Yui

Taking a chance

So this came into my inbox one day recently!

Hi Madie, 

GoGo Getaway is on the search for inspirational and creative designers to join our team...

GoGo Getaway has been running successful scrapbooking retreats and day events since 2008, with our 17th retreat at Theobalds Park, Hertfordshire, taking place in October 2016. Dedication to offering professional event organisation, personal touches, technique based classes and enthusiastic tutors, are what makes the GoGo brand stand out from the crowd.

Design Team Incentives:

• Attend GoGo Getaway (as a delegate who teaches) at just 50% of the package cost
• Two additional class kits
• Access to support and promotion as a designer in your own right
• Opportunity to run bespoke day events in your area with professional guidance and marketing support from GoGo
• Regular Design Team weekends and meet ups
• 10% discount with Hey Little Magpie (online and at GoGoGetaway)
• Design Team membership will run for a 12 month period starting from October 2016 (Please note that your first event as a Design Team member will be March 2017)

Design Team Expectations:

• To design and teach two classes per event using products supplied to you in kit form
• Photograph and supply clear images of designs to meet with deadlines
• Prepare step by step notes for class instruction hand outs
• Deliver your class within the classroom setting and willingness to engage with delegates outside of the classroom
• Actively promote GoGo on social media

How to Apply:

Please submit the following to mail@gogo-getaway.co.uk using this email link by Monday 26th September:

• Name, location and email address
• Social media links
• Design teams you are currently on (you do not have to be on any DTs in order to apply)
• A few sentences on what you feel you can bring to the team
• Three scrapbook layouts that reflect your own style and creative strengths baring in mind GoGo classes are always technique based. These can be links to those you have online or emailed as attachments. These must of course be your own work.

Everyone is welcome to apply but the ability to travel to Theobalds Park in Hertfordshire is a necessity.

Successful applicants will be contacted within two weeks of the submission deadline. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you wish to discuss submitting an entry or any other questions about this Design Team Call.

Good Luck,

Janice, Lorraine & Niki xx

So I ummed and arhhe'd for ages before deciding to put in for my application to the Gogo-Getaway design team call. I've applied before for other teams and it's always disappointing to be rejected for anything. But I have a dream 'B' plan for what my perfect working life would be. Doing something creative features in that. Lots of people have suggested that I should try and run my own classes or crops.  Then came the conundrum of what should I send that would best show my work? I am really a card maker and I joined the scrapbook kit subscription to force myself to get over the fear of scraping on a piece of 12 x 12 paper and all the other questions that come with it like what on earth do you scrap? I don't have children and my life is not that eventful. What I've really learnt over the years is that you shouldn't have compare yourself to anyone else or their art. It's your own interpretation of life that's important  and it's your experiences that you are documenting and that's what counts. What I wanted was like minded people to craft with my closest friends and family don't craft and can't get their heads around the addiction to paper! Readers you know where I'm coming from... Over the year's I've made some lovely crafty friends and it has really helped me grow to try new techniques and develop a style.

So I took the advice and took the plunge and look what happened!

GoGo Getaway recently made a call out for applications to join our design team. We would like to thank everyone who took the time to share their designs with us. We are now very excited to announce the new Team GoGo and would like to extend a warm welcome to: Esther Peck Giselle Homer Kim Woods Kirei Baldwin Lisa Griffin Madie Ager-Warner Nancy Sinclair Sarah Packer Terri-Ann Morris

Saying goodbye to design team members is always tinged with sadness and yet joy of what they have brought to the team. We would like to extend a massive thank you to Louise Fortune and Rebekah Brumby for their fantastic designs and being part of Team GoGo. We are sure you will join us in wishing both Rebekah and Louise the very best of luck for the future. Starting tomorrow we will be meeting each member of the team over the next nine days. Why not come and say hello to them over on the GoGo Getaway Facebook group.    Happy scrapping Janice, Lorraine & Niki xxx

The wait for the announcement was agonizing as we had to wait for the October's Gogo-Getaway to come and pass and then finally it was announced.  Goodness it was hard to keep secret! I've had so many well wishes and lovely comments I couldn't be happier, now comes the worry that I'm not going to be good enough and what happens if no-one wants to take my classes gulp! I can't wait to get going, I will teach at the events in October and November 2017.

Here are the three layouts that I sent with my application

And here's the welcome to the Design Team post that went out on Facebook

Meet Madie!

What is your favourite manufacturer?
What is your favourite colour?
What are your favourite scrapping snacks?
Do you prefer music/tv or the ‘sound of silence’ when scrapping?
Just because.............. Chocolate or Chips?

“I love stamping, die cutting and things mixed media. If I had to pick to favourite manufacturer it would be hard but Ranger, Tim Holtz , Stampin up and American crafts. I do have a soft spot for Heidi Swapp, Crate Paper and Pink Paislee.
My favourite colour - the rainbow, although I think that's cheating.
I try not to snack when crafting, I'm clumsy but have been known to enjoy a tipple!
Netflix is my go to, I do like a box set.
Hmm my last snack on Earth would be chips and not the kind you find in the packet….”

Welcome to the team Madie.

