This post should be subtitled, "Oh My Aching Feet."
My day started at 8am at the Innovations Showcase. Twenty companies were picked to share a cool new product. Each had one slide…
…and one minute to tell you about their product. It was like speed dating and totally fascinating from a marketing point-of-view. In addition to the one minute, each company had a small table top on which to display their wares:
At the Innovations Showcase I bumped into Nancy Nally, but again, no photo. Dang. I have to get better about that. Anyway, when the showcase ended I headed off to the Convention Center, where I ate the single worst bagel I have ever tasted in my entire life. And was greeted by this impressive line of people:
But one of the perks of having a manufacturer badge (thanks, Prima!) is that I was able to skip the line and sneak into the convention hall a little bit early! There were lots of last minute touches happening everywhere! I headed straight for the Prima booth so that I could get some good photos before all the retailers came pouring in! Check it out:
After Prima, I headed over to the Crafter's Workshop, the other company I made samples for.
Amazing stencils. Amazing people. Amazing sense of humor. I started working with them because I just love their product!
After that I made a bee line for Sassafras Lass. I had seen their "Mix and Mend" line on their blog and desperately wanted to see it in person! Take a peek:
It's completely flat, but it's amazing how dimensional it looks, even in person. So so so so cool! It's like cheater fabric for scrapbookers! And the rest of their booth was fun and bright and totally fab too!
I want about a million plus seven of these metal vintage-y flowers. Sign me up for the bulk pack!
One of the things that's so fun about CHA is getting to see products from companies you've never heard of. I had to stop when I saw these colorful dominoes from a company called Phenominoes.
The woman who owns the company licenses artwork and through some sort of chemical process transfers the images onto these dominoes.
As I was leaving the Phenominoes booth, my friend Els hollered from her booth, Elizabeth Craft Designs. This is a company that's all about products that can take a lot of techniques. Right up my alley! I mean, Els can put Tim Holtz to shame. She makes the humblest items, like these vinyl stickers, look like the coolest tools in the world.
And this is Velvet Glitter (ETA: The Burnished Velvet technique is a trademarked technique by Deanna Pannell, the glitter, sold through Elizabeth Craft Designs is Glitter Ritz Micro-Fine Glitter.):
When I touched that butterfly, it was completely soft and smooth. No bumpy or nubby texture the way regular glitter has. And my friend Judy was in the booth promoting her new product, Shimmer Sheetz:
Shimmer Sheetz is iridescent and metallic Mylar that can be used in so many cool ways! There's a great blog post here from a woman named Heidi Blankenship.
Els demonstrated that it can be embossed and then sanded:
And the many samples around the booth:
Another reason I love CHA! I'm not sure I would have given it a second look at the store, but now that I've seen how much you can do with it, I'm itching to give it a try!
I flitted by the Making Memories booth oh-so-briefly. But this tree stopped me in my tracks!
And I really liked the Halloween trim!
Next I ran into Erin Yamabe at My Little Shoebox. Turns out we're both going to be teaching at the Paper&Co. Show in France in November! And check out the MLS booth:
Can you believe that this doesn't even take us to 11am? But it's after midnight now and I have to teach bright and early at 9am, so I'm going to say, to be continued….
ahhh .- thanks for this- I miss it!!! Yummie pictures
ahhh .- thanks for this- I miss it!!! Yummie pictures
ahhh .- thanks for this- I miss it!!! Yummie pictures
ahhh .- thanks for this- I miss it!!! Yummie pictures
Everything looks so fun!!!! Thanks for sharing with us!!!!
Everything looks so fun!!!! Thanks for sharing with us!!!!
Everything looks so fun!!!! Thanks for sharing with us!!!!
Everything looks so fun!!!! Thanks for sharing with us!!!!
Thanks for this beautiful “reportage”.
Just downloaded your CD…can’t wait to watch it!
Thanks for this beautiful “reportage”.
Just downloaded your CD…can’t wait to watch it!
Thanks for this beautiful “reportage”.
Just downloaded your CD…can’t wait to watch it!
Thanks for this beautiful “reportage”.
Just downloaded your CD…can’t wait to watch it!
thanks for the updates for those of us who can’t make it to the show! we appreciate you!
thanks for the updates for those of us who can’t make it to the show! we appreciate you!
thanks for the updates for those of us who can’t make it to the show! we appreciate you!
thanks for the updates for those of us who can’t make it to the show! we appreciate you!
Yeah, I loved my first day at CHA and my mental feet are sore as well. The Prima wavy pearl-type items are a must!
Yeah, I loved my first day at CHA and my mental feet are sore as well. The Prima wavy pearl-type items are a must!
Yeah, I loved my first day at CHA and my mental feet are sore as well. The Prima wavy pearl-type items are a must!
Yeah, I loved my first day at CHA and my mental feet are sore as well. The Prima wavy pearl-type items are a must!
I love your reviews as always. Every CHA I always hope that you are going so I can see your pictures and read what you have to say about it. I of course live vicariously through you because chances are I will never ever go to a CHA myself very very doubtful and that is fine, but at least I get to see it all through your great blog posts! Thanks for staying up and doing such a great post. Can’t wait see the next one.
