Friday, October 05, 2007
Miss me?
Today...and for many yesterdays and for many more tomorrows, we've been working on the new web site. I know there have been hints and teases, but the struggle to revolutionize the scrapbooking industry, well, has some sub-struggles that also have to be endured. But the thing about struggles is that when they are over, you are freer and lighter and finally able to soar!
So, if you're ready for another teaser, go here!
ETP!
So, if you're ready for another teaser, go here!
ETP!
Labels: Expanding the Passion, industry insights, Latest and Greatest
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
NSA Chat Night
Today...plan to chat online and on air! We're back from CHA and ready to tell all about it tonight on the monthly NSA Chat Night.
Meet in the forums at 9:00 p.m. central time to chat using the NSA Shout Box
Then at 10:00 p.m click over to Scrapbooking Matters, the NSA's BlogTalkRadio show. Members of the NSA who attended the 2007 CHA Summer Show will call in and tell us about their experiences.
ETP!
Meet in the forums at 9:00 p.m. central time to chat using the NSA Shout Box
Then at 10:00 p.m click over to Scrapbooking Matters, the NSA's BlogTalkRadio show. Members of the NSA who attended the 2007 CHA Summer Show will call in and tell us about their experiences.
ETP!
Labels: industry insights, Latest and Greatest, retail tips
Saturday, July 28, 2007
What Memorytrends said...
Today...I'm posting what Beth Hess, editor of Memorytrends Magazine, reported as trends and hot products from CHA summer (my notes in orange):
The Craft & Hobby Association Summer Show provided an array of new product collections for crafters of all kinds. New yarn textures and colors are likely to inspire papercrafters. So, too, are artist materials. One of the hottest new scrapbooking products of the show is the IOD Paintables collection from Prima. These 12"x12" sheets of cardstock feature outlines of swirls, flowers, and more and are designed to be colored in with paints, markers, color pencils, chalks, or any other color medium. Co-creator Josie Celio says, "I forget how much fun coloring is until I started with this line. It's a form of expression many of us haven't used in a long time." Judging by the crowds watching the demos and placing their orders, others agree scrapbookers are ready to incorporate more of their artistic self and products they already own, like ink pads and pens, in this way. (Watch for more about artistry in journaling and scrapbooks in the September issue of Memorytrends Magazine.)ETP!
Other Products that stood out:Other Trends Spotted:
- Glue Arts GlueGlider Max - a large adhesive gun runner GlueArts is a long-time sponsor of the NSA!
- Dove of the East - Japan Collection
- Birds, Trees flocks of owls, bird-shaped chipboard mini-albums from Piggy Tales & Maya Road, penguin Christmas paper from Imaginisce
- Swirls, Paisley
- Calendar projects Karen Foster, Flair, and others; getting ready for Christmas gifts
- Unique shapes in mini albums, board books, spiral journals, etc.
- Storage, storage, storage - this category just keeps growing (and becoming more fashion-forward and in-line with today's decorating trends) I'm guessing that this product line offers a high return for both manufacturers and retailers, hence the flood
Labels: industry insights, Latest and Greatest, trade magazines
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Hot products to warm up our winter
Today...I'm identifying some of the products and trends I think will be hot coming out of CHA-S. What do you think?
ETP!
- More of the warm, rich colors from January's CHA plus brighter blues (mentioned here)
- Texture and more texture - flocked, glitter, embroidered, stuff that screams "touch me!"
- More felt, velvet and lace, especially in rolls and ribbons, but also in flowers. Look for it from Queen & Co., Prima, Maya Road and others
- More interactive projects - see-through pages, flip books, hide & seek flap book and barn doors from Piggy Tales
- Anything transparent, like acetate, film, acrylic - the digital layered look goes beyond paper
- Home printers and multiple ways to use them - think hybrid and transparencies
- Glue Arts' Glue Glider Pro, which won the Art Materials Magazine Most Innovative Product Award - this is a must-have for serious scrappers
- Prima - with a special eye on the new Printables - something very different for scrapbooking (let's cross over to the art material aisle and grab some water brushes for our distress inks!)
ETP!
Labels: industry insights, Latest and Greatest, retail tips
Thursday, July 19, 2007
CHA-S Press Kit Preview
Today...I visited the press room to get a preview of what's in store for us when the show opens on Friday.
Exhibitors and other CHA members provide press kits to announce new releases, entice with sample products, and provide catalogs and digital images for print. This is an excellent way for editors to find the info they need - and bring it home - to do their job, which is ultimately to spread information.
As a Service Provider, I find the press room an invaluable benefit and ultimately a huge time saver. In one room I can gather a significant amount of information that helps me to plan my show schedule and identify the must-see exhibits. Even if it's just an updated catalogue provided, having it in hand is so much easier - and appreciated - than if I had to hunt down my prospects for information.
