My CHA blast of a trip!

Ok, so i promised photos and things from CHA... and then the MTME release was happening and then the PMS release was happening and whew, i'm just finally getting around to it! Some of these pictures are "borrowed" from others but they are all of my trip. :D It was SO much fun and i definitely cant wait for the next one!

Here is me with my basic expression for the entire trip... a big goofy grin on my face!

Let's start at the beginning....

Ginger and I began the long drive first to my parents and then got up at 5 am to drive to chicago from indiana. We arrived on the very last day of the vendor show (not the smartest move, we missed all the swag giveaways!) and were told to head straight to the Provocraft booth because they had the most giveaways, etc.

We stood there, got as many raffle tickets as we could and didnt win a thing. And lost lots of valuable time that we SHOULD have looked at other things. Live and learn, right?

This is when i saw Kimmie Reid! That was fun!!! I've known kimmie online for awhile, but it was fun to introduce her to ginger who is a HUGE fan.

This picture is actually from the last day, but our first picture was blurry and this one is much cuter. :D

Then i got my first moment of feeling über special.... i'm just walking... i I hear, is that Katie Cotton?! What... someone RECOGNIZED me?! Are you kidding? I spin around and it was the wonderful Jessica Diedrich! And she was with Sara Henton!

At that moment, i decided THIS was why i came to CHA. The new stuff is cool. The giveaways are fun when you can get them. The shopping is well... SHOPPING, but actually meeting the people you feel you've known for years.... priceless!

Also at the vendor show i got to meet this wonderful lady!

Realize my ASTONISHMENT when she knew WHO I WAS?! This is Debbie Olson. And when i said my name, she said and you're from Greenville South Carolina! My jaw dropped to the FLOOR! Turns out that she is from south carolina originally so she has always associated it with my blog.

I also got to meet Marianne Walker of Copic Stardom!

I have followed Marianne's blog since my first site of copics almost 3 years ago. LOVE her work!

Then after the vendor show closed, we got to meet up with our roomies! These pictures were actually taken on day 2 when i was suffering from the worst headache i've ever had! They couldnt have wanted to take pictures when i was a little perkier? hahaha!

I finally got to meet up with one of my design team members, Maria. I love this girl! She is just as sweet if not more so than i expected her to be!

In this picture is Ginger, our new friend Jen and myself... I loved meeting this girl and finding a new friend!

Here's another shot of meeting lots of new peeps and meeting some i've "known" for years! What fun this night was!!!

This is mostly the unity and ippity gang... plus a few extras (um, like myself, but many of them i felt like i've known for years) the group grew and grew! My standout from this shot is my new friend Pinky! Um, can you pick her out of the crowd? HAHAH! This girl rocks and oooooozies creativity!

Ok... onto day 2... the first day of the Super Show!

More meeting up with friends... Here's a picture of Marti and I

So marti and i totally did NOT recognize each other! BWAHAHA. We were chatting away about Viva Decor pens and then i said my name and she said OMG, katie, it's Marti! And we both had head smacking moments! I missed Suzanne Dean by THIIIIS much she said and i was totally bummed i never got to meet up with her since we are on the Copic Creations design team today and i just love her. :(

Here i met up with Cammie King, another blog i've followed for quite some time. She knew who i was too. Again... feeling quite special!

These gals I've known since i hopelessly followed them around when i discovered Unity.

It's Maren, Jimmi and I.

I totally wish this pictures didnt turn out blurry.

Man i need to figure out my camera phone settings!

Let's start day 2...

Here's Ginger and I doing a hopelessly fabulous make n take. We decided to revisit about the 6th grade making shirts at camp! We also did a heinously fabulous glitter card! I may just have to post it tomorrow! I'm telling you, it's faaaaaaaaabulous!

Here is Shermaine Smith and I...

I've known shermaine since back in the day as well but i was really happy to sit, chat and get to know this wonderful gal better!

Ok... i love this woman!

This is Angela, owner of Unity Stamp Company, which i'm sure you already knew.

Once upon a time i was a hopeless Unity ADDICT. Ok, i still am, i really need to pull out some unity that i havent had as much time to use lately! Angela has always been so wonderful since I started my own stamp company and has offered the best advice. I'm so glad i got to meet her in person!

So this concludes the photos i have of my trip! I met so many other people that I dont have pictures of. it was a wonderful trip! I'm SO glad i went!!!!!