CHA and Me: Mini Report (read: truly long and rambling)
I did it.
Finally after years of yearning to go, I got to attend CHA today (thanks Christine at The Artists' Nook in Fort Collins! I'll see ya soon...). I arrived nice and early (8 a.m.) I was already a little tired (having gone to bed really late and woken up bright and early and for no reason at 4:30 a.m. instead of 6 a.m.! Grrr!!). I met Christine and Cherri Robb (huge thanks Cherri!) in the lobby. (I briefly ran into Phyllis & the gang from Stampers Warehouse..I wish I had time to chat but I was following Cherri to get my badge from Christine!! It was awesome seeing the SW group and I am looking forward to teaching there in March-yay!!)
Cherri gave me some great tips and pointers, which I *really* appreciated. They helped immensely. At 9:05, we were on our way! Cherri walked with me to the F & W Publications. They were giving away free books (depending upon the author) several times a day. Throughout the day, I grabbed two books: The Perfect Bag and The Impatient Beader Gets Inspired. I *wish* I had been there at 4 for Bernie Berlin's signing of her amazing book of Artists Trading Cards. Every copy of that book I've bought, I've given away! It's *that* good, plus everything that Bernie does helps out our four legged friends!
Next stop was Invoke Arts. Oh boy. I thought I had died and gone to new stamp Heaven. The bird stamps, OH, the bird stamps! Luckily, I ran into my good friend and wonderful shop owner, Violet of Violet's Rubber Stamp Inn in Ventura and she ordered lotsostamps for us addicts! Violet also had a copy of Suz Simanaitis' book Kaleidoscope which she had ordered for her store and had arrived. She lugged it from Ventura just for little ol' me! Needless to say, I am extremely appreciative. I *love* the look of this book. I have flipped through it several times and it looks and feels and reads like a full color zine. Damn. My only problem-I wish I had known and submitted art to it (LOL). It really is VERY cool. I know that there is an onslaught of books out there, but you should really add this one to your collection!
OK, after Invoke, Cherri and I parted ways. I was a woman on a mission! I had my trusty pink (and black) sneakers on. I'm used to walking Comic-Con every year...everyone said that CHA was huge. Man, if you guys think that CHA is huge, I think if you saw San Diego Comic Con your jaw would hit the ground. CON is huge. CHA is not! LOL!!! I think Con is about 15x the size of CHA. I walked up and down the aisles "looking" like a hawk for something to catch my eye...
something...
anything...
Hmm...clear stamps all over the place (I will buy 'em if it's all they have but I still like the rubber and wood!)....lotso paper...ok...The floor plan of CHA leaves little to be desired. Instead of putting everything in one place, they make you go to different sections. That kinda sucked and broke the "thought process" up.
I found cool new masking stencils at Heidi Swapp that I *must* have...*need*...*want*...but of course at CHA, you can't buy on the spot! *Grumble* I do like Heidi's mask stencils a LOT. I have been using them since I first saw them a year or two ago up in Northern CA at Stampers Warehouse. They are 'reverse' stencils. So instead of the positive, you get the negative. I love 'em and love how they now have new designs.
OK So I went back to walking...walking...walking...OMG, forever walking...
BOOM.
Amazing.
Want 'em.
Need 'em.
Now, before I go into anything, you must hear my confession. I am not a stamper. WAIT! Hear me out. I buy them. I cherish them. I love them. I use them for inspiration. I do use them, but I am not a stamper per se... (LOL REmind me of that next time you see me loading up my basket at Violets or one of my other wonderful stores I teach at...)
Stampers Anonymous has *brand spanking new images* from Tim Holtz and Michael DeMeng that I *need*. Like, right now. Luckily, I was only one cell phone call away from Miss Violet again! "Violet. Help. I've gone insane. I must have these stamps." I coerced her into ordering the new images for me (Yay! Now I have my fingers crossed that they will arrive before my class at her store on Feb 10th and that Janna won't buy them all -LOL!!)
While I was standing mid aisle with mouth open wide, I ran into another good friend, Miss Marie from another one of my favorite stores, The Stamp Act in Marshfield, MA! (Can you see a trend here? Hmm.. "Favorite stores"...hmm it must mean that I only teach at the stores that I love! And I'm always looking for new stores to love!) I didn't get to see her parents, Dan and Gloria but I spent a good 30 minutes talking to Marie. I am SO looking forward to my trek back East and the gang at TSA in March! I can't wait! Marie was telling me all of the cool things that she had found and you guys are in trouble (neener neeners! LOL!!)
