Let me catch ya'll up to speed...........So bff Jamie decided she wanted to come for a visit awhile back .... and I was THRILLED! (I knew she'd come for a visit...I just didn't think it would be until the summer) Once she bought her ticket there was nothing left to do but IMMEDIATELY started planning. The days were set.... December 8-11th (4 full days)...and I was stoked (to say the least). Our main focus was for this weekend to be a sort of "craft retreat" if you will....she wanted a crash course in sewing and to refresh her knitting skills....basically a relaxing, motivational, inspirational, best friend weekend o' fun. So after a 4 day work stretch (with classes and lots of prep for finals in between) I had worked out our crafting plans and other fun times to be had in between (i.e. winerys, shopping...etc) and I was ready.....or so I thought.....
After class my mom and I drove to the Eastern Iowa Airport in Cedar Rapids to pick her up....I felt like a kid at Christmas!!! We got there just in time to hear that her plane had landed and after a short little while there she was....my bff!! HORAY!! Hugs all around! I was stoked....but then....she forgot her jacket in the bathroom....and the security officer wouldn't let her back to get it...she then immediately got on her phone and I was so confused it wasn't even funny....what the hell was going on....her and my mom both were looking at me and laughing/waiting....and then in the crowd of other passengers walking toward me was a familiar face...and I was thrown for a loop.....bff Ashley??? How is my brain even registering this face in Iowa ??? Am I dead?? Have I gone to heaven???
{¿WHAT THE WHAT?}
*insert waterworks here*
I instantly started crying and hugging them both....I couldn't have BEEN more excited to see my 2 bffs...what a WONDERFUL Christmas surprise (it should be noted here that this is one of the many many reasons I love them both) After that moment of complete and utter joy (which I'm pretty sure I still haven't recovered from)....the crafting weekend commenced....and we were crafting fools..... for the next 4 days....
After coming down from the shock and surprise and pure happiness that I had TWO of my very best friends visiting for the next FOUR whole days....we didn't skip a beat....
We did a little shopping downtown at the Pedmall.....where they got to experience some very frigid weather.....
...and we ended the night with a little sleep over style knitting session....where bff Ashely learned to knit!!! She is a fabulous knitting student....she picked it up like a hot potato and after that she was a knitting fool! ***it must be said here that my friends are troopers...we had a jam packed schedule and while I'm pretty sure we all would have loved to crash...we maximized every single second we could...and for that I am thankful***
Day 2 consisted of more shopping...but this time for supplies or as I like to call it "loot."(I wanted them to have the whole sewing experience and shopping for fabric is my fav part) Our plan was to hit up the fabric shops in Amana (So Ashley could see the sights) and finish up at Fireside Winery (our fav!)
There were a few obstacles to over come first... we had to dress for a forecast of -1 degree weather (which needless to say takes awhile) and then we had to take care of a little snow ........but after that we were on our way.....
....we had to stop at the worlds largest rocking chair....for a Choonkie Christmas Photo op!
Then it was time for my fav quilt shop!!! Where I swear I died and went to bff crafting fabric heaven!!!
Last stop....Fireside Winery! They happened to be out of my fav (Matchbox) so we of course had to sample...and I discovered a new fav...it's made from concord grapes and tastes JUST like grape juice....I was in LURVE!...and this my friends....was our loot...
(which is quite impressive if i do say so myself)
(after this photo we headed to Crazy Girl for knitting supples---so our loot minus yarn)
By Day 3 it was time to sew sew sew! Our project list included but was not limited to: Little Dresses for girls in Africa (which is an awesome "project" to provide little girls with clothes so they can attend school---they're made from pillow cases which also happens to be super awesome quick projects for beginner sewers....everybody wins!), a cute quilted Friendship Bag for our knitting projects, and a few others to pick from time permitting from our boards on Pintrest.
....we wasted no time...
...And before long..........We had pillowcases folks...
After all was said and done....we had 4 dresses to our shipment (we still have 6 more to make and ship)
Day 4 was so bittersweet that my heart still aches....we had the whole entire day to finish our crafts (their flight left at 7pm) and that we did....it was bags bags bags....
**I feel the need to insert a disclaimer...if you don't make proto types for crafts ... you may end up with sometimes slightly less than desired results**
(These bags were DEF supposed to be larger....I tweeked the measurements and am now working on real life size knitting bag sursys for my besties!)
One thing that I realized during this wonderfully awesome doubled the fun bff weekend o' crafting maddness.... was how much we take for granted those we cherish most in life. It's so easy to get caught up in life when you know you can have someone's time at your disclosure.... but now that I can't just hop in the car and drive an acceptable distance to see/spend time with my friends.....I hold them and the times we share even closer to my heart. My friends definately made this holiday season one to be remembered for me....it's safe to say that because of my wonderful friends.... I feel truly blessed!
I can't wait until our next crafting retreat adventure!
Keep on crafting ladies!!! Lauve ya'll!!!!
Aw, I love this! I'm so glad you had a super fun girls weekend! Lol at the mini bags; they are still super cute!!! Loooove the dresses. I'm totally going to need to try the concord grape wine!
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