Oyster Stamps Craft Retreat

Hello everyone - well, what a weekend, what fun!!!  Must admit it didn't start off too well.  I had decided to go up to Daventry on Friday so I'd be rested and ready for the start at 9am on Saturday.  Left home at 2.30pm for what should have been a 2 1/2 hour journey.............arrived at the hotel at 7.15pm!!!!  Nightmare - traffic jams, accidents etc etc.  Still at least I got there safely and met up with Martine, Tracey, Graham, Tom, Paul, Neet and Jacqui - it was a glorious day and we were sitting out on the terrace having a drink (or two!!!).  This is the view we had:

Whilst we were sitting chatting this lady came up who everyone seemed to know and was introduced to me as Jane.  Lovely lady, very pretty with a great sense of humour.  She went a little while later and I said to Tracey I'm sure I know her...........well, of course I did - it was Jane Nestorenko!!!  She has lost such a lot of weight and looks years younger than the last time I saw her on TV.  She lives quite near and had popped in to see Paul Church as he was using some of her Christmas stamps in one of the workshops.  We all piled back into the hotel to get some dinner and then had a fairly early night.

The next morning we all met up for breakfast at about 8am and then had the intro to what was going to happen during the next two days.  There were 40 of us at the retreat and had four workshops going at a time - so I was on table 1, then moved on to table 2, etc etc so we all completed four workshops on both days.  Jacqui Dennis took us for a colouring tutorial, the amazing Neet took us for some mixed media  and we had a great time using Ice Resin, Martine took us for the advent Christmas tree (see the photo below) and Paul did a Christmas card using Jane Nestorenko's Christmas bauble stamps. 

 

Behind each window is a folded sentiment (you can see some unfolded on the left of the tree) and I used the Twelve Days of Christmas sentiments and then stamped others making 24 in total.

On the second day Anna Marie arrived, hot-foot from her show on C&C the evening before, along with her hubby Tim who set up a mini shop of Anna Marie Designs goodies.  We did a great workshop with Anna Marie using some of her new Christmas stamps and various embellishments she sells.  She also showed us how to make a rolled and cut Christmas tree - so effective.

We finished off our mixed media projects with Neet next - it was so much fun and even the ladies who hate getting mucky really enjoyed themselves!

The third workshop was with Martine again and I show a photo of the card we were making - beautiful vellum flowers, coloured using Wink of Stella pens, with an envelope enclosed in the centre of the card plastered with bling!!!  Definitely a Martine card.  Unfortunately as time was limited we didn't have a chance to finish it but have brought it home to complete.

 

 

 This is Lorraine holding Martine's card

The last workshop was with Paul who was showing us the geared system that Inkadinkadoo have come up with.  If you're really into pattern building then it's ideal but must admit it wasn't my "thing".


Oh, did I mention that there was a fairly large Oyster Stamp shop on site?????   hehe............ well, you couldn't expect anything less eh?  Must admit I came back with more baggage than I went with! lol  We were also given an amazing goodie bag from Tracey & Graham which contained stamp sets, Memory Box dies, Spellbinders dies, Distress Inks, Distress Stains, packs of card, and several other bits and bobs.......it was so generous of them.

I have got loads of photos but there are also lots on Oyster's Facebook page but will try to post some more during the week.

Right, just going to see what's for dinner..........talking about which, after a great journey home on Sunday evening (2 1/2 hours as it should have been......) I came into the house to the wonderful smell of roast lamb............my wonderful hubby had cooked dinner for me.....mwah!