Simon Says Create: Final Day!

This day started early – with me realizing I was behind several Simon employees in line at Tim Horton for coffee! What’s up with them forcing you to let them do your milk and sugar though?! I find this so odd.

6am comes early – and yes we were up, ready, and open for any students who wanted to come shop and hang out with us so early!

Above some lovely Simon team members restocking product – wink of stella pens! (more on those another day…)

Ready to work! Ok… maybe still waking up in the above picture but seriously the team was all smiles. cheer. helpful awesomeness. EVERY single employee – they rock! Even if I was asking for some odd thing or another they did their best. Love that Simon team!

Looks like the classroom is set up and ready…

Mr. Holtz chatting with students about products, answering questions, and being his usual self…

Goofy, as always. Gotta love his energy and how much he really puts into his classes as well as everything he does. He’s definitely someone I’m glad to call my friend.

It is because he is a friend, and because at 6am this was able to make me laugh really hard that I bought my breakfast inspired by Tim…

I don’t really understand why the coffee shop sells donut holes and calls them “Tim Bits” but it both made me laugh and disturbed me in equal measures and I absolutely HAD to own the box. I still have the box too – I’ll do something funny and crafty with it at some point.

Ah but enough goofing around! Time to print out some shots and get to work on that event scrapbook!

Using an art journal throughout the event I printed and did quick little pages, leaving the journal and some blank pages for the Simon team to add to themselves.

I was at my demo table from 7a – 7p both days. It really was a joy to get to sit, chat, and really get to know some of the students as well as Simon staff and I enjoyed having my spot that was my mini-studio where I could create up a storm!

Above you see my view of the shop from where I sat – and one of the lovely ladies who often was working and I got to spend time with. Just outside the shop was what I called “Copic alley” where Kathy and Sandy (and sometimes others!) sat, played, and talked to students and customers as well.

I could really use some lunch – and Shari Carroll to the rescue!! She went down to Jimmy Johns and brought me more cherry coke and a veggie sandwich. Thanks Shari!! Loved spending time with her – not only is she an amazing teacher but she is just a whole lot of fun.

The quick lunch break over (yep, I did have the exact same lunch both days!) time to get back to work! Tim and all the students were hard at work at the epic afternoon project…

Meanwhile many of the Simon team, myself, and other demonstrators were back in the shop!

Who’s this? Simon himself came to visit!

So great to meet the legendary dog!

Did I create projects, you ask? About twenty, in fact! You will see many of them posted right here on my blog over the next few weeks too. It truly was a pleasure to get to speak with so many crafters from all over the world, and share a few of my ideas too.

I also can’t begin to express how wonderful it was to see and spend time with so many of my favorite people – all at once for a whole weekend!

Many thanks to Heidi (pictured above) for inviting me to be a part of this event. Also to the Simon staff for being so amazing…

Seriously adore these guys – they’re all awesome! Also much love to all my fellow demonstrators and the instructors…

I don’t know whose idea it was to do the group shot – but I’m glad!! You can see here our pic, and then the picture Kathy took of the ‘paparazzi’ taking said photo.

It is my greatest hope that this event will become an annual tradition. To those who want to attend – be ready to travel to Ohio. The biggest part of what made this work out so well logistically is that we were down the road from Simon HQ. Fantastic location, incredible staff, loads of creative people wanting to spend time together and learn from each other – priceless.

From the students to the staff to those who popped by to say hello and shop – everyone had a smile and every single person contributed to making it an unforgettable event. On my flight home I jotted a few notes – I’m hopeful we’ll see a Create #2 next year…

Also: my plane you see there? They couldn’t get the jetway thingie to go to the door… we were delayed an hour… and I had to run. Barefoot. hard as I could. All the way across the Dallas airport. Not exactly fun – but I made my connecting flight by mere minutes so totally worth it! Had I walked I probably would have missed it.