A Gathering of Angels

This past weekend was the Salina Winter Gathering in Salina Kansas. Several Angel Company Directors spend months and months planning this every year. There is always at least 20 projects and you leave with your mojo in high gear, and totally enabled to wanna buy tons more!

I knew I had to attend this year for many reasons. One, I am a TAC Angel and it is less than an hour away. Two, this will be my last chance to attend a gathering in Kansas, with some of the most friendliest and talented women you could ever meet, before my move this Summer.

I have attended two other similar gatherings and TAC's annual Seminar, and if for nothing else, I leave with the best warm fuzzies and attachments to people that will last a lifetime.

I almost did not make it to this weekend's Gathering. My car decided to do what cars to best, and break down Friday. The month after the warranty expires.
We are a 1 car family.
I tried to rent a car. Ever try to rent a car on a Friday afternoon around 4pm? Ugh.

So, after what I will only call a mini-meltdown, complete with lots of tears, I looked at my 60 swap cards and handmade swap exchange gift I made, and called my TAC upline Heather and told her I would not be attending.

A few hours later, I got a call from Barbara, a friend and fellow TAC Angel. She was at the gathering already. She insisted I "pack up my stuff, be ready at 8am"....I was going!! She was coming to get me in the morning!! I was nearly speechless (yup, more tears by now) and I just was never expecting that outcome!

As I walked into the building and Heather came running up to me to give me a hug, and then I saw some familiar faces with warm smiles greeting me.....I knew that true Angels were surrounding me. I almost cried again...almost.

I knew then I needed to be there.

~~~~~~~~~~~

So, what did my swap cards look like?

As I have mentioned, I had to make lots of them, and I am a procrastinator. So, I enlisted the help of a very willing and able 9 year old boy that usually can't keep his hands off my stuff.

I wanted a card idea that involved punches and simple stamping, yet something that didnt look like a 9 year old made it. ;)

He assisted me with all the punching of the tags, squares, and corners. He also helped me with the Saran Wrap technique I used for the background on the white cardstock. We used Palette colors Toile Pink and Belle Rose on a full sheets of 8.5 x 11, then cut them down into 4 1/4 x 5.5 pieces, then cut those pieces in half, to create the size piece you see on the card. Alas, no wasted cardstock. ;)

Stamp set: Love Doodles

Ink: Palette Belle Rose, Toile Pink, Bordeaux, Lamore Red. Versamagic Cloud White

TAC Scarlet Red cardstock

Wanna see what I made for the gift swap exchange?

Remember those unfinished wooden drawers I posted on here a week ago?

Here is what I did to them...........

Using the bright and cool colors from the paper collection Pop Rockz, I used sponges on the drawers using Palette and Versamagic inks to *paint* them. The white drawer is white paint. White ink did not work well at all! lol

When dry, I stamped images in Versamagic chalk inks, and then used Modge Podge to seal. Stickles are applied to give the stamped images on the drawers a little pop!

Because I knew this item was going to an Angel Company Angel for this gift exchange, I decided to decorate the back, and put TAC on the back, instead of my usual signature or handstamping it that I made it. I used the letters from ABC Frameworks, and colored them by pressing them against an inkpad. I added crystal Stickles, then glued them to the ovals.

All items from The Angel Company unless otherwise noted

Stamp set: Spring Dream

Paper: Pop Rockz

Ink: Palette Landscape, Chartreuse, Reflection Blue, Cote D'Azure, French Lilac, Iris, Lavendar. Versamagic Cloud White, Spring Pansy, Key Lime, Sea Breeze. Brilliance Pearlescent Purple

Stickles: Lavendar, Turquoise, Crystal, Green and Gold

Wooden drawers, Modge Podge and white acrylic paint by Apple Barrel bought at Hobby Lobby

Oval scallop punch by Marvy Uchida