Evo's Show/People Report
The Texas Art and Rubber Stamp Festival
January 13 & 14, 2001 - Grapevine, TX
Sponsored by:
Heirloom Productions
3900 NW Cherokee Lane,
Newport OR 97365
voice/fax (541)574-8000

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Heyyyyyy, Folks...

What a show! What great people you are!
You came with smiles from both near and far.
You not only came to see and try out the new...
You also blessed us with the things that you do!

Your pins and cards and ideas flowed with flair...
That's a neat thing about stampers, the way you all share.
If a question is asked ... more often than not...
You jump right in, give advice on the spot!

You'll often hear me in our booth saying, "If you have any questions just ask! If I don't know the answer, someone standing around you probably does, and if not, I'll make up one that's guaranteed to be entertaining, at least." For variety, I change it often, as in..." and if I don't know the answer, I'll make up one that may even be correct" or... "and if I don't know the answer, I'll pretend I do but you have to guess what it is!"

Our flight from Tampa to Grapevine went true to form for us. Our direct flight was cancelled due to the Delta pilot thingy going on, so we were flown to Atlanta for another connection. No problem, we're tough! We caught the connection just fine only to have it cancelled after boarding due to an "oral alarm" problem (whatever that is, but it sounded serious enough to deplane with no complaints). No problem, we're tough! We arrived in Dallas hours later than planned, but nooooo problem, we're tough! Well, maybe not all that tough... the bed felt really really good that night after 12 hours on the road, in airports and in the air. And, yes, we still love Delta, but we do hope they get the pilot over-time problem worked out to everyone's satisfaction, soon.

Mega thanks to our helpers at this show: St Flossie... recently dubbed "faux floater"... who signed up with us as a "fill-in floater" but found she loved selling so much, we had to kick her out of the booth every now and then to go shop! Adrienne O... who also helped us in Phoenix last fall and hopefully will be at the April Las Vegas show and Puyallup, also. Sandy C who helped us last year in Grapevine and also 2 years ago at Live Oak. Kaye Lynne and Jerry ... who are always at both shows in Texas and soooo helpful. And Two-Stepping Stamper Renee who is always there for us, too. We appreciate all of you! You made it soooo easy for us.

We did make it to Jason's for the dinner meeting Friday night but arrived early and had to leave before everyone had arrived... had work in the room to do before the show. :{/ If you've never made it to one of these group meetings, folks, do! It's sooo neat to just hang out and get to know one another. Mr Evo and I really enjoy that, and I think you would, too.

And, as usual... stampers kept me well informed as to Mr Evo's where-abouts during "disappearances". Chris "The Queen" crashed our work party Friday night to let me know Mr Evo was in the lobby attempting to woo the lady behind the desk with our catalog and the charms of rubber stamping. Chri paid dearly for her "stool-pigeon" episode, though ... she wasn't allowed to leave our room until all work was done! Sorry, Chris... I usually reward, not penalize, my faithful stoolies. ;}>

Grapevine is really a special show for us, because that's where we first introduced EvoTemplates in 1998. We took 30 sets of Rectangles and 14 stampers took a chance on the set. The EvoTemplates' popularity and success began with you 14 stampers who took your templates home and used them and told your friends about them. This year we had 20 different sets plus the Mini-Thangs. Our hats are off to the power of "word-of-mouth" ... and we're sooooooooo thankful you guys had big mouths! ;{<>

And speaking of mouths... and Grapevine... we love small towns and the helpfulness of people! I chipped a tooth on the flight to Grapevine (no connection to the "oral alarm" thingy that I know of), so we took off early Friday morning to locate some "orthodontic wax" to tide me over until we could get back home. We stopped in at the small locally-owned drug store in Grapevine... knowing we would find some there. Nope... they didn't carry it, but they did give us explicit directions to an orthodontist's office where it was dispensed freely to patients with braces.

Feeling a tad funny about crashing a dr's office to beg for wax, we spotted an Eckerd Drugs on the way and stopped in there, knowing Eckerd's does indeed carry the wax. As luck would have it, they were sold out, but... the pharmacist insisted we follow her outside to her car to get a packet that her daughter's dentist had given but wasn't needed. Whoa! Far and beyond her call of duty, and it was soooo cold outside!

We've found all the people in Grapevine to be just that friendly and helpful. We've even forgiven the feed store that sold Mr Evo his "wild-flower" seed packets last year that sprouted the bonanza of weeds. And, since so many of you have assured us that this year, we will indeed have those promised wild-flowers sprout up, we're waiting breathlessly for spring and the rubber stamps I've promised to make from our expected bumper crop.

Grapevine. A keeper. Thank you all for being there this year, and... see you all there again next year!

Ellen :}> Evo