Keep up to Date

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UNMASKED RETREAT

Teacher Extraordinaire - Number 2 - Sonia Thomason

Sorry about the delay in getting this updated....   my internet has not been the most cooperative over the past two weeks and so whilst i have some bands showing up here I'm going for it...

still blown away that these awesome two ladies have agreed to come over and teach for this retreat.

So without getting distracted, i would like to introduce you all to our second teacher for this retreat - the gorgeous and equally talented SONIA THOMASON and share with you a little message from her.

"Hi everyone! 
My name is Sonia and I am married to my wonderful husband of 20 years, Kym and we have two gorgeous girls Alex (11) and Isabella (9). Last year we welcomed a crazy boxer puppy to our family and Tyson has managed to worm his way into our hearts very quickly!
We live in Perth, WA and fabulous retreats like Unmasked are hard to find, so when Melissa asked me to join in the fun I had to say yes ☺ The opportunity to spend time with like-minded creative people and have a chance to get messy and step out of our comfort zones is too just fantastic!
My style is a bit shabby chic / vintage with the odd dose of mixed media thrown in – some flowers and the odd butterfly or two don’t go astray either! Scrapbooking to me is time to let loose and have some ‘me’ time. The fact that it also gives you the opportunity to meet (wether in real life or online) some absolutely fabulous people is just an added bonus.
Currently I am a part of the Kaisercraft and Scrapmatts chipboard Design Teams. I have also been lucky enough to teach at the Brisbane Scrapbook Expo for the past 4 years
So I hope you are all as excited as I am to be part of this amazing Unmasked Retreat!
Sonia x

Teacher Extraordinaire No. 1 - Fiona Paltridge

Well as the word says
extraordinaire 'is a great way to describe someone who does something particularly well'
we have been fortunate enough for FIONA PALTRIDGE to say YES!!! and be one of next years amazing teachers at our retreat....

When looking for possible instructors,  I asked for recommendations of someone who would get beside people, make them feel special, show them techniques that they haven't had the courage to try before and be able to just fit in and be one of us for the weekend.    This lovely lady was recommended to me by a number of you and i can't say how delighted i am that she has accepted...

So without saying anything further - i will let her introduce herself to you all....

Hi! My name is Fiona 

& I live in Mount Gambier in South Australia 

with my husband and ADHD fox terrier Xander . 

I have 2 adult children who have both moved away to pursue their careers. 

I have been a scrapbooker for over 15 years now 

but I have only recently discovered the online world 

of challenges & design teams! 

I'm enjoying meeting so many amazing & talented people 

& having a chance to share my love of creating 

as well as being exposed to a never-ending stream of ideas, 

techniques & wonderful creations from my online compatriots. 

My work is often contemporary 

& I absolutely love using mixed media in my projects 

but I have been known to create some traditional pieces too . 

Since I've discovered modelling paste, gesso, sprays & watercolours

 I have loved using them in everything I create! 

I currently design for teams both in Australia and Internationally. 

They include Scrappy Chat Designs Kit Club, Scrap Around the World, 

Scrapki-Wyzwaniowo, 7 Dots Studio and 2 Crafty Chipboard. 

 have also recently guest designed for 13 Arts 

and Limor Webber Designs 

and if I wasn't busy enough already, 

I am also a current Scrapbooking Memories Master 

for Scrapbook Memories Magazine.

My real job ....... I'm an early childhood educator 

and Director of a child care centre so all in all I'm a very busy lady! 

I am really looking forward to sharing 

and learning as part of the Ummasked retreat xx

Its on again - 2016

Its been a long time coming but i believe it will be better than ever...
Get in early to reserve your spot...

Next year to be held in the conference room at the beautiful Wyndam Resort - Torquay Surf coast Hotel.    This Hotel is located at a awesome location along the esplanade of Zeally Bay Beach, Torquay.  The room boasts stunning ocean views which will create a resort experience for the retreat.  9- minutes from Melbourne, Torquay is the starting point of the magnificent Great Ocean Road, so for those interstaters you may like to extend the weekend a little longer and explore some of what this magnificent area has to offer.

Download registration form above left.  and for any further inquired email me as per email above.
Mel

Unmasked Retreat Update

Well its taken awhile to finally get my feet back on the ground.  Slowly catching up with things.  With the Brisbane Expo last week its pretty much taken until now to stop and take a breath – but its more like a gasp as next week Al and I are off again to New Zealand to SENZ to take some workshops over there.

I really want to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who attended the Unmasked weekend and made it such the success it was.  It was awesome.  We have had so many positive comments coming back which has been lovely – so thanks so much everyone.  Naturally there are things that we will also try to improve on for next time but for the first one i think we did pretty OK.

