Dallas stampede adventure - Part 1 & Pass the Pictures

So I said story and here is my experience.
I packed for the swarm for a week in bits and pieces. I had paired up with Kim in Katy to travel. I had briefly very briefly met her once in Houston circle meeting and vaguely remembered her face and I guess it was the same with her. She was driving us and I should confess I was a little bit scared as I had not done such a thing before.  But she was fun to travel with and my fears were ungrounded. She was thoughtful and so helpful. So we started our journey at around 8:30 and took a brief stop midway and reached at around 2:40. We checked in leaving our crop bags in the reception as we were told that we can register in at the craft hall at 3:00 . Since I was in a single room I took my other stuff. in. I met Melanie & Joy - calender girls or should I say Everyday cricut girls and we hugged and talked a bit. Then I met my favorite ladies Tammy's Mom & Aunt. We went and registered and I met Tammy and Monique there. Sheila aka Sassylady , Melissa aka MelissaMade, Elizabeth aka Makeupgirl217 and myself at our request wanted to be seated together and I also wanted to sit with my Houston girls and so we were. Sheila had planned a couple of games for our table. I saw Sheila and guess hurt a lot of people's ears with that shriek and gave her a big hug. Soon we were joined by Melissa. Beth had still not arrived.
So I dumped all my stuff at the table and went to my room to change and spruce up .
Then we unpacked what we were going to use. Beth turned up. We decided that we would get to know each other and start on our projects the next day. We saw that there was a circle meetup in one of the halls/rooms next to the conference hall where we cropped and so decided to slowly walk up there and sat down lol we were first in line. Then we came back after the meet. Not lot of circle questions were asked as I guess they already had a cirlce luncheon before. Cassandra who had attended the luncheon was so sweet as to give us goody bag (I will add that picture in this post soon) even though we had missed it. The bag itself is so so cute!
Then we talked. Sassy and me have coffee chat everyday and have become such close friends but to  meet face to face - I tell you that's something else. Oh we are so much alike - 2 crazy old ladies - that's what we are. Melissa is more calmer but witty. She gives these one liners! She fit right in. Then we met Roberta aka TxscrapperMom . She is so nice. Poor girl! is all I can say . I hope we did not shock her - we oldies. Well guess Melissa and Beth aren't old. We all went back to our rooms as we had some time for dinner. We talked and then came back and grabbed dinner.
Next day woke up and had breakfast and went to crop room. Beth had morning class - Teressa Collins and the rest has afternoon class. So we got to meet a lot of people. There were make and takes. I got to help a bit and am sure confused a lot of people with my "help" lol.
Got to know Melanie and Monique a little more as we all helped with the "end cap feature". By the time I got to the glass etching make and take they had run out of glass blocks. Waaaaa. The stampede was awesome and Tammy made it run like a well oiled machine and her face never showed any stress though I am sure she was so tired. She managed all the hitches with grace and was an awesome gracious hostess.
But make and takes was one thing I was disappointed with. It would have been better if they had placed a make and take kits too on our tables like those awesome cookies and tarts which were kept at our tables. Or Kim had a better suggestion. Why not keep it in our swag bags. But Tammy is a listener and fast learner so wink wink I am sure next time that will be taken care of too.
Well sadly I had no glass block to etch and then time for lunch and then class. Teressa Collins was awesome. More than the class I enjoyed her sharing her experience and her telling us about journalling.
Two things stood out to me - I never am in pictures as I usually am the one behind camera or even otherwise avoid them.  But what she said made so much sense. Years later I am going to regret not having myself in the "moments" and am sure I would want to be remembered by my kids and grandkids. So I am changing that!
And another is journaling - write everything the bad and good as maybe they do not want to listen now but years later it might mean something to them.
These two points made an impact on me. Teressa Hugs for that. Big Hugs. You are an awesome woman!
Oh and I thought our Debbie was a bling queen but Teressa - lol she has blinged her staplers and clipboard.
After the class we came back to our crop tables and this is when we had our layout game.
Sassy and I guess I should include myself had an idea that instead of making a layout of our own pictures we would Pass the Pictures and then make a layout. We would do preliminary work and then get to assemble it there at Dallas -- 20 to 30 mins. I gave my pictures to Sassy, Sassy gave hers to Elizabeth, Melissa gave hers to me and Elizabeth gave hers to Melissa. I got pumpkin patch pictures from Melissa. So here is my layout. I have deliberately blurred out photos. Melissa I hope you do not mind me sharing

And here is the video. I have a new video camera now & a new laptop so I am not yet comfortable using both and have to learn a bit. So excuse me if the video is not upto mark as this is the very first video with it. Not to mention the background. Well anyway here you go




Here are glimpses of the other layouts
I will edit and post those links as well when they make a post in their blog

Sassy's layout for me. I had given her pictures of my photos at "Ranganthittu" a place near Mysore in Karnataka, India . It's a bird sanctuary. Oh I love all the layouts. Pat on the back girls!! Isn't that stitch so awesome! She knows I love stitches and the crocodile - yep it's a croc in ranganthittu but I guess alligator in the die cut. The diec ut is awesome. Looks like he is lurking down below catching the birds unaware! I love my Layout Sassy. Thanks and in fact I love all of the other's Layout.

Melissa's Layout for Beth

And Beth's Layout for Sassy

Well look at the clean lines - Yuck Mine turned out horrible compared to theirs. I had better follow some sketches!!


So part 2 will come later in the week though I do not have an video for it. Just pictures for the 2nd game.

To be continued......