I also get a glimpse of what the other categories are working on, such as Pentel's Fabric Fun Dye Sticks. Their press kit included a small canvas bag and encouraged creative time with their new product. Talk about make-n-take!
NSA members Cindy Bisson and Becky Chabot submitted press kits in the designer section, and they were on hand to preview the kits from the exhibitors. This video is just a sample of what we discovered on the show floor:
(Disclaimer: this is my first video post, so please forgive the lack of editing and the burst of exuberance at the end!)
ETP!
Manufacturer's mentioned
Bright blues:
me and my big ideas
Stemma
Skulls & Pirates:
Collected Memories Bad to the Bone albums
Rusty Pickle's Cap'n Jack and Pirate Princess Collections
Karen Foster Design's Pirate Collection
2 Daisies Designs' Heads of the Family
Celebrations:
AdornIt Halloween Collection
Exhibitors and other CHA members provide press kits to announce new releases, entice with sample products, and provide catalogs and digital images for print. This is an excellent way for editors to find the info they need - and bring it home - to do their job, which is ultimately to spread information.
As a Service Provider, I find the press room an invaluable benefit and ultimately a huge time saver. In one room I can gather a significant amount of information that helps me to plan my show schedule and identify the must-see exhibits. Even if it's just an updated catalogue provided, having it in hand is so much easier - and appreciated - than if I had to hunt down my prospects for information.
I also get a glimpse of what the other categories are working on, such as Pentel's Fabric Fun Dye Sticks. Their press kit included a small canvas bag and encouraged creative time with their new product. Talk about make-n-take!
NSA members Cindy Bisson and Becky Chabot submitted press kits in the designer section, and they were on hand to preview the kits from the exhibitors. This video is just a sample of what we discovered on the show floor:
(Disclaimer: this is my first video post, so please forgive the lack of editing and the burst of exuberance at the end!)
ETP!
Manufacturer's mentioned
Bright blues:
me and my big ideas
Stemma
Skulls & Pirates:
Collected Memories Bad to the Bone albums
Rusty Pickle's Cap'n Jack and Pirate Princess Collections
Karen Foster Design's Pirate Collection
2 Daisies Designs' Heads of the Family
Celebrations:
AdornIt Halloween Collection
Labels: industry insights, Latest and Greatest, pudding, trade magazines
Friday, June 22, 2007
The benefit of dreaming big
Today...I'm reminded that dreams really can come true!
Remember when I offered an invitation to create the ultimate scrapbooking web site! Well, it's being done! The new NSA site will be like no other! I'm just too excited not to at least mention how great it is going to be. For me, it's like having all my dreams come true AND dreams I didn't even know I had come true.
It's not too late to let us know your dreams for the ultimate scrapbooking web site.
Whatever your expectations are, they will be blown away!
ETP!
Remember when I offered an invitation to create the ultimate scrapbooking web site! Well, it's being done! The new NSA site will be like no other! I'm just too excited not to at least mention how great it is going to be. For me, it's like having all my dreams come true AND dreams I didn't even know I had come true.
It's not too late to let us know your dreams for the ultimate scrapbooking web site.
Whatever your expectations are, they will be blown away!
ETP!
Labels: About the ING, Expanding the Passion, hand holding, industry insights, Latest and Greatest, Stop the DRAMA
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Meet Mitchell!
Today...CK announced the 2007 Hall of Fame. Congratulations to all the honorees...especially NSA member -- and first male HOFer -- Mitchell Kraft! I talked to Mitchell this afternoon and invited him to join me on the Scrapbooking Matters radio show. So he's scheduled to hang out tomorrow at 1:00 CST. Come listen in live, or download the show to listen later. If you have any questions you'd like to ask him, post them here. Oh, and did I mention? -- he's only 18!
ETP!
ETP!
Labels: consumer magazines, industry insights, Latest and Greatest
Monday, March 19, 2007
The week of "the call"; RIP Irv Rubens
Today...is the day scrapbookers around the world (at least in the United States, Canada (excluding Quebec), England and Wales) who entered the Creating Keepsakes Hall of Fame contest anxiously await a call from founding editor Lisa Bearnson. She makes "the call" to all 25 winners. If you get "the call," it most likely will change your life forever.
Scrapbookers that make the Hall of Fame go on to contribute to the magazine on a consistent basis, design the hot products we will lust for a year from now, and get book deals that feature their special style or approach. Some accept the HOF as a pinnacle and go on to reach other life goals, scrapbooking-related or not.
There will be the drama...of waiting for the call, watching the boards, counting the number of secret toots, hearing the disappointments, then the jealousies. It's the same every year.
