SuzeBlogz

The Last Day

that's when the crazies set in.....you're so tired from all the demos and make it take it's you might even want to kill your co-workers... The mad Timster strikes again.....LOL (dont'cha believe it for a minute !)

check out Michelle's tie...now THAT's the real attitude.

and Wendy Vecchi's (studio 490) great flowers


and Jill at Ellison showing some new die-cuts

Dave at Kandi Corp demoing the Hot Wax Stylus Tool

and you never pass up an opportunity to take a picture with Kathy, the Crafty Chica (R) . My new tech pal Barbara L. Forbes-Lyons joined us.

I was really blinged out by the gorgeous samples at the BUILD UR Beads booth. They are all wooden bangles that have been decorated.

Here's more ideas from them using their new wood shapes and some felt beads.

Maya Road always has beautiful samples using their chipboard

Then Bonnie Egenton and I had our photos done in a photo booth...Die Cuts With a View had one in their stand. This was the beginning of a hilarious adventure !


American Art Stamp wasn't showing at CHA but they do have a new line of stamps from Florida artist & Calligrapher Joanne Fink. She gave me one and I replicated it in UTEE.

One of CHA's hot new items...art director Lori Gardner shows the Gypsy from Cricut

not to mention The SLICE cordless design cutter

running into beading friends Angela Bannatyne (R) and Margot Potter (L)

Graphic 45....gorgeous stuff...everything

and the papers at Cosmo Cricket....fantastic

and these amazing REPOSITIONABLE Washi Tapes from Kodomo...heat resistant, transparent, stampable...terrific

There's more, but by days end I was pooped...needed a massage...

cause I was looking forward to dinner with one of my oldest friends, Phil Kean.
Phil used to own Stamp Cabana and now he's a renowed Florida architect. He's been published in many architectural magazines and is in this months Florida Design with a gorgeous spread. (see page 180).


Tomorrow is the consumer show....I'm gearing up...more pictures & reports..stay tuned....

and did I mention....

Seeing my old friend CAROL DUVALL...who looks and feels wonderful. We spent a really nice time catching up at CHA

Doing Make-It, Take -Its all day today at Rangers booth...look we even had a guy making Faux Soldered pins !


and then it became so popular we had another guy give it a try..check out Frank...Vera Bradley backpack and all. A really secure mans man !


even Claudine gave it a try


and, speaking of Claudine...look at what she's done with her sticky back canvas and Studio Paints...fabulous..


then designer Linda Cain stopped by

and showed me some of her creations.....oh Lordy, she's so talented. She did this box using Ten Second Studio metal and enhanced with an Idea-ology ornate frames.

and look at these business card holders shes done from Grungeboard


Then the fabulous Terri O stopped by...she is the CHA National Spokeswoman plus a talented TV personality in Arizona


Tim was as busy as ever demoing..always a nice big crowd

Noel Rusk Culbertson made a stop..she is just a glitzy little darling...chat her up on Facebook

Ranger introduced this Inkssentials Craft Bucket..you can actually fill it with water, plus, its so retro looking. EVERYONE needs one !

Then a quick stop (that turned into an hour visit) with one of my most favorite people Lisa Pavelka (R) ...I'm joined by Bonnie Egenton(l) from Ranger and Diva Danielle
Lisa is now using a new innovative German Polymer clay that she raves about...and boy was I impressed..

it comes in little balls, in tons of colors,  making it so much easier to roll out

from a company called VIVA Decor..Christine Williams, moi and Donna Downey


Day ends...off to do my Beeswax Class for Kandi Corp...great class using the hot wax stylus tool and The Melting Pot

with great results on their napkin frames


Great job Anne Holliday...you're a hoot cause you're certainly NOT a fish outta water !!!!!

oooh...let the fun begin

It's 8:30 AM and the bagpipers are roaming the isles of CHA playing the welcoming tunes.
That's always a clue that the show is about to open...

