Evo's Show/People Report
The Georgia Art and Rubber Stamp Festival
March 3 & 4, 2001 - Duluth, Ga
Sponsored by Heirloom Productions
3900 NW Cherokee Lane
Newport OR 97365
Fax/Voice(541)574-8000

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Heyyy, Folks...

Duluth was good, Duluth was great!
Georgia's our old "stamping grounds"... we love this state.
We luv the people, we luv the drawl!
What it boils down to, is... we luv you all, er, um, I mean... y'all!

You came, you saw, you kept us on our toes...
You hugged, you asked questions and goodness knows,
We did our best to be there for you
And you let us know you like that, yep, 'tis true.

I'm from the south... Georgia born and bred ...
And southern, for sure, is where my head
Still lives and breathes and talks the "talk"...
And some folks say I even walk the "walk".

Laid back... not lazy as some people think...
We just "lay back" ... are rarely "quick as a wink"...
'Cause we southerners know that moving too quick
Can make us miss stuff ... as in learning a new trick.

As in ... birch picking.

Whoa! Birch picking is something I never, ever did when we lived in Georgia, but I did it Friday morning behind the hotel in Duluth. Woke up early ... took a stroll (a laid-back one, of course) outside and saw these "peeling trees". Folks, I'm talking paper-thin peeling thingies coming off the trees, just begging to be picked and stamped on! :{<>

It's funny that I never saw one of these trees while living in Georgia... I had to move to Florida and come back to see them. Amazing. Anyway, I went birch picking early Friday morning and now have a bag full of "birch pickings" that I can't wait to stamp on and experiment with. In a southern way, of course. First I have to look at them several times, feel them several times, let them lie around for awhile, cogitate on them awhile, but trust me, Folks... once I get down to actually stamping on them, I will KNOW them! In a laid-back southern way, of course. ;}>

Another thing neither I nor Mr Evo ever saw in the 23 years we lived in the Atlanta area... blooming peach trees! Peach trees, yes, but in bloom... never. Don't ask me why 'cause I don't know. But, we saw them on our drive to and from the show this year. Peach trees are trimmed across the top, which makes them spread sideways. We saw row upon row this week of flat-topped-pink-frothed trees. We were blessed. They were beautiful.

And speaking of beautiful, it's time for thank-you's to our booth helpers. You were truly beautiful. Somewhere in the midst of being in San Mateo last week then in Duluth this week, I thought we were covered with help for this show. Not so. Some that wanted to help couldn't make it, but the stampers that did make it covered us totally. Above and beyond their call of duty.

Thanks to Beverly B... for Friday set-up help and Sunday help, and we forgive you for needing to just play on Saturday! And an extra-special moment was when you brought your "sweet thang" to meet us. Beverly, he is truly a keeper. And so are you. You two are well matched. :}>

And thanks to Francine F who never planned to help us except maybe a few hours but jumped in and helped all day Saturday! Atlanta and Mr Evo and I will miss you when you move to LA. :{/

And Patricia H... scheduled for Saturday only and came back and worked with us all day Sunday and helped us pack up, too! You can never, ever know how much that meant to us, Patricia. Thank you... again and again and again...

And Ruth S... who wasn't sure she could help but appreciated our offer of a chair in our booth when she became tired. Ruth, you were wonderful! You were there when the first stampers hit our booth at the show opening, and you saved our day. You looked like a pro... writing up sales... being a very-much-needed helping hand until other help arrived. Ruth, you have a place in our booth any time. Ruth? In southern, that means... "Yall come back, now, ya heah?"

Other highlights of the show ... and I'm missing many, I'm sure... Mr Evo dumped his beef teriyaki into his lap (right after he finished eating) at Jhone's birthday dinner Friday night. Not to worry, Mr Evo... Fran S and Jane think you just discovered a new batik method. (hee hee... just glad it wasn't moi). Wilde Ideas (Xyron) had car troubles on the way to the show but stampers helped Sharon get set up in record time Saturday morning. (Stampers are that way, yes you are!). The alarm went off early Friday morning at the expo center and we all had to evacuate the building. (Er, um, don't even ask why the security guard had to run back in and tell evo... evacuate!) Turned out to be a false alarm but was exciting anyway. Alarm went off again Saturday during the height of shopping but, thankfully, was recognized as a false alarm and was cut off. Enchanted Ink has added charms to their booth collection along with their papers and stamps ... wonderful stuff! Amy of Amy's Magic has added sticky heating stuff for foils ... wonderful stuff, too, and Another Stamp Company has Posh Metallics that are to die for. Marva of The Rubber Stamper Mag missed Mr Evo's special beef teriyaki batik demo. I know she hates that she did... after all, she experienced my raw pork fiasco in Orlando last year and my salad-in-the-lap fiasco in Greenville last year. In fact, now that I'm thinking of all of this, if she had been at Mr Evo's fiasco this year, we would have banned her forever from witnessing our eating. ;}>

With shared booths, there were 34 vendors at the Duluth show. I think stampers that attended were pleased with the variety of vendors. The vendors went all out to make this show a good one for you ... and it was a good variety. I think maybe Atlanta (Duluth) may prove to be the future "show of the south", but only time will tell. Remember, stampers, without you this show wouldn't be. We appreciate all of you ... as in "y'all"... and you're special. :}>

Ellen :}> Evo (who just returned home tonight after an extended stay in Atlanta to re-bond with two grandkids... and they were worth every moment!)

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