My Time

CKU, continued

I left off talking about my album class, Rusty Pickle's The Story of Us with Lance.  I was a little worried going in as I had been told lots that the class moved very fast and that it was hard to keep up.  It did actually move fast, but it was a really good pace and I didn't have trouble keeping up - happy about that.  I was also worried as I had not done my "homework" for class.  I did not bring photos or have journaling ready for the album - I'm a bad bad student.  But turns out - nobody was expected to do that part of the album in class anyway - so I was good.

This is some of my Santa Clarita CKU friends at one of the evening crops.  Missing Elizabeth in this photo - girl you were hard to keep track of !

This is one of the really great things about CKU - friends.  For me, it's not about the classes, the celebrities, or even the shopping - it's about having such a fun time out with friends.  And I keep meeting more and more of them !! Love that.

Here's a really fun memory.  Read the poster on the wall, then look at Deanna & Dana.  See - I hang out with a classy group of ladies.

And funny too :-)

The next day was time for more classes.  I did really like most of the classes.  Tim Holtz mirror was of course a hit.  Everything he does seems to be interesting - and learning something new.

Mine turned out OK -- more stuff for the scrap area !

Other classes were good too - but I just wasn't very excited about the Piggy Tales slide album.  It just didn't look that interesting so I only made an appearance and left to go pack since we were leaving so early the next morning.  But I did take the album, and instructions, so I will try the project soon.

And then to the thing you know you all want to know -- what kind of freebies did I get ?  Just look -  This is all the goodie bag / class handouts, etc.  I was pleased in that I think I will actually use most of the product I got this year - gotta love that !

One of the other things that was very fun about CKU this year was the Secret Sister swap.  In this swap, you are assigned a "sister" to secretly spoil before CKU, and somebody is assigned you to "spoil".  I was very fortunate in both my "send to" and "receive from" sisters this year.  I mentioned before that my "sister" that was sending to me sent me a "countdown to CKU".  This was all really cute - I am just in awe of the creativity there.  Each of the 12 days before CKU there was an evelope to open, with a clever rhyme and a little goodie.  This is me getting ready to open the last one, on the bus tour.  My fellow bus tourists made sure I got it out and opened it before we got under way that day.

This is the really creative Ashley when I first met her.  Ashley and her sister Merlin (not sure I spelled that right) were nice enough to meet me for breakfast early that first morning.  Hope to stay in touch with both Ashley and my "send to" secret sister Jody.

Then it was time to come home.  After the bus dropped us off in Corona, we still had to catch a shuttle back to Santa Clarita.  I was worried about how we were going to fit all of our new stuff into the shuttle.   We all breathed a sigh of relief when we got all the stuff, plus us, into the shuttle and we were on our way home.

Well - that sigh of relief was short-lived.  It wasn't long before we heard a loud POP in the back.  The back doors had come unlatched, and we could even see daylight coming through them.  YIKES - we had a ton of stuff in the back !  The driver didn't believe us so he kept going.  On the freeway.   stress.    stress.   So finally he heeded our pleas and pulled over.

Yep - the doors were open.  He tried to close them again and the plastic on the inside of the doors cracked and started coming off.  So - I rode the rest of the way home with a box on my lap.  And we were very uneasy the whole rest of the trip home.  We kept looking back to make sure all was well in the back.  That's when we realized we had somebody else's bag in our stuff.  Then another bag was noticed.  Then after we got home and unloaded we found yet a 3rd bag that wasn't ours !!

Now we're not bag thieves or anything like that.  We were the last people from the bus to be picked up - it was just us left.  So our shuttle driver put all the bags that were there into our shuttle.  Turns out those 3 people had all left their bags behind in their excitement to get home to their families.  But not to worry - all bags are already safely back in the right hands.

But that was not the end to our exciting shuttle ride - no way.  After being on edge about the back coming open - our shuttle driver starts fishtailing  on the freeway.  Then stops.  Then a while later - does it again.  Then again.  I'm not sure if he was falling asleep, or if we were just too heavy with all our bags & bins.  I was SO glad to get back home !!  Safely !!  With all my stuff !!

So there you have it - my recap of CKU and the incredible Bus Tour.  Had a great time, and I've even managed to put away all the goodies I got !  Yeah !

CKU

Well another CKU done.  I can hardly believe it's over already.  It sat quietly in the shadow of the bus tour on this trip, but was still pretty great.  Thursday we had inspiration stations, with the new format of the teachers rotating to us instead of us waiting in long lines at each teacher's table.  Loved that !

Thursday was also dorm night - and my buddy Linda Vasina had done an awesome job organizing a non-dorm (for us non-conformists).   We were the "Princesses of Buys it All" and let me tell you- I did more than my part to live up to that name ! 

This is some of my fellow princesses (and even HRH Linda in the back facing the wrong way !)  We wore purple - the Royal color of course. 

 

My "send to" Secret Sister Jody was also a Princess.  And she gave me the most awesome crop bag as a thank you !    Thank YOU Jody ! 

