What a GREAT Weekend!

Just a few pictures I wanted to share with everyone. And I wanted to take a minute to thank you all for making the scrapbook retreat a wonderful, wonderful event. I had a blast and I hope you all did, too! Enjoy the pictures...

Here are some early arrivers. Already hard at work. But don't be deceived... they were having a blast!!! Debbie, aren't you glad you changed your mind at the last minute? You know you couldn't miss hanging out with all of us for a long weekend!Ok, I can't even believe I was up this late Thursday night. Oh, that's right, I was in bed and asleep by 9pm Wednesday night and I was ready to party!!! Jeanne, Sheri, Debbie and Keli... LADIES... you are ALL crazy!!!
Ok, Vickie. I hope you are proud of yourself. You outbid our friend Lyla and took that bag right out of her hands! And she SO thought she was going to win that one! It really is a pretty bag! Maybe next time, Lyla!
Michelle is so intent on working on whatever that is she is working on. HEY, WOMAN... congratulations on winning the layout contest Saturday night! WOOHOO, MICHELLE!!!!
Ok, Julie, what ARE you doing? Marcy is wondering the same thing!
WHY do we have to travel with SO much stuff! WHY??? Because we are afraid we will need that one button that in there SOMEWHERE!!!
Ok, Jeannine and Tanya... Fess up... ARE you sisters or not? Jeannine, was this your first retreat or NOT? Tanya, great pages, but GIVE UP STEALING!!!
Anyone hungry? Was anyone EVER hungry this weekend? If you were, that would definitely be your OWN fault!
I think if I were to have one more piece of ANYTHING from this table, I would absolutely POP!
Tysha was on the phone with that sweet little boy of hers. I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I couldn't help it. Brought a tear to my eye and gave me goosebumps!
Nope, you didn't see any pictures of Janet in here. She was the one who had a hot date EVERY NIGHT with that fantastic husband of hers!

I hope everyone had half as good a time as I did. I hope everyone had a save trip home. I hope everyone got the stuff out of their cars okay and I hope you will get it unpacked at your own leisure! Until next time.... Happy Scrapping, everyone!

What a Mess!

I can honestly say, I am almost done packing... Scrapbook stuff, anyway! I have no clothes packed, but who cares! I've got scrapbook stuff and retreat stuff packed! And when Shirley gets here with the van Wednesday morning, we'll be loading up and heading to Branson! I can't believe day after tomorrow at this time, the room should be all set up and I hope to be all ready for you all to start showing up on Thursday! WOOHOO!!!! Off to do some laundry, watch Dancing with the Stars and finish up printing some things for the weekend. Talk to you all soon!

Are You Ready?

I know I am! I need a getaway so badly! And how much fun to have one with a bunch of scrapbookers!!!!

As I got out of bed this morning, bedhead and all, I stumbled into my living room, grabbing a cup of coffee along the way and sat down at my computer. I looked over to my dining table and reality hit me... as I saw all of the boxes and bags and "retreat stuff" all neatly packed and stacked on and around the table, it really hit me... IT'S THIS WEEK! All of this planning and preparing is about to come to fruition! And I really realized... I AM SO READY!

I also thought of something else... this is mainly for you REPEAT RETREATERS... at least those who were at my retreat last fall at Heit's Point. We were so nice and secluded there. No one else around except the cooks and Delbert. So, we were able to do exactly what I did this morning... get out of bed, bedhead and all, stumbled to my computer and ALL IN MY PJ'S!

Now, I'm not saying you CAN'T wear your PJ's all day... oh, no... you do what you want... I'm just saying... we will be in a HOTEL in BRANSON this time. The odds that there will be people around are pretty high! Almost guaranteed! SO... all I'm saying is... keep that in mind! We may even have to share the conference center with someone... It's huge and we are using less than half of it!

SO... dress as you want... I don't care. Just don't be SHOCKED if you run into people out and about! WE WILL NOT BE ALONE!!!!

And one last thing... since we are SO close, there will be no more CROP CASH opportunities here or by email... we are WAY to close to try to keep up with it. HOWEVER... there will be many, many CROP CASH opportunites starting at 1 pm on Thursday and going throughout the retreat... at least right up to the last auction at 7pm on Saturday!

I hope you all have enjoyed the CROP CASH opportunity fun! I hope it's kept everyone engaged and excited.

Keep watching this blog as I may still post here. Be safe in your travels, call or email me if you have any last minute questions and I will see you all in a couple of days!

Drop and Swap Table

Several of you have asked about this and I just keep forgetting to mention it... YES, we WILL have a drop and swap table. Bring your unwanted scrapbook items and leave it on the DROP AND SWAP Table and help yourself to anything that is there. It's amazing how one man's junk is another's treasure! Be sure to check back often... you never know WHO will drop WHAT and WHEN!

Snacks for CROP CASH

I am sending this out through my regular email… through my fancy, pretty email and on this blog! Hopefully it will reach everyone!!! Please check with your crop buddies and help pass the word and ask everyone to respond. Either by email… group email or on the blog!

When I asked before, I got a lot of something from each category responses. If you responded like that or similar, can you be a little more specific now that we are a little close? As I get responses, I will post them on the blog so everyone will know what we’ve got coming and what can be filled in. Just FYI… for both lunches and dinners, sweet tea is being delivered from the caterer, so I’m guessing we’ll have a lot of tea!

Also, I plan to get coffee going as early as I get in the room... which will open by 6:30am… HOWEVER, if you HAVE to have coffee before then, the rooms do have coffee makers, so you may have to make your first cup in your room!

