Hello my friends!
I thought it was about time that I shared a few memories from my lovely weekend. When we were at Convention earlier this year … our group of 6 Convention buddies decided that since we were not going on the official SU! Incentive Trip this year … that we would have our own faux Incentive Trip to “Pepps Resort” (Leonie’s house at Kiama). So … Leonie & Jenny spent a few days over the last couple of months planning all the fun! Unfortunately, Sarah wasn’t able to make it … we missed her! 
Meet & Greet "Cocktails" - Me, Erin, Tracey, Leonie - Jenny took the photo!
But … We had an absolutely SUPER time! We giggled, ate, drank, danced, sang, slept a tiny amount … and of course STAMPED!!! We had an awards dinner … and a club dance … and it was a wonderful time of friendship and fun … all at the luxurious Pepps Resort which came complete with a cabana boy to fetch and carry! – Thanks Ronnie for putting up with all the noise & nonsense … and for going out to collect our scrummy seafood lunch (Fish & Chips) … that we ate by the resort pool! So … my camera decided to misbehave while I was away … and I wasn’t able to take any photos. But … I did take some when I got home (on Gav’s camera) … so I could show you what we did. (Of course … some photos – that Jenny & Leonie took – are fun dancing ones … but they are only for those who were there to see! 
… and believe me … you don’t really wanna see this fat nanna whale dancing!!! 
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For the record … I did fill the acetate boxes with chocs! (And I only ate 3 left-overs!) There were lots of lovely surprises for us all … when we arrived! (Make sure you click “stop” on the slideshow … so you can view these gorgeous creations, properly!) Leonie had organised some gorgeous gift bags with scrummy hot chocolate dipping spoons … a little ‘table gift’ of chocs in a pillow box & a sweet ‘pillow gift’ (which appeared on our pillows just before bed) of a soap decorated with a gorgeous scalloped flower. (Smelt delicious, too!). Jenny had created a lovely individualised labels for the drink bottles … and a gorgeous triangle box gift wrapping for a Toblerone Chocolate … that we all received for being “the best roomies” at our awards dinner. I was extremely touched to receive a special award (a gorgeous potpourri cushion) as an encouragement award for reaching $50,000 in SU! sales. The girls wanted to “officially acknowledge” this milestone! (A special moment!) Erin & I had also made little friendship gifts. I found this bookmark idea on one of my favourite blogs … Denise has made several of these recently. She had a link to SCS with a tutorial on how to make these! (I have added a quick recipe at the end of this post, too!)
Corner Bookmark - My gift for the girls!
Our Make & Takes were fun! Erin did a funky Cottage Garden card with a lovely colour combo. Tracey had designed a gorgeous Medallion Christmas Card that looked so sparkly with the Gold Champagne Shimmer Mist sprayed over the top. Jenny used the pretty Potpourri Punches heart stamp & some fab embossing to create a lovely window card. Leonie’s was a sweet card using the Because I Care flower stamp … that was multi-coloured & a little shimmer paint painted on … and it had a lovely scallop trim border. And … mine is one of the cards I designed for my Stamp-a-stack on Saturday … so keep watching for a post soon with details for this card. (The Rich Razzleberry card on the right!)
Incentive Make & Takes - click this pic to ZOOM!
We also had some fun doing some sketch challenges! Leonie wanted to try some … because she has always found these diffficult to do. I think by the third she was feeling a lot more confident … and quite excited by the results. I will share the recipe details for my sketch cards … in some later posts. (Keep watching! ) I was thrilled with them … I got a chance to play with my BRAND NEW Christmas Cocoa DSP & the Welcome Christmas stamp set … that are part of the bundle offers for the “Dress up Christmas” promotion. Mmmmm… I just love these new products!
Well … I did have this post almost ready to go yesterday … but got called out to “rescue” Gav’s mum. Mum had arrived home after a cataract operation yesterday morning & Gav’s dad decided it was a great time (NOT) to have a “turn” … and ended up in an ambulance on his way to hospital. He is home again … and ok (with follow up needed) … but it meant mum had no way of getting to her follow up appointment at the eye specialist in the afternoon. I kinda had to drop everything and run into town to take her to the appointment. And … then I offered to stay with her … until we heard news of dad. (She wasn’t up to going up to the hospital.) So … at 6.30pm … I buzzed home … ate dinner … and buzzed out to Bible Study without the time to finish this post! Anyway … you didn’t really need to know all about the family dramas … so I won’t bore you with any more details.
