The Dirty Socks...

.... have been laundered.

I have returned home from my adventure and

I can honestly say it was a true adventure.

Any town with a bar named O'Connor's is ok with me

Taking off to an unknown event with just an small knowledge

of what lies ahead was certainly a test for

this creative soul.

I have to say... staying in my room became an option and I even went as far to call the airlines about booking a return flight the day after I arrived.

I couldn't figure out what the hell I was thinking when I booked this event.

While nerves and self doubt floated around in my head, common sense talked me back into reality..."you paid good money to do this and you know darn well why you wanted to come."

Original inspiration for going...Charlotte Lyons

My reasoning for attending Silver Bella was to meet some of the other creative women I have only seen through blogging and reading.  I wanted to know if they were are real as me and if it would be possible to connect and learn from them.

It is hard to explain what goes on in this mind but, I know there are other gals out there that experience much of what I do on a daily basis.

I can't remember who did this but I love love love it and have saved it for so long.

One of those people I longed to meet was Jo Packham.

I read Where Women Create and have read her

Letters with great anticipation.

The specific letter in question, talked about succeeding and failing.

It spoke to me on so many different levels that I thought Jo really knew

what it felt like to be me, or at least I felt much like her.

She was a real person who made mistakes but has learned from them and in the end she, in my estimation, has overcome any faultering.  She is succeeding and moving forward.

French General, Kaari Meng

Along the way she is taking time to inspire and touch others who can relate and who admire her for her strenght and honesty. 

She is a real person without an aire about her,

who talked to everyone that wanted to connect with her.

She did not make you feel silly or small...she was genuinely interested in what you had to say

and in return you got a wonderfully warm feeling.

While Jo spoke at our Saturday luncheon, it amazed me as to how many women felt

compelled to laugh and cheer as Jo explain what it is that she does.

Her genuine appreciation for artists all over became apparent as she shed a little tear

and choked up, trying to explain how lucky she felt to have so

many wonderful creative people in her life.

I think we all had that tear in our eye for a number of reasons.

We too are blessed to have so many people in our lives that inspire, encourage and support our longing to create and to be appreciated for what it is that we do.

She could have talked all day ... personally, I think if she sat down and shared a glass of wine with all of us it would have been a perfect afternoon.

I meet several women who attended this event in the same fashion I did.

They left their home took off on their own adventures, not knowing what they would find.

Some how many of us found one another and shared our

experiences and talents

I thank all of you that I met.

You have made my life richer.

There are so many other aspects of this event that I think you should know so ...

tomorrow (since Shea and Mud Puddle keep asking for help with their

Spiderman Book) I will explain a little more about what it is that I learned and took away from this event.  It's not as easy to put it into works as you would think.

Emotions are mixed.