Retreat Details - September 2025

So glad you are joining me for this event! We haven’t been at the Marriott in a few years, and I lost my main event planner so I’m having to work with a backup, which is always scary. Although I hope it all goes perfectly, it’s probably best if we plan for a few hiccups. PLEASE feel free to let me know if something is not working right so that I can get the hotel to correct it while we are there. It’s so much easier to take care of things in the moment than to try to make amends later!

The retreat begins at 3:00 pm on Thursday. Please don't try to enter the crop room early! It is important to me to have everything ready before guests start arriving and no matter how quiet you think you can be, having people in the room makes my job a lot harder.  Whenever someone asks to come in early and I have to tell them no I feel like a big jerk. Please don't be the one to do that to me.  :)

Our group photo will be at about 5:00 pm on Saturday, please wear your retreat t-shirt that day if you have one. If not the shirts are black but you can wear whatever color you want — and I will never “force” anyone to be in the picture, but I sure appreciate getting to see everyone. :)

We are retreating at:
Huntsville Marriott US Space & Rocket Center
5 Tranquility Base
Huntsville AL 35805

Everyone will have their own 6’ table for the weekend, and I believe they will have fabric tablecloths on them. PLEASE if you are going to work with any products that might damage the tablecloth (ink, stickles, liquid glue, etc) bring a mat or table cover so that we don’t get in trouble with the hotel!

Scrapbookers LOVE our stuff, but please remember that whatever you bring with you (side tables, wagons, etc.) will need to fit within your own 6’ table width and extend no more than 24” out from the edge of your table. Please keep the aisles/walkways clear for the safety of others.

Lighting seems okay in the crop room, but you never know till we actually get there. If you are worried about that you may want to bring a table lamp. There are never enough electric outlets, but please if you are going to need electric access bring a long (heavy-duty) extension cord and power strip/power tower. We are in a relatively big room and there are only outlets on two of the walls, so the longer the cord the better - if you have a 50’ cord I bet you won’t be sorry you brought it. I will have some tape to tape cords down, so feel free to ask me for that if you need it. There are 40 of us and I am sure we’ll be lucky to have 10 outlets so be prepared to share electricity with your neighbors.

You never know what the temperature will be like in the crop room, so my suggestion always is to dress in layers! I will do my best to keep the room at a comfortable temperature for all of us, but since we are all different that’s a difficult task.

I will have all the current CM punches available on the Tools Table for you to use. If you are going to need something that is retired you’ll want to bring it with you. To be fair to all the croppers and to help me keep track of my tools, please only use them there at the tools table. I also request that you do not use non-CM heavyweight/glitter papers with my tools, as that can shorten their lifespan or cause them to jam.

We will have an ice/water station, so please bring a water bottle/cup with a lid. There is also a lounge/bar in the lobby and I believe they have coffee available for guests out there. Because this event is at a hotel, I am not allowed to bring in outside food/snacks. However, nobody will be policing your personal belongings, so if you are going to want snacks/drinks while you crop, feel free to bring your own. (But please be discreet!) There is a small lobby gift shop but I have looked at the pricing there and believe me, you do not want to have to buy an emergency Coke from the hotel! Yowza. (I think they are $4 a can!)

I have had a few people ask me if you are “allowed” to use non-CM products. Yes! I don’t care at all what brand of products you use, I am just thrilled that you are doing something creative, especially if it involves preserving photos and memories! However, it is the sale of Creative Memories products that allows me to host these events, so I do ask that you refrain from promoting other products while at my event.

A few “crop etiquette” requests:

Please refrain from using strongly scented perfumes, lotions or oils. I have a couple of guests with fragrance allergies and we’re all going to be hanging out indoors for many hours together.

If you need to take a phone call that will last longer than about 60 seconds, please step into the lobby so that you do not disturb your fellow croppers. Along those same lines, if you want to listen to music or watch a video, please use headphones.

Finally, to make this a true "retreat" and escape from daily life, please do your best to refrain from talking about potentially controversial topics like religion or politics.  We all have strong opinions but I've found that even when I'm talking with people who agree with me politically, it tends to get me agitated and tense.  I will do my best not to let the conversation go there and I hope you will join me in that effort.  Let's run away from the world and scrapbook for the weekend!