Getting So Excited....Sent My Sponsor Gifts

I'm getting so excited I can barely contain myself.  With less than a month to go until departure I am busy.  Busy getting swaps finished & getting my supply list together.  I got my sponsor gifts completed & packaged & shipped yesterday.  I am participating in every swap that has been assigned because as Rachel suggested.... we might feel sad at Handmade U if we didn't participate when all the cool stuff was passed out.  I couldn't bare the thought.  So....I just signed up for each.  Sleep is over-rated right???  The one that has me slightly miffed is the ATC swap....I have never made one & really don't know what one is so I have been study-ing up on those. Thankfully we have blogs & pinterest these days or I would be in real trouble.

To get you all excited about Handmade U..... I want to show you some photos from some of the past art retreats.  Here are Rachel & Michelle  on welcoming day.  Everything is like school & it is so much fun.  This year it has grown quite a bit & won't be at Minglewood Lodge which is a quaint little lodge (which only had cell phone reception if you balanced on one foot & rubbed your head at the same time) & rather a hotel in Omaha....so I am liking this even though it has been fun at the lodge.  I am glad to see it has grown!  Fun new girls are coming like Suz & Gina who I have been so fond of over the years having met them at Silver Bella & have kept in contact with them over the years.  So Handmade U should prove to be especially wonderful this year with so many new faces.  Way to go Rachel for growing your fun retreat!

Here is one of the projects that Rachel taught.  We did this project on a 12 x 12 canvas.  Now to tell you the truth....I really think Rachel thought they would look more like traditional quilts than they actually did.  But as you fellow artists know we go outside the bubble & our 'quilts' turned out very individualized.  I LOVE my quilt to this day!  It hangs in my guest bathroom & you can barely see it in this photo.... it's in the bottom middle.  I was even a bit skeptical of the project (sorry Rachel) but ended up loving the final outcome.  I guess that's what happens if you push through a project & that's what I love about learning.  Way to go Rachel for pushing me through my self doubt....isn't that what a good teacher really is???  Those are the teachers I want for my kids!!

Michelle taught us these journals & they were fabulous.  I really loved making them.  They were tedious & hard for me. I immediately came home & started purchasing all the supplies needed even the silk Sari ribbon.  I had to have all the stuff.  I got home at 2:00 a.m. & was out by 9:00 a.m. Monday morning when Hobby Lobby opened to get the supplies they sold so I could start making one of my own.  I didn't want to forget my skills.  I loved the techniques Michelle taught so much & even came up with simpler versions of my own.

So that you believe me....here is the journal on the left that I made at Handmade U.  And here is the journal that I gave to my niece for her birthday just a couple of months later for her Halloween birthday.  She loved it & all the other nieces & nephews wanted one too!  What did I start??  By the way....using a readers digest cover made for the perfect cover since it was so colorful!!  So as you can see....I am very excited for my journey to Omaha for Handmade U.  Not just for all the fun classes that I will take....but for the friendship & fellowship too!  I just can't wait.  There are still some spaces left if you are available.  You can link on over to Rachels blog if you are interested.  Tell her Hope sent you!! We would love to create with you!   I hope you have a wonderfully creative & productive day.  Blessings!