Friday night, I actually was ready for bed by about 10 p.m.
That's unheard of for me on the night before an event/workshop.
I fell asleep right away, only to wake up about 30 minutes later in a total panic. "Something's wrong", my brain was saying. "I must have forgotten something...no way should I be done this early."
With self-doubt ruling the brain waves, it took a little longer to fall asleep.
The next day, I figured out what I forgot to do. I forgot to ask God to turn down the thermostat in the afternoon :).
So we did, indeed, all have our day in the sun!
On Saturday morning, the chicks were eager to begin. I barely had my lipstick on when they started arriving. Then, the buying frenzy began. Within a very short period of time, my creatologie flea was gone...and brown kraft shopping bags lined the great room. There's something about all that sunshine that gets the shopping juices going!
Here's what greeted the ladies out in the backyard.



Large zinc bottle carriers were the special holders that held the kits for this project. Kit parts were in bags, boxes and bottles, with lots of stamped kraft paper in the mix. It definitely looked like the scene of a rustic Tuscan farmhouse.
Ashley outdid herself with the food...again, most of it based on ideas and recipes directly from Tuscany.
Breakfast was two different egg casseroles, a bagel, sausage and cheese strata and an eggs florentine served on a bed of potatoes. I still can't decide which I liked best. Add to that fresh fruit salad, glazed citrus yogurt breakfast cake and homemade lemon poppyseed scones and all I can say is, WOW!
After breakfast, we got ourselves totally immersed in the project.




There was definitely a buzz in the air as the covers and interiors of the books started getting built. This is a really creative group of women...and their willingness to play with materials and step out of the box is so inspirational to me. It had been since last September that I gathered with creative friends and I have to tell you, I really missed being with them!
Ashley's fabulous lunch menu had us smacking our lips, quite literally.
She served us a Tuscan roasted pork loin, a fabulous veggie lasagna with a homemade basil/spinach pesto sauch, homemade creamy polenta, a roasted red pepper and tomato gratin and a huge salad with homemade dressings.
Amazing food, soooo delicious.
While Ashley cleared the kitchen and started prepping for the dessert portion of the afternoon, we headed back to the gardens to create. By that time, we were having our day in the sun, for sure! But, I've got to tell you that NOBODY whined...not even a teensy little bit. If someone got hot, then would go inside and stamp, or sew their buttons on the inside sofa, or find a shady spot to mist and spray. Thanks, ladies, for being so good natured, even when the afternoon gust of wind blew a paper clay fragment into the pond! Yikes...it was like living with a very demonstrative Ma Nature that afternoon!
Here's the whole group:

And some little group shots that Vern happened to snap...by the way, Vern took all the pix...a huge thanks to him!

(with Jo and Dotti)

(with Sharon) (why in the world had I gathered up my skirt???)

(with Nancy, Twila and Cynthia)

(with Gina, and our travel journals)
Here's a good one of Ashley setting up the desserts:

All of the desserts (Tuscan sugar cookies, chocolate semi-freddo, homemade mini tarts filled with panna cotta or blood orange curd (blood oranges from our tree), fresh berries, and homemade biscotti):


The chocolate semi-freddo was a first for me. Ash made it from scratch and it's kind of a blend between gelato and mousse, frozen and sliced. Wow, was it awesome with the fresh berries.
Everyone got to take home extra desserts, if they wanted...which they did!
It was seriously a fabulous day under the sun...thank you to everyone who came...love you, ladies!
*****
And now, drumroll, please.....
I have just a few extra kits of the Old World Travel Journal Heirloom project that we created. I will have some of the techniques done for you in that project, like aging the copper, but please know that the instructions are basically written for someone who would have attended. If you're comfortable with having basic instructions and large pictures, this Heirloom collection kit is for you! And, as always, I'm just an email away.
Here's what my cover looks like:

And, here's the open book:

There are literally just a few extra kits and they are available for $187, plus $22 shipping. If you'd like one, simply click on the Buy Now button below and I'll ship it out next week.
Thanks!
ALL GONE...THANK YOU!