SuzeBlogz

The Guilt Trip

So....this is how it works.....you start taking notice that your closest friends are all on some kind of a health kick.
One joined a gym.
One lost weight and works out religously and now even Chico's doesn't make a small enough size for her ( I hate you Bonnie !) .....
and one  (who was always a vegetarian) is now a RAW vegan...like what IS this world coming to ?
I mean really.... aren't M and M's a staple ? You can't even tempt these people.

Now understand...the Lenster and I have a beautiful clubhouse where we live with a full gym & workout room. I take visiting company there to see it. And I rave about it....but.. I never go.

WHY? you ask....well...I'm not going anywhere without my hair & makeup done so whatz the point.
I don't want anyone at the gym to see the 'real" me. That's for movie stars in the Enquirer magazine...see the real Suze Weinberg without her makeup on. Damn...scary thought.

I remember when Dee Gruenig was visiting me once and we walked past the workout room at the clubhouse and one of the ladies who was in there exercising came flying out the door screaming (to Dee) "I know you.....I've seen you on TV..oh my God...you're on TV". Dee looked good.

So, that ought to give you the general gist.

So...The Lenster and I went to Sears and bought a treadmill.
It's in the bedroom where no one can see me but the cats.
It even folds up so I can put it away & not spoil the illusion when company comes.

WHAT....YOU THOUGHT I WOULD SHOW ME ON IT...GET A GRIP !

Okay...I think we need more houses....from CHA...
Here's Becky Olsens



This from Teresa Collins


and this from Amy Powers


and now....let me "turn you on" to one of my oldest friends. This quirky young man and I have known each other for ions and he has a hilarious blog (I love his sense of humor and the way he writes ) and a great stamp line...
check out Mark Jetton and his "Deadbeat Designs"

spend the five bucks..get his REAL paper catalog.

and you MUST tune into Kims Idol Audition on the Bonnie Hunt Show cause I laughed my ass off.
That would be the ass that's going on the treadmill right now..

slept till noon

and the best part....didn't feel the least guilty.....felt entitled in fact since I'm an old lady and need my beauty sleep !!!

I thought by now I'd be so used to grueling schedules and 3 hour time changes but guess not!

So...bringing you up to date
While I was getting my beauty sleep I got an online "One Lovely Blog" award from my friend Michi (rhymes with peachy) and I'm so honored. Thanks m'dear.
 

Sharing some more canvas houses

 
Tonia, How clever to use the sticky back by layering it like real house siding

 
Charlotte, You want to open the door and invite them in


 
This was one of my personal favorites. I loved Janes attention to detail.

and my friend Bonnie Egenton used guitar picks & Memory Frames on her brilliant House of Rock n Roll. All painted with Claudines Studio Paints.


 
In the news: Patti Behan let me know that the Screen Printing machine I saw at Provo Craft's booth at CHA is at a better price through this outlet.

and I totally wanted to share more of the displays I saw at the show because even some of the smallest things were so terrific...like this candle

 

and...Look at the incredible art my friend Kim Birch has done using the Calligraphy tip and the Hot Wax Art Stylus Tool with pieces from scrapbook papers. You rock Kim.

 

Now....here's something NEW NEW NEW coming in March from Ranger. Doesn't look like much in the packaging but the impact when used on Memory Glass/Memory Frames is incredible...

Called MEMORY CAPSULES...they are plastic with a raised center (all different shapes & sizes will be available to fit the glass) and you use them to encase beads, trinkets, etc. Here are some pix I took at the show that might help give you an idea of how they are used.

 

 

 

Oh......and I've added Linda Cains magnificent blog (chock full of ideas) to my list...GO THERE !

and check out the all new Winter classes offered by  USArtQuest in Michigan and now.....it's off to unpack the suitcases.

Home at last

one minute you're there....another you're somewhere else...and so it goes....and now...I'm home, back in cooooold New Jersey. It's okay...the blast of cold air actually felt invigorating when I walked outside the airport.

But....I'm so over it now....

OKay..gotta share this fabulous idea with you...from such a darling gal who I met at CHA...
Debbie Warren of Midland, Michigan.
HI DEBBIE !

Debbie has found a brilliant way to use our WONDER TAPE (on sale by the way) combined with our Beadazzles (or any type of small beads).

She was wearing this bracelet, she took it off of her wrist and gave it to me..I was stunned and I am still stunned....and again..I must say sincerest thanks.

