Amanda's CHA Favorites: All of it! ;)

Just like always, I like it all and want it all!! :)  So to wrap up our CHA coverage, I'm going to give you the rundown on my CHA experience in a quick nutshell!  Ready?!

Before I get started, I have to preface this with the fact that overwhelmingly, many of the booths were decorated with dressforms or dresses in some manner.  Some had flowers, some had beads... but most had paper dresses!  Maybe I need to clean out some space in my own closet. HA!! :)

Are you ready to be wowed?!  Up first.... actual dresses from Project Runway winner Suede!!! 

Whom, actually, we got to meet and talk to about his new fabulous clothing patterns as Cindy talked about last week!  He even autographed one of the new patterns for us of this pretty blue and green dress:

And I should say that the patterns are awesome because it comes with three variations -- classic, more ruffles and edgy.  So cool!  But I digress..... here's a few more of the dresses we saw:

Buttons!!! I don't remember who's booth this was?

Graphic 45 Once Upon a Springtime - gorgeous!

Another Prima dress! :)

Gorgeous DCWV dress... the first of a few to show you actually...

And another DCWV dress...

And the "Paper Runway"... my favorite!

I'm personally, still seeing the DCWV tropical glittery dress in my dreams.  I die. Seriously.  And yes, I ♥ The Rachel Zoe Project (who doesn't?!).  She would probably say the same thing about this dress! ;)

Aside from all the gorgeous paper dresses, there were many stunning examples of decor and droolworthy new supplies coming our way.  Cindy already mentioned many of the celebrity sightings we had -- I also saw Liz Kartchner and Stacy Julian many times around the floor (but never wanted to interrupt them!).

Outside of CHA, we ate some fantastic food, thanks to my good friend Evelyn, whom Cindy and I stayed with.  I'm happy to report that I actually tried something new too!!  Here's some of our food adventures....

Korean BBQ in Koreatown (LA):

So delicious!

MILK in LA:

Evelyn had the Grasshopper ice cream sandwich (on left-- mint chocolate chip ice cream with mint macarons dipped in chocolate) and I had a Strawberry Snickerdoodle ice cream sandwich (on the right!).  YUM.

The Griddle Cafe in Hollywood:

My meal started with this delicious Choco-nut latte... coconut, chocolate + coffee = tasty!

mmmmm.... my breakfast.  Streusel topped pancakes!

Cindy's to-die-for lemon raspberry pancakes!!!

I looked everywhere, but don't have a picture of Evelyn's french toast - so tasty!!  And just to put the size of these pancakes in perspective....

I think they were at least 10" across!! :)

Hamburger Hamlet in Pasadena:

I had the French Onion Soup....mmmmm.... gruyere cheese.  And I'll admit, I picked the bowl clean!!  I also had a half of a french dip.  So tasty.  Cindy had the same except a half a Salmon Caprese sandwich.  With no salmon.  I finally met my food ordering "match" in Cindy.  Love it! I'm not the only one out there who challenges the kitchen!! ;)

And let's not forget the Flamingo Scraps CHA team pics.... Cindy, the fabulous Julie Tucker-Wolek :) :) :) and I before the show started:

And my good friend Evelyn who let us crash at her cottage in Pasadena (seriously, I'm in love with that place!):

Thanks Ev!! :)

And I would be remiss if I didn't show you my favorite new border punch coming out from EK Success before I wrap up this post:

It's a plaid border punch.... eeeek!!  I must have it!! :)

All-in-all we all had a fantastic time and thanks for indulging us by letting us share our CHA experiences with you this last week.  We hope you enjoyed all the pics and perspectives.  Keep an eye on our Facebook feed where we will be updating with what we will be carrying from this CHA as we order it! 

And one more housekeeping note, we will still be doing another guest design team call and it will be later THIS WEEK!!  Keep an eye out...  ;)

Guest DT Tonya Gibbs: Cosmo Cricket 1934

When I got this collection from Flamingo Scraps I knew exactly what I wanted to do. It had kitchen wall paper written all over it. In my family, all kinds of things happen in the kitchen. I remember pulling a stool up to the counter to help Momma prepare dinner. I also remember the dinner with the entire family that happened every night (no fast food in my past). Some of my fondest family memories surround a dinner table or the kitchen. Even now, I notice that we all seem to congregate at the table or in the kitchen.

