when i began this journey and attended my first creative escape, i had no idea it would become such a huge part of my life for the next years that followed. i remember feeling so fortunate and lucky that i was picked in the lottery to attend in 2009 that i kind of made a deal with myself to just savor every second because in my eyes the opportunity was truly "once in a lifetime". in 2010, i decided to just take a chance and enter the lottery anyway. odds are, i would never be able to go again right? well, low and behold i attended the 2nd creative escape and it was even more fabulous and amazing than my first experience. after that second one, and when it was announced that this year, 2011 would be the last one it was an absolute given that i just had to be there. and what can i say...this year was completely incredible from start to finish. what a journey it has been.
nothing beats the beauty of the desert. the hotel that hosts the convention, the sheraton wild horse resort and spa is truly fabulous. i love the atmosphere, the colors, the smell, the sound, the landscape. the music that fills the lobby and every corner of the hotel is so comforting and relaxing. it truly is a piece of desert paradise. and yes temperatures may have reached record setting high's of 119...but absolutely nothing could keep this girl away from just absorbing it all and snapping a few photos of the gardens around the resort. it is the best. sights like these i never want to forget.
this years theme "worth remembering" brought us all back to the 1950's. the decor of creative escape made me think of poodle skirts, saddle shoes, ponytails, diners and ice cream floats. i loved the theme, and what was even hotter than the temperatures outside was mr. bazill's bright red shiny t-bird that dazzled during the thursday bazaar event.
i was so lucky to see maggie holmes again too! she is an incredible photographer, scrapbooker and designer. she taught at last year's creative escape and this year she attended as a student. she had the most beautiful table set up during the bazaar full of her creativity and photography. she is also a momma to some of the most beautiful children i have ever seen! what an absolute treat it was to see her and chat for a bit. love her! she is someone i truly admire in many ways.
next up on thursday was heidi swapp's mini class. she taught the coolest project! we were all able to YUDU screen our very own creative escape apron that we got to keep. we also were able to sew our own blossom as an accent to the apron which was really fun for me because i learned a new way to create flowers. oooh the possibilities!
next up was the trunk show which always is my top favorite of the event. all of the teachers set up a table displaying some of their favorite projects. nothing beats being able to see projects i have admired through blogs, magazines etc. up close and personal. very inspiring. i also love how each teacher's personal style is so evident throughout their display's. a little bit of everything for everyone to enjoy. the ideas one gets after seeing such beautiful display's are incredible. my heart and mind are full for the next 10 years easy! it is always such an honor to be able to just absorb and enjoy the albums and projects. i feel very blessed that i was given the chance to have such an intimate glance into their creative life. i can appreciate that because scrapbooks are so personal, and such treasured possessions that it is really incredible how willing and open the instructors are to sharing their stories. thank you so much for that.
meeting ali edwards. there are no words. all i can say is wow. this woman is amazing! her stories, her passion, her simplicity, her truth. everything about her makes me excited for life and for documenting my own. she makes it feel possible and exciting. i have always hoped that one day i would be able to learn from her. i believe that my believing and putting it out there created this moment and i am truly so appreciative and grateful. meeting her was a full circle moment for me. her class was amazing.
one of the best parts about creative escape is not only the amount of creativity and learning that happens, but the incredible people that come and the friendships that are created. the women that i met throughout my years at creative escape will forever be with me and are some of my most treasured. we had so much fun learning, laughing, crying, scrapbooking. there is nothing more powerful than that of like minds and being together with you all doing what we love is truly the best. i am so grateful to have met you all and am a better person for it.
heidi swapp delivered the keynote this year. her story...i do not have the words to even begin to describe her story. all i know is that her words and images touched me to the very core. her openness and passion are beyond anything that i have ever been around and because of things i had seen and heard through her presentation i am forever changed. my perspective has changed. my desires have changed. my belief in scrapbooking has intensified beyond measure. never underestimate the power of photographs. she is everything i love about scrapbooking and photography. there will never be enough thank you's to offer to her to how she has changed my life. from my first CE to the last CE, she is and forever will be an angel to me. she is one of those people who has come into my life and left footprints on my heart.
once CE wrapped up, we spent the remainder of our time shopping and enjoying a relaxing sunday in HOT chandler, arizona. it was so nice to spend some girl time together. enjoying one another's company, sharing stories, and eating some amazing food! i will never forget the food at ling louie's and that banana spring roll dessert. be still my heart!
right now, i just feel so full of thoughts that i am not sure if i can adequately express just what these past 3 years have meant to me. but one thing i DO know is what i believe. and what this event represents is exactly that.
i found another quote the other day that i believe to be true with all my heart. it is something that i want to include in my life everyday. "surround yourself with people that inspire and uplift you. people who think big allow you to expand. you cannot put your hand into a pot of glue without some of it sticking and likewise you cannot interact with inspired people without some of that rubbing off on you" - John Demartinil. what i have learned, how i have been influenced for the better, how i see the world now, how i want to continue living my life has all been impacted and empowered by my time spent here and the people that i have met and the relationships that have formed. it is so bittersweet to say goodbye. my heart is sad, yet my heart is happy for everything that i have embraced. thank you so much CE for the life changing experience. eternally grateful am i.
when i began this journey and attended my first creative escape, i had no idea it would become such a huge part of my life for the next years that followed. i remember feeling so fortunate and lucky that i was picked in the lottery to attend in 2009 that i kind of made a deal with myself to just savor every second because in my eyes the opportunity was truly "once in a lifetime". in 2010, i decided to just take a chance and enter the lottery anyway. odds are, i would never be able to go again right? well, low and behold i attended the 2nd creative escape and it was even more fabulous and amazing than my first experience. after that second one, and when it was announced that this year, 2011 would be the last one it was an absolute given that i just had to be there. and what can i say...this year was completely incredible from start to finish. what a journey it has been.