 

Get ready
1. Dip a cut piece of WONDER TAPE into a jar of Beadazzles The narrower the width of the tape the smaller the bead will be

2. Wrap tape around a head pin

3. Go around a few times

4. Melt Clear UTEE. Dip it in the Melting Pot to coat it. NOTE: We happened to be using Clear UTEE with some To Dye For Magenta  in it at the time we took the pictures, but clear UTEE with no dye is more effective as you'll see on the closeup at the bottom

5. A bead is born

and now I'll share some more of the great Sticky Back canvas houses from CHA.
Designer Patti Behan quilted her canvas...it was fantastic to look at & to touch

and, well known beader Margot Potter's house was just darling.

Okie doke...off to bed...time warped!

I want it all

Yes...the rumor is true..it's over...the red carpet has rolled up and all the tired people have packed it in..but I flew madly around the show floor today and snapped as many pix as I could to bring you the last CHA post. I wished I owned everything I saw....but hence...no more room at the inn......and the Lenster would have a cow.....damn !

From the Cropadile folks...a corner chopper that cuts 1/4 and 1/2 inch round corners


Now, check this out...from Colorbox...Ooooh....SMOOCH

Looks like nail polish....but..it's far from it. The applicator tip is in the handle and the magnificent color can be applied to just about any surface, including fabric. Here are some samples from the show

and what about storage...holy smokes...tons of it of all kinds...






Loved the paper storage from Scrapbook Solutions


and I fell in love with the ARTIST TRADING CARDS selection of surfaces from Strathmore. They come 10 sheet packs of their bristol board, illustration board, acrylic & watercolor papers, and an assortment package. I feel so excited to have been given sampes of each ! Whoa !

and a new mesh pattern, linen, from Magic Mesh. I use Magic Mesh in my beeswax projects. I place it in the warm wax, burnish it in, then pull it out so it leaves a cool pattern in the wax.


then, meeting up with one of my personel best friends author, crafter, former store owner (Craft Barn UK) & all around magnificent person.. Maggie Wright, who I hope to get over to visit at her new home in Portugal  this summer.

but not all happy crafters are women...check out this fun guy. Hey...if he belongs to any of you out there, let me know !


or, how bout THIS dude....a real mans man...crown & all !


and then I saw Kat Okomoto (sitting) from A Stamp In The Hand (here with rep extraordinaire Debbie Gunion) & she was demoing for MARVY


walking down an aisle I bumped into new author Norma Rapko Vargas who just wrote Embellished Memories: How to embellish mats & frames. She gave me a beautifully autographed copy of her book.

and that darling Sarah Hodsdon was standing at her booth..she's always a ray of sunshine

then I got to play at the Duro Grit booth where Betsy Roberts taught me how to use their amazing bits in my dremel tool to "dig patterns" into cold UTEE...I was jazzed ! Bought all the bits, of course.


Here's a closeup of some diggings I made into UTEE...think of the possibilities

Then...whatz a show without some booth doing a big giveaway and everyone screaming their guts out....so it was at Quick Kutz


The Art Institute now had her Fantasy Film in a 20 inch size so you can make those giant gossimer wings and feel like a Victoria's Secret runway model. I gotta get me some !!!

Provo Craft has a screen printing machine..$299...very cool. Watched the demo..easy. Stop me..I didn't buy it...Whew !

Some booths had the most amazing decor...I wanted to take all their decorations home and redo my house...here are some shots.
Advantus

Graphic 45

Oooohhh I want this bird cage..it was soooo fabulous in person

Oh yes...and Golden has new Interference Acrylic colors


and here are more of the dynamic Sticky Back Cavas houses from the Ranger booth...
Tims
and mine

and Angela Cartwrights



ok...this took me over 2 hours to put together and I'm starving now...so..off to diner and, tomorrow, if the snow lets up there, I'll be flying home. Im ready !!

and the beat goes on.....

Whoa....day 3...pooping out! Swollen feet, dead brain, achy shoulders...but...damn.,so much fun!

It was Tims day for the Make It-Take It at Rangers booth.....

Look at the fabulous project they made

I know..dont you wish you were there !!??!!

Stopped by SPELLBINDERS...oohh..new fantastic dies for The Wizard...
Buy 1, then buy yourself a 2nd so you can cut one up and use small pieces of it. Look at it on metal...sand a little to reveal a second color. I loved this.


PLUS...look at the scrumptious NEW carrying cases for the Wizard


Moving on... bumped into gal pal Lisa Pavelka...the polymer clay queen..and SUCH a doll.



Thought Beadalon had a great little product...put your beads on this tacky bead mat surface and nothing slips or slides. I need this.
I need everything.