We were sooooo busy in the Ranger booth...demos, make it-take-it's..bizzie...bizzie. I never even had time to pee.


Friends drop by in matching jackets....that's Donna Downey...we bought them togther


Then my friend Lyn from South Africa and the ever cute Margot Potter


and...Miss Margot had a fabulous pedicure technique to share with the world....the Ranger white gel pen......I swear....you won't ever believe this one...but it's true...TOE DOTS.....she's so hip !


We always love running into the gals from GLITZ Co. They have amazing stuff !


and, after a very full day the exhausted Ranger-ettes all went to dinner at B.B. Kings Blues restaurant




.....Michelle.......

Teresa......

Go Bonnie Go.....LOL



Then the fun began for Wendy Vecchi and me.....we went shopping and got some goodies...B-I-G goodies....we are so bad for each other....'Buy it Wendy'...'No, you Buy it Suze'........it's a compulsion!

and, as we were walking back to the hotel with our goodies along came TABATHA..
holy shit!
Like a super hero of some sort....Wonder Woman on a bike....

Tabatha rides a passenger bike for a living and she flies up sidewalks at records speeds....like the Indy 500....and she offered us a freebie ride back to the hotel....how could we refuse...hell, I'm old...& beside, our hands were full....
but we had no idea what we were in for....

Wendy and I were positive we were gonna lose our dinner...
but..it was the most fun ever!
I've get Tabathas number in my cell phone now...I think we have to do it again and tomorrow IS another day

Still Ducky

The Ranger-ettes and I checked out the deli here at the Peabody Hotel and everything was totally ducky !

(me, Jackie, Michelle, Deb, Teresa, Bonnie & Patti)
then...zipped over to check out the enormous, olympic sized pool

This morning it was up at 5:30 AM to be ready for my CHA Ranger class...and WOW..it went great. Everyone made 3 really cool ornaments...here's one of them...using the new Red Poppy & Spruce Green UTEE's. and Tims Ornate Plates
I had great helpers..Bonnie, Patti and Debbie..and thank you to them for making it all possible.

DO YOU SEE A UTEE FACE????

After class my friends Angela Bannatyne and Donna Downey fetched me and "dragged" me, kicking & screaming, (ho ho ho)  to the magnificent Millennium Mall. Damn....That was such a hardship!
We decided that darling Donna needed a Mac cosmetics makeover.....she didn't resist !

Makeovers are huge fun....look how gorgeous she looks !

I found new shoes..Aerosoles, on sale....love the bling !

Angela found flowers....

Donna found a hat...we made her buy it...the "kit" stayed there !

Loved the T-Shirts

Loved the mall...

Then.....

on to Angelas beautiful shop for a TRUNK SHOW from Nunn Designs
Becky Nunn has those beautiful Patera jewelry parts and she is quite the designer.

The demo was mobbed

People were grabbing up the products right & left (including me !).....


what a great day....ducky all around...
 

Like a Duck to Water

I have arrived in Florida...in Orlando...home of the summer CHA..and guess what....things looked great from the plane window...

and then I landed.......whoa......the skies opened up and it began pouring and thundering...and I said..."I came all the way from rainy New Jersey to more rain..oh my....
I have a lovely rainy view of the pool from my hotel window..,

but...all is far from lost...we are staying at this gorgeous hotel, The Peabody, and there's a TV in the bathroom...honest to God....Pee and See.

This is so luxurious....I might have to dwell in the bathtub for a few hours for a Law and Order marathon !

Plus...their theme is ducks.....ducks are everywhere...you just know I'll be collecting the duck soaps they'll leave every day.

Now..I need to catch up with the other Ranger-ettes and see what rooms everyone is in. Tomorrow, early AM, is my Ranger Melt Art Mania Class..can't wait to share. Dont forget to get UTEE on sale and to pre-order the 2 new colors.

