CHA - Maya (the roomie, not the Road)

Although I have a ton of pics from the Maya Road booth (their designers are AMAZING!), this is about my roomie and new friend from the show! Originally I had planned on rooming with a friend, who decided she couldn't go. So then I changed my plans and was going to room with another girl from 2Peas and two other girls she had found to share the room. Well, a few days before the show and the day before the show, two of the four of us had to drop out for family/health reasons. So it was down to myself and Maya (who I'd never met or spoken to!) and a suddenly too expensive room with just the two of us. Maya made some calls and worked on the internet and ended up finding us a room here
for actually less than we'd have been paying as a foursome at the other hotel. Well, the Hilton is IN O'Hare. And for a four-star hotel, their service was insanely crappy. BUT, Maya ended up being the most awesome roomie! We both drove in from opposite directions on Friday and didn't meet up until late Friday night checking in to the hotel. We got along fabulously! Despite being tired (hello, she's seven months pregnant and worked 3 days at the Fiskars booth plus walked the show!), and the key fiasco (it took until the next day to actually have keys that worked in our door...like I said, the service there was really not impressive...), we sat up each night, chatting and watching Pretty Woman while she made these...

Are those adorable or what! She just sat on her bed crocheting away and lucky me got a set!

Here's Maya while we were waiting (of course Saturday was rainy - oh joy) for a shuttle over to the convention center area.


And we FINALLY got a pic together just before I left on Sunday. Worn out and ready to go home (poor thing still had a couple of hours left to work there at the Fiskars booth!) but really glad we met!

Some video demos from CHA, part 3

This was one of my favorite new toys released at the show! Around the Block always comes out with the most inventive doodads, lol! This is the BradMaker. Several companies have the little brads with center artwork under a flattened dome, but Making Memories comes to mind as having really done a lot with this look. Well, now you can do it yourself! Add ANYTHING - photos, pieces of patterned paper, bits of stamped images, whatever you'd like. You can also COVER brads with fabric and such, but we didn't get that on video (nor did I see it done, just know that it CAN be done).

You'll really have to forgive me on this video - I probably should have watched her demo this a few more times to get a feel for where she'd be moving when so I could back the zoom out in time...it's a bit wobbly at times and at the end she just kept moving while I was trying to zoom (lol - listen for Jennifer from ATB in the background telling her to stay still at the end - she was watching over my shoulder). But trust me - looks JUST like the ones from MM!

Psst, might need to turn your volume up a bit too - she's a little quiet and they were in a high traffic area near an entrance.

The MSRP for the BradMaker is $39.95. Refill kits available as well.

Had to switch to YouTube - Blogger just doesn't seem to like videos to be uploaded directly!

Some video demos from CHA, part 2

Another interesting tool that I suddenly can't figure out how I ever lived without! Magic Mesh has come up with the coolest use for their own meshy technology. This mat solves several problems scrapbookers and cardmakers come across in everyday creativity.

First, especially for those who don't have a dedicated space (with a door that CLOSES, lol), you can use this to pick up your project and store it elsewhere EXACTLY intact until you're ready to work on it some more. Also safe from dust, small fingers, kitty fur...

Secondly, for those who like to layer things but then have to re-figure where everything went during the adhesive process, this solves the problem BEAUTIFULLY! Definitely a home run in my book!



Besides this cool contraption, Magic Mesh has added some really nice new weaves to their traditional product. And has anyone NOT yet figured out just how awesome Magic Mesh is with acrylic? MADE for it, lol! Remember the color is on both sides of the mesh! OR, you could color one side of the mesh (the non-sticky side) another color using inks, paint, etc. I could go on and on, but I think I'll save that for another day! :)

Some video demos from CHA, part 1

I kept forgetting I had my camera, much less that it was a videocam, lol! Then when I would pull it out I did get a couple of those "deer-in-the-headlights" reactions from people who could demo the product for hundreds upon hundreds of people live, but froze in front of a camera. Sigh. But I did get a few good videos. They'll have a permanent home on Scrapbook News + Review's site once we figure out where, but in the meantime, hope you enjoy!

This first video is of the new trimmer from We R Memory Keepers. Releasing in mid-October (I'll be doing a complete review in the October issue of SNR) and retails for $10! Soooo simple, yet completely astounded me in how useful it's going to be for ME! The base is magnetic. So WRMK has a magnetic mat, or you could use the Basic Grey, or whatever. You can put the darned thing anywhere and get a straight line. No longer limited by the sides of your trimmer etc. so you can cut on weird diagonals too. This just makes so much sense!

The circle cutter, also, is magnetic. The blade is a standard size (so you could get Xacto refills - I forget what size, but they are available) and straight-cutting rather than other versions of this (cough, Elmer's) that use a rotary and don't end up in the same place when you get round the circle. Ok.

Enough of my chatting - on to my buddy Mike (I've known him for years from back when he worked for Chatterbox and I first became a buyer in this industry!) showing you his wares! Remember I still haven't figured out how to edit video so pardon my fidgeting, lol!



These two products are part of an expansion to their Ultimate Cutting Kit - honestly, it's pretty darned cool! I really like their cutting mat and the diagonal lines built in! Oh, and that's the old circle cutter that comes with it shown in the link and the one in the video is the prototype for the new (the real thing will be purple to match everything else and not the ugly orange, lol - I checked to make sure!).

