Raffia Sisters

I'm home from teaching at Raffia Sisters in Billings, Montana.

It was wonderful.

Flew in Friday afternoon, set up for class and then had dinner with one of the store owners and a few friends/customers/employees/wonderful people from the store.

I'm embarrassed to admit this but because I'm socially awkward, I ordered a cranberry/vodka (with Sprite & lime please) as soon as we got there because alcohol is like a Band-Aid for my awkwardness.

No judging please.

Next thing you know...I'm like a social-genius, telling stories about the time my mom was trying to save the life of a baby lamb that was living in our house and as she swung him around by his feet (because apparently, that is a life-saving technique that clears the mucous out of a baby lamb's lungs) she accidentally hit his head on the ceiling, killing him instantly.

And I shared this only after explaining that I don't eat meat (which apparently, is a sin in Montana) because in the first grade, I woke up to the sound of my pet pig (Porky) screaming, only to find him hanging upside down, about to be turned into bacon.

And because when I was five, I thought I was eating chicken for dinner one night, only to find out that I had eaten my pet rabbit.

T.R.A.U.M.A.T.I.Z.I.N.G.

But now after writing this, I'm wondering if perhaps I did not sound like a social-genius after all, but rather, someone who had just sucked down a cranberry/vodka (with Sprite & lime please) and decided to unload all their childhood baggage.

Either way, dinner was fun.  (And the girls were lovely...including one of them who's mother actually named her Lovely.)

In fact, it was Lovely who took this funny little picture...

 

Which made me think that I might purposely park my car in the wrong spot just so that I could get towed and call John McCain. 

That's me in the background.

Social-genius in action.

 

The next day, Lovely showed up at the store before class started with this cake (for me!) just because she's so lovely.

That's Lovely (taking a picture of me while I was taking a picture of her.)

Told you she was lovely.

And then class got underway.

 

And Lovely took some pictures of me teaching.

 

(Thanks Lovely.)

 

There was a pair of reading glasses laying on the table and she shot through them to get this shot.

Who thinks to shoot something like that?

Lovely.

 

And these guys were pretty lovely too for volunteering to be blinded by my Powerpoint projector during a depth of field exercise. (Actually, no one volunteered so I made these six come up front.)

 

And all these die-hards sat through a record-breaking, 12 hour class with me. 

I'm not even joking.

Give me a mic and an excuse to talk about photography and I won't shut up for 12 hours.

You gals (and Barry, our token male who I accidentally referred to as 'Barney') worked so hard to keep your thinking-caps on high and were so motivated to learn this stuff. 

Thanks for keeping me going even after my 10th hour of talking when I started to get rummy.

I hope it's paying off in your photography already.

 

And the sisters/owners of Raffia.  (That's us after 12 hours.)

Thanks for taking such good care of me and for making it such a success.

If you're ever in Billings (or anywhere nearby) you have to stop at this store.

You'll can't find cuter jewelry (Bought some.), miscellaneous home decor (Bought some.) and a better selection of scrapbooking supplies (Bought tons.) anywhere.

Thanks everyone for making it perfect.  (And thanks for the little, surprise 'thank-you' book that all of you signed - found it in my bag last night while I was at the airport.)

And Monica - I wish you could have made it but I was super-excited to find ladybug cookies waiting at the front desk for me.  (Thanks.)

And I'm getting ready to start working on my 2011 teaching schedule so if you know of any scrapbook stores that would be a good fit for my photography class, have the store email me at karen@snapshotsofagoodlife.com.

Comments

[kristan martin]

I'm dying. I can't stand the "LOL" thing when people type it, just bugs me. But...I'm finding it really, really true right now. The story about he lamb seriously had me LOL, and hard too. Mostly because I could totally see myself doing that.

I live in Montana, Libby to be exact, which is quite a ways from Billings and much, much, much smaller than Billings, but still in the great state of Montana and I'm always proud when someone visits our state. Makes me beam with pride. I imagine they must have fallen in love with it (don't tell me if you didn't). And yes, being a vegetarian in MT just might be a sin! But having a cranberry/vodka (with Sprite & lime please) definitely is not!

[elisa]

OMG- your stories.... so freakin funny. Well not really. I would have been scarred for life. But sorta funny. I love the way you keep it real.

[jaymee]

I am so glad they let you off the plane Karen (good thing you didn't tell any of the other passengers that you don't eat meat) : ) because meeting you was one of the greatest joys of my adult life. There is something so INCREDIBLE about meeting someone you think is fantastic only to find out that she is even more fantastic than you thought. Thank you for everything! I'll never forget it. : )

p.s. and you were in NO way socially awkward...well no more than the rest of us! : ) You fit right in and I plan on using your "why I don't eat meat" stories as an ice breaker at every photoshoot I go on from now now. : )

[Sally Davidson]

Love the way this: cranberry/vodka (with Sprite & lime please) can turn you into a social-genius who shares stories about their pet-eating childhood. (And then can turn around and share it on the blog.)

