You know those times when everything in your world just lines up and it feels like magic happens?  Some call it synchronicity.  Others call it God’s work.  Some just call it coincidence.  Whatever you want to call it, that’s what I had the pleasure of experiencing this past weekend.  I had heard of Crafting Community several years ago via Karen Kimmel’s website and immediately wanted to go.  My cousin Er sent me the link when the tickets went on sale a few months ago.  I talked about it with Ev and we decided that for my birthday, this past Monday, I could either save for a camera or we could go to Crafting Community, an incredible crafting weekend event in Palm Springs for families of all ages.  After a lot of thought, I actually decided on the camera.  I have wanted one for so long and I’ve really out grown my iphone.  I follow Crafting Community on Instagram and would whimper every time they posted a new pic.  I knew I was going to miss something truly exceptional.  Well, this past Friday I got an email from a special friend saying she had tickets to this cool event in the desert that she couldn’t attend and was wondering if I wanted the tickets as a gift.  As I read the email I thought, no, this can’t be what I think it is.  I checked the link she included and sure enough, it was for Crafting Community.  I nearly died.  I screamed “Ev, Ev, you’re not going to believe this!”  Even writing about it now, I can’t believe it.  I am a believer in synchronicity and the power of prayer.  I have written morning pages from The Artists Way almost every day since I started, 4 years ago.  I pray and pray and pray for things daily in my writing and I am so blessed to say that so many dreams have come true.  Of course, I didn’t specifically say in my morning pages, please someone gift me tickets to Crafting Community, but, I did pray for my life to be filled with art and creativity and love, and that is just what I got.  Ev stayed home with D because they were both a little sick and Gigi and I had our first mother daughter weekend.  It was truly magical from start to finish and I will be forever grateful to my friend for the tickets and to the universe for hearing my prayers.  If you’ve never heard of Crafting Community or The Artist’s Way, please check them both out.  I can’t say enough about either one!

The weekend started with craft tables of all kinds.  Gigi’s favorite was the felt board station.  They had tons of felt squares cut up and felt boards you could put your cut outs on.  Gigi sat and practiced using the scissors throughout the weekend.  She was fascinated by them and totally proud of herself every time she made a cut.  All the stations were totally amazing.  I could have sat for hours at each one, but that’s not really in the cards with a toddler.  Next year I will bring the whole family for sure and hopefully I can steel an hour or two while Ev watches the girls.

Splendid and Converse were both sponsors, so Gigi got to design her own sneakers and there were beautiful decorations like the ones below, everywhere.  You got to make them and beautiful baskets with gorgeous strips of Splendid fabric.  Just looking at it was enough to make you high.

Saturday night there was a big disco where all the kids danced around with glow sticks and glow in the dark glasses.  Gigi went berserk.  This girl danced her little butt off for almost an hour.  This was definitely a highlight from the weekend.

On Sunday the crafts were out again in the “making things room.”  They had a station by Confetti System that was totally awesome.  You got to decorate your own lamp shade with tons of the most beautiful fringe you ever saw.  Todd Oldham was there as one of the sponsors too, which meant lots of KidMadeModern supplies everywhere.  Gigi loved it because she recognized them from home.  We are big fans of all his art supplies, which you can find at Target.

This smile says it all.  We had a blast.  Thank you so much Karen Kimmel and Crafting Community for a weekend we won’t soon forget.  Our whole family will be there next year for sure!