i am just going to show all my pics….this is going to be long.
maybe you need to take a bathroom break before you start?
or grab another cup of coffee?
ready?
here we go.
we drove to omaha on thursday….talked non-stop.
we followed the GPS to an empty field by the airport and it said "you have reached your destination"
the laughing was as funny as the GPS.
jana got our her pink phone and we followed that gps instead.
the first event at silver bella is a welcome dinner.
jana and i got out of our travel sweats and all dolled up….ready to face a room of strangers!
i hate that feeling.
so glad i had jana to help me feel brave.
to put me at ease…megan was the first person we met in the door.
and she was talking to jo packham…editor of where women create.
megan said a bunch of really nice things about me to jo and i was flattered…it felt kind of out-of-body.
i was so happy to meet megan in real life and give her a hug.
she's tiny…and i had on very high heels. (can you say amazon?!)
then i met jen.
she was so sweet…i wished we'd had some time to get to know each other.
but we had no classes together even.
another time jen.
and i met miss lynn.
she was delightful.
so we ate and got to know the women at our table.
then there was a craft sponsored by fiskars.
it was chaotic….but we received a bag of stamps…that was cool.
after the dinner & craft it's time for SWAPS.
jana and i didn't take part in any swaps and we were very glad about that.
but i think we may be the only women who didn't….and that's ok with me.
(swaps are where you make one thing per person of whatever the swap theme you signed up for)
we went back to our room and talked some more.
friday morning we didn't have a class so we hit the antique store.
our first workshop was after lunch….with jennifer murphy.
it was much more fun than i was expecting!
this snowman clip was really cute once you started…it was challenging too.
my hands hurt when it was over.
i have a new appreciation for jennifer's art. (she's in the pink apron)
and lisa was at SB by herself…lives in omaha and has 4 boys at home. (gray sweater…no blog)
we had many classes together, so many that she was probably sick of me.
hi lisa!
funny story:
while working on our snowmen the ladies at our table start talking martha stewart.
and by talk i mean trash talk.
and i am one of them.
i love martha…but i also can't stand "martha"…does that make sense?
we all had our stories and after about 5 minutes the young beautiful girl quietly sitting by jana says
"i was on her show this year."
so humble.
so quiet.
the table went nuts!
"WHAT?! FOR WHAT?! TELL US EVERYTHING?! OH MY GOSH!? WOW?!"
she said we were all right about what we said but that she loves her too…she was gracious for the opportunity to be on the show.
exactly.
martha is the queen you have to admit it.
i would bow down if she walked into the room.
this is amy powers. i love her blog…i was thrilled to meet her. 
the second workshop was to make a rosary style necklace.
i thought we would be putting charms on a necklace…no…we made the whole necklace!
it took a full three hours.
i can't believe i really did it! i
am pretty proud of it.
immediately after that was the FAMOUS silver bella vendor fair.
that means shopping.
jana and i are pretty good at shopping…
there was so much glitter and jewels it was a bit overwhelming.
the theme was aprons…so everyone was wearing one…in case you notice that.
this is where i spent my money.
i was dying to see her work with my own eyes….it's amazing.
i loved meeting professor lasertron and lasermom. :)
i could've just sat down and talked all night…if i wouldn't have missed all the shopping.
after this was over we walked outside and ate at the twisted fork.
SO GOOD!
and i loved the decor.
very cool place.
the workshops were early on saturday…
i hate getting out of bed anytime and especially when i am on vacation.
but we made it.
we learned how to make a heart shaped box…i didn't finish…in 3 hours.
oh well.
i think i will buy my boxes anyway…but it was interesting to learn how to do it.
we went to a luncheon from here to hear jo packham speak….she had about 7 minutes.
there must have been a time problem because before she even got into her speech
they said she was out of time.
it was sad. she was so interesting and i REALLY wanted to hear her speak.
that was truly sad.
i bet she had taken a lot time to prepare her presentation too.
we could've learned something from her…
can you tell how bummed i was and still am?
but i met jeanne at that lunch.
that was worth the frustration of having no speaker.
she asked jana and i to come to dinner with her and her two new friends.
you know how to boost a woman's self esteem…..invite her out with you!
we went to two more workshops after the luncheon.