Phew! That was a bit of a marathon post. But … I did want to put a memory of our stamping weekend on my blog. I kinda feel like this is a stamping journal … and these special moments are worth recording. (Thanks for allowing me an indulgence!) Hope you have a lovely day. I need to get my packs cut for my class on Saturday … (I had hoped to get those done yesterday, too!) … so I had better keep moving. It is also my “mum day” (with MY mum) … perhaps she will help me out? I probably won’t get back today with anything new … but hopefully tomorrow! Stampin’ Hugs xxaxx
PS: A special thank you to Jenny who sent me a disc of photos today … in a beautifully decorated case! Thanks so much Jenny for your thoughtfulness. I will treasure the memories saved in these pics … and I have added a few more to my slideshow! I wish my camera was working … I would love you all to see the gorgeous CASE that Jenny made!
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What a gorgeous display Andrea. They all look beautiful together. What a fun weekend! Wish I was back there now!!
Hope all is well with Gav’s Mum and Dad.
Jenny xxx
Andrea adds: Gav’s m&d are doing much better today! And … thanks so much for the lovely disc of photos that you sent in the mail. You are such a hunny! I wish we were back there now! Hugs xxaxx
Sorry to hear about your in-laws – hope they are feeling better now! They are lucky to have you around!
Now onto your pics – looks -and sounds – like you gals had a BLAST! And some great crafting too!
xXx
Andrea adds: Yes! It was a blast! We had lotsa fun! Hugs xxaxx
Wow, Andrea, what a fabulous ‘Incentive’ Trip. Looks like you had as much fun as the real thing! Hope your in-laws have a safe, quiet weekend.
Andrea adds: Hello bron! Thanks for saying hi! I love to have comments from my blog visitors! We did have a great time! Lotsa fun! Hugs xxaxx
Heya Lovely Lass!!! Looks fm all the innocent pics that all you young ladies had a blast!! the M & T’s look FAB. I LURVE the bookmarks to bits and I am sure they went down a treat.Also congrats on not weakening on that 4th choc…LOL!!!
So sorry to hear of Gav’s Mum and Dad’s health issues…doesn’t rain it pours huh?? Sending out all hte healing and good vibes I can to you all!! Hope all is looking up soon!! ooxx
Andrea adds: Hiya Lynda! Gav’s dad had another turn yesterday … and although the hospital advised him to go up … he decided not to! He has vascular specialist appt on Tues & heart specialist appt on Thu … so hopefully they will sort him out! We did have a fun time … stamping with friends … always a good time! Hugs xxaxx
Looks like you all had a lovely weekend. I love all the cards you made. They are very pretty.
Andrea adds: Glad you enjoyed our class, Julie! Hugs xxaxx
Wow Andrea, it sounds like you had an amazing weekend. I am so glad, you so deserve a bit of time out with your friends. You all put so much thought into it with all the little extra touches, how wonderful for all of you. I love all the projects, love the bookmark idea. I might make myself a few of them, as I often have a couple of books on the go.
I’m so sorry to hear about Gav’s Dad, I’ll be thinking of you all on Tuesday and Thursday when you have the appointments. I will be praying that it is nothing too serious.
Have an amazing day.
Love and hugs
Lee-Anne xox
Andrea adds: Thanks so much for your prayers, Lee-Anne … they are very precious. We are praying, too, that whatever is the problem is able to be fixed! And … make sure you try those bookmarks … they are really easy … and very cute! Hugs xxaxx
Hey what a fabulous idea about your ‘incentive trip’. Sounds like you girls had a fun time and the stamping you did looked great! Love those cards! Simone xx
Will pop by your blog asap! Hugs xxaxx
Andrea adds: Hi Simone! So nice to see you! We did have heaps of fun!
Geez, I am wondering what rock I’ve been hiding under… obviously I too didn’t qualify for the incentive trip…. I didn’t even realise it was on, until I did some blog surfing today!
Love your impromptu Incentive Trip and I am sure that it was so wonderful and personal!
Cheers
Sonia
Andrea adds: We did have a great time. Seems like months ago … now!