CHA Mega Show - Wherein MEGA Means Knocks Your Socks Off

Thank goodness this isn't Twitter because I have wayyyyy more than 140 characters to share about my whirlwind weekend trip to the Craft and Hobby Association Mega Show in Anaheim, CA.

The ball was put in motion when I was asked to design a show piece to be displayed in the booth for Cousin Corporation.  Their theme for the booth was fairytales and they wanted me to design something dark, all black.  If you know me, you know I love color... bold, contrasting colors.  So all black?????  No problem mon!  I sketched up a general idea of what I wanted to create and submitted it to them for approval... because I do things Dawn's way... I had to make sure it fit with their desired effect in the booth.

The piece took me some serious time, but I love the finished effect.  A collar with beaded stays and draped pearls creating a bib-like effect!  I'd totally wear that piece... like every.darn.day!

Since I poured so much Dawn Love into my design, I set the goal to see it on display in a big way!  Having one of my Bella Amore designs on display for thousands of people to see... what an experience!

Having never been to CHA, I related it to my first time visiting Bead & Button... so much to see it sets your mind spinning!  Except with CHA it's craft vendors for every type of craft you can possibly imagine! Paper crafts, yarn crafts, beads, and storage galore!  It was amazing and meeting artists from so many walks of life it was incredible.

The Cousin booth carried out the fairytale theme beautifully... complete with crystal slippers.  Which I totally loved!!!!  You know my deep burning love for good shoes. . . ;)  It was amazing to see my fellow ambassador's designs on display too!

Allison Cooling - Quiet Lion Creations creating this stunning dress all with chain!  It was amazing and a true draw into the booth.

Rebecca Utermohlen - My Girlish Whims created the white pearl necklace compliment to my dark pearl design.

Check out their Facebook pages and give them a follow!  They both do some amazing designing and write great tutorials for the DIYer in you!

Allison Cooling - Quiet Lion Creations:   https://www.facebook.com/pages/Quiet-Lion-Creations-by-Allison-B-Cooling/231909966829616

Rebecca Utermohlen - My Girlish Whims:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/My-Girlish-Whims/187270901311261

Dawn Doucette - Bella Amore Legacy Jewelry: https://www.facebook.com/BellaAmoreLegacyJewelry

I'm finally unpacked, sadness ensued unpacking the 3 swimsuits I took (one for each day) not having gotten to wear a single one of them.  60's and raining was not the So Cal weather I expected... or that the weather guessers predicted until the day before I took off.  And wouldn't ya know, the day I left the sun came back out and the 70's returned.  Murphy's Law...

It was amazing to connect with my friends from Cousins again.  We always have a great time together!  I also got to meet new friends that have previously only been Facebook friends and was connected with new artists I'd never met!  We shared an abundance of laughter, creativity and made a lot of great memories together!  I'm no longer a CHA noob and look forward to staying in touch with all the great people that have made this journey so spectacular!

I'll share more of the great people I connected with and the awesome saucey tools I found... OMG... my life has been transformed with one little tool... can't wait to share!

Love & sunshine heading your way! 
Xo ~Dawn~ oX 

P.S. I wanted to design a necklace for myself that complimented my CHA piece... but wasn't so heavy.  So I created the same beaded collar, but used chain and spikes from Cousin for a wicked sassy look!  It got lots of looks and plenty of compliments!