Retreat

Yesterday morning, I arrived home from my very first scrapbooking retreat!

It was a last-minute decision to go, so I went alone ... into the deep, dark mountains of southern Oklahoma ... responding to an ad ... that I saw on Craig's List.

While Husband encouraged me to go, he did question if the retreat was legit. "Are you sure it's not just some people trying to lure you into the middle of nowhere and kill you," he asked. "Hmm, I don't know. I don't think so. They have a website," I told him.

Anyway, I arrived to the cabin and texted my husband. I texted him again the next morning and again. I thought it was strange that I hadn't heard from him. Saturday afternoon, one of the organizers asked if anyone knew this phone number. Apparently, someone had called the organizer's home number (where her husband answered) and now her husband was convinced that someone was coming out to the woods to kill a few dozen scrapbookers ...

As it turns out, I had no reception in the downstairs on the cabin and my texts hadn't gone through, and I wasn't receiving my husband's text. He found the ad on Craig's List and called the phone number and then refused to identify himself or me (because he didn't want to tell some strange guy that his wife was out in the middle of nowhere).

I used another girl's phone (AT&T got reception out there) to call Husband and let him know I was OK. The organizer called her husband to let him know that it was just " a husband" and not a killer who had a vendetta against paper crafters.

The retreat was great! About 30 women in a big cabin with all out supplies. I was the only one who arrived alone, but I quickly found plenty of people to talk to. I completed cards and layouts and border sets and lots of other fun stuff. They fed us meals and did our dishes (that alone was worth the registration fee). Aside from washing my own face and brushing my teeth, I wasn't responsible for anything other than crafting! I got to try out a fellow scrapper's ATG Gun (a sort of tape gun that was intended for profressional framers but has also gained a reputation for being PERFECT for paper crafters ... if you buy in bulk, a 300-foot refill is only $1, compared the $1.75 I pay for 30 feet for my current tape gun). The ATG Gun is awesome, and I can't wait till Christmas for one ... so I must get one immediately (only sold online)!

I would love to say that the time away recharged me, but I only slept for maybe 11 hours the entire weekend! It recharged me in other ways, but I was certainly tired Sunday night! I was up till 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. both nights (with several ladies, most of whom were much older than me). The last night, my 74-year-old table neighbor was up right there with me. I hope I'm still heading off to scrapbook retreats at 74! It was so cool to be in an environment where I could say things like "swap" and "Splitcoast" and "border set" and "emboss" and "Crystal Effects" and "ATG" and people knew was I was talking about! Oh, and some of the supplies these people hauled ... I look like an amature (and, if you've seen my ROOM FULL OF STUFF, you would know that I have lots). There were FIVE sets of mothers and daughters on the retreat, so I may just have to birth a girl and in 15 or so years, I can be one of those sets.

I received a lot of compliments on my work, so maybe I do have good taste (in crafting, at least) after all.

A new technique I discovered and have fallen in love with is embroidery on paper. I simply must head out and get some floss and needles and templates to do this with. I'm generally not a fan of sewing (but I sometimes forget and end up making things like curtains and costumes), so I never thought of trying it out ... but I love it! It's such a unique and custom look. Very special.

So, yes, I had a GREAT TIME! I was certainly ready to get home and see my boys, though, after two nights away.

I'm hoping to make it to the May retreat (they have one in May and one in November). Maybe I'll even have some friends to bring along? Any takers?