CHA with Scrapbook Royalty and Suzi Blu

Suzi Blu, Elena and Sally

On Friday, January 22, 2010, Suzi Blu and I drove to Anaheim for CHA. We were carrying in our car all our own stuff plus also things that Elena needed for Scrapbook Royalty. At 2 pm we met Elena and in the rain, dropped off what she needed at the convention center and then went back around again to the Hilton which we were sharing a room with Elena.

Back to the convention center where along with other loyal Scrapbook Royalty Volunteers, we worked our little tails off until 9 pm and then to dinner with Lisa Bebi and her daughter. Then off to bed to be fresh and alert for Scrapbook Royalty's World's Largest Crop. From 8 am until noon, I did all I could for Elena and her worthy organization including retrieving donated raffle prizes from anywhere down below where CHA was setting up. I certainly got my walking exercise in that morning.

While I was running errands, Suzi arrived and captured events on her video camera as the Crop unfolded. At noon, on Saturday, Suzi and I hit the Scrapbook Expo also downstairs where we could purchase products. Suzi was wearing one of her wild wigs that you see in her YouTube videos and in her online classes. People recognized her everywhere requesting photos with her. What a fan club Suzi has. I also saw many friends and scrapbook store owners from the San Diego area including Diane and her husband plus Vicki (worker-bee on steroids :) from Stamping Details in Poway, Liz and Krystal from Scrapbook Your Life in San Diego and the sweet owner of Paper Tales in Point Loma.

We go there just as Carol Duvall set up at the Judikins, Inc. store. Suzi took lots of video of Carol and asking both well known artists and the public the question of the day, "What does Carol Duvall mean to you?" Be sure to visit www.icraftnetwork.com and also e-mail Carol at icraftwithcarol@yahoo.com.

Here is the video Suzi Blu made at CHA that is also on her site. Thanks Suzi for letting me post it here also. "Bring Carol Duvall Back!"



At 7 pm we returned to the 3rd floor of the convention center and Elena's World's Largest Crop to see artists like Lisa Bebi, Alisa Burke, Traci Bautista present donated art they had created to be raffled or bid on for charity. The final artist/publisher was Jenny Doh previously publisher extraordinaire of all the Somerset Magazines and now creator of Crescendo and online magazine. She told everyone about her vision for Crescendo and Art Heals.

Sunday the doors opened for CHA. I was particularly excited to see what Melody Ross' product line kiosk was going to hold. I had been lucky enough to be included the Tuesday before CHA to go to Gail Lopez's home and experience first hand the new product line of GCD Studios, Inc. featuring Melody Ross's new product. The display was innovative and eye catching. It had been created at Gail's home and had tall panels of wood that turned and displayed all the new products. Plus there were demo's and make and takes.

I also wanted to see Prima's new line of products. Last year, they were the only exhibitors that left a lasting impression on me. And, of course, Ranger Products/Tim Holtz and Claudine Hellmuth giant booth where the line for demo's was sometimes 3 deep.

At Provo Craft, the New Cricut Cake Cake Personal Electronic Cutter Machine 2010 had maybe the largest display where they were introducing the Cake cutting products plus new dies/embossing plates for the Cuddle Bug. You must go to their sight to see what all is new for this year. Everyone was proudly wearing chef hats that they had received.

And at another very large exhibit, everyone was wearing pink aprons that they got from the Making Memories/Slice exhibit. I didn't get a hat, but I sure got an apron!

By Wed. morning, we were ready to go home, Suzi and I. We had come back earlier and earlier each night once CHA opened. And there we read and sketched and painted with our newly purchased wax batik tools.

I had also purchased from the Barnes and Noble Book Store a bunch of art books. It was wonderful to have them there and only art books on display. I purchased image transfer WORKSHOP by Darlene Olivia McElroy & Sandra Duran Wilson. This seemed to cover every method out there and says that it is Mixed-Media Techniques for Successful Transfers.

My First Fairy

This is the Dover Clip Art that inspire "My first Fairy."

Fairy #2

This is the Dover Clip Art that inspire my Fairy #2

I also purchased a Dover book with CD - FAIRIES, ELVES, AND GNOMES. I am always in need of prompts for my drawings. Above are two that I made in my Moleskine back in the room. The faces are mine and I got the ideas for the bodies and background from the book.

And one of my most favorite artists and teachers, Chris Cozen was there with a new book Mixed Media and Color Fabrics, Quilts, Canvas and Papers. I am currently enrolled in she and Julie Prichard's online class that started January 24. It is called Color: Beyond the Basics. I've watched the first two videos today and have much work to do to learn colors using Golden Paints.

I also acquired three books for free! The first is a little book called Cupcakes edited by Lynn Koolish. "30+ Yummy Projects to Sew, quilt, Knit and Bake," it says on the cover. It's only 6"x6" in size!


Khris Cochran autographed her book called The DIY Bride Crafty Countdown for me. "40 Fabulous Projects to Make in the Months, Weeks & Hours before Your Special Day" it says on it's cover.


But, the best I left for last. I got to meet Angela Cartwright and have her autograph her new book In This Garden Explorations In Mixed - Media Visual Narrative by Angela Cartwright and Sarah Fishburn.


Susan Seddon Boulet continues. . .

And lastly is what I consider my best sketch so far. True, I am just trying to copy Susan Seddon Boulet SHAMAN's original, but for me to even get close - I find this amazing. After I sketched her painting as a 9x12, I then scanned and printed it on just computer paper and colored it with Prismacolor Pencils. All this has been possible because of my first Suzi Blu Class - The Poet and The Goddess.

Susan Seddon Boulet original

My 9x12 Pencil Sketch

My sketch with Prismacolor Pencils