Welcome To A Gilding: Day One

The sun isn't even up yet, and just the slightest nudge from my dog Ollie (this Saturday morning) sent my mind from a sleep state, dreaming of a perfect creative day of crafting and flea market shopping, to an awake state and trying to calm my present excitement for the "Gilding: Day Two."
So, here I am blogging when I should be sleeping. I see a crash about 6 p.m. today, maybe not, but maybe so!
A Gilded Life started in the Palomar Hotel here in Dallas where we all met to catch our luxury bus ride to Canton Trade Market Days. The gals gathered...

There were squeals and hugs for those gals who haven't seen each other for a while...

Then we all gathered on our luxury bus with our lovely host

Shea

(shown here a bit later in the day)

Isn't she adorable?!

And she pampered us but good!

The luxury bus ride had Starbucks coffee and homemade scones,

free beauties too. notice the gorgeous flower on Shea's hat?

Her mom made all of us one!

And there was a gorgeous cell phone case

(I'll share that later)

I felt so special as her guest, but we're moving down the road, so let me keep moving too...

Those of us who participated in the bag swap has to get down to the serious business of swapping!

I don't mean to confuse you here, but I thought I'd thrown in between the pictures of some of the Canton Shots I got from one beautiful shop

(thank you so much for letting me snap a few pictures!)

The bags began emerging...

(and now a beautiful flea market vignette)

And the bags keep becoming revealed in all their glory!

Ahhh... you know what I'm saying...

the colors, the chandelier, the gorgeous mirror...

I love the look of the gals watching on here as Kim Caldwell

opens her box...

can you say anticipation?!

Here is Kim's bag...

I again am in L-O-V-E with this shop...

Here is my sweet and adorable bag partner, Heather Ales ....

Her partner made her a lovely bag, don't you think?!

And here is the sweet bag Heather made for me!

Oh, wow..

Let me share just a few quick pictures of our catered lunch

at The Gypsy Pearl in Canton...

it was just lovely, and so were our hosts!

Yes, more beauties!

On the way home we were treated to homemade chocolate chunk cookies that Carrie made

just for us

(and spent two hours wrapping up pretty to present!)

Thanks, Carrie!

You're sweet

(and I LOVE the necklace YOU made too!)

Well, time's a tickin' here this morning

and now it's time to prepare for Day Two of

being Gilded!

I hope you enjoyed Canton!