How does one post about Jo Packham visiting your shop?

I've pondered this all day...how do I tell you about Jo Packham visiting Just a Bed of Roses yesterday.

This is by no means a small event for me...as a matter of fact just the day before the cutest customer was in and of course all NEW customers get my spill about "WHERE WOMEN CREATE" book (my absolute favorite book) come to find out she was a former employee of  Jo's and was so delightful and as she left she said "I've got to tell Jo about this place!" I said "DON'T as I would have a heart attack. That's exactly what I said when Brooke Walker called and said she was coming in...and guess what I LIVED THROUGH IT!

Jo walks in with her good friend Cindy who works either with Mayor Godfrey or for him, I can see why they are friends they speak the same language and have the same thoughts on creativity. Jo graciously thanks me over and over for blogging about her book and her article in Celebrate about her work on Christmas Village. Of course, that helps ease me into the shock of her standing in front of me!

Anyone who knows her and speaks of her work for years knows the inborn talent she was gifted with and developed. And then to be in a place in her life where she gets to meet some of the most extraordinary women in this creative field we are in is so amazing to me. And now to present it so beautifully to us in pictures and stories of these women is a blessing and inspiration to all of us.

When each issue comes of course I'm at work and can never just sit down, so I scan through the pictures and read my favorite part: From my Kitchen table by Jo:

Here she makes statements like How this book didn't come about by accident, meeting Jenny Doh and Kellene Giloff for the first time and thinking they were bigger than life, how she felt her sweet mother watching over her giving her courage.  How she prioritizes each and every day like you and I have to do. How to take care of our own needs too and that its impossible to do and have it all and why would we even think that we want to? I thank her for being herself and being so real , offering her wise words of wisdom in each issue and how even though she meets some of the most famous creative people around she treats you just as nicely.

That brings me to a few regular visiting customers...Kelly Simms and Elaine Packer who walked in and I had to break the news to them of whom they were standing next to! How lucky for us to meet Jo and Cindy.

There is a CREATIVE CONNECTION taking place next mid September we were told about. Lets put that on our calendars...it will be in Minnesota. Here is Jo's blog: http://www.wherewomencreate.typepad.com/  where you can follow her and stay current with Creative women activities. She just came back from being a keynote speaker at Silver Bella...how fun! And thanks a million Jo for adding Maybe life really is Just a bed of roses blog link to your site, that is an honor to me.

See all of you soon!

P.S. IF you are wondering what is in JO's black sack...she has a strong attraction to  pearls and rhinestones!