BTW: I still have some rubber stamps at the office from our Gar-Art sale last month....good ones...so...anyone who might like a $25, 10 stamps minimum grab bag (plus perhaps some other goodies), please call Maureen at the office (don't call or email me...I'm not there !) at 732-493-1390 EST and give her your info and she'll fix up a box for you. No requests for specific stuff...just take a nice chance.
You can also fax...732-493-1392 or email her at swmichellep@aol.com



I

Packing, as we speak

Well...things are certainly starting off on the right foot going forward to CHA....I just got my first class upgrade for tomorrows flight...seat 1A...whoopee!

Darian leaves tomorrow at the same time as I do...same airport.different Florida flights, but we'll be there together in nearby gates.

Her fabulous adventure ends today but, since last we "spoke', we have done the Cheescake Factory (she'd never been)

We visited a puppy store

We stopped at the makeup store Sephora where she got 'age appropriate' eye makeup done.

we did silly things in the stores

We let the flat iron mall guy give her straight hair...took over an hour..she L-O-V-E-D it to death.
But, rest assured..one washing and her gorgeous thick curls come back

she said he felt like one of those teen movie stars!!!!


and then...a ride with grandpa. She rides with her father at home so she's very experienced. No worries.



and me.....I found a $32 purple purse in NY & Co. I'm happy !

Still being Grandma

Have I totally bored you all yet? Well...next week is CHA...so...craft stuff will have to wait..we're still on Grandma duty till Saturday.

Swimming (not me...don't know how...hate the water !)

Manicures (note the green polish..hmm)

Pedicures...scrub scrub...yum..yum

Making 5 minute rings with the Belgium wire

A Visit to the Humane Society to play with the animals & make a donation

Making a friend

Finding a furry with ORANGE eyes....so unusual. They were really bright orange, not gold or green.

making another necklace ..this one for Darian's mom
 and one for her friend...she made them & designed them herself.

Grandchidren should visit more often I say !

True Colors shining through...

Cyndy Lauper must have known....

we are all so excited over the 2 new UTEE colors coming for CHA summer.

RED POPPY will replace Red Hot Red. This was a big request of mine for over a year. I wanted a redder red that went with the pearlized base that the other BRGHTZ have and now its here.
This is a vivid bright magnificent red that shines like you can't imagine.
When you place it in the pot next to the Violet BRIGHTZ you could just die !!!


To compliment it we've added SPRUCE GREEN...oh my God....it is like the truest color of a spruce tree...a deep green with bluish undertones. When you marble it in the pot with the Green Zinnia you totally flip out.

I'm going nuts with these colors....you will too..I completely promise.
YOU CAN PRE-ORDER if you like. And, don't forget...all the other UTEE's are on sale at 15% off.
This is the new Red, Green and the original Violet.


Back to the granddaughters....

After sushi lunch with the girls

we hit up Michaels Crafts where they were very excited to see their grandmas pix on products. We just don't make a big deal about that stuff around here !

Then,  I let them pick out some beads so they could make their own necklaces. They loved this because they'd never done it before ! Quick learners....
 

 Darian made this one....
 

Alyssa made this one


Needless to say - in the same plaza as Michaels was a TJ Maxx....more try-ons...they hit up every pair of shoes (the higher the better) and tried them on...it's all about "the attitude" when you play big girl!

The lady in the dressing room just wished we'd all disappear....
they tried on every dress in size 'extra small' they could find.
you do know.....there is no such size as extra small..I'm sorry! That is a totally unfair size no matter what age you are.

Meanwhile...back at the ranch....they convinced me that I needed a pair of flip flops....
I have never had a pair because I CANT stand that thing between my toes......but...they convinced me they'd find a really comfortable pair for me....
I'm such a sucker....however......I am still wearing them to show how freakin' brave and well adjusted I am.


After dinner, ice cream outdoors...whadda they know about calories or fat....they only know 'extra small'.


Then Darian showed us how to make the air dry clay roses....

