CHA, Baby!!!

Wooooo Hooooo!!! I'm back from my first CHA and can hardly belive the incredible week that I just had!!! I went to CHA to work for Rusty Pickle (I am a Chef on their Design Team.) Set up, construction, decoration, sore feet, show opens, tingle in my stomach, first customers, first "ohs and ahs", flood of people, CHOCOLATE FOUNTAIN, nervous jitters turn to excitement, Australian accents, French accents, German accents, Spanish accents, visitors from around the globe, sore back, writing my first order, need more catalogs, excitement turns to pride, more chocolate for the fountain, introductions, meeting cyber friends in real life!, sick and lost voice but NOT slowing down, out of catalogs, so much support for Rusty Pickle, hard work by the entire team, orders pouring in, energy building, and building and building... 2PM on Wednesday, time to break down and go home... tired, happy, sore, proud, full of new ideas, can't wait to scrap, grateful.

I was so thrilled to meet several "cyber" friends in real life at the show. Giving hugs, hearing laughter, seeing the twinkle in your eyes... it was soooo cool to meet so many friends at the show! I met the Tally Scrapper group (owner, Christine, and DT/Communication Directors Rachael and Shirley)... you are "Creative Geniuses!" I had dinner with Debbie, the owner of Crop Addict and several members of my Crop Addict team at the Rainforest Cafe on Sunday night. Hi to Rebecca Luddens, too... great to see you again! I was thrilled to meet one of my first cyber friends, Becky Chabot, in person! You are a tiny little thing full of all the engery and fun and knowledge that I expected. Then there is Suzy Plantamura who started throwing marshmellows at me while I was writing up my very first order... anyone that knows fun-loving Suzy knows that is TOTALLY something she would do! :-) The owners of one of my LSS, "It's About Time" came to say hello... those shirts were DARLING and I will be up to buy one in black (XL)... save one for me! Thanks for the AWESOME compliments, Melody! That meant a lot to me!! I don't know how, but I missed Miss Camille Akin, friend and owner of Ever After Scrapbooks where I am on the Design Team and a new instructor, 3 times during the show! SORRY, CAMILLE!!! I will make it up to you at our next meeting!

Besides meeting all these special friends, one of my personal show highlights was having lunch with several of the CREATING KEEPSAKES editors and special contributors. I'm still wondering how I ended up at this casual little lunch with so many incredibly talented people... I was invited by Miss Jana Lillie, the wonderful CK editor that will be publishing my work twice in the next few months. Everyone was very welcoming and shared in my excitement about my upcoming publications! I know... I'm such a dork, but this was a very special memory from CHA and I am going to keep that tingle of excitement flowing through me as long as I possibly can!

I still can't believe that this hobby of mine... this creative outlet... this preservation of memories for my family has led me to so much fun, great friends, and exciting opportunities! I can hardly wait to see what is coming next!!! And, thanks, Sweetheart, for taking care of things around the house and the kids so I could go work/play. I will make that up to you, too! :-)