Welcome to Edition One of the SENZ Sunday Times! It’s 10 weeks until the great New Zealand Papercraft Expo in Christchurch on the 16 – 18th July. Now’s the time to decide whether you want to go on a weekend getaway with your crafty friends.

What is SENZ?
SENZ (Scrapbooking and Stamping Expo of NZ) is the only National Papercraft Expo. It’s held annually and this year it’s being hosted at the Riccarton Park Events Centre, Christchurch. Artfull Crafts will be attending this event with a huge stall and exciting classes.

What should you expect?
Expect some of NZ’s major Scrapbooking, Cardmaking and Stamping businesses to have stalls brimmed to overflowing with stock, free make-and-takes, a demo theatre, classes running constantly, prizes, competition and a whole lot of fun!!

I’ve been to one of these events before (as a customer) and it was a lot of fun! We spent the weekend in Wellington and took the opportunity to do some classes with quality tutors and then the rest of the time was easily taken up looking around the stalls. Even if you only come for a day you’ll still get a lot out of it.

There’s a Saturday Night Charity Crop and plenty of inspiration for people of all ages. This photo shows me at the 2008 Wellinton SENZ Convention. I'm wearing normal clothes (but really we were supposed to wear our pyjamas...!). I'm not sure what this year's theme will be...

Who else will be Exhibiting?
You’ll see Artfull Crafts, Hastings Rubber Stamps, Create, Scrapbook Outlet , Stampin’ Up Independent, NZ Scrapbook Company, Creative Memories, The Paper Peacock, Fix Design , Tinkering Tools, Stamp Zone, Montarga , KCC, Rubbaddubbadoo plus many more!

How do I buy Tickets?
Tickets can be purchased at the door for $10 (from 9:30am each day), or buy them from our website and get earlier entry and some benefits. Buy any SENZ tickets by midnight Sunday 23rd May and go in the draw to win a FREE class with Melissa Kennedy and Al Hannah!

How do I become a VIP?
Simply buy any of the VIP tickets on the website. Be one of the first 200 people to buy a 3-day VIP pass and you’ll also get a coupon book with discount vouchers and freebies.

Random Information
We have secured a stall 9m long and 2.4m deep. Yip, it’s a big one! And we plan of having the hottest products available for you. We’ve also booked a classroom that can seat upwards of 30 people. Artfull Crafts will be bringing out popular Kaisercraft Designers Melissa Kennedy and Al Hannah and they are currently designing a great range of classes for you. Classes will be available to VIP’s on the 1st of June and on the 4th of June for the general public. It’s not uncommon for classes to sell out.

Here's a sneak peak of the Melissa Kennedy Layout Class... Go in the draw to win this class (or any others by Melissa and Al) if you buy your SENZ tickets before Sunday the 23rd of May.

SENZ organisers have said the interest has been strong and ticket sales are up from the last time it was held in Christchurch. People are coming from all over NZ and Australia. Will you join us? Consider grabbing a cheap $69 Jet Star flight!