Onward, nutty artists...OK, After talking to Marie and twisting Violets arm, I decided to head downstairs to the "new" exhibitors. Guess who I ran into? The Amazing and Oh so sweet, Celine Navarro -direct from France- with Rouge de Garance and their amazing rub ons and papers! She was kind enough to load up a bag full of papers for me (since I had drooled over them in her class at Zinnia's in October). Hopefully I can get some local stores to carry the papers! They were applying the "wall" rub ons to their booth while I was there. Oh man. I want those. Some day, when I move out of this crappy apartment and have a place o' my own!)
In a nutshell, those of you that have lusted, drooled and whined over going to CHA, trust your local store owners. Let them do the shopping for you!
Some other companies that I absolutely adore that I found (or was reminded of) at the show:
Hambly Screen Prints-Stampers Warehouse had these last time I was there. My students saw me grabbing the rub ons by the handful and followed suit. They sold out during my class (and I didn't even use them in class! Imagine if I had...hmm...)
Sakura-I know I've told you in the past, but I'm repeating myself. I LOVE their Sakura Gelly Roll Glaze and Souffle pens. L O V E LOVE them. They are the BEST pens on the planet. THose puppies write on anything. I LOVE them. I begged for new colors but they didn't listen (not now they said...LOL) But I LOVE the pens. Wish I had stock in the company!
I also found several new handmade paper companies (I didn't see anything decorative papers...) that I will blog about later on.
All in all, it was fun. Hard not spending money, but fun! The best part was running into friends and seeing lots of familiar faces (Hi Lisa E!) Funny side note, I didn't see the gang from The Art Bar, but I did see Nicole's car (LOL) and I used it to find where *I* had parked! So thanks Nicole (LOL).
AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT!
From wsws.org/ after the protests across the U.S. to call for an end to the U.S. War and Occupation of Iraq...ya gotta love the "Impeach Cheney, THEN Bush" sign...
I did it.
Finally after years of yearning to go, I got to attend CHA today (thanks Christine at The Artists' Nook in Fort Collins! I'll see ya soon...). I arrived nice and early (8 a.m.) I was already a little tired (having gone to bed really late and woken up bright and early and for no reason at 4:30 a.m. instead of 6 a.m.! Grrr!!). I met Christine and Cherri Robb (huge thanks Cherri!) in the lobby. (I briefly ran into Phyllis & the gang from Stampers Warehouse..I wish I had time to chat but I was following Cherri to get my badge from Christine!! It was awesome seeing the SW group and I am looking forward to teaching there in March-yay!!)
Cherri gave me some great tips and pointers, which I *really* appreciated. They helped immensely. At 9:05, we were on our way! Cherri walked with me to the F & W Publications. They were giving away free books (depending upon the author) several times a day. Throughout the day, I grabbed two books: The Perfect Bag and The Impatient Beader Gets Inspired. I *wish* I had been there at 4 for Bernie Berlin's signing of her amazing book of Artists Trading Cards. Every copy of that book I've bought, I've given away! It's *that* good, plus everything that Bernie does helps out our four legged friends!
Next stop was Invoke Arts. Oh boy. I thought I had died and gone to new stamp Heaven. The bird stamps, OH, the bird stamps! Luckily, I ran into my good friend and wonderful shop owner, Violet of Violet's Rubber Stamp Inn in Ventura and she ordered lotsostamps for us addicts! Violet also had a copy of Suz Simanaitis' book Kaleidoscope which she had ordered for her store and had arrived. She lugged it from Ventura just for little ol' me! Needless to say, I am extremely appreciative. I *love* the look of this book. I have flipped through it several times and it looks and feels and reads like a full color zine. Damn. My only problem-I wish I had known and submitted art to it (LOL). It really is VERY cool. I know that there is an onslaught of books out there, but you should really add this one to your collection!
OK, after Invoke, Cherri and I parted ways. I was a woman on a mission! I had my trusty pink (and black) sneakers on. I'm used to walking Comic-Con every year...everyone said that CHA was huge. Man, if you guys think that CHA is huge, I think if you saw San Diego Comic Con your jaw would hit the ground. CON is huge. CHA is not! LOL!!! I think Con is about 15x the size of CHA. I walked up and down the aisles "looking" like a hawk for something to catch my eye...
something...
anything...
Hmm...clear stamps all over the place (I will buy 'em if it's all they have but I still like the rubber and wood!)....lotso paper...ok...The floor plan of CHA leaves little to be desired. Instead of putting everything in one place, they make you go to different sections. That kinda sucked and broke the "thought process" up.