Ps. Get some good ones of Tim’s Holtz’s new stuff. It looks good! I would love to see it in person. Have fun!! Boo hiss on the Bagel in Chicago too. Shameful. Maybe you’ll find some good pizza there soon. My sister is from there and their pizza is to die for.
I love your reviews as always. Every CHA I always hope that you are going so I can see your pictures and read what you have to say about it. I of course live vicariously through you because chances are I will never ever go to a CHA myself very very doubtful and that is fine, but at least I get to see it all through your great blog posts! Thanks for staying up and doing such a great post. Can’t wait see the next one.
Ps. Get some good ones of Tim’s Holtz’s new stuff. It looks good! I would love to see it in person. Have fun!! Boo hiss on the Bagel in Chicago too. Shameful. Maybe you’ll find some good pizza there soon. My sister is from there and their pizza is to die for.
I love your reviews as always. Every CHA I always hope that you are going so I can see your pictures and read what you have to say about it. I of course live vicariously through you because chances are I will never ever go to a CHA myself very very doubtful and that is fine, but at least I get to see it all through your great blog posts! Thanks for staying up and doing such a great post. Can’t wait see the next one.
Ps. Get some good ones of Tim’s Holtz’s new stuff. It looks good! I would love to see it in person. Have fun!! Boo hiss on the Bagel in Chicago too. Shameful. Maybe you’ll find some good pizza there soon. My sister is from there and their pizza is to die for.
I love your reviews as always. Every CHA I always hope that you are going so I can see your pictures and read what you have to say about it. I of course live vicariously through you because chances are I will never ever go to a CHA myself very very doubtful and that is fine, but at least I get to see it all through your great blog posts! Thanks for staying up and doing such a great post. Can’t wait see the next one.
Ps. Get some good ones of Tim’s Holtz’s new stuff. It looks good! I would love to see it in person. Have fun!! Boo hiss on the Bagel in Chicago too. Shameful. Maybe you’ll find some good pizza there soon. My sister is from there and their pizza is to die for.
WOW! Looks like so much fabulous stuff! Good luck teaching in the morning!
WOW! Looks like so much fabulous stuff! Good luck teaching in the morning!
WOW! Looks like so much fabulous stuff! Good luck teaching in the morning!
WOW! Looks like so much fabulous stuff! Good luck teaching in the morning!
Thanks for posting this, Julie! I am totally living vicariously right now!
Thanks for posting this, Julie! I am totally living vicariously right now!
Thanks for posting this, Julie! I am totally living vicariously right now!
Thanks for posting this, Julie! I am totally living vicariously right now!
I LOVE your CHA recaps. Thanks for taking the time to post these photos. Enjoy yourself!!
I LOVE your CHA recaps. Thanks for taking the time to post these photos. Enjoy yourself!!
I LOVE your CHA recaps. Thanks for taking the time to post these photos. Enjoy yourself!!
I LOVE your CHA recaps. Thanks for taking the time to post these photos. Enjoy yourself!!
Fit Flops Julie! They make them in a shoe/clog type of style now, as well as what they started with, a flip flop. I may have bought them with the leg toning promise in mind, but I love them for foot and leg comfort. Both for walking and standing for long stretches, they prevent my feet and legs from feeling sore and tired.
Thanks for enduring all of this and taking the time to share. Love what you’re seeing!!
Fit Flops Julie! They make them in a shoe/clog type of style now, as well as what they started with, a flip flop. I may have bought them with the leg toning promise in mind, but I love them for foot and leg comfort. Both for walking and standing for long stretches, they prevent my feet and legs from feeling sore and tired.
Thanks for enduring all of this and taking the time to share. Love what you’re seeing!!
Fit Flops Julie! They make them in a shoe/clog type of style now, as well as what they started with, a flip flop. I may have bought them with the leg toning promise in mind, but I love them for foot and leg comfort. Both for walking and standing for long stretches, they prevent my feet and legs from feeling sore and tired.
Thanks for enduring all of this and taking the time to share. Love what you’re seeing!!
Fit Flops Julie! They make them in a shoe/clog type of style now, as well as what they started with, a flip flop. I may have bought them with the leg toning promise in mind, but I love them for foot and leg comfort. Both for walking and standing for long stretches, they prevent my feet and legs from feeling sore and tired.
Thanks for enduring all of this and taking the time to share. Love what you’re seeing!!
Hi Julie,
This is awesome…that you made time to recap while you were there! Thank you for your time, it was great to meet you! And I look forward to seeing you later this fall in France!
Erin
Hi Julie,
This is awesome…that you made time to recap while you were there! Thank you for your time, it was great to meet you! And I look forward to seeing you later this fall in France!
Erin
Hi Julie,
This is awesome…that you made time to recap while you were there! Thank you for your time, it was great to meet you! And I look forward to seeing you later this fall in France!
Erin
Hi Julie,
This is awesome…that you made time to recap while you were there! Thank you for your time, it was great to meet you! And I look forward to seeing you later this fall in France!
Erin
fabulous CHA photos i loved them all!!
fabulous CHA photos i loved them all!!
fabulous CHA photos i loved them all!!
fabulous CHA photos i loved them all!!