(i know…you are feeling tired of reading this right? i warned you it was long)
workshop #4 was with charolette lyons.
a free spirited mobile of houses and trees.
loved it.
we had the entire time to just create with what was there…no instructions….ahhhhhhh.
then our last workshop was with jennifer again.
a little birdie in a box.
it fun and different than something i would try at home.
lisa was at our table again and princess lasertron and carmen.
we were all (all the silver bellas..not just our table) very tired by this time of the day….very.
mine is the brown one to the right.
we cleaned up and walked out from the workshop and all the silver bella stuff was gone and another
conference was all set up and a wedding reception was going on also.
that was kind of weird.
there was no goodbye or anything.
strange.
we walked to dinner with jeanne, sharon and kana.
it was possibly the highlight of silver bella.
i think that was what i was looking for…connection.
it was such a good time…we laughed and we cried.
the table was all tenderhearted women that cry when there is something to say from your heart.
kana said "i hate that i cry all the time….i have a tender heart but it makes me MAD!"
so funny.
jana and i stayed up until after 2:00 finishing our mobiles and more talking.
bigger stuff…
she asked me about my dreams or what i really want.
i have no answer for that.
i haven't let my mind go there…that's scary.
those late night talks can get deep!
we slept in on sunday.
we packed up our car…took the wrong way many times to get to pottery barn and anthropolgie…
but it was worth it.
we made it home just as the kids were getting into bed.
loved that.
they missed me and i missed them.
and then cuddled up on the couch with mr. craig.
all was right in my dreamy artsy world….for that evening. :)
gotta catch those moments when they happen.
silver bella was an experience.
it was cool.
i loved having a whole weekend with my friend.
i loved getting creative.
i loved meeting other bloggers…other creative women.
i loved the shopping.
i loved being away from my "mom" duties.
i loved eating out late and talking about stuff that is hidden in my soul.
i loved everything i got to do and see and the people i met.
but
i think silver bella is not for me.
i wanted something a little more personal..
and i don't why i thought silver bella would be that…at 200 women strong.
i don't think that i knew i wanted something more personal until i got there and saw that it wasn't.
i think after having been to SB….silver bella doesn't fit me.
or i don't fit silver bella?
and that's O-K.
but it does for so many other women (and you may be one of them).
and that is awesome.
we are not all the same…we can all like different things…i am so glad for that.
and now i know.
and for that knowledge i wouldn't trade my weekend for anything.
it's the start of something big…a journey for me…i am on the edge of it….it's just beginning.
i know the kind of thing i may be looking for next time.
(if my husband ever lets me leave the house again)
{beth} - i found your blog via bushel and peck and i am searching for that fantastic bathroom…one of my next home projects and yours is an inspiration.
fun to see your pics of silverbella.
Natasha Burns - Your post was great to read! I’ve just found your blog by a friend’s recommendation, and I’ve enjoyed my visit here a lot! I went to Silver Bella last year too, only, I travelled across the world. I had nothing to compare it to, but I completely understand about it being overwhelming and large. I too, found that the best part, was the friendships and laughing and crying together. What a shame that Jo couldn’t speak for longer. I heard she was fantastic, what she managed to fit in, in 7 minutes!
Thanks for your wonderful post and for your honesty and great pics. I’m happy for you that you had this experience to learn from.
Take care,
Natasha 🙂
gabrielle - thanks so much for sharing. I love your honesty. Not sure if Silver Bella would be for me or not. I’m a people person and I love to get crafty at the same time. But I think you came away richer for the experience…eh? Your pictures are fabulous as always.
jennifer - it was so great having you in my workshop Meg!
