I'm actually sitting at JFK airport, waiting for my ride.  I just changed the time zone on my computer – so that must mean I'm back home.  LOL!

What a whirlwind trip.

FRIDAY

After an uneventful flight, I was picked up at Long Beach airport by the lovely Elizabeth Hicks, a fellow Primadonna instructor.  I cannot emphasize enough how great it is to have a friend pick you up at the airport vs. a shuttle or a cab.  It was a lovely start to the trip. We went out and grabbed some sushi for dinner and talked and talked… just great.  And she let my borrow a pair of scissors for a couple of projects I was working on – which of course I didn't take pictures of.  But I will definitely post some as soon as I can.

I arrived at the Hilton / Convention Center and went up to the room I was sharing with my ClearScraps DT peeps.  That first night – my roomie was Laura McCollough, who was teaching a class for them at CHA.  She is so creative, and I love her luxe style of project decoration.  Her work is pure eye candy.

SATURDAY

First thing in the morning I rushed over to the Convention Center to get my badge print outs and drop a sample off with Golden Artist Acrylics – where Patti Brady was teaching a class on digital mixed media.  I took this class last year, and though it took a year to sink in – it inspired the work I've been doing lately with clear acrylics.  More on that later. 🙂

Then I rushed over to the Marriott to assist Marianne Walker with the all day Copic Certification Class.  It was great to meet the other people that I'm going to be working with and the class was a blast.  I'm looking forward to expanding upon the teaching venues this year – spreading that Copic love, and I got to  "answer all the hard questions".  Yep, she directed everybody to ask me those.  LOL!  Some of my favorite stamp designers were present, including the ladies from Hanna Stamps and Jeanne Streif, whose stamps from Rubbernecker I've so admired. 

That evening I met up with some friends, old and new at the Splitcoast Cupcake Reception.  I finally got to meet Debbie Olsen and Sherry Siemens in person.  Sherry is as tall as I am!  The two of us flanked Marianne in a picture – who of course, down below our line of vision was play-acting at picking her nose during the photograph.  You can really see where her sense of humor affects the stamps that she designs for Our Craft Lounge.   They are witty and fun, and make you take a second look to catch on to what is going on in the picture – just like Marianne. :)  I got to give Sharon Harnist a squeeze too and meet Trudee Sawyer.  I've just about met the whole Copic Blog and Design teams now which is great.

Then back to the hotel, to work on a last minute project for Tattered Angels (I needed clarification on the assignment — ok, I was being too literal.   But I went with my instincts and loved the results).  I got to meet some more ClearScraps DT members (and roomies), Amy Solovay, Elisa Kammerdeiner, and Tonya Dirk.  Yep, there were four of us to the room now.  I enjoyed meeting my fellow DT members, but splurged on the rollaway bed from the Hilton – because having been married for over 20 years, I have a tendency to 'spoon'.  I didn't need to cuddle with my new friends.  LOL!  Close quarters needn't be that up close and personal!

And I think that is probably where I will stop for now.  Once I get home and check out the state of affairs after my dear husband has been holding down the fort for nearly a week, including a snow day… I might not reappear until this evening.  So much more to say and show though.

Catch up with you soon.

SL