Stamp Camp

Unfortunately when you enjoy crafts and making things but work full time, life sometimes gets in the way of enjoying that crafting downtime as well as the ability to share it with others. Thankfully Ngaire organises a Stamp Camp once a year for her Stampin Up downline and this is the first year I have been able to attend. I am soooooo inspired now but my studio is so messy. Now for many this would not be an issue, you just go in and tidy up. For me however it is not that easy. People don't realise that the reason I am so messy is because I am a fastidious organiser. Everything has to be categorised and labeled and then you get the sub categories and so on and so forth. It is actually quite difficult for me to go into a messy room and have it tidy in an hour. Maybe a week later but definitely not an hour. So here I am all inspired but realising I really need to do a tidy up first. Luckily I have this week off work.

Anyway enough of my mess and mental issues, the camp was at Swanleigh which is a beautiful old boarding school campus out in the bush. It is a beautiful area. Most of us had arrived and set up our beds by 5:45 and we had dinner in the cafeteria at 6pm. I didn't really know anyone other than Ngaire so at first I really felt a little out of place.

There were around 34 of us staying over night I believe with a couple of add ins for Friday night and Saturday. The first thing we made was a lantern. Sue did a great job in teaching us how to make it and had some lovely examples up the front of the room.

Once the lantern was made we all got busy with our shoebox swap. The theme was Christmas in July and those of us staying for the whole thing had to make a card and then provide the products for others to make the card. In a nut shell it was musical chairs going from desk to desk making cards. It was so much fun and you ended up getting to meet everyone that way.

I headed back to the dormitory at about 12:30am but there were still some who remained and continued making cards.

After a lovely sleep and a good breakfast we headed back into the crafting area for two more classes. Jenny took a class on a small photo album with pockets. I absolutely love how this one turned out. I love the paper but unfortunately it is not available anymore. :(

The next class was done by Pat. This was an accordion album. I haven't finished putting the decoration into this one as I prefer to do the decoration as I add my photo's. I guess I will need to print some off now.

Both Jenny and Pat are really lovely. They both made me feel welcome and started to fit into the rowdy groups of stampers. Rowdy in a good fun loving sense. Once the classes were finished it was back to getting the cards finished from the swap. I think I am missing one or two but by the end of the day and the rush of getting 3 classes and 34 cards done, plus having fun, eating and sleeping, you were kind of exhausted and could hear your bed calling you from 60km away.

By now you are wondering where the photo's are. Well I only have ones of people for now. The rest will come a little later. Hopefully they will inspire you as much as they did me.

I am terrible with names so apologies but I can't remember the name of the first lady but then you Ngaire and Marie. Again 3 very lovely and friendly ladies with a great sense of fun.

Busy with the card swaps or the end of the last class.

This was late Saturday afternoon. Some had already left so this is not all of us.