Scrapbook Escapes

Scrapbooking for me is an escape anyway, but sometimes you have to take it to the next level and escape for a whole weekend with your girlfriends. This is something pretty new for me. I used to just scrap by myself, even though I attended the occasional class, but recently I've been going on more scrap retreats and have discovered that the weekend really is the way to go.
You have the whole weekend to scrap. No make-up. Lots of girl-time with your scrappy friends. You get in the groove and don't have to stop to make dinner or take the dog out or run to the grocery for this or that. One weekend, I made over 30 layouts!!
We have a couple places we go here outside of Atlanta. About 12 of us rent a house for the weekend. Each of us brings a snack, and we chip in on meals. We make a list of our tools so that we only bring what no one else has. A few of us bring movies and iPods to make sure we have chick flicks and tunes. Scrapbook magazines and idea books. And then we just let loose and scrap the weekend away! It is such a great way to catch up with people you haven't seen in a while, or even meet new people. Check and see if there is such a house in your neck of the woods...you won't be disappointed. I've done this twice now, and I'm hooked.

And there is always WIP's Fall Event at the Bertram Inn
Another great way to escape is going to the scrap conventions like the Expo, or Scrap ETC. There are a ton of these things that occur on an annual basis, or maybe just a one time thing. I don't do them often, but they are a great way to meet new scrappers in your area, and you learn from people like Margie Romney Aslett, Donna Downey, and Jenni Bowlin. You learn new techniques and ideas, and you get to play with some really great product at these things.
A couple years ago, I went to one in DC and took an extra day to see the sites like Paper Source in Georgetown...oh, and of course our Nation's Capital ;-). Donna Downey has her Inspired event. There's the CKUs and CKAs and all of that. Silver Bella. There is one in Louisiana later this year that I heard about. A whole weekend of scrappy classes, fun projects, nightly crops, games, raffles. A great way to have a scrappy escape, but also be a tourist at the same time! Can't beat that!

What's your favorite scrappy escape?

~Colleen