Scrap Etc Event 2008

I just back from an amazing weekend working at the ScrapEtc Event in Nashville. The event was held at the Opryland hotel. I have been helping Monique and the team pack kits for the past several months ever chance I had to be in Birmingham. It was quite a task, but well worth it to be ready ahead of time. Lucy, the new store owner, and her team literally transported the entire store and them some for an amazing onsite store for the Event. I rang up more customers during those 3 days than I did in all my days working at ScrapEtc. Well maybe not, but it seemed like it. I had the opportunity to be the official Event photographer during the 3 days.

All the photos I took can be viewed and downloaded for a small fee at this site:

http://www.ebaileyphotography.com/photocart

I could probably go on an on talking about all the little details of the weekend, but I will leave you with a list idea that I stole from several other workers.

30 Random Things I Learned Working at the ScrapEtc Event 2008
1. It is hard to be in 3 places at one time (I had 3 jobs: to assist in classrooms, to run the register at the store, and photograph the Event)
2. #1=18 hours=No Breaks
3. I would have paid Opryland prices for a good pair of Dr. Scholls inserts.
4. Nashville really isn't that far from home, and it makes for a quick trip when you have good company in the car with you.
5. It takes a "family" to set up and run a successful store. Lucy, Lisa, Robin, and Co. did a great job transporting and setting up an awesome store.
6. It is OK to have big dreams.
7. It is so great to be a part of such a giving Event team, and still be friends will all of them in the end.
8. I wish Vanessa Hudson was my big sister. Her talents remind me of my mother's, and she is the one who inspired me to sew on many of my layouts.
9. A walk through the atriums alone at night can be very inspiring.
10. You need roller skates to get around the Opryland hotel. Thank goodness for a relatively close room.
11. I still love my 50mm f/1.4 lens!
12. Group C knows how to have fun, and Brittney knows how to get them excited. I am so glad that I got to be a part of this group.
13. It is a breath of fresh air to see the teacher's children attend the Event with them.
14. It takes a lot less time to disassemble 600 kits than it does to pack them.
15. When you finally get to sleep, your mind has too much information stored in your short term memory to shut down for the night.
16. Hearing what your 2 year old daughter is doing and saying while you've been away from her for a week, really makes you anxious to get home to her.
17. Wilna's sweet disposition and accent just put a smile on my face. I love how she takes her ART outside the box!
18. It was so cool to meet Heidi Swapp in person. I love that her project was simple and complex all in one. I am also convinced she looks perfect in every picture taken of her.
19. I got to room with celebrities. Kelly "aka" Kelly Taylor, Andrea the founder of ScrapJazz who introduced Monique to scrapbooking. Thank you for sharing your story with me Andrea! Deanna has layouts in 2 current issues of magazines..how cool!
20. It is nice to fall asleep talking with such great ladies. Thanks Kelly, Andrea, and Deanna for being such great friends and roommates.
21. I really should have passed off my camera a few times so I could have gotten some pictures of myself at the Event.
22. I am going to have way too many blogs to and people I want to keep up with now!
23. It would have been smart if I had read through each of the teacher's projects before assisting in each class, so I could better help the attendees.
24. I will never have a personality to stand out in a crowd, but I am ok with that.
25. It was nice to work with such nice, polite, and thankful attendees through out the weekend.
26. The Opryland Hotel can withstand an Earthquake. We thought our roommate was crazy when she said she felt the building shake at 4:00 a.m.
27. I wish I could have Jenni Bowlin come decorate my house for me.
28. Lucy knows how to handle stress well! She always had an answer for a question, and appeared to be in such a good mood!
29. Music can really set the mood for an Event..Thanks Amanda!
30. Everyone has a story to tell, and everyone chooses to tell it in a different way.

I know I am like a month behind in posting daily pictures. I hope to soon get caught up again.