i'm back

my sinus infection and pinky eyes are better~~yay! i've been such a bad blogger, but i finally feel like posting pictures of our retreat weekend. so here goes...
13 of us stayed at the creative cottage in mckinney scrapbooking and eating all weekend--what could be better?
this is the cute little house. inside it is much bigger than it looks!
here is our section of the craft room. this is where mom, danielle, jennifer and i created our masterpieces!
this is the other part of the room where you could use all sorts of machines, computer, etc.
this is the living room, dining and kitchen. i thought they decorated it really cute!
our room was upstairs and slept 7. it was so dark, cool and very comfy!
a few of us made little treats for everyone. mindy made the cutest mini calendars and michele made these beautiful gold and pearl earrings for everyone. valarie also made a darling bracelet that i didn't get a picture of and i made cute little candy pouches that i also didn't get a picture of!
this is what my desk looked like all weekend. i was working on my first art journal documenting our anniversary trip to mexico. it turned out really cute!
danielle taking a picture of me.
we had some wonderul meals. this was dinner friday night and it was delish. our chef was a girl named afton (isn't that wonderful?) who looked like neve campbell and ashley de la grossa (from the early dancing with the stars).
after dinner afton took our group picture. would you say purple is "the" color this season?
a cute one of mom, danielle, jennifer and me~~wearing our earrings michele made us.
our lunch saturday was the best tomato bisque, apple-walnut salad and smoked turkey-gouda panini. yum! my mouth is watering just looking at this :)
jennifer cracked me up--she brought her own bottle of ranch which she diligently carried around with her for each meal. she was so adventurous in the cuisine department and ate stuff she never would normally. (so proud of you jen!)
saturday mom, danielle and i went to downtown mckinney--possibly the cutest place i've ever been! how have i lived here 2.5 years and never knew about this place?
look how much mom and i look alike!
a cute one of mom and danielle. the store behind them~~smitten~~was the coolest, vintage-y store!
isn't danielle the cutest pregnant girl ever?
beautiful fall displays and plants everywhere you looked!
120~~the cutest store ever. i wanted to sit down and just stay there all day! cute vintage items, baby stuff, books, etc. i kept thinking, "this is what i love--why doesn't my house reflect that at all?" i think it scares me because i don't know quite how to achieve what i want. that's where danielle comes in. maybe she can help me "vintage" out at least one room in my house!
a darling globe hanging outside 120.
and here's the inside of that fabulous place!
i love this old gas pump. isn't that red and white crackling paint wonderful?
here's mom and i with my newly pink eyes on sunday morning just before we left.
i'm so glad no one else got it from me--i felt so bad thinking i might have infected someone else.
we had a fabulous time~~it's so nice to get away and not think about cooking, cleaning, etc. just for a couple days!
i have a busy day today getting everything done and ready to leave for waco tomorrow. can't wait to see tim and kali's new house and have danielle and mike's anniversary dinner. will have lots of pictures next week...