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When you make a conscious choice to be happy, no one can take it away from you because no one gave it to you: you gave it to yourself.

A quote from April Green's - Bloom For Yourself Journal

Tuesday 20 November 2012

My weekend - Crafty Boots ladies meet up! (Lots of pics!)

As some of you know, I travelled to Milton Keynes this weekend just gone to meet up with some of the ladies from the Crafty Boots Challenge blog Design Team

Myself and my good friend Debs travelled up to Milton Keynes on Friday where we checked into the Travelodge at Shenley Church End.  The staff there were superb, and after a phone call earlier in the week they booked us into one of the Disabled rooms they had on the ground floor. The room was basic but comfortable with twin beds, a huge desk and decent TV. The bathroom was a dream for me as it was spacious, had plenty of grab rails and a seat if I wanted to sit down while showering. To be honest for the money I paid for 2 nights the service and room were fantastic. Next door was a Toby Carvery Pub/restaurant so Friday when we arrived we made good use of it and enjoyed a £5.99 carvery which was superb value and the food was yummy.

Our evening was spent watching TV and resting after the journey though neither of us slept as well as we wanted for fear of falling out of the single beds, both of us have double beds at our homes so we were afraid to wriggle too much!

Saturday was so good, I finally got to meet the most lovely, generous and caring lady that is Stephanie-Emma who runs the Crafty Boots on-line store and is the whole reason we were coming together, not only as her design team, but because of Stephanie-Emma's hard work and organising skills too. The day just wouldn't have happened otherwise, so Thank You lovely.

So here's some pics I took - 

So far left there's Emily & Freya having a chat, Thomas is eating a banana in the middle and Helen (Stamping by H) caught me taking the photo and posed! 

On the other side from me (left to right) sat the lovely Dionne, Candy ( Stephanie-Emma's mum) and Bex (Sandra's friend)
Just further round (left to right) there's the Red-loving Sandra then Stephanie-Emma and Sara

Just round from Sara is Bev and Thomas.

Think Freya and Emily knew I took this while Helen (at the front) looks to be concentrating!

Everyone working away on their felted flower I think!

This is me (right if you didn't know!) and the lovely Faye who had to put up with sitting by me, think I only nearly fell on Faye once! I had Debs sat on the other side and Debs is used to me falling on her anyway! 

Here's the super fab Stephanie-Emma at the end of the day totting up Debs crafty stash purchases, however my stash I bought is that rather large pile at the front of the photo! 

We had an amazing day full of fun, food, crafty techniques and friendship.

Me and Debs enjoyed another meal at the Toby Carvery that evening before chilling in our room where we watched a film before spending another night not wriggling for fear of ending up on the floor.

On Sunday morning the very lovely and super talented Gabrielle kindly invited us round to see her studio, now I've wanted to see Gabrielle's studio for so long, we kept talking about it in the months leading up to this weekend so I was thrilled to actually be there. I couldn't help but get a bit excited at all of the stamps, and stunning creations that adorn the walls.

Here's me and Gabrielle in the magnificent studio!!!

Our journey home was broken up by a stop at a retail park just outside of Swindon where we enjoyed lunch at Dunelm, shopped a little and even shopped some more in Hobbycraft. Well it would've been rude not to!

Thanks to everyone for an amazing weekend and a bigger thanks to Debs because without her support I just wouldn't have coped.

Take care Zo xx


8 comments:

fairy thoughts said...

hi Zoe
looks like you had another great crafty day, they are great fun aren't they.
I really should make more effort and stop saying I dont have time
janet

Helen said...

Hmmm I've got my ramble for tomorrow on WOYWW - perhaps I should bring it forward as it is a little long.....but this is a good read... Hope you are in less pain today my lovely.

Di said...

Ah, how fab Zo!! So pleased you had a great time, and got to meet Helen again too :) Wish I could have been there as well.

The room you had sounds good - and me loves carveries!

Am off to see Julia and Jan on Friday, with a little trip to Shopkeeper Gal's thrown in too - will give the two J's a hug from you :))

Hugs, Di xx

Gabrielle said...

Hahaha! What a perfect round of the weekend and I notice Freya got her big head in a few shots! Glad you enjoyed the weekend and you really must play in the studio next time, not just visit! Much love xxx

Deb's Pen Pot said...

You're welcome, hon, as always - and thank you for trusting me to drive your car without incident lol! Twas a fab weekend - I shall be making an effort to WOYWW about it tomorrow afternoon once home from work xxx

JoZart Designs said...

Wow! what a great weekend that looks and I really enjoyed reading all about it. Excellent! Doesn't crafting bring some wonderful people into our lives?
Love Jo x

Anonymous said...

I have seen a few reports on the weekend and it looked wonderful. I would really enjoy something like that, but like you would need a fair while to rest afterwards. How amazing to have a friend like Deb to help you. Ali x

Dee's Craft Room said...

Hi

It was a fabulous day and I had such a good time. It was just so great to meet everyone and a big thank you, and all of the others, who went to the trouble to design projects and went to the trouble of sharing their knowledge with the rest of us.

Dionne xx