Susan, Springs Creative’s ace reporter, reviews CHA’s Summer Show

August 12, 2011

The theme of show was CraftFusion and it was beautifully displayed in the center of the show floor with the CHA Crafty Couture Designers Challenge entries. The challenge was to create a dress using mixed media and the winning design will be featured in an upcoming issue of CLOTH PAPER SCISSORS magazine. Mixed media is definitely all the buzz in crafting taking traditional craft supplies and mixing them in unexpected ways.This theme was also reinforced throughout the show with lots of make and takes and demo’s.

While paper crafting/scrapbooking is still the main focus of many of the vendors at the show, fabric still has a presence throughout the show – most noticeable was the large amounts of burlap and canvas that showed up in many displays and products. Bling was still there but the natural look of the burlap and canvas along with vintage/tea dyed looks are defiantly a strong new look.

QR codes have been making their way onto the scene for a while but until now they have been used by companies to drive customers to their products and websites. The latest use I found at the show was a company selling QR codes as a way to “CRAFT a MEMORY.” The code links video memories to scrapbook pages or greeting cards. The idea is to record your child singing happy birthday or eating his first corn on the cob, and upload it to the server linked with the purchased QR code. You then just attach the code to a scrapbook page or card and using your smart phone you will always have that memory link to the card or the page. A very interesting twist on how to use the latest technology.

The summer show is always a bit smaller than winter but the one thing I walked away from the show thinking was what will be the next latest and greatest craft opportunity? While there were updated uses for cutting tools and new paper folding ideas there was not that one big WOW moment.

Next Show will be in January in Anaheim Ca. I can’t wait to be WOWed.

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