Tom and I hit the road again and had a wonderful 2,080 mile drive all the way to Cary, North Carolina and back! Why Cary you might ask? I have had this visit on my bucket list for a while now!
You will no doubt recognize that sweetie in the middle is none other than our friend Bonnie Klass! Yes, that's me on the left [with all that gray hair smiling so big that my eyes disappeared!] and on the right is another friend Nance Salkeld of Soul Stampin'! [thanks, Nance for this photo!] Bonnie and I had a few hours on Friday to share tons of hugs and have a tour of her fabulous studio - I've never seen a bigger, more well-organized space! Bonnie teaches classes there and I think there was seating for at least 14!
On Saturday, Tom and Bruce headed out to a flea market - Tom's first experience and he really enjoyed it - Bonnie and I shared a few stamps and press plates and just did lots of visiting while doing so. Nance came for lunch and some more stamping after. It was so wonderful to meet these gals in real life! Oh, and I delivered all those hugs as promised from a few of you, too!
Okay, home again on Monday, and I had a little time between travel-laundry loads on Tuesday to get my craft on - it's amazing how rusty one feels after just a few days, isn't it? Speaking of rust...
What a wonderful post! Looks and sounds like you all had a great time! That was supposed to be one of our stops last month, but tropical storm Debby and Bonnie's plans made us postpone the trip. Sounds like a dream of a craft space and a bonus that you met Nance S. too. As for your wonderful cards...I knew you would love this color combo and pairing it with a grey background really adds a extra punch! A gorgeous pair of cards which we all have come to expect from you. Thanks for making our colors shine at Color Hues. Take care!
ReplyDeleteI love seeing all your smiling faces! What a great time! I also love those stylized sunflowers in these rich colors. Very dramatic against the steely gray. Both versions are fantastic!
ReplyDeleteNorth Carolina must be such a special place, just like PA! How fun you got to meet and craft with Bonnie & Nance! Such pretty creations too! I know what you mean about being rusty...we've been away too and I haven't managed to get anything inky yet!
ReplyDeleteSweet story of friendship and a great card.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun trip. It’s always so enjoyable meeting up with other stampers that you’ve been creating with over the years! Your inspired card from Eliz’s is absolutely stunning. Those rich colors are just amazing together. Thanks for joining in JUGS.
ReplyDeleteMichele... what a fun trip!! Bonnie's space sounds so wonderful... I can only wish. Glad you had a lovely visit. You are going to have to hit all your cardmaker friends in Florida next! You are more than welcome. Big thank for the CASE. My eye went straight to your card when I opened the gallery today. WOW. You certainly have a style I love. Good to see another one of these Spellbinders sets in use. I have my eye on the one you chose.
ReplyDeleteWOW! You have nailed this challenge, my friend! Your rust and green anemones are stunning against the gray background! It was such a fun time and I still wish you lived next door!
ReplyDeleteGreat photo of you three, Michele - sounds like a wonderful trip! And I love your pair of cards with the rusty anemones - gorgeous!!
ReplyDeleteHow lucky are you!!! Not one, but two wonderful crafting friends to visit with. Both of your Rust and Green cards are fabulous! The dark gray sets off those gorgeous flowers beautifully. Thanks for sharing with us at Color Hues!
ReplyDeleteTwo just wonderful cards. I really like the colors you chose on the gray backgrounds.
ReplyDeleteGlad you got to experience what I did in Bonnie's fabulous craft room, Michele. I think I still have things to color. lol Love your dark, moody cards. Thanks for sharing them with us at Just Us Girls.
ReplyDeleteThat's AWESOME! So nice to see these smiling faces! Nothing better than meeting our crafting in friends in person! I've met so many over the years and can't wait to meet more! Thanks for sharing ... you made me smile!!
ReplyDeleteWow, sounds like a wonderful time with Bonnie & Nance. Wish I could have been there. Your card is gorgeous and perfect with those colors. Love it.
ReplyDeleteGlad you and Tom got home safely! Hope you left before our other wild storm hit on Sunday. I'm so thrilled I was finally able to meet you in person, Michele and craft with you and Bonnie. Isn't Bonnie's craftroom a fabulous creative wonderland? :) Thank you for sharing your crafty goodies too. And now, those cards - - WOW just gorgeous as usual! Those colors really pop on your grey background. Very dramatic and elegant. I hope some of your creativeness rubbed off on me while you were here. ;D Hugs!
ReplyDeleteThose Anemone's that you enabled me to buy are still one of my absolute favorite die sets, and I can't get over how FABULOUS they look in the rust and green with the dramatic dark gray backgrounds Michele! Both cards are absolutely BEAUTIFUL and you definitely made the challenge colors SHINE! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Color Hues, and LOVE the pic of you and Bonnie and Nance...how FUN!! Hugs. :0)
ReplyDeleteOh the drama and glam of the dark backdrop! These are gorgeous! And so are you three crafty ladies......glad you could get together!
