GOIN' ON A ROAD TRIP...

Yeah!! :o)

I just decided that I'm going to go to a super crazy/fun bead retreat in Missouri in May, again...

I went last year when I was still pretty much a newbie. It was a blast...40 or so other women (& a few guys, too!), a 4 unit condo building, a really long covered deck along the back of the building that basically hangs over the lake (you could fish off the deck!)...a bunch of torches, tons of food, alcohol, too (LOL), lots & lots of fun.

I drove down there w/ my friend, Deb, whom I met through both Lampwork Etc & the Star of the North Glassworkers group. Sweet lady. She had been the year before & was planning on going to a different retreat last year, but when I told her I was going to go & wanted to see if she'd come along, she changed her mind & decided to go, too! Her mom & friend, Mary, came along for the ride...crazy, fun roadtrip!! It was great.

The cool thing that went on was that several people did workshops for things that they knew how to do & were willing to teach others... like working w/ PMC (Precious Metal Clay), macrame' bracelets, soldering, Viking Knit, etc... it was AWESOME!! It was all "at cost", so we just paid for the supplies. Very cool, huh?

The whole deck was set up pretty much from end to end w/ tables set up w/ torches & people torched the entire time. It was awesome, especially as a newbie, to watch over shoulders & learn new techniques.................

Deb eMailed me a few nights ago to see if I was thinking about going this year, there were only 7 spots left, so I had to decide quick. It didn't take much to convince me. :o)