Heading to Leesburg

 

What a fun group!  Here we are in front of Prom Dress Central, other wise known as the "Anti- Hope Room", (Hope is such a funny person to be with, and she came up with that name, since it is pretty over whelmingly beautifully stocked with froof, and she doesn't care for that stuff)

Pictured in the back row is: Jessica http://www.suchprettythings.typepad.com/

 Pamelahttp://www.suchprettythings.typepad.com/

 Lori myfaeriewindow.blogspot.com/>  

 Amy http://www.inspireco.blogspot.com/

 Heather prettypetals.typepad.com/>

   Andrea http://www.velvetstrawberries.typepad.com/

Front is: Hope http://besottment.typepad.com/

 me

 Beth http://bethleintz.typepad..com/

Stephenie justalittlebitpink.blogspot.com/>  

 and Robin http://thriftymissprissy.typepad.com/

We were at On a Whim, a place of pink polka dot loveliness (that I don't have the web address for right now, sorry).  One room there is nothing but vintage gowns and hats.  I've been there before and have made the appropriate sqeally noises when I first saw the room, so really enjoyed listening as each new person came in and saw it all for the first time.  There might have been a happy squeal or two...

The owner, Donna Trexler has done a breath taking, squeal producing job of displaying her gowns.

And her HATS!!!!!  I was in love with the hats!!

 

What better backdrop for a group photo of this group?

By the way, I am loving my new camera!  I'm getting used to it, and learning a few tricks.  Plus, I downloaded Picassa photo editing and have had a chance to experiment with that.  I'd love to learn how to add tint to a sepia photo, wouldn't it be pretty if I had been able to add a blush of pink to the roses in this one?

  

The Cottage ( www.cottageatleesburg.com ) was  as cute as a bug, just as its welcoming front porch implied.

 

There was lots to talk about all day, and you might think it was complicated for a big group to shop together, but we all had such similar interests we had an easy time staying together while we poked around here and there in Leesburg.  There was time to mingle and talk one on one too, and talking to Amy and Andrea and hearing about thier toddlers helped my homesickness about missing Sugarwings.  (only 4 more days till I get to hold my little Fairy Grand Baby again!!)

Here is Andrea, Hope, and Amy.  I've met them all at Silver Bella, but never really got a chance to spend time with Hope or Amy till yesterday, and am so glad I got a chance to hang with them both. 

This year have been lucky enough to get to visit with Andrea once in April, then again in May, and now here in June. We both have husbands that travel a lot, and she joked that we might see each other more than we see them. 

Amy has invited me to come to a craft day at her home when I "head" back this way again.  Can't wait.

Most of the things that I was really attracted to, like this statue, weren't feasible for my suitcase. I guess the shopping part of the day was more for social than for buying purposes for me.  The stores in Leesburg will always be some of my faves, but on this day, I was too busy chatting to be seriously shopping.

 

Although, this little guy might have fit into my suitcase...

 

We did manage to buy a few goodies, and Pamela provided the cutest travel folders filled with pockets for receipts, business cards and custom tags with our names on them to tie onto our shopping bags so we could tell whose was whose.  When Beth, Robin, and I loaded my trunk, Beth saw this and said we had to snap a picture of the tagged loot. 

If you travel with bloggers, there is one photo op after another!

I'll have some pictures of the little (did I really say little? I meant extravagant and generous) gift exchange as well as the haul from shopping later on.

 

Thanks, Heather for pulling it all together for us to meet!  What a fun group, and a beautiful day.

Comments

[Natasha Burns]

OH my gosh that Anti-Hope room is the Pro-Natasha room in my book! SQUEAL!!!! Karla it looks like you beautiful girls had a beautiful time! Thanks for taking my call yesterday, it was SO fun talking with everyone xoxo

[Elaine L.]

Karla,

It is so sweet of you to take the time to blog while you're havin' so much fun.

It's great seeing all the gals from the blogs.

Hey, you're pretty dressed up, too!

~elaine~

[Mary]

looks like so much fun!

[Janis]

Karla, everyone looks like they are
having a great time!! LOVE the vintage
blouse on you! Soooooo pretty.
Thank you for the pics and can't wait
to hear and see more. Take care. : )

[Kerryanne English]

Sounds like it was perfect Karla.

[chrisitne]

I found myself smiling all the way through the post. You were surrounded by lovelyness with the stores as well as the ladies.

Blessings,
Christine

[Lori]

Karla, we had such a great day:) it really was so nice to see everyone...thanks again for letting me borrow one of your group pics...i need to get a cute little purse size camera for traveling...or get a bigger purse...LOL...

[Robin-Thrifty Miss Priss]

it WAS amazing Karla! I had such a wonderful couple of days! So glad I got to see you this time!
PS The camera is taking great photos! and I had to "borrow one" since I left mine in the car!

[hope]

I am so sorry I did not get a chance to show you a bit with your camera as promised. Next time I promise!

I showed photos of that room to Mike, and he agrees it is an anti-hope room :) maybe if all the dresses were grey and brown I would have liked it better?!?! I DO like pink... but... that room was VERY overwhelming for me!

I had such a great time - you did such a good job capturing the day with photos (I kept forgetting I had mine!)

Cannot wait to see you again!

[jessica-Such Pretty Things]

Karla, it was so great to finally meet you! What an incredible trip! And your photos turned out so wonderfully! I am enjoying my beautiful journal - thank you again! Hope to get together again soon!

XOXO
Jessica

[Heather ~ Pretty Petals]

Karla, I had so much fun with you girls! Thanks for meeting us there. I am so glad we all made it.. I had a wonderful time.

Hopefully we can do this again next year! xoxo heather

[sandy]

Looks like everyone had a grand time! I'm so bummed that I didn't get to meet you when you were here in GA - only a few minutes away from where I live.
Hope you have a wonderfully creative week.
Blessings,
Sandy

[Jean Eakin]

The cottage shop looks wonderful and You all are having way too much fun.I am sugarwings misses you too.
Jean in Virginia

[Stephenie]

Karla, I really had so much fun with all of you... We really need to do this again...I wish it was longer though...You truly are such a special person and I'm so excited I got to meet up with you again....
Stephenie

[Stephenie]

I forgot to say, I just looooove my tag book and Thank you for making me one...I will think of you everytime I look at it...

[Sharon G.]

Hi Karla,
I just discovered your blog today. It is all yumminess! Everything is so lovely - what a special site!

Warmly,
Sharon

[Sonia]

I saw Heather's post about this day you all had and oh, Leesburg went down on my places to go to list... Its about 6 hours from here. You all look like you are having a blast. How fun!!
Hugs
Sonia

[jen R Sanctuary arts at home]

Karla, it looks like so much fun and everyone looks great!

[gabrielle]

Looks like you girls had a blast!

[Zita - Mlle Magpie]

Looks like a lovely time in Leesburg. So nice that you could all get together and have a great time together. Oh, and I love having some more faces to go with some of my favourite blogs, too! Thanks, Karla!

[BARBARA BURKARD]

WOOOHOOOO...WHAT FUN!!!!! GORGEOUS PHOTOS TOO!

[angela]

I have been catching up with my fav. bloggers this morning and it looks like you have been quite the busy girl!! I am so jealous, if I were you I would still be sitting in the store with all of the old trim,jewelry and buttons, OMGosh, just your pics are like crack to an addict!! hahaha. Glad to see you had a wonderful time!

[DeniseLynn]

finally getting back to my computer after being swamped with kiddie stuff the past several days ... let me just say I am green with envy. So wish I could travel with you and your friends. I'll be busy catching up and reading all your posts that I've missed.