Crafting at Alexandra Palace

Its September and it's not only just my Birthday month but it's also Crafting at Ally Pally Month. Well one month out of two!

I used to go to this event fair every single year, sometimes twice a year if I was super lucky to have the funds to do so - let's face it, Crafting is a very expensive game! But I had the opportunity to go this year because I had saved up to go this time round and I was super excited.

Ally Pally holds what used to be the Big Scrapbook and Stamp Show (BSSBS) twice a year - April and September, it probably been going from what I remember for the last 5 or so years (please correct me if I'm wrong!) and the amount of companies has definitely expanded over the years, and the variety and diversity of materials, tools, products and bargains are now wide and very vast.

I personally use this event especially in September to stock up on Christmas Craft supplies, things like dies, stamps, embellishments, paper and card stock and it's always greatly worthwhile to go because the discount you do receive is brilliant every year.

My first stop was getting there - every year I see buses full of people arriving to Alexandra Palace and this year - no different. Alexandra Palace is located near Wood Green in North London, as I live in the city I get the London Underground straight up to Wood Green and a free shuttle bus is supplied from the station courtesy of the organisers - WIN! You can also get the W3 up there as well - stops at the same place. You get to Alexandra Palace and go through to the Great Hall (it used to be in another smaller hall, which goes to show how much they've expanded) and you are entering the Craft Realm of Happiness! Suppliers, bustling atmosphere, companies, fellow crafters, craft companies and a little media and it's always great to see.

I have some favourite supplies and companies I go to when I attend this craft event - Lime Tree Craft, Every Crafts a Pound, Crafty Devils and Clarity Stamp - all of which I visited and bought supplies from this year - I whole heap of cardstock that I wanted in so many colours, chipboard embellishments, dies, stamps, tools, embossing folders and I took away a lot of inspiration. I also looked at other companies I would not have seen or look at before - storage items for example, glitter, distress inks and techniques from other I would have otherwise had looked at previously. There was also a lot of young crafters - of which I was super happy about. I had not noticed many young crafters out there who attend events like this - even kids I saw shopping with their Mums, Aunts, Grandmothers, older Sisters, it was great, don't worry there were many male crafters too! But it was great to see teenagers, young adults and even younger, younger adults getting inspired, taking ideas away and running with them and even picking out things that could be useful for their future makes, or their relatives' future makes - it was brilliant.

I came away from the events knowing that a) I was very much shopped out and probably wouldn't need craft stuff for at least 6 months! (well who am I kidding?!) and that everyone was a community, a community of crafters, a day out for communities as such, old friends, new friends, great relationships between supplies and buyers and it was lovely to see that. If you're ever in London in April and/or September for Crafting at Ally Pally, you can check out the link below for the event and the exhibitors list as well.

The next craft event I will be hoping to attend will be at the Excel London Exhibition Centre for the Stitching, Sewing and Hobbycrafts Show on the 17th - 19th November 2016. Details are below.

Links

Crafting at Ally Pally (Formerly Big Stamp and Scrapbooking Show), Alexandra Palace, London, UK

ICHF Stitching, Sewing and Hobbycrafts Show, Excel, London, UK

Until then - Happy Crafting!