Best wishes on the little one… I didn’t even notice you were pregnant (perhaps I was a little overwhelmed?!)- you look fantastic!
karlene - I am sorry that I didn’t get to meet you. I know exactly how you feel about SB, although it has given me friends that I would have missed not knowing. And for that, it is worth it. All my best for your dreams!!
robin bird - you are such a friend 🙂 thank you for inundating my blog with visits. whenever you have me over there in your sidebar i suddenly become super popular and i love that 🙂
this post looks so much like what i have been up to and yet there is so much more learning going on! the mobile is my favorite project. i would love to have experienced this. i am so glad you left nothing out. hey, you there girl, i am lovin’ that new hair cut. very chic. you are ever so much your true self every single day and i love you for that 🙂
xoxoxo
miss lynn - HOLY STINK.
i can’t believe
you linked me!!!
my face has the
hugest smile ever
right now. aaahhhh!!
bless your heart!
happy day and
blessings!
Kristy - love your honesty too.
pictures look like fun.
we all need to remember that ITS OK, if something doesn’t fit right :O)
xo
Sarah - I love crafting like the next girl–but it would be too much foo foo in one room for me. 🙂 🙂
Sarah
Vintage Lily
danyele - i am sooo jealous of all the fun you had and the gfriends and all the crafty stuff you did! but i did love taking it all in a few minutes instead of days. sooo much fun!
Jana Perenchio - Hi Meg! I SO enjoyed your SB post, the best one I’ve seen & read by far, your photos are amazing and I loved reliving the experience through your eyes. I totally know what you’re saying about SB though and I don’t think I really realized exactly why I didn’t thoroughly enjoy myself this year until I read your post as I, too, was longing for something more personal….the way Silver Bella used to be. I hope our paths meet again someday. I will continue to check in on your and hope you’ll do the same with me. ((hugs))
DreamGirlLisa - I loved hearing all about your weekend, and how honest you always are. I enjoy the girlfriend time too, it’s good for my soul, but I don’t get enough of it. I wish I had more “crafting” friends too, although I cherish my besties, even if they aren’t crafty :). Your photography is so good, I see good things in your future with it. I feel like I’m on the edge too, but sometimes I think it’s on the edge of a cliff!! lol…but then I have one my girls snuggled up to me in bed at night and all is right with the world…..
Jen@thecottagenest - Hey Meg. It was so nice to meet you at SB this year. I have to say that I totally know what you are saying about the SB experience and I kind of suspected that when I saw you. I was feeling a bit of that myself this year. If felt much different than last year but maybe that’s just me and my perceptions along with the changes I’ve gone through this past year. I hope you find what you are looking for. I hope we all do. I’m not at all sure that I’m headed back to Silver Bella myself but I guess I’ll wait to make that decision. Take care. Jen
Christina - The desire for connection is so strong, I think especially these days. Some people have a great community right where they are, with friends that are nearby and that they get to see often, or with family nearby that they are close to (relationshipwise as well)…we have moved around a bit and I hesitate to make friends, really good friends these days. But at the same time there is this longing for being settled, and for knowing people, other women, and like you said, talking and laughing and crying with them. I had that in a seminary community many years ago and when you leave that kind of situation it’s hard. The real world is hard! But…I suppose that it is time to grow up, right? 🙂
Thanks for sharing your experience. It was fun to see.
Cate O'Malley - Sounds like a wonderful weekend of discovery … self-discovery, discovery of new friends, new ideas, new crafts!
Laura Phelps - I’ve been “on the edge” of something for years now
and then I panic…
I think, “Maybe this IS it for me”
maybe there is NO edge
maybe I have already jumped, and here I am!
and then I feel guilty…
“Why is this not enough? Why does there need to be more? Why can’t I be satisfied with using my creativity for my family?”
And then I give it all up to God…
after drinking, and crying and feeling frustrated and carrying bags of resentment and guilt and bitterness and jealousy of all those around me who seem to have found their creative space and are successful and seem to be doing it all..
THEN, I give it all up to God!
and the pics of SB? Beautiful, but my first thought was, “I would be SO INTIMIDATED!!!!”
yes, too big
My kind of thing would be 5 people…oh, lets say….at YOUR house…baking and cooking in the kitchen, sharing ideas, shopping, getting coffee, and eating and praying…yes, in that order…
Nora - I stumbled on your blog through a friend’s blog this weekend and started to laugh so hard. I was at the Embassy Suites in Omaha all last week on business, and you can imagine my surprise Friday morning when I found the breakfast room full of women with craft bins, bags, and totes EVERYWHERE. I wondered what the heck was going on, went to work and put it out of my mind. Then I found your blog. Small world. It’s a great blog, btw.
