Getting Ready for Retreat

I have been a member of a small online group for many years and for about the last five, we have been gathering annually for a retreat in Texas. Lucky me that I live not too far from the venue so I've been able to attend every year.  This year 24 gals are getting together!

The retreat starts tomorrow and I'm busy gathering supplies and packing. This retreat is a little different than most - we do a themed book project and several make-n-takes for two of the three days and one day is spent at the nearby stamp convention which is scheduled for the same weekend. So, there's not much time for personal projects, but it does make packing a bit easier!

We also do one swap that follows the theme which, this year, is Botanical/Garden.  We are making 24 flower "skinny pages" (3"w x 5.5"t) of our favorite flower and then they will be combined into little "fat" books.  I chose to do hydrangeas since I love these flowers and I had a perfect stamp!  Here's what I came up with.

First I colored the stamp with water-based markers in lavendar, periwinkle and green, spritzed with water and stamped on ivory cardstock.  This is an easy way to achieve a watercolor look.  Then I masked the image and stamped the background with a new Tim Holtz background script in white pigment ink, let that dry and then used sage and stone Distress Inks on the background.  Keeping the mask on, I spritzed all over with gold Glimmer Mist (the glimmer doesn't show in the photo but it glistens!).  I swiped pearlescent lavendar and periwinkle Brilliance inks on vellum (did you know that Brilliance is one of the few inks that will dry on vellum without having to heat-emboss?), then punched tiny hydrangea blossoms and glued them sparingly over the stamped flower.  The final touches were the lace and Dymo label (one of the requirements was to add the flower name).

I can't wait to see the 23 other pages! How neat is this going to be all bound together!

I won't be posting for the next few days but will post a report of the retreat and convention upon my return on Sunday. Have a great week - I know I will.