This is my "old" (as in known her for quite a while now) friend, Valerie and her husband Craig. It was through Valerie that I got to know about this event as she attended last year. I wasn't sure they were going to be there (emails got lost in cyberspace) so it was lovely to see them once more.
Well, I spent the weekend in Nottingham. Went on a weekend of learning all about Polymer Clay and had a fantastic time. The photograph above shows me with three of my new friends - Helen is missing as this photograph was taken on the last night at the Party and she had to miss it because of work the next day.
This is Ciska, from Holland - a talented young lady who makes and sells her jewellery in Rotterdam and also runs workshops teaching others. She was so chuffed with the "backfilling" technique taught by Sylvie that she had to hold it up on this photograph (and every other one LOL)
This is Jacqueline, also from Holland - Amsterdam this time. Jacqueline was staying at the same hotel as I was and so we got to know one another before we actually got to the course.
Helen, above, is from the UK - again she was staying in the same hotel so we met up at breakfast on the day the course started.
Last, but certainly not least, this is Irene. She was the first person I got to know at the hotel and she was our driver - taking us in each morning and back to our hotel each evening.Each day we would leave our hotel, The Nelson and Railway, at around 8.30 am returning before 7.00 pm to have our evening meal. I can recommend this hotel (but not when I want to stay as I would hate to be disappointed and find it booked up) as the rooms were nice, the ambience was great and the food was delicious. Can heartily recommend the steak and ale pie with creamed potatoes. Makes my mouth water to think of it now.
You remember how pubs used to be? Well this fulfills the criteria - an excellent host, good bar staff, a good mix of people (very busy all the time), and the restaurant staff certainly know how to cook. Loved my bacon "sarnies" each morning Sally and your idea of a Continental breakfast was brilliant! To walk in and see the raspberries, strawberries, grapes, melon, apples, bananas, pears all set out with the yoghurts and cereals on one side was a treat to the eye. Didn't bother with the other side as the bacon was so good and I could not fit the croissants, meats and cheeses in as well.
The whole weekend was organised by Helen (not the one above) and boy oh boy can she organise an event. It was superb. There was so much care and so much detail put into it and with almost 60 participants, plus 6 tutors, it must have been hard work.
I'll write more about it another day but for now I will leave it there with just an introduction to the lovely friends I spent my time with.
