Conventions and other scary places...

WARNING - I am not an expert :) 

My story starts over 8 years ago when we lived in Houston, TX and my sister and I signed up for a "beginning scrapbooking" class at a small store.  It was very basic, but quite eye opening and - like potato chips - it made you want MORE.  For a while I played at putting together scrapbooks, but I enjoyed the art of collecting the supplies more than putting things together.

Fast forward 5 years and we are living outside Fort Worth, TX and my sister picks up serious scrapbooking and buys one of these new "cricut" things... As an aside I kept calling it a Cry-cut until she set me straight.  As I was busy with work, pregnancy and new babyhood she soared ahead of me and became an expert on all things cricut, copic etc.  She's actually become my own personal trainer and resource lol.  Well, about a year ago I started seriously tackling scrapbooking again.

Now a story for others who might find themselves at the point I was in about a year ago this January.  My sister invited me to go with her to the Stamping convention in Mesquite, TX.  I said I would go (a little nervous because it seemed so hardcore scrapper - a world I wasnt sure I was ready for).

What was I nervous about? 
I wasn't sure...

1. What to bring with me .. was I under or over prepared and what WAS red tape? (red tape is a 2 sided thick "tape" that holds heavier items or will help you adhere hard to stick items like ribbon or things on metal)
2. Was my bag too much or not enough?  (take a big over the shoulder sack bag - you can put all your freebies and purchases.. YES you get freebies!!)
3. That someone would ask me to perform some miracle feat at a make and take ... and what WAS a make and take? (a simple project using the stall's products - stamping, card making etc - and you are helped by and expert every inch of the way)
4. That I could navigate or understand the stalls and booths. (you get a map and at some conventions a 'passport' where stalls can stamp a little book and earn you prizes or entries into drawings)

Well, I survived that first convention (and from what I understand - that big scary place was a "small one".   I even had fun!  I had seen things I had never thought of doing, things that seemed so easy in the hands of experts - and most importantly I saw people who loved crafting as much as I was starting to.

I've been to the Arlington, TX convention as well - and I was much better prepared...One day I hope to get to the big CHA consumer show (and although I toss that term around I only learned that is the big daddy convention 6 months ago lol).

Until next time...