I'm exhausted....

hehehe....yes...I'm exhausted....but for a very very good reason....actually for many good reasons..but the main being the Scraptacular retreat!!

The lead up to the retreat was very very hectic! Besides the normal everyday routine things....I had something else big on....which I can't/won't reveal yet. And then I made the decision that on the retreat, I would work on my holiday album. Yes...my 2 month long holiday...thousands of photos to sort through...and yes...I've been back now for 5 months and had not started on the holiday album. Unless you count Jeromel's disneyland album. So I decided to go through the thousands of photos...pick out which ones I wanted to use and then photoshop them. hahahaha.....for those of you who don't know....I am a photoshop doofus. I know nothing in photoshop. Ange showed me how to load actions....but then I didn't really use it....so this time.....I used actions....and enjoyed them very much. So yes....now I know how to use photoshop.....but only actions. hahaha! I am such a click happy - instant gratification kinda girl.....so actions really suit me to a T. Then it was a couple of trips to Hardly normal (harvey norman) to print out photos because they had a fab 15c deal. BTW...that process took me 3 days....and I got 350 photos printed. Eeeeks ....yes I was mad

Then it was packing for the retreat....packed waaay too much stuff and I had to cull.....but instead of culling scrap supplies....I culled clothes...in fact...every half hour...I'd think....oooh i must bring this tool because I might need it. Sigh!! Lyndal drove me to the retreat and it was a running joke that if she arrived and I had too much stuff...the scrap supplies would go in the car and I'd have to hop on a skateboard and hang onto the car....all the way up the mountain to Kalorama. rofl.....heheheh....luckily...I fitted into the car just fine. haha...we had heaps of room to spare!!

The retreat was absolutely fabulous. 69 people all up and it was just soo much fun. I didn't take any pics because I didn't bring my camera. But Jorja took some pics, so I'll have to borrow some from her and add them on later. We had beautiful fantastic gourmet meals and the hot breakfast was definately the highlight for me. Every morning....I had two perfectly poached eggs....a few rashers of bacon, either mushrooms or grilled tomato, some fruit, juice AND......the highlight....peanut butter on toast. OH YUM YUM YUM!!! I just about overdosed on peanuts on the weekend...peanut m&m's, snickers pods and peanut butter....droool!!  The only time in the past 3 years that I got to have peanut butter on toast was always at Mich's house.  Whenever I get the chance to go there without Jeromel.....I always have peanut butter on toast.  hehehe...yes....I'm a nut for peanut butter.

I got to meet so many wonderful wonderful scrappers. Many of who came from other states for the retreat...yes....the insane, crazy, fun loving EB girls. I am so full of admiration for these girls....the courage to fly to Vic....to meet internet friends. I am so rapt that I got to meet Cat, Mel, Moya, Sonia, Dee, Amanda, Meredith, Jody (my roomie), Jo and Kim. I hope I haven't forgotten anyone!! Susan.....I didn't forget you.......it was GREAT seeing you again!

I also got to know the Scraptacular team better.  boy oh boy...when this group lets their hair down to partay....they absolutely rock.  Very loud and very very funny.  Kudos to the Scraptacular team for making this retreat such a success.  They truly had great foresight when it came to planning.  We each got a personalised drink bottle, personalised place holder (our head)...and we got a fab goodie bag.  The most impressive thing about the goodie bag was the emergency kit...we got a couple of panadols, ear plugs, mints, a choc heart, bandaids and one  of those shake to heat up warmer baggies.  There was also a new purple fiskars apron, maya road chipboard people, a hambly notebook with my initial and some ribbon.    Other people got an acrylic block...but I lucked out...sniffle!!  And there was something else I was missing as well .....hehehe!  So a big thank you to the Scraptacular team for a job well done.  Special mention to Julie for being such a sweet and gracious hostess......I did not see you get frazzled at all...you handled everything without getting stressed!  I don't know how you did it.  I'm also going to say a very very special thank you to Robyn, for taking the time to come chat with me, for taking such spectacular pics and for showing me that special website....I'm not sharing with anyone.  hahaha...not until I put my order in.  LOL  Oh....and I'm also going to borrow some of your spectacular pics....hehehe

I slept very very very little but compensated by talking, chatting, laughing, gasbagging and socialising a lot...a heck of a lot....hehehe...isn't that what a retreat is about?  oh....I forgot....yes...supposed to scrap at a scrap retreat.  That I did....a bit......26 layouts for my holiday album done...but they're not completely done...they haven't been embellished yet...but it's still 26 pages more than I started the weekend with!  And then I also made a mini album for my Shania.  It is such a cute cute cute little album.  Pics will follow.

So yes, I'll post this for now while I sneak around and steal some pics to make this post more interesting.  But all in all.....it was a fabulous retreat.  Thank you to the girls around me who put up with me.  I thank them for not killing me when I was being absolutely ridiculous.  I had the best time with Mich, Jorja and Lyndal.....we had so many hilarious moments and I ended up with a new nickname.....Van Goof.  hahaha....yes.....that is a tale which I might let Jorja tell since she was the one who named me that...and I would never have been called that if it wasn't for her.  It's half her fault!!!  hehehe

Van Goof...signing off......will be back with pics!!