Back from CHA!

I have sooooo much to share I don't have a clue where to begin! I have to upload all my photos and video still and all kinds of things, but thought I'd share this quick photo of me with Cathie and Steve from Creative Juice! Can I just say he is soooo much yummier in person? But I was a good girl - I tried really hard to focus on Cathie just to avoid slipping up and asking if I could have his children, lol! I mean, come on - a man that looks THAT good AND is creative? Swoon...


And, of course, me with some of the girls from Scrapbook News and Review! On my left (looking at the picture) is Carla, who is our Advertising Manager, and on the right is Caitlin, our beloved Editor in Chief! It was marvelous to finally meet them both in person!!

More CHA Sneak Peeks

While I'm off seeing these in person, just thought I'd give you all more to drool over while you wait! :)

More CHA Sneaks!

Well I won't even attempt to try the video version on this, lol! Anyways, I split the groups up a bit more so that when you click on the photo to see the big version they'll be even bigger, lol! Enjoy your drooling! 44 hours until I hit the road for CHA! It's only about a 3 hour drive. I'm trying to get a few posts scheduled so those of you not going to the show will have something to do while you're waiting for all the post-show excitement!

Be still my heart...new Mod Podge!

Color me happy! I just got word on the new Mod Podge formulations releasing for CHA Summer - woohoo! I will be ALL OVER the Plaid booth at CHA next weekend, lol!

Glow in the dark...

Shimmer Silver...

Shimmer Gold...

Glittered Silver...

Glitter Gold...


Sigh - I need it all!!!!

CHA Summer 2008 Sneak Peeks Video

Yay! I did it! At least I hope I did, lol!

I've been collecting! However I started collecting after I'd seen quite a few so now I have to remember what I've missed and go back and find those images to add, but I've still got a nice little collection here for your drooling pleasure! I messed with slideshow after slideshow and then finally figured out I could do this soooo much more easily just using Picasa, selecting all of them and making a movie! Way cool. I love Picasa! However it did cut some of them off a bit and didn't give me an option to include the file names. Soooo, if you want to see the full pics with the name of the company, I do have a Flickr file with all of them here. But in the meantime, here is about 2 minutes of the yumminess to be hitting your stores in the coming weeks and months!!

Ok. For those of you following along with my trials and errors with this, here's how I made it work. Picasa has this wonderful little button "blog this". Which will take whatever pics you choose and pull up Blogger and put them all right there in your post for you. Of course, I always forget this, lol, and do it the long way, one at a time. Anyways. Although the movie Picasa made showed up as an avi file, if you use the "blog this" button, it turns it into a jpeg. Oops. So you do have to manually add these videos into Blogger. And they MUST be under 100MB. And if they're not, Blogger will still PRETEND to be uploading it for hours. Grrr.

Picasa also does a really fast collage! Click on it to see it much bigger!

And the countdown begins...

The countdown to CHA, that is! In exactly a week I will be arriving in Chicago (I'll be driving so leaving VERY early next Friday morning) for a few days of pure bliss! I've been to a lot of these shows but this will be my first NOT going as a buyer but as a member of the press (I'll be going with Scrapbook News + Review). I don't know yet what to expect from this new role but I'm definitely so excited to see all the new goodies, catch up with old friends, and just be in a totally creative atmosphere for a few days!

And speaking of Scrapbook News + Review, we are looking for submissions for our August issue! You can find the main calls here. Several of the departments have separate calls now as well, including mine! Have I mentioned yet that I'll be coordinating the newly re-vamped "Altered Art and Home Dec" section? :) I'm so excited about the future plans for this section! And I'd love to see your work for it! Here is what we're looking for:

Artful Rooms - We're looking for items you have altered for your kitchen - utensil holders, spice racks, kitchen art, altered cookie sheets and cutting boards...anything you can put in your kitchen!

Options - Time to see how you keep your household on time! We're looking for a wide variety of altered clocks - any style - what makes YOU tick?

Seasonal - We're looking for items altered with summer or beach themes.

Wearables - We'd love to see anything made with scrapping supplies that can be worn (totes/purses count) - jewelry, shoes (would love to see some flip flops!), etc.

ATC's - Show us your favorite ATC's for a new ATC gallery feature!

Call Guidelines Please submit your projects with the following guidelines: - Of any size - No restrictions on whether it has been posted to an online gallery, blog, etc., but we respectfully request that you take them down when requested for publication. Submit to jfranklin@scrapbooknewsandreview.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Deadline: July 31, 2008

I hope to see some of your work!!!

In the meantime, I'll leave you with one of the projects I had in the June issue - an altered wooden gift bag I made for my dad. I'm so in love with Basic Grey's Archaic line! I also used leather trim on this and clipped off the backs of some brads to just glue them on. The chipboard letters are 1.5" Prim & Proper font from Zsiage hammered with the Tim Holtz texture hammer then inked and swiped with gold and covered in Glossy Accents. Click on the picture to see the mega version and the details!


Let me know if you'll be at CHA too! I'd love to be on the lookout for you! :)