Turning 40rty!

 

 

I was wide awake at 3.30 this morning excited like a little kid at the prospect of birthday cake and the candles to blow out later. It got me thinking 40 is a milestone birthday, I know we joke about it being the new 30’s and your only as ...old as you feel – but really I’m a good chunk into my life. So my brain has been spinning thinking about all the things I have done, achieved experienced so far and in my reflection I know we all dream about having an endless supply of money and material wealth and all the other stuff we covet, who doesn’t? But the stuff of importance? Is the people in your life. 

 

 So I think this is an ideal opportunity for me to celebrate the people in my life past and present. I have a beautiful sister and brothers who are talented and driven and I couldn’t be more proud of them. My family although many of you are far away I know I belong. My mother Nicole, kind, tenacious, beautiful, I am your mini me…. My fantastic friends some of you new some of you old, whom I share unique and special friendships with sometimes they make me laugh so hard it makes my belly hurt and I shed a few tears, we can talk endlessly, I dance till my feet hurt and stay out till all hours because really I’m still a rebellious teenager, they understand my need for solitude but are there if I need them and have taught me that its ok to show vulnerability I don’t always have to be the strong one. Some special mentions – Cristina thank you for taking the time to take all these photos of me, Susan my pen pal from across the pond, I might never meet you but your always in my heart, Michael I think of you fondly when I have success at work you gave me shove in the right direction to go out there and give it a go, Filiz I’m sure we are sisters but they keep forgetting to tell us! Sue I want to be like you when I grow up your so full of life! I love you all and I am lucky to have you in my life.

But lastly and most importantly who would have thought a holiday cover at the Elmer Lodge all those years ago would have led me to call Beckenham my home? Damon Warner my husband, I love you more than I could ever express, you have taught me the most, made me a better person and given me peace and for that alone today is a day to celebrate.

A year that was............2013

So I made the fateful new years resolution to write a blog post every month for 2014 - ha we are now in March 2014, however my rationale for this long awaited post is that my birthday is in March so my new year starts then *wink*

I found this lovely template on Designer Digitals I think and we take so many pictures sometimes its hard to pick, I've been torturing myself about Project life I really love the concept but don't seem to be able to get my act together to do it, so as 2014 is a mammoth year for me I thought what a good way to start.  I have stalked many a blog and website who do the Project life concept and I'm especially impressed by those who can fill up a page every week - my life just is not that full and it makes me feel pressured and really who has the time?  I don't even have kids yet! I've tried in the past to keep a diary - that doesn't work either and I really want to be able to document stuff simply for the pleasure I get out of the creative aspect and I don't have to be a good as anyone, its just for me, its the same as art journaling but I can't get my head around doing my own so I thought let's break it down - baby steps, so here is my review of last year and then I can make a start on blogging / project life for 2014

January 2013

Good bye to the house with the red door that became my home for almost  a year, so Damon and I came to a cross road in our relationship in 2012.  I think we both needed time out and a chance to grow and to think the seven year itch they call it! So the house with the red door took me and made me better again.

February 2013

I was sent to Mumbai in India (I know!) to turn around a client site in five days - well India was a culture shock, I like to think I am worldly and well travelled but nothing prepared me for the reception I received, poverty, caste, women are still way down the food chain  - I had business men at the five star hotel I was staying in leaving me their room keys because they didn't believe I was a working professional!  Surely my husband would not had let me come out here to work on my own?  I think we take our independence and freedom for granted sometimes.

March 2013

A holiday with the cats!  Err that was no holiday. I only managed to leave the house twice and that was to go get myself food supplies I was exhausted I remembered waking up one afternoon covered in all of the cats and kittens - seven big cats and seven rat babies. Mum asked if I could come a look after the new set of kitten and her cats whilst she was on holiday, well I could hardly say no and kitty love makes everything better doesn't it?

April 2013

April became the month of kick starting a fit and healthy lifestyle so I became slightly obsessed I'm not going to lie I was getting up most mornings at 5.30 and doing some exercise, but the thing that changed the most was my diet.  I've always been healthy and exercised but after hurting myself the year before and having to have steroid injections its not something I want to go through again and I wanted to create good habits.  I stopped exercising at home a few months later and joined the LA Fitness in West India Quay near my office so I go after work during the week I still do some exercise at home at the weekend if I need to.  I'm really enjoying a clean and lean diet and my obsession with green fruit and veg continues...

May 2013

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside, oh I do like to be beside the sea!  One sunny Monday Damon and I both happened to be off so we wanted to do something. I suggested a road trip to give Bruce the new truck a chance for a good drive so we went to Broadstairs.  Have to say that makes me homesick for Colchester, being able to drive for about 30mins and you hit the coast.  Takes a bit longer from Kent but we had a lovely day walking along the sea front and the pier eating ice cream and window shopping and owning a second home by the sea.

June 2013

Nothing much happened in June but it gave me time to appreciate how lovely our flat looks now, I took loads of pictures and used them for a layout class in the Gogo getaway.

