TonnerconUK, Ghouls and Glamour. And a Wilde adventure!

Saturday the 31st of October 2015 the very first TonnerconUK took place.
It was all organised by Mel from RetrodollsUK, and special guest was Robert Tonner himself!
As you all may know by now, I really have been growing quite fond of these dolls over the past few years, so of course I had to be there!
Friday the 30th of October 2015 came and that day became the first day of a Wilde travel adventure!
My plane would depart from Schiphol around 10 am, so I had to get up early and catch an early train, to be there in time. All went according to plan, and I arrived at Humberside airport (near Hull) around 10.05 am.
I took a taxi to a trainstation nearby, and found out I just missed my train to Lincoln, so had to wait an hour for the next one to take me there. I found out I could log in to the internet for free, so I just spend the time catching up with what had happened during my journey (nothing special, as far as I remember).
The train to Lincoln arrived and all went well. When I arrived in Lincoln I found a taxi which got me as far as the hotel. And there it began.......
Of course I wanted to check in, but somehow the machine was refusing my card (and not just one, but all of them!)
So the lady at the desk told me to go to the pub, as they had an ATM over there. So I went and tried, but that machine wouldn't take any of my cards either. I went back to the reception, and fortunately I had just enough cash on me to pay for the first nights stay, so I was at least able to go to my room. The lady told me she would change the reservation into 2 seperate nights for administrative reasons.
The minute I got into my room, I called my bank, which after 10 minutes of trying to figure out finally told me it was just a problem at the machines of the hotel and the pub, and nothing wrong with my bankaccounts.
When this was settled, I felt quite relieved, although I didn't have much money left on me, so wouldn't be able to take a taxi to the city center, but I decided to just let that wait and first take a relaxing bath.
I knew one of my friends through a Yahoo group and her mum would be staying in the same hotel, and we had already been sorting out dinner for that evening through chat.
When I got out of bath I think I either got a phone call, or a knock on the door, and there she was! My friend Phillippa and her mum Sue had a room just opposite mine!
It was great to finally meet each other and after some chatting we first ended up in the pub near the hotel, and then went to the city center, where I was able to get all the cash I needed at an ATM there.

Phillippa and Sue

my pizza

we had the most yummie glutenfree desert!

Phillippa and Sue enjoying their desert

As you can see we had a most wonderful meal and really enjoyed spending time together.
After supper we went up steep hill (and believe me, it deserves it name), as we had all signed up for the ghostwalk. The ghostwalk was very entertaining, though I must disappoint you all, I didn't see any ghostly appearance......
Back at the hotel, I wanted to make the payment for the other night as well, but I was told that wouldn't be possible until somewhere around noon the next day. (sigh...)
Saturday came, and a few girls were on my little Halloween display at my hotelroom.

Ellowyne and Patience didn't get much time to wear these outfits, as they had to wear something else for the competitions.

I had to wrap them all up though, as they would be coming to the convention with me. (no way they would travel all the way, just to stay at a hotelroom, when there would be the chance to meet mr Tonner)

We went to the university, and soon we're allowed into the salesroom.

Lots of loveliness, but of course we were also very much waiting for the big moment the convention would really start.
Finally we were allowed in to the meeting room, and we could drool over the lovely displays set up, and also put up our competition entries, at the allocated places.

Horns and halo's competition, top left my Patiences.

Phillippa's beautiful prize winning entry for Horns & Halo's

The mini me competition entries

and the inspiration

Red competition

photocompetition

Soon after everyone had set up there competition entries, Mel officially opened to convention, and welcomed Robert Tonner.

Robert had a very interesting talk about the history of modern fashion dolls

We had some free time in between, to look at all those lovely displays:

and that wasn't even all of it, but I just forgot to take pics of the dolls Robert had been taking with him all the way from the USA.

The first event exclusive we got (all out of the hands of mr. Tonner himself) was Deja Vu, Dripping in Drama...

After lunch there was another special event to celebrate, as it was also Sue's birthday, and Phillippa had secretly organised a big birthday card, on which we all signed, and a beautiful birthday cake:

Sue's birthday celebration

the presentation of the 2nd event exclusive, Ellowyne Ghostly Endeavours, so pretty!

some more pics of this beauty!

