My trip to Mesa

I seem to be a traveling MACHINE lately! Just last weekend I drove to Mesa, AZ with my pal Valerie to teach at the CK Convention for Michael Miller Memories. My classes were abysmally small (although a hit with those that attended!!), and I was frustrated at the lack of enthusiasm for the fabric paper product. I came to find out, however, that it wasn't for lack of enthusiasm... they had not properly listed our class until *AFTER* pre-registration closed. So the only attendees of the classes were through word of mouth at the convention. And they did not show our project sample to prospective attendees (not sure why either, because we had sent them one). We did, however, have a "make & take" table in the event's main hallway. This is where I spent most of my convention time, and it's also where we generated a ton of buzz about the product. Loads of people went straight from the make & take into the vendor faire and bought some paper, so the show was a success. Valerie stuck by my side through nearly all of it, even though she didn't have to, and had a great time playing teacher along with me. I enjoyed her company... made it much more fun. She's a natural.

Something really cool... I have an online friend, Suzy Gross, that owns a store in the Phoenix metropolitan area... it's brand new, called "Annalis Scraptique." Such a cool store... loads of the newest, latest, most exciting stuff lined her shelves, and the whole setup is very funky and fun... all old bookcases and tabletops and buckets and relaly unique store fixtures. Makes you want to explore the whole place and touch everything. My favorite part is the workshop/class area with long wooden tables surrounded by wooden chairs from Ikea. Only they are not plain... each one of them has been painted/decoupaged/altered/collaged/made into a work of art by some of the coolest, funkiest scrapbook artists out there. And when I was there, Suzy asked me if I would do a chair for her studio too!!! I was thrilled at the opportunity. And so I returned home with a chair in the back of the car and all sorts of great ideas already forming in my head.

On the five hour drive back, Val & I listened to the soundtrack for The Last Five Years and now I am dying to see the show. I've got tons & tons of deadlines, including finishing the cover layout for the July/August Memory Makers, so I have got to get going... again...