You Can Make It 2017

​Thursday, March 23, I'm up early. Showering, dressing and final check: Do I have everything?

5:15 am Annemarie Klappe and her husband Reinco stop for our house. I can ride with them to the airport for our flight to England. I'm on my way to the You Can Make It in 2017 in Wareham, Dorset, hurray!

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Annemarie and I decided to fly together. An Meel and Inge Verbruggen travel with Eurostar and Joyce van Roosmalen has teamed up with Laura Simmons and also opted for a flight, but at a later time. O I'm looking forward to this! And despite the fact that I am in good and pleasant company it’s unfortunate that Renske Dussel, Shirley de Jong and other good colleagues couldn’t attend. Well, we can’t have everything.

It's been a few years ago that a Metal Clay conference was held in the UK. The You Can Make It now seems to be an annual event, so I see our current group as "scouts" 😉 Will it be great, we will communicate this, as we possibly come with a larger delegation in 2018.
 
The flight goes smoothly, although we were almost late for our gate. Little tip for KLM; once it is a busgate, such details really aren’t too much. We land at Southampton and grab the train to Wareham. The last stretch to the hotel we share a taxi with Meropi Toumbas and her husband. They come from Cyprus.

Arriving at the Springfield Country Club Hotel we have lunch together. Somewhat later Inge and An arrive, the booked rooms are available and we’re going to look for them. Suitcases, where is the elevator? Wwaaaattt NO elevator ??? Are you kidding? But no, it turns out serious. My suitcase weighs 23 kg. and really must be dragged up the stairs. Weird huh, worn stair steps!
 
I share a triple bedroom with An and Annemarie. This appears to be located at quite an extreme upper corner of one of the hotel wings. Could this mean something, hahaha ?! The first day after dinner, we sit in the cozy bar for coffee and/or a drink. Then to bed, we have busy days ahead.
 
The beds of Annemarie and me are made with a plastic mattress cover. This creaks with every change of sleeping position, it drowns out even our snoring 😉 The room door opens and closes inconvenient, sometimes even difficult. There are times when we consider preparing an emergency plan to leave the room by the roof or fire escape. Otherwise, please note there is a chance that we miss breakfast. And the highlight is surely our shower. A private space capsule in which a start button causes the water supply. The sound associated with this is similar to a real rocket launch. Viewers and we have a chance to an encounter with Pluto or Jupiter, hahaha. Utterly hilarious. 

And so, three intensive days full of lively master classes, hands-on sessions, demonstrations and talks. I myself have reserved for the following classes:
 

• Friday all day                : Masterclass “Spinning Mandala Earrings” with Wanaree Tanner
• Saturday Morning     : Hands-on session “Fuchsia Earrings” with Tracey Spurgin
• Saturday Afternoon : Demo “’Photopolymer Plates” with Tracey Spurgin
• Sunday Morning         : Hands-on session “950 Ring Making” with Kuniaki Iwahashi
• Sunday Afternoon     : Yet again walked in at Wanaree’s class

 
And in the "free" hours we visit the Make It Market, deadly for the wallet. Everything is fun, convenient, and useful for sale. Fortunately, I can reasonably manage myself, I also have colleagues walking around with trolleys, so I mean.
 
And let’s not forget the Charm Swap. My cupcake charms I was able to exchange for 35 different gorgeous, self-designed charms of fellow instructors and metal clay colleagues. Oh and the Raffles and Meet The Makers Round Table Sessions. Busy full days and everything was top organized.

Sunday at the end of the day we say goodbye, a good number of participants go home already. We stay an extra night and fly back to the Netherlands Monday. There Joyce, An, Inge and I will attend two masterclasses in Mijdrecht. Unfortunately, Annemarie can’t join this.
 
I look back on a amazing conference, it was great! Dear all, thanks for the organization, the sharing of knowledge, the atmosphere, delicious food, everything! And a special note for the colleagues of our Benelux network, girls what have I laughed !!!
 
With a warm feeling, I think back to these days. Next year I hope to be back and party with all of you. To me YCMI 2017 is associated with:
 

• Friendship
• Embroidered roses Annemarie (always handy if you tear out your pants)
• Showering in space shuttle
• Room escape attempts
• Incontinence bed mattresses
• Food & Drinks
• Summertime
• Metal Clay
• Charm Swap
• Baileys
• YCMI 2018!