Maryland, A Merry Land : UFDC Region 11 Conference - Day 1

Last week the UFDC Region 11 Conference was held in Towson, Maryland.

On Wednesday I checked into the conference hotel, and checked in with the conference. All attendees were given a Maryland crab tote bag. Inside the tote bag were Maryland coloring books designed especially for the conference and colored pencils.

Needless to say, I spent Wednesday evening coloring the first picture in the book - Black-Eyed Susans.

Each attendee also was given a black conference badge holder with a charm holder pin and a handmade spool doll.

The next day is when everything really go going. In the morning I entered my dolls in competition and volunteer clerked in the competition room. Clerking meant helping attendees check their dolls into competition, and then in the afternoon assisting the judges as they judged the dolls. It was interesting hearing why some of the dolls were ranked.

In the afternoon, the Helper Room, Special Exhibits, and Competition Room were open to the attendees.

I also found time to attend two programs: Elsie Clark Krug Opens Baltimore's Doors to Dolls by Sue Nile, and Japan Comes to Maryland by Alan Scot Pate.

That evening there was a Welcome Cocktail Reception, complete with special guests from Maryland:

Edgar Allan Poe,

Harriet Tubman,

And Babe Ruth. They did their best to entertain the attendees while we all waited for the Sales Room to open.

Then it was off to the sales room to see what there was to see. Then I had a hilarious late dinner with friends and turned in for the night. After all, there would be a lot to do and see the next day.