ALL ABOARD The Doodle Caboose Railway!
Is work stressing you out too much?
Is your sweetie working on your last nerve?
Kids driving you up a wall?
Just need to get away from it all and enjoy a weekend away? Then how 'bout a girls-only retreat where you can spend your time working on scrapbooking projects and enjoying the company of fellow crafters! Sound great? Well, read on!
Who: Join six of your favorite Doodle Divas and other enthusiastic scrappers as we travel to North Florida.
What: An old-fashioned train trip from Tampa to beautiful and historic St. Augustine.
Where: We will be staying at the very pretty Holiday Inn in the Historic District.
When: Thursday, April 17 through Sunday, April 20
Why: Why? Really? You need to ask "why"? Because this will be a fun weekend away with the girls-no kids, no hubbies, no worries....hosted by Whim So Doodle, your favorite LSS and the girls who really know how to throw a fun event!
The train departs from Tampa on Thursday evening at 5:17pm. We arrive in Palatka at 9:15 pm (just south of St. Augustine) and travel by a private coach bus to St. Augustine.
We will be staying at the Holiday Inn Historic District. 
Each room features two queen-sized beds and besides the normal features the rooms also have a refrigerator and microwave. This hotel is located in the heart of the historic area and is within walking or trolley distance to many major attractions.
Our croppers will enjoy our very own private crop room. We will have access to the room from Friday morning until we leave on Sunday morning! You are able to set up your spot and leave it there for the our entire stay!
We will return to Tampa on Sunday via Palatka at 12:34 pm. Our train departs from the station at 8:18am. Since there will be many of us, we will practically have our own private car on the train! Amtrak also features a dining car for meal service and a lounge car for chilling out!
Of course that is not all you will be getting! Your Doodle Divas have so much fun stuff planned!! If you went on the Shop Hop with us awhile back you know how much fun we can be when we are trapped in a moving vehicle! So, on our train and bus trips we will have make-n-takes and games to keep everyone entertained. Heck! Leisa and I might even bring back our comedy routine!!
Friday morning we will have a kick-off breakfast! We will munch on breakfast treats from a local French pastry shop. We will feast al fresco enjoying the beautiful scenery of historic St. Augustine at Davenport Park. Then on Friday evening we will enjoy a dinner out at OC Whites, a fun, local favorite! 
You can choose your meal from a very yummy, selected menu which will include salad, homemade bread, dinner, beverages (tea, soda & coffee) and dessert! Besides being known for is spectacular seafood creations like Maryland Blue Crab Cakes and Kauai Mahi, OC Whites is known for it's spirits, so if you feel the need- you can purchase your own libations!!
In the crop room we will have a spot set up to have drinks and snacks available throughout the day and you are more than welcome to bring some of your own favorites!! Also in the crop room on Friday evening and Saturday we will have a masseuse on hand to keep us all limber and stress-free with $1 a-minute chair massages!
Included in the package will also be a train-shaped chipboard album class and designed by our very own and very talented Leisa. This cute Maya Road album will be the perfect spot to keep photos and memorabilia from our excursion! Class time will be posted at the crop, but if you are otherwise engaged, then we will leave the supplies and instructions out so you can work on the project at your own pace.
Whim So Doodle will also include a 3-day Old Towne Trolley pass that will grant you unlimited access to the trolley line that runs through most of St. Augustine. If you want to take some time away from cropping to see the sights of our nation's oldest city then you can use your trolley pass.
If sightseeing is your thing then St. Augustine has a lot to offer! There is the Old Wooden Schoolhouse, Ripley's Believe It Or Not Museum, Fort Matanzas National Monument, the St. Augustine Lighthouse (which I have climbed!), Cathedral Basilica, the Spanish Quarter Village, Old Florida Museum, Flagler College, San Sebestian Winery, nighttime ghost walk tours, and much much more!! It is a very pretty city with lots of old Florida charm!
Sound great? The cost for the weekend is $425 and (to recap) it includes:
-Round trip travel from Tampa to St. Augustine via train/bus combo.
-3-night accommodations at the Holiday Inn Historic District, with two queen-beds.
(Each room sleeps 2-4 people-you decide! You can put just you and one buddy in a room or load it up with all your friends. If you need a roomie, we can make the arrangements, too!)
-3-day on/off Old Towne Trolley pass.
-Private crop room access from Friday at 10am to Sunday at 6am.
-Breakfast on Friday morning.
-Dinner at OC Whites on Friday evening.
-Snacks and drinks throughout the weekend.
-An train-themed album class designed by Leisa
-Make-n-takes.
-Goodies for all!
-A pre-trip informational evening at The Doodle to give you trip instructions and tips for packing for an away crop.
-Six Doodle Divas on hand for entertainment and inspiration!
Are you ready to join the fun?
Since this is our first big "away" weekend crop we have decided to start small, so space is limited! I have been dropping hints at classes and crops for the last two weeks and there is a number of you out there who have been waiting anxiously for details and to sign up! Now is the time...don't put it off too long! Call your cropping buddies and work out all the arrangements-you do not want to miss our first away cropping trip!!
If you are ready to sign up all you have to do is call the store...no passport needed!! You can pay the total amount now or pay half now and the balance on or before Saturday, March 15th. That would be $212.50 now (or very soon) and $212.50 on or before Friday, March 15th.
Who's coming along for our ride? We are gonna have a "hoot-hoot"! (Very mild train reference there!)
Jen
Oh my gosh...i need to reserve my spot...this sounds like fun
Posted by: Jeannie | February 06, 2008 at 11:51 AM
wow!! that sounds sooo awesome!!
Jackie
Posted by: jackie | February 06, 2008 at 02:51 PM
I went to Flagler College! That is my old STOMPING GROUNDS!! You will have a great time!!
Posted by: Melissa S-E | February 06, 2008 at 03:30 PM
Jen-
he CAVED and said I could go!! i am so xcited. i will call and reserve my spot when u get back so we can "chat" bout it.
woo hoo,
Jackie
Posted by: jackie | February 10, 2008 at 05:44 AM