Last week I got to go to the CHA Trade show in Anaheim, CA.
What’s CHA? You might be asking.
CHA is the “Craft & Hobby Association” and they have a bi-annual show, mostly aimed at pairing up retail stores with the products they want to sell.
So why would I want to go?
Let’s jump back to the early 90′s.
I fell in love with Scrapbooking. Like, LOVE! At that time your supplies were severely limited to basic cardstock, skinny Zig pens, and Mrs. Grossmans stickers.
(now I’m about to do something unprecedented…..show you a page from my scrapbooks! Yep. Keep the laughing to a dull roar.)
This page documents the VERY FIRST date with my husband. Because it was a dance, there are lots of pictures. I was disappointed that I couldn’t find the thing I was picturing, so I just freehanded the house and cut it out. Those were the wild-west days people. You had to do what you could to survive!
There was also a gross amount of handwriting. And even though I spent hours perfecting mine…it never was “just perfect”. Here you can see that the relationship has progressed from “first date” to “raggedy Ann” so……that’s pretty serious! GAH!
Why share this scary display with you? Well, since that time, I have been OBSESSED with where these products come from, and who makes them. Enter CHA….which previously I couldn’t go to because you had to be a retailer. But this year I was able to apply as a member of the “bloggie press”.
If you know me AT ALL you know that going to Anaheim without stopping to see my boyfriend, Mickey, is nearly impossible. Even IF it’s for a building full of paper and pom-poms. So our first night, we bought 1/2 day passes to see the mouse.
It was pretty much outstanding to spend even a few hours there. And with some of my favorite people. They might not like me anymore after seeing me there though. I’m a bit “enthusiastic!”
Standing in line for ‘Soarin’ with:
Jen, Steph, Mique, Tauni, Heather and Me
The next day we headed to the convention center for the BIGGEST space of excellence….EVER!
I mean…seriously….a WALL of Mod Podge? The Plaid booth was one of my ABSOLUTE favorites!
We got to see the new things coming out. I’m pretty giddy about sparkly Dimensional Magic, and also the Mod Podge sampler, that gives you a little pot of each kind to try. LOVE!
(not to mention the other side of the display that was FILLED with Martha Stewart excellence)
I could move in to GCD Studios booth! I LOVE this wall of letters. It’s pretty much my favorite thing to use paper supplies in ways OTHER than scrapbooking.
The I Love to Create booth had some of my favorite things as well. I just fall apart when I see a wall of colors. It’s like the part when Dorothy lands out of the tornado. Simply magical!
And yes, move over Kelly. Donna and I are BFF now. (I’m sorry, but this was a totally out of body experience. Because I may have had a closet covered in a giant 90210 poster. And I took a knife down the hinges….so the bi-folds would still open, and then the gang came together when it closed. )
What was Tori Spelling doing at a craft show? Well…..shhhh…she’s a closet crafter! Yep. Now we are FOR SURE buddies. She was debuting her new line of DIY jewelery through Darice. And it’s SUPER cute and chunky. Totally up my alley!
After 3 days walking….and walking….and walking….I decided I needed more Mickey. So Heather and I took a trip to Downtown Disney.
I pretty much MUST take dorky hat pictures in Disneyland. It’s a tradish!
And we MAY have gone to Sprinkles Cupcakes on the way to the airport and picked up a treat. I would show you a picture. But….OH.MY.GOSH…..they were gone before I could even think of it. Seriously the BEST cupcakes I’ve ever eaten.
Overall, a trip to a gigantic building full of crafts? TOTALLY as awesome as I’d imagined. And I have to resist taking those completely dorky scrapbook pages apart and dolling them up with some Basic Grey….because let’s face it, they’re ugly. But something tells me they should stay the way they are. Because the hokey-ness is kind of awesome at this point.
Oh my gosh I am DYING over the Raggedy Ann and Andy! Like I am still laughing. I love that you guys had such a fun time!! Love you!!
Love you too! And I’m glad that the Raggedy’s make you so giddy.
Can’t stop laughing at the scrapbook pages! Talk about a blast from the past! I might have to go dig mine out just ’cause I could use a good laugh today. Good times!
Right? I could have TOTALLY posted some awesome ones…but I didn’t want to embarrass anyone buy myself. (and Patrick)
But I did look through them. And they are fabulous!
Looks like you had a great time surrounded by all sorts of crafty goodness and eye candy! So glad you were able to go and meet your new bestie!
That doesn’t diminish my love for you though Amy……:)
Still laughing about it.
I kind of am too.
I think the look on your face in that DL pic says it all. ENTHUSIASTIC at Mickey’s house might be an understatement.
But it made it all the more fun. Except that you made me go on Tower of Terror. I’m still not trying to resent you for it.
It was fantabulastic to finally meet you face to face. What a weekend! Can’t wait for SNAP now!
Raggedy Anne= true love
love you butter balls
xoxo
You know that you LOVED the fact that the Tower was with me. You LOVE IT! My favorite thing of the whole trip was getting to meet you IRL. And I totally loved everything about you……but…..
I am so glad you had a fabulous time! I had no idea Modge Podge came in so many different colors…I mean, colored bottles. Or jars. Or…what do you craft people call them?
I call it crafty paste excellence, in a jar. But I’m kind of odd.
Your photos are lovely and your words are, as always, brilliant. I love you friend. Thanks for putting up with sharing a room with me…
xoxo
Tauni
Dude. Who else would I have talked to way into the night? Mique was asleep.
Thanks for being a night owl.
That was such a fun little trip! I’m so glad I joined you all last minute. Lara at Dland was worth it all!
Dude. Having you there was like having EXTRA frosting on my Sprinkles cupcake. And that, my friend, is pretty much the bestest thing ever.
Love you!!!
Okay, I was jealous that I missed out in all the CHA fun, but that picture of you lovelies in Disneyland is too much for me to bear! I am green!!!
I’m in for going back! Let’s go!
AHHHH! Lara I miss you already! Disneyland with you was the highlight of my trip! So fun!
hey lady! i love your blog and i am totally jealous you were at CHA!!!
i am speaking at SNAP and saw that you are too!
i hope we meet.
-meg