Whatever Craft Weekend

Hello.  First let me start by saying this post is all for me.  I know others will read it, but only a few people will really understand how much all of this meant to me.  Busy moms will kinda get it, crafters will kinda get it, people who stalk blogs will kinda get it, but only those few people that fit into all three categories will REALLY get it.  So, really, I'm blogging this for me, and maybe those that were on this adventure with me will enjoy it too.

 

Let's start from the beginning.  About a year and a half ago, I was introduced to the blog called Whatever.  The fabulous creator of the blog is Meg Duerksen.  She's funny, creative, spiritual, and a down to earth mom... all things that I have loved and enjoyed about her blogging.  Over my time of reading the blog I felt like I knew her.  That's new to me... Feeling like you know someone without ever meeting them in person.  Anyway, she has this fabulous weekend called Whatever Craft Weekend that she hosts monthly.  You can put your name into a lottery for a chance to be selected to go.  My friend Amy and I shared equal interest in going, so we both decided to take our chances with putting our names in the lottery back in February.  We were just heading home from a weekend of hosting our ECFE friends at my parents' cabin, when Amy called all crazy-like, telling me she was chosen for the November weekend!  Learning that our friend Bethany was a follower of Meg's blog too, she was going to join us as well!

 

Our long anticipated weekend came up quickly!  Amy was our fearless driver the WHOLE WAY.  She did amazing.  We all enjoyed the comfort of her new van wheels, and the ease that comes with road trips without little ones to entertain or husbands to stop at a bathroom for.  We only made one stop on the way down, close to Kansas City, for lunch at Panera.  We had a little fun when entering the city of Newton, location of the Craft Weekend. 

 

Finding the house was a bit of a freak-out moment for us too.  This was THE crafting house that we have heard so much about.  Pulling up and spotting the friendly faces of some bloggers we have been following like Kimberlee, Becky, and Megan, was so surreal. 

I was quite nervous to meet Meg, but after that initial greeting, it was confirmed that she is a wonderful person, and this was going to be a wonderful weekend.  We were shown to the room the three of us would be staying in, and were free to look around the house and snap photos as we pleased.


Eeek!  We were sleeping in the room with the yellow striped floors!  I remember when she was painting those!

Top to bottom, the house is filled with such awesomeness!  So many colors, and inspiration everywhere!  Again, it's a feeling I can't even explain, to be in the home I have seen so many photos of, and dreamed of seeing in person.  I was there!



Eeek!  (again.)  I got to shower in MEG's shower!  The gray one I remember following the re-model of.



I'm inspired to do a wall of hoops in our home now.

To me the weekend can be summarized in four main categories:  1)  Crafting and creating.  2)  Getting pampered by being fed amazing food and just having a break from everyday mommy duties.  3)  Antiquing.  4)  Meeting fabulous women from all around the country and creating friendships.

Crafting and creating was fun for me.  To have the designated time for it, and all the supplies you'd ever need right there, was such a treat.  The first night I created the famous ruffle apron, which is made by the women at each crafting weekend.  The second night I made Christmas letters that spelled out JOY, a bracelet, necklace,  flower pin, and a hoop which I plan to use in Henry's room.  I don't have photos of all of the finished products, but here are a few.

The pampering was such a treat!  Kimberlee was the cook, and an amazing one at that!  To enjoy fabulous meals and not have to help cook them or clean up after them was something I enjoyed VERY much.  One rule in the craft house is never to clear your plate when you are done eating.  I may or may not have followed that rule completely.  Being catered to like this wasn't something I was used to. 

 

The other two food related treats included a trip to a local bakery for a midnight fresh-from-the-oven doughnut run, and a traditional trip to Sonic (which was a first for me). Both were so yummy!

 



The famous "Pam's Cheesecake"!



 

And when Kimberlee wasn't feeding us, there was always this bar of goodies to munch on!

Antiquing was fun, and a bit different for me.  It's not something I have done a ton of in the past, but I can see it becoming a new hobby.  There were many creative friends on our adventure that had oodles of ideas of ways to repurpose some things they found.  I had my eye out for a few things which will remain nameless as they are for gifts.  I did walk away with a few children's toy blocks to spell TRUCKS, for Henry's room, and a metal wash basin that we will use for storage of the kids' toys in the garage and will also double as a photo prop.

The friendships piece of this weekend was icing on the cake.  With our road trip time for visits I feel like I know the friends I came with even better.  We had 10 hours of chat time there, and back, so it was a great opportunity to share dreams for our family and home, share stories of our kids, jobs, and times from before we met.

The other women at the weekend were super sweet, and very fun.  Each had a unique personality that was fun to get to know.  It makes me so sad to think that after meeting all of these amazing women, we probably won't ever see them again. 

Me and MEG!



Me and MEG again, because, well com'on, it's MEG!

I'm so thankful to Meg and Kimberlee for all of their work with this event, and for the opportunity for me to RELAX and get my craft on.  I have never taken a weekend for me.  Ever.  Even in college for spring break I would go on mission trips.  (Which I loved and wouldn't trade for anything!)  Still, it was good for me to do something for myself.  Now that I have done it once I can see that I may have an easier time doing something for myself again in the future.  Although, I doubt much of anything will compare to this once in a lifetime experience!

 

PS- The drive home went as quick as the drive there. The company in the car made up for the long
roads of nothing but farm fields. Again, a quick stop near Kansas City for Jimmy Johns and we made
it home by 10:00 PM. It didn't even bother me that I had a full week of teaching ahead of me,
including two evenings of parent/teacher conferences. The high I was feeling from the weekend
carried me through. And maybe the help of an extra caffeine beverage or two.

PSS- Pat and the kids were just fine without me. Grandma Clark came to help for the weekend, and
they all had a great time.



The whole November Craft Weekend crew!  :)