And every year I am blown away by the winners - and the honorable mentions - and their ability to inspire and touch scrapbookers of all levels. Their pages are very powerful. And everyone who enters a competition such as the Hall of Fame pours forth their best and newest work. Just entering the contest and meeting the required assignments can be self-satisfying.
Congratulations to everyone who entered, and especially to those who get "the call."
ETP!
P.S. I just received notification that the founder of Pioneer Photo Albums, Jason ("Irv")Ruebens, passed away at the age of 99. Born in New York, he started Ruko Camera Cases in the early 1940's and then moved on to California in 1960, eventually creating the nucleus of what is today Pioneer Photo Albums. Pioneer Photo Albums continues on strongly with his work ethic, and is still run as a privately-owned company by the family members who will greatly miss his presence.
Scrapbookers that make the Hall of Fame go on to contribute to the magazine on a consistent basis, design the hot products we will lust for a year from now, and get book deals that feature their special style or approach. Some accept the HOF as a pinnacle and go on to reach other life goals, scrapbooking-related or not.
There will be the drama...of waiting for the call, watching the boards, counting the number of secret toots, hearing the disappointments, then the jealousies. It's the same every year.
And every year I am blown away by the winners - and the honorable mentions - and their ability to inspire and touch scrapbookers of all levels. Their pages are very powerful. And everyone who enters a competition such as the Hall of Fame pours forth their best and newest work. Just entering the contest and meeting the required assignments can be self-satisfying.
Congratulations to everyone who entered, and especially to those who get "the call."
ETP!
P.S. I just received notification that the founder of Pioneer Photo Albums, Jason ("Irv")Ruebens, passed away at the age of 99. Born in New York, he started Ruko Camera Cases in the early 1940's and then moved on to California in 1960, eventually creating the nucleus of what is today Pioneer Photo Albums. Pioneer Photo Albums continues on strongly with his work ethic, and is still run as a privately-owned company by the family members who will greatly miss his presence.
Labels: consumer magazines, IMHO, Latest and Greatest, Stop the DRAMA
Friday, February 02, 2007
So you can see
Today...I'm providing a list of companies and products I reviewed on the Diva Craft Lounge from CHA:
Theme: Quality through rich, luxurious textures
Papers:
Paper Elements
Daisy Bucket
Luxe Designs
Embellishments:
Felt: Tinkering Ink, Queen & Co.
Velvet: De Ja Views, SEI, Imaginisce
Chipboard: My Mind's Eye embossed chipboard; Magistical Memories food quality chipboard
Film in the PageSage press kit
Journalling:
Karen Russell Journaler's Notebook (MT release)
Graph papers: Scenic Route, Dream Street
Color:
Black & White
Aqua
Plums
Tools:
7 Gypsies punch
Bind It All
The Slice
Karen Foster's Scraparatus
*Purple Cow's Freestyle
Organization:
Clip It Up
Arccivo
*KFD's Scrap Apron
*ScrapEze vertical paper holder (MT release)
Give the Gift of Scrapbooking:
Love Books
My Book
Speaking Up
*Photopoly
*SEI's Minute Memories (MT release)
The asterisk indicates the companies/products that deserve mention but I didn't talk about because of time or because Diva Danielle and Jan covered them.
Of course, there are many other wonderful finds at CHA, and I would love to hear about your favorites!
ETP!
Theme: Quality through rich, luxurious textures
Papers:
Paper Elements
Daisy Bucket
Luxe Designs
Embellishments:
Felt: Tinkering Ink, Queen & Co.
Velvet: De Ja Views, SEI, Imaginisce
Chipboard: My Mind's Eye embossed chipboard; Magistical Memories food quality chipboard
Film in the PageSage press kit
Journalling:
Karen Russell Journaler's Notebook (MT release)
Graph papers: Scenic Route, Dream Street
Color:
Black & White
Aqua
Plums
Tools:
7 Gypsies punch
Bind It All
The Slice
Karen Foster's Scraparatus
*Purple Cow's Freestyle
Organization:
Clip It Up
Arccivo
*KFD's Scrap Apron
*ScrapEze vertical paper holder (MT release)
Give the Gift of Scrapbooking:
Love Books
My Book
Speaking Up
*Photopoly
*SEI's Minute Memories (MT release)
The asterisk indicates the companies/products that deserve mention but I didn't talk about because of time or because Diva Danielle and Jan covered them.
Of course, there are many other wonderful finds at CHA, and I would love to hear about your favorites!
ETP!
Labels: Diva Craft Lounge, industry insights, Latest and Greatest
Thursday, February 01, 2007
CHA: I felt the felt!
Today...I'm recovering from CHA, so here's a quick summary. For a more detailed report, listen to my segment on the Diva Craft Lounge.
