Tinsel-rrific Fun Saturday!

Happy Weekend, Everyone! I had a fun day today teaching at Tinsel Trading in NYC. It's a great set up with a nice long table where you can sit or stand and work. There was a wonderful group of ladies, all new people to me (yay!) that got to Distress, collage, Alcohol Ink, Bandanna and Memory Glass & Frame their hearts out! I love introducing new people to the fun that can be created with these products. One of the things we did was Distress Photo Tinting; this is a picture of my grandfather, when he was 2 years old...1914. I recently found it and just love how cute he is with his teddy bear!

Remember me showing this "Medallion" piece? This was the first time I had come up with this, and I thank Tinsel Trading for the wonderful Dresden dimensional images in silver and gold that they have at the store. As soon as I saw these, I saw Alcohol Ink. I also want to try coloring these in with the Adirondack(r) Pigment Pens. When I was at the store today I found some wonderful wings...but now looking on the website, I've gotta see if they have some of these other images in stock (the Oriental lanterns!!!).

Here's a picture of the class on the famous "stairs" at the "Store Across the Street"...yep, that's the name of it! Fun, huh? It's a little blurry, but you get the picture, pun definitely intended! I also received a wonderful surprise from Terri Ventura (top of the stairs, to the far right, with cool necklace on!). It's this awesome purse and billfold that I'll take some pictures of and will post in the next few days. I'm beside myself! Terri makes the most awesome and unique jewelry, all out of vintage pieces. She also teaches some great classes...check them out!

I also got to spend some time talking to a most amazing milliner, Heather Huey. When you see the most amazing designs in the high end fashion magazines and in movies such as The Devil Wears Prada (love Meryl Streep in this movie!), it's so wonderful to meet someone that creates these types of unbelievable designs. I can now say that I've met a milliner!

I also received the most wonderful surprise-my friend Nadine (a.k.a. Hot Wheels) surprised me at the end of my class (for those with a score card, this is Foofy Toes' Mommy!). After cleaning up and doing a little bit of Tinsel Trading Shopping, we headed to a nearby deli, where we noshed on a wonderfully typical delicious NYC deli meal. I was a good girlfriend and brought chicken soup, sandwich and Dr. Brown's Diet Black Cherry Soda for Mr. B and we watched Michael Clayton on DVD. I think George Clooney was awesome in this movie. I'm behind on the movies, and from what I hear he has no chance to win, but the movie really kept me reeled in the entire time. Tom Wilkinson deservedly was nominated for the upcoming Oscars, but for the life of me, I don't understand Tilda Swinton's nomination. What do I know?

I'm ready to wind down for the evening, but was so excited about today, had to share! I've got classes down the road and will list them shortly. Enjoy your Sunday!

Tinsel Hugs, Robin

"Scooter" takes out Anaheim Marriott Starbucks

As promised, my friends, is another of my fun-filled stories of my trials and tribulations of Winter CHA 2008. As you know, a few weeks ago, of course, when it's most critical for getting ready for this show, I tore my medial meniscus in my right knee. A "scooter" was ordered for me to use at the show. I have to say, I don't know what I'd have done without it. Even with this assistance, I still had quite a swollen leg, which is much, much better at the moment!

Needless to say, I did not get any lessons on using this thing. The bellman went to the storage area at the hotel and said, "Sweeeeet!"...and proceeded to almost pop wheelies and goodness knows what other tricks. I've gotta say, I can't believe there was not even a small booklet to tell you the "basics" of this thing. It took me freaking 15 minutes to find the darn plug to charge it up at night. Note, there's not brake on this; just a hand pedal or level to push with the right thumb to go forward, and a matching lever for my left hand to push to go in reverse. Stopping? Uhm, let go of the lever and hope you let it go in time to stop. I think you could do an emergency stop if you pushed the "opposite" lever, but if you hit that one for too long, you'd start going in the opposite direction you had been going. For speed? on the left side, a picture of a tortoise...and for the fastest speed? You got it...a hare! It did have an awesome steering radius and....a basket!

Anyway, we were staying at the Anaheim Marriott, complete with a Starbucks; it was not Dunkin' Donuts, but no problem...it's caffeine, and I have my choice of favored beverages at both places! It was the first day of the show (I'm trying to blur this out of my head) and my roomie Dawn and I had breakfast at the hotel restaurant first; then to Starbucks, waiting in line to get my buddie Nadine her Vanilla Latte. I don't like to bring a purse to these shows, so I used my well-worn denim backpack...I proceed to move it from my (cool) basket, to the "floor" of my scooter and one of the $*&^%#@*& straps hooks onto the REVERSE lever. Needless to say, I was at somewhat of a loss for a few seconds, not realizing what was happening, starting to pick up speed, mind you, into the LINE OF PEOPLE BEHIND ME. I got a few dirty looks and was able to collect myself in the milli-seconds that passed and stop. No one was hurt, other than my pride. Many apologies of telling people I'd only had this thing a day and that I was still trying to get the hang of it, and then there were a few laughs.

Okay, day one. I never thought I'd make it through with this thing. I was having flashbacks of Seinfeld and George Costanza and the Rascal Scooter "chase". Except, everyone is running away.... To add insult to injury, the door thresholds in the hotel rooms were small mountains! While the rooms are nice, there's not a lot of "turnaround" room for a scooter. And those things are HEAVY! One day I "scootered" back (by the way, my nickname at the show, as deemed by my "friend" Tim was "Scooter") to the room, I was trying to turn around and I think almost took one of the beds with me!