Tonya McDaniel - I don’t think I’m a Silver Bella kinda girl either. I’d much rather sit down w/someone and get to know them verses sitting in a room w/a boat-load of other people. I don’t know what weekend you went to SB, but last Friday night I had the same “dreams/what do I really want” conversation w/my bff. You’re right….those late night talks can get deep!
princesslasertron - thanks so much for all of your kind words about me. 🙂 this post really made my day. and look at goofball dave–what a cute dork.
I’m really sorry I didn’t go to dinner with you guys! I think I would have had a lot of fun.
I feel the same way about silver bella. you put it into the right words. I cant wait until we can hang out again 🙂
pve - You are so honest to come clean. I know that you are on the edge of some sort of connectivity – I can feel it.
no apron needed.
pve
jenjen - What fun! I can’t think of anything more fun or exciting!!!
XOOX
Jen
Valerie @ Frugal Family Fun Blog - What a wonderful adventure you’ve shared with us! Part of me was oozing with jealousy just reading about it, but I too would be yearning for something more personal. I think that’s true for most of us creative types. I do hope your hubby lets you leave the house again! And blog about it!
Sara @ Queen of the House - The shopping looks so great. I think I would have felt the same way. I’ve always loved your posts about your craft weekends like the one you did for water for Christmas. That sounds like my idea of a good time.
jennifer - I’m so glad you got to go and discover all that you did. My friend invited me to go to SB with her last year. I had never heard of it before so I checked out the link she emailed me to see what it was all about. I got intimidated just looking at the website! 🙂 It looks amazing, but not for me either. I love that God made us all different and then has blessed us with all kinds of different outlets for us to use the gifts He’s given us. Still trying to figure mine out… I think it might be reading blogs! HA!
The Unconventional Doctor's Wife - Love this! Connections are a primary reason I blog and read what other bloggers are writing about! I just love all the creative ideas, heartfelt emotions and life experience that we all benefit from sharing! It is so great to read a post and come away feeling refreshed, inspired or uplifted! Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I always look forward to reading your posts!
Meredith - Glad you had time away to create and laugh and meet new people. Perhaps if you felt a little disappointed in the lack of connection, others did too. Why don’t you run a similar one yourself, but with a slightly different focus? Women yearn for connections, without them we seem to wilt don’t we? You certainly seem to have a gift for bringing people together and placing value upon them and having a great laugh at the same time. Dream big Meg, who knows what can happen. Meredith xo.
Julia - It’s interesting reading how you knew it wasn’t for you. Sometimes I get that feeling and I think “what’s wrong with me?” when I really should just know (like you wrote) that whatever it is, it isn’t right for me but right for some people.
Weird? It’s late. And it’s been a loooongg day.
Flower Patch Farmgirl - I love your re-cap. It definitely does seem a little harried – which wouldn’t be what I was looking for, either. I wonder if it is growing so much that it is changing? The things I heard about last year’s event seem quite different than what I’m hearing this year.
Nevertheless, I’m no crafter, so SB is not on my immediate horizon. That Brave Girl camp has me wondering, though…
ps- Too bad that you didn’t get a little more time with Jen! Impossible not to love that one.
Courtney Walsh - I get overwhelmed to imagine leaving the house and all my duties…and actually not worrying about them while I”m gone! It’s been so long. I understand what you’re saying. I typically like a smaller group myself. 🙂 But that antique store had to make it all worth it!!
Courtney - It’s amazing how many people there I would have loved to meet as well! Blogland is a small world… kinda 🙂 I’m a one-on-one kinda girl though. I recently went to a writer’s retreat with about 50 women and I much prefer my 6 woman writing group 🙂
Melanie - I am glad that you got to visit with friends and meet people that you have come to know online. SB wouldn’t have been for me either. I took a Karen Russell class and it was perfect. Very small and personal. By the way, your haircut is cute!