[Robin Welch]

THANKS soooo much for the 12 hour class. It was fabulous! Lovely's cake was wonderful and I learned a ton. I didn't even really get hungry through the second half... shocking. Signed up on the wait list for your online course... Yep, here I am! #1295 Holy Crabcakes!

[Monica]

I can tell by the comments that you found Billings to be just as I said it would be. I hope you asked someone to sing the Montana state song for you! Glad you got the cookies and I hope you thought they were the best cookies in the world~

[Kelli]

I was laughing about seeing a sheep being spun around and they I read the rest and wanted to cry.
I, too, at a rabbit thinking it was chicken. But I still eat meat. Although if I heard and saw my pig like that, I'd probably be done.
I drank half a Palm Bay yesterday and then argued with a friend and my dad about the fact I'm turning 28 today. I'm not, I seriously couldn't understand why they were laughing at me. Now, sober, I understand. I'm 38 today.

[anne]

kind of dying at your icebreakers.

you're hilarious.

:) way to rock yet another conference :)

[♥Debbie]

ROFLMAO!!! This has got to be one of the funniest posts you've ever shared on here!! Hysterical!!

[Melanie]

Sounds like a great time and the class is totally worth it. MUCH info in one day but a great class.

[Domenico]

Maybe the next time you're out you can just show pictures of your family... you are a genius at that.

[judith fender]

laughing out loud with my daughter down here in North Carolina!!

[gayathri]

You are wearing a very cute ruffled cardigan!! I love it! Where did you get it from?

[janel]

So funny....so cute....just the BEST! What lucky girls to have gotten to share 12 hours with you.

[Sophie]

Lovely does seem rather quite lovely (:
Also, your hair looks so pretty in these!

[Beth P]

Glad you had such a good trip! I would love to see you anywhere in driving distance to cincinnati, OH!!!

[Shannon]

All I can see is Annie when I see that picture of you through the reading glasses.

[Kim P]

Totally traumatizing about the animals! My 9 yr old daughter loves her grandpa's chickens (and they truly are pets - they collect their eggs and that's IT!). We were in Trader Joes a couple weeks ago and she saw the whole chickens in bags. She was nearly in tears over those "poor chickens". I had to explain how they got to that state - it wasn't one of my favorite conversations I've had with her. Then on the last trip there, she brought her younger brother over to show him and told him all about them. It was one of those really heartwarming moments in the store. Too bad I didn't have my camera to capture it.

[Rhonda]

great blog post! Are you using your 24-70 mm lens in that very cute photo of you??

[Tracy]

Looks like a great time was had by all! Would love to make it to one of your photography classes one day - I need a LOT of help in that department for sure - I just tend to point and shoot instead of doing things properly. Unfortunately, I do good to get the shots of my kids (mainly my son and husband) that I can get before they start acting goofy. HA! My daughter, of course, loves to be photographed and will always pose -LOL! I had to LOL about the poor pig, goat, etc. I'm sorry, I just couldn't help myself! I can just picture it all going down just as you described too! HA! I will also be trying the cranberry/vodka (with Sprite and Lime please) the next time I get a chance - sounds yummy! :O) Thanks for sharing and you and the sisters looked great after 12 hours of teaching! Have a great day!

[teresa b]

Oh what fun it would be to spend 12 hours with you!! hee hee

[Stephanie]

Sounds like you guys had a great time! 12 hours wow, that's impressive. But that's also what happens when you talk about things you love and are passionate about! Hope I can visit Raffia someday!

[Janelle in Bozeman]

i absolutely treasure the time i got to spend with you at dinner...wet lap & all! forever in my mind is the lamb story! OMG...can you say flippin' hilarious! & for the record...you are NOT socially awkward...i think you are fab! saturday is the day in my personal history that i will never forget! the day i learned how to FOCUS! seriously, i thought i had it figured out. i am guilty of thinking that having all of those focus points selected meant the whole photo was going to be in focus, not let the camera choose. thanks for correcting me! i am forever in debt to you! on sunday, we went up to big sky & played around on the river & i have the best "living in the moment" photos that are in FOCUS! i can't even begin to tell you how i wish i could give you the biggest hug ever! you have changed my life little miss karen russell! oh, and for the record, i think you should wear dresses more often...you were adorable! and a brilliant teacher who conveys such enthusiasm for what she so dearly loves (your children, husband, & your photos). hugs girl!

[Tammy Mellish]

Clearly, Lovely is a special lady and her parents knew this from day one! And I love that she made every effort to make you feel super special, and well.. lovely! :-)

[lori]

Ok, so now I hear about Vodka Cranberry! No one broke it to me that I missed that.( I'm a vodka tonic girl myself) And well after watching Anna cry for an hour after she sold her 4H lamb....I think her Dad would have a heart attack if she went vegetarian. So maybe it is best that I missed Friday night. But seriously not much else to say other than YOU JUST PLAIN ROCK!!! And in some weird way (we do this with everyone we love) I think you just made it into Sisterhood!! Hope you'll come back!!!! Did your sweetie like your cute new dress????