was awful! terrible! DO NOT SIGN UP FOR THE LOTTERY... (wink) ...
CE was by far THE BEST scrapbooking / papercrafting event I have ever been to! I am honored and lucky to call myself a "3peter" as I have been to CE now for the debut in 2006, again in 2007 and this year... I cannot believe that Heidi Swapp and Bazzill can get it better and better every year! It is amazing!
It all started with getting bumped to "FIRST CLASS"... I have never flown first class... man oh manachevitz.... a gal could get used to that!
I had a rental car so, I got to fart around Phoenix for the first day. Picked up some necesities...crackers, cheese, wine, fresh flowers... wanted to be "at home" in my little hotel away from home. Wild Horse Pass was really a nice place. So glad they changed the venue. No lazy river but comfy... and once I had the lay of the land... it was easy to figure it all out. It was not the same attending without the other originals and "2nd peters"... laurie, kristin and the NY contingent, sarah, shelly (did not miss her ear piercing whistle though), megan, melanie..... and the list goes on... but there was "Susan in NY" and Kathy N. (Kathy and I were roomies... I don't normally like having a roommate... I savour my quiet / alone time... but Kathy was a good roomie) Laurie... so missed you, love! It was not right that you were not there!...or were you?
So, after picking Kathy up we went to the "very LOCAL" eatery... NOT the run of the mill Mexican restaurant... I let my GPS pick it... well, with the help of some "large" man who helped with the directions.. I figured HE would know a good place to eat... and he was right.
Kathy and I went to Melrose Vintage... a really cool store... I wanted to take MOST of the shabby chic style furniture back to Tampa with me.... there were so beauties in there who just kept whispering "take me back to the beach house... take me back to the beach house..." Funny b/c "wendy" (who works there ? owner?) didn't miss a beat when I said, "Oh, I just want to take some of these georgous pieces back with me"
she said, " which pieces?"
me: "oh that multi drawer hutch in the front of the store to begin with"
wendy: "where are we shipping it"
me: "tampa"
wendy: "oh that is easy... it would only be about $500... it could go on a truck next week"
talk about TEMPTATION ! ! ! I was so close!!! I did spend "alittle" money on some fun scrapbooking supplies. THey carry such classic and pretty papers, ribbons and embellishments.
Then we headed over to "Scraphappy Sisters"... a good store too. They had a cute CE make and take... an acrylic tag. THey were smart too b/c they had custom Creative Escape Paper made up .... I think I got at lease one of each of the "collection"...
Off to the "wild horses _ass: ..... come on, you didn't think of that name too? anyway....
Registration to CE.. piece of cake... as any EXPERIENCED "3 peter" would tell you... don't go register first thing... leave that to the 400 newbies who don't know better, yet. Picked up our cute name tags / lanyards, tote bags, books etc...
Technique Boutique was a bit crazy and crowded... not sure why that cannot flow... seems simple enough. I think the hold up was the stamping of every month for Kolette Halls class. I decided to hand write the months vs. waiting in that L O N G and S L O W line!...
Classes were awesome! ! !
1st up for Group one aka "Daisy" (we were demoted from roses) was: Jennie Bowlin... a cute mini book that was like a montage of various sizes of papers and embellies that all tied together into a cute book. And her rub ons are "like butta" yummy!
2nd was Laurie Stamas... a functional way to scrap with a lot of photos... Bazzill has this album out that holds like 6 photos per page and you can make little layouts or put a photo in there. Love that idea. Can't wait to work with that some more... NOT a big fan of the Christmas red cover .. will be on the look out for maybe black or brown or a soft blue.
3rd... Tim Holtz... he is such a great communicator... so strange to hear such precise and logical instruction coming from a man... no offense I am ONLY stating this in comparison to my husband... who DID NOT major in communication. TIm had us make a pin and it is housed in a "frame" when not worn as a pin. It was nice. It was Tim. Mario was there too...as nice as usual.
