CHA - Warning. The longest blog post I've ever posted.

Ok, so I know I'm a bit of a Suzy-come-lately to the party, and that you've already seen a ton of sneak peaks from before and during CHA, of all the fun new product that's coming down the line, but what kind of a scrappy blog would this be if I didn't show you a couple of the things I can't wait to get my hot little hands on!?

K, but first?

I have to show you this.

I had not heard about this little detail of CHA...30 minutes before the doors open and the trade show officially begins, there is a parade of bag pipers followed by the officionadas of CHA - the committee executives, and they go up and down all the aisles and it's all very grand for someone like me who's easily impressed!

So now, without further ado....and in no particular order.....I can't wait to own/have/use:

Pink Paislee wood grain alphas

and these Pink Paislee hexagon chipboard shapes!!

Right? How cute are they?? Look how they arranged them at the bottom of the framed product board! Along with all the other yumminess they're releasing!

American Crafts/Amy Tangerine canvas paper

(Her cute section of the AC booth)

Ok, well anything and EVERYthing by American Crafts is on my must have list! They really knocked it out of the park this season with more Thickers

Peppermint!? Yes please.

Mmhmm? Did I not say?

And also, American Crafts CHALK BOARD PAPER from their Nightfall line!! (sorry no photo).

October Afternoon wants to keep me very happy with their wide array of mini alpha colors!!

Tim Holtz has some competition in Wendy Vecchi! I love her style!

(Better than TH even....did I say that out loud?)

And Dyan Reaveley too. Check out her new stamps!

It was watching her demo her stamps that I found out that this Ranger Heat It Craft Tool MAKES NO NOISE!!! Ok, you probably knew that already but I don't get out much.

Can you guess where I saw this?

And while I don't consider Martha Stewart a true authentic in the scrapbook industry, I do love some of the stuff her People create and market. These cupcake papers for example. I WILL have those. And make cupcakes in the ones that are left over after I've finished making this CUTIFUL cupcake papers floral bouquet!!!

Crafter's Workshop masks and templates

This photo isn't the greatest, so you really do have to go here and check out their new releases individually! Some seriously cool designs that bring them to the forefront of the paper crafting industry. I think.

In the completely fun category is this honeycomb paper from Inky Antics! You can make some super cute pop-up shapes for cards in an array of colors!

But on the days when we don't feel so cutesy, there is SO sophisticated La Blanche! Wow. Know I will be trying this 3-d technique with a stamp, ink and some Utee.

And there's the Tattered Angels Mistables by Pink Paislee, (paper, chipboard alphas, ribbon, masks, muslin flowers, tags, fuzzy stickers) and Crate Paper's Farmhouse collection and ohmyhelpus, Maya Road goodness that doesn't quit and more clouds and wood veneers and 2 new paper lines and chipboard shapes from Studio Calico and Unity Stamp Co. who has teamed up with so many cool companies including My Little Shoebox and Spellbinders (yes!) and then there's Spellbinders' new spiral blossom dies and I could go on and on and on! And I have a bad hunger now too for a Silhouette of my own.

Happily I can report that clouds and woodgrain are not going away yet (thank goodness; I'm not even close to getting tired of them), and silhouettes and cameos are coming on strong.

As well, there is plenty to feed my washi tape obsession!!

Now for a couple fun pics from various booths around the show....

yes, all ribbon!

yup, buttons!

Oh HAY! I know her! (Me with our fearless leader and creator, Helen Chu!)

And there's my pretty friend Shemaine, teaching a make-n-take in the MLS booth.

One more of the whole bunch of us in the MLS booth.

These are the girls who made the whole CHA experience an over-the-top-fun-time!

And who also introduced me to this not-to-miss Chicago treat - deep dish pizza!!

Oh. My. Word.

You do not want to go there if you're not sTaR-HaR-vInG!!

And as a final note...?

So glad I didn't get rid of my foam stamps....I KNEW they'd make a comeback!!! Thank you Jenni Bowlin!!