Video still thinking about it :-(
After a hectic show was up and out of my hotel room at 5.30 am to catch the airport shuttle. I was supposed to be flying to Baltimore via Cincinnati to arrive about 12.15pm. Giving me plenty of time to prepare the workshops, catch my breath and have some much needed down time with Patti and her crew, before my first workshop at 6.30pm.
Well the best laid plans and all that.! We got stuck in the worst storm I have really seen, and so were diverted left right and centre missing connections all the time. I eventually landed at 7.30pm and by the time we arrived at the store nearly 8.30pm!!! You can just imagine what I looked like after 15 hours of travel, barefaced and bedraggled, make up migrated South, hair doing its finest Afro impression
Oh well there was no time to get my bearings it was straight in teaching my guardian girl tags to 20 very very excitable women. Suitcases thrown in the corner, samples hurriedly sorted, deep breath and off we went. Not sure how we winged it through the class, but wing it we did and everyone was extremely pleased with their results. Unfortunately I didn't take one photo of the evening, too busy, so if anyone would like to forward some, I would be really grateful.
After samming it all up and getting it ready for the morning, Patti and Ellen surprised me with some tags they had made for me, using my stamps. Too cute.
And then they presented me with this
Its only a frikkin ledger from 1942...!!! In absolute mint condition. I was a bit teary and all overcome, as I had only just met these guys.
I didn't have a lot of time left that evening to look around the store, can't wait for you to see the video, you flabber will be well and truly ghasted...
After checking in the hotel and falling into bed well after midnight, it was back up again at 6am to do my Skype rounds and make myself look a bit more presentable.
I don't normally eat breakfast till lunchtime, but look what I was presented with at 9am...with instructions that they were for me and me only.!!! You must be joking..
But when in Rome and all that malarkey. It took a while but I got one down me.
I don't eat "normal" breakfast, never mind something like this, so I tried to persuade Ellen to take part.
The funniest part of the weekend, for me, was meeting Sherry, who is just a little obsessed with Our Royal family
She was keen to show me her commemorative album of the wedding, especially as she and a friend had taken leave from work and "personally" attended. As you can see from the evidence she has photo shopped herself into the photos.
How frikkin hilarious is that.?? I was howling with laughter. The best bit was when she took the album to work to "prove" her attendance, she also took in a small white cake and said that Kate and William had sent her home with it.!!! Just love her....
And here is the gorgeous Donna who only had major surgery less than 2 wks previous, but was coming to the classes come hell or high water. She had also made me a stunning tag.
And then we were off.. First class...accordion watercolour book with colorwash.
And that's all the photos I took, the day passed in such a blur even though I taught three 3hr workshops. Barefoot because I was so swollen with the humidity, I couldn't get shoes on my feet. The students coped with me really well, once they got used to the 90 mile a minute pace and the mine of information being hurtled their way, lmao.
And after what seemed like 5 mins sleep it was Sunday morning and we were off again..!!!
Quick preview of all my new stamp sets. Patti's is the only store in the world that has stocks of them at the mo, even I don't receive mine until Tues. Mind you she is THE Queen, so they were probably by Royal Appointment.!
They had given me pride of place at the front of the store, and recreated an English country parlour to make me feel at home, lol. A piano, hydrangeas, the works. Patti had spent hours making a stunning banner with my name on, and love how they have altered my own altered tags. !!
Just to let it be known, the hair is not styled by personal choice but by its sheer bloody refusal to conform to anything but frizz.!
I was amazed how far some of the students had travelled. The lovely Anne Marie lives way over the other side of New York, 8 hrs away, and is an avid reader of my blog. When I announced I was teaching she was straight on the case, finding out where I was and booking all 3 classes for her, her Mum and her daughter. How fabulous was that.??
Sunday lunch was the hugely renowned Baltimore crab cakes, and deli coleslaw.
Must have been some big Momma crab, have you seen the size of the chunks.??
Before we knew it it was time to say our goodbyes, amongst many tears and snotty hugs. Big huge thank you to Patti and Jan for treating me like Royalty, and making sure I wanted for nothing..
To the lovely Terry from Ranger who drove up on the Sunday to see me and take the classes, the photos and the video lol.
The lovely Ellen whose infectious giddiness kept us all going. Pop over to her BLOG to see her account of the weekend
Love this picture of me and The Queen. It was taken about midnight and we both look absolutely knackered but really happy. Although this was the first time we had met I feel we made a strong and heartfelt connection. She is an absolute diamond and her store is easily the best I have ever had the privilege to be in. We are already making plans for January so watch this space.
Due to the intense heat all the time I was in the States my body had blown up and I could easily have been mistaken for a pregnant Mamma. And by the time I landed back in the UK this was the state of my feet and legs.. And don't get me started on my ankles. where the frikk are my ankles.???
Luckily I am back to normal now, phew.!!
Enjoy xx
