The 10th Annual Guild Meeting
Hosted by Mickey Kristiansen

Las Vegas, Nevada

2003 AGM Report: This information is taken from a 2003 email from Mickey Kristiansen

It has been a pleasure to co-host the 2003 AGM in Las Vegas, NV.. This is the first AGM held in the southwest, and we had a near-record seventy-one people register.. Most people arrived at the hotel on Thursday and the Hospitality Suite was open around 3 PM to receive them. Unfortunately, the hotel did not provide the suite room number until earlier that day, so some didn't "get the word" regarding our location when they checked in.

Friday started bright and early with preparations for assembling the VIP packs. Thanks to the Rooney's for their help. The packs contained a full sleeve of the new sparkling paper and a logo pen from Lake City Crafts, hand guilded paper and color samples from Whimsiquills, new catalogs from Quill-it and National Artcraft, brochures and local guides from the Las Vegas Visitors and Convention Bureau, an assortment of pens, pencils and note pads, a deck of playing cards from the Frontier, and a pair of ceramic coffee mugs from the Fiesta.

Next, we prepared the meal which was served between 5 and 9 PM. We had four kinds of sandwiches, bagels and cream cheese, fresh fruit, dessert cakes and cookies, lemonade and coffee. Nothing fancy, but we had plenty to eat. At 3 PM, Gerry began registration. Each participant was given a beautiful identification badge, hand quilled by Anne (TOT) Pfahler. Each one was unique and colorful and a keepsake to be sure. They really called attention to our group.

We conducted 3 workshops, in the suite, Friday evening. It was more than a little crowded for Don Cole's course on digital photography, Marianne Autorino's on publicity and Sharon Souter's on computers. Each lasted about an hour, and judging from the questions and group participation, were quite informative. The suite remained open for conversation and informal idea sharing until after midnight.

Saturday was a big day. A continental breakfast was served in the enormous Cheyenne conference room at 8 AM. There were 12 large, round tables for dining and meetings and another dozen or so oblong tables set against the walls to hold all our exhibits and vendor's products. Don Cole set up his photography studio on a small stage in another corner and spent the next two days, along with wife Rhonda, shooting candid photographs of participants, exhibits, and all the happenings.

At 9 we began the workshops. Betty Tremaine kicked off and spoke about the importance of breast cancer research before her detailed discussion of "feathers". She possesses untold knowledge about birds and how to represent them through quilling.

Following that, Pat Caputo conducted a lively workshop on "alternate side looping". Each participant made a flower with supplies from Pat and a good time was had by all.

Door prize drawings were held several times an hour. The 23 prizes included quilled items by Pam Stoddard (the Arizona lurker) supplies donated by Las Vegas Art Stamp Store, gifts from the Fiesta Hotel/Casino and others.

Next, Kay Charles conducted the NAQG meeting. Reports were made by several officers and the location of the 2004 AGM, hosted by Barbara Machado in Plymouth, Massachusetts was confirmed. The group divided for discussions regarding AGM improvements, the newsletter, our new website, accreditation and competition and afterward, feedback was presented to the entire body. Kay encouraged everyone to consider hosting future AGM's and to apply for positions that will become available for officers by sending resumes to her. Marianne Autorino (next year's NAQG President) and her husband Mike set up their "Publicity" corner and took photographs of individuals which were added to the material from her workshop and promised for delivery Sunday morning.

Again, it was time to eat. The buffet featured make-your-own sandwiches, veggie lasagna, Italian meatballs, a beautiful fruit platter, beverages and dessert. A special cake was designed for Malinda and Jim Johnston and Kay presented them with lifetime memberships in NAQG to thank them, in part, for all they have done to further the art of quilling.

After lunch, a very popular workshop on "miniatures" was given by Sherry Rodehaver. Again, Sherry provided all the supplies and those attending spent an hour and a half creating their own versions of 3 D work. Meanwhile, the exhibition opened to the public. We had a large number of visitors and NAQG obtained a few new members. People expressed "shock and awe" at the diversity and complexity of our work.

Mary-Alice Kattwinkel presented her workshop on "roses" and, coupled with her jokes and stories, made a big hit with the crowd. She and Walter, her nearly 90 year old husband, were in show business you know, and she has never lost her stage presence.

Anne Pfahler conducted her workshop on "punched flowers". No, they are not quilling, in the truest sense, but the amount of work that goes into making them is phenomenal. Several visitors were encouraged to join in and definitely gained an appreciation for paper art.

Ev Rooney conducted the final workshop on "husking". Participants could purchase hair lifter combs and create "Ev's Angels" during the session. Eternal gratitude goes to all those that volunteered and conducted the nine workshops we managed to squeeze in. Judging from the response, everyone enjoyed and learned from them and while the time allocated for each one was not nearly sufficient, participants left with plenty of new information and skills they never thought they possessed.

Saturday evening was "free" to do as one wished. Several folks met at Gilley's for dinner and nightclub entertainment, others dined at various restaurants in the hotel, while still others left to attend shows and dinners around town. The hospitality suite again provided a comfortable place for those that still hadn't had their fill of quilling and quillers. We closed the suite, again, after midnight.

Sunday, the coffee was ready at 6 AM and our first visitor arrived at 6:05. (The same was true on Monday and Tuesday mornings.) It is still amazing how friendly and sharing quillers are. Quilling paper, tools, glue, scissors, tweezers, patterns, quilling boards, and the like were to be seen everywhere. Small groups and large ones formed in an instant, it seemed.

At 10 AM, our Deluxe Rise and Shine breakfast buffet was served at poolside. Ask Mary Alice why she and Walter were first to fill their plates. The setting was wonderful and so was the food. Anyone on diets was in big trouble. Everyone raved about hot dishes as well as the donuts, muffins, and fruit trays and the exceptional service provided by the hotel staff.

Then, it was time for several guests to leave. We wished them safe journey home. Our "official" AGM had come to an end. Unofficially, we adjourned to the hospitality suite, made a new pot of coffee, set out the remaining food, and spent the rest of the day and evening (yes, another midnight closing) talking, quilling, laughing, and just enjoying being together. It seemed like we had known each other all our lives. It is sad, in a way, that we only meet like this once a year, and then, only for a few days. While most of us quill alone, at home, we seem so hungry for socializing and getting together with others that love our art form.

Monday, we closed up shop in the suite at noon, but, nothing really stopped. We found ourselves in room 3020 later that afternoon and evening and again Tuesday morning. Like all good things, though, the AGM afterparty came to an end. Except for Betty and Ken Tremaine, the Clancy's from England, Anne Pfahler and Nancy Klarer, and the Las Vegas locals, everyone was on their way home. Anne and Nancy had the good fortune to be "bumped" from their early morning flight and got to spend the rest of Tuesday enjoying more of Las Vegas. We all said our slightly tearful goodbyes and promised to meet again in Plymouth, Massachussets, on Mother's Day weekend, May 7, 8 and 9, 2004.