SCRAP RETREAT 2021..

I must admit, this year's scrap retreat feels like it has snuck around, it only seems like last's years was only a few weeks back.  It may have something to do with the topsy turvy world that 2020 was with the virus.  Last year we had our retreat in August, it wouldn't have happened if it had been in May, but then with it being back in May, there was only a 9 month gap since our last retreat...

Ann and I had done most of our planning back in March when we were home for a month.. I also completed most of the responsibilities that I had back then also, so that Ann could photocopy any of the resources we needed for camp.

We got together over Easter when we were both at Tannum Sands and finalized everything else except for the menu back then, and once we got back from our trip (three days before the retreat) Ann and I got together a couple of days before it to then finalize the rooms for everyone, the menus, shopping lists and room allocations.  We have been doing this now for seventeen years so we pretty much have everything down pat...

Camp was booked to start an hour later this year, as there was another group of people booked into the Haven and they were only vacating that morning, so Haven staff needed a little extra time to clean before me moved in...

We had 12 campers booked in for the weekend, which is really a great number.  They have consistently been the same ladies now for a number of years, and so therefore now, we all pitch in and help with the meals which is great because it means that everyone helps.

The Haven at Emu Park is a stunning location to hold a scrap retreat, and provides all the inspiration that you need to be creative.  Our scrap room overlooks the beach and our views are magnificent.

Views from our scraproom

Heather capturing the view

Our meals were enjoyed on the verandah whilst we enjoyed the amazing views of the coastline.

Our lunch views...

This year, we mostly had tables to ourselves.  We are still operating under covid rules, so still had to maintain the social distancing rules..

Our tables all set up ready for us to work...

Janet and Donna preparing morning tea for us...

The girls at work..

Not a lot of us really paper scrap as much anymore.   But we still enjoy our girls weekend away.  Some of us paint now, I usually put together photo books so my computer comes in handy whilst we are away.  Quite a few of the other girls just make cardss..

Lesley spent her weekend painting this year...

Jannett was card making this year also..

Ann was putting together a wedding album for her son and daughter in law.

Terri taking time out for a coffee..

Dianne was busy making cards...

Robyn trying to scapbook a couple of years in a solid weekend

A new die cut we got to play with.  thanks Kay and Di...

Jannett getting some lessons from Kay on cutlebug use..

We love how Sue has joined us.  We first met Sue at the very first Scrapbooking camp we held.  She owned a scrapbooking shop at Cooee Bay and we totally inundated her store.  She opened longer hours to accommodate us all and she probably made more from our visit for an hour than she had the whole week.  She was so thankful and grateful that she dropped down later to visit us, and then when she closed her store a couple of years later, so decided to join us for our weekends away.  She is the loveliest lady and has now become a really good friend to us all...

Sue giving Ann some advice..

We introduced Michelle to our group for the first time this year.  For a few years now, some of the girls have thought it would be good to have someone come along to give us a massage.  One of our ladies Dianne has a daughter Michelle who has a massaging business so we thought we would approach her to see if she was interested and also to get a quote from her on what she would charge for a half hour head and neck massage.  Michelle was keen and gave us a really good price so we booked her for the Saturday.

The girls loved it...

Terri getting her massage...

My turn for a head and shoulder massage

Healing hands...

Not only did Michelle bring her special massage chair down, but she has also just acquired a rather remarkable foot massager also, so whilst she was physically massaging us, we were all taking turns at using her foot massager and enjoying a good workout on our feet as well.

Our theme for the weekend was the "50's Era", so we had organised some trivia games to see how much we could remember of those years...  Most of us now are in our 50's or above.

Ann and I were responsible for organising our '50's themed dinner.  For the past couple of years we have organised our meals to be cooked in a slow cooker throughout the day as we have limited kitchen space up in our scrap room.  This year, we had Chicken A La King,  Beef Stroganoff and a vegetable bake for our main meal, with pavlova and ice cream for desert.  

We also thought it would be a nice change to have dinner out on the lawn which was lit up by all the festoon lighting, creating a really lovely atmospher...

Some of our table decorations

The girls were all rugged up as it was a little windy and chilly.

Desert

Each year we make sure that we take group photo as some of our ladies love to scrapbook their weekends away.  This year we all lined up on the stairs for our photo.

I still love to journal the stores of my life, but these does I do it online and have my work made into a photo book.  It is a lot more economical to do and the books take up way less space.  I miss working with paper and still have a massive stash here to use in some shape or form.  

Working on one of my photo books...

I also took some some little gift cards I have been working on to try and finish a heap of them.  I have so much patterned paper and cardstock at home, that I want to use up and I was thinking that this most probably be a good way to recoup some of the outlay I have put into my scrapbooking...

Di with her twin sister Kay, making their cards...

Ann busy at work...

We are a very productive lot.....

This year, we have  all our meals out on the verandahs.  You couldn't ask for a nicer spot to enjoy your meal.  Not only is the company great but the views are just awesome.

Our awesome views whilst we sit and eat lunch.

It has been another wonderful weekend away.  We all love this weekend and everyone is still keen for us to keep booking.  We have dates now for the next two years.  Also the big winner this year was bringing Michelle down to do the massages for us and we have also organised this again for next year.