Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa members

[Jan]

Thanks Vicki for putting the **spark** into this post and gathering. Catherine, cdraz/ceedee started the idea for us to meet she lives in Wisc. This will be our third Minnesota gathering. Boots, it will be fun to meet you your profile does not tell us much and I see nothing in your gallery you will be full of surprises. Usually when we meet we work on our art, exchange some of our art, laugh, have fun and perhaps exchange a "signature card" telling something about ourselves and our art. This signature card can be a copied/printed card, it is difficult to make one for each person that comes as some gatherings get highly populated.

[Just Ducky]

so close but so far away... got a big ol' lake between us and the ship that goes from Michigan to Wisconsin twice aday.... the sailing season will be over...

BUT... I am gonna be thinking of you gals.. and if you do this next year, give a little bit more time to see about a shorter trip....

oh and "The Mall of America" has a different name ????

[moonrose442]

Ya for me time is the problem. If I knew the exact date and that was set in stone I could get if off.
now that its so close and Ive all ready have the 1st-2d off (a sat) I feel like I cant ask for another sat off . Its so hard on boss, we need 30n people to run out restraint and we only have 13 people. And Im the only one that really knows how to run the BBQ ovens. lol

[Patty R]

Thanks Jan for the info, CDraz and I were talking and we would like to do cards and trade, just a suggestion. This will be my first time so it sounds like this is going to be really fun.

[1 Art Lady]

Finally on here again after being gone a long time. I will have to check my schedule at home but interested, just not sure yet. Thanks for contacting me.

[Dutchiris]

I would be interested. The meeting, years ago at Ikea, was unique and fun. I am still amazed that we made ATCs at Ikea.

[AikaCoonCat]

Sounds like a lot of fun! Count me in! Thanks

[AikaCoonCat]

Also!
What time should we all be there? Is it all day?
And where in Ikea are we meeting?? It's a huge building.
I'll be bringing ATCs to trade.

[Jan]

It is soooo much fun to hear from all of you mid-westerns.

[Patty R]

She who started this thread will be back in contact soon. She is out of town right now at a wedding and is also hosting a celebration of life for her brother in law who pasted away. So I will try to keep you informed with what I know(we are cousins), she does want to do atc's there to trade, so I am assuming we can bring supplies, as for time, I will try to contact her to see what she thinks is best, any ideas would be greatly appreciated. I have never been to Ikea myself, but, she did say they have a room there that we can use, I will try to find that out also as soon as I can get a hold of her. I hope this helps a little, as soon as I get more info I will let everyone know. Hopefully this week sometime.

[Dutchiris]

We previously met in the cafeteria. I hate to be negative, but I do not think we should plan on meeting here if we want to do all day and make cards. It is so much busier than we were there before. There are times, you can not even find a space to eat once you have your food. It would be nice if they had a community room that we could use. Didn't someone mention booking a hotel room so we could potentially use their meeting room?

[Jan]

Duchiris, do you have any suggestions or any of you in the cities a better place to meet. We have met before at the Library in Rosedale and that was nice, we met for the afternoon, had tables to work at and just visited. Maybe one of you in the cities knows or belongs to a church that we could meet at. I live in St. Cloud area and it would be difficult to invite everyone up here. What about a Michael's or a Joanne-ETC in the cities, they have craft rooms. Catherine (CDraz) lives in Wisc. I can assure you that our previous gatherings were very casual, we met, worked on our art, "sang with the band" (last Ikea gathering) and visited a lot, it is not a big formal planned gathering. Being we only meet for part of a day we have never scheduled much in classes, usually if one is willing to show us some new work we enjoy that but mostly we visit and get to know each other. The signature card idea I have picked up from visiting the Arizona and Wisconsin gatherings. It is a nice gesture where we give each person in our gathering an ATC card that has some info on oneself and some kind of art on the front, copies of that card can also be handed out. It is a nice way to remember who was there and maybe strike a friendship. As for trading we bring our own work that we are willing to trade for and perhaps share a binder of the work we do.
I was not the initiator of this event but surely supported it and would like to see us gather. Ikea opens at 10 am so that would be our gathering time and many stayed late into the afternoon. It is pretty flexible as to how much time one chooses to stay there. Many of us who travel will perhaps leave mid-to late afternoon. I do not go to Mall of America area and have only been to IKEa once so do not know what has changed there. Information coming from those of you in the cities is a big help; the hope is that we could meet each other someplace. I wish we could let this process move ahead in a cheerful manner, keep it casual and welcome the opportunity to get together.

[Dutchiris]

I do not have any suggestions for a place that would be free. IKEA could work, I just did not want people to disappointed if making ATC was an issue. Meeting, talking, exchanging cards should be okay. Hope others may have ideas or suggestions.

[moonrose442]

IKEA ???????? is that a Home furnishing store?

I think a coffee shop that had music would be nice. a few card to trade is great.
I like the Michael's or a Joanne-ETC as a place.

I say start simple , then in a few months or next year we came make art.

[moonrose442]

Here's a really cool looking coffee place.

MOJO Coffee Gallery (Events List)
Google Map of it. MOJO addy

[Jan]

"moon" I called "MOJO" and here is what I can tell you. The place is over North East Minneapolis, one of the big Artists area in the cities. They are open Saturdays from 7 am to 6 pm. They could handle about 6-10 people by putting some tables together. There is no charge for the space but wondered if we would be ordering food. It is a place where artist display their work and they also have performing artists at times there. We could bring our supplies and work on our projects at our tables. Thanks for taking the time to search out some place. Sounds like IKEA is still a possibility also; there it will be first come first serve for tables. Would love to hear from others on these suggestions.

[moonrose442]

cool.

Still dont know what IKEA is ?

[Vicki Z]

cool.

Still dont know what IKEA is ?

You were correct in your earlier comment, IKEA is a Home Furnishing Store ---
Living room, bed room, bath, kitchen, dining room, all furniture and home accessories.

They also have a restaurant, which is where we met some years ago.
The restaurant opens at 9:30 am, and they have an AWESOME (and cheap) breakfast, with Swedish pancakes, strawberry jam, eggs, sausage, and potatoes for $2.00.
Once you claim a table, you can "linger" ( "Linger" time seems to depend on how busy they are) but if one is there for too long, you need to purchase more food, or move on.

[moonrose442]

ok LOL

I wasnt sure how a furnishing store would work for this.

[AikaCoonCat]

So like 11am in the IKEA restaurant? Is that what I'm understanding?