Hi - I'm April
I'm a just one girl trying to continue a treasured tradition that four girls began in 2012
In 2013 when the scrapbooking world seemed to be trying to make a comeback from the 2009-ish economic struggles --- 4 amazing (and I mean amazing) women decided to give it a jump-start in the Asheville, NC area. They put the word out that they would be holding a weekend get-away to scrapbook and hang out with friends - aka "the girls" (it was such a catchy name that it wasn't changed when the event attracted a few guys too!).
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For eight years "The Girls" - Allison, Melissa, Teresa, and Natalie made our year by continuing to invite us to this annual event that guaranteed laughs, tears, and some serious scrapbooking pages getting done! The event never disappointed even when Mother Nature surprised us with nearly 10 inches of snow one year on the first day of the retreat (luckily most attendees came in a night early before the snow began!).
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Fast forward to 2020 --- most people in the U.S. began having a down year around March because of the COVID damper. Not us though --- our bummer 2020 started around February when The Girls announced that 2021 would be their farewell year. The retreat had just had a record year with well over 100 scrapbookers --- but life happens --- work, relocation, retirement, kids, grandkids -- all the above happened to The Girls. None of us could blame them but we were sad - just sad.
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When I caught wind of the news - I just knew it couldn't end. So I jumped and within a day of the notice - I emailed my four friends and asked what it would take for them to reconsider. I offered my help - whatever it took to keep them from ending the retreat. One conversation led to another and before I knew it I offered to try to carry the torch.
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Sadly - their farewell event in 2021 had to be cancelled due to COVID. So in 2022 - I will continue the event and try to do The Girls justice. We will continue this wonderful time together that not only helps us preserve our memories but make more memories at the same time. Scrapbooking isn't about putting stickers on paper - it's about memories, legacies, storykeeping, and storybuilding.
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The torch is a heavy one, a very heavy one - and the shoes are huge...and there are four pairs! But we will do our best together to continue this treasured time we all share!
The Original Girls
Let me start by saying that no words can do these four amazing women justice. They are beautiful inside and out and they have created an event that none other can compare to. My friendships with each of them goes back many years even before Scrappin' With The Girls came along and I truly treasure each of them for different reasons. I'm hoping I haven't disappointed anyone by redesigning the logo this year. The words "The Girls" should have been capitalized in my opinion because --- well, these four girls are their own proper noun! Also, there were only 3 flowers in the previous logo. Call me sentimental but I felt there should be four so that when we look at the logo we think of the beautiful friendship that these four girls have together that helped us all form so many more friendships that we will have for a lifetime. I want to thank them for building Scrappin' With The Girls! Melissa, Teresa, Natalie and Allison - what you have done with this "little" event you started has blessed us all far more than you will ever know. Thank your for the endless memories (that are probably scrapbooked by the way!)