The theme of this year's show was Quality -- my guess, a tactile reaction to the fast-growing digital market. Look for lots of luxurious textures in paper and embellishments like 80 pound text double sided patterned papers, embossed chipboard, and textiles like velvet, felt and corduroy. Reoccurring color themes were in black & white, teal with everything, and rich plums, burgundies and ivories. Look for a full report on the NSA web site coming soon from Debbie Hodge.
In the meantime, enjoy these photos from the show!
Diva Danielle kept busy doing a show review for Clique TV. She broadcast live from the NSA booth with me and Jan Mollet Evans. And I got to meet Rayme and his mom !!! but no photo :-(
Robin (far left) and Donna (far right) from Scrapbook Warehouse and I stopped by the Memories in Uniform booth to thank Amy Alfaro for her support of Harvesting Memories.
It wouldn't be official without a photo with the lovely Leah Fung!
I finally met Tara Whitney in person at the 2 Peas ice cream social.
Get this...green round sprinkles (peas?) on my ice cream!
Wendy and Kitty have a book due for release later this spring. They and a table full of designers gave me their take on the show during lunch.
The cool tool of the show...the Freestyle from Purple Cows. I first saw this product at PMA last March. It's finally here!
More later!
ETP!
The theme of this year's show was Quality -- my guess, a tactile reaction to the fast-growing digital market. Look for lots of luxurious textures in paper and embellishments like 80 pound text double sided patterned papers, embossed chipboard, and textiles like velvet, felt and corduroy. Reoccurring color themes were in black & white, teal with everything, and rich plums, burgundies and ivories. Look for a full report on the NSA web site coming soon from Debbie Hodge.
In the meantime, enjoy these photos from the show!
Diva Danielle kept busy doing a show review for Clique TV. She broadcast live from the NSA booth with me and Jan Mollet Evans. And I got to meet Rayme and his mom !!! but no photo :-(
Robin (far left) and Donna (far right) from Scrapbook Warehouse and I stopped by the Memories in Uniform booth to thank Amy Alfaro for her support of Harvesting Memories.
It wouldn't be official without a photo with the lovely Leah Fung!
I finally met Tara Whitney in person at the 2 Peas ice cream social.
Get this...green round sprinkles (peas?) on my ice cream!
Wendy and Kitty have a book due for release later this spring. They and a table full of designers gave me their take on the show during lunch.
The cool tool of the show...the Freestyle from Purple Cows. I first saw this product at PMA last March. It's finally here!
More later!
ETP!
Labels: Diva Craft Lounge, industry insights, Latest and Greatest, photos
Friday, January 26, 2007
CHA Prep, Part III
Today...was the last day for CHA preparations. Tomorrow we fly out. Scott's been working hard getting the logistics together, and I've been sending out emails about Sneak Peeks. And don't you worry! I'm tracking the hot products for my Diva on the Road report, Wednesday, January 31 at noon pacific. Diva Danielle will be broadcasting LIVE from the NSA booth, #1508. Tune in live or listen to the archives!
ETP!
ETP!
Labels: Diva Craft Lounge, industry insights, Latest and Greatest
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
CHA Prep, Part II
Today...on the Diva Craft Lounge I gave a CHA Sneak Peek report and provided a little insight as to what to expect later this month.
ETP!
ETP!
Labels: Diva Craft Lounge, industry insights, Latest and Greatest
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
CHA Prep, Part I
Today...I started preparing for the slice of heaven that is CHA. I developed a web page for the sneak peeks and glanced over the CNA issue new to my mailbox, one of the several pre-show mags I'm sure to receive. So here are some things that caught my eye:
Clip File System from Simply Renee...something new in storage and organization
Pay-per-project Online...something close to a concept I'm trying to develop, but no where near what it needs to be (Warning: I find F&W web sites painfully slow. This one is no exception.)
Give 'em what they need...excellent peek into what this industry should be -- and should not be -- doing:
Karen Ancona's editorial "We Reap What We Sow" about kindness and generosity...it was like she was speaking to the NSA about Harvesting Memories and our plans for CHA: "Americans love a company that promotes civility...a good deed in the pay-it-forward spirit."
ETP!
Clip File System from Simply Renee...something new in storage and organization
Pay-per-project Online...something close to a concept I'm trying to develop, but no where near what it needs to be (Warning: I find F&W web sites painfully slow. This one is no exception.)
Give 'em what they need...excellent peek into what this industry should be -- and should not be -- doing:
Karen Ancona's editorial "We Reap What We Sow" about kindness and generosity...it was like she was speaking to the NSA about Harvesting Memories and our plans for CHA: "Americans love a company that promotes civility...a good deed in the pay-it-forward spirit."
ETP!
Labels: Expanding the Passion, Harvesting Memories, industry insights, Latest and Greatest, trade magazines
