CHA Chicago

Oh, what fun I had in Chicago at the CHA summer Super Show. Again, I came home wishing I had taken more pictures. But, when I'm at an event I either a) don't think to take more pictures or b) am too bashful to take more pictures. I need to get over my timidness and just do it because I love having the memories. And, yes, technically I know I'll always have the memories even without the pictures but I hope you know what I mean. :p

Here I am with the most wonderful PTI team: Debbie Olson, Heather Nichols, Nichole Heady, little ol' me, Dawn McVey, Jennifer Ellefson, and Mish Wooderson. Behind me is the PTI booth.

I think the Meet & Greet at the end of the day was a great way to just hang with the girls and chit chat. They were all so warm and friendly and genuine. I'm sure they were just beat after a busy day but they persevered and smiled some more. I really liked each and every single one of these ladies and I wish I could have found a way to tell them that without sounding like a major suck-up or a star-struck teenager geeking out over the Jonas Brothers. They are just icing on the cake to a wonderful stamp company.

I met Taheerah and I just have to say how tall I felt. :) I'm usually the short one, standing at a mere 5'3". Taheerah was just as sweet in person as she is online and I was so glad I got to meet her.

Here's a group of us after the Friday evening show. Cherie, Margorie (Moodyblue), Nadine, her friend Maria, Sara, and Taheerah. Oops, looks like I didn't get Leann in the picture. Note the three Hawaii girls giving me the "hang loose" sign. :)

Here's Sara and Taheerah.

Another one of Taheerah (how does she get in all these pictures? lol) and Leann.

Here is Nadine and me. I just noticed that we're both wearing shirts with lots of flowers on the front. Debbie Olson said I look like a Prima flower. :) I did get lots of compliments on my shirt but what was so funny was that for most people the next question was "did you make it?" Being at a "craft show" that's probably a very fair question but no, I did not make my shirt. I sew only on paper!

Here's one last picture from our get together on Friday night. In the front is Nadine, Taheerah, and me. In the back row is Sara, Marjorie, Cherie, and Leann. I so enjoyed getting to know these ladies better!!

Okay, this last picture is of my "haul" from the weekend. Let's see, I finally bought Turning a New Leaf. I had hoped to get Just the Ticket but it was already sold out. Rats! Guess I'll just have to place another order...lol. I loaded up on all sorts of dies and impression plates. Knowing that I was going to CHA, I had resisted purchasing any for the last several months. I got the Sunshine, Woodgrain, and Bookprint impression plates. I got the bookmark, tea pot/label, jar, jar lids, jar label, BB #3, and Just the Ticket dies. Four colors of felt, five packs of paper (including Harvest Gold, which did sell out later that day), some baker's twine, the Bitty Dot 2009 paper pad, vellum, clear cardstock and six spools of ribbon. Oh, and a pack of envelopes. Whew! That's a lot of stuff. It really helped to clear my "wish list". Don't worry though, there's still plenty on my wish list. lol

It was so fun just walking through the PTI "store" and picking whatever I wanted off the shelves. I LOVED seeing all of Nichole's samples in person. How fun and awesome!!

You can also see the four make-and-takes that I did. The bottom left is the card and the felt flower we made on Friday. At the top of the picture is the Christmas tree card (which I goofed up so don't mind the bad inking job) and then on the right is the second card from Saturday. I got to use the envelope die and I liked it a whole lot more than I thought I would. That just might have to get added to my wish list! :)

I would go back in a heartbeat next year and would highly recommend another get together with the forum friends.