And just look at these really cute centerpieces (with our princess wands) - All Linda's idea again (but I did help) :-)

 

Friday was my album class.  I took Rusty Pickle Story of Us.  Lance had been out with our bus the night before, showing us his warehouse, and we didn't get back to the hotel until well after 2am, so I wasn't the only one who was moving slow that morning !  The album is really cute - 12x12 which is my preference, and colors that I would not have normally used so actually that's good as it will be something different.  Someday - I'll actually put photos and journaling in it !  But probably a ways away from that -- maybe I'll finish last year's Happy Things album first :-)   oops.

I was lucky to sit next to my new buddy Janna (she who arranged our Provo Craft tour).  Don't have a picture of her either - darn !  But she's a really fun lady and I don't know why but she was afraid she wouldn't have any friends at CKU.  Well, Janna, now you're overloaded with friends deary !!

OK lots more to tell, but it will have to come later.  Right now, sleep calls !

Happy Birthday Peggy !

Today is my sister Peggy's birthday. 

This is her, in 1972 !   Those of you who know her - you know she looks pretty much the same today.

Happy Birthday Peggy !

Bus Tour & CKU

 I am back from CKU !  Got back late last night and I've been resting most of the day. I really thought I'd be posting while I was away at CKU - but I really had no idea how busy we'd be ! 

Being on the bus tour was the best thing !  After shopping our way across 4 states to get to Provo, when we arrived in Provo, and before checking in at the CKU hotel, we made a "surprise" stop at Provo Craft.  Surprise to us anyway.  Jessica, our bus organizer, had arranged this surprise for us through Provo Craft employee Janna - who was also my neighbor in my album class.  Hi Janna !

Look at the trouble they went through for us - they had Cricut and Cuttlebug out front to greet us !  So silly and yet so fun.

After hugs all around from the characters, we toured the facility.  Huge warehouse !  Then they took us to a room where they had very hefty goody bags for all of us.  I even won a Jukebox for the Cricut.  Hum - now if I just owned a Cricut.  Still figuring that one out.

Then they told us they wanted to show us a very NEW product, but that the secrecy was very important.  So they had their attorney standing by and had us sign non-discolsure agreements.  Anybody who was uncomfortable signing, could wait in the hall.  I am so glad I signed and got to see.  This product is NEW and DIFFERENT.  Very exciting to see.

Many people have asked me "weren't you bored on that bus for so long?".  Well - NO !  Jessica had it all planned so well, we were always kept busy in one way or another.  Counting the stops we made after we got to CKU in the evenings - we made 14 shopping or manufacturer stops in the 6 days we were gone.  I made 13 of those - I skipped DCWV and SO wish I'd gone !  This is what our/my schedule was like after CKU started --

Thursday -

• 7:45 am Breakfast with my secret sister who sent me that awesome countdown to CKU (thanks Ashley !)
• CKU classes 9am - 4pm
• BUS depart hotel 4pm -- go to Scrapbook Central -- return at 6:00
• CKU kick-off bash & dorms 6pm
• My peeps & I had dinner with Lance of Rusty Pickle.
• BUS depart hotel (with Lance aboard) 10pm -- go to My Scrapbook Zone.
• BUS depart My Scrapbook Zone 11pm - go to Rusty Pickle warehouse with Lance in tow.
• Return back to hotel 2:15am

Friday -

• CKU classes 9am - 5pm
• CKU bonus workshops 7pm - 8:30pm
• BUS depart hotel 8:40pm (pajama run) -- go to Pebbles in My Pocket
• BUS depart Pebbles 10pm - arrive Heartland Paper 10:30 pm
• BUS depart Heartland paper 12am midnight - arrive back at hotel 12:30 am

Saturday -

• CKU classes 9am - 5pm
• BUS loading time (since we're leaving early next morning)  5:15 - 5:45
• CKU commencement  6pm
• BUS depart hotel 7:30pm -- arrive Heartfelt Creations 8:00 - have dinner & shop
• BUS arrive back at hotel 11pm

Sunday - load bus & be on the road by 7am

so you can see we were very busy bees.  No sleep this trip !  This is the goodies I got as freebies on the bus trip - not through CKU - but on the bus trip.

I'll post more about CKU later - but for now - here's some photos from the bus.  We had a great time !

   

Journey to Provo

We are safely in Provo - and how fun it was getting here !

The stores we stopped at were  so welcoming to us.  One of my favorites was Magestic Memories in Las Vegas.  They had so many things we all wanted !  This photo was taken outside their store - by one of their very nice employees !  Also, I won't go into too many details, but the owners Bill & Dodi did make sure I knew there was to be no pole dancing in their parking lot !  ahem - remember what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.

We stayed at Texas Station in Vegas, and had a bit of time we chose to use gambling instead of sleeping !

Jessica, our Cheery Charter Chairperson, did make quite a great win on the slots.  She called Steph and said - "hurry, come over and take my picture!"  Then we found out that she won big and that's why she needed the photo (a true scrapbooker you know) so we rushed over quick !

We have been very lucky in the bus driver we got.  Jose' is the nicest guy.  He was with us for a while watching us go into scrap stores and buying things.  Then he went in and was looking around - and then started asking questions.  Well, Jose' has now been shopping with us !  The stores are even giving him goody bags too !  He's made the comment a couple times that he doesn't have enough time to shop !

