Farnborough Convention SHOCKER!

The first Pippa convention was at the Village hotel in East Manchester in 2003. Actually it wasn't really supposed to be a convo, originally it was just going to be a gathering at my flat. But soon it became apparent that I wouldn't have enough space and that some people would need somewhere to stay. It was obvious we needed a meeting room and hotel deal.

I pondered upon it for a few days and before I had chance to decide what to do the answer came to me in a vision in a Step class......

Well, it wasn't exactly like that! I was teaching in the leisure club at the Village hotel and 4 new participants arrived telling me they were hotel staff.

I found myself saying to them 'I don't suppose any of you work in C+B*?' one of them answered 'I'm in charge of C+B', 'oh' I said, 'I need to talk to you at the end of the class!'
(*= Conference and Banqueting)

So, we got a GREAT deal at the Village for our first Pippa convention. I love the Village, I teach for them at three of their hotels, the latest being one of their swankey Prem hotel only 3 mins drive from my home. I'd really like to stay in one of the Prem Villages, but it's on my doorstep.

Since then we have used a couple of smaller hotels in Edinburgh and Brighton and bigger chains in Coventry (Hilton) and Liverpool (Thistle).

I personally like it when when we can afford a nice chain, so our booking with the Holiday Inn in Farnborough this year seemed ideal, it's a great rate and very well connected.

HOWEVER, imagine my horror when I strolled into one of my Villages this week to see that their latest swankey hotel is opening in, yes, you've guessed it - FARNBOROUGH!

The leisure manager had to ask me what was wrong when she saw my reaction:
'Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!'

LOL, oh well, I know it will be great at the Holiday Inn, but if only I had know....

and the WINNER is...

Today several Pippa Pals came to my place to assist in drawing the winning ticket in my Pink Pippa Prize Draw.

I'm really pleased to have raised £450!

Mandy and Emma checked that all the tickets had been properly printed.

Can you see your name?









to see the winner PRESS PLAY!

Thank you EVERYONE who supported my Pink fund-raising this year!

Convo is GO! (and much PINKNESS)

After much frustration with hotel communication, today I opened up sign-ups for the Pippa Convention

Within minutes the bookings have come flying in! I'm honestly scared that I will have to tell someone that I love that we are full up.....

I am drawing the winning ticket for my Pink Pippa fund-raiser on Saturday. I have a couple of Pippa Pals coming to witness the ticket drawing, I'm looking forward to seeing them and meeting Emma for the first time. I plan to get my movie camera and record some of the proceedings.

I'm so HAPPY that we have raised over £400, I have had so many wonderful donations, THANK YOU everyone!

Pippa Photoshoot

I wasn't entirely happy with the logo I made for the Pippa convention. The image of Pippa was taken a long time ago, it was soft, unevenly lit and wouldn't stand enlargement so I decided to re-photograph Pippa today.

I used my photo table and was able to get a good shot that will mean our logo can be used for print items, not just on the web The clean background meant that I was able to make a good selection in Photoshop, selecting is not my strong point.

I didn't add any artificial light other than the 6400k Daylight bulb that is fitted in my lounge, I used the self-timer and my tripod to avoid camera shake.

The photo table is nice but still not the perfect solution in my quest for the ultimate Pippa Studio: the shooting surface is not entirely flat and a more upright angle with the backdrop would mean that I could prop Pippa up with out using a doll stand.

The new banner is now on the website, I'm much happier with it.

Happy Snapping!

Convention Tension

Tension is building in anticipation of our 2009 Pippa Convention in Farnborough this spring. People are chomping at the bit, wanting to sign up. I think we will have another Full House, a waiting list and maybe some 'tears before bedtime' from those who don't act promptly to reserve a place.


The sign-up invites will be going out very soon: the website is 90% finished, Chris has been helping me test it today, I have one little niggle to fix and then check all navigation and then it's done, Hurray! (Clever people might be able to find it and take a peek...)

My only other issue is that the Hotel Contact has stopped answering my emails, today I sent an actual letter, you know the sort with a STAMP on it - how very 20th Century!

I have another Follower! But, I need more, I might run out of steam if I think no one is looking, please click the Following link if you want to see my next post :-)

*BPL!

* = Big Pippa Love

Published!

Darlings, I'm an Author now!

LOL, here is the little piece I wrote about the Dawn Convention in Atlantic City.

I'm particularly pleased with how my photo of the official doll, Miss America, turned out, and that Doll Reader used it in my piece.

Miss America is largely the work of two great Dawn Customisers ~ Starlight Memories of Dawn and AwsumGal, I recomend a visit to their webs for some great Dawn and Pippa eye candy.

My copy of Doll Reader came to me via Philadelphia and Surrey, I felt bad when I realised that it had been in Borders bookshop, Stockport, for quite a few weeks!

Along with Doll Reader, my Pippa Pal, Jude, sent me something else, something I am working on right now. I can't say what, its secret, until I send out the next issue of Pippa Post!

After my last class tonight I am meeting up with Sam Photo (at afore mentioned Borders Coffee shop). Sam is a lovely friend, we share interests on many levels. We met due to our common interest in Classic Volkswagens, as soon as I knew Sam was a professional photographer I offered her the role of Official Photographer to Volkswagen Northwest and then we discovered that we both love Pippa! At the Pippa convention in Liverpool Sam and her friend Katherine made a Fab Pippa Pad, check out the little video I made....

Speaking of video, I am making good progress with learning how to convert video from dvd and then edit it. I am itching to buy a video camera, tomorrow might be the day!

Happy Pippa'ing :-)

Bipolar?

Sometimes I wonder if I might be just a little bit Bipolar. I find myself lurching from a complete 'cant-be-assed-I'm-just-watching-my-life-slip-by' attitude to being totally taken over and obsessed by some 'project' or other.

In the last few days I have:
~ Set up a new Pippa e-Newsletter.
~ Learnt how to make web tutorials using desktop recording software.
~ Discovered how to convert video_ts files into avi's.
~ Worked out to edit, clip and add audio to my Videos.
~ Figure out how to embed a music player into a webpage.
~ Updated a lot of pippadoll.net.
~ Sent out 'begging emails' for my Pink Pippa fund-raising effort.

Some of these things have been on the back burner for over 12 months, but recently I have found a passion for them!

I was particularly pleased to be able to put this video together, I've tried to do this sort of editing before and failed. Feeling rather pleased, but obviously I need a proper video camera now!

Good news arrived today: the date for the 2009 Dawn convention in Denver was announced and whoop, whoop I can be there! I've never been to the Rockies, I'm really excited to be able to add another State to my fridge magnet map of the USA.

Will you follow me? I just added the Following feature (top right) and I need followers to keep me motivated

Happy New Year Pippa Pals!