the mall invasion...
What a sight to see...
Hundreds of women scurrying through the mall looking for their next class...rolling carts in black, pink or lime green...colorful totes filled to the brim with enough tools to build a house...scrapbooking classes on the pirate ship smack in the middle of the mall...it will definitely go down in my journals as my most unique teaching experience.
Canada's Scrapbooking Crop for Kids was a great time and for an amazing cause...raising money for the local children's hospital in each of the cities that hosted the event. There aren't enough words out there to thank Trisha Ladouceur and her team of volunteers for coordinating this event. Trisha gave up the better part of a year and a good part of her house while putting this event together. She lived with cardboard boxes of donated product and kits and she and her family pretty much ate and slept the event for months on end. Huge thanks go to them for all that they've done...from the bottom of my heart.
A big thanks also to cherryArte for sponsoring my classes. The students and I totally appreciated Lu's generosity with the sheets of rub-ons and chipboard shapes included in each kit. Lots of great product to use in future projects, for sure!
Here are some of the teachers with Trisha on Saturday night...one thing for sure with teaching at a mall...there's no shortage of eating spots!
One of the highlights of the weekend was meeting Cheryl Mezzetti, design team coordinator for Creative Imaginations, traveling instructor and local instructor at Right at Home Scrapbooking where I taught in August. Sharon, you told me that I'd really like Cheryl and you're absolutely right. We totally connected...it was great to be able to spend some time together and find all that common ground! Cheryl, you totally rock...you are an amazingly creative artist...and a fun, down to earth person!
Another one of the highlights of the weekend was to meet Janice of Papier Valise in person. Papier Valise has been one of my favorite online sources for one of a kind accents and ephemera and even though I'd ordered for years and Janice and I emailed each other, we had never met. Well, all I can say is that the two of us can chat for a loooong time without running out of things to say. We were able to take advantage of a couple of hours of down time and sit and chat in her booth at the vendor fair. Of course, I brought home a bag of goodies...it's cool seeing some of the products in person...sometimes web photos just don't do them justice. I'll shoot some pix today of some of my favorites and post them later this week. Janice has an amazing eye for "stuff"...truly...and you won't be disappointed with what she sends you. If you have a chance to check out her site...have fun!
On a final note, as I was sitting in the hotel lobby early yesterday morning (4:45 a.m.!) waiting for my shuttle, the guy behind the desk asked me if I was part of the Crop for Kids event. I told him that I was and he proceeded to ask me if we were getting together to talk about farming different crops to grow good food for children...I had to swallow the huge guffaw that was about to erupt...and informed him that it was actually scrapbooking. His response was one typical of a guy who has no family members involved in the craft..."Scrapbooking, eh? Interesting." Right...I'm sure he found it interesting...he had nothing more to say. :))
Hugs and Happy Monday.
hello girlie. great write up. I will drop you an email assson as i sleep :) and isnt Janice the bestest!!
Posted by: anam | October 15, 2007 at 07:42 AM
We take the word "crop" for granted and never thought how others my perceive that word. Funny how the guy at the front desk was thinking of farming.
How neat you got to meet the person responsible for all those great finds on Papier Valise.
Did you do any shopping at the mall??
Posted by: Jeanette | October 15, 2007 at 11:20 AM
Carol, I had a blast meeting you at CSC4K! Haven't dumped any of my photos yet, but as soon as I do, I'll send you some!I cannot wait to start following your blog. You are such an elegant, funny & very creative lady, maybe one day we'll teach together again!
Posted by: Leica Forrest | October 15, 2007 at 02:45 PM
Carol, it was so great to meet you. You are such a sweet person! (and I think Cheryl is super nice too! ;)) I'm so glad that you could come & be a part of CSCK4K!
I'm so excited to have found your blog and hopefully I'll have time to keep up with you too!
Posted by: Cari Locken | October 15, 2007 at 07:14 PM
Hello Carol, so great to meet you and so glad to hear you had a wonderful time and thanks for coming. Hope you got a chance to look around the Mall before you left, there is so much more to see!
I have to ask you a very nice favor. May I have a copy of the group picture, pretty please? I never did bring my camera that night and was cheesed off at myself for not remembering it.
Posted by: Janine | October 15, 2007 at 11:15 PM
Your trip sounds fabulous! Did you get room service? :)
Posted by: Linda Woods | October 16, 2007 at 07:52 AM