Craftcation Day 1

photo by Cathe Holden of Just Something I Made

Craftcation! Craftcation! The most wonderful time of the year! I was so ready for a blast of inspiration and information, and now that I'm here, I'm getting both in spades.

Plush artist Jenny Smith with some soft amigos.

I really wanted to make it to Thursday's SLR camera workshop; I am lucky enough to be long-term borrowing a Canon Digital Rebel right now, but am totally not using it to its full potential (i.e. I have no idea how to use it). Chris & Jenn, a powerhouse married photography team, gave a super-simple presentation that was perfect for the basics I need to know. It was so helpful that I literally dreamed about camera settings!

Then I hit the advanced needle felting workshop with Angharad Jones, where she taught beginners how to make felted balls and pros how to create sculptures with limbs! I was lazy and made another matryoshka, but my bud Becky made this sweet cat in Lakers purple for her bf.

Then we ate all the foods! I don't give a damn about gluten-free stuff, but those s'mores were off the hook. During dinner, Kathy Cano-Murillo gave an incredible keynote speech. We all know I'm a black-hearted cynic, but I was so touched by her sincere words. It's often very hard for me to feel good about myself as a creative person. The thing about Kathy is, at the heart of all her success, she just makes stuff. And keeps making stuff. And I think that's really the key to this whole venture.

Attendees got to write their goals for 2013 on these paint chips!

There's a reading lounge and pop-up shop featuring goods from Superbuzzy!

Quotes like this are posted all over the hotel. Sometimes I'm an old crankypants about inspirational quotes but this time, it's working for me. Maybe because I'm feeling better, they're easier for me to believe.