Home from Chicago!

Whew, these trips wear me out! At least the take down of the booth (Spellbinders) went smoothly, so we were all happy about that. I was able to visit with the people from some of my favorite companies, Scor-It, Serendipity Stamps, Impression Obsession, Sprinkle and Sparkle, Websters Pages, Copic Markers, Inkadinkado, and others I am sure, but I am just too tired to remember right now.

I was happy that Versafine ink will be available in a couple of new colors and they are working on reinkers, but aren't there yet. (Not that I have ever needed a reinker for one) I am also anxious to try out some Momento pads that Colorbox let us try. They work great with the Copic Markers (as do the Versafine). I brought home some new stamps from Serendipity Stamps line and think I will try using my Copic Markers to color rather than watercoloring them as I usually do.

I visited a booth that won Best of Show. The name of the company was Ribbons House and they have some great ribbon. It is made in Columbia in South America rather than in China where most other ribbon is made.

I took a couple of the fellow Design Team members that were there, Heidi and Jeni, each on a short tour of Chicago when we had a little extra time. You really need a week to see Chicago, and we only had an evening. We took the train in and had pizza (I had Giordanos, Pizanos & Ginos on different nights, so I did get my pizza fix!) walked through Grant Park, along the waterfront and by the amphitheatre. Each night there was live music and on Friday night, the Art Institute Museum was open for free, so we enjoyed that.

I took very few photos as my battery died in my camera and I have not downloaded the ones I did take, but these are some I took on another trip with a set of binoculars that contained a digital camera. They were taken from the top of the Sears Tower and from Navy Pier and are a little grainy, but still fun to see. Chicago is such a pretty town. I love the light house at sunset!

I am sure there are plenty of blogs that will fill you in more on all the new stuff, but since I was working at the show rather than shopping, I did not get to see too much. Next year the show moves to Orlando and there will be a consumer show in conjunction with the wholesale show. It will be a HOT time there.....literally!