Claudine got busy showing us ways to use her sticky back canvas and Studio paint line

she makes bags...she makes pillows...she's a walking home decor maven


My Aussie friend Robyn Jacques told me this will be her last show...she's kind of retiring. I felt so sad I won't see her yearly. She's a long time friend..I've visited her at her home in Brisbane and shes been to mine in New Jersey. I love her.

same for my New Jersey gal pal Julianna Hudgins...s
she works for Ellison..she's NOT retiring..she's just kibbutzing around...!

Then, I got back to demoing some cool UTEE techniques
1. Place a piece of foil in a memory frame (no glass..just the foil)
2. Place a collage pix over the foil (Mona Lisa here)
3. Pour clear UTEE into frme and fill


Caught the DIY bracelet demo. Ink a stamp..roll the bracelet. DUH..!! The simplest things are mind boggling.


Caught the magnificent Wendy Vecchi display at the Advantus booth. Damn this girl is creative & cute too !


My last day to see my UK friends Leandra and Lin..the queens of Bling. We must have our bling!!


Then...13 of us hopped into taxis and went to visit the ART BAR in Santa Ana. Oh my!

Wendy and I fought to see who could buy the most stuff...damn.,Wendy won ! She actually outshopped me....how is that possible..


I mean...look at this store...


It has FUN STUFF.....

We behaved like fun customers...fighting over a paper stencil

But...the best was saved for last...we went to The Gypsy Cafe for dinner and got a music contest as a "bonus".

When the band asked for a volunteer to play a rythym instrument our very own Jackie McLaughlin (2nd from L in white - who works for Ranger) leaped to the call. ..we were on the floor laughing.


Jackie made the whole evening. We were hooting and hollering and throwing money at her. She played it up so big She was so "over the top"...she WAS the whole show.

Dear God....if I make it through tomorrow you'll get the very last of the show.
Give me strength...

Here's another canvas house from that cutie Bernie Berlin...she runs A Place to Bark in Tennessee and her canvas project reflects her love of animals.

Everybody Out of the Building !

Seriously....you had to see it to believe it....we had all just settled in to the booth when this screaming announcement came over the loudspeaker at the CHA show floor.....EVERYBODY PLEASE LEAVE THE BUILDING !!!!
Yes..that meant EVERYBODY.

Yes....Evacuate....


WHY......??....hell if I know...everybody you asked had a different "fire story".....fifteen minutes later we were all back inside. Too nutty.

And then I sat down to my all day Make It-Take It demo at the Ranger booth.
We made rings using the Amate ring blanks & UTEE.



It was THE BEST EVER MITI...they were lined up...
we went through 200 ring blanks & pounds of UTEE.

My friend Niki from South Africa and her daughter made one. I've known Niki for years.

My friend Angela from Florida made one. She owns Gemstone & Bead Imports.

Wendy Aikin & Judy Stabile came by to make one


Michelle & Teresa had a ball


Author & designer Sherril Kahn made one'
Even gentlemen liked the MITI


Now we need to check out more of Rangers Designer Challenge..the cool houses made using Claudines Sticky Back Canvas
This one by artist Debbie Tlach is the most incredible one at the show...it's totally dimensional and lights up.

and isn't artist Leslie Rileys just fantastic



and we all loved Lisa Spanglers Asian house


Then I took a break and went to play at the Studio Flux booth where they taught me how to use a jewelers saw....don't even ask !

My face is a dead give-away as to how I did....LOL


and, by the end of a very long, tiring day I was so happy to schmooze with old friend Dee Gruenig

and give a hug to The Srapbook Diva Danielle Forsgren & The King of Crafts Rayme Royale..... who BTW  have a wonderful new book out DESIGNING WITH THE DIVAS....I'm in it !


so......if I haven't died of back pain, swollen feet and laryngitis by tomorrow there'll be more!!!

Finding the Ole Get Up & Go

Wow...day 1 of CHA..talk about non stop bizzie...bizzie...bizzie...

Okay...day starts with Claudine doing her 7 am class ..SEVEN A.M.
Claudine did a fabulous class using all the products from her Studio line.

the finished projects were as pretty as she is...!!

I'm sorry the poor Rangerettes (Jackie, Teresa, Lennis, Bonnie & Patti) had to get up at 4 am (FOUR Freakin A.M.) to get the class set up........oh my...but..aren't they a perky bunch of helpers...I mean..really ?? Ranger only has cute people working for them.

Then...I went to start my demo at the booth.
That's where you do a lot of the huggie kissy thing when you meet up with all the friends you haven't seen in ages....

like Wendy and Judy from the WaxWorks West guild. They are like my sisters in wax! When I'm around them it's a laugh a minute.

