I'm suffering from PCPD
That's Post Craft Party Depression. I can't deny it, we worked really really hard. Now it's over, we're all feeling a little lost. I imagine this is how people feel after organising a big wedding or something? I have a recurring dream that I got the date wrong and wake up with a start. But it's OK, I can just sleep as much as I want for a while.
Let me give you a quick peek of the setup.
All party-goers were to be handed a goodie bag as they came in the door, (we didn't want to have to man the door on exit to dish them out, and we thought it might be handy for carting stuff about!) and a pouch of printed carnival tickets.
We requisitioned Family Tree's coffee shop for the evening, in addition to their party room, and renamed it the Craft Lounge. Drinks and snacks would be available to purchase, in addition to a free Pimms whilst stocks lasted. We had crafting materials laid out for three crafts - pom-pom making, Hama beads and paper crafts -which we planned to leave unmanned for a crafting freeforall.
We had several lovely volunteers from our Knit & Natter, in addition to everyone I've mentioned above, raring to assist - Charmaine, Claire, Clare, Laura (that girl should have been born with a mic in her hand), Fiona (thanks for all the beautiful pictures) and Paul, who was in charge of 'Knit-off' once he'd helped me get everyone in the door. We also had an immeasurable amount of help from Barney, who was setting up all day for us and was in charge of looking after everyone, and Nic was to man the pop-up shop (as well as slipping vodka in to the volunteer's colas and donating a jar of honey to the body scrub table!).
Let me give you a quick peek of the setup.
All party-goers were to be handed a goodie bag as they came in the door, (we didn't want to have to man the door on exit to dish them out, and we thought it might be handy for carting stuff about!) and a pouch of printed carnival tickets.
Each goodie bag contained an array of flyers and discount vouchers, a pretty hand printed card (most of them from the lovely Karoline Rerrie), a crafting scrap pack from the Berylune stash, a bag of retro sweeties, a commemorative badge, some buttons and a kit to make a flower pin cushion. The printed tickets were to be handed in at our 6 mini workshops - more on those later. Zoë worked especially hard on the goodie bags, so do thank her when you see her!
Stop! It's Hama Time.
Upstairs, in the main party room, we had set up a photo booth, a pop up shop, a table of goodies to be won in our raffle for Myton Hospices (more on those donations later!), our 'Knit Off' competition, six tables of mini craft workshops and a drying area for everyone to leave their sticky things.
Who could refuse Kristie's smile?
Our six lovely teachers were allocated one of the workshop tables each. On the right hand side of the hall, Hannah was manning the natural body scrubs workshop, Amy was proving potato shape stamping isn't just for primary school children and Zoë was encouraging people to make a wool felt gadget case that looks like an envelope (if you know Zoë, you'll appreciate the importance of it looking like an envelope!).
On the left hand side of the hall, Charlotte was offering plant pot decorating and planting of tiny sedums, Denise was manning decoupage coaster-tiles (possibly the most organised anyone has ever been, ever) and Lara was ready to help people hammer some snazzy jewellery.
Then nearly 200 people started to arrive... but I think that's another post. Watch this space.
(p.s. Amy let go of a massive helium filled balloon! The ceilings were really high and it was a bit of a struggle to get it down....)
Berylune, 45 Park Street, Leamington Spa CV32 4QN. www.berylune.co.uk
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