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!