holiday party + scrapbooking = FUN !

Tonight I went to a holiday party at one of my local scrapbook stores, Scrapbook Your Art Out & Cafe, in Boca Raton. The invitation (which was beautifully handmade from scrapbooking supplies, of course!) promised fun, food, and surprises, and the event didn't disappoint!

First, we were each greeted with a peppermint mocha coffee, complete with a candy cane garnish. YUM!

The evening also included a cookie and gift exchange. Now let me preface what I'm about to say with the admission that I'm not particularly "domestic", and that I've never baked anything (unless frozen French fries count? LOL).....so, I bought (GASP !!!) a couple dozen cookies at a grocery store bakery and brought those. I know, I know, shame on me! But there was full disclosure, I didn't take credit for baking the cookies. I took the Christmas tree-shaped, green sprinkle-laden cookies out of the bakery packaging and assembled them on a platter, and it made for a pretty, albeit phony {wink}, presentation.

Then it was on to the fun gift exchange. To participate, each of us brought a wrapped $10 scrapbooking-themed gift, and everyone went home with a new treasure. I received a giftcard to the store, hurrah! It was in a nice little tin package that was decorated with lots of bling, so perfect for me. And of course I used the giftcard right away (read on and you'll understand why).

And we were all treated to a nice surprise "reveal" of a new scrapbooking product line. The store had all 4 of the new designs in the My Mind's Eye Laundry Line collection of papers and embellishments ("Natural" and "Sundress" are my favorites). They're gorgeous! Beautiful patterns, colors, textures.....and they're glittered! (aha, bling! now you know why my giftcard is already gone!)

Here's me and Ann, who owns the store with her mom, in our festive Christmas reds:
(If you attended Creative Escape '08, you might recognize Ann because she was there too.)

The party was a great chance to socialize with nice gals who are just as crazy about scrapbooking as I am! Fun stuff! :-)