sorry for the lack of posts, after CHA- i drove out to Minnesota for a family reunion. i had good intentions to do a few posts along the way, but it just never happened. 
At the beginning of my trip I had a wonderful wedding shower while i was visiting in Chicago. Since i had some of the new papers with me, i used them to wrap my thank you gifts. The birdcages were a perfect touch for the books, and the frame wallpaper worked great for the name tags. 
CHA was a fun show for us, as always it was great to see the response to the new designs. We also added a little something extra to the booth this year and brought the paint cans from the studio with us to have on display. 
I figured i'd share a few pics from the family reunion - we all meet every year at my great grandparents house out in a little town called Lynd.
We have a weekend full of so much laughter, good food (lots of sweet corn, popcorn and the peanut butter chocolate sauce....mmmm), and so much history and story telling. 
One of my gram's favorite thing to do is listen to "ten little fingers and ten little toes" on the Edison. 
And one great discovery this year were letters from around the 1950's that my grandma, and great Aunts & Uncles would write back and forth called "round robins". My great Aunt Peg would send out the blank paper with these little illustrations for the all the letterheads about an event or something going on in one of their lives. Then they would write about it on the letterhead and send it back. Almost reminds me a little of the circle journals people do today.
...okay well i guess it's time to get back to catching up on many e-mails, the new DT and more
Those birdcages were to die for....and I love that pic of your gran!!!!!! she looks so sweet :)
Posted by: jo-Anne | 07/28/2008 at 04:26 PM
Oh wow. The letters and illustrations must be precious!!! It makes me yearn to head up to Wisconsin and go through the 'bins' of photos at my parents house again. Laptop and scanner in the carryon!! Well perhaps later in the year. I loved doing it last time - but concentrated on photos.
Love the paint cans. It brings the 'handmade in the USA' right to the forefront.
Posted by: Sally Lynn MacDonald | 07/28/2008 at 04:57 PM
love the idea of the round robins. what a beautiful concept!
Posted by: Breanne Crawford | 07/28/2008 at 04:57 PM
Thank you for sharing your vacation with us. My husband is from Minnesota . . . a beautiful place. Thanks for sharing. I too loved the idea of the 'round robins'. Definitely some memories made during your trip.
Loved that cans at CHA . . . I even took a photo when I was checking out your booth.
Welcome home.
Posted by: Cheryl ~ Fiskateer #002 | 07/28/2008 at 07:03 PM
Those gifts look beautiful.... hopeyou are enjoying your summmer!!!the paint cans... another innovating design....ooohhhh on an overlay??? oohhh splattered paint....
Posted by: rebecca harper | 07/28/2008 at 07:57 PM
thanks for sharing - love the gift wrapping idea, bird cages are so cute. looks like you had a wonderful time and the family reunion, always a great time to share with family.
paint cans sooo cute!
le anne
Posted by: Le Anne Bull | 07/28/2008 at 08:05 PM
great photos!!! loving how you wrapped the gifts and I love the round robin idea :)
Posted by: Nicole | 07/28/2008 at 10:58 PM
Sounds like you had a great time at CHA and the pictures of the house and gram are nice to see and the letters must be so cool.
Posted by: Kimmarie | 07/29/2008 at 05:46 AM
TFS your wonderful family photos and stories. the gift wrapping is adorable, great idea.
Posted by: Angelica Turner | 07/29/2008 at 06:05 AM
Very cute idea with wrapping the gifts with the Hamblicious paper! Thanks for sharing your photos from your trip!
Posted by: Toni | 07/29/2008 at 09:21 AM
ooo i like the giftwrap idea with the birdcage paper.. thanks for sharing! It was good to meet you in Chicago again :)
Posted by: Jasmine | 07/29/2008 at 09:28 AM
Looks and sounds like you had a great time! I loved the booth at CHA! Def. one of the cheeriest and most colorful! The paint cans were the perfect touch!
I LOVE the new patters, esp. the birdcages and bicycles!!
Posted by: Emily Jones | 07/29/2008 at 10:38 PM
Gorgeous wrapping on those gifts! and i think i need the recipie for that chocolate peanut butter sauce!!!
Posted by: Heather | 07/30/2008 at 06:17 AM
The Hambly wrapped gifts are awesome! Love your random photos, too. The three chairs by the house is my favorite.
Posted by: Donna. | 07/30/2008 at 03:22 PM
thanks for sharing those pics for us... absolutely lovely! love their idea od round robins! I used to do that with my cross stitching friends as well... send out a blank piece of fabric and get it back full of attitude sewn into it. LOL!
Posted by: Sasha Farina | 07/31/2008 at 03:37 AM
Had to comment on this "visit to a little town". I was raised in Lynd, and knew the Great Grand Gram. Her name was Mabel, she had apple trees we raided when we were old enough to discover them. I later delivered the Minneapolis Star and Tribune every night to her door. A classy lady who added to my story of growing up in a small midwest town.
Posted by: PJW | 11/25/2008 at 11:17 AM