CREATIVE ESCAPE PART 2

After classes on the first day, we had a "Friday Night Extravaganza" and all of the teachers from last year taught a 15 minute class using Heidi's big deck of cards. We stayed in our flower groups and the teachers rotated. They even used stop watches to make sure things ran smoothly and we got a BIG cropper hopper container full of supplies to make 2 cards with each teacher. The teachers were Stacy Julian, Pam Black, Kelli Collins, Carol Wingert, Heidi Swapp, Marti Jones (Mrs. Bazille), Tena Sprenger, and Amy Totty (this lady is hilarious!!!). When we got back to our room they had pink and green popcorn in little bags for us. The next day our first class was with Rhonna Farrer. We did a 21 day journal in her class and used all of her new stamps to stamp the pages of our journal. She is really fun and creative and full of energy. Our second class was with Heidi Lynn (she is the daughter of the Bazille's). She is wonderful and soo funny. She did a calendar class and we got a 12x12 Heidi Swapp calendar, a purple cows cutting tool, and supplies for the layouts as part of the class kit. Our third class that day was with Tracey Niehues. She works for K&Company and this girl created a book out of a clear office envelope. You need to see this to believe it. She had the instructions down to a science. She is super creative. Each class had a power point presentation with the intructions on a big screen. That was really helpful. Our last class was with Leslie Spafford. Her class was a card class and she did some really neat folding techniques for cards and we also did some tags in her class. Her husband was her volunteer and he baked over 600 cookies so everyone could have one. They were a cute team. That night we have a wonderful dinner. Of course we ate dessert first and man that stuff was good!!! After dinner they gave away a ton of prizes. Then Allison Tyler Jones did the keynote speech. She was sooo funny and moving at the same time. She had a great power point with some amazing pictures and music. After her speech all the waiters came out again and gave everyone a little chinese take out box. Inside was a fortunate cookie saying how thankful they were that everyone came, and inside one box was a certificate for her and a friend to attend Creative Escape next year free. Darn!!!! I wanted that!!!! Anyway I'm sure I left out some stuff but as you can see it was a great event. My cousin and I had a great time together and I really miss her because we only see each other about 2 times a year. We talk everyday on the computer but it was an experience I will never forget and be forever thankful that we got to go.

CREATIVE ESCAPE

I had such a wonderful time at Creative Escape!!!! My cousin Ann and I flew out of Memphis on Wednesday to Phoenix to attend Creative Escape. I cannot possibly tell you in one post all of the wonderful things I want to say. I will try and do my best but honestly it was AWESOME!! We were all divided into flower groups and Ann and I were Magnolias. We attended our classes in our groups and each group had 2 helpers. On thursday we had registration and met Heidi and Mr. Bazzill and then went to the "technique boutique". A card came with our name tag in a cute pink "Creative Escape" bag for about 15 stations that we needed to get checked off. At each station we learned techniques we would need to know in our classes for the next 2 days. We also got a TON of free stuff. Each station had a give away from adhesives, to a $40.00 cutting tool, acrylic stamps, a digital CE layout printed on 12x12 cardstock, free kits for mini books, etc. It was really cool. After that the teachers had a "truck show" where they set up big tables with examples of all of their work, and we could visit with each of them and take pictures. After this we went to the on site store!!!! Well, all I am going to say is that we each had a basket full. Ok no more details just in case John reads this blog.

All of the meals were included, so on the first day we got up early and ate a great breakfast and went to our first class. It was taught by Jennifer Wagner and we made a very cute little scrapbook purse. The unique thing about this event is that everyone attends every class. There is no signing up for classes. We all did each class. As you walk in the door they hand you these huge bags of supplies for that class. We did have to bring basic tools and adhesives. Each class lasted an hour and forty five minutes and it FLEW by! The CE people and the Bazille people had extras of everything in case you messed up and they absolutely made sure everyone was happy and had everything they needed. Each classroom had drinks and water. Every need was met.

The second class we went to was Heidi Swapp's class. We used Tim Holtz ink and masks to distress 2 canvas boards to make a message board. This was a relaxing class and we had alot of fun with Heidi. She is so genuine and generous. At the technique boutique she gave us a wonderful kit to make a banner that said "Escape" with all the supplies to make it included.

We had a break after Heidi's class and our last class of the day was with Chris Randall and yes we learned to solder. We bought our own kit and we really had fun and it wasn't that hard at all. At first we soldered around a chip of china. Then we moved on to a necklace. I'll do this again. I would have never tried this if I hadn't gone to CE. That night after our welcome meeting with everyone, we went back to our room and there were chocolates and a CE eye mask for us in our room. (How fun!) Ann posed in hers for me. I also bought us some matching scrap girl PJ's for our trip and it was quite funny to see me set the timer on the camera and put it on the dresser and hop on the bed and pose in 10 seconds! Ok that's all for today. Sorry it is so long but I wanted everyone to see all the pictures. Tomorrow I will finish up the last day of CE on my blog with more pictures.

We Caught A Critter

Well, we finally got a "Have a Heart Trap", (they were sold out for a long time). We knew something was eating my gerber daisy's, but recently we had some huge holes in our flower beds. I mean digging up plants and landscape light wires!! We also had our baby deer visitor so we weren't really sure which one was the culprit. The first night we put out the trap we caught this possum. We used cat food and bacon to bait the trap. It was cute but really mad. It showed it's teeth several times!! John and Seth and some of Seth's friends took it and let it out at Denise Lauerman's new house. hahaha not really Denise!! Got ya! They took it to a lake and let it go. I really felt sorry for it. The problem is..... that since then MORE daisy's have disappeared!!! We are putting it on the back deck now in hopes of catching the flower thief.

This is a fun exciting week for me!!! I leave for Creative Escape on Wednesday!! We are soo excited. They divided all the girls into flower groups and we are in the Magnolia group. I have packed up all my supplies and am ready to go. We got a list of all the women going and I noticed that Stacy Julian and Becky Higgins will be attending!! How exciting! They aren't in my group, but maybe I can get a picture with them. I can't wait to show everyone the pictures when I get back. Have a good week everyone!!