ReplyDeleteSleek and soooo pretty Michele!!!! Both cards! You do need to visit FL!!! Thanks for playing with us…we enjoy your cards! -CMc
ReplyDeleteWow! What a soul filling adventure you had, Michele! I'm thrilled for you to have been able to meet your friends and have some wonderful times together. Your cards are simply gorgeous. Wow! So glad your mojo returned stat and you got your laundry done. Thank you so much for sharing these beauties.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun post, seeing you three beauties all together and having a craft ole' time. Your card is gorgeous in these colors. I'm just loving that spellbinders anemone die.
ReplyDeleteYour cards are amazing!!!!! Loving the bold hues on the dark grey.
ReplyDeleteAnd what a fun trip!!! Crafty visits are just the bestest. Thanks so much for sharing your works of art with Color Hues!
Two gorgeous cards with that dramatic gray background. FYI, my stepdaughter and family live in Cary.
ReplyDeleteTwo amazing and beautiful cards, Friend! Wow these are stunning, and always the glorious grays.... So glad you had fun with Bonnie and Nance -- sounds like an amazing day to me!
ReplyDeleteWhat a post! Your road trip sounds like it was wonderful and I know first hand, how much you enjoy them! One day we will get in another visit! You are beautiful by the way! Both of your cards are beyond gorgeous, the grey backgrounds on both just est those Anemones off! Thank you so much for sharing wiht us at the Color Hues!
ReplyDeleteSuch a memorable trip for all! I love your take on the challenge colors. I finally caved and bought those anemones but they're still marked NBUS! Oy!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great trip you had, I'm sure that the 2,000miles was SO worth it to meet up with those two crafters. I love the moody background to your die cut blooms, the colours really pop against it. I would have said it reminded me of the grey skies here but today we have bright sunshine and expected highs of 25'C! Thanks for your continued support of the Color Hues challenge. :)
ReplyDeleteOh, I love this photo! Those smiles say it all. I'll bet you gals have THE BEST time! I was wondering where your adventure with Tom lead too. Sounds like a great trip. Two gorgeous cards too. I like it when that die set comes out to play and when I spot something of yours in our JUGs gallery!!
ReplyDeleteWow -what FUN. You are AMAZING! Wonderful to have that experience. Your card is so very gorgeous. Love how regally stunning it is! SMITTEN. Have a lovely day!
ReplyDeleteSo I am finally getting to commenting - things have been so busy around here and moving back into the beach house. First, what a wonderful visit this must have been. I am so glad you got to do it and that Tom had fun too. I am always amazed by Bonnie's work, and I can't imagine her studio. I would be swooning, I am sure. Such a coincidence that Nance is our GD At JUGS this month. Her work is awesome too, and it much have been so fun to be all together. Crazy amounts of talent in this trio! Your JUGS card is absolutely wonderful. Those colors are insanely wonderful, and that die set is the perfect canvas. Both cards are fabulous. Thank for joining us in the gallery. It is always a joy to see you there.
ReplyDeleteAnd now I am laughing at myself - this is not your JUGS card. It's color hues. JUGS had rust too, so my mind blooped out! LOLOL.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great trip and visit with Bonnie Michele and so lovely to see you all in person! I just love your cards and since I have that die - I will be playing with the wonderful colors you used on them - so beautiful!! Julia xx
ReplyDeleteTalk about a most fabulous road trip to visit crafting friends. The three of you have light-up-the-room smiles with this memorable encounter. So very exciting for all of you. As for your cards: OHMYSTARS! Gorgeous! Your rust + green blooms are ever so stunning, especially paired with the grey backgrounds. As always, works of art! I need to see if any Canadian retailers carry the dies you used; they're so pretty and, as you've shown, versatile! Thank you so much for joining us once again at Colour Hues; double thank you for making my colour pairing shine!
ReplyDeletehugs~c
Looks like you guys had a blast!! Sounds like Bonnie has a great crafty space, and to craft together in real life... dreamy!
ReplyDeleteAND yes, washing, what is it about washing that happens even if you are away, we came home from camping and I'm pushing my way through a ton with the cold and cough that my Sister gifted me from the wedding weekend lol.
How fun for you all to get together and play! Gorgeous creations!
ReplyDeleteSuch a fabulous trip to meet sweet Bonnie and Nance! I can imagine the three of you hanging out and having a fabulous time. Wonderful card made with the challenge colours. They look AMAZING with the dark gray! xx
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful to meet crafty friends and sounds like you had a ball not jealous at all. As for your cards....swoon,sigh,ah simply breathtaking. I have those dies but never thought of using that colour combo but you can be sure I will be searching in my stash for something similar.
ReplyDeleteMarie