Buffalo, NY that is.  Next week is the annual Chain Link celebration, the national conference of the Crochet Guild of America!  I can't wait  to get there and see all my crochet friends in one place! 

Festivities kick off Wednesday with Professional Development Day - an all day event where those that want to pursue a career in the industry come together along with established professionals to learn about what it takes to go pro as crochetiers.  The chair of the Professional Development Committee is Robyn Chachula and she has done an amazing job organizing the day.  I will be the emcee of the event and will also be part of the panel discussion along with Edie Eckman (designer), Brett Bara (editor of Crochet Today!), and Cari Clement (Director of Fashion & Design - Caron international).


My first Professional Development Day circa 2006 - I had just had dinner the night before with my CGOA Mentor Melissa *coughIstillstalkhersometimescough* Leapman and had just made the decision to pursue a career in design.  Kinda got that deer in the headlights thing going on here!  Ahh to be young and innocent....

Anywho...

The rest of the week there are lots of classes, a lounge where people can hang out, a fashion show gala, a great market to SHOP (not that any of us likes to do that at all) and fun stuff to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the founding of the Crochet Guild of America!

During the market preview on Thursday night (7:30 pm) and also during the market on Saturday (12:30 pm) I will be signing books at the Leisure Arts booth so stop by and say "hellooooo" if you are around! 

Today I have to go get a haircut so I'm at least presentable. 

They're Heeeeeeeere!

My copies of the new line of patterns came in the mail yesterday!  Eeeee!  I hadn't seen a finished copy yet so it was just like Christmas in July!!!  In case you haven't found the new pattern books in stores yet (because they just shipped) you can get them asap by ordering them off the Leisure Arts site!