Sunday, June 12, 2011

Let's Choose a Date

Pull out your calendars, girls! We need to get this retreat on the calendar if it's going to happen, and we need to find out when the most people are available. Your intrepid survey maker is at it again. Please click on the link over there to the right and fill out the survey, ASAP!

Thanks!
Elle

Saturday, May 21, 2011

The Next Retreat Survey

Just for your info, on the survey, there is a question with sample rental properties to take a look at. In the survey the links are not live, so to make it easier for clicking, you can click on the city links here, and it will take you to the properties. They are available, but are simply examples of what might be available. Once we decide on a location and dates, we'll have choices from one particular location to choose from. Once again, these are just EXAMPLES.

Michigan City, IN (on Lake Michigan, near Chicago and Gary, IN)

Grand Haven, MI (on Lake Michigan, near Grand Rapids, MI)

St. Augustine Beach, FL (on the Atlantic Ocean)

Gulf Shores, AL (near Mobile, AL and the Florida Panhandle)

Ashville, NC (the one mountain location, known to be really artsy)

Bethany Beach, DE (on the Atlantic Ocean)

Cayuga Lake, NY (near Ithaca, NY)

Some of these locations I'm familiar with, and some I know absolutely nothing about, especially the one in New York. Input from other Sweets will definitely be solicited when we get down to picking the actual spot.

Friday, May 20, 2011

Survey Says...

I've crunched some numbers, as they say, and wanted to give you a little summary of the 2 surveys, before I write up a new one refining our Sweet Retreat 2011 plans! Click on the map to see the whole thing. The red dots on the map are everyone's location that is a current member (on the list as of today, May 20th), except for Kylie, Vee and Rachel, obviously. The ones with green circles around them are members that indicated they want to attend a retreat, and left their name, or other clues that they filled out the survey. Not everyone left their name.

22 (twenty-two!!!) indicated that they are interested in a retreat. The top two months are August and September, and the majority indicated that 3 days and 2 nights (a weekend, basically) is the perfect length, but if it turns out to be longer 100% said they are fine with staying for just part of the retreat.

Destination desires are a little more spread out, and will definitely need to be refined. If memory serves, California got a lot of votes, but since we were there last October, in fairness to vast majority of us weighing down the North America from the midwest eastward, my executive decision is to leave it off the list for the next round of voting.

The beach was the #1 pick with 77% of you voting for it. Urban areas got 50% of the vote (this was a multiple pick question), so urban beach, anyone? Actually, that isn't that hard to accomplish with lots of fun cities located on beaches. Too bad the Mississippi River is wreaking such havoc, or New Orleans could be fun. St. Augustine was a suggestion worth looking into.

Everyone wanted a kitchen, or said it didn't matter, so I think a kitchen it is! That will point us to a rental house or condo most likely.

Look for another question about the kiddos on the next survey.

And the all important, but hardest question of all... how much can you spend. 20 of you answered this question. Here is the breakdown:
$151-300, 20%, (4 of you)
$301-400, 30% (6)
$401-500, 15% (3)
$501-600, 5% (1)
$601-800, 10% (2)
and a whopping 20% (4) said they would pay whatever it costs, you just aren't going to miss this event!

Now, how do we interpret this kind of information? I have a couple of ide150as, and will try to formulate questions around them. If you have any suggestions for questions in the budget area, please comment here! I'm no statistician. It's no secret that we have different financial obligations, and different economic realities. If I can afford to pay more than person "A", I don't have a problem with that. What about anyone else? If you can't afford to pay as much, would you feel bad if you couldn't contribute as much? These are kind of rhetorical at this point, but my idea is that just as a mathematical example...

Taking the upper limit of each category (except obviously those that will pay whatever it takes), and the # of people in said category, we get $6300. Of course, there are travel expenses, so let's divide this in half. That gives us $3150 for accommodations and food, and other group stuff. Do y'all see where I'm going with this? Basically, put your money in the collective pot, and we'll go from there is the idea.

OK, that's it for now. Look for the next survey to help us refine the 3 most critical things we need to know: WHEN to go, WHERE to go, and HOW MUCH will it cost.

Can't wait to meet you alll! It's become my mission in life!
~Elle, Jenna Belle Designs.

