Camp Croppin' 2011 Overview

 Well, another year of Camp Croppin' here in Calgary has come and gone it was again a most splendiferous occasion!!!  I have had the privilege of being a part of it for many years and it's always a great experience meeting fellow crafters, getting to know some of my favourite companies better and judging the layout contest (which is really a great fundraiser for the Children's Hospital Therapeutic Scrapbooking Program!!!)  All just way too much fun!!!!

This year was extra special as Katharina Doyle (co-founder of Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine) was the keynote speaker and she enlisted the aid of the Canadian Scrapbooker Team to help out!!  She THINKS she doesn't do well public speaking, but as those present will attest to I'm sure, she was fantastic as she is simply just super genuine, caring and FUN!!!!

We did a fun little "Scrapbooking Personality" quiz and then also ran a friendly layout contest where each table received some awesome product (Kiki Art, Prima, Kaiser Kraft, Smooch, etc.) and had ONLY 5 minutes to create a layout or project.  You should see what they did!!!  Here are just a few examples...

And what is Camp Croppin' without the regulars from Saskatchewan!!!!!  These girls are such a hoot and contribute so much to the whole experience.  I especially enjoyed seeing Amanda there IRL!!  Although "Flat Amanda" was highly entertaining last year, it was sheer joy and pleasure to have her able to be here and WIN the best layout for her story about battling cancer.

And the ever gracious Kate Kading baked dozens of these cupcakes to sell to help raise money for the Children's Hospital.  Now that's some heart :)

And one of my all-time favourite companies is Bo Bunny and Matthew Lanoy was there to teach and entertain the masses!!!  His mother is one of the "Bo Bunny Girls" and he is a valuable part of the company (one can learn a lot over dinner and drinks... like our shared passion for Black Ops!!!)

 

And it's always fun to have Trisha Ladouceur around!!!  I can still hear her calling out "We're going on a BOAT" all through our Crop and Cruise Scrapbooking Cruise for Canadians in 2007 :)

And a simply lovely lady that I had met briefly before at CHA, but never had the chance to get to know is Wendy Senger who created the Tattered Angels company and the Glimmer Mist that we all use and love!!!

I love her story... she used to own and run a photography business before she began Tattered Angels and when she found out I did photography, we did a super quick little photo shoot out in the parking lot (in the snow and cold!!!!)  She wanted some new head shots...

Don't you just LOVE LOVE LOVE her coat!!!!!!

And last, but most definitely not least... it will come as NO surprise that I went into ugly cry while reading the layouts for the layout contest!!  I thought Katharina was standing beside me when I was reading this one layout and half way through I LOST it big time!!  I turned to get comfort from Katharina and discovered that I was standing all alone doing the ugly cry in the hallway!!!   

Well, needless to say, we picked that layout for the journaling prize and the author is a wonderful girl named Leonka who took the entire year to write her journaling about wanting to be like the other kids in school, telling how the teachers would not give her the chance because they did not feel she could accomplish anything (gosh, I'm tearing up even now just thinking about it!!!).  Anyways, here I am giving her a hug after announcing her winning layout (thanks Barb Riley for the photo!!!!)...

She read her layout to the entire crowd and received a spontaneous standing ovation at the end.  Don't think there was a dry eye in the room.  I love my job.  I love seeing that smile on her face as she absorbed that the cheers and applause was for her.  That, my friends, is what real life is all about :)

Taxes are Done, Now Onto the FUN!!!!

This "Sneak Peek" of one of the projects for our

  Scrapbook Your Heart 

Alberta-wide retreat coming this May 14-16, 2010 took my breathe away!!!  (and YES YES YES, there is still room to come!!!!)  I'm so excited for this year's theme... "A Time for Everything" and even more excited about the special projects we have in store for each lady like this one by Christy Riopel (YES YES YES this project and two others come with your weekend)!!!!

Know that this weekend retreat is oh so much more than just a scrapbooking getaway... it is girlfriend's retreat offered to woman who are anxious to:

• meaningfully and artfully explore matters of the heart
• be pampered and feel special about who they are
• share their life experiences in a safe environment
• dig deep to discover new truths about themselves
• laugh, cry, play, create, share, learn and grow together!

We would LOVE LOVE LOVE to have you join us!!  Check out all the details at www.ScrapbookYourHeart.com.

AND.... we made "BEST OF BREAKFAST TELEVISION"!!!!

So last week Christy and I got to go on Breakfast Television to do our CHA overview and also highlight some of the fun from Camp Croppin' that took place in Calgary with some of the HOTTEST companies out there!! BTW... did you know Scrapbooker's Paradise now has a BLOG and they're doing a BLOG GIVEAWAY!!!!  Check it out!!!!

And although there were some technical difficulties with the video (arghh!) the segment still went great and we made it onto the "Best of BT webisodes"!!  Now you don't even have to wait for me to upload it to YouTube this time!!!  Just click HERE to watch it!!!   

Camp Croppin' 2010 has come and gone!!!!

Camp Croppin' in Calgary this past weekend was a BLAST!!!!  Not only did we have an AMAZING team of instructors, but as always, there were some awesomely fun and talented scrapbookers!!!  Watch Breakfast Television this coming Friday, April 23 for a recap of both my CHA and Camp Croppin' exerience!!!

One of my very favourite companies is BO BUNNY and they really do know how to have a great time and teach a super duper great class!!!  All the ladies kept commenting on how spectacular the projects and the teachers are and you can tell by looking at this fun photo of Jeri that she knows how to "work it"!!

The GLITZ GIRLS from GLITZ DESIGN were also there and although I've met them before at CHA the past couple of years, it was sheer pleasure to really get to know these two lovely ladies Erin and Laura!!  Their new line "Vintage Love Collection" is simply stunning and everyone LOVED the little flowers they taught us how to make out of their supplies and a coffee filter!

And my good friend CHRISTY RIOPEL was teaching for BASIC GREY and her classes ROCKED with tips, techniques and Christy's super joyous personality!!!  You can't help but have a good time in her classes!!

As CANADIAN SCRAPBOOKER MAGAZINE'S latest addition to the team, Christy joined me this year to help judge the infamous Camp Croppin' layout contest.  I've been doing this for years and know what to expect... laughter, tears (I ended up by myself in the corner doing the "ugly cry"... thanks alot Barb!!) and a hard time picking the winners cuz there's just so much talent that shows up at this event!!!  And I LOVE LOVE LOVE that all the proceeds go to the Children's Hospital Therapeutic Scrapbooking Program!!!!!

Here is us with the winner TARA JOHNS... but you'll have to wait to see her CAPTIVATING layout in the Fall issue of Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine!!!  You won't be disappointed!!!!

And I'll end today with my favourite shot of the weekend!!!  I don't know this girl and I don't know her story, but I do know she was overwhelmed with pure joy and gratitude at winning one of the awesome prizes at the crop.  Now THIS is why I love my job!!!!!

The other part of my busy life has been getting my home ready to sell!!!  Here is one "before" and "after" shot I'll give you for now and will post more later on.  We have done pretty good at purging our life, but it's been hard when you've been living in the same home for over 17 years!!!  I have to say though... I'm getting used to a much more pared down, simplistic feel... I just can't find anything now though!!!!!!