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Category Archives: Somerset Studio Magazine
Stampington Attends Craft and Hobby Association In The Winter 2012
Binder: check. Blinged-out badge: check. List of my top 25 favorite companies to visit, as well as an up-to-the-minute schedule of seminars and notes regarding celebrity crafter appearances: check. CHA, here I come!
The Craft and Hobby Association trade show is the most anticipated conference for companies promoting new products and publications for the growing arts and craft industry. Over the course of the convention, we had the chance to mingle with artists that we‘ve been working closely with for years and also met some new faces. Traci Bautista was there promoting her new book, Doodles Unleashed and created colorful doodles for attendees on the spot. Somerset Place will be a stop on her book blog tour next month—look for that in the near future! Tim Holtz held demonstrations all week long and showcased his new products from Ranger and Sizzix. We chatted with Mark Montano, the creative mind behind his new book, The Big-Ass Book of Crafts 2. We also met up with the effervescent Kathy Cano-Murillo, of Crafty Chica fame, at which time I gushed that I was one of her thousands of followers on Twitter. Seeing as the trade show floor was lined with red carpets, I decided that being a little star-struck was acceptable.
It was such a treat to see some of the biggest crafting companies in our industry—My Mind’s Eye, Prima Marketing, Maya Road—shining in their unique aesthetic. Display walls were covered, quite literally, from floor to ceiling with product demos and project samples. Between DCWV’s breathtaking glass-beaded forest installation and Graphic 45′s vintage teagarden wonderland, new inspiration radiated from booth to booth.
Our Shoppe Manager, Vanessa, is always on the lookout for new products to add to our online inventory. “Beach Bloomers” was a new company that we discovered, filled with ephemera trinkets and custom-made banners. She was so enthralled with these finds that we will be partnering with them to bring you a new “Vintage Swap-portunity” feature. Stay tuned for more details about this and other CHA discoveries in tomorrow’s Post Script e-letter. You can also look forward to hot new products from Pink Paislee, Tim Holtz, and Glitz Designs arriving soon at The Shoppe!
Seeing the many players in the crafting industry gather in one central place to promote the arts really warmed my heart. It was inspiring to see how different companies are collaborating (Rhonna Farrer’s new “Follow Your Heart” line with My Mind’s Eye is just plain gorgeous) and constantly looking at new trends in design and technology to expand their brand and customer base. I am so proud to be a part of a community that promotes an appreciation for the arts and fosters a love for the creative life.
Favorite Paper Designs & Using Them Creatively
Encouraged by an article in Somerset Studio Magazine, crafter Dana McCranie discusses documenting her favorite paper designs then using them creatively.
I’ve confessed to you my love of paper before. You know this about me. What I haven’t told you is how much of it I hoard and never use because I’m just waiting for the right moment. What about you? Are you sitting on a beautiful stash just waiting for the perfect project? In the column Make It Your Own in the November/December 2011 issue of Somerset Studio magazine, artist Michelle Ward offers a challenge to paper hoarders like myself in her article “Claiming Paper.”
Ward admits to being a paper collector, but she also shares how she got over letting sentimentality keep her from making use of this collection. After deciding she would use the paper she had, she started a journal page to document her favorite sheets. She would put a small clipping on the page and then add an entry about why she was drawn to the paper. She calls it “me first” journaling. Then, she puts the rest in a “use me” pile. She also says that she likes to claim the paper she has by putting her mark on it and she encourages readers to do the same. In this article you’ll find beautiful examples of her process of claiming the paper she has and putting it to use.
At this time of year, we are constantly in need of wrapping paper. After seeing how Ward has taken various papers and personalized them, I am crossing gift wrap off my shopping list. From spray paint with stencils to stamps and paint, it is exciting to see the new life these different papers receive. It is a beautiful way to use your resources, save money, be creative and also personalize what you are giving.