The roads we traveled were pretty scenic.  We did however have a very scary emergency on board, and we were all very glad we had two nurses on the bus with us.  One of our riders was choking, she couldn't talk to even say what was wrong, and was definitely blue.  Cherry and Susan saved the day. 

Today we also made a stop at Provo Craft.  Wow the things we saw and CAN'T tell you !!!  But more on the Provo Craft stop later - I need to get some sleep now !

NOW we have a problem !

Evidently a burn can take a while to show.  When Val got burned by the radiator Thursday, I could't even tell where he was burned.  Then the next day the burn color was there and he had lots of blisters on his wrist.  His face just looked like he got a bad sunburn, and it's even peeling like a sunburn.  But that wrist -- it was doing ok until today.  He got home and showed it to me and I panicked.  Huge raw spots, and icky stuff I won't describe here. 

So we rushed out to get to the doctors office before they closed.  Luckily they stay open until 8:00, we got there about 3 minutes before.  We walked in, and they locked the door behind us -- that was close.  So after the doctors tisk tisk'd at Val for this wound, they slathered tons of burn cream on - and covered it with several of those plastic burn sheets - and wrapped it all up.  He has to leave that bandage on, no changing the bandage or getting it wet, and he must return for a re-check on Wednesday.  Oh and a large dose of antibiotics.

Many of you know that Val usually waits until I'm not around - out of town or working tons - to have these major disasters.   Makes me worry about being away this week !!!

OK - I've got to finish getting ready to leave, and try to get a couple hours sleep.

Almost time !

I leave very early tomorrow morning for CKU in Provo Utah.  Several days of scrapbook classes, celebrities, shopping, and general "girls gone wild" times !   I am going into this adventure with no sleep and I'm so tired - and boy I know I'm not going to be sleeping while I'm gone !

Taking the SoCal2Provo bus trip to Provo Utah.  This is going to be SO FUN !!  We'll take 2 days to bus it to Provo - stopping at Las Vegas overnight too !  OH and stopping at scrapbook stores all along the way. 

I'll be back late late Sunday night.  But check back here as I am taking my laptop with me and hope to blog and post photos often !

Now - for some sleep.....

Reggae Night at the Hollywood Bowl

Tonight we went to Reggae Night at the Hollywood Bowl.  We saw UB40 , Beres Hammond, and Barrington Levy.  We somehow sat smack in the middle of a couple hundred very spirited Jamaicans.  Wow.  Let's just say I was way too sober to be in the crowd, but how fun !!   Now I have an insight to how Woodstock must have been :-)   

So Val & I have decided we need to get back to Jamaica very soon.  Depending on some financial issues we are going to shoot for next April/May.  Probably beginning of May.  

Now I've got to get some sleep.  Only got 2 hours last night as I'm getting ready for CKU !!

Happy Birthday Christi !

Today is my sister Christi's birthday.  This is her --- in 1972 !!    She was 11 years old.  Wasn't she cute !

she's probably going to kill me because I bet she doesn't know I have this picture :-)

Happy Birthday Christi !

Salsa Festival

We visited the Oxnard Salsa Festival last weekend.  Picture this -- huge tent with a couple dozen vendors who sell salsa.  Each vendor has a table set up with a few choices of different salsa's.  You're given a bag of corn chips as you walk in the door - and use those to scoop and taste all the salsa's.  I didn't go for any of the "hot" ones - mild or medium is much more my speed.  Oh and there is the obligatory stop for a margarita too !  

This festival is really fun - outside the tasting tent they have live music and dancing contests, and even a bit of shopping.  We try to go every year.

This is Val with his friend Tilly from Melbourne who was visiting us.  Notice the pin he's wearing. (click on picture to make bigger)  It says "I survived the worlds hottest pickle".

Yep - Val took the challenge again this year and ate one of their habernero pickles.  (below)

It has been just a crazy busy couple weeks.  I've had a whole group of new staff at work, always keeps me busy, and other trainings going on too.  Val's been dealing with the possibility of some major changes at his shop (we'll know more soon) and we had Tilly visiting.  Oh AND I'm getting ready for CKU !!  Leaving soon !

So more than a little stressed and busy.  Then after I get home today - a friend of Val's calls to "check on him".  I said he wasn't home yet and I heard "what? Oh my goodness he left an hour ago!  I tried to get him to the hospital but he wouldn't go"  OK so my stomach turned a little when I asked "John - what happened ?  What do you mean hospital ?" 

Then I hear back - "a radiator exploded in his face and onto his chest.  He was all burnt, but I didn't see any skin hanging off or anything".  Great.  So I get John off the phone and call Val's cell to find out where the heck he is, because he really should have already been home.   "I'm sorry honey I had car trouble".  I'm still picturing the "no hanging skin" part as I seeth -- get home now !!

So he gets home -- I can't even tell where he was burned.  Yep - no hanging skin !   So I'll ring his friend John's neck later.   But Val was definitely very lucky, a radiator exploding on him like that could have been serious.