4th... Janet Hopkins... LOVED LOVED LOVED this class... this product... this paper collection... the colors... aparently, janet likes to alter old books and based on one of her "babies" as she calls them Heidi and Janet developed this into some new product from HKS...this chipboard mulit ringed binders are FABULOUS.. with a variety of styled pages inside... thick chipboard tabbed pages, card stock printed with classic scrollwork, clear sheets... oh so ALTERABLE!!! Could and WILL fit so many applications... so many holidays / vacations, parties, new babies....
Dinner... = head back to the room to dump this stuff off, wash hands and get a glass of wine. Mexican fare...surprised?
Friday Extravaganza was mulitple cards. I am not a big card maker so I made a get well card for Kelli Collins who wasn't able to attend and teach b/c she had the flu. Hope she is better.
Saturday...
1st was Kollett Hall. Now this was cute but not my favorite. I wasn't feeling the love for the paper... to muted for my taste. I wish she had just gotten started with the class vs. the 20 minute talk. I think that could have been done during the class b/c really once you got organized and started... it was just repetative. The album / journal is cute and I hope to make myself use it. I need that disipline!
2nd Kelly Goree.. Love her work but not her teaching style. I was highly offended that she really spoke to us like we were 3 and 4 year olds. I was offended that she told us all to turn off our cell phone but she didn't. I was offended that she rolled her eyes when the "RAK" cart came in then said when Amy Totty was finished giving away the goodies, "now, lets get back to what we came here for"... I walked out at that point. I was not going to be talked to like that. I paid to be there and to have fun. If I "get is wrong", well.. then "I get it wrong" but seriously... how can it be wrong... this is paper and glue... we were not learning the fine art of NEUROSURGERY! I hope she keeps designing for Basic Grey... just maybe not teaching for them.
3rd Jessica Guthrie. This gal won the talent search that CE held... looking for a new teacher. I had heard the scuttle that she was a drill seargeant and that it was hard and too fast paced... but you know what... I LOVED it. I liked the project and I didn't find her difficult or abrasive at all. I finished my first acrylic album ever! I will do this project again for sure... just in totally different papers. Hers were burgandy, green, brown and cream... it woiuld make a nice Christmas album. It was a good class and she did an awesome job.... and believe me, I am sure she was under A LOT of pressure. She did great!
4th Heidi Swapp... we got to end the day with Heidi Swapp again this year. That is a treat. Her project was a spinner / layout / interactive board... A lot of planning went into this baby, for sure. Just the thought of figuring out how to set up the computer to print those calendar pieces into the circles. It was nice. Functional and will be making this again. So many ways to make this project work for so many "themes". One thing that worked out GREAT for all of us is that the class was split into 3 groups and Heidi started with us then moved onto the next group as Emily Waters came in and taught the next few steps and then moved on while Katie (Swapp) taught the last part. It was more intimate and quiet and relaxing... well, for us.. not for Heidi, Emily and Katie who had to keep moving from class to class teaching the same thing over and over... but I think that is why almost all of us finished. I love bringing home completed projects.
Back to room... dump stuff... wash hands... sit for a minute and unwind... sip a glass of wine... and head to dinner.
The Closing dinner was nice.... well, you know... dinner for 650 people.. not an easy not intimate task but... it was fun. Lots of last minute photos with friends that probably wont get back together for another year... or never again...or later in the week. Lots of good byes... lots of laughter and hugs. dessert was first which is fun. A cute little treasure chest was on our plate with the slice of multi layered cake..."do not open the treasure chest until you are instructed to "... "if you have the REAL coins... YOU are coming back to CE with a friend"... voiced hushed to a murrmer as the chests were opened ... then the "SQUEEL"... so cute. The gal who won, it was her birthday. How exciting! LUCKY GAL! Apparently, there were 10,000 people who registered for the lottery this past year... It really is easier to get into Harvard than Creative Escape! So, tasty chicken dinner and prizes, prizes...more prizes were awarded. Some really lucky gal won 2 spots on the Ultimate Scrapbooking Cruise... NICE! Heidi donated that as a fund raiser for American Cancer Society. She raised $6,000 just on the raffle and 100% goes to ACS ! Thanks Heidi!
