"Creative Escape"

I got to Escape with my daughters this past weekend!!!

What a treat! Heidi had come to the US for her huge scrapbooking extravaganza and Katie & I were lucky enough to get to come along with the other 640 participants who gathered at a fabulous resort in Phoenix for 3 days of creativity and partying! Just let me say... scrapbookers know how to party!!!

This is an event that Heidi dreamed of and brought into reality 3 years ago. Back about 5 or 6 years ago, she was doing alot of traveling to teach her scrapbooking classes. Her 3 oldest kids were just little then and it was really hard for her to leave and be away for 4, 5 or 6 days at a time so she came up with the idea of creating her own event and bring all the scrapbookers to her. She partnered up with a fabulous company called Bazzill and together they put on just the most awesome event. Ironically, yes, the event is held in Phoenix but now Heidi still has to travel to get there! Life is just so unpredictable!

The event has grown in popularity and back in January 10,000 people signed up hoping to snatch one of the 640 spots that would be available. Eight national-level scrapbooking teachers, including Heidi, taught for 2 days and each participant was able to attend each class. Each teacher designed a unique project and provided all the supplies necessary to complete it. There were about 30 (maybe 40) people who came as just volunteers to help in the classrooms. Katie & I came to be volunteers in Heidi's class. The 640 participants were divided into 8 groups so each teacher taught her project 8 times. Unfortunately there were only 7 large conference rooms so 1 teacher had to split up her class into 3 sections -- Heidi volunteered for this duty. So Katie and Emily Waters, Heidi's good friend, ended up being the extra teachers of Heidi's project. They each took a segment of the project to teach and then they rotated between the 3 groups to cover the whole process which then resulted in each of them teaching their segments 24 times instead of just the 8 times! Everyone was exhausted by the end of the weekend.

I just can't say enough about what a fabulous event they put on and what fabulous women were in attendance!!! Of course, I was totally enjoying my instant, elevated status simply because I was "Heidi's mom"! People were so friendly and gracious and happy and generous -- it felt more like a family reunion. There were women from EVERY WHERE! Hong Kong, Japan, Russia, the UK, Austrailia, New Zealand, all 7 Canadian providences and from every state in the US -- even those states that were getting pounded with hurricanes. So many women even told me that they read my blog! HI LADIES!!! I loved meeting you face to face!!!

So now I'm back home, Katie has gone back to being a nurse and Heidi is on a plane back to China! It just never lasts long enough! Heidi's class was titled "Everyday is beautiful" and she stressed how important it is to take advantage of EACH day. Each day is unique and whether exciting or mundane, there is always something to enjoy or cherish or capture or try or experience or play or work or watch or create but most of all, there are things to be grateful for! I'm so grateful for my sweet daughters! and for all my dear family. I'll escape with you guys anytime!!