ScrapHappy just wrapped up our “annual” reunion event. I put annual in quotes since covid interrupted these in person gatherings. The previous one was way back in 2019! It was so very good to see friends, old and new in person for real hugs and conversation!
If you are newer to ScrapHappy you are probably wondering what is involved with reunion. Today I’ll share the basics of reunion, and in a future post Alison will share all the extras of our in-person meet ups. Those adventures are just as much a part of the fun as the scheduled scrapping!
First up, reunion happens in person and changes in location from year to year. This helps people living in various parts of the continent be able to access reunion. Of course some people choose to fly in and some live close enough to drive. No matter where reunion happens, it is always a good time. This year we gathered in Charlotte, North Carolina. While the city was tree filled and gorgeous, the heat and humidity did raise some challenges and required some flexibility.
But if you didn’t want to venture out into the heat, there was plenty of scrapping time and space inside our hotel venue. We each had a six foot table to call home for the weekend. We could even leave our supplies safely in place for the duration of the event.
Speaking of duration, let’s dive into the flow of reunion.
Friday
Kick off fun.
The crop room opened. The table decorations matched our theme of Race to Reunion. Some paper goodies as well as a ScrapHappy tumbler were set up at each crop seat to welcome us to the event. We all shared message cards with each other that provided a bit of information about ourselves. This was a great way to get to know a little bit about each other. Some of us were long-time friends and some were newer. So these little cards helped everyone feel right at home. Some people even chose to include a small gift that represented who they are or where they are from. These tokens ranged from postcards, to crocheted cup cozies, to fresh peaches. No matter what was shared, it was all lovely to receive!
Classes Begin
The event is always a mix of classes, make-n-takes, and open crop time. You are free to do your own thing, both during classes and open crop. While we waited for a later dinner reservation—meals are often extras beyond the event itself. Alison will share more on that—we ended up having our first class. Supplies are included for our classes. Even things like stamps and ink pads! There was a nice bit of flexibility to the timing of scheduled offerings as we worked around various aspects of the event.
Teachers
Each event has teachers to lead us through scrappy ideas. This year we had our own ScrapSchool instructor, Sara Scraps, to share her talents with us. In addition, Alison and Alice shared projects also. We’ll get to that! Sara’s classes focused on various mixed media techniques. Even our digital scrapping gals got to play hands on during the weekend!
After our class we went out to dinner as a group and then made our way back to the hotel to continue to play with our paper until 11:30 when the crop room closed for the night. But before we closed for the day, we all received our event t-shirts—also included in our registration fee! Everyone loved the t-shirts!
Saturday
Our crop space opened at nine in the morning. We all come to the crop donning our brand new t-shirts. The hotel provided coffee and other beverages throughout the day. Coffee was often a welcome sight to many of us at that hour! Also, afternoons included snacks like veggies and dips as well as warm cookies. Plus we had a few “contraband” snacks as were weren’t supposed to bring in outside food, but who can resist bringing goodies to share?
Additional classes by Sara, and a travelers notebook style project by Alison were on the schedule for the day. Alice provided supplies and instructions for some quick page layout ideas. These ones could be put together in five minutes without sacrificing style.
Sara shared a watercolor bubble technique idea that stretched some of our attendees outside their comfort zone. This became a bit of an in-joke as Jane shouted “I love you Sara but I’m never doing this again.” It was all (mostly) in jest. But here is the thing, if you don’t try new things you will never grow as a crafter. Some things may not be for you—right now. Always add the right now tag to the end. You never know where crafting will take you. It may just take you to a new beloved technique! In fact, the next technique of marbled butterfly stamping did appeal to Jane, and many of us!
With paper drying, we took a lunch break. Lunch on Saturday was included in the event. After lunch we were back to cropping and projects. This is when Alison and Alice shared their projects and ideas. Alison even hand crocheted little dogwood flowers—the state flower of North Carolina—to adorn our little books. (If you don’t know Alison has a shop selling yarn. If you want to support a fellow ScrapHappy sister, check out her website.)
In the evening Alice hosted a livestream for members with a video rundown of the event. If you want to see our antics in action—and you are a ScrapHappy member!—check out the Happy Hour replay. We all participated in some way and shared so many laughs doing it. You have to check out Beth’s t-shirt fashion show for sure!
We wrapped up Saturday night with celebration cake, a circle time with Sara featuring Brutus Monroe products, and a final mixed media tag project.
Sunday
We were all feeling the impending end to the event. But we tried to push that aside for the time being. While our classes had concluded there was still fun to be had. More prizes winners were drawn. Yes, MORE. It was actually the second round of prizes after going through the first round on Saturday. Everyone won at least one thing since there were that many prizes on hand!
Alice shared a final project idea and the goodies to put it together. We all started wrapping up our projects and packing up the supplies. We did have to end at five on Sunday evening. Even though that was the end of the official events, there was some optional fun in store for those who could stay for Monday. Again, Alison will share more on that.
I’ve only touched on the fun we all had at reunion. There is so much more to being together in person that can’t be captured in a single blog post. There are the groups of us that shifted throughout the event to chat and get to know each other. There were the inside jokes that developed, like the gas station story (ask Sara, lol). There was the sharing of opinions on various products. There was the sharing of tools and supplies that people were able to bring to reunion. Most of all, there was the sharing of the love of this hobby, of capturing our memories of times past, while making memories of the future.
I sincerely hope you can join us next year for reunion. Yet another inside joke was where we will hold reunion next year! Hawaii and Australia were ideas tossed out there and quickly rejected as dreamy but outside of the ordinary budget!
So stay tuned as more realistic ideas take shape. And if you have a suggestion, definitely drop us a message so we can consider everyone’s needs. We know not everyone has the budget to fly, so if you want reunion in your neck of the woods, you have to speak up.