Yes, it was comical....all of it, I have to say. I do, though, have a NEW appreciation for those in the scooters. I tried my best to stop, look and listen at all tradeshow intersections and not to pass improperly. I always remembered at consumer/retail shows with women in the scooters and they being right up the heels of your feet and my always thinking, "Hey, you're sitting, I'm walking, be patient." I tried to follow that...I really did!

Well, I'm glad you're all enjoying my stories. The scooter story really was an ongoing procession of learning how to steer this thing. For instance...elevators...difficult when you're by yourself! Stopping? There's a reason for bumpers on those things. Hotel Room doors? It's hard to open them up and then get out of the room (remember that door threshold!). Well, in the end, it was a lifesaver...

I'll be following up with pictures from the Ranger booth that I'll try and get downloaded. I'm prepping for my class at Tinsel Trading this Saturday...there's still openings, and it will surely be a blast!

Happy Trails,

Robin (Scooter)

Last Minute Stuff...Famous Last Words!

Well, I'm still finding things to do, boys and girls! I'm so happy, though, that my list is getting shorter, I think! I'm psyched to bring my jewelry and other samples to the show as well as seeing all of my friends and the new products.

One of the things I'm going to be doing is taping a segment with one of my bestest friends, Ana Araujo with her new show, When Creativity Knocks. I'm so proud of what Ana's done, and her daugher, Megan, will be her co-host. It's a great concept and I hope those of you attending CHA will definitely watch when she tapes around the show. I'll be taping my segment first thing in the morning on the last day of the show, February 13th.


When I get back, though, I will be at Paper-Potamus doing a workshop with Lance of Rusty Pickle and my buddy, Jen Starr, who's also going to be doing our Perfect Pearls(tm) Challenge at the booth. For those that do the Make and Take with Jen and provide their store business card, you will get a chance for an all-expense paid trip (not to exceeed $1,000) to Ranger U! Cool, huh!? Those taking part in the MITI (make it take it) will also get a little package of product to demo with back at their store.

On February 23rd, I'm teaching at Tinsel Trading! I'm going to be teaching a bunch of techniques, many I've not taught before, to create Memory Glass(tm) Jewelry. The Medallion Necklace shown is special for Tinsel Trading and will incorporate their product-I LOVED how this turned out. Check it out-hope to see you there!

Enjoy your evening! Robin

Journey of a Strange Stamp

Happy Wednesday! Hump Day as some would say, which is a perfect segue to my topic. Remember the talented Rachel Greig and the hunky guy in the Speedo stamp that she won? Well, here's the results of this "special" stamp's next stop, and they are insane! Sarah Schwerin of Australia has paid homage to "Down Under" as well as Mr. Holtz himself. I don't think she'll mind my sharing some of her results...check out the rest! They are a riot. Now Mr. DS, as he is called, is on his way to his next temporary home! I'll keep you posted.

Of course now Rachel's asking me whose image it is...I usually remember where the many, many, many (think of a large number, and that's probably close to the number I've owned over the past 14 years) stamps came from, but this was an unmounted stamp (Oh, no, the puns that I can think of...hump day, mounted v. unmounted...hehehe!). This one has got me flummoxed. It's pretty crazy, because as some scrappers can name a paper company by pattern, which I cannot do, I can usually identify a stamp by the type of wood used, or just by the art...now that's just sick!

Things are slowly but surely coming together for CHA...Phew! I'm also starting to work on classes. As a heads up, I'll see if I can add some type of a calendar on the blog, but in the interim, I know I'll be teaching the third of the triumvirate of classes at Paper-Potamus in February, right after CHA (I'll have samples finished this weekend!) as well as my first of classes at Tinsel Trading in NYC...check 'em out!

Enjoy the rest of your Hump Day and the Adventures of Mr. DS!

Inky Hugs, Robin

Tinsel-tastic Tuesday!

What a busy, crazy day! I had the pleasure of visiting the most wonderful business in NYC today, Tinsel Trading. I've been to this store over the years, but only one time since it's been remodeled and totally organized. With the power of the internet, I discovered that they are now teaching classes there with Ranger product. A very talented artist and designer, Terri Ventura, and I got to talking and I wanted to "see" what they had so that I could make some recommendations on how their existing product would work together with Ranger's stuff. As an aside, I also discussed the possibility of teaching some classes. I did a bit of shopping...! I could have done a lot more damage, but one thing at a time. If you're looking for something special, unique, vintage, different...check it out!

Above are some of the cabochons and buttons that I got. They're initially going to make some awesome molds, and then they'll be incorporated into necklaces! I also got some great vintage sequins that I'd never seen before that I will be working into some of my jewelry...can't wait!

I also found an unbelievable metal stamping that I'm dying to Alcohol Ink and make into something. Just something else to add to my list of things to do!

When I finally got home, I also had a wonderful surprise in my mailbox, from my friend Aleida Taddei-Thomas. I got to know her from Ranger U and she is extremely talented woman from TX. She was so taken by the Bandanna Technique that she made some stamps from actual bandanna designs that she sells on her website. She also has some great samples on her blog. She is super talented and will travel to teach in your store. She's also a wonderful person and friend! I received a "bandanna box" and Christmas Card, bandanna style with a surprise of her upper and lower case Bandanna Alphabets. I can't wait to try them out. They'll be so much fun on soldered monograms, don't you think?

Well, I'm totally done for the day, hitting the pillow hard. Enjoy my findings from today!

Tinsel Hugs, Robin