nothing beats the beauty of the desert. the hotel that hosts the convention, the sheraton wild horse resort and spa is truly fabulous. i love the atmosphere, the colors, the smell, the sound, the landscape. the music that fills the lobby and every corner of the hotel is so comforting and relaxing. it truly is a piece of desert paradise. and yes temperatures may have reached record setting high's of 119...but absolutely nothing could keep this girl away from just absorbing it all and snapping a few photos of the gardens around the resort. it is the best. sights like these i never want to forget.
this years theme "worth remembering" brought us all back to the 1950's. the decor of creative escape made me think of poodle skirts, saddle shoes, ponytails, diners and ice cream floats. i loved the theme, and what was even hotter than the temperatures outside was mr. bazill's bright red shiny t-bird that dazzled during the thursday bazaar event.
i was so lucky to see maggie holmes again too! she is an incredible photographer, scrapbooker and designer. she taught at last year's creative escape and this year she attended as a student. she had the most beautiful table set up during the bazaar full of her creativity and photography. she is also a momma to some of the most beautiful children i have ever seen! what an absolute treat it was to see her and chat for a bit. love her! she is someone i truly admire in many ways.
next up on thursday was heidi swapp's mini class. she taught the coolest project! we were all able to YUDU screen our very own creative escape apron that we got to keep. we also were able to sew our own blossom as an accent to the apron which was really fun for me because i learned a new way to create flowers. oooh the possibilities!
next up was the trunk show which always is my top favorite of the event. all of the teachers set up a table displaying some of their favorite projects. nothing beats being able to see projects i have admired through blogs, magazines etc. up close and personal. very inspiring. i also love how each teacher's personal style is so evident throughout their display's. a little bit of everything for everyone to enjoy. the ideas one gets after seeing such beautiful display's are incredible. my heart and mind are full for the next 10 years easy! it is always such an honor to be able to just absorb and enjoy the albums and projects. i feel very blessed that i was given the chance to have such an intimate glance into their creative life. i can appreciate that because scrapbooks are so personal, and such treasured possessions that it is really incredible how willing and open the instructors are to sharing their stories. thank you so much for that.
meeting ali edwards. there are no words. all i can say is wow. this woman is amazing! her stories, her passion, her simplicity, her truth. everything about her makes me excited for life and for documenting my own. she makes it feel possible and exciting. i have always hoped that one day i would be able to learn from her. i believe that my believing and putting it out there created this moment and i am truly so appreciative and grateful. meeting her was a full circle moment for me. her class was amazing.
one of the best parts about creative escape is not only the amount of creativity and learning that happens, but the incredible people that come and the friendships that are created. the women that i met throughout my years at creative escape will forever be with me and are some of my most treasured. we had so much fun learning, laughing, crying, scrapbooking. there is nothing more powerful than that of like minds and being together with you all doing what we love is truly the best. i am so grateful to have met you all and am a better person for it.
heidi swapp delivered the keynote this year. her story...i do not have the words to even begin to describe her story. all i know is that her words and images touched me to the very core. her openness and passion are beyond anything that i have ever been around and because of things i had seen and heard through her presentation i am forever changed. my perspective has changed. my desires have changed. my belief in scrapbooking has intensified beyond measure. never underestimate the power of photographs. she is everything i love about scrapbooking and photography. there will never be enough thank you's to offer to her to how she has changed my life. from my first CE to the last CE, she is and forever will be an angel to me. she is one of those people who has come into my life and left footprints on my heart.
once CE wrapped up, we spent the remainder of our time shopping and enjoying a relaxing sunday in HOT chandler, arizona. it was so nice to spend some girl time together. enjoying one another's company, sharing stories, and eating some amazing food! i will never forget the food at ling louie's and that banana spring roll dessert. be still my heart!
right now, i just feel so full of thoughts that i am not sure if i can adequately express just what these past 3 years have meant to me. but one thing i DO know is what i believe. and what this event represents is exactly that.
i found another quote the other day that i believe to be true with all my heart. it is something that i want to include in my life everyday. "surround yourself with people that inspire and uplift you. people who think big allow you to expand. you cannot put your hand into a pot of glue without some of it sticking and likewise you cannot interact with inspired people without some of that rubbing off on you" - John Demartinil. what i have learned, how i have been influenced for the better, how i see the world now, how i want to continue living my life has all been impacted and empowered by my time spent here and the people that i have met and the relationships that have formed. it is so bittersweet to say goodbye. my heart is sad, yet my heart is happy for everything that i have embraced. thank you so much CE for the life changing experience. eternally grateful am i.
3 comments:
AAHHHGGGGHHHH!! LINDS!! So inspirational, so incredible! You put your experience so beautifully into words, that words couldn't describe!! These words alone are truly an inspiration to me as you are! Thank you for sharing your memories! The memories that will shape and influence you today forward!! LOVE the last shot of you with that quote over it! LOVE the quote!! LOVE YOU!! xoxo
Love this! Sad I never was able to attend! Hugs from Conroe, Texas
Fantastic post!!!! Stumbled on it at Vicki Boutin's blog and so happy to have done so. I've been telling everyone about my new Alberta friends and am proud to do so!! Post your completed projects from CE, can't wait to see them!!!
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