Category: CHA

CHA 2015: Finnabair for Prima

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Anna (aka Finnabair) is such an incredible artist, and I remember seeing her work for the first time just a few years ago and thinking how talented and wonderful. She happened to be standing behind me at the time – so guess it is good I loved her stuff!

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Fast forward to this week, and I was able to see her line that is continuing to develop with Prima Marketing. Some of these items are already available in stores, some are brand new for this show.

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I have several of her art mediums (gel, crackle, etc) that I will be reviewing soon(ish), and I was excited to see she’s bringing glitter and mica and those types of things back!

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I’m also very excited by her really cool art stamps. Some available in block, and all in cling format.

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CHA 2015: Crate Paper

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In addition to the Maggie Holmes line, Crate Paper has two lovely new lines this show. First up, Craft Market.

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My favorite thing are these wood veneer hoops. HECK YES! It reminds me to get out my own actual hoops out, but I also really want these.

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Oh and yes, of course I’ll share here what I make! This should begin shipping next month – the line is cute it just has a lot of kraft + pinkĀ + gold…

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All things I approve of!

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LOVE the burlap and these stickers…

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Their other line hits on the trendy road trip/vintage trailer trend. “Journey” ships this spring and will be ready for the summer road trip season!

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Love the chipboard, as well as many of the patterned papers.

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Also in this line, great cork words, alphas, and all the usual embellishments you’d expect from Crate Paper.

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I really like the offerings from Crate, and I can’t wait to create with both of these lines.

CHA 2015: Tim Holtz and Ranger Present the Distress Ink of the Month

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While the suspense is KILLING me, I do believe the idea of releasing a new (surprise) Distress color each month is a wonderful idea. I love this presentation from Tim Holtz and Ranger for so many reasons:

  • gives us (the consumers) just one color a month to think about and/or consider adding in some form to our collections
  • lets us pick which products we want to add – no more waiting months for the spray or the marker or whatever item wasn’t offered at first!
  • gives store owners a wonderful opportunity to make an event out of the reveal each month, as well as a lovely little display for their stores
  • gives us all something to watch for each month!

I just love that from every aspect as consumers (or store owners!) Ranger has made this a really fun way to make 2015 the year of Distress Ink. I have several ideas rolling around my head for ways to showcase this and future colors – stay tuned! They’re keeping future colors VERY secret until reveal – so no I don’t know what else we’ll see!

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Note for mini ink pad fans – they’ll release after four months (Example: Jan > April) in a set of four. All the existing/older colors of distress? Those are available in mini individually now!

My personal hope – and yes I want to go on record with this in case I’m right – is for some kind of an orchid color between pink and purple. Oh how I’d love to see that presented in a special month… May!! šŸ˜‰

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January’s Cracked PistachioĀ is now available for pre-order at Simon Says Stamp as a set and should be shipping soon. Ranger promises a color each month – but there is not a set reveal or shipping date at this time. I don’t know if they’ll change that or if we will simply have to stay tuned each month for the surprise…

CHA 2015: Shimelle “True Stories” For American Crafts

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I’m not really a “baby” person. Oh sure they’re cute but no I don’t generally seek them out. Here’s one that is an exception. We’ll get to the paper goodness… but oh my. “Wonder Boy” aka son of the fantastic Miss Shimelle is so cute, and so very full of personality. Most of the time if I walked by he was there, just hanging out and playing with paper or smiling up a storm. It was so great to meet him after spending last show with his (very pregnant) mom!

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What were Shimelle and the Wonder Boy there selling? Her new collection True Story by American Crafts. This collection is very Shimelle, but it is also very scrapbooker positive.

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What I mean by that is sometimes I feel like even “scrapbooking” paper lines are made for cards or project life or other stuff, and it was so refreshing and honestly a relief to find a line that was clearly made with a story telling scrapbooker in mind. In bold colors no less.

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