WOYWW - CROP 2017

DIDN'T WE HAVE A LOVELY TIME
THE DAY WE WENT TO LLANDUDNO....

Well, it was a few months in the planning but Crop '17 finally took place on Saturday. Margaret Glitter and Glue had taken up the gauntlet of running the day and by gum, she made a cracking job. Thank you Margaret, you made it all seem effortless (though we know how much hard work you put in) 

The venue was very spacious with lots of room to spread out - we were fewer in numbers but the volume of chatting was no different to normal!  We were fortunate to have a few different faces this time, which was one of the nice results about changing location. The only folk who couldn't make it on the day were Shaz and Doug Silverwolf, much to everyone's disappointment. Shaz was still in too much pain after her fall and they decided it was too far to drive. We missed you both terribly but completely understood.

Doddy (David, husband of Annie aka Wipso) was helping to set up her Dumfing corner - he's showing my other half, what the various bits and pieces do!

LLJ and Wipso - we've met many times before but this was Annie's first Crop, she was sooo excited to meet everyone in real life!

It was Neet's first Crop too!  I was very excited to meet Neet in person as we've been friends for ever online and get on really well. Let me tell you - Neet is an absolute BABE! She's so glam and very funky indeed (loved her biker jacket, skinny jeans and assymetric hair)

Neet had bought quite a lot of stuff with her - you'll have to ask her yourselves if she used any! ;-)

The dumfing machine, felt, bags of wool roving and yarns - Annie had brought loads so that we could all have a try at dumfing.

There was hand dumfing too - it was really interesting to see how much detail Annie could achieve, but then she's an expert!

Sarah Brennan (Sarah's Craft Shed) was also a newbie to the Crop - she even gave up her ticket to see her footie team Stoke, in order to travel up and join us. That's dedication for you :-D

I love this girl!! Christine (Bishopsmate) is a regular Cropper and it was just fab to see her again. She's a naughty gal, lol!

And makes us all want to join in! Christine was crocheting blankets for preemie babies and had already completed one whilst travelling up - way to go, Missus!

Julia welcomed everyone to the Crop and explained how the day would pan out - nothing much different from the previous Crops...chat, cake, cake, chat, cake, craft, cake chat. You get the drift. 

Sarah and her friend Eva, who we've known as the 'Friend on the Other side of the Desk' up til now as I'd only ever seen her hands and craftwork on Sarah's blog. They're both funny, chatty women who really joined in the spirit of the day. We're trying to get Eva to start her own blog and join in WOYWW - Sarah is on the case :-D

Two other newbies were Anne (CopperBeech) and Chris (Mrs D). Again, it was so lovely that they made to effort to attend, especially as Chris was still recovering from the very nasty fall she had recently.

We've wanted to meet for so long - Neet was just how imagined her to be, really funny and interesting to talk to. We chatted for ages!

Then it was my turn on the electronic dumfer. I really really enjoyed it and was quite happy picking the different wools to have a go at making a flower. In fact, I snuck another piece of felt and had another go afterwards. Sorry Annie :-D

This makes me laugh! There's a good bit of gossiping going on there, don't you think?! Elizabeth (Silverscrapper), another Crop newbie, had travelled from Scotland to attend - she and Annie are particularly good mates online but this was the first real life meeting. 

Dolores (Cardarian) was the furthest travelled, having driven across the whole width of the UK from the south east to the North west! 

As is often the case, the time just galloped by and before we knew it, lunchtime arrived. Julia thanked Margaret for all her hard work.

All laid out ready for action. Adrian (Mrs D's other half) was a great help in the kitchen.

Julia presented Margaret with some gifts from all the attendees.

After lunch, Alan (Elizabeth Silverscrapper's EM) made use of the pool table!

Eva tried her hand at dumfing - Annie is a good teacher :-)

Look! Some actual crafting happened :-D  I'd taken some crochet to do, easy to carry around the table whilst nattering. This was the first time I'd not done the catering - it was a lovely change to be able to relax.

Well, I say crafting - more like Chatting whilst Holding Wool in all honesty :-D

Anne and Neet were heads together over a card!

The venue was very spacious - great choice Margaret!

Ermm, is anyone doing any crafting??

Julia was!! Woohoo, well done gal :-D She'd taken some stamped images and Copics. 

I think Annie's doing some palm reading here :-D

And Margaret finally had the chance to sit down and colour a bit too - I remember well the relief of having successfully delivered lunch too! I think that's a well deserved cuppa by Margaret's elbow.






















Dolores had a go at the machine too...

..and produced a really good flower! I think she's got the knack :-)

You may notice a new WOYWW badge on Anne's cardigan, Julia had brought them to dish out.

I sat and got to know these two a bit better and to admire what they were doing...

Eva was doing some beautiful watercolours...

Sarah was doing parchment work...

Dolores was making a poppy for the Women's guild group she's joined in Kent..





Margaret had promised to show Neet how to do a ribbon weaving card...