Mickie Lara - I know this will sound crazy and incredibly cheesy but this post almost made me cry. And, I am not typically that tenderhearted but it came down to what you said about connection. I think that is what a lot of us are looking for these days (at the risk of sounding too generic.) And why I and many others were on a high of sorts after being a part of the Pioneer Woman’s book signing. And why blogs like yours and hers are so enjoyable to read. I need it every day now! We want that connection to those who can relate to us and you are providing a piece of that puzzle… and it sounds like more is waiting to happen.
adrienneK - wow that looks like eye candy for days! and what a great (honest ) account!! im not sure i would fit in to well,but i do loooove to create,and looove pretty things?!and oh btw i am no in LOVE with princess lasertron,if she is reading,please be my BFF lol
christi - wow. what an amazing trip. thanks for linking to blogs i didn’t know about, too!
Lisa - Another super post – thanks for sharing
– Lisa (from Omaha)
Heather - I love the WHOLE post, especially the ending. I appreciate so much how REAL you are in all that you do. Thanks for that! I think you’re swell!
Becky @ Farmgirl Paints - You would have loved Brave Girl camp…that would have been for you, and Jeanne was there too! I know God has great things in store for you…for all of us. We just have to follow those dreams and yes even speak them out loud:) Great pics Meg. Your crafts were bea-u-ti-ful;)
Debra - I enjoyed your post. It’s good to be honest about your experiences. Maybe you should try Brave girls camp, that sound awesome! I wish we had events like these in Canada. (sigh)
jeanne - Beautiful, beautiful post…and the best part is that you are are on journey. I agree about SB. It wasn’t for me either…but then I wouldn’t have met you!!!! I swear we are soul mates!!! We will have to go to a SMALLER art event soon…if you are able to leave the house.
Jamie - Wow! It sounds like a busy, fun time! It’s always great to discover new things about yourself. It usually leads to change & I think change is good. It sounds like you need to start your own “gathering”. 🙂 Glad you had a fun time. It’s always nice to get away & rejuvinate yourself!
Darby - Looks like fun, but not my kind of fun either! Glad you realized that and had the guts to say it! I always appreciate transparency!!
Kristin - Oh my gosh, I am soooo jealous. I have wanted to go to this for years. : ) It looks like you had a blast. It’s so wonderful you got to go and gives me hope that someday I can convince my husband to send me. Thanks for all the photos, I say the more photos the better. : )
pam - mother runner stole my words! seriously! i was going to say the SAME thing. this post was ALMOST like being there with you only i didn’t have to bear the glitter! 🙂
love you both!
Renee - i really like you, meg
thanks for sharing
xoxo
Kelly O. - I completely understand…
however Silver Bella sounds like just the thing for me!
I wish we had things like that in Canada!
Hope @ The Queen Of Re - I am now officially drunk on icandy!!! stumbling way….happy
Trish - 🙂 great post! i have that green shirt 🙂
Mother Runner - you both look gorgeous! so happy and refreshed. just what a mommy’s soul needs.
ps – see the hair….LOVE IT!
Sarah @ Dream In Domestic - It looks like you had a fun time, but I’m glad you are able to be realistic about the whole thing. You learned something about yourself while you were there, which is always good! Thanks for sharing all the photos with us! It wasn’t too long at all!
Lauren Thomas - It’s so much fun to be on the edge of the next great thing in your life! The great thing is that when we know it’s God’s plan for us, we don’t have to worry about planning it!!! IT just happens like it’s supposed to! That’s how it’s all working out with my photography business.
I am so desperately looking for that connection piece in my life now too!
Just know that you’re such an inspiration to everyone that reads your blog!!!
Kate - You are amazing. So glad you had time away. So glad you got to be you. So glad for you. 🙂
A pocket full of posies... - LOVE your honesty!!! so refreshing! I’m glad you got to go…glad you are following your dreams…and I will be praying for you – for what I know will be an AMAZING new adventure!
Many Blessings!
Sara Cameli - I know what you mean about feeling like you are on the edge of something, just about to…feeling like maybe you can, bursting with a need to create and create something personal and from the heart. Love you!