What a day!

Last night I could NOT sleep for the life of me. Finally fell asleep about 4a.m. and then had to get up at 7:00. We were on the road by 8:00 and headed to Mesa for the Rubber Stamp and Scrapbook Expo. We followed the directions using mapquest and found the location with no problems whatsoever. I've been to two expos in Tucson and they were both SO crowded that I couldn't stand it. This one in Mesa had fewer vendors but also less attendance (probably due to the heat in AZ in the summer). Probably not good for them...but great for me! ;-) We were able to get "front seat viewing" for almost every booth and watch them work their magic. I learned how to use a melting pot and make jewelry with a piece of glass and some embossing powders and a rubber stamp. Then we were off to the next area where we watched them do several techniques with Ranger Distressing Inks and Embossing Powders. I'd received both these items from my secret pal at Scrap Camp and had no idea how to really use them. So that was fun to watch! Then we watched them work with alcohol inks (one of my new passions). Discovered a couple new things there as well. Then we watched a couple other demos on coloring...one using a dove blender pen and colored pencils and one using chalks and a solution. We also got to watch a new way (or new to us way) of setting eyelets without having to use the hammer and pound them.

I found my changito monkey stamps at one booth - but of course they were sold out of all but the one design. I found a panda bear stamp, a pirate cannon stamp, and a couple small food item stamps at another booth.

The rest of my purchases were more "tools". I bought the new eyelet setter and the new blending solution for the chalks. I had searched out vendors on the internet ahead of time and this vendor had a 10% off purchase coupon for conventions...so I was able to get 10% off my purchase at the booth. I decided to also pick up a couple sheets of EZ-Mount from here since I was getting the discount.

Anyways...here are all the purchases I made at the actual expo.



After we left the Expo we went out to lunch at McD's (thank goodness for the $1 menu) and then we wanted to check out a scrapbooking store that was close by that I'd heard such GREAT things about. It's called Scrapbooks, Etc. and is about 3 miles from the expo. The store is HUGE. Easily twice the size of any stores in Tucson that I've been to. And lots of good deals. First I viewed the 50% off table and picked up these two halloween page elements and then found some paper for .40 that'd match.



Then I went into the "paper room"...yes, literally a room full of row after row of 12x12 papers. I found these two pirate themed sheets (to go with my new pirate cannon stamp) and the monkey themed sheet (to go with my changito monkeys).



And lastly I got another sheet of 50% off page elements for Easter (yes, a little girly...but easter's about the only time I can get away with it in my boys' scrapbooks!) and a sheet of foam that you use to make your own ink pads with multiple colors, etc.



They give you 20% off your most expensive item once per month. So that was off my sheet of foam...which was a whopping $4.99 to begin with. I made it out with spending just over $10! I think that's a record for me.

We left, thinking our adventure was over. We tried to backtrack our driving directions...but got lost. Ended up in Apache Junction...then went the wrong way on I-60...so ended up taking the back route through Florence to make our way back home. When I was little, my oldest brother used to take me hiking...and after he'd hauled me around for awhile he'd ask me which direction was home. Invariably I'd point in the opposite direction. Well, when I got lost today I called him for directions (he lives in the Valley) and he had a good laugh at my expense. Boy, brought back some memories! At least now I know an alternate route from Phoenix to Tucson if I ever need one!

Ok...I'm off to play with my new goodies! Just wanted to share!

Jane