An insiders view of Dawn Bibbys world {Part Two}

Yesterday was Craft Day at QVC (UK's leading shopping channel) so it was 24 hours of crafting Dawn kindly ask me to assist her, Amy and Leonie. As always it is hard work, but I really enjoyed myself yesterday. Some of the kits were right up my style although NOT all of them, I assure you. The TSV (Today's Special Value) was a cardmaking set from DO Crafts. I thought it was good value for someone who wants to make all the Christmas cards in a go specially with Upsell (kit that combines with the TSV, but that is a separate purchase) although I would not use all the items.
Working with Dawn at QVC has made me understand loads of things about this shopping channel and how its run. Because of certain rules of the company I can't explain how it works, however I can tell that from the point of view of a scrapbooker it has been an eye opener. I, as many others crafters, didn't quite comprehend certain ways. Now I have a much better understanding of the business and that most decisions are taken outside by non crafting people. Also, they are a big business, they are here to sell and although it may not make sense to us, it does to them.

And a couple of photos from last weekend at Topaz Crafts:


Sunday, around 2pm, Dawn Bibby smiles for the camera. Many people say that she doesn't make an effort to recognize people. Well, I can tell you that she does, but she meets hundreds of people at every event she goes to, I mean I have done demos at few feet from her and seen her talking to tons of people, more than any other demonstrator I have ever seen, all day long and smiling for their cameras and showing what she is doing. Yet this people expect her to remember them when they go to another event months later when they are surrounded by hundreds again. Get real! I don't even meet one fourth of who she meets and already have difficulties to remember names and now even faces, my memory is ok, not great, not bad either!

Another critique that many crafters say about her is that she is a diva. I am not saying that she doesn't come across this way, although others may disagree, but she is very kind and once that you get in her world she is not at all like diva-like. She certainly knows her place in the craft business and she uses it, but it would be silly and unprofessional not to. I always smile to myself when certain people criticize her because of that are themselves what I call a fake-down-to-earth person, that is someone who goes on like "Oh, I am so humble, but you know everyone knows me". Dawn Bibby is arguably the best know face of crafting and of course that implies been in the center of discussion. I find that the two most known crafters that I have come across in this country Julie Hickey and Dawn Bibby both are very straight forward and humble in a real way but they are not apologetic for their success and sometimes that is taken in the wrong way. Well I have to say: Good for them that they have been able to build a solid career in something as nice as crafts.

The photo abode is of Amy, Dawn niece. Some of you may recognize her from QVC, where from time to time she does some presenting. She is lovely, bright and cheerful and right now very pregnant.

Lindsey was demonstrating Oriental cards, using some of Paper Nations decoupage sheets and other bits and pieces. It amazes me how many different fashions seem to coexist in the craft industry. Card making for instance has loads of different ones and depending in which area/group you are some are more predominant than others.