CHA Highlights PLUS a Giveaway!

It's been a week since CHA ended and I'm finally back home, settled in, and ready to share some of my pics with you! The majority of these were taken with my phone, so forgive me if the quality isn't that great. Oh, and if you're patient and scroll down to the end, you can check out my awesome giveaway! This contest has ended - thanks for your wonderful comments!

A couple months ago I was thrilled to be asked to create samples for Tim Holtz' idea-ology line of products. I was also lucky enough to get to work with the new releases from Stampers Anonymous. I can't tell you how much I love the new sets! The bottom row and right side are all mine. I think the skull is by Tammy Tutterow and the other two are from Joy Kennedy. They both created some truly beautiful and inspiring cards with these new stamps!

This was the display featuring the original drawings by Mario Rossi III, who designed the Blueprint stamps. I thought it was so cool!

Now we move onto Ranger, where Tim demoed the new Metallic Distress Stains - one of my favorite products that was released. Tim is an amazing person and an incredibly talented artist. He makes it look so easy!

One of the great things about CHA is getting to see work by your favorite artists. I had a fun time trying to figure out who made these samples in the Ranger booth. The four large-ish pieces are from Kaz Hall, one of my all-time favorite artists. The balloon and the tag on the far right are by Candy Colwell, another one of my artistic heroes. I'm pretty sure the rest are Tim's. So much eye candy!

Here is a piece that I remembered from the Winter show. I searched high and low and finally found out that it was another fantastic work of art by Candy. Incredible, isn't it?!

I totally fell in love with the new Rock Candy dry glitter from Ranger! My box was covered in the new idea-ology paper, embellished with the new Mirror, Woodlands Tree, and Tinsel Twine. All the dies are from Sizzix.

Tim's Snowflake Rosette dies were some of my favorites from this show. I used them to create a snowy white wreath that was covered in Rock Candy dry glitter. The day the show opened I searched high and low for it and couldn't find it anywhere (my samples were spread throughout Sizzix, Ranger, idea-ology, and Stampers Anonymous)! As I was approaching the Dylusions display, something familiar caught my eye - it was my wreath! Dylusioned!

Okay, now we go across the way to the idea-ology booth. I wish I had more pics - it was amazing! Here are just a few samples that were on display. The snowman jar and travel cards are mine. I believe the rest are by Tammy Tutterow. I love the precious photo in the Believe piece.

Another great thing about CHA is getting to actually MEET some of your heroes! This is Linda Cain, artist extraordinaire, standing next to the awesome sleigh. She is one of the nicest, most talented, down-to-earth, people I've met in this business. And check out her gorgeous bag!

I'm sure most of you are familiar with the ridiculously talented Jim Hankins aka The Gentleman Crafter. He is as nice as he is talented - and let me tell you, he is SO talented!! His work makes my jaw drop on a regular basis.

Woo hoo! Now we're in the Sizzix booth - winner of the best booth AND best press kit. This was a little Halloween corner filled with all kinds of spooky goodness. That's my Configurations apothecary cart and also my 'Boo' surprise box. I'm not sure who did the Bell Jar (Tim?) and the silhouette frames are Tim's.

These two cards were displayed in the Tim Holtz Alterations section of the booth. Love those mirror letters cut with the Word Play die!

Another one of my favorites was the Bell Jar die. So many possibilities with this one! BTW, the background for this card was made with the new Ranger Silver Metallic Distress Stain. Coolness! The card on the right was made with the new Wreath die. Another fave of mine.

Now, I'm not fond of how I look in this (a little drunk and too happy?) but I couldn't leave out a pic of two wonderful artists! In the center is the AMAZING Karen Burniston, Queen of Pop-Ups, and on the right is the beautiful Gretchen Schmidt.

Here is one of Karen's new dies - how incredible is that card? Pop-ups are my new obsession!

This is another of Karen's samples, this time done with the Pop-and-Cuts system. I honestly could have an entire blog post dedicated to her samples. I was mesmerized!

Oh, now for the stunning samples from Eileen Hull. I LOVE the sturdy, dimensional samples made by Beth Reames using Eileen's ScoreBoard dies. I just ordered her Candy Drawer die and can't wait to play with it! Eileen is another gifted artist who is so nice in person. Sizzix peeps rock!

Now for some Chicago! On Wednesday evening my husband and I took the L into the city and did the fasted tour ever! Chicago in about two hours. :) My first mission was to find the silver blob. That's what I called it anyway. In person it is really incredible. I love the way it reflects the skyline.

If you've visited the blob, don't tell me you don't have a picture EXACTLY like this! Also, don't tell me I'm short - I know (just kidding, Evelyn). It's actually the blob's powers of distortion.

Woo hoo! I hope you haven't fallen asleep from this mile-long post! I was lucky enough to receive one of Tim's cool messenger bags (thanks, Joy!) and decided that, rather than keep it all to myself, I would give it to one lucky reader. Since that seemed a little skimpy, I added an equally cool TH apron (how stylin' will you be when you're stamping?!), an idea-ology catalog, a lanyard from the show that is made from Tim's new ribbon, and a tag from me. Whew! That bag will be packed!

This giveaway is closed! Thanks so much for all your comments!

All you have to do is leave a comment with your name and email. I even allow anonymous comments so you can enter whether you have a blog or not! Just make sure I have a way to get ahold of you if you win. That's it! I'll leave the comments open until Monday and then use that random number picker thingy to choose a winner. Good luck and thanks so much for stopping by!