Scrappin' Retreat

We made it! Mt Aurora Fairbanks Creek Lodge was our destination for the weekend. I scrambled to load everything after work and we made it to the Lodge by 6 pm. It sits on top of peak and you have a clear view of Mt. McKinley when the skies permit. The outside looks rustic and abandoned but it is a true treasure on the inside. The Birdsall Family has operated it for many years and it is a hidden wonder in the hills around Fairbanks. This is Daisy, the resident Golden Retriever. She greeted all of us when we arrived and that spot on the floor is "her" spot. When she moves away from it you can tell because the polish on the hardwood looks different there.
The idea behind a scrapbook retreat is to gather with others who have the same interest in scrapbooking, haul all your stuff to the get away location, and do nothing but scrapbook. This retreat as one additional objective. EAT as much as you can of Brenda Birdsall's cooking. The meals were incredible. Friday night we had steak tips with mushrooms, real green beans dripping with garlic and butter, the biggest baked potato I have ever seen, homemade dinner rolls, real blue cheese dressing and dessert included various crumbles (I had the pumpkin and the rhubarb) with vanilla ice cream!

Justine and I stayed up until 4 in the morning scrapping but when I caught the whiff of the homemade cinnamon rolls at 8:00 on Saturday morning I couldn't possibly go back to sleep. I got up, showered, and got down stairs just in time to enjoy a raisin cinnamon roll smothered in freshly made cream cheese frosting. Combined with a couple cups of good strong coffee it was the perfect start for another day of crafting.















































I signed up for this retreat through a Creative Memories consultant I met at my church. Her grandson is in my confirmation class. Turned out she has been doing this retreat twice a year for many years. I first found out I would know a couple people there. One of the doctor's wives has been going plus my confirmation student's mom. I was talking about the retreat over Super Bowl Sunday and my friend Justine got super excited too. She is new in town and didn't know anyone into scrapping. We asked if there was room and we got to be roommates for the weekend and get to know each other better. It was great to bring her along as well as to meet all the other wonderful women there.
Mt Aurora Fairbanks Creek Lodge was a great destination for the weekend being only about 20 miles from my house. Like I said, the exterior looks very rustic but the views on the inside and from the front deck are unforgettable. The weather could not have been any better. We had the windows open in the great room most of the weekend and the temps were nearly 50 degrees. I stretched on the front deck on Saturday morning barefoot with the sun shining bright onto the old wood.
































You already met Daisy. She wasn't the only dog for the weekend. Meet Brandy. Brandy is a Bernese Mountain Dog who works as a service dog for a new friend I met at the retreat. Brandy's owner is Laura. Turns out Laura and I have a lot in common with our love of Alaska and the Iditarod. Laura is working the starting line in Anchorage and then is flying to a check point to aid with the race there. Laura was working on an album full of Brandy pictures. You say "cheese" to this dog and she actually poses! What a cutie!
The weekend was a wonderful retreat from the usual activities of house cleaning, laundry, and such. I got 15 pages done in my Alaska summer vacation album. Justine worked on both a big album and a little mini album about her son's heart surgery. We got to know each other as well as some new great women from the Fairbanks area. We will be back up there in October for the next scrap weekend! See ya there!