Here's the run-down from my wonderful, sleepless, drive 300+ miles, crazy scrap filled weekend!!!
After the class we ran to the car, got some gas and some grub and headed out the 10 freeway to Palm Desert, an hour's drive from Redlands. I got to Desert Scrappers Retreats about 10 minutes before my class was supposed to start. Luckily the class before mine was running late so that bought me some time to get set up. Katie got set up in the 3rd floor crop room to run the Scrapbook Royalty raffle while I went down to the classroom (a newly remodeled conference room off the first floor lobby). I figured since Katie is a Girl Scout and would be in a room with alot of nice women she'd be okay for a few hours running the raffle herself. Plus Laura from Desert Scrappers was there to help.
I set up a little “kit boutique” in the classroom with some past class kits I had on hand–I had some for sale for just $5!! Some ladies really got some great deals on some of my best kits and it was nice to go home with a much lighter load. I'll be listing the remaining kits in my Etsy store at rock bottom prices. I gotta make room for some new stuff. And these would all be great Christmas gifts so keep an eye out for the announcement–I'll make it here first.
After my two classes I went back up stairs to check on Katie and say our “good-byes”. Katie raised $165 raffling the THREE raffle baskets — two from Scrapbook Royalty and one from me.
All of the $165 raised will be going to Susan G. Komen during Survivor Crop on October 18th at Ever After Scrapbooks. I am so proud that Katie handled all of that money and all of the ladies' requests during the 3 hours I was teaching across the hotel.
Everyone loved their raffle items too–thank you so much to everyone who helped to support our cause and who was so hospitable to Katie and I!! THANK YOU!!
After chatting with Laura of Desert Scrappers and Sheila from Survivor Crop we went to the car to hit the road…or so we thought. In my hurry to get out of the car to teach my classes I left my head lights on and my battery was stone dead. I called AAA and we got a jump. I was soooo hungry at this point and you can imagine how Katie was feeling. NO restaurants in Palm Desert are drive throughs. NONE. We had to drive all the way to the freeway to get food. After all the standing I was doing all day there was no way I was going to be getting in and out of the car to go stand in line to get food! LOL
I spent the entire drive home chatting with my good friend Elena. Nothing like a good friend and good conversation to keep my awake on a drive like that–two solid hours! We always have somethign to chat about, not just Scrapbook Royalty though that IS pretty fun to chat about too.
I went to bed at 1030pm when I got home. And you KNOW, if you read my blog regularly, you just KNOW I never go to bed that early. Ever!! I slept really well, let me tell ya!
I've been setting up little “Creative Shops” in my classes where I select items from the store that coordinate with the class so people can shop from this little display during the class, right there at the class table. I used to do this all the time but then got sporadic about it last year and just plain didn't do it earlier this year. I like doing this too because it gives me a chance to check out what is new around the store–hehe!
The class kit plus the bonus layout kit:
Here's the layout one of the early birds made:
Ms. Robyn!
We had a great time in the class and it was so relaxing after my crazy Saturday to just sit and chat with these two wonderful ladies and just have fun. We finished up a little late because we took our time but it was a nice relaxing afternoon. I packed up all the kits for the people who couldn't make it to the class and headed out with the family.
We went down Imperial to the Walmart shopping center and had chinese food at the little restaurant there–it was SOOO yummy! The yumminess probably had alot to do with the fact that I was starving but it sure hit the spot! And then we went to Walmart to get some fun stuff Robyn told me about and then on home.
On the way home I got a giant chocolate milkshake from Dairy Queen. I hadn't eaten much all weekend because of my gnarly schedule so that milkshake just canceled any weight loss that would have occured….oh well! I needed some chocolate therapy!
I'm having a crop at my house for some friends this next weekend and I figured I need to get this place picked up and in order. I put the finishing touches on some kits and then started in on this project:
I have 2 years' worth of layouts in stacks on two shelves. Some need some journaling or dates so I haven't started on those but the ones with dates I put in order and am going to move to albums after I get done with this post. As you can see in the pics, there is a stack of layouts still to be tackled as well as a bag of mini alpha stickers for adding dates to pages. I can't waint until this is done!
I really need to take better care of my pages. And I need to put in a MEGA album and refills order from my CTMH lady. I want to use only CTMH albums and refills but I am really eyeing those Lickety Slip Albums from Bazzill….what to do?!
So in the middle of this project the phone rings and it is my dad. He says they haven't seen me much and wonder what is going on. I am just busy. Really really busy. I need to figure out how to streamline and stay organized so I can do everything I want to. I want to have it all! LOL I recently read an article in BHG about staying organized and I saw this shop: See Jane Work. It is my featured link this week (over on the upper left column on this very blog). Makes me want cute boxes with things in them! LOL I need to schedule my day better so I don't forget about what is important.
I also found my big basket for mini books…
…and it is now OVERFLOWING. I need to find a solution fast. I've sold some samples, 3 books are at the LA County Fair, some I gave to manufacturers or Scrapbook Royalty for an auction item or friends or as gifts, and some are on display in stores for classes or as store samples. Oh my goodness! Here are where the overflow books are:
Anyways, that was my crazy weekend. It is stressful when I am in the middle of it but afterwards I feel a great sense of accomplishment mixed with relief and it all brings a smile to my face thinking of all the fun people I got to meet, old friends I got to visit with, and just the whole idea that my “job” is being a scrapbooking teacher! Who'd have thought that would be what my livelihood is? Wow…It is just wonderful! Thanks to everyone who supports me by taking my classes!
I have some ladies who were so sad that they missed the desktop calendar class… do you have any kits left?