Home  | Contact Me

THE GREAT CHICAGO EXPERIENCE 2010,
Part IV

 

FRIDAY, April 16, 2010

We were up early, had our breakfast and were ready to catch the first Yellow School Bus (provided free by the IMA and 3 Blind Mice Shows to shuttle between all three hotels) to the IMA Show.

Waiting out front, Dana and I chatted with Charlene from Canberra, Den Mother Marie, and Paula Miller.

Somehow in the conversation somebody, maybe DM, used the word grimace, and a bit later I used the word slack-jawed, and then I mused, "Reminds me of a law firm, Slackjaw and Grimace. Hmm; what a roombox I could do." 

And for the rest of our time in Chicago, DM hollered when she saw me, "What about the law firm?"

It was a rush as everyone wanted to be sure to get on this first bus to the show.

No standees are permitted and every seat was taken.

Excitement was at a fever pitch and every single woman (and a man or two) seemed to be talking at once; it felt like the bus was actually vibrating. Reminded me of why people compare such babble to chickens clucking.

Dana held her phone up so she could catch the noise level; too bad I can't put it here. lol

Always elegant and gracious, Thelma Lewis DeMet was there to greet us. She is the driving force behind the IMA Show and makes all the special arrangements for the buses and the special rates with the cab company, etc. As a person who has worn hats for many years because of my sun sensitivity, I love seeing what she's wearing each year.

Back in my younger days I figured as long as I had to wear a hat I might as well enjoy myself, and had a very large collection. I even made hats when my photosensitivity was so acute during the 60s when Vogue had such great patterns. Kids at the high school where I taught used to call me The Hat Lady - until they learned who I was. Now that I am older and retired, I clop on my basic broad-brimmed straw and call it okay. lol

The line waiting to buy tickets was horrific, beginning way back and snaking up to the women in the foreground here.

And then we were inside:

I believe that little girl is the granddaughter of a Camper; if she is the one I'm thinking of, she participated in a workshop making an orchid with Carl Blindheim and I heard he complimented her highly!

I bought a neat pillow at this booth, where there were very nice needlework items.

It was so good to see old friends, like Sandy from Oklahoma, whom I've known for several years, seeing her primarily at the Southwest RoundUps.

And Linda Kasper from Wisconsin, who is always so jolly to see.

And I am not sure where we were when I ran into sisters Frances and Carolyn from Texas, who like my stories. It turns out that they are great needleworkers.

And Joan Wheatley and I are definitely a Mutual Admiration Society. She is always interested in talking about my stories and writing, and keeps reminding me I should go to a Storytellers Convention.

I have loved Joan's little woodsey critter dwellings since seeing them for the first time in the old Nutshell News miniature magazine (now Dollhouse Miniatures), and of course her Hindeloopen painting is amazing.

I bought a little painted chest from her to use at the foot of the bed in my half inch wallhanger house. This picture has it grealy enlarged and does not do it justice; it is really special.

This quarter scale birdbath was from the Gills. Unfortunately, Dana wasn't around when I was talking with April, but we had a nice visit. Their Dracula Infinity Box was just AWESOME, and I heard later that it had sold. I was so glad to have seen it first.

I don't recall who made this quarter scale bookcase unit, but I was thrilled to find it to showcase more of my quarter scale books, plants and accessories.

I plan to use this to half scale piece to display my painted Chrysnbon saucers-turned-half-inch-plates and the teapots I plan to make after seeing Chrystel Jensen's how-to on YouTube.

This half inch "wicker" unit will hold my own books and other goodies.

This half inch library table is very nicely made and reminds me of my grandfather's; I used to crawl under it to play with my paperdolls.

And this half inch hutch will go in a shabby chic setting.

I always pick up a few well-made blooms wherever I see them.

This great sunflower will be just right somewhere in one of my stories.

Oh, and I got this pattern designed by Kathi Mendenhall to clothe one of my men characters.

All in all, I was quite pleased with my purchases at the IMA Show, especially because I found the smaller scales I was looking for.

We had a great lunch there, too, and Thelma personally ushered us down hallways and here and there to the restaurant and informed the waiter we wanted the Express Lunch, which came in 5 minutes. We had soup and a half a sandwich; very tasty.

Dana went on to meet Adrianne again, and after visiting some more, I rode the 2:30 bus back to the Marriott.

We went first to the Radisson where we let off people going to that show and picked up others. At this point, I can't recall if we dropped people off again at the IMA Show and then went to the Mariott O'Hare, or if we went straight there.

I saw more people in the lobby who wanted to talk. Dana hadn't come back yet, so I didn't get any pictures but somewhere in the course of all this I also ran into Laura from Mexico, who said she was a fan of my stories and introduced me to three of her friends, had a great visit with Ludwina ... and I can't remember who all.

I met LOTS of people who had visited my website, but confided that they were lurkers on Camp or SmallStuff, and many had never written me before but said they liked my stories!

As soon as I could, I headed for our room, made myself a cup of coffee, took off my shoes and collapsed on the bed to take a nap before the BIGGIE - the Bishop International Preview & Sale, which ran from 5:30 to 9:30 that night.

Coming next - THE BIG ONE - The Chicago International!

NEXT: >>

 

Copyright Marknetgroup.com 2005. All rights reserved.