CHA Show and Many Thanks

The 2009 CHA show was an amazing one for me for a number of reasons. First and foremost I was an exhibitor for the first time instead of a professional critic. I loved my days as a columnist for Create & Decorate Magazine and the opportunities that job afforded to me over the years but new adventures and wider horizons beckoned.

The one thing people forget once you've been a columnist for a while is that it was my creativity, my art, my need to share with people great products, creating beautiful and useful projects, and communicating the best information and advice I could offer are all the things that got me the columns in the first place! People began to think of me as just a writer and not a creative person.

When I learned I was pregnant with my son in late 2007 it got me thinking, what is it that I want to do now? Getting back in the studio creating art and licensing were the top two things on my list. So a switch of the hats for me back to my artist and designer roots. This was my year to put up or shut up, I had been talking about exhibiting in this section since it's inception four or five years ago. So for a first attempt, it's a good start. I can only hope some of the great manufacturers I met with at the show love me as much as the 250,000 readers loved me each issue of Create & Decorate.

It wasn't easy getting to this point but thanks to my husband, my children, my family, and my fantastic friends for all their support and enthusiastic cheerleading. My friends, Tera Leigh, Kirsten Peters McGrath, Suzanne Meyer, Angela Andsager, Valerie Frazier, Sarah Hodsdon, and many others were my cheerleaders and kept me going. Brenda Pinnick also was a great advisor, thanks for telling me about the wet media acetate, it rocks my world now! She also took the time to put her art director hat on for me and gave me some really wonderful tips, thank you Miss Brenda!

Sarah and I had long conversations and despite monkey wrenches being thrown at us left and right we vowed to keep the faith and keep true to our higher vision for what we wanted out of the show. This year Sarah was also gracious enough to help me create the press kit education series for the CHA designer section, a task that can be thankless at times, controversial at others, but as a good byproduct it really helped us think more creatively about how we market ourselves. Sarah (pictured in the top photo with Mark Montano and me more on that below, and her wickedly creative booth in the bottom picture underneath me in my booth) I am proud to say won both the best booth in the License & Design Section and The Designer Golden Press Kit Award. I am proud to be second in both efforts but I am glad the awards went to a friend who values real creativity, an avid fan of coloring outside the lines, and above all a person who encourages joy and creativity even when you don't think you have an ounce in your body left. Sarah can find it and relight it again! Thanks Sarah for being there! Sarah also should get the golden tiara for naming her queen chess piece on the front left side of the booth, that's Herassmus. Herassmus B. Cardboard! In case you didn't get it her -ass-must-be-cardboard! It just killed me! Herassmus was a registered attendee of the show, unfortunately her badge was stolen 4 times!

My two dear friends who helped me with my booth set up Kirsten Peters McGrath and Suzanne Meyer, both amazing artists themselves really helped me when I needed it. Kirsten helped me organize the booth, she gave me great tips when I was dreaming this all up and she helped with the placement of the art and helped me clarify what to show and what to put in a pile to have available to show. There went my scrolly snowmen but the booth was better for it! Without Kirsten the booth would have been good but not stellar like it was. Suzanne was the best, not only did she graciously accept all 7 or 8 boxes I shipped out there but she was my go to gal for helping me get all the supplies I needed, lending me the card table and great trays I used for the press kit room and designer showcase, but God love her she helped fold up nearly 200 mini Chinese food containers for my booth invitations! That is a great friend indeed!

On the home front, I have to thank my mom who flew down from Chicago to help with my kids while I was out of town for a week during CHA. She's the best when I need help and it didn't hurt that it was slightly warmer here than in Chicago!

It was really wonderful meeting so many new people at the show and Sarah right across the aisle was always introducing someone interesting! She introduced me to Mark Montano, creative television personality, author, and all around great guy. He was signing his books and having lots of fun at the show, he couldn't have been nicer. That's Sarah, Mark, and me (having a bad hair day!) at the show on the top picture there. There were so many of you who stopped by, Thank you! I appreciate it. You all made my day and my show.

I hope to let you all know about licensing deals I sign from the show soon! Wish me luck!