Named the Creative Festival for the Spring Show, the Creative Sewing and Needlework Festival is coming to town in October so mark it on your calendars,  ladies!

The CSNF changed its name to reflect the diversity of the vendors, classes and sponsors of the show. Beading, scrapbooking, quilting, knitting, crochet, sewing, glass painting, candle and soap making, polymer clay, cross stitch, sewing, interior design and more.  Whatever crafting you do, this show is for you.

Details of the show will be posted sometime this coming week, apparently! Keep checking for updates.

Some show tips, get your tickets in advance. Get one of the packages because it’s cheaper. I get the Bronze package and then get a bunch of classes included. It’s the way to go :) You have to book your classes early as space is limited and they go fast!

Have a garage sale and use that money for stash enhancement at the show!!

I forgot my lovely PURL/Pearl: The Knitting Fairy cross stitch pattern! I bought her at the show! Mom bought Thimbelina: The Needlework Fairy and I actually want her too. Maybe I'll order myself one. They are so darned cute!

Other Lynne Nicoletti patterns that I have:

Canada Geese & Hockey Player.

Pattens by Lynne Nicoletti that I want to have:

The Play's the Thing (Shakespeare), CN Tower & Flat Iron Building & Thimbelina: The Needlework Fairy.

Well, I started out at the Creative Memories booth. There I bought:

* Multi-purpose tool & clips

* Journaltopia Writing Guide

* Vintage Round-Tip Pens (perfect for heritage albums)

* Heirloom stickers, Hockey stickers, 70's Decade Stickers and 80's Decade Stickers (and my mom still has my hair crimper from the 80's!)

Creative Memories has so many new tools out! While my impulse was to buy absolutely everything, (sigh) I held back.

2 cross stitch kits

2 knitting books, 1 crochet book

some funky wooden beads

an amber ring for my lovely self

and a bag full of loot from Len's Mills. That is the best booth because things are so dirt cheap! Scrapbook stickers, paper dolls, Christmas presents and a Winnie the Pooh pillow.

We got lots of free stuff at the show too in all of our classes and at the Cropping Party. Mom won the Fiskars Scrapboss Starter Set. I would totally trade mine for that! It was so cute that she won because she wanted it so bad! Amber and I didn't win anything, but it was still fun.

There is a brandy-new Canadian needlework magazine out called Needle Pulling Thread. All needlework is represented. And it's all Canadian! Finally! How fun is that? They gave away free copies of the first edition at the show.

Well, time for bed. Maybe I'll post some pics tomorrow.

This fall's CSNF is looking like their biggest show ever!

I've  purchased a bronze pass which gives me the following:

2 day show admission

Workshops:

Polymer Clay Pendant

Beaded Wizard Bookmark

Spiral Bound Scrapbook

and a ticket for the Cropping Party - Canada's Biggest and Longest Crop!

Of course some big names that you'll recognize include, Yarn Harlot's Stephanie Pearl-McPhee (she'll be there signing her book), Kaffe Fassett, Lily Chin (Lily's running some classes), Denise Powell, and more.

I'm aquiver with anticipation, I tell you! I plan to work on a Christmas present or two at the Cropping Party. There are also in-booth make & takes (stuff you get to make and keep) and a Knit Cafe!

We're going to the show Friday and Saturday if you're interested......

Since I was only able to attend on Friday, I didn't get as much shopping time as I normally would. (This is probably a good thing.) I did get to attend 2 of Jennifer Aikman-Smith's workshops, however. The first, was Beyond the Basic X. Wow. There are so many other stitches out there! We learned the crown stitch, the butterfly stitch and the leaf stitch. I loved learning new techniques. I find it easier to learn new things like this if I am shown how, rather than if I read it in a book. The other class was about getting ideas for what to do with your stitchery - framing isn't the only thing you can do. Of course we all know that, but I'm not into dorky cross stitched sweatshirts either! It was neat to see all the great ideas. I think we were inspired and came up with some ideas of our own.

I attended one knitting workshop with Judy called "Tubular Cast-On". Ok, I love love love this method for casting on. It would be suitable for socks, mitts, legwarmers, wrist cuffs and I think I would even like it in sweaters too. Denise Powell, a member of the Downtown Knit Collective taught this workshop. We were all given a big ball of WW acrylic Paton's TLC. Judy left me hers as well! It creates a lovely stretchy edge. Try Tubular Cast-Off as well! I will add these links to the Tutorials section.

Judy left me some Paton's Merino wool that she got in her Mosaic's class. Amber, Jo and Megan bought me a big purse with the symbol for Capricorn on it! I love it!