July/August 2013

My Dad's big six oh! we had lunch gathering in town (Colchester) just the immediate family on the Saturday and then Sunday we went to Grandpa's and had food al fresco and the rest of the family there to celebrate.  Dad did a speech it was all very touching and it was the first time they all got to meet Damon.  Damon realised that we are just like any other family and much like his own who love nothing more than to laugh, eat and drink and have a good ole banter.

August 2013

Had to do two entries for August as we went to SW4 - now I know that Damon loves me, he hates outdoor festivals but got us VIP for this event we had a great time but I think I have now run out of favours to drag him to  anymore of these do's this one was particularly muddy!!!

September 2013

I realised that I have no pictures of where I work, even though work takes me all over the country I'm sure in time to come it would be nice to have this documented to be able to show little feet if they come along that I had a life before!

October 2013

My third and fabulous Gogo Getaway and I now have firm buddies that I can share craft and laughs with.  I always come away feeling invigorated by being around such lovely women and this time I didn't get around to getting the pictures ready for the layouts but I managed to finish them all with pictures when I got home.  We did some different projects as well so I always learn something new and I am planning to see these ladies before October this year.

November 2013

Movember - what a hoot so its really aimed at the men to participate in this awareness campaign for male prostate cancer, they grow a moustache in any fashion they want and people sponsor them.  Damon has done for a number of years but chose not to last year. Well, we the ladies in the office decided we would be supportive Mo Sista's and have ourselves photographed with our own paper versions. 'twas very very funny!

December 2013

Christmas was amazing - we went to  the house in France and I got to decorate it from top to bottom and bring the nature from outside inside, it looked very rustic.  The nine days flew by but it was lovely to spend that time with Damon and his family - everyone kept referring to us as the 'kids' because we were the youngest!!!

Daniel's party pack

This is a project I had made for one of the ladies at work, her son is one on Saturday and she is having a little party for him - with it being Easter this weekend she wanted Easter pastel shades but not too girly as he is a boy after all!  I have had a scrapbook paper pad made by K&Co called Sweet Pea baby boy for an age and it never seems to run out! The colours and designs in the pad made it perfect for a boy/Easter project.

I like the way the little bows turned out, they are for the party bags along with the tags.  I also made big pinwheels to be used as decorations and the mini pinwheels are for the cupcake tower and finally the banner turned out CUTE! It spells his name and the pinwheels at either end can be taken off if preferred and attached by ribbon or tac, I kept the back of the banner plain block colours so it could be used the other way round as well... Hopefully she will take lots of pictures on the day and I can share them on here.

Let me know what you think, thanks for stopping by, leave me a comment.

A few more pictures

These are some of the pictures that were taken by the organiser's "Creative Moment"  Claire is a whiz with the camera, I may need to ask for some tips! You should check out the pictures on Facebook click on the title to go to their page...

Getting stuck in...

Donna checking out my finished article - it got a sign of approval!!

I love this picture, it absolutely shows where I am in my creativity at this point in my life, I was bowled over when I saw it - suffice to say I may even use these pictures and make a layout, which is also a challenge as scrapbooking doesn't come naturally to me....

I see a theme!

April 8th-11th

Creative Moments & Donna Downey

Seven Dials Club

42 Earlham Street,

London

WC2H 9LA

 http://www.creative-boutique.co.uk/donnadowneyinfo.pdf

 

inspirational journal

a free creative play time

 

heart & soul

a mini heart-shaped canvas album

I do indeed see a theme!  Crop number 2! I got this as my birthday present in March, a chance to take some classes with Donna Downey who I love I am totally inspired by her!  Even better it was in London so not too far to travel and the stamp show was on all weekend at Alexandra Palace my favorite place in London - really, what more could a girl want??

I had an amazing time on Friday night I attended the Heart and Soul class we were only a small group,Donna sat with us, made a page for each of us...minus a bar and wine you would had thought we had all known each other for an age. We were all chatting about anything and everything.  Donna has got to be the most affable person I have ever met, I feel really lucky I got to spend this time with her!

So this is the kit and the first page Donna made demonstrating with red acrylic paint and some black glimmer mist, the kit was really pretty and I got to use canvas for the first time along with some Prima masks.

I can't tell you how happy I am with this page (!) for a first timer it came out pretty good everyone was quite impressed...I don't think I am going to be able to put a picture over it yet.

The front cover, needs some pictures....

Well the class on Sunday was a real eye opener for me, I wasn't sure what to expect, Donna called "Boot camp for art"  She wasn't wrong she didn't always give you time to think you had to go by your instinct and in a time frame I tried a ton of different techniques, I enjoyed the "dripage" and the photo transfer technique with a photocopied picture and studio medium. What I really enjoyed is the layers you can do on the pages of your journal - its freedom to create and that nothing is a mistake, one of my pages has ended up with four layers of different techniques so you can't tell which came first - but I'm not ready to show that page yet....

In between all of that I met some lovely people - the sweet Clarie who was attentive and bubbly the whole weekend from Creative Moments they had the mammoth task of coordinating everything in Convent Garden along with their stand at Alexander Place.  Bill Downey - amazing and lastly all the lovely ladies that I got to meet sharing this experience with me.  Can't wait to do it again!