Your Mission......

If you saw this advert would you apply???

WANTED

One helper to assist 40 ladies for 48 hours by handing out inkpads, stamps, paper, kits, brushes, glue, paint and other assorted items. Must be able to scoop out gesso and gel at least 40 times, paying special attention to handing it out again and again and again (usually AFTER you have just cleaned the palette knife and put the lid back on!). Be able to know exactly where everything is in the whole room and locate within a nanno second, whilst seamlessly spooning out more gesso and gel! The ability to keep awake during the whole 48 hours is essential, as is experience at cleaning tables, resetting them and eating your meal in less time than the other 40 participants (please note: indigestion will not be allowed as you won't have time!) Standing may be required, smiling is a must and you will have to have had a practice session first - by spending at least five days at previous major event! Must be able to count to 6400, have a sense of humour, give out gold leaf (whilst not breathing!) and on no account will you be able to play with the other 40 or so people in the room. Successful candidates will be recruited for future similar events!

Well I chose to accept the above mission and spent a wonderful, tiring, happy and rewarding weekend on the first Graphicus crafting Retreat - aptly named the Paradise Retreat. The whole event was all of the above and more - it was creative, emotional, exhilarating and a little hectic at times but I wouldn't have missed it for the world. To coin one of my own phrases I may be 2" shorter and about 5 years older but it was worth it. A big thank you to all the lovely ladies I met - you were all stars and I think that every piece of artwork you created was AMAZING. Huge thanks must go Glenda who allowed me to be part of this experience in the first place. Also a big round of applause to Lynn, Adrian, Kath, Annette and the man who kept hanging around the gents loos all weekend emptying wash pots and cleaning brushes - Oh that would be my husband David! (he only came to help us set up in the afternoon and stayed during the whole weekend - I think it was being surrounded by all those ladies that did it!!). These people put up with me spooning gesso over their hands, standing on their feet and being a little fraught when I couldn't just lay my hand on whatever it was that was needed immediately. I think I can safely say it was a fantastic success. Would I do it all again - now what did that advert say??

Take care until I have time to recover!

Lesley

Missing..???

Yes, I know I haven't blogged for some time and for that I can only apologise, but I have been rather busy with lots of exciting things. Samples for Barbara's TV shows - isn't she doing well? Demoing at Doncaster - one day only but felt like three, we were so busy. Working with Glenda on the new CD - Decadent Brocade - what a blast (and such a privilege). Demoing at the Open Days, putting together workshops for the new season at Graphicus and samples for the evening launch of the new Elusive Images Christmas stamps. Visiting my grand-daughter and giving her her very first set of rubber stamps - she's not three yet but you can't start too young! She's got the direct to paper technique with an inkpad off to a tee. Hope that's the only place she 'directs' it to though, otherwise I will have a very unhappy daughter and son-in-law on my case! In between there have been the mundane things of life (whisper- housework) and general living. So I hope you will accept my apology for being marked absent for a while.

Now I look at the calendar and it is almost September. Where did the summer go - has it been or, like me, has it gone missing? School holidays are almost over, the last Bank Holiday is only a week away and then the show season starts again. I know they say time passes quicker as you get older but, gracious, this year has flown at the speed of sound! I've also just realised that this blog is nearly a year old, at the rate the rest of the year has gone it will be walking, talking and off to university before I know it!! I've recently been reading the thread on the Graphicus Guild forum about why people blog and I hadn't really thought about it until I read some of the wonderful reasons given by this crafty group. I certainly cannot claim it is a way of regularly keeping in touch with people - can once in a blue moon be classed as regular? In the beginning (is that a line from something?) I said I would probably ramble - tick that box then; hopefully pass on some useful crafting gossip and info - 5 out of 10 for that one; and once in a while you might find something interesting here - only the lovely people that read this and take the time to leave such encouraging comments can judge that one. The one thing I do know for certain, although I don't tend it as lovingly as I should, I do find blogging very therapeutic and enjoy sharing my (sometimes off the wall) thoughts with the world. So I intend to keep going, will light the candle on the birthday cake and when I blow it out will make a wish (but if I tell you it won't come true).

So in traditional almost birthday fashion I have a present - not for me but for you. To say thank you for taking the trouble to join me here and I hope you will continue the journey. Sorry I can't send you the birthday cake but maybe this will do instead.

Click on the word link, download, then print and play. As usual, the papers can be printed borderless if your printer allows this.

Right, off I go again - does anyone know the receipe for a good cake??

Lesley