I’m back from my amazing vacation – I can’t yet process all of the incredible experiences that were packed into the last week-and-a-half, but it was truly incredible. I’ve always “powered through” jet lag by staying up or forcing myself to sleep according to the time zone I’ve arrived in, but that didn’t work for me when I arrived home. Multiple long naps yesterday were bridged by tired stares at the TV and all the things I need to do now that I’m home.
London
After the red eye flight to London, Jeremiah and I arrived in the UK for the early morning rush on Wednesday. We made our way through the Underground (a dream adventure) to our hotel near Oxford Circus, dropped off our bags and then walked the city from end-to-end. We enjoyed most of the touristy things and saw more than we expected. We had some amazing meals, too!
On Thursday, Becky Willmore (I know her through the Super-Awesome Fun Time Card Kit calls) joined us to take us on another journey through the town. What started as “lunch” turned into an “all-day guided tour” of the city. I couldn’t have asked for more!
Here’s Becky and me at Crumb & Doily Bakery in SOHO:
Our journey led to Borough Market over the London Bridge. The market was filled with gorgeous foods and delicious treats.
I’ll spare you all the food photos from our stay (but there are some food photos to come). 🙂
Fun with Emma on the Coast
After two-and-a-half days in London, Jeremiah and I took the train to Arundel Station in West Sussex where Emma Goddard picked us up for another amazing adventure along the coast. Here’s a shot of Emma and me at Arundel Castle:
It was SO AMAZING to finally meet Emma and her family. I’ve only known her as “my online friend” for a few years, but it was amazing to share the same space with her and to get to know her husband, Steve, and son, Joshua. Steve met us for cake and tea in small cafe in Arundel. The tea was great, but the carrot cake was out-of-this world:
Then we made our way to the coast on a gorgeous day:
for “proper fish & chips” – I’ve had fried fish before, but this was THE BEST:
After that adventure, we made our way back to Emma’s house – here’s proof that I was in her craft room:
She quickly put me to work, preparing for the big event she hosted the following day:
Here’s the end result of my “labor” at the event the following day:
I was excited to be there (with 40 or so others). I don’t have a group shot of the entire event, but Emma has some great photos in a video she shared on Instagram. You can see that here.
I got to meet Hazel, another friend from our Super-Awesome Fun Time Card Kit calls:
and we met Jay Soriano and Barry Selwood:
I ate scones with clotted cream and jam (this is my “thoroughly loving it” face):
I (intentionally) didn’t show the projects from Emma’s retreat, but all nine of them (and several had multiple components) showcase products in the Fresh as a Daisy Suite. If you didn’t click on the video link I shared above from Emma, you can see that here. It beautifully captures the joy of the day.
Emma is offering an online version of the retreat (worth every single penny of it), including a 2-1/2 hour call on June 2, that you can learn more about and download by clicking on the image below:
The online version of the event includes a 2-1/2 hour online call on June 2. Don’t want to miss that!
Thanks for stopping by today!
Brian
Sign Up for a Super-Awesome Fun Time
I posted the next Super-Awesome Fun Time Card Kit over the weekend. You’re going to love the cards and projects Emma and I are making with the Earthen Textures Bundle and coordinating products! To learn more and sign up, please click here.
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Oh, what a fun time ! How exciting to visit and see all of those sights with your good friend Emma ! Great trip and fun memories for you ! Thank you so much for sharing all the great photos ! LOVED IT !!
I’m so glad you liked the pictures, Sonny! I loved flipping through the photos to share them. Such a great trip! ♥
Becky, Hazel AND Emma!! So lucky to have friends from all over the world. Even though I have only seen them in our Super-Awesome Fun Time group they do feel like friends that live right next door. Glad you all had a wonderful time and enjoyed all of the things that go with a great vacation!
It really is the best to have friends from around the world. SU is so much more than stamps ink and paper. See you on our next Super Awesome call xo
Monica – I sat on the plane and train to get me to Emma’s, and she’s not as “around the corner” as I would think. 😀 It was SO WONDERFUL to see them. You are right – we have a great community in that group (and other stamping groups). It was a wonderful trip filled with wonderful people. ♥
Seeing you on the awesome zoom feels like family to me too. I’ve made so many friends after meeting people worldwide on zoom. My crafting family.
Ditto what Monica said about Becky, Hazel and Emma feeling like friends. How wonderful for you to finally meet them. So happy everything went so smoothly for you. Can’t wait to hear more about it. Enjoy your day, my friend.
It was so much fun to meet up in person, can’t wait to share with you on our next Super Awesome call xo
Emma is taller than I thought, and her craft room is smaller than I expected. She’s every bit as lovely and wonderful as I knew she’d be. 🙂
Thanks for sharing this, Brian (K). I enjoyed the narrative and the photos. So glad you had a wonderful trip. You deserve all good things! 😃❤️
Thank you so much, Bonnie (K)! ♥ I feel the same about you and am so happy to share these pictures and memories.
Loved the photos, Brian! So glad you and Jeremiah had such a wonderful time in the UK!
It was an incredible visit, Barbara. Thanks so much! ♥
What a GLORIOUS trip, and meeting online friends in the flesh is the best. Welcome home to you and Jeremiah. There’s nothing like one’s own bed. Thank you for sharing your trip with your loving fans
It was a wonderful trip that went for another week after what I shared. Being in my own bed was TREMENDOUS, though. I thought I would tame the jetlag, but it had other plans for me. 🙂
What a marvelous adventure! Thanks for sharing!
Happy to share it, Marilyn. It was exhausting but wonderful. Truly wonderful.
What a wonderful vacation! Such talent and great food!
The food – yum! I’ve been eating healthy for months for the opportunity to vacation right. 🙂 Back at it now.
WOW…Brian seeing the pics helped me feel the fun everyone was having! So glad you and Jeremiah had the opportunity to participate in this fabulous event! Your flower arrangement looks great. AND, I know one of the highlights was meeting all the online faces in-person.
Thanks, Katrina. My baby’s breath arrangements were the highlight of everyone’s day. Hanging out with each other and making Emma’s gorgeous projects were secondary. 😀 I loved every minute of our visit.
You got to meet Barry & Jay….. how exciting is that!!! 😃 Glad you had an enjoyable trip! Thanks for sharing.
They were absolutely wonderful! It was so nice to meet them and their group of friends. 🙂
I love love love this post and I am green with envy! No cruising for me but touring England would be my cup of tea! I’m am so glad you got together with Emma and got to meet more of your fans….such fun!
Linda, it was absolutely incredible! We LOVED our walking tours of London and are so glad we got to hang by the sea with Emma and friends. Her parents are ABSOLUTELY the best! You would have been right at home with this group – and (like them) you would have completed no projects with all the talking and cutting up. 😀
Great post! So happy you got to meet with so many stamping friends in person!
Thanks, Mary! It was absolutely wonderful! ♥