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Crafty Chica Cruise Wrap

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We are back from the 10th Annual Crafty Chica Cruise! I think this was the best cruise yet. 50 of us left out of San Pedro, California and spent seven nights and eight days cruising, crafting, shopping, eating, dancing, and sipping cocktails! Some of us even did yoga, ziplined, swam with dolphins, cliff dived and more. Some of us ended up on a cattle wagon attached to a tractor to get to the beach (more on that later!).

I’m so happy I decided to do these art cruises again. It always turns out to be the highlight of my year. I love seeing the returning cruisers and catching up with them, and meeting the new cruisers and getting to hang out and share creativity. I love hearing each cruiser’s story about how they found out about the event. Some from my site, others from a random friend. Some people come to have a vacay with a long distance friend, some it’s even a last wish/bucket list goal. Some come on behalf of a loved one who can’t make it. Others it’s about self-discovery, taking a break away from daily life to pamper themselves. They come from all over the world! This is the exact reason I keep the cruise at 50 people, it allows me to connect with each and every person.

Check out (L-R) Ann, Corky, and Alisa. They were on the very first Crafty Chica Cruise and they have been coming ever since, give or take a cruise or two. It blows my mind that so many of us have become friends, wait, not just friends, but amigas. All for our love for crafting. 

Corky has become a family member to everyone on every cruise she attends. She told me she found about about the cruise in 2006 when I had placed an ad in Somerset Studio Magazine. At that time, we had no budget, I shaved off grocery money from our weekly budget in order to pay the $200 for the ad, hoping we’d get enough people to make it happen. She said she did a double take when she read “Crafty Chica Creativity Cruise” and Latino crafts. I’m so happy she saw the ad, because look!

I love these chicas dearly!

cruise-10-years

Here’s how it all happens: I work with my travel agent to pick the ports, length and cruiseline. The deciding factor is where we can secure the conference room for the duration of the trip. The conference room becomes our crafty headquarters, our home base. Then I set up the price, the discounts. I then wait until January at the CHA convention (craft and hobby trade show) to scout out the awesome new craft products. I work with the manufacturers to sponsor the workshops and swag bags. It’s a win/win for everyone, I love to promote the brands I love!. And I’ve found the cruisers are very appreciative and supportive of the companies. Then I come up with the workshops, some are project-based, others technique. I have a supply coordinator and two volunteers to help facilitate everything. I have to send in a detailed list of supplies to the cruise line and then the day of sailing, we drive all the boxes to the port, label them and pray as they get loaded on the ship. Then I hold my breath and walk to the conference room to configure the space, line the floor with plastic and tape, set up the tables and tablecloths, trash cans, you name it! It’s all worth it once people arrive and I see their faces light up!

Giveaway – one of the treats of the cruise is the amazing Crafty Chica Art Cruise Prize Pack! I have THREE to give away! They not only come with the goodies in the bag, but also some supplies from each workshop. You can enter at the bottom of the post! Giveaway ends May 12th, 2016. US residents only.

DecoArt, Fiskars, ClearSnap and more!

This is what the supply storage looked like before we started. Lizzy from Inspira served as project manage of all these goodies!

50+ boxes ready to be loaded on the ship!
50+ boxes ready to be loaded on the ship!

One of the traditions that started organically is that the cruisers made little welcome gifts to trade. Here are a few of them!

swap

And the awesome team from J3CustomPrints sponsored the Crafty Chica Art Cruise T-shirts! The cruisers ended up coloring, glittering and even embroidering these! I highly recommend their services, we sent in the artwork and they had the shirts done in two days! The ink was evenly screened, bright and crisp designs!

J# Customa print made our shirts!

Origami Owl sent each cruiser a chain, a locket and a charm!

Origami Owl gave us each a necklace.

OttLite sent an array of lamps to give as prizes, including this biggie!

