ChainLink: Day Three (On the Run)

I am very groggy this morning, in dire need of caffeine. I heard rumors that there was a Dunkin Donuts somewhere -- mere blocks away, but I didn't have time to look into it. I am in dire for caffeine and at this point would settle for a Mt. Dew if only I could find a soda vending machine... (it has been 6 months since my last soda). I was taking two classes today. My first was with Kim Kotary on Passimenterie - Cords, Braids and Fringes. I love macrame and thought this would be a fun class; I was right.

I sat next to Wendy from the NYCCG. Midway through class she asked if I could assist her in pinning on her Commemorative CGOA Pin. While I helped her I got an idea ... when I return back home, I'll have a little surprise drawing with my HHCC Chapter members who are also CGOA members; one name would be selected for me to award one of these special edition pins -- the catch? It would also have to be someone who couldn't attend the Conference. Every year I try to bring home a little "taste" of the CGOA Conferences to share with my Chapter and I'm thinking this would be a great idea! I smiled at Wendy, told her she was all set, and then gave her a little bracelet I made while in class; she said she liked the bracelet. :)

At lunchtime I dashed back to the hotel; I needed to do some quick researching and prepare a few things for the evenings' festivities. I had hoped to have a few minutes to do a quick blog update as at past CGOA Conferences I normally blogged about each day; unfortunately there wasn't enough time. Thank goodness for Twitter.

My second class I was taking was with Lily Chin, Computer Aided Design. Never, in all the years I've been stalking taking Lily's classes would I do this, but midway through the class I had to leave to go to the Vendors Market to pick up the prizes for the "Crochet Bling" contest the Crystal Jubilee Committee would be holding at tonight's Fashion Show. There would be no time for me to do so after class as I had to dash back to the hotel, get changed, collect my family and return to assist the children who would be modeling. Collecting the prizes would prove to be a bigger challenge than I would have expected ...

The first vendor, Leslie, of http://www.twistedsistahbeads.com/ was expecting me. She had a lovely assortment of thread & beads ready to go. The next vendor had to pull out. Pull out? Yep! All of her merchandise was being held at the US Customs so she had nothing to offer us. I felt awful for her, but also a little panicked: what do I do now? I had no way of contacting the other Crystal Jubilee Committee members, and after we had broadcasted we would offer 3 prizes tonight ... I only had two. Time was passing fast; I decided I would walk around the market floor hoping to bump into a Committee member, or our Committee Liaison to the Board, Vashti, thinking they could advise what we should do.

Lady Luck must have been walking beside me because just moments later I bumped into Pam and Andee who were enjoying shopping. I told them of my plight and they immediately decided to join in the search for Vashti and the other Committee members. While we were searching they suggested I talk to the Tulip Company, stating that the girls at the booth are very friendly and might offer a prize. I decided I would -- and to my delight they were game! With the prize offered by WEBs back in my hotel room, the pretty beads from TwistedSistah, and now a beautiful crochet hook collection from the Tulip Company, the Crystal Jubilee Committee was back on track for the "Crochet Bling Contest"...

I thanked everyone and ran back to finish taking Lily's class. Shortly thereafter I was dashing out again, back to the hotel to get changed, collect my family and then return to help direct the children who would be modeling...