A Dream Come True

Last Sunday I got to live a dream. It actually started on Thursday or Friday of last week. I saw a post on my meetup message board and called my hubby right away to get permission :) My friend Erin, owns an online scrapbook store - ScrapWild and she is a member of CHA - the Craft & Hobby Association. Well ever January/February the CHA hosts a trade show in Anaheim. We're talking around 4000 exhibitors, it's at the convention center right across the street from Disneyland. I have ALWAYS wanted to go to this from the moment I heard about it. Now, most people don't even KNOW what CHA stands for let alone about the trade show. Basically it's every craft product company known to man showing off their new lines.

So Erin asked a few of us to go with her so that she could get feed back on the new lines to help her decide what to carry in her store. I JUMPED at this opportunity! Thankfully the hubby was on board :) Then I chatted up my friend Sarah, because she got to go last year. She got all jazzed and we made plans to go together once we learned that her 3month old was allowed to go to, he's nursing babe :)

So EARLY Sunday morning we hit the road (after hitting up Starbucks :) ) towards Anaheim. Walking in was really surreal. Right away I spotted signs of brands that I knew 3M, Prima, Scrapblog, Little Yellow Bicycle, CRAYOLA, and so on. Some of the booths were really decked out and it was just all so cool to see! We spent the day walking around and looking at the new product, sampling new product, taking pictures, meeting celebrities, and gathering freebies!

It was a fabulous fabulous time! Little baby Isaiah was such an angel baby the whole time. I even got to carry him in his carrier for the last little bit. It was a blast! Thank you thank you Erin for this amazing opportunity! If you need someone again next year I am SO your gal!

This is me with ANNA GRIFFIN!!!!

Those are pads of paper at the Me and My Big Ideas booth, isn't that cool? Sarah & I wanted to grab some so bad but it was not allowed :(

I have looked EVERYWHERE for Star Wars themed scrapbook supplies! So Creative Imaginations has it, now I just gotta find someone who carries it! Erin? ;)

This lady was hilarious. Her company created a cushioned seat pad with hang down pockets for crafters. She only talks in a baby voice and she sits in a giant chair with a giant version of her product. Her voice did kinda get annoying after awhile though. Don't you just love the baby's face?

This is me doing a make n take with Zutter

I spotted this zebra wall from far away and new that I'd love whatever was there.

OMG!!!!!!!! Have you ever seen anything more beautiful in your life? They'll be ready for sale right before Mother's day! Hint Hint :) There is also a matching Point & Shoot camera clutch or a large DSLR case and they are all lined with HOT PINK! Swoon!

Me and Sarah-kins! My partner in crime! Don't know what I would have done without her! We had the BEST time!

LOVED these spinning embelishments from Cosmo Cricket

This was probably THE coolest thing at the show. It's a Baby Tooth album full of places to document when teeth come in and when they fall out. Even a little storage case for them! Seriously how cute is that?

This is me and the fabulous Jenni Bowlin! Love her and her BINGO cards!!!

Me in front of the CK Media booth. Unfortunately none of the girls were there - Lisa Bearnson, Ali Edwards, or Becky Higgins :(

EEEEP! That's Heidi Swapp!!!!! She was the sweetest! Her new product looks like LOTS of fun!

The Little Yellow Bicycle display was super cute and I loved all their new stuff! Especially the pads that coordinate with the chipboard albums but the paper is already cut to fit the pages perfectly!

Here are my kids and the goodies that mommy brought home for them. Colby got some Star Wars color pages & Crayola Color Surge markers. Lacie got some piggie tail headbands and glitter pens. And they both got foam SLICEs from Making Memories.

And this is MY loot! Check it out :)