Most. Amazing. Birthday. Ever!

And technically it's not even my birthday until the 25th! Seriously, this has been the best weekend. I got to attend 3 mini classes at Inspired, Donna Downey's big creative weekend. And get this - it was right around the corner from me! Love that!

Anyway, I got to go shopping at the vendor fair and take 3 classes. All of which were so amazing! Someone asked "What was your favorite class?" and I really have a hard time answering that because they were all great in different ways. The first was on Thursday night with Stephanie Ackerman. It was a 5x7 bound chipboard book using Teresa Collins papers. So cute! We made paper roses for the cover. Loved it! She even had home-made chocolate chip cookies for everyone! They were delish! A few of the girls that sat at my table were a bit rowdy so it was tough to hear Stephanie but she included a CD with instructions. Smart! I can't wait to finish that book!

Then, on Friday night I met up with Pam and her sister Sandy and we took Margie Romney-Aslett 's mini book class. I was looking forward to meeting Margie the most and she didn't disappoint! She is so nice and funny and sassy! I wanted her class to last all night because she was so fun! Her paper line and embellishments are too cute and the project was great! It's made from a single file folder and tags. Lots of her great product included in the kit. And she showed us how to make super-cute flowers from tissue paper and even crepe paper! I can't wait to finish this project!

The last class was from the Glitz Design girls, Laura and Ginger - aka: the Glitz Girlz! This was one of the last classes of the night. It had been pushed back about 30 minutes because the dinner earlier in the evening ran long. Stacey Julian was the key-note speaker so everyone waited to start their classes until it was over. Anyway, when Pam, Sandy and I showed up (about 10:00pm) we were the only ones in the class! Everyone else came and got their kits and left. Most of them had been there all weekend and were exhausted. Finally 2 other ladies showed up so it was just 5 of us at a table with the Glitz Girlz having our own private class! It was awesome! The project was altering an old book using Glitz Design papers and embellishments. Again, lots of product and technique. About half way thru, Margie Romney-Aslett showed up and sat at the table with us and we chatted like old friends! At one point, Margie walked over to a box that was sitting on a back table. She asked if it was pack up and ready to be shipped home. The Glitz Girlz said no, that it was trash. I looked in it and it was full of old books and even some cool old tins! Margie gave them to me! Score!! Of course, I shared with Pam and Sandy and the other lady who was still there.

Stacey Julian took Stephanie's class with us! Such a surprise to get to meet her!

There was a raffle for 6 or 8 Prima camera bags that had been altered by some of the big names in papercrafting. I took pictures of just a few. The bag on the left was done by Tim Holtz; the bag on the right was done by Margie Romney-Aslett; the pink bag done by Heidi Swapp. All the bags were amazing and the money raised went to Hope For Haiti.
Such an amazing time, filled with so much creativity and fun and laughter. I think my head is going to expode from all the inspiration and ideas! I can't wait to share them all with you!

Create something today!