Sunday, January 25, 2015

Smoothfoam Booth at CHA

If you'd like to see more of what happens at the CHA show, Elena Etcheverry, founder of Charity Wings art center, taped a tour of the Smoothfoam booth at CHA this month. 

You can see it here:
https://www.linqto.com/PlaybackRoom.aspx?roomname=charitywings&name=SingleExplicit_2015_01_10_12_40_28_369

Vicki Stabile won the giveaway during the taping, but you can win too!  Comment below with a question or comment about Smoothfoam and I'll pick a winner on February First!

Smoothfoam (which is not your mother's styrofoam) is a wonderful surface for some many creative projects.  You can see all of them on our Pinterest page @ http://www.pinterest.com/plasteel/smoothfoam/.  Enjoy!  Y'all come back now........

Yours truly,
Julie :)

Monday, January 19, 2015

CHA 2015 - Anaheim, CA


It's taken me a while to post photos of my walk up and down the aisles at the CHA show, but I ended up with over 400 images to edit and re-size..... 

The post is mainly "eye candy", but it will surely give you a feel for coming trends, colors, styles, etc.  All images of what look like green, glass tower displays feature the top hot products for this year.  Now it's time to grab a cup of tea, coffee or a glass of wine, put your feet up and join me on my journey up and down 30 aisles of creative goodness.

It's hard to capture how vast the show floor is, but this is a shot taken the first day before it opened.


The first few photos were taken at the "Sneak Peek" event for designers.  Unfortunately I arrived late then spent waaay too much time looking at how the circuit light stickers worked, so I only saw a few of the new products featured........  There were a number of booths on the show floor with the same kind of product, notably Lightseeds made in the USA by CHA designer Jill MacKay.






 

 These are the first of the new product displays on the show floor. They were all behind glass - not easy to photograph.







The yarn companies made a big impression this year.  Lion was promoting "knit your selfie a scarfie", "hat institute" together with other timely tag lines.  Spinrite, which you'll see later on your walk, turned their booth into "Yarnia" including a walk through wardrobe.  (You'll see this further down.)





























Quilled Creations - Quilling for jewelry (above) and more!














Vintage papers made in Sweden available to download from PION design













 Crystal Ninja... both the mural and jump suit were covered with crystals!



Laura Bray presents a Make'n Take at the Smoothfoam booth.



Look what's new at the Spellbinder's booth!





At the Smoothfoam booth:  Projects for all seasons.  



Michelle Frae Cummings demonstrates cutting techniques while Lisa Fulmer presents a Make'n Take project from her new book.



 Pattie Wilkinson demonstrates in the iLove to Create booth.



 Steve Piacenza demonstrates Mod Melts by Mod Podge at the Plaid booth.  
Partner, Cathie Fillian picture below.



Calorie free, sugar free, gluten free cake pops and petit fours with 
Smoothfoam and Mod Podge Collage Clay...


























Michelle Ruth Ohlsson shows how easy it to decorate these Smoothfoam Frames!


Designer in action - Cheryl Boglioli





All about beads... above and below







The indomitable Margot Potter at Impress Arts



















 Kristi Parker Van Doren - you've been framed!


Yours truly, with Lisa Rojas and Ann Butler from Bella Crafts Quarterly



Carmen Flores Tanis demonstrates how easy it is to carve Smoothfoam






 Hot Product from Little B - Paper Blooms






Courtney Chambers and Tanner Bell








 

















 








 Designer Eilieen Hull presents her new products at the Sizzix booth.


 





 Kellycraft features guests from Duck Dynasty with designer, Cindi Bisson


Someone said "duck" - so I did!


 













 







Martha Stewart products presented by the Simplicity Group.



Doily punch, fringe cutter and linked banner punches







Blockwallah carved wood stamps - original designs from Finland 









Mark Montano demonstrating DecoArt Chalk paint




Chalkboard markers from Marvy Uchida



3D Printer in action




Ken Oliver Crafts product debut



Yet another designer, Liz Hicks has been "framed".....



Proxxon. Industrial looking, but fabulous machines for the crafter!



Product to "dye" for.... sorry, couldn't resist it...


Smoothfoam is a family owned company.... this is the family.  Left - right, Bill Ohlsson with brother Scott Ohlsson and his wife, Michelle




 Jesse James beads, buttons and so much more!







Decoden cupcakes




Maker Space at CHA












More from Spellbinders - A Gilded Life





 another frame-up with Holly Fossen







A new Folk Art program from the UK


Selfie with Elena Lai Etcheverry founder of Charity Wings





Being true to our selfies - with Stacey Caron and Terre Frye


and Cindy Alexander (Stacey's sister)

 
 

Ann Butler demonstrating for Makin's Clay




Myléne Hillam, jewelry designer, travelled all the way from Australia to be at the show.







Sara Neuman demonstrates in the Clearsnap booth.



Charms and more from Becky Nunn..




Last, but by no means least, this is Rebekah Meier showing her new fabric line for Mixed Media, voted best product for 2015.  Congratulations Rebekah!!!!


It was a looong walk with SO much to see.  Hope you enjoyed it almost as much as I did.  Y'all come back now!

Yours truly,
Julie :)