THEN... she called Tim Holtz to the stage. He had custom made this cool button down shirt that he wore while teaching. He said, "well I wasn't going to wear a pink V neck" (that was the shirt the made for students to purchase)... anyway... it had the current CE logo... lots of scroll work.. classy.. muted... nice! Well, they thought that it would be fun to have a live auction for the shirt off Tim's back.... you can imagine the cat calls and the wahhhhooos that were shouted at that moment.... so, auction the shirt off his back with 100% proceeds going to American Cancer Society... opening bid $500, then quickly $600... $750...(or close to these numbers)... $1700!.... going... going... then in the back of the room we hear ... $6,000 ! ! ! ... I get goose bumps thinking about it. Tim's face was priceless. He had his eyebrows up almost to the ceiling and his jaw almost to the floor! The crowd went nuts. This gal just matched the proceeds from the raffle for the cruise. I wanted to raise it to $6,500 but no way was I going to be heard over all the hoopla! I mean it was crazy. It was sweet. Later we talked and I thanked her. I shared with her that my mom is a 7 year breast cancer survivor and I have been involved in the 3 day / 60 mile walk and other cancer awareness functions. She shared with me that her gradnparents and step grandparents both had cancer (or had already died from cancer).. that it was just so close to her heart. She didn't even know that it was a custom shirt she was bidding on... she just thought it was "a shirt" that Tim was wearing... I also share with her that I wanted to up her bid but it got lost in the screaming... .. we both had the same limit in mind that we were willing to go to (10K). It was a generous gift she gave and it was a great time for all! Thanks again...nameless woman.....for the future of my daughters without CANCER. THANKYOU! (those dollars may be THE ones that solve the mystery of this awful thief!)
So... from all of that was the rest of the closing. Kolette Hall's husband was the keynote speaker but I had to "GO" so I didn't stay for it. I heard that I missed a good one!
Spent some great time with Kathy and Susan, Peggy, Shannon, Jeanne, ...oh, who else... I am leaving so many out but it was a blast ! I am glad that my husband said to me, as I was telling him that I didn't "want" to go.. I was "burned out from the summer"... and ULTIMATELY...I felt "guilty" leaving him and the kids just weeks /days before leaving for CHINA... I mean I will be out of the house for MOST of the month... he said..."hon, GO! you LOVE creative escape! you have been every year. you get to see your friends... go! just make sure the kids are all lined up with x,y, z and carpools... " THANKS HON! smooch!
I am so glad that I did go! I am really crossing my glue stick to hopefully get in again next year... a "4 peter"...THAT would be awesome. (just think of the super cool tee shirt desing for that one ! ! ! ) I still think they should give alumni a staggered registration time... 3peter's first, then 10 minutes later "2 peters" then 10 minutes later the current new alum "1 peters"... THEN the general public.... sounds reasonable to me.
Oh, the flight home... full, and NO air conditioning until we took off... which was delayed b/c of a failing sensor on the windshield... now that was uncomfortable on so many levels...needless to say that I did NOT get upgraded again to first class... I had to sit next to possibly THE MOST UNFRIENDLY woman in the history of women. I appologized as I had to have her (middle) and the male companion (aisle) put away ALL of their news papers, and books and numerous folders they had out... (not sure how long they had been on that plane already but goodness...it was a lot of stuff).. so various eye rolling and tisking and huffing because of my rude and inconvenient seat that I got stuck with.. the window... (really lady, it was a personal choice I made...just to make YOU miffed!..come on!) So, get myself situated with my book, 2 catalogs that I saved for my "paperwork" on the plane and my ipod. I closed my eyes and started to "meditate" a bit... calming down b/c I HATE flying (well, didn't mind it so much in first class, i tell ya).. .anyway... trying to calm my nervous self and this "peach from the south" talked incently to various "lucky" people on the cell phone... louder and louder she got as she did her "very important business"...."I need to speak to my laywer before I make THAT decision".. " we can meet AFTER I take care of some very important matters when I get back"... "that will be chosen only after I return" male companion said "you can use my office... it's in the corner and very private and has the conference room and my own bathroom... you'll be very comfortable there"....
