Evo's Show/People Report
StampFest Orlando 2000
June 24 & 25, 2000 - Orlando, FL
Sponsored by StampFest, Inc./Just For Fun
2620 State Road 590
Clearwater, FL 33759-94043
Bus. Phone: (727)791-6632
Fax: (727) 791-6764

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Heyyy, Folks...

Stampfest Orlando and Stuff...
Could tell you about our sales and the thunderstorms when arriving and when leaving, but...that's not enuff.
At least not for me.

I'm beginning to realize I'm a people person, it's true...
So, I'd rather report about stampers and happenings and feelings and funny stuff about me and you.
Can't help it, that's just the way I be.

IS THAT OK???? I hope so. Soooo... Evo's Convention/People/Stuff Report from Orlandofest! :}>

Special thanks to Jil and Norma for your (once again) unbelievably expert help!

Susan S and DH ... it was sooo good to see you again! Susan pushing DH in wheelchair. Brought back memories of our Las Vegas show and our pushing Cevo around. Both Susan and DH happy as larks to be experiencing the show and giving me the directions as to how to get our "personal pizza" lunches from Pizza Hut through the hotel. Thanks! We got them, we devoured them, we loved them. Susan, I'm in love with your DH, he's such a sweetie. Watch it! If anything ever happens to Mr Evo.... ;}>

Connie Wade of Stamp Street Station... good to see you at the show! Anyone in Florida in the Sarasota area... ya gotta go see what Connie has to offer in her store. Whoa! This was her first visit to a rubberstamping show ... and she and her dh stopped by to say hello to us. Thanks for honoring us, Connie!

Monica... What can I say. Monica was giving out beautiful small legal paper books with elegant covers :{<> to members of the floridastampers list. I was the lucky recipient of one. But... Monica's story doesn't end here. I was giving my "mount it, stamp it, create it" demo class Saturday ... had forgotten to bring some card samples... and Monica raced back to our booth, conned Mr Evo into letting her grab the cards (she said, "Evo needs these!", and he believed her)... then raced to the front of the class room and presented me with her bounty!!! Thank you, Monica!

Karen from Ocala ... first time I've gotten the chance to meet you in person and soooo glad I did! Karen and DH owns Carmichael's Restaurant (a Major-and-well-worth-dining-in-one) in Ocala... and she is a devotee to rubberstamping. Thank you for letting us know you, Karen!

Mary Kay and Linda of "Stamp Camp" and "Stamp Out Cute"... these two keep following us to all of our shows! :{<> Or... maybe we follow them. :}> The story I want to relay for this weekend... Mary Kay took her and Linda's sons to a Putt-Putt thingy Sat night so Linda could catch a few zzzz's. Whoa! Now, that's what I call a real friend, and after a full day of working a show.

Marva... representative of The Rubber Stamper Mag (and a gooood one!). Mr Evo apparently conned her out of the latest magazine (we forgot to bring our copy) to display in our booth showing Susan Mahoney's collage of conventions that showed 3 of our stamps. Thank you, Marva!

MJ Hopper. Saw you in Daytona... soooo glad to see you and your smile in Orlando, too! MJ is looking good!!! And is carving again and ... trust me ... with her attitude will be back soon, for real, offering us her wonderful products that we all loved her for before her car accident. MJ ... my hat is off to you. Life threw you a curve, and you're winding up to throw back a high-powered over-the-center-of-the plate strike!!!!

And then there's Anita. We met Anita Friday night after set-up, when we couldn't leave the hotel because of the thunderstorm. We opted to eat at the Doubletree rather than leave during the downpour. Wrong. Bad decision. But, at the time we didn't know this. And neither did Anita. Anita who gave up part of her dinner to our granddaughter Stephanie who had just gotten her braces the day before and was starving because we couldn't even get water brought to our table. Anita who gave Stephanie her sorry-for-the-bad-service-free-dessert brought by a waiter. Anita with the smiles and sense of humor... soooo glad we got to meet you, Anita!

I know I've only touched on a few lives that touched me in Orlando. Wish I could relate (lol, and remember) more! My mind does a fry-out at the shows... sort of an overload. Soooo many people, soooo many stories.

I truly believe that any time spent with friends and/or family gives us more wonderful insight into who they (and we) really are. I learned (and remembered!) more about our daughter Cecilia (Cevo) within that dining experience than I had remembered for years. Cecilia who was nicknamed Boo until she stood up and proclaimed to our family doctor at the age of 3 ... "I am not Boo. I am Cecilia." Cecilia, who called the manager of the Doubletree Restaurant over and said in that same tone of voice, 34 years later ..." My name is Cecilia. I worked in food service and management for 10 years, and our service tonight is not acceptable." Cecilia, who pointed out (and she truly hates confrontations) all the reasons why the service was truly not acceptable. Cecilia, who literally had the manager down on his knees at our table listening to her every word and knowing every word was true. I was in awe.

Where did she come from???

And, Cecilia ... who (after the manager had scampered away to safety, he thought) was listening to me chatting away to Marva and eating my pork chop at the same time screamed... "Mom! That's raw! Spit it out!" Geez. Up from her chair and across the restaurant as fast as her mending knee would let her ... and if the manager could have run, I promise you, he would have. (Cevo protecting her mom is not a joyful sight to see) Needless to say, our meals were free that night, and thanks to Doubletree, I have tucked away a newer memory of our daughter Cecilia in action.

Yep, she's our daughter, but I still don't know where she came from... I'm just glad she's here.

By the way, stampers in Florida... Cevo has been invited to do a work shop and demo at Rubber Stamp Basket in Sarasota Saturday, August 26. Be sure to sign up for that day (a complete day of workshops and demos by her and other wonderful people), and be kind to her ... this is her debut. And, er, um... don't offer her anything to eat unless it's fast and well done! :}>

Ellen :}> Evo