Paper Trail Archives - Page 7 of 11

#PaperTrail Day 19

16 Jul

Since I was staying in the Hampton Inn and there was a magnificent breakfast to be had, I went for it! Good way to start the day…

I packed up, checked out and was on my way to The Doodlebug where I was to teach the Memories Mini. This is a mini-album made with just one section of the Sizzix Shopping Bag die.

I think they all came out really great- everyone added their own special touches to make them fit the person they were giving their book to.

Meanwhile the entries for the big giveaway were growing… I could hardly take the suspense!

Then it was time for another demo- I showed everyone how to use Craft Attitude. This is a product that I like to use because it gives the illusion that you printed directly on matboard . This isn’t really possible because it’s too thick to go through the rollers. Craft Attitude is a film- you print your image on an inkjet printer, cut it out and adhere to the matboard and then peel off the release paper- very simple and easy! I made an Artist Trading Block using pics and text from my visit to the Doodlebug. I left it there so they remember me 🙂

After the demo, I started packing up to get down to Mary’s Scrapden to teach the Chunky Book at 6. I got in the truck to pull up closer to the store to load up and heard someone yelling, “Eileen Hull- don’t leave!!!” I got out and turns out they were some ladies that had come all the way from St. Louis to see me and say hi 🙂 I felt very special. Turns out they have a scrapbook store called For Keeps Sake there so maybe I will see them on my next #Papertrail journey!

After a nice visit with my new friends, I drove on down to Mary’s Scrapden and was very excited to see my friends Ken and Linda Oliver signed up for class!

We had a nice relaxed time and partway through class, my friend Kim arrived from Tulsa, OK- she drove 550 miles! Crazy girl!

I have known Kim for almost 20 years- we were stationed together at Ft. Drum, NY with little kids and got to be good friends and crafting buddies.

We made quite the mess but isn’t that what creating is all about?

Kim and I checked into another Hampton Inn (two nights in a row I lived in luxury!). We got ready for bed, and we were talking and catching up on our families and next thing I knew it was morning! Time for a new day…

#PaperTrail Day 18

14 Jul

Please excuse the break in the #PaperTrail blog posts. After I arrived home, I had to quickly finish up the next Sizzix collection that will be debuting at the CHA 2015 Megashow which is now finished- hooray! I think you are really going to like this new collection!

So back to the trip… last time I wrote, I was at the home of my high school friends., Kathy and Bill. I said a fond farewell and got on the road bright and early, thinking that my first class was at 10:30 AM. However, when I checked, saw that I had some extra time and didn’t have to be at The Doodlebug until 2 PM. That actually was a good thing, even though I would have loved some extra time with my friends and more sleep.

I pulled into a McDonald’s and cleaned out the camper. I also went in and used the free wi-fi to catch up on some email. After getting myself organized, I got back in Scotty and continued on my way…

I arrived in Jasper in time to get my hotel room before heading over to the store. You will be happy to know I splurged and checked into a Hampton Inn- quite fancy.

Check out the bathroom!

I pulled up to The Doodlebug and was impressed to see my visit was scrolling on their marquee! movie

Scotty was quickly unloaded, the display and demo area was set up and and we were off and running with a demo of the Mini-Album and Artist Trading Blocks. There was a great crowd and the dies were flying off the shelf!

After the demo, I set up for the evening class, the Chunky Book. This was one of the most popular classes and it was interesting seeing how different each book came out even though we all used the same techniques and supplies. There was one little glitch. For class we use dictionary pages to cover our book pages. I looked through Scotty about 10 times and just could not find that dictionary! We finally wound up substituting tissue paper which worked out great because it is almost transparent and people got some really nice effects with it. Of course two days later I found the dictionary… it had slipped off the bench seat and behind some suitcases…

A few people were not able to make class- here’s Hanna holding the kit they got.

Everyone finished their books- whew… they were beautiful!

