Sunday, April 25, 2010

Almost Done!

My unpacking is almost done!  Of course, my camera was in the last box.  So it was a great excuse to stop for a little while and post some pictures.  I'm going to put them on Facebook when I'm done.  If you aren't a friend, look me up and send me a request.
Yep!  That's a leak, Becky!  How it missed me and Lyla was beyond me.  Fortunately, as soon as they shut the a/c unit down, it started slowing down and eventually stop.  It sure made us all think about what would happen if the fire alarms went off.... YIKES!!!

Everyone busy at work!

No, they aren't in trouble!  They are just all attending a technique class.  It sure has everyone's attention!

Boy, we have a bunch of stuff, don't we!  And we sure liked the room to spread out in!  Gotta love space!
We had plenty of snacks.  I don't think ANYONE went hungry!

Ok, back to putting stuff away.  I wish I was still there.


Monday, April 19, 2010

What a Weekend!

All I can say is WOW!  I mean, really... WOW!!!

You are ALL the greatest bunch of ladies I know.  Did we have a great time or what?!  I have some pictures I want to post, but I haven't found my camera yet!!!  I only have one question.... how in the world did I come home with MORE stuff than I took?  Especially since I left SO much stuff there!  That is really baffling me!!!

Oh, well... I hope you all had as much fun as I did.  And I hope you are going to take a few days to rest up, because if you are as tired as I am, I am sure you will need it.  But it was SO worth it, wasn't it!

It's just so amazing to me that I have found each of you and you are now a part of my life.  I truly mean that.  You each are so unique and so very talented and so VERY much fun!  I can't get my mind to slow down.  I just keep replaying the last 5 days in my mind.  I usually do that to re-evaluate and try to figure out how to make things better, but this time is different.  I am just enjoying all of the fun moments and time spent watching everyone enjoy themselves and talking to people and just getting to know you all.  I wish I had more time to spend with each of you and even though I tried, I know I didn't/couldn't. 

I can't wait til October (boy, I am sure wishing my time away, aren't I!), but I can't wait to see everyone again.  I so appreciate your feedback and I so want to make this coming 2010 Fall Scrapbook Retreat, the BEST ONE EVER!!!  (I know, I sound like a broken record, don't I!!!)

So, keep an eye out on this blog.... I'll be posting pictures of this past retreat and I'll be building a NEW blog for the 2010 FALL RETREAT in the next month or so and I'll be sure and post a link here.

I'd offer you CROP CASH for leaving a comment, but I'm done with bribes for now!  Just leave a comment if you want to... 'til later!

Thursday, April 15, 2010

IT'S HERE - FINALLY!

It's finally here... I'm finally here!!!

And now, I'm lonely!  But not for long, I know.  It is truly the calm before the storm.  Here are some before pictures... it won't look like this for long!  Be safe in your travels and see you soon!

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Final Notes... Travel Safely!

How do we get there, you may ask!  Click HERE for a map and directions.  If you have any problems, call me... 417-880-2426.

Bring comfortable clothes!
Bring your creativity!
Bring your snacks!
Bring whatever else you want!  And if you forget something, don't worry too much, I'm sure someone will loan you just about anything and for enough CROP CASH they may just give it to you!

Send me an email if you don't want to call... my email address is jmpurves@mchsi.com.  I have my Blackberry with me all the time and I get my emails there.

You can either check in at the front desk and ask for "THE SCRAPBOOKERS" and they will tell you right where we are or come to the Convention Center and come on it... we are the only ones in there!

Be safe, have a good trip and we will see you when you get there!

Monday, April 12, 2010

STOP COMMENTING!!!

COMMENTS ARE NOW CLOSED!  Tally away, Kim!

I'll be back in a a little bit with some last minute information for you.

Comments Close at 5:30 tonight!

Remember, we have to close the COMMENTS tonight at 5:30 so Kim has plenty of time to calculate those millions of dollars of CROP CASH you all have earned!!!  Don't get too excited... it's NOT millions, but when you look at it, it kind of looks like that... check it out!

Now, guessing how much is in there would make a great contest, but, I don't want to count it all!

