CHA + Valentines.
Tags:CHA Experience 2008
The Craft + Hobby Association trade show is a BIG show. It literally takes days to walk through and it is completely possible to not see everything + everyone. Very simply: this is the place that craft manufacturers showcase their goods and stores place their orders.
One of the best things for me this year was traveling with my friend Tricia. She was shopping for her kit club and I was looking and chatting and checking things out. We travel well together (a great little friendship test). She's a gem.
Product-wise there were lots of interesting things to see. Here's a couple of my favorite things this year:
Jenni Bowlin:
Jenni and I are friends from way back and I was so excited for her to be debuting her line of goods - lots of vintage inspired papers + stickers + things with lines. I have been subscribing to her kit club in order to get my hands on all her wonderful creations (and cool add-ins) for the last couple of years and am so glad to see her expanding her lines as a manufacturer.
Loved her displays.
+++
Making Memories Travel Line: Passport
I fall easily for a good travel themed product line. I like products that can be used in different ways - travel can be literally a vacation or it can reflect the thoughts related to traveling through life, our everyday journey, etc. I loved the colors in this line and the great use of type.
+++
K&Company: Donna Ingemanson
Recognize this? K&Company has liscensed artist Donna Ingemanson to create scrapbooking products based on her fabulous illustrations. You may know her art from the great children's catalog + store Land of Nod. Happy stuff especially if you are documenting the life of a little boy.
Another thing I thought was cool from K&Company was this package of spinner accents. I am not sure which line this goes along with (checking on that) but it was definitely something I jotted down as looking forward to using.
One of the things I always like to see at shows are clever spins on products. I love how Sassafrass Lass is adding a little strip along the bottom of its papers (great patterns too):
Another thing I saw were lots of great minibooks - they were everywhere and many of them were incorporating the idea of including lots of different papers and textures. Loved this one from Danelle Johnson's Creative Lifestyle line for Creative Imaginations:
And this super cute Peek-A-Boo mini from Tinkering Ink that includes chipboard + acrylic: 
Those were some of the basic highlights for me - there is no way to remember them all even when I try to write them down as I go - I am sure I will think of more as time goes on and things begin to be available in the stores. If you want to check out some videos of new product check out Monique's Scrap Etc. site or this photo album on Flickr.
Also, have to say that I was so excited to finally meet Linda Woods, co-author of Visual Chronicles and Journal Revolution (missed meeting her sister Karen - one of these days). I love their message and energy and revolutionary spirit. We will hook up again for sure.
One of my favorite parts of these shows will always simply be the chance to see so many people I have met over the last few years. Lots of hugs and catching up and laughter and "what are you seeing?" I tend to come home reminded once again how lucky I am to be a part of such an amazing creative culture with so many kind, caring, wonderful people involved in all aspects of the industry.
And here's a little Valentine's treat:
Gotta love the beauty of technology: Simon wrote "Love Simon"
and I scanned it in, added a bit more text, printed them out, and
attached inside folded red cardstock. Hope you and yours have a very
nice Valentine's Day!
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60 comments
Thanks for sharing all of your favorites! It is so cool to see so many different and new things. And I love that Simon is sending out a message to all your bloggers!
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hey there...great to see you at the show! Hope that we can find some time in the future to have a creative pow-wow....Happy Valentine's Day to you & the Edwards crew...email me your home address and I will send you some cookies!!!
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same to you dude :)
love to all of you, Can't wait to see you soon!
P
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So many great finds - thanks for showing all the goodies.
Love Simon's Valentine - bless his beautiful heart.
A.
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Just wanted to say thanks for the cute I love you weekend creative...I started out making 3 and ended up making 9! I also cut and edited the images in paint and created a virtual version to share with my family on the family blog from my great grand parents who just recently passed away....Thanks for all of the ideas...Happy Valenitines Day!
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i cannot get enough of the Jenni Bowling stuff. loving the little glimpses I'm getting of her booth. thanks for the review and happy valentine's day.
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LOVE the Valentine's Day greetings from you & Simon!! There's just something about a child's handwriting... Hope you all have a wonderful day. :) CHA looks like SUCH a blast. Wish I could attend one. I bet you leave there filled the brim with inspiration! All the new products you highlighted look like fun and I can't wait to see them in my LSS...hope they make it to my LSS. :\ Have a great day--thanks for the update!
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My legs are still not happy with me after all the walking we did at the show.
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Wahoo - CHA was so fun and inspiring !!! Loved seeing you at the show - in your marvelous orange !!! Too much to see and too much to select from - we ordered all most everything we saw for our store !!!
The valentine from Simon - a keepsake for sure !!!
Cheers
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thanks for sharing!!!
would love to be able to go to CHA just to see everything!
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WOW,again what great stuff is coming our way. Thanks for sharing, Ali, But that made me think: when will we be able to enjoy your very own product line of minibooks, paper and stuff? ;)
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Great stuff:) I have those spinners already. Just haven't decided how to use them yet;)Thanks for sharing:)
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Hey, when CHA comes to Belfast I'm there for sure haha!! Cool little insight - look forward to checking out some of those links:)
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oooh cool favorites! Some of that stuff I never saw. I totally saw you there but was too shy to say hey, so I guess I'm making up for it now. I thought your orange sweater and shoes rocked! =)
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What great stuff! The highway sign-shaped paper from Jenni Bowlin is my new favorite thing ... Thanks for the fun preview.
Happy Valentine's Day to you & yours too. Everyday is a wonderful day to share and celebrate love. :)
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Good to have you back and thanks for more peaks of my fav Jenni. Cute that she was wearing the same colors as her Tangerine line... I've got this months kit laying out on my table; just looking at those little butterflies with such glee.
Hey a while back you were saying sadly that your primary was so late it doesn't really matter. Well not this time friend. We just had so much fun around here last week with Obama coming and the caucus.... YES, WE CAN! '08
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It was cool to see you again at CHA, many of your favorites were mine too! I loved Simon's little handmade valentine.. something to cherish for sure. tena
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PS - Happy Birthday to my neighbor, OREGON!
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Thank you for all the fun new finds! :) Can't wait to try some of them out. And LOVE Simon's Valentine- so very cute.
~Alison
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Happy Valentine's Day Ali!!
I just love kid's artwork the best and handwriting is a special treat :) Love Simon's Valentine's.
I was inspired by your weekend creative to create this for Valentines:
http://littleowlhoothoot.typepad.com/this_is_how_it_is/
Thanks always for the inspiration. And as for this post the awesome eye candy. Not sure how long it will take for these goodies to make to Australia though, hope Tricia got some of those mini books for CD kit club :)
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