming to Ally Pally at the weekend, you can see these in real life. I will be there demoing alongside Leandra on the Saturday and Jo Firth-Young will be working her magic on Sunday. If you are coming to the show and would like to see how these are made, stop by the PaperArtsy stand and I will be more than happy to show you.
 
Twitter is buzzing this morning with excitement about the Ally Pally show, it appears that there is going to be a mass Tweet 'n' Meet which is a lovely opportunity to put faces to all your Twitter friends so it's definitely going to be a fun show.
 
Finally, I am going to leave you with a photo of Missie Sally, my dear friend and room mate, proudly wearing her PaperArsty apron. Without Sally's help at VersionScrap with translation, demoing would have been a much bigger challenge for me, so thanks Sal, I couldn't have done it without you.
 
 

17 comments:

Helen said...

What a great write-up Lin - Not surprised you didn't get to take photos, I know what your demos are like!!! See you on Saturday, let the twitter countdown continue...!!

Helen said...

oh, the samples are gorgeous, but that goes without saying.....

Lin said...

oh Lin the samples are brilliant..can't wait till saturday and sunday. It sounds like you girls hva had a fab time and I am sure we will get to hear all about it in the coming days...as Helen said the countdown continues..4 more sleeps!!

Cocofolies said...

Hi Lin ! What a great news report ! Thanks for showing the wonderful samples you made on the stand during your week-end at VS. I've had the chance to attend the two classes of Leandra and to meet you, it was a real pleasure and honor for me !!!! you can have a look on my blog too if you want here: http://scrapcocofolies.canalblog.com/archives/2013/04/07/26868985.htm, and also, if you are interested I can send you several photos I've just received from other friends, with you & Leandra on the stand ! Great moments for everybody, and I LOVE your collection of stamps, I wanted to tell it you again !! Very best wishes, Coco xx

Daniele said...

just loving that pink creeping in with the blues in the backgrounds of your fabulous creations
One of these years I'm going to have to go, sounds like a great place with lots of different things to buy
hugs

Trish said...

It sounds like you had a wonderful time in Paris, and of course your samples are quite simply stunning! Have a great time at AP
Trish xxx

Minxy said...

What a fab selection of samples, can't wait to see them in the flesh at the weekend xo

Unknown said...

Wonderful work as always Lin. Will live in hope of getting to Paris one day...
Really looking forward to your workshop in July and learning more about those fab Paper Artsy paints!!

PaperArtsy said...

Blimey...I had already forgotten about that stupid tape gun trapping me! Lucky it was Lin to the rescue huh!!!

Thanks for coming with us #suchfun

Unknown said...

Your work is stunning like Anita I'm looking forward to your workshop in July and learning your techniques.

Rebecca said...

Stunning work as ever, sounds like fun
Happy craftin
Rebecca

Sophie said...

Mir fehlen die Worte...
Alles ist so wunderschön, zum Niederknien.

Sophie xx

Anonymous said...

Am back in Paris now, after two very special days in Amsterdam with Breenie. Loved your blog post showing all those gorgeous samples -- not quite as much fun as standing there, watching them materialise before my eyes and telling all the mind-blown French public about them! Really troubled though because my little iPad can't manage to show me ALL the pictures, so have to wait till I'm back home in Toulouse to see me and my stolen pinnie!!!!!! How I wish "the team" was going to be together at AP this coming weekend! Never mind - VS was unforgettable, and so much appreciated. Lots of love to you from me - Missie Sally xo

Anonymous said...

Am back in Paris now, after two very special days in Amsterdam with Breenie. Loved your blog post showing all those gorgeous samples -- not quite as much fun as standing there, watching them materialise before my eyes and telling all the mind-blown French public about them! Really troubled though because my little iPad can't manage to show me ALL the pictures, so have to wait till I'm back home in Toulouse to see me and my stolen pinnie!!!!!! How I wish "the team" was going to be together at AP this coming weekend! Never mind - VS was unforgettable, and so much appreciated. Lots of love to you from me - Missie Sally xo

Rosie said...

Wonderful artwork

laure said...

It was wonderful to see you working products and I stay with a glimmer of hope to see you "bientot" in Class in France.

virginie said...

It was wonderfull to see your demos ! In version scrap i can't buy product because i made a lot of purchase in other stand before ! Lol
But i'm impatient to be in may to go to the paperartsy site to make all my purchase.
Thank your very much for your kindness and i hope i'll see you again on day in France.