Robert Tonner in the cauldron 

There was also a brilliant video of Dr Bantam who discussed the dollcollector from a psychological perspective.
tonnerconuk dr bantam

I took a couple of Patience dolls with me, and I think I somehow got Janet and Karen hooked on her:

a picture taken with my camera whilst I was chatting with Robert...

And last but not least, the competition winners were announced and called forward:

prizewinners

Phillippa won with her beautiful Horns and Halo's entry, and I even managed to win with my mini-me!

Another little browse through the salesroom, and we had to get back to the hotel, to dress up for the evening.
Of course I wanted to settle my hotelroom bill, but because they had made changes the prize of the room went up horribly. I didn't agree, as I had had email confirmation the room was reserved for me for the 2 nights, at a certain price, so I really didn't want to pay anymore than that. Fortunately I had a couple of prints from the emailconfirmation, so I gave them one, and finally it got all settled.
I must admit I was a bit knackered by that time, so Janet (who had been coming all the way from Hull, just for me), told me to just take a rest for a while, and she would call me when it would be time to get up.
Of course I was much too excited to sleep, but I had a bit of a rest anyways.
And then another fun part, dressing up:

Janet as a friendly witch

me as evil queen

So back to the university we went, for our supper. Everyone came dressed up:

Julie won the dress up competition, amazing make up!

And yes, this was our dinner :)

the table favour is a beautiful Deja Vu mask and the Event doll Evangeline Nocturnal

All in all we had a most brilliant time.
The next morning, Janet and I went exploring Lincoln and had lunch there. When we were just about to go to the car, so I would be at the airport in time, I got a text message that my flight got cancelled!
 We decided to go to the airport anyways, and find out whatever the alternative would be. It turned out I had to wait a full 24 hours before I can get another flight home.
My lovely friend lives quite close to the airport, so she offered me a place to stay for the night.

cute Maudlynne found a wonderful new home, I knew Janet really loved her, and I already had one at home, so it seemed a nice thank you for everything she did for me.

The next day we went into Hull, and had a nice lunch, before going to the airport again...
When we were driving up there, I said to Janet how I was worried about the plane probably not leaving, as the fog seemed thicker than the day before..... But I got at the airport, and went through check in, so Janet returned back home.
When it was time for the plane to take off, there was still no plane in sight, we first heard something about a delay by then, and then finally we heard the flight got cancelled again.
So back to the desk, after collecting my luggage...
I told the lady at the desk I was quite desperate to go home, as my job and my 3 children were waiting there for me. (fortunately I have some very good friends who all helped looking after the girls while my husband had to go to work, and my eldest could just stay at my parents for a bit longer)
She finally booked me a flight from Birmingham, the next morning around 6 am!
So, I got a taxi drive from Humberside to Hull (together with 3 others who also got stranded, but had a plane later than mine the next day), and I also got to stay at a hotel close to Birmingham airport.
By the time I went to bed, I found out I had about 3,5 hour of sleep at the max, before getting back up and ready.
More adventures at Birmingham airport, where the self check in gave me 2 flight options, Schiphol or Charles de Gaulle. (I have been at Charles de Gaulle before, and I didn't have that good memories about it). Of course I opted for Schiphol, and then the self check-in told me my flight was cancelled. I was so agitated by that time, I marched up to the desk closest by, and told them how fed up I was at yet the third cancellation in 2 days time! But the lady told me I could just check in for Amsterdam and it shouldn't be any problem.
So instead of the self check in, I had to go to another desk, where the guy was looking bewildered when it was my turn, started to ask his collagues for help, and finally got me checked in.
By that time I didn't trust I would get back home anytime soon. There was some delay boarding the plane, but finally I was on board. We were all seated and waiting for depart when we got another message that our depart got delayed, but we would definitely fly. (imagine my despair, when hearing about more delay.....)
Well, finally we got up, and I've never been so happy to see Dutch coastline reappearing!

All in all it was a very memorable trip!