Go WILD with Memory Mania!!!!

WOW, Have you ever attended one of Memory Mania's CHA EXPOs? They are great fun and I think WILD is an appropriate word. I can remember back 10 years ago when we were located at Tanger Mall and the ITEM OF EXPO DAY was a little swivel blade, template & sponge mat-----Coluzzle -WOW-we were wild for it of course, but we never know if YOU will be WILD for the same things we are WILD for so we ordered some not an enormous supply of them and when i tell you they were FIGHTING for the coluzzles, I'm not exageratng, seriously, customers were stealing them out of the baskets of each other to get to the register first. I think the stealing was in great fun, (i think), but yes, EXPO day is always great fun And can you believe it, Coluzzle is still widely used today !!!

We know that many of you can't make it to the EXPO day and we began the PREVIEW PRE BUY last year -many of you took advantage of it and loved it!!!! This can be purchased online or over the phone. AND, you get a ticket for early arrival on EXPO day. Reserve your kits by Friday, February 20th at noon to be assured to get one of the FIRST CHA PREVIEWS. Here are the choices:

I'm going TOTALLY WILD!! $100 (a giant mix of paper & embellishments)
I'm a maniac! $50 (a healthy mix of paper & embellishments)
I'm a little crazy! $25 (a nice mix of paper & embellishments)
Just the STRIPES! $10 (the hottest new pattern papers)

It is a pre-order that requires pre-payment. It is a mix of the most wonderful FINDS at CHA that are delivered prior to March 20th. Once you preorder, you'll receive an email from me getting an idea for the things/styles you like & I'll do my best to honor your wishes. Some people also like this because it spreads the cost out, then they can still come enjoy the fun & demos of EXPO day and not worry about fighting for the things they've already received in their PREVIEW box!!!

Now, talking about CHA, one of the largest shows of its kind-a scrapbooker's dream come true . . . Its that time of year (January) when the vendors are unveiling their products for 2009!! my head is still spinning (as is Christy & Jade-well hopefully Jade's head is pretty still, she's getting her tonsils out today-Good luck Jada-Boo):) Spinning from all of the awesome things we saw !!!! Chances are I couldn't name 5 of my favorite things if you asked me, it takes a few weeks before it dawns on me. You can ONLY imagine how much money we spent, we went in the hopes of a TIGHT BUDGET, well, put a woman in a room larger than a football field filled with papers & stickers-what do you think happened to the budget, uhhhhh, i really tried. No really, i did-I told Christy & Jade that the only things we could get were the things we just couldn't BREATHE without. Ok, so we were gasping for air alot those 3 days, and I spent more than i hoped, I just stretched it out. We will be getting LOTS in for EXPO day, but we've saved some things to come in May for National Scrapbook Day & then also a little later in June!!!! I think this is a good way for the customers too, afterall, we can only take so much excitement at one time!!!

The great thing is the vendors knew where we were all coming from with trying to save money, scrap more economically. Many vendors designed lines that ALL coordinate--Moxxie & Bella Blvd are 2 that i remember, designed several lines that the coordinating papers coordinate with each other. Therefore, you can save paper. MOST papers are double sided to get double the use out of them. There were some brilliant, cool new products that you can't appreciate until you see it used, which of course, will remain a secret until they are demo'd on EXPO day!!!!! So try really hard to save that date, its the best day of the year-you get to come & touch & feel & see how things work!!!!! AND, if you don't yet have a rolling bag OR, like me, its time for a new rolling bag-my storage needs have changed, and boy am i ready for the COOLEST, WILDEST, BEST BAG EVER and it has a matching shoulder tote, let me just say------- even the shyest (is that a word Allison??) of you will be going STAR CRAVING MADDDDDD for this bag. As usual, I got on my knees and begged, promised to work in their booth, did everything I could do to be sure that MEMORY MANIA is the first store to get these bags. Of course, they just couldn't resist 3 sweet, smiling SOUTHERN girls. So stay tuned, you are gonna WANT/HAVE TO HAVE/GOTTA HAVE/CAN'T BREATHE WITHOUT this bag!!!!!

Speaking of breathing, don't forget to post about the Marah workshops coming up-we have 4 spots left!!!! This is a once in a lifetime event at Memory Mania, don't miss it. The big drawing (something you can't breathe without) is on February 14th!!!! Post here about the Marah workshops, are you going, you can't coming, but your purchasing the class kit, what are you cooking/baking/making for the Good Food, Good Friends, Good Wine Workshop??? Post it all, we want to hear it!!!!!!

Stay tuned for more CHA news as my head slowly stops spinning & I can think clearly (well, not sure if that happens in your lifetime), well, let's just say I will post some cool little secrets in the coming weeks. SAVE THE DATE, EXPO DAY, APRIL 4th 10am-noon.