STEP 1. Cut a chunk of clay, roll it in a ball, then roll it back & forth in your hand till it becomes a long bean shape

STEP 2: Cut it into pieces

STEP 3: Roll the pieces into little balls then flatten with the palm of your hand
 
STEP 4: Overlap each flat piece on top of the previous

STEP 5 Press each 'seam' down really well

STEP 6: Start rolling

FINIS '


I love this easy project....endless possibilites ! And to think..I learned it from a 12 year old. WOW !

The Girls

WARNING: Grandchild post for those who hate that sort of thing....

The two (almost 12 year old) grandaughters, first cousins....Alyssa (from son Marc) and Darian (from son Lee)  - get to see each other about once a year.
It's a really B-I-G deal when they do.

Darian came up from Florida and Alyssa lives about 90 minutes from us and this week they're staying together at our house and having a blast....especially cause Grandma Suze loves to shop and so do these two pre teen girls.

First...breakfast at the local 50's style diner....chocolate chip pancakes....a staple in every young girls diet.

Then, off in the convertible which they deemed was like an amusement park roller coaster ride....

On to the MALL...where else

and then to every teen store in the mall that had sales....did you know there are dozens and dozens of them....oy vey !

Vera Bradley mini purses 40% off.... Grandma..grandma...we love them....please..please!


Sunglasses 2 for $10 plus "attitude"...grandma...grandma...we love them...please...

And I wanted some attitude too ! LOL...left them right where I found them.

Rockers !

Shoe fetish  ! How the hell they could even stand up in them was beyond me...my feet hurt just looking at them....

and check this out what I found at the Swarovski store.....look very closely....

A crystal thumb drive that you wear around your neck as jewelry.....I drooled...but, ever so wisely left the $200+ item right where I found it.

We've also gone to see Harry Potter (very dark, but very good) and played games at the boardwalk amusement park....and this is only Day 2 of the sleep-over.

I did, however, get to play with some of the air dry clay roses Darian made for me..
This one I used Pan Pastels and rubbed a light coat of Glossy Accents over it.

This one I waxed, pasteled and used Glitz Stickles on

and this one I coated in embossing ink from the bottle, coated with UTEE and melted

Today the girls and I are going to craft...my wallet is saved once again.....will report later....tra la.

Meanwhile...take a few minutes to visit these two wonderful YouTube sites
7 minutes that are Very Inspiring

and The Sounds of Rain & Thunder (thank you Terry Sue)

Tweet Tweet

Those beeswax urges never seem to slow up....there are days I want to wax everything.
Now I'm on a "lets make a bird and wax it" kick.

I found the little wood saying strips on the sale table at Pier 1

When I was visiting Zana (Stamp Zia) last week she shared her secret for making the Torsos (see blog from last week)  and I applied that same principle to making a bird.

I know....you're gonna probably want to kill me because I gave her my word I wouldn't spill her class secret...so I can't - but it's not important....what IS important is that I coated them with beeswax and added Pan Pastels as well as Perfect Pearls in between the layers of wax so you see all of that stuff going on underneath the layers.

Then, I did a full bird.

I made a quick trip to Michaels for feathers which I hot glued on. And, I'm a big fan of the Zamora beads ( which are always on sale) & Beadazzles to hide all imperfections. I used our Loctite brush on super glue for that part.

The Lenster loved them and actually said...lets hang them...whoooa..this is a good sign.
I must re-arrange some wall space. I'm thinking maybe I need a "bird bathroom".
The guest bathroom can now be called the "Tweet Pee"......!

Okay now...don't forget a couple of things.....
1) The Instant Art Collage Book (which we did a limited run on) has a few copies left....get one now because soon they will be discontinued.
2) There is always a free download on the website....I change them monthly...gonna change it soon so get it now. It's called "Hide & Seek".
3) EVERY SINGLE UTEE is ON SALE at 15% off for a very limited time.....grab 'um up !
4) Same for Wonder Tape......yipee !