Susan R. Opel
After months of preparation for classes, excursions, and fabulous finery for formal nights onboard the Carnival Liberty, we gathered together in Miami, FL, to board the ship for a week of cruising bliss.
A few things we learned while cruising:
- Wear sunscreen!
- Skip packing perfume, and just head to the fun shops for a tester! (great tip, Jaclyn Miller!)
- Snorkeling takes skill.
- Trying new things like alligator fritters, frog legs, and shark is adventurous.
- A floppy hat is a must.
- Paper crafting at sea is a delight!
Let’s check out some more photos from the week!
Flat Cristina takes the Western Caribbean
- Flat Cristina got to enjoy the sun in her puffy jacket!
Gallery Idol Winner Cristina Kowalczyk gave up her Grand Prize of the cruise since she was unable to attend (she’s writing a novel as we speak!), but we didn’t want her to miss out on the fun. So, pint-sized Flat Cristina attended classes and took excursions with us! The cruise attendees got to know her and noticed her lovely cards in some of the complimentary issues they were given throughout the week. Flat Cristina also tested some local beers that she quite enjoyed!
Fabulous Shore Excursions
- Exploring colorful foreign ports and new places was intoxicating!
While we DID spend ample amounts of time making all sorts or paper crafted projects, there was plenty of time to take in the sights of our four ports: Cozumel, Belize, Roatan (Honduras), and Grand Cayman. While most of us are snuggling into the comforts of November, the Caribbean is alive with tropical bliss. Exotic animals, palm trees swaying, and miles of gorgeous beach and turquoise waters tantalized our very souls.
Fun New Friends!
- We gathered from around the world as strangers, and ended up as crafty friends!
Don’t they look relaxed and happy! They’ve had such a marvelous week. These ladies gathered from Washington, Maryland, Arizona, Georgia, Minnesota, Texas, and lots of states in between. We even had one adorable paper crafter come all the way from Australia (via Dubai!). You’ll notice in the center photograph that three ladies (Lori, Deb, and Judi from Michigan) got their room steward from Indonesia hooked on card making. We gathered a bag full of goodies for him to make cards to send back to his wife and kids at home. That night he told us that he was going to Skype with his wife to show her all of the new things. One of the Michigan ladies even gave him her trimmer. I just love how card making is such a universal joy!
Farewell Card Swap
- A few of the pretty cards I got at the card swap!
Gather a group of card making ladies, and they want to share their card making love. We spent the last night exchanging cards that we had lovingly made with each other, and the night ended with hugs and even a few tears. What an utterly amazing experience it was!
I actually have video footage of several of the attendees proclaiming the glories of their time on The Paper Crafts Cruise, but alas, no audio! Here are a few things that they shared:
Favorite things learned in the paper crafting classes:
- Shortcuts on cutting paper.
- Using corn starch to deaden the stick on stickers.
- Mass producing Christmas cards.
- Seasoning stamps when they are new.
- Making quick 10-minute cards that still look great!
Favorite memories of the cruise:
- Kissing a dolphin.
- The chocolate martini served by Roy at the Flowers Bar on ship.
- Swimming with the sting rays.
- Dressing up for formal nights.
- Meeting a lot of great people!
Today we’re giving one reader the opportunity to win the official Paper Crafts Cruise goodie bag as well as a few extra cards from the card swap (some of us made more than necessary)! Leave a comment Friday at 5 PM MST, and you could be the lucky winner!
Won’t you come cruise with us next time? We missed you!
PS – Want to hear more about the cruise? Be sure to stop by Teri, Kim, and Jaclyn’s blogs for their perspectives on the week!
A cruise such as this sounds like it was absolutely fabulous… the cards are just gorgeous!
It just keeps sounding like more fun with every post I read!! If I win, I’ll even put on my sundress & hat and pretend I was there!!! Swapping goodies (cards, etc.) is always part of the fun we enjoy!
Cruising and paper-crafting rolled into one fun holiday sounds perfect to me! Maybe you can cruise from Australia next time, I’ll bet there would be more than one lonely Aussie along on that cruise.
Wish I was there!!
You all looked so happy and this cruise sounds like extreme fun!!
A cruise goodie bag might be _almost_ as good as being there! Well, not really.
Oh I so wish I could have been there! The cards are beautiful & thanks for giving us the chance to win the goodie bag!
wow! Looks like it was a lot of fun!
Looks amazing!! Love that Cristina went along!
Would love to go on a crafting cruise sometime.
I have never gone on a Crafting Cruise but I think I am going to have to give it a try!
Have never been on a cruise and don’t see it happening in my near future, but it sounds quite heavenly, especially if it’s main focus is paper crafting!!! ;~)
Looks as if you all had a great time and I would love to join all of you from Paper Crafts next year.
Oh my!!! that looks sooo fun!!! Maybe someday I’ll be there
sounds like a great time was had by all!
looks like it was so much fun!! wish I could have been there! winning the goodie bag would be awesome. hopefully you will see me next time!
ahhh! Thanks for sharing. Looks like you had a lot of fun!
Katie B.
What’s better than a goodie bag?! Well besides cruisin’ and craftin’. . .?
Oh! What a fun way to meet new friends! I ENVY you, girls…How I wish I was there too!
WOW…looks like an awesome time! So cute that you got the room steward crafting right along with you!
I love cruises, I love paper crafting, what else is there? What was I doing by myself back here in the Ststes. I really wanted to gooooooo toooooo! Sob sob!
Cute bag! Wow, so happy to read about how much fun you guys had.
Glad to hear that one Aussie crafter came along, I’d love to go along one day too if the cruise came closer to Australia (how about the Whitsundays on the Great Barrier Reef?). Thanks for a chance to win the goodie bag and cards !
Crusin’ & craftin’…sounds awesome!!! Thanks for the chance to win the goodie bag!!
wow what a fun and exciting trip… Looks like so much fun… Thanks for sharing with us all… and for the chance to win this awesome cute bag…
I’m actually leaving for a cruise next week! Too bad it’s not a scrappy cruise
It looks like everyone had an awesome time. Wish I could have been there!
If I’d been on the trip I’d probably have ended it attempting to stow away on the boat forever! Glad Cristina got to go along too!
Sounds like a great trip, wish I was there. Thanks for a chance at the goodie bag though.
It sounds just wonderful!
I wish I could have done this cruise but I’m doing one out of Tampa in January. Hope to learn a lot from the classes. These cards look great. Thanks for the chance to win the goodie bag.
So wishing I could have joined you ladies on the cruise! Looks like a lot of fun in the sun, and crafting with some really snazy ladies! Thank you for sharing your experience, and for the chance to win that lovely prize!
I would love to have been there! Sounds like such a fabulous time. May have to put that on my schedule for next year.
Looks like everyone had a blast and learned some great things. FUN!
Sounds like a ton of fun!
I think I’d like to attend the class where you make cards in 10 minutes that look great. Yes, I think I’d enjoy that. Thanks for the chance to win.
What great pics! …and a great giveaway!
Wow, that looks like fun. And what pretty cards in the swap!
What a fun time …wish I could have been there.
Of course I want to come next time! LOL Glad you had such an amazing time!
Looks like everyone had a ball (even ‘flat Cristina’)!
Sounds like it was a wonderful time. I wish I could have been there!
I’m sorry I wasn’t able to join you- this looks/sounds like it was fabulous!!
Two of my favorite things…cruising and crafting!
Sounds so fun! Id love to take a class on using mixed Media combining many different card making techniques together.
Looks like a fabulous time!
DeniseB