The Convention

Last weekend was my yearly weekend scrapbooking getaway. It was blissful. I say weekend, but it was actually a four day trip. We left on Thursday around lunch time and got home on Sunday afternoon. Normally we would leave on Friday, but we liked the idea of having all of Friday in Portland to shop and scrap. And heck, it only happens once a year. (Who is we, you ask? My friends Tami, Marie and me.)

Our yearly trip to Portland is to attend the Creating Keepsakes Scrapbooking Convention, although oddly enough I almost never attend the classes. This was my fifth year going. The first year I took eight classes, and let me tell you, that is way to many classes to take in two days (especially with the night time crops). Now that I am a digital scrapbooker, I find very few if any classes that are of interest to me. This year I took "Dare to be Different." I glanced at the description and it said something about scrapping in different sizes so I signed up, (Thinking that it would be perfect for me since I want to start scrapping in all sizes.) Well, it wasn't anything like I thought it would be, but I think it was one of the best classes I have ever taken at the convention. The project was well planned and very cute. I haven't a clue what I am going to do with my darling little chipboard album, but I love it.

(Shhh... Don't tell anyone I crossed over to the dark side.) I'll admit, my paper skills were a bit rusty at first but it came back to me. :) I do like working with paper and all the goodies that go with it, but I think that is more for special projects like this album, not everyday scrapbooking.

One other reason why I will never go back to paper scrapbooking is all of the "stuff" needed to do it effectively. Do you know what I packed for my trip? One suitcase and my laptop bag. That was it. Tami packed her suitcase, a rolling scrap tote, a shoulder scrap tote, her scrap caddy and her Cricut. And that was condensed! Marie was a bit better, but dang! That is just too much for me deal with.

The girls were so sweet and put up with my constant need to eat. I am not kidding you, every two hours I was STARVING. They say that you only need an extra 300 calories per day when you are pregnant and I am more than sure that I am getting that. Marie and I shared a hotel room (Tami had to be difficult and stay across the river.... You know I love you Tami) and as we were falling asleep around 11:30pm my stomach started growling loud enough that Marie could hear it, and she started laughing at me! Can't say that I blame her. It's like I have a hollow leg or something.

I didn't get as much accomplished during the trip as I would have liked, but I made good progress. I finished our Hawaii scrapbook, all except for the journaling. I am hoping to finish that up tonight, but I have been saying that since I came back. My biggest problem right now is being soooo tired. By the time Zoë goes to bed at night I am about ready to pass out. I have been resisting the urge and staying up until about 8pm. Isn't that terrible?!? I am getting nothing accomplished in the evenings. Ugh. Hopefully the tiredness will ease up soon. That is only supposed to last for the first trimester, right? I am going to have to break out one of my pregnancy books and see.

Alrighty, I am off to make little pizzas with Miss Zoë. Hopefully tomorrow I will have a completed Hawaii album to share with you. I am going to upload it to either MPIX or Shutterfly. Have any of you had experience with these companies? I have used iPhoto for my last two photo books and have not been terribly impressed. They weren't terrible, but the colors were over saturated.

ETA: I completely forgot to tell you about my new hobby! Making jewelry. While wandering around the scrapbooking vendor faire I came across an amazing booth...Simply Swank. They had a woman demonstrating how to solder jewelry using scrapbook paper, glitter stickers, photos...everything you can imagine. I picked up the deluxe kit which has everything I need to get my hobby started. I can't wait! Let the craftiness begin! Be for warned... any girlfriends or motherly types... you will be getting handmade jewelry from me from now on for all holidays and birthdays. (If I am any good at it and don't burn my fingers off.)