CHA fun!! (photo heavy)

So I'm back to reality - back from CHA! I seriously had so much fun! I flew in late Sunday night - my flight was delayed an hour because of the blizzard in Salt Lake City - so by the time I arrived in Long Beach it was 9:00 pm and i had to ride in a pimped out van and a pimped out driver all by myself in the dark for 25 minutes - it was all i could do to contain myself and not FREAK out! Luckily i made it safely to the hotel and Bek was on her way there to meet me!

Monday was pretty much just a blur - when we got there - the convention center was being evacuated - how convenient - so we waited outside for a bit till we could all go back in. I told Becky that i was just going to follow her around - i didnt know what i was doing or where to go. First we checked out the Fancy Pants booth - i was anxious to meet Cindy Tobey and Amy Peterman. That are both so great - i had fun trying to talk to them - the booth was so busy most of the time - which is saying 'alot' - some booths weren't so fortunate~

Then I was able to attend a luncheon for Creating Keepsakes contributors. I felt very inadequate but enjoyed every minute of it. I will be published for the first time in the April issue - so really not so much of a contributor!! Hope to be though. I was lucky enough to sit by Mandy Douglass this years Scrapbooker of the Year - and she couldn't have made me feel more comfortable (not that anyone made me feel uncomfortable ;)). SUch a doll - and so easy to talk too!

Then we made it over to Papercrafts Birthday Celebration. Becky and Kim are regulars so i was just along for the ride - but everyone was so welcoming and nice. After that we just walked around and soaked it all in. At 5:00 was the 2 peas cupcake social. So great to put faces to names - and eat cupcakes of course!

That night Becky, Ellen Hutson and I went to dinner with the Fabulous Claudine Hellmuth and her friend Berni - this girl does amazing things - i was inspired just watching her over at the Ranger booth and learned a few things i didn't know about paint and canvas! Go check out her blog and you'll see the fun things she does with her new product.

The next day we just walked around and I watched Becky do her thing for Cornish Heritage Farms (super fabulous rubber stamping company). That night we were SO tired - we were invited to a dinner with the gals over at Studio Calico - who were so amazingly nice! Loved everyone of them - not only are the uber talented - they are so REAL and so sweet in real life! You just come to realize what a computer cannot portray of someones personality. Because they are all so amazing online - but even better off. After dinner - Becky, Ellen and I just went back to the Hotel and checked out reveal night for Studio Calico's kits - and i did a little spending on some add-ons. I had great roommates and made great friends. I wish i could just list everyone i met and how fabulous they were but the list would be toooooooo long. Lets just say.....it was amazing (i think i may have already said that)!

So for some reason i can't get my pictures to show up in my post - only when i view it so i'm going to have to make a list here.

1. Ellen Hutson and Becky Olsen - my roomies! Ellen has a fabulous store that you need to go check out - if your a techniquie (is that a word?) kind of girl - you will find everything here to make it happen!

2. Becky and I - we had to sleep on a full size bed - i felt bad for her because i am such a light sleeper - back and forth - lucky for me she slept like a ROCK!

3. The amazing Stephanie Howell - was able to meet her at the Studio Calico dinner. Was so glad to hear I wasnt the only one boobing because i missed my kids. Dean called with the kids while i was at dinner so by the time i was done talking to him i was sobbing! She kinda gave me the 'i've been doing it all week so don't feel bad' talk.

4. Nicole Howard and Nicole Samuels - i sat accross from them and just loved both of their personalities - so funny, so talkative - so talented!!

5. Me and Kirsty Wiseman - can't say enough about her and her cute little accent. I couldn't believe she traveled so far - but was so glad to meet her - have been a big fan for a long time. So sweet and down to earth!!

6. Scarlet Namvong and Stephanie - scarlet is so darn cute and so much littler in real life!

7.Me and Cindy Tobey at the Fancy Pants booth - i don't even need to go into detail about how fabulous this woman is!!

8. Me and Amy Peterman - another amazingly talented girl!!

9. This is a group that was at the CK luncheon - Brittany Beattie, me, Emily Falconbridge, CD Muckosky, Amy Martin - i don't think i need to say anything else!

10. Me and Mandy Douglass - i already gushed about her above!! Isn't she cute!

11. and last but not least - my girls - Kim Huges and Becky Olsen - this was at the papercrafts birthday party! These are my scrapping buddies a few times a month!

But the best part of all of it - was when Dean showed up at the airport and i thought he got a babysitter for the kiddos and i got in the front seat and looked in the back and wondered why there was a blanket covering the back seat and my kids popped out! So excited to see them - they were so tired - but it was worth it. Sorry this is such a long post - but i just had to get it all out!!