This little mini is going to capture some of the recipes that I remember being at the top of list. Like my Granny’s Japanese Fruit Cake, or Tomato Gravy. Momma’s fried chicken and pot roast. But most of all I want to write down some of the things I remember the most about family life in the kitchen/dining room. Funny stories, or how ‘bout that I hate cubed meat, because we always had cubed steak on report card night – lots of tears shed over that chewy meat. Or the night my Mom asked my sister (age 5) to help clear the table, and she picked up a plate and dropped it in the kitchen floor (she cleared the table). I don’t want these stories to die with me. I want them to linger on for generations. As I watch my kids grow, I realize that things are not as they were when I was little, and I know my Mother and Grandmother would report the same. Things like – there were no microwave ovens until I was in high school. Every night we currently pick a restaurant for dinner, where when I was young, dinner was always at home. It was a treat to eat out - not a given. I also want to include photos of some of those women in my life who made that kitchen time so special.

I love that this book is 6 x 6 the photos will be large and there are tons of pockets and journal spots for leaving funny stories.

From Flamingo Scraps: Cosmo Cricket Circa 1934 collection patterned papers; Tim Holtz Walnut, Black Soot, Tea Die & Vintage Photo Distress Inks; Webster’s Pages Bloomers and Trims; Prima Bling.

Other products: Book pages; EK Success Punches; Fiskar Punches; Cricut Cartridges: Summer in Paris, Base Camp, From My Kitchen, Various Buttons, and Ribbon; Cuttlebug embossing jacket Paisley; Sizzix Embossing Jacket Swiss Dots; Tim Holtz Labels Die Cut.

To view the full mini album up close, please watch my video of the album!

More of Tonya's work can be seen here on her website or here on her youtube channel!

Guest DT Cindy deRosier: What I loved at CHA!

Obviously, the best thing about CHA is being able to see all the new products before they hit the stores. Unfortunately, this is also the worst thing about CHA! It's torture to see all sorts of things I'm dying to get, knowing that it will be weeks or months before they're available. Here's my list of what I loved the most:

Cosmo Cricket "Salt Air"

This line is beautiful, fun and rich. While it's meant for beach/summer pictures, the colors and patterns are versatile enough to be used for a much wider variety of projects.

Fancy Pants "Beach Bum"

Maybe I'm craving the warm days of summer, but I fell in love with a second beach line. Once again, it's the colors and versatility that draw me in.

October Afternoon "Campfire"

OK, it's apparent I'm ready for winter to be over, because my absolute favorite new paper line is full of camping and outdoor images! The papers were gorgeous earth tones with fun patterns. The embellishments are really cute. Some are camping specific (like tents, sleeping bags, and lanterns), but the others would be great for any outdoor activity- hiking, picnics, BBQ's, and my latest obsession, geocaching.

Tombow's Tape Runner / Stamper

I've loved Tombow's tape runners for years, and their new Tape Runner /Stamper is just as great. Hold it one way and it's a tape runner, just like the one I know and love. Change the angle slightly and it stamps a nice square of adhesive just where you want it. So cool!

Helmar 450 and Helmar Scrap Dots

I've never used Helmar's products before, but they've moved onto my must-have list. They're not actually new- just new to me. I was so surprised that the 450, which is a liquid, works so well on paper. It was fabulous on ribbon, buttons, and gems. The Scrap Dots was thick like toothpaste and dries to act just like a Pop Dot, allowing you to add dimension to a project.

Fiskars Limited Edition Punches, Summer

Another summer item! I love two of Fiskars' latest border punches- waves and those dragonflies that I'm seeing everywhere! And their new squeeze punches are so cute. I especially like the seashell.

Tattered Angels Glimmer Mists

I am a big fan of Glimmer Mist and the new colors are incredible. My two favorites were Decadence, a gorgeous rich chocolate brown, and Sun Sisters, a beautiful yellow-orange with warm undertones. They're both be great with all the summer projects I'm apparently going to be making!

To see more of Cindy's work, please visit her gallery!

Just a note from Flamingo Scraps:  We are still busy placing orders, so we are making no guarantees at this point that we will be carrying any of the items listed above, though we hope to be!  Once we have placed our orders, we will be letting you know what will be in our store on our Facebook page, so please make sure you "like" us on Facebook!!

