okay. i have started this post in my mind SO many times and i honestly do not know where to begin.
cha is so overwhelming. in a really good way. but man, it’s overwhelming.
it’s big. and there are a LOT of people. many of them are people i’ve always wanted to meet.
many of them are the SWEETEST blog readers ever.
i met so many amazing women. my mind is still reeling.
and here’s another thing…working a booth at a show is a lot different than walking around during a show.
four years ago i walked and this time i worked. man…i don’t think i’ve EVER been so tired in my life. again, a wonderful tired. i’m never quite prepared!
i’m not sure how to recap, so i think i’ll just recap each day.
oh…and while i did get some pictures, there are many i did NOT get. if you were one of the new friends i met can you please send me a photo if you have one? i was talking so much i wasn’t concentrating on photo taking. hahaha!
day one
i left (out of boston) at about 8 am on friday. it was a six hour flight to san francisco and i had an entire row to myself.
and some awesome reading material.
if you haven’t read mindy kaling’s book READ IT NOW. it’s the first book since tina fey’s bossypants that has made me laugh out loud.
repeatedly. on a plane. like an idiot. it’s fabulous.
i got to know the flight attendant and she snuck me baileys and coffee several times. might have been the best flight ever.
i had a tiny layover then on to anaheim.
i met up with my friends may and lisa at the airport then it was time to head to the convention center to do some work.
that’s my boss (jason) sitting on the floor. we had books to cover in tape and paper, layouts to hang, and lots of other random work to do.
yes, that’s a washi covered bike in the first photo. and yes, jason knows he put the wheel on backwards. HA!
we worked for a couple of hours and then i met some friends at p.f. changs for dinner.
what a terrible picture, but what a wonderful time i had.
that’s may flaum, melissa stinson, lisa dickinson, and shimelle laine. a group of hilarious and creative women.
and apparently long flights, lack of eating, and jet lag make me a cheap date. two glasses of wine and i was looking out of one eye.
awesome.
it was a wonderful way to start my trip. and the beginning of the end as far as losing my voice. hehehe!
Day Two
started with the biggest fruit and yogurt parfait i’ve ever seen in my life. true story.
and it was on to the convention center. i met up with lisa first (who may be one of my favorite people ever).
and the rest of this day is a BLUR. i honestly mean that.
i met so many of my favorite people. women who i have looked up to (professionally and personally) for so many years.
half of them i didn’t get photos with.
i got to see my friend veronica from chic crafts. this was her first year at cha and i am so proud of her.
i met elle from elle’s studio and kristen from lily bee and all of the amazing ladies at maya road. no pictures with them, either. 🙁
i met angie (hi angie!!) the sweetest blog reader ever, and i talked to her daughters on the phone.
i met so many other amazingly kind blog readers that it made my heart so full.
here are some other friends i caught up with on the first day…these actually have photographic proof. 🙂
finally met my sweet friend liz in person and it was such a treat.s she’s beautiful and sweet and just lovely.
meeting another liz i admire so much. i am so dang excited that she is doing a paper project life version. i think it just might be enough to get me doing pl again.
hanging out with ali. she said we needed a picture in our dresses. she looked amazing. talk about knocking ’em dead.
i met sweet diana who i feel like i’ve known through my blog forever-
the day ended with happy hour with these lovely ladies:
lisa, jennifer, and summer…i was SO excited to finally meet jen in person.
she is everything i knew she would be. love her.
Day 3
back at the booth for more talking, photo taking (i’ll share product photos in another post), and networking.
i loved working with the mme crew by the way. i could not possible work for (and with) a better group of people.
it was funny because the mme booth is generally all guys (except for jen allyson now and then, and marcia- the owner). but they come and go and aren’t in the booth the entire time.
when people met me they’d say “oh no, you don’t work for my mind’s eye, they don’t hire girls”. HA!
this is me and marcia. i had a ball talking to her. she’s pretty much the best boss ever.
it was so much fun.
i laughed and talked all day long. surrounded by awesome product. how can that not be my dream job? 🙂
my longtime friend jana francis (founder of the steals network) stopped by to say hi.This photo is actually from day one of the show but since I spent way more time talking to her on day 2, I’m putting it here.
so did todd and brook from creating keepsakes events (they make me laugh so hard).
i had my first tim tam ever…YUM.
then i decided to walk around a little bit.
i ran into celine navarro, so pretty this one is.
then i stopped by jenni bowlin‘s booth for the 9238402384028 time.
yeah, yeah yeah. i know you’ve heard me talk about her a zillion times over the years.
but i mean it. she is my favorite person in this industry. always has been, always will be.
she is the epitome of graciousness,kindness, and genuineness.
and i’ll probably say it a zillion more times in the future.
we hadn’t seen each other since i was newly pregnant with the twins, so it was great to catch up.
heidi swapp’s booth was next to jenni’s so i stopped by to say hi.
she said we needed a photo of our shoes because they showed how different we are. hahaha!
then i had to say hi to two of the most adorable ladies…yes they are really this precious in real life
i ran into lots of my sweet studio calico board friends:
amy tan (i also had the pleasure of meeting amy’s sweet ‘mommy’)
and maggie holmes (favorite line of the entire show).
then it was back to the booth for several more hours and then i met some friends for dinner at downtown disney.
meeting elise and paul (finally) was fantastic. they are a wonderful couple and she is just glowing. i’m thrilled for them and the beautiful adventure they are on.
i had a flight ridiculously early the next morning, but i met lisa and jennifer for a drink at the marriott… and there was so much talking and laughing. and catching up.
and laughing until my face hurt and my voice was cracking.
really. my voice is pretty much gone right now.
i tried to soak up every moment i had. it is a blessing to be around so many women that share the same mentality and passion that i do for being creative.
it was so much fun.
and so tiring. and crazy. and it flew by.
it might be another four years before i do it again (the last time before this year was 2009), but it’s worth the wait.
thanks to all of you who took the time to come say hi to me. to introduce yourselves and for being so kind and encouraging. i LOVED meeting all of you.
i actually ended up getting a few product photos so i’ll share those in my next post!
xoxo
Wow! thanks for sharing Stephanie, looks like you had a fabulous time and it must have been great to meet people that love scrapping as much as you do 🙂
every minute I got to spend with you was amazing! It went so darn fast…
Sounds like you had an amazing time. So happy for you!
This sounds so amazing!! I love seeing the new products and all the happy friend times on here (and on IG)! You are so very talented, and sweet! I vow to start scrapping again soon, and I will not let life get in my way. LOL!! ((HUGS))
I get tired even from reading this post.. Sounds like you had an amazing time!
Awesome, I would love to go to CHA to meet all those great people (inculding you), too!! 😀 I hope one day..
great pictures and what an awesome time you had, so jealous 🙂
this is so great – i love that you hung out with all the other bloggers that I follow…in my mind you were all already friends irl – how crazy that you and Elise just met in person? I feel like you two are such similar sweet souls! Fun times – thanks for sharing!!!
WOW what a great time you had! So want to try and go some day. I love the green dress you’re wearing – where did you get it? Hope your voice comes back soon. 🙂
Talbots!! Thank you! Xoxo
Sent from my iPhone
so fun to read! i’m glad you got to go & that you had fun! can’t wait to hear your report of what J & the girls did while you were gone!
Sounds like so much fun! Thanks for taking us along!
My little girl and I just got super excited because you met “glitter girl”! HA! I am so glad you had the opportunity to go and have so much fun. Well deserved!
SO fun to meet you–sent you an email with a picture! 😉
Looks like soooo soooo much fun!!!! i would have been geeking out meeting you, heidi swapp, maggie holmes & amy tan!LOL
xo
So much fun!
But, um…I just have to tell you…I TOTALLY thought you were wearing bunny ears in the picture w/Liz K. Darn that horse in the background! 😉 😉
Had to laugh at the Tim Tam… hope you enjoyed it, we alway have a pack in the fridge 🙂 CHA looked AMAAAAAZING, how cool you can catch up with so many friends and scrapbooking peeps!
You deserved to have a great time! I’m so glad you got to go and that you shared so much of your experience with us! Thanks so much!!!
Wow! Looks like you had a fantastic time! Thanks for taking us along with you, loved all the pics:)
Thanks for sharing the photos with us, it’s great to see it through your eyes. Hoped you like your Tim Tam they are a staple around here.
Glad you had a good time. I met jenni bowlin last year and agree–she is a warm and gracious person!
Your joy and fun show in your eyes. Sounds the best thing ever, wall to wall crafts. I’ll bet you were the best ambassador MME has had. Have a good rest!
awesome! the last time I went was 2008 I think…Ill have to find a way to sneak back in there some year soon! 🙂
I just made it back from California today. It was amazing! I am so happy that I was able to meet you in person. Thanks for taking the time to talk to my girls. You are just as wonderful in person as you are on your blog. Keep being you!
Thanks for sharing your amazing time with us.
Thanks for sharing Stephanie! It sounded like a whirl trip of FUN!
So envious of you getting to attend and meet so many creative and famous people in the scrapbooking industry. Know you had a wonderful time.Thanks for sharing your pics. Hi to the littles for me, they are getting bigger!!!
I’m pretty sure I made my usual lame&dorky first impression with you, pretty much foot-in-mouth every time we ran into each other, lol…that’s just how my social-anxiety rolls…but I enjoyed meeting you, love your refreshing & totally real personality, and of course your style. MME is super-lucky to have you & it was a pleasure to meet you!
No you HAVE HAVE HAVE to go to the show in Vegas this summer…..reading all of this all I kept thinking was yea I get to meet her this summer since NO MATTER WHAT I am going to the Vegas show. Then to read the very last paragraph ruined that whole thought so you HAVE to go to Vegas since there is NO WAY I am missing it…tired of sitting at home pouting because all of my friends are at CHA LOL! Please try to go you have no idea how much I would LOVE to meet you!
Patricia
the PaperTemptress
If you loved Mindy’s book, pick up “Let’s Pretend This Never Happened” by Jenny Lawson.
I laughed out loud so much reading this book. It was awesome. You’ll love it.
oh HUSH. you are DARLING!!! xoxo
I’m SO HAPPY you had a great time!! 2009 was the last time I got to go as well (with my booth) and I did get to meet you quickly as you were walking around with the SC girls?. Truly a different experience being in a booth from walking as an attendee. Both equally amazing experiences though. Miss it soooooo much! Hopefully, someday I get to go back – working for a fabulous company (like say, Echo Park 🙂 and I’ll get to see my pals again.
How did the girls do while you were gone?