They've got more patience than me, that's for sure!

It must have been six years since Elizabeth and I last met - there was lots to catch up on!

Great friends - and just think, our paths would never have crossed had it not been for WOYWW. 

Gradually the day came to a close, the cake was depleted but enough left over for the Church meeting the following morning.

Julia had brought loads of stamps and stash from her mum's collection so everyone had a good pick of them...

The obligatory group shot!
Back row L-R: LLJ, Eva, Elizabeth (Silverscrapper) Annie (Wipso) Sarah (Sarah's Craft Shed) Neet (Hickydorum) and Julia
Front row L-R: Dolores (Cardarian) Christine (Bishopsmate) Margaret (Glitter and Glue), Chris (Mrs D) and Anne (CopperBeech)

What a cracking bunch - and so generous too. The day made £150 which will go to the charity picked by Margaret. It's run by her church and helps fund food, clothes and schools for a community in Uganda.

I'd like to leave you with a last pic of some stamps that just encapsulate everything that's wonderful about WOYWW:


Looking forward to the next one already!

22 comments:

Kyla said...

Ooh how lovely to see everyone, shame I missed this one. Next time
Kyla aka lilpidge

Helen said...

what a fabulous post! I am so sorry I couldn't suss the trains and journey to get there.. hopefully next time! Well done to Margaret for organising what looks a superbly run day and it's great to see all the new croppers! as usual Gordon did a great job behind the camera. H

Fiona@Staring at the Sea said...

Looks like you all had a cracking day. Thanks for sharing it with us x

Annie said...

Oh Jan! What more can I say? Love you lots my friend. It was sooooo lovely to catch up with you and am really looking forward to Spring now.
Biggest hugs,
Annie x

Julia Dunnit said...

Marvellous post missus, fab photos. Amazing what you two camera people captured that I totally missed, like Dolores making a poppy, Sarah's finished outlining....all of it really, it went by so fast! I DID get some colouring done....I drew a light blue outline around half a snowman. Result!!!

Sue said...

So glad you all had such a great time. Sue

Zsuzsa Karoly-Smith said...

Lovely, Jan! Thanks for all these photos - it almost feels like I was there! ;)

Anne said...

Fabulous photos of a fabulous day, with fabulous ladies! It was so lovely to meet everyone! I am so glad I could make it!
Margaret, the food was wonderful! How hard you must have worked. X

Twiglet said...

Lovely photos Jan - thanks for sharing your fab day with us. xx Jo

Elizabeth said...

Brilliant post, Jan! Brilliant photos of a brilliant day which I wouldn't have missed for the world! So lovely to meet so many beautiful people. Many thanks to Margaret for arranging everything and for the scrumptious food - there was no way she was going to let us go hungry, that's for sure. It was a lovely day and the hours passed by far too quickly. The EM enjoyed it all too. Oh, and with Annie's help I did manage to try a bit of dumfing too. Huge hugs, Elizabeth xx

Lynn Holland said...

Awh that was fabulous, I feel like I've met you all in person now, I'm smiling my head off here. What a fantastic day. Love love love it Jan xx

craftyani said...

Thank you Jan for the photo with the names I can now put faces to the names I know. You all looked to have a fabulous day don't know how much work was achieved haha. Congratulations to Margaret for the arranging. Anickoana

Neet said...

Thanks Jan (and Gordon) for a wonderful post and lots of lovely photos. A brilliant diary of the events of the day unfolding and the many friendships that were further enhanced by actually meeting (f that can be the case after so many wonderful WOYWW years).
Thanks to Julia for starting what has to be the longest running crop in blogland and to Margaret for hostessing the day for us and all the hard work she put into it.
Love
Neet xxx

Sylvia/LittleTreasures said...

Such and awesome post. I really enjoy seeing all the fun photos and how great the friendships are, all because of WOYWW...what a fun group and a variety of hobbies. Thanks Jan for posting..if I win the lottery my bucket list will have one less item..coming to visit a crop.

Christine said...

Beautiful post! Some great photos there as well....well done Gordon as well. We're really looking forward to the next meet up.
xx

Felix the Crafty Cat said...

Wow so many photographs. Pleased you all had such a great time but sad I couldn't be there. Happy crafty WOYWW, Angela x

Sarah Brennan said...

Fabulous set of photos. You captured the day beautifully. We'll be back, even if we actually missed a Stoke win to be there, it was worth it! Sarah

Cara said...

Wow, looks like you all had a fabulous time, sad that I couldn't make

Lorraine said...

looks like a great time was had by all..I love all the fabric and different projects that were going on. The hall reminds me of a place in wallasey where I used to go scrapbooking

sandra de said...

Such a lovely post ....

Kelly said...

Thank you for sharing the day with those of us who were with you in spirit! Looks as if a lovely day was held by all. Creative Blessings! Kel

ShazInOzCardsCalligraphy said...

So enjoyed it Jan, thanks so much, would love to be actually be at one ;-)
Shaz.x

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