Home Safe and Sound

I arrived at the airport last night from Chicago to find my husband waiting at the airport with pomegranate green tea and a big kiss for me.  How great is that?  I had a great time at CHA, but I am glad to be home.  It was so nice to meet so many people in person, especially Diane Campbell Payne, Joy Tracey, and Melanie Brown.  I really enjoy the Custom Crops ladies and was so pleased, again, to finally meet them. I made new MB friends - Genna and Denene, etc.  And finally I met two of my Bitten By the Bug 2 design team sisters, Krista Norman and Penny Schubert.  Krista was just as beautiful as I have always thought she is and Penny is adorable and sweet!  Donna and I posed for photos with them while we were working the Custom Crops make & tale area (which was sooo fun in itself).

In addition to receiving a new Cricut Imagine machine, I received two new cartridges from Provo Craft:  Happy Hauntings and Rock Princess. 

I also received paper and embellies from several companies: SEI, Imaginisce, 3 Bugs in a Rug, 3M, Little Yellow Bicycle, and Bo Bunny to name a few off the top of my head.  I received two T-shirts and tote bags, glue samples, glimmer mist, Amy Chomas pens, etc.  It was a merchandise bonanza. 

I ordered the new Spellbinders machine at a great discount price with free shipping.  By October first I will have a ton of new toys.  I can hardly wait. Below is a photo of the new Spellbinders Grand Calibur Machine.  When I go to the Creating Keepsakes Convention in Charlotte next month I think one of the very few items on my short little list is mega nestabilities. This new holds 8.5 x 11 inch paper.  Cool huh?

So that was my week in Chicago.  If I get time I will try to do my BBTB2 project today.  But right now I am blogging and "watching" a movie with my honey.

Read more »

Home Safe and Sound

I arrived at the airport last night from Chicago to find my husband waiting at the airport with pomegranate green tea and a big kiss for me.  How great is that?  I had a great time at CHA, but I am glad to be home.  It was so nice to meet so many people in person, especially Diane Campbell Payne, Joy Tracey, and Melanie Brown.  I really enjoy the Custom Crops ladies and was so pleased, again, to finally meet them. I made new MB friends - Genna and Denene, etc.  And finally I met two of my Bitten By the Bug 2 design team sisters, Krista Norman and Penny Schubert.  Krista was just as beautiful as I have always thought she is and Penny is adorable and sweet!  Donna and I posed for photos with them while we were working the Custom Crops make & tale area (which was sooo fun in itself).

In addition to receiving a new Cricut Imagine machine, I received two new cartridges from Provo Craft:  Happy Hauntings and Rock Princess. 

I also received paper and embellies from several companies: SEI, Imaginisce, 3 Bugs in a Rug, 3M, Little Yellow Bicycle, and Bo Bunny to name a few off the top of my head.  I received two T-shirts and tote bags, glue samples, glimmer mist, Amy Chomas pens, etc.  It was a merchandise bonanza. 

I ordered the new Spellbinders machine at a great discount price with free shipping.  By October first I will have a ton of new toys.  I can hardly wait. Below is a photo of the new Spellbinders Grand Calibur Machine.  When I go to the Creating Keepsakes Convention in Charlotte next month I think one of the very few items on my short little list is mega nestabilities. This new holds 8.5 x 11 inch paper.  Cool huh?

So that was my week in Chicago.  If I get time I will try to do my BBTB2 project today.  But right now I am blogging and "watching" a movie with my honey.

Read more »

CHA - Trade Show Day 3 & Super Show Day 1

Thursday was the last day of the trade show and I spent a lot of time going around and picking up flyers and order forms from various companies on behalf of Custom Crops. I found a new line of paper called Lillie Bee  that I really liked, the new e-craft machine (the new die cut machine that does not use mats), the Spellbinder's new really big cutting & embossing machine, and peel-offs - awesome gold and silver card or page embellishing strips.  There were so many amazing products.  I found some "must have" tools and the papers - OMGosh!  The papers were so pretty, so varied, and so amazing.  And the papers were used in such creative ways, like this "store" with it's paper flowers.

I love this Christmas banner - the glitter and elegance of the design.

