About Me

I'm a freelance artist, designer and demonstrator and have been involved in arts and craft my whole life in one way or another. I design stamps for top British company Personal Impressions, under the "Lindsay Mason Designs" brand, as well as papers, templates and other crafting products. I'm a certified Ranger Educator and my first book,"Stamping", was published in 2009. I also design regular projects for Crafts Beautiful magazine and have made guest appearances from time to time on QVC. I've recently joined You Tube under the name of LindsayMason1000 where I'm posting short technique videos and you can buy my paintings and hand crafted pieces from my Etsy shop. My work takes me all around the country demonstrating stamping, papercrafts and general inkiness! When I'm not working, I love gardening, church & community activities, nature watching, journalling, music and theatre and just relaxing at home. Email me at: ljm.design1@virginmedia.com

Friday 17 July 2009

Back from London

Hello everyone and thank you for all the lovely calls, emails, texts and comments which you left for me before and after my debut on QVC - they have all been really appreciated. Your good wishes certainly helped to quell any nerves!
Wednesday started with me travelling down to Euston where Jj met me and drove me to the hotel in Chelsea Harbour where Dawn and Leonie were busy making some extra cards for that night's show. I went to my room first to freshen up a bit...lovely room with fabulous views over the harbour and city as you can see. I then went down to join Dawn and Leonie amidst the all the stamps, papers and inks. We had a quick snack in the room and very soon it was time to get ready to go along to QVC. A double quick shower and change and we were off! Poor Jj has two slipped discs, so he felt a bit helpless as we loaded boxes and bags into the car. Arriving at QVC Leonie had to say cheerio as she had to be elsewhere, so we loaded a large trolley and wheeled all the kits and samples up to the studio which looked quite dark and gloomy at this stage as you can see. All the kits had to be unloaded and put into order on the "pods" as they are called. The clock was now counting down but with two hours to go it seemed as if there would be lots of time to get organised....or maybe not! The time was flying by and there were so many things to put out, that it was 7.30pm before I knew it! The producer chatted to me about general things that I needed to know and very soon I was being miked up. All my nerves had left me by now, as there was just so much going on and everyone was so friendly. The bright studio lights came on, Dale Franklin arrived and very quickly it was the ten second countdown.
The whole two hour show just flew by and was so much fun. I really didn't get chance to show half the techniques that I had prepared because everything was selling out so quickly. The funniest moment for me was when I answered Dawn's question about how much Perfect Pearls powder to add to black embossing powder and I said "the tip of a Starbuck's coffee stirrer is about right".....Dale had to jump in and say "or any other coffee house of course" and...ooops....I realised what I had said!!! Everyone laughed though, so I didn't get thrown off the set! Dale Franklin was absolutely lovely, very calm and relaxed and Dawn and I just chatted together as we normally would.
Very soon the show had ended and it was time to clear away. My table looked like an absolute tip as I had been going from one thing to another with no time to clear up as I went. The photo below is of my previously well packed case after I threw everything in as my tables were needed in another studio. Dawn, Dale and the QVC crew all said that they were delighted with how the show had gone, and how natural I had been - phew! So, once we had packed away it was back to the htel where Dawn Jj and I had a strawberry champagne cocktail each (and I forgot to take a picture!) in celebration of my debut! Delicious! We chatted for a couple of hours and, of course, there were a few phone calls to make and take. David had told me to remember to smile and, apparently I looked very serious! I think it was because the studio is so full of cameras, monitors and people that it is quite hard to know where to look or whether you are on screen or not. I'm sure that it all comes with experience.
I was happy to see when I got back that Joanne and Jilly had both spotted their cards behind me on screen! I didn't get chance to show them, so I'd hoped they would be noticed.
So, it was a great experience and Dawn and Jj really looked after me - the only downer was that Jj ran me back to Euston and despite setting off an hour before my train was due out we got there with just a few minutes to spare, only to be told that my train had gone....apparently they won't let passengers on if there are only minutes before departure....first time I have heard this one! I wasn't allowed to travel with my ticket on another train, so had to pay out almost £45 on a new one - I was livid and I will be complaining!
To finish my post, here are just a few of the card samples that I made for the show.....this one was using Perfect Pearl powders over black card and then inking the silhouette stamps with Perfect Pearls medium and stamping them onto the card which removes the powder. The swirls were drawn with a Versamark pen and then powdered over.Next is a background made using Distress inks and water. The bird and swirls were stamped over the top and I stamped a second bird, coloured it, cut it out and stuck it over the first bird.
Below is a card that was made using Personal Impressions canvas which I coloured with Heritage ink pads and then made the frame from. The rest of the card was just layers decorated with birds and swirls.
Lastly, this is the card whch I made to show the masking technique using some of the cats from my clear stamp set. I thought it would be fun to colour them in pastel shades to match the cardstock.


