Convention over: Back to Normal

Nearly a week has passed since the 2009 SAGA National Convention in Indianapolis ended. So I hope all of those who attended have found their way back home safely and have now had time to unpack; do many loads of laundry; tidy up after the family; and finish their class projects? Of course, some of you have been able to do all of those afore mentioned items, but many of you, I know, will have projects left to complete weeks, days, months and dare I say it years from now? But didn't you have the best time acquiring those new Unfinished Objects?

The end of convention is always sad as we have to say good bye to our friends, our sisters-in-sewing and to the great teachers whose skills we are trying to learn, but then the excitement starts to build again as you get to plan the trip to the next SAGA convention, September 22-26 at the Marriott Waterside, Norfolk, Virginia. If this year was your fist time at a convention (and I did hear one lady say she had been a SAGA member for over 20 years and this was her first convention!) I hope that you have the bug. Many find that once they have made it through that first time (leaving the family, traveling alone, being away from more than one night) they just have to make it an annual event. I know I enjoy seeing familiar faces as I tour the classes each day.

So Banquet was one of the highlights of the convention and this is where the Artisans receive their certificates; the Best in Show for Design Show is recognized as is the People's Choice in both the Design Show and Show and Share. The winners of the Pearls, Purls, Perles contest were also recognized. The out-going president installs the new board and the in-coming president. Then in between all of these, the calling of the raffle basket winners takes place. Cheryl Cox makes this an event to remember and with her team of helpers (one to open the box of tickets, one to mix them, one to draw the winner and take it to Cheryl and a group of ladies to take the basket to the winner) they work hard to keep everyone happy, although I know I was sitting at the wrong table this year as I did not win a basket! This year we had 79 baskets and so lots of money has gone to help fund the SAGA grants for chapters hosting a workshop with a SAGA approved teacher. Oh, and another important item at banquet was the announcement of the location of SAGA Convention 2011 which will be in….. Anaheim, California.

Sunday was a day of saying good byes and getting out of class and the hotel room in time to get the shuttle to the airport or load the car for the drive home (and some of the cars I saw truly where loaded to the maximum). I was lucky enough to have the company of a SAGA friend to sit with at the airport which made the time pass quickly waiting for my flight. This friend and I meet many years ago at an airport waiting for a shuttle and as we rightly guessed we were heading to the same hotel for the start of a SAGA convention we shared the cost of the ride. I hope that those of you who attended this convention were lucky enough to make some new sewing friends as well as catch up with some of your 'old' ones?

Well, this Blog was started to lead up to and carry through SAGA Convention 2009, but it isn't going to end because convention ended. It is too good a tool to let go, so even though I won't be Blogging every day, please do look back frequently as I plan to Blog as often as time permits with items of interest and such.

Now I need to get busy with the next issue of SAGANews which will feature lots of photos of winners, achievers and events from Convention. So look for your copy coming to a mailbox near you sometime in November!