Day Four

Day Four I spent working at The American Art Stamp booth. Here is Robert before the show opened. Hi Robert!

The booth was right behind Lizzie Anne's booth. Which was handy because I was later to crash the Lizzie Anne Design Team dinner that night.


Here is Mary Jo Albright, Shannan Tuebner, Christy Beckwith and Kim, the MFT Lady. She actually took me along (she was invited) so I guess it wasn't and official crash. Don't ask me where we went. The only thing I can tell you it was at Downtown Disney at a Jazz restaurant where we sat outside and drank yummy cocktails and ate yummy food. You can see part of the yummy desert below.

Here is Tricia (Lizzie) and Joslyn Neilson, Meridith (Anne), Sarah Moore, Sherry Cheever, and Jeanne Streiff at dinner.

There were a lot of people at that dinner, and I'm glad I crashed...um...went. Because the rest of the days at CHA were a blur. Here are Christy Beckwith, Carole Burrage, & Linda Duke. Kim van der Sanden, Jen del Muro, Tosh Leyendecker, Shannan Tuebner, Trudee Sauer, Meridith (Anne), Tricia (Lizzie), Joslyn Neilson. Sherrie Siemens, Mary Jo Albright, Sherry Cheever, Zena Hoegger, Sarah Moore, and Jeanne Streiff.

Day Three

The first day of CHA was actually my only day to really walk the show since I would be working at the American Art Stamp booth for the rest of the day.

First stop was the new exhibitors section where MFT stamps got a PRIMO table right at the front of the hall. I had to say "Good Luck" and I was off. I saw lots of groovy stuff and saw lots of groovy people. Really too much to wrap my tiny little brain around. Let's just say that some really groovy stuff might end up at the website shortly.Then it was out to dinner with Tracy (my Design Team member with no blog) and her oh-so-talented Mom, Bin. We went to Bubba Gump's Shrimp Shack and we met up with the Stampology Chicago crew by happy accident.

While you are waiting at Bubba Gump's they come around your table and ask trivia questions about the movie. Tracy was able to answer ALL of them, with necessary accent to make everything official. Here are Tracy and Bin at Bubba Gump's.

Day Two

Day Two was education day at CHA and I took several workshops and seminars. The standout one was one I crashed given by Copic with Marianne Walker. Unfortunately, the pallet with all their product had not arrived. But with borrowed markers she gave a great demo.

After all the workshops and such, I went over to the Splitcoast Stampers cupcake reception. Not only did I get to meet up with Sara and Daven again, but I finally got to meet Jenn Balcer. What a sweetie. And so full of energy.

Diana from Scor-Pal was there, plus the gals from Flourishes. Taylor Van Bruggen, who could be on "Make Me A SuperModel". Shannan Tuebner, who has to be one of the most effervescent people I have ever met. And Lisa Johnson who I finally got to meet after drooling over her work.

I went with the MFT crew and they kept whispering in my ear who people were. What they were whispering, I haven't a clue. What I haven't mentioned to you was that the day I drove down to CHA my ears felt like they needed to pop. You know that feeling, dontcha? Where it feels like you are hearing things through a bubble? Well, my ears didn't pop until I got home, so much of the whispering in my ear didn't make it to my brain.

After the reception, I headed over to the Paper Pretties hotel room where they were having an impromptu pajama party. So much FUN!

Where are the pictures, you ask? They're coming. Be patient.

Day One

And we are coming into the home stretch now filling orders, so I thought I'd share a bit.

Day One at CHA for me was actually the day before education day and 2 days before the show.

Anthony and I drove down from San Francisco to Anaheim. It took about 8 hours to get there, including the 2 hours from Burbank to Anaheim. It was a lot of driving, but as Californians, that's what we do best, drive.

After we settled in to the hotel, I headed over to the Marriot to meet up with Kim and her crew. And was I in for a surprise, not only was Kim, Christy (the artist behind MFT) and Jamie there, celebrities in their own right, but even more famous people! Alli Miles, Sherri Siemans, Jen del Muro, Carole Burrage. Christie Ortman from Paper Pretties and Julie Masse made an appearance.

And more showed up later.
Here is Allie Miles, Carole Burrage, Nicky Manel (Nickabella), and Kim van der Sanden. Emily (Stamping Bella Extraordinaire) and Nicky (Nickabella) showed up with their gorgeous freshly "done" faces after an afternoon shopping at chi chi South Coast Plaza (former home of Stampa Barbara). It was the first time meeting most everyone IRL, but we all chatted away like we had known each other forever. Everyone was so warm and friendly.


Here is everyone when we stopped yakking. From the left front, Carole, Christy. Emily, Kim, Nicky, Me, Jen, Jamie, Allie, and Sherry.

It's all about....

Nope. This post is not going to be about CHA or the San Mateo Convention or Mocha or my Sweetie. Or even about me. That will all come later.

This post is to announce 2 new members of The Cat's Pajamas Design Team. I've been stalking these ladies for months and when I finally met them at CHA in all their wonderous, fantabulistic glory I knew I had to ask them "Pretty please with sugar on top?" And they actually said "YES!"

So welcome Carole Burrage and Jen del Muro to The Cat's Pajamas Design Team!

You probably know Carole from just buzzing around the blogosphere. 'Cause this girl has been around. From being on the MFT and Starving Artistamps Design Teams to being a guest designer for Paper Pretties and Gina K, her designs just sinnnnggg! I just love her bold use of color.

Jen del Muro gets around too. A Dirty Dozen Alumni, Jen also designs for MFT and Visual Verve. I've admired the clean, graphic designs that Jen creates and the innovative projects she designs for a while now. And now we all get to see what fabulousness she does with our stamps.


Here they are in all their pre-design team glory. (Little did they know)
Jen, Emily from Stamping Bella, Carole and Kim, the MFT Lady at dinner the day before CHA. Note the appletinis. But that's another post.

Closed, BABEEEE!

Woohoo! You heard it! We are closed until February 18th!

We are off to CHA where we'll be smooshing and smooshed. Most of the time I'll be hanging with Robert and Gayle at the American Art Stamp booth and bothering the MFT crew at their booth.

The rest of the time I'll be roaming the aisles, like a caged animal, ready to pounce on the next great product I see.

Then, we'll be at the San Mateo Convention, with Tracy and Bin making magic. Come by and see us if you can.

Then we will be back on the 18th filling all those orders that came in while we were closed. And, I'll be working on the new Summer line.

Ahh! The life of a stamp company owner. No rest for the wicked. And there will be photos....