By the time I left the store, I was hungry. There was nothing I wanted more than a Subway Tuna on wheat. I got there right as it was closing but they made one and I went back to the hotel, turned on NCIS and ate my sandwich.

Heaven!

More soon…

#PaperTrail Day 17

29 Jun

I left Chagrin Falls bright and early bound for Scrap Happy Ohio, after a fond farewell circle around the Town Square and a stop at the gas station to fill Big Daddy. Sharon had sent me off with a mapquest printout of how to get to Tiffin, OH, which I followed.

After about an hour and a half, I exited the highway and as I drove down the ramp, I heard a horrible grating sound. I got out to investigate and saw that the tailpipe was hanging off Big Daddy and dragging on the ground! I saw a truck stop caddy corner to the exit ramp and headed over in that direction. A good Samaritan mechanic was walking by when I pulled up. He took a look underneath and pulled off the tailpipe!

He assured me that I could have it welded back on when I got home and that it wouldn’t be any different to drive. Then he walked away- no charge! God bless him for knowing exactly what I was worried about and reassuring me that it would be OK…

I called Sharon Brown, my contact at Scrap Happy Ohio, and told her I would be late. She said it was OK- the people for class were there but she would keep them amused. I finally arrived, quickly unpacked and got the show on the road.

We made some fun Canning Jar Recipe Books using washi tape- it’s amazing how everyone’s looked so different just by the colors of tape they used…

Then it was on to making Art Journals- we cranked them out!

Sharon and I have been FB friends for a while and it was so great to meet her in person and see the store.

Then it was time to pack up the camper and hit the road. This was a traveling day- had to get from Ohio to Indiana- about 250 miles. I ran into three big storms along the way. I had to pull over into a McDonald’s parking lot for one of them- it felt like Scotty was going to go flying off the back of the truck- really windy and blinding rain. So I had a little nap and then when it calmed down, got back on the road…

At about 10 PM, I finally arrived at the home of friends that I had not seen since high school! I can’t even tell you the number of years it had been because it makes me feel really old.- let’s just say MANY years…

One of their kids worked had a set from college- I almost got to sleep with a Wild Thing!

It felt like we just picked up from where we were in HS days and caught up on jobs, kids (we each have four- three girls and one boy), moves (lots), military experiences (Bill was AF, Hayward was Army), church, and life in general. They live in a beautiful home and have great antiques from when they lived in Germany. I loved the time with them and hope that we can reconnect and get together again sometime. Thanks Kathy and Bill! More to come…

#PaperTrail- Day 16

26 Jun

Throughout my trip, I have been struck with how beautiful our country is and how lucky I am to be seeing it.

After leaving Maureen’s house in Chardon, OH I drove to Chagrin Falls, where my friend Sharon lives. She is the blogger behind Crafts ‘n Coffee and had very nicely invited me to stay with her. Read about her account of our visit here.

I had to do three drivebys of her house to determine the best approach to her place. There were workers putting in a new sidewalk with lots of orange cones, big machines and workers directing traffic. Luckily Sharon had a nice wide driveway that I could turn around in or it might have been one of those times I would need to disconnect the trailer and turn it manually.

I only have one flip flop on this pic because I lost the other one- my favorite pair 🙁 Hoping it’s in the back of the truck somewhere…

Sharon’s delightful daughter Sara accompanied us for lunch at Rick’s and a trip to The Village Herb Shop, which is owned by Sharon’s friend Lee Ann and offers plants, some really nice gifts, wearables and other fun goodies.

I was fascinated by the fairy gardens that were sprinkled throughout the store. Aren’t they adorable?

They even had a set of the dishes that I collect- some were from my aunt… and then I kept collecting. I love the colors in this pattern…

After lunch we took off for a tour of several antique/re-sale shops. I found a really pretty quilt top, two funky pieces of crocheted bottle cap art, some old pics, a Scotty colored Pyrex bowl, the perfect yoyo pillow, and other treasures (mostly for Scotty!) Sharon has a great eye and kept finding treasures. I love everything I got!

