Retreat LO's Part Two

Whilst at Sarah's cards retreat as well as completing the six classes, two challenges and buying lots of stash I also made the following LO's:

As you can see I am loving MME and brought lots of their new release at the retreat.  There a couple of these pages that I need to sit down and add some journalling to but I appear to be having a bit of a journalling block at the moment and I am just not happy with what I have come up with so will wait until I can get the words just right. Also didn't have the right colour alphas with me at the retreat and need to add titles.

It was very different this time as unlike last November I was no longer using a crutch and was able to take my crop bag as well which meant more scrapping supplies on hand which I naturally put to good use.  Plus with an extra bag I could buy more stash than last time and if there is room in your bag, it is just rude not to fill it with stash!

Sarah's Cards

These are the six classes from Sarah's Cards 2012 retreat which I went to a couple of weekends ago in Warrington.


Helen's class:

Lou's class:

Tracy's class:

Claire's class:

Jen's class, just need to add some journalling but I'm not sure what I want to write as I never make LO's about me!:

Ifa's class, not photographed too well as the paper has curved due to misting:

There were also 2 challenges over the weekend.  First was the page kit:

Then the sketch challenge:

I had a great weekend and it was so much fun to meet up again with some wonderful ladies that I met at the last retreat plus it was great to met some new ladies too.


I will be back in the next few days to show you the other LO's I made over the weekend.

A Fantastic Weekend Adventure.

I have just returned home from the most wonderful fun packed weekend with this group of wonderful ladies:

Many many thanks to Sarah & Lianne for organising it all and thanks also to the DT for your stunning creative work.  Just love them all so much.  

Day Three Of The Crafty Spa Weekend (Sunday)

Another 2 classes today.  First up was Through The Window by Natalie Grant:

I just loved this LO so much that I made a boy version this evening:

The final class was Flying The Flag by Rachel Ward:

In total I produced 9 LO's, a decorative peg and two sweetie boxes:

All with thanks to these lovely talented ladies:

Day Two Of The Crafty Spa Weekend (Saturday)

Well yesterday started with another great nights sleep until my neighbours had a little tiff in the corridor at 2.30am which lasted over an hour.  By the end I think everybody in our corridor had come to conclusion that a young lady's room card key didn't work and her slightly jolly (alcohol added) friends might like to go to reception to tell someone. Why it took them over an hour I don't know!  Anyway, I am really thinking now that I NEED a new bed or I move in to a hotel full time.

Sorry for the poor photos of Fridays LO's but that was down to the mobile.  I took my DSLR today and managed to get a few more but sadly with no daylight.


I am LOVING this retreat and have met some lovely lovely ladies.  How Sarah and Lianne managed to match up 4 strangers and sit them on a table and find they just click is truly amazing!  Thanks ladies, this has made for a fantastic funny weekend.  I really have not laughed so much for such a long time and considering we were strangers 36 hours ago it is unbelievable how well we have got on.  I really hope I can have the experience of other retreats in the future.


These were yesterday's LO's:

The first LO just needs a zipper rosette added which I will try to have a go at finishing today.  I also need to photo my sketch challenge as it had been handed in for judging, not that I stand a chance when I looked at all the other lovely LO's made by the other attendees.

There was also a little make and take tag from Friday evening:

Now on to Saturday's activities which consisted of 3 classes. First up was Against The Grain which was taught by Vanessa Stokoe.

After lunch was Fancy Flora by Jen Naulls:

Followed quickly by Krafty Adventures by Lou Stevenson:

After dinner it was time to collect my card making class supplies from Tracy Gough.  It was now 8.30 and to be honest I couldn't face another class.  However, a couple more take and makes filled the evening:

A lovely little magnetic peg and two sweet filled packages....wonder if these will make two little ones happy when I get home!

After a team quiz (sadly we didn't win but a 12/20 was quite impressive in our books) the next challenge was set by Sarah.  An altered canvas made using your scraps from the retreat classes.  This is Cherry's entry.....words are not really needed but oh did we laugh!

Finished off with a little hooky in bed.  Fantastic day all round x

Day One Of The Crafty Spa Weekend (Friday)

I have now had a lovely evening last night in front of the tv with some peace and quiet for hooky & me time.  


I love my kids to bits but the last few years have been hell for us as a family.  Their Father has not been part of their lives for the past 18 months and as sad as it is to say, it is for the best and even at 8 & 9 they both can clearly see that.  My health has not been good, too many ops, too many complications with on going health issues, too much of everything that is not nice.  

I sit here waiting to see later this month hospital specialists for Freya to see if she has rheumatoid arthritis, that last thing I would wish her to have at 8 years old.  But family history may take over and if we have to deal with it we will. Liam has not had an easy ride health wise either.

Sadly the stress of all that has gone on has taken its toll on all three of us.  However, I have today woken up so refreshed words just cannot describe how I feel.  I needed me time, time without Mom, Mom, Mom 20 hours a day (Liam only sleeps 3 to 4 hours a night, every night), time without work, stress, household chores.

Time for me.


This is my hooky progress from last night; 2 new stripes and 4 new rows completed.

After a little coffee break I went off to the Spa.

  

Well the two spa treatments have also worked wonders, I managed to fall asleep for over an hour after the massage(!) and I registered for Sarah's Cards Retreat around 4pm and restricted myself to a few minutes look round the shop.  Ok, about 30 but who is counting.  Been very restrained and not made many purchases yet but the fact I have 1 crutch and 1 suitcase is going to have a huge bearing on what I can buy as I need to get it home on the train.

Dinner was fantastic and soon after the first class began which for me was Tactile Memories by Claire Wheatley made using My Mind's Eye Lost & Found 2, Blush collection and a range of unusual items and textures to create this tactile page:

I just need to add a zipper flower and some pins when I get home as I left my cotton and needle at home and the zipper flower was a little tricky and felt it was best to leave until I got home and not stress out over it.

Sorry the pictures are really small but they were taken on my mobile as I had left my camera in my room and there is ALOT of very wet PVA on this LO and needs to be left over night to dry.

I also completed a LO for the sketch challenge where I used some of my new purchases:

Plus a make and take LO:

I'll photograph the LO's properly tomorrow and put bigger pics up on this post. I'll also introduce you to three lovely ladies who I am sharing a crop table with.

Its now gone midnight and my happy relaxed head is hitting the pillow.

Let the Crafty Spa Weekend Begin!

I left home at 6am and boarded a train here:

Stourbridge Junction Train Station

Got off the train here:

I then went to work (boo!!!)

I then went here to board a train:

and got off the train here:

I got in a taxi to here:

The spa treatments are booked, in fact one has already happened.  Another two booked for tomorrow and one for Monday.

Tonight is tv and hooky time after a little dinner.

Friday evening, all day Saturday and Sunday is scrappy time!!!!

Let the rest and relaxation begin.....