Home from the UK & finally able to update...

Home, sweet home. You know it's a long plane ride when you watch some in air TV, a movie, eat a meal & read 5 chapters of your book & then realize you still have SIX hours to go...but I made it & there were even groceries in the house waiting for me. :)

I haven't had internet access since last Tuesday night...hence the long break from blogging. We had 1 day in London and I had a few hours in Oxford to sight see. The weather took a miraculous break and I got some great photos. Click here for the FULL UK GALLERY.
Wednesday morning, Janice & I set out to see some of the city. We lucked out & saw the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. After that we toured Westminster Abbey. I've been before, but didn't go in. It was really emotional & beautiful. I cried a lot. Lit a candle for my mom. It was nice. After that we took in some of the shops at Covent Garden. I still can't get over the weather. It was amazing the way it cleared up. Apparently, I was really into the tilted photos on this trip.

Thursday we were in Chelmsford with a group of retailers & the ScrapGenie group. Most of the day was spent prepping the kits, then I got my teach on in the afternoon. We all went out to dinner together afterwords. It was so much fun...another night out with Amy & John {so cute - you know, Mr & Mrs Starfighter}. Laughed the evening away with everybody.

The next morning Becks took us out to visit some local scrapbook stores. Wow. God Bless America. The UK stores I visited were so tiny and random - usually just a corner of a general craft store {each place was about the size of one of our crop rooms}. Appreciate your local store - apparently they're not everywhere!!! Friday afternoon we headed back into London to catch out to Oxford. It was one of those once in a pink moon opportunities. My good friend, Claire Hampton {owner of the Card Fairy shops & education director & designer for Hampton Arts} was throwing a retreat in Oxford that weekend & she squeezed me onto the schedule to teach! I had all 90 women at once & ended up teaching and circulating through the room from 8-midnight.

Saturday morning I took a bus & met up with Orlando's {Claire's husband's} mum, Jamie & she showed me around Oxford. We went the shopping route & had a lot of fun. They have a covered market there with lots of unusual, eclectic stuff. I bought a bunch of old postcards, mail & stamps in a second hand shop. After shopping she took me to her private club, Qi {stands for quite interesting & is a play on words for iq} - which made me feel like I was getting the full British treatment. We had tea. I absolutely adore Jamie.

I actually took a few classes while I was there - 2 from Tim, 1 from Claire & 1 from Leandra from Paper Artsy {fell in love with their stamps!}. Also met the Art Girls. Alain was there too {I admit, sometimes I talk to him just to hear his accent - South African, which apparently, I'm really into}.

Sunday afternoon it was on a bus & back to a hotel by the airport for the long Monday flight home. As for jet lag, it's not so bad. I was 6 hours ahead, the only good thing is was I woke up at 6 am & got going today. I also went for a walk. Nothing like a trip to London to remind me I don't walk enough. Might have to get Indian food tonight...having withdrawal...