P.S. The old surveys are closed now.

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Do you want a meet up?

First, I'd love to call it something else. A Sweet Get Away? Sweet Rendevouz? Any ideas?

Second, it's really hard to plan these kinds of things with people flung far and wide, with various and varying responsibilities, both of the family and financial kind. So... lets gather up some information.

I've made up 2 surveys... two, because with a free basic membership you only get 10 questions... to try to make some of the planning easier. Even if you aren't interested in a trip, let us know that too. The more info we have, the easier it will be to make some plans.

You may notice some interesting responses in the 2nd survey. Just keepin' y'all on your toes!

Anyway, where is the survey. Scan your eyes to the right sidebar at the top, and click on the links. The surveys (fill out both, please) are short and sweet (no pun intended).

Thanks!
~Elle, Jenna Belle Designs

Saturday, November 13, 2010

First Annual Sweets MeetUp Oct 13th to Oct 17th -- Day 3

Really... really... really?! It's been a whole month last the meet- up and I haven finished blogging about it yet.  I'll try my best to remember now since it has been so long.

Day 3. -- A day in Big Bear

Early in the morning, Heather drove Karen and Kim down the mountain. They were leaving us already... and we just got there. boo hiss!

And Deb was not feeling well at all...She threw up. We were all worried about her but she insisted that the rest of us go out and enjoy the day... and all she wanted before we left was some Sprite and ice. 

So Kila, Ginny, Elle, Melissa, and I went up the mountain even more to Big Bear. The ride up wasn't so pleasant because Kila, Melissa, and I were all car sick. We're just not made for the mountains. LOL. But we had fun when we arrived.

Melissa, Giny, Fen, Kila, Elle

Kila and me posing with a big bear ;)

Mama Mel looking at baby stuff

Elle holding up "The sacred sisterhood of Wonderful Wacky Women" -- sounds like us! :D


mmmmm...mmmm delish cupcake at the Copper Q cafe.

Sweet Ginny.

Melissa, Ginny, Fen, Elle

Kila had me model her son's new hat.



...to be continued.


Fen Li
http://www.beadflora

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

First Annual Sweets MeetUp Oct 13th to Oct 17th - Day 2

Day 2 of the Sweets Meetup!
Heather got up early and left for work. The rest of us spent the day chillin' around the cabin. The day began with Karen giving all of us massages. hahaha... ;P
I believe the lucky chick on the table is Kim.

After massages and showers, a bunch of us decided to take a stroll around the mountain and enjoy the view.

Proud mama Mel

Kim being a dork.



And we did some crafting.

We were scheduled for the Skype chat with Holly Anne (her virtual baby shower) that evening but found out that the malt shoppe closed at 2pm. We were kinda frantic. The only phone that was capable of tethering to a laptop (mine) didn't have a connection up at the mountains. I called my hubby from Elle's phone for help since he is an I.T. guy. He got crabby because it was the first time I've called since I got up to the mountain and it was for help. LOL ;)

Long story short, we had to get to the malt shoppe to download a program for Elle's laptop so we could connect to her phone to go online later. And we had delicious malts. Yum!
Deb and Kim also tagged along because they can't stay away from their Etsy shops.

We then had dinner. 

And then we went on Skype. We were able to chat with Holly Anne, Lauren, and Amy.

Elle wore her Canada shirt in honor of Holly Anne living in Canada.

It was super fun chatting with Holly Anne and the girls. After Lauren and Amy went to bed (it was almost midnight for them), we plucked the laptop and walked around the cabin and gave HA a virtual tour. And we also "met" Ryan, Courtney, and some furry animal (I don't remember what... dog?, I was tired. lol)

And alcohol was involved through out the day ... that goes without saying, of course ;) 

Heather came back up the mountain after a long day's work... made snarky remarks, drank some wine and then showed Karen how to make pitcher covers all the whilst whining. ;)


End of Day 2. Next post, Day 3 with Big Bear Lake, taco night, margaritas, and then 6 strangers show up at the cabin wanting to kick us out.

Cheers,
Fen Li

Monday, October 25, 2010

Day 1 Birthday Party

My first attempt at posting a video: