Sweet Sunday morning, everyone!   I’ve got SO much to share with you today … I’m really not sure just where to start.    I’ve got fab & fun pictures (finally edited) from Arlington’s Great American Scrapbook Convention, plus, I’ve got stampy news that I’ve been aching to spill/share as well!   Recently I’ve been away from the computer, away from the studio, and otherwise enjoying other life joys …  Hey!  It’s Summer .. i.e.  a bit more daylight & time for family, fellowship, fun, and “getting out there“.    June has brought delightful goodness here in so many ways.

Time for my ‘newzz‘!  Late in May I received an most unexpected invitation to join the oh-so-talented design team for Our Craft Lounge!  

Oh.

My.

Goodness!  

I’ve brought out “Kona” to help celebrate and make this official!   Kona is one cool turtle dude!

To say that I’m tickled pink just goes without saying!  Thank you so much, sweet Joy & Cami!!    Yes, I’m the new owner of some terrific new stamps … but I did not find them in the mailbox.  They actually arrived in Texas a few days ago with Joy Kennedy, when she came to visit, play, and work at our Great American Scrapbook Convention in Arlington, TX …. my stamps were actually “hand-delivered”!  ***Pink Squeals!***   What could be better??  Well, one of the super-talented DT members for OCL traveled to Texas to join in the fun & fellowship … Pam Hooten, a.k.a. Piris!   If I didn’t have plenty of pics, I’d still be pinching myself over the sweet fellowship of awesome friends.  Simply stated, there’s nothing to compare with being able to savor the treasures of friendship.  So here comes an assortment of photos from our busy, work & fun-filled days drenched in stampiness!   😉

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Yes!  Piris & Joy were really here!!

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Another sweet part of the week was getting to work with Jackie at the Inky Antics booth!  Here’s Jackie & Piris … two very talented and darling women for sure!

 

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Here are Michelle & Joy.  If you’ve ever had the pleasure of taking a Tim Holtz class .. or two, or three … the predictable odds are that Michelle  packaged up your generous class packet!  She’s a delightful, “behind the stamping scenes” sweetheart.

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One of the “sister” companies to Inky Antics is “Darcie’s”.    Darcie is the the artist/creator of these sweet goodies.   She’s showing Lee some of her treasures at the demo table.  Lee’s getting a very well-deserved moment to sit down during the show … as she is the tour ‘director’ of the 4 related stamp companies.  Lee has the unique talent of having her finger on the pulse of all 4 companies at a time during the various shows & conventions.  Got a question?  Lee has the answer!

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~Another cool treat was the opportunity to assist Vicki Chrisman with her Crafty Secrets classes on Thursday and Friday morning.  Now these classes were full of vintage, shabby delights … and they started at 8:00 a.m. … about an hour away from home in morning traffic.  Piris & I were so tickled to get to spend some time with Vicki in classes, and later with Sandy at the Crafty Booth.  since Piris also designs project samples for Crafty Secrets, she spent various times at their make & take table during the GASC.  (I never did get to make one of the M&T’s!  The old saying is so true … timing is everything!)    😉

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Daytimes were pretty busy during the convention, so some of our funniest times for fellowship were actually in restaurants after the days in the convention hall.  It’s not that we focused solely on food, but we had so many laughs and much needed time to relax and chat.   Those smiles are infectious!

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~Around the table we find another very sweet and indispensable behind-the-scenes talent, “Keychain” (a.k.a. Karen) along with the beyond-creative Tim.   Just gotta love some peep’s nicknames!  She’s another fab part of Tim’s traveling crew.  Alas, I didn’t have the chance to see Tim’s demonstrations during GASC, but my sweet friends tried to fill me in.  Some day I’ll try to make it to another of his awesome classes.  So much to learn … so much creativity there!   As you can imagine, every pair of hands was needed & busy from Wednesday morning through Saturday night with the set-up, show, tear-down, & repacking the trucks.   Thank goodness for a chance in the evenings to dine, laugh, and share stories! 

 

~Of course, when on the road, folks need to find a chance to get in touch with the families back at home …. and in many cases those “homes” are in a variety of states.  I couldn’t help but giggle when I spotted this shot while we waited for group seating at Papadeaux’s.  ~

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Here’s Ted (on the right) … owner of Inky Antics, Darcies, Stampers’ Anonymous, and more … along with a true newcomer to the convention working gig …  someone very near & dear to me!  (So glad I have a photo for proof!)   Many many thanks to Ted for the opportunity, food, and for the terrific Arlington visit!   We’ll see y’all back in Texas next January! 

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Hmmmmm …. although I really do not scrapbook, as I look back across this longer-than-ever post … I’m thinking that the journaling is basically already done … and I could actually just print, crop, and create a first scrapbook!  Oh my word …. did I really just say that?!   

Here’s to a blessed Sunday for each of you, and a sweet week ahead!  Thanks so much for sharing in the news and the fun today!

~Tex 

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Card Recipe:  Stamps = “Kona” (Our Craft Lounge)