Guest Blogger Julie Tucker-Wolek: What I LOVED at CHA! :):):):):):):):):)

Hi everyone! :)

Julie Tucker-Wolek with you here today, and I was beyond honored to go to CHA representing Flamingo Scraps! I had a blast with Cindy and Amanda and loved seeing all the new goodies that all the companies had to show! :):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)

First, here is a photo of Amanda, Cindy and Me! :):):)

I LOVED the Prima booth! They have come out with SO MANY goodies! All GORGEOUS! :):):)

 

And then came Cosmo Cricket! I LOVED their new lines too!!! Here is a photo of Me, Julie from Cosmo and Amanda! :):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)

Julie from Cosmo was so NICE! I loved her!! And they have A NEW PRODUCT coming out that makes it SO EASY to make flowers! LOVE IT! :):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)

Julie told us that all these flowers were made with "Glubers!" SO COOL! :):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)

Here is some more COSMO! :):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)

 

 

Now...some GRAPHIC 45!!! YUMMYYYYYYYY! :):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)

LOVE LOVE LOVE those peacock feathers on that paper! *swoon*! :):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)

And last BUT NEVER LEAST in what I have to share today that I loved loved loved about CHA was Jenni Bowlin!!! *sigh*... I loved her NEW silhouettes!!! GORGEOUS-NESS for SURE! :):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)

I can not thank Susan, Suzanne, Amanda and Cindy in including me in this adventure!!! They are JUST THE BEST!!!! Love these girls!!! Thanks for letting me share some YUMMY CHA GOODIES!! :):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)

Guest DT Cindy deRosier: Celebrity Sightings

Of course I knew that all the big names in the scrapbook industry would be at CHA, but it didn't really sink in until I saw them for myself. It seemed like everywhere I turned, there was someone I recognized from magazines or blogs... I even saw a few TV stars!

The great debate when recognizing a celebrity is whether to interrupt them and gush, or whether to leave them alone and gawk from a distance. I'd say I was about 50/50! I saw Tim Holtz a handful of times, but he was always busy talking to the huge flock of women following him around, so I never actually met him. Same with Jennifer McGuire- I saw her at least 5 times, but wasn't able to find a way to meet her without interrupting. I was in the Technique Tuesday booth when the entire CK Dream Team came in for a meeting. They were clearly working and it would have been incredibly inappropriate for me to bother them. I saw Noell and Izzy Hyman from Paperclipping numerous times, but they were always recording when I saw them. And so it went for another dozen or so scrap celebrities.

So who did I meet? Here are a few of my favorites.

Kelly Purkey

Kelly was alone in the Studio Calico booth, so of course we went right up to her to tell her how fabulous she is! Amanda and I both follow her blog and love her work. She was just as sweet and friendly in person as she seems on the blog. She is totally down-to-earth and had all the time in the world to chat with us.

Suede

I don't know how to sew and know absolutely nothing about fashion (which I don't need to tell those of you who have ever seen me), but I LOVE Project Runway. I've watched all the seasons. When I saw Suede sitting at a booth in the sewing section of CHA, I had to go over and gush. He was there promoting his new line of dress patterns that Simplicity has picked up. His concept is great. Each pattern comes with variations so that the same garment can be made for three different types of women- classic, flirty or edgy. We each got an autographed pattern from him. Just like Kelly Purkey, Suede had all the time in the world to talk with us and was completely awesome.

Nancy Nally

If you don't subscribe to Scrapbook Update and listen to the Paperclipping Roundtable, please stop reading (temporarily!) and immediately go and do both. OK, now that you're back.... let me tell you about Nancy Nally. I saw her in the October Afternoon booth talking with the owner and I zipped right over. I hovered while they talked. When they finished, Nancy started to walk away, thinking I was there to talk with the vendor. I stopped her and introduced myself. She was so nice! We stood there talking for 15 minutes- I heard all about her troubles with her hotel reservations (she was upgraded to a suite because of the problems), what she was enjoying at CHA (everything) and how glad she was that she was sporting comfy shoes (Aerosoles). It turned out that she was rooming with two of my Fiskateer friends, Betsy Burnett and Merlene Brockway. What a nice surprise!

Mark Montano

I used to love Mark Montano on "While You Were Out." When I heard that he'd be at the Fiskars booth signing 1000 copies of his new book ("Pulp Fiction"), I put that on my schedule as a must-do! Amanda and I hustled out of our class to try to be among the first in line. Success! We were number 2 and 3. Like the others, Mark was so nice and completely awesome. He was just as funny and cute as on TV. He personalized his autographs and posed for countless pictures. He is a huge fan of Fiskars and does lots of events with them, so I was thrilled to see for myself that all the good things the Fiskateers have said about him are true.

To see more of Cindy's work, please visit her gallery!

Guest DT Cindy deRosier: Classes at CHA

In addition to seeing all the fabulous new products on the CHA show floor, I also attended six classes. What fun! I learned so much and am really excited to share it with you all! Here are the highlights:

Tombow Certification, taught by Marie Browning:

For years, I've known and loved Tombow for their adhesives. I had no idea they make pens! In this class, Amanda and I learned all about the new Duel Brush Pen sets. Each pack has 9 gorgeous colors and one blender pen. We got to work with the set called "Jewel."