I found cool new masking stencils at Heidi Swapp that I *must* have...*need*...*want*...but of course at CHA, you can't buy on the spot! *Grumble* I do like Heidi's mask stencils a LOT. I have been using them since I first saw them a year or two ago up in Northern CA at Stampers Warehouse. They are 'reverse' stencils. So instead of the positive, you get the negative. I love 'em and love how they now have new designs.
OK So I went back to walking...walking...walking...OMG, forever walking...
BOOM.
Amazing.
Want 'em.
Need 'em.
Now, before I go into anything, you must hear my confession. I am not a stamper. WAIT! Hear me out. I buy them. I cherish them. I love them. I use them for inspiration. I do use them, but I am not a stamper per se... (LOL REmind me of that next time you see me loading up my basket at Violets or one of my other wonderful stores I teach at...)
Stampers Anonymous has *brand spanking new images* from Tim Holtz and Michael DeMeng that I *need*. Like, right now. Luckily, I was only one cell phone call away from Miss Violet again! "Violet. Help. I've gone insane. I must have these stamps." I coerced her into ordering the new images for me (Yay! Now I have my fingers crossed that they will arrive before my class at her store on Feb 10th and that Janna won't buy them all -LOL!!)
While I was standing mid aisle with mouth open wide, I ran into another good friend, Miss Marie from another one of my favorite stores, The Stamp Act in Marshfield, MA! (Can you see a trend here? Hmm.. "Favorite stores"...hmm it must mean that I only teach at the stores that I love! And I'm always looking for new stores to love!) I didn't get to see her parents, Dan and Gloria but I spent a good 30 minutes talking to Marie. I am SO looking forward to my trek back East and the gang at TSA in March! I can't wait! Marie was telling me all of the cool things that she had found and you guys are in trouble (neener neeners! LOL!!)
Onward, nutty artists...OK, After talking to Marie and twisting Violets arm, I decided to head downstairs to the "new" exhibitors. Guess who I ran into? The Amazing and Oh so sweet, Celine Navarro -direct from France- with Rouge de Garance and their amazing rub ons and papers! She was kind enough to load up a bag full of papers for me (since I had drooled over them in her class at Zinnia's in October). Hopefully I can get some local stores to carry the papers! They were applying the "wall" rub ons to their booth while I was there. Oh man. I want those. Some day, when I move out of this crappy apartment and have a place o' my own!)
In a nutshell, those of you that have lusted, drooled and whined over going to CHA, trust your local store owners. Let them do the shopping for you!
Some other companies that I absolutely adore that I found (or was reminded of) at the show:
Hambly Screen Prints-Stampers Warehouse had these last time I was there. My students saw me grabbing the rub ons by the handful and followed suit. They sold out during my class (and I didn't even use them in class! Imagine if I had...hmm...)
Sakura-I know I've told you in the past, but I'm repeating myself. I LOVE their Sakura Gelly Roll Glaze and Souffle pens. L O V E LOVE them. They are the BEST pens on the planet. THose puppies write on anything. I LOVE them. I begged for new colors but they didn't listen (not now they said...LOL) But I LOVE the pens. Wish I had stock in the company!
I also found several new handmade paper companies (I didn't see anything decorative papers...) that I will blog about later on.
All in all, it was fun. Hard not spending money, but fun! The best part was running into friends and seeing lots of familiar faces (Hi Lisa E!) Funny side note, I didn't see the gang from The Art Bar, but I did see Nicole's car (LOL) and I used it to find where *I* had parked! So thanks Nicole (LOL).
AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT!
From wsws.org/ after the protests across the U.S. to call for an end to the U.S. War and Occupation of Iraq...ya gotta love the "Impeach Cheney, THEN Bush" sign...
Comments
Damn it, Shosh! I would have loved to have seen you!!
I walked by Wausau and told them that they have the best paper ever and I Think they thought I was a loon..LOL
Ohhhhhh Hambly's drool. Also check out the mask stencils from Heidi Swapp-I LOVE the new ones (already have the old ones) I WANT the new ones!! LOL
So sorry I Missed you!!!!!!
Shari-
LOL Maybe we'll all have to make plans next year to go ;)
ArtsyMama-
Celine is a sweetie! Very talented!!
Kaleidoscope is awesome! I forgot to post (and will do that later today) Randi Fuerhelm Watts has a new book coming out-they had a display copy at the show that looks COOL. I wanted to snag a copy (grr)