First, I just want to remind you that sneak previews for February stamps for CDStamps start January 28! I will be posting Wednesday, but probably not until later in the afternoon central time. I will post at least one sample for each set to be released, over the next 4 posts/4 days.
What I did/saw at CHA
Well, I admit I was a CHA virgin and was taking it all in so much, that I completely forgot to take very many photos! In fact, the thought only occurred to me a few times. Next year, I'll know better and hopefully will have more to share.
The first thing I was able to do was go to the SCS cupcake reception. The sweet Lori Craig invited Lori McCroskey and all who were with her to that on Saturday night. We all got in late, around 6:00-6:30 and Lori, Vicki and I were the only folks in our group coming from a later time zone, so 6:30 felt like 8:30. The SCS gathering was at 8 pacific time. So, not only did we have the jet lag, we had a peculiar situation and not all of us in the room could fit in the one rented car. So Lori and Vicki opted to stay at the hotel. Kim Teasdale, Katie Renz, Nancy Grant, and myself all went to the SCS cupcake reception, but Kim went because she was invited by someone else first.
Here is a pic of the yummy cupcakes that were being served! WOW! I got a raspberry one and it was so good!
I'm a little nervous about such gatherings, and tend to just shy up! I sort of felt like I didn't belong, but was invited as a part of Clear Dollar Stamps by Lori Craig, so it helped a little to know that someone invited us. I did get to meet Lori Craig, but failed to think about getting a photo! She is very tall.
Anyway, I saw Lorelie Kim and Suzanne Dean who were both on Clear Dollar Stamps Design Team last term. They were there with Our Daily Bread Designs. They are darlings! I just didn't even think to get a photo! It was so neat to meet them in person! They are 2 very talented designers whom are missed already!
I met Diana Crick (Scor-pal) at the cupcake reception, and she is such a refreshing soul! She asked me if I had a Scor-mat yet, and I hadn't yet purchased mine, so when I visited the Scor-Pal booth the next day, she GAVE me one! How sweet was that!? She is also delightful company to talk to.
I met Judy Rozema and she is a sweetheart! However, another failed photo op on my part, grrrrrr! She actually came up to me and said hi, so that made me feel special! It was so nice to meet her in person, and I was just impressed that she noticed me, of all little people!
Briefly met several other famous stampers at the SCS gathering, like Taylor and Carolyn, but since I felt like I'm not well known in that world, I'm not sure they noticed! Oh well, I'm fine with that, as it was just neat to see them in person! Carolyn is teeny tiny petite, and Taylor is super tall.
I did manage to get a photo with Jenn Balcer.
Did you know JBalcer is the sweetest SCS mod!? She was so nice to me once in the forums when I felt that no other mod would help me, and I sincerely have been deeply touched by her kindness ever since. That is something that one just doesn't forget! If you ever get a chance to actually converse with her, you are blessed! Oh yeah, in real life, she looks EXACTLY like her avatar! Cute, huh?
Something very embarrassing happened to me... the room at the cupcake reception was very dimly lit and I forgot to bring my glasses on my trip, so dim lighting plus no glasses (I need them for seeing distances) made for a terrible and much loathed mistake! I saw whom I thought was Colleen Schaan... the short blondish hair, dimple, similar looking age, similar facial color... or at least I thought there were similarities without my glasses and in dim lighting. I just started blabbing to her, calling her Colleen and on and on. Well, a short time after we left the reception, I was told by a companion that she was NOT Colleen! She was TruCarMa! DOH! Now don't tell me that's not embarrassing! I didn't see her again after that so I was unable to apologize in person. Figures that at my first (and possibly only) SCS cupcake meet and greet, that I would be such a ditz! Oh well, what can I do about it now? I am a huge fan of , TruCarMa's creations and have many an artwork of hers in my favs (who doesnt'!?), so in retrospect, it was nice to have gotten to see her in person anyway.
I also met Debbie Olson at the Just rite booth and I did a make-n-take there, and managed to get a photo with her too. She just cracked me up and was so friendly and funny!
Now that I am looking at this picture and comparing to Thinking Inking BLog and the pictures look nothing alike, so I sure hope I got the right Debbie Oson! I am a little paranoid after the whole TruCarMa and Colleen mishap! LOL So, someone please tell me if I've mixed up some Debbie Olsons!
Now I don't have a picture to prove it, but I did actually SEE Shelli Gardner at the convention! She was with her husband and another man, they were all dressed for business and she was in a very serious looking conversation with the business man, so I decided it was not a moment to run up all start-struck and ask for a photo, so I didn't. Man, my only chance for that too! I'll never be able to go to a SU convention.
On Monday night, our condo group went to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory, which was right next to our hotel/condo, and boy was that yummy! Mmmmmm! Here's a picture from that, and this picture was from Nancy's camera.
From left front going clockwise: Me, Nancy Grant, Kim Teasdale, Katie Renz, Lori McCroskey, Vicki Conquest
Of course, what would happen when I was in the bathroom at Cheesecake factory? JulieHRR and the Bella Stamps lady and a few others get sat at the booth right next to ours! Everyone else got to meet them, and I missed it all. Well, that's just what happens when you got to take care of business, I guess.
At CHA, I got to be a part of Lori's selection process for some new items she wants to carry! That was FUN! She will be getting all the new Basic Grey papers, PLUS some awesome new Basic Grey BLING! Yeah! Also, she signed on to carry dew drops from Robin's Nest... not all the colors, just a nice assortment to begin with and she can build up from there over the summer. Let's see... who doesn't like dangly charms!? Be prepared to find some charms that will nicely coordinate with her popular stamp sets very soon at www.cdstamps.com! Whoo-hoo, I can't wait! Of course, she will be carrying a selection of the new Nestabilities dies, new brads coming in... different shapes and also the ultra mini ones in some basic rainbow colors.
Last thing too share are just fun things. I saw a huge crayon and wanted a photo to show my 2-1/2 year old... I'll not mention who the photographer was that cut off the crayon's pointed top so now you can't really see that he IS a crayon! ;o)
While waiting in line to get a free Provo Craft canvas bag (they only gave away 40 each hour and you had to get in line and stay there until they handed them out), this telli-tubby looking guy comes walking by and sits on the toilet in the bathroom display at the Provo booth! I just got a kick out of it and had to photo him.
Well, that is all I have as far as pictures... I know it's sort of disappointing, but I actually heard from someone that we ought not to take photos of projects or pre-released stuff, so I didn't, but I've seen so many other posting photos. I suppose I could have asked each booth for permission, but my brain was overflowing with excitement that it was overload to even think about asking.
So, with that, I need to log off and will be back Wednesday with the first CD Stamps Februarys sneak previews!
Happy Stamping!
Laurie
Recent Comments