The trade show ended at 3:00 pm and then it was time to set up the booth for the Super Show.  The staff at Custom Crops did a super job of setting up the booth - it is open but has lots of product.  It has the most unique and fabulous paper, wood, and tag tree.  I just love it.  It is truly a work of art and I would love to take it home.  I suspect the airline would not be as excited about the trees.

One of the elements of the "Centers" theme booth layout (or stations if you prefer - DVD Stations, Demonstrations, Pink Stamper, Retail lines, and make and take area) that I particularly like is the Framed Photo area.  There is a Custom Crops contest for those who use the frame and post photos to the Iternet.  Below the uber-talented Amy Chomas and I are goofing in the photo booth while we were trying to get it into position.

Thursday night included dinner out with part of the Custom Crops group; I just hated that Maria couldn't be there because she is so nice. Kelly took us out for authentic Chicago pizza and it was FABULOUS!

( Maria McGuire, Me, Donna Mundinger, Diane Campbell Payne [Capadia], and Melanie Brown.)

Friday morning I had a two special treats - I attended the Cricut Circle gathering.  It was really nice to see so many Circle folks present.  Mike from Provo Craft spoke for quite some time attempting to dispell rumors and such.  I have enjoyed getting to know him this week.  He is such a nice guy.

(Me, Joy Tracey, Diane Campbell Payne and Melanie Brown circling.  I loved spending time with these three women.  Diane was my roommate and Melanie & Joy are just fabulous!)

We had a special guest at the circle gathering and he was so amusing:  The Cricut!  The photo below was taken on the floor of the show but he was so cute I decided to use this photo instead of one from the gathering.

My second treat on Friday morning was my friend Peggy from home was in Chicago for a few days and she was able to join me at CHA for a few hours of shopping and make & takes!  It was so nice to be with a good friend and she had fun seeing the new products and viewing all of the booths.  As a HUGE bonus, Peggy took two large shopping bags full of products home so that my luggage will not go over weight and my carry-on will not dislocate my shoulder.  While Peggy was here, of course I HAD to photograph her with the Cricut!  You cannot come to CHA and miss the Cricut!

We also had to visit the Custom Crops photo booth!

I purchased a two of these AWESOME stamps, but I wanted to purchase more! 

After Peggy left, I helped out in the Custom Crops booth.  The CC booth was one uber-busy place!  Each of the five areas was constantly packed.  It was awesome.  The next few photos are from the booth:

And now I am off to day two of the Super Show and then tonight I fly home.  If all goes well I will be in my own bed tonight!!!

Read more »

CHA - Trade Show Day 3 & Super Show Day 1

Thursday was the last day of the trade show and I spent a lot of time going around and picking up flyers and order forms from various companies on behalf of Custom Crops. I found a new line of paper called Lillie Bee  that I really liked, the new e-craft machine (the new die cut machine that does not use mats), the Spellbinder's new really big cutting & embossing machine, and peel-offs - awesome gold and silver card or page embellishing strips.  There were so many amazing products.  I found some "must have" tools and the papers - OMGosh!  The papers were so pretty, so varied, and so amazing.  And the papers were used in such creative ways, like this "store" with it's paper flowers.

I love this Christmas banner - the glitter and elegance of the design.

The trade show ended at 3:00 pm and then it was time to set up the booth for the Super Show.  The staff at Custom Crops did a super job of setting up the booth - it is open but has lots of product.  It has the most unique and fabulous paper, wood, and tag tree.  I just love it.  It is truly a work of art and I would love to take it home.  I suspect the airline would not be as excited about the trees.

One of the elements of the "Centers" theme booth layout (or stations if you prefer - DVD Stations, Demonstrations, Pink Stamper, Retail lines, and make and take area) that I particularly like is the Framed Photo area.  There is a Custom Crops contest for those who use the frame and post photos to the Iternet.  Below the uber-talented Amy Chomas and I are goofing in the photo booth while we were trying to get it into position.

Thursday night included dinner out with part of the Custom Crops group; I just hated that Maria couldn't be there because she is so nice. Kelly took us out for authentic Chicago pizza and it was FABULOUS!

( Maria McGuire, Me, Donna Mundinger, Diane Campbell Payne [Capadia], and Melanie Brown.)