Thanks heaps to the girls who took the classes and to all of you who participated and got their hands “dirty”…hehehe i just loved watching those of you who are usually very “clean” crafters trying to do the mixed media projects and keep hands clean (not looking at anyone Lynette) …. i don’t think so….

Massive thank you to Al for all her help, to Bec, Sherry, Chez and Lynette for your classes and make and takes. And for you lovely ladies who helped set up and clean up – we couldn’t have done it without you. And also to the Geelong Conference Centre’s staff – for just making it all so easy to arrange and your help but most of you to all you lovely ladies for getting in there, mixing, making new friends, taking off those masks, being YOURSELF and having fun…..

Until next time……

Here are a few pics of the weekend to remind us of the fun we had…

Thanks again everyone for one of the best weekends i have had in a long time.

For more fun – if any of you are interested.  The 3rd Annual Scrapbooking Cruise is now taking registrations. For more information you can download a brochure HERE.

Day 1 Schedule and Need to Bring

Not long now.
Here is the first day schedule.  Especially for you girls who are coming from Interstate - there is plenty to do if you arrive early as the Conference Centre is located right near the Botanical Gardens and The Geelong Foreshore.

Can drop of bags whenever you arrive in Geelong
Check in to rooms from 2pm
Register 5pm
Dinner 6pm
Class 1 commences 7.15pm (flexible)
Free Scrapping 9.30pm onwards

Ok girls here is the list - there may be a few exta things added over the next day so please check back her day before you leave.  We are trying to have a stash of some things in case you may forget something.

GENERAL LIST
CUTTING MAT - this is not optionl
General Scrapping tools
Old clothes
Apron
Baby Wipes
Adhesive - e.g. Pritt or something for embellishments
Ribbon Adhesive if you want to use ribbon/lace
Tape Runner or tape
Scissors (for fine cutting)
Craft Knife
Rubon Tool
Stapler
Tweezers
DIstress Tool
Sanding Block
Acrylic Block
STazon or Memento (a permanaent ink)
Black/White Journalling Pens
Distress Ink pads - Frayed Burplap, Old Paper, Walnut  (will be a couple to share but if you have your own it would help)
Scrap Dots (if you have any of your own - again will be a tube to share)

SHERRY's Class
Modge Podge (if you have any) - we will have some to share
Favourite decorative punch (we will have some to share)
An old Womans Day or similar
7 Gypsies or Tim Holtz tapes (washi tapes)
If you have a bag of your favourite scraps of the following
-  cardstock or patterned paper that is your favourites
-  rub on alphas (will have some to share)
-  mini letter stickrs (will have some but you may have some coloured ones)
-  other stickers you are in love with
-  heat gun (if you have room in your suit case)

MEL's Class
- a desire to get dirty….lol (hands only girls)
- photograph of yourself (well just from neck up) Head to be approx. 4cm wide, 5cm in length  (THIS IS NOT OPTIONAL....lol no excuses )…
- any stencils or masks that you love.
- lace, paper doilies or buttons etc that holds any sentimental meaning and would like to include on a piece of artwork
- any old fave rubons etc

As with Sherry’s class we will supply a table worth of products to share but feel free to bring some of your favourites along if you have any – again this will show you how to use up some ‘older” things that you have lying around and turn them into something completely in vogue now

Al's ClassPhoto Required:
6" x 4" - cropped down to 5" x 4.5"

Optional Kit
Bring along 6 – 8 black and white photos of yourselfe.g. types of photographs, where you have been, come from, things you have achieved, something you used to do and wish you did again, things you would love to do, dreams. Anything that tells a story about yourself.
This kit will be available for you to scrap but we won't be going through this is a class format.

What are you waiting for -

This last two weeks have been a perfect example of what you can achieve if you really want something and take a hold of your dreams… (more of that on my blog)
Too often we put ourselves in little boxes and live up to other peoples expectations and ignore our own dreams and aspirations.
I struggle to live up to my own expectations let alone trying to do what others are expecting from me.
You know what thing that has really struck me between the eyes the past few weeks is this:
LIVING up to OTHER people's EXPECTATIONS make the REAL YOU INVISIBLE…..  You have to be yourself.
The Unmasked Retreat’s purpose is to encourage the ladies to be themselves, in a comfortable and friendly atmosphere where they won’t have to worry about what others think either of them personally or of their art. They will have the opportunity to try new things and possibly rediscover dreams that may have had hidden away in their hearts and hopefully by the end of the weekend they will leave more confident - personally and/or creatively.
We will be running numerous classes, make/takes and spoiling these ladies with product and giveaways all inclusive of the cost.
If you have been thinking of coming this is your very last chance - we are leaving registrations for the Unmasked retreat open until 6th May….  Don’t miss out.
Why not ask hubby to spoil you this Mother’s Day.