Judy and Mom both got hooked on scrapbooking and already have special projects in mind. They stocked up on cutters, shape cutters, pages, stickers, etc. It's so funny to watch someone else get hooked on a new craft! At the moment I am unable to upload more photos. Ross promises to fix that later....

The Spring CSNF approacheth. For the Spring show, they do not have "classes" but rather have lectures, workshops and demos. The spring show is April 22-24 at the International Centre in Mississauga. Buy your tickets in advance (now) in order to be able to attend the workshops. The workshops are free (some have a material fee), but the deal is it's first come - first serve. The advance ticket purchasers will get all the free spots in the workshops! Most of the workshops are for 20-25 people and Jennifer Aikman-Smith has one 40-minute workshop.

There are lots of great knitting workshops! I am hoping I'll be able to  get into some of them.  There are also free in-booth activities that are always fun!

Mom says she's coming for the show! Now we just have to coordinate which workshops we're interested in! :) I wonder if Amber will come too!

Jennifer's class was marvelous, as always. Another UFO for the craft room. :) I didn't buy much this year, but still managed to spend all the money. ;) I bought:

2 balls of Regia 4 sock  yarn

a darning needle holder

Care Bears pattern book (I'm going to make one for Amber)

a Toronto cross stitch pattern (Mom asked me to make it for her)

some fabric

some gifts

a Divine pattern book

and a cross stitch sticker for my scrapbook ;)

a green Knifty Knitter

Unfortunately I can't stay home and craft all day because I have to go to work!

Who's going to the show with me this year? Casa Disco will be home base.

Attendees:

Mom, Amber, Amanda, Amy, Judy and possibly Nancy and Cassandra.

Classes:

Cross Stitch: Jennifer Aikman-Smith "Just a Little Peace and Quiet Please". Last year I think we went to 3 of her classes. She always gives us lots of free stuff!

Scrapbooking: Terry Antoniewicz "Calligraphy for Scrapbookers"

3 MORE SLEEPS!

Pink cotton candy
clouds in the sky
pinky cotton candy
candy for my eye

hey! I want some pink cotton candy!!!

The Creative Sewing and Needlework Festival, otherwise known as CSNF, is coming to town for April 16, 17 and 18. Just three days this time.

I think this one might be out at the International Centre on Airport Road, Mississauga. Well, that's where it was last year. Mom, Amy, and I (I don't think Amber came for that one) had to leave the show and go pick something up for Buzz from one of his "dealers". (Buzz is addicted to the purchasing of tools)

April 16 is Amy's birthday, so I think we most definitely must go to this one. ;)

 

Momma comes in two more sleeps! She'll be here Sat. afternoon! Wheeeeeeeeeeee!

CSNF has become a tradition in my family. My mom, Amber, Amy and I take time off work (ok, well this time they are...) and we shop til our legs are numb are we are all in trouble because we spent more than we had and we leave with more projects than we could ever finish in a year and we are all blissfully happy! The first couple of years we were rather disorganized and just showed up, meandering our way through the rows of booths. We've since become CSNF "old-timers" and know the ropes - the "must-sees", the "Deals" and we know where to find all the great stuff! What's the CSNF like? It's enormous. Any craft you're into, there will be something there for you! Knitting, crochet, rughooking, sewing, embroidery, cross stitch, quilting, beadwork, scrapbooking, greeting card making, stamping, and on and on and on. All in one spot. It's to die for. There are classes, demos, of course there is lots to buy (DUH) There will be lots of "famous" designers of all kinds there. Debbie Bliss, Kaffe Fasset, Lily Chin, Jennifer Aikman-Smith, and more!

This year the show runs Oct.17-20 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Running at the same time, is the Creative Crafting, Arts and Decor Festival. It's really all just one big happy show. You pay one fee and get into both. (they aren't really separate) Here are the deets on event info. They even have a FREE shuttle bus that runs from Union Station. I know, try to contain the enthusiasm, people!

This year, momma decided we'd take some classes together. This is our itinerary..
Sun. Scrap, Stamp and Crop the Night Away CSS 6-9 pm
Mon. Bead Weaving on a Bead LoomC453w1 9-10:30 am
Mon. A Dragon's Tea PartyC512w1 11-1
This is Jennifer Aikman-Smith. Momma's favourite designer. Mom's favourite of course are Jennifer's dragons!
Mon. Be Your Own DesignerC517w1 1:30-3:00 pm

We always wrap up our "weekend" with a trip to Gitta's.

My mom told me that Amber is so excited she vibrates! For us, the CSNF is like Christmas, only we don't leave out cookies and milk for the needlework gnome.