Friday morning I had a two special treats - I attended the Cricut Circle gathering.  It was really nice to see so many Circle folks present.  Mike from Provo Craft spoke for quite some time attempting to dispell rumors and such.  I have enjoyed getting to know him this week.  He is such a nice guy.

(Me, Joy Tracey, Diane Campbell Payne and Melanie Brown circling.  I loved spending time with these three women.  Diane was my roommate and Melanie & Joy are just fabulous!)

We had a special guest at the circle gathering and he was so amusing:  The Cricut!  The photo below was taken on the floor of the show but he was so cute I decided to use this photo instead of one from the gathering.

My second treat on Friday morning was my friend Peggy from home was in Chicago for a few days and she was able to join me at CHA for a few hours of shopping and make & takes!  It was so nice to be with a good friend and she had fun seeing the new products and viewing all of the booths.  As a HUGE bonus, Peggy took two large shopping bags full of products home so that my luggage will not go over weight and my carry-on will not dislocate my shoulder.  While Peggy was here, of course I HAD to photograph her with the Cricut!  You cannot come to CHA and miss the Cricut!

We also had to visit the Custom Crops photo booth!

I purchased a two of these AWESOME stamps, but I wanted to purchase more! 

After Peggy left, I helped out in the Custom Crops booth.  The CC booth was one uber-busy place!  Each of the five areas was constantly packed.  It was awesome.  The next few photos are from the booth:

And now I am off to day two of the Super Show and then tonight I fly home.  If all goes well I will be in my own bed tonight!!!

Read more »

CHA Day 3

Yesterday was the second day of the Trade Show.  This place is HUGE.  I still have not made it to all of the paper crafting booths yet... and I wonder if I  will get to see them all.  I did spend a lot of time at the Provo Craft booth.  The booth is really whimsical in appearance and I like it a lot.  The photo above is just the stage portion of their area.  I love the huge 3-D house on top of the storage area. 

 

I cannot remember if I mentioned yesterday but there is a special Cricut Circle Members only section - a secret room where you go in a meet a couple of the PC designers.  While there they gave us Circle lanyards (because you MUST wear the badge at all times at CHA) and we got to look at albums full of cuts from future cartridge.

A word about being a Circle member and being here in Chicago.  99% of the Circle memeber who are attending the trade show are store owners, designers for stores (like me with Custom Crops), or are manufacturers of their own products (like My Pink Stamper and again like me).  It costs about $100 to get into the show and the CHA membership is about $150.  So those who feel that all Cirlce members are not equal (on theMB), please remember that some circle members are business members of CHA.

 

I share the above paragraph because there were some unhappy feeling regarding those of us who were invited to the Gala receiving a Cricut Imagine machine for free.  Most of those in attendance were store owners, etc who will demo the machine in their stores so it was an investment in future sales for PC.  In my case I spoke with Brad, PC VP and he told me that they expect me to have projects made uising the Imagine posted on my blog so that everyone can see what this machine can do.

In the photo above Donna Mundinger and I are posing with Suede from Project Runway.  He used a new machine, E-CRAFT to cut the dresses displayed being us.  I must share that I think the e-craft is an AWEDOME machine.  One of my jobs here is to help Custom Crops find new product to see in their store.  This machine is a MUST HAVE for the store.  It is another die cut machine but it does not use mats and the software comes with the machine.  I  suggest you check this machine out if you would like to add to your cutting machine stock.

Finally Diane (Capadia, who is my roommate here at CHA) and I went to dimmer with about 15 women from the message board.  I had such a great time and met some truly nice women. 

In the photo above I am posing with Chirsty from Provo Craft.  She a Jim Colby joined us at the dinner.  They were SUPER NICE and we had a great time.  In fact, Christy picked up the bill for all of us and that was an unexpected treat!!

The photo above shows the group that attended, all but Dawn, Nurse Viper, who had already left when we pulled out the cameras. Below Diane and I posed for a silly photo with our empty glasses.

When we returned to our room were were joined by Joy and Melanie from Everyday Cricut for some girlfriend time.  I do not know when I have giggled so much.  I just wish my BFF girlfriends from home could have been here too.  They would have loved this.

And with that said, I am now a half hour late for today's show so I have to run......... 

Read more »