escape2create: [the rundown]

So we all had a most marvellous time on our ESCAPE 2 CREATE retreat at Nth Sheilds.

O.M.F.G is all i can say.

It was the best bloody weekend of my whole life. Excellent excellent excellent. I am still pumped if you hadn't noticed

ok i headed over to the venue at about 11am. Setup everything with M, S andT.

The retailers came not long after (we had 5 at the retreat) and they set up their huge stalls.

The first lot of scrappers arrived about 3.30pm (they couldn't wait til 4pm )

On arrival they recieved their passport, wine glass, t-shirt transfer and goodie bag. Showed them the accomodation, toilets, kitchen and also the big scrapping shed.

All arrived by 6.30. Had an intro/welcome speech - was very nervous as i had nominated myself to do it *doh*. but it was ok. Pizza tea.

Then i did my powerpoint talk on basic tips to improve photography - everyone said it was really great and very helpful. I was so pleased with how this went off.

After that we did our jointly taught mint tin album class. Only had about 8girls pop their name on the registration list but they loved it and it really enthused the others when they got back in the shed to think about the Sat classes (which were still in secret squirrel mode lol)After the mint tin class it was free scap time and most people stayed up til the wee hours - T, M, S and myself included until 3am

Sat was absolutely full on.Woke early 7am as people were up and keen ascustard to get scrapping. Breakfast and greeted the 'day trippers' who werearriving. We had advertised that 9am was registration time but at 8.45am thegirls were in a FREAKING LINE lining up to pop their name on the class regolists for the Sat workshops. Meredith's acryilic album class was totally booked out at 9.01am There were a couple of extras wanting to do my classes so i had 18 and 16 in my mini album and layout classes.

Tiff did her workshop first - everyone stoked with their creations. Then i did one at 11am, another at 1.30pm and i was all done by 3.30pm.We also did that grid bingo - lots of techniques to cross off as well as that other ummmmmmmm brand name bingo thing that Rach did at our scrappy awards. The second one was A BIG HIT lol. - you could have heard a pin drop in the shed while they were waiting for the names to be called out

Meredith had her class at 3.30pm.After that had finished we had free timeuntil we went to the pub for tea (short walk) and back to free scrap time into the wee hours (again) 2am for me and Tiff again, nearly 6am for Meredith (she is a bloody machine let me tell you )

Up early for bacon and eggs breaky on Sunday. Totally free day to shop and scrap - no classes. Packed up and all gone by 4pm.

T, M and I stayed there last night on our own just tidying up and packing stuff away. I have not long been home but i am all unpacked as well (lol running on adrenalin still!)

We had such fantastic feedback too. We did some forms up so people could tell us where we went wrong and how we can improve and they were all so positive!

To the point were on Sat night at the pub on of the scrapping guests (a paid retreat go-er) got up and made a speech, thanking us organizers infront of everyone and gave us an envelope of a 'whip around' token of their support and gratitude. It was for us all to go out for tea so we can plan the next retreat LOL - over $200 in that envelope that they gave us all Just amazed to think that paid guests would do that.......

Lots andlots of positive feedback - the one girl there who had been to lots of scrapping retreats (all others and ourselves were scrap retreat virgins) said it was, by far and away the best one she had ever attended. She used to live over in the eastern states and said that she had been to a fair few retreats in the past. Wow what a huge compliment!!

meet and greet table. Collect passport, wine, glass and bag before proceeding :)