I just returned from CHA (Creative Hobby Association) in Chicago. They said it was unusually hot and humid in Chicago this week. It was a big change from our weather in Washington. I was wearing a sweatshirt two days before I left for Chicago!

The highlight of my trip was meeting Carol Duval!!. What a lovely woman.

The show was busy on Friday and then slower on Saturday and Sunday. I did not have much time to walk the floor but when I did...it was paper paper paper. New packaging and sizes seemed to be the trend. I did see a few new companies from other industries trying to merge into the "Scrapbooking" and Hobby industry. Might be a little late to get started...?

Embellishments are still big and it appears that several companies are adding "out of the scrapbooking box" ways to use their papers. I saw one example of this with jewelry charms. Great idea!!

I have reached a mile stone in my life. Our first child graduated from high school this year and will be leaving in the fall for Western Washington University. Wow!! I have very mixed emotions about this.....happy that our son will be experiencing new and wonderful things, but sad that he will be experiencing those things without us. He has a very busy summer including a mission trip to Costa Rica and a trip to Japan with his grandparents.

Our second mile stone is that our youngest will be entering high school next year....YIKES!! She is already very busy with the high school dance team that has started practicing for the fall football games and band competitions. She just returned from Virginia where she attended a mission based church camp. What a wonderful time she had with her friend Katy!! They have made this camp a tradition....attending the camp together for the past four years.

I hope you are having a wonderful and relaxing summer!

Watch KATU tomorrow at 9:00 for AM Northwest. Deb will be presenting ideas for desk top Zen Gardens.