Selfie at Steeplechase II, scene of some great purchases!

We invited Sharon’s friend Lee Ann (who owns the Herb shop) to stop by that night to visit, craft with us and and see how the Sizzix Big Shot worked… we wound up creating this really pretty Coffee Filter Flower Wreath. (I say we… Sharon and Lee Ann finished theirs, mine is not done yet because I was too busy talking).

What a great visit I had- Sharon was the perfect hostess. The next morning it was time to set off for another adventure so I left bright and early but ran into some technical problems- ugh… more soon! Thanks for following me on the #Papertrail…

#PaperTrail- Day 15

23 Jun

After a five hour sleep in Scotty, I emerged and walked ever the bridge to the restroom. I saw a large crowd of Mennonite folks gathered in line at McDonald’s, so I went into the bathroom and brushed my teeth. When I came out the line had gone down so I got some breakfast and walked back to the truck.

But when I got to where I had parked, there was no Scotty or truck!

WHAT!???

I checked the parking lot twice- just could not figure it out. Could it be that those people who told me not to sleep in the camper were right? Were there really people who had time to sit and wait till I finished sleeping and went into the bathroom, then came over and hotwired the truck and droved it away? Or had it been loaded into the back of the truck and hauled away to be resold on the black market? Many bad thoughts were going through my head as I walked in to report this to the police. I happened to see a truck driver walking in and said, “I can’t believe it but my truck has been stolen!” He said, “Where are you headed?” I said to Erie and he said he had just come through there and that I was probably on the wrong side of the highway.

Oh thank God! I was so happy I couldn’t believe it. And realized how Scotty had become my little traveling buddy. I felt like Tom Hanks and his battered volleyball Wilson…

Much relieved, I continued the 60 mile drive to Erie, PA. I spent the afternoon with my best friend since second grade, Irene.

I had to finish the video for Sizzix so she went and ran some errands. After I finally finished the video, Irene took me out to Beach 11 in Presque Isle State Park. It was huge- just like the lake- and we sat on the beach and ate sandwiches for lunch.

Then we visited a beautiful garden center where she found some flowers to fill in the garden.

At about four, I rolled on to Chardon, OH where I arrived just in time for a delicious (and healthy) meal at the home of Maureen and Kenny, my husband Hayward’s cousins. After dinner we walked the dog around the neighborhood and I retired to my beautiful guest room intending to write a blog post but instead getting a much needed night of sleep.

What I am seeing from visiting all of these kind people who take me in is that my hosting skills need serious tweaking!

Stay tuned for another chapter soon…

#PaperTrail Day 14

16 Jun

Wow was this a long day! I had a great time over at the Scrap and Stamp Nest after enjoying the hospitality of the store owner, Susan. Delicious meals, beautiful home- she and Greg could open a B & B.

The ladies in class were terrific and each Bloom Box came out great and expressing the style of the maker. Class ended around 3:30 so by the time I got packed up it was almost 5. I am sorry I don’t have pics of our class- my phone was completely dead. It has been a challenge to remain connected with all devices properly charged and functioning.

I was hoping to make it to Erie, PA to stay with my friend Irene who I have known since second grade. It was a 471 mile trip so I got in and started driving… At about mile 400 I had to pull over. So happy to have Scotty! I cleared off the bed and settled in for a comfy 5 hour sleep and woke refreshed and ready to drive again. There is a story about the rest stop which I will share tomorrow.

Right now I have to finish a video for Sizzix. Life goes on whether the #PaperTrail is happening or not.

Sizzix asked all of their licensed artists to make a two minute video of the summer release. I thought no one would do a better job of making the new dies looks amazing than my Inspiration Team Members

and Team ATB

I was so right- the samples are amazing! I cannot WAIT to be able to share the new collection with you!

Signing off and sorry this is a day late!

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