Thank you!

Sharon asked me to drop a quick line on the blog to let everyone know I'm doing OK.  I had a very nasty car accident last week and was shook up pretty well. Good news is that nothing major was broken or needed surgery (except the car and it's gone to that great car graveyard in the sky). I'm recovering quickly, still sore and waiting for the all clear from the doctor.

I really appreciate all the thoughts and prayers sent my way. We have the best customers, staff and friends in the WORLD and I have the best boss in the world. Thanks Sharon for taking my shaky phone call at midnight our time last week while you were in California! I really needed to hear a friendly voice and cell phones are wonderful things!

I've had the opportunity to be a CHA voyeur over the weekend and during the length of the show. I've tapped into every video I could to see what was new at CHA, especially from all my favorite lines. Since I'm going to miss my favorite activity of going through the "big suitcase" of samples, make n' takes and goodies Sharon traditionally brings home I had to get my fix elsewhere! There were a lot of pretty colors, pattern choices and new embellishments but I really didn't see anything to 'rock my socks' in terms of that new WOW item. So, I'm looking forward to doing what we do best; making the best of what we have. I think a 'slow' show makes us rethink, repurpose, reuse and respin exisiting products and not rely on someone else to lead us to what the "new thing' is.

It also helps us not get so overwhelmed with product that we lose our creativity. I'm a firm believer in 'less is more' (although you can't tell by my scrap stash) so I think when you see what Sharon has brought back from CHA you will all be challenged in a really good way to get your creative compass pointing in the right direction. That said...Sharon did order some new stuff, different stuff, and fun stuff - just you wait and see!

Again, thanks to everyone for all your kind thoughts and prayers. I hope to be back to work before the end of the month and once I'm driving again (read - have a vehicle to drive!) I hope to be able to stop in and see all the new goodies myself.

Donna