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 :)