CHA 2013 Recap

Me and one of my cutie booth helpers.

CHA 2013 in Vegas was absolutely amazing. I am so happy I had a booth there (my very first big tradeshow). Okay, technically it was more of a table than a booth, but it was still all mine and had a steady stream of shop owners, distributors, sales reps and designers for 2 1/2 days. Response to the piddix collage sheets was wonderful. The Flora & Fauna and Paris lines were popular, and it seems that Steampunk is finally taking off outside of etsy. The big hit of the show were the piddix collage sheets sized especially to fit the new Spellbinders® Media Mixáge™/Susan Lenart Kazmer™ bezels. Thanks so very much to Annie, Stephanie, Brian, and Pennie for all their booth help and to Mom and Dad for thoroughly loving and spoiling the kiddos while we were away.

The very first person to stop by the booth was the one-and-only Suze Weinberg (designer and multi-media artist), who could not have been more supportive and kind. What an amazing way to start the show. Above is a necklace she made using the piddix Steampunk collage sheet (necklace available here).

I finally got to meet the lovely Annie Howes in person and she even helped staff the booth on Thursday.

Piddix Flora & Fauna image sized to fit the new Spellbinders® Media Mixáge™/Susan Lenart Kazmer™ bezels.

Author and designer Suzann Sladcik Wilson with one of two books she's authored that features piddix images.

Designer Melissa Mercer with pendant she created with piddix collage sheet and Vintaj brass bird.

Almost the whole set-up fit in one checked bag. Not too bad!

CHA Sneak Peek

Have you ever wondered what a tradeshow looks like on set-up days? I took these photos at CHA (the Craft & Hobby Association's big tradeshow) today, and it's hard to believe that just a couple of hours later all of the booths were finished. There were HUGE crates and cranes everywhere.

There's Tim Holtz and the people at Ranger getting ready.

When you first walk in and look to your right, you can see my table
(see the tiny piddix logo on the blue drapes?)
Sooo happy with my location.

There's Brian directing the crane above our booth.

A before shot.

During.

And almost done. Tomorrow morning I'll finish up.

And did I mention yesterday was our wedding anniversary? Twelve years!

If you're in Vegas for CHA, swing by lucky booth #1001 (first table on your right) and say hi.

So Many Finds at the Craft & Hobby Trade Show

I spent most of last week at the Craft & Hobby Association's 2010 Winter trade show. It was the first trade show I ever attended for piddix, and it was huge, exhausting, amazing, overwhelming, and totally fun. One of my favorite parts was learning about new products that can be used by piddix customers.
I'll be writing more in-depth about the new glazes and pendants especially, but here's a sneak peek of some of my favorites:

• Premo Sculpey premiered a new, brighter white. Looks like it should work even better for clay image transfers.
• Collage Pauge. Kind of like an updated Modge Podge, designed by Traci Bautista.
• A variety of water-based glazes to try out for scrabble tiles including 3D Crystal Laquer and Aleen's Paper Glaze.
• Amate Studio pendants. I can't say enough good things about their pendants. And there's even a new, scrabble tile size pendant tray they just came out with.
• Vintaj jewelry. Their brand new technique book (and really their whole line of products) is beautiful. I love the look of aged brass.
  
• Simply Swank. I've always recommended their soldering book, but I didn't realize they also offer all kinds soldering supplies including glass for pendants. The trapezoid is my favorite.
• Grafix Rub-Onz Transfer Film. Print out an image and transfer it to tiles, stone, glass. And no further sealing necessary.

Look for more reports about CHA in the next couple of weeks including several hands-on product reviews and a ton of new tutorials I discovered, too.