The Creative Connection: Our Report

If you missed this post, Heidi and I were invited to teach/participate in the most amazing event... The Creative Connection.  It was incredible! beautiful! inspiring!  Everyone who knows me know I am a HUGE fan of over the top.  This event was just that. and more.  I am in every picture, it seems, because Heidi was behind the camera.  Lucky for you guys, I am by far the more beautiful/slim/photogenic of the two of us. ;)

My dearest most devoted friend, Amanda, and I spent roughly 38 hours in a giant van driving across the country to attend this event (our travel log) and get back home.  Heidi met us there, lucky duck.  The days were filled with creative classes, panels, lunches, parties, and the handmade market.  I wish I had pictures of every little detail, because there were so many, but hopefully this will give you enough of a taste.

Dessert from the Ree Drummond Luncheon

Heidi, Paige Hill, me (Dani), Jo Packham, and Shea Fragoso 

Me and the back of  Heather Bailey.  She wanted me to get her hair out of her face before this picture.

 Umm, ok.  Do you think it is weird that I kept the hair? :)

Amanda, Me, and Heather

Heather was so beautiful and gracious even though

I was acting like an absolute moron. 

Amanda was horrified, Heidi thought it was funny.

Me and Ree Drummond (The Pioneer Woman).  

She was so genuine and kind.  I spent a little time chatting with her the next day

when she came shopping in the handmade market.  She was very real. 

Amy Butler was the keynote speaker at the gala event/dinner.

(The swag bag out of the new Moda fabric is awesome.) 

I had made a bunch of rag dolls to sell at The Handmade Market,

one of them out of Amy Butler fabric. 

I decided to give the doll to Amy. 

Nerdy, yes.  Desperate, yes.  Stalker-ish, maybe. 

But it was better than standing there mindlessly gushing

like I had been (to everyone else) all night.

She liked it.

She had me sign it!

Paige, AMY BUTLER, rag doll, me, and Amanda

Me, AMY BUTLER, and Heidi

(every now and then we had someone else push the button

so she could be in the picture.  Bless her heart.)

Amy Butler and Heather Bailey

(They are both very, very tall.  Seriously, I am 5'9". 

When we asked them for this picture was when we officially

crossed the line from adoring fans to freaks.)

Heidi, Marie of Make and Takes, Me, and Marie's darling friend/guest blogger Kami Bigler from NoBiggie.

Amanda, hard at work in the Kaari Meng jewelry class.

Amanda, Kaari Meng, Heidi

So one crazy night we went with our new-super-fun, super-funny, kick A-friends

to dinner at Hells Kitchen.

Kris Thurgood, Sharon Brower, Jacki Singer, Kim Christopherson

Kris and Kim (identical sisters) are the hosts of DIY dish 

and the brains behind one of my favorite sites,  http://www.youcanmakethis.com/.

These ladies were a blast to spend time with.  We laughed until we cried,

and that was before the belly dancing started!

The band.

Kris and her treat.

Amanda, Sharon, and I in the OSS booth in The Handmade Market. 

The rest of these photos are from some of the other booths

in The Handmade Market. A couple hours before the market closed

I told Heidi to grab her camera and go take some pictures

of the amazing displays and products at the market...

here is some of what she brought back.

We had a wonderful time, learned a lot, created a bunch, laughed like crazy, and are so grateful to Jo Packham for giving us this opportunity!