Santa Clara Scrapbook Expo aka heaven on earth

This year, I got to go to the Expo! and stay at the adjoining Hyatt all 3 nights, what can I say..it was heavenly. (I also had to relinquish the credit card when I got home, it is now locked in the safe)

Thursday, left work early...and checked in, unpacked (which i never do, I usually live out of the suitcase)..@6pm got my will call tickets...back to the room, where I read a little James Patterson and went to sleep. Soooooooo relaxing

Friday morning, had breakfast delivered 6am. (figured high calories would keep me from overdoing throughout the day). Was lined up for the all day crop by 7:30...found my friends' reserved table and got the table next to them. On Friday, at our table was just me and Ashley, and she was running late, so I plugged myself to my MP3 and got a LOT of layouts done. Went to the copics class, learned airbrushing...yes, I bought a set-up...and cropped till 11:30! Oh, Ashley and I did go out for a late dinner, she needed to re-park closer to the convention center...and stopped at Joanne's...why Joanne's?...there wasn't much cardstock for sale on the convention floor, and J's was having the core ones 5 for a $1, and everything else 40%off.

I actually won a couple of prizes...the copics class, my name was drawn for a package of paper...the distress class, my name was drawn for distress ink, I picked the green...and at the 2nd crop, my # was drawn and I got a chipboard book...I NEVER win...so, I was pretty excited.

Saturday, got the same table, but this time it was me, Ashley, Nyki and Michele...well, was 'visiting' more, so not as many pages done...maybe 6.
I was first in line and got our same table...no breakfast, which of course meant more random munching thru the day. Used up all my cash, so had to hit the ATM for money for dinner. Ashley got us takeout (she grew up in the area, and knows all the spots)...YUMMY Italian.


Okay, 'idiot' moments. Friday, I brought my gypsy...but forgot my cord! Had to call Nyki and ask her to bring me the cord and a cart so I could use my gypsy...and it worked GREAT on Saturday...but note to self, bring my own matt..the ones there are not so great.

Saturday, my nose is a li'l 'drippy', so I decide to take an allergy pill, as I pop it in my mouth...'wait, that's pink"...yeah, I took a nighttime one. I did not fall asleep during the day, but drank 3 pepsis!! prob another reason I wasn't as productive..cuz I was in a fog.

Both my classes were excellent, taught by Christina Guardini (?)...anyways would highly recommend her. The first was copics the second painting with distress inks.

I liked the shopping on the floor, I didn't see much for cardstock, though there was the buy it by the pound and AC packs...but the color selection was not for me.

The booths I did the most damage at were Cricut Dan (had to have the gel pen set and a cart)...Tattered Angels...Tessler Stamps...Pugnacious Stamps..and a li'l embellishment place called Mimi's (I think) sold the net butterflies, had $1 grab bags, must have picked up a dozen or more...Krazy Kreations...these are what come to mind. Did not see Scrapbook and Stickers (I like their pp selection) and the Cat's Pajama's stamps (they are soooo cute!). Only one booth even had BG packs and coordinating cardstock. But there were at least 3 - One Dollar type booths. I did go to one, Scrapbuck...but passed on the others.

Though I missed a couple; overall, I wasn't disappointed.

Came home yesterday, and still haven't fully unpacked...I'll try to get some pics of layouts up...but, here is my 'take' from that embellie booth...
from the $1 grab bags.