Pages

Friday, January 30, 2009

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!!










16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Brenda, just found you on the SC blog and I really love your blog :) and all the photos from CHA!

I will be back.

Ciao for now

Linda said...

You are so lucky! I'm glad you had a great time. I left you something on my blog

stephanie howell said...

You are such a doll. I 'm so glad we met...I kind of adore you!
xo

Unknown said...

You are such a GREAT roomie, and an even better friend and cropping buddy!!!
LOVE you!!!
Thanks for putting up with me darling!
B-

Kim Strother said...

HI Brenda- so glad you had fun at CHA! I just wanted to tell you I got your box! Thank you SOOOOOO much!
I love it all, especially the little acrylic tags and the crape paper ribbon. You're awesome!

Kim

Heather said...

Brenda, you know I have no idea about anything that has to do with scrapbooking, but what I am figuring out from this post is that you are a celebrity in the scrapbooking world and that you had just met a bunch of superstars! That is really cool, You are doing something that many people envy! Anyways I am glad to see you are doing so well! Cute story about the kids at the airport! - Heather

Tynel Jarnagin said...

Looks like you had a great getaway! How fun to be so talented and surrounded by such talented people!

Anonymous said...

So great to meet you in person Brenda! Sounds like you had a great time.

Kirsty Wiseman said...

ooh brenda, you long blog poster, you!
I blogged about you all too :)

Staci Taylor said...

Wow brenda, it sounds (and looks) like you had such a great time!! I'm sooo jealous!! :-) And you are so adorable!!

Karie Coats said...

looks like you had tons of fun! And love the capri's your sporting!

Sasha Farina said...

stop it will ya? i'm turning green. . . hahaaha~~!! Kidding :D Glad you had a great time Girl. . .!

laura vegas said...

sounds like such a fun trip for you ... and you're a lucky girl to meet all those cool scrappers! glad you had a good time!

Ann(i)e Hafermann said...

sounds (and looks) like such fun!!!
and man do you look SO CUTE in all the pictures!!
xoxo
annie

The Sonboul's said...

how very fun! I love all the photos. I had my camera at CHA too, but lol I never polled it out. I'm happy you did!

Andrea Amu said...

I'm jealous too! How fun to be able to meet up with so many fun scrappers! Maybe one day I'll get to CHA!