We Forked and Talked, Part 2--The Goodies!

In my last post, I left you in suspense about the contents of the big yellow bags we each received at the Fork and Talk event in Little Rock last Saturday (hosted by Craft Gossip and sponsored by EK Success Brands.)  Let me show you everything I got, starting with the bag!  It is one of those big, reuseable shopping bags; I never have enough of these!

We got this nice assortment of scrapbooking supplies; most of the items pictured below are stickers (yes, even the ones that look like cake decorations!), but there is also a large package of ephemera, and some beautiful Martha Stewart glitter.

We also received three heavy-duty paper punches in different designs, several rubber stamps, and a large ink pad.  My favorite in this group is the stamp set on the far left; you can use it to turn index cards into recipe cards, and the food images on the stamps are really cute!

Then, there were the two embroidery kits (in the back); one makes a pillow and the other is for embroidering kitchen towels (I love that one!)  There was also a kit to make a ring, and the item in the foreground is a finished flower clip to put on your bag or shoe or shirt.

Yes, there's more!  We all got a great set of perler beads, some Martha Stewart pie-shaped boxes for goodies (not just pie!), and a big, wonderful pad of scrapbooking paper.  I will use that for all kinds of things other than scrapbooking (which I don't do!)

The picture below shows my favorite thing in the bag: an American Girl Crafts kit, containing a nice wooden box, and lots of  stencils and paints to decorate it with.  I know I will have fun with this, but I can't guarantee mine will come out looking like the picture (I have a feeling mine will include weird things glued all over it!!)

I'm showing you this "Java" kit last (below), because we were all asked to evaluate it.  We started working on it at the Fork and Talk event after the lunch, and it was a good group activity since we could chat while we sewed.  The kit includes pre-cut felt pieces to make a coaster and a coffee cup cozy, and the thread.  It should also include directions and a needle--but my kit was lacking these!!  One of the ladies at my table was kind enough to let me borrow her needle for a while so I could get started on mine.

The kit is well-thought-out and easy to do.  The instructions give you the basics, then advise you to look at the picture to decide which color thread to sew where--I like that, because I hate to read directions! 

This would be a good kit for any beginning sewist, young or old (although I don't think many young girls drink coffee, but they could make this as a gift for an adult.)  I hope that a person who starts sewing with this kit would use the experience as a stepping-stone to explore other ways of using felt, and fabric, and sewing in general.

Just before everyone left the restaurant, we posed for a group photo.  I'm in the back on the right.  I love this picture!  It captures the happiness and energy we all felt from spending time with other crafty-minded women!

We Forked, We Talked...

I just got back from my weekend in Little Rock, Arkansas, where I attended the second blogger's meet-up, called "Fork and Talk", hosted by the website Craft Gossip and sponsored by EK Success Brands on Saturday.  I had so much fun!  Since I had also attended the Fork and Talk in September, seeing the editors and many of the same bloggers was like meeting up with old friends!

The meeting took place in a private dining room at the classy Trio's restaurant.  I took the picture below facing the mirrored wall, so you can see the whole dining room.  This was before we started. That's the quilting editor, Scarlett, seated at the table.

Needlework editor Denise got things started, then we went around the room and each blogger told a little about herself.

When it was my turn to speak, I showed off my Scrappy Snappy Pouches, because they were such a hit when they were featured on Craft Gossip last fall!

I sat next to Suzy, whom I have kept in touch with since the last meet-up (she has joined Craftster and we have been craft-swap partners); she announced that she is expecting her first baby in December!  Congrats, Suzy!!!

We had a lovely lunch, with our choice of five selections from Trio's menu.  (The "I Heart Craftgossip.com" buttons I made and handed out to everyone were a big hit!  You can see that I had some left over, so they are posing with my menu!) 

I had the Quiche Lorraine--YUM!

We played a fun game:  each table was given an 8" x 10" photograph of the editor at that table, and we gave the photo a makeover!  Here are the editors posing with their photos.  And the winner is...

SCARLETT, at my table!  We won--again!  I was at her table last time too!!

Everyone at the table got to choose a prize, and I was quick to snatch up this vintage embroidered tablecloth that Scarlett had brought.  She has encouraged me to get crafty with it--so I am going to cut into it when I am brave enough!  I'll show you the results when that happens!

As things were winding down, we each got a packet containing everyone's business card, so we can find each other on-line and keep in touch.

And for the grand finale...we each got a BIG BAG OF GOODIES from EK Success Brands!  I am going to keep you in suspense about what's inside...check back on Thursday, when I reveal the contents!

Thanks so much, Craft Gossip and EK Success Brands, and especially to the four editors who worked so hard to make the afternoon a fun success:  Denise Felton (needlework editor), Scarlett Burroughs (quilting editor), Anne Weaver (sewing editor), and Stacie de Klerk (jewelry editor).  It was fantastic!

Craft Gossip Invitation!

I've gotten my invitation!  On Friday I will travel to Little Rock, Arkansas, to attend the second "Fork and Talk" blogger's meet-up, hosted by editors of the website Craft Gossip, and sponsored by EK Success Brands (which produces crafting supplies and kits, including Martha Stewart and American Girl Dolls).

I attended the first Fork and Talk last September.  Since then I've had several of my projects featured on the Craft Gossip website, which has really helped to boost my readership, and inspired me to constantly work to make my blog as interesting as possible.  I love Craft Gossip!  Since I also love making little crafty things and giving them away, and I know all the other bloggers at the meet-up love Craft Gossip too, I decided to make pin-back buttons to bring with me and distribute to everyone at Fork and Talk next Saturday.

I got this wonderful button-making machine for my birthday last year.  It makes high-quality buttons, and I've discovered that I can be very creative with them--often I print words from the computer, like I did for these buttons, but I can also draw a tiny piece of art and turn it into a button.

The words are printed on pretty scrapbook paper, and the hearts are stickers (I started out cutting each little heart from paper...it was taking too long, so it was stickers to the rescue!)

I'll be blogging all about it next week--I can't wait to see what new products will be in the swag bags--I'll show you everything, and I just might be giving some of it away to readers!