who are these people? FINALLY, take off... bumpy and more calming needed. The cocktail helped too. Oh, and I could NOT read because, I FORGOT to get my glasses out of my bag that I placed into the over head bin.... crap! SO..it was the inflight movie and my ipod and the very sensual (not) arm rubbing that the "southern belle" next to me kept sharing, as she read her 4th news paper.... opening the whole thing up as if I enjoyed her right hand just shy of being in front of my face. "Princess" would answer without looking up when the flight attendant would offer "peanuts?" "water?" "get you anything?".... and the flight attend was speaking to ME! (she even tried to take my $2 change from my drink) ugh!! I finally fell asleep... escape! when I woke, "mr. man" was sound asleep... but I had to pee. HOW could I possibly wake him and get her all riled again... so, i ordered another cocktail and watched more of the movie. Needless to say.. the second cocktail did nothing to help with the fact that my bladder was F U L L. I look left and now he is awake but SHE is sleeping... pretty too... mouth open, head down... drooling.. how I wished for my camera... more than I had wished for my glasses or the toilet! Gross but would have been a perfect "Anna" photo! Anyway, I decided not to wake her and just "hold on" a bit longer... (I am a nurse.. I have been trained not to urinate for over 8 hours at a time... or as long as the shift may be) ...she can't sleep forever and we have to be close to Tampa.... ok.. well, ske did finally wake up and just in time for the captain / fight attendent... to come on and announce that we were approaching Tampa and entering our final desent...please stow the tray tables and put seat backs up.. you know the drill...well , I just so happened to NOT be wearing any depends and I HAVE to GO! so I say in a nice voice..."I am sorry to have to do this but I HAVE to get up" She looked at me as if I said "I am sorry but I just killed your dog or child"... she just stared at me! and I stared back with a puzzled look and honestly a tad bit of "fear". She starts tisking and huffing as she folded up paper after paper, folder after folder into various bags and sachels....holy cow, woman... are you running a small country from seat 17E or what? I again said very kindly, "I am sorry. I don't mean to be a bother, I actually had to get up a long time ago but your "flight partner" was sound asleep and then when he was awake YOU were sound asleep (did not mention the drool...should have!) but NOW... I HAVE to go to the bathroom. huff .. fold.. huff...tisk... "I am just worried!" she said. "worried?"...I was confused..."well, we are just so close to the ground that you should not be getting up"... ..to which I said... "excuse me?...are you serious?".... "Lady, I am a grown woman who has tolerated your invasion of my space and had to suffer thru your loud and annoying phone calls and I do not think that YOU need to worry at all about ME"... "I have to PEE and I have been VERy patient up til this point. I paid just as much as you to fly in this oven of an airplane you really don't need to worry about ME...except for the fact that I just might pee my pants!".... she rolled her eyes at me one more time. Just as she got it all packed up and she got unbuckled... I decided... " OH, Never mind... I think I will wait.. I decided to hold it"...(we were by now awfully close to landing and didn't want to be in the bathroom when that happened) ... Good Lord, lady. YOU have to put all that crap away anyway! what difference does it make? she was NOT happy! well, I don't think she has ever been happy! What a treasure she was!
Anyway... sorry for the long post... I know that some of you died out a long time ago but some of you (the rosesof 2007 and the ________? flower_______ from 2006) wanted to read a rehash...
I will post photos of the projects tomorrow. It is nighttime here and need the day light for decent photos of projects....
Good night.
xo
catherine
