more Haven

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Day 2 of Haven

I focused more on meeting the incredible sponsors and vendors who came to support us!

Now I realize I forgot to take photos of the mANy cool things they were sharing with us (and I’ve seen in the pictures of others many things I missed altogether).

It’s just hard to take it ALL in!

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Let me begin with #1.  I am sO bummed I missed this session where they were showing how to work with their concrete product by creating this concrete garden lounger.  I DiD try it out and it was surprisingly comfortable—not just beautiful (with all its pitted areas)!

#2 was quite a surprise to me—because I’m not really into crafting.  I love building.  But I admit to being captivated by the things you can do with Duck tape and Frog tape’s scalloped tape.  Yes–I’ll be playing!

#3.  I fell totally in love with this bird fabric and will be ordering some for a project!  The OnlineFabricStore and Lacefield had incredible samples for us to view–and even some for our swag bags!

#4.  This on  display in GMC‘s sponsor booth—well, y’know me and car parts!

There were sO many great give away’s so instead of bombarding you with it all, I’ll share things along the way as I’m using them!

Until then, here are some of the fabulous women I met up with!

Clock wise–me and MaryBeth!  I succumbed to the candy bar and suddenly heard, “Catherine? Are you Freddy and Petunia?”  Omg—YOU’re my follower?! (I am a small blog yet)

With Susan from BNOTP!  With Wendi from H²O Bungalow who I met in the Kreg booth and discovered another woman totally into construction and tools!  My people!  Rhoda taking a break from the hectic pace, with Wendi, Brittany from Pretty Handy Girl, and my pal Gail–My Repurposed Life!  Lynda from Oh So Shabby taking a break, with Gail and Karen from The Graphics Fairy!  And me and Gail with Serena from Thrift Diving—omg is she a fUn and funny girl~so happy to have met her!

On the first conference day, sitting between Gail and my roomie, Lisa.  Apparently it’s really tough to just Un-Plug!

And finally, the last night Ryobi treated us to a Beach Party!

top~Lisa, Gail, & me

bottom pic~Wendi, Sue, me & Gail!  Two more of sweetest ladies I was so happy to meet!

I was excited to learn it was also the weekend of the Scott Antique Market and I went on Sunday morning!  I’ll share pictures of the cOOl stuff I saw AND bought later!

Before heading back to the hotel I also visited The Swan House again.  This time I had lots of time to tour it and they even let us take pictures!

But for now, I have to get back to projects!

Catherine

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my Haven

1. Exhausting.

2. A break-neck, action-packed pace of INFORMATION and FUN.

3. A place of kinship with like-minded people.

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It’s all true—and I can’t wait to

do it again!

*Unexpected company kept me from getting to sleep till past midnight, and the hill-billy neighbor woke me at 3:07am yelling at their dog under my bedroom window.  I’m thinking strongly about some retribution.  :  /

I was on the road just past 4am—missing multiple big city traffic jams, YaY!  A good day of travel –even tired– and nice to watch the falling gas prices heading south.

I stopped in Murfreesboro like usual to hit a favorite Antique Mall, but got off at the wrong exit and landed in a different store.  Uh~must have been meant-to-be….look what I found!

A trophy urn-styled silver ice bucket!

I hit rain on and off throughout the day, but, wOw!–did it pound down on us in the Smokey Mountains.  I reached the hotel by 8 and was just tired enough to call it a night.  –old-huh?

Thursday morning I headed down to the ballroom to offer help putting the swag bags together and get to meet up with some of the ladies—omg did we score some incredible things!  At noon’ish I left to go shopping play at one of my favorite stores– A Classy Flea!

I, of course, bought more silver.

“You can’t have it all!” doesn’t seem to apply to moi!

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There was a cocktail party the first night of the conference -with a very talented balladeer singing for us ME!

First thing Friday morning I headed downstairs to meet Mike Holmes!

Day 1 of the conference I focused so heavily on the sessions I didn’t get around to meeting any of the fabulous sponsors sO I changed gears on day 2!

Catherine………

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Back from Haven….

….with LOTS to tell!

And, thankfully—no tornadoes on return!

But for right now,

I have some unpacking to do and TALL grass to mow… ; D

Catherine

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On the road~again!

I’m heading to

I’ll be back to you really soon!

Catherine

I’m here safe and sound, albeit road wary–

Somewhere in Kentucky–

 

 

 

 

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How to get back on track. . .

WoW– am I having a hard time getting back on track.

(I’m trying)→

That scratchy throat and general lack of energy just seems to be lingering.

It really doesn’t help that I’ve also been distracted by a gOOd book. Two, to be exact.  Uh oh–just learned there’s a third.

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I loved Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice  and have read a couple of interpretative sequels that were –okay- but tended to reshape Miss Austen’s characters in ways hard to buy into.

Yeah ~ NOT these two written by Linda Berdoll.  WoW!  Well into the 2nd, I’m ordering the 3rd right away.

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I think I’ve concocted my own perfect watery blue color for the hall and need to get painting. . . right after I finish another alteration I’m making to the bench. See-?!

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And~ I got my HAVEN ticket

last night!  Yay!

Are you going?

Hope to meet you there face-to-face!

…enough procrastinating already….off to paint….or read!

Catherine

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