CHA show in Anahiem, California.

I thought I would share a few photos from my recent trip to the US. It started out at the CHA show, and as you know it’s the main craft trade show for the year. Amazingly they fit in 3,600 exhibitors into this venue, with 3 main halls all connected together and the lower floor housing the newest exhibitors. I don’t believe I saw all of the show, even though you get 3 days to view it, it is impossible to see everything. I always try to look closely at the new exhibitors and then concentrate on all the favourite booths after that.
I am probably not the best person to ask about the show since I don’t actually buy product from the show, as you may know I do not have a store. Usually I like to look at the trends get ideas for new product and generally see how the industry is going. I did call in and see lots of friends including my good friend Suze Weinberg, http://www.schmoozewithsuze.com/ who is one talented babe and a lot of fun to be with! Check out her site, she has a lot of cool product and a neat DVD out. I also managed to catch up with Stampington & Co who make a range of my stamps out of clear polymer. Also I had a short visit with our Em from Perth, who currently is living in LA with her family and is apparently coming back to Perth soon for a visit and teaching. http://www.embers.typepad.com/ check out her blog, it’s really lovely.

Suze, JVO, Emily

Catching up with Sally Wilson, designer of Delish Designs, who I had chatted on the phone with, its always lovely to put a face to a name. Her booth was stunning and classic, and there is a pic of us with the work of Maxine Hazebroek’s in the photo – good one Max!
http://maxinehazebroek.typepad.com/my_meanderings/

Julie & Sally

Jenny Sutherland from New Zealand, who I shared a room with introduced me to Leandra from Paper Artsy, and I know a lot of girls right here in Perth just love her stamp range. In the photo she is holding up some ATC’s sent from some of the Aussie girls, isn’t that nice she had them on display at her booth!

Jenny, Leandra & Moi.

My last day in LA before going to the mountains I had a side trip to Tijuana, which was amazing and such a colourful place, so here are a few more photos from that trip down to TJ.



S loads of chillis!!!

In my last posting I mentioned that I went up a hill in the mountains near my friend’s house, Sharilyn Miller http://www.sharilynmiller.com/ here is a pic of where I climbed up to before I got scared, well I am a bit afraid of heights!!! See the little red arrow that’s where I got to before it got too steep.

Sharilyn had the cutest cats, Rosie and Sparkle, not sure who this cat is but they both remind me of “Garfield” ! I bought a laser light and had them both running a race track around the house and up and down the stairs, it was really funny to watch, if you have a cat, get one you won’t be disappointed!


If you do go to Sharilyn’s site she had out an amazing DVD on how to make jewellery in her wonderful style. Wouldn’t it be great if we could get her to make the 15hr flight to come to teach in Melbourne or Perth? Any interested parties should email her!

BTW I did see chipmonks before I left the mountains on the last day and they were so cute. Naturally they came out of the woodpile near the house and when they got frightened they went straight back, talk about move and really skittish! The pine trees were full of birds and bluejays are so lovely to see flying past, bit of a neon blue flash! I gotta admit I really like the mountain life and one day I will go back up for a visit.

Do you remember "All the Rivers Run"?

On my return to Oz I had the good fortune to camp out at the Southern 80 in Echuca on the Murray River. I’ve never been before or heard of the race, http://www.southern80.com.au/ but it was amazing and fast. Can you imagine skiing down the Murray behind a speedboat at 160km per hour? The 80km race which the gurus complete in 32mins! These guys and there were kids as well must have a lot of guts! I also had my first real camp experience, like not having a shower for days! (did have a bucket of river water tho!) It was quite warm and dusty, not what I was used to, but it was one of the best trips I have ever done. Mind you there were these really big ants, I think they were at least 2.5cm long! And they were biters, only got nipped on the toe once, and that was because I was near a nest and we were stirring them up to see the soldier ants come out. The entry to the nest was at least 3 meters in diameter (no bull, excuse the pun!).

The camp fire seemed to bring out the pyromaniac in me, I always liked burning things when I was a child, so I was allowed to teardown any wood in the vicinity of the camp (a 1km radius) and burn it! LOL, and I did, burned wood the whole time. I also was hanging out with some bad camp dudes who gave me alcohol and cigarettes even though I don’t drink a lot or smoke. Well I did smell a lot of smoke hanging out at the camp fire. Each morning was so lovely on the river, birds singing, fire crackling, bacon and eggs cooking on the camp fire, only to be broken up by the speed boats racing down the river. If you get a chance to go to the Southern 80 GO it’s so amazing to watch, and you can dip yourself in the river to cool off if it gets too hot or you get too dusty. (just watch out for the little river shrimp they bite ya on the bum!).

While I was in Vic I caught up with Jenny Crossley, and her lovely kids, Nic and Matt and Mark, Jenny’s hubby.http://amarkintime.blogspot.com/ and I finally managed to meet “Audrey” in person and the crew (fleur de la muffin and Peggy). Audrey took to my chest straight away and asked nicely for something from the crisper in the fridge! Incase you didn’t know Audrey is JC’s guinea pig! LOL. Jenny makes the most beautiful art pieces and she has a style all of her own, so go to her blog and see her latest creations……

While I was in the “ratty” we went to this amazingly yummy restaurant called Thai Fusion, if you are in town go its so nice…..

See ya, JVO . . . . . .