Who ever thought that traveling 18 hours to CHA, having to deal with a 9 hour time difference, walking the floor every day, doing make-and-takes, take workshops and staying up way to late for 5 days makes one tired has never been to Version Scrap!
I returned home from Paris yesterday afternoon and I was sooo tired!
Being picked up at 8-8.30 in the morning, teaching 3 workshops a day from 10 to 18 without ANY break (running to the bathroom once a day, hoping the line would not be too long) for 3 days in a row, teaching with a translator because most of the students don't speak your language or even english and then on Sunday evening pack like crazy to get all your stuff ready to ship back because around you everything is being teared down... that really makes you tired!
It was CRAZY! Nothing like any event I have ever done before. But it was also LOTS OF FUN!!!
The students were awesome! Very sweet and relaxed despite the time pressure of chained workshops without time in between to clean up and set up the next one. They did not complain, they were friendly and nice, eager to learn, enthusiastic, thankful and happy. The atmosphere was great! I had people from France, Spain, Finland, Greece, Italy, Norway, Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands, The UK and even California in my classes. Isn't it amazing that scrapbooking connects people from all over the world. You can go to a workshop all on your own knowing that you will never be alone. Everyone there will have the same passion, there will always be people that will talk to you, share with you and have fun with you even if you don't speak the same language, have a 40 year age difference, come from totally different backgrounds. Scrapbooking unites, I saw it happening again, this weekend during my classes and I love it!
Here's an impression of the workshops:
My lovely translator Sandrine (on the left) and her sister. Sandrine was such a wonderful help! She is not even a scrapbooker but she picked up my explanations so quick that I could have stayed in bed on Sunday and she could have taught my classes, LOL. Besides that she helped me clean up and set up, got me food and drinks and was really nice! I am very thankful she was there :)
We had to improvise a bit with the electrical extensions and heat tools but it all worked out :)
I think she liked my workshop :)
I met so many lovely people. Of course all the students, some of them I had already met at previous workshops which was really fun, but also people that I have been "talking" with online a lot but never met in real before. Like Marie-Dominique, the editor of Histoires de Pages (the French magazine I'm working for), Alexis, the owner of Carabelle Studio for who I am a DT member, Azoline and Ana, who are also on the Carabelle DT, Isabelle from Aladine and Karine who was also teaching.
I got to meet the other international teachers that I had never met before. Magda from Poland, Stephanie from Switzerland and Debby from the US. It was wonderful getting to know them and spent time with them.
And of course Sharon was there, with her husband Bill. I know them for years and we always have a good time together. I went out for dinner one evening with Sharon, Bill and their daugther Brittany and it was lovely. Delicious food too!
I also met Manuela, one of the French teachers. She was so sweet and gave me the cutest presents.
And my sweet friends Marsha and Riikka where there :) They took one of my classes and on Friday the 3 of us had a fun evening together in a nice French restaurant with a fun waiter. I ordered something he said I would not like but I didn't really understand why so I took it anyway. He was right, it was a sausage from organ meat and it tasted very strong. I only had a few bites. But desert definitely made up for it, mmmmmm fondant au chocolat... :)
On saturday evening Sharon, Debby and I went out and had Fondue Bourguignonne. It was very good and we spend a long evening talking and laughing and enjoying the French food.
In the early morning and at night after the show I got the chance to take a few pictures of Paris, or rather Vincennes, the neighborhood where we were staying. I love the little bit I saw of it! Maybe next time we go to Paris we should stay in this part of the city.
Cherry blossoms at Chateau de Vincennes and in the streets.
Sunset on Avenue de Paris with at the end of the street the Tour Eiffel.
Avenue de Paris, near my hotel.
Chateau de Vincennes, just across the street.
Blue door on Avenue de Paris.
Posters of Version Scrap and Sugar Paris in the window of the tourist office on Avenue de Paris.
Some of the delicious food I ate.
And a panorama picture of my cute little room in Adagio Aparthotel.
Then after 3 fun days it was time to go home.
I love the roof in the Charles de Gaulle airport terminal.
The sky was suny and clear so I was able to take some great shots from the plane.
And an hour later I was "home" in Amsterdam. Where the tulips are and a Starbucks where they actually know how to spell my name :)
Thank you for stopping by today and taking the time to read this long post. If you took my classes and are sharing pictures, blog posts or anything else online, please leave a link here so I can check it out :)
Happy crafting!
