ScrapHappy

Episode 16b: Rattle On

Episode 16b is up! Listen to what sent my heart racing at CHA:

American Crafts glitter marker in pure glitter

KI Memories Lace Paper

One Heart, One Mind stacks buttons

Memory Mixer from Lasting Impressions

Fiskars tag punch

Real.Life Scrapbooking by Rebecca Cooper

The Organized and Inspired Scrapbooker by Aby Garvey and Wendy Smedley

Sweetwater Retreat -- let's do it! Who's in?

Nunn Design Patera findings in gold, silver and copper (not brass, as I said... sorry! But gold is better anyway).

DCWV rockstar stacks and foil letters (sorry, can't find an image online!).

Creative Imaginations Creativity Cafe

Hot Off the Press stitch guides

And a last-minute add-on... Bazzill's pre-punched cardstock! I couldn't find a photo online, but trust me, super cool.

Do I "rattle on" too much in my podcasts? You be the judge. Leave me a comment or a review at iTunes!

Why did no one tell me....

about this?

And you people call yourselves my friends.

On a (Blog) Roll

Somebody stop me! (Angie, please name that movie!)

Episode 17 is up here. My ramblings about CHA. And there is a contest hidden in there (well, not really hidden -- it's at the end, but YES you must eat your veggies before you have dessert!).

Speaking of contests, TAMMY B! I need your mailing address by Sunday if you would like your copy of the Foof-A-Life. The clock's a-ticking, chica!

Show notes:

-Memory Trends. (I can't remember if I actually mention Memory Trends but I'll put the link up just in case).

Oh my goodness, that may be it! I guess I really did ramble. But that's okay, right?

Consider Yourself Challenged

Cool new challenge blog here!

And here is my entry:

From the show floor

Just a few photos from CHA!

Robyn delivering "The Goods" to me on Saturday morning. You saved my life, Chica! And if someone wants to make a million dollars, open a Starbucks in the Rosemont convention center.

Angie, Eric and me after our filming (and he was still talking to us!). If you ever need to look good on camera, Eric is your guy. He does all the CKMedia filming.

Angie and I were on a hunt for "cute critters." Check out her blog over the next few days to see more! (PS Lots of penguins everywhere!)

Two of my favorite ladies, Aby and Wendy, at their book signing for the Organized and Inspired Scrapbooker. This book is simple beautiful!!!! Of course I will be reviewing it soon. :)

Contrary to appearances, my head is not twice the size of Marnie's. Though she is a tiny, adorable little thing (and a Simple editorial board member).

I am not usually one to put unsolicited photos of myself on my blog, but this photo that Stephanie took was SO DARNED CUTE I had to show you. :)

Tomorrow I'll do some product shots. Enjoy!

PS biggest bummers from the trip: No photos with Candice Palmer or Rebecca Cooper. And Maria wasn't there. :(

ETA:
Lookie what I just got in the mail from Candice!

Now as soon as Renee sends me our group photo, I'll be in seventh heaven!

ETA:
Lookie what I just stole from Renee's blog:

Ah. Life is now complete.

Episode 15 is up!

Listen here for an interview with Angie Lucas, managing editor of Simple Scrapbooks Magazine. Fun and games from CHA!

TGIF

What a day! I'm always amazed at the overwhelming amount of creativity, excitement, energy, and variety at these shows. Simple awe-inspiring!

Here are some of the highlights:
-Walking around with Angie and Aby
-Hearing about the ins and outs and peccadilloes of Second Life from Renee (by the way, am I the last person on earth to know about these things???)
-Seeing Rebecca's new book in person (BTW: Tamara, Rebecca says her shampoo and conditioner were little sample bottles from WalMart and does not even remember what she bought!)
-Getting a hug from my friend, the Crafty Chica
-Seeing Stephanie's new magazine

-Doing Make-n-Takes at booth after booth
-Getting "what's new" tours from some of my favorite manufacturers
-And more to relate than I could possibly fit in this post!

I love that the vast majority of people in the scrapbooking industry are fun, cheery, friendly, authentic people. Of course, there are always a few wackos or meanies, but far be it for me to point fingers (hehehe).

I thought we'd play a fun little game to take my mind off my feet. Here are some photos of samples using some of my favorite new goodies. The first person to correctly name all of the manufacturers will get a CHA goodie pack:

One:

Two:

Three:

Four:

Five:

And for yesterday's challenge, Ramona was the first one to correctly identify Ferris Bueller's Day Off as the movie that was filmed in part in the Art Institute of Chicago. We did see the Seurat painting, but unfortunately we did not find little children to hold hands with.

PS I still have not been to Starbucks.

ETA: We have two winners! The correct answers were:
1. One Heart, One Mind
2. Love, Elsie
3. Autumn Leaves/Foof-a-la (the LO was done by Marilyn Healey! Yeah, Mar!)
4. Basic Grey
5. KI

Patti and Ami, send me your snail mail address!!!

Awesome stuff! I'll have more to add soon. :)

I have friends now!

Life is good now. I have friends!

A huge blessing... I got to spend an hour chatting with this girl today. C.D., you rock!

We hit a chocolate fountain:

We also went downtown:

And took a fieldtrip to the Art Institute (be the first to email me and name a movie that was shot here and you will win a prize!):

Ahhh... capped off with dinner at Bennegan's.

I love Chicago. ;)

Welcome to Chicago...

...Now go home.

So, where is all that midwestern hospitality I've been hearing so much about?

It's not the people who are unwelcoming... it's the inanimate objects!

Let me explain... first it took a LOONG time to get here. Who knew there was a difference between O'Hare and Midway??? (Probably everyone on the face of the earth except me!). I had to take a shuttle from Midway to O'Hare, and then a shuttle from O'Hare to the hotel... and then it took me 10 minutes to find the check-in desk. (Please, how could I have guessed that the lobby would be on the SECOND floor? particulary when there are no signs??).

Sidenote- In California, we complain because the signs are not always in English. In Chicago, there are NO signs at all!!! I hate feeling helpless and had to ask for directions oh, maybe a million times. But I'm complaining.

It's pouring down rain outside (and there's thunder and lightning too, a novelty for me!). Here's what the walk from the hotel to the convention center looks like:

And just in case that was not exciting enough for you, here is another view:

Darn it! The gremlins will not let me post pictures! Ack! And the view was so cool. (ETA: I got it to work!) Bummer. Let me try one more time... this is what the conference center looks like:

Bleh. That's not working either. You will have to use your little minds. Picture a long corridor with fluorescent lights, empty except air conditioning units every 10 feet. And me.

And for the conference center, picture a big empty room.

I am a little lonely. Can you tell??? Good thing the ladies are getting here today.

PS No Starbucks. Ack!

Viva Las Vegas!

First leg of the trip -- consider it done! I am in LV waiting for my connecting flight to Chicago (and I just discovered that I am flying into Midway instead of O'Hare... what does this mean? I am not sure).

I am toting around a pound of quarters because last night the kids insisted on exchanging their coins for "real money." I thought, what better place to use them than here?

I'm not a big gambler at all, but I thought I'd get into the swing o' things. Imagine my surprise when the $.25 slots are marked with a big sign that says "No coins or bills accepted."

Hunh?!?

So I guess the idea is I have to go trade my measly $5 for a pass card which I then can use in the slot machine.

Too much trouble. I'll hold on to my measly $5, thankyouverymuch.

I'll just pretend I broke even and spend the $5 on iced tea.