Well, I must sign off now, but thanks to everyone who wished me luck, watched, or bought my stamps! Lindsay

14 comments:

Artyjen said...

Loved the programme......if you were nervous it did not show! LOL....hope to join a real live class some day.
xoxo

Joanne said...

These samples are fabulous and both the fairy and bird ones are the ones I went mad over when I saw them. Must have a go at those techniques. Thank you so much for sharing your amazing talent.
xxx

Sharon Noble said...

Hi Lindsay , Beautiful beautiful samples and you did a fantastic job on QVC my husband say's you sure did and next time a bit of warning for his bank account is in order *giggles* TUT!! Some Men just don't understand the sweetie shop concept , I NEEDED ALL your stamps lol.. *wink* Can't wait to play when they arrive.
thank you for all your hard work .
Ohhhhh cheeky question coming up ... Any chance you could do a border collie stamp? i can supply pictures of Ben if it would help for inspiration.

Have a wonderful weekend
love Sharon xxx

Anonymous said...

Congratulations Lindsay. Loved the show - you were a natural! Looking forward to seeing you again soon! Love the samples, will hopefully be having a play later on. Hugs She xxx

Clare with paint in her hair said...

Loved the show, and i did laugh when you said Starbucks hehe. Congrats on your success. Sorry i missed you at samuel taylor the other week, i didnt know you would be going!!

Clare

lovefibres said...

I watched the show Lindsay, remembering what you'd said to me several years earlier about demonstrating on TV. You did really well. David was right you did look quite serious, but maybe that's better than too cheesy?
I really giggled over the Starbucks stirrer, but at least it made you laugh.
Well done, my friend

Gibmiss said...

Hi linsay
What a great show it was lots of tips wish i could remember them all, managed to buy all you stamps, what good value, you were Brill.

hugs Sylvie
Gibraltarxxxx

Hazel (Didos) said...

Hi Lindsay, blogger has been playing up so just managed to get the comments up today! Grrr. The show was brill, thanks for sharing your talent with us all, I love your stuff and can't wait for the Post Person to arrive with my new stamps. Loved the slip up of Starbucks. Oops Made me laugh,
Love to you Hazelxoxo

B.T.Bear (esq.) said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Mrs Mac said...

I missed your programme- I set the box to record it and it didn't! GRR!!!!! It keeps doing this. We have set it to record lots of things while away and then we come back and it hasn't. Not sure why. (Sorry that last comment was me- I was signed in as my Bear. LOL!)

GRR!!! Not fair! But I am pleased to hear that it went all.

Fascinating to read the build up to the programme! I always find that Dawn comes over quite bossy- I take it she is ok in real life though!

Your samples are gorgeous and now I am even more annoyed that I missed the show. HURRUMPF!

sharon said...

As a new comer to your work I really enjoyed the show this week. So many gorgeous things to choose from! You did really well - looking forward to seeing you on again.
x

Dragonlady said...

Hi Lindsay

I enjoyed watching your demos. What fantastic stamps but the ones I wanted sold out straight away - the cute cat set of three. Oh well I will just have to be patient!! Crafter - patient yeh right!
Best wishes

Ali

AliMayes said...

You did a great job on the show Lindsay and I'd just like to say that I ordered your 'Swirly Bird' stamps and have just used your owl to make 3 ATCs and I am totally in love with him! Would you be doing him any larger? I must try doing that trick with a straw as well to make trees - it looks amazing.
Ali xx

Lindsay Mason said...

Hi Ali, I will ask Personal Impressions about doing a larger version of the owl...you never know! I'm so pleased that you like the image though - I must admit he became one of my favourites as soon as I had designed him! Do try the straw trees, they are great fun. Lindsay x