I'm back with stories to tell

Oh My Gaaaaaaawwwwd! I had a wonderful time at the ZNEconference!!!! I highly recommend everyone sign up on the site and attend the next one in April. I met so many new people and hooked up with people that I had been talking to on-line for forever. It was just wonderful! I am gushing aren't I ??!!! Wait....is gushing a word??  Anyway...............

The American Harvest Boutiquewas to die for!!!! And Sharon and Rodger both loved the mosaic crown I made for them. (I'm soooo glad)

Here they are hard at work on the day I arrived. You could hardly move around in their store as there were many ZNE women in there buying, buying, buying!!!

Here are a couple of pics of the inside of the store. It was hard to take pictures, as the place was so packed with people.

 

 

Oh! Who's that?? Yep, Lisa Kaus. We've been talking on-line and on the phone for over a year now and finally we got to meet in person. I Adore her! I felt like we had known each other for forever.

  

Oh, and then there's Dawn Sokol. Hi Dawn! Dawn was one of the first people to buy one of my mosaic cupcakes. We are now both aware that we live about 5 miles from each other, so we will be getting together for lunch. What a sweetie she is! (and very creative too!)

 

Here's a pic of Lisa and I soon after meeting in person for the first time. Notice the mosaic crown to the right?? Well, Miss Lisa has now ordered one for herself. She was so funny, telling me that she needs it by next week! (meaning this week) hahahahahaha! She was joking of course (whew!) :-}

Now here's a funny little story about a little incident that happened on the first day. (it was probably funnier when it happened, but I'm going for it anyway).

Anyway, I'm sure alot of you are familiar with JoAnnA Pierotti(below). Well, after some of us had exited American Harvest, JoAnnA and Lisa were scheduled for a book signing down the street at a local book store. They did not want to go! (i kid you not) Their story of why they didn't want to go?? The book they were supposed to be signing was not their book, however, there were pictures of their work inside the book. They felt a bit uneasy about signing this book that wasn't theirs and they were sure that no one would show up for the signing. Well, thank goodness they had El' Responsible Michelle (me) with them who said they should they should head to the book store and check it out as it was an event that was on the schedule. When we walked into the store and saw this very important signing table with their names on very special placards, we just started laughing. They had no idea! And Yes, people came and all of the books were sold. By the way, the book is called ART MAKING Collections & Obsessions by Lynne Perrella. GREAT Book!!!!

On Saturday, we attended the SARK presentation and it was wonderful!!! Very, very inspiring. After that, it was classes all day long. I took Sally Jean'sclass. Wonderful class. I'll share with you later the little glass house I made in her class. I now know how to solder!!! YAY!!!!! After that, it was off to the Blue Agave Restaurant. YUM!

Here's myself, Dawn Sokol, Sally Jean and Lisa Kaus after dinner. Yes, this is after a couple of margaritas! Ole!

Pam Garrison and her daughter Allie sat with us too. Very lovely people! Allie and I got caught up in a conversation about the book Twilight  by Stephanie Meyer (who is a local here).  I LOVE this book and can't wait to read the other 3. Daughter #3 has read all four and daughter #4 is starting the third one. It is a beautiful vampire love story. I highly recommend the series.

Lisa and Sally received these cute little flat dolls of themselves as a gift from ZNE. The artist is Claudine Hellmuth. THESE pictures look very proper, but let me just say that there was a lot of laughing and goofing off before these "proper" pictures could be taken.   :-) (see margarita in hand)

Lisa, Sally and myself missed the 1000 journal journey on the first night, which I'm kind of bummed about, but heard I can order a dvd of it. I'm sooo glad about that, as I heard it was FABULOUS!!!! Why did we miss this??? That's a story for another time :-)

Well, that's all for today. The next set of pictures I'll share with you are of Wendy Addison's studio tour. You won't want to miss this! I felt like I had died and gone to Heaven!!!! It definitely gets an OH MY GAAAAAAAWWWWWDD!!!!

Hugs and Have a Fabulous Holiday Weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Michelle

p.s. If you've never been to Pleasanton, it is a very pleasant town! ;-) I'm sure that's how it got it's name. It's like a little Mayberry....but better.