Evo's Show/People Report
The Virginia Art & Rubber Stamp Festival
Oct 12, 2002 - Virginia Beach, VA
Sponsored by Heirloom Productions

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Heyyyyy, Folks...

Virginia Beach's first show and in spite of buckets of rain (A local stamper had over 5" in her back yard Friday. How do I know?? She told me so!) you still came!!! As many of you know, Mr Evo & I prefer two day shows (which this one will be next year) but are sooo pleased we did go to this one and are sooo pleased so many of you did too.

Our drive from FL to Va is always a pleasant drive for us, but a special treat was in store for me on this one. We stopped at a motel at the Walterboro, SC exit Wednesday night and had a couple of toddies at the restaurant/lounge next door before retiring. Carolyn the bartender was munching on something behind the bar which turned out to be slices of good ole southern once-eaten-never-forgotten-fried-salt-cured-fatback. I grew up on this, folks, and haven't had any for years!

I immediately checked the "munchies" menu but fried fatback was not to be found; it only came with the buffet. OK, so disappointment flooded my being, but hey! I've lived through worse moments and would manage to survive this set-back, too.

A few minutes later, Carolyn disappeared then reappeared with a small plate of ... you guessed it ... fried salted fatback slices! Woo Hoo! And they were for me! Double Woo Hoo! I was in hog (literally!) heaven! My first reaction was to hide and hoard my treasure. That was no problem with Mr Evo, 'cause even though he talks more southern that I do ... in his heart he's still NJ born and salted fatback will never pass those southern-speaking lips. However, learning that the truck driver from MO sitting next to Mr Evo had never had the pleasure of such a culinary treat and was curious about the difference between fatback and bacon, I did (after a tad of agonizing) share. The look on his face was worth the sacrifice. Another convert to good ole southern once-eaten-never-forgotten-fried-salt-cured-fatback was instantly born.

Unfortunately, the Double Tree Hotel in Va Beach where we stayed the next two nights had no clue as to the delights of fatback, but then ... I wasn't expecting it to. A fatback treat comes only a few times in a lifetime and is an event to be cherished and remembered forever.

The VA Beach show was a good one, Folks. If you missed it this year, be sure to put October 11 & 12 on your calendar for next year. We'll be there and hope you will too.

Whopping big thanks to Bill and Kristina Ernst for all your help at the show! We needed you desperately, and you answered our need.

I first "met" Kristina (known in chats as Kriz) and Bill on the original Rubberstampers chats on IRC back in hmmmmmm, 1995, I'm gonna guess. By the time we actually met in person at the Marlboro show a few years later, I felt I'd always known them. Since then, we've had the pleasure of seeing them at the Richmond show several times.

Bill is a master at writing up your tickets in our booth at the shows. Kristina is a master at demoing, but also has the distinction of being a Master Shopper at the shows! For this reason, I asked her to let me interview her Sunday night at her home in Hampton ... where we had a delightful two day visit with them.

Soooooo, on to the Interview with Master Rubber Stamp Show Shopper Kristina Ernst. Sitting across the kitchen table from her, I asked:

"Kriz, how long have you been rubber stamping?"
Kriz: "Seven years."

"What are your expectations when you attend a show?"
Kriz: "I go to see stuff that not's available just anywhere ... things that I can't find in my local craft store. I love seeing the variety of stamping styles and accessories. A comfortable atmosphere is important, too."

"You've been to several shows since your first one in Marlboro ... do you still get as excited about going?"
Kriz: "Of course!" (Her eyebrows lifted here as in ... "Why would you even ask that, Evo?")

"What were some of the new ideas that excited you at this show?"
Kriz: "Collage layering on mat board by sponging Lumieres, drizzling and stamping into hot glue then using Krylon pen. Also, the faux dichroic glass technique using black shrink plastic."

"Last night after the show was over, did you wake up screaming about anything as in... ' Why didn't I get that while I was there!' "
Kriz: "No. I got it all, and then some! Oh, wait ... there was one thing. Rubber Stamp Rampage had a soft cover stamping book for half price ...The Art Doll Chronicles from Somerset Studio, I believe. I didn't get it when I first saw it, and it was gone when I went back."

"What product from the show are you looking forward to playing with the most?"
Kriz: "Perfect Pearls with Perfect Medium."

"What??????? Not your Big Blues or Other-Thangs????" (Sorry, Folks, I couldn't help that reaction and am truly trying to report a factual interview. here.)
Kriz laughing: "Well, those too, Evo, honest!"

"OK, Kriz ... it's time to open up all of those bags I see beside you and show us your loot."

One by one, reaching for the nearest bag each time, Kriz spilled her new-found treasures onto the table:
Bag #1:
From Stampers Paradise - aluminum watch cases and 2 lidded containers plus Stamp & Stick and foil for faux dichroic glass.
Bag #2:
From Artifacts - unmounted stamps and Lumiere Paints
Bag #3:
From KT Designs - mounted Christmas stamps
Bag #4:
From Another Stamp Company - Jewels and Naturals Perfect Pearls and Perfect Medium plus Nick Bantock Van Dyke Brown ink pad
Bag #5:
From Beeswax and Stamp Camp - unmounted alphabets, leaves, pear, feather & fountain pen (Kriz collects all feather & fountain pen stamps she sees) plus other unmounteds
Bag #6:
From the Paper Cut - more Nick Bantock ink pads plus paper swatches, layering squares,ends and postcards.
Bag #7:
From AIP's - blank matchbook cover notebooks
Bag #8:
From Just For Fun - Metallics and Interference Perfect Pearls plus their catalog
Bag #9:
And from Evolving Images (that's us!) - the fruits of Bill & Kristina's labors in our booth - Set/6 Big Blue Stipple Brushes, Double-sharpened KAI's (Kriz sez you can never have too many of these, and she's right), Set/5 Scalloped Tag EvoTemplates, Memories Rainbow ink pads plus Document Black Ink Pad, Set/16 Other-Thangs and a Large Rectangle EvoTemplate.

Okey Dokey, Folks ... there you have it. An exclusive interview with one of the world's most renowned Rubber Stamp Show Shoppers. Now for more fun, you can see pics of Kristina's goodies and our extended weekend of fishing, beach combing for sea glass, and even a visit to Williamsburg here:
Virginia Beach 02 Photos

It was truly a week to remember, Folks. Thanks for letting me re-remember it here with you.

Ellen :}> Evo