Friday, July 29, 2011

Five Minute Friday: u r sweet

Happy Friday!  I’m still pretty exhausted and catching up from CHA but I did manage to pull out this cute little card using some Zva alphabet bling and Unity’s Sweetest Day, colored with Copics and a piece of Divine Twine.  Easy!

Don’t forget the Copic mandated price increase is August 1, so stock up now before the price goes up! 

Have a great weekend!

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

CHA wrap-up

Warning:  This is a photo heavy post!

Phew!  I am recovering from CHA.  I had a blast and missed some of my friends who couldn’t make it this time around.  Next time, right? 

My list of order forms is more than an inch thick so I won’t share everything with you but here are some highlights and pictures.  (Most pictures are courtesy of my friend, Kelly, who came along to be our photographer and help me out.)

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The view from the parking garage overlooking the convention center.

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WE WANT IN!

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ALL OF US!

We walked and walked and walked the floor.  Something like 7 miles on the first day.  Yeah, I love my Merrell shoes! 

Here’s some of the eye candy from Graphic45.  I ordered the Wizard of Oz line and stamps and some other goodies.

And from Jillibean Soup.  I ordered all of their new 6x6 pads and those awesome felt flowers.

Kaiser had some amazing new lines and I got them.  I’m most excited about the Miss Nelly line. I’ll also be carrying some of their basic gems and pearls, by request.

Of course I ordered some regulars like Spellbinders, Hero Arts, Lifestyle Crafts (used to be Quickutz), BasicGrey (even though they weren’t at the show), Unity, Webster’s Pages, Our Craft Lounge, Crate, Scor-Pal, Zva, LilyBee, Petaloo and Copic

I think my favorite booth this year was October Afternoon.  They did a whole western theme and it was adorable!  I got put in jail for buying too many goodies.  :)

My Mind’s Eye has some AMAZING new lines – 12 new lines in 6x6 pads.  So excited about that!  And some great new collection kits too!

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Then I was excited to order from some new companies like Authentique, Simple Stories, First Edition and Sticky Thumb.  The first two have some amazing paper lines and Sticky Thumb had the BEST dimensional dots I’ve ever tried.  It’s a nice, firm foam that won’t compress when mailing and is SUPER sticky.  Plus the pack comes assorted with carious sizes and shapes of dots, not just circles or squares.  Yay!

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Love My Tapes introduced some lace tape in addition to their fabric tape line and I’m excited about that too!

I’m adding the two other sizes of clear tubes from SRM Stickers since the standard tube is so popular.

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And then of course, Echo Park.  I adore their paper.  Here’s me and Madison.  I will tell you that they introduced stamps at the show but I did not order them.  They didn’t meet my quality expectations (which I told them and suggested a US based, better manufacturer for future stamp runs).  I have very strict quality expectations for the products I carry and they just didn’t meet the cut this time around.  But, the paper lines are AMAZING.  I am especially excited about the Halloween line, which is very versatile beyond Halloween.  The holiday line is adorable too.

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Part of the show that makes it so fun is seeing everyone and all the quirky things you encounter.  Here is a girl wearing a dress made entirely of paper.

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Other notable photo shoots – part of the IHP team with PC Magazine editor, Susan Opel and the PC Meet and Greet and me with Moxie Fab Cath!

Picture 011 (Large) katecath

 

 

 

 

 

 

For me, the highlight is always my IHP dinner.  I love my girls.  (l-r): Lynn, Kimberly Crawford, Carolyn, me, Lori, Kendra, Judy (IHP alumni but always part of my team!  She was even in my SU downline a decade ago!) and Deb.

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And lastly just some things for fun!  There’s a few more things but there has to be some surprise, right?

Thanks for stopping by!  Be sure to check Facebook for the latest arrivals!  I always announce there first!  And don’t forget to sign up for the newsletter on the homepage!  Things should start arriving in just a couple of weeks!

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

DT Challenge: Inspired By A Charity

Hello!  I’m back from CHA and exhausted!  But, the good news is that we had a fantastic time and I ordered lots and lots and lots of goodies!

For today’s DT challenge, we were to make a project that was inspired by one of our favorite charities.  As you might have guessed, after all the BooBoo drama, my charity is Eleventh Hour Rescue.  Eleventh Hour Rescue is a volunteer based, non profit, 501c3 organization that literally saves dogs from death row, pulling them from high kill facilities all over the country and fostering and adopting them out.  Dogs like BooBoo and Mr. Barbo.  They both were saved by EHR and I can’t imagine my life without them. 

So, my card today uses Unity’s I Ruff You, stamped in Palette Noir and then colored with Prisma pencils.  I also used Very Square Sentiments, some heart Nesties and a scrap of red ruffle elastic ribbon.

I sure do hope you’ll hop around to the rest of the DT and see their projects AND their charities.  And, if you’re so moved, please donate.  I know times are tough but that also means times are tough for these organizations that do such great work.  Even $5 can make a difference. 