Marie taught us how to make a splash background, add rich color to white Primas, use a blending palette, create two-tone pen strokes, and much more. The class was wonderful. She is a great instructor and I left inspired to play and experiment. Expect to see more from me in the future that uses these great pens!

Here are some peeks at part of what we did!

Bella Boulevard's "We are Family," taught by Suzy West:

Long story short, Amanda had a ticket to this class, but Julie and I had to wait in a stand-by area in hopes of getting in.  Eventually we did get in, but we missed the first half hour of a two hour class. The classes at CHA are fast paced, as most attendees are very experienced crafters, so missing 1/4 of the class means that it is nearly impossible to catch up. After struggling for awhile, I decided to abandon hope of following along and instead use the materials in my own way. I'm so glad I did, as I absolutely love my finished album!

Technique Tuesday, taught by Eileen Collins:

While Amanda was busy meeting with vendors and crunching numbers over the phone with Suzanne and Susan, I got to play with ink and stamps and paint! Doesn't sound fair, does it?! This class was incredible. While I've been stamping for years, I don't really know what I'm doing, so it was great to take a class from such a fantastic teacher. We worked with the most adorable stamp set featuring fruit. (See, I told you fruit was trendy this year!) I will be using this stamp set over and over. Isn't it cute?!

Smart Marketing for Retailers, lecture by Sandy Ghezzi:

Although not nearly as fun as playing with scrappy goodness, I did enjoy this lecture and am glad I went. Sandy is the Vice President of the Craft and Hobby Association and obviously knows the industry inside and out. Since I have no experience with retail or marketing, I learned lots of new things. Sandy's talk sparked some ideas that I passed along to the Flamingo Scraps ladies!

Advanced Social Media, lecture by Georganne Bender and Brian Basilico:

All weekend I had to answer Amanda's phone, navigate, and send texts while she was driving. She was clearly surprised that I had no idea how to do any of those! If you ask anyone they'll tell you that I'm a technological dinosaur. So the fact that I attended something called Advanced Social Media is pretty funny. But I have to say that these instructors were incredible! They were so inspirational, so informative, and so helpful. It was clear that I was not the only one in the room who struggles with the latest technological advances.  They really pinpointed why and how social media is so important in the scrapbook industry. Fortunately for Flamingo Scraps, Amanda is awesome and already doing pver 90% of what they recommended!

Elegant Glass Etching, taught by Pat Davenport

After staying up past 1:00 AM for four nights in a row blogging, networking, and debriefing, Amanda and I were a bit bummed to have to leave Evelyn's house before 6:00 AM in order to fight the LA traffic to attend a 7:00 AM class. Fortunately, the class was great and well worth the lost sleep. Pat was an outstanding teacher and the project was really fun. I've done glass etching once before (I'll blog about that some other time), but this was Amanda's first time doing glass etching. I had no idea how Pat was going to work glass etching into scrapbooking, but the finished album is absolutely adorable. Check it out!

The bride and groom are actually etched on a small glass mirror!!

I'm so glad that I got to attend these classes. It was an invaluable part of the CHA experience. I'm so inspired to retreat to the craft room and create!

To see more of Cindy's work, please visit her gallery!

You must... check out SMASH by K&Company for EK Success!!

So while Cindy, Julie and I work at working our way through over 1200+ photographs we took , I had to show you one of the coolest items coming out at CHA!!  It's called SMASH and we are IN LOVE!!! ♥  It's a journal that comes with a pen attached!! but it's not just a pen, it's a pen on one end and a glue stick on the other!! :) The only reason I didn't show you this immediately on the blog or facebook, was it is best shown by this video:

Hard to find on my iPhone it was so new!  Super affordable and super cute!!  They also had a really fun booth with all six of the different styles of SMASH journals for us to check out and an Instax (think old school polaroid only itty bitty!) photo booth with props:

Left to right: Cindy, myself and Evelyn (our fabulous hostess and honorary Flamingo Scrapper!!)

And afterward we SMASHED the wall in the booth with our photo!!

We had fun again at CHA and are looking forward to showing you more fun things we saw on the floor.  We plan on showing you all the pretty things we saw, the scrap celebrities we sighted (a few we met too!) and, of course, all the fabulous products we will be carrying in the store!!

Updated to add: While we LOVE this item, due to K&Company being a part of EK Success, it is not feasible for Flamingo Scraps to carry these items at this time. However, we thought this was one of the coolest items at CHA this year and we wanted to share it with you because we wanted you all to feel like you were at the show along with us!  This item will be in stores in April and we are certain you will be able to find it at your local big box stores like Michael's, Hobby Lobby and Target!