What a great time! I had so much fun. I got there early this year (mark that one down on the calendar LOL), got my shop on, got to see some great demos, eat awesome food, I won some really nice prizes and the best part of all--I got to spend the whole day with my oldest daughter. We never get to do that anymore with work, school and extracurricular activities. It was so fun to laugh together and just "be" together. She is an amazing person that I wish I could spend much more time with.
Okay, the demos! I got to see the most interesting demos on HP/Liquid soap. I really learned alot and glad I was there for that one! I watched a bubble bar demo, and although I have never made them I think I am going to try. Barb made it look too easy! :o) Joanne is a gem and her mica swirled CP demo was superb! I was really intrigued by her salad shooting demo and I have 8 lbs of cocoa butter in my workshop that are a thrift store's visit away from being chopped up! LOL Ruth's lotion demo left me inspired. The things she mentioned adding I am embarassed to say I have never considered....but I am now! I need to get some more things to experiment with. The Southern Garden rep who did the hair conditioner demo--a lady in every sense of the word! She was so sweet! Her demo was very informative....I may have to buy some stuff to try her recipe. Which leads me to......
Shopping!! I pre-ordered most of my stuff so people didn't see me with the usual armloads of loot this time. But I still got my shop on!! I got assorted fragrances from Backwoods as well as Scent Shack (got some pretty nice essential oils from Scent Shack too!) and Southern Garden. I also got Dead Sea Mud, Monoi de Tahiti, mica & red oxide for soaping, Pink Himalayan salts (supposedly the purest salt in the world), Babassu Oil as well as my staple soaping oils, a Cream Soapmaking book, and the jewel in my crown.....some Australian BLACK clay to play with! Woot! I don't know what I want to soap it with first! LOL
The prizes were awesome! The vendors were so generous this year. I need to make sure I take the time to sit and write a nice thank you note for the bag of goodies I got from Natures Garden. My daughter won fragrances from The Candlemaker's Store, two packages of various fragrances! The goody bags were very well stocked this year and again I want to stress how generous it was for the various vendors to donate such wonderful items.
The food! Yum! I have never had Bruegger's Bagels food before but I will be back for more! I had the Supreme Club on the Asiago Softwich. I don't think I have ever had a better sandwich. Poor Ash didn't realize her Leonardo di Veggie sandwich had cream cheese on it (which she is not a fan of) so I split half of my sandwich with her. With the chips and the cookie provided, I was still stuffed after only half of a sandwich!
The friendships are the best. I got to meet a lady from one of my candlemaking forums and she was as fun in person as she is online! I got to see other soaping friends and made a few new ones. It was really a great time and I think I look forward to seeing everyone the most. As a mom of two kids with different health issues...I don't get out very much. I loved getting out and catching up with everyone, including my oldest daughter. Yesterday reminded me she is still one of my greatest friends.
I will attach my slideshow in the links section, I can't seem to get it to upload here. I am already looking forward to 2009's gathering! :o)
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