Oh… AND… BREAKING NEWS…. The hotel has agreed to keep the crop room open until 2AM!!!! That’s 2 o’clock in the morning!!! MUCH better than the 10 pm it started out being and somewhat better than MIDNIGHT! And in case anyone is wondering… NO… you can’t be locked IN! Sorry.

Please respond to me about the snacks as soon as you know so I can get stuff posted. If you truly don’t know what you are going to be and you won’t know until next Wednesday, that’s fine, just let me know. We’ll work something out!!!

See you all next week!

WI-FI

I wanted to let everyone know that there is free wi-fi at the hotel and in the crop room. That's all for now!

Ok... I'm feeling kind of lonely here.... Posting a comment here will earn you $100 in CROP CASH!!!! (only one qualifying entry per person, please!)

Do you all realize we are only a week away! WOOHOO!!!

Getting Ready

Name tags done - CHECK!

Make and take done - CHECK!

Rooming List to hotel done - CHECK!

Seating Chart done - CHECK!

Food ordered - CHECK!

Hotel rooms reserved and paid for - CHECK!

Salt and Pepper shakers - CHECK!

the list goes on and on.... but I am in "Retreat Mode"! Can you believe we are just a week away!!!

I've got to work on a schedule of some type! I'm trying keep it unstructured, but it has to have SOME structure so it will at least appear organized!!!

Auctions
Cricut Classes
Meals
Scrapbooking time!
Random CROP CASH opportunities (I guess to schedule those would be an oxymoron, now wouldn't it!)

Just thinking out loud... don't mind me!

Just Got Back from the Hotel

and the bill is paid! We are having a SCRAPBOOK RETREAT!

It's funny how, even with all of the planning and preparing, it's not until you pay the bill, that you realize, I mean, REALLY realize, it's getting SO CLOSE! And it's also funny how you THINK you know answers but you don't always!

But, I think I've got everything lined out, and depending on how it goes, I have even tentatively booked a 2010 SPRING Scrapbook Retreat! I know... I know... you don't even want to think about that, but I HAVE to! So, the dates are April 15, 16, 17 and 18... exactly 6 months from this one. Cool!

Anyway... here is what I've got for now...

When you get there, go to the front desk. You will pick up your keys and they'll tell you if your room is ready. We are listed under the group name "SCRAPBOOKERS". There should be NO CHARGES waiting for you... the bill is PAID IN FULL as of today!

Check-in to the hotel is 3:00. But if you get there early and the rooms are ready, they will check you in. PLUS, if you get there early, the CROP ROOM will be ready! The CROP ROOM is going to be available from 6:30 am to midnight --- I am diligently working with the hotel, and I think I may almost have them convinced to leave it open til 2am... I'm working on it!

I plan to be down there Wednesday to make sure everything is going to be ready to go on Thursday -- no Thursday arrivals earlier than 1:00 pm, please!

For the coffee drinkers, I am pleased to announce there is a coffee maker in the kitchen and several carafes and we can keep it going as long as we want! There is also an unlimited supply of ice. We are going to have a separate, yet joined, eating area, that will double as a classroom -- for Cricut classes and anything else we may come up with!

Floor electrical outlets are not as plentiful as I was told, so, if you bring anything that needs to be plugged in, try to remember to also bring an extension cord. I have duct tape on my list of things to bring, so, I think we will be fine.

If you have any questions or special needs, please do NOT hesitate to email me. I want everyone to enjoy this time and if I can help in any way, I will.

Any Interest in Cricut Classes at the Retreat?

Thanks to Tanya, I am checking to see if there would be an interest in any of my Cricut Classes. For those of you who don't know about them, here is a list and a brief explanation of each class. If you are interested, click here to send me an email. If I have enough - 2 or 3 per class, I will put together a schedule and let you know! Each class is 2 hours and for this retreat ONLY, I will offer them for $10 each or any 2 for $15! And who knows... this just might be a CROP CASH opportunity, too! Check them out and let me know!

Beginning Cricut Class

This is for the person who hasn't done much at all with their machine. It doesn't matter which one you ahve, you will be comfortable with your machine and cutting up a storm by the time you leave class! It's also a good refresher course for those who do just the basics with it.

Among other things, you will...

• learn to change the blade
• move the blade around on your mat to place your cut
• learn about blade depth, speed and pressure
• sizing of image/font you want to cut
• maintain your machinecut an image and shadow it

You will need to bring your Cricut if you have one or just come and learn about the machine!

Beginning Design Studio

In this class, you will learn how to...

• update your firmware and your software
• basic features of the software
• flip, skew, rotate, stretch and resize any image or letter
• welding
• basic shadowingcombining two or more cartridges

Intermediate Design Studio

In this class, you will learn...

• more in depth into basic features of the software
• shortcuts
• shape property menu
• stacking letters
• welding in a framemaking scallops

Advanced Design Studio

In this class, you will learn...

• save your projects and share with others
• find projects online and download them for your use
• more intricute shadowing
• use multiple cutting mats and layers in one project
• remove part of a shape
• quickly find shapes you need without searching through each cartridges
• tips and tricks to make even basic functions easier
• to make a shaped card
• to make work books
• to make your own chipboard!

Click here and send me and email to let me know if you are interested and I'll let you know how it works out!

Add on to the Add on!!!

Thanks to Jeannine, I am adding a box of Hot Chocolate and a box of Tea Bags (regular or flavored of either the hot chocolate or tea bags) to share, will earn you the same CROP CASH as flavored creamer! I totally wasn't thinking about non-coffee drinkers!

Thanks, Jeannine... That just earned you $50 in CROP CASH!!!