This was exciting! A new company actually launched while we were on the cruise and they sent each cruiser a sample item! It’s a perfume subscription service called PhlyrtBox.com!

phlyrtbox

Boxes from Walnut Hollow!

box

Gorgeous sacred hearts from Relics and Artifacts by Sandra Evertson!

Beautiful box project by Relics & Artifacts, Plaid and Walnut Hollow.
Beautiful box project by Relics & Artifacts, Plaid and Walnut Hollow.

Clearsnap sent these beautiful and bright inkpads!

surfacez

Bisque Imports sponsored a mosaic class!

Mosaic project by Bisque Imports.
Mosaic project by Bisque Imports.

I’ll post my pictures from Mexico in another post, as well as each tutorial with all the other sponsors!

The cruisers were the first to try out the new Crafty Chica Sizzix product line.
The cruisers were the first to try out the new Crafty Chica Sizzix product line.
Finished Social Artworking canvases!
Finished Social Artworking canvases!
Watercolors from Royal Brush using a stencil from The Crafter's Workshop!
Watercolor project from Royal Brush using a stencil from The Crafter’s Workshop!
Tombow brush markers!
Tombow brush markers!
Neutrogena supplied us with sunscreen and Hydroboost Water Gel.
Neutrogena supplied us with Beach Defense Water + Sun protection and Hydroboost Water Gel too!
Tacky Glue to the rescue!
Tacky Glue to the rescue!

I couldn’t do this cruise if it weren’t for the product sponsors, everyone was so gracious! I’ll have a tutorial for each workshop, so stay tuned!

Relics & Artifacts  – http://sandraevertson.com

Bisque Imports  – bisqueimports.com

Canvas Corps – canvascorpbrands.com

Clearsnap – clearsnap.com

CraftyChica.com

Darice – Darice.com or ConsumerCrafts.com

DecoArt  – decoart.com

Fiskars – http://fiskars.com #fiskars

Fuchila Fresheners – fuchilafresheners.com

HP  – myprintly.com

HSN – http://www.hsn.com/products/project-life-salsa-bundle/10070655

iLoveToCreate – ilovetocreate.com

J3 Custom Prints  – J3CustomPrints.com

JesseJamesBeads – jessejamesbeads.com/

Latina Strong – latinastrong.org

Michaels Stores – michaels.com

Neutrogena – neutrogena.com #ChooseSkinHealth

Phlyrt Box http://phlyrtbox.com/

Plaid Enterprises-  plaidcrafts.com

Origami Owl  – origamiowl.com

Ott Lite – https://www.facebook.com/OttLite/

Papel n Co – http://papeplnco.com

Project Life – http://beckyhiggins.com/project-life/

Royal Brush – art.royalbrush.com

Sabor Papel – saborpapel.com

Sizzix – sizzix.com

Social Artworking – http://social-artworking.com/designs

The Crafter’s Workshop – thecraftersworkshop.com

Tombow – tombowusa.com

Walnut Hollow – walnuthollow.com

Workman Publishing – workman.com

ENTER BELOW: Note – if you have trouble with the Rafflecopter app, simply leave a comment below and I’ll count that as an entry. Just mentioned that you followed the prompts. Thanks!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

DIY Succulent Terrarium or Planter

DIY Talavera-inspired Ceramic Mug and Saucer

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14 thoughts on “Crafty Chica Cruise Wrap”

  1. What a great, inspired post! I went right over to sizzix to order the dies but see they are not available till Sept!!!!!!!! Put my name on the wish list.

    Reply
  2. Hi Kathy, remember when you guys screenprinted the t-shirts in your craft room?! Good times…LOL! Thank you for another wonderful cruise!!!

    Reply
  3. Wow that looks amazing & how generous of all those people. But then you are the BEST! Someday I want to come & play.

    Reply
  4. Corky is a dear friend of my family’s. My mom & her mom were best friends. She told me about you years ago and have been following you ever since. It has been a dream of mine to take my best friend on your cruise. Maybe one day when I win the lotto ;-). Thank you for being you.

    Reply

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