The Pinks's are $100, the White's are $50, the Yellow's are $20 and the Green's are $10.  WOOHOO!!!  Bring on the CROP CASH!

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Packing! And Taxes are DONE!

Today was my day to get my taxes done and get some major packing started.  And guess what?  I did it!!!  I can't believe it!  And this was after spending the day yesterday in Bolivar at a fundraising crop for TOMSK Missions.  It was a great day, but what was I thinking?  The Saturday before my retreat?  I committed to doing something ELSE... all... day... long?  Oh, well!  It worked out!  And here's some pictures to prove it!.

I've been packing and moving to my living room.  
This is how it started this morning (after the taxes were done!).

This is just another view!


And then, I ran out of room, so I started moving the stuff to the garage...

And I haven't even begun to pack my own stuff yet!  Or any of the tools!  Or my clothes!  
Anyone have a U-Haul?  I may need one!

I hope your packing is coming along, too!  I can't wait to meet and see everyone.  The weather is supposed to be beautiful through Thursday and then it looks like rain Friday and Saturday.  Perfect weather to be inside scrapbooking!  I will be adding another blog with some final details... AFTER I finish packing! 

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Trivia Game - LAST Crop Cash Opportunity!

Ok.  This is the last one... on the blog and/or by email, anyway.  There will be tons of opportunity at the retreat to earn more CROP CASH, so don't worry!  Answer these 7 trivia questions by sending me an email with the answers.  This time, you DON'T post them here.  You just email me the answers at jmpurves@mchsi.com.  I'll be sending this out by email, too and you can simply reply to that email!  To answer some of the questions, you may need to refer back to emails I've sent or blog entries I've made.  Some, you may have to dig for!  Some you may have to guess!

1.  How many people are signed up for this retreat?
2.  How many items will be up for auction at the infamous CROP CASH AUCTION?
3.  What is the name of the hotel where this retreat is being held?
4.  How much in CROP CASH is a homemade snack worth?
5  What direct market scrapbook company am I a consultant for?
6.  How many people who have responded to me are attending this retreat as their very FIRST retreat? 
7.  How much CROP CASH do you think you have earned SO FAR?

You will earn $100 for EACH correct ANSWER!!!

Get that response to me quickly!  Remember CROP CASH earning on this blog or by email will close at 5:00pm Monday, April 12th.  Don't be late!

Drop and Swap Table

Cherry has asked for more information about the Drop and Swap Table!  This is a place where you can bring your scrapbook supplies that you no longer want.  You just leave them on the table.  And while you're there, take a look around and see if there's anything that you want!  And if there is, you just take it!  And keep checking back and people arrive and add to the Drop and Swap Table, the selection gets greater and greater!  Sometimes, as people are actually scrapbooking, they find things they just don't want anymore and they take them to the Drop and Swap Table!

It's really fun to keep checking back from time to time.

Then, at the end of the retreat, whatever is left over is packed up by one of our retreat goers (Debbie) and she takes it all to a local women's shelter.

So if you decide to drop something off at the table, come to me at the retreat and I will give you $100 in Crop Cash for doing so!  (This is a one-time Crop Cash payment!  I have to be clear about this stuff because SOME people will try to get more CROP CASH than they know what to do with!)

That's it!  Just an added little thing at our retreats!

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

One Week from Tonight!!!

Exactly ONE WEEK FROM TONIGHT, I start (or maybe I should say FINISH) packing.  I have a lot done already, but I have a lot left to do!  And get this, I still have to finish my TAXES!  And we all know when THAT deadline is!!!

And then... ONE WEEK FROM TOMORROW, we head down to Branson to start setting the room up!  WOOHOO!  When I hit that ONE WEEK mark, I really start getting excited, freaking out, going crazy... and any combination of the 3.  At any given time, I could just be laughing or crying!  But you know what.  This is the absolute best time!  I love this week.  I love the anticipation of seeing everyone.  I love the idea of getting the room ready.  And I get so excited at just getting there.  I hope you are getting excited, too! 

Be watching tomorrow night... I'm conjuring up another CROP CASH OPPORTUNITY.  Sadly, it will be the last one... on the blog at least!  So, get ready and be sure and check the blog tomorrow night!

Monday, April 5, 2010

Blog Comments and Earning Crop Cash!

We are getting SO close now!  SO CLOSE I CAN HARDLY STAND IT!

SO.... just FYI... there will be probably ONE more CROP CASH OPPORTUNITY and then... we must stop!  For the BLOG anyway...

All blogs and comments will remain open until Monday April 12th night at 5pm at which time they will CLOSE and you can no longer earn CROP CASH (we have to have time to calculate the millions of dollars of CROP CASH being earned!!!)  Ok, maybe not millions of dollars!!!  BUT A LOT!

So, mark your calendar for Monday, April 12th and be sure you get comments on all of the CROP CASH OPPORTUNITIES you can!!!

Sunday, April 4, 2010

A Couple More Pieces of Information!

Suzy and Beth asked me this question and I think it's important enough to tell everyone the answer!!!  They are coming in on Friday and wanted to know how early they can arrive. 

Here's the deal... I don't really care how early you arrive, but if you want breakfast (served at 9) or lunch (served at noon), just let me know and you can pay when you arrive.  You can have breakfast with us for $5 and lunch for $6.  You can even bring your own food in if you want!

The reason you can't arrive earlier than 1 on Thursday is so I (and my team) have time to get the room set up!  Plus we don't have food being catered in. 

A couple more things I've thought about.

  1. Bring an extension cord (or power strip) if you will have power items at your work area.  I've tried to set the tables up to optimize the outlets, but it would just be a sad day if there weren't enough places for you to plug in your Cricut, your computer, your printer, your light source, your craft gun or whatever else you may be bringing!
  2. There will be a Drop and Swap table.  This will earn you $100 in CROP CASH to leave whatever you are going to leave.  This is too hard to keep track of, so it's a one amount deal.  So you know... feel free to leave and pick up whatever you like.  Whatever is leftover at the end of the retreat was taken by Debbie last year and donated to a woman's shelter... I hope she will do that for us again this year!
  3. Last year, everyone got one of those pop-up trash cans.  Not doing that this year!  So, don't forget to bring some type of trash receptacle for your area if you want to have one there.  There are big trash cans throughout the room that they pick up for us, but sometimes it's just more convenient to have a small receptacle at your own space.
  4. If you have ANY questions for me, don't hesitate to ask!  Or send me an email!  This is YOUR Retreat and I want you to enjoy it as much as possible and I want to help any way I can!

Back to organizing and packing!

Happy Easter, Everyone

Just a quick note... no CROP CASH!...

Happy Easter, EVERYONE!!!

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Let's Get to Know Each Other - AND earn CROP CASH!

Ok... In less than 2 weeks, we are going to be spending 3 days together!  Can you believe it's getting that close!!!  I can't, but I am SO ready.  I really am!

So, it's time for more CROP CASH!!! - Leave a comment, answering these questions and you will earn $200 in CROP CASH!!!
  1. Is this your first retreat or have you attended others?  If you've attended others, how many?
  2. If you've attended a retreat before this one, what words of wisdom do you have for our "newbies".  I'm sure they would appreciate any thoughts.
  3. Are you one who will be up early having coffee with me at 6:30 or 7 in the morning or will you be closing the room down at night?
  4. Are you a coffee drinker?  If so, when?
  5. Are you planning on getting a ton done or are you going to be happy completing a couple of pages or cards?
Remember, leaving a comment with your answers will earn you $200 in CROP CASH.

Just an update on my planning... Prizes are done.  CTMH orders are in.  Tombow orders are in.  Name tags done. Goody bags DONE!  Food ordered.  Rooms reserved AND paid for.  Room layout and seating chart done.  Signing in stuff done.  Stuff being gathered in my living room room is growing.  Arrangements made to haul stuff to Branson. 

Still to do... Print more CROP CASH! Shopping for last minute stuff (list continues to grow!)  Organize what I am going to take and work on (organize?  what's that?).  Finish Crazy Cropper Pass or Play game envelopes.  PACK, PACK, PACK!

I love it when the done list gets bigger than the TO DO list!!!  I am getting SO excited.  When I have to sit and think about what still needs to be done, that means it's getting SO CLOSE!

Ok... it's time to leave your comments and earn your CROP CASH!