Or darling Paula Montgomery from Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers who I just love

Then...off to do my Kandi beeswax workshop for 50 people. It was called "The Queen Bee" because we used crown books from Creative Imagination.
Here I am with my second ever Power Point photo op..I'm getting really good at these shadow pictures. I think they might have artistic merit....I ought to have a stamp made of this one.

Okay....so look at what these cool gals made using my Hot Wax Stylus Tool.


and...here are all the queens holding up their crowns.

Then...we get another sneak peak at the Ranger Designer Challenge...
two more utterly amazing "houses" all made using Claudines Sticky back canvas....honest to Good God...everything is done with her canvas..hard to believe...
Here's Carmi Cimicatas
Yes....all those flowers..canvas..I'm plotzing...how can anyone be this creative I ask!

and look at Wendy Vecchi's
So artistic, so altered, so clever.

oh....and there's more houses coming tomorrow..
but next we all go to dinner at an Italian resturant....the whole Ranger gang

But...where's Tim you ask?
Hmm.....he forgot to get his face in the table shot...so..we got him all by his little self...Mr. Tough Guy ! Just give this guy a few pizzas and he'll do anything.

and last, but not least...Wendy holds a very interesting looking dessert....the picture just doesn't do it justice !! Private joke, huh Wend !!??

STAY TUNED....THERE'S MORE COMING TOMORROW.

My Feet Hurt !

CHA hasn't even officially started yet...thats tomorrow.... and my feet are killing me.

I mean, I'm wearing my very comfy Ed Hardy sneakers
 
but hell...all that teaching and standing on my feet and all the anticipation and helping to get things set up in the booth....it's exhausting! I'm a mess.....Good Grief !

But...was it fun ??? Oh my !!!
Here are some highlights of todays events that I'm sure you will enjoy as much as I did.

First Tim worked his magic (see him casting one of his spells ) in his class. He's saying Hocus Pocus...and just like that...

a great alcohol ink wall hanging was created...like magic.

then I had to do my class...my very first time using PowerPoint...everyone said I 'done good' even tho the computer crapped out on me right in the middle of the presentation...the power cord fell out.....like duh....

but look......I even took my own picture in front of the slide projector..it was such a cool photo op !

My great students (that's them below) made fabulous books using rub ons, grungeboard, dabbers, Memory Frames, Mold n Pour & UTEE.

Ranger put up an incredible booth display called "The Designer Challenge" where many well known artists were asked to make a house from scratch using Claudine's self adhesive canvas and products from her Studio Line. Here is Claudines abode. Her work is fabulous and I'll show you more each day as I blog from my hotel room in my pajamas, soaking my feet !!!

 and, when the day was over I had dinner with my friends from the UK...Lin and Leandra (of The Leandra bead fame)

 

OK...so..this was the abbreviated version of the first day at CHA headqarters..stay tuned..more way cool stuff is coming. You'll love it.

The Michael Phelps of UTEE

That's kind of what the ladies from the Brandeis study group felt like when they left my class today.
I had 23 very excited non crafters ( don't even try to imagine...oy vey ) who had signed up to learn about making jewelry and using  UTEE for the very first time.

Who knew..... they were so overjoyed with their results.....they went just a little overboard, as is evidenced by this photo of one of my students, Carole, and all her 'medals' !

They just wanted to make multiples of everything so...like the chant from The Wizard of Oz goes.....Lions & Tigers & Bears oh my !

But hey..listen.If you're roaming around your local mall and they have a  Victorias Secret store be sure to grab up one of these cute little lightweight canvas bags....like too cool...??!!


They'd probably arrest me if they knew I was photographing the merchandise in their store !! Oops !

Product Placement

Today I'm contemplating the "packing the CHA suitcase" issue.
Every time there's a show I vow to take less & less because Ranger always has the supplies I need right there on the stand, but then something goes amiss with that rationale and I'm up to 50 pounds of "stuff" in a blink ! What gives with that ???

and..speaking of stuff...I have to share this story from my friend Donna Bayne. Donna runs the Rangerinklink Yahoo group and her daughter took her to see the new movie BRIDE WARS for her birthday.... Here goes:

My daughter decided to take me to Olive Garden today and to see this movie for my birthday. Everything was so nice and the movie was great. What I didn't expect was one scene in the movie when Kate Hudson was looking at wedding invitations, in the background you could see a shelf of rubberstamps. When they got closer to the rack you could see Ranger Embossing Powders and Stickles on the shelf. That was like icing on the cake, just a perfect day

and...here's something else you might enjoy..just when you think rubberstamping is possibly dying (never !!!) along comes  Jerri Kay whose stamp work will blow your mind & revive your excitement in the craft.