Arrived home last night from MA and am here with my report:

West Springfield, MA Heirloom Convention ... a wonderful trip, a wonderful show and wonderful stampers at the show (but you already knew that, right)?

Must've been the moon, though, or maybe the impending solar eclipse that caused a couple of interesting moments on our arrival at the Hartford Airport on Thursday afternoon.

Arriving at baggage claim in Hartford, no skycaps were to be seen. Not a total calamity unless you happen to have 6 bins weighing 69.5 lbs each to be grabbed, lifted (from a moving baggage carrousel) and then toted to the Alamo Car Rental Shuttle outside the airport terminal.

Mr Evo positioned himself at the baggage carrousel as I ran around looking for a skycap to grab, lift and tote. I finally found one (the Hartford airport is not over-run by skycaps for no immediate reason that I know of) just as Mr Evo was grabbing and lifting our bins (did I mention they each weighed 69.5 lbs each and Mr Evo is er, um... almost that old ???????? :{<>) amidst the complaints of a fellow traveler about Mr Evo "hogging" space. In the meantime... another fellow traveler was actively helping Mr Evo take the bins off the carrousel. Orchids to 2nd fellow traveler. Spit balls to 1st fellow traveler who was actively hogging space and elbowing people aside as we left the baggage claim area.

The skycap I finally found loaded the bins on a dolly and led us outside where we patiently awaited for an Alamo Shuttle to arrive. We were the first ones there but had 6 big bins, so the shuttle bus driver indicated that we should wait for the next bus. Next bus arrived... same story. By this time, Evo (that's me!) got smart and ran to the edge of the sidewalk. And, yes! I was waving at the bus driver with both "We're #1" fingers up!

Said bus driver took one look at said 6 bins and chose to load the other passengers first. Said Sky Cap said "This isn't right. You should load my people now". Said Bus Driver said a couple of choice words and said Sky Cap said a few choice words back and ... I really thought we were going to witness a fist fight between the two of them.

At this point, I took over and waved all the other passengers onto the shuttle bus and assured them... "It's OK. Get on the bus and take a seat." And... all was indeed OK. Said Bus Driver radioed a second Bus Driver to pick up 3 of our bins... and lo & behold... there were even 2 seats for Mr Evo & I to sit in along with our 1st 3 bins.

And the best part? Just before our bus rolled out of the terminal... bus driver and skycap were apologizing to each other and shaking hands. Was good to see, because... in reality? Both were trying to look out for their customers. Yep... had to be the moon or impending solar eclipse. Or maybe just human nature. Or all of the above?

Waiting in line at Alamo, the lady in front of me that had been on the shuttle bus asked... "Soooo... what's in the bins? We were all wondering."

I told her, "Rubber Art Stamps and Accessories."

She yelled to everyone else in the line... "I found out what's in the bins! They're rubber stamps!"

For the next 20 minutes, I answered questions about Rubber Art Stamps and the show and where it was being held, and I hope maybe a few of those travelers made it to the show ... but I don't know if that happened or not.

And... the shuttle bus driver? He not only unloaded our 6 bins from both shuttle buses at the Alamo terminal, but he also was there again when I finally drove the leased mini-van around to collect our bins. He climbed out of his bus and loaded all 6 bins into our mini-van; Mr Evo didn't have to lift a finger. I had tipped him once already and proclaimed to him on this second tip ... "for above and beyond your call to duty" loud and clear for all to hear. And the travelers on the sidewalk waiting to board his bus to the airport cheered and clapped for him. And ... he deserved every moment of that attention.

And speaking of attention... this show was sooooooo busy, I didn't get a chance to visit other booths. Soooooo, during the last 45 minutes of the show on Sunday, I did a mini-survey of stampers that visited our booth as to what caught their eye in the show. I wish I had thought of this at least 2 hours earlier... then I would have more to report to you.

Eye-catching "stuff" according to stampers at our booth between 3:15 and 4:00 Sunday afternoon:

Amy's Magic's demo... bracelet.
Stamp In The Hand's demo ... fruit on glossy card stock
Renaissance's demo ... postoids
Judi*kin's demo ... stamping on cut cd's + watercolor technique
Darcie's ... "Make it & Take it"
StampSmith's Demo ... Stamping on Dominoes - Pins
Rubber Dub Dub ... Quilling techniques and Tools
Touch of Embossing ... awesome dry embossing demo
Stamp'n Around ... acrylic shapes stamping demo
Marco's awesome paper packets
And...
(Totally unsolicited & I tried to tell this stamper that our booth wasn't included in this survey but she insisted I include it) Evo's Illusion of Layering Demo with EvoTemplates.

And, ya know what? I liked doing this survey, so I plan to do it at future shows also. I do try to get around to see "what's happening" but I can't always do that. Sooooooooooo, from this show forward... I invite all stampers to our booth to let us know "what caught your eye at this show". We'll have a special form to record your findings and will post it in our show/people reports.

And now is the time to thank our helpers at this show. Thanks to Mary T and TonyPenny G and Donna T for your superb and unflinching and on-going help even when you didn't get to take a shopping break or eating break or "potty pause" when you needed it. And, I know I've said it sooooooo many times before, but... Mr Evo & I could never, ever have done this show without you. You were wonderful.

Ellen :}> Evo

Copyright © Ellen Gordon