Here’s the hop list:

Carolyn
Deb
Gretchen
Kendra
Loretta
Lori
Lynn
Megan
Tracy

Thanks for popping in today!

Friday, July 22, 2011

Five Minute Friday: Dotty Vase

Happy Friday!  I’m still in Chicago so this is a pre-scheduled post. 

Orders placed 7/16-7/24 will not ship until 7/25 due to being away at the CHA Trade Show buying new goodies for the store!  Email replies may also be delayed.  Thank you for your patience!

For my quick project today I used some leftover punched out dots from A Walk In The Park when I made this card and just wrapped a vase with some white satin ribbon with i {stick} papers (more on order – click the restock notify button) and then attached the punched out dots.  A very quick 3D project and great for summer.

Thanks for popping in today even though you know I’m away.  I assure you I’m having a fabulous time with all my girls and at this point my feet are probably KILLING me!

Orders will ship out on Monday!  Have a great weekend!

Monday, July 18, 2011

Get Well Turtle

This is a pre-scheduled post as I am away at the CHA summer show.

Orders placed 7/16-7/24 will not ship until 7/25 due to being away at the CHA Trade Show buying new goodies for the store!  Email replies may also be delayed.  Thank you for your patience!

This was a quick card for our pooper-scooper lady (yes, we have a person who comes and scoops for us every week…it’s the best $11 we spend!).  She had knee surgery and was out of commission for a while so we sent this card from us and Mr. Barbo.  I used On The Mend, stamped in Memento Black, colored with Copics and then gone over with Crackle Accents, die cut using Circle Nesties.  The paper is from A Walk In The Park then wrapped a scrap of reversible blue/green ribbon.  The border was made using Classic Scalloped Petite Borderabilities

Thanks for stopping by today!  Remember, the 10% off coupon is valid until 7/22.  Use code chatimeblog at checkout but orders won’t ship until 7/25 when I return.

Friday, July 15, 2011

Five Minute Friday: ChickenGirl Birthday Elephant and coupon!

Helllloooo!  So sorry for my long absence.  As most of you know I spent 8 days chasing BooBoo through the woods of NJ.  Then we caught her (yay!) and we’ve been working hard to get her adjusted to her new home here.  And helping Mr. Barbo get adjusted too.  Oh, and I had 8 days of work to get caught up on, and I leave for CHA on Monday!  Eeep!!

Today’s card was for my mom’s birthday (hers was on Wednesday).  I used Birthday Wishes, stamped with Memento Black, colored with Copics.   The paper is from Life of the Party and finished with a piece of yellow faux suede ribbon.

I’m going to try to post updates to Facebook from CHA but it will all depend on the signal from the hall. 

Some housekeeping – I am running a 10% off CHA clearance coupon that expires 7/22.  Use code: chatimeblog at checkout.  Remember, beginning August 1 there is a Copic mandated price increase so be sure to stock up now while they are still only $4.87/marker and $5.62/refill.

Orders placed starting tomorrow, 7/16 through 7/24 will not ship until I return on 7/25.  Orders placed today until 6PM EST will ship out tomorrow.

Thanks for stopping in!  Chicago here I come!

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

NSR: Quick update

Hi all.  I’m being a bad blogger because life is sort of getting in the way.  You know how that goes right?

booboocolor copy For the past week I’ve been consumed with this.  Where Is BooBoo (Dog Lost in NJ).

John and I were supposed to pick up this little girl last Wednesday night to foster her and she escaped right off the transport van from KY at the rescue in NJ.  She’s lost in the woods of NJ, alone and very scared. 

She’s been spotted and we’ve been tracking her whereabouts but it’s been pretty much all consuming.  We’re running on 3-5 hours of sleep a night, doing overnight stakeouts at the kennel facility where she tends to show up at night and hanging flyers all over.  She was last seen in Morristown NJ.   Links to flyers and a map of sightings can be found here.

So, there hasn’t been much of anything else going on.  No stamping, no house cleaning, nothing but looking for poor little BooBoo.

She’s avoiding the humane traps and runs away whenever someone approaches her.  *sigh*  Last night was by far the best night.  We used one of her brothers as “bait” and had him out in the central area where she walked up to him and started trying to play with him.  It was heartbreaking and so amazing to see that reunion.  But, we couldn’t catch her.

Today she seems to have wandered much farther off than ever before and we’re getting increasingly worried that her luck avoiding cars is going to wear off soon.

Please say a prayer or send good vibes and SHARE her FB page: www.facebook.com/whereisbooboo, even if you’re nowhere near NJ.  You never know who on your friends list will know someone who knows someone.  Please.  We are getting desperate to have her safe and with us. 

CHA is in